✓ Wizard's Apprentice | Legolas |

Book Three: Chapter Eleven

After breakfast, I headed to the training room. The Master was already there, waiting expectantly.

"Come now, girl," he said. I did, stopping a few feet away. "Orc, come in now." A wretched looking creature came in with a dead body. I took a few steps away and would've taken more if an invisible wall hadn't stopped me.

"Bring him back," the master commanded.

"I don't know how," was my reply.

"Just look at the body and imagine him coming back to life." I sighed, closing my eyes and visualizing. I heard a moan come from somewhere in the room. When I opened my eyes, the dead body wasn't, well, dead. He wasn't very happy either.

"How dare you bring me back? You think this is a game?!" he snarled. The orc let him go and the man charged at me.

"Please, I'm sorry." He took a swing which I dodged gracefully. "Stop it, I'm sorry," I said. To my surprise, the man dropped his next punch.

"Did you see that, Kaelen? You control him." I looked upon the man with horror. I didn't want to control him.

"Why would I want to control him?" I questioned.

"For an undead army. It's harder to kill already dead people." I took a few deep breaths. This is how I was going to go against the good people. I didn't like it. But I had a plan.

"True," I said, smiling evilly. "So I just raise a ton of dead people then march on to Gondor and Rohan?" The master smiled in the same way that I had.

"I think that you have the right idea. What do you say?" I nodded enthusiastically.

"I think that is swell," I said.

"Good. All the people that we have slaughtered recently are outside. Just imagine them rising." I did, and soon I heard loud footsteps. They were angry.

"Don't walk like that and no attacking," I commanded when I saw the first soldier. He did as told. The master looked upon, giddy with excitement.

"Don't forget," I warned. "I control them." He nodded, not replying. He was just to occupied with looking upon the dead.

"Go, make yourself useful," I commanded. With that, I left the room to go and find Acheron. He was actually waiting right outside of the training room. He gave me a look of distaste.

"You raised the dead." It wasn't a question. It was a statement, an insult even. I nodded, looking away. He grabbed my arm and dragged me into his room.

"Now tell me why you are suddenly cooperating?"

"Aren't you a loyal leader among the orcs?" I asked. He rolled his eyes.

"You really think that I would follow people who killed my mother? I'm doing this to get inside."

"That's my reason, too," I said, getting slightly annoyed. "I raised a lot of dead people but they don't follow the Master, they follow me. I was going to leave tonight with them. Do you want to come?" He nodded. I knew that he would.

"Good. I'll see you tonight." With that, I took off.

*

When nighttime finally came, I called the undead, telling them to be silent as can be. Some hated me, some just didn't care. Most, though, were happy to be alive again, and when I told them that we were fighting against the master, they changed their minds about me.

Acheron ran around the corner, carrying a bag of food and clothing for the two of us. I was actually glad to see him.

"Where are we headed to?" he asked. I looked down then decided to look at him in the face.

"My home."