Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 3 | Flesh Golem

We seek the grass
We seek the stream
We seek the breeze blowing between the trees
We seek the radiant sun giving us life
We seek the green of Everglade
We seek respite from this nightmare
We seek freedom from death all around us
We seek...
We seek...
- Etched from a prison wall Author Unknown

---

Life is wonderful as the Royal entourage was making its way to the Glenn where they would be celebrating the Midsummer Solstice. A time of fun, frolicking and wine! Away from the tomes of magick in the Academy back in Everglade. Away from stern Magis who liked to thump her head if she recited the spell wrong.

Yet I also knew of the importance of being in the Glenn during Midsummer Solstice because it is the time that their power reaches its peak and the wards can be renewed to prevent death from encroaching on their lands.

I shivered at the thought of death and yet she secretly wished to face it as her Fairy King ancestor did a millennia ago. I dreamt of victories, of having my name remembered for eons.

"Wake up sleepyhead" her cousin, Lyanna, said as she was jolted from her daydream. "Melliantha, wake up as I want to spread my legs."

"Why are we stopping?" I asked and was told the Fairy King's carriage axle was broken so they are repairing it.

They saw that a pavilion was being erected in a nearby field and saw the nymphs carry out cakes and wine. I hurried and fixed myself as this might be my chance to meet the Fairy King.

I knew that I was no great beauty nor skilled in magick as cousin Lyanna. They were both born on the same day but I was a few minutes after Lyanna. That set the tone of how things were between them. I would always be second on everything.

I never felt bad about it but sometimes I wish to be number one at least once in their long, almost eternal life.

"Focus on the King" I said to myself as I sat down and gratefully accepted a piece of cake and a little glass of wine. I wanted my wits about and avoid making a fool of herself.

Life is wonderful! An afternoon eating cake and ogling the King! What more can I ask.

---

The hair on my arms began to stand, a sense of danger and then I heard it. A wolf was howling, which is not surprising as they were near the woods. Then another, and another, then another howled as it filled the air with their cacophony.

I covered my ears and shut my eyes and the ground beneath me erupted. An Animated Corpse took hold of my leg!

I gasped as multitudes of corpses rose from the ground and began battling the Minotaurs and Orcs they had in their contingent.

The wolves were still howling and the minotaurs let out a huge bellow as they crashed against the legion of corpses moving towards the pavilion. The line held and a squad of Orcs flanked them, turning them to shreds.

"We are going to survive this!" Lyanna told me as she rallied the others. She started to chant and the ground started to shake as an outline of a man began to take shape. It's humanoid head started to rise and I looked at their red glowing eyes. Stone Golems only moved because of it's summoners will.

It swung its massive arms and swatted at the corpses. The Orcs was going through another flanking run and charge when out of the forest, black blurs of movement with red eyes.

These were no ordinary wolves as they hamstring the Orcs from behind and moved so fast. They would be looking for an exposed neck, groin or leg and with precision and take down their target.

This was a hunt, no it was a slaughter. They were fast approaching us when the Stone Golems stood in their way.

It gave them pause as no matter how sharp their fangs are it would be ineffective on rocks. Then one of the golems exploded into pieces. No, they were not exploding but losing their form as their summoner lost control.

I turn back to see a horrific scene as Skeleton Assasins slit their throats.

All is lost.

---

I look to Lyanna and we held hands as we see the largest wolf walk towards us. It had an almost human-like leer as it salivated over the prospect of an easy meal.

Then we felt the land shimmer and the breeze momentarily stop. I read it in my books of lore. Of the words from my ancient Fairy King ancestor. This is the advent of a Spirit of the Forest, of the land taking shape to crush all that oppose it.

The Fairy King successfully invoked it. We are saved!!

---

The wolf knew and it howled to signify a retreat. The Skeletons assassins slinked back to the darkness, the wolves ran and the corpses went limp as the spirits were pulled from them.

I could see that some of the animated corpses were our honored dead. Those that took the eternal slumber after a millennia of living.

I was angry for this desecration and also filled with fear that we could be controlled like this.

The wolf looked back at us and I felt the hair on my arms stand. It rushed towards us and we ran.

Just like everything in my life, Lynna was faster and I felt her arm slipping away. I could not keep up and then I felt it snap my arm and took hold of my shoulder. The wolf got me.

"Don't let me go" I pleaded to Lynna as she strained to hold on. Then I saw her eyes. A brief moment of hesitation and then she let go.

I cried for her as I was dragged away and I blacked out.

---

"Wake up sleepyhead" I heard her say. I felt the pain it was remained of my arm and slowly rose. I saw Lynna hunched over, dressed in rags and dirty. This would never do. She always liked to be pretty and smiling. I blinked and saw that it was not Lynna.

I was surrounded by people I don't know. Humans, elves, nymphs and fairies. In another cage I saw orcs and minotaurs all shackled with heavy iron.

"Welcome to hell." the woman said and she started to cackle. Clearly, she had lost her mind. The humans started to whimper and a nearby nymph made a sign for me to come closer.

"You are a Natura." She said, "most gifted of the summoners." I looked down, ashamed to tell her that I am nothing special. That I am always behind Lyanna.

Lynna, I felt once again the pain of disappointment and betrayal.

"I would not have let go if she was captured." I said to myself and started to cry.

I was anxious. Surely Lynna saw that I am alive and rallying the people to save me, then I remember she let go.

No rescue was going to happen and if I wanted to escape I would have to do it on my own.

---

I learned that this was a forward base camp for the Legion of Death. That we would be shipped inland once they are able to capture enough slaves.

The necromancers regularly violated their slaves and in between sessions they would boast about their daring exploits.

It seemed they regularly raided nearby settlements to capture fresh meat. Yet mine was no ordinary raid as it seems that they wanted to test out their strength.

They took the timing near Midsummer Solstice when the wards were the weakest because they needed to be renewed at the ceremony.

They were able to slip in several necromancers and packs of Spineback wolves. They planned a guerrilla tactic of hit and run together with an ambush of animated corpses. The ambush was thought of by one of their best necromancers.

Zintar was leaving the camp early to go back to the capital and report the attack against the Fairy King. There were whispers that he will be punished for failing after he boasted of bringing his head back.

The corruption of the land was very apparent. No grass grew, no clear water flowed, the wind is scorching hot and the sun constantly hid by dark clouds.

These lands are dead. No matter how hard I try, I could not conjure even a simple spell. I even tried summoning a small stone golem but it is as if the earth itself is dead.

My only chance would be on the Midsummer Solstice as I would gain a boost to my power and that could make a difference.

---

Source

Today was it. I said a little prayer to Mother Gaia for strength.

Even with the boost I still could not summon a golem. Minor spells like healing and stun worked. Great one offensive and one support spell to use.

I was hauled off to be violated again but he will be surprised tonight. I was ordered to strip. I began to take off the shift and he was concentrating on my lower region when I casted a Stun spell.

"5, 4", as I mentally counted and ran to his side. "3" as I took a dagger from his side and poised it on his neck "2, 1" and the spell wore off and he looked directly into my eyes.

"Die" I said as I slit his throat and black goo poured out. He struggled to stand and I stabbed him in the brain, his neck, his stomach and several times on his groin.

I could still hear his heartbeat. He was down but would come back., I remember a passage in one of the tomes that necromancers power lies in his heart.

I could feel its power, trying to regenerate its body, I had to cut it out.

I held it in my hand and it tempted me with its dark magick. I was in a trance as I began eating it. My mind was screaming but my body was moving on its own.

I felt the black goo run down my chin. I could feel it inside me like an oily sludge in my veins. I could feel the power coursing through me.

So this was how it felt. I could feel tiny heart beats outside. No doubt some humans nearby. I could feel that if I wished to I could crush those hearts. The power was intoxicating.

I planned to stun my way to escape. They would never know until they see his dead corpse. Yet could I leave all my earth sisters like Lynna let me go?

I hastened towards the cells, stunning and stabbing my way through. Okay this was a full on prison break!! I was saving people! I was being a hero like in my dreams.

The pens with the orcs and minotaurs were on the other side and would be more heavily guarded. I looked at my earth sisters and knew they could not fight so I will offer a prayer to their souls for freedom.

We rounded up to a corner only to see rows of animated corpses standing without any sound. The last one from the line yelped when she saw them and eerily they looked at us and started shambling, then they started to run, mouths wide open in a soundless scream!

"Run you fools!" I shouted as all hell broke as the corpses tore my earth sisters in front of me.

I felt rage as I see them die one by one, I felt rage as I flung one stun spell after another to no effect, I felt rage over my own powerlessness, I felt rage that I am here because Lynna let me go.

I could feel the power pumping in my veins as I stamped my foot on the ground and several small rocks floated.

Source

I tossed several rocks to the corpses, breaking spines, arms, and legs. some even became mulched from the force of the rocks.

Yet more were coming. I concentrated and began to imagine a humanoid shape. I felt the land resisting and it just won't get up.

I felt the warmth of the green ebb and feel the cold, oily slick of that black goo cover it, I once again feel the heartbeats of those earth sisters still alive, I could also see shades of spirits, hovering over their dead bodies.

I could feel the pull of the black goo to command them, I scream and they start to scream as I ineffectively try to put them back to their bodies.

I imagine the humanoid shape again as I felt I can summon a golem now with this power. I closed my eyes and it begins to take shape. Of tearing and combining and becoming bigger and bigger.

It lets out a howl as all the souls in it cries out. I open my eyes to see a flesh golem! Rotten body part mixed with the flesh of my earth sisters.

I stand in terror of what I see and yet fascinated with the combination of earth and death magick. It tears through the corpses ranks and I escape with a handful of survivors.

---

"Abomination" The council of Magis shouted! "It must be destroyed!" "She must be executed for doing this heresy against Mother Earth!"

These were the words that welcomed me home. No triumphant march for saving several people. No titles or even praise. All I received were hate and prosecution.

I saw a look of concern from the Fairy King. Then it disappeared as he masked his face.

They were deliberating what to do with me. Banishment or execution. A lot of the magis were arguing that I was too dangerous to be left alone but felt that execution was too much.

Some clearly wanted me dead. A heretic they say.

In the end being a Natura has its perks. I was banished to an area far away from Everglade but with summoners and magis who would look after me. In short keep me prisoner.

I look at the clouds and scheme on how to return to Everglade. My story has not ended here. I will fight when the time comes but I just need to bide my time and start corrupting my captors to my cause. A piece of my heart seems to be doing the trick as I have some converted already. I feel their beating hearts nearby.

I feel my flesh golems taking shape in the forest. Their will is mine to command. I hear their screams in the silence of the woods.

---

I watch the sun setting and catch a glimpse of Chromatic Dragon. A harbringer of war and destruction.

My people will be ready and I will lead them as one of my ancestors did. Then I will deal with Lynna.

Flavor Text

Born of earth and death, rage fills our being, absorb your hate, absorb your flesh till we become one. Vengeance will be ours.

Alternate flavor text

Patchwork of rotten and fresh flesh, it's will driven by rage and hunger.

Each enemy felled adds to it strength.

Stats

Flesh Golem adds one attack and one life for each enemy killed and upon death explodes and casts contagion.

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This is my first attempt at joining the Steem monsters Fantasy writing Steem Monsters Common Card Fantasy Story Contest! // Week 3

This fiction piece can be used by @steemmonster in any way it may deem.