Judy carefully cut the meat with her favorite long, sharp knife. Boiled for over three hours it was easily separated from the bones, just as she wanted. The whole room smelled with bullion lacking maybe the vegetable touch. She definitely was hungry, but she had work to do.

After three quarters of an hour all the meat landed in the bucket and the skeleton lying on the table was white and clean, ready to be brought to life. Judy smiled – she’s always preferred skeletons to those awfully smelling zombies, unlike most of necromancers, too lazy to bother themselves with properly preparing a corpse. She looked closely at her work, judging every detail. She wanted it to be perfect, as were all of her creations that made her famous as the best craftswoman of undead guardians. She caressed the white bones, looking for any defects, but they were smooth like well-polished stone.

Aaah, Tony was handsome even when he was alive. That was actually why she has chosen him to be the source of youth for her. She remembered his full, sweet lips, as she finished drawing arcane symbols on his skull. It would be extremely foolish to let him recollect anything from his real life, especially the part when she took all his vital forces to sustain her own beauty. After all, hadn’t he told her he would have given up anything to make her happy?

She added final touches by placing on him a platinum necklace bearing the mark of his future master. The silvery armor together with a shiny scimitar and immense tower shield he would pick up himself after the ritual. But this was to be held later at night, when the pale moon looks down on sleeping earth. Now it was time for dinner.

* * *

“The castle in the middle of a swamp doesn’t exactly have to be a haunted ruin”, Judy Silvera used to say when talking about her home. Indeed it was not a grim place if one didn’t mind undead servants, that is. Her magic was strong enough to hold away all the mist and mosquitoes and one thing she would not stand in her home was mess

Tony had been sent to the foolish merchant who wanted his tomb guarded, as if it could protect it from being robbed, and Judy had some time for herself. She chose to stroll a little in the rose garden and then maybe she’d go to the orchard. Her thoughts floated around the yearly ball at the Ice Princess’ castle – the event that would be nothing to bother with if it was not for her best friend the host of the party – Ice Princess herself.

Judy frowned at her favorite blue rose being eaten by some pests and went back to planning the dress for the ball. Until now she decided it should be sea-green, so that it would match her eyes and the enchanted emerald necklace, which she recently brought from one of her tomb raids among the forbidden Dead Lands. The jewel had one nice property. It made its wearer completely immune to the effects of alcohol, just what she could use on the party with too many guests for her taste. If the garment should be long or short it was another matter – usually she wore simple linen or leather trousers and some light blouse, so it was hard to decide about an elegant gown. Every year she had the same problem, which she solved with the help of a lottery. This time it said a long one should be her choice, so she called Barbara to tell her what she should prepare for the next week’s ball.

Barbara with her long, blond hair was far more than a maid – she was her friend and advisor on womanly matters. Her white bones clattered under the pink dress when she approached her mistress, ready to serve her in any way. Bare skull could show no emotions, but Judy knew she was smiling. She had already guessed the errand that she was to accomplish for her lady.

* * *

The ball started as planned, all shiny and glamorous. Judy came late as usual, not liking the formalities of ceremonial reception. Her name was cried out loud by the butler as she entered the ballroom. She gazed at the colorful gathering of mages and nobles of all kind, half of them already drunk, the other half struggling hard to join them. Nonsensical if you asked her. At last she spotted Ice Princess from the height of the immense stairs she hasn’t yet descended. Alas, her friend was in a company that virtually made it impossible to talk, so it was no use going to her right now.

Not wanting to stand like a statue in the entrance, she placed herself at a table heavy with delicacies. At her right hand sat a beautiful young woman, which she exactly knew to be the old hug, the most malicious and most talented witch in the Land of Zand. Not a one to be teased if you didn’t want to fight her right afterwards. Judy turned to her left just to meet half conscious stare of a drunken dwarf, long beard smeared with a mixture of beer and fat.

However, Silvera was not a person to be brought down by small inconveniences. After all she was not a grand daughter of a pirate queen for nothing. She helped herself to a juicy piece of meat and a glass of sweet red wine, knowing exactly it was not the pair to match. As she ate her eyes tried to distinguish anyone worth talking to. Just when it started to look hopeless she spotted a handsome man, whose sight seemed clear. Judy smiled – that was just the company for her.

A moment later she was standing by his side, her irresistible smile going deep into his heart. He was luckily not a wizard – not a boring type talking only about his spells and incantations. An innocent chat started almost by itself. Soon they were conveniently placed in some distant corner, hardly hearing distant shouting of the noble guests over the thundering music. Judy learned quickly his name was Roar and that he was a paladin. Herself she introduced as a sorceress, somehow forgetting to tell her specialty was necromancy.

His voice sounded deep and sweet in her ears when he told her about his adventures. She listened admiring his warm brown eyes, a pleasant thrill running through her body. She even managed not to reveal her own life, just vaguely describing it as practicing magic and learning spells. It was not that far from truth... They talked and talked, both interested, passionate, till the shy light of the morning made the candles pale. Only then did Judy say goodbye to her handsome interlocutor, promising they would meet again. She would make sure of that. But for now it was time for her to leave. A fervent kiss stood for goodbye and she was gone, like a ghost in the rays of the rising sun.

* * *

The big mirror taking up the whole wall of the sleeping chamber reflected svelte woman in a sea-green gown. Her hair, a little messed up, were black as a raven’s feathers with a single white stroke, the family heirloom. Judy sighed, tired and excited after the ball. She examined herself, but her thoughts flew to Roar. She felt the desire rising in her, almost flooding her, as it had never done before. She wanted him and only him now. It was not love, of that she was certain. But the passion made her thrill and the cold fury over her own helplessness mixed into it like a poison. The mirror rang as it fell down in a million little crystals.

He made it his lifestyle of simply being good to others, fighting evil and protecting the week. No mission, no duty, just a way of life, like any other, like being a cook or a tailor. Paladin with a sense of humor instead of illusionary pride. And, not knowing who she was, she told her he was going to fight the goddamned necromancer from the Cursed Swamps. The good side of it he was to come to her sooner than she could have hoped. Alas, was it not what she wanted? Somehow it wasn’t and it made her mad. But how was he to know who she was.

Every time she went to a battlefield to call upon the long fallen warriors to come to fight by her side, she dressed herself in an illusion, eyes glowing with evil fire, long cloak darker then the night itself. No one knew her true identity. Judy threw herself on the bed, exhausted. She was far too old to be fooled by a young paladin. After all he was not the first one to approach her with a drawn sword in the last thousand years. Not the last one either...

It was late in the afternoon when Judy called on her crow to search the swamp. The faithful bird will find the foolish boy while she prepares a little surprise for him. As for now the spirits of the water will lure him away from her castle, his strength will wear off in the struggle for life amongst real and imagined dangers. Silvera smiled to her thoughts and called Barbara. The room in the east tower would be just perfect for what she intended, only needed some minor improvements, or rather disprovements. Aaah, and she would have to do something about her immortal guards...

* * *

The swamp was overflowing with green weeds of all kinds, reaching out to capture paladin’s feet. Sticky cold mist pushed into every little piece of clothes. Roar almost felt his armor rusting in the humid, hardly breathable air. In the silence so heavy that it almost rang in his ears he discerned a soft sound, like a beating of bird wings, but he could not be sure of it.

All of a sudden a strange, bluish light appeared in the mist just in front of him. A sweet voice on the edge of perception was singing a sweet melody. Enchanting and seductive was it, as a mermaid’s serenade. No less was it dangerous. No definite shape was visible among the mysterious rays, but the image in paladin’s mind was that of a girl beautiful above human understanding. She called on him to follow her voice into the forgotten realm of Zantora, the place of eternal happiness, of eternal life, of unbounded love.

One step, another – Roar took them hesitantly, desperately wanting to get nearer the beautiful apparition. Suddenly he realized, he could not move any more. The swamp was swallowing him greedily, only his arms and head were above its disgusting surface. The willow-o-wisp was slowly dissolving in the dense fog when the paladin struggled to reach for something firm to hold on to. Luckily a root of a long fallen tree was there, as if planted there by some merciful god. What a marvelous coincidence! However, Roar was not in a position to think of it, so he just grasped the branch and pulled himself out of the mud. It took long before he could breath slowly, but for now he was safe.

A distant moan of some creature dying came through the mist like a warning. Even though used to unpleasant places, many of which he had seen during his heroic journeys, Roar felt a thrill go through his body. Something evil was lurking in this god-forgotten land, invisible and lethal. The paladin knew for certain, IT was waiting for him.

Roar pulled himself up to his feet with a sigh. It was high time he moved on, with the sun rapidly turning red before the evening. He was all covered with weeds and soil, but it came to his mind that there was no real point in trying to clean them away. Good he wore a light chain mail instead of the heavy plate mail he usually chose for such occasions. It would have anchored him deep in the swamp before he saw what was coming.

It was the longest night in his life. As he had lost all the supplies, hunger came on him, but he ignored it bravely. To add to his misery, the swamp water was hardly drinkable and thirst burned hot in his throat. Twilight was lazily turning into night when at last Roar found a little hill, less wet then the rest of the god-forsaken land. There he simply lied down, far too tired to mind soaky ground.

It didn’t take long for the dream to come. She was waiting for him, her green eyes filled with tears and hope, her dark hair in a mess, with one silver stroke falling down on her beautiful face. She needed his help, he knew she was calling him and yet he could not hear her voice. The high tower of red granite kept her prisoner, guarded well by immense bars of the only little window.

Suddenly a shadow appeared behind her, cold and menacing, ready to kill... or maybe just wanting to claim what it thought rightfully belonged to it. Woman’s silent scream broke into Roar’s mind like a thunder. The paladin woke up shaking, his sweat mixing with dirty swamp water. She needed him and he didn’t even know where to look for her.

It was dawning, so he decided to move. Only with great effort could the gray light penetrate the eternal mist covering the marsh. Exhausted body could not stop the fevered mind. No matter the murky water, sometimes waist deep, no matter aggressive weeds, no matter hunger nor pain – Roar was looking for his destiny.

The day was coming to its end when something dark appeared in the middle of the haze. It was... a tree, big and rotten, smelling of death. Nothing moved in the deep silence and yet, a light whisper came out from the hollow trunk. In fact it was so light, Roar could not tell if it was even real. Cautiously he approached the source of the mysterious sound and looked into the hollow trunk. In the absolute darkness two small points glowed impatiently. Anxiously Roar put his sword into the obscurity, as delicately as he could. Without warning a little animal sprang out straight at the knights chest. In a second it landed on the ground and dived into the nearest pool of dirty water.

Paladin sighed and was about to turn around when he spotted something else, that previously escaped his attention. On the bottom of the hole there was something shiny. The knight took it out and frowned. It was a ring, a beautiful sapphire in an intricate gold frame. What was not right was the fact there was still a finger in it, almost black now, swollen and decomposing. It took Roar a while to get used to the thought he was holding part of someone’s body, and even longer to realize, there was no way the whole cadaver could be stuck into the trunk. Where might it be, then? Who could know that..? The finger was probably brought by some animal planning to feed on it later, maybe even the one he had just scared.

Giving some thought to it, the ring, together with what was left of its wearer, must have been here for a week at most, otherwise there would be only the jewel left. With some effort Roar managed to free the ring from the poor remains, and pushed it into the small pouch hanging on his neck, hoping to find its rightful heir one day. Unfortunately enough it happened far sooner then he could have expected or wanted.

No more then a few steps away from the grim place, the paladin encountered a creature, whose nature was rather obvious from the stench it emitted. Some time ago it might have been a beautiful damsel, considering what was left of the rich robes and long, blond hair hanging on the now decaying head. Her right hand was missing down from the wrist, but the left was greedily reaching for the paladin.

Disgusted, he stepped back and readied his sword pointing it right at the ghoul’s chest. The shiny blade did not frighten the undead. The attack was swift and would have been fatal, if it wasn’t for the slippery mud beneath their feet. Half way in its jump, the monster lost its balance and fell down. This gave Roar the time to strive and cut with his sword right at the neck of the ghoul, decapitating it with one blow. Not the best way to kill an undead, but at least it should slow it down. Not waiting for the creature to find him, the paladin ran across the swamp.

The mist ended abruptly, as if it had never been there. Intense sunlight blinded Roar for a long moment. When his sight returned, the red granite castle appeared, menacing and imposing in its enormity. The east tower, high and mournful with its little barred windows, struck him as something familiar, something he had seen before. Sudden sensation of pain and distress came through his heart when he looked up to the small balcony. The image of green eyes filled with tears and horror flashed in his mind. Judy! In this moment he could almost feel her pain and shame. The shadow was closing on on her, ready to... invade her, to crash her soul.

In utter fear the paladin ran towards the gate of the castle, only to see it was tightly locked. A look around told him the only other way led through a window left ajar, just above a shed standing under the castle’s wall. As quick as his soaked clothes allowed him, he climbed atop the fragile building. Thence it was just one jump to enter the castle.

With a natural sense of direction Roar ran towards the east tower, not even noticing embroidered tapestries of golden corridors or marble statues, finesse of which matched the perfect outline of the glass-stained-windows.

Ages had passed before the paladin saw the stairs, long and winding up to the highest chamber – his aim. Gasping for air, jumping two steps at a time, the knight finally reached his destination. The oaken door could not resist his powerful arm, when he forced them open. She was there. His beloved lay still in tattered rugs, bruises on velvet skin, raven black hair in a complete mess, glued with sweat.

The shadow was still there, waiting. Only blue eyes glowed in the dense obscurity in its almost liquid blackness. It gazed at the paladin, cruel and hungry, ready to devour his soul. The perfect evil, pure and unstoppable was breathing its foul stench right into Roar’s face. Half mad with despair, the knight felt no fear, just ever growing rage, cold fury that froze his heart and firmed his arm. Never in his life had he experienced such an emotion, so close to ecstasy and yet so terrible.

Little did he know of what had been prepared for him this day. His sword flashed, as the almost inhuman blow crushed on the untouchable darkness, falling into it, dissolving as to complete disappearance. Demonic laughter hurt Roar’s mind, though there was no sound whatsoever in the suffocating silence of the lonely tower cell.

Without a weapon, the paladin stepped back watching his opponent, non-material but no less dangerous for it. It started to expand itself, taking up all the room, all the air, all the light. Fascinated by its blue eyes, Roar stood without a slightest move, no longer wanting anything, no longer capable of defending himself.

Paladin’s death was more then certain, when Judy came to her senses. Less then a second did it take for her to realize the danger. She has been weakened, but she still wielded powerful magic. Her clothes went on fire, hungry flames spreading fast over her body, when she started the forbidden incantation, the one that had to be paid for with life.

The pain ran through her like a lightening, but she did not even notice it in her trance. Shadow’s blue eyes gazed at her intently. Alas, she could not see them through the red haze of raging fire. She put all her power in this one spell, intended to contain the spreading darkness. As her body slowly perished amidst the elemental fury the demon began to shrink, more and more rapidly, its shriek hurting ears.

Utmost agony of two spirits being destroyed woke Roar up from his stupor. He observed in horror his love burn to ashes with immense power of the magic allowed only to immortals. With tear filled eyes he could not see a faint serpent of darkness sneak into the purse he wore on his neck. Crying and howling over the remains of what was but a while ago an almost indestructible sorceress he did not notice a slight pain near his own heart, when the sapphire ring sparkled for a moment with the cursed fire. Kissing the floor where she stood just a breath ago he did not feel the shadow creep into his heart. The revenge will be his, everyone will pay, for the death of his beloved!

* * *

“The surprise for Roar was almost ready, he would never know the truth from the mystification she had prepared for him”, Judy smiled to her thoughts. Only one thing remained to be done. If she wanted to convince the paladin she was a victim of evil, she needed a fiend to play the role of her persecutor.

And which one would be better suited for this little play then The Shadow, her accomplice in so many a deed, her henchman in so many a necromantic ritual. She called upon him with her dark soul, as she had done many times before. He came as usual, silent and obedient, his blue eyes glowing with tamed desire. Her thoughts were clear and simple to avoid any misunderstandings, when she told him his little errand. His invisible smile of contentment flickered in her mind like a falling star. “I will do as you say, my lady”, was the usual answer of her favorite demon.

The east tower cell had been prepared – it appeared bare and cold enough now, without its cozy tapestries and comfortable furniture. Judy’s mind readily created images of terror and pain, effortlessly sending them to the exhausted mind of the paladin. Nothing could be easier, with his love blinding him and overcoming all defenses of reason.

Silvera was waiting patiently for her prey to come, when sudden stroke on the back of her neck threw her on her knees. Surprised but angered rather then frightened she turned to see her attacker – The Shadow, the one she would have never expected to be a traitor.

Before she could even move the darkness flowed around her neck, strangling her. Her body was loosing power, but not her mind. Her thoughts penetrated right into the inner self of the demon, helplessly trying to hurt it. In one last flash of consciousness she looked for the motives of her recent ally. With an ironic smile she watched his recollection of an event she would have considered unimportant.

A young girl, desperate after loosing her beloved, ran in her sorrow to the accursed marches, to find her death there. The sapphire ring sparkled on her svelte finger, the enchanted jewel being a present from her fiancé. It did not take long to take the wrong step – treacherous swamp devoured her silently.

Years passed and Judy’s welcoming spell for Roar awoke the long forgotten spirits in the depths of the sulky waters. The girl was among them, her body broken but sapphire ring glowing brightly. It was the jewel that had let her keep her memories. When she lost it together with her decayed hand, she went mad with longing for what she could not find. Unabashed she looked for it in every puddle, in every bush, but to no use. Her ring was gone along with her recollections of life and love, everything that made her at least partly human.

Grief-stricken, the girl called upon the bringer of evil to avenge her. Being a ghoul she could no longer see the difference between good and evil. Only one thought remained in her wretched mind, and it was that of the love she had lost twice. She could not even remember her fiancé’s face now and her heart was as empty as a sailor’s grave. Since she had been awakened by Silvera’s spell, it was the necromancer who was to be punished for that loss. The Shadow was to be the avenger as it belonged to the dark world. And so, the daemon attacked Judy, following its own nature.

* * *

The sapphire ring sparkled silently on Roar’s finger, when he brought death and disaster to all the temples of the dark gods. He spared nobody, neither priest nor cleric. His love long ago turned into the want of vengeance and he could hardly remember Judy’s green eyes. His arm was firm as steal, his heart as hard as a precious stone, as a sapphire, which glowed grimly every time a life was taken.

Only sometimes, when he lied down, all exhausted and bloody, after a gore he had brought upon his foes, Roar heard an evil laughter deep down in his own mind. This sound did not belong to the paladin, but it was so faint, that it seemed an illusion. The voice mocked Roar and his long forgotten goodness.

Never did the knight know what his beloved had prepared for him and how she had paid for not paying attention to little things. Alas, he himself did not know the wise saying, that devil sits in details, such as shiny sapphire rings.

Sapphire ring

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