Episode 50 – The Crypt of Finn Thrommel
| The Assassins |
Azareth - Wizard 4th Level LE (PC) Creighton - Fighter 4th Level LE (PC) Craven - Fighter / Rogue 2nd/3rd CE (LE suppressed) (PC) Keldirk - Rogue 5th level NE (PC) |
| Locale | The Green Dragon, Del Mord |
| Date | 4th Flocktime, 582 CY (Common Year) |
| Time | Evening. |
The Green Dragon was bursting at the seams. Ever since the Butcher's reign of terror had come to an end trade along the Docks had resumed and the Green Dragon was again fully stocked. Gustov, the publican, had repaid his customers' continued patronage by serving cheap ale and organising an hourly striptease.
Business was booming.
Shayne, Macca and Calahan waited nervously at their usual table. Shayne had met a group of mercenaries a few days ago and had set up this meeting with some trepidation. The men he had arranged to meet were not a pleasant bunch. In fact they were downright scary.
| Shayne | As soon as this is over I'll be happy. |
| Macca | So will I. Has anybody ever told you that you don't handle stress very well? |
| Shayne | (wipes a bead of sweat from his brow) |
| Macca | Stop worrying so much, you're making me nervous. |
| Shayne | And with good reason. |
| Macca | Are they that bad? Seriously? |
| Shayne | You have no idea. When I first met the leader he scared the crap outa me. There's something about him. It's hard to explain. (swallows nervously) There's something sinister in the way he looks at you. He's got this flat emotionless expression that speaks volumes. Like he'd as soon cut your throat as he would shake your hand. (shudders) He's not someone we want to mess with. |
| Macca | So why are we messing with him, eh? |
| Shayne | For the money. As soon as we hand over the map we take his money and we leave. The less time we spend in his company the better. Agreed? |
| Macca | (nods) |
| Calahan | Will he be bringing his friends. |
| Shayne | I imagine so. And from what I've seen they're just as bad as him. |
| Calahan | So what do we do if he tries to welch on the deal? |
| Shayne | We hand over the map and count ourselves lucky, that's what. |
| Calahan | (rolls his eyes and slumps back in his chair) Great. |
| Shayne | Shush, here they come. |
Six men pushed their way through the throng with neither care nor concern. Those unfortunates that happened to be in their way were summarily pushed aside. One large man thought to take issue over his spilled ale but quickly reconsidered when confronted by a united front of brutish efficiency. This group wasn't exactly rude just totally ambivalent to those that stood in their way.
The leader and self-appointed Captain of the Clenched Fist Company was Kalmire Kriss. He wore a bandolier of knives across his broad, chain-mailed chest and carried twin longswords at his side. His eyes were an unnerving pale-blue, cold, flat and emotionless. He wore his thick beard with pride and had tied his long, wavy black hair into a tight ponytail that hung half way down his back. Everything about the man spoke of clinical efficiency. His economy of movement and the way he scanned the crowd for trouble hinted at experience well beyond his apparent years. His armour and weapons had seen a lot of action but were in excellent condition. Only his mud-splattered cloak showed any sign of negligence.
Kalmire's half-orc lieutenant, Slug, walked at his side. Slug was a thin, wicked brute whose scouting abilities were second to none. He had served alongside Captain Kalmire ever since the Clenched Fist Company was formed. Slug knew his Captain better than any other man and trusted his judgment implicitly.
The others were typical veterans of numerous campaigns, rough looking and carried themselves with a confident air. They had travelled far and still had a ways to go. Having left the Shield Lands hastily, after an unfortunate incident with their previous employer, they were currently on their way to The Great Kingdom where, if rumours were to be believed, mercenaries of their disposition were in great demand. But before continuing their trek west they intended to make a slight detour and pick up a magical sword that had come to the captain's attention.
Kalmire approached the table and smiled coldly. He could see the effect that he and his group had on the three adventurers. Without word he pulled out a chair, sat down next to Shayne and took a swig of the nervous man's ale.
| Kalmire | (turning the mug idly in his hand) Well? |
| Shayne | Do you have the money? |
| Kalmire | (indicates Slug) He does. Show me the map. |
| Shayne | (reaches into his vest and retrieves the parchment) Give the money to Macca. He'll count it and then you can have the map. |
| Kalmire | Slug, give the man the money. |
| Macca | (holds his hand out, struggling to keep it from shaking) |
| Slug | (removes a small pouch from his belt and hands it to Macca) |
| Macca | (opens the pouch and pokes around with a finger) It looks like its all there. |
| Shayne | (nods and hands over the map) Excellent. Nice doing business with you. (begins to rise) |
| Kalmire | (dangerously) Just a minute. |
| Shayne | (sits) |
| Kalmire | (unrolls the map and studies it intently) It looks new. |
| Shayne | (coughs uncomfortably) It is. |
| Kalmire | I thought this was a one-of-a-kind. |
| Shayne | Erm, it is. The original was in poor shape and wouldn't have survived the journey. |
| Kalmire | Well hand it over. |
| Shayne | (looks to Macca) |
| Macca | (looks to Shayne, fear in his eyes) |
| Shayne | (looks to Calahan) |
| Calahan | (glances away nervously) |
| Kalmire | (leans forward menacingly) Well? |
| Shayne | We don't have it any more. |
| Kalmire | You don't? (leans forward) Where is it? |
| Shayne | (coughs) |
| Macca | (suddenly) It was stolen. |
| Shayne | Stolen! Yeah that's right. It was stolen. |
| Kalmire | I see. |
| Shayne | (trembles and wipes the sweat from his brow) |
| Kalmire | (turns to his lieutenant) It seems this deal just turned sour. Do you want to show the little man what we do with people that try and stiff us? |
| Slug | (cracks his knuckles and slides his tongue lasciviously over his protruding tusks) Sure. |
| Shayne | It's true! Four adventurers stole the original map. |
| Kalmire | Names? |
| Shayne | Creighton and Valrorn, that's all I know. |
| Macca | (helpfully) Creighton's a big warrior. Like you. |
| Kalmire | When did they steal the map? |
| Shayne | About ten days ago. |
| Kalmire | Why didn't you tell me about this when we first met? |
| Shayne | I didn't think it was all that important. |
| Kalmire | Well you were wrong. (hands the map to Slug) We'll want our money back. |
| Macca | (looks forlornly at the pouch of gold in his hand) |
| Shayne | (watches as Slug slips the map into his belt pouch) But you've got the map. A... a deal's a deal. |
| Kalmire | Last chance. Give me back my money, boy. |
| Shayne | (nods) |
| Macca | (slides the pouch across the table) |
| Kalmire | (removes a gold piece from the pouch and flicks it onto the table) This transaction is complete. Agreed? |
| Shayne | (sadly) Sure. |
The Clenched Fist Company departed the Green Dragon as quickly and rambunctiously as they had entered. Shayne, Macca and Calahan watched them through the windows as the six imposing men strode down the street and into the darkness.
| Calahan | (sarcastically) That went well. |
| Shayne | Shutup. |
| Macca | I guess we're out of the map making business. (holds up a leather scrollcase full of maps) What should we do with these? |
| Shayne | (sadly) Burn them. I'm not going through that again. |
Meanwhile, in the wild, grassy hills northwest of Del Mord, the assassins marched on.
The wolf howls that shadowed their progress last night were a continual presence again this evening and all the travellers were on edge. Other wolves had joined the lone wolf and their combined howls echoed in the night. Conversation was kept to a minimum and Craven's sullen commands did nothing to restore morale.
| Azareth | (looks behind fearfully) They're getting closer. |
| Creighton | (squinting into the darkness) I can't see anything. |
| Keldirk | What do you expect, stupid. It is night, after all. Not the best time to travel in this region I bet. But I'm sure our illustrious leader is aware of that fact. |
| Llyam | It's strange that a wolf pack would follow us for so long. Surely there is easier prey about. It is very disconcerting to say the least. |
| Azareth | Can you estimate how far away they are? |
| Llyam | A mile or two. They've been that close for a while now. |
| Azareth | What are they waiting for? |
| Creighton | A good place to attack, I reckon. |
| Llyam | I can't say. |
| Craven | All this speculation is getting us nowhere. Let's move on and worry about the wolves if they become a problem. |
| Azareth | If it is all the same to you I would rather make preparations while the opportunity still exists. (to Llyam) Perhaps we should find a defensible position. |
| Llyam | (nods) That would be wise. |
| Craven | Listen to yourselves! You sound like mewling children. I will not be held hostage by a pack of dogs. We keep walking. End of discussion! |
| Creighton | (passes a torch to the others) Best have one of these. Just in case. |
They walked for several hours before the howls spread. In a matter of moments the small party was in the midst of a cacophony of lupine song.
| Llyam | This is getting serious. (swallows hard) There must be at least twenty of them. |
| Creighton | (listening) We're surrounded! |
| Azareth | What do you suggest we do, Llyam? |
| Llyam | Light our torches and build a sizeable fire. |
| Craven | No! We keep moving. |
| Keldirk | Listen here you idiot. The guide said we should build a fire, and that's what we'll do. He's the expert, not you. And I'll be damned if I take any more orders from you. |
| Craven | (closes on Keldirk with incredible speed and punches him soundly in the stomach) |
| Keldirk | (doubles over, winded and surprised) |
| Craven | (calmly) We keep moving. (walks away) |
| Creighton | (to Azareth) What should we do? |
| Azareth | I don't know. (thinks for a moment) But we should stay together. (places a hand on Keldirk's back) Are you able to walk? |
| Keldirk | (growls) Don't touch me, mage. |
The other's caught up to Craven and resumed their march. The accompanying ring of wolves kept pace and all but Craven's nerves were on edge. Azareth marvelled at Craven's cool confidence in the face of such overwhelming danger and silently prayed that his young companion knew what he was doing.
Half an hour later the wolves attacked.
It was hardly a surprise as the howls, which had been a constant accompaniment to their journey for three hours, suddenly ceased. Creighton immediately called upon the power of his eye to ignite his torch and in moments the companions were back-to-back in a fragile ring of fire.
The leader of the pack, a great one-eared wolf, led the attack as the wolves closed on the party from all sides. The companions' torches had minimal effect and in a matter of seconds the human ring was rent asunder. The companions drew their weapons and engaged the lupine throng.
All, that is, except Craven.
He stood alone, untouched and stared into the glowing red eyes of the one-eared male. In an instant their minds were joined and Craven divined the meaning of the attack. The attack was not driven by hunger. Instead, the massive wolf sought to liberate Craven from the company of the humans!
| One-Ear | Flee brother! |
| Craven | Stop this. I do not want this. |
| One-Ear | Flee! |
| Craven | No! Go away. I don't want your help. |
| One-Ear | (confused - stares at Craven strangely) |
| Craven | I said go! |
Suddenly the wolves broke away and disappeared into the night. During the brief fray, Creighton had managed to break one wolf's leg and it lay whimpering in the dirt a few feet away. Llyam moved across and quickly ended its misery.
| Azareth | (nursing a badly torn arm) What happened? Where did they go? |
| Llyam | I don't know. Maybe this is their leader. (indicates the dead wolf) |
| Creighton | I don't think so, there were bigger wolves around than this puppy. |
| Llyam | Be wary. Wolves are a cunning breed and they might soon return. |
| Keldirk | (retrieves his torch from the dust and relights it) |
| Azareth | We should gather wood. Build a fire. |
| Creighton | Yes. There was a grove of trees a couple of hundred yards back. We can make it if we hurry. |
| Craven | No. We move on. They've gone. |
| Creighton | But they'll be back! |
| Craven | No, they won't. |
| Azareth | How can you be so sure. |
| Craven | (walking away) I'm sure. |
| Azareth | (stares at Craven's retreating form, dumbfounded) |
| Keldirk | (to Llyam) What do you suggest we do, guide? |
| Llyam | We should go back to the grove and build a fire. That would be the sane thing to do. |
| Keldirk | Well, let's go. |
| Creighton | But Craven, what about Craven? |
| Keldirk | (spits) What about him! Leave him for the wolves, he doesn't seem too concerned. |
| Azareth | Maybe Craven's right. Maybe they won't be back. |
| Keldirk | What? Are you mad? |
| Azareth | They left in a big hurry. Perhaps we did scare them away. |
| Keldirk | Shh! Listen. |
The travellers listened intently and heard the familiar howls some distance away.
| Creighton | They're moving away! |
| Llyam | I don't understand any of this. (shakes his head) Why did the pack attack us in the first place? Why follow us all night only to run away when confronted by resistance? (kicks the dead wolf ) And look at it! It's fat and healthy. They all were. These were not the kind of wolves that attack a party of humans. Something very strange is going on. |
| Azareth | (nods, thinking) Hmm. |
| Creighton | Well I'm just glad they're gone. |
| Llyam | We're not out of this yet. As I said, they might be back. Wolves are very clever and they might be circling around for another attack later on. Perhaps when we make camp. (sighs wearily) I don't think this is over. |
| Creighton | That's a comforting thought. |
| Keldirk | Come on. We've wasted enough time. Let's go back to grove and build a fire. |
| Azareth | I think I understand now. |
| Llyam | You do? |
| Creighton | Why are the wolves attacking us, Az? |
| Keldirk | Yes, mage, enlighten us with your brilliance. |
| Azareth | Never mind the details just now. But I think, on this matter, we can trust Craven. Come on let us not tarry a moment longer. We must catch up with him. |
| Keldirk | (plants his feet emphatically) I'm not moving one foot until you tell me what the hell is going on here. |
| Azareth | Not now. (flashes a furtive glance at Llyam) Just trust me. |
| Keldirk | (unamused) |
| Azareth | Please! Come on, let's hurry. |
The four companions hurried away and caught up to Craven a short time later. The duellist didn't acknowledge their presence and continued his march on, resolute and detached.
The guide maintained a constant vigil at the head of the party, watching for the wolves. He led the group through the grassy hills and was relieved to see the sky begin to lighten in the east. Almost immediately Craven called the group to a halt.
| Craven | We rest. |
| Llyam | (studies the map) We've only got a few miles to go, an hour at worst. |
| Craven | Give me that! (snatches the map) Where are we now? |
| Llyam | (points) We are here, the canyon is there. If we hurry we could be there in half an hour. |
| Craven | (looks to the east and wraps his cloak about him) No. We stop here. |
| Llyam | I don't understand. We should be able to find better shelter in the canyon. Here we are exposed to the elements and the wolves. |
| Craven | (angry) Are you hard of hearing? I say we camp here. |
| Azareth | Perhaps if we march to the canyon through the valleys, then things will be okay. Craven, please reconsider. |
| Craven | (thinks for a moment then growls) Very well. (pokes his finger at the guide) But we stay out of the sun. |
| Llyam | (confused) Um, sure. |
The group hurried on. At one point Llyam was tempted to question Craven about the need to travel in shadow but after a warning glance from Azareth he thought better of it. Creighton, too, was confused at Craven's apparent fear of the sun but consoled himself with the knowledge that Azareth seemed to have the situation in hand. Keldirk was a different matter. He seemed to take great delight in pointing out the ridiculousness of Craven's demands. Strangely Craven never reacted to Keldirk's steady stream of jibes. Instead he remained huddled in his cloak, pulled his hat down low and trudged on in silence. The impending sunrise sapped Craven's strength and it required all of his concentration to keep moving.
With considerable effort, and a large number of detours and double-backs, the group managed to arrive at the canyon just as the sun crested the horizon. Azareth saw the effect the sun was having on Craven and was desperate to find his companion some shelter. As the group neared the mouth of the canyon Azareth sent Llyam ahead to find a suitable campsite. A few minutes later the guide returned and before long they had made camp in a large cave in the canyon wall.
Craven was near exhaustion and immediately laid out his bedroll and fell into a deep slumber. The others moved to the mouth of the cave and left Craven to sleep.
| Creighton | What's going on, Az? |
| Azareth | (hands Llyam an empty waterskin) Llyam, would you mind filling this up at that stream we crossed a short while ago? |
| Llyam | Sure. (picks up his backpack) I'll, err, be back in an hour or so. |
| Keldirk | (grabs the strap of Llyam's backpack and pulls it gently off his shoulder) You probably won't be needing that. Will you? |
| Llyam | (nervously) No, of course not. (coughs) Force of habit. |
| Keldirk | (smiles flatly) I understand. |
The three assassins watched as Llyam left the cave and navigated the rocky terrain towards the mouth of the canyon.
| Keldirk | He wants to leave. |
| Creighton | Who? |
| Keldirk | The guide. He's been on edge since yesterday. I think he's a little upset about the children. |
| Azareth | Not surprising really. |
| Keldirk | We'll have to kill him. |
| Creighton | Don't be stupid. We need him to get us back. |
| Azareth | I'm afraid Keldirk is correct. Llyam will undoubtedly report us to the authorities if he ever gets back to Del Mord. We need to keep him alive so that he can lead us back to civilisation. I suggest we keep him alive for the time being. Once he has led us back to the Del Mord road his life is forfeit. |
| Creighton | So when he comes back to the cave we jump him. I'll knock him out and then we can tie him up. Agreed? |
| Keldirk | Crude but simple. (nods) Works for me. |
| Azareth | You do realise that this would not have been necessary if you had simply let the children live. |
| Keldirk | (scoffs) Let them live? Where's the fun in that? |
| Azareth | (glances in Craven's direction and lowers his voice to a mere whisper) I think I know what is happening to Craven. |
| Creighton | You do? |
| Azareth | It is my considered opinion that our friend is becoming a vampire. |
| Keldirk | (incredulously) What? |
| Creighton | A vampire? Are you sure? |
| Azareth | I didn't want to believe it myself at first, but now I'm fairly certain that my hypothesis is correct. Let us examine the evidence. First is his intense fear of water. |
| Keldirk | He's always been scared of water. That's nothing new. |
| Azareth | True but lately his fear has grown. It wasn't so long ago that he swam under water to reach the lair of The Butcher. Contrast that with our more recent crossing of the river. You see? The river was only twenty or so feet across but Craven refused even to get wet. And immersing a vampire in running water is one way they can be slain. |
| Creighton | Okay, he's scared of water, what else? |
| Azareth | We've all noticed his aversion to sunlight. And we all know what sunlight does to vampires, don't we? |
| Creighton | (nods) |
| Keldirk | (nods) |
| Azareth | But it goes further than that. Craven's skin actually blisters when exposed to the sun yet the next day the scars are gone. As far as I can tell the darkness has some regenerative influence. Just as the sun weakens him, the night strengthens him. |
| Creighton | You're telling me that Craven can regenerate? (raises an eyebrow) |
| Azareth | (nods) Do you recall the duel Craven had with Van Darrin? That wound would have killed you or I, yet he was up and walking in a matter of hours. |
| Creighton | I thought vampires drank blood. |
| Azareth | That is the one thing that still has me baffled. Perhaps his transformation is not yet complete. |
| Keldirk | (clicks his fingers) Now it makes sense. |
| Azareth | What does? |
| Keldirk | Remember when we fought the baboons? |
| Azareth | How could I forget? |
| Keldirk | When we broke camp that night, I found a partially eaten baby baboon hidden under the log where Craven had sat. I think Craven ate it. |
| Creighton | (screws up his nose) Eeww! |
| Azareth | (leans closer to Keldirk) Perhaps one of us should inventory his supply of rations? |
| Keldirk | Leave it to me. |
Keldirk moved stealthily across to Craven's equipment. With one eye on his slumbering companion, he located Craven's stash of rations and silently opened the sack and peered inside. He quickly counted the contents, closed the sack and returned to the others by the mouth of the cave.
| Keldirk | He hasn't eaten much. There are a few half-eaten packets but most of them are intact. But I did see quite a few bloodstains. |
| Azareth | Bloodstains? |
| Keldirk | Yeah. Like he's been keeping raw meat in there. |
| Creighton | Maybe he's been chewing on baboon for the last few days. |
| Azareth | It appears that my theory is sound; Craven is becoming a vampire. |
| Keldirk | I'll go and prepare some wooden stakes. |
| Azareth | (shocked) To what end? |
| Keldirk | So we can kill him. Craven's a monster and deserves to die. |
| Azareth | That may be so. But he is still a member of The Family. If you kill him I will report you and you will undoubtedly receive a Black Scroll for your efforts. No, we must do this the right way. |
| Keldirk | The right way? (laughs) |
| Creighton | (looking warily at Craven's sleeping form) So what are we going to do with him? |
| Keldirk | What if he gets hungry in the middle of the night and starts chewing on one of us? What then? |
| Azareth | I doubt that would happen. Apart from his short temper I believe he is still the same man that he was. I'm certain that his loyalty remains with The Family. |
| Creighton | It's all too creepy for me. (scratches his head) Is it contagious? |
| Azareth | You mean vampirism? |
| Creighton | (nods) Yeah, can I catch it just by being around him? |
| Azareth | Common mythology states that only one killed by a vampire and buried that same night will rise again the next evening as a vampire under the master's control. But obviously what is happening to Craven is something altogether different. I cannot explain it. |
| Keldirk | So you can't guarantee our safety, eh? Comforting thought. |
| Azareth | I don't follow. |
| Keldirk | We are obliged to keep the monster alive yet we can't be sure that it will show us the same courtesy. You say he's undergoing a transformation, what happens when that transformation is complete? |
| Azareth | The rules of The Family are quite clear, Keldirk. No member may take the life of another without proper authorisation. To do so is to bring death upon yourself. There are no exceptions. |
| Keldirk | But this is different. Craven's very nature is a definite threat to our own survival. It may well be a case of kill or be killed. |
| Azareth | (shakes his head) You can't say that. Look at the evidence. He saved me from the baboons and he carried you to safety when the green dragon attacked. Are those the actions of someone who has abandoned their loyalty to The Family? I think not. |
| Creighton | Fair enough. I won't hurt him now. But if he attacks me I'm going to defend myself to the best of my ability. And if that means I kill him then so be it. |
| Keldirk | (incredulous) So you agree with the mage? You want to keep the monster alive? |
| Creighton | Definitely. |
| Azareth | Upon our return to Del Mord I will go to Vesper, inform him of Craven's plight and a decision will be made. Until then we watch each other's backs and remain vigilant. |
| Creighton | Agreed. (yawns) I wish Llyam would hurry back so I can knock him out and get some sleep. I'm tired. |
Less than an hour later Llyam returned to the cave and handed Azareth the filled waterskin. Azareth asked him several questions about the surrounding territory while Creighton moved into position. With a dull thud, Creighton brought the pommel of his dagger down upon the unsuspecting guide's head and knocked him out cold.
| Creighton | (chuckles) Too easy. |
Creighton carried the unconscious guide to the back of the cave and bound him about the arms and legs with a length of silk rope. Once he was satisfied that the ropes were secure he propped Llyam up against the wall and went to sleep.
Hours later, after the group had rested and the sun had set, Craven woke. He could sense that the mood among the assassins had changed. His three companions seemed to avert their gaze and even the lumbering Creighton seemed to be walking on eggshells.
| Craven | What's going on? |
| Creighton | We tied him up. |
| Craven | I can see that. I mean what's going on with you three? |
| Azareth | We are a little excited. It's not every day you break into a crypt in search of a magical sword. |
| Craven | You are a bad liar, Azareth. But never mind. Get your stuff together. It's time we left. Creighton, check that Llyam's bonds are secure. |
| Llyam | (desparately) Let me go, please. Just don't leave me in this cave alone. |
| Creighton | (walks over and punches Llyam solidly in the cheek) I told you to shut up. (examines Llyam's bonds) |
| Craven | Has he been fed? |
| Creighton | (nods) Yep. |
| Craven | (straps on his weapons belt) Azareth, light the lantern and let's be on our way. |
Craven watched as the group prepared to leave the cave. He studied each in turn and could tell from their mannerisms that they had united against him. He knew it was only a matter of time before they would turn on him, join forces to bring him down. He decided that he would remain vigilant for any sign of betrayal and take action when that inevitable moment arrived. That action would be swift, deadly and direct.
The assassins left the cave and headed out into the canyon. It was apparent that a river, long since gone, had once flowed along the canyon floor. The centre of the ravine had been worn smooth by the flowing waters while, nearer the walls, the ground was littered with rubble from numerous rockfalls. The going was slow at first, as they adjusted to walking across the loose stones, but before long they had reached the centre of the canyon where their footing was solid.
| Creighton | What exactly are we looking for? |
| Azareth | According to the map there is a cutting in the right wall of the canyon, approximately two miles ahead. We follow that all the way to the final resting-place of Finn Thrommel. |
| Keldirk | You three watch the wall to the right, I'll concentrate on our rear and the wall to the left. |
About half and hour later Creighton pointed excitedly to his right.
| Creighton | There! That has to be it. |
The assassins looked to where the big warrior indicated and saw a narrow, stone path that rose from the base of the canyon wall and disappeared into the darkness. The group ambled over to the path and Creighton examined the construction.
| Azareth | (shutters the lantern and peers up) This canyon is deep. The wall must be over a hundred feet high. |
| Craven | Nearer two hundred, I'd say. |
| Creighton | (annoyed) Hey, Az, give me some light will ya? |
| Azareth | Sorry about that. (unshutters the lantern) |
| Creighton | (pokes and prods at the stone path) Definitely man made. Feels solid, too. |
| Azareth | Let's hope it remains solid all the way to the top. |
| Craven | Marching order will be: me, Creighton, Azareth and Keldirk. Let's go. |
The assassins carefully picked their way up the narrow stone ledge. The higher they climbed the rougher the stones beneath their feet became. In some places the path was little more than loose shale and the group was forced to cling to the canyon wall to keep from plummeting to the ground below. At one point Keldirk lost his balance momentarily and sent a small avalanche of loose rocks over the precipice. He quickly recovered his footing but the incident left him feeling short of breath and less assured.
| Keldirk | (breathless) This has to be the stupidest thing we've ever done. Hey, Craven? |
| Craven | What? |
| Keldirk | When this is all over remind me to beat the crap out of you. |
| Craven | What for? |
| Keldirk | For making us climb this bloody cliff in the dark. |
| Craven | Stop complaining. We've got a lantern. All you need to do is concentrate. |
| Creighton | (slips but regains his footing) Keldirk? |
| Keldirk | Yeah? |
| Creighton | I'll hold him down while you beat him up. |
| Keldirk | (humourlessly) It's a date. |
Some fifty feet up the canyon wall, the ledge had crumbled away creating a gap of about fifteen feet.
| Craven | Stop. |
| Azareth | What is it? |
| Craven | The path has fallen away up ahead. Creighton get me some rope. I'll climb across and hammer in an iron spike. Creighton, you do the same on this side then we'll attach the rope which you can use to get across. |
The assassins put the plan into action. Craven crossed the span with relative ease and began to hammer an iron spike into the stone. Creighton retrieved his rope from his pack and was about hammer a spike into the wall when the attack began.
From the shadows above crawled four black vaguely humanoid shapes. Their bodies were the stuff of shadow and they closed on the assassins with stealth and surprising speed. Their initial attack caught the adventurers completely unawares and in an instant Creighton, Azareth and Keldirk were locked in deadly battle with the four shadowy assailants.
The close quarters and precarious footing made Creighton's longsword ineffective. The big man dropped the long blade to his feet, drew his daggers and tried to fend his two opponents away. Keldirk moved further down the path to give himself, and his companions, more room to move while Azareth stabbed madly with his dagger.
On the other side of the gap Craven peered around for other foes but it seemed that the shadowy figures were content to ignore him. Growling angrily the young duellist began to inch his way back across the chasm.
The shadows' claws slashed at the assassins in great sweeping arcs. Creighton was the first to feel the effect of their attack and all but fell to his knees as some of his strength was sapped from his body. The shades fought on and pressed the hulking warrior back and back, closer to the precipice. Creighton lashed out with his daggers and managed to force one of his attackers back, but the other filled the breach almost immediately. Creighton howled in fury and tried to reverse the tide. He forced himself onto the front foot and lunged with both blades. The shade easily dodged the assault but, in the process, it had allowed Creighton to step away from the ledge.
Azareth reeled as the shadow repeatedly tore at his flesh, he grew weaker with each blow and he knew it wouldn't be long before he lacked the strength to defend himself. Summoning all his resolve he dropped his blade and concentrated on the words of magic. The shade hesitated for a moment too long and Azareth managed to release his spell sending two green bolts of energy into the shadow. The creature hissed in pain and redoubled its attack on the weary spellcaster.
Keldirk danced back along the ledge as fast as he dared. So far he had been lucky; the shadow's attacks had either missed or had been deflected by the assassin's whirling blades. The shade pressed on pushing Keldirk further and further down the path. Then suddenly it climbed the wall and, with surprising speed, scuttled over Keldirk's head and came to rest on the path behind him. Keldirk spun around and flung his knives instinctively, each blade struck home and was enveloped by the monster's black shroud. Then Keldirk realised the horror of his predicament - where before the shadow was silhouetted by Azareth's lantern light it was now concealed in the inky darkness of night.
| Keldirk | (draws two knives and peers around desperately) Oh shit! |
Creighton had managed to hold off his two attackers long enough for Craven to arrive. The duellist dangerously pushed Creighton aside and attacked the shades. The shadows paused as Craven came on, as if they were somehow surprised by his assault. One shade climbed up and across the wall to resume the fight with Creighton while the other leapt upon Craven and began to tear at the duellist's face.
Azareth put his back against the wall and lashed out feebly with his only remaining knife. It was becoming all too apparent that he could not hope to survive much longer in this physical contest. The shade had managed to score several hits and Azareth was feeling not only the strength draining effects of the attacks but also the material pain.
Something had to be done, and done fast.
Azareth flung his blade at the shadow and withdrew a small ball of phosphorescent moss from his pouch belt. Even as the shade regained its composure, Azareth began to cast.
| Azareth | Illuminatae globus moria'shiam |
Azareth completed his incantation an instant before the shade attacked. He centred the light spell where he supposed the creature's head would be and released his magic. As the magical light flared into life, the shadow's facial features were revealed and Azareth looked on in helpless fascination as the creature of darkness desperately tried to distance itself from the hateful light. The monster's beautiful, almost angelic, features surprised Azareth and he was overcome with a strange mixture of sorrow and relief as the shadow slipped and tumbled over the edge to its death.
Keldirk waved his sword from left to right in the vain hope that the creature would rush him and, perhaps, impale itself on his blade. It was not to be. The shadow, now completely invisible, darted forward and raked its claws across Keldirk's chest and face before sliding back into the safety of the darkness. Keldirk shook his head and tried to refocus. He knew that he would not survive the battle without light and he called out for help even as he began to back-peddle up the path.
Azareth heeded his companion's call and quickly retrieved the lantern, unshuttered it fully and raised it high above his head.
The extra light proved to be a boon to the assassins and the tide of the battle began to turn. Craven stabbed and slashed at his foe and, in a matter of moments, it fell from the ledge and disappeared into the darkness below.
Creighton's breathing was heavy and he was becoming frustrated with his impotent attacks. The creature easily deflected the warrior's weakened blows and with each strike brought Creighton closer and closer to collapse.
Then, suddenly, Craven was there. He grabbed Creighton by the shoulder and easily forced the big man aside. The shadow seemed less sure against its new foe but resumed the attack nonetheless. With a few deft thrusts and cuts, Craven sent the creature to its death.
Keldirk moved further and further away from the shadow. The beast seemed to be frightened of the light and was reluctant to close on the retreating assassin. Keldirk seized his opportunity and flung a quick volley of knives at the monster, miraculously each blade struck home and the shadow tipped forward and tumbled away, out of view.
| Keldirk | Damn it! |
| Azareth | What's wrong? Are you alright? (looks about fearfully) |
| Keldirk | (growls) I'll live. I just lost five knives, that's all. |
| Craven | (calling out) Stop jabbering. Come on, let's proceed. Creighton, hammer in that iron spike and be quick about it. |
| Creighton | (sitting down, his back against the wall) Hammer it in yourself. I'm knackered. |
| Craven | Bah! Mage, tend to our fearsome warrior while I prepare the rope. |
| Azareth | (turns to Craven, his face weary) I suggest we sit down for a while and regain our strength. |
| Creighton | What were those creatures, Az? |
| Azareth | I'm not sure, undead perhaps. They seemed to draw our strength from us. A wholly unpleasant experience, to say the least. |
| Craven | What are you babbling about? |
| Azareth | (looks quizzically at Craven) Didn't you feel it? |
| Craven | No. What? |
| Creighton | Every time those little bastards hit me I got weaker. (shakes his head wearily) I doubt I could walk let alone climb. |
| Azareth | (to Craven) I take it from your bemused expression that they did not sap your strength? |
| Craven | No. (looks around) I'll finish setting up the ropes while you three rest. Let me know when you feel ready to proceed. |
| Azareth | (rubs his chin thoughtfully) |
A little over two hours later the assassins were ready to move on. Using the rope as support, they crossed the span and continued along up the path. About two hundred feet ahead the path opened into a large plateau. The assassins stepped onto the expanse and looked around.
Two massive stone statues, carved in the likeness of fully armoured knights, stood at attention to either side of a pair of mammoth brass doors. The knights were beautifully crafted. Each had their mailed hands resting upon the hilt of a large double-handed sword and appeared resolute and determined in their vigil. Overlooking the entrance hung a stone sculpture fashioned into the shape of an open- mouthed face, framed by a multitude of carved sunburst flames each tinged with a yellow dye.
| Creighton | Wow! (studies the statues) Those things are huge. |
| Keldirk | You have a remarkable knack of stating the obvious. |
| Creighton | This Finn Thrommel guy must have been really important. |
| Keldirk | Who cares? Let's just get inside and get what we came for. |
| Craven | For once I am in agreement with Keldirk. This idle speculation achieves nothing, let's focus on getting in. |
The four assassins spent the next few minutes examining the area about the double doors. Azareth discovered some strange runes engraved into the metal while Craven established that the huge doors where unlocked. Keldirk studied the runes for a short while, his keen mind seeking some pattern or familiarity within the old script. Eventually he snapped his fingers and stepped back.
| Azareth | I gather you have made some discovery? |
| Keldirk | (nods) I think so. These inscriptions say something about this place being protected by the hosts of heaven. And that entry will only be allowed once an offering is made. Or something like that. |
| Azareth | (rubs his chin thoughtfully) Hmmm. I wonder what manner of offering is required? |
| Craven | The doors are unlocked, which means that they are either trapped or the inscription is nothing more than a simple diversion. Keldirk, check the doors for traps? |
| Keldirk | (steps back, inviting Craven forward) Check 'em yourself. |
| Craven | I already have and now I want your opinion. (eyes narrow dangerously) Check the doors for traps. |
Keldirk reluctantly approached the brass doors, cracked his knuckles and began to search for the telltale signs of protective measures. He retrieved the lantern from Azareth and traced it along the doorframe, peering into each and every gap. He motioned Creighton forward and instructed the big warrior to lift him up so he could examine the top of the door. After concluding his inspection he removed his tools from his pack and began the delicate physical examination. This was the most dangerous aspect of his search and he demanded absolute silence as he worked. Using fine lengths of twisted wire he tentatively probed and prodded into every nook and cranny. After twenty tense minutes he stepped away from the doors and sighed with relief.
| Keldirk | I couldn't find anything. |
| Craven | Nor could I. (draws his swords) Let's go inside. Creighton, open the door. |
| Azareth | Wait. |
| Craven | What is it now? |
| Azareth | I suggest we err on the side of caution and move back along the path as Creighton tries the doors. |
| Craven | Fine. |
The others stepped away from the entrance as Creighton grabbed the doorhandle. With a bit of effort the latch clicked open and Creighton began to push the doors open. As soon as the seal was broken the four assassins heard the loud grating of stone on stone and then look on in horror as Creighton was engulfed in flame. The others shielded their eyes from the conflagration even as Creighton called out in fear and surprise.
As quickly as they had begun, the flames died.
Creighton stepped away from the still closed doors and patted at the burning remnants of his clothing and equipment. His supernatural immunity to flame protected him from injury and his prime concern was for his weapons and armour. Luckily they had survived the flames but little remained of the big warrior's boots or backpack.
| Creighton | I guess the doors were trapped after all. |
| Azareth | (shocked) By all that's holy! Creighton are you okay? |
| Creighton | (nods) Apart from losing most of my stuff I'm fine. It didn't hurt at all. |
| Keldirk | (shakes his head) It's unnatural. |
| Craven | So how do we get past the trap? |
| Azareth | (runs his hands over Creighton, checking for injury) You are sure you are unhurt? Even at this distance the heat was terrible. |
| Creighton | (shrugs) It was a little warm sure but nothing I couldn't handle. |
| Craven | Where did the flames originate? |
| Creighton | The mouth above the doors. (points) |
| Craven | Azareth, is there anything you can do to neutralise the flames. |
| Azareth | (shakes his head) I'm afraid not. My magic would not be affective here. |
| Keldirk | (snorts) So what else is new?. |
| Creighton | If only I had a shield. I'd be able to deflect the flames while you three scramble inside. (shrugs) The fire won't hurt me at all. |
| Craven | (looks at Creighton) An excellent idea. |
| Creighton | But I don't have a shield. |
| Craven | You can use your hands. Cover the face's mouth and deflect the flames away. Simple. |
| Creighton | The face is a little high. I'll need a boost. |
| Azareth | We'll boost you up so you can hammer some iron spikes into the wall. You can stand on those and deflect the flames while we go inside. |
Craven removed the hammer and some iron spikes from his backpack and handed them to Creighton. The big warrior removed his weapons and armour and handed them to Azareth. Craven and Keldirk provided support for Creighton as he hammered in the spikes. As soon as he was finished the big warrior pulled himself up and perched somewhat precariously on the makeshift ledge.
| Craven | Creighton are you ready? |
| Creighton | (cups his hands over the mouth) Yep. |
| Craven | Okay, I'm going to open the doors. |
Craven reached forward and turned the handle. Once the latch slipped free he pushed the massive doors open. Immediately flames erupted from the face's mouth and Creighton was again engulfed in the fiery inferno. Most of the flames were deflected upwards by Creighton's cupped hands and those few jets that slipped through his fingers shot harmlessly into the big warrior's chest.
The moment the opening was wide enough Craven darted inside, the others close behind. Once they disappeared from view, Creighton dropped to the ground and followed them through the doors. The flames continued to shoot from the open mouth for several moments before the doors slowly swung shut.
| Azareth | Creighton, open the doors again. |
| Creighton | Why? |
| Azareth | I think it would be prudent to determine whether the trap will be triggered from this side. |
Creighton re-opened the doors and walked outside. He danced about the entrance and waited for the flames to reappear. After several minutes he grew tired of waiting and rejoined the others.
The chamber beyond was as impressive as its doors. The vaulted ceiling was lost in shadow, supported by a long line of pillars that lead away from the entrance and continued beyond the lantern's light. The stone floor was layered with dust and in a matter of moments the assassins had unwittingly raised a choking cloud of the stuff.
Such was the aura of the place that the assassins found it difficult to do anything but amble aimlessly around and stare in wonder. Lined along the chamber walls stood a series of brilliantly carved stone statues. As the assassins proceeded down the length of the chamber they discovered that the statues were in pairs, one against the left wall and its twin to the right. The statues were crafted into the uncanny likeness of foot soldiers, priests, mounted-knights, courtesans, archers, shield-bearers and even a pair of finely robed damsels.
| Creighton | (whistles as he passes a mounted knight on a rearing steed) They look so real. |
| Azareth | Indeed. The whole effect is rather breathtaking. |
| Creighton | This Finn Thrommel fellow must've been really important to warrant a crypt like this. What would a place like this cost? Just look at the workmanship. It must've taken a generation to carve out a place of this size. |
| Azareth | Not really, Creighton. The Church in Almor is quite wealthy and if my research is accurate this Finn Thrommel fellow was a hero of the people who died defending the Arch Prelate. It's no wonder he was laid to rest in such a grand fashion. What does surprise me, however, is the remote location of the crypt. I would have thought that such a popular historical figure would be buried where pilgrims could pay their respects. |
| Creighton | Maybe this is where Finn Thrommel died. |
| Azareth | (stares at Creighton in wonder) You know, you could be right. That makes perfect sense. (smiles) |
| Craven | Shush! Stop yabbering and pay attention to what you're doing. |
The assassins explored the chamber as a group. Keldirk, as usual, kept careful watch at the rear while the others searched the area revealed by the lantern light. Every twenty or so feet along the length of the chamber, suspended by thick chains, hung a series of large brass lanterns. Chains attached to winches mounted on the wall rose into the air at an angle. The assassins reasoned that these winches allowed the lanterns to be raised and lowered.
| Creighton | How about we get some more light in here? (moves to one of the winches and turns the handle) |
Sure enough a nearby lantern slowly descended and came to rest some four feet from the floor. Azareth moved across, peered inside and declared that the reservoir of oil was filled. Using a small piece of tinder as a taper, the mage lit the large lantern and watched as it stubbornly, almost reluctantly, flared to life.
| Azareth | There! Creighton, winch it back up if you please and let us see about lighting a few others. |
Before long the assassins had lit four of the six lanterns and the massive hall was bathed in light. It was clear from the dust that no one had entered the hall in many, many years. The lifelike statues were less threatening in the warm glow and everyone relaxed notably.
The hall extended one hundred feet into the side of the canyon. Against the far wall the assassins discovered a raised dais upon which rested two large marble sarcophagi. Carved into the wall behind the coffins was a strange symbol upon a large bone-white plaque. Upon the plaque, four small U-shaped indentations mapped the compass points around a large sunburst symbol of Pelor. The familiar symbol was carved in elegant simplicity. The bright face of the Sun God seemed to smile benignly on the two coffins, as if somehow watching over the souls within.
Craven felt a slight pang of discomfort as he neared the dais but pushed the minor concern aside. He was determined to let nothing keep him from possessing Finn Thrommel's magical sword.
| Craven | Keldirk, you examine the plaque. Creighton, Azareth and I will study the coffins. |
The moment Craven's foot touched the lowest stair of the dais the sunburst symbol on the wall flared to life and instantly the hall was illuminated in Pelor's holy light. Craven recoiled from the sudden radiance and fell to his knees, pained and momentarily stunned. The others drew their weapons and assumed defensive postures as Craven's tortured howls echoed throughout the hall.
Suddenly two spirits rose from the sarcophagi and floated into the air. They came to rest beside the coffins and immediately their forms solidified. Each spirit wore full plate and held a long sword in one hand and a shield in the other. The larger of the two sported a brilliant white cape and had a crimson chevron upon his shield. The other knight wore a plumed helm and had a blue tower emblazoned upon his breastplate and shield. The two spirit-guardians looked over the humans, their gaze lingering on each, before their eyes came to rest upon Craven's cowering form.
| knight 1 | Begone foul creature. Thou hast sullied the sanctity of this most holy place. |
| knight 2 | Maketh peace with whichever foul power tolerates thine unholy existence. Thou time hath cometh to an end. |
| Keldirk | (backs away and looks around fearfully) |
| Creighton | (draws his sword and steps to Craven's defence) |
| Craven | (looks up at the advancing spirits with undisguised hate) |
| Azareth | (flips open his component pouch and steps aside, his mind working feverishly) |
| knight 2 | (glowers warningly at Creighton and motions for him to stand aside) |
| Creighton | (stands firm) Come on! |
| Craven | (scrambles to his feet, his rising anger lending him strength in the face of the holy illumination) |
| knight 2 | (to Creighton) Mine quarrel is not with thee. Stand aside if thou wouldst live. Draw arms against me at thine own peril. |
| Creighton | Too late. (thrusts savagely at the Spirit-Knight, but has his blade turned aside by its shield) |
| knight 2 | Thou hast sealed thy fate. (engages Creighton) Resistance is futile. |
Creighton rained blow after blow upon the spirit's shield and armour. Such was the unbridled savagery of Creighton's attack that the knight was forced into a fighting withdrawal. Creighton pressed forward and soon had the spirit-knight backed up against a wall. Despite this the young warrior had not managed to wound the knight, such was the its calm, stoic defence.
Suddenly the plumed knight counter-attacked and began to force Creighton back. Creighton held his ground as long as he dared, parrying and counter-thrusting feverishly. But the knight's measured attacks broke through the young warrior's defences and in a matter of moments Creighton was bleeding from several wounds.
| Creighton | (flinches as the spirit-knight slices into his forearm) Argh! Guys, I could use some help here! Keldirk, do something! |
| Keldirk | (curses) I was afraid you were going to say that. |
Keldirk warily approached Creighton and his supernatural foe, his knives held high and poised to strike.
| Creighton | (takes a blow to his side and rocks back, pained) Keldirk! Get in here! |
| Keldirk | (spits angrily, drops his knives, draws his two short swords and enters the fray) |
Across the chamber, some fifty feet away, Craven and the caped knight silently circled each other, wary and alert. Craven was content to bide his time. With each heartbeat the young duellist felt his strength return and his irrational fear subside. He dismissed the hateful light from his mind and focussed his attention on his opponent's defence. Before long he was ready and launched a frenzied series of thrusts and cuts. But the caped knight was equally skilled and by surrendering ground the spirit-knight managed to deflect Craven's blows. The duo danced about each other in a whirring blaze of steel, Craven's darkness a counterpoint to the knight's holy light.
Craven and the caped knight battled on. Both had landed several blows yet only Craven showed any visible signs of damage. Already Craven's armour had all but fallen apart and the ragged leather strips did more to hamper his fighting style than protect him from the spirit-knight's sword.
| knight 1 | (defends Craven's blue-hued, magical scimitar away) The evil in thee is strong. You must not be allowed to live. |
| Craven | (growls) Once you are dead I will desecrate your remains and defile this place. (laughs maniacally) |
| knight 1 | (eyes narrow dangerously) Your soul shall burn for all eternity. |
| Craven | I'm going to piss in your coffin and feed your bones to the wolves. (parries a blow) Know that your death will be my gain. I shall take Thrommel's sword for my own and bath its length in the blood of Pelor's children. |
| knight 1 | I thank thee for strengthening my resolve. |
| Craven | It will do you no good, knight. I feed off your fear of failure and will take strength from your dying spirit. (drops low and slashes at the knight's legs) |
The caped spirit-knight almost fell and was forced off-balance as it avoided Craven's attack. But Craven kept on and pressed the knight further. The crazed young assassin hammered again and again upon the spirit-knight's shield until the ghostly figure's forearm shattered under the impact. Even as the knight dropped its shield and raised its sword in defence, Craven's rapier slid in low and entered the narrow space between the spirit-knight's breastplate and neck-guard.
| knight 1 | (drops its sword soundlessly to the floor and turns to face the sunburst symbol on the wall) |
| Craven | (wrenches the spirit-knight's face around and forces it to stare into his own eyes) The last thing you see will not be your god. There is no comfort in death. You have failed. |
| knight 1 | (eyes wide) Pelor release me. |
Suddenly the dying spirit-knight vanished in a brief flash of light. Craven looked up and across the chamber to where his companions fought against the plumed spirit-knight. The young duellist took a deep breath, cut the tattered leather armour from his chest and strode purposefully to where his fellows fought. As he crossed the distance he reasoned that his determination to continue to fight was born more from a need to slay than to help the others. He revelled in the thought.
Keldirk and Creighton had managed to land a few blows on the plumed spirit-knight but each had received numerous cuts in return. Keldirk had fared the worst and had to back away from the fight and leave Creighton to his fate.
| Creighton | Where are you going? I need you! |
| Keldirk | I... I can't help you. (looks up) Hang in there. Craven is coming. |
Even as Keldirk backed away Azareth completed his spell and sent two bolts of concentrated magic into the spirit-knight's torso. The spirit reeled in pain before rejoining the combat with the tiring Creighton.
| Azareth | (to Keldirk) Stay still. Let me bind your wounds! |
| Keldirk | (nods, but keeps a wary eye on the combat - ready to throw a volley of knives) |
Creighton circled the spirit-knight and tried his hardest to maintain some semblance of defence. In the corner of his eye he could see Craven's slow and steady approach.
| Creighton | Hurry up you idiot! I'm dying here! |
Craven didn't alter his stride. He kept his eyes on the spirit-knight and tightened his grip on his blades.
| Craven | Knight! It's me you want. Leave him be. He's nothing. |
| Creighton | Nothing? |
| knight 2 | (nonchalantly slaps Creighton's sword aside and steps away from combat) |
| Creighton | (lowers his blade, exhausted, and backs away towards the others) |
| knight 2 | (faces Craven) Thou hadst seen thy last night. |
| Craven | (smiles wickedly) Let's see, shall we? |
The rage that burned beneath Craven's breast finally consumed him. Gone were any thoughts of defence, seared away by the fury that filled his mind. The young swordsman bled from a multitude of wounds but he was heedless of the pain. His limbs were fuelled by anger, his mind focused on just one thing: the savage death of the hateful creature.
The spirit-knight was taken aback by the savagery of Craven's attack and, because of his surprise, failed to take advantage of several openings. Doggedly the knight parried with both sword and shield settling into a combination of moves drilled into him many years ago. Craven's scimitar glowed with a magical light that appeared to stream away from the blade as it whirled through the air. Using his shield the plumed knight forced Craven's rapier wide and angled his sword to deflect the scimitar before lunging forward and stabbing Craven through the pelvis.
Craven cried out in agony as the knight's longsword entered his body - but he refused to yield to the pain. Instead he stepped back to draw the knight forward and brought his scimitar crashing down on the spirit-knight's extended arm. The blow was not enough to sever the limb but it forced the knight to drop his longsword.
The grievous pelvis wound bled profusely and Craven's vision swam. Try as he might the young duellist couldn't close on his foe the knight seized the opportunity to retrieve its sword.
| Craven | (face pale) Let's end this! |
With a curt nod the plumed spirit-knight advanced.
Craven tightened his grip on the scimitar, and moved forward. The first step almost caused him to lose balance so he chose instead to wait for the knight to come to him.
| Azareth | Keldirk, throw your knives! |
| Keldirk | (shakes his head) No. You said we couldn't kill him but I'll be damned if I'm going to help him. |
| Azareth | Do you want to face the knight if Craven dies? |
| Keldirk | (face pales) You've got a point. |
With a deft flick of his wrists, Keldirk launched three knives at the plumed knight just at it closed on Craven. None of the missiles managed to pierce the spirit-knight's armour but the attack was enough of a distraction to allow Craven to attack.
Mustering all his strength Craven thrust with his rapier, the thin blade entered the spirit-knight's leg and caused the knight to lose his balance for a moment. Before the knight could recover, Craven slashed with the scimitar. The glowing blade swept through the air and struck the knight on the shoulder, forcing him to the ground. Moments later the spirit-knight's body shimmered then vanished. Relieved that the battle was finally over, Craven finally succumbed to his injuries and fell to the ground.
Azareth moved forward to treat Craven's wounds, healing herbs at the ready. Craven saw the mage's approach and struggled to rise.
| Craven | Stay away from me! |
| Azareth | (halts) But you are injured. You need my help. |
| Craven | I said stay away! I know what you are trying to do. These wounds will heal soon enough. |
| Azareth | I... I don't understand. |
| Craven | I've seen the way you three have been looking at me. I've seen you talking amongst yourselves, plotting my downfall. And I'll be damned if I'm going to just sit here and let you kill me. |
| Azareth | Craven! You are not making any sense. I do not want to hurt you. |
| Craven | (raises his rapier) I said stay away! |
| Keldirk | (strides over and looks at the growing pool of blood around Craven) Do as he says, mage. Leave him alone. |
| Craven | (slumps back, closes his eyes and waits for his regenerative powers to restore his body) |
| Azareth | We can't just leave him. He'll die. |
| Keldirk | He told you to leave him alone and that's exactly what you'll do. Understand? |
| Azareth | (nods sadly) How are the rest of you feeling? |
| Keldirk | I think I'll live. |
| Creighton | I've been worse. I just hope we don't meet any more of those guys. |
| Azareth | (smiles grimly) I suggest we rest for a while. We have been awake for several hours now and I need to recover my spells. |
| Creighton | What about him? (jerks his thumb at Craven) |
| Azareth | (sighs) His fate is out of our hands. |
The magical light extinguished soon after the assassins settled down to rest, leaving the large hall illuminated in the warm glow of the six lanterns. With concern for his life uppermost in his mind the troubled duellist refused to sleep. His body was weary but his mind churned with endless images of his so-called companions ending his life while he slept.
One thing was certain, Craven would not make easy prey.
With his swords across his lap Craven sat apart from his companions, alone with his paranoia. He placed his back against the wall and watched on with untrusting eyes as the others prepared for sleep.
Creighton removed his armour, closed his eyes and sat back while Azareth tended his wounds. The mage then turned his attention to Keldirk before using his poultice upon himself. Soon after the trio fell asleep under the watchful gaze of Craven.
Azareth was the first to rise. He glanced at Craven's solitary form before opening his spellbook to study. As Azareth scanned the first lines of magical script his mundane concerns evaporated and, for the next two hours, he focused on his life's passion.
His study complete, Azareth replaced his spellbook in his backpack and looked around. He was surprised that Keldirk and Creighton had not yet roused and decided that this would be a good opportunity to talk with Craven. He was concerned about Craven's pelvic wound and wanted to make sure that the gash didn't fester.
| Azareth | (approaches Craven) How are you feeling? |
| Craven | (lies) I've never felt better. |
| Azareth | May I sit awhile? |
| Craven | (looks about the vast hall) There are plenty of other places to sit. |
| Azareth | True. (sits beside Craven) How is your pelvis wound? |
| Craven | (aggressively) I know what you're trying to achieve through this line of questioning? You are looking for a weakness. Don't deny it. I know exactly what you're planning. You can't fool me Azareth; you lack the temperament for cunning. |
| Azareth | I don't understand. |
| Craven | (snorts derisively) Don't lie to me. I've heard you and the others talking. I've seen the way you look at me. (grasps the hilt of his rapier) You plan to kill me don't you? |
| Azareth | No! Of course not. |
| Craven | Bah! |
| Azareth | Honestly, Craven. The only thing I... we... are planning is to find a way to help you. |
| Craven | Help me? Help me what? |
| Azareth | What I am trying to say is that if you require our assistance then it is offered gladly. |
| Craven | And you speak for the others now, do you? |
| Azareth | Yes, I do. |
| Craven | (scoffs) I doubt Keldirk shares your feelings. |
| Azareth | You'd be surprised. |
They sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Azareth continued.
| Azareth | Let me ask you something. |
| Craven | (coldly) What? |
| Azareth | Has your loyalty to The Family wavered? |
| Craven | Certainly not! |
| Azareth | Then do you believe that Creighton, Keldirk or myself have become disloyal? |
| Craven | I suppose not, no. |
| Azareth | Well I can swear to you we three are as committed to the Family as we have ever been. |
| Craven | So? What's your point? |
| Azareth | (raises a hand, pleading for patience) Would you do anything to harm us? |
| Craven | No I would not. At least, I wouldn't without provocation. Just what are you getting at? |
| Azareth | Bare with me a moment longer. So, your loyalty to The Family keeps you from harming us? |
| Craven | That, among other things. |
| Azareth | Well just as your loyalty prevents you from causing us harm, our loyalty prevents us from harming you. You have nothing to fear from us. |
| Craven | (laughs bitterly) Nothing to fear? That's almost funny. Listen, I know where my loyalties lie - wholey and solely with The Family. But I'm too smart to fall for your lies. I know you three are planning something. |
| Azareth | (shakes his head sadly) I am not attempting to deceive you, Craven. I am just asking you to put aside your paranoia, and trust us. You need us as much as we need you. We need to stick together if we hope to retrieve Thrommel's sword. I'm not asking you to lower your guard, Craven, I'm just asking you to trust us enough so that we can operate effectively as a group. Once we get back to Del Mord we can revisit the issue of trust. (places his hand on Craven's shoulder) For what it's worth I still count you as my friend. And I swear to you that I will do whatever it takes to get us working as a cohesive unit once more. You can trust me. And I will not allow the others to hurt you. I promise. |
| Craven | (thinks for a long moment) Very well. I will take you at your word. But don't cross me, Azareth, for I would make a terrible enemy. |
| Azareth | Now will you allow me to examine that wound of yours? |
Craven moved to allow Azareth to examine the wound. To the mage's surprise the injury was healing well. He passed his trained eye over the area and marvelled at the speed of Craven's recovery. The wound appeared days old, not hours, and Azareth surmised that if healing continued at this pace the scar would be completely gone by tomorrow.
| Azareth | I cannot believe how quickly you recover from injury. What is your secret? |
| Craven | Be thankful, Azareth. Without my rapid healing we would be defenceless. Unfortunately my armour has been ruined and I feel a little exposed without it. |
| Azareth | Hmm. There are two possible solutions to that problem. |
| Craven | Go on. |
| Azareth | You could return to the cave and try Llyam's armour on for size. If I recall correctly his suit of leather is in fair condition. |
| Craven | (shakes his head) No, I know the guide's armour would be too small. |
| Azareth | In that case I have a spell which creates a magical armour. It's not perfect but should provide more than adequate protection for the duration of the spell. |
| Craven | How long will this magical defence last? |
| Azareth | The duration will vary depending on the amount of damage you sustain. At the most it will last twenty-four hours. |
| Craven | (nods) Very well, I will make use of your spell. Wake the others and let's go find Thrommel's sword. |
Azareth woke the others and, before long, the group spread out to continue the search. The only area they had not searched thoroughly was the dais and they as they approached the area Creighton lent voice to their silent concerns.
| Creighton | What if more of those spiritual knights appear. Two more of those and we'd be in all sorts of trouble. |
| Keldirk | Mage, I don't suppose you happened to study any useful spells today? You were next to useless yesterday. |
| Azareth | (ignores Keldirk) The appearance of the guardians was triggered the moment we stepped upon the dais. Before we go any further let us spread out and check the stonework around the dais for glyphs and the like. |
| Craven | Good idea. Spread out and for god's sake don't touch anything. |
| Creighton | (studying the wall behind the dais) You know what? I reckon that plaque is a door. I mean, there aren't any doors in this place. Apart from the dais, the statues and those two coffins this hall is one big nothing. |
| Craven | If the plaque is a door we'll find out soon enough. Now start searching. |
The assassins spread out, knelt down and inched their way around the base of the dais. After twenty minutes of careful searching they found no sign of a magical glyph or ward.
| Keldirk | (dusting off his knees) That was fun. |
| Craven | Alright. It seems like we have no recourse but to go forward. Azareth, whenever you're ready. |
| Creighton | Ready for what? |
| Azareth | (removes a sliver of cured leather from his component pouch and steps toward Craven) I am going to cloak Craven in a magical coat of armour. The incantation will only take a minute. |
| Craven | (raises a finger warningly to Azareth) Do not betray me, Azareth. I warn you. |
| Azareth | (chuckles dismissively) Have no fear, you shall not feel a thing. The magical armour is invisible, is weightless and will not encumber you at all. Just relax. |
| Craven | (wary, places a hand on the pommel of his scimitar) |
As soon as Azareth began his spell he sensed that something was awry. Usually the essence of magic flowed to him quickly and effortlessly but this time it was a struggle. Power that would ordinarily wash over him with the warmth and texture of fine silk clung to him like thick sludge. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind he knew that he should abandon the attempt but the rising promise of euphoria carried him along. He spoke quickly and felt the small sliver of leather in his hand suddenly flare and disappear as the gathering forces consumed it. The words came easier now and, as the spell neared completion, it seemed to Azareth that his doubts were unfounded. The mage uttered the final phrase and revelled in the power for an instant before reaching forth and placing the palm of his hand upon Craven's shoulder.
But the spell was fatally flawed.
A minor tear in the complex tapestry magnified as Azareth released the power. Raw magical energy flowed from Azareth's fingers and tore hungrily at Craven's flesh. The young duellist screamed as the crackling energy burnt painfully through his shoulder.
Azareth stood back in horror and stared at his hand in disbelief. Not now! Not to him!
Before the others could react Craven tore his scimitar from its scabbard and raised it above his head. He brought the magical blade down with all his fury, opening Azareth's chest from neck to abdomen.
Azareth fell to the floor with a thud that echoed throughout the hall.
| Normal Text | Character's words or descriptive text if part of a paragraph |
| Italic Text | Character's thoughts or actions if surrounded by parenthesis |
| Bold Text | Character is shouting. |