Rashemen - Book 3

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Elendia looked from Kongol, to the scroll, and back to Kongol. "I'm afraid I don't understand this writing." She handed the scroll to Maron, "Can you read it?"

 

Jex quietly watched the tunnel that the brothers had went down. He was able to see quite clearly in the dark and had excellent hearing, but so far he could neither see nor hear anything wrong, but the hairs on the back of his neck were standing like someone was standing on his grave or had used very powerful magic near by.

To Daie whom he happend to be nearest he said "I'm going down the tunnel to see whats happened."

 

After looking at the scroll and shaking her head Maron passed the scroll to Ciana, she looked at it and then raising her head said "I can, but I can't cast it I could coach you in it though."

Maron and Ciana sat apart from the rest Ciana slowly reading a section out to Maron who haltingly and then with more confidence spoke the phrases.

After a while Maron made her way over to the halflings, she read the scroll, as she spoke the marks on their foreheads became darker and lifted into the air, a sense of evil and hunger came from it as it moved upwards sinuously. A soft note was heard and the mark was surrounded by swirling green light, a second note joined the first in harmony and a golden light shimmered with the green around the marks. They seemed smaller now and acted almost fearfully, then a third note sounded a clear cerulean blue light joined the other two and on a triunphant clarion call they crushed the marks. With a moan the halflings spasmed and then with a sigh they breathed "Freedom", with a harsh gasp Maron almost stumbled if Ciana had not grabbed her, so much energy had she consumed casting the spell.

 

The two halflings were drenched in sweat, but they managed to bow to Ciana and Maron. "Thank you both, you have saved us from a fate worse than death, though we both surely deserved it. Maybe we can repent for some of our sins by helping you and the Guardian."

Sepp came up to them with some food and drink. At first they tried to shiver away from him, but then they relaxed, as Sepp let a calming humm emanate from the Staff. "Please tell me what you know," he said. "I'm not sure what I'm suppose to guard, and I certainly don't want this role, but it seems that I'm to have little choice in the matter, so at least I should have some knowledge about it."

"Well," said a halfling, "Me and Tipper here were some of the best cutpurses in Waterdeep, when we were recruited, you might say, for this mission. 'Course we were duped with the prospects of great loot and little risk, and then it was too late to change our minds, even if we would have been able. We all got these marks put on us by a powerful half-orc half-demon shaman, who seemed to be following some other demon or gods orders about what to do with us. I felt really bad about the whole thing, knowing that so many little hobbit kids and womenfolk were surely going to get killed in the affair. But what could I do?"

A freezing chill went through Sepp's heart. Though he hadn't been looking forward to this Guardian job, he had been anticipating meeting his cousins and kin when he arrived at Nakia's village. And now it was likely that many of them were going to be killed before he ever got to meet them, possibly were already dead. An extreme sense of urgency pushed him to his feet, running to Kongol.

"Kongol! Where is Miranda? We must help her now, and get on to Nakia's village. The hour is near when the whirlwind will blow the dust and stones!"

 

Kelvados heared a larger rumbling and looked behind him. A massive round boulder was chasing them, he was amazed by the matrons powers. The boulder was faster then them, Kelvados ran harder. Jex appeared down the tunnel, Kelvados waved his arms and roared, for him to run. He saw the surfacer's face crinkle in comfusion then open in fear. He clearly saw the boulder as well. He turned on his heel and ran as well. Kelvados spotted the group, the opening of the room was small enough to stop the boulder, but would they get there in time? He pulled his brother by his arm and launched him farther up, his robes were getting caught by the rolling stone. His back was struck and he was sent flying, a huge crash boomed through the cavern. Kelvados tumbled through the air and landed on a very surprised Nakia. The boulder was stopped by the entrance of the cavern, he sighed and relief and stood up. He helped up a now very disgruntled Nakia, and couldn't help but smile. But it soon faded.

"I have bad news, our quest is now even more complicated." He stated, "my brethern have some dealings wih Gruumush, and there are a host of the scum in these very catacombs."

 

Jex bowled over Del leaping to his feet, spitting out sand, drawing his scimitars in one motion he was ready to fight. "What happened!" He shouted at everyone.

 

With everyone distracted the two halflings grabbed some supplies and a couple of knives and fled the cave disappearing into the desert.

Nakia and Perim extracted themselves from Kelvados, drew weapons and prepared for battle.

Nakia called to Kongol, "Any idea where to look for Miranda or the Shadow guy?"

Nakia ever practical swiftly gathered up supplies and noted that the halflings were gone. She mentally shrugged hoping they were gone for good. She didn't trust them.

 

“I have not seen the shadow figure since we got inside the mountain, but for the looks of it there is only one way to go anyway. We must be near thought, when we passed the fork in the tunnel, I saw a marking; it was a symbol of the shadow city, the place where Miranda’s father ruled.”

Kongol hearth started to bit faster, he felt anxious to meet her; also many thoughts went thru his mind, what type of trouble could she be on, would she look the same as she did so many years ago, is she otherwise happy with her life, does she need me more than just this rescue?

The group continued down the tunnel and as they progressed the tunnel zigg-zagged until it got so narrow that only one person could pass at a time. Kongol went into it first, walking sideways as they moved on, at the end he could see a wider opening and just before he reached, he heard a scream.

“Nooo, get out of my way…” the female voice screams, while another voice yells “B-b-but”

Kongol finally came out of the narrow tunnel and saw many hobgoblins surrounding a female figure, as he runs towards them another hob saw him and shouts

“Fuk it, blaps em” Some started to swing blades towards him, others towards the female and other shots arrows at the entrance from where Kongol had come in. Kongol moved closer to the female as he pushed with his hands the hobs around him. He stoped astonish to see her, “Miranda?” he said as she look at him, “Kongol, It is you. My gentle giant is here…”

More hobgoblins approached them, screaming and yelling in euphoria to kill.

[ February 04, 2007, 02:34: Message edited by: Maurolava ]

 

Nakia sped after Kongol, cheerfully wielding sword and dagger she felled several hobgoblins and positioned herself at this back.

Perim meantime faced a several hobs near the entrance. He leaped, twirled and laughed as he cleared a swathe around him. Suddenly he noticed a trap set near the way they had entered. He glanced to were Nakia was occupied. She seemed rather busy and being close to the trap he investigated.

Meantime the others had moved into the cavern room. As Perim checked the trap a hob rushed him and as he turned to face the creature he brushed the trap. There was a loud noise and rocks and dust fell into the narrow opening closing it off.

"Ah, oh. Not good." Then he was occupied with fighting.

 

Delinos spun, swords drawn, his drow blades ripping through flesh as if the blades were coated with acid. His robes had been ripped, and his bladed suit was showing through. He cartwheeled out of the way of a falling axe and inserted his blade between the ribs of a large hobgoblin, then stabbed it in the groin. The monster howled in pain and Delinos blasted it in the face with a Scorcher to silence it.

A hobgoblin approached the back of his brother, and Delinos fired one of his blades with deadly accuracy. The curved blade spun through the air and slid into the monster's neck. It crumpled and was dead. Delinos was approached by a monster he did not recognize, and he plucked it's eye out. The monster screamed and swung around, blood squirting onto the grinning Drow's face. He used his sword to slice the monster's stomach, killing it.

 

Jex slipped through the tunnel and into the fray just before the rocks fell. He was unsure if the others had made it through. Trying a new trick when he realized that he was surrounded he grinned and drew his blades at the same time he called upon Faerie Fire and was engulfed in harmless flames. To him and drow brothers it was a simple trick to hobgoblins it was a terrible fright. A scimitar wielding flame cutting a swath of death through their ranks.

He noticed Nakia looking at him with surprise on her face. He grinned and continued to fight, slashing through the back of a fleeing hobgoblin.

 

Sepp had followed Nakia, changing to stone as he went. He wanted to help Miranda, but he didn't want to anger Nakia with careless heroics, so he stayed close to a wall, hitting and parrying with the Staff. He landed a few good blows, and managed to not get hurt, even when the roof fell down.

 

Ciana was coming through the entrance sword drawn when the trap went off, a couple of rocks hit her on the head, knocking her down, then there was only pain as rock fell on her, as the dust settlred all that could be seen of her was an outstrectched arm still holding a sword...

 

Kelvados heard a muffled yell and saw the apendage sticking out of the heap. He quickly killed a hobgoblin that was blocking his way and ran to the heap. He threw rocks aside and used one as a weapon to crush the skull of an approaching hob. He moved enough that Cianna's heaqd and shoulders were visible, she was unconcious, and wasn't breathing. He dragged her out and hoisted her over his shoulder, the entrance was too dangerous. He laid her down as far from the battle as possible. He checked her breathing, there still was nothing, he pushed down on her sternum, he cursed he had no healing spells, and uncomfortably put his lips over hers and blew. He pushed her chest again, still nothing, he went down and forced air into her lungs again. This time there was areaction, she awoke with a gasp and clutched her heart. Kelvados smiled, but was taken away from her by a couple hobgoblins lookinjg for an easy fight. Ofcourse they wouldn't get it, Kelvados' blades sang with extra fury.

 

Ciana listened to her laboured breathing, she ached all over, she tried to concentrate on a healing spell but her head hurt too much. She, hurt too much and there was at least two Kelvados fighting a horde of something blurry. Her eyes closed, her head slumped and her breathing slowed and rattled...

 

Sepp moved along the wall to Ciana. She wasn't in danger of death, but she was in pretty bad shape. He let some of his energy flow into her, and some energy from hobgoblins who were bleeding out onto the stone and would no longer need it. She opened her eyes and whimpered in pain, trying to say something.

"Shh," Sepp whispered to her. "You'll be alright, but let's get you out from under these rocks." Sepp looked over his shoulder to check on the battle. Things seemed to be going well for them, so he thought he could safely focus on the rocks half-burying Ciana.

He sensed down into the collapsed tunnel, to see if it would be safe to move a few rocks. The tunnel was blocked for about 10 yards, and the stone around it was unstable, so they were trapped on this side, but it would probably be safe enough to move the few large boulders pinning Ciana.

He wedged himself underneath one, then lifted with both his legs, and encouraged the big rock to help him a little. Then he moved two smaller rocks to brace the larger one, and with a little more effort he had Ciana out from under the rocks.

He bent to check on Ciana again, she was breathing easier now. Someone in the battle slipped on a pool of blood, and a large hobgoblin wielding a huge iron headed mallet came bursting towards Sepp and Ciana. He took a massive low swing and connected the mallet head with Sepp's head.

"CRACK!!!"

A fairly large chunk of stone splintered off of the back of Sepp's and he was thrown against the wall, laying still in a jumbled heap.

 

All seemed to look towards where Sepp had been hit. The attack on Sepp renewed the group's energy, and inspired them all. Delinos ran as quick as lightning to the large hobgoblin and hopped on his back. The large monster grabbed hold of Delinos's ankle and tried to throw him off, but with little avail. He had no hand. The monster looked incredulously at the stump in which there used to be a hand. He looked up at Delinos, who was grinning like a madman. The Drow blades flashed and off was the head of the monster.

Delinos jumped back into the fray.

 

Atten watched in dismay as Ciana was hit by the rocks. He then sighed with relief when Kelvados pulled her out and Sepp managed to stabilise her condition. But then he winced with sympathetic pain when Sepp was hit by the mallet.

“Ouch! That has got to hurt! Oh, he doesn’t look good.”

Atten sprang into action. He raced over to where Ciana and Sepp lay. He had to think of something to do. All he could see around him was the werd glowing moss that conveniently grew on some of the rocks in this cave and decided that moss would be much better than bark in this situation and he quickly found a living force link to the strange plant. Within seconds he managed to have the two bodies wrapped thickly in the stuff. It was fantastic padding against further rock falls or weapons, but further healing would have to wait until after the immediate danger passed.

 

Elendia brained one hobgoblin and crushed the knee of a second. She raised her hands to Tyr and and prayed for his aid. As she finished her prayer, she pointed at a group of three hobgoblins and the area was washed in flame. The three creatures never even had a chance to scream.
Elendia ran to Atten, still protecting Sepp and Ciana. She looked at her moss covered friends. Again she raised her arms to Tyr, praying for his aid. Ciana's form glowed blue for a moment and the symbol of Tyr appeared in the moss over her forehead. As she finished her Heal spell on Ciana, she turned and attempted a second spell on Sepp. Elendia wasn't sure if she could heal him while he was in stone form but she would try. She raised her arms to Tyr a third time, Sepp's form glowed blue for a moment and the symbol of Tyr appeared on his forehead.
Feeling a bit weak, Elendia retrieved her mace from Atten and went back into battle, hoping she'd been able to save her friends.

 

Ciana felt a warmth flow through some God's grace had been granted to her, she breathed deeply feeling no pain, a feeling of relief passed through her at that. She opened her eyes and found there was some glowing substance covering her "uhm, hello why am I glowing?"