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[howandwhy99]

As he coaxed his horse down the only road in the small village Darius could see every building had been torched. Several were beyond saving, but some still had a chance. Father Ben and Rose helped him quickly count the dead that lay all around the street. They counted the buildings too and looked for any that might have goods or people inside. It did not take long to survey. Thirty-three buildings once stood, but most would be ash by nightfall. Perhaps fourteen to fifteen bodies were discovered. It was difficult to tell for certain. At least one safe building was found that could easily be extinguished. Rose turned her horse around to go back and tell the others.

Father Ben and Darius dismounted to check for people inside the buildings. The paladin heard suddenly heard coughing from somewhere within a small hay shed. He ran up toward the open door and large dog jumped out attacking him. Ben turned around when he heard Darius shout. Near the edge of town, Rose’s pointed ears picked up the noise as well. Darius grappled with the dog unsuccessfully as Ben ran to his side. “Call off your dog!” Ben shouted into the shed hoping for a response. Behind them Rose galloped up on her horse, leapt off it’s back, and tumbled in behind Darius. The dwarf was struggling, but finally pulled his sword. He swung at the dog with the flat of the blade. Ben heard Rose start barking at the dog, so he ran into the burning building looking for an owner. It was roughly twenty deep and forty feet wide. The ceiling was slowly filling with smoke. Across from the door was a gnoll lying on its back. Nearly a dozen arrows stuck out of its chest. It was dying.

“They left me,” it croaked.
“Call off your dog or we could die!” demanded Ben. “We worked with your company. We even bought slaves from them. We are friends!”
‘Ah HA!!” growled the gnoll. It lifted a crossbow it was hiding under the hay and shot Ben in the shoulder. Behind him Darius saw what happened. He broke away from the dog and ran up to the gnoll. He lifted his sword with its point hovering over the creature’s eye and said, “we mean you no harm. I can even save you, but you need to call off your dog!”
“What’s going on in there?” called Rose from outside. The dog was refusing to listen to her. Taking another tactic, she swung at the dog with the sharp edge of her sword. She hit and it bolted away.

Fear flowed through Ben’s body. This was the dream sequence he had shared with Dram when they first awoke. Ben swung his flail at the gnoll, but the bolt in his shoulder shifted as he moved doing further damage. Darius attempted to deflect Ben’s blow as well. “I am here to protect you, if you need aid,” he said to the gnoll. “It is my duty to protect all in need.” The paladin laid his hands on the gnoll and healing power coursed into the monster. The arrows in its grey-green, rubbery skin pushed their way out. The wounds sealed up and the gnoll’s gaze became more focused. Ben could see it gaining in strength. Stunned by the dwarf’s actions he shook off his fear. In a fit of rage Ben lunged forward in trying to strangle the creature before it fully revived.

He failed. The gnoll deftly squeezed Ben’s head into an armlock and grasping for the cleric’s flail. Darius realized his confusion and swung at the beast missing. Rose had made her way inside through the growing smoky haze. Using her club she helped Darius attack, but only succeeded in hitting Father Ben. Fortunately for him, the blow bounced off his chainmail. Ben struggled to break free of the gnoll’s grasp, but it was far stronger than him now. All its wounds were scarred over. It hunched down and took a bite out of Ben’s shoulder. Darius pulled out a torch and lit it off the flaming walls. Rose did the same, but neither landed a solid hit.

For the next few of minutes the gnoll attempted to devour Ben. It took two more bites out of him mitigated only by his armor and helm. Blood poured from his wounds and weakly Ben flailed at back without effect. Rose and Darius battered at the beast with their torches, but their luck had failed them. Not one blow landed square. Furthermore, all three were getting fatigued from the exertion and smoke. Ben and Rose were coughing loudly. Regrettably, the gnoll was stronger than ever.

Darius swung and missed yet again. “Blast it!” he cursed. Ben swung, but only managed to hit Darius. He was bit a fourth time. Ben staggered in place. He was woozy and could feel his consciousness slipping. Coughing uncontrollably, Rose backed out of the front door. Darius swung again. Another miss. “This is the end”, thought Ben to himself. Before he could fall unconscious however, he felt a muscle in his head twitch. His body pushed up into the air. He screamed, but could see fear in the gnolls eyes. “The Gods will Destroy you NOW!!!” he shouted with his last breath. Darius looked dumbfounded up at the floating cleric. Fresh urine stained the gnoll’s leggings.

“Ben? Get down here right now!” ordered Darius. Rose curiously peered back inside the shed and was amazed by what she saw. The gnoll was being pulled upwards by Ben. It let go and ran towards the exit in panic. Ben bounced up into the ceiling and hung there. Ironically, Rose and Darius landed two devastating parting shots on the gnoll before it reached the street outside. Rose watched it sprint out of town towards the forest. Ben released the muscle in his mind and floated back down to the ground. He quickly healed himself with a prayer and walked out to the street with Darius to one side. “Well that was…” and he fainted dead away.