Dead Rainbow

Kulju's Defense

Guard towers had been constructed at each corner of the ancient burial ground of the east. From the edge of the woods, Redwing could see multiple sentries in each tower. The wrought iron fence had been repaired all the way around the cemetery and patrols of goblins and wolves walked the inner perimeter. Sporadic torches lit the macabre scene and cast shadows across the graveyard. 

"I won't harm my people," whispered Lazar. 

She had guided him between all the patrols of the forest unnoticed. 

"These wolves are confused and under the spell of Kulju. We will liberate them, though some may not accept freedom willingly." He focused his mental influence over the wolf at his side. 

"All you need do is keep an eye out for anyone coming up behind me. Once I'm inside you can try to talk some sense into the wolves. Alright?"

"Ok," she growled and scanned the horizon. 

"Stay at the tree line until you're needed."

At the main gate stood four armed men in black battle armor. Redwing walked out of the woods and wasn't five paces into the open before an arrow whizzed past his head. He kept walking and the gate soldiers lifted sword and ax in a most intimidating way. 

"Who goes there?" asked one with a large broad sword.

"I have come to rid the world of Kulju, to take possession of his magical items, and to consume his power."

"You and what army?" asked the guard. 

"I can always use henchmen and I do have an affinity for wolves." 

Several wolves and a dozen or more goblins were double-timing it to the cemetery entrance. 

"I offer the members of the lycanthrope species the chance to join me now. I am Redwing some of your elders may remember me. As for the rest, if you'd like to serve a superior master, you may aid me in my quest."

He touched his fingers together in front of his chin. 

"And supposing we don't want to aid you on your quest?" said the guard.

"Then you will have chosen your fate." 

A volley of ten arrows, five from each tower whistled through the night air. Redwing waved his hands and the arrows curved in flight and porcupined the gate guards. The spokesman, potentially the captain of the guard, caught an arrow in the throat and went down with a clank of armor. He grasped at his neck gurgling blood as he choked to death. 

Redwing raised both his hands and whispered in a language the guards didn't understand. All four towers, even the two on the opposite side of the burial grounds burst into the flames. Archers jumped from the tops with bodies engulfed by fire. Fear shot through the goblin ranks and the remaining three soldiers advanced. 

They were right on top of him raising massive weapons into the air when Redwing spread his arms and opened his mouth. Liquid nitrogen sprayed out of him and covered the front half of the soldiers. The breath of the frost dragon continued to freeze them and when he closed his mouth the three men stood like statues of ice. 

Redwing casually walked over to the closest guard whose mid-swing body posture froze at a precarious balance and gave him a shove. He fell backward into the others and all three shattered into frozen chunks of metal, flesh, and ice. 

He stepped over the rubble picking up a brick of frozen thigh and sent it sailing forward and smacked it into the head of an advancing wolf.  The frozen metal tore the flesh of its skull and sent the animal fleeing into the woods. 

Redwing walked through the gate lit by towering flames on each side. Fear of death by fire and ice gripped the goblin patrols and they fled over the back fence not one even looking back. Before he could reach the Kulju's mausoleum, the evil wizard walked out of the doorway with a long black pike in hand. 

Kulju opened his mouth wiggled his serpent tongue. Large venomous snakes appeared all around Redwing. They lurched forward sinking their fangs into him. When the teeth of the vipers touched his skin, the snakes burst into flames and sizzled into curling ash like children's fireworks. 

"You'll have to do far better than that, Kulju. You can hand me your amulet now and I'll consider your plea for mercy." 

Kulju pitched his arm forward saying, "You talk too much."

A blob of sticky green goo covered Redwing's mouth and nose, silencing his speech and making it impossible to breathe. 

Kulju began to cast a spell that would kill Redwing. He took his time knowing he could not speak. Redwing clawed at the goo on his face but could not remove it.  

"There will be no going back to Melock this time." A dark mist began to swirl around his spear. 

Kulju stepped forward speaking the touch of death with his forked tongue. Redwing stopped trying to free his air passages and reached forward. Two bright white crossbows appeared, one in each of his hands. He fired them both the moment they materialized and sunk two shining bolts into Kulju's eyes. 

The evil wizard went down, sparks of light sizzled out of his eye sockets. Redwing dropped both the bows and they disappeared before they hit the ground. Kulju thrashed violently on the ground and went still. The thick bolts lost their glow. 

Redwing was finally able to pull the goo off his face and he sucked in big gulps of air. He sensed eyes watching from the shadows of the graveyard but none dared attack. After he caught his breath he leaned over to Kulju's body. 

"How am I supposed to take your powers if you're dead?" 

Redwing drew his dagger and sawed Kulju's head off. He stuck it on the end of his pike and jammed the spear into the ground. Then he took the amulet off the bloody corpse and put it around his own neck. He immediately felt a wicked energy pulse through him. 

"The Talisman of Unrepentant Evil, what a prize." He laughed a cruel chuckle and shouted, "Creatures cowering in the darkness, begone or share your master's fate." 

Several wolves ran into sight and quickly jumped the fences out the burial ground fleeing into the surround. Redwing let them go and after searching Kulju and finding nothing of value, entered his catacomb lair.