Greetings all
Our two parties have finally rejoined but it isn't quite as happy as it should be. Before you bite into my update, please look at @zakludick's update
She shook her head and looked to where Derric plodded along. It’s not like her mother really accepted the one she had chosen to be hers. It hadn’t been a choice that was made quickly. Derric had been a child when they met, but during their adventures, his family genetics finally awakened and produced the man that had crawled under her skin. She knew her father would have loved the man, but her mother was a hard nut to crack.
Magna sighed and looked ahead. They were coming up to the forest that Derric had once called home, where all their adventures had started. She couldn’t help but smile a little. It was hard to believe that they were coming up on their second year of all this happening, but it felt like a decade ago.
Mortis rode up to her side and got her attention by pointing to the forest. “We have company.”
He was right. She looked up and for three figures in the distance and was somewhat surprised. Most people avoided these woods. It wasn’t an area that her mother could control, and it had many dangers within it. Seeing three figures just standing at its edge was odd.
“I think those are friends.” Said Mortis as he lowered his hands.
“You think it’s…?”
“I would almost be sure if it wasn’t for the third member.”
“Perhaps they found a friend.”
“A friend?” Adrian seemed to finally put his book down.
He then raised his right hand, joining his index finger and thumb to create a circle. He then brought it to his face and seemed momentarily confused.
“Confusion isn’t a good look on your face brother.” Said Magna.
“Two are friends, but the third I was sure was dead.”
Magna suddenly flinched and clutched at her head and hissed. Mortis turned to look at her, “Your Majesty?”
“Feels like someone is screaming in my head, but only for a second. It’s gone now. That was strange and so familiar.” Magna shook her head and turned to her brother. “I had a gut feeling that it was Milmor and Rex but there is a third person.”
“It’s Robert.”
“The duellist?” asked Mortis.
“That’s the man, but he is very different from what I remember.” Adrian lowered his hand. “Regardless, it would see all our missions have ended at the same time. Mother is going to be busy.”
“Wait till she gets to meet Gorma and see the way you two interact.”
Adrian drew himself up fully but said nothing further.
“What are you lot whispering about?” Gorma tried to come closer, but the Warg she rode spooked the horses, and they shied away from her.
“Old friends, family even, you should meet.” Said Magna as she spurred her horse on.
Derric was the first to meet up with the trio, as he had recognised his pseudo-father. Forgetting that he had Vitex riding on his back, he leaped at the Ghoul King and transformed back into his human form to embrace him.
Milmor embraced the boy, ignoring the goddess. Rex grinned at the forest prince, who immediately released Milmor and embraced him tightly.
“I see you are well! How is the control going?”
“Better! I mostly keep my mind now. Milmor is a strict teacher.”
Before Derric could address the third man, Vitex, who was barely hanging on, climbed onto his shoulders to view those before her. Her gaze fell upon Robert and her smile faltered. Robert felt her gaze and couldn’t help the embarrassment that blossomed within him. While this looked like a child, he felt she was so much more, and here he was in travel-stained clothes.
Vitex realised her stare was making Robert uncomfortable, so she leaned down to whisper in Derric’s ear. “He can be one of our followers, but he will need time to heal from his affliction.”
“Affliction?”
“Robert!”
The duellist’s attention snapped up as the crowned princess rode her horse up to him. Their last interaction hadn’t been pleasant, and he had nearly destroyed her undead companion, who was following on her heels. He wondered how she would react to his current state.
He watched as Magna slid from her horse, flinched, and rubbed at her head before she approached him. Before she was before him, he already knew that she too bore the brunt of what had been inflicted upon him. The fire burned bright in her, and even the sword at his side was silent, as if terrified of being discovered.
“We thought you died when the Titans attacked. What happened?”
He was surprised that there was no animosity. Could she not sense what he was? He took a deep breath, almost ready to tell her what he knew when her brother arrived. He remembered a bright and bubble boy, but this was a far darker version of the boy he had met. The prince stared at him with disdain, if the sister didn’t know what he was, there was a good chance that the prince knew. He didn’t know what to say. He opened his mouth to say something when something quickly blurred passed him.
It was a good thing that Derric had stepped away from Milmor because if hadn’t, he may have found himself pinned to him with the axe that Gorma now carried. Milmor, centuries older, pushed him away further and caught the weapon launched at him. Then he was on the ground, tumbling with a blur of green.
The creature was strong but not strong enough to keep him pinned. He threw the thing off him and was surprised to see an orc warrior before him. He hadn’t seen a green skin in centuries. He was so distracted that he almost didn’t notice the axe disappearing from his hand and reappearing in the warrior’s hands. There was a shout of victory and then time stopped.
Adrian sighed heavily as he tried to maintain the paralyzing spell. It was the only way he could stop Gorma from fighting the ghoul king. He slid from his horse and came to stand between the two with a frown on his face.
The whole party remained silent while the two combatants strained against the spell. Adrian looked from one to the other then said softly.
“Gorma, this is Milmor, Derric’s guardian. Yes, we know he’s a ghoul king but he has a curse or spell placed on him that prevents him from doing any harm to his companions.”
Adrian then looked to Milmor, “This is Gorma, a mighty warrior and a chieftain’s daughter. I see that as her being a princess, so I expect you to treat her as such once I release you.”
He then looked back to Gorma, “We don’t kill allies. If you can trust Mortis, you can trust Milmor. I’m going to release the spell and we’re going to talk, alright? Alright.”
Right back at you Zak.
Here is an explanation of Chain Stories and here is the current Chainstory Library
Mortis Custos
Sanguifex
Vetitum Nemus
| by @lex-zaiya | by @zakludick |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | Part 2 |
| Part 3 | Part 4 |
| Part 5 | Part 6 |
| Part 7 | Part 8 |
| Part 9 | Part 10 |
| Part 11 | Part 12 |
| Part 13 | Part 14 |
| Part 15 | Part 16 |
| Part 17 | Part 18 |
| Part 19 | Part 20 |
| Part 21 | Part 22 |
| Part 23 | Part 24 |
| Part 25 | Part 26 |
| Part 27 | Part 28 |
| Part 29 | Part 30 |
| Part 31 | Part 32 - Incoming |
| Part 33 - You’re Here | Part 34 - Incoming |
The Reader List
If you would like to be tagged in every episode of Mortis Custos, leave us a comment and get added in, miss nothing!
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