Zubin, after bumping into Cinara, apologizes to her but she seems to be lost in some other thoughts.
Suddenly she turns back and tries to reach the rear of the group.
''Cinara! Hey, Cin...'' says Zubin but then stops.
Cinara continues to walk towards the back portion but Zubin decides not to interrupt her and thus watches her go.
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''May the Gods give you the strength and power to bear the madness which flows through our minds.''
''Zubin, I've always imagined you as a crazy raver. The kinda guy that spends all night dancing to trance music while waving glow sticks and popping ecstasy.'' - Murderface
"Be quiet!" said Darrian to the group. "There is someone or something further ahead."
"URGH" grunted Balgarath. "What is this stuff?"
"I said quiet!" Darrian yelled, but so loudly as to alert anyone to their presence. "What are you whining about mage?"
"I seem to have stepped into something gooey."
Sir Elric, studied the substance in what little light found its way into the dank of the sewers.
"Salamander residue. Great. I hate snakes." groaned Sir Elric. "Keep an eye and ear out everyone, Salamanders never hunt alone, where there is one, there is always others."
"Down sere." said Shikyomaru. "Sere is a group of sem. We courd try sneak passed sem. It is the onry path to se rod, yes?"
"Short of searching for hours upon hours yes, I believe it to be the only way." replied Sir Elric. "Then let us try."
Contniuing down into the unknown of the lower recesses they left the tiled walls of the sewers and now found themselves in an even danker and slightly darker cavern, wherein the predictions of the kensai, was proven correct. Hugging the far wall on the right so as to stay as far from the sight of the salamanders as possible. The wall was time worn and rocks and portions of the wall were easily dislodged. One such dislodging, snowballed into a large crashing of rock and earth, which stirred the dozen or so salamanders from their feeding on the bones and remains of anything foolish enough to enter their abode.
"Hsss brothersss we have company hsssss" the largest salamander hissed. "Attack the intruderssssss!!!"
"Nothing for it Sir Elric." Darrian said with a large smile on his face. "In Helm's name we shall not falter! Come let us cleanse this cavern of these wretched beasts! TO ARMS!!!"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
-Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
Carloseus and Bastrom entered the sewers, and the felt a dark presence. They had expected it, they were after all following a group willingly venturing into darkness.
"Bastrom, did you feel that?" asked Carloseus.
"Yes, its far stronger than I thought it would be." Bastrom replied.
"Lets hurry. I-" Carloseus was cut off with an image of a Salamander about to strike Elric the paladin, and the group surrounded.
"Now!" he said. He exploded forward, hurrying in the direction he sensed his friends. Bastrom could only follow.
Proceeding down the cavern, trying not to breath too deeply else you would taste the stench emanating from the floors. Of a sudden, part of the wall starts crumbling down and the salamanders we have been trying to avoid are now aware of our presence.
She hears Darrian yell out "TO ARMS!" As everyone prepares to battle these things, Cinara gets another strange sensation that Carloseus is near. She shakes her head to clear it and gets in battle stance.
One of the salamanders is slithering up towards Zubin, who is charging it, as he is landing a killing blow another comes from his blind side. Cinara takes out her dagger, aims and throws hitting it between scales but it didn't sink deep enough. Zubin, realizing that he has another salamander to his side, and seeing her dagger poking out slams the hilt deeper and delivers his blow to fell his second. He takes out her dagger and hands it to her.
Another salamander approaches and Cinara backward thrusts with her quarterstaff, skewering the thing, ooze running out of its mouth. She looks ahead and Sir Elric, Darrian, Shikyomaru, Balgarath and even Venex are all likewise engaged.
One of the salamanders gets in a good thrust with his polearm, lightly grazing her arm. She lets out a scream and strikes forward, impaling another on her quarterstaff. She yanks it out and sweeps around, seeing that no other salamanders are near she moves forward to help out the others.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Smiling is infectious.
Give, expecting nothing thereof. ------------ BoD - Come have some fun! Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
They were in sight now, so close. Carloseus unsheathed his swords, which were still conjoined, and split them as he hurried to aid them. Not that they necessarily needed his help, he was just thirsty to fight and kill again after his fall in the dungeons.
"Incertus, Pulcher, Imperio!" he yelled, launching several bolts of ice ahead of him, guiding them carefully to find their targets to be several salamanders trying to flank the paladin. Two salamanders fell, the 3 dodged or were missed by the attacks.Bastrom only ran forward, and they were soon in the fray.
Watching a salamander come towards him, Zubin unsheathed his sword and ran forward to attack it before it does.
He ran and landed a heavy blow on the demon. But unfortunately the beast repelled the attack with his staff and then spit on Zubin's arm. Suddenly his sleeve started to fume.
All he knew at that time was that it was something bad that came out of its mouth.
He ripped his sleeve off and the dug his sword deep into the salamander's chest.
He then realized that his skin blackened at the point where it had burnt. He ignored the wound for a moment and turned around to seek other salamanders.
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''May the Gods give you the strength and power to bear the madness which flows through our minds.''
''Zubin, I've always imagined you as a crazy raver. The kinda guy that spends all night dancing to trance music while waving glow sticks and popping ecstasy.'' - Murderface
"Retreat my brothersssss" the largest one called out before slinking back into a narrow hole, shortly before the few remaining salamanders followed suit.
"Wretched beasts, this fight had only just began." said Sir Elric. "Cowering in their holes. This skirmish is hardly worth the timewe shall have to spend cleaning my weapons.
Sir Elric sheathed his large sword then turned to Carloseus
"I thank you for your assistance, not that I couldn't have handled myself there, but should you have delayed any longer, I cannot say how much longer I could have lasted. There is still some fight in this old body, but time takes it's toll on us all."
"There is no sense in dwelling on the past." said Darrian. "Not when a an evil and most vile creature seeks to undo our present and futures. By Torm I shall see this thing lay dead before I see the ashes of my beloved Church and the guildhouse of our order Sir Elric. Come let us continue evil doth await us."
Continuing down the narrow winding tunnel it eventually widened to reveal an small underground city. it's statues, and entablatures decaying and crumbling.
"Hallo." said a man who appraoched the group. A hood and cloth covered much of his face, but did little to dampen the smell of his decaying skin.
"That's it? we are a strangers in your time-lost buried city and all you say is hello?" Balgarath said in astonishment.
"What would you have me say? Shall I proclaim the wonder of your arrival? Shall I bemoan the terrible length of the ages? Should my knees buckle at the very sight of you?" the diseased man said very sarcastically. "I'm sure it would make you feel important, but I've simply no interest in you. I think you'll find we care about very little at all."
"Then tell me who you are. What is this place?" asked Balgarath.
"Ah, you wish the exposition. Typical." scoffed the diseased man. "I should really write this down so I don't have to keep repeating it. Not that we have had a lot of visitors. We are the guardians. We guard the temple. This is very important because every few hundred years someone almost wanders this way. We have forgotten what it is that we guard, we have forgotten how many generations we have been here, and we have forgotten what it is to have a purpose." "You sound thrilled with your calling." said Balgarath. "Why do you stay?"
"We cannot leave. We cannot even die." informed the diseased man. "We are born again in an endless recycling of our souls. We learn over and over again that we are condemned to a fate we no longer want." "Then I will try to release you somehow." Balgarath said. "Do what you will; there is no escape for us." the diseased man continued. "We have accepted this. We teach it to the newly young, who then teach it to the old that die and are reborn. The deal which placed us here has been followed to the letter, and we are never to be released from service no matter how pointless the task. You will fail. You cannot help but fail. We know this. We expect nothing other." "You worship suffering like a martyr of Ilmater" said Darrian. "Quite." said Sir Elric. "But you lack pride or purpose." "I do not know this name you speak of, but even the name of our own god is lost, so it is not surprising. We direct nothing but loathing to the temple now. Take what you will. We are guardians in name only. We might as well be simple mindless skeletons." the diseased man said beofre he left them to continue in his wallowing. "The temple looks to be a good place to start looking." said Darrian. "Indeed. let us proceed. The temple appears to be the centre of this civilization, it would be a most excellent place to start." said Balgarath.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
-Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
"Carloseus, it is you! So my visions were true. But how did you recover and get here so quickly?" Carloseus gives her a shortened version while they trek on down the cavern. It was good to have him and his new friend in their party. She makes a mental note to ask him about his friend later.
They soon approach what appears to be a man, though from the smell he may be dead. As they talk with Sir Elric Cinara attends to Zubins burns, placing salve on them and ripping part of his shirt to wrap his arm. Just as she finishes they are setting off for the temple she hears.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Smiling is infectious.
Give, expecting nothing thereof. ------------ BoD - Come have some fun! Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
"So what have we learned, Elric, Balgarath?" Carloseus asked. He knew little of what they were doing or why they were even here. He merely knew he wanted to be with them.
"Aye, I'd like to help you all with and where I can, so if you can inform me I might know some things through my own travels." added Bastrom.
"As one door closes, another two open." said Sir Elric to the young warriors. "Such is the way of the world, I suppose. I can't say I enjoy being some fool's lackey, I do not want to arouse suspicion. I do not think Gaal or whatever his name was, was to welcoming of us. Prehaps we will find some answers in the temple."
As they walked Sir Elric continued to inform Carloseus and Baestrom of the rantings Gaal in the streets, and his requests they find the rod, and of Sassar's pleadings.
"It certainly is impressive if I do say so myself." said Balgarath who had yet again turned to his narlet weed and pipe. "Despite the years of neglect it is still in relatively good condition."
The large wooden and iron doors were surprisingly easy to push open, the adventurers entered and no sooner had they moved a short way in did the doors slamm shut.
"Oh great, let me guess, we have to fight something now." groaned Darrian. "Very well then bring it on I say!!"
"Hate is here! Here is hate! Attack with anger and feed the hate! The hate!" it cried as it approached.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
-Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
Before even another moment had passed, the creature was upon them. Its wicked sword arched through the semi-darkness and slammed into an unanticipating Darrian, his reflexes unable to account for the weight of his heavy weapon of choice.
Even as the demon's sword impaled his chest and sent him hurtling back in to a rotting, ancient pillar, the vile creature grinned insidiously.
Darrian struggled to his feet and fixed his hands upon the handle of his massive weapon, "In the name of Torm I cast this demon back to the Nine Hells!"
As his hammer fell throw the air, a distant enchantment echoed throw the shadows: "Praeses, Alia, Fero!"
Darrian's hammer stopped as if it had crashed into wall and then become stuck in it. His eyes contorted in confusion and surprise, "What new devilry has this creature summoned?"
A man slid out of the shadows to his right, robed in brown, his thumb and middle finger fixed on his temples, his right hand extended toward the motionless hammerhead. His hands then fell, his concentration broken, and he looked hard at Darrian, "The demon has said that your anger feeds him- do not raise your weapon upon him just yet-"
Darrian nudged him away, "Who are you- no, you do not concern me. Go about your business, there is a demon to be slayed and a wizard will not step in my way!"
He slung his hammer once again throw the air and in to the robed demon. He was tossed aside like a rag doll in a hurricane, tattered, blackened robes and bits of shadow collapsing and hurtling to the ground.
"See? There is no beast that can withstand my hammer!" laughed Darrian haughtily.
As he spoke the demon raised itself from the dusty floor, growing taller and larger than before, a thicker darkness and twang of terror upon him this time. His sword seemed somehow more solid and flickered with a wicked black lightning. His eyes grew brighter still, and he laughed.
Carloseus stood ready to defend, and saw Darrian's meager attempts. Worthy efforts, and a great warrior he was, however his approach seemed to give power to this enemy over himself, and fuel its power even more.
"Darrian! stand back for a bit. Let your anger cool down, it gives this creature power over you." He said. Sword in hand, he ran at the demon and swung at it. A sheild of magic stopped him cold, but at least he was this close to it.
"Incertus, Pulcher, Imperio!" he exclaimed. A torrent of ice roared from his free hand all over the demon, at first binding it to the ground and then completely covering it with ice. Bastrom jumped high into the air, a white light swirled around his sword and he sunk it deep into the ice and at the sheild. Carloseus followed suit, binding his swords and a light surrounding it before he took a step back and launched himself at the jail of ice.
"Attack! he's still=" Carloseus was cut off as the demon blasted apart the ice and he was thrown feebly at a wall. He struck it hard on his back, and as he fell to the floor a shard of ice stabbed through his right shoulder. He hit the ground hard, and struggled to his feet. Once standing, he looked at the ice protruding through his torso and simply pulled it out, his hand glowing white as he sealed the wound.
After seeing Darrian's attempt to kill the demon fail, a robed figure has suddenly appears and hears him say that the demon feeds off their anger and hate. Carloseus, who was preparing his attack when the robed figured spoke, charges in for his attack.
She thinks to herself, since this demon is feeding off of anger and hatred then we must calm ourselves and free our minds of negative feelings. She closes her eyes, pushes out the negative feelings, opens her eyes, readies her quarterstaff. As she opens her eyes she sees Carloseus hit the wall.
The demon, occupied watching Carloseus, does not notice her as she stealthily approaches, making sure her timing and footing are optimal for the hardest strike. She lets out one final calming breath and thrusts her quarterstaff into the demons chest, piercing through to what she hopes is his heart. The demon lets out a horrendous roar, unbelieving that he has been wounded and falls to its knees.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Smiling is infectious.
Give, expecting nothing thereof. ------------ BoD - Come have some fun! Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
The mysterious robed figure's eyes widen in amazement, "It would appear that even demons have hearts- although of a much darker kind. The staff-bearer has great wisdom, but let us not let the creature rise again- strike it where it hurts the most! I shall try my hand at disarmament."
He rose his hands to the creature's sword and moved his hands in a grand psychic motion: "Praeses, Alia, Fero!"
Even as he said this, he was blown to the ancient floor, arms flailing helplessly, robes cascading through the stuffy air like billowing clouds of smoke trailing a flaming munition, and his sack of old, dry scrolls, once slung upon his back, now spilled across the floor and in to darkness beyond the party's vision. He put one hand on the floor to steady himself, and awkwardly rose to his shaking feet, his veins pulsing about his temples and hands surging with the black power of the demonblade.
As he rose, he shakily whispered through wheezing breaths, "The blade is cursed- no enchantment can fall upon it!"
Even as he spoke, the demon began again to rise to its feet, its limbs and robes falling in to place once more, though this time it seemed somehow diminished in size, and its eyes relayed not the vileness that they once held- in its place was indignified fury.
"I can do no more here- you know what must be done!" he said with as much composure and dignity as a bested and battered mage could.
With that, he hobbled off beside the strewn-out Carloseus and collapsed against the wall, his power spent and his brain a mindful of dark whispers of the power of the demonblade, his hands singed and fried from the fell magic.
Carloseus sensed a new darkness, and detected it in the mage. This demon would have to be destroyed soon, this stranger was now in risk of being overtaking by darkness, much as Carloseus had done. The little hate he had was overcome by concern and duty.
"Cupio, Virtus, Licet Incertus, Pulcher, Imperio." he said strongly. Cracks developed along his sword, and light quickly followed. The brightness of it caused everyone especially the demon to flinch, before it settled to a lower brightness. Bastrom stared at the difference in Carloseus, the person was the different and the same from a couple seconds earlier.
"Cinara, strike again and mind the blade. Zubin, you too. Bastrom, tend to the mage." he commanded. He would not tell the paladins or anyone else what to do. He held himself to defend those he called to, however the others he trusted to make their own decisions. Bastrom understood his friend instantly, and stabbed his blade into the ground near the mage where he could access it quickly. His hands glowed dimly as he pressed them to the mage's torso.
"Now to end this demon! Elric I'm going to need you to attack when I call you!" he yelled. If he was correct, he detected the weakness in this demon, and it was not necessarily hate that empowered him.
"This creature's power is emmense" Sir Elric thought to himself. The more we attack and inflict pain, the stronger it becomes. It feeds on anger, hate and pain. It must have a weakness, Not even the most holy of weapons can defeat it. How can something like this exist in this world. This a beast from a nightmare."
Sir Elric continued his musings and he swung away at the beast only to have his attacks either miss or do nothing at all.
"That's it! iI is so simple!" Sir Elric said to himself. "Vita, Mortis, Careo!!!!!"
"Sir Elric!" Darrian cried. "Save your strength, I will cure your wounds."
"Darrian!" Sir Elric yelled. "Heal it!
"Cast a Healing spell on it!!"
"This had better work old man." "I am growing tired of being thrown about."
"Balgarath! We need some cover." Sir Elric shouted.
"Right!" Balgarath called back "Facio, Voco, Ferre!" Balgarath summoned forth a mass of bones to act as a wall between the creature and the paladins and signalled to Vasallus to provide a second line of defense. The Iron Golem, obeying the commands of it's master stood steadfast behind the wall as it fended off swipe after swipe of the creature's sword allowing Sir Elric and Darrian the precious time they needed to cast their spells.
"Vita! Mortis! Careo!" The two paladins chanted again together.
As the creature dessolved before them at the far end of the temple a humanoid for began to materialise.
"Whoooooo walks in the temple of I? Speak of yourself, you are almost beyond the sight of I" it spoke as it assumed a ghostly form.
"Sir Elric walks here, and I have disposed of your little guardian." Sir Elric said boldly. "The guardian? The beast is not of I." said the apparation. "The beast kills the form of I repeatedly. You have slain it for but a small time. It comes again and again. The beast is a fell deity, for it has more power than I can muster. My legion of followers feed the creature, and I am weakened and fading. Such power the beast has. "
"If this is your temple then you have no legion." Balgarath called out. "Your followers do not follow you."
"But they must serve; it is the letter of the agreement. They were to guard and I would provide for their lives. This was to be for all time" said the apparation. "There must be an end." said Sir Elric. "It has been so long they do not even recall your name." "Then it is little wonder I cannot defeat the beast. It is their loathing and pathos, and it has become their object of worship, whether they know it or not." the apparation replied. "The time has passed. I have naught here, and will not again. Even the great device has waned in power, and is not so epic a danger as once I thought. I weep for my children. Their hate sustains this place, though they would intend otherwise. Had they not thought of me at all I would have perished, and soon after so would they. " "Is there anything I can do you help you?" asked Sir Elric. "The letter of the bargain was that I protect the great device until the end of time. The creator races were very specific. I will reinterpret the words, for it is surely the end of MY time. The intent of the bargain was that the great device would not be used again. If it is indeed the 'end of time,' then my last act should be to destroy it. I have not the power to do so." continued the apparation. "It is needed first. Perhaps we could help each other?" asked Sir Elric. "Yes, I see in your mind the way to release this place. You seek the great device for another, though you owe them no allegiance and they intend to kill you." said the apparation. "The cause is simple. You will take the great device, the piece that I possess, and you shall combine it with the piece the creature already has. The assembled rod would surely destroy the beast. You must use the item upon the beast, and then return it to me. Use it but once, or you will perish under its power. Tell my people you carry the piece so that you might deplete it; that you go to restore its components and dispose of it as a whole. My people must know I intend to destroy it... but more, they must know I intend to end their service. This simple act of bringing together the two parts of the rod will instill a small amount of faith, for an instant. If they are in my presence, such an instant will allow me to destroy the artifact. " "Have you not the power to do any of this? Why do you need me?" asked Balgarath. "The energies of my followers are directed at this place, not at me. Should I try to leave, I would likely lose my form, only to return in the temple some years later. You must do this. Their loathing sustains the cycle. They must have a moment of hope, such that I will be powered to free them." the apparation replied. "I will help you." Sir Elric said as he moved a little closer to the apparation. "Give me the device." "Take it, and plant the seed of hope within my followers. They may not believe you now, but when you return they will perhaps have a spark." the apparation said shortly before dissappearing as quickly as it had appeared.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
-Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
Carloseus almost dropped his sword in amazement. His own solution was completely wrong. He relaxed the adrenalines of battle in his body and joined Bastrom at the mage.
"Will he defeat it? What will happen?" he asked.
"Whether he will or not defeat this is beyond my knowing. He is strong, however his will to survive must be important to him more than anything else. Whether he too will find the light as we did is completely unknown. However if he does in fact lose he will become more powerful and cunning than any demon." Bastrom responded.
"Are you fine with staying here with him and assisting or at least hold him off while we are away or should we bring him with us?"
"I don't know. Lets take him with us just in case. It isn't the best for his state, but if I need any of you I'd rather have you close. Whether it be to assist in helping or in restraining or......anything else." said Bastrom.
The robed mage now stood idly by, his strength returned by the work of Bastrom's healing touch, whose light had dispelled the darkness clouding his mind. After a moment of picking up his scattered scrolls and carefully inserting them in to his sack, he turned his face partly towards the rest of the onlooking party.
"I had wished for a bit of a spark of hope for me, as well," he sighed, "A bit of Ennead magic, a long-lost enchanted scroll rumored to be hidden in this very city. And I have searched so long among these dark ruins- my powers strained to their limits, only to stumble upon one of the most devilish creatures imaginable. All for nothing..."
He considered for but a moment a more pleasant thought, and then: "But," he paused a moment, "I had never fought along side such a diverse and interesting group as you. Odder still that I should stumble upon such a party in this forsaken place."
He shook his head, "And the treasure- a quest to destroy an ancient relic of which I have no knowledge or need, as well as a fading god. The deities are pointless- is there not one that is eternal? Should not gods be eternal? This world's pantheon is nothing but children at play, and you followers are their toys."
He stopped a moment. "I digress. There are more important things that I must see to- mainly, my personal quest to find the powers of my past, to restore the ancient lost magics of the Ennead."
He then began to walk toward the now-opened door, and stopped, "A friend in battle is a friend indeed, they say. And I would not be a good friend if my very name itself should remain a mystery. I am Tel-Silgulwath, last of the Ennead. I pray we should meet again. Again, I thank you, Bastrom, for you curing hand. Good bye."
And with that, he stalked through the open door and in to darkness, his footsteps slowly dying away in to nothing but a patterned murmur, and then, in to nothingness.
The robed mage disappeared as suddenly as he appeared, but at least he introduced himself. Hmm, the last of the Ennead, how lonely that must be to be the last of your kind.
Cinara helps Zubin up, as he had been thrown against the wall by the demon as well, and gives him a piece of root to chew on. She ponders over the new healing powers Carloseus has acquired and still wonders about his new friend.
With half the rod in hand, the group heads back to the priest, or rather the beast that he really is.
Once again she heads to the rear of the party to practice up with her quarterstaff.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Smiling is infectious.
Give, expecting nothing thereof. ------------ BoD - Come have some fun! Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
Carloseus fell back to spar with Cinara. He did not have his sword drawn, he used the armor of his bracers and of his legs to deflect attacks Cinara made. At first he would strike the staff hard, and she would almost be sent whirling into confusion. Gradually she began to learn him, and adapth to his fighting style as well as growing more adept at the pole in her hand.
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[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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Suddenly she turns back and tries to reach the rear of the group.
''Cinara! Hey, Cin...'' says Zubin but then stops.
Cinara continues to walk towards the back portion but Zubin decides not to interrupt her and thus watches her go.
''Zubin, I've always imagined you as a crazy raver. The kinda guy that spends all night dancing to trance music while waving glow sticks and popping ecstasy.'' - Murderface
"Be quiet!" said Darrian to the group. "There is someone or something further ahead."
"URGH" grunted Balgarath. "What is this stuff?"
"I said quiet!" Darrian yelled, but so loudly as to alert anyone to their presence. "What are you whining about mage?"
"I seem to have stepped into something gooey."
Sir Elric, studied the substance in what little light found its way into the dank of the sewers.
"Salamander residue. Great. I hate snakes." groaned Sir Elric. "Keep an eye and ear out everyone, Salamanders never hunt alone, where there is one, there is always others."
"Down sere." said Shikyomaru. "Sere is a group of sem. We courd try sneak passed sem. It is the onry path to se rod, yes?"
"Short of searching for hours upon hours yes, I believe it to be the only way." replied Sir Elric. "Then let us try."
Contniuing down into the unknown of the lower recesses they left the tiled walls of the sewers and now found themselves in an even danker and slightly darker cavern, wherein the predictions of the kensai, was proven correct. Hugging the far wall on the right so as to stay as far from the sight of the salamanders as possible. The wall was time worn and rocks and portions of the wall were easily dislodged. One such dislodging, snowballed into a large crashing of rock and earth, which stirred the dozen or so salamanders from their feeding on the bones and remains of anything foolish enough to enter their abode.
"Hsss brothersss we have company hsssss" the largest salamander hissed. "Attack the intruderssssss!!!"
"Nothing for it Sir Elric." Darrian said with a large smile on his face. "In Helm's name we shall not falter! Come let us cleanse this cavern of these wretched beasts! TO ARMS!!!"
"Bastrom, did you feel that?" asked Carloseus.
"Yes, its far stronger than I thought it would be." Bastrom replied.
"Lets hurry. I-" Carloseus was cut off with an image of a Salamander about to strike Elric the paladin, and the group surrounded.
"Now!" he said. He exploded forward, hurrying in the direction he sensed his friends. Bastrom could only follow.
She hears Darrian yell out "TO ARMS!" As everyone prepares to battle these things, Cinara gets another strange sensation that Carloseus is near. She shakes her head to clear it and gets in battle stance.
One of the salamanders is slithering up towards Zubin, who is charging it, as he is landing a killing blow another comes from his blind side. Cinara takes out her dagger, aims and throws hitting it between scales but it didn't sink deep enough. Zubin, realizing that he has another salamander to his side, and seeing her dagger poking out slams the hilt deeper and delivers his blow to fell his second. He takes out her dagger and hands it to her.
Another salamander approaches and Cinara backward thrusts with her quarterstaff, skewering the thing, ooze running out of its mouth. She looks ahead and Sir Elric, Darrian, Shikyomaru, Balgarath and even Venex are all likewise engaged.
One of the salamanders gets in a good thrust with his polearm, lightly grazing her arm. She lets out a scream and strikes forward, impaling another on her quarterstaff. She yanks it out and sweeps around, seeing that no other salamanders are near she moves forward to help out the others.
Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
"Incertus, Pulcher, Imperio!" he yelled, launching several bolts of ice ahead of him, guiding them carefully to find their targets to be several salamanders trying to flank the paladin. Two salamanders fell, the 3 dodged or were missed by the attacks.Bastrom only ran forward, and they were soon in the fray.
He ran and landed a heavy blow on the demon. But unfortunately the beast repelled the attack with his staff and then spit on Zubin's arm. Suddenly his sleeve started to fume.
All he knew at that time was that it was something bad that came out of its mouth.
He ripped his sleeve off and the dug his sword deep into the salamander's chest.
He then realized that his skin blackened at the point where it had burnt. He ignored the wound for a moment and turned around to seek other salamanders.
''Zubin, I've always imagined you as a crazy raver. The kinda guy that spends all night dancing to trance music while waving glow sticks and popping ecstasy.'' - Murderface
"Retreat my brothersssss" the largest one called out before slinking back into a narrow hole, shortly before the few remaining salamanders followed suit.
"Wretched beasts, this fight had only just began." said Sir Elric. "Cowering in their holes. This skirmish is hardly worth the timewe shall have to spend cleaning my weapons.
Sir Elric sheathed his large sword then turned to Carloseus
"I thank you for your assistance, not that I couldn't have handled myself there, but should you have delayed any longer, I cannot say how much longer I could have lasted. There is still some fight in this old body, but time takes it's toll on us all."
"There is no sense in dwelling on the past." said Darrian. "Not when a an evil and most vile creature seeks to undo our present and futures. By Torm I shall see this thing lay dead before I see the ashes of my beloved Church and the guildhouse of our order Sir Elric. Come let us continue evil doth await us."
Continuing down the narrow winding tunnel it eventually widened to reveal an small underground city. it's statues, and entablatures decaying and crumbling.
"Hallo." said a man who appraoched the group. A hood and cloth covered much of his face, but did little to dampen the smell of his decaying skin.
"That's it? we are a strangers in your time-lost buried city and all you say is hello?" Balgarath said in astonishment.
"What would you have me say? Shall I proclaim the wonder of your arrival? Shall I bemoan the terrible length of the ages? Should my knees buckle at the very sight of you?" the diseased man said very sarcastically. "I'm sure it would make you feel important, but I've simply no interest in you. I think you'll find we care about very little at all."
"Then tell me who you are. What is this place?" asked Balgarath.
"Ah, you wish the exposition. Typical." scoffed the diseased man. "I should really write this down so I don't have to keep repeating it. Not that we have had a lot of visitors. We are the guardians. We guard the temple. This is very important because every few hundred years someone almost wanders this way. We have forgotten what it is that we guard, we have forgotten how many generations we have been here, and we have forgotten what it is to have a purpose."
"You sound thrilled with your calling." said Balgarath. "Why do you stay?"
"We cannot leave. We cannot even die." informed the diseased man. "We are born again in an endless recycling of our souls. We learn over and over again that we are condemned to a fate we no longer want."
"Then I will try to release you somehow." Balgarath said.
"Do what you will; there is no escape for us." the diseased man continued. "We have accepted this. We teach it to the newly young, who then teach it to the old that die and are reborn. The deal which placed us here has been followed to the letter, and we are never to be released from service no matter how pointless the task. You will fail. You cannot help but fail. We know this. We expect nothing other."
"You worship suffering like a martyr of Ilmater" said Darrian.
"Quite." said Sir Elric. "But you lack pride or purpose."
"I do not know this name you speak of, but even the name of our own god is lost, so it is not surprising. We direct nothing but loathing to the temple now. Take what you will. We are guardians in name only. We might as well be simple mindless skeletons." the diseased man said beofre he left them to continue in his wallowing.
"The temple looks to be a good place to start looking." said Darrian.
"Indeed. let us proceed. The temple appears to be the centre of this civilization, it would be a most excellent place to start." said Balgarath.
They soon approach what appears to be a man, though from the smell he may be dead. As they talk with Sir Elric Cinara attends to Zubins burns, placing salve on them and ripping part of his shirt to wrap his arm. Just as she finishes they are setting off for the temple she hears.
Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
"Aye, I'd like to help you all with and where I can, so if you can inform me I might know some things through my own travels." added Bastrom.
"As one door closes, another two open." said Sir Elric to the young warriors. "Such is the way of the world, I suppose. I can't say I enjoy being some fool's lackey, I do not want to arouse suspicion. I do not think Gaal or whatever his name was, was to welcoming of us. Prehaps we will find some answers in the temple."
As they walked Sir Elric continued to inform Carloseus and Baestrom of the rantings Gaal in the streets, and his requests they find the rod, and of Sassar's pleadings.
"It certainly is impressive if I do say so myself." said Balgarath who had yet again turned to his narlet weed and pipe. "Despite the years of neglect it is still in relatively good condition."
The large wooden and iron doors were surprisingly easy to push open, the adventurers entered and no sooner had they moved a short way in did the doors slamm shut.
"Oh great, let me guess, we have to fight something now." groaned Darrian. "Very well then bring it on I say!!"
"Hate is here! Here is hate! Attack with anger and feed the hate! The hate!" it cried as it approached.
Even as the demon's sword impaled his chest and sent him hurtling back in to a rotting, ancient pillar, the vile creature grinned insidiously.
Darrian struggled to his feet and fixed his hands upon the handle of his massive weapon, "In the name of Torm I cast this demon back to the Nine Hells!"
As his hammer fell throw the air, a distant enchantment echoed throw the shadows: "Praeses, Alia, Fero!"
Darrian's hammer stopped as if it had crashed into wall and then become stuck in it. His eyes contorted in confusion and surprise, "What new devilry has this creature summoned?"
A man slid out of the shadows to his right, robed in brown, his thumb and middle finger fixed on his temples, his right hand extended toward the motionless hammerhead. His hands then fell, his concentration broken, and he looked hard at Darrian, "The demon has said that your anger feeds him- do not raise your weapon upon him just yet-"
Darrian nudged him away, "Who are you- no, you do not concern me. Go about your business, there is a demon to be slayed and a wizard will not step in my way!"
He slung his hammer once again throw the air and in to the robed demon. He was tossed aside like a rag doll in a hurricane, tattered, blackened robes and bits of shadow collapsing and hurtling to the ground.
"See? There is no beast that can withstand my hammer!" laughed Darrian haughtily.
As he spoke the demon raised itself from the dusty floor, growing taller and larger than before, a thicker darkness and twang of terror upon him this time. His sword seemed somehow more solid and flickered with a wicked black lightning. His eyes grew brighter still, and he laughed.
"Darrian! stand back for a bit. Let your anger cool down, it gives this creature power over you." He said. Sword in hand, he ran at the demon and swung at it. A sheild of magic stopped him cold, but at least he was this close to it.
"Incertus, Pulcher, Imperio!" he exclaimed. A torrent of ice roared from his free hand all over the demon, at first binding it to the ground and then completely covering it with ice. Bastrom jumped high into the air, a white light swirled around his sword and he sunk it deep into the ice and at the sheild. Carloseus followed suit, binding his swords and a light surrounding it before he took a step back and launched himself at the jail of ice.
"Attack! he's still=" Carloseus was cut off as the demon blasted apart the ice and he was thrown feebly at a wall. He struck it hard on his back, and as he fell to the floor a shard of ice stabbed through his right shoulder. He hit the ground hard, and struggled to his feet. Once standing, he looked at the ice protruding through his torso and simply pulled it out, his hand glowing white as he sealed the wound.
She thinks to herself, since this demon is feeding off of anger and hatred then we must calm ourselves and free our minds of negative feelings. She closes her eyes, pushes out the negative feelings, opens her eyes, readies her quarterstaff. As she opens her eyes she sees Carloseus hit the wall.
The demon, occupied watching Carloseus, does not notice her as she stealthily approaches, making sure her timing and footing are optimal for the hardest strike. She lets out one final calming breath and thrusts her quarterstaff into the demons chest, piercing through to what she hopes is his heart. The demon lets out a horrendous roar, unbelieving that he has been wounded and falls to its knees.
Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.
He rose his hands to the creature's sword and moved his hands in a grand psychic motion: "Praeses, Alia, Fero!"
Even as he said this, he was blown to the ancient floor, arms flailing helplessly, robes cascading through the stuffy air like billowing clouds of smoke trailing a flaming munition, and his sack of old, dry scrolls, once slung upon his back, now spilled across the floor and in to darkness beyond the party's vision. He put one hand on the floor to steady himself, and awkwardly rose to his shaking feet, his veins pulsing about his temples and hands surging with the black power of the demonblade.
As he rose, he shakily whispered through wheezing breaths, "The blade is cursed- no enchantment can fall upon it!"
Even as he spoke, the demon began again to rise to its feet, its limbs and robes falling in to place once more, though this time it seemed somehow diminished in size, and its eyes relayed not the vileness that they once held- in its place was indignified fury.
"I can do no more here- you know what must be done!" he said with as much composure and dignity as a bested and battered mage could.
With that, he hobbled off beside the strewn-out Carloseus and collapsed against the wall, his power spent and his brain a mindful of dark whispers of the power of the demonblade, his hands singed and fried from the fell magic.
"Cupio, Virtus, Licet Incertus, Pulcher, Imperio." he said strongly. Cracks developed along his sword, and light quickly followed. The brightness of it caused everyone especially the demon to flinch, before it settled to a lower brightness. Bastrom stared at the difference in Carloseus, the person was the different and the same from a couple seconds earlier.
"Cinara, strike again and mind the blade. Zubin, you too. Bastrom, tend to the mage." he commanded. He would not tell the paladins or anyone else what to do. He held himself to defend those he called to, however the others he trusted to make their own decisions. Bastrom understood his friend instantly, and stabbed his blade into the ground near the mage where he could access it quickly. His hands glowed dimly as he pressed them to the mage's torso.
"Now to end this demon! Elric I'm going to need you to attack when I call you!" he yelled. If he was correct, he detected the weakness in this demon, and it was not necessarily hate that empowered him.
"This creature's power is emmense" Sir Elric thought to himself. The more we attack and inflict pain, the stronger it becomes. It feeds on anger, hate and pain. It must have a weakness, Not even the most holy of weapons can defeat it. How can something like this exist in this world. This a beast from a nightmare."
Sir Elric continued his musings and he swung away at the beast only to have his attacks either miss or do nothing at all.
"That's it! iI is so simple!" Sir Elric said to himself. "Vita, Mortis, Careo!!!!!"
"Sir Elric!" Darrian cried. "Save your strength, I will cure your wounds."
"Darrian!" Sir Elric yelled. "Heal it!
"Cast a Healing spell on it!!"
"This had better work old man." "I am growing tired of being thrown about."
"Balgarath! We need some cover." Sir Elric shouted.
"Right!" Balgarath called back "Facio, Voco, Ferre!"
Balgarath summoned forth a mass of bones to act as a wall between the creature and the paladins and signalled to Vasallus to provide a second line of defense.
The Iron Golem, obeying the commands of it's master stood steadfast behind the wall as it fended off swipe after swipe of the creature's sword allowing Sir Elric and Darrian the precious time they needed to cast their spells.
"Vita! Mortis! Careo!" The two paladins chanted again together.
As the creature dessolved before them at the far end of the temple a humanoid for began to materialise.
"Whoooooo walks in the temple of I? Speak of yourself, you are almost beyond the sight of I" it spoke as it assumed a ghostly form.
"Sir Elric walks here, and I have disposed of your little guardian." Sir Elric said boldly.
"The guardian? The beast is not of I." said the apparation. "The beast kills the form of I repeatedly. You have slain it for but a small time. It comes again and again. The beast is a fell deity, for it has more power than I can muster. My legion of followers feed the creature, and I am weakened and fading. Such power the beast has. "
"If this is your temple then you have no legion." Balgarath called out. "Your followers do not follow you."
"But they must serve; it is the letter of the agreement. They were to guard and I would provide for their lives. This was to be for all time" said the apparation.
"There must be an end." said Sir Elric. "It has been so long they do not even recall your name."
"Then it is little wonder I cannot defeat the beast. It is their loathing and pathos, and it has become their object of worship, whether they know it or not." the apparation replied. "The time has passed. I have naught here, and will not again. Even the great device has waned in power, and is not so epic a danger as once I thought. I weep for my children. Their hate sustains this place, though they would intend otherwise. Had they not thought of me at all I would have perished, and soon after so would they. "
"Is there anything I can do you help you?" asked Sir Elric.
"The letter of the bargain was that I protect the great device until the end of time. The creator races were very specific. I will reinterpret the words, for it is surely the end of MY time. The intent of the bargain was that the great device would not be used again. If it is indeed the 'end of time,' then my last act should be to destroy it. I have not the power to do so." continued the apparation.
"It is needed first. Perhaps we could help each other?" asked Sir Elric.
"Yes, I see in your mind the way to release this place. You seek the great device for another, though you owe them no allegiance and they intend to kill you." said the apparation. "The cause is simple. You will take the great device, the piece that I possess, and you shall combine it with the piece the creature already has. The assembled rod would surely destroy the beast. You must use the item upon the beast, and then return it to me. Use it but once, or you will perish under its power. Tell my people you carry the piece so that you might deplete it; that you go to restore its components and dispose of it as a whole. My people must know I intend to destroy it... but more, they must know I intend to end their service. This simple act of bringing together the two parts of the rod will instill a small amount of faith, for an instant. If they are in my presence, such an instant will allow me to destroy the artifact. "
"Have you not the power to do any of this? Why do you need me?" asked Balgarath.
"The energies of my followers are directed at this place, not at me. Should I try to leave, I would likely lose my form, only to return in the temple some years later. You must do this. Their loathing sustains the cycle. They must have a moment of hope, such that I will be powered to free them." the apparation replied.
"I will help you." Sir Elric said as he moved a little closer to the apparation. "Give me the device."
"Take it, and plant the seed of hope within my followers. They may not believe you now, but when you return they will perhaps have a spark." the apparation said shortly before dissappearing as quickly as it had appeared.
"Will he defeat it? What will happen?" he asked.
"Whether he will or not defeat this is beyond my knowing. He is strong, however his will to survive must be important to him more than anything else. Whether he too will find the light as we did is completely unknown. However if he does in fact lose he will become more powerful and cunning than any demon." Bastrom responded.
"Are you fine with staying here with him and assisting or at least hold him off while we are away or should we bring him with us?"
"I don't know. Lets take him with us just in case. It isn't the best for his state, but if I need any of you I'd rather have you close. Whether it be to assist in helping or in restraining or......anything else." said Bastrom.
"I had wished for a bit of a spark of hope for me, as well," he sighed, "A bit of Ennead magic, a long-lost enchanted scroll rumored to be hidden in this very city. And I have searched so long among these dark ruins- my powers strained to their limits, only to stumble upon one of the most devilish creatures imaginable. All for nothing..."
He considered for but a moment a more pleasant thought, and then: "But," he paused a moment, "I had never fought along side such a diverse and interesting group as you. Odder still that I should stumble upon such a party in this forsaken place."
He shook his head, "And the treasure- a quest to destroy an ancient relic of which I have no knowledge or need, as well as a fading god. The deities are pointless- is there not one that is eternal? Should not gods be eternal? This world's pantheon is nothing but children at play, and you followers are their toys."
He stopped a moment. "I digress. There are more important things that I must see to- mainly, my personal quest to find the powers of my past, to restore the ancient lost magics of the Ennead."
He then began to walk toward the now-opened door, and stopped, "A friend in battle is a friend indeed, they say. And I would not be a good friend if my very name itself should remain a mystery. I am Tel-Silgulwath, last of the Ennead. I pray we should meet again. Again, I thank you, Bastrom, for you curing hand. Good bye."
And with that, he stalked through the open door and in to darkness, his footsteps slowly dying away in to nothing but a patterned murmur, and then, in to nothingness.
Cinara helps Zubin up, as he had been thrown against the wall by the demon as well, and gives him a piece of root to chew on. She ponders over the new healing powers Carloseus has acquired and still wonders about his new friend.
With half the rod in hand, the group heads back to the priest, or rather the beast that he really is.
Once again she heads to the rear of the party to practice up with her quarterstaff.
Folks will always come and go, so enjoy them while they're meant to be in your life.