Talonn gave the town a passing glance, his eye drawn to the horizon. In the distance, a mesa rose from the plain like a tower. Several leagues off, it blended almost perfectly with the mountain background. Were it not for the circling vultures, Talonn thought he may not have noticed it until they were closer to the town.
The town itself appeared unremarkable. Just another stop for merchant caravans to water their beasts and peddle their wares. Talonn pulled his eyes from the mesa and scanned the town proper. The buildings appeared well maintained from this distance but weather worn. All in all, not a bad spot to rest and make their plans.
A shudder passed along Talonn's spine. Talonn allowed his step to slow as he concentrated harder on his viewing of the town. Something was not quite right and the 'Rage' sensed it. "Hold!", Talonn growled. "Something is wrong with this town."
Kaa couldn't help but grin when he spied the town. The thought of a bed and a bath did much to rally him from his mood. His pace quickened a bit as he neared the road. He halted and reached for his axe when he heard Talonn's order. He scanned their back trail then looked back to the town.
"I think yer right, lad. Something is amiss. It is late in the day and the nights business should just be underway. Yet, where are all of the townsfolk? I don't even see any dogs or other animals. I like this not."
Ifreet nods slightly as though he half-expected this, then turns on his horse and makes a sweep to look for anyone in town, especially of the hostile variety.
Talonn loosened his swords and drew an arrow from his quiver. His sight did not leave as he fitted it to the string of his bow. "If there is anyone down there, they have surely seen us. In another time I would suggest that one of us go scout it out, but since we appeared as a group, we should enter the town as a group."
Kaa adjusted his axe harness but did not draw the weapon. He began walking again but more slowly. "I agree with you, Talonn. To go into town any other way is to invite trouble from whoever may be hiding down there. So in we go but with great caution. Talonn, take the lead. Ifreet, since you have Sala, stay to the center. Talabrina and I will walk to your sides.
Qki stay close to Ifreet in case he needs to set Sala down and join the fray. It will be your job to guard her then, my goodfellow. Granite and Hammer, you have the rear but be ready to rush to the front if necessary.
We will head for the large building near the cattle pin. It should be an Inn. If there are no quarrels, lets go."
The golem nodded his dented head and stood directly behind Ifreet's horse. He took his job seriously.
Having moved back to the back of the group, Granite continued following closely.
Hammer nodded his agreement and waited as the group all got ahead of him. Then he followed beside Granite, keeping an eye behind them.
Talonn moved slowly ahead and led them to the bridge. He kept his eyes on the windows and doors of the nearest house. The shutters were open and the glass was intact in all of them. It was easy to believe that the townspeople were still abed, yet it was nearly the dinner hour and there were no signs of cook fires or light in any of the windows.
Talonn crossed the bridge and walked down the center of the road. He kept his pace casual but his eyes darted around seeking an enemy. When he reached the inn, the 'Broken Blade' by the sign, Talonn turned and placed his back to the wall near the door. He scanned the shop across the way and the rest of the street.
"There is no sound coming from inside.", he said as the others arrived. "I believe this town is deserted."
Granite remained at the back of the group. Unnoticed, he was observing the area, though not in a conventional way. A ring of black eye-spots had appeared around his head, near the top, which were giving him a complete view of the area.
Having really not expected there to be anyone, Ifreet dismounts while the others are still getting eerie feelings, and leads his horse into the inn. He pulls a small knife, no bigger than a nail file, from his pouch, and imbeds it into what is left of the bar, then looks around to see what they have in the way of accomodations.
Qki dutifully followed Ifreet's horse into the inn. Here was a place kind of like the Dragon's Inn but nobody seemed to be around. It was a little strange. Ifreet was acting a little weird, too - why did he just stick a knife into the bar? Life seemed to have taken a left turn back there somewhere.
Talabrina kept pace with the others and watched the suroundings carefully. Where was everybody? She frowned and Muffy echoed her feelings with a soft growl. After reaching the inn she dismounted and walked quietly over to Kaa. "I doth like this little Lord Kaa," she spoke quietly. "I will use my power to sense out if there indeed be anyone else nearby but us."
Talabrina closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated. When she opened them again they glowed with a silver light and she looked about, slowly turning to look in all directions.
Hammer had his back to the rest of the group, still watching behind them. He had never heard of a deserted town before, so couldn't imagine noone in the hiding in the shadows.
Pine leapt from the horse and fluttered to the bar. He walked back and forth snorting little puffs of smoke. He looked to Talabrina and gave rumbling whine.
Sala mumbled and stirred. Still mostly unconscious, she was obviously in some discomfort. The blood stain on the bandage still looked wet and appeared to be getting larger.
Kaa drew his axe once he entered the inn. Nothing seemed disturbed or out of place. It almost appeared that the place was closed and they were intruding. There was a faint film of dust on everything. Kaa turned to the stairs and said, "Hammer, come with me to check the upstairs. Granite guard the front door. Talabrina get Sala off of the horse and help her. Send Muffy to watch the back. Qki, you watch the back, too. Ifreet get us a fire going and see to some food. Talonn, go look around."
Kaa did not look back but scampered up the stairs with his axe ready.
Talonn sat his bow on a table and shrugged out of his pack. He quickly exchanged his brown cloak for his writhing black one. He pulled the Harp bow from the pack and assembled it less than a score of heartbeats. Heloaded it as he headed for the back of the inn. Night was just beginning to settle on the town. Talonn slipped through the door and out into the creeping darkness.
Having finished her sweep of the area, she blinked and her eyes resumed thier normal color. She wore a vaugly troubled expression but said nothing as she looked over at Pine to see what was the matter. Upon seeing Sala's condition she immeadiatly hurried over and looked carefully at the wound. Frowning she laid a hand over the wound and her hand began to glow with a silver radiance for a moment before fading.
"That should hold for the nonce." Talabrina said as she began to untie the ropes that held Sala in place. As she worked she looked over at Ifreet. "If thou wouldst be so good as to see to the fire as Lord Kaa requested, I will make us some food." She smiled at him, " for I am certain that after this day's events we all could do with a most special meal indeed." After taking the ropes off, Talabrina eased Sala gently off of the horse and brought her over to near the fireplace. Then she began a more thorough examination of Sala's injuries.
Muffy for her part had walked out the back door and sat quietly to one side of the door. When Talonn walked out into the darkness she watched him for a moment before looking about for anyone else.
The healing that had been done to her head was enough to allow Sala to wake. She moaned softly, opened her eyes and tried to focus on the face above her. She couldn't understand why she couldn't. It was like there were three people above her, but Pine's eyes only saw Talabrina. Her head felt awful. she closed her eyes and winced at the sharp pain that shot through her head. She tried to say "I can't see right and my head hurts... so does my arm." What Talabrina actually heard was, "Cahhnt she rihht nd hehhd hurrs.......arrm." Pine rumbled anxiously and flicked a forked tongue out around Sala's nose. He looked at Talabrina and then nudged Sala's head and ran down and nudged Sala's arm, both of which drew a moan from Sala.
The walking silence shrugged, then made his way into the middle of the room. He sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes. He began whispering softly as he lowered his head, the loudest he could without causing further damage to his already crushed throat, and set a single twig of a tree known only to him and a sage from far away onto the floor before him. The twig grew, twisted, and multiplied, until there was a fair-sized pile of wood in front of Ifreet, with all the leaves forming a fire-proof bowl protecting the floor from the flames. After that, he simply snaps his fingers, causing a spark to fly into the flames from between them. He continues whispering, head still lowered, as the spark grows into a fire of respectable size.
Hammer entered the Inn after everyone else, and was shocked by the condition of the bar. The small film of dust everywhere, except where his friends had been, indecated that this inn had been ...empty... for some time. That made no sence to the Barbarian. Why would someone abandon their property. Did no one come to the Inn to drink anymore? Was there no one to come to the Inn and drink? A shiver ran down his spine. When Kaa began giving his orders, Hammer shook off his dark thoughts and followed Kaa up the stairs, holding his War Hammer with both hands, ready for action.
Granite strode over to stand beside the door, on the outside, facing away from the inn. The ring of eye-spots faded away as he did so, and all signs of movement from him ceased, giving him very much the appearance of being an inanimate statue once again.
Muffy looked at Qki with an amused expression as he talked. Shaking her head negatively to his first question and gesturing with her nose toward the street at the second question.
Nodding affirmatively in response to Qki's questions, Muffy continued her servailence of the area. Looking back to Qki occasionally, she caught one of his glances and raised an eyebrow in a curious expression.
From Sala's mumbled words, Pine gestures and her examination of Sala, Talabrina understood what Sala was trying to say. Taking her holy symbol from around her neck, Talabrina passed it over Sala's head singing softly. The holy symbol glowed with a silver light as Sala's head injuries healed. When that was finished Talabrina put the holy symbol back around her neck and looked at Sala's arm.
"Thy arm is broken Lady Sala, I must needs set it afore I heal the injury. `Twill hurt worse than a bear bite but it must be done." Reaching into her cloak, Talabrina brought forth a black leather bag and set it on the ground. Opening the bag she reached into it and took out a small wooden stick about an inch thick and four inches long. "This is for thee to bite down on when I set the bone." Talabrina gave the stick to Sala and took Sala's arm gently in her hands. "Art thee ready? We will both count to three, then I will set the bone. One... Two..." On "two" Talabrina roughly pushed the broken bone back into it's proper position and let her hands glow with silver light mending the broken arm as quickly as possible.
Kaa stepped lightly across the creaking boards of the second floor landing. The hall stretched for twenty paces with four doors on each side of the hall. The fine layer of dust on the floor was undisturbed and several of the doors were open. Kaa motioned to Hammer that he would take the left side of the hall.
Kaa moved swiftly to the first room and looked in. Dust covered the sparse furniture and the small bed. The doors to the clothes cabinet were open and it was empty. Once he was satisfied that the room was empty, Kaa moved on to the next.
When Kaa reached the end of the hall, he was convinced that the inn was abandoned. Each of the rooms were as empty as the first with the exception of the last room, and that one differed only because an old cloak hung in the cabinet.
Kaa turned to Hammer. "I don't like it lad. It looks like the folk simply decided to move on. No fuss or rush, they just packed their gear and walked away. Judging from the dust, it was sometime ago but not long enough for the bedding to begin to stink. I say it wasn't more than a week or two ago." Kaa stared thoughtfully at the floor for a moment. When he looked up there was a smirk on his face. "Laddie, lets go see if they left behind any ale." The dust puffed from around his feet as he strided for the stairs.
"We did make it to town milady, we currently art in the first inn we did come across, though there doth seem to be no one about." Talabrina smiled at Sala. "There thee shouldst be all better now, as soon as Kaa, Hammer and Talonn arrive back I will cast a spell for a meal I wouldst wager much that thee hath never eaten the likes of afore."
Looking around at hearing Kaa's boots on the stairs, Talabrina got up from where she was and turned to face him. "I doth not suppose that thee were able to find anyone milord?"
Hammer met with Kaa at the end of the hallway after checking his doors and finding the rooms behind them empty. "Aye, I see no trace of those who once lived here either. Why would someone leave their property without a fight? I see no signs of a struggle either." At Kaa's suggestion of finding some left behind ale, he smiled and followed Kaa down the stairs.
Kaa simply grunted in reply to Hammer's question and shrugged his shoulders. The dwarf smiled when he saw tha Sala was alert and moving again. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he sheathed his axe. He removed his helmet and swept his stray locks back before replacing the helm.
"Aye Talabrina. There was no one upstairs. The rooms were much like what you see here. It appears that everyone simply packed up their belongings and left. No fuss. No sign of haste or struggle. I don't mind saying, my lady, but this leaves me with the shivers. I have seen abandoned towns before but none like this." Kaa whispered.
He looked to Sala and smiled again, this time mainly for show. "Did I hear that you were going to produce us a meal? I don't know about the others, but I say get to it, lass. While your working your power, methinks Hammer and I will go down to the cellar and see if they left any kegs of ale." He gave Talabrina a look that meant that wasn't the only reason he was going down there.
As Kaa marched off to find the stairs to the cellar, he winked at Sala. "Glad to have you back, Sala. I have missed your smile. One good thing about this place being empty, we won't have to bargain for a bed. Nor share one, either." He chuckled as he passed by her and headed for the kitchen.
About that time she realized three things, first that she still didn't know why Argall had attacked her or where he was now and that Talonn wasn't here. Had Talonn gotten hurt in the battle? She turned to Talabrina and queries in a worried tone, "Where is Talonn?" When hearing that he was just out scouting she asked, "Why did Argall attack me and where did he go?" While she listened to the explaination she gently stroked Pine, changing him out of his dragon like form into the form of a small calico cat. After a bit Pine went over and sat with Qki and Muffy watching the night.
"Thee asks very good questions to which we hath all to few answers milady," said Talabrina. "As for why Argall attacked thee, I can only assume that `twas an attempt to capture thee so that he couldst take thee back to his master, whomever that maybe. After thee were struck the knave did flee through some kind of mystical portal and vanished." Talabrina looked at Sala critically, "Thee did break thy arm in that fall from Lord Ifreet's horse, seems to me that we art going to have to teach thee to fall better so that doth not happen in the future." Talabrina teased gently.
Hearing Sala's query, Ifreet stops whispering and lifts his head, then smiles slightly and points to the bowl of leaves under the fire that are somehow preventing any heat or flames from getting through. He then nods to Sala, and leans back against an empty table.
Ifreet digs a small emblem out of the folds of his garb, looks at it for a moment, then sighs and puts it back. He waits a moment more as his horse trots up, then takes off one of the saddlebags and digs the harp out of it. He traces his fingers over it for a moment, then closes his eyes and splays his hand across the strings. The tune has the feeling of ages, of years long past, and of years yet to come. The flames dance in time to the music, and Ifreet smiles, not a slight smile, nor a small smile, but a true smile.
Hammer's stomach grumbled apon hearing about food. Shamefaced, he bowed his head and followed Kaa to the kitchen.
Talabrina listend to the music for a while and smiled. Not wishing to interupt, Talabrina quietly got up and went into the kitchen. After looking and fishing around for a bit, Talabrina found a large basin and some table rags. After casting a short prayer, water appeared in the basin and she carried it out to the main room. Setting the basin on the bar she reached into her cloak and pulled out her bar of soap and tossed it into the basin. "I absolutely refuse to serve a grand meal on a dirty table." Talabrina grinned at Sala.
Kaa eased open the cellar and cringed as it shrieked. He drew his axe and stepped down to the first step. The dwarf closed his eyes for a moment to banish the flickering light of the fire. When he opened his eyes, he peered into the darkness with his night sight. He did not look at Hammer as he said, "Lad, unless you have dark vision, I suggest you stay up here until I have a look around. Be ready in case I call. If you have a torch or a lamp, ready it but do not light it until I say."
Kaa moved slowly down the stone steps. When he reached the bottom, he eased away from the stairs and stood motionless against the wall. His eyes darted around the pitch black cellar. Stacks of crates and barrels and sacks sat in neat rows in the center of the 15 by 15 pace area. The aroma of cheese and stale wine mixed with the heady smell of earth and mold. Kaa moved slowly among the rows and peered into all that he could. When Kaa had made a complete circuit of the cellar, he opened his mouth to call Hammer then shut it. Rats. There were no rats. Kaa shuttered and made another pass of the cellar to be sure that he hadn't missed their presence. There were none and not a trace of recent activity although there were several old signs of their existance.
Kaa slipped his axe back into his harness and reached into his pouch. He closed his eyes and brought a small stone out and tapped it against his helmet. When he opened his eyes, the glow of the light stone illuminated a four pace area. "Hammer my friend," Kaa called as he traced the emblem branded on a keg of ale, "leave your giant nail pounder up there and come down. Lady Fate has smiled on us this night. I do hope that it is a tasty brew."
Hammer leaned his War Hammer against a wall, and then began his decent into the cellar. He took the steps carefully, still wondering if this was some devious trap. After reaching the bottom step, he made his way to Kaa. He smiled at the sight of the keg. "What good is a fine meal without a fine brew to wash it down with?" He then bent over to lift the keg, and hefted it onto his shoulder. "Lead the way, my friend."
Kaa placed the light stone into a clip on his helmet so that his hands were free. The dwarf moved to a stack of crates and broke open the top one. He reached in and pulled two wrapped rounds of cheeze and sniffed them. Grunting his satisfaction, Kaa slipped them under his arm and grabbed a hand rack of wine bottles. "Methinks that the owner saved this vintage for his more wealthy clients. At this moment, I believe that we fit the bill. Perhaps it will save Talabrina's power if she only had to conjure bread and meat."
Kaa motioned Hammer ahead of him so that the light stone could light the stairs. When the reached the common room, Kaa plunked down the cheeze and the wine. A satisfied grin spread over his face as he looked around the room. "Lady Talabrina, Hammer and I have eased your burden. There are enough provisions in the cellar to load our packs. If you would be so kind to provide bread and meat, we shall wat well this night. The beds will ease our pains and tomorrow we will all be good as new. Has Talonn returned?" Kaa asked as he pulled the light stone from his helmet and returned it to his pouch.
"Aye." a voice answered from the top of the stairs. Talonn stepped from the shadows and descended. He threw back the hood of his cloak and unhooked the clasp. Talonn tossed the cloak over to the table that stood by his pack. He walked over to the table and dropped one of the two sacks he was carrying. Vegetables spilled from the sack as it flopped over.
Talonn reacked into the other sack and pulled out a copper pot and a brewing pot. "Lady Talabrina, if you could provide some water, I should be able to brew enough of my special tea to assure that everyone rests well tonight. My skin is empty as well and I would like to refill it."
Talonn set the pots and the sack of herbs on the table and turned to Kaa. "Call in the sentries but bar the doors. The town is truly abandoned. I will tell all that I know after we eat." When he finished speaking, Talonn looked to Sala and smiled. "It is good to see you well, Lady Sala. I was very worried about you." For a moment it appeared that he would say more but, the half-elf closed his mouth and walked out of the front door to get Granite.
Granite had remained in place, not reacting, as Talonn returned and went in. Nothing else of consequence had entered his vision, or been detected by his other senses, the entire time he had been standing out there. He was making use of the time alone to analyze what Kaa had told him earlier. Much of the way organics behaved still seemed to involve far more conflict than was necessary. At the same time, it was apparent that it was not always that way. The group of them he had been travelling with now, had seemed to avoid such internal conflicts for the most part.
He heard the sound of someone approaching the door from within, then emerging. From the sound of the walking, Granite expected it was Talonn again, and this was soon confirmed as Talonn entered his visual senses.
Kaa tried to read Talonn's expression but fatigue masked the man's face. Kaa nodded and went to bring in Qki and Muffy. When he reached the door, Kaa examined the door's lock and said, "Qki, Muffy, and you too, Pine. Come on in and join the others. No more sentry duty." When everyone one was inside, the dwarf barred the door and secured it with a poker from the kitchen hearth. Then he returned to the common room.
The music came to a sudden shrieking halt as Ifreet's fingers fall away from the harp, his eyes resting on the wine brought up from the cellar. Or, more specifically, the golden emblem of a mounted horseman on the bottle. The same emblem that he wears around his neck but never shows. The emblem that his hands move towards and scoops out, holding it up to the other. His second hand reaches towards the scimitar at his side.
Pine came scampering back into the room on Qki's heels and almost slammed into him as he screached to a halt. He spun quickly and raced over to Sala.
Talonn stepped through the door and gave the streets a cursory glance. "Granite, come inside. There is no one in this town, save us. We will be safe enough in the inn tonight. Bar the door behind you, please." Talonn said wearily.
Without a word, Granite turned from his sentry position and strode back through the door. He turned and swung the door closed, managing to do so softly enough to not jar everyone's ears.
He examined the back of the door, and the piece of wood next to it. The mechanism was simple enough, the same as the previous building's door. He picked up the bar of wood and set it solidly down in the frame.
Talonn was exhausted. He had not fully recovered from the battle and the steathy search of the town had pushed him to his limits. Thankfully, the 'Rage' was also completely spent so that he had no fear of it while he slept. And sleep he would. Kaa would set sentries no matter the state of the town. Talonn felt certain that Kaa would give him the late watch as was normal. That meatn several hours of deep sleep before his turn.
Talonn looked up as he entered the common room and spotted Ifreet reaching for his sword. Talonn snatched out is sword and began scanning the rafter for the enemy.
Kaa also noticed Ifreet's odd behavior. His hands darted into his jerkin and reappeared with a dagger in each fist. "Ho there, lad!" roared Kaa, "What has got you in such a state.?!" The dwarf notices that the talisman clutched in Ifreet's white knuckles is the same as the emblem on the wine. Kaa relaxed his stance but di not put the blades away.
Granite turned to face the room, observing the actions of the others present. He immediately became puzzled over the apparent intentions of Ifreet. He had seen organics acting in a hostile manner towards many things, but never before to a piece of glass. A bottle, the appearance of which suggested it was filled with the wine substance which organics seemed so fond of. So why was Ifreet acting as though it was something he wanted to attack?
Granite noticed the symbols then. The explanation for Ifreet's actions must lie in that somehow, but what did the symbol indicate? It wasn't one Granite was familiar with as having any special significance.
Hammer stood with a puzzled look, still holding the keg over his shoulder. Not knowing if Ifreet would attack something or not, Hammer felt naked without his War Hammer. He looked around for hidden enemies, but couldn't find any. When he turned back to look at Ifreet, he finally noticed the matching symbols.
The man in question stands, harp forgotten, unsheathes his blade, and strides towards the cask, scimitar moving up to strike. The blade whistles through the air...then stops, bouncing off of the emblem like a steel plate, not even denting it. He pulls the wrappings away from his face, loosing his short red hair, and quickly pulls the cork from the bottle, taking a long drink of the contents. He coughs and sputters for a moment as the firey liquid passes through his damaged throat, then leans back and drops against his horse, staring at the bottle.
Talabrina moved to Ifreet's side and places a hand gently upon his arm. Seeing the talisman and the emblem, Talabrina's eyes widen slightly. "Lord Ifreet, how didst thee come by that talisman? Hath thee come from the land that this wine doth come from?" Talabrina asked gently.
Ifreet nods dazedly and takes another drink from the bottle. He pushes the bottle towards Talabrina as he slips to the floor, eyes flashing golden. His steed whickers and paws the ground, then gently nudges Ifreet. Ifreet's hand closes around his talisman, so hard that a drop of blood slips from his white-knuckled grip.
Kaa stashed away the daggers and walked over to Ifreet. "Easy there, laddie." he said as he bent to help Ifreet to his feet. "Why don't you come over here and sit in a chair for a moment." Kaa held out a tentative hand.
Talonn slowly put his sword away as Ifreet collapsed to the floor. As he walked over to the table, Talonn was surprised by the change in the plainsman. There was great pain in the man's eyes, a pain that Talonn could understand.
Talonn scooped water from the large bowl into the pots he had found. He carefully crushed the herbs and dropped them into the water. He placed the pots over the fire to brew and turned back to the wine bottles. Talonn drew his dagger and sliced a bit of cheeze. While he gnawed on it, he began to fiddle with one of the emblems.
Ifreet's eyes clear for a moment as he partially returns back to where he is, and he looks up at Kaa, then closes his eyes and leans back, the faint golden light glowing through his eyelids like a torch. A nearby chair spontaneously bursts into flames, another cracks, splinters, and falls apart, and another simply rots into dust. A loud clap of thunder is heard, though there is not lightning in the sky, and everyone in the room suddenly gets a speck of dust in their eyes, all at once. Ifreet opens his eyes as they stop glowing, then pulls himself to his feet, leaning on his horse, and walks towards an empty corner of the room, cursing the wound that will not even let him voice his pain. His hand still holds the talisman, and it has begun bleeding more profusely.
Kaa jumped aside as the chair burst into flames. He quickly kicked it into the hearth so that it wouldn't set fire to the rest of the common room. Wiping his eyes clear, Kaa followed Ifreet as he retreated across the room. He stood for a moment and looked down on Ifreet and read the pain in his eyes.
"Lad, I have never done this sort of thing for anyone, even that mangy half-elf over there. I would not ask this of you if I did not think that it would benefit the group and our quest." Kaa lowered himself until he was at eye level with Ifreet. "I offer myself to you as a means to give voice to your pain. Use me and tell your story. We are your friends and want nothing more than to help, if we can. Will you accept my offer?"
Talonn examined the emblem enough to see that it was more than fancy filigree. He had set the bottle down and put away his dagger when room errupted in chaos. He drew a hand span of his sword and stepped to Sala's side before he realized that Ifreet was no threat, yet. Sliding his sword home, he kicked aside the other damaged furniture and cleaned his face.
Talonn was mildly surprised when Kaa made his offer. He knew the courage it took the dwarf to willingly give himself into the power of another. Talonn folded his arms across his chest and waited for Ifreet to decide.
The plainsman looks up at Kaa, no longer with anger, but now with grief, then stands, sets a hand on the dwarf's shoulder, nods to him in thanks, and strides towards his horse. Two things escape his lips as he goes, blood as he speaks, and the words, "I can't." He rips the off his clothing above the waist, then digs a breastplate of dragonhide from the same small pouch that held his harp, and pulls it on. The brands on the back of each hand, the same as the emblem, are clearly visible, and they seem to glow faintly. He grabs a hunk of cheese and stuffs it into his mouth, then washes it down with more wine, wincing as it passes through his damaged throat. For all intents and purposes, he seems to be preparing to leave.
A holigram rises on the table behind him, showing a map of a great fertile plains...then an army of demons and undead, turning it into a wasteland, then the map expands, showing a barren area to the east where it zooms in again...and keeps zooming, until the very inn they stay at can be seen. It then shifts back to the original map, now a barren desert, and shifts into that emblem, the mounted rider of gold. By now Ifreet is ready to leave. He digs out the stone the demon gave them, senses the direction in which the lich lies, and prepares to mount his horse.
When the chairs burst into flames, Hammer had enouph. He quickly lowered the keg to the ground, and crouched battle ready. When still no threat emerged, he slowly relaxed back into a standing position. The plainsman was making him nervous, so he stalked out of the room and headed back to the cellar door where his War Hammer was waiting for his touch. He grabbed it and slowly returned back to the common room, trying hard to find a reason not to return so soon. He wandered in just in time to catch the holographic map, and Ifreet getting ready to depart.
"Ifreet, I think I can understand your pain and your anger. Do you think to climb the mesa and storm the Lich's citadel alone? For that is where he is. Your enemy and our quarry sits perched behind his stone walls atop that lump of barren rock on the edge of the desert. Nearly 100 paces from the ground, if I don't miss my guess.
Tell me Ifreet, does your quest for vengeance include our capture and inevitable deaths? In seeking your own death, will you damn Sala to demonic servitude?"
Talonn leaned slowly back against the table nearest him. A faint glow reached his eyes. Although his entire body seemed to sag from exhaustion, his face was stern and resolute. His right hand slowly came up holding the cocked and loaded harp bow. His eyes narrowed as he looked directly into Ifreet's eyes.
"We seek what you seek. We are sworn by demon oaths to protect Sala and to destroy the Lich. Together. Together we have a chance. Slim as it is, it is still a chance. If you wish to be released from your oath, by all means, say so now. I promise your death will be swift. You may abandon our company but you will not risk our lives with your folly." Talonn let is voice fade away as he leveled the harp bow at Ifreet. The leather of his gloves creaked as he applied minute tension to the triggers.
Kaa had stood stunned after the hologram vanished. The levels of intrigue the demon had gone to were beyond comprehension. A seemingly random choice of targets had in fact been a deviously laid trap to bring them all on the brink of breaking their oaths and sealing Sala's fate. Snapping from his thoughts, Kaa saw Sala swoon and stepped over to support her. He also saw that Talonn had positioned himself to bury both of the bolts into Ifreet even if the plainsman attacked him with magic. Anger flaired in the dwarf.
"Enough! Can you fools not see that this is just what that hellspawned demon wanted? He sent us here knowing that Ifreet would react this way. He and his Prince are laughing now for they know, in less than a breath, our oaths could be broken and Sala's life forfeit." The dwarf guided Sala to a chair and turned quickly back to Ifreet.
"Lad, we came here together with a purpose. That has not changed. Now you have two reasons to wish that damned Lich dead. As have I. You are a formidable warrior but I do not think that you can succeed alone. Unless all you truly seek is your death. If that is the case, then at least allow us to help you die by the hands of the Lich himself and not some lowly guard."
Kaa turned and looked to Talonn. "Put it away, boy. All your doing is assuring that two die this night instead of one. You are perhaps the only one that can get us to the top of that mesa undetected, assassin. That name wounds you, I know, but here and now that is what you are. Do you wish to die before you can put those skills to a just service?"
"Fah! Two hot blooded thick heads are two too many. Go ahead kill each other. Damn us all to hell, but hear me now. With my last breath, I will beg the demon that comes to claim me to put me in the same corner of hell as the two of you. Just so that I can kick the two of you around for eternity!" Kaa finished with roar and stood there, red faced and puffing like a bellows. His glare jumping from Ifreet to Talonn.
Talonn tried to step aroung Sala to keep his bead on Ifreet. It struck him then what had almost occured. He slowly lowered the bow and removed the bolts. He let the bow hang freely by its cord and swept a hand through his hair. The glow in his eyes faded as he lowered all of his weight to the table.
The raging plainsman stops suddenly as though struck, then reaches down, pulls the emblem from his neck. With his other hand, he takes Sala's, opens it, and places the talisman in it. He watches her for a moment, then whispers, "Thank you, Salana'talea," and walks quietly to the corner, where he slumps against the wall and sits down, head lowered, not seeming to notice that his hand still bleeds.
Talabrina shook her head at all the foolishness. "Everyone hear me now, no one is going to die now or later. Lord Kaa is correct that the demon sent us here specifically so he might goad Lord Ifreet into foolish error, but we hath overcome this challenge and will overcome all others in the future. Together we shall face all challenges and together we shall overcome them."
Then Talabrina went over to Ifreet and knelt down beside him. "Prithee Lord Ifreet, give me thy hand and let me look at it. Then I will wish to check thee over. I didst see that thee cough up blood earlier and that concerns me."
Granite watched the proceedings with interest. Some of the things that he and Kaa had discussed earlier were being inadvertently demonstrated for him. He had noticed that these times of tension seemed to break down the facades that these types of organics usually projected of themselves, and in so doing, allowed Granite to analyze their actions and motives much more clearly.
Still, for all the insights he could gain into organic behavior this way, it was clear that the group's cohesion was threatened by what was happening, and this was not something Granite wanted.
"These actions are not productive." he said, "You are weakening yourselves to no benefit with this dispute. This will not assist in the completion of the mission which you have agreed to undertake. Cease them. There are more beneficial things to be done."
To Granite, this seemed like stating the obvious, but the emotions of these organics apparently had caused them to forget that.
Ifreet looks up at Talabrina's words, then nods and holds out his hand to her, allowing her to examine the injury. It is a long, jagged slash along the palm and fingers, but not too serious. He quietly surveys the chaos he caused, then lowers his head once more and sighs.
Hammer relaxed his grip on his hammer, his fingers cramped from the strain he had put on the hammer's shaft. He moved from the doorway, closer to his friends. "Ifreet, I am glad you have rethought your intentions. I do not believe that we can succeed without you. And now, I am thirsty" he nodded to the keg, "and the ale is getting lonely."
Talabrina had watched quietly at all that had happened and had been about to intervene when Sala beat her to it. After hearing all that Sala had to say and seeing Talonn's reaction, Talabrina looked toward Sala and nodded approvingly with admiration shining in her eyes.
The plainsman looks up at Hammer, gaping as though struck, blinks a few times, then slowly smiles and nods turning to Talabrina and nodding to her as well. He gets up and holds the other hand down to the drow to help her up, then strides over to the keg in question, picks it up, takes a long drink, and tosses it to Hammer. He continues holding his hand out to Talabrina so that she can fix it.
After making certain the wound was clean, Talabrina sang quietly and the wound closed up as if healing at at fantasic rate. Soon the injury was completly healed, not even a scar it mark its passing. "There thou art Lord Ifreet, after the feast I will want to examine thee more closely for methinks thou hath other injuries that thee hath not yet told me about." Talabrina looked at Ifreet's face to see if she was right.
Ifreet shrugs, moving his now bare and well-scarred arms behind him and smiles slightly. "Old scars..." He winces slightly as he speaks, but does so regardless, then bows slightly and steps back.
The dwarf let out a deep sigh. He slowly walks to a bench near the table and drops onto it. For several heartbeats, he simply sits and stares at the floor. Kaa lifts his head and looks around the room at the group. He noded his head as a grin spread across his face. "Damn fine group, aye, you Demon bastard." he whispers to the rafters.
Kaa stood slowly and made his way to the table where the cheese lay. He drew his dagger and began to saw off large chunks. "Talabrina, I believe it is time for that meal that you promised. Ifreet, if your hands will allow it, I would ask that you play for us when the meal is done. Music soothes the weary heart, I always say." His grin then grows into a lopsided smile as he looks to Hammer. "Ho there, you ale monger! Say a drop for this old dwarf."
Hammer had caught the thrown keg deftly, and took a long drink from it. Hearing the remarks of Kaa, he carried the keg over to the dwarf, and set it beside him.
Talonn pushed himself off the table and stepped to stand facing Ifreet. He looked into the plainsman's eyes for several breaths, seeking malice or forgiveness. Unable to read Ifreet's gaze, Talonn reached up and dropped a friendly hand onto Ifreet's shoulder. He gave the man a firm pat then let his hand fall. Talonn took a measured step back and bowed in apology to the man.
Talonn reached across the table and took a hunk of cheeze. He slowly walked to the stairs. He turned to look at Sala but found that he hadn't the courage or the energy. He slipped of his harness as he climbed the stairs. "I will take last watch." he said wearily, "We can discuss my findings in the morning. Mind my tea please, Kaa." As his slumped shoulders disappear into the shadows of the hall, his voice echos back. "Rest well, my friends."
Talonn barely found the energy to eat the cheeze and stagger down the hall at the same time. He stumbled into the room at the right end of the hall. He had returned to the inn through the window in this room and wanted to ward it from another such entry. He set his swords and harp bow on the floor by the bed and closed the windows shutters. He then slid the small wash basin under the window and balanced the porcelin pitcher against the shutters. When he was satisfied that any movement of the shutters would dislodge the pitcher and cause it to fall and break, he shuffled to the bed. He sat heavily and felt the dusty bedding sag. Too weary even to remove his boots, Talonn lowered himself to the bed and fell instantly asleep.
Talabrina looked as if she was about to protest Talonn's leaving but saw the weariness in his eyes and kept silent. After Talonn had gone to bed Talabrina turned to face the rest of the group. "This is among my most powerful of spells granted by my goddess. It is called `The Feast of Heroes' Everything will be provided for. The drink will be a nectar like drink and the food ambrosia. A full hour will pass during our feasting after which all who partake will be blessed by my goddess. Service will also be provided for so be not suprised when thee aks for a dish and it floats over to thee."
Talabrina smiles as she begins to dance and sing. Soon the main table is glowing with a silvery radience as objects begin to take shape on the table. over the course of the next few minutes the table becomes laden with all sorts of dishes and flagons of juice. When it is finished she collapses wearily in a chair and looks to the others. "Let us eat."
The plainsman steps over to his harp, considers, then picks it up and sets it one a table and waves his hands over it. He returns to his chair by the table, then snaps his fingers. Invisible fingers begin plucking the chords of the harp in a lilting tune, while Ifreet looks over the food and points towards various dishes that are easy to get past his throat. He nods as the food floats over to him, and nods appriciatively to Talabrina.
Kaa watched, with some regret, as Talonn crept up the stairs. He had never seen the man so exhausted and downtrodden. Kaa decided that anything he had to say to Talonn would be better done once they both had rested. Kaa sat back and watched Talabrina work her magic.
"Truly a wonderful bounty, Talabrina. Give our thanks to your Goddess." Kaa said with a bow. The dwarf drew a chair to the table with his boot and sat. He hefted a mug and said, "A toast to us. A more stout-hearted band I have never known. To us!"
Sala watched as Talabrina worked her magic and dinner unfolded before them. Talabrina's magics were so amazing to her. She wished that her gifts could do some of the things Talabrina could. Sala asked politely for what she wanted and giggled as it floated over. She ate lightly as always and when seh was done she bid them all good night and headed upstairs.
It was dark, but she had elven sight so had no trouble. She picked a room at random and went in carefully. The way the place was deserted was eerie. It made her skin crawl. She stroked Pine back into a small dragon and stroked the door frame, sealing it to the door. Then she checked the room carefully, sealing up every crack seh came across. Once she was sure that the room was totally impenatrable except by magical means she curled up on the bed and fell asleep wondering whether or not Talonn really was angry at her for stepping in front of his crossbow.
Hammer sat down with the others and began to eat heartily, asking for plates of food before he finished the chunks in his mouth. Heedless of good manners, he scarfed down everything he put on his plate, and then some.
When he finished eating, he leaned back into his chair and sat silently as the others trickled off to bed. "Kaa, I will keep first watch, if you don't have another idea."
Granite remained near the door, observing the proceedings before him. The conflict had ended, which was good, although he wasn't certain it had ended permanently. His own statement hadn't seemed to affect things much, if any of them had listened to him at all.
Now, they were eating. The organics' method of doing this was very different from his own, and he puzzled once again over how it had developed that way. He made no move to join them, seeing little point in attempting to fake doing it himself.
Then Hammer made his suggestion. Granite spoke up, "You intend to watch for intruders. I will do that. I do not require inactivity. As you do."
"They will need us to observe the interior. To make certain that nothing intrudes. There will be no need to observe the exterior of this building." Granite said, his head turning toward Qki. "We are close to one who will want to kill them. So this is prudent. Otherwise they might be attacked while asleep. Organics are more vulnerable when asleep."
Kaa pushed himself back from the table with a hearty belch of approval. He eased back and lit his pipe. Smoke rings were soon wafting across the common room, many travelling the entire length of the room. The dwarf looked around at the others and nodded.
"I say again, thanks to your Goddess, Talabrina. It has been many a moon since I have feasted so well. Hammer, after all that you ate, I fear that you be asleep before the rest of us." Kaa waved his hand and chuckled to show that his comment was in humor.
"I think that with all that has happened and what we may face on the morrow, we should all get as much rest as possible. I also agree with Granite and Qki. Since neither of them seem to need rest as we..'organics', they will take the full watch while the rest of us get as much sleep as possible. It may be the last for some time."
Kaa slipped from his chair and headed for the stairs. He sent a final pair of smoke rings across the room then tapped out the pipe. "Rest well my friends. Tomorrow we begin the deed. Talabrina, set aside some of that bounty for Talonn, if you can."
Kaa bid them goodnight and climbed the stairs. He entered the room nearest the top of the stairs and closed the door. Standing his axe against the night stand, Kaa sagged slowly into the bed with a groan of pleasure. A score of breaths later, his snoring echoed into the hall.
Hammer rose from his chair and nodded to Granite and Qki. Then he climbed the stairs and found an empty room to call his own. He locked the door behind him, then laid his hammer down beside the bed for easy access. He laid down apon the bed, and forced himself to relax. Within minutes he was asleep.