Morgus, E009, Green Dog Square, part 1

Morgus

Written and produced by Kenneth Shumaker

Episode 009, ‘Green Dog Square’

Written: May 31, 2017

Part 1, published on Virily: December 21, 2017.

Part 2, published on Virily: January 5, 2018.

We continue now with Morgus episode E009, ‘Green Dog Square’ with part 2 on …

Winter 5 Unicorn

With the sphere having cleared of cover, and the gods-breaths have died to a zephyr of near nothing, Morgus walks through the mud in the woods and up to the back of the buildings of the Harrow Estate. Working his way around, to the servant’s door of the manor, Morgus stealthily opens the door into a darkened room. Entering quietly and stealthily, he closes the door once he’s inside.

He proceeds with caution through the rooms, watching for the stairs up to the second floor, looking for the bedrooms.

The mage is expecting to find Kellum upstairs, as it’s still dark outside, being early morning, hours before gods-rise.

When Morgus halts after stepping on creaking boards, a husky voice calls out, “Who’s walking about now?”

Frozen on his spot, Morgus remains motionless and quiet, hoping to avoid detection. Then he hears the footsteps of two or maybe three people. The lantern light entering the room shows four thugs walking into the common room that Morgus is in.

Swiftly debating his next action, Morgus relaxes, saying, “I came back to talk with Kellum.”

Two of the thugs hastily grab him, with one saying, “Come with us upstairs.”

They lead Morgus to the third floor and push him into a small storage room. Morgus sighs as he hears the door to his prison being locked. Morgus casually calculates his situation as he assesses the darkness and his options. Listening intently, he hears the footsteps of the thugs walking away.

Morgus only has to wait an hour before more footsteps are heard, and the door opens. He shades his eyes from the bright light of the hooded-lantern but can see the thugs and Kellum enter the room. Morgus patiently waits for the pampamoo to speak.

In her anger, Kellum gruffly growls, “What the Seven Hells? I sent you back to Hessan.”

Stepping forward, Morgus replies, “I can’t go back without knowing who is really behind this.”

Grunting, the pampamoo gestures toward Morgus as she says, “Take his shit, everything except his clothing. Lock him in here until I decide how we’re going to kill him and what body part I’m cutting off and sending with Tal to Hessan.”

The subordinates confiscate Mage Morgus’ quarterstaff, knife, and pouches. Then, all exit the room leaving Morgus alone in the dark room again, with just his clothing.

Letting out a forlorn sigh, Morgus recalls his days on the pirate barge, and his education at the Mage University – the times he had few to no possessions other than his clothing.

Morgus grins as he hears the footsteps fade away. Counting to 120, he then waits a little longer. Having remained standing still facing the door as they closed it, again in total darkness, Morgus takes the five firm paces, which he believes he needs to reach the door. Then, carefully reaching out with his hand, he finds nothing. Carefully, he takes another step.

Touching the hardwood panelling of the door, Morgus feels over to his left for the latch and lock. Finding the pair, he smiles benignly as he whispers, “Uln” and twists his fingers in front of the lock. Being rewarded with the satisfying sound of the clicking of the lock as it unlocks, Morgus moves his hand up to the latch and grips the latch trigger. He carefully ekes the door open, just enough to adjust his eyes to light and view the next room. Looking for thugs, he notes four sitting around a table playing bones, gambling.

The four aren’t paying attention to the door as Morgus bursts the door open, confronting them. The thugs quickly rise, to start to rush across the twelve feet to Morgus. Harried, they’re cursing in Jal and Toy while drawing their weapons.

The Jalfem teen is the first to reach Morgus, striking him with her club hard enough to knock the mage down, causing Morgus to lose the spell he was casting.

Two others are making feeble attempts with attacks on Morgus. While the fourth, in his mad rush, trips and strikes the wall so hard with his club that he breaks the weapon.

Quickly recovering from the stumble, the Jalmal draws his dagger.

Standing quickly again and drawing upon his known, but not memorized spell, Morgus immediately touches his thumbs together, splays his fingers in a fan and says “Usten” as fast as possible. Casting his ‘fan flame,’ he catches all four thugs, incinerating them to their deaths.

As the clothing of all four thugs ignites, and they fall to the floor, Morgus rushes to put out the fires. But as he finishes putting out the flames of the first two, he notes the carpet under one of the remaining two thugs is on fire.

Hurrying to put out the carpet fire, he watches as furniture ignites and soon Morgus gives up hope of stopping the spread of flames.

Quickly standing, Morgus runs from the room to head downstairs, having failed in his mission to gain their employer’s name.

Arriving in the common room, Morgus runs face-to-face with Kellum and eleven others. Stopping mid-step upon entering the room, Morgus shouts, “Fire!”

Upset with this extreme annoyance, Kellum commands, “Grab him now!”

Her sergeants and thugs move to engage the desperate mage.

As all in the room are drawing their weapons, Mage Morgus focuses on a lantern on the table in the centre of the chamber. Morgus rapidly casts his memorized incantation, ‘fire burst.’

The spears of fire emitted from the lantern strike everyone in the room.

Seven of the group drop dead or unconscious as they’re rushing towards Morgus.

Injured by two of the attackers and Kellum, Morgus, is trying to defend himself.

He rushes to place the tips of his thumbs together, and then splaying his fingers, he utters, “Usten.”

The resulting blaze from his ‘fan flame’ hits all three attackers. The only standing aggressor left now is Kellum.

In her panic, she stumbles, fumbling her longsword.

Morgus rams out another ‘fan flame’ in the space of time open to him, just catching the moving Kellum. The spell does enough burning damage to drop the assailant unconscious to the floor.

Not taking the time to revive anyone who might be alive, or to loot, or to look for parchment evidence, Morgus runs madly out of the manor.

In his haste to leave the manor, he encounters a group of five thugs running toward him.

Waiting impatiently until the five are within the five feet of the fan, Morgus stands with his thumbs together, and his fingers wide.

When the time is right, Morgus utters, “Usten,” severely burning all five as they encounter their deaths.

Running for the gate, Morgus is intercepted by a more cautious group of seven thugs. One who is carrying a bulls-eye lantern, observing him.

Almost as if by instinct, Morgus focuses on the lantern of the tight group and free casts a ‘fire burst,’ sending multiple spears of flame at each of the seven.

Two thugs are left standing, confronting the frustrated mage who is running out of spell ability.

To be continued in Morgus episode E009, ‘Green Dog Square’ part 3 on …

This episode was written by, Kenneth Shumaker.

©2017 by Kenneth Shumaker

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