Talonn squinted as the glare of the moon disrupted his night sight. He shifted so that his head was farther behind the overturned wagon on the edge of the rubble wall. He touched Kaa and Sala on their shoulders and whispered, "We will wait a moment more and give time for the others to begin their work. Once it begins, I will go to the wall and scale to the second highest cave. Use your night sight, once you see me enter, count to thirty and head to the wall. The ropes will be waiting."
Talonn looked at Sala and grinned. He was sure that with the weaponblack smeared on his face and the black hood on his head the grin looked most feral. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and hoped it would help with her fear. Oddly, he did not feel the normal disgust for his skills. Even the 'Rage' was silent, although he knew it was biding 'Its' time and waiting until he was locked into a fight for his, or Sala's, life to attempt a takeover. Talonn pushed those thoughts aside and looked back to the mesa. He could clearly see that the first cave he would pass held a sentry. He hoped it would move off as the real commotion began. The half-elf shifted and prepared to dart across the open ground.
Talabrina stood far off from the mesa looking towards it with a serene look on her face. Outwardly she was calm but inwardly she battled with her inner termoil. Some of her companions were very likely to die she knew, despite her wishes and her best efforts. What drove these mortals to throw away thier one chance at life? Then she remembered her own peril and that there could be some undead capable of killing her and Muffy. It had been a century or two since she had been in any danger of actually being permanently killed. She sighed knowing that she could no more turn away from this than they could and would fight with her last stregnth to free these people.
Then she turned to Hammer and Muffy. "I am going to cast several spells upon us to protect us from the undead's energy shouldst they strike us. I am also going to call forth an ally made of living flame to join our desprate struggle. Then we shall make our assault. Be there any other questions?" Talabrina looked both Muffy and Hammer in the eyes.
Muffy looked straight back at Talabrina and quietlt growled her determination. They were together as they had always been meant to be, there was no way Muffy was backing out now.
Hammer stood gazing at the mesa and the surrounding area. His eyes gleamed with the excitement he felt for the upcoming battle, yet he his body was relaxed. Then Hammer turned to Talabrina.
"Lady Talabrina, I have no questions. I do have two requests instead. When battle is begun, I will sing the song that allows me to control my battle rage. I will sing my song loudly, and you will know I am safe. If, however, the battle goes against us, and I believe the situation to be dire, I will cease my song and embrace the true bezerker rage. I will not know friend or foe, and will be without reason. I will be immune to spells untill the rage leaves me. Please do not come near me. I do not wish for my actions to cause grief between us."
"Secondly, at the end of the battle, may we join togethor and search for the others. However, if I do not live through the battle, would you address The Thunderer for me, and inform him of my deeds this day. He will carry the song to my family, who will know that I died with honor and for a cause. Please tell me you will do so."
Listening carefully Talabrina nodded in agreement. "I shall do as thou doth ask Lord Hammer. In return I ask of thee that shouldst something to either Muffy or myself do not bury nor cremate us. I would much rather that we not discuss exactly why just now, so let us stick to the matter at hand. Please remember that I will be healing thee as much as I can during the battle." Talabrina said smiling grimly.
Then Talabrina began her preparations, singing and dancing softly , casting spells to protect them from the undead's numbing touch. The she cast a couple of spells to protect her self from fire and lightining. Finally she cast her final spell. A tiny flame appeared in the air before her and grew rapidly in to a roughly humanoid being made out of silver fire. The fire elemental was very tall, standing around twelve feet tall.
"Oh great servant of Eilistraee," Talabrina said to it in respectful tones. "I bid thee go now and protect Lord Kaa from the trolls he must fight against. When all of the trolls at defeated then thee may return to thy home of fire." The elemental simply turned and stalked off in the direction of Kaa.
Mounting Muffy, Talabrina looked at Hammer. "It begins Lord Hammer, let us go now and shine the light of goodness upon the undead that dare to oppose us." There was an excited look in her eyes and it reflected in her voice.
"I will do as you ask without question." Hammer replied to Talabrina's death comment. "This land is full of many strange customs and powers. I will respect yours."
Hammer watched with interrest as Talabrina cast her spells, noting that her words and motions were beautifull compared to the harsh sounds and quick movements of The Thunderer's priests. Another differance in custom. Still, he was glad at heart to battle beside this drow that had forsaken her people and their ways so she may find the inner peace that radiates out of her like the glowing sun. Silently he prayed to Eilistraee to watch and keep her safe during battle.
Seeing that Talabrina was ready for battle, Hammer lifted his voice to the heavens. "Thunderer, hear my voice. I go now to glorous battle in your name. I pray that should I die the gates that lead to the Hall Of Heroes will open before me and grant me entrance. Untill the time of my glorous death, your name will be apon my lips and in my heart. May the battle go well and the blood flow freely." Then he began to run beside muffy.
Talabrina felt ther blood begin to boil and her heart begin to pound fiercely within her chest as they moved toward the impending battle, a legacy of her drow heritage. All of her senses seemed alive, the very air seemed as a sweet perfume to her compared to that of her former home in the underdark. She laughed aloud out of sheer excitement as she rode along side Hammer and looked at him wondering if he too felt as she did.
Looking at him gave her pause to reflect. While she didn't know a lot about him she knew beyond doubt that he was as courageous as he was honorable. She found Hammer to be a very handsome and attractive man, maybe they could find a way to spend some time together after all was said and done.
The creeping chill that came upon her reminded her that they had to first survive the battle ahead. Slowing immediately she called to Hammer to come to a halt. Muffy growled nervously as she too felt the undead's presence.
"Lord Hammer," said Talabrina, "I came feel the undead's presence ahead. I wouldst advise that we find some sort of a defensible position or fight a running battle lest we be overwhelmed. What doth thee suggest?"
Hammer came to a halt at Talabrina's call. At her question, Hammer look about him. "Lady Talabrina, I am a warrior borne to the open spaces of the northern waistes. We fight our battles on the frozen plain if we can choose the battle ground. However, I have never been so sorely outnumbered as we shurly will be. If you see an area we can defend, then perhaps that is the way to fight this day. However, if I embrace the true Bezerker Rage, then I will defend nothing."
Hammer scratched his finger mindlessly around the demon's ring he wore. "Would your mobility be hampered by defending a position? If the numbers of undead are legion, would we only bury ourselves under their vast munbers? Would the undead leaders expect 3 people to take the battle to them?" Hammer smiled to himself, his hairless face and spider-web tatoo making him look demonic in the moonlight. He looked Talabrina in the eyes.
"I can see that you share the same excitement I do for the upcoming battle. Every bone in my body tells me to attack headlong and face the consequeces as they are delt. In truth, that would be my stategy. If there are any human units with in the undead, then the psychological advantage we would wield over them would be tremendous. And what better way to die than in one last charge into the enemy, freeing as many souls as possible before breathing a last breath."
"Methinks we shouldst choose the running battle, for we must needs keep away from our foe to maximize our effectiveness." Talabrina spoke slowly as she considered, then a looks of worry crept into her eyes. "Lord Hammer we cannot afford to fall against this foe, shouldst Lady Sala and the others not achieve their objective. If such a thing we to come about thee wouldst wind up becoming one of the undead and I wouldst cease to exist." A look of resolve enters her eyes. "I will not fall here, I hath a daughter to return to."
Hammer looked at Talabrina with questions in his eyes. He remained silent, however, and turned his gaze to the surrounding area. "Let us get to our grizzly business, and create the diversion Ifreet needs to free his people." He again began to jog.
In the darkness, approach had been easy. Granite's coloration and the fact that he presently did not resemble anything alive had enabled him to move past all of the patrols undetected. Now, he was just a short distance away from the main gates.
Currently, he appeared to be nothing more than a mound of rock, like several others nearby. He also seemed larger than normal, given that his shape presently encompassed a barrel, keeping it hidden from sight. A piece of flint, and a scrap of metal rested inside of him as well, atop the barrel. When the time came, he knew, the organics intent on guarding the gates were going to be on the receiving end of a rather unusual attack. But then, so were the guards of this place elsewhere.
Granite pondered the attack plan once again. It still seemed to put the other members of the group at great risk, whatever they did. It was probably the best way to accomplish their objective, however, so it would have to be done. But there was still a problem. When the lich was killed, any portal which opened might be difficult for many members of the group to reach. How long would it stay open, and would it be long enough for the others to find it? If it closed again before they had gone through, they would be stranded in this location. The same thing would happen if the two who were going to attack the lich were killed in the attempt. Which would leave them in the middle of an even more dangerous situation. Granite himself wasn't in much danger in that regard. Organics' usual means of damaging each other weren't particularly effective against him, and he could quite easily conceal himself by masquerading as part of the architecture of the place if it became necessary. More importantly, he could do it for however long he needed to.
Perhaps though, they would be able to activate, and then reach the portal in time to make use of it. This was certainly the best alternative. While the doings of organics in general were not that important to him, he did not want the other members of the group to be damaged or destroyed, if possible. They had proven to be extremely helpful, even if he had only been able to clarify a few things in actually speaking to them, the things he hadn't asked about were more numerous, and no less enlightening.
The attack would begin soon. Granite ceased his absorption of the surface of the ground beneath him. He had enough energy to accomplish what was needed.
Granite's form slowly shifted, reshaping to his humanoid appearance. It took several moments to happen, but given the low light and his inconspicuous coloration, he attracted no undue attention in the process.
Completing his change, he removed the lid of the barrel which he had carried inside him, then reached down into it and lifted it's occupant, dripping with oil, out, and placed him on the ground, before replacing the lid.
Qki was glad to be out in the open air again. It was starting to get pretty boring inside the barrel. Now that he was out, he suddenly realized he couldn't see anything, because the oil covered his eyes. He fought down panic and grabbed onto what he hoped was Granite to steady himself while scrubbing at his eyes in an attempt to wipe some of the oil off.
Granite picked up the barrel and strode towards the gate, Qki in tow. The two of them were able to approach fairly close without being spotted. At the edge of the light, Granite set the barrel down, and readied the flint and steel. Methodically, he struck them together twice, the first time, igniting the oil coating Qki, the second time, igniting an oil drenched fuse that had been attached to the barrel before they had departed the inn.
Qki had just scrubbed off enough oil from his face to see the gate before he was enveloped in flames. He could see through them somewhat, but he didn't need to be able to see to do what he was trying to do.
The gate before them was made of wood, reinforced and hinged with metal, and two flanking towers were constructed mostly of stone, with a few wooden portions filling in the gaps.
The guards at the gate began to sound the alarm, and troops rushed to the gate to defend it. As they did, something large and round came sailing through the air, towards the gate... and went right over the top, arcing down into the now busy area behind it. Immediately, a towering inferno erupted as the entire barrel of oil caught, sending a wave of flame and heat across the area.
Kaa watched the moon break over the horizon and bowed his head. He kept his head down as Talonn spoke and gave only a nod that he had heard. In his head, Kaa began to sing a song. The same song he had sung before every desperate battle. But this time his brother was not here to sing with him. For a breath, Kaa wondered if his brother would know when he fell, even if he were leagues away. The dwarf felt sure that Raa would and that he would sing the song at that very moment.
Kaa eased his helmet off and grimaced as the trinkets in his hair tinkled. He wiped the sweat from his head and pulled the strap from the helmet. Lifting his head, the dwarf plopped the helmet back on his head, and secured the chin strap. He wiped the sweat from his hand and gripped his axe until the leather creaked. Kaa shrugged his shoulders to adjust his pack and the sack of pots. The song rang in his soul and a mirthful smile stretched his cheeks.
Talonn whispered over his shoulder, "I will be there, my Lady." Just as he finished speaking, fire leapt into the night on the far side of the mesa. Talonn drew his legs under him and lifted himself to balls of his feet. "It begins.", he croaked.
Talonn paused and counted to thirty to give the sentries time to be drawn by the commotion, then he was off. Talonn ran like a fox, darting from cover to cover in a crouch. He reached the mesa wall and dropped flat to the ground. He scanned the entire area with his night sight and then looked up to the sentry caves. He could see no heads sticking over the rim. Talonn whispered a silent prayer that he had not been seen and asked for continued good fortune. He grasped hold of the mesa face and began to climb.
The stone was well worn with lots of crags. He now understood why the moat was being built, a child could scale these walls. He moved swiftly for the first fourty paces before he slowed and carefully edged to the first cave. Climbing until he was nearly level with the cave, Talonn moved to the ledge and took a quick look into the cave. His night sight showed two sentries huddled against the wall. One was apparently asleep and the other was digging in a pouch for something to eat. A pair of musical twangs sounded followed by two thuds as the bolts from the Harp Bow slammed into the skulls of the sentries. Talonn swung into the cave and took a quick look around. The cave had a wooden door at the far end. Talonn crept to it and decided that there was a corridor on the other side. Snatching on of the sentries swords, he wedged the bar on the door and retrieved his bolts.
Talonn took a moment to reload the Harp bow before he slipped out of the cave and continued his climb. His fingers wer aching when he reached the next cave, another fourty paces above the first. He allowed himself another peek before he swung over the ledge. This cave contained a door at the far end as well. He quickly wedged the bolt with a pair of daggars. He returned to the mouth of the cave and began to pull the ropes from his shoulders. An iron ring was driven into the wall of the cave and was found to be secure. Talonn quickly tied the two ropes to the ring and tested them. Grunting softly, he tossed the two coils out into the night.
Kaa did not watch Talonn when he left for the mesa. The dwarf instead turned his entire attention to the area around them. No shout of alarm was raised near them and he released the breath that he had not known he was holding. He watched with one eye was Talonn began to scale the wall, his admiration expressed only by the grin on his face.
Kaa could almost hear the harp bow over the noise from the far side of the area as Talonn swung into the first cave. Mere seconds seemed like a day. Kaa almost stood and started for the wall before Talonn appeared and began to climb away from the cave.
When Talonn reached the second cave, Kaa began his count. He was only at twenty and five when he saw something fall from the cave. The wriggling shadows dropped to the ground and swayed almost snakelike. Kaa leaned over to Sala and gave her a reassuring pat. "Time to go, lass." he whispered as he stood and sprinted for the ropes.
Kaa paused to scan the area as Sala began to climb, then he gripped the rope and started up the mesa. As camoflaged as she was, Kaa could barely make her out but he was impressed with her ability. It wasn't long before he pulled himself over the lip of the cave.
Kaa took a moment to flex his fingers to ease the strain of the rope. He moved to the wall of the cave and placed his hands on it, bowed his head, and reached out to the stone. He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face as the pulse of the earth rushed through him. He quietly mouthed the traditional greeting and thanks then stepped to the door.
The echos of sporatic shouts and tramping of feet could be heard but the corridor outside the door sounded empty. Kaa pulled out Talonn's daggars and flipped them to him before opening the door enough to see. The corridor was rough hewn, perhaps four paces wide, and lit every ten paces or two by lanterns. The light blanked his nightsight and he shut the door and drew the bolt.
"I will lead us to the surface. I can feel it in my bones. Sala, if you can, snuff out all the lanterns in the corridor or at least the ones from as far as you can see. As we move, we can put out those that we come to. And stay two paces behind me lass, I would not want to hurt you if I must deal with those we encounter. Questions?" Kaa whispered as he drew his axe.
Talonn drew a cloth from his shirt. The glow from his eyes shown in the dark like to hovering candle flames. He slipped the cloth across his eyes like a blindfold. Two cuts in the cloth allowed him to see without the light from his eyes betraying him. He slowly drew his sabre and fingered the harp bow.
Qki could easily feel the resonances in the gate from where he was standing. Some of them were quite strong, which indicated that the pieces of metal that made up those parts were fairly large. Some of them didn't have any strong resonances at all. He knew they needed to hurry, to get the gate open as soon as possible, so he picked one of the smaller, `pulling' resonances to start with. The hinges were attached to the gate by long wide bars of metal, which were held on by thick bolts going right through the wood to the other side of the gate. He guessed that the resonance he'd found was one of the bolts. He slowly merged his own resonance with the bolt's, but it didn't move. Maybe he wouldn't be able to do anything with the gate after all.
He knew he couldn't give up so easily. People were depending on him. He concentrated as much as he could on his own resonance, feeling it all through his body. Then he reached out to the bolt once again, merging the resonances more quickly this time. With a shriek of metal, the bolt wrenched free of the hinge and flew toward the golem. Quickly Qki pulled his resonance away from that of the bolt, and it fell harmlessly to the ground.
He had succeeded! He really could break the gate! There was no time to celebrate, though. He had to get more of these bolts free. He started concentrating on another of the bolts holding the same hinge on.
Most of the guards were frantically trying to extinguish the fire before the entire area went up in flames. Most of the structures behind the wall were wooden, as was the gate itself, so the enormous fire now blazing behind the gate was a grave danger to them all. Those few who were still paying attention to what was going on outside, however, saw the strangest sight that had ever crossed their eyes.
A small creature of flame stood near the edge of the light. Occasionally, a piece of metal would fly out from the gate, rocketing towards it, but dropping to the ground when part way there.
Now within the light, a creature of stone strode towards the gate, and every arrow they loosed on it seemed to simply stick into it's surface, doing nothing at all to slow it down. One tower fired a ballista at it. It made no attempt to avoid the bolt, which slammed into it squarely in the middle, but seemed to do no more than make a dent in it's front, and knock it back a step. It came on, the arrows falling out of it, and the dent reshaping itself to what it had been before.
Soon, it reached the gate, which by now seemed to be somewhat loose. The bolts! That must be what the fire creature was doing! Hurriedly, the other tower aimed it's ballista at the flaming being, and let off their shot towards it. Perhaps it wasn't too late...
As they did, the gate shuddered. One of them dared to lean forward to see what was happening, and saw the creature of stone, as it battered the gate once again with a powerful blow from one of it's fists...
Behind the gate, the fire had spread to some nearby buildings...
Kaa nodded and eased the door open and slipped into the corridor. He turned to the right and headed off. He slipped his axe from its harness and held it ready to swing. Keeping to the left side of the corridor, he walked quickly along. He grinned as the lamps in the distance darkened as they moved toward then. 'Well done, lass', he thought. When they reached the first intersection he paused to listen, to the stone and to the echos in the other corridors.
Talonn moved into the corridor behind Sala and stopped. As Sala and Kaa headed further along the corridor, Talonn drew a piece of coal from his belt pouch and drew an arrow pointing down inside of a circle on the wall beside the door. The symbol would be invisible to the naked eye, even if the corridor was lit, but it stood out in nightsight. He nodded his head swiftly caught up to the others.
When they reached the intersection, Talonn drew another arrow, this one pointing toward the door, on the wall. He hoped that they would not have to exit this way but, he did not want to have to wander around searching for the cave if they were forced to do so.
Kaa lifted his head and quietly spat on the floor. 'Fagh!', he thought, 'The way to the surface would have to be near the center of the mesa instead of near an outer corridor.' He motioned for them to follow and started down the left passage. They had gone perhaps fifty paces when Kaa saw another passage crossed theirs to form a 'T'. They were not close enough for the lamps to go dark so he could see it clearly. He could also see the troop of men that marched across it.
Kaa squated and raised his hands to stop the others. He hoped that they were far enough in the darkened passage that the men would not see them if they looked their way. Several strained breaths passed before the score of men passed the junction and their echos faded away. Kaa rose and headed onward. The lamps near the crossing corridor winked out as they neared. Kaa motioned for the others to stop while he slowly moved to the corner.
Kaa eased his head around the stone and peeked into the passage. There was another door perhaps ten paces down the right passage, to the left the passage continued on an unknown distance. Kaa could see the some lamps down that way were still lit and there was no movement to be seen. Kaa was about to turn the corner and head for the door when it opend and two men came walking out.
Kaa jumped back and waited for them to reach him. As they drew along side, he grabbed the man closest him and muscled him into the corridor where Sala and Talonn were waiting. Before the other man could figure out what the scuffle in the dark was, Kaa buried his axe in the man's neck and nearly took off his head.
When Kaa jumped back, Talonn surged past Sala. The man Kaa had thrown did not cry out and never would again. Talonn kicked the stumbling man in the stomach and drove the air from his lungs. The man reeled from the kick and then sank to the floor as Talonn whipped his sabre across the man's throat. Talonn froze like Kaa as they listened for the counds of alarm or others approaching.
When Kaa gave the signal that all was well, Talonn sheathed his sabre grabbed Kaa's victim. He dragged the man back down to the intersection they had just left then did the same for the man he had killed. When he was done, Kaa led them toward the door.
When Kaa threw the man back into the hallway Sala stifled a scream, but before she could react Talonn had dispatched him and was draggingt he two bodies back down the hallway. Sala wondered if Talonn and Kaa didn't know some magic that she didn't to move that quickly and kill so silently without any warning.
She followed Kaa unquestioningly, knowing that he wouldn't lead them into danger if he could help it. For her part Sala was continuing what she had started earlier that day, a constant slow build up and storing of energy. She was hoping that it wouldn't burn her out, but the snuffing of the flames was drawing enough of it to keep her at a safe level.
Kaa reached for the door and slowly pulled it open. A breeze brushed across his face and he grinned. Before them was a circular chamber with carved stairs spiraling up to the left. Several clefts in the stone allowed air to filter in and Kaa knew the work to be dwarven. For a moment, he wondered if these halls had once been a dwarven outpost. Shaking his head, he steeped into the chamber.
Kaa looked up and could see that the stairs led to two different levels. Lamps on the top level flickered but the landing hid what passages may have been there. Kaa turned and looked to the others and signaled that they were going up. The dwarf shifted his axe to his left hand and began to climb the stairs, keeping his back to the wall. They were almost at the first landing when the lamps on the top level winked out and a door opened.
Kaa froze and waved to the others to stop. "Rot, the lamps are out!", a voice boomed from the second landing. "Aye, we got not brand and I ain't gonta try to go down these cursed stairs in the dark. Go for the center shaft." a second voice muttered. Another door opened and then both of them closed. Kaa counted twenty fast breaths before he start moving again. When he gained the first landing he darted across it and continued up the stairs.
Talonn lowered the Harp bow as the two men left the shaft. He let out small sigh as he followed Kaa up the stairs. The half-elf paused at the door on the first landing and took a small vial from a pouch on his harness. He quickly tossed a pinch of powder on each of the hinges and then a drop or two of the vial's contents. He waited until he heard the sizzling sound and then started up the stairs.
The acid reacted with the iron powder and ate away at the hinges until all of the powder was consumed. Before he was five steps up the stairs, the sizzle stopped and the hinges were welded solid. The wood would give way before the hinges but it would alert them to any danger.
When they reached the second level Kaa again lay his hand on the stone while Talonn quickly marked the wall. Kaa chose the door he wanted and Talonn motioned Sala to go while he applied the acid to the hinges of the other door. They passed an arched opening that appeared to be a storeroom and headed for an intersecting passage. They were almost near enough for the lamps to flicker out when they heard the tramp of boots coming from ahead. Talonn quickly grabbed Sala's arm and motioned for them to return to the stairs. When they reached the storeroom, a roar and the crunch of splitting wood echoed from the stair shaft. Talonn ushered them into the storeroom as the first soldier rounded the corner and headed toward them.
Kaa left over the sack he was trying to hide behind and yanked the soldier into the room. He hacked the neck of the next warrior before splitting the spine of the writhing soldier on the floor. The dwarf lowered his head and charged like a bull into the next man, sending them both tumbling into the hall. Kaa slit the soldier's throat before he could cry out and leapt to his feet. The hall was empty. Kaa ran back to the door to the stairs and listened intently.
In the darkness, Kaa breathed and oath and looked desperately for a bolt to bar the door. The door opened toward the stairwell and there was no way to lock it. Kaa ran back to the storeroom.
Talonn fired one blot into the face of the other flaming soldier shouldering him aside and following Kaa into the hall. As Kaa and a guard crashed to the floor, Talonn grabbed the last soldier around the neck. He placed the bow against the back of the man's head, just below his helmet, and squeezed the Harp bow's trigger. The bolt punched through the base of the skull and exited out of the soldier's right eye. Talonn dropped the man and retrieved his bolts.
Talonn snatched a blanket from a nearby stack and smothered the flames. He quickly dragged the bodies into the room and piled them behind a row of crates. The stench of burning flesh and blood reached his nose as he looked around for Sala. His nightsight was becoming clearer now that the fires were out and the room was dark again, so he found her easily. "Are you well, Sala?" he whispered.
Talonn whirled as footsteps stopped at the entrance to the storeroom. He lowered his sword when he saw that it was Kaa. "A troll has breached a door and heads down the stairs. We need to be away before he gets a scent of the blood in this room." Kaa hissed before he turned and headed down the corridor.
Talonn nodded his head as he finished cocking and loading the bow. The half-elf stepped into the hall and faced the door. He motioned for Sala to go along behind Kaa while he watched the stairwell. Talonn cursed their luck. He could not sabotage the door for that was the way they would most likely need to go once the deed was done. He hoped the troll would stop and feed on the soldiers instead of following them. He walked backwards for several paces before he turned his attention back to where they were going.
Since they were not moving she wasn't expelling any of the energy she was gathering so her head was starting to throb just a little. She stopped soaking up energy until they started moving again so that she wouldn't do herself any major damage. She didn't like the idea of having to deal with a troll, but Kaa and Talonn were good fighters. She was sure they could handle it. Perhaps she could help too if she was careful, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. She hurried after Kaa as Pine landed on her shoulder, feeling a bit proud of himself.
Ifreet watches the chaos with three of the slaves, waiting quietly for a while, then nods. "It is time. Move. Chalrin, get to the gate with yours, pick up the lost weapons, and back out to the caves. Bern, take out the dam. Then you two get back together and stage your rebellion. Kralen, go over and find the two I told you about, Talabrina and Hammer. They shouldn't be hard for you to catch. Move."
After the three move away, Ifreet nods and begins striding towards the caves to join Talonn, Sala, and Kaa. That is when he hears the voice behind him. "Stay right there. We heard about your little rebellion from the inside...the master will be quite pleased to have one like you..."
As Ifreet turns slowly around, dropping the illusions and returning to his usual look, including the brands on his hands and the armor of serpent scales. He slowly slips his scimitar out as he eyes the three trolls, seven undead in varying states of decay, and five human soldiers. "I'm not going to come quietly...." As he watches the group of fifteen, sizing them up, Ifreet begins to believe he can take them, or at least escape without too many injuries....and that's when the other ten assorted guards step out behind him...
Riding beside Hammer, Talabrina caught sight of the undead. A small force of about twenty some odd skeletons and zombies lurched toward them out of the dark. "Lord Hammer I needs thee and Muffy to hold them off for a few minutes whilst I call upon my faith to destroy these abominations."
With that said she swung her leg off of Muffy's back and dropped to the ground. As Muffy charged ahead, Talabrina cupped her hands around her holy symbol and began singing softly.
Nodding his head to Talabrina in response, Hammer ran after Muffy. Upon reaching the first line of skeletons, Hammer swung his might War Hammer sideways immediately crushed two skeletons. A third skeleton, wielding a rusty short sword, moved past Hammer's swing and scored a hit on his chest. Hammer's web tatoo deflected the sword, not allowing the strike to do damage. Quickly Hammer swung his War Hammer in reverse, catching the third skeleton in it's exposed rib cage and crushing it's spinal cord.
The skeletons quickly responded to his attack by grouping together and trying rush him. Hammer saw the danger. If the skeletons could hold him off a little longer, then the much slower zombies would have time to reach the battle. Then the numbers would be overwelming. Except none of the undead were paying any attention to Muffy.
Taking full advantage of the skeletons inattentiveness, Muffy raced to the side of the line. Skidding to a stop she turned on the skeletons and roared as a brilliant white beam of positive energy blasted through their front line. As the beam hit each skeleton, it ignited in white flame for a second before exploding into dust. A couple did manage to avoid the path of the blast and kept on relentlessly moving forward.
By then Talabrina was ready and held her holy symbol high in the air. "Oh blessed Dark Maiden," sang Talabrina as loudly as she could manage, "champion of all that is good, blast these unholy minions of the dark back to the darkness from which they came." Then she leveled her gaze upon the advancing undead. "By the power invested in me by Eilistrae the Dark Maiden, I, Talabrina Zolond declare thy foul presence to be at as end. BEGONE!" On the final note the holy symbol began to glow brightly with silver light. The light then burst forth a silvery fire burst sweeping around Hammer and Muffy, leaving them unscathed but having a devastating effect on the undead. Skeletons were blown apart, zombies melted where they stood, only three zombies managed to avoid the fire by virtute of being too far away due to their slowness. Then Talabrina collapsed to the ground panting heavily.
Hammer was greatfull for the unexepected power of Muffy. And for the extreme power of Talabrina. She had decemated the ranks of the undead, and he stood in awe of the destruction. Untill he saw the three remaining zombies shuffle towards him. Battle instincts honed from a lifetime spent fighting guided Hammer as he raised his War Hammer high and charged the zombies. His swing launched one zombie twenty yards, and crushed an arm of a second zombie. Hammer had to duck under a clumsy blow from the uninjured zombie, but he followed up with a leg sweep that dropped the zombie to the ground. The injured zombie raked Hammer's back with it's good arm, but the attack did no damage. As the third zombie tried to get to it's feet, the second zombie followed up it's rake attack with an attempt to bite Hammer. Hammer elbowed the offending zombie in the head. The sound was sickening as the zombie's jaw bone shattered. Still the zombie kept comming.
Muffy warily circled the melee surrounding Hammer and pounced on the third zombie as it was rising. A wet snapping sound came from the zombies back as she slammed it back to the ground but still the zombie feebly struggled, too mindless to comprehend the nature of its injury.
Looking around Muffy saw a second wave of undead approaching and while they would not immediately arrive, it wouldn't be long until they did. Growling a warning she moved away from the feebly struggling zombie and watched the approaching undead.
Talabrina looked up and looked in the direction that Muffy was looking in and struggled to her feet. "Lord Hammer," she called, "there doth be more undead arriving soon. Let us lure them further away from their companions!"
When Muffy took out the third zombie, Hammer put his knee into the 2nd zombies stomach, doubling the zombie over. Hammer then brought the handle of his War Hammer into the side of the zombie's head. The zombie stumbled away a few feet, but turned again to face Hammer. Hammer backed away a few feet, then heard Talabrina's words. Hammer used the space between himself and the zombie to swing his massive War Hammer one full rotation before striking the zombie's head like a baseball. It's head went flying, and the body dropped lifeless once more.
Hammer retreaved the head of the zombie, then joined Talabrina and Muffy. He dropped the head onto the ground, then swung his hammer. He sent the head flying in the direction of the gathered undead. "I hope you are well rested, Lady Talabrina. If not, I can activate the haste spell in my hammer and clear the next group out."
Talabrina watched Hammer belting the zombie head and smiled. "Methinks thee didst get quite the distance on that one milord," she said clapping politely. "In sooth, am I am more than willing to let thee take on the next batch of undead Lord Hammer for this promises to be most entertaining. That and I admit I couldst use the rest. Doth thee wish Muffy to accompany thee to guard thy back?"
Hammer smiled at Talabrina's applause. "It would appear that I should have used a lighter hammer."
He then watched the zombie head fly towards the undead, untill it landed 20 yards away from the formost members. The head landed and rolled a few more feet, where it caught the attention of a Ghoul captain. The Ghoul looked around and saw some specks in the distance. Immediately, the ghoul ordered its company of skeletons and zombies to march and inspect the specks. The ghoul led its company forward, motioning to the other captains of its intentions.
By this time Qki had gotten the hang of pulling the bolts free, and was making pretty good progress. He still couldn't see much of anything, so he felt rather than saw the metal-tipped projectile heading for him. It was coming fast, though, and he didn't have much time to react. Something coming that fast must be bad, so he desperately tried to merge his resonance with its own.
Luckily for the golem this much more deadly kind of bolt had a negative resonance. At the last moment the resonances merged. It was too late to have much of an effect, but the bolt's path was changed just enough that it hit Qki's chest with a glancing blow instead of straight on.
He wasn't aware of what happened for a few moments after that. When he recovered, he was laying on his back. Something was different. The flames had just about gone out, so after a moment of scrubbing at his eyes he could see again. He looked down.
The ballista bolt had hit his frying-pan chest at an angle, and had made a sizable hole in his shoulder next to it. In fact, it was still there, holding him to the ground. Looking up to the gate, he could see Granite pounding on it. He hoped he had gotten enough of the hinge bolts free for him to break the door down. Next thing to do would be to try to get free of the giant crossbow bolt that was holding him down.
Weakened by the loss of it's supports, and battered under the enormous strength and weight of Granite's attacks, the gate finally gave way, one half of it falling loose, landing in the conflagration behind it. The fire licked eagerly at the new fuel, even as troops fantically fought to control the blaze.
They now had an additional threat to worry about, one that was far more difficult to deal with than the fire, which was at least a known phenomenon. The man of stone strode through the opening straight towards the men fighting the fire.
Several men ran to attack him, but they proved little difficulty. Granite did not even try to avoid their attacks, simply allowing the sword blades and mace heads to rebound from him, as his fists both lashed out, caving in the chest of one man, and crushing the skull of another.
The others took not much longer to join them, and Granite then marched to the firefighters, bringing yet more death to the scene. Many of the men started to panic, both at the growing fire, and the apparently invulnerable creature which was smashing their cohorts like eggshells.
While causing all of this carnage, Granite was concentrating heavily on studying their behavior. Situations of danger always seemed to provoke unusual actions, even completely irrational ones, from organics, and these ones were no different. It was especially odd, in that it often seemed to leave them functioning less effectively than if they did not act the way they did...
Qki could see that Granite did indeed get the gate down. That was good. Now for this ballista bolt. He tried standing up, but the oblique angle it had hit the ground at made it difficult. It was also tightly wedged against the pieces of his shoulder and didn't want to slide free.
Luckily for him he had ended up in semi-darkness, which made it difficult for the guards to see him now that the flames were out. On top of that it seemed that they had other things to worry about.
The bolt's metal tip was still reacting badly with his resonance, which gave him an idea. Perhaps he could merge the resonances, and instead of moving the object, maybe he could move himself! The angle would be right... he decided to try it. He merged the resonances, slowly this time so as not to send himself flying across the battlefield. As he did it he concentrated more and more on his own resonance, and he was rewarded by a grinding sound as his whole body started to slide slowly up the bolt's shaft. After a moment or two of this he fell off the end and dropped lightly to the ground.
Qki tried pulling the bolt up from the ground where it had lodged, but he wasn't strong enough. He grabbed one of the sharp forks he'd tied to his side earlier and stalked towards the now-open gate to see if Granite needed any help.
Kaa paused at the next junction long enough to listen to the stone and for the footsteps of soldiers. Ignoring the branching corridors, Kaa led them further along the passage. They were near the heart of the mesa and the dwarf could sense fresh air.
Kaa slowed as they approached a chamber. He stopped far enough away that the lanterns in the chamber remained lit and squatted to listen. Grunts and moans drifted to his ears and the smell of sweat and blood mingled with the hint of outside air. Kaa lifted his hand and motioned for Talonn to come forward.
Talonn stepped over to the opposite wall and eased past Sala. He dropped to his knees across from Kaa and lifted his eye covering. After listening for a score of heartbeats, Talonn turned to Kaa and, using 'rogue's code', guessed it was a dungeon of sorts. Kaa nodded and gestured back that they needed to go through the chamber to reach the plateu.
Talonn nodded and stood slowly. He slid his sabre quietly back into its scabbard and flipped his cloak over the Harp bow. Talonn slipped quietly down the passage before he stood erect and walked into the chamber.
The chamber was round with a diameter of nearly 30 paces. Four corridors entered the chamber, one of them containing stairs that led up and allowed a breeze to enter the chamber. Barred cells lined the walls opposite the stairs, each recessed into the stone and containing a huddled prisoner, and an iron cage sat squarely in the center of the chamber. A huge, bear of a man hunkered in the center of the cage. Three armored guards stood from a table set in a barless cells and came toward Talonn. Their hands rested on their swords as they spread apart to face him. "Here now. Who are ye and why are ye here?" on growled as he pointed to Talonn.
Walking toward them, Talonn released the 'Rage' at the man as he swept his Harp bow from under his cloak. The head sized ball of force struck the soldier square in the chest and knocked him to the floor. The other guards fell heavily with their swords barely drawn and bolts in their throats. They all three hit the floor at the same time. Talonn leapt past the dying men but had to dodge back as the last guard swung wildly with his sword. Wheezing loudly, the guard got to his feet and moved so that Talonn's back was to the wall. Talonn released another ball of 'Rage' that knocked the man backwards against the cage.
The man in the cage leapt from the floor and seized the guard through the bars. One huge hand clamped on the guard's sword arm while the other gripped the soldier's throat. Barely a breath passed before a sickening crunch sounded and the prisoner dropped the limp guard to the floor. The man in the cage did not utter a sound but simply stared at Talonn.
Talonn quickly looked down the other corridors before returning to stand before the cage. He stood and returned the man's stare for a moment before giving a shrill whistle.
Kaa listened intently as the sounds of fighting could be heard from the chamber. He nearly ran head long into the dungeon when the battle fell to silence. He gave a great sigh of relief when he heard Talonn's whistle.
"Keep the lanterns lit." he whispered to Sala as he stood and headed for the chamber.
Kaa looked around as the prisoners all began to stir and move to the doors of their cells. Some began to moan or babble to them about being set free. Kaa grinned as they all silenced when Talonn swept the room with his red glowing eyes. Kaa fetched the keys from one of the dead guard's belt and went to stand beside Talonn.
The huge man in the cage had still not spoken and watched them warily but without fear. He didn't seem to be surprised by their appearance or the death of the guards.
Talonn stood and faced the man for several more breaths before he finally spoke. "If I free you, will you free the others and then flee?" he said as he continued to stare into the man's eyes. The man returned his stare and nodded his head slowly. Talonn stepped aside, cocked, and reloaded his bow as Kaa moved to open the cage. Kaa moved away from the door as the man opened it slowly.
Kaa tossed the keys to the man and then turned and headed for the stairs. Talonn, however, did not move and kept his bow pointed at the man. The prisoner pulled the sword from the soldier's hand and tucked it into his belt before moving to the closest cell. Talonn moved slowly toward the stairs as the man worked to open the cells.
By the time, Talonn stood at the foot of the stairs the prisoners had scurried from their cells and fled down one of the corridors. Talonn noted that the man from the cage was the only one to take a weapon and that he had still stood in the chamber. Talonn and the man exchanged one final stare before the man pulled the sword from his belt and saluted Talonn. Talonn returned the salute and the man turned and lumbered off into a corridor.
Kaa led them up the curving stairs until the sky was visible through the opening at the end. Several torch stands dotted the plateau with a pair near the opening. The dwarf lay down upon the stair and crawled until he could peek out. Kaa made a quick gesture before leaping to his feet and running out the doorway. He ran for nearly twenty paced before he ducked behind a small shed. Talonn waited until Sala moved to follow before drawing the cloth over his eyes and running after her.
Sala waited until she was sure Talonn was following before following Kaa up the stairs. She stopped a couple steps down from him and sent Pine up next to him to spy out the area for her. When Kaa reached the small shed she slipped silently from the passage and ran towards the shed, her camoflaged body blending in perfectly with the night. She stopped beside him and, once she was sure he knew she was there, whispered right by his ear, "Now what?"
Inside, the defending forces had all but given up hope of controlling the blaze or destroying the attacker. Most were now well away from the burning area, having retreated into the mesa itself, to try to hold their position there.
A ring of eye spots had appeared around Granite's torso, offering him a complete view of the situation. The fire was spreading, and the defenders had left the area. This was probably sufficient to qualify as the distraction that the others had wanted. Of course, that was no excuse to not be thorough.
Powerful blows rained down upon the other side of the main gate, which was now beginning to burn as well, ignited by the inferno around it. With a groan, it fell outwards, breaking in half as it struck the ground.
Then the area was bathed in a new burst of fire and light. The blaze had reached a storage shed, which apparently had counted among it's contents a number of flammable or explosive contents, as a fireball mushroomed skyward, sending flaming debris showering across the area. What had so far escaped the flames now began to scorch and burn, the whole scene eerily illuminated in flickering shades of orange.
Granite himself was unharmed by the blast, being far enough away that he was not directly caught in it, and sturdy enough that the flying wreckage did him no damage. He strode towards the entry to the mesa, ignoring the devastation around him.
The golem was lucky in that he had not quite reached the demolished gate when the storage shed went up. He was protected from the blast by the remains of the wall, but decided to stay where he was just in case something else happened. "I don't like this at all!" he muttered to himself.
After a moment or two he gathered enough courage to peek around the corner, into a scene of carnage that dwarfed the goblin fight earlier. People had been taken apart all around him. Their crushed bodies lay in scattered lumps strewn randomly across the yard.
He could see Granite going into the mesa, ready to take apart more of the soldiers. He was overcome with a heavy wave of sadness. All these people, gone. They can't be put back together any more. Suddenly he didn't want to help Granite any further. He rock man always said he didn't understand the ways of other people, but he sure seemed to follow them. This had to be the saddest thing of all.
Still, everyone said that these were "bad men." But who decided that? It was true that they had enslaved Ifreet's friends and treated them badly... but were all of them to blame for it? Maybe if their leader, this one they called the "lich," were stopped, the others would end their evil ways! Maybe the whole thing was his fault!
But he had promised to help Granite, and help the rock man is what he would do, whether he liked it or not. Qki took another peek around the edge of the wall. Nothing moved in the yard leading up to the mesa, and Granite was nowhere to be seen. Where was he?
"Foolish golem! How long did you sit there thinking?" Qki ran across to the mesa, not worrying about who might see. He got there without hearing a sound except for the crackling noises of the burning buildings, but Granite couldn't be seen from the entryway either! Only more ruined bodies met his eyes in the entry chamber.
Well, there was only one thing to do. Go back to Plan B - try to find the lich and stop him from making these men bad. He found a staircase leading up, and started climbing.
Having successfully broken down the inner gate, and just as effectively broken down the guards behind it, Granite stopped to consider the situation. He had been asked to create a distraction. From what he knew of organics' ways, the destruction he had just caused, despite being pointless to him, would distract them quite well.
He considered what he should do next. Most likely, the others would by now be most of the way to completing their stated objectives. Which would mean that they would be attempting to reach the top of the mesa. In that case, he would meet them there.
Granite strode back outside, and looked up the side of the mesa. It was a long way up, but the side was rough enough to suffice for his purposes.
Granite walked right up to the wall until he was in contact with it. Then his form seemed to melt against it, becoming a formless lump of stone, clinging to the side of the rock. Slowly, his form expanded upwards and pulled itself along, 'flowing' up the side of the mesa.
The moon lit the plateau in an eeriy light. Flickering torchs and braziers dotted the area and added to the scene. Shadowy figures moved around the center of moss and turf covered mesa around a large building and a series of tents and odd shaped mounds. Three bodies still swung from the gallows and a cart near the chopping blocks had what appeared to be human legs dangling from it. Whatever commotion was occurring below, no alarm had been raised here.
Nearly three hundred paces to the north sat the citadel. No torchs were upon the low walls and there appeared to be no gate. Light spilled from a few windows on the lower level of the fortress and the green light still shined from the squat tower. Shambling figures could be seem moving in the courtyard beyond the walls.
Kaa ignored Sala's question and watched the barracks and the huddled mounds for several breaths. He drew in a sharp breath as one of the lumps stirred, rose to nearly three paces tall, and shuffled over to the cart of the dead. The troll ripped one of the dangling legs from a corpse and proceeded to munch on it as it headed back to its pallet. Another pair of trolls moved to get a share of the limb and a tussle broke out. The feeding troll used his meal as a club and drubbed the others away before settling back down to eat.
Kaa leaned close to Sala and whispered, "Here is where we split up. My task lies there and yours over yon. Take care, sweet Sala. We will meet again." Kaa gave her a fatherly pat on the shoulder before he shuffled to Talonn's side.
Kaa returned her hug and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. He slipped from her arms and crouched beside Talonn.
"I will give you to a count of 100 before I light the night." the dwarf whispered to Talonn. For nearly ten heartbeats, they simply looked into each others eyes. Saying nothing further, Kaa and Talonn clasped wrists and then turned away from each other.
Talonn released Kaa's hand and touched Sala on the arm. "Let's go.", he whispered, "Stay as close as you can. Stop when I stop and run when I run."
Talonn drew his cloak tighter about him and seemed to melt into the shadows. Crouching low, he moved from away from the buidling and darted for an overturned cart. Once behind it, he paused only long enough for Sala to reach him and to take two breaths before he began running to the next available cover. When they reached the low pile of firewood, he paused slightly longer while he peered over the stack and listened for an alarm.
The count in his head reached 90 when he and Sala slipped behind another shed. They were less than 100 paces from the wall and he could see the sentries pacing the courtyard. It was not only the staggering gait of the sentries that alerted Talonn but also the hazy image his nightsight gave him of them.
"Hsst. Undead guard the walls." he breathed to Sala.
Sala followed Talonn just as he had asked and stopped just behind him at the last shed. She too could see the hazy images of the undead. She thought about gathering more energy and trying to stop them magically, but this close to thier objective that could be deadly. In a nearly inaudible whisper right at Talonn's ear she said, "I could try to use magic, but it might not be a good idea so close to the lich. What should we do? If you plan to attack can you spare me a dagger...just in case?"
Kaa watched them disappear into the darkness then turned back to observe the trolls. He slipped the sack containing the jars of oil from across his back to where it hung on his chest. A daggar cut below the mouth of the sack provided him quick access to the pots. When he had counted to 50, Kaa took up his axe and prepared to move closer to his targets.
The sound of a troll snarling stopped him before he could move a finger. Kaa turned his head slowly and barely bit back a startled cry. The hulking form of a troll came stalking from the doorway to the prisons and was heading directly for him. Kaa cursed under his breath for he had forgotten about the troll that had almost come upon them back by the stairwell. 'The foul beasts must be following our scent', he though as another huge shape stepped from the doorway follwoing the first.
Kaa knew he was trapped. If he fought, he would bring the rest of the clan down upon him. There was no where to hide and the count had nearly reached 70. Talonn would not move until the fires began. Kaa spat on the ground and hefted his axe. A quick cut and run was his only option. He slowly stood and prepared to face the trolls.
The lead troll faltered a step when it finally spotted the dwarf. The gutteral growl changed to a hideous chuckle as it crouched and moved to attack. Suddenly, the second troll leapt upon the back of the first and drove it to the ground. The sound of cracking bones could be heard amid the scuffle. The first troll rolled quickly and tossed the second away. Kaa seized his chance and leapt into the fray. In one stroke he lopped the head from the first troll. He kicked it aside as he turned to face the other. Kaa nearly gutted the shadow that rushed past him before he realized it wasn't a troll. It was the man from the cage.
The man snatched the troll's head and heaved it into the darkness. Drawing the sword from his belt, he dismembered the troll with a speed and skill that would have rivaled a huntsman with a rabbit. Each limb was tossed into a different direction and the torso was dragged into a middens trench. When the man returned, Kaa face him warily. The man crouched beside Kaa, uttered not a word, and stared across the plateau.
Talonn reached into one of his boots and drew out a daggar. He handed it to Sala without taking his eyes from the guards. His count had reached 100. He squinted back to where the trolls were, looking for the first signs of fire. When he saw none he sighed deeply.
"Do not use your power unless you must do so to save your life. Your life, I say. I fear you will need it when we face the Lich. I hope you will have no need for that daggar but you should be armed."
"When the fires start, the guards will be distracted long enough for us to go over the wall there." Talonn pointed to spot along the wall where what appeared to be a fountain could be seen rising above the stones. "Once over, we should be able to avoid the sentries and get into the citadel. Can you sense the Lich? It will make our way easier if we know where we are going once inside."
Talonn turned to face her as he asked the question. He had not realized how close they were until her hair touched his face. The smell of it reminded him of summer breezes despite the reek of pitch and trolls that surrounded them. He caught himself before he drew in a deep breath of it but did not back away for fear she would notice and be frightened. The 'Rage' seethed at his distraction.
Sala found herself looking at the cloth that was hiding his eyes. She could see the light from the rage dimly behind it. She hadn't expected him to turn around like that. Thier faces were barely inches apart. She swallowed. She wasn't used to being so close to anyone else, much the less to someone who made her feel so many strange emotions. She was breathing faster than she ought to be and she wasn't sure if it was just the fear and anxiety of what they were doing. Suddenly she felt her birth mark pulse. No, not now. Oddly enough it subsided at her silent plea. "Um... I, um.. I could try. I agree that I shouldn't use my powers right now. The lich would notice." She decided to tell him what she had been doing since that morning, "I have been gathering as much power as I can hold to fight the lich." She paused, "I..I have come close to hurting myself doing so, but I think I can handle it as long as I don't take anymore in."
Talonn's eyes widen as she spoke about her power. "Do you harm yourself in your preparations. I don't..We don't want you to be unable to face the Lich." He wpied his hand across his forehead and slowly turned away. He could hear her breathing and was surprised to found that his matched hers.
A flash of light caught his eye. He looked back to the center of the plateau and saw flames erupting in different spots. He looked back to the courtyard. The sentries had seen the fires and were moving jerkily toward the gate. Talonn scanned the section of the wall and counted to twenty. Seeing no further movement, he tapped Sala's arm and then dashed for the wall.
Talonn did not slow when he reached the wall but leapt over without touching it. He landed in a crouch, sword and bow raised. He reached back to assist Sala without looking away from the courtyard. Once her feet his the ground, he ran to the nearest darkened window. A tool from his harness made quick work of the window lock and, before he had breathed thirty breaths, he was in the room.
He quickly searched the room for an occupant and was relieved to find it empty. He ran to the door to listen outside. He slid the bolt home as quietly as he could and turned to see if Sala had made it into the window. In his haste to get them inside and distracted by his worry for Sala, he failed to notice the faint chill that slid across his skin as he entered the window.
Hammer looked at Muffy. "It is up to you if you wish to join me in battle, magestic cat. If you wish to keep watch over Lady Talabrina, I will understand."
The great cat bodily nudged Hammer and purred, looking at him with a smirk. "well there be thy answer Lord Hammer," Talabrina giggled. "Get thee going Lord Hammer, the undead will not wait forever. If thee should encounter more than thee thinks thee can handle pullback to here and we three shall fight them together agreed Lord Hammer?"
Hammer reached down and scratched Muffy behind the ears. "You plan is sound.
Prepare you defenses and rest, for we two
Muffy purred some more at being petted and began running toward the undead
troops. When Hammer activated his haste spell and raced by her, she slowed
and looked around. After watching Hammer devastate the skeletons, she
began making her way quietly around the combat.
A few moments later she came across what she was looking for, the ghoul
leaders of this group of undead. Muffy pulled her lips back in a snarl and
growled loudly, causing the ghouls to start and look in her direction.
What they saw was a blast of energy building within her jaws before it
lashed out at them. It caught the lead ghoul full in the chest, causing
him to explode in a flash of dust. The rest looked horrified at each other
but still pressed forward to try and catch Muffy.
Hammer's attack was so effective that before he knew it, he was into the third
row of undead before they could mount any type of counter attack. Waiding in
heedlessly, he mowed down those skeletons and zombies that did not fall back.
Swinging his War Hammer, he crushed skulls and ribcages. His haste spell
causing him to move faster than the zombies could follow, Hammer was a
wirlwind of destruction.
Four of the skeletons had managed to escape Hammer's initial attack, and
bunched to counter attack. They attacked Hammer's back, but found that his
tatoo easily deflected their strikes. Hammer felt the attacks, and whirled to
face the skeletons. He swung his hammer around and crushed one skeleton.
Then he jabbed the staff of the hammer into the skull of a second skeleton,
killing it. The last two skeletons got tangled up in each other as Hammer
sidestepped their rush. He finished them off, then checked on Muffy.
Muffy was taking her time with the hapless ghouls. After firing off a
blast which would destroy a ghoul, Muffy would run a distance away before
turning around and dusting another ghoul. Soon the remaining two ghouls
routed and fled. Unfortunately for the ghouls Muffy had been circling
slightly and now they fled unwittingly in Hammer's direction while looking
back in fear that Muffy was pursuing them.
Hammer smiled at the oncoming ghouls. So terrified were they of Muffy, that
they payed no attention to where they were headed. Hammer timed his swing
perfectly, and caught the first ghoul square in the back, crushing it's spinal
cord. Too late, the 2nd ghoul realized what had happened. It faced Hammer
just in time to recieve a face full of War Hammer. The ghoul crumpled to the
ground like a life less rag doll. Hammer finished off the first ghoul, then
rejoined Muffy. "That was a fine battle, wouldn't you say, Muffy? Shall we
rejoin with Talabrina now?" Hammer turned to jog back to Talabrina.
Kaa drew five pots from his sack. The lids on these did not contain a
soaked bit of cloth. He handed two to the man and quickly explained his
plan. He received a scant nod to show that the man understood. Kaa
shifted to move closer but a huge hand gripped his shoulder. Before the
dwarf could turn to look at the him, the man slipped his huge hand into
the sack and drew out two more jars. Kaa could only gape as the man gave
him a strong pat on the back and vanished into the darkness. Kaa
muttered and shook his head before slipping away from the shed.
Kaa made his way through the shadows to the last gallows in the line, a
twisted figure still swayed from the noose. Kaa dropped to his knees and
quickly arrayed a row of pots on the ground, three with rags and the
three without. He pulled the sling from the sack and fitted one of the
latter into it. Five whirls of the sling were all he dared before he
launched the pot. It shattered amongst the huddled trolls. Quick as he
could, Kaa sent the all but the last two with rags lofting into the
clan. The trolls stirred to their feet and milled about in confusion as
the pots splashed their oil onto them.
Kaa looked at the last two pots and cursed as he realized he had no way
to light them. He quickly looked around for the nearest torch even as he
pulled his flint from his pouch. A roar in the night drew his eye and he
nearly dropped his flint. The man charged from the darkness, howling
like a bear, and snatched a torch from its stand. The man ran by the
door to the barracks and the whole front of the building erupted in
flame as he passed. The man paused only long enough to cast the torch
like a spear before he followed it, sword in hand.
The torch struck a troll square and burst it into flame. With its arms
flailing and staggering in fear, the troll crashed into several others
and they too caught fire. Kaa tried to follow where the man had run but
the light from the fires blinded his nightsight. Kaa closed his eyes
briefly and returned to normal vision. He uttered a prayer of protection
for the man before he fitted a pot to the sling and sent it into the
fray. Kaa flung the last pot on the ground and one more from the sack
into the inferno before he abandoned his spot by the gallows.
Soldiers leapt through the flames of the barracks and crashed into a
cart of dead bodies. Fire engulfed trolls capered about hideously and
set fire to nearly everything they touched. Unlit patches of oil
randomly bloomed into fire as the heat increased. The confusion was
total and spread as quickly as the flames. No one spotted the huddled
form of a dwarf running from the gallows to a row of carts near the
well. No one except the armor clad warrior that crouched near the first
headsman block. Hefting his shield, the warrior slipped into the
darkness and headed for the dwarf.
Talonn turned his head sharply as she spoke. He thought back to when he
had entered the window and muttered a curse under his breath. He had
felt the chill and upon further thought, the demon's ring had given a
slight tingle as well. Concentrating, Talonn released a tiny sliver of
the 'Rage' at the window and felt it brush against something he could
not see.
"Dragonspit! The window was warded. An alarm spell, no doubt." he
whispered to her as he slipped back to the door and listened. "We must
get as far away from this room as possible, quickly. The tower is to the
north so we will head south and try to circle back to it. If we come
upon any undead, we will run. If we face the living...let me handle it.
Just stay back and guard yourself." He slid the bolt back with one hand
while he reached back to clasp her's with the other.
Talonn eased the door open and led them into the hall. The walls were
plastered stone with scattered tapestries and painted canvas. Talonn did
not take notice of the scenes depicted upon them. The halls were empty
and lit by candlestands. He hurried down the hall before he ducked into
a door. Footsteps echoed in the hall as he closed the door behind Sala.
It wasn't until he had closed the door that he turned to survey the
chamber that they were in. He quickly drew his swords. Covered in
tattered rags, ten bodies of what had once been noble men and women,
given their jewelry and lace, sat decaying around a great table. Rotten
food and tarnished dishes still sat before the corpses. Only the chair
at the head of the table was empty. Talonn gave a sigh of relief when
none of them moved.
Kaa skidded to his knees behind the carts and dumped the bag of jars on
the ground. He tore a piece of the sack and sloshed a bit of oil from
one of the jars onto it. Raking his flint across his axe, he ignited the
bit of sacking. Shielded between two carts, Kaa began to work his sling.
Fires not bloomed all over the plateau. Kaa thought he saw several
figures running throught the smoke waving torchs and spreading the fire
much more than his pots of oil. He dismissed it as a trick of the smoke.
Even so, Kaa could not help but think of the hugh man as he cast his
last flaming pot into the night.
A glint from the corner of his eye was all the warning he got. Kaa threw
himself under one of the carts just as the sword crashed onto the rail
where his head had been. "Gar! A whiley little stone cracker, ye are." a
lilting voice rasped from the other side of the cart.
Kaa rolled out from under the cart with his axe in hand. He showed no
surprise when the halfling, encased in mismatched armor and bearing a
large shield and sword, sauntered around the to face him. "Tis good to
see ya, fellow. To tell ya true, I thought ta never have the pleasure of
yer company agin. I kinda liked ya, I did. Butcha see, ya has gone an
sets fire to me pets. For that, I have gots to kill ya." Argall chuckled
as he raised his shield. Kaa only growled and drew back his axe.
The stairs had led to a long, straight corridor, to another set of
stairs, to what seemed to be a storage area full of dusty boxes, to more
stairs... There was no way Qki could have found his way back by this time.
He was generally trying to go up, but there wasn't always a way to do
that. He berated himself again for being foolish. How could he just
assume he'd be able to find the top of the mesa? Now he was lost.
Luckily, it seemed that the distractions he and Granite had caused
were successful in taking attention away from this area. He saw no one at
all as he walked the corridors of the mesa. At one point he heard loud
footsteps approaching from down a side corridor, but quickly stepped
around a corner and continued on, trying to minimize the clacking noise he
made while walking. Evidently he was successful since he wasn't accosted.
What should he do? There was nothing left but to keep on. He
tried a side corridor that looked promising.
It was interesting that, as he walked around the corridors of the
mesa, he could feel large, strong resonances all around him at different
points in his wanderings. It seemed that there were good-sized deposits
of metal in the mesa! Perhaps when he was done helping Sala he could take
up a career in mining.
He was interrupted in his musings by a pair of armored soldiers
rounding a turn directly in front of him. Both groups stood gaping
openmouthed for a moment, completely taken by surprise. The guards
recovered first, drawing their swords.
"What is that thing?" one of them whispered to the other.
"I don't know. It doesn't matter," the second said, advancing
toward Qki.
The golem still held one of the forks from the inn in his hand.
The first guard started to swing his sword at him! Without thinking, he
raised the fork, stepped back, and merged the resonances to send the fork
flying at the guard's head! The fork entered through the guard's helmet's
eyeslit, piercing his eye and killing him instantly.
The second guard, stepping forward, swung his sword down in a
sweeping arc and severed Qki's left arm at his shoulder. The parts making
it up fell in a heap on the floor, and Qki desperately slid backward along
the floor, trying to get away. The guard, who was fairly superstitious to
begin with, saw that this creature of metal didn't bleed or seem to be
even hurt at all by losing an arm, and faltered for an instant.
Qki, realizing that something behind that soldier was calling to
him, quickly merged the resonances and brought it to him. It turned out
to be the first soldier's sword! It melded itself onto his right hand,
and he brought it up to menace the guard. All this proved to be too much
for the guard. A creeature that had killed his partner, didn't bleed and
could make objects fly through the air was more than he could handle, and
he turned tail and ran back the way he had come.
Wow, thought Qki. I scared him off! He was sorry that he had
broken the first soldier, but it was either that guard or himself. They
were trying to take him apart! He set his new sword down and set to
putting his arm back together.
When he was done, he picked the sword back up, deciding to leave
the fork where it was, covered with the soldier's red life. He stepped
over the soldier's body and continued on down the corridor, the sword held
out in front of him.
The sound of footsteps in the hall passed, apparently heading for the
room that they had entered. Talonn muttered another curse when he
realized that he forgot to close the window. The 'Rage' nearly laughed.
He looked desperately around the room for an exit. At the end of the
dining hall, an old, tattered tapestry hung haphazardly. Talonn sheathed
his bastard sword and took Sala's hand again.
Taking care to stay away from the dead at the table, Talonn made his way
to the tapestry. He let out a sigh of relief when he found the servant's
door just behind one corner of the tapestry. The hinges were heavily
leaden with dust and grime and required several squirts of oil before
Talonn felt they would open with out screeching. The half-elf pushed the
door open enough to peek through before he opened it fully. A long,
small corridor led off into the darkness. Talonn closed his eyes and
switched to nightsight. "We have some luck left.", he whispered, "This
should lead to the kitchens without crossing any main halls. Stay close
behind me." Talonn held his sword before him and the bow ready to fire
from the hip as he started along the passage.
Kaa parried the thrust and landed a blow on Argall's shield. Kaa pulled
back in time to block the slash and backed a pace. Argall continued to
taunt and banter as the two of them traded blows. Kaa no longer listened
to the halflings words. All of his senses were devoted to finding a hole
in Argall's defense and splitting the troll leader's skull.
Bedlam had taken the plateau. Trolls, enraged and paniced by the flames,
attacked everyone that was not a troll and some that were. The soldiers
that escaped the barracks were forced to defend themselves rather than
douse the flames. Other men had joined the fight but it was unclear
whether they were slaves, prisoners, or undead. They banded together to
slay a troll then turned on each other only to be attacked by the next
rampaging troll. One scaffold collapsed and sent the dangling corpse to
topple the cart of bodies. Some trolls braved the flames to feed in a
frenzy from the pile.
Kaa accepted the cut across his arm to land a blow on Argall's
breastplate. Argall winced and stumbled back. The armor held but from
the size of the dent, Kaa was sure he had cracked a rib or two. The
dwarf started to advance when a group of four men appeared through the
smoke. Kaa did not wait to see if they were friend or foe. While their
surprise held, Kaa struck at the nearest man. The axe chopped the man's
arm cleanly at the elbow. Kaa shouldered the man aside and buried his
weapon in the next man's back.
The man collapsed and tore Kaa's axe from his hands. The dwarf cast a
quick look to see if Argall was in a position to take advantage. Kaa
could only grin when he saw that the other two men were fiercely
battering Argall's shield. The armless man fled off into the darkness.
Ripping the axe from the body, Kaa almost leapt to attack the men from
behind. The glint of steel caught his eye. Drawn but the clash of steel,
more men were coming toward them.
Kaa gave a last look at Argall and darted behind a cart. The men charged
out of the smoke and fell upon Argall and his attacker. Kaa slipped
unnoticed into the darkness and headed for the citadel.
Talonn paused at every door along the corridor to listen. With every
step he took he knew they were in trouble. They had been luchy to find
the servants passage but he couldn't shake the notion that his luck was
not that good. The 'Rage' and his assassin's training told him that
things had gone desperately wrong. The itch that ran along his spine
told him that the time for stealth was near to an end.
The passage ended ten paces before him with a door. By his estimation,
they were nearly at the tower and a stairwell would lay beyond the door.
Talonn stopped when he was three paces from the door and strained to
listen. The heavy silence was only broken by the blood rushing in his
ears and the sound of his and Sala's breathing. Talonn drew in a deep
breath, sheathed his sabre, and stepped forward. As he reached for the
door, the ring the demon had given him began to tingle then burn. Before
he could stop himself, his hand touched the door handle. In desperation,
Talonn released his grip on his bow and grabbed for Sala's hand.
A bright flash of light erupted as he touched the handle. A feeling like
being doused with oily water came over him and his stomach lurched. He
barely felt his kness give way only that one moment he was standing and
the next his was crumpled on the floor. When he found the strength to
open his eyes, he stuggled to his feet. Swaying to stay afoot, he drew
his swords. He fed all of his anger and his fear to the 'Rage' and, in
turn, drew on 'Its' power to remain standing. His swords dipped slightly
as he used that power to raised his head to look at the enemy.
On a throne made of human bone, some still bearing flesh and gristle,
the Lich looked back at him and laughed.
Kaa yanked his axe free from the soldier's belly and let the body fall.
Before the man's body stopped moving, he had slipped into the shadows of
a shanty. Four more soldiers jogged out of the smoke, stepped over the
dead man, and then were quickly swallowed by more smoke. Kaa released
the breath he had held and tried to wipe the blood from his face.
He knew there were only three hundred paces or so from where he had
first left Talonn and the citadel. It seemed like three hundred leagues
in all the smoke and flames. That was the fourth, no, fifth man that had
materialized from the smoke and nearly took his head. Proud as he was at
the chaos he had wrought, Kaa couldn't help cursing at how well his plan
had gone.
Fire raged across the top of the mesa. Fanned by the breezes that blew
this high off the valley floor and fueled by dry grass and rotting
boards, the fire had quickly gotten out of control. Rampaging trolls and
armed strangers had kept the soldiers from forming fire brigades to stop
its spread. Kaa found himself fleeing the flames nearly as often as he
fled from the trolls or soldiers. Especially since the wind had shifted
and was now blowing the fire toward the citadel.
Kaa removed his helmet and wiped his face and forehead with a cloth. He
clamped the helm back on his head and spat the taste of smoke from his
mouth. A glowing ember landed on his cheek. He growled and brushed it
away before it could set his beard aflame. Another drifted by and
slipped through the cracks of the shanty. Kaa peered through the crack
and watched the ember circle eerily before settling lightly upon the
straw covered ground. Barely a wisp of smoke appeared before fire
bloomed.
Kaa clenched his teeth and grabbed his axe. He could feel the heat as
his back as he leaned against the shanty and peeked around the corner.
Flashes of metal was all he could see through the smoke. Kaa gripped his
axe with both hands, lowered his head, and jogged away from the burning
shanty. It collapsed before he had covered twelve strides and just
before he met the Undead.
Just moments later she came to, her cloak thrown back from her head.
She didn't even bother to retrieve it when she realized that Pine was
hurt. His pain was flooding her mind and she still hadn't recovered from
whatever had just happened. She wondered what had happened to Talonn
and why there was a slight, but pervasive, awful smell. Her ring finger
felt like it was on fire. It took all of her will power just to get
herself onto her hands and knees. When she managed to raise her head to
look over to Pine she nearly screamed. Pine was barely five feet from
the foot of the bone throne and his wing was horribly broken. He looked
up at her, mewed plaintively, and started trying to move towards her.
Behind him the throne loomed ominously, the bits of decaying matter
still on it just lending more terror to the lich sitting there staring
at her. The lich seemed pleased with her reaction.
Sala managed to tear her eyes away from it and looked wildly around the
room, her hair flying into her face. The only other person in the room
was Talonn. At the sight of him her terror slid back just a little. At
least she wouldn't have to face it alone. She was struck by how
grateful she was to him for going through this to help her.
The plainsman groaned and looked up at the source of the scream, then
tried to move towards Sala, held in check by the steel manacles on his
wrists and ankles. "Sala! Talonn!" He looked about quickly and assessed
the situation. After being defeated by the group that assaulted him, he
had been beaten and brought up here, probably for questioning, and for
an additional undead warrior. Hopefully, the lich didn't know he had the
magic of the sands...if only he was strong enough to use it...
Mallick let his laughter fade. Clad in a tattered robe of sable silk and
wearing a crown of gold and precious stones, the Lich King appeared to
be nothing more than a long rotted corpse recently unearthed. A fetid
smell of decay surrounded him. The pallid stips of flesh that still
clung to his skull flapped as his bleached white jaw shook with
laughter. His raven black tabard and hose were embroidered with gold and
silver thread and of a style not seen in nearly four hundred seasons.
The faded design of a headsman's axe rippled in the torchlight. Rotting
leather slippers covered his feet as they rested on the skulls that
served as his throne's foot rest. The sagging of his clothes, the
skinless skull and, the skeletal hands poking from his sleeves left no
doubt that no flesh to speak of remained.
A dry crackling sound echoed across the room as the Lich turned his head
to look at Ifreet. The baleful flickering spots that hovered in the
empty sockets of the skull stared at the plainsman briefly before
another cackling laugh shattered the silence. His right hand caressed
the pommel of the great sword at his knee. A voice like a taut gallows
rope in a winter wind filled the room. "We have guests, Lord Ifreet. I
see that you are acquainted with our paltry little sneak theives. Well
met, footpads. I am Mallick. Please step forward and make yourselves
known to me."
Talonn recoiled slightly as an almost physical wave of malice moved
through the room when the Lich spoke. The sound of his heartbeat filled
his ears as the power of 'Rage' coursed through his veins. A part of him
cried out to release the power before 'It' grew beyond control. In his
heart, Talonn knew that the only way he was going to survive this night
was to completely embrace the 'other', to give over the protected part
of himself so that he might be able to protect his friends. Talonn drew
himself to his full height. "Forgive me, Sala.", he whispered, "Fate
forgive me." He released his tenuous control of the 'Rage' and opened
his soul to 'It'.
The air around him seemed to crackle as the power surged through him.
The cloth tied around his face dropped to his neck. The shifting red of
his eyes stopped completly as the light from them flickered and grew
until they rivaled those of the Lich. Fatigue and pain vanished. The
blades of his swords began to shimmer as a glowing redness spread from
his hands to their entire length. The demon ring shattered and fell to
the floor.
Talonn stepped forward a pace and spread his arms in defiance. "I am
T'alonnias Egel'kaliuba.", he said in a voice that reverberated across
the chamber, "And I am your death."
The ghouls appeared from the smoke at nearly the same moment that Kaa
spotted them. Kaa shouldered the closest aside and delivered a slash to
its side as he ran past. The six souless growled their fury and began to
follow him. Kaa quickly out distanced their shuffling gait and hoped
they would lose sight of him in the smoke. He leapt over a ravaged and
bleeding soldier and continued for several strides before he threw
himself to the ground. He had barely a moment to realize that he had run
clear of the smoke when he hit the ground.
A breath more and he would have been dead. Wind from the valley blew the
smoke into the night and whistled through the links of his mail. Kaa
pulled himself across the ground and away from the edge. He peeked over
his shoulder and saw the valley floor below. Cursing himself for running
recklessly and thanking the Great Smith for not allowing him to run over
the edge of the mesa, Kaa lay on the ground and gasped great gulps of
fresh air. He reached out to the stone beneath him, closed his eyes, and
let the pulse of the earth calm his racing heart.
Through the stone, Kaa felt their approach. He pulled himself up from
the ground and hefted his axe. The ghouls staggered out of the smoke,
now eight strong, and howled in delight when they saw him. With his back
to the precipice, Kaa etched a line in the earth at his feet. He spat
across it and raised his axe. "Come at me souless. My axe needs a
drink."
Muffy purred happily in response and trotted back with her head held high,
as if putting on airs. When they got back, Talabrina was sitting on the
ground with a looks of concentration on her face.
Looking up at their approach she smiled warmly at them and rose to her
feet. "I see that all did go well milord?" Talabrina asked Hammer and
then she giggled at Muffy. "I can easily see that thee enjoyed that almost
entirely too much!" Muffy merely purred deeply in response and rubbed up
against Talabrina, nearly knocking her over. "Carefully now Muffy! I doth
not be so large, nor as solid as Lord Hammer!" Talabrina goggled.
"Everything went well, Lady Talabrina." Hammer bowed deeply. "I hope you got
the rest you required." He scanned the area surrounding them, and could see a
red glow coming from the mesa where the Liche's citidel was located. "What is
our next move, milady? Can you feel any other groups of undead approaching?
Or should we make our way to the citadel?"
Talabrina reached up and scratched Muffy's ear affectionately as she looked
at Hammer with a wry smile. "Doth thee possess a spell to scry minds
within thy war hammer? As I was resting here I had begun to think the same
way as thee doth."
Talabrina looked out at the surrounding area and shook her head." I can
feel no nearby undead within what I can sense, but that doth not mean that
they are all destroyed. Nay, most likely the undead that we encounter near
or within the Lich's castle wouldst be more powerful than these. On the
bright side judging from the size of the towne and the numbers of forces we
hath destroyed, I wouldst hazzard a guess that we hat destroyed most of the
common undead forces."
Swinging up into the saddle, Talabrina looked at Hammer. "So tis agreed, we
head for the Lich?"
"Yes. We should see how the others fare." Hammer again began his jog, this
time in the direction of the citadel. As they got closer to the citadel's
front gates, the destruction caused by Granite and Qki came into view. Hammer
stopped his jog, and searched the signs of battle. He turned to Talabrina.
"It would appear that both Qki and Granite survived this battle, but got
seperated. Granite's tracks end at the foot of the mesa." Hammer pointed to
where the tracks stopped. "I think he climbed up. Qki's tracks lead into
that cave."
From the edge of the precipice there came movement. Stone slowly flowed
over the edge, and pulled itself up onto the top of the mesa.
Granite's visual senses quickly added to what his other senses had
already determined about the events on top of the mesa. The organic Kaa
was a short distance away, and several unliving organics were closing in
on him. It was quite apparent that they intended to destroy Kaa.
For all the destruction he had wrought down below, Granite still didn't
see the point of it. The whole scenario was clearly an excellent example of
large groups of organics attempting to destroy each other, but it seemed
a totally wasteful venture, resulting in a tremdous loss of capability for
all sides involved.
Still, he had stated that he would assist, and moved to do so. His form
began to rise, even as it moved forward, slowly resuming the shape the
remainder of the group had grown used to. By the time he had reached
Kaa, the change was complete.
"You require assistance to destroy these unliving organics." Granite
declared, his stony voice cutting through the surrounding noise.
Kaa whirled around and barely stopped his axe before it struck Granite.
Kaa quickly turned back to face the ghouls but spoke over his shoulder
to Granite. "Tis good to see you, laddie. I thought I might have to
learn to fly before this was over."
The ghouls paused at the sight of Granite and milled about in confusion.
Kaa took advantage of their hesitance to look at Granite again. "How did
things go at the gates? Where is Qki? Never mind, lad. We can talk when
we are done." Kaa finished when he saw the ghouls begin to advance.
The ghouls spread out in a ragged line. Unsure as to what Granite was,
they kept most of their attention on the living flesh they could
understand and headed toward Kaa. The dwarf stood firm until they were
within four paces of him. Kaa startled them by howling a war cry and
charging at those nearest to him. Two quick strokes cleared a space in
the line for Kaa and left one ghoul disembowled and another writhing on
the grond with a shattered spine. The others turned and headed for him
as he cut the head from the gutless ghoul as he tried to rise.
As the ghouls rocoiled under Kaa's furious attack, Granite launched his
own. He strode forward, and swept one arm across in front of him. It struck
a ghoul, smashing it's torso. The ghoul was flung away by the force of the
impact, and slammed into the ground, where it lay, truly dead.
Another ghoul lunged at him, taloned hands grasping. Granite ignored the
attacks, instead reaching out to grasp the ghoul's neck. A sickening
crunching sound came forth from it, as the ghoul's neck was crushed. As
Granite released it, it collapsed, what remained of it's neck tearing free
of it's body, such that it's head rolled away a short distance.
The remaining two ghouls, seeing such rapid destruction of four of their
compatriots, were now backing away, hissing in anger. Despite their lust
for destruction, even they could see that this was not a battle they could
win.
Mallick rose slowly and awkwardly from his seat. "What have we here? A
wildling. I have always wanted to study one such as you. As you can see,
I am not in the best physical shape. To be able to seize a body as my
own would be very beneficial to me. Alas, I shall have to forego my
study yet again. I have plans for you, lad."
The rustle of his silk robes did not hide the noise of his creaking
bones as Mallick stepped from the dais. His gaze fell on Sala as she
knelt with Pine. "So good of you to come to me, child. I have some use
of you...for now. Your power is like an elixer of life to me. Leave your
pet and come to my side." The skeletal fingers slid from the robe
sleeves and began to guesture.
Talonn barely heard Sala call his name. The 'Rage' pulsed through him
and his entire body hummed with its power. Every beat of his heart was a
call for war. His blood sang through his veins for the fury and chaos of
battle. He was a living weapon. A slayer of all who opposed him. A
reaper of souls. Death incarnate.
A feral smile spread across Talonn's face. He took a step forward and
the crackling energy along his sword grew white with power. He pointed
his sword toward the center of the room. The vision of three bodies, two
of flesh and one of bone, lying at his feet settled before his eyes as
he released the power from his sword.
The tiny spark that was Talonn's 'true self' cringed from the 'other'.
It held onto the essence of what he was with the hope that, when the
'Rage' was weakened, it might regain control. It was this tiny bit of
himself that heard Sala's voice and saw her fear. Drawing power, as the
rage had always from him, Talonn's 'true self' redirected the blast of
energy.
The power lanced across the room in the form of a tight ball the size of
a man's head. The globe of surged past Sala and struck Mallick in the
center of his chest. Talonn's eyes widened in surprise it passed over
the lich like water over stone and smashed into the throne. The blast
shattered the bones to slivers and dust. The great sword was tossed
across room by the force and slid near to where Ifreet was chained.
'Rage' surged into the sword in preparation for another attack. An
inhuman growl escaped Talonn's lips as he gripped it with two hands.
Mallick raised his arm, his eyes flashed, and a globe of power shot from
his hand. It slammed into Talonn's chest and catapulted him across the
room. The half-elf crashed into stone wall and slumped to the floor with
wisps of smoke coming from his body. The glow of his eyes flickered and
went out as his lids slid shut.
The lich's words ran through her like ice. Not even her demons had ever
terrified her like this. She felt an odd compulsion to get up, leave
Pine and stand at the lich's side, but the spell hadn't reached it's
full power when the ball of power surged from Talonn to the lich. Sala
gasped as it just washed over it. She felt the lich drawing the power
to attack Talonn and as it shot from his hand she screamed, "NO!" and
ran to Talonn, still cradling Pine in her arms. She dropped down beside
him and reached to touch him, but paused, afraid that if she tried to
heal him the person who woke up wouldn't be him, but would be the other
Talonn, the dark one. She forced herself to hope, to try. She reached
out and gently placed her hands on his face, stroking gently, like she
did when she changed Pine. She was still drawing mainly on the power
she had stored, but the store was dropping. She hoped there would be
enough left after she tried this. She closed her eyes and started
sending energy into him, knowing that she didn't have the skill
Talabrina had, but hoping what she could do would be enough.
The Lich chuckled pleasantly as he watched Sala run to the half-elf. Two
armor clad skeletons that had been standing in the shadows lurched
across the room. The warriors walked over, seized Sala, and drew her
away from Talonn. They led her back to the center of the room to stand
before Mallick. He flung his arms wide and muttered an arcane phrase.
Torchs and candles burst to life and a green glow lit the room. A
shimmering curtain of power rose from the floor and climbed to form a
dome around the four of them. Symbols of power and malice could now be
seen, drawn in blood, every four paces along the walls of the circular
room. Mallich turned slowly, pointed at the symbols, and spoke words in
an ancient tongue. Each marking began to writhe and glow a sickening
yellow. When the last symbol came to life, a flickering dome encompassed
the entire chamber.
Mallick turned his malicious gaze to Sala and said, "You bear the mark
of a demon's prize, my pet. You have no idea what that means, do you my
dear?" He reached out and touched her cheek with a single bony finger.
"You are the key to the power of the Demon realm. With you as my
bargaining piece, the Prince of Demons will have no choice but to grant
me the power I demand. I will become the most powerful being to ever
exist. Perhaps, before I seal off the realm of deamons, I will bring you
back to be my Queen and we can rule all the world together."
Mallick turned his back on Sala and began to sketch runes in the air.
Each rune glowed faintly as he formed it before vanishing. Just outside
of their small dome, an errie light appeared almost four paces off the
floor and smoke began to gather into writhing clouds around it. The
stench of brimstone swirled into the chamber, bore on the winds that
blew through the forming demongate. Winds that grew stronger with each
passing moment and heralded the arrival of Prince of Demons.
She recoiled from Mallick's touch. She knew very well what her
birthmark meant. She tried to quell her nausea at being so close to
this awful creature. She took a deep breath and spit into his face.
There was little else she could do to show her defiance. She certainly
didn't trust her voice not to betray her fear and it was all she could
do to keep her quaking knees locked and herself upright.
Her terror grew stronger when she finally realized just exactly what
Mallick was planning on doing. He was leaving Ifreet and Talonn to the
mercies of the demons! Not only that but he was going to try to use her
to bargain with the demons?! Certainly she didn't matter that much to
them that they would accept any demands he made? And why weren't they
manifesting through her? She hadn't felt anything from her birthmark
since they had left Nagard's place. Tears started streaming down her
face. She was confused and terrified. She was going to be given over
to the demons and her friends were going to die because of her. She was
going to have to watch Talonn die. A horrible sob shook her body and
she crumpled to her knees.
[Talabrina]
[Hammer]
[Talabrina]
[Hammer]
[Kaa]
[Sala]
Sala follwed Talonn closely and was glad for the helping hand at the
wall. When she entered the window she felt an odd chill that sent an
ominous shiver down her spine. Pine squeaked and shuffled nervously on
her shoulder. He had felt it too and didn't like it. She moved up to
Talonn and whispered, "Did you feel that chill at the window? What do
you think it is?"
[Talonn]
[Sala]
The elf maiden nodded mutely at Talonn's words. She was glad she had
noticed it and mentioned it though. If it was an alarm spell she
wondered who had heard it and what they would have to face. She almost
felt envious of Kaa, since at least he knew what he would be facing.
She almost jumped when he grabbed her hand and led her into the hall.
She still wasn't used to people or to anyone being protective of her in
any way. It made her feel oddly warm and happy under such
circumstnaces. When they entered the room Sala gagged and swallowed
hard as Talonn locked the door behind them. When he turned and pulled
his weapons she squeaked, wondering if these awful things that had once
been human would rise up like the others outside. She relaxed a bit when
they didn't do so, but moved closer to Talonn, trusting him to protect
her if they suddenly decided to.
[Kaa]
Inside the mesa:
[Qki]
Atop the mesa:
[Talonn]
[Kaa]
[Sala]
Sala swallowed and nodded. She followed close behind Talonn down the
long dark corridor, very glad for her elvin night vision. Something
felt wrong. She didn't know what it was. She checked her power and
everything seemed fine. She hadn't drawn too much energy, but for some
reason she still felt very nervous as though something in side of her
knew something she didn't, was anticipating something. She wondered if
seh should mention it to Talonn, but he was so busy keeping them alive
and she wasn'te even sure if it was anything other than nerves, so she
kept quiet and kept following.
[Talonn]
[Kaa]
[Sala]
The feeling kept getting worse as they walked down the passageway. When
they reached the end Sala was about to say something about it to Talonn
until he reached for the door. Suddenly the ring on her finger started
to burn and she felt a horrible sensation at the back of her skull. She
screamed "No! Don't!" right as his hand touched the door and the light
flashed. She felt Talonn's hand gripping hers and heard Pine scream as
she fell to the floor. Her last thought before she blacked out was
'What happened to my demons? They never let things like this happen
before...'
[Ifreet]
[Mallick]
[Talonn]
[Sala]
Sala could barely think through the pain that she was receiving from
Pine. She saw Ifreet and heard the lich speak, but the words made
little sense to her. Mindless of her own safety she closed the distance
to Pine and carefully picked him up, placing her hands over the broken
bone and blood that was coming from his wing. She had closed her eyes
and started to mend him when she heard Talonn speak. His voice and his
words sent a bone numbing chill through her. She opened her eyes, still
sending some of her energy into Pine, and saw him, his eyes glowing
brighter than she had ever seen before. He scared her and at the same
time she was deathly afraid for him. "Talonn?" her voice quaked.
[Kaa]
Near the front of the mesa:
[Talabrina]
[Hammer]
[Talabrina]
[Hammer]
Atop the mesa:
[Granite]
[Kaa]
[Granite]
In the citadel:
[Mallick]
[Talonn]
[Sala]
[Mallick]
[Sala]
Sala was tempted to attack the skeletons with her abilites, but waited.
She might need the power more later. She fought against thier grasp as
much as she could when they took her away from Talonn. She wondered if
she had sent enough energy into him to do any good. At least she still
had Pine who had gripped onto her arm when the skeletons had grabbed
her. She silently told him to hold his flame
until she called for it. His wing was healed somewhat, but there was
no way he could fly yet and she couldn't do more for it right now.