Dance of the Dead

The sun crested over the side of the cliff off in the distance as the three riders made their way along the road. To their sides grew farmland where a few men and women were making their way back to a village that was further up. The village was small but held a number of people to work the farms and the lake to the east that dropped into the ocean beyond the cliff. The homes were mostly built out of mud, rock, and thatch but this seemed to suit the people just fine that lived there.

Vareloc stopped his horse and looked over the village, further on was a pass that led up to a fort and tower that was built on the cliff overlooking the sea. The fort was known as the Krakens Eye and was a lookout for invading ships from the sea.

Kriska rode up close to Vareloc and brushed her hand over the armor on his shoulder. "It shall be the focal point of your reign my love, but remember your promise to me," Kriska said in a very alluring voice. Vareloc turned to her and smiled under his helm, "Of course my love how could I keep something as precious as your request from you on this night of all nights at that." 

The general sat on a horse behind them with his tattered blood red cloak fluttering from the wind. Vareloc turned to the general who nodded in return and turned his horse toward the north along another path. Vareloc and Kriska followed behind the general without another word as they made their way along the pathway.

As the sun dipped into the ocean the generals eyes took on a hellish green glow under his blood red hood that highlighted his greyish skin. Vareloc removed his helmet and let his long silver hair fall over his tattoo of the white skull that was drawn on his face that covered his coal black skin. Kriska looked to him with lust and desire, the power he held and his ruthlessness had brought her an ectasy she had never known before, and she liked it immensely.

The three travelled on till they came to a small stone wall. Beyond the wall was an ancient graveyard with at least a hundred graves. Some of the graves were shattered but most of those intact held a shield, helm, or weapon to signify they were soldiers of another time. In the middle of the graveyard stood a tattered flag its colors of green and orange. The symbol was that of a golden scaled fish though worn from the many years it stood there. The general just stared at the emblem from his horse with hatred from his glowing eyes that could topple a mountain. Vareloc jumped off and tied his horse to the nearest tree "well done general it must be a pleasure to know that soon you will command your enemies even after their death, stay and watch the pass my friend, come my love we have work to do...

The captain of the fort stood on its wall looking out to the sea and then turning to look out to the village below. Music and laughter could be heard from the village as the man smiled. He looked to the moon and started to realize a faint green was showing from its glow. Shrugging it off he continued to listen to the laughter and music of the people while leaving the wall.

He made his way to the back of the fort and entered a room where his men laughed, drank, and were playing cards. They yelled over to the captain who nodded to them and sat down drawing up some cards of his own. A man next to him patted him on the back and offered him a drink. "Not this night my friend something is in the air, as I feel a chill in my bones." The man next to him laughed, "Oh come now captain its been almost ten years since we had a skirmish of any kind, let alone we haven't seen any ships except for those of merchants and fishing vessels. Though the men could use a good battle I will be honest, even an old fashioned goblin raid would suffice. Hell we have some lads here who have never even shed blood, just noble boys sent to appease their fathers." The captain sighed, "this is true my old friend but is peace not something we have all fought for long ago, would we really want the chaos and death that comes from war?" The man took a sip of his ale "this is true captain peace is better than the alternate, I just miss the action is all, I'm not getting any younger that's for sure." The men laughed at this and continued to play cards.

An hour later bells rang throughout the fort, the men stared at each other in surprise. The captain rose, "if this is a prank or such someone will be scrubbing the outer walls for months!" The men laughed but as the bell continued to ring worry started to show in their faces. The captain ran out and noticed a dozen or more men watching from the walls looking out to the village. A few of the soldiers were barring the gates of the fort with utter panic in their eyes. "Who ordered that gate closed and why the hell is the bell being rung? I want answers dam it and I want them now!" He made his way up to the wall looking out to where the soldiers were looking and he found his answers. He thought back to their conversation at the table and realized the men had got what they wished for... may the gods help them all.

The soldiers watched from the walls as the village was burning and the people lay slaughtered under the glow of the fires. A small army of undead soldiers stood around the village blood and gore dripping from their ancient weapons. In the center a women with raven black hair and the palest skin was conjuring a green mist that engulfed the entire village. One of the soldiers screamed in horror as the villagers rose from the dead. Then the oddest of things happened... the dead began to dance! 

Their movements were as natural as if they were at a royal ball. Women found the nearest man or a soldier and pulled them into the dance while even the children drenched that were drenched in blood circled the adults spinning and twirling to a song only they could hear, it was the dance of the dead and one of the most nightmarish scenes the soldiers would ever witness. The laughter coming from the woman in the center sent chills through the soldiers as she grabbed on to a knight in black armor and pulled him into the dance both laughing with madness.

The captain and the soldiers couldn't look away as it felt like the spectacle before them lasted an eternity. The two in the center encased in the glow of the fire stopped dancing and looked to the fort with a malicious smile. The man in armor turned and bowed to the woman as she curtsied back to him as if they really were at a dance. Another man entered the circle whose eyes glowed in a green like the mist that was cast. He bellowed something in a forgotten language and the village erupted into madness. Screaming to the skies the men, women, and undead children charged the fort with blood lust on their minds.

Some of the soldiers started to flee to the back of the wall; one even threw himself off into the ocean below in terror. The captain shouted to his men to stand their ground as the walls would hold these monstrosities back. He would never in the few seconds left of his life ever be as wrong as he was now. The villagers reached the fifteen foot walls and instead of stopping like a nest of spiders they climbed the wall with an uncanny ease and were soon upon the soldiers.

Enjoying the sounds of the screaming soldiers that were being torn apart the trio and the undead soldiers behind them made their way to the gates. Sitting on his horse Vareloc spoke words of an ancient language and the gates exploded with an invisible force. The general signaled to his army of the dead and they charged into the fort killing any of the living that remained. Vareloc and Kriska sat on their horses and watched the slaughter before them with madness in their eyes while holding hands. The Krakens Eye was now their home and the starting point for one of the darkest wars the lands will ever see...