Introduction
Hello everyone! There is a lot happening in this story now, these chainstories generally start off completely freehand and with no communication between the two writers as to "what to write about".
Mortis Custos is reaching a point where the stakes are high. Lex and I talk about stuff... but it is all theory and possibilities. Each part still comes as a complete surprise to the other and if we were to write all of it ourselves then the story will likely take on a completely different path.
Therefore, this story is as interesting to ME as it is to you! I don't know what will happen next and the story has the ability to evolve over time.
The last part of the story is here: Mortis Custos Part 63 by @lex-zaiya.
To start at the beginning of the story please see the links provided at the end of this post!
Viewer discretion is advised due to gory violence! Undead! Swords! Death! Beware!
Part 64
Adrian gaped at the young man that had now materialized almost out of nothing from the form of a fiendish-looking bird. The bird had been a lot smaller and had at first seemed unnatural, but he guessed he had not really had a chance to study the birds beyond the castle walls.
Rhyn has momentarily recoiled from the man's body. "You are human! Well not quite human. Who are you?" The drake's lizard-like eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"My name is Derric and I am with Magna, Adiran, Mortis and Helga." The young man said quickly.
"Who is Helga?" Rhyn asked, not knowing the name.
"Magna is here?" Adrian nearly jumped into the stranger's lap. "And Uncle Adiran too? Who is Mortis?"
Derric held his hands up, he seemed most uncomfortable. "Yes, yes, they are all here. Helga is a harpy."
"Harpy..." The small dragon sat back, scratching his chin, he still towered over both of the others. "I do believe Adiran once took to a place where there had been a harpy..."
"It was in a swamp." Derric supplied helpfully.
Rhyn's eye widened. "Oh yes! I was so little at the time. Wow, she must be ancient now."
"I don't know, she seems like a youthful woman... the part that is not covered in feathers," Derric replied.
"Does she ha-...." Adrian's question died in his throat a second before they heard the sound. He had a stab of fear in his heart that had stopped him short and he was not even sure that he knew where it came from.
Then they heard it.
An unholy screech that was so loud that it boomed and shook the castle walls like a roar. At first Adrian thought that the shadow thing had found them again and was coming to kill them, but then realized that the sound was far away.
The trio rushed to the window of the room and looked out into the courtyard below. There was a large muster area before the gates of the castle and they could see the massive hunched figure of the Shadow, its massive sword in its hand.
There was a figure running ahead of it, sprinting as fast is it could. Even this far away, Adrian knew exactly who it was.
"Magna!" he yelled.
Magna dove through the air and rolled as she hit the ground, her armor and her sword making the movement difficult.
The massive jagged blade of the monster crashed into the flagstones behind her heels. The stone was split and pieces of the grey stone were thrown into the air.
Somehow, Magna had managed to draw her blade and get back onto her feet, and kept running. Her training and drilling in the yard with the Master at Arms and her father took over to ensure that her weapon and her balance was not lost.
Usually, her father would have taught her to stand her ground in the face of an enemy, but this was ridiculous! This monster was no man, it had the shape of a man, but its size was that of some shadowy giant.
And yet it was not a shadow. The damage it was causing in it's pursuit was all too real. We need Adiran and Mortis! If only I could find the switch!
She ran and turned a corner from the muster area into the wide corridor that led to the main Hall. She gasped but her feet did not falter as she came face to face with several of the walking dead shambling towards the gate and to the commotion.
Again her training, instinct, or something else took over as she slashed at the first withered hand that grabbed out for her, her sword slashed cleanly through the limb and the tip of her blade took the rotten face about five inches deep. The corpse slowly toppled over, but she was past it before it could fall.
She drew the sword back from her first swing and drew it into the next enemy, the blade biting deep into its chest. The blade stuck but she gripped the blade hard and shoved into the next opponent with her offhand shoulder so hard that the zombie creature fell backwards and crunched into the wall.
Her momentum toop her up three steps of stairs, the zombie towed by her sword struggling to keep its feet but making her movement easy. She managed to race past the remaining undead. She turned and lashed out with a kick to free her sword. The zombie stumbled down the stairs and slowly began to rise as the other undead were coming along side.
The giant thing was behind them and squeezed itself through the corridor and crushed the first of the dead it contacted in its frenzy to get to Magna.
She turned and fled towards the Main Hall. The doors were ajar, perhaps this giant had been this way before. This is what has been looking for my brother the whole time. How did he survive?
She ran into the castle and looked quickly into all corners to make sure there were no more of the dead lurking there. She could hear the thing behind her. Thankfully, the creature did not seem to be very fast, yet it was implacable. She knew it would be foolish to try take it on herself.
She sprinted through the Hall and considered her options, to the left she would be going through the soldiers armory and barracks. Perhpas there would be something there that would be able to aid her. Beyond it were the smithy and the stables.
To the right were the royal chambers and the guest suites. There were more places to hide there. Smaller passages that the shadow beast would not be able to squeeze through.
From far away she could hear someone calling her name over and over. She was not sure if she were hearing it with her ears or with her mind.
Wrapup
Back to you then @lex-zaiya!
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