Hunter-Slayer

The shallow valley was gently lit by the light of the full moon. Stars glittered in the sky above the long, lush grasses that covered the sloping hillsides. On one side of the valley in the grass crouched six men. They were in a loose line, each man about twenty feet away from the next. Across the valley the seventh member of the team lay in the grass awaiting the command to advance. Fang could see his master clearly even through the dark of the night and he was eager to begin the hunt. Reven was furthest to the right of the line, to his left stooped Agrippa and beyond him the youngster Orwin, the man mountain Muldar and then the twins Kris and Bran. Before them lay their target. A make-shift camp that had been erected around a ramshackle hunting lodge. 

The camp consisted of two wagon's that had canvass lean-to's resting on their sides, these were drawn up either side of the lodge. The dying embers of a recently used fire flickered as they were kissed by the wind. Pots and pans lay at the fires side and horses were tied to a tree a short way from the main camp. The men in the camp are what the party were here for. Reven and his band had taken a job to rescue the daughter of a wealthy merchant. She had been abducted whilst travelling back to Blackcliff and a ransom note had been delivered shortly afterwards. The young woman's guards and driver had been slaughtered at the roadside and the bandits had disappeared into the night. The ransom was due the day after tomorrow but the merchant had no intention of paying it as he had no proof of life. Fang had picked up the bandits scent quickly and had led them to this valley which was well off the beaten path. 

The camp was quiet. There were two men sitting near the horses. They both appeared to be drunk. Others slept under the lean-to's or in the wagon's interiors. Until a moment ago the only noise from the camp had been the occasional raucous outburst of laughter from the drunk men who quickly hushed themselves with over exaggerated 'Shhhh' noises. Now they could hear screaming and gruff voices raised in anger from the lodge. The time to strike had arrived.

Reven indicated with two fingers, swishing them to the left. This move was copied down the line of men crouched in the grass and upon seeing it the twins broke off. Moving to the left to strike at the drunkards by the horses. In a matter of moments they were down, throats slit by Kris and Bran's blades. With another sweeping hand motion the rest or Reven's team were in motion. The men moved to the edge of the grass and then the silence of the night was further broken by the teams last member. Fang unleashed a deafening roar as he entered the camp. He rushed at the first parked up carriage and dived under the lean-to onto the sleeping men within. He tore them limb from limb as they awoke from their slumber into a nightmare. The other bandits in the camp woke ready to respond to the animal attack. Six men stumbled from their beds grabbing weapons and heading toward the beast in their midst. This was what Reven had been waiting for, he stood up, bowstring drawn. His men rose in unison a fraction of a second after him similarly ready. Reven let his arrow loose and it sailed through the air before punching through the unprotected back of a bandit who crumpled immediately. Other arrows also found their mark and as soon as they were fired Reven's band rushed from the grass ensuring the downed men were indeed dead. Each man ran to the bandit their arrow had struck and made a killing blow. All were economical with their kills apart from Muldar who crushed the skull of the bandit he had hit with a mighty swing of his two-handed warhammer. 

All was silent in the camp. Fang stalked into the heart of it to meet with the rest of the band, fresh blood still dripping from his mouth. Nobody had emerged from the old hunting lodge as yet and the team formed up in front of it. Reven's warrior's held still and silent as he showed them his palm to halt them. Weak light seeped through the windows of the lodge, maybe from a candle or low lit lantern. Shapes flickered across the light and Reven waited no longer. 'Fang' he said and the warhound leapt head first at the door shattering it with his head as he landed and bounded through. Reven and his team rushed in through the smashed door after Fang. Reven took in his surroundings in a second and appraised the situation. The lodge had three occupants, the first of which a bandit that had been flattened when Fang exploded into the room,  the man's broken body had been flung to the far side of the lodge. A second man, the bandits leader Reven assumed, stood with his trousers around his ankles and his arm round a woman's neck. With his other hand he held a dagger to her throat. The woman was completely naked and had been badly beaten. Bruises and cuts covered her body. She had deep gashes in her wrists from where she had been bound too tightly. Her most horrific wound showed the horrible abuse she had endured at the hands of these bandit scum. She sported deep bruising on her inner thighs and blood ran from between her legs. Reven's attack had obviously interrupted the latest savagery done to her. Reven's anger flowed through him and Fang let loose low rumbling growl as he sensed his masters displeasure.

'Stay back' the scabby bandit chief screamed as he poked the dagger into the woman's neck drawing blood, 'I'll kill the bitch, I swear'. Reven walked slowly in front of the bandit, drawing his attention and said, 'Bran. I want him alive'. No sooner had the words left Reven's lips than Bran, who still stood in the doorway, brought up his bow and sent an arrow deep into the flesh of the bandits shoulder. With a scream the wretch dropped his blade and Agrippa rushed him. The woman was pulled out of harm's way and the chief forced against the wall. 'Bind him, arms and legs splayed.' Reven said and Muldar and Agrippa went about tying the man to the wall making use of the same hooks he had used to secure the girl. 'Find us some breakfast and get some clothes for the woman. Leave us.'

The men moved outside with Fang leaving the the woman sitting on the floor. She was close to broken but she wore a look of pure hatred on her face as she watched Reven approach the bound man, dagger in hand. Fang stood sentinel outside the ruined door of the lodge as the band of warriors searched through the bandits belongings and made a fire.

The bandit chiefs screams were heard through the night until sunrise as Reven slowly peeled the skin from his flesh. He died when Reven invited Fang in and ordered him to remove the man's genitalia which the hound did with one swift bite leaving a gaping hole between the scum's legs. As Reven and the woman appeared from the huts entrance clothes were handed to her and a pale of water held out for him. Reven washed the blood from his hands and took his seat by the fire. 

The men sat together to enjoy their scavenged breakfast. The woman would eat nothing, she lay in the grass sobbing as they ate. Fang, preferring his food fresh, devoured a bandit. Before long the men were laughing and joking, their work done. The Hunter-Slayers had completed their quest and enacted the merchants vengeance.  It was going to be a beautiful day. 

Hunter-Slayer Art

Agrippa the Mercenary Captain from Dungeon Crawl

Dungeon Crawl - Epilogue

The weary remnants of the parties that had entered the dungeon made their way out in the bright midday sunshine. Missner's men and the mercenaries were a pitiful site. They all sported wounds of varying levels of seriousness and a relief force that Missner had left outside the tumble down keep rushed to help the men and tend their wounds. Missner was the only one who had entered the dungeon to have come out unscathed and watched morosely as the men made their way past him. The last of the adventurers made their way out. Borengar was propped up between Lysandra and Reven, his feet barely touching the floor. 

Reven was still covered in dry blood. The white of his teeth and eyes standing out in stark contrast to his crusted crimson skin. He and Lysandra lowered Borengar to the ground and both made their way to where Missner stood. Reven was looked upon with a mixture of awe and fear by the survivors of the dungeon. They had never seen anything like what he had become in the depths and some of them offered up prayers to their gods as he passed. Agrippa and his five remaining mercenaries that included Orwin, bashed their chests in salute. 

Missner was using his magic to heal some of the more severely wounded troops when they approached him. They let him finish his casting before running an appraising eye over his granddaughter. Satisfied she was ok he pulled Reven away from the group, out of earshot. 

'What happened in there?' Missner enquired, a genuine look of curiosity on his face. Reven rubbed the caked blood from his arms and chest. 'To honest Master Missner I don't know. I feel rage burning through me as my enemies bring me close to death. It's painful, I can't explain it.' The old man looked at him thoughtfully. 'You must travel to Blackcliff. There is a man there that may be able to help explain it.' Missner pulled parchment from his gown and muttered an arcane chant over the paper. 'Find Fedoris Brusser in the Temple of the Everguard. Give him this note. He will know what to do.' Reven took the paper which appeared to be blank. He looked at the old man again who just nodded, 'He'll be able to read it. He is a sorcerer of considerable power.' Reven stuffed the note into a pouch at his waist and bid Missner Farewell. 

Reven called 'Fang' and within moments the war hound appeared over a hill bounding towards its master. Men scattered as Fang arrived in the camp. He ran straight for Reven and immediately started licking him just as he did when he was a pup. Reven threw his arms around the hound, utter joy in his heart at seeing his friend again and he couldn't help but smile as little Sable trotted into camp and made a beeline for Borengar. 

The dwarf's injuries were bad and it was decided that he would accompany Missner, Lisandra and the remains of his company to River Rise to convalesce. Agrippa and his remaining men seemed overly keen to accompany Reven and after some discussion he conceded to letting them travel with him. The way they looked at him made him feel uncomfortable. They seemed in awe of him and it was something he wasn't use to.

After washing washing the blood and grime from the dungeon and making some makeshift repairs to his armour Reven set off. Wishing Borengar a speedy recovery and offering the beautiful Lisandra a wink he mounted Fang and trotted of with the mercenaries in a wagon that Missner had said they could use. 

Reven took a scruff of Fangs fur in one hand and rested his other hand on the hilt of Bloodthirster. He set off to an uncertain future glad to leave the horrors of the dungeon crawl behind him.

Dungeon Crawl - Part 18

Orwin's eye's flickered open as he felt himself lowered to the ground. Brief glimpses of a red figure that tended to his wounds greeted him as he struggled with his vision. It muttered to itself as it worked, 'I am the vessel, the word-bearer. I am the bloody handed reaper and the collector of skulls.' Orwin winced as the bandage around his leg was tightened. He watched the figure stand and walk away before the dark of unconsciousness consumed him once again.

'I am ruin, I am death, look upon me and despair'

The goblins hit with such force that the defenders front line bowed under the pressure of their advance. Scores of the foul green skins ploughed into the defenders and where possible scrambled over the front ranks. Borengar was swinging his mighty axe for all he was worth and cutting down foes with every swing but it became apparent that the goblins were less interested in fighting the defenders and more interested in trying to get passed them. The front rank of the defenders line was made up of eight troops with Lisandra and the dwarf at it's centre, no more than this could fit across the corridor but troops were packed in behind them to bolster their strength. Missner's troops were slashing and hacking at the goblins with little or no response and soon the ground was slick with black blood, entrails and dying green skins. 

A shout from within the ranks of the goblins put and end to their desperate flight and saw them finally turn their rusted weapons on the defenders. A figure Borengar recognised was hoisted up onto the shoulders of its fellows; Ush'gar glared at the defenders. He raised his arms and started a foul incantation but his words were cut short as he was jostled and turned around by his bearers. A noise the like of which Borengar had never heard filled the passage and managed to drown out the din of battle. The fighting ceased as humans and goblins alike turned to see what approached. A blue haze appeared in the gloom at the far end of the corridor. It grew closer as the noise did. Lisandra got two of her men to lift her over the crowd so that she might see better. Past the hundreds of goblins that spread out in front of the ranks of defenders the blue light surged forward. The source of the light horrified Lisandra. An innumerable skeleton horde surged down the passage way. The blue light seeping from their very bones as the feet tapped along the stone floor. 'Gods, save us' she said as despair filled her. She was lowered to the ground as the rear ranks of the goblins erupted into screams.

'I am wrath. You will fall to your knee's'

The skeletons attacks were cumbersome at first but as the fighting became more intense the magical constructs movements became more fluid and they scythed through the goblins with ease. The pressure on the human troops was immense as the green skins pressed their ranks in a desperate attempt to escape the undead. Goblin lives were being snuffed out at an amazing rate, too scared to defend themselves they fled into the waiting blades of Missner's troops. The undead seemed to awaken an irrational primal instinct in them which was to flee at any cost. The green skins pushed over and through the human defenders, some even getting as far as Krassner's magical barrier before they were cut down by blades or magical blasts of fire care of Master Missner.

The old man was desperately trying to find the right spell to counter Krassner's ward but had been unsuccessful so far. He knew that the number of foes were too many for the small band of humans to overcome and that their salvation lay with the destruction of the wizard in the room behind them. The arrival of the skeletal horrors had awoken something in Krassner. His body had starting twitching since their arrival and as they drew closer his movements became more erratic and violent as life seemed to course back into his limbs. 

'I am the vessel. Your judgement is at hand'

The undead horde crashed into the human defenders and smashed through their ranks. The troops either side of Borengar and Lisandra were swept aside as the horde rushed through. Agrippa surged toward the duo with his remaining mercenaries and together they formed a column that fought back to back against goblin and skeleton alike. Borengar parried the weak blows of the constructs aside but it wasn't a contest of strength. The skeletons were many and attacked with one mind it made it impossible to stop every blow they dealt and all the warriors that stood against them had fresh injuries as testament to this. Borengar could see Ush'gar was still alive. He and some of his brawnier underlings were battling for their lives but the dwarf could see it was in vain. Every few seconds another goblin would fall and before long the green skin shaman stood alone. He smashed skeletons to smithereens with his magical power an for a moment seemed to halt the advance of the undead horde but the respite was a brief one. A towering monstrosity pushed through the skeletal warriors. It was a mountain of bone, a deathless ogre of immense proportions. Putrefied flesh still clung to it's bones and searing blue light burned in its eyes. Tatters of armour hung about the things bones and it wielded a huge granite club in one hand and a murderous looking hook in the other. Ush'gar bellowed as he released a blot of fire into the ogre's chest but the spell dissipated as it struck a golden amulet that hung about the creatures bony neck. The ogre responded by taking a swift step forward and bring the full weight of his club to bare on Ush'gar. The shaman raised his hands to parry the blow but it was a futile effort. The club landed with such force that it pulped the goblins body into mush, black blood spraying everywhere as there was too little left of the goblins body to contain it. The ogre carried on his advance and lumbered toward the beleaguered human defenders.

Borengar, Lisandra, Agrippa and the last of the defenders had fought there way back to the barrier and now formed a semi-circle around Master Missner who struck out with his magic. Borengar who remained at the centre of the line braced himself for the ogres attack. Missner hurled bolts of lightning at the monster but the amulet continued to cancel out the spells. Borengar dived aside as the monster smashed down with his club. The stone floor of the corridor shattered under the impact and the ogre followed up with a raking swing of his hook. Lisandra weaved out of the way of the blow but the hook still caught her a glancing blow on the shoulder spinning her to the ground and knocking the wind from her lungs. Borengar regained his feet and swung at the monstrosity, chipping the bone of its hip with his axe. The monster backhanded him with its hook wielding hand and followed up with an over hand swing of its massive club. The dwarf just managed to roll aside but sharp shards of stone cut into him as the floor shattered again under the ogre's impacts. Missner watched as the semi-circle of warriors around him shrank. He looked back into the warded room and was taken aback to find Krassner standing on the other side of the magical shield. His face was withered and he looked more like one of his skeletal minions than the man that had entered the dungeon. Krassner smiled as he reached out and swept his hand across the ward which flickered out of existence at his touch. The lack of the blue light was enough to distract Borengar from his desperate battle with the ogre who landed a sideways swipe that knocked the dwarf across the corridor. He crashed against the wall of the passage way, his pelvis shattered by the ogres blow. He fell to the floor in a heap and the morale of the defenders slipped further to see the warrior laid low. 

A calm descended over the battlefield as Krassner moved out into the troops. At some silent command the undead horde ceased its attack. The battered human defenders banded together, glad of the break in fighting and cowed by the presence of the necromancer. As he walked a blue haze appeared around him. He stood next to the ogre beast and turned to face the remnants of the Mercenaries and Missner's troops. He smiled as he addressed them, 'I found that which I sort. Power!' He cackled as blue flames of magical energy formed around him. 'This army is bound for greater things that the likes of you so I'm going to introduce you to some old friends. They are here to finish you.' His laughter boomed down the corridor as tendrils of power reached out around him. Every dead man they touched started to twitch and then struggle back to their feet. The newly risen dead sported the ghastly wounds that ended their lives and what was left of Missner's troops and Agrippa's mercenaries recoiled at the site of their former comrades. The dead advanced on the living to the sound of Krassner's cackling.

'I am ruin, I am death. Look upon me and despair' the words boomed down the corridor rendering all silent. Even Krassner's laugh faded as he turned to see the source of the godlike voice. All he could see was a shower of shattered bones as as a red glow suffused the corridor at the rear off his undead horde. With a flick of his hands the necromancer commanded his horde to stand aside and they obeyed immediately. They created a slim passage of bone through which Krassner saw his end stalking toward him. Reven was covered head to toe in bright red blood. A red glow emanated from his body as he swept past the parade of bone. 'I am judgement, the collector of skulls' he boomed as he came on.

Reven's mind was ablaze with anger. His blood ran so fast and so hot it burned his veins. He was a juggernaut, he had no fear, he was death incarnate and focus of his anger cowered before him. The skeletons crashed in either side of him trying to impede his process but he smashed them aside with blade and fist, their shattered bones lay in smoking piles in his wake. Agrippa watched wide eyed as Reven approached. He saw Krassner drawing power into himself but it faltered as his horde was destroyed before him, his power ebbing as he constructs fell.

Reven stood before the fallen wizard who visibly withered in his presence. Reven looked about him and took in the carnage that had been wrought by the fighting. He looked at his friend Borengar as he laid a hand his hand on Krassner's head. The necromancer beat his fists on Reven ineffectually, falling to his knees in supplication. The dwarf raised his head and looked straight at the evil wizard. Borengar smiled as he drank in the scene and simply said to Krassner, 'You're buggered now'. With that Reven roared and closed his hand, the pressure so great that Krassner's skull exploded in a shower of skull and brain. The wizards body flopped to the floor and the last of the skeletal horde fell.

Dungeon Crawl - Part 17

Borengar watched Missner approach as he stood at the fizzing blue magical shield. All was quiet in the room the shield protected. Krassner had slumped across the stone alter he had been chanting at. He had been this way since his wild incantation had reached its crescendo, blazing blue light had filled the chamber and then seemed to fall away to parts of the room that couldn't be seen from Borengar's view point. He would have thought the wizard dead if it wasn't for the blue lines of power that pulsed outward from the slumped body, tracing their way through the stone of the alter.

'Idiot', muttered Master Missner as he made his way to where Borengar stood in front of the barrier. His soldiers fanned out behind him, filling the corridor with bodies. Borengar looked at the man, 'Quite so. All that ranting he only managed to knock himself unconscious.' 'He's not conscious Master Steelskin. He's dead!' answered Missner. 'The fool has tampered with things beyond his ken. Necromancy my dwarf friend. The dark magical art of undeath. His own spell has consumed his life but he will rise again.' Borengar bristled and spat as if he had a bad taste in his mouth, 'Better get me through this bloody shield then old man. My axe will ensure he never leaves this place'. Missner's response was cut short as shouts of alarm echoed up the corridor. 

Missner and Borengar pushed through the troops that were straining to see the source of commotion and were greeted by the sight of Agrippa and one of his men sprinting full tilt toward the waiting soldiers. They had their weapons drawn and were both covered in sticky black blood. 'They're coming' panted a breathless Agrippa, 'Goblins, they rushed us whilst we were exploring the tunnels. Hundreds of them. We managed to slow their advance but they will be here at any moment.' As soon as the words left the mercenary captains mouth Goblins started spilling out of the side passages and heading en masse toward the startled troops. Lisandra Missner immediately started barking orders at the men who to their credit formed up in orderly ranks facing the green horde. Borengar took a place in the front rank of defenders next to the woman and they readied themselves for battle.

The wounded Orwin watched the young warrior in front of him spin away from another attack and bring his sword to bare on yet another skeletal opponent. He was mesmerised at Reven's skill, watching him as he ducked and weaved and struck with power and ferocity. The undead had backed him up as he desperately tried to prevent any of the sickening lifeless constructs from getting to Orwin. The water was still taking some of the skeletons with it. The blue light fading from their bony bodies as they fell. Orwin felt consciousness slipping away and he desperately fought to keep his eyes open but with the sound of combat ringing in his ears he could fight no longer. The image of skeletons swarming over Reven was the last thing he saw before closing his eye's and drifting into unconsciousness.  

Dungeon Crawl - Part 16

Reven stepped back into the stream as the dead came on. The ghostly blue glow lighting the cavernous space before him as he looked out on the sea of bone. He could see that many of the magical constructs were heading into dark tunnels that wound up and away from the cavern floor. The ones that weren't deserting the cavern were continuing their silent advance toward Reven. He assumed a fighting stance and awaited the tide of dead to hit. 

Before they attacked a shape came splashing out of the water and stumbled into the flanks of the semi-circle of dead. Reven struggled to see what it was in the light but it's screams soon identified it as the mercenary that had accompanied him on his search. Reven splashed through the stream toward him and saw the dead pounding on him as he struggled to his feet. Reven let out a blood curding war cry as he scythed into the skeletons with Bloodthirster. They shattered under the blades weight as Reven stepped in front of the scrabbling form of his comrade, fragments of bone lofted into the air. Reven noted that the blade was heavier as he swung it for a second time, it obviously had no love for these bloodless beings and as such didn't lend any of its magical essence to the attacks but Reven didn't need any help. He risked a glance back at his companion and saw blood gushing from the man's head as he still struggled to his feet. The skeletal horde responded strangely to the attack becoming more animated and more fluid as they countered. They pushed in trying to surround Reven and the fallen mercenary but Reven fought on trying to keep an exit clear. The stumbling man took a shard of bone to the thigh as he regained his feet which sent him stumbling back again, falling into the stream. Reven smashed the skull from the shard wielders body as he fell back in time with the man.

Now knee deep in the fast flowing waters of the stream Reven helped drag the man further away from the horde who paused at the fast flowing waters edge. Tentatively the skeletal horrors pushed into the water but they lacked the weight and mass needed to fight the fast flowing currents of the stream and several lost their footing and crashed into the water. Reven used the respite to prop the mercenary up on a rock on the other side of the stream. The man was bleeding freely from several wounds to his head and a steady plume of crimson was being leaked into the stream from the deep gash in his thigh. 'What's your name soldier?' Reven asked as he tied the ripped sleeve of the man's under shirt above the wound on his thigh. 'Orwin', the man replied through gritted teeth, 'Orwin Smith'. Reven probed the cuts on the man's head as he spoke, 'Orwin, good. Stay focused and stay awake. I'm going to go and have a chat with our bony friends here and then we'll get out of here, do you understand?. Orwin nodded, 'Yes sir, I'll uh, ....I'll just wait here.' Reven smiled at the man's attempt at humour. Then he turned and met the skeletons as they continued their timid advance across the water. He smile widened into a maniacal grin as he hewed his way into the front ranks of the skeletons hoping that he hadn't just lied to Orwin. Hoping that they would both be able to walk out of here and not join the ranks of the undead.

Dungeon Crawl - Part 15

The barrier shimmered and crackled with power. Through the blue haze of its surface Reven could see Krassner’s movements becoming more urgent as he trailed his arms through the air and increased the tempo of his chant. Past Krassner he spotted a balcony that overlooked the chamber and a plan began to form. A runner was sent back to the rest of the party. Missner would be needed to bring down the barrier but as time was growing short, Reven, Agrippa and three of the mercenary soldiers would try and circle round and reach the balcony. Borengar would stay with the rest of the troops should the barrier falter or fail for any reason. Whatever Krassner was up to it was obvious it was nearing its crescendo.

Reven and his team moved back up the corridor and took the first tunnel that branched off of it. Frustratingly the passage angled down even further and seemed to stretch on without end. He sent Agrippa and two of the men back with the task of scouting out another corridor. Reven and the remaining mercenary pushed on into the gloom and before long they were ankle deep in stagnant water. The further they went the deeper the water got. The tunnel opened out into a vast cavern, the water coming from what appeared to be a lake that stretched the length of the cavern. Water poured into it from waterfalls that spouted from the ceiling above. Reven stumbled and splashed into the water as the floor of the passageway ended abruptly and he was forced to swim to stay afloat. The mercenary stood in the passageway waiting for instruction. Reven’s attention was drawn deep into the water where he saw a pale light a way ahead of him beneath the far side of the cavern. Its cold blue glow reminded him of Krassner’s magical barrier and he called out to the soldier telling him to keep an eye out whilst he dived to investigate.  

Reven pushed beneath the water with lungs full of air. He kicked toward the light, his eyes stinging from the rank water. His lungs started to burn as he neared the light and he made out an opening that the light was spilling out of. A current tugged at him as he made to turn back to the surface. It tugged at him more urgently as he kicked out against it, the strain forcing the air from his lungs. Reven knew he was fighting a losing battle so he ceased his struggle and let the water carry him away.

He rushed through a rough tunnel that the light spilled from, his pace quickened. His lungs were screaming for air and his chest burnt, hungering for breath. The water rushed quicker and quicker, forcing him through the tunnel. The rock of the walls ripped at his skin and consciousness started slipping from his grasp. Before he blacked out the water around him disappeared as he was ejected into the air. The tunnel spouted water from a waterfall that fed a stream of water. Reven landed roughly on the bank but ignored the pain as he gulped in air. His head swam but he pushed himself to his feet to try and orientate himself as fast as he could. The chamber he was in was vast and stretched off into a blue haze of light. The ground was littered with bones, some human, and some goblinoid. He looked up and could see what looked to be a bridge spanning the top of the space, this was the source of the light and with that light came the incessant chanting of Krassner.

As Reven moved through the detritus of the dead something in the air changed. The blue light blinked out leaving Reven in darkness but then sprang back to life in the form of trailing snakes of light. They burrowed into the bones all over the vast cavern, worming through eyeless, hollow skulls and entwining themselves around spines, legs and arms. Reven kicked bones away from him wherever he could as the tendrils of light started pulling them together into horrible parodies of bodies. All around him magical constructs stood up on shaky bone legs, their gazes turned up toward the source of their new found life; Krassner. Reven unsheathed Bloodthirster and immediately drew the attention of the misshapen horde around him. They hobbled toward him, bones of goblins and men alike holding them up. They made no sound as they approached Reven who had backed up to the gushing stream. Some armed themselves with broken bones they scooped up as they made their way toward their target. They moved as one. They were one. The undead had risen.