Talonn bowed his head in response to her words of friendship. "Let me say that I do consider you a friend, Talabrina. Trust comes hard for someone like me, a habit that I feel you may be accustomed as well. It is in this spirit of friendship we forge that I await your questions with interest."
Talonn replaced the waterskin back inside his tunic and glanced to the door. "I met Ordan-Kaa nearly five winters ago in a village with a name I can't recall. I was fresh in from the road and looking travel worn. Kaa was relaxing in the run down Inn when I ventured in from the cold. He sat upon a table telling tales of his adventures, all a sparkle after one of his legendary baths. I took a seat in a corner and ordered a meal. It was late and I was weary. It wasn't long before I was dozing in my tankard. Kaa sat spinning his yarns to the local farmers late into the night. Just as I was nearly asleep, I heard the sound of a wind whistle, like the one Kaa used moments ago. In case you were unaware, that whistle is used almost exclusively by a guild of assasins in my homeland."
"I instantly came awake for I knew that was a signal for a murder to commence. A dark cowled assasin leapt through the front door as another came through the kitchen. I narrowly escaped the two poisoned tipped Harpbow bolts that struck the bench where I had sat. The room turned to a riot as farmers tried to escape. I attacked and killed the man nearest the front door. Blinded by my 'Rage' and the desire to destroy those who sought to murder me, I cut down several of the fleeing farmers as I charged toward the kitchen. To shorten this sad tale, Kaa killed the second assasin and stopped me from killing the barmaid as she fled." Talonn chuckled. "Kaa punched me in the jaw to get my attention then convinced me, nay, ordered me to flee. Three days later when he walked calmly into my campsite, he informed me that although he had convinced the villagers not to pursue me, I had been branded an outlaw, a wolfshead, and a price for my head had been issued. We have traveled together ever since. I consider him the closest friend I have."
Talonn took a moment to swallow the pain and enjoy the what he could of the memory. He then looked to Talabrina. "I believe I have answered your question, my lady. My question to you is how did you come to have such a fine cat as a travel companion?"
"I doth believe that I can answer thy question milady," answers Talabrina with a look of profound sadness in her eyes. "An assassin is one whom kills for money."
Ifreet turns to face Sala, shaking his head slowly. He pats her comfortingly on the shoulder, then resumes his position leaning against a nearby wall.
Talabrin is silent while she listens to Talonn's story, niether making comment nor reaction until he is finished. "As for being friends mine heart leaps for joy at thy acceptance of me for I cannot tell thee how often I hath been turned away from friendships, not to mention towns, because of my race. That thou doth call me friend means a great deal to me." Talabrina favores Talonn with a very warm smile. Then Talabrina looks at Muffy with a look of speculation. "How did I come by Muffy? Well to be totally honest I doth not be totally sure. I first encountered Muffy when I first came to the surface world with the intent to stay. I had come out into an area of a very big jungle and Muffy just stepped out of the trees. I do recall a fuzzy sort of sensation when I first looked at her. Ever since then she has only very seldom left my side." Talabrina shrugs, "I hath never asked her why she joined me and she hath never volunteered the information. It just seems to me that `twould be rude to ask her when she was my first and only friend for a very long time."
Then Talabrina locks her gaze on Talonn's eyes and waches him very carefully. "My next question for thee Lord Talonn is: Doth thee truly regret thy actions at the inn where thee killed those towns people?
Talonn returned her gaze with equal intensity. The swirling red of his eyes seemed to increase for a moment before returning to normal. Talonn clasped his hands together and squeezed until his knuckles were white. "Everyday. I awake everyday with their faces in my mind and their blood on my hands. I do not know their names, nor the names of the others that I killed during similar circumstances, but I know their faces. I see each of them as I did at the moment I slayed them. Be thankful, dear Sala, that your demons are faceless."
Talonn unclasped his hands and untied his hair. Holding the cord in his mouth, he pulled back his hair once more into the topknot. Taking the cord and tying his hair, he smiled weakly at Talabrina. "It is time for my question. Why did you leave your homeland, Lady Drow?"
"There art many kind of people in this world and the proper question thou shoulds ask is not `how' but rather `why' can those who art assasins do what they do," says Talabrina in response to Sala's question. "Prithee ask no more of assassins milady, thou art too young and innocent to know of them." Talabrina smiles at Ifreet when he comes over to pat Sala on the shoulder.
Turning back to Talonn, Talabrina's face softens at the conclusion of his tale. "Milord," Talabrina begins hesitantly, " I can relieve thy soul of the burden of the guilt that thou doth carry for those people, but I doth warn thee it will cost thee. Not in money but in a deed for my goddess. She will decide what that will be shouldst thou decide to accept."
Talabrina seems to stare off into an unknown space as she contemplates Talons question. "Why did I decide to leave the Underdark thou asks? Well to answer that question I will need to tell thee a little about myself to properly answer that. I can only hope that thee doth think as well of me after as thee doth now."
"I was born a minor noble in a relatively low ranking house. As a female noble my course was laid out before me, I was to become a priestess of Lloth - the Spider Queen. Everyone knows that the drow art an evil race and I was no exception. I committed so many horrible acts, did so many unspeakable things, that to this day even though I hath long since served my penance for my crimes I still hath horrible nightmares. Yet there was a tiny voice inside me that cried out against what I was doing. Something that told me that this was all wrong." Tears begin to leak from her eyes as she continues. "I remember my first look at the surface world, it was during a blood-hunt. The young fighters in training make a raid upon a elven villiage once every ten years or so to affirm thier loyalty to Lloth. As priestess I had to watch and keep count of who killed what. I remeber thinking how beautiful it all was. The trees, the stars, the flowers, even the elves themselves despite the conditioning that my people recieve to hate our ansetral enemies. When the blood-hunt began my heart cried out for it all to stop. Stop the killing, stop the killing it screamed.... but I just stood there and did nothing." Talabrina stops for a moment, overcome by grief. Gaining control of herself she continues. "Twas shortly after that that I was kidnapped my the members of the goddess I now serve, Eilistraee - the Dark Maiden, goddess of the good drow who wish to return to the surface. I stayed with them for a long time and eventually my true self emerged from the hollow shell that I was. Before long I took up Her goals as my own and now I seek to bring all those like I was to the surface so that they can follow thier hearts instead of what they are told to do out of fear and hatred."
Talabrina fall silent after her tale and looks at each member of the group in turn to see if they accept her now that she has revealed the truth. Then she takes a long shuddering breath and lets it out slowly. In quiet, hushed tones she asks, " The question I hath for thee milord is how did thou gain thy Rage?"
For lack of anything better to do, Ifreet gets up and clears a section of the floor. He grabs a few broken chairs and what remains of the shelves, then piles them in the spot. Getting out a tinderbox, he then makes a spark and blows gently on it until it grows and begins to burn the wood. He listens to Talonn and Talabrina, glancing over at them occassionally.
As Talonn listened to Talabrina's tale, he found new respect for her. To go against one's people and traditions was a decision that must have carried much pain. It was a testament to her integrity that she had survived to tell the tale, especially if the stories of Drow justice were true.
Talonn watched Ifreet build the fire for a moment the spoke to Sala. "Sala, let me add this about assasins, since I was once trained to be one and probably know more about them than you will ever learn and live to understand. Not everyone views life as a priceless gift. There are many who believe that a life carries a worldly and negotiable price. It is those persons that have the ability to become assasins and look upon the taking of a life, not as murder, but as a profession. A profession that sickens me to this day."
Talonn wet his lips before answering Talabrina's question. "The full tale of my 'Rage' is too long to tell at this time. To shorten the telling, I will offer this. My father died when I was young. My uncle came to live with my mother and I, 'so there would be a man around'. I was beaten and scorned daily by him. He did not like the fact that his nephew was a 'halfy'. I learned to block out both the physical and the mental pain and to hold inside my anger and frustration. It was after a couple of summers of this abuse that I realized all the feelings that I had withheld were becoming tangible. In my mind, another Talonn was being born, a being of pure hatred. It is this 'other' Talonn that I call the 'Rage'."
The red of his eyes shifted restlessly as he looked into Talabrina's eyes. "Allow me to answer what I believe to be your next question, now. There can be no undoing or dispelling of the 'Rage'. Believe me, I searched for many years for a way to rid myself of 'It'. It is as much a part of me as my true personality. It was explained to me that there are persons born as 'Wildlings'. They are persons born with two souls. A new soul that is given to all new life and the soul of one long dead and of another age. These old souls are given as guides to the new soul so that great deeds can be done for all who live in this age. I believe that it was this old soul that I, unknowingly, fed my hatred for my uncle. The power of my hatred corrupted what should have been a benevolent guide and turned it into a seething being of chaos. A being that seeks to destroy my true soul and make me the Talonn that you have seen today."
Clasping his hands again, Talonn decides not to attempt a smile, knowing it would be seen as a failure. "How do you intend to convince your kinsmen to abandon their beliefs as you have?"
Tsighed in relief when she saw Sala's and Talonn's rections to her tale. She has half expected for them to recoil in disgust at the very least. Talabrina looked over to Muffy and the great panther merely returned her look with an "I told you so," expression. In response Talabrina sticks her tongue out at Muffy and smiles.
Turning back to Talonn, barabrina once again becomes serious. "What I offer thee milord, is not a way to be rid of thy other soul but possibly a way to cleanse it and restore it to the way that `twas meant to be. I couldst never destroy that soul, I doth not believe that even the gods could or would do that." Talabrina looks Talon in the eyes with a scincere look in hers. "I wish to aid thee in thy battle against thy Rage, not to destroy it, but to cure it and make thy souls work in harmony. My next question to thee is art thee willing to give me the chance to help thee as much as I may?"
"As for how I entend to convince my kinsmen to abandon thier evil ways? First I must endevor to enlighten the surface world to the fact that there art good drow. Once I hath done this I will go to my people and deliver unto them the message of Eilistraee: Come and live in peace an harmony in the land of the Great Light where the trees and the flowers grow. Those who art truly good in thier hearts will follow my example." Talabrina smiles at this and then her smile turns grim. "Those who doth not will die, for there is no place for evil."
Ifreet shakes his head slowly, eyes filled with pity tinged with a faint sadness, and a fainter scorn, then gets three sausages from his pack and puts them on the end of a metal rod which he also gets out. He extends them over the fire for a time, then hands one to Sala, Talonn, and Talabrina. After this, Ifreet gets out a few vegtables, which he mashes into a paste and adds water to before eating this himself. He then begins to groom his horse, but still listens to the conversation.
Talabrina smiles gratefully in thanks as she accepts Ifreet's offering of the sausages. "My thanks for thy kindness milord," she says.
Hammer stood in awe at the prowess of Kaa. In his homeland, they would have simply kicked the door in, and hoped it wasn't trapped. It was a good thing that his race had a very good constitution, and most poisons would only cause a bad sickness that the villiage priest could cure. He knew there were those who could find and disable traps, but he had never seen anyone do this before. "Good job, Kaa. I think your plan is good. At least I will not be the one getting shot at."
"Poisons are substances that cause failure of organic body systems. They would not harm me. Unless they have other properties as well. And needles will not harm me either. Neither will darts. I will open the door when you ask." Granite said, still facing down the hallway.
"We are all agreed. I had best be at it then." the dwarf said as he removed a pair of straight steel slivers and a hooked sliver from the pouch containing the glass. He lowered himself to his knees, placed the straight slivers into the keyhole and the hooked he clenched in his teeth. His hands appeared to barely move. He made several small adjustments before grasping both slivers with one hand. Kaa slowly removed the hooked sliver from his mouth and gently slid it in beside the other slivers.
For several breaths, he sat motionless and tense. Murmuring an oath, the dwarf ducked his head and wrentched the wrist of the hand that held the hooked sliver. A dull click was the only sound that could be heard. Kaa let out a great sigh but remained still.
Shaking his head, Kaa removed the slivers and stood. As he placed the slivers back into his pouch, he motioned Hammer to the opposite side of the hall. "The lock is undone. When you are ready Granite, you may open the door. I would advise caution, though. Do not enter until the darts have fired." Kaa gripped his war axe like a long lost lover and he appeared visibly relieved that his job was done.
Pine leapt from his perch atop Granite's head and fluttered across the hall. He gracefully manuevered the narrow passage and finally settled upon Qki's head. His talons found no easy purchase on the metal but, after a moment of ungraceful scrambling, he sat proudly upon Qki. He turned his head and watched the door intently.
Feeling a weight on his head, Qki looked up at the same time Pine finally got a good grip. As a result, he almost fell off again, and only stayed up by flapping his wings frantically. The golem, finally realizing what was going on, looked slowly back down and tried not to move his head. He couldn't see anything from back here, anyway. He felt a moment of panic as he forgot what Kaa had asked him to do, but then he remembered - he was supposed to run back to the other room and get the others if there were any goblins in this room. He wondered if he should warn Pine before he ran off, because the bird would surely fall off if he started running. He decided that he'd better, and tried to stand still while holding the dagger straight out in front of him.
Pine scrambled until his footing was secure once again. He bobbed his head in an attempt to see the door.
Sala accepted the food from Ifreet. Her strength had nearly returned, but she found she had little appetite after listening to Talonn's story. She again felt the desire to cry, for herself, for Talabrina, for Talonn, for those victims of assasins. For a brief moment, she wondered if her past life of seclusion had been a blessing instead of a curse. Something brought her attention fully to Pine. Pine had moved to another perch and the group appeared to be getting ready to storm the room. "The group in the hall prepares to enter the room. I believe the door was locked but Kaa appears to have unlocked it."
She looked at Talabrina, "I knew nothing of your kind before I met you, but even after what you have said I do not think any differently of you. You are an elf and should be respected as such. It does not matter where you were born. I am confused about what you have said. Why should all that is evil die? If there is no evil there can be no good for one cannot exist without the other."
Talonn mumbled a thank you to Ifreet as he accepted the sausage. Talabrina's offer struck him like a kick in the jaw. He had expected an offer of some sort but the offer that she made was far from what he had emvisioned. For a moment, he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to live in concert with 'It'. Sala's words brought him quickly back from his imagination. Popping the hot sausage into his mouth, he stood and moved to the center of the room. He wanted to be ready if Kaa and the others needed him.
"Lady Talabrina, you are a skilled weaver of words. Your offer is the first I have ever heard that gives me pause to consider. Alas, I cannot answer that question now. I have lived with the 'Rage' for many winters and have found ways to use it when necessary. I fear before this task is done, I will have need of 'It'. If you will allow me the luxury, I would like to delay answering this question until we have won Sala's freedom."
"Perhaps then I will also take up your cause. You are Drow to me no more. I salute thee as one of the blood, a noble Elf." Talonn made a formal bow and salute.
Ifreet turns to look at Sala, curses himself for a fool, then sets a comforting hand on her shoulder. He nods slowly to her, and after some time, he smiles.
Talabrina saw the look in Sala's eyes and smiled. "As a matter of fact milady I would be more than willing to teach thee about the world and how to defend thyself if you would like. Thou could learn to be a healer like myself which I think thou wouldst be exceptionally good at." Talabrina watched Sala's reaction to see what she would say.
He turned to face the door and hide the fact that the sausage had burned his tongue. "How do you communicate with Muffy? I see no visual commands and she appears to have a great will of her own." Talonn offered a guttural purr and a grin to the great cat.
Talabrina smiles warmly at Talonn. "One down, several million to go." Talabrina sighs what seems like a sigh of ages. "What I would not give to convince the world of the wisdom that thou hath spoken milord. Still, I doth suppose that it must be done little by little. As for my offer know that it will always be open to thee. I would to like to ask thee if thy `Rage' gets to seem to be to much wouldst thee permit me to cast spells to help thee bring IT under control?"
Talabrina looks again at Muffy with fondness as she replies to Talonn's question. "I simply speak with her milord, no differently than I do with thee. Be not fooled by the fact that she cannot speak back to thee for she is very intelligent. In fact I know for certain that she can understand five languages at this point. The common tongue which we art using, elvish, dwarvish, drow and drow sign language." Talabrina chuckles. "Ahh, the stories that I could tell thee about how exasperating she can be because of her `great will' as thou call it."
Talonn looked at Muffy as Talabrina described her uncanny abilities. Talonn observed the intelligence the feline eyes held and, for a moment, he was sure the great cat knew his thoughts. With a smile, he offered a compliment to Muffy in dwarvish and ended with another of his purrs.
"Talabrina, I thank you for another generous offer. I must admit that the 'Rage' has displayed more strength of late than I am accustomed. I have studied many disciplines and learned many techniques to combat 'It's' attackes. I have found some to be more successful than others. Forcing the energy outside of myself and using it in combat have been my preferred methods, until now. When I was down the hall watching from the other room, I discovered another technique that I was taught, but never mastered, apppears to hold some promise. I would like the opportunity to explore this technique further. I give you my oath, one elf to another, if at any time I feel that I need your assistance, I will call for it."
Talonn's hand strayed to the dagger at his belt. When he touched the handle, he had to hide his surprise. The dagger was warm to the touch as if he had been holding it for several moments. He rested his palm on the pommel and tried to appear at ease.
"Do not answer if it is too prying. Your powers appear to be formidable. What are some of the abilities of you magic?"
Talabrina smiled at Talonn. "My goddess is powerful milord, my faith in Her is strong. I am but a kind of conduit for Her will. When I doth desire Her aid, I sing a special prayer and dance the appropriate dance, to you that is my way of casting a spell. The main types of prayers that I use are ones involving healing, enchantments, divination, protection and creation of water and food. My goddess is also opposed to the unliving and so grants me the ability to destory many lesser types of undead and rout some more powerful kinds."
"In respone to thy earlier question Lady Sala," Talabrina says turning to her, "is that evil spreads very quickly and thus will never truly be defeated. However those that art evil must be killed in order that they do not hurt others with thier evil." Then Talabrina jumps down off the table and gives Sala and Talonn each a tight hug. "That is for believing in me," she says before going over to Ifreet and giving him a hug as well. "That is just because I can!" Talabrina says with a giggle.
Turning back to Talonn, Talabrina asks "As a addition on Sala's question, what art thy techniques that thou doth speak of milord?"
Muffy in response to Talonn's compliment and purr is to wink one eye at him. Then the expression on her face looks vaugly like she might be laughing at him. Talabrina sees this and says chiddingly "Oh stop that Muffy!"
After Talabrina hugs him, he turns slowly to face her, raising an eyebrow. He then shakes his head and turns away, smiling faintly. He reaches into his saddlebags and gets out a brush, then starts grooming his horse as he waits. He throws a glance towards the still sleeping Lady Milara as he works.
Granite turned from his position, and walked to the door. Standing squarely in the middle in front of it, he reached out and took hold of the handle. As he turned it, a faint 'clink' sound, detectable only by the sharpest of ears, could be heard emanating from it. Granite pushed the door open a short ways, and immediately several darts fired across the doorway, impacting against the other side of the frame and sticking into it, while two more shot down from the top of the jamb, smacking into the floor and bouncing away a short distance. Granite paused as the darts fired, then pushed the door open wide, perhaps a bit more forcefully than was necessary, his large frame partially obscuring the view of the room beyond.
Kaa waited until he was sure that all the darts had fired. He was surprised to see the two come from the top jamb. He made a note too look closer next time. "Granite, go to the center of the room. Hammer take the right, I will go left. Qki stay out here and listen for our call. Remember lads, if it isn't one of us, stike it down. Let's go"
Kaa headed for the door and waited to follow Granite into the room.
Talonn looked to Sala as she voiced her fear. He had not thought that freeing her of her demons could possibly cause her great harm once it was done. "Lady Sala, you will be well protected when this is done. I will see that you will not be at risk"
Talonn returned Talabrina's hug with equal vigor. He grudgingly admitted to himself that the conversation was not at all like he had expected or experienced before. He also was forced to admit that discussing his burden in this manner had relieved him of some of his self doubt and seemed to ease the strain he often felt. It was then that he noticed Muffy's apparent flirtation. Talonn laughed and returned the wink. "You are more vixen that cat. Perhaps later, when your Lady is asleep." he whispered sensuously in elvish.
"I am afraid, Lady Sala, the only transformation that I am capable of is becoming the frezied killer you saw earlier. If I were capable of more, I do not think I would do so for fear that I never would be able to return.
The ways that I release the 'Rage' are really my way of channeling the anger away from my true soul. Before I sleep and when I am alone, I use 'It' to bring on the battle frenzy. I then execute all of the sword forms that I know and fight imagined foes until I collapse in exhaustion or the 'Rage' subsides. I have used this for many seasons and find it most effective. I cannot do this when I am around others because the 'Rage' and I are as close to being one as I dare allow." Talonn stands silently for a moment before he whispers, "..An accident that I will never let happen again."
Looking up with a start, Talonn continues as if he had not spoken. "The second manner is to force the energy out of my body and direct it away from me. I often use this when I am around other and need to release. I did so on our trip to the mill. I dare say no one noticed the stones and twigs in the road that leapt into the undergrowth on their own. The power of this force is minimal and the distance I can send it is not very far. I have in the past rendered a man unconscious using it to strike his head."
"The method that I refered to earlier is a variation on this form of release. It involves directing the 'Rage' into an object and holding it there. I wish I could say more but the words of the one who tried to teach me this are lost in memory. It will take some time to remember."
Talonn turned and looked to the door. "Sala, how are the group in the hall coming along? Kaa is a capable lock pick but he is less capable in finding traps. Have they entered the room?"
Sala looked at Muffy with interest. She had been so caught up in all she had been doing that she hadn't taken a good look at the cat. She felt better now so she decided to try something and started concentrating.
then to the group she said, "I thank you all for your kindness to me. If there is anything I can do to repay you at any time, please ask. i will do my best."
Sala checked in with Pine again and reported back. "Kaa has picked the lock and Granite opened the door. They are now all in the room except for Qki. I am sending Pine in after them."
After Sala finished her sentence the others in the room saw an amazing thing. Slowly over the span of about a minute Sala changed into a large tawny colored cat, much like a cougar. She tipped her head at Muffy and said, "Hello, my greetings to you O' traveler of the shadows. If I might ask, is your true name Muffy? And why do you choose to travel with Talabrina?"
Muffy was still chuckling over what Talonn had said to her when Sala transformed. She looked at Talonn and licked her lips and smirked at him. "Just you wait," Muffy was saying before she turned to look at Sala. "Greetings O' friend of animals. Before I answer your questions I will greet you in true cat fashion." Then Muffy gets up and walks slowly around Sala with her tail raised in the air, sniffing at her. After completing a full circuit around Sala. Muffy again goes back to the rope that the goblin is tied to and sits on the rope.
"There is no offence taken," Muffy smiled," after all, it is hard to remember everything."
"My face-name is Muffy yes, although it is technically really Muffin." Muffy says smiling. "Thank the Allmother Meerclar [NOTE: pronounced mEErslAR] that only when she is very angry with someone does she call me Muffin." Muffy grimaced slightly then continues. "Now before you even think to ask me my heart-name know that I will cuff you one if you do so," says Muffy without any agressiveness, merely scincerity. "The reason for this is like if a male walked up to you in your elf body and asked you something that you would only tell someone that you were very intimate with, you would naturally be wanting to slap the offender." Muffy smiled again.
Muffy laughed at Sala's explination. "I think you will find that in many situations it is quite the oppsite dear Sala. Oh and by the way sorry if I offended you, but not many humanoids understand the importance of a heart-name. I am glad to see that you do."
"Now that we have that out of the way, I politely refuse to answer your other question." Muffy says seriously. "If I haven't told her, whom I have been with longer probably than you have been alive, I am not going to tell you, whom I have known for hardly a day. Please take no offence Sala becasue you do seem like a nice person."
"Basically it is as Talabrina said, I understand many languages and can react to what is said to me. Talabrina for her part knows me quite well and as such can guess what I mean most of the time. Does that help Sala?"
Talabrina on ther other hand looked at Talonn and giggled. "Thou needs not wait on my account Lord Talonn," she said in elvish with her eyes full of mirth. "I doth certainly thou can handle all the woman that Muffy be!" Then Talabrina leaned against the table and laughed.
Talonn could barely contain his laughter as he watched Sala transform and the two cats exchange feline greetings. "Well it seems I spoke too soon. I fear that two great cats are more than I can handle. More so, I fear to choose one for I may offend the other. A woman scorned is one thing but a she-cat scorned is quite another matter."
Talonn sat in the chair near him and enjoyed the first true, mirthful laugh he had felt in many seasons. For that brief moment, he forgot his troubles and was at peace with himself.
Talabrina just giggled and tried to attempt to say something several times before taking a deep breath and counting silently to ten. Then she let her breath out and smiled. "Methinks I will let Lord Talonn explain that one." Then Talabrina went over to Lady Milana to see how she was recovering.
Muffy for her part just looked at Talonn and purred a deep rumbling purr which sent Talabrina into another fit of giggles.
Talonn took one look at Sala's expression and nearly lost control of his laughter. He stifled a snicker and realized that Sala truly had no idea to what he had been refering. With a surpressed smile, he said to Talabrina and Muffy, "Thats fine. Leave me in my time of need. Some help the two of you are."
Hoping to buy some time to compose himself, Talonn stood and offered Sala the chair that he had sat upon. Realizing that this was doomed to fail, he sighed.
"Lady Sala, please take no offense at what I have said or am about to say. I was playfully flirting with Muffy, as I might with a female human or elf. Lady Talabrina commented that yon cat would likely be more.... physically demanding than I was accustomed. It was then you chose to transform into Muffy's likeness. Your timing was what was funny. Had I not made such a comment, it would not have been", twitching a grin, "so humorous."
Talonn was not aware that his hands had begun to waggle and jump about as he spoke. "Umm.....There is a saying,.. among men, that a woman scorned is...not very pleasant. I was making the.... assumption that a female cat would be.... even more unpleasant. Since there were ..then two cats and, I had flirted with one, naturally the other would feel.. umm, scorned if I were to choose, w..were I serious, of course, one over the other. Please understand that I would, if I were to make such a choice, certainly not choose the ...cat. Have I explained this clear enough? Ahh...Lady Talabrina, you are a woman. Could you...aahh...HELP!?"
"I wouldst not dare dream of interfering milord," said Talabrina with a highly amused look on her face. "In fact I doth find thy discorse on the nature of women highly... enlightening I doth believe the word is. Prithee continue," giggled Talabrina.
Muffy proceeded to look very downcast at Talonn's words, her ears drooped, she stopped purring and proceeded to look glumly at the floor. "Ut oh!" Talabrina said in overly dramatic tones. "Methinks thou hath broken her heart milord by admitting that thou wouldst not be serious with her, and thou knows what they say milord, `Hades hath no fury like a she-cat spurned'. Thou had best kiss and make-up whilst thou still can afore she doth become enraged at her sense of rejection." Talabrina's tone was grim but her eyes sparkled with mischievious glee.
Without hesitation, Granite strode directly towards the middle of the room, stopping when he reached the center, and resuming his motionless state.
Hammer got his War Hammer ready, and leaped into the room after Granite and Kaa. Seeing the room was empty of goblins, he looked to the table. "Could this be our doorway?" he asked of Kaa. "Should we send Qki to fetch the others?"
The little golem was alone in the hall after Pine flew into the room with the others. He was starting to feel a bit put out - "Wait in the hall, Qki," "Don't stand so close to me, Qki," "Your head is good to sit on, Qki." What was he doing here? He wanted to do more. He realized that he really couldn't blame the others, though. They were only responding to the fact that he didn't know how to do much of anything. He shuffled his feet and wondered if they would be better off without him.
Kaa entered the room on guard. The amount of dust on the floor and the ornate table brought a tingle to his spine. "Let us wait a moment, Hammer. Something is amiss. If this is the door we seek, what caused Nagard's spell to go awry. This hardly appears to be worth the elaborate measures to protect it. Stand ready."
The dwarf slowly approached the table. After pacing around one full circuit, he moved to a point where he was within reach of the doorway. Gripping his axe tightly in his right hand, he slowly extended his left arm and moved to lay his hand on the statue.
Granite stood, still motionless, as the 'table' sprang to life. "This is another situation in which you organics will be engaging in combat." he said as Kaa struggled against the 'table'. "I will attempt to emulate such practices." So saying, Granite raised one arm into the air, stepped forward, and swung it down at the 'table' with surprising speed.
Hammer quickly sprang to action, swinging his hammer down on to the "table top", carefull not to get to close to the mouth. "Qki, get help. Quickly" he roared as he attacked.
Kaa let out a yelp when the table/thing grabbed his arm. For an instant, he thought of letting go of the statue but he thought that might cause the portal to close and trap them here. The dwarf planted his feet and tried to push himself away from the creature with his short, thick legs. He thrust the axe blade into the gaping maw in hopes of wedging the jaws open and, perhaps, causing the beast some injury.
Almost calmly, Kaa said, "No quarter, lads. I think this fellow means to nibble on my hide. Qki, get those little metal legs moving. Forgefire! This things breath smells like a dung heap."
Qki was startled out of his introspection by the shouts, but didn't get very far before the large bird started flapping about his head. Unsure what was going on, he dove to the floor and started crawling quickly down the corridor toward the other room.
Granite raised his fist for another strike, ignoring the tendril which snaked toward him. The tendril wrapped around him, but seemed unable to lift, push, pull or in any way move Granite from his position. The fist descended, smashing down into the table once again.
Hammer tried to spin out of the grasp of the tendril while at the same time swinging his hammer. With the added momentum of the spin he brought his hammer into the side of the monster table from hell.
Kaa muttered a well worn curse as he felt his feet leave the floor. He raised his axe to stike the 'arm' that held him. Before he could swing, the creature dashed him to the floor. The air whooshed from his lungs and his helmet skittered across the floor. Only battle tested reflexes allowed him to keep his grip on his axe and the statue. Gasping for air, the dwarf tried to regain his feet.
Ifreet nods, puts out the fire, sets a few blankets on Lady Milara, then leaps onto his horse and gallops down the hallway, unsheathing his scimitar as he sweeps down the corridor. His horse still makes no sound as it moves.
The little golem, still crawling, had almost reached the door by this time. He looked up just in time to see Ifreet's horse bearing down on him, and rolled out of the way. Looking up to make sure Pine wasn't going to attack him again, he started back down the hallway towards the sounds of battle, since it seemed the others already knew about the doorway.
Muffy had suddenly raised her head even as Sala's eyes glazed over and she growled softly in warning. After Sala had informed them as to what was going on Talabrina reacted quickly. "Go on everyone help Lord Kaa, I will be along in a moment I have to see to Lady Milana. Then Talabrina grabbed the rope that was tied to the goblin and swiftly tied it around her left arm again. "Come with me Gabble fast!" Talabrina said to the goblin as she went over to Milana. Reaching into her cloak Talabrina took out a small black bag and out of the bag took a vial of smelling salts. These she waved under Milana's nose while slapping her cheeks gently with the other hand. "Lady Milana wake up!"
"My name is Talabrina Zolond, thou art still in the room where thou were attacked but thee art safe now." Talabrina said calmly while looking at Milara carefully assesing her condition. That Milara was concious was good and the fact that she could apparently see Talabrina was good also, however Talabrina didn't like the way the eyes were dialating.
Deciding to take no further risks with Milara's health and to get back to the party quickly, Talabrina decided to cast her most powerful healing prayer that she knew belonging to the sixth order of miracles. The prayer would not only heal Milara fully but restore her to full alertness as well. Talabrina began to sing in drow and dance. Then she reached out to touch Milara on the forehead and sat back to see what Milara would do.
Talonn stood dumbfounded as Sala pressed him for further explaination. He knew there was no way he was going to be able to answer her questions without looking more the fool than he already did. When she ran from the room proclaiming Kaa's distress, Talonn felt all humor and peace drain from his body and the 'Rage' rush in to fill the void.
Drawing his swords, he ran from the room and overtook Sala in the passage. His eyes ablaze as the frenzy seethed within him. "Sala, stay in the hall!" he yelled as he skidded to the door.
He took in the events unfolding in the room with glance. Howling like a pack of dire wolves, Talonn charged across the room and brought both of his swords down across the thing that held Kaa. His blades struck like vipers as he delivered another slash to the 'arm' with his sabre and thrust the bastard sword toward the monsters mouth.
He had to dive out of the way once again as Talonn charged past. The little golem knew enough not to get in the way of anyone looking like that! He stood up again and stepped to the entrance of the room to see if he could help, holding the dagger straight out before him in case he was attacked.
Qki stopped watching the scene inside the room to look back at Sala, carefully holding the knife so it pointed back into the room. "Thank you," he said, "I was distracted..." Looking back at the knife, he replied to her question. "No... I hadn't seen these before I met you. This one isn't right..." he trailed off, suddenly lost in thought. He concentrated on the knife, and considered WHY exactly it repulsed him so. It didn't resonate the right way with his own essence. When something did resonate correctly, it could become a part of him. What happened with something like the knife?
Talonn hacked at the arm again and swipped at the creature's mouth. "Let go of the door, Kaa. Use that axe of yours to get free."
Kaa pushed against the pull of the arm with his muscled, stubby legs. Growling like a caged bear, the dwarf let his axe drop to the floor and drew a daggar from his boot. He began to drag the edge of the razor shrp blade across the gripping arm like a saw. "NO! If I let go of the door, the portal may close. Try to ARRRG!"
The monster tightened its grip suddenly. Kaa jerked with pain and lost his grip on the dagger. Fighting through the agony, he barely retained his grip on the statue. Clenching his teeth, he said, "My feet are slipping!"
Hammer moved to the other side of the table, almost directly opposite of Kaa, and again swung his War Hammer down, this time at the mouth of the creature. "Hold on Kaa. Granite, can you grab Kaa? Perhaps this monster can not move your wieght."
Granite was about to raise his arm for another blow when Hammer made his suggestion. "If you think that will help." Granite responded, turning away from the section of the table he had been assaulting. He strode over to where Kaa was struggling against the table, the tentacle wrapped around him being pulled along and stretched out in the process like a piece of elastic. Granite moved behind Kaa, reached forward and grasped his sides in a vise like grip, and began pulling him away from the table.
Ifreet lights a torch and throws it into the middle of the creature's waving tentacles as his horse leaps through the doorway. He blocks one waving arm with his shield and fights off another with his scimitar, his horse also fighting them off with great skill and expertise. He cuts his way through to where Kaa and Granite are fighting, the great steed landing directly on the tentacle entagling him.
Remembering his expoerience with the mug at the Dragon's Inn, Qki let his resonance and that of the knife come together. When he had done that before, the mug joined to his body. This time, however, the knife reacted violently to the joining. It flew out of his hands and across the room, miraculously missing everyone in the room except the table! The knife hit the table with such force that it continued right on through and out the other side to bounce against the wall.
Amazed, Qki looked at his hands and back at the knife, sitting against the far wall. He had no idea that would happen! He looked forward to trying out this new ability.
As Hammer finished his swing, the knife flew through the table and hit the wall a few inches from where he was. Hammer then dropped down to avoid any other projectiles. Hearing none, he jumped back to his feet.
Talonn sheathed his sabre and grabbed Kaa by the arm when the thing released him. He quickly dragged Kaa across the floor to where the dwarf's helmet lay. Quickly checking him for wounds, Talonn asked "Are you well, friend?
Granite released Kaa as the table let go and Talonn began to drag him away, and turned his attention back to the table. Taking a stride forward, he raised his fist and began striking powerful blows to the thing once again.
Kaa took a deep breath and immediately winced. Probing with his free hand, the dwarf gave a grunt when he touched his left side. "Aye, Lad, I will be well shortly. Methinks that monster cracked a rib or two."
Grabbing his helmet and placing it on his head, Kaa struggled to his feet. "Fetch my axe, boy. The furniture and I have a score to settle."
Talonn looked through the red vision of the 'Rage' and could tell Kaa was in pain. "No. Go to Sala and get ready to go through the portal. If you like, you can exact revenge on Nagard's table once we return." A poke in the chest of the dwarf emphasized that this was one diagreement that Kaa would lose.
Talonn turned and looked at the portal. It was in an awkward position but not impossible for everyone to make it through. He looked to the door and noticed Qki and Sala standing there. "Sala, Qki, call Talabrina. We are leaving this place."
Talonn darted around the others and the thing and tried to position himself between the 'table' and the portal. "We must be away. Herd this thing away from the portal or slay it. Kaa, once we have the way clear, get Sala, Talabrina and Qki through the portal. We will follow." he shouted as he delivered a two handed slash with his bastard sword.
Kaa staggered away from the wall to where his axe lay. He tried unsuccessfully to bite back a groan as he bent to pick it up. He slipped the axe into his carrier and headed for the door. Clutching the statue in one hand and his side with the other, Kaa tried to smile as he reached the door. "I don't like this place any more. Terrible table manners." He started to laugh then grimaced and coughed.
Hammer jumped again into the fray, swinging his War Hammer as a sledge hammer, and followed that up with a mighty kick.
"Actually Lady Milara, I had not said where thou art because I doth not really know that myself." Talabrina confessed. "I was teleported here magically along with my friends, speaking of which I fear they may need my aid." Talabrina looked towards the corridor and back to Milara. "Perhaps if thou were to come with me I could explain more when we get the chance to talk without being rushed." Trurning quickly to Gabble, talabrina speaks in goblin. "Be ready to move fast Gabble."
Qki burst into the room and skidded to a halt as he saw Milara standing up and looking more or less normal. No time for that - he turned to Talabrina and said breathlessly, "Talabrina! We're leaving, and there's a table in there!" He stopped as he suddenly realized that he shouldn't say too much in front of the other two. He couldn't help adding in, "And I can make the knife fly!" Too excited to sit still, he started back out of the room.
Talonn hacked mercilessly on the monster. The 'Rage' pulsed through him like hot poison in his veins. The more that he though of Kaa's injury and what he could have done to prevent it, the more the 'It' grew in intensity. The voice that was his true self did not regret the few moments of pleasure that the conversation with the Ladies had provided but, the idea that Kaa suffered while he laughed ate away at his soul.
Suddenly, he realized what was truly happening. The 'Rage' was using his fear for Kaa and his feelings of shame to gain in strength. Talonn took a moment to guage the power he had fed 'It' and realized that he was on the verge of losing his control. Switching his tactics from attack to strictly defense, he tried to release the energy by directing some of it at the monster. He cursed when he realized that the others might be hit by the energy and, more importantly, there was too much energy to be realeased in this manner.
Talonn glanced quickly to the door and saw Kaa leaning against the wall beside Sala. Talabrina was not in sight to call upon for help. He mumbled a prayer that they would kill him before he did too much harm. Bending all of his will and concentration to his plan, Talonn tried to force the 'Rage' into his sword and left his defense to intuition and skill alone.
Kaa tried to take shallow breaths. The pain in his side was nearly as bad as when he had gotten wounded in the Swordland border wars 20 years ago. He hoped he was hiding it enough not to scare Sala more than she obviously was. He looked back to the monster and silently cursed his fate, to be killed by a damned table.
A flash of red drew his eyes to Talonn. The half-elf had been fighting like a dervish moments before but now fought like he was entranced. Kaa watched as Talonn barely blocked the creatures attacks and often did not attack in return. The glow in his eyes indicated that the 'Rage' was awake but the speed and vicious blade work were absent. "Forgefire!", Kaa muttered as the realization hit him. The day he had feared had arrived.
The red flash caught his eye again. Kaa had thought that it was Talonn's glowing eyes that had first drew his attention but he saw now it was Talonn's sword. A red, crackling glow surrounded the bastard sword and seemed to be moving toward the point from the pommel. As the glow grew along the length of the blade, the strain on Talonn's face seemed to disappear. "You sneaky, elfin runt." Kaa mumbled as Talonn attacked with his normal speed and vigor and his now glowing red sword.