Tuesday, October 31, 2017

The Crimson Hand on Halloween part 2


            Rumford and Samantha Gould had reached the hidden crypt of Joroth the Undying. The man who had died so many times that the only thing keeping him together is a powerful artifact. Rumford is kept bound to his skeleton through Samantha’s magic and Samantha is a mortal who can die but also doesn’t seem to age.

Three false immortals facing off in a crypt on Halloween night.



            Joroth wasted no time in charging forward, holding his jagged axe in his hands as he did. The bandit lord was decorated in his armor, his purple bandana was tied around his chest piece, his leather pants had mostly rotted away along with any muscle or skin. The bandit slashed his axe downward. Samantha and Rumford quickly dodged as the axe buried itself into the stone flooring. Rumford changed into his specter form, taking on the appearance of a shadow as he floated through the air. He lunged at Joroth, skeleton arms emerging from Rumford’s shadow cloak. The skeleton arms grabbed a hold of the axe and tried to wrestle it free from Joroth’s grasp.





            Samantha moved in while Joroth was distracted and punched with her crimson hand, the glowing crimson glyphs on her hand pulsed with energy, delivering searing pain with each punch. Joroth could still feel pain and shouted and recoiled from the supernatural burns. Rumford grabbed the axe out of the bandit’s hand and floated above him with it. Rumford swung the giant axe, slashing Joroth across the back. Samantha attempted to rip Joroth’s soul from his body, hoping to bypass the undying magic of the relic. Samantha reached into the bandit leader’s body and grabbed a hold of his spirit but when she pulled back his spirit wouldn’t budge. The bandit screamed in pain but was able to muster enough strength to grab Samantha’s arm. The glyphs on her arm burned Joroth as he touched them but he did not relent. Joroth squeezed Samantha’s arm with all of his might. Samantha felt the bones in her arm break. She screamed and jumped backward.



            Joroth stood up and charged at Samantha while she was cradling her broken arm. He slammed his weight into her, sending her flying into the wall of the cave. Rumford flew forward and slashed with Joroth’s axe. the axe spun in circles slashing multiple times as it went. Joroth was covered in broken pieces of armor, necklaces and trinkets, so Rumford didn’t know which small, mundane looking object was the source of his power so he continued to slash wildly.



            Samantha pulled a sword from her belt. It was her sword that Joroth used to kill Rumford. Not only was it her sword that was used but if Samantha didn’t try to be heroic and save the town, Rumford wouldn’t have been killed. Samantha run at Joroth, rage building in her eyes and pain searing from her broken arm. Rumford moved like a shadow, slashing Joroth at any opportunity he could. Joroth was distracted for the moment and didn’t see Samantha’s approach.



            Samantha ran past Joroth and stabbed her sword at Rumford. The specter was immortal but reflexes kicked in and he blocked with Joroth’s axe. Samantha’s sword pierced the head of Joroth’s axe. the jagged weapon cracked, Joroth looked in disbelief. The weapon then broke, releasing stored magic into the air. The mighty bandit lord scrambled to pick up the axe fragments but it was too late. Joroth’s hands began to crumble, then his body and his head. The undying axe was destroyed and its wielder went with it. Samantha realized that the axe was his most prized possession and a simple minded creature like Joroth would proudly display his power instead of hiding its source.



            The enemy had been defeated, Samantha and Rumford had their revenge and now stood with smiles as their long quest finally came to an end. “I think I know the answer, but what do we do next?” Rumford asked. “We find a way to restore you, or a way for us both to pass on to the next life peacefully and together” Samantha replied, the determination still bright in her eyes. Rumford let out an echoed laugh. “I like that plan, but I meant how do we get out of here”



            There was a door to the crypt but it was sealed and meant to keep Joroth locked in. After several hours of attacks from Rumford’s super natural powers and Samantha’s searing Crimson Hand, the door finally gave way. The two broke through a small piece of door and ventured above ground. The night air kissed their skin as the bright full moon illuminated the land. Clouds drifted over head and fog lingered along the ground. They stood in a graveyard, which was strangely beautiful that night. Once Joroth was finally dead, Samantha felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she began to see beauty in the world.



            A half a land away, Hallows end celebrated Halloween long into the night. Drinks filled mugs, fireworks filled the sky and Jack-O-lanterns laughed into the night. Samantha and Rumford rested among the tombstones. They cuddled and held each other as they did when Rumford was alive. “I’m sorry I was so distant for all these years” Samantha said. Rumford ran his skeletal hand across her face “I understand that looking at me reminds you of what you lost. I know I am technically trapped in my own body and bound to serve you through dark magic, but even if you freed me right now and set my soul free, I would still follow you like nothing changed. I want to haunt you forever” Rumford said, trying his best to be romantic but then realized that his words could be considered creepy. Samantha laughed “You always followed me around like a stray pup, I expect it will always be like that. If we are like this for another hundred years, I will feel blessed to have another hundred years with my adorable skeleton pup” Samantha said sweetly as she ran her delicate fingers along Rumford’s shoulder bone.


            The adventures of the crimson hand were not over but this chapter of revenge is finished. Happy Halloween.

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