Rashemen - Book 3

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The group followed a cleric to a room and stood together where told. It was a tight fit but Kongol picked up Nakia and Sepp and in a moment there was a feeling of disorientation and shortly they were facing a different cleric who smiled at them. "Take a moment. You will be alright."

Nakia decided that her stomach would stay were it belonged, Kongol set them down and they followed the cleric out. Outside they looked out into a vast desert. It stretched on seemingly for ever. They filled bags with water from a well. A cleric gave them directions to head south-west and eventually they would come across major trade route.

The brave band of adventurers began the hot dry trek. Nakia was glad that it was afternoon and the sun was moving towards the western horizon maybe they could travel at least awhile in the dark. The sun glared on the sand and rocks. The vegetation was sparse and strange but her spirits rose as they headed towards home. It was a far trek yet but could be worse.

 

Sepp was bewildered with many strange sensations. He was still trying to figure out just what had happened when they were transported, but the newness of the desert begged to be investigated. It was so DRY! and hot, though he felt that when the sun set it would be cold enough. And there was so much sand, and the rocks were different, though a few were familiar.

As the group started towards the trade route, his eye caught an interesting small lizard scurrying after something. He followed it over a small ridge, but then it dissappeared into the sand. He could see its path underneath the sand as it tunneled away from him.

That was interesting! Kind of like swimming, only in sand, not water. Sepp wondered what that would feel like, and knelt down and stuck his arms deep into the sand. The top layer was burning hot, but underneath it was much cooler. He started to wriggle more of himself underneath the sand, but then he heard a strange sound.

He tilted his head to listen. Was it moving towards him? It sounded somewhat like a large animal breathing, but like none he'd ever heard before. He quickly lay flat on the sand and shimmied around, hoping that he could bury himself completely enough that whatever it was wouldn't see him. Would he be quick enough? What if it could smell him?

 

Why did it have to be this dessert? Out of all the possible paths to Nakia’s home, they did have to past the great dessert. Kongol was not happy to be in this area, he was being confronted with the idea of reliving his memories, the same smell in the air that long ago he had fleet, the same sand under his boots, same heat and dryness. It was all too familiar to him, he knew he could not escape it and in the middle of it was the constant reminder of his past.

After they left the temple, they follow the directions of the cleric until the reach the previously mention trade route. While they continue in the new path the scene, become more and more familiar to Kongol. He was sure that this just a trade route it, but in fact the beginning of the Black Road.

As he realized where the road would lead them, new memories arouse to his mind, they were happy ones of his family and his home, his people and his settlement, the years spend in this forsaken region that had thought him so much, the image of his big brother showing him how to survive in this great dessert.

“Great memories” He thought, looking around him, but then something caught his attention, the little Halfling, Sepp, was kneeling down and then lying in the burning sand for a moment. Kongol tried to move towards him to see if he was okay, just as he took a step a huge roar was heard; past the dune behind Sepp, a big feature appeared moving quickly towards the group and once it was within range it kick Sepp sending him flying and landing a large distance away. Then two more roars were heard behind the group as the creatures came closer to the group.

 

Kelvados rose from the bed with a gasp. He clutched his heart and his knees buckled, he braced himself on a table, scattering the items on it. He gulped in the fresh air, his lungs burned and his left arm ached. His vision was blurry, as if the room was full of murky water. Hands grabbed him and tried to push him back into the bed. He struggled, but he was too weak, the poison had sucked his strength. He fell back into bed, he tremored slightly and was terribly cold. A blanket was thrown over him, and he fell back asleep.

He woke again, this time he couldn't move. His eyes scanned the room franticly, and looked for the bonds that chained him to the bed. There were none, he had not even the power to lift his arm, he tilted his head. Delinos was beside him, he didn't move. Is he dead, did I kill him? Kelvados' eyelids fell down. Darkness took him again, as did a dream.

Kelvados," Viconia screamed, "Kelvados!"

"Sister, where are you?"

"I need you Kelvados, save me."

"I am coming Vi, I am coming!"

Kelvados pushed over the covers and crawled out of bed, he fell to the floor, smashing his head on the table corner. His head felt light and covered in a warm liquid. Darkness was becoming quite familiar.

 

Sepp flew through the air, at least this time he wasn't in the middle of turning himself to stone. He landed with a thump and rolled down a slight dune. When he stopped, he was near the group of his friends, which was good, because the creature coming towards them definitely looked hungry, but other than that, Sepp had no idea what its strengths and vulnerabilities were.

"Kongol!" he gasped, getting air back in his lungs, "What is that thing?"

 

“No, is not possible… A grey gluton?” Kongol replied in disbelieve as he lifted his axe ready to strike the incoming monster, “They are massive creatures, hungry for anything alive, especially psionics” he yelled.

Kongol swung his axe at the closest gluton, but it had parry the blow with its hand and counter it with its own hit, cutting Kongol’s upper arm in the process. Another one of the gultons swung his arms and landed a blow to Ciana knocking her down into the sand. The third gluton roared loudly and started to swing his arms with great strength at the rest of the group.

 

Jex drew both blades and called upon the power of his amulet. He rushed one of the gluttons launched into his attacks. He struck repeatedly but his flimsy blades hardly left a scratch on the mosters hide. But still he fought.

All was going well until his fast moving feet found a soft spot in the sand and he stumbled. At the same moment the gluttons foot hammered into his side breaking him free from the hole but launching him in the air.

Landing with a solid thud. The air blasted from Jex's lungs. Stars swam across his vision and everything was blurry. "That hurt. He muttered trying to suck some air back into his body.

Suddenly a shadow loomed over top of him. Still sucking wind Jex knew he was trouble. Barely rolling out from a clubbing smash, he found a loose chunk of sandstone and threw it in the monsters face. As far as Jex could tell the only place the monster could be hurt was its eyes. Finding his feet he readied himself. Knowing that he had to get to they eyes he called upon the innate ability of the drow and dropped a black ball around the monsters head. It would buy him time.

 

Delinos woke with a start, shook his head, and looked around once again. He slowly remembered where he was, and the memories of his battle and betrayal of his brother came back to him. A tear rolled down his cheek. He tried to wipe it away, but his arms were bandaged and sore. He winced in pain as he tried to move his body, his fingers, his toes. It seemed that the medicine that the people here gave him reacted badly to his body's immune system. It looks as if I were infected with the same poison as I infected Kelvados.

He then remembered that Kelvados was in the same room, and looked over. He was asleep, although still sweating and twitching from the poison. "Ke..Kelvadosss.." Delinos moaned, realising how long it was since he had spoke. When Kelvados did not respond, Delinos thought, The surfacer scu-- no, these ... people.. will not have the antidote in their stocks, I made the poison. No doubt their medicines made Kelvados worse.

He closed his eyes, and just as he was falling asleep, he heard Kelvados awake and soon after, fall off the bed. Delinos moaned loud enough for the attending nurses to hear, and the last thing he saw was the women rushing around his poisoned brother. Delinos was exhausted from the last few minutes awake, thus his eyes grew heavy and were grateful when he decided to close them.

 

The monsters were little affected by Jex's blades, so Sepp doubted that his dagger or staff or sling bullets would hurt them much. Jex had landed on a small boulder in the sand, which surely hurt more than landing in the sand would have, but it gave Sepp an opportunity to maybe save him from those big teeth.

He jumped up high and stomped on the ground, sending a wave a vibrations out toward the three beasts, weakening the connections between the sand and loosening it to the point where it could not hold the large creatures above the surface.

With a wild thrashing and roaring, the beasts sunk into the sand. They must have hit stone though, and soon started to make progress in scrabbling out to the surface.

 

Kelvados, Kelvados!

Kelvados, turned and shifted in the bed. His head ached, and he saw stars, blue, yellow and green. They filled his head, and he couldn't think clearly.

Viconia, I'm coming. He yelled in pain, it burned his lungs, his skin boiled, and blisters were forming on his skin. The head wound hadn't healed and it flowed into his eyes. "I'm coming," he whispered. He fell asleep, the pain left.

 

With the creatures sunk in the sand Jex took advantage. With a leap he plunged both blades deep into the eye sockets of the nearest monster. The blades plunged deep, and blood squirted out soaking the half drow.

With a incredible strength the Glutton shook it's head and violently dislodged Jex from his swords. Launched through the air again Jex landed on his stomach not injured but shaken and now weaponless Jex was pretty much out of the fight. He watched as the Glutton with his swords in his eyes fell backwards and landed sending a tremor through the ground.

 

Dai'altha d'Malkin shook the sand from his clothes, and scanend the scene. His expensive clerical robes were carefully folded in his backpack, and he wore the green breeches and leather tunic of a ranger.

He reached into the air, and cried to the heavens. 'Selune, grant me your moonlit blade!'

As his hand fastened round a blade of silvery light, he gave an ululating scream and charged onwards to finish whatever was left of the beasts.

 

Atten struggled to move in the soft sand. This was not the sort of terrain he was used to and he felt disoriented to be so far from anything even resembling a forest. Clearly if he was to be of any use on expeditions like this, he was going to have to learn to deal with unfamiliar situations.

 

Delphinae hesitated with arrow strung as she tried to get a good shot, but the melee was too intense. What few shots she managed to get off during momentary disengagements deflected off of the beasts' hides and flew wild. So great was her concentration that she didn't even see Jex's pitched battle with one of the creatures as she was trying to shoot at another.

 

Nakia was trying to keep track of Sepp and get off some shots to the creatures eyes. Sand swirled around them making it hard to see.

 

Jex stumbled to the downed monster. Putting his foot on its forehead, he yanked his scimitars out spilling some gore in the sand.

His ribs hurt, his shoulders ached, but it was all minor. The amulet was working on repairing the damage. Slowly he began to fell better and rushed off to help Kongol in his fight.

 

Ciana was looking at the melee seeking opportunities to use her bow, but they were few and far between, as the action was too fast and fluid. Throwing fown her bow she concentrated and with an odd flick of her wrist three balls of glowing mystic energy hurtled away from her hand and squarely hit one of the creatures in the head, burning its skin deep and leaving scorch marks behind and the stink or burnt flesh.

Knowing she had six more of the spell available to her, she concentrated to the exclusion of all else and prepared to fire the spell at either creature until they were dead. Her friends were involved nothing less than her best would do.

 

The gluton fell backwards after Jex had pulled his swords out the eyes sockets, with the last bit of his strength it tried to bit the moving half-drow, but unsuccessfully the blind monster lay in the sand.

Kongol arm was pretty bad, the cut had made it difficult for him to double wield his axe, but to any intent both Kongol and the gluton were in an unstoppable battle of parrying each others blows. Kongol grew tired; in a last resource he used his barbaric rage and landed the blunt side of his axe in the neck area of the gluton. The gluton landed in his side, Kongol jumped into of him, lift his axe over his head and with all the strength left of him swung his axe down lodging his axe in the head of gluton. Kongol then felled to the side breathing heavily and holding his profusely cut arm.

Mean while, after the gluton was hit by the magic spheres a even bigger roar could be felt thru the sand floor, it turn around towards Ciana and lunched itself in a jump, it open his mouth in a wild attempt to bite, chew or otherwise eat her...

[ January 21, 2007, 00:31: Message edited by: Maurolava ]

 

Unable to get a good shot at the monster Nakia dashed to Kongol pulling out bandages and salve. At least she could staunch the bleeding and hope one of the healers would get to him. Monsters that could put Kongol down really sacred her. Takes a lot to scare a Hin.

 

Sepp had already turned himself into extremely dense granite, a good idea when monsters with really big sharp teeth were gnashing their jaws in an attempt to eat. He saw the last one rushing towards Ciana and lept to intercede it. It bent low to bite him, and he jumped straight into its mouth, closing himself up into a ball as he did so.

He didn't jump too high, but the monster was quick and moved its head just right to catch him in its jaws. It adjusted him with its tongue to bite him in half.

Sepp really hoped that its teeth weren't as hard as deep granite.

The teeth came down on him with thousands of pounds of pressure, grinding grooves into his stone, but then there came a great cracking sound, as many, many teeth were broken in half. The monster howled, then tried to swallow Sepp whole, but Sepp stretched out his arms and legs and jammed himself in its throat. He couldn't totally block its airway, but it was gagging and tried feebly to dislodge the obstruction with its little arms.