Chapter 53 – A Winter Bloom
The screams of the slain pierced the night. Immediately, sounds and shouts came from the town. The fire was just outside the main town boundary, but far enough to give them a few moments to react.
Harm screamed now through his mind link as he strolled as though on a summer afternoon towards the town. Florence held casually at his side. He urged his body forward as the goblins who had accompanied him passed him on either side, their small, hunched forms swarming towards the barricade, blades glinting in the light.
He couldn't speed up his pace; it was deliberate and painfully slow. It may be his body, but he couldn't control its actions. The snap of a bow not forty feet from him made its distinctive sound, and before he could react, his hand snapped upwards, deflecting it mid-flight away from his chest. He doubted it would have penetrated the plate armour, but still, how had he managed to deflect an arrow?
Let me be, Harm screamed in his mind.
The only response was a guttural growl that surged from his stomach, roaring from his mouth, as the goblins swarmed the barricade, climbing over the wagons and carts placed in their way. He sped up. Twenty feet from a cart resting across the path, his limbs reacted, a surge shuddered through his body, and his shoulder angled towards it as his Bash skill triggered. He hadn't done it; he knew that as he winced, expecting to feel the rending pain of striking the cart.
Instead, to his surprise, his pauldron met the cart with a resounding crack and splintering wood as it faltered under his assault. A man standing behind the cart, wide-eyed, saw the demon storm the barricade and stood frozen, his sword half-lifted, terror in his eyes.
The cart crashed into the man, sending him sprawling backwards across the ground. Florence came down swiftly as he scrambled to stand.
No, this is wrong, Harm pleaded; he had no control.
His body turned, and two more men were within striking distance, and Florence sang as she tore them asunder. Screams filled the night air as he slaughtered them. A woman sprang toward him, her eyes ablaze as she screamed, swinging an axe. Her body was almost cut in two as Florence reacted. Her violence turned to shock as she fell mortally wounded.
Within moments, the town's defences had been breached. The goblins continued into the streets, and Harm immediately moved towards Satil's. A mounted guard careered round a street corner, almost hitting Harm; the horse reared on seeing the black demon. The guard cried in panic as he tried to maintain his hold, but it was no good as he was flung from its back. A goblin by Harm's side dived onto the guard, bringing his hand axe down in a sickening thud as it buried deep in the man's skull.
These guards hadn't been ready for an assault by the goblins, never mind if the dwarves had come.
That was when Harm noticed these weren't town guards; they were just ordinary town members, likely forced to defend on behalf of Satil. As Satil's estate came in view, he saw the large man; his bulk and red cheeks gave him away. It was Bludger. He thought he had been killed at Hillnot, but obviously not, as he bellowed at the surrounding men.
The thwacks of crossbows sounded, and bolts flew towards them. A goblin on his right was struck in its eye as it wailed, falling to the floor. That was all the incentive the demon needed. Harm felt his body preternaturally accelerate, the world blurred into a smear of terrified faces, his own scream trapped inside a skull that was no longer his to command. If armour fit well, it didn't weigh you down as much as it looked, and with his strength, speed, size, and godly touch, he had an advantage none would ever know. A bolt glanced off his arm, not leaving a mark as he closed the distance to the estate's entrance.
Bludger's eyes widened as he stepped inside the open gateway; his face showed fear as the gate was hurriedly closed, the thunk of a bar being dropped in place. Harm stood before the barred entrance, tilting his head as he took in the solid wooden construction. These gates had been built for this very purpose, to keep the unwanted out. These weren't the gates of a town leader, but a man who knew trouble would visit. Out of the eight who had been guarding the estate gate, three attempted to flee, not just from Harm but his marauding clan who accompanied him, as they chased and felled their prey.
They formed around him, a green cloak covered in the red of their victims' blood.
Dafu report, Harm thought, not sure if he even had control of them.
We are on route, Dafu replied.
As he stood outside the gate, he felt the weight of the armour again rest on his shoulders. The familiar sensation of a second skin. He knew he had control again, but was unsure how long it would last. Harm checked with the others; the groups were converging, and what resistance they'd met had been disposed of.
As they approached, Harm ordered them to surround the estate; not a wall was to be out of view. He didn't want his prey attempting to slip away. He had him surrounded, trapped inside his palatial home, a home that Harm knew. His visit to the outhouse still burned inside him. The work he had completed in good faith to rebuild his fallen reputation was against a man he now knew was the reason for his downfall. He imagined Satil laughing with his entourage at his demise.
Dafu came trotting around the corner towards where he stood. "What's the plan?"
"Kill anyone who resists inside." Harm's words left his mouth, making him feel the icy touch of the dark flicker in his veins.
Voices filtered from within the walls, unable to see, but Harm knew they would be waiting for them.
"Take twelve and breach the rear wall. There are woods at the rear, and a path leads to where the outhouse is; from there, it's only a short distance to the back of the house."
"And you?" Dafu asked.
"I'll keep them occupied here," Harm said as he turned, calling. "Get anything flammable, and we'll burn the gate down."
Several of his gathered group started to disperse into the nearby streets, searching for flammable items. It didn't take them long to return. Harm removed one of the two lanterns that hung on either side of the gate and waited for their return. Shouts came from within the compound as Harm smashed one of the lanterns against the roughly assembled pyre. The oil in the lamp exploded as it broke, throwing a flame high into the night sky.
Move now, Harm thought.
Going, Dafu replied.
Louder cries came from within as the fire took hold, not that the gate would burn through anytime soon, if at all, but the flames, as they flickered across its surface and over its top, would strike the concern he had hoped for.
Luubu, Perthu, take your teams in, Harm thought. Everyone else remains watching the walls. Anyone, I mean anyone, who comes out, you take them.
Harm could hear the telling voice of the Bludger; he hadn't heard Satil's unmistakable voice and knew he would be cowering inside his home, hiding behind his muscle.
Stop playing with my food! The sharp tone flared as pain filled his mind. I need sustenance!
I'm in control, Harm snapped.
Harm's knee buckled under him. He knelt, resting his hands on the ground. The searing burned in his mind as icy tendrils fought against his raging fire of hate. His eyes closed as he screamed, a scream no man should ever make.
Are you? The voice mocked.
Harm snarled as he ground his teeth under the cover of his great helm.
"Harm," one of the goblins called with worry.
He didn't respond as he felt his mind being taken, the ice creeping, penetrating his thoughts.
Harm roared in pain as he forced himself to stand. The goblin, who had approached him, staggered back as he turned.
"Your face," the goblin stammered.
Harm just stared, unable to form words. This was his body, no other, as he frantically struggled to maintain control. Then it happened, an instant of clarity. Peace swept over him as his mind cleared for the briefest of moments. The farm, his family, his days adventuring, the laughs, the camaraderie, Marius's first step, Yonda's first word, and then everything went blank.
Through the images, a voice drifted gently, soothing him.
I knew I had chosen the right vessel! You're stronger than you believe. Your will is unbreakable. The god wasn't berating or mocking; it sounded pleased. A weak mind would have crumbled, and the embodiment would have died, but you, Harmonious Scrug, have managed symbiosis. Indeed, a rare path.
Harm's mind filled with symbols as they flashed before his eyes. Arcane and dark, secrets of an age unknown. A depth to them which could never be reached. It didn't hurt; it didn't burn. There was just absorption. Knowledge rushed into him. His body shuddered as he felt the surge of power that filled him.
His display icon flashed, flickering with uncertainty, before it stabilised. A notification blinked calmly in the corner, and a message ran across his vision. This was no normal message for a quest or a skill; it shouldn't have been visible without him selecting his display, but it was there.
NEW CLASS CREATED: DEATH KNIGHT
Harm flexed his fingers; were they still his? The gauntlets of his plate armour were perfectly formed, yet a cold swirled around them, and ice crystals formed on their surface. The cold seeped through him, not painful, a warmth to it as though it belonged, a part of him.
The flames of the gate flickered as reality spun back into existence. The goblins with him had backed away, fear ever present; uncertainty at their chief's behaviour.
"Now we kill," Harm said. His voice held no emotion. It was just a fact.
The gate was impassable, and the flames had hardly marked its surface. He knew not how, but his hand stretched before him, the part of him that wasn't him as an icy blast coursed at the door. The flames died almost instantly as the ice took hold, moaning and spluttering their last breath, as the wood groaned and splintered under the icy blast. Harm spoke again.
"Smash it."
The goblins stood for a moment as they stared at their chief, and then, with cries of rage, ran forward with their axes and swords as the wood shattered under their impact.
Harm watched as a smile crept onto his lips. At last, he felt free. Now was the time for retribution.
As the wooden door disintegrated under the relentless strikes of the goblins, the assault began as they poured through the gates. A volley of bolts flew towards the goblins, two of whom cried as they were struck, as Harm strode forward. He wanted to charge, but his steps were again measured, slow, and deliberate.
Release me, Harm thought immediately, frustrated at not being able to charge with his friends.
It is not me; this is you, the god replied.
I want to charge, for fuck's sake. Let me move.
The god sighed. It isn't I. Your symbiosis is complete. The actions are now your own.
Then why won't my body react?
It is, but why should it endanger itself when you have minions to do it for you?
Harm screamed in frustration. My body isn't doing what I wish.
Another goblin was struck and fell. Of the nine that had charged the gate, three had fallen from bolts, and the others, now reaching the guard, were engaged in melee, while Harm still strolled. A fourth was struck down. These guards were Satil's personal guards and were more proficient.
Your will is stronger; you must guide your brother.
The god's words sounded familiar yet foreign. His brother? What did it mean? Harm was an only child; he had no siblings.
Your body is a shared entity; you must allow it to understand your will.
I'm willing it to attack, and it's not reacting.
No, you're telling it to attack; your emotions are in charge, not your will.
A bolt from a crossbow struck Harm's helm, the sound startling him from his frustration.
What can I do? Harm was panicking now. Two more of his clan had fallen.
Will over emotion.
And what the fuck does that mean?
Have you ever dreamt of something happening?
Yes, of course. Harm hissed in his mind.
Then do so now.
Again, Harm screamed his anger and frustration, building to a crescendo. Then he felt it, inside his very core, where his heart should have rested, a strange sensation. It felt like a flower closed in the evening, protecting itself from the cold. As he considered it, he thought about it blooming, its petals opening to draw in the summer sun. It pulled in warmth, but not heat; it was a pure energy of untapped potential. As the energy spread, his body became lighter and looser as he sped up. The last petal peeled back, revealing its black obsidian centre, and he charged.
Fury erupted from him as Florence slashed the air, a blue glow covering her blade. The symbolism wasn't lost on Harm as his body flowed like liquid metal, his moves precise and unforgiving. Thrust, parry, slash, as Florence stole more souls, each one empowering him further. His brilliant red eyes blazed, hiding the ice within.
"Back to the house," the voice of Bludger called.
Harm's gaze met the man who was standing behind the line of guards, several of whom now lay dead at his feet. Four goblins still stood; three of the five who had been struck down would breathe no more. They were all going to die, Harm swore for killing his kin, as he moved with unforgiving speed; three more guards fell before they had taken twenty paces.
Bludger looked over his shoulder as Harm neared, his large potbellied form moving as fast as it could toward Satil's home.
Then Harm saw him; their eyes met. Satil's wide, startled eyes, filled with arrogant fury, stared through an upstairs window. His wife, Vera, stood by his side, clutching his arm with desperation, her face portraying terror.
A maniacal smile spread across Harm's face. You're mine.
Satil's arrogance faltered as fear flashed over him, like a shroud of death.
Cries reached Harm from the side of the house as Dafu rounded the corner, his face blood smeared, a fresh cut along his jaw.
"Open the door," Bludger screamed as he tripped a guard who was fleeing in front of him, making him fall in Harm's path. Harm jumped over him, ignoring the guard, as the goblins behind him finished off the guard. His piercing screams felt like a melody in Harm's mind.
Harm noticed Satil's head turn, and something was shouted.
The door remained closed as Bludger charged into it, pounding to be freed from the demon who charged after him. It didn't open, remaining closed, as the steel-banded structure did not flinch under the large man's weight. Harm didn't slow as he triggered Bash, instantly travelling the remaining distance between them, his pauldron set and his shoulder meeting the back of the man's head. With a sickening wet impact and the splintering of bone, Bludger's face was smashed into a steel band. Harm shuddered from the blow, but wasn't injured as he stepped away, allowing the crushed head to fall with its body to the ground.
