Sweet, thanks for the sing-a-long bump. In other news, I've started another story hour based on my Age of Worms game at PBW. You can check it out
here. And now an update...I think I'm doing pretty well with this once-a-week deal.
Chapter 37
Terenon looked over in shock as Grundar’s neck suddenly snapped with a sickening sound. The elf’s head lolled at an unnatural angle, but he did not fall, supported by some unseen force. He knew his friend was dead, and there was nothing he could do to save him. The mage's instinct for survival overwhelmed him. He was not about to suffer the same fate if he could help it. Quickly casting a spell, he conjured a wall of force. The hemisphere of force surrounded him, leaving no room for a being larger than himself room to teleport in.
As he watched, there was a gory sucking noise and suddenly the back of Grundar's skull dissolved. His brain began to flow out of the skull, disappearing at a point somewhere behind the elf. Once it was all gone, the body dropped to the ground.
Shocked and horrified, Terenon begans casting another spell to reveal his attacker. As he did, he felt a heavy tentacle slap him upside the temple with bone-crushing force. It tried to grab a hold of the mage, but luckily he squirmed out of its grasp and, maintaining concentration, completed the spell. Before him, nestled inside the sphere of force next to him, was a mind flayer.
“Yarrick Zan!” the mage cried.
Zan spared no time for words, lashing out with his tentacles and pummelling Terenon’s head. The wizard reeled, seeing stars, and the illithid wrapped two of its writhing tentacles around his head and held Terenon against its body with its arms.
Terenon was terrified. He hadn't expected to see Zan, and was almost sure that he would die. From what he had learned the, illithid specialized in killing mages, and obviously was able to bypass things like the wall of force. He stil had a few tricks up his sleeve. He would be dead soon, but he wouldn't go down without a fight. Without a word or gesture, three rays of scorching heat lanced from his body to strike the mind flayer. A mental flash of pain washed over the mage, but the assassin held firm to its grip, snaking its other two tentacles around Terenon’s head.
The commotion had not gone unnoticed. The door to Lasom’s house swung open as the gnome and Taigiel raced out. “Garl’s garnets!” Lasom cried, gaping at Grundar’s body and the pained and contorted countenance of Terenon. “Terenon!” bellowed Taigiel. The dragon took up his mighty bow and sent an arrow at the mage’s invisible assailant. However, the projectile shattered harmlessly against the wall of force. Terenon’s defensive tactic had sealed his own doom.
Do not take this personally. the illithid telepathically told Terenon.
This is strictly business. The struggle will be over soon..
“The hell it will!” the mage managed as he flailed about, panic growing as the remaining seconds of his life ticked away. He mentally triggered another spell he had prepared to be cast without words or gestures. A wave of confusion washed over Yarrick Zan’s mind, but it broke upon the shore of its will, dissipating harmlessly. The illithid communicated the mental equivalent of a smirk, and Terenon barely had time to wail in dismay before there was a horrific cracking sensation at the base of his skull, and then only blackness.
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“Terenon!”
Taigiel watched in horror as the back of the wizard’s skull suddenly caved in, and his brain began flowing out in chunks. He ran up to the wall of force, pounding futilely on it, but there was nothing he could do to get through. All he could do was watch as the mage’s body collapsed into the slowly reddening snow.
The half-dragon snarled as he whirled on Lasom, the gnome still too stunned to move. “Alert the guards! There is an assassin loose in the city!” The small sage hesitated only a moment before scurrying off into the city, crying out for the guards.
Assassination was a dishonorable, underhanded tactic, and the son of Acessiwal had no doubts in his mind as to who was behind it. If not his father, then the vile mage he kept for a pet. The others were in danger. He had to warn them.
A flicker of magic in the air signalled the expiration of the wall of force. Taigiel quickly gathered up Grundar’s and Terenon’s bodies and set off at a run.
He found the rest of the party halfway to the temple district. Four pairs of eyes widened in horror as Taigiel approached with his grisly cargo.
“What happened?” Rumar demanded.
“Assassin,” Taigiel grunted. “And he’s still on the loose.”
Any further reply was cut off by the crunching of snow from the end of the street. Two towering ice golems rounded the corner, the sunlight glinting off their polished skull-like heads. As the party turned to face them, another noise sounded from behind them, and a quick glance confirmed that two more ice golems approached from that direction, effectively trapping them.
“This is bad,” said Allanon unnecessarily.