The Army of Darkness: The Immortal Apprentice Trilogy, #2

By James E. Wisher

Harper Gale has gotten half of her revenge.

 

She's also gotten herself mixed up in a serious mess.

 

The Acolytes of Darkness now have an army of wraiths at their command. Numbering in the hundreds, virtually invulnerable to non-magical weapons, and able to kill with a touch, the wraiths are a threat to all of Montage.

 

Harper is dispatched from the legendary village of alchemists with a warning for the capital.

 

Little does she know that the Army of Darkness is already on its way.

 

It's a race against time with thousands of live on the line.

 

Find out who makes it to the capital first in The Army of Darkness, Book 2 of The Immortal Apprentice Trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sand Hill Publishing
• Release date: Apr 26, 2024
• ISBN: 9781685200572

James E. Wisher

James E. Wisher is a writer of science fiction and fantasy novels. He’s been writing since high school and reading everything he could get his hands on for as long as he can remember.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Harper Gale sat back in her chair and took several deep breaths. She, along with her best friend, West, and Baron McCloud had arrived at the village of alchemists a few hours ago. They’d been meeting with a woman named Lin that Harper assumed served as the village mayor when a messenger burst into the meeting room shouting about an attack. Mention was made of an army, but Harper didn’t get the details.

Now Lin was deep in conversation with two other villagers dressed in flowing gold-and-orange robes. The huge, nearly empty meeting room now seemed far too small. Harper badly wanted to get outside and enjoy a lungful of cool, fresh fall air. She suppressed the feeling. Whatever was going on, she needed to know about it.

A quick glance at West confirmed that he looked every bit as anxious as she felt. He was chewing the inside of his cheek and constantly smoothing his ponytail. Of the three of them that arrived from outside the village, only Baron McCloud seemed at ease. Or maybe he just hid his feelings better. As a Montage noble, that was certainly a skill he’d have perfected over the years.

Hoping to distract herself Harper asked, Do you know anything about this army she mentioned?

The baron ran a hand through his gray beard and frowned. No. The histories mention a war long ago with a powerful wizard, but the accounts I read were painfully vague. The idea that a wizard powerful enough to survive getting reduced to ash exists beggars the imagination and I say that as someone that studied Lord Colt’s history extensively. Hopefully, once Lin gets done with the new arrivals, she’ll give us an explanation.

I don’t know much about the nobility and ranks and stuff, West said. How exactly do these people fit into the kingdom’s power structure?

Baron McCloud snorted a laugh. The answer to that is more complicated than I care to think about. I suppose the best way to describe it would be as separate, but still within the system. The village answers to no one but King Irving. They treat me with respect, but more because I married a villager than because I’m a baron. Though to be fair, they treat everyone with respect as long as you don’t give them a reason not to.

It was too complicated for Harper and she found the first signs of a headache forming across her forehead. Fortunately, before West and the baron could get any deeper in the political weeds, Lin bowed to the people she’d been speaking to and came to rejoin them.

I apologize for the interruption. Our enclave overseeing the reclamation of the Blighted Lands has been completely wiped out by a wizard leading a pack of ghouls.

Harper’s jaw tightened. That had to be one of the bastards responsible for killing her father. Where is this enclave?

Far to the west of the village. Lin’s dark eyes seemed to pierce all the way to Harper’s soul. You seek to continue your quest for revenge.

I certainly do.

I don’t recommend it. By the time you arrived, the wizard will either be long gone or in possession of the Apprentice’s army. Either of those results will lead to your failure. And in the latter case, your certain death.

Before Harper had a chance to snarl that she’d be happy to take that chance, the baron cut in. You mentioned the army before. An army of the dead you called it. What did you mean?

I meant exactly what I said. Sometime after the Apprentice arrived here from Amet Sur’s nation—what is now called the Dead Lands—and before the war started in earnest, he summoned an army of wraiths from Astaroth’s hell.

How? West asked. I’m no expert on that sort of magic, but don’t you need to offer something from this side to get a bunch of undead or demons in return?

Indeed. Lin’s face twisted in a bitter scowl. He offered the lives of several hundred men, women, and children taken by force from villages near the border of the Great Forest. In the process of summoning the wraiths, he destroyed a section of forest half a hundred miles in diameter, a place that came to be known as the Blighted Lands. At the center of the ritual, a perfectly round cave appeared which he named the Oblivion Deep. After his defeat, the remains of his army fled to the cave, recalled by some magic beyond our understanding.

Why not just destroy the cursed things in the cave? Harper asked. Even as she said it, she realized that if the task was simple, the people back then would’ve done so.

That was precisely their plan, but some spell of his protected them. All the wizards and alchemists combined couldn’t break through. The barrier is powered by a hell portal at the center of the cave that feeds it endless amounts of corrupt energy. Our ancestors decided that the best thing to do would be to erase all mention of both places from the history books, then work to restore the Blighted Lands in the hope that no one would ever find the Oblivion Deep again. Our efforts were clearly in vain.

I realize I’m showing my ignorance to a painful degree here, the baron said. But what, exactly, can an army of wraiths do?

They can kill with a touch to the heart or head, Lin said. Even a grazing blow will cause a limb to go numb. Normal weapons of steel and wood can’t harm them; only magic or mithril can kill a wraith. Their insubstantial bodies pass right through metal armor.

Harper shook her head. Heaven’s mercy! They’re unstoppable. How did the people of that time defeat them?

With great difficulty. Weapons treated with special alchemical compounds to make them temporarily magical proved effective, but in the end, it was the Sun Sword that turned the tide. With its power, the king burned a hole through the wraiths’ defenses, allowing an elite strike force to reach and ultimately defeat the Apprentice, though at the cost of many lives.

I need to reach the capital and warn King Irving, Baron McCloud said.

Lin shook her head. No, you must stay here. Should one of the enemy get their hands on you, they could compel you to show them the way to the village. We can’t risk it.

Baron McCloud leapt to his feet. I can’t just sit here while the kingdom is at risk.

Lin just stared at him. You can and you will. The village cannot be put in danger.

I’ll go, Harper said. Though how I’ll get a king to speak with me I have no idea.

Lin’s gaze shifted and she offered a soft smile. Have no fear. There are ways of getting the king’s attention. We set up a means of identification precisely for moments like this. Preparations need to be made. You should eat and rest. Morning will be soon enough for you to depart.

I’ll be going too, West said.

That is one option, Lin said. Another is that you remain behind and we teach you magic that will be of great use in the coming battle. As ever, there will be far too few true wizards, especially given the prevalence of magical engineers. She added those last two words with a hint of distaste.

West looked at Harper then back, clearly conflicted.

No need to decide now. Talk amongst yourselves and let me know in the morning. Lin stood, a clear indication that the meeting was over, and led them to the door.

Outside, a very young man without a hair on his head, dressed in the same orange-and-gold robes, bowed to Lin.

Guide them to the guest cottage and make sure they have whatever they need, Lin said. If you have any requests, just ask Shin. Oh, could you leave the demon amulet with me? I’d like to show it to our head alchemist.

West quickly dug the box out of his pack and handed it over. Be careful, the demon likes to make promises.

Lin’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. Don’t they all. I’ll see you in the morning.

Harper and her companions followed Shin along several raised walkways that connected the various trees and formed a sort of road through the village. West kept his gaze directed firmly at the sky, drawing a smile from Harper. She’d never had a problem with heights, eagerly climbing the highest trees as a child only to get yelled at by her mother.

Dad, on the other hand, had just smiled quietly when he watched her. He’d only gotten upset with her once, when she first started hunting. Harper wounded a deer and gave up the chase before finding it. He hadn’t yelled, but the disappointment in his eyes had hurt worse than getting screamed at. She never abandoned a hunt again.

Shin finally stopped in front of another round house, this one a bit smaller than the building where they’d had their meeting with Lin. He opened the door and bowed to them. I will bring food shortly. Please, make yourselves comfortable.

Baron McCloud strode through first followed by Harper and West. Unlike the meeting house, this house had a proper living room, with chairs, a table, and a bookcase that held decorations rather than books. A number of doors led to other rooms, but Harper ignored them for now and dropped into an empty chair. Sitting before the baron was rude, but she was too tired to care.

When the others had settled in Baron McCloud said, What does everyone think? For my part, I hate being stuck here, but understand where Lin is coming from. The fewer people out in the world capable of finding the village, the safer it’ll be. If you could let my men know what’s happening and that they should return and tell Whist and Mila, I’d be grateful.

I’m happy to do so. Harper turned to West. The final question is, will you be staying or coming with me? I saw the look in your eye when she mentioned new magic.

I can’t deny my curiosity, West admitted. But I’m with you until the end.

Harper smiled. That was a sweet sentiment. I think you should stay. Much as I appreciate you wanting to come with me, learning magic capable of killing the monsters that might be coming against us is important. I plan to avoid as many people as I can until I reach the capital. For now, at least, fighting is to be avoided.

West chewed his lip. Are you sure?

Harper nodded. I’ll do my best to return quickly, assuming the king wants to send an envoy. If not, well, I’ll see you when I see you.

West finally nodded, his expression still conflicted. I’ll do my best to get stronger so I can be more help when the time comes.

She had no doubt that he’d do his absolute best. West always did his best. She was also surprised to find that the thought of leaving him behind filled her with apprehension. Despite the fact that she always intended to seek her revenge alone, they’d been a team from the beginning. Going their separate ways felt wrong.

Hopefully they wouldn’t come to regret it.

CHAPTER TWO

Around two weeks had passed since Maddox Maze sent a message to his superior in the Acolytes of Darkness, Wargoth the Black, alerting him to the discovery of the Oblivion Deep. And today was the day Wargoth said he’d arrive at the alchemists’ camp. In the back of his mind, the ethereal beacon hummed along, broadcasting his location to anyone capable of sensing it. It wasn’t a subtle thing. Literally any wizard within five miles paying the least attention would know exactly where to find him. Maddox hated the thing, but it was the most efficient way to lead Wargoth to him.

He stood up from the table he’d been using as a study bench and rubbed his eyes. Two weeks of twelve-hour days and he still couldn’t combine even the first and second sections of the control spell. He understood them, but his eight threads weren’t nearly enough to create the ethereal figures. Galling though it was, he’d finally accepted that he wouldn’t be claiming control of the wraith army and with it Wargoth’s place as leader of the acolytes.

It was disheartening, but Maddox hadn’t gotten to where he was by giving up easily. He’d find some other way to increase his power. If magic had one absolute truth, it was this: there was always another way.

He yawned and stepped out of the hut. His greater ghouls turned their ugly, twisted faces toward him. Maddox had no orders for them and after a moment they looked away. He had no idea if ghouls got bored. They’d basically been standing in the same spot staring into the forest for days on end with nothing to do. The lesser ghouls weren’t smart enough to get bored, but the greater ghouls he was less certain about.

Not that he cared. As long as they obeyed, their happiness with their situation concerned Maddox not in the least.

One of the ghouls snarled and sniffed the air. Wargoth must be close.

As soon as he thought it, the man himself stepped into the clearing. His gray robes were immaculate, his bald head freshly shaved, and his foot-long goatee fixed in a three-strand braid. All in all, Wargoth looked ready for a night on the town rather than a long climb down into a deep, dark hole in the ground. Strangely, he had no undead to guard him. Was that confidence or arrogance?

Likely the former given how strong he was.

Brother Elgan, Wargoth said. Maddox kept a grimace of distaste off his face by the narrowest of margins. He hated that name, but kept his complaints to himself. You keep piling success upon success. I figured it would take far longer for you to locate the Oblivion Deep.

I got lucky, Maddox said. If I hadn’t run into those alchemists, Astaroth knows how long I would’ve been wandering around. We have plenty of daylight left, do you want to go directly to the pit?

By all means. I’m eager to see what the Apprentice left us.

With a mental command, Maddox ordered one of the greater ghouls to take the lead and the other to remain behind with the lesser ghouls to defend the camp. Not that he expected trouble, but why take chances? He also took a moment to deactivate the beacon. Now that Wargoth had arrived, it served no purpose.

They set out at a brisk walk. To break the silence Maddox asked, Did you have any trouble relocating the base?

No, but it was a nuisance. I wish I could’ve been there to see Baron McCloud’s face when my little surprise detonated. Wargoth shrugged. Ah well, I’ll just have to be content to use my imagination.

Think you got lucky and killed the baron?

Wargoth barked a laugh. Not a chance. I have yet to see a nobleman with the courage to be the first into danger. Most likely I succeeded in killing a handful of expendable lackeys. Not a terrible result by any means, but hardly remarkable either. What about you? Did the alchemists give you any trouble?

Not to speak of. I don’t think they were expecting trouble. That said, the two that got away worry me. Who knows what sort of trouble the alchemists will cause when they learn the fate of their fellows.

Once I take control of the wraith army, it won’t matter what they try and do. I assume that since you didn’t use them to attack me on my way here, you failed to seize control of them yourself. Have you deciphered the secret of the ritual yet?

Maddox’s heart lurched in his chest. How could he know? And more importantly, if he knew, why was Maddox still breathing, much less enjoying this polite conversation?

Are you really that surprised? Wargoth asked. I might not ward my door, but I do take precautions. There’s a little bauble on my bookcase that captures the likeness of anything that enters my room when I’m not present. The device gets little use, but it spotted you easily enough. In truth, I would’ve been terribly disappointed if you hadn’t taken the opportunity I left you. I mean, the journal was on my desk open to the correct page. That was as obvious an invitation as I dared give.

Maddox was having a great deal of trouble wrapping his mind around what Wargoth was saying. None of it lined up with his understanding of the man’s nature. At last, he asked the only coherent question he could think of. Why?

Partly as a test. I knew you were ambitious, but I wanted to see how ambitious. Based on your efforts when we opened the second urn, I knew you lacked the power to make the ritual work. That much was clear from the moment I first read it. You understand that much?

Yes. My inadequacy has become painfully clear since I started studying the ritual. I suppose the army will be all yours now.

Unfortunately, no.

Maddox cocked his head and looked back at Wargoth. No?

You are not the only inadequate one. Eight threads might not be enough to activate all three phases of the ritual, but, alas, twelve aren’t enough either. We shall have to work together and share command.

You knew! Maddox snarled and spun to face his so-called brother. You let me take the ritual and waste my time knowing I’d fail. Why? Why not just tell me from the beginning?

As I said before. Wargoth seemed untroubled by Maddox’s rage. You’re ambitious. I decided to take advantage of that. All your effort has ensured a thorough understanding of the ritual. Would you have tried as hard to master it had you known success was impossible?

Doubtful.

Exactly. And please spare me your outrage, it’s pathetic. You stole the ritual hoping to use it to depose me as leader of the acolytes. You’re hardly some innocent who’s been taken advantage of. Shall we resume the trek?

Maddox spun back around and stalked after the lead ghoul. Wargoth was right, damn him. Had their positions been reversed, Maddox likely would’ve done the exact same thing. And his complaints were rather pitiful—not as bad as the late and unlamented Luca, but bad enough.

Done was done. He’d just have to accept that he’d lost this round and move forward.

And move forward they did. An hour of walking brought them to the lip of the Oblivion Deep. Wargoth peered over the edge and whistled. Impressive. This is quite a feat for just one man, even one man drawing on the power of hell.

A random thought occurred to Maddox. Did you take up the worship of Astaroth because the Apprentice did as well?

Of course. As coreligionists, surely that makes him more likely to see us as allies.

Maddox chuckled. That seems optimistic given we’re all demon worshippers.

Fair point. However, given that the Apprentice is more powerful than all the cultists combined, my hope is that he’ll accept our service rather than see us as a threat.

"More likely he’ll do both, using us and tossing us aside as is convenient for him, and killing anyone that dares challenge him. It’s not like we’re immortal after all." Not yet at least, Maddox added to himself.

If you’re so worried about it, why did you join us in the first place?

Maddox led the way to the start of the stairs leading down into the pit. Don’t misunderstand. Were our positions reversed, I’d do exactly the same thing. I didn’t intend my comments as complaints, merely my thoughts about our future. I accepted that reality the moment I decided to join the acolytes.

Wargoth chuckled. How cynical.

The pair descended the rest of the steps without further conversation. At the bottom Maddox led the way to the chamber at the end where he assumed the wraith army slept.

Remarkable. Wargoth reached out but stopped just short of touching the barrier. I’ve never seen such corruption. It is glorious.

Not the adjective Maddox would’ve chosen, but not wrong either. The ritual design is this way.

They circled the barrier until they reached the outline Maddox had found earlier.

Interesting. It’s like he left a guide behind and we need only fill it in.

Look again, Maddox said.

He’d come down here several times hoping for insight. On the last visit he’d noticed something important. Time to see if his oh-so-clever brother could figure it out.

After five minutes of intense study Wargoth let out a long sigh. How sneaky. Well done, Elgan. I wouldn’t have spotted it so quickly had you not warned me. My enthusiasm might have even gotten the best of me. The guide is a trap. It differs in subtle ways from the ritual the Apprentice shared with us. Had you come here without his knowledge, I suspect all that would’ve awaited you was a painful death.

"No doubt. So, how are we going to divide the work? I can manage