Performing the God's Will. Part 2

Brackus reached the church in no time.  It was a small town and the church was in its exact center. All of its roads would eventually reach the church. He stared at the entry way. There was no door, just a large gaping hole where the door should have been.1

Whatever blasted them off their hinges was powerful, not a trace of the doors remained. Brackus stared at the looming darkness behind the portal. No light touched the building once inside, not even the light of day dared to invade upon the place.2

Most men would have turned and fled at this point, but not Brackus. He was strong, in both body and faith and knew that Oghma was with him and would not allow him to fail. Grasping his holy symbol hanging from a chain around his neck and firm in his faith Brackus stepped forth.3

The darkness was complete, as soon as Brackus passed by the entry way all was thrown into darkness. Brackus mumbled a few words, a quick and easy prayer to his God and suddenly the place was filled with light. Brackus quickly scanned his surroundings. The church was easily designed. Two stories high, with two more below ground.4

The main floor was the chapel, with a small entry hall before it. Brackus stood in the entry hall, the twin doors to the chapel were closed. A quick scan showed him that there was no stairs leading to the lower levels here. He sighed and approached the chapel doors.5

Gripping one of his Maces firmly in his left hand he reached out with his right and grasped the door handle. With a great push Brackus shoved the door open and was immediately set upon. A dark figure staggered out of the darkness beyond the door and immediately began to club wildly at Brackus with two arms.6

Brackus did not step back or retreat in anyway. He easily parried one of the arms to the side and caught a hold of the other with his free hand and threw it out wide. Brackus could now see the Zombie for what it was as it stepped into the revealing light. With its arms harmlessly out wide Brackus bore in with his Mace, bashing it in the face.7

The enchanted Mace, with Oghma's blessing upon it, tore the Zombie's face from its head. The corpse remained standing for a few moments before crumpling into a heap at Brackus's feet. Stepping over the pile he quickly entered the chapel and called forth more light to reveal the room.8

Brackus found five more Zombies occupying the room. One was by the door and reaching toward him. Two in the center of the room and two by the altar had began a steady march toward him. Brackus hardly allowed the Zombie to gain the initiative. Whipping out his other Mace he began to pound the unthinking abomination.9

The Zombie crashed down, never to rise again in mere moments. A quick scan of the room showed him the stairs to the lower level, at the other end of the room. Putting away one of his Maces he reached into a bag at his hip and pulled out a handful of berries. Unlike ordinary berries these had been enchanted for just this kind of use.10

Brackus hurled them at the two approaching zombies. The corpses twitched violently as the berries connected and exploded, easily igniting the rotting flesh. Brackus had no time to finish them off, they were slow moving and the fire would consume them in no time. Moving along the aisle he ran toward the stairs. The two Zombies from the alter attempted to cut him off but they would never reach him in time.11

He reached the stairs and quickly chanted once again. A line of fire sprang up at the head of the stairs. If the Zombies attempted to cross they would be consumed in mere seconds. The Priest descended the stairs quickly. Once again calling forth light to aide him. Brackus was ready to charge foreword but the sight before him stopped him in his tracks.12

There, in the center of the room lay a coffin. This confirmed his suspicions that a Vampire was behind all of this, but it was not the Vampire that halted Brackus now, it was his choice in bodyguards. Two large mummies flanked the coffin, facing the stairs.13

They flinched slightly at the intrusion of light, but only for a moment. Stiffly they began to march toward the intruder. Brackus's mind whirled. Mummies were said to be one of the most dangerous denizen of Undead, and also the hardest to control. The fact that this Vampire could employ two, and an army of Zombies was a frightening thought.14

The Mummies were nearly upon him. Yanking his holy symbol from his neck he presented it strongly. "Back! By the power of Oghma I order you back!" He shouted. This time the Mummies did pause, blinded as they were by the holy symbols power. Brackus pushed with all his faith, but the Mummies would not be deterred for long, and he had not enough power to destroy them outright. 15

Still presenting his holy symbol he reached behind him and pulled out a wineskin strapped to his belt. Brackus hurled it toward one of the Mummies and quickly began a chant. He timed his spell perfectly. Just as the wineskin was about to strike the Mummy it burst, showering the Mummy in water, water that Brackus had blessed early this morning.16

The beast howled in pain and the sound nearly made Brackus fall in fright. The mummy howled and began to beat furiously at the air, blinded by fury and pain. The holy water continued to hiss and bubble on its skin as wrapping and flesh began to dissolve at its holy touch. The mummy was weakend and disoriented. Brackus turned the holy symbol fully upon it and gritted his teeth as he called out to his god.17

The Mummies body began to twitch and shiver as a small gold frame began to surround it. Brackus could feel the Mummy resist, push against his magical hold on it. "No." Brackus growled as he pushed stronger and advanced a step. "You do not belong here! This realm is for the living." With one final push the Mummy burst into dust.18

Brackus felt the strain disapear and he slumped. Spinning quickly to hold of the second Mummy. It was to late, a heavy arm slammed into his side and sent him flying. Brackus felt his holy symbol fly free. He crashed into a wooden rack which held some wine bottles. The old would could not support his weight or momentum and it shattered, burying him in a giant rubble of wood and wine.19

Brackus wiggled to get free and heard the steady and heavy footsteps of the Mummies approach.