The Journeys of a Different Necromancer Read Online Free PDF Page B

“monster.”
    He decided he needed to see the queen.
    * * *
*
    Built partially into the mountains of red granite, the queen’s
castle sat with forty-foot walls lined with wide, sturdy
battlements. A gatehouse, where Thomas stood, reached another ten
feet into the air. Thomas recalled that these walls had never been
breached, and he wondered when the raised portcullis last touched
the ground. The guardsmen present seemed more interested in their
dice game, their blue tunics, bearing the silver fleur-de-leaf of
the queen’s guard, all in excellent repair. Four very shiny and
sharp looking pikes leaned against the walls within easy reach of
their owners. A fifth guardsman bore silver piping on his sleeve
and wore a long sword at his waist. Thomas caught this guard’s
attention.
    “ I wish to see the queen,” he announced.
    The four lesser guards laughed as they looked at him,
dismissed his presence, and went back to rolling their
bones.
    “ My name is Thomas, I am from the east, and a student of
Xavier the Necromancer.”
    “ Oh,” one of the game players said to his comrades. “A student
of Xavier. Be sure to let him pass, boys.” More laughter came and
the leader smiled at Thomas.
    “ I wish to see the queen,” Thomas repeated.
    Upon seeing they still paid him no attention, Thomas went to
pass by the gates, but the one with the silver piping stepped in
front of him to block his way.
    “’ Ere now, what is it ya think yer doin’?”
    The others now stood and surrounded him.
    “ I wish to see your queen. It’s rather important,” Thomas
announced. “You would do well to step aside or lead me to
her.”
    The guards laughed and grabbed him. They then proceeded to
toss him a good ten feet out of the gatehouse. “Out ya go, student
of whats-’is-name.”
    He landed on his hands and knees, tearing his hose at the left
knee. A few passersby stopped to laugh.
    “ We’ll see, morons.”
    Thomas reached into his pouch and grabbed a tooth. He then
knelt in the light traffic of people, some grumbling at him about
him getting in their way. He then grabbed a pinch of dirt and
buried the tooth. A few people stopped, curious to watch. Thomas
started his spell.
    The risen started to grow. The leader stood and watched, as
the risen grew and took form, but the words “witchcraft” and “dark
mage” caused the people to back farther and farther away. By the
time the thing took full form and size, the guards were the only
ones within fifty feet. Although they had their pikes now, they
looked like they wanted to run as well. Thomas knew that if it
weren’t for the leader holding his ground, they would be less
brave.
    Thomas stood and folded his arms across his chest. He met the
leader’s shrewd eyes.
    “ Someone fetch the sergeant major,” the leader called over his
shoulder.
    * * *
*
    Thomas stood in front of Rosa del Alore with his risen,
conjured for the benefit of the guards. The audience hall held
about twenty people, all dressed in fine court attire. Two steady
looking guardsmen flanked the queen with pikes. Thomas sensed they
waited for the slightest wrong move on his part.
    Middle-aged, but still very fair, would be a good description
for the ruler. Her robes of office, a deep crimson, and her black
silver threaded dress, showed off her slender form. Her red hair,
just starting to grey in flecks, framed a lightly freckled face.
She sat on her throne. The authority in her eyes spoke of no
questioning.
    Thomas bowed his head. “Your Majesty. I’ve come to speak of
this dragon that is the talk of your fair city.”
    A man in his fifties with a long, grey beard and hair, and
wearing flamboyant blue clothes, stepped forward to stand beside
the queen. “What is it you wish to know, young man?”
    “ Is it you who told everyone the nonsense about a dragon
rising from the dead?” Thomas asked.
    “ Yes,” the old fop put on an air of disdain. “It was I. I am
an expert on dragon lore.”
    “ Where did you get