To Another World

Chapter 5: Death Undone

The hut lay in the middle of a clearing and when they arrived they were greeted by Ermitus. "Siegfried, Siegfried! 'Tis a surprise to see thee after so long! And thee'st friends with thee. What brings thee hither to my little hut on Typhon?" said Ermitus ecstaticly. "My good brother. 'Tis a most heartening and happy sight to see thee as well and in good hale. Alas, our reunion is one under a less auspicious circumstance. For what brings us together is the rebirth of..." said Siegfried and turned silent.

"Speak, my brother! What disconcerts thee?" said Ermitus.

"The rebirth of the Warlock" said Siegfried to which Ermitus' whole countenance turned pale.

"What horrid news. Let us not stand here in the forest, come in my brother and ye as well, friends of Siegfried!" said Ermitus.

Ermitus was a short, stout and robust man, wearing bearskin upon his head and the rest of his body.

"I shall be candid with you, Siegfried and friends. I know not as much as ye may be led to think. In fact quite little about the Warlock himself" said Ermitus to a Eraqueles, whom now stood mouth agape and jaw ahanging.

Just a single monosyllabic utterance could be heard wandering from his mouth: "But.."

"ARE YOU SAYING THAT WE HAVE TRAVELLED THROUGH LAND AND SEA JUST TO COME TO SOME OLD, BLOODY FOOL WHO KNOWS NOT A DAMN THING ABOUT THE WARLOCK!?" shouted Sulup.

"Heed my words. Listen you! I know whither ye need to go to find the portal leading to his realm!" said Ermitus.

"Marvellous news. I thank thee truly, my brother!" said Siegfried jubilantly whereafter Ermitus lead them to a cave. Suddenly they heard a deafening roar coming deep within the interior of the cave. Emerging from its darkness came a monster tenebrous and prodigious. A literal demon transcending mortal reckoning.

"Regarding the lump of flesh that I had to show ol' Ermitus, I do believe, chaps, that we have received the answer as for whom did what to the dragon" said Eraqueles.

The monster was as sent from Hell, no words could adequately hold its true ferocity. With one stamping of its rear-leg the earth trembled. The demon thundered forth towards Eraqueles so fast that he had no time to react sending him flying through the air and towards a nearby wall of rock. Before he could wake up the wall shattered and collapsed upon him. The creature stood upon its two rear-legs grabbing hold of a boulder and lobbed it at Sulup, who in response jump 20 feet into the air. Siegfried was taken greatly aback by this as was Ermitus. The pair stood in silence as Sulup landed unscathed. "Y-you jumped 20 feet... into the air... Are you even man!?"

"Brother, what is this man." said Ermitus and suddenly he realised as he saw the scratches on Sulup's shoulder, apparently glowing in a red hue.

"'Tis the markings of a werewolf. My brother, hadst any knowledge of this!?" asked Ermitus.

"I had my suspicions. Forsooth. But thy words make sense. Glowing scars. Terrible strength and wrath. Alas, in at other tide this would be ruinous, but young Sulup is perhaps to our avail, Ermitus!" said Siegfried.

Sulup, meanwhile, was locked in mortal combat with this eldritch grendel.

"THAT IS IT, GNAT!" shouted Sulup to the monster upon which it in apparent indignation let out a roar that tore through the very heavens. Lightning roared in concord with it. It rushed towards Sulup. Grabbed him. Ripped him asunder before he could even react. The monster let out yet another roar and returned to its cave.

Siegfried stood despondently: "Has all hope been lost...?"

The cliffs shook and Eraqueles broke free from the massive weight of them. Now the entire cave was lit by an effulgent sea of fire gushing forth from within. It blinded the group. Forth emerged the Warlock reborn.

"Let the Heavens be in stupour. For lo, I am become reborn. I take it that ye have been acquainted with my sentry? 'Tis quite pitiable and tragic that your friend is half the man he used to be." laughed the Warlock maniacally at the maimed remains of Sulup. The group were in horror. Before them stood a figure robed, a sickly looking man. Wan and yet not to be underestimated. He had escaped the very natural laws, the very doom given unto him from upon High. How and why this horrific sight stood anew afore them was the least of their concerns. They gathered courage since they were determined to avenge their comrades and foremost save the world.

"You haven't a single shred of dignity. Damned villain!" shouted Eraqueles.

"Answer me, loathsome one. Where is Olaf!?" said Siegfried.

"Your friend? He was a most delicious feast. A fitting banquet for my rebirth" laughed the Warlock scornfully.

"Such twisted words. I shall avenge Olaf. Have at thee!" shouted Eraqueles and drew his sword.

"Thou hast wit" said the Warlock. "However, the time hath come to rid myself of your accursed existence so that I, Plumaeus the Hellcrafter, shall fashion this world anew and bring upon my banesmen a righteous doom. Now feel my innermost hatred towards your foolishness" said the Warlock and threw off his robe.

"Let me as a parting gift show unto you my true guise!". The Warlock's body exploded in a torrent of flame. The blazes contained the Warlock searing away his flesh. It grew tighter and the glow was still immense. Night now turned day and all of the surrounding area was bathed in this infernal resplendence. All was illumined. His true form a skeleton garbed in fire. "YE HAVE BOTHERED ME FOR THE LAST TIME!" said Plumaeus and shot a brilliant lick of flame at Ermitus, who lit up and turned to ash.

"NO! ERMITUS!" cried Siegfried.

"One less to worry about! 'Tis sad" cachinnated the Warlock scornfully.

"Shall I tell ye about it is to burn upon the stakes and die!?" came it from the Warlock.

"WE SAY THEE NAY" roared Eraqueles and Siegfried.

"SO WHAT!?" said the Plumaeus and flew towards Eraqueles and Siegfried with the fire shooting up around him.

"I call upon the might of the Titans!" shouted Eraqueles upon which he shone with a dazzling light growing in size and muscle. Eraqueles was of the blood of the Titans, an ancient race of being that long since had, was it assumed, vanished from the face of earth yet here stood Eraquels the last of his line.

Siegfried and Eraqueles had both drawn their weapons. Looked upon each other with mutual assurance and confidence. This was the deciding moment.

"I, Eraqueles son of Erathor of the House of Titan, shall vanquish thee demon so swear I upon the lives of my fallen comrades and mine honour" said Eraqueles still shining like the sun incarnate.

"Likewise swear I, Siegfried, son of Siegurd! UPON THE HONOUR OF MY TROTH AND THE KING HAVE AT THEE" said Siegfried and charged towards the Warlock when at once there was a superlative roar that deafened all. Not even their own thoughts could they hear. Their minds were quivering. An otherworldly voice reverberated throughout the earth and all that stood upon it. Myriads of hands shot forth from the earth. Thus spake the voice anon: "NONE ESCAPETH DEATH, NOT EVEN THEE, WARLOCK PLUMAEUS!"

"No! Why! I alone studied Hellcraft to give me life eternal, escaping what I conceived to be an unnatural aspect of creation. I could persist. I could live. Become deathless. Why deny me thus!?" said Plumaeus and was pulled into the depths and at once the skies and earth were normal. He was no where to be seen. Siegfried and Eraqueles were shocked beyond belief. They were tremendously lucky. They both went back to their village and held a huge feast to celebrate their victory.

Now there was peace again in the world or was there?