IABD 21: Berserk

Matthias stared at the ragged hole in Bregindoure’s cell wall. 

He could hear his brother’s roars. 

Horror ran through him, all the way down to his core as his mind tried to catch up with what he’d just witnessed. 

“Stay here!” Beggahasta ordered. “I have to stop your brother before he hurts someone!” She raced down the stairs in a blur of power and motion. “Open the door! I have to get to my son!” 

Matthias stared after her as the lock clicked and the door hinges squeaked below. 

He shook himself, looking down at his sister. “Stay here! I need to help mother!” 

Matthias raced down the stairs. 

After a few moments, small feet came rushing after him.  

“Dagma! Go back!” he cried. 

“No! I’m coming with you!” she snapped. “I’m going to help Breg!” 

Matthias cursed in his mind. “Let me and mother handle this!” 

He reached the bottom of the stairs, seeing the door rapidly closing. He jumped down the last steps, throwing his body against the door and leaping outside.  

A guard cursed as he was thrown back. 

Dagma appeared a few heartbeats later, stopping beside her brother. 

“By the Ascended…” Matthias murmured. 

All was in chaos.  

One tower guard was helping her fallen companion off the ground, while a third raced up the road toward Barrowgate and Eklund’s castle. As he ran, he sounded a horn, its low note echoing through the mountains. 

In the nearby forest the scene resembled an outright war. 

A trail of destruction had been carved through the woods—leaving shattered trunks, broken stumps, and uprooted trees—and at the end of that path, Matthias’ mother was trying to stop her eldest son. 

She—still in her brightly coloured dress—stood in his way, arms spread. 

Bregindoure was showing no sign of stopping. He marched forward with steps that cracked the ruined trees beneath his feet.  

A small elm stood in his path. 

His arm swung out and the trunk shattered, sending a cascade of wood bits spraying through the air. The air shimmered around him. 

Plant life seemed to recoil as if in fear. 

Still, his mother did not move, spreading her arms wider. 

“Bregindoure! Bregindoure, I’m here! You have to stop!” she cried, then directed the surrounding foliage, “hold him!” 

Trees and underbrush trembled under the weight of her command. 

They began to move. 

Bush and other plant life writhed up from the ground, twisting together, forming ropes, wrapping around the young greatfolk’s limbs to pull him down. They strained against his skin. Tree branches shifted, grasping his shoulders and torso, pulling taught. 

Bregindoure slowed for an instant. 

For only an instant. 

Then the ripping started. 

In one step, he dragged the bushes and undergrowth from the earth. In another, he reached up, tearing branches from the trees. 

Aiming, he thrust a branch ahead. 

It sailed over Beggahasta’s head, missing her by finger-widths to spear another tree trunk. 

Yet, she did not move.  

He picked up speed, charging for the warrior-woman. 

She extended her hands. “Stop!” 

They collided. 

The impact shook the surrounding woods, Beggahasta grunted as she fought to hold back her son. Her feet dug into the ground. 

With one foot in front of the other, he pushed her back slowly, like an icebreaker cutting through the ice, looking down at her, his hand rising. 

“Mother!” Matthias ran forward. 

Dagma followed. “Matthie, wait for me!” 

“Lady Dagma, come back!” a guard shouted. “Damn it, protect the archlord’s daughter! 

Bregindoure’s hand came down. 

Beggahasta’s shot up, catching the blow; the impact was like a boulder slamming into a castle wall. She caught his other hand as well. 

Her berserk son roared, glowing veins standing out against his sun-starved skin as he tried to push her back. She grunted, holding her own, straining while trying to stop her eldest without hurting him.  

Bregindoure brought his head back, poised to headbutt her. 

“Mother needs help!” Matthias hissed, charging through the path of destruction. “Can’t let them hurt each other!” 

Beggahasta flinched at the sound of his voice, looking past Bregindoure. “Get back! Now! Go back to the tower!” she warned. 

“No!” Matthias shouted, reaching down, grabbing a fallen branch. 

He aimed it at his brother. 

The stick spun through the air, striking the giant’s back with a wet smack. 

Bregindoure’s head snapped to the side, his gaze fixing on his younger brother, pupils dilated and the whites of his eyes streaked with pulsing red veins. There was no recognition there. 

But there was distraction. 

“Rise up! Seize his legs!” Beggahasta commanded. 

The air reverberated with her power. 

Soil, rock and roots rose from the forest floor, enveloping Bregindoure’s feet and calves, constricting them, pulling him down. A beast’s roar escaped his throat, as he freed his leg from its prison. 

He tried to free his hands from his mother’s grip, but she held on.  

“Brace me!” she commanded, and the earth rose, forming a bracing wall behind her feet. Her form stabilised, and she tightened her grip on Bregindoure’s hands. “Come back to us! You’re not going anywhere!” 

The giant struggled in her grip—their arms shaking—his head whipping back and forth, looking between his mother and his brother.  

Matthias sprinted behind Bregindoure, reaching down, snatching a handful of snapped plant-ropes. His tendril slid from his shadow, mixing with the ropes. Beneath the thick forest canopy and the dim evening light, it blended in. 

He ran the ropes around Bregindoure’s head, blocking his eyes, blinding him, then he used some to scale his brother’s enormous back. Matthias planted both feet on his shoulder blades, and pulled on the ropes as hard as he could. 

He felt like a sparrow fighting to pull down a mountain peak: Haakon was strong, but the power rising from Bregindoure’s body made the man seem as strong as an ant. The young warrior held on—plants creaking, muscles and shadow straining—fighting to hold his brother in place. 

Bregindoure’s head whipped back and forth, desperate to shake off his brother, his foaming jaws snapping at the bindings. He managed to wriggle a plant-cord between his front teeth, shearing it in two with a quick bite. 

“That’s it, Matthias!” Beggahasta shouted. “If we can keep him pinned, I can bury him in—” 

“Die, monster!” a voice shouted. 

Matthias turned. 

Two guards from the tower had reached them, murder burning in their eyes.  The first lowered his spear, charging, aiming to impale Bregindoure from the side. 

“No!” Beggahasta screamed, her face twisting in terror. “Rise!” 

A monolith of stone and soil erupted from the earth, blocking the charge. The guard cursed. “Get him!” 

The other guard lifted her spear, preparing to hurl it. “I’ve got him—Oof!” 

“No, don’t you hurt my brother!” Dagma tackled the guard, throwing her off balance. 

Bregindoure roared, his muscles bugling. The plant-ropes began breaking. 

“Keep your grip on him, Matt! I just need a little more time!” Beggahasta shouted, trying to concentrate on the earth while grappling with the berserk giant, muscles bugling and straining in her arms and shoulders. “Hold him!” 

Stone and soil wrapped around his legs. 

Matthias heaved back, pulling on the cords so hard, that his body trembled from exertion. 

Bregindoure struggled. Soil and stone bindings cracked. Matthias’ ropes continued splitting. 

The guards were shouting. “He won’t stop. We’ll have to kill him!” 

“Do not harm my son!” Beggahasta screamed. “If you want him stopped, help us! Hold him down!” 

Bregindoure bared his teeth, ripping one of his legs free and pushing back against his mother; the braces behind the warrior-woman’s feet began splitting from strain. 

Dagma struggled with the guard, who was still trying to throw her spear. 

And then… 

“I heard the commotion coming through the mountains!” Altaizar’s voice cried from above. 

The mage swooped through the canopy, hovering just above the struggle. “By Laurahasa’s fangs! He’s broken free!” His grey eyes quickly took in the situation. He gestured toward the soil and stone bindings trying to cling to Bregindoure’s thrashing legs. “Encase him with stone!” 

The earth shook beneath the mage’s power. 

Stone pseudopods erupted from the soil—summoned from rock deep beneath the forest—they began wrapping around Bregindoure in massive serpentine coils. 

Matthias melted his shadow-tendril away and pulled so hard on his cords, that spots danced before his eyes. His brother’s jaws snapped like those of a wild beast, his mouth foaming, his teeth gnashing… 

…until slowly, his struggle began to lessen. 

More stone tentacles coiled around him, fusing together, forming thick, broad layers of rock. 

“Clutch him!” Beggahasta added her own command. 

Stone, plants, trees and soil wrapped the giant’s body, reinforcing Altaizar’s bindings, forcing Bregindoure to sink deeper into his prison of stone. 

Matthias leapt off his brother’s back. 

Beggahasta released her son’s hands. 

Both backed away as Bregindoure sank into the stone. Some of the rock shattered beneath his terrible strength, but Altaizar waved a hand, raising more from the earth, reinforcing the bindings. 

After an agonisingly long minute, a trembling stone sarcophagus had been formed, sealing Bregindoure’s movements entirely. Only his face was left exposed, still a mask of gnashing fury and snapping jaws. 

Beggahasta extended her hands toward the stone prison. “Stronger,” she commanded. 

Altaizar extended his hands as well. “Stronger.” 

Dagma extricated herself from the guards. “Stronger.” 

The weight of Altaizar and Beggahasta’s power—bolstered by Dagma’s—fell upon the rock, strengthening it. It soon stopped shaking, leaving Bregindoure’s body as if it were frozen. 

Altaizar floated down in front of the eldest Stonebreaker sibling, pulling out a glass flask. He popped the cork in front of Bregindoure’s gnashing teeth and flaring nostrils. 

“Vaporise.” He commanded the potion. 

 The tonic became a cloud of hissing white smoke, billowing in front of Bregindoure’s face. Slowly, his roars of wrath quieted, turning to growls, then low groans. 

And—finally—silence. 

His face went slack, eyes closing. 

His breathing became regular as the red washed from his face. The glowing veins receded from his forehead. 

At last, he was quiet. 

Matthias and his mother heaved a collective sigh. The young man’s heart was thundering in his chest, his hands shaking, and his mind reeling. 

“Oh, Bregindoure.” Beggahasta stepped forward, her hand brushing along his bearded face. “You poor child.” 

Matthias looked at Altaizar as the mage floated away from Bregindoure. “What happened?” 

The mage looked back at him. “I was going to ask you the same thing.” 

“Breg…” Dagma sniffled. “Breg…broke out. He-he went berserk and punched through the wall.” 

“What?” Altaizar’s silver eyebrows rose. “That’s impossible.” He squinted at the tower. “That is literally impossible, your brother’s strong, but that accounted for years of reinforcing the stone with The Gift to my maximum capacity, and I was building on my mother’s good work before I took over.” 

“It does not matter, mage,” one of the guards pointed her spear at Altaizar. “It’s clear that you failed at your task. The Beast was ou—” 

“Don’t call him that.” Matthias glared at her. “Don’t you dare call him that.” 

The guard went silent. 

Altaizar frowned. “I need to inspect the tower. Something about this isn’t ri—” 

“That will not be necessary.” 

Heads turned. 

Eklund’s warriors and knights emerged from the woods bearing spears, shields and swords, their plate and chainmail shone beneath their dark cloaks. Among them strode the near-skeletal figure of the earl, his angular face contorted with disappointment.  

“What?” Altaizar looked at Eklund scornfully, as though he were a particularly large piece of filth on his shoe. 

“Mage, I have received a full report from the tower guard who bravely alerted us to this emergency,” Eklund tutted. “It is more than abundantly clear that your precautions were inadequate. To allow you to investigate your own failings would simply give you the opportunity to cover up your incompetence.” 

Altaizar’s mouth formed a hard line. 

“Still...” Eklund looked at the body encased in stone. “I must compliment you and Beggahasta on your method of stopping his rampage. This is how he should be at all times. Sealed and sedated with alchemical substances.” 

Beggahasta glared at him. “How I take care of my son is my business.” 

“Yeah, not yours,” Matthias added. 

“I am afraid it is now my business, young Matthias.” Eklund looked at him evenly. “It pains me, but I must correct your mother’s negligence.” 

“My negligence?” Beggahasta’s hands balled into fists. Matthias glanced at them: bruises were forming on her skin. 

Eklund shook his head. “Yes. Had he broken free of you, dozens could have lost their lives before he could be brought down. This cannot happen again. Under the authority invested in me by Archlord Eaderic Dramagnus for the High King of Evalmera, Bregindoure Stonebreaker will be taken to my dungeon immediately.” 

The guards raised their spears. 

“There, he will be held while awaiting execution,” Eklund finished. 

Rage exploded in Matthias. “What in the name of all deities did you just say?” 

“You would kill my son?” Beggahasta’s face washed red, reminiscent of her son’s cursed wrath. 

“Under the law, anyone with the Rune of the Berserker—without bearing the Rune of Clarity—can be executed on sight by any arms-bearing citizen of Evalmera. It was only by the archlord’s—and my mercy—that he was spared this long. I can see we were too soft,” Eklund sighed. 

“If you touch him, I will kill you.” Beggahasta promised. 

“Not if I kill him first.” Matthias took a step forward. 

“No, me.” Dagma snarled. 

Eklund gave the girl a long look. “Bregindoure Stonebreaker is a poor influence: he’s turning you all feral.” He looked back at Beggahasta. “If you threaten me, my messengers will ensure that the archlord is informed immediately, and the full wrath of the High King will fall upon you and your sons. You are mighty, but we have many mighty warriors in Evalmera. Think, for once in your life.” 

“Don’t talk to my mother that way.” Matthias’ hands balled into fists. 

“Child, do not be drunk on your one, single, gruesome victory. Stopping you will be much easier than stopping her.” Eklund looked at him evenly. 

“Leave my family alone!” Dagma took a step toward Eklund. 

Both Matthias and their mother moved beside her, placing a hand on each of her shoulders. 

The earl paused for a long moment. 

Matthias did not like his expression. 

“Lady Dagma,” Eklund said slowly. “My actions stem from concern for the village, the territory, the warriors guarding our borders, and you; the archlord would not see you harmed by anyone, especially not one who is cursed to explode into violence. …however, I can see that his death would upset you, and it is not in my character to traumatise a young girl.” 

Eklund tapped his bony chin, raising a finger as though he’d been struck by divine inspiration. “I know! I shall put in a good word with the archlord, I shall appeal to his mercy. Perhaps I can convince him to send mages that will replace this incompetent.” He gestured toward Altaizar. “And then I can see that a real prison can be constructed to house Bregindoure Stonebreaker comfortably and safely for the rest of his natural days. However, even with such measures, I cannot see the archlord wishing Lady Dagma to remain in such close proximity to harm.” 

He looked at Beggahasta. 

“But, were she to be sent to abide with the archlord—where she would remain and be granted the greatest opportunities in all of the High Kingdom—then I could see Bregindoure’s life being spared.” 

“Fork-tongued snake!” Matthias cursed the earl. 

“Heartless, soulless slime!” Beggahasta added. 

“I will assume that your lack of gratitude is due to emotional distress.” Eklund smiled a serpent’s smile. “I will give you two weeks to decide. Bregindoure Stonebreaker will be in my dungeon during that time. Remember, if Lady Dagma remains here, close to harm, then I will have no choice but to carry out his execution immediately after the fortnight passes.” He looked to his guards. “Take him. You have my permission to cut down anyone who attempts to stop you.” 

The guards came forward. 

“Do we fight?” Dagma asked softly, looking up at her mother. 

“…no,” Beggahasta said. “Even if we won, we’d be on the run for the rest of our lives.” 

“Yeah, and Bregindoure might be killed in any fight,” Matthias added, glaring at Eklund. “Mother, so what do we do?” 

Beggahasta glowered. “We plan.” 

Matthias exchanged a look with Altaizar. 

‘I get help from Master Altaizar, and now he’s being reprimanded,’ he thought. ‘My mother’s fortune briefly changes for the better, now it’s worse than ever before. Dagma looked safer than ever, now she’s at the greatest risk. This timing is too convenient for Eklund. He must have done something; and I have to prove it. Uncover the crime and…and then…’ 

Then what? 

Even if Matthias could find proof of the earl’s treachery—and he was by no means a great investigator—who would he report it to? The only authority figure around was the earl. Even if Altaizar flew him as fast as the wind would carry them to someone that could intervene, Eklund could easily have Bregindoure killed before they got justice. 

‘And if I stop him now, what’s to prevent him from trying again?’ Matthias looked at his brother, being carried away by a dozen life-enforced warriors. ‘No, there’s no way Breg will be safe until he has the Rune of Clarity, and then—by law—he can walk free.’ 

He took a deep breath. 

Two weeks. 

Two weeks until Bregindoure was to be executed. 

‘I have two weeks to find a way to free my brother,’ Matthias thought. ‘And I need to get it done.’ 


###

Author's Note

Welcome back! New arc, who dis?

So for those of you who don't know much about 3.5 D&D, there was this old prestige class called Frenzied Berserker. This thing was absolutely reviled lol. For a melee character, it was one of the most devastating classes in the entire game. Very few things could out damage it.

But there were two problems. First, it couldn't exit its rage without a will save that rose as the character levelled.

Second, uh...after all enemies were dead, you had to make a will save or continue attacking all closest living creatures.

...including allies.

SO YEAH THE CLASS WASN'T VERY POPULAR lol.

Alright, cya all on Wednesday!