While waiting for midnight, the group at the haunted retreat talks some more about their situation. They have re-located to the furnace room, thinking that would be the most defendable spot. Unfortunately the horses will have to be left in an upper room. It is hoped that whatever comes for them that night will leave their mounts alone.
The old furniture that is here is broken up and fed to the furnace. Warmth begins to creep into the structure which is much better than the incredible chill all have been experiencing. A few molotov cocktails are made and more of the wine they had found is drunk.
"By their markings they all belong to the Scarlet Rose Brotherhood," remarks Jinx. "They should have been able to physically defend themselves against nearly anything."
Alric the Pixie lands on her shoulder and rubs his chin. "Hmmm. Maybe it's just a spirit we might be facing. Maybe it's nothing physical but something spiritual?"
"You could be right Alric. I think it is the former Abbot actually. I believe he was murdered and in his hatred, he has come back for a terrible revenge."
A weapon's check is made to see who has ones that are magical or silvered. Dril, Kazier, Maurice, Alex all have items that might hurt this entity. Dreznat, Jinx, and Alric have spells to use. Ganam just hopes that whatever it is will ignore him.
Maurice looks over to Alex and gives a sly grin. "You have nice swords, my dear."
She turns and puts a hand on her hip. "Are you hitting on me now? It isn't the time. By the by my blades are magical, having been handed down to me from my ancestors. They'll work tonight, you'll see."
"I'm sure I will," says the honorable, but somewhat mentally unstable Maurice.
A few moments before midnight sounds are heard thundering from above. The horses are whining in terror, stomping and straining at their tethers. Something is there with them, something they are desperately trying to get away from. From beyond the door they all hear an eerie moan, followed by the howl of wind and the thumping of feet. The door shakes and rumbles as something is beating on it. In the room all eyes are at the door with weapons and spells at the ready.
The barricaded door cracks and then crashes apart. In comes a whole host of noisy zombies, with dirty white eyes and rotting flesh. Maurice is there and slashes back and forth with the bloodsword, and one topples, collapsing into bone and dust. "Averness . . ." Is what he whispers under his breath.
At his side is Dril, fighting with his curved draenam blades. The ill-tempered sprig cuts one undead up the middle and then hacks his weapon across it's throat. The zombie gurgles, staggers, and then falls. But for every one that is destroyed, another two take their place. The entire hallway behind them is filled with the hateful undead.
By the coal chute, it blasts apart under an incredible wind. A whirling, bluish figure blurs inside, looking like bubbling storm clouds. The intangible mass begins taking humanoid form, murky and menacing. A mouth forms and it screams a very terrible and awful scream.
"He's here! He's here!" Yells Alric as loud as he can. Already prepared, the small but fierce pixie throws several bolts of magical energy at the roiling thing. Dreznat adds to the spell hurling, tossing a few of her own.
Alex swiftly moves towards it, blades in either hand. Before she can strike it forms two tentacular arms which wrap around her and lift her kicking body into the air. As the entity pulls her into it, the elven maiden screams.
Hearing this Maurice does a spectacular back-flip over several people's heads to get back into the room. Instantly Kazier moves into where he had been standing, now battling side by side with Dril against the zombie horde.
With a slash of his bloodsword the entity gives a terrible howl, dropping Alex on her butt to the floor. Maurice waves his weapon. "Come for me you ugly bastard!" The whirling, cloudy thing spreads out across the ceiling and then leaps down on the taunting, crazy orc. The bloodsword stabs into it and it howls, but it's ghostly form covers Maurice's arm and it feels like biting frost. Maurices feels the sting, like a thousand needles drawing out his lifeforce.
Dril and Kazier keep the staggering zombies at bay, each one of them destroying the undead as they move into the room. They try to claw and bite the pair but they never get the chance. Too quickly are they annihilated by the duo, never having the opportunity to attack,
Dreznat and Alric crank up their spellcasting and hit the enraged spirit with a lot of magical energy. Maurice's sword strikes also take their toll and within seconds the bubbling, cloudy ghost vanishes from sight, it's howl fading away to nothing.
Jinx moves to the corridor and raises her hands, blasting an incredible lightening blast through the zombie ranks. The devastating spell dissolves the clustered monsters, totally wiping the lot of them out.
Then all goes quiet.
Jinx takes a deep breath and slowly exhales. "I don't feel that lingering presence of evil. The spirits are gone."
Checking on the horses they are found to be fine. The sounds of stomping and screaming was part of the spectral illusion the evil dead had cast. With the destruction of the key ghost, all the other spirits trapped there were also released.
For another five days the group remained there at the frozen keep. The blizzard remained active for a time and most there just wanted to rest and stay warm in relative peace. Several more collapsable fighting pikes were found and Maurice showed Dreznat how to use the exceptional crossbow that had been found.
Ganom does some checking on the elegant cloak that had been given to Alex. "By checking some of the record here I have a bit of a story to add to the cloak. It seems as though the Prince of Glades gave it to the former Abbot for having helped him during a skirmish to the east. The Prince is from the region of Akrindor."
"I gave Alex the cloak to help her out," says Maurice. "I can vanish into the woods with my elven skills, she needs a little help."
Hearing this Alric chokes on his laughter and pounds the table with his tiny fist.
One evening while all were eating and drinking Dreznat looked around and spoke. "People seem distant to me. Is it my breath?"
The tiny pixie shakes his bald head. "No, but it might be because your a necromancer."
This time Maurice laughs. "Your a nutter Alric. She's no more a caster of the dark arts than I am an orc."
However it is true. Dreznat tells her story to the gathered group about how she had grown up in Kilmoor as a servant. As a child she had learned how to read and write from her uncle. When no one was around she would sneak into her mistress's chambers and read from her books of magic. From them she learned how to cast spells, and it was this knowledge that helped her survive.
She escaped from Kilmoor when she was only sixteen and that was three years ago. In her time in Corvel she had travelled up to Blaris where she had gotten captured by chaos cultists and infected with lycanthropy. It was this event that had caused her memories to grow so erratic and confused. Ganam listens to her and totally understands what she has gone through. (See Dreznats History)
"Spellcraft of any sort, even necromancy, can be used like a sword," says Jinx. "It can be used for good or evil. The trick is knowing how far you can take it before it starts to corrupt and darken your soul."
Kazier looks over to the pale Dreznat. From his own experiences he knows that she is in a very precarious position. "You might want to keep that to yourself. If people knew you were a necromancer from Kilmoor it could get you killed."
"I don't like necromancy," says the pixie. Alric looks over to the light haired girl and wonders if he can ever truly trust her again.
On the fifth day the group heads out with some new supplies from the monastary. The knowledge that Dreznat is from Kilmoor weighs on everyone's mind, especially since she is human, the "Master Race" of Kilmoor. But so is Dril and both were slaves so it was unlikely they would have any real love for their homeland.
They travel through the frozen mountains for several days before reaching a small village on the edge of a great lake of ice. People there have cut holes in the ice and have gone fishing. Several large boats with skis are seen, the ice schooners. "Welcome to Posa," says Amy with a smile. "We'll get our transport here."
Using her papers gotten from Lady Attenmoor and Duke David they are able to get a crew and some help. Captain Konrad, a large bear of a man, will be their guide on this leg of the journey. He asks what their destination is, and he is told that it is Draman Del.
"Draman Del? That is a boring, ancient, backwoods fortress. There are barbarians on one side with undead on the other. Nothing ever really happens there, at least from what I've ever heard."
"We hope to keep it boring," replies Maurice.
Konrad then reveals some information to them. It's news that has just gotten to this tiny outpost and has caused quite a stir. "Kilmoor has launched a major invasion on Holaf. Officially we are at war, again. All soldiers have been called to arms. Soldiers all across Corvel are mobilizing. Duchess Lea Holaf is responsible for this. She's helping the invaders at every opportunity and nearly all of Holaf is under their control."
This knowledge adds even more of a sense of urgency to the group. Conflict is beginning to erupt all across Corvel. Getting to Draman Del and defeating the Knights of Discord is a task they cannot fail at.
Getting some supplies they quickly head out across the ice. The expert crew unfurls the sails and the wind gusts into it. Most of the group go below deck to the relative warmth of the inner cabins. Only Maurice stays up top for any length of time, loving the speed they achieve. Some of the crew show him how to tack the wind and guide the schooner.
Shivering, Alric tries to keep close to the warmth of Jinx. "Are we there yet?"
Three days pass by. The landscape changes rapidly. The hills and mountains fall behind soon becoming a flat plain of white ice. It is very cold, even below decks by the small oven it remains chilly. Soon the dark, Cursed Woods are seen on the eastern horizon. Both Maurice and Kazier have had bad experiences there.
While time passes on by, Dreznat talks at length with Kazier. She is showing him basic magic theory. In time Kazier hopes to be able to manipulate magic himself and be able to cast spells. However both he and the strange refugee from Kilmoor know that it will take a long time.
At night there is much cuddling for warmth. During the day there is idle talk, everyone wanting to speak of pleasant and happy things. Every one of them know that things will be getting very dark and dangerous soon. For this brief space of time they all try and relax as much as possible, conserving their energy. Ganam continues writing his chronicles.
The ice schooner makes it to it's destination and all get off the sleek vessels. Thanks is given to Konrad and they mount up, heading south. According to Amy they are now at the tip of the Province of Alonz, having come a long way in a short period of time.
As they ride south the weather gets much warmer. The temperature climbs and the heavy clothes get shed. It's almost like summer here in this hilly region. It is a welcome change from the chilly weather to the north.
With Amy as their guide they make it to the small farming community called Redcliff. Once they arrive they immediately go get their horses and warg stabled and go to the local inn. Everyone is rather dirty and sweaty from their past few weeks of activities and having a nice hot bath is the first thing on their minds.
The people here are mostly human, friendly but a tad suspicious. Nobody takes this personally, since they all know they are a rather unusual group. Some bits of conversation are heard as they pass by. "More outsiders. More mercenaries." Their faces are suspicious and their manner secretive.
At the inn they meet the owner, a man named Marnor. He's a bit distracted but still pleasant enough. Speaking to him from a bit they learn that his mother is missing. "My mother is Mayor Pru Montaigne, and she has been gone since yesterday. For the past few weeks she's been acting strangely, becoming rather bossy, cruel and very unlike herself. With her vanishing and with strange lights seen at the old temple on the hill, have everyone here in quite an agitated state."
"There have also been a lot of soldiers-for-hire passing this way. I would think it has something to do with the war against Kilmoor down in Holaf. Is that the way you are going?"
Dril pets his warg's matted fur. "No, we're heading elsewhere."
After a quick discussion, and the fact that the party is trusted by Marnor because the are wearing the Future Kings Colors, it is decided to go and investigate this disappearance. Jinx believes there is something about it that feels important. Ganam and Amy will check into the hotel and take care of the horses, Dril decides it might be handy to have his warg along for this little venture.
Marn is pleased that they are going to help. "You know there is a 500 gold piece reward we have put together to bring her back. I'll guide you up to the temple. However I must warn you it is an unpleasant sight."
Several in the group chuckle at this. "We've all seen more than our fair share of unpleasant sights."
The shadows grow long as the sun begins to set with nightfall approaching. The farther from town the more Marnor seems to get nervous. When it is at last dark, the full moon rises up bloated and orange over the trees.
Jinx is pleased by what is going on. "You guys are doing the right thing. Taking time out from the greater mission for this. It shows you have heart."
"Well, I have always tried to do the right thing. My parents taught me that," says Maurice.
Cautiously going up the wooded trail they see some lights in the distance, some trees around ruins at the crest of a hill. Marn decides he's done enough and fades back, heading back towards town. "Good luck," he speaks in a barely audible whisper.
With hand signals it is decided to split the group, to go around the ruins to investigate some before going farther. Maurice, Alex, and Dreznat go one way while Jinx, Dril, Alric, and Kazier go the other. In the darkness Alex's new cloak shows it's abilities, and she is practically invisible.
The ruins are of stone and it looks as though the place had been sieged long ago. There is light from one window, perhaps from a torch or lantern. As they approach the faint light is snuffed out and Maurice draws the bloodsword and goes through the front door. With it's illumination they can clearly see what is in the chamber.
There are dozens of fresh bodies here on the floor, arrow-riddled and mutilated. There are the corpses of both priests and mercenaries here. It all seems that they died fighting each other. But something seems wrong about all this. Dril touches the boot of one corpse and his had goes through it, and it vanishes. They seem to be illusions of some sort. However they seem so incredibly real that it is scary.
Jinx shivers, feeling a darkness here. There are etched symbols in here on some of the doors and they seem to be magical in nature. They are in the Ancient language which only Jinx and Ganam seem to understand. She goes over to it and opens the door. Inside the main area of the temple are overturned pews with corpses everywhere, again hacked and peppered with arrows. At the back is a statue of the god Zoen. It is pitted and cracked, obviously defiled. Taking a knee Jinx bows in respect to this good-deity of warriors.
Of the entire group only Dril and Kazier have trouble being close to this engraved statue. Something about it, or something about their inner nature causes them stomach-churning pain. They fight the feeling back and keep a distance.
With his keen hearing Kazier hears some movement outside. Looking through one of the open windows he sees figures moving up in the starlight, figures bent on fighting. Immediately the group takes a defensive stance with Maurice, Kazier, Dril, and Alex towards the front weapons all in hand.
From another chamber comes a deep, almost maniacal chuckle and at that same instant the doors kick open. In rushes howling mercenaries, waving swords and axes in hand. Maurice lops ones head off with a backhanded slash of his silvered saber. Alex slides between his legs and plunges her katana upwards into the belly of a ratty-looking dwarf. She looks up at the crazed orc and slaps him on the ass with the flat of her blades.
He laughs. "I love you Alex!"
Kazier plunges his metal claws into the chest of one screaming warrior and activates a spell he has been working on. The energy from the magic spears through his foe at the point of impact with his claws, blasting him backwards in an unspooling mess. Another steps up right behind him and gets a draenam blade stuck up through his chin and into his skull.
To the side Dril hurls with all his strength one of his fighting daggers. The knife strikes in the center of a ragged killer's face, point emerging six inches from the back of his head. Almost humorously he takes three more steps, arms and legs spastically flailing, eyes moving up and down out of sync. He topples face first to the floor with a splat. The ill-tempered sprig readies another knife.
At a distance Jinx, Alric, and Dreznat watch the raging battle. When opportunity arises the hovering pixie blasts with a powerful bolt of energy, vaporizing armor and flesh when it hits. With everyone working together like a team none of the massed and howling fighters has a chance of surviving long enough to even take a chop with an axe or stab with a sword. Bodies begin stacking up fast as these foes are brutally dealt with.
From the back of the room a door opens and out comes a rather addled looking old woman in gray robes. "What's going on?" She asks in a wavering voice.
From her appearance she looks like Mayor Pru, but Alric decides not to take any chances. He attempts to hold her with a spell but it only partially works. Jinx goes to her side and takes her arm, trying to lead her away from the vicious fighting.
With the initial mob slaughtered those behind, a mix of humans and barbaric orcs, have readied bows and begin launching arrows. Maurice dives to one side, two arrows graze his chest, the armor of Ara of the 7 winds absorbing most of the piercing damage.
Seeing the archers Dreznat manipulates the wind currents suddenly. She causes a blast of rolling wind to go in the direction of the enemy, making their shots go wild and aimless. The unexpected zephyr makes them blink for a second or two. It gives enough time for Maurice, Alex, and Kazier to close with the rest of the ragged warband and engage in close combat.
Fighting like Alex, with a sword in either hand now, Maurice hacks and stabs with his saber and the bloodsword. Arms, legs and heads quickly become parted from dying bodies as he goes to work. Kazier fights equally well, using both martial ability and magic to splatter his foes. Alex swipes with her twin blades, felling enemies right and left.
Alric zips forward through the air, getting to the struggle as well. With one stinging spell he sears the flesh off of a bald man's face, his eyeballs exploding within his skull. Turning he does another even more powerful one and makes the head of another erupt into spewing crimson and gray goo.
Jinx is with the old woman and looks within her eyes and falls back screaming, momentarily stunned by a sense of overwhelming evil. Pru starts running, trying to get past the fighting and escape. Her legs and movements are beyond anything an elderly person should be able to make. Dril sees this and draws a pistol, firing a slug into her back. She yelps and falls to the floor.
The remaining rag-tag group of warriors are slain and all fall back to the main room. Jinx has shaken off her fright and moved back over to the fallen form of Pru. Dril rolls her over and quickly binds her hands, everyone able to see her face. Semi-concious she shudders and shakes, her hair begins to dark, her wrinkles fading rapidly. It seems as though she is growing younger by every passing heartbeat.
Jinx leaps to her feet, runs to Pru, grabs her in bear hug and raises her hands. "Get ready warriors!" Jinx starts chanting and begins to give off a whitish glow that evelopes her and Pru. From the mouth of Pru she vomits forth a whirling stream of bubbling black light. It uncoils from within her and she screams, collapsing. It has emerged fully formed, one of the malignant Knights of Discord!
The shadowy monstrosity tries to hurl itself through the air, trying to find a way to escape. Maurice plunges his Hanji-Sha (bloodsword) into the nearly intangible servant of Marg. "Averness show him the light!" The blade stabs through it's mass, dispersing whatever it is where the blade touches. The red eyes within it's head turn to flame as it roars in pain and anger.
Before it can do anything else Dril throws a silvered blade, Alric shreds it's form with magic, Kazier rends with his claws, and Alex criss-crosses it with her swords. Every blow makes it's mass grow smaller and smaller, it's scream getting more and more higher in pitch. In seconds there is nothing left of it save a reverberating echo. It is gone.
Jinx cradles the youthening Pru and Alric touches her forehead, letting his magical healing start it's task. What has happend is very, very strange. Everyone stays close by, in case something else that is bizarre should happen. Before their eyes the aged woman becomes a very young, and beautiful girl.
Her eyes flicker open and she looks up at the circle of people about her. Maurice gives a quick bow. "Mayor Pru, how are you this evening?"
Slowly she tries to rise, Jinx helping her to her feet. She looks around seeing the bodies everywhere and this very odd group before her. "What . . What in Zoen's name is going on? And why am I back in this accurssed place? " She asks in a sputtering voice.
"It's kind of a long story," replies Dreznat.
Pru puts her hands to her chest and squeezes, her eyes wide in disbelief. She looks at her hands in amazement and then touches them to her face. "What has happend? I . . . I . . . My boobs! I'm young . . .?!"
Introductions are made and Jinx tells her what has been going on. Jinx tells her everything and Pru listens intently. While they converse the bodies of the mercenaries are dragged outside the ruined temple and Kazier pats them down for extra money. The other bodies, the illusionary ones, remain where they are, seeming to be very real.
"This is so strange," says Alex helping move the corpses. "We've got these phantom images of bodies from another fight in here along with bodies from the one we just had. It's like there was a fight here, long ago, and now we just did it again."
Dreznat gives a small smile. "Deja Vu."
There are many old texts in here, dusty and ancient. Obviously the possessed Pru was reading them, trying to find something out. Dril looks at the books and runs his hands across their covers. "Can anyone read these things so we can find out what it might have been doing?"
"Ganam can," says Maurice. The tomes are then put into Kazier's handy pocket dimension for safe transport.
Jinx does her best to comfort the now very young Pru. "I think the Knight of Discord was strengthening your body to use you as it's vessel. It had been gathering mercenaries to it, keeping them nearby. When we came here they waited and sprang into action. We interrupted whatever it is the villain was trying to do. It was stopped before it had completed it's task." Jinx gives the shaken Pru something to drink from her waterskin. "Can you remember anything?"
Slowly she shakes her head, drinking the water down. "I recall fragments of memory, like being trapped in a nightmare. I remember looking through old books, searching for something . . ." Pru stops and does her best to stay strong and remain calm at this bizarre turn of events.
"What are my kids going to think?"
TO BE CONTINUED . . . .
Chronicled by Ken Paynter aka...Maurice leChevalier
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