Morgus E014, Part three, Scarlet Tasmanian Tiger Tuna

Morgus

Written by Kenneth Shumaker

Episode 014, ‘Scarlet Tasmanian Tiger Tuna’

Written on September 14, 2017

Part one published on Virily on March 28, 2018.

Part two published on Virily on March 28, 2018.

Part three published on Virily on April 5, 2018.

We continue now with Morgus episode E014, part three ‘Scarlet Tasmanian Tiger Tuna,’ on …

Springing into immediate action, Morgus raises his arms as Larap runs by. Touching his thumbs together, splaying his fingers in a fan-shape, Morgus intones boldly, “Fire” and is rewarded with a 120o arc of brilliant red-yellow flames in a sheet reaching out seven-feet from his fingers burning a wight, catching the beast on fire. The blast is so hot and strikes the creature so directly, the fires instantly terminating its existence. Thus, leaving it to crumble to the floor in small flickers of flames.

In a mad dash, Morgus hurries to put out the fires as Square and Elmar assault the second wight.

Following the second creature, Elmar and Square tangle with the wight. Distracting it from its pursuit of Larap.

In a severe slice with his longsword, Elmar severs the left arm off near the shoulder, then Square takes a large chunk out of its leg.

This doesn’t deter the wight from continuing its strive for the death of others as it attacks Elmar. Striking him trying to draw out his soul. But as elves have no soul, the only effect is trickles of blood from the claw marks.

Morgus shouts to draw the wight back toward the centre of the room as Elmar strikes the creature, angering it to chase him then Square distracts it from Elmar by taking a bite of the creature.

Aiming his flames high over Square, Morgus ‘fan flames’ again. Incinerating the top half of the walking-dead, leaving the legs to fall to the floor with its clothing burning.

Thus, it leaves Elmar to put out fires as Morgus follows the hound, who has run off.

Running down the stairs two at a time they end up in the cellar, where they arrive in the second bunk room where the two junior priests are using bunks.

Entering through the open the door to the room behind Square, Morgus finds Barran, Hez, Hon and Loura desperately facing off with a wight unsuccessfully. Apparently, with several souls already damaged, men are lagging, already weakened nearly slumping to the floor.

With quick reactions, Morgus shouts and jabs the wight with his quarterstaff to get its attention while then shouting to the others to back away.

Having the wight now rushing toward him, Morgus drops his staff, raises his hands and rapidly fires off a ‘fan flames’ as he utters, “Fire.”

The sheet of flames barely catches the flailing wight as it ducks under the burst.

Not distraught at the failure, seeing the wight’s clothing burning, Morgus aims slightly lower as the beast stands straight again to still come at him in a run.

With Morgus already in position, the mage rapidly, though with a calm resolve says, “Fire.” Catching the midsection and up of the wight, vaporize it with the intensity of the flames. Dropping only remaining lower legs to the floor.

Looking at the others, Morgus asks, “anyone seen Tussel?”

All shake their head.

Morgus turns to Square, saying to her, “find Tussel.”

Following her, Morgus and Barran arrive behind Square in the front entry waiting room, being the ground floor’s safe room from wights.

Catching his breath, the mage asks, “how many did you see?” as he sees Tussel and a new Elffem in the room.

Both immediately reply, “three!”

Sitting on a bench, Morgus breaths deeply several times as he rubs Square’s head between her ears. “Thanks girl … I think we got all the damn things … unless they propagated more.”

Looking up at the Elffem, he asks, “you! … who might you be and how did you come to be here?”

Bashfully turning red and looking at the floor, the Elffem brushes the hilt of her longsword with one hand and the shaft of her longbow with her other hand.

Morgus notes the empty quiver.

The girl replies, “I’m a hunter, I was in the woods off the property when the bastards started after me. I’d heard this might be a safe refuge for seekers looking for an escape from walking-dead. So, I ran my ass off to get here with the three of them on my heels the whole way … damn near two kilometres I ran. My name is Hunter Analand from the Elfsham Fedagala family. My apology for bringing these creatures upon your estate.”

Standing tall, Morgus lifts his arm to clasp. “No! … it’s a good thing you did, as we’ve been wanting to deal with these horrors for a while now. Now they can be put to rest properly … so thank you … bring any others you find here too.”

Stopping … hesitating, Morgus stutters, “oh … shit!”

Running downstairs, he finds the priests. “You folks okay?”

Two are laying on their beds paler then the sheets, Hez replies, “the wight struck them, drawing out part of their souls I’m thinking – Barran too.” As he looks at the warrior arriving behind Morgus.

Kneeling beside the beds, Morgus asks Hez, “is there anything we can do?”

Shaking his head, the Cleric replies, “only a Cleric or Priest who is much more senior than any of the three of us, who can petition the gods fully and directly, they can restore their souls to the previous state … these three’ll just have to continue living the best they can.”

Watching the three victims, Morgus asks, “if I found a holy person senior enough to do the prayers to the gods … how much would they want in donations?”

Mumbling briefly, Hez replies, “AT the least, a bishop would be needed … or higher … they would REQUIRE tens of thousands of coins per person.”

Shuddering and shaking his head, Morgus deeply ponders this for several minutes as he squeezes Loura’s hand.

The priestess looks back at him, weakly as she says, “no worries, Master … we will eventually recover … a matter of time … don’t fret … did you get them all?”

Smiling benignly, Morgus replies, “I think we have them all now. You finish sleeping tonight … I’ll wake Ada now to tend to gathering and storing the remains of the corpses … we’ll talk in the morning after services, on about what to do with them.”

Walking out into the hall with Hez, Morgus growls, then looking into Hez’s eyes, the mage says, “Right of Passage for each of the three … proper like, using Jalnoric ceremonies … burial in the ward cemetery too … if Larap won’t pay … I will.”

Hez nods, answering, “sixty coins each, Master.”

Nodding as the Magus starts walking away, Morgus responds, “done.”

…..

In the second-floor safe room with Larap, Morgus says, “you’re free to return to sleep. All the wights have been taken care of Baron Hessan.”

Grumbling as he stands to walk to his room, turning to look at Morgus, Larap utters, “I want to talk with you after the morning service, and everyone has had a morning meal. You were so violent, much like that fabled vicious creature the Tasmanian Tiger from the south lands, with all those tuna scarlet-amber flames of yours, with you nearly burning my manor down … we need to talk.”

Written by, Kenneth Shumaker 

©2017 by Kenneth Shumaker with Inevitable Unicorn Press

www.inupress.ca inupress@inupress.ca

To be continued in the next Morgus episode, 015, ‘Blue Dog’s Ball’ …

May the words stay with you!