Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War

[Emperor Valerian]

The next scene, typed by me, is called...

On the March, and of the Assault Upon the Column

A few days later, Siabrey felt immensely at ease, as five days out from Irulas she looked to her side and all around her. The clank and rumble of thousands of feet, no longer in a parade step’s drumming beats, echoed about her. The continuous rumble, the long black shafts of spears dancing in the air, their steel tips glinting in the sunlight.

“Magnificent, isn’t it?” she heard Xanadu say beside her. She turned, as she hadn’t expected him; he had a thin replica of a smile on his face. While all about her were clad in some form of armor, Xanadu still wore his simple cloak and traveller’s outfit he always did.

“In some ways,” she admitted, “it is.” Not to mention it makes me feel safe, knowing they’re hear to protect Lucius...

“Very deadly as well,” Xanadu said quietly as the force trudged onwards, the leading units breaking off the road to start setting up camp as the day sank towards dusk.

Tess, meanwhile, was slightly less at ease than Siabrey. While her family had a background in bodyguarding, and she had seen armed men with frequency, they had no relation nor background of this nature. The sight of this man soldiers marching alongside htem gave her pause; it was reassuring to know that 15,000 blades were at her side, but it was also unnerving to think of what caused them to need those 15,000 blades.

An army of mere orcs would not require this much steel to deal with Tess’ mind worried. 20,000 orcs, she knew from both song and what she knew of history, could have been easily handed by a baron’s levy of 5,000... and the information the priests and others had been able to give confirmed they were facing only 20,000 orcs, with various other “special units.”

Special my behind.... those must be some monstrous beasts...


It was not until the next morning that Tess’ growing suspicions of doom seemed to draw nearer, as one of Xanadu’s little prying eyes returned. She watched as the wizard carefully cocked his head, and listened, his face growing in pallidness as he conversed with the tiny being.

“What is it? What did they see?” Tess pressed, glancing up ahead at an unknown Lucius and Siabrey. The two were poking it each other on the saddle... altogether unsoldier-like behavior, yet Tess’ mind did not have time nor patience to complain of this.

“My friends say the orcs are marching... marching hard... directly towards us. They have spiders in support,” Xanadu quickly rattled off. “They’ll be here before two days have passed.

Tess steeled her heart for battle, and galloped up the marching line to the two unknowing lovebirds.

“I’d hate to interrupt your lovenest,” she said hurriedly, “but the orcs are coming this day... battle within 48 hours.” Lucius’ face went pale, as did Siabrey’s. “I think we should be prepared, in case battle should come to us sooner...”

Sooner it did come. It was nary a day later when riders thundered towards the party from the front of the column, reporting orcs in force with large creatures in support. They riders also reported that the front ranks of the Imperial army were wavering, and needed encouragement. With a seeming sense of purpose far beyond his years, Lucius spurred his horse forward, Sibarey just behind. Tess, Elenya, Shaun, and Xanadu followed the two as they rode up upon the site of the engagement.

Up ahead, the roar of battle already echoed, as the distinctive chanting roars of orcs marching and charging into battle echoed with the shouts of human soldiers and the prayers of war clerics. As the distinctive yellow unicorns on red background banners of the City of Irulas fluttered from the front, the white banner with a unicorn, symbol of the city of Kulloden, swept forward as the Baron’s troops saw action for the first time. As more units rushed towards the fight, they swept past the party, letting off a ragged cheer as they spotted Lucius in his armor, and his protectors at their lord’s side.

These boys need something special, Tess thought, seeing the same bright blue spiders they fought at Mephys now assaulting the long, solid line of Imperial shields. As the noise of battle arose, Tess charged right behind the front line, shouting out calls to the units of men (She had taken the time to memorize a few of them in her boredom on hte march).

“Kulloden Guardsmen! I know you fought bravely only a week ago against the Countess’ hordes, you shall fight bravely again! Lord Santac would be proud of you Mephys men! Avenge your city!” Those soldiers in the rearmost ranks that could cheered her as she went by.

Tess also had a more practical purpose for her ride; noting what the enemy was throwing at the lines. She spotted orcs, some red, some blue, some normal, some with horns. They came in waves... disorganized, random, without order and easily breaking in front of hte Imperial shield wall.

More alarming were the gnolls... large beasts that looked like crosses between hyenas and men. The came with organized tactics, with archers firing volleys into the Imperial line, soldiers armed with battleaxes then charging forward under the cover of the arrow showers.

Noting this information both for Luke and her own songwriting records, she then galloped back to Lucius’ position, some three hundred feet from the front lines... close enough to be seen, but far enough that save for the errant stray, spent arrow, they were in little danger. As she came up, she saw Pellaron, and more importantly Quin, rein up their horses and begin galloping towards the left.

“Where are you going!?” she called.

“To spur on the troops to the left!” Pellaron called back. “They’re wavering, and they could use some fire and brimstone an old bodyguard commander could bring!”

Tess was forced to grin as her horse cantered up alongside Lucius’, as she waved them off with a wish of luck.

“Luke! Your lines are holding... holding well! The spiders are posing some issue, but your troops are holding against the orcs and the gnolls far better than I expected!” An arrow zipped by Tess’s ear by this point, close enough that she felt the gust of wind as it passed by... she started having second thoughts about the wisdom of their location.

“Lucius!” Tess shouts barely over the din of the clash of arms, “do you think we should move further to the rear?”

In your distinctive armor, Lucius, you might be an easy target... her mind began, before an enormous blast almost knocked her down, and an enormous shadow loomed over her and the rest of the party in the late day sunshine. As Tess and the others looked up skyward, their hearts stopped in fear and wonder.

Lumbering through a massive, charred section of land that was formerly the Imperial battline was a spider... easily the most massive spider they’d ever seen... fully 10 feet high and 25 feet across. Its features were frightening; not just because of its monstrous nature, but simply because it was misshapen horribly. Massive horn-like mounts of bone rose from its abdomen, sharp pikes of exoskeleton came from its joints, while two massive skull horns came from its four eyed head. It walked on only four legs, from its midsection came four massive claws, demonically horned and viciously sharp. Its mandibles, large enough to easily grab a man, chattered together angrily as it charged towards the party. As it drew closer, it became apparent that its body was not a solid mass... but seemingly stitched together from parts of many spiders... brown, black, and a deep, horrid blue...

Sweet Hieroneous in a handbasket! Shaun’s mind screamed, and it took all of his strength to hold back his first instinct to run like mad. The creature easily towered three times his height when it did not have itself raised up, when it law squalor to the ground. Its horns, its nature, and its nasty jaws made Shaun’s heart quiver, as he reached into his own to draw an arrow...

What the... Tess’ confused and terrified mind thought. Even as her body instinctively notched a bow, she noticed with frightened alarm the creature was not charging in general... it was heading directly towards Siabrey and Lucius... quickly, decisively, as if it knew its goal or prey lay exactly there...

Damn! Siabrey mind shouted as she drew her bow and stood protectively by Lucius. The creatures clattering moves shook the ground as it rumbled towards them. I don’t know if I can hold... oh god... her mind quailed as she tried to steel herself to be ready and prepared, her bow taking aim slowly for the creature’s eyes...

...which suddenly erupted white.

A flash of white light, blue with freezing and glowing with power, slashed from one of the creature’s eyes directly towards Siabrey. Her blood almost froze, as the massive blast of cold tore through her to her very soul. After it passed, ice clung to her bow, her arms, legs, and even trailed off of her single braid. Unerringly, her bow launched per seconds later, placing two more arrows into the creature’s hide.

At almost the same instant, the party let loose with their volleys, and quickly five more arrows filled the side of the beast. Xanadu extended his hand until a white, writhing mass of magic formed within it, and lanced out towards the creature, which shrieked as his magic missiles connected. Elenya, for her part, cowered behind Shaun in fear... perhaps the wisest in the group that moment.

The creature thundered up into Siabrey’s face, and with a mighty claw, shredded into her, tearing apart one of her shoulders, grating apart one of her shoulder pieces of armor, and cutting into her side. She staggered back, in deep pain, until the sight of what happened to Lucius filled her with panic and adrenaline.

The creature’s two other claws both slashed at Lucius, at a glance it almost looked as if they disembowled him. His armor was pulled off of his body almost, as the other claw slipped in the gap, and proceeded to shatter his abdomen. He collapsed to the ground, as the first claw them neatly picked him up in a flash, and placed him within the creatures’ mandibles, which held him tight but did not crush. The creature then slowly started to turn.

Tess’song then rose int he air, and the creature momentarily paused, before continuing its onward push, its mandibles rattling as Tess’ harmonics reached the pitch of the jaws. As the creature turned, teh shouts of five orcs, clad in black armor with reddish horns upon their heads, reached the group as the fiends charged forward.

Oh God no! Its taking him! Siabrey’s mind thought as she recovered.

Lucius! I’ll get you back! her mind snarled as her katana slipped out of its scabbard, and with a cry of the furious undead, she stormed towards the creature. Filled with panic and desperation, she slashed hard at the creature’s mandibles, cutting one hard, but only causing Lucius to dangle at a precarious angle. Her blinded fury caused her to swing often but errantly, as only a few blows hit the creature... but those that struck hit hard.

If Lucius and I should die this day, her tired, battered mind thought at seeing her relative ineffectiveness, then this creature, at the least, shall join us in hell! She redoubled her efforts and her shout was joined by that of Grumki, who was furious at what befell his friend.

The creature noted Grumki’s approach as more dangerous than Siabrey’s, and as its head turned, another one of its eyes glowed with magic fire before launching a massive lightning bolt at the half orc, stunning the great man long enough that in a flash, teh creature was 50 feet away and running faster, its hide badly damaged and resembling a pincushion with all of its arrows.

Damn you! Siabrey’s mind snarled again, her body tired and bloody but still chasing full tilt after it, I will kill you! She slashed at one of its legs, her desperation causing her to miss, as Xanadu launched an acidic arrow at the creatures flank. The creature was now stumbling, its sides raked open, but yet it charged on, speeding away from the party on its giant legs..

Shaun so far had only notched up arrows, and notched up yet another. With careful aim, he pointed towards the creature’s abdomen, towards a small hole that had been lopped loose by an errant arrow glancing off.

Siabrey runs like a madwoman possessed... she must think either she or her Lucius are going to die...Oh ye gods on high, let my arrow fly straight and true, he prayed as he let loose.

The din of battle faded, and as if he had a telescope to see exactly where the hole was and an arrow that he could guide by hand, he placed the shaft of the arrow directly into the hole. To his surprise, the flaming arrow burrowed in, and the burst out the other side, near the massive beast’s head. Its clattered running stopped.... and then it began to careen to one side. As the party watched in awestruck wonder, it buckled and fell to the side, Lucius tumbling out of the loosened mandibles to avoid being crushed.

Siabrey immediately was at his crumpled side, her sword drawn, her bloody, shattered, but furious form daring any of the five massive orcs to approach. Grumki, meanwhile, charged straight into two of the orcs, and as he swung, was greeted by their greataxes. Grumki’s strike crushed the spine of one of the orcs, but as it fell, the other’s axe connected with Grumki’s skull...

And to the party’s horror, Grumki fell as well, blood spraying from a severed artery.

Xanadu, seeing Grumki’s fate, slowly rose into the air, a tiny white bead forming in his hands. The small white ball flew out, lashing towards the three closest orcs that weren’t within range of a party member. It hit along the ground with a tink, and rolled several fit into their midst.

The concussive blast dwarfed the explosion that Lucius conjured in the demon’s lair, as all three orcs vanished in a massive, 40 foot wide ball of fire. When the smoke from the massive fireball cleared, no armor, no weapons, no bones even remained... only several charred marks, and a relatively large crater.

Lucius meanwhile had regained his footing just as Grumki was struck and went down. Siabrey looked on in horror as his eyes glazed over, becoming a deep, iridescent blue...

Oh no... its happening again! her mind panicked as she called Lucius’ name. “Lucius! Don’t! Please, don’t do it!” She shook him hard as his hand seemed to rise steadily, unwavering, towards the creature that struck down Grumki. It began to glow with the same blood red hue as she saw against the assassins, and suddenly he flicked his wrist, sending a bolt of energy out.

The other party members saw the grisly results, as the hand of the orc that struck Grumki was ripped off of its body in a bloody blast. As the shocked and pained orc looked in astonishment and fear at the bloody stump, his former hand then swung around, and grabbed him fiercely by the throat. A sickly cracking sound echoed in the air as his own hand crushed his windpipe and his vertebrae.

Lucius’s body then hung, as if suspended despite his feet being on the ground, before his eyes blinked hard, and he crumpled into Siabrey’s arms, his eyes unfocused and drained.

“Wha... wha... what happened?” he asked quietly, confusedly.

He... he doesn’t know what he did...[i/] Siabrey’s furious and scared mind realized. She grabbed him and hugged him hard. You don’t know what you did... my poor Lucius...

“Why... why is his hand cut off?” Lucius asked, his voice now riddled with fear. Siabrey hugged him close.

“Your bad magic came back,” she whispered, cradling his head as he started to shudder.

“Oh god... I’m... I’m sorry... I didn’t...”

”Shhh,” Siabrey cooed quietly, hoping to calm him down. “Its ok... its ok. I know you didn’t mean it... its ok....” She rocked him back and forth, as his worried voice continued to ask how.

Hieroneous... please protect my Lucius.... please protect his mind, she prayed silently as she held him.

Tess hurriedly rushed to Grumki’s side, and ascertained that while he was still alive, he was rapidly fading. A sweet song of healing rose from her lips as she stroked his face, gently bringing him back from the brink of death. Grumki sputtered for a bit, before finally, in a relieved voice, he said quietly, “Thank you, fair Tess. The strength of Kord does sometimes require healing.”

As Pellaron galloped back from his position further down the line, Shaun’s relieved laugh rose above the din of battle. “So,” he chuckled, patting Grumki on the head, “the strength of Kord actually requires something?”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

The next part, titled

The Leave Taking, and the March North

The noises of battle died down, as rather quickly the countess’ orcs and gnolls broke off their assaults. A ragged cheer went up and down the line as a weak, bloodied Lucius insisted on riding behind the soldiers to give them cheer.

I wish you would stop this posing and get yourself healed, Siabrey moaned silently. She never would understand that kind of bravado. After a few minutes, she decided enough was enough, and stopped Lucius’ fun by grabbing his horse’s bridle and gently, but forcefully, pulling him back towards the others. As they approached, they could see Hidalas, as well as several other figures they did not recognize.

“Hallo, m’lord!” Hidalas beamed, “It looks like you could use some healing help?” Siabrey nodded rather forcefully for Lucius, who gave her a friendly scowl. Hidalas set about fixing Luke’s wounds, as Siabrey went over to the three new people, all dressed in the armor and cloaks of paladins of Hieroneous. She realized as she got within earshot, that they knew Pellaron quite well, and all appeared to be involved in a deep conversation describing how the enemy was repelled in their sector. She also noticed that all were busily cleaning red blood off of their swords.

“Oh!” Pellaron jumped up once he noticed Siabrey, “This is Siabrey, the fighter, the one I have been telling you about! She has no fear!”

Boy is that an overstatement, Siabrey’s mind thought as she politely says, “My friend overestimates me. Um.. what are you names?”

The first paladin introduced himself as Aristophle, and was a tall, thin man with thinning hair. The second was Pelee, who was a little shorter than Siabrey, with red hair and green eyes. The third named himself as Ikbar,,, and was of average height, and clearly the oldest by his greying hair.

“I am pleased to meet you,” Siabrey said, shaking the hand of each.

“We have been assigned by your friend, Master Hidalas, to escort you northwards towards your destination,” Ikbar offered. “Our blades shall be at your service the entire time.”

Three more swords to the party... veteran ones at that! Hmm... I’m quite impressed!



The party that dusk split off from the main army, and began marching towards the north. As several days went by, the routine of the march became drudgery; Every morning Xanadu would send out his flying friends to look for enemies, and every midday they would return with no news.

The one consolation of all of this was that the terrain they were travelling through was some of the most gorgeous plains and woodlands in the Valley... the desert itself was still nearly a weeks ride away.

On the fourth day of being away from the army, however, the routine suddenly changed. At midday, one of Xanadu’s fliers returned, and they watched with interest and growing alarm as he leaned close to it and his face fell.

“There is a troop of yak headed people and skeletons, headed by a fallen cleric, who marches north some two miles to our east and several miles behind us. They are on path to our destination,” he said grimly.

“Cut them off,” Tess said firmly, with no hint of inflection in her voice. “We don’t want them getting anywhere close to that Temple!”

“Can your friends track them?” Shaun asked, his voice reflecting concern as well. “Perhaps we could set up an ambush for them...”

For the next day, the party moved just as a lion carefully stalks is prey. They dashed forward, quickly, quietly several miles, before stopping as Xanadu’s friends tracked the enemy’s progress. Bit by bit, they realized that the yakheads and skeletons were marching up a small gully, the dried riverbed of an ancient stream, calling themselves being sneaky by hiding themselves from view.

The party then dashed ahead, and surrounded the gully on both sides, and spent several hours constructing camoflauge. They were rewarded as near dusk, the unerring tramp of 18 sets of feet came up the gully, neither the skeletons, nor the yak folk, nor the cleric commander noticing the party until arrows were already notched, and had started to fly...

Siabrey, Shaun and Tess all loosed their first assaults against the cleric. He had been clad in red robes, and held in his hand a wand that glowed red and orange... thus they deemed him the greatest risk. Tess’ song held him in place, as Siabrey’s and Shaun’s arrows eviscerated his throat and lanced his heart respectively. Before the battle had even begun, their opponents most powerful figure was on the ground, smote to ruin.

The yak folk, following just behind the cleric, began to immediately spring up the sides of the gully in a desperate attempt to fight back, as the rest of the party let loose. Xanadu’s and Lucius’ magic missiles cut swaths in their ranks, as Tess’ song caused yet another head explosion, this one directly in the face of Siabrey and Lucius. Once again, both were covered in matted mess.

The skeletons attempted to swarm up the gully as well, but did not get far before Pelee and Aristophle held high their holy symbols of Hieroneous, and banished six of the creatures from this world. As the skeleton’s forms shattered into dust, Xanadu took to the air and became invisible yet again.

Siabrey’s sword lashed out at the yak person to her face, and her blow neatly placed its head in the growing pile of bodies that had rolled down into the ravine. Just as Shaun’s arrow shattered the skull of the last yak person, showering the paladins with gore, and enormous WHUMPH! caused the ground to shuddered underfoot and the four remaining skeletons crunched themselves into dust. As the rising dust cloud cleared, the astounded party saw Xanadu, sitting crosslegged and looking quite proud of himself.

Being the second time she had seen him do something like that, Tess was immensely curious.

“How the hell did you do that?” she cried. “What was that? Mage Hand? Crushing Fist? Bigby’s Crushing Fist of Smiting Doom?”

“That,” Xanadu said, standing up and dusting off his cloak, “is for me to know, and me to know only.” He smiled slightly, as Tess clambered down the gulley towards him.

He’s hiding something big, her mind screamed.

“Xanadu,” she started, “I’ve seen many strange things in my day... but none... I say none... have been as unerringly weird as that attack you just did. C’mon... how did you do it? Magic?”

“Not quite,” Xanadu’s smile suddenly vanished, and amazing, his face and voice took on a shy tone.

“What is it then?” Tess was almost in his face. I’ve been backstabbed twice by people... I’m paranoid and I want answers!

“Its something I can do...” he said, his voice drifting off.

Is that what you call it? Tess’ mind wondered in slight paranoia, as Xanadu rather quickly looked up towards Lucius and Siabrey, who looked at each other rather disgustedly with the bits and pieces of yak all over them.

“It appears as you two could use a wash!” he shouted, changing the subject.

“No crap!” Siabrey shouted back. “Can your little flyboys find us a pond or something?” Xanadu smiled, and silently called his friends into his hands again.

“By all means!”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

These last two sections were typed up by drag n fly exclusively... enjoy!

Of Surprises and….More Surprises

After everyone had enjoyed a good wash in the pool that Xanadu’s little magical prying eyes had found, the party decided to camp near to the pond. Everyone was busy helping set up camp, so only Tess saw Xanadu head off into the trees that surrounded the pool.

I wonder where he’s going? It’s not safe to wander around alone. Also, some small part of her mind still fummed over Rogar’s betrayal, and she briefly worried if Xanadu might be planning a similar betrayal.

She tried walking silently through the forest, but somehow the half-elf still heard her.

“What are you doing out here, Tess?” he asked somewhat sadly as he turned to face her.

Well, might as well square up to it. she thought, and taking a leaf from Siabrey’s book, asked rather bluntly. “What are you doing out here Xanadu? It’s not safe.”

Xanadu sighed, and for a moment looked his immesne age of over 700. “I’m from around here, Tess. This area was my home, a long long time ago. I just wanted to sleep out by myself tonight.”

Oh really… “Where?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“Out there.” He said, motioning with his arms through a break in the trees. The forest ended a short ways off and a series of rolling hills began. “Beyond that hill.”

Tess frowned. “I still don’t think it’s a good idea, Xanadu. I think you should come back to camp with me.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Xanadu looked at her sharply and his eyes glowed brassy for a moment. Tess felt a strange sensation wash over her, and almost in a dream state, she vaguely heard Xanadu say “Go back to camp, Tess.” Obediently, her feet moved of their own accord and she found herself back in camp in no time.

Siabrey was preparing to unroll her bed-roll when she saw Tess wander back into camp with a completely blank look upon her face. The warrior watched the unmoving bard for several minutes, then got up and walked over to her.

“Tess?” Siabrey waved her hand in front of her friend’s face. There was no response; Tess didn’t even blink.

“Yo, Tess? Tess!” Siabrey wacked the tall women on the back of her head.

“Huh, what?” Tess blinked as her eyes came back into focus.

“You were pulling a zombie trip on me, you alright?”

“Yeah…yeah, I’m fine. Hey, what am I doing back here at camp? Where’s Xanadu?”

Siabrey blinked. Maybe I hit her a little harder than I intended… “You followed him off into the woods like ten minutes ago, then came back here completely glassy-eyed.”

As her words sunk in, Tess’s mind switched from confusion to anger in a split second.

That jerk! He commanded me!? How DARE he!

“Come on.” Tess snorted, grabbing the confused Siabrey’s arm and dragging her along behind her. “We’re going to find out what’s going on with that half-elf.”

Siabrey shrugged and followed, motioning Lucius, Shaun and Eleyna to come too. Together, they followed the angry bard as she stomped through the short stretch of woods and onto the hill that Xanadu had indicated earlier.

“Now, he said he would be camping just past here….” Tess and the others crested the hill and looked around. A short distance away lay another large hill, but only Siabrey and Shaun noticed something a little strange about it.

“Um…guys…” Siabrey pointed and they all quickly saw what she meant; the hill was a little metallic-looking.

Tess bent down silently and scooped up a short stick.

Wait, what is she… the entire party had but a moment to think before Tess flung the stick, striking the hill neatly three-quarters of the way up its side.

The moment seemed to freeze as the five friends held their breath in anticipation. Not one of them was prepared however when a brightly colored slit opened, and the hill began to uncurl…

Oh….crap... must... run... now…. Shaun and the others all gasped as the first waves of fear washed across their minds. Even as they all struggled with the desire to flee while screaming for their lives, a soft voice sounded in their heads.

”Do not be afraid…I will not hurt you…”

Xanadu? Tess and Siabrey both thought aloud. "Is that you?"

“Xanadu, can you PLEASE tone the fear factor down a bit?” Tess whimpered. I'm going to soil my armor if he doesn't...

The silver dragon that was, indeed, Xanadu, blinked. Immediately the party felt better, and was able to straighten up and fully gaze at the magnificent figure standing before them.

He was 200 feet long, with huge glistening wings and a tall, sharp-looking frill that ran from his forehead down to the tip of his tail. Siabrey felt tears on her cheeks, and as she looked around, so did Eleyna and Tess. Both Lucius and Shaun were too shocked to do more than stare. Finally, Tess and Siabrey found their voices and said, practically at the same time.

“Oh my God…Xanadu…you’re so beautiful.”

Despite the fact that the dragon that currently sat on its haunches like a large dog could have killed them all with a single twitch of his claws, he looked strangely nervous.

”You….you’re not afraid of me?”

“Oh Xanadu, why would we be afraid, you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Siabrey walked fearlessly over to the dragon and touched one of the glistening claws reverently. She heard a soft sniffling from behind her as Tess walked over and did the same to the other foot.

“You’re amazing.” The bard whispered. If dragons could have blushed, Xanadu would have been a red dragon at that moment.

“Xanadu, why did you never tell us?” Lucius asked, finally finding his voice.

”I was afraid to. Dragons are hated and feared by so many. And then there’s that dragonslayer… Xanadu gave a slight shudder. To his surprise Tess began to laugh softly.

“Um, Xanadu, Pelleron isn’t really a dragonslayer.”

“Yeah, more like a ‘shoot a young dragon in the chest with a ballista at close range’ slayer.” Siabrey added with a grin.

“You mean…he doesn’t hate dragons?” Xanada’s surprised thought echoed through their heads.

“No more than we do.” Tess said as she stroked his paw gently. To her great surprise and pleasure, Xanadu lowered his head to ground level.

“Thank you for not being afraid of me.” he said quietly as he tried to nuzzle her and Siabrey. Lucius watched for a few moments, then walked down the hill and reached up to scratch behind the dragon’s huge ear. A deep contented purr, like the largest jungle cat that ever lived, filled the air.

Up above them on the hill, Eleyna gave a sigh of happiness at the scene playing up below her, then froze. “Oh no…” she whispered, and the rest of the party looked wide-eyed at each other as they heard what the former barmaid had heard; the distinctive sound of the four paladins heading through the woods.

“Oh no, what do I do?” Xanadu’s frantic thought skittered through their heads.

Siabrey stood in front of the dragon’s lowered head in an attempt at a protective gesture. “Stand proud, Xanny. They’d find out sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.”

The rest of the party did likewise, and so when Pelleron and the others crested the hill, they were shocked to find not only a tall silver dragon staring anxiously at them, but their friends lined up in front of him, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.”

“Wha…..” one of the paladins stammered before Siabrey cut them off.

“Guys, this is Xanadu. You know, our half-elven friend? Turns out he’s really a silver dragon.”

“A good one.” Tess interjected.

“Yes, a good one.” Siabrey continued. “So there will be no slaying of any sort, nor jokes about dragons. Is that understood?”

The four paladins stood with gaping mouths; apparently slaying was the last thing on their minds as they struggled just to get over their shock and not soil themselves. It was several minutes before their mouths closed enough so that they could speak.

“Pl…pleased to meet you.” Pelleron finally said with a gasp.

“The pleasure is all mine.” Xanadu gave a little bow that was essentially a sinuous movement of his shining head.

There were several moments of silence until the ice was broken as Shaun said with a snort, “Isn’t this ironic. In the temple of Pelor, the dragon was sleeping in the same room as the dragonslayer.” Xanadu gazed down at the rogue, lowered his head, and promptly sneezed on Shaun, covering him in dragon boogers.

They all broke down in laughter at that, including Eleyna who said in a giggling aside to Tess, “I think you need to update your ‘Why Not To Anger A Wizard’ song!”

Eventually, the group headed back to their camp by the pond. Smiling, Tess asked Xanadu if he would like first watch, to which the dragon greatfully agreed. Settling down in a ring around the camp, his body heat added a pleasant warmth to the night air, as well as lending an immese feeling of safety. Who would attack them with a dragon hanging around?

As Tess took Eleyna’s advice and sat down with her harp to compose a new song, Lucius, who had been gazing at Siabrey all night, walked over to Xanadu and whispered something into his ear. The dragon smiled and nodded. Lucius walked over to where Siabrey sat and extended his hand, blushing softly, and asked her, “So Siabrey, would you care to go swimming with me?”

She gazed up into his adoring green eyes and smiled. She slipped her hand into his own and they headed over to the pond, which Xanadu had politely partitioned off with his tail so that they could have some privacy. The two were so engaged with each other at that moment that they both failed to notice Eleyna, who had been sitting watching Tess for some time, finally stand up and make her way nervously over to the bard.

“Um…Tess…I…I have something I’d like to talk to you about.”

“What is it dear?” Tess asked, tuning an errant string carefully with an ear to the instrument.

“Tess…I…I’M LATE!” Elenya hissed in a panicked whisper.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Waterplay and Lullabys

Behind the protective wall of Xanadu’s tail, Siabrey felt surprisingly daring. Having shucked her armor hours ago, she slipped the loose tunic over her head, wriggled out of her pants, and swiftly unbraided her hair. Gazing back at Lucius, who had only begun to remove his shirt, she wasn’t surprised to see him gaping open-mouthed at her.

Giving him a wink, she turned and dove into the clear pristine water. The water still held a hint of its mountain spring origin, and she gave a small gasp as she surfaced and shivered slightly in its cold embrace. She gasped again as another icy blast washed over her, as the ripples from Lucius entering the water washed over her. He came to the surface beside her, and with a grin, they kissed. One turned to three... then four... then...

Thirty enjoyable minutes later, Lucius dried off on the spare bed roll that lay among their things, Xanadu having moved all of their items closer to the water’s edge while they had played in the water. Siabrey sat on the edge of the pool, rebraiding her long golden hair and humming softly to herself. Glancing over her shoulder as she finished, she saw Lucius sitting only a few feet away, knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. A strange look filled his eyes as he gazed at her; a look so deep it was almost like sadness.

“What’s wrong, Lucius?” Siabrey asked softly, shifting around to face him.

“I…I’d like to sing you something that I wrote a little while ago.” He stammered, and without waiting for a replay, opened his mouth. The first notes that left his lips were as hesitant and sweet as the first drops of a rainstorm. As he continued however, his voice gained strength into a tune that would have made Tess proud.

The first moment that we were alone.
Felt like the first breath after a plunge in the sea
From that first moment that our eyes met
I somehow knew you’d be standing by me

From then on every moment
Has sparkled like a morning shining with dew
It gets harder to breath when you’re laying by me
And I’m loving just being with you

You are my sun,
That burns in my heart
Igniting my passion and fire

You are my sky,
So bright and so wide
Sheltering me from all that may hurt

You are the one,
I’ve pledged my life to
You protect me as I’m loving you

Oh, my winged warrior
Heavenly and strong
You are the light of my life.


As the last notes died away, Siabrey found her cheeks wet with tears for the second time that night.

“I call it ‘The Song of my Winged Warrior’,” Lucius barely managed to say before Siabrey’s lips met his.

Alternately crying and holding each other, there were no words that the couple needed to share. After a while, they crawled into a bedroll together and lay gazing up at the stars, delighting in the feeling of being one.

Long after Siabrey felt Lucius’ breath go soft and steady, she was still awake. The dragon that had lain quietly nearby the whole time shifted his body so that his scaled side lay only inches away.

“Xanadu?” she whispered softly to the dragon she knew was gazing at them.

“Yes, Siabrey?” the dragon’s voice was quiet, yet somehow Siabrey knew that he had been watching them all along.

“Lucius will be alright, won’t he?”

Siabrey felt rather than heard the dragon’s head that now lay beside her own.

“He is strong. I have a feeling that he will be alright.” the dragon paused and Siabrey turned her head to gaze into the magnificent eyes. “The love you have for each other is greater than any evil. It is that love, I believe, that will save him. Perhaps…” the dragon mused. “Perhaps it will save us all…”

Siabrey blinked hard, then reached out and stroked the delicate scales around Xanadu’s eye gently. “Thank you, Xanadu.” She whispered. The dragon nodded, and lifted his head to gaze back out into the night.

“Goodnight, Siabrey.”

“Goodnight.” Her eyes closed as a delicate vision of Lucius and her spun its way out from her mind into the web of her dreams.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Our next session is this Friday... so updates should come at the usual time the following week.

 

[Emperor Valerian]

This is the first part of the adventure from last week... 2-13-04 (FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH!)

Of Babies, Fishing, and "You Said What?"

“You…you’re what?” Tess glanced around quickly to be sure where the rest of her friends where. Siabrey and Lucius had disappeared behind Xanadu’s tail, the four paladins were clustered nearby discussing paladin things, and Shaun was engaged in a dialogue with Xanadu about, of all things, the joys and trials of a cat’s tail.

“It’s so neat, but it’s hard to keep hidden sometimes. Damn thing has a mind of its own…” Shaun’s voice crept its way across to Tess’s ears. Shaking her head, she focused her eyes upon the scared girl in front of her.

“I think I’m pregnant, Tess.” Elenya hissed.

“Is it Shaun’s?”

Elenya nodded. “Has to be. There hasn’t been anyone else but him in the past five months!”

Tess blew out a breath, while Elenya watched her anxiously.

“Can you give me any advice?”

“Well, Elenya, I only know a little bit about these things. But I’ll do the best that I can.” She added upon seeing the pretty woman’s face fall.

“Whatever you do, don’t tell Shaun…” Elenya glanced over to where her love was now engaged in an apparent wrestling contest…with one of Xanadu’s talons. The talon was winning. Elenya smiled fondly. “I think he would die of shock.”

I agree. Tess pursed her lip thoughtfully.We’d better not say anything, at least until we get back into Irulas...


As no one but Xanadu was on watch that night, Siabrey was surprised to hear a strange sound by the edge of the pond that woke both her and Lucius up. Opening her eyes, she spotted a humped brown shape rooting around in the weeds not 30 feet away.

“What is it?” Lucius hissed in her ear.

“I think it’s a bear.” She hissed back, and turned to give the dragon that lay close by a sharp jab with her elbow.

”Hmm, what is it?”His sleepy voice sounded in their heads.

“Xanadu, you’re supposed to be on watch.” She hissed. “There’s a bear over there.”

Xanadu raised his head and blinked sleepily, then turned a slightly annoyed gazed on the two young lovers huddled by his side. Honestly, you’d think that two great fighters like yourselves could handle a little ol’ brown bear that’s just looking for food.

Siabrey shot off a few profanities that caused Lucius to blush.

Xanady merely blinked, they lay his head back down. Just leave it alone, it’ll be on its way in a few minutes.

Despite his assurances, the couple still huddled close to his silvery side, trying not to draw attention to themselves. After about fifteen minutes, the bear wandered off, still snuffling and snorting.

“Great, now I’m fully awake.” Siabrey gave a soft growl of frustration and tossed her hands into the air.

“Yeah, me too.” Lucius suddenly got an evil grin on his face and glanced over at Siabrey. “I know something that will make us tired again…”

Siabrey gave a short laugh and tossed a pillow at him. “Honestly, it’s bad enough a girl can’t get any sleep because of a bear, now the horny 16 year old wants some too.”

Lucius merely leaned his head closer. “So is that a yes…”

Siabrey ginned crookedly, and stuck her tongue out slightly from between her teeth. “You know it…”

With a will, the pair slipped off for a “quickie.” Unfortunately, they were so loud that Xanadu changed back into a half elf so he could cover his ears with a pillow.

“Honestly, do you two ever stop! Humans….”


Morning came, and with it, a very contented Siabrey announced to the camp that she would catch and make them all fish for breakfast. Unfortunately, no one had any line or hooks.

Unwilling to be deterred, Siabrey strode into the shallows of the pond and proceeded to wait until a fish swam by before slashing at it with her katana. Maybe it was the night’s events, or just her own inability to swing accurately through water, but she kept missing time and again. It got to the point where the fish seemed to be swimming by just to laugh at her.

Tess, after watching and waiting for 10 minutes, rolled her eyes and began to make a stew. Lucius for his part sat waiting on the shore, and gave a painful wince at each of his love’s failed attempts.

“Honey, maybe you should just stop…”

“No! I…will…succeed!” Siabrey panted and lashed at a particularly annoying little fish that kept swimming up and kissing her ankle before dashing away from her too-slow blade.

Lucius winced again as she almost took her own foot off. “Please hon? You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Forget it, Siabrey!” Tess came over, bearing two steaming bowls. “Come eat!”

“No!” Siabrey went into a furious whirlwind of activity that left her thoroughly soaked…and no fish stuck on the tip of her sword.

Lucius had had enough. Marching out into the pond, he dragged Siabrey back onto solid ground and plopped the bowl of stew in her hands. “Eat,” he commanded, a fleeting smile crossing his lips as Siabrey looked down mournfully into the fish-less stew.

They all ate quickly, saddled up, and got underway. As the morning wore on, Siabrey noticed Elenya leaning over her saddle, her brows furred up as though she had a terrible headache. Concerned, she spurred her horse ahead to match pace with the young women’s.

“You ok, Elenya?”

Immediately, Elenya sat up, running a hand over her face as if to hide the pain that was etched there. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just a headache.”

Siabrey saw the way Elenya’s eyes refused to look at her while talking, and saw right through the ‘headache’ claim. Her eyes narrowed.

Meanwhile, from a short ways behind, Tess broke off her search of the trees around them as she saw Siabrey talking to Elenya.

Oh no, if Siabrey find out she’s sure to blab it to Shaun! Tess quickly rode her horse up just in time to hear Siabrey press Eleyna into admitting “Ok, it’s not just a headache. I’m pregnant.”

Dammit! Tess thought.

Siabrey’s eyes flashed from surprise, to concern, to amusement. “So…Shauny’s going to be a dad.” She grinned evilly. “Can I tell him?”

Tess dug her nails hard into the pommel of her saddle to prevent herself from killing Siabrey, while Elenya merely said a quiet “No.”

The grin didn’t leave Siabrey’s face. “Can I please? It’d be great to see him faint…”

“No!” Tess’s voice exploded in a contained whisper. “You may not tell anyone, not even Lucius. This is another worry that they do NOT need.”

Siabrey nodded. “Alright, alright, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Swear?”

“I swear on my sword.” Siabrey placed two fingers on the sheathed katana. Her grin returned. “Although you have to promise me you’ll let me be there when you tell him.”

Even Elenya smiled. “I promise. I understand, if I was in your position I’d want to see him faint too.”

Siabrey glanced out of the corner of her eye at Tess, who still looked mighty peeved. Hmm, perhaps my dear Tesseron is missing all the action. “Hey Tess,” she said out loud teasingly. “Why don’t you go hit on our paladin friend.” She gestured up ahead to where Pelleron rode alongside the others. “I’m sure he’d like the attention from a beauty like you…”

Tess’s face turned crimson as Siabrey’s eyes. “No!” she yelled rather firmly, and galloped her horse to the front of the line to ride fuming next to Xanadu.

Siabrey raised an eyebrow at her friend’s departure. Sheesh, seems I hit a sore spot…


As the day progressed, the party rode by several more ponds. Each time, Siabrey whined that she wanted to try to change her katana-fishing luck, but each time Tess firmly denied her. After her last attempt at persuading the bard that “I’ll only be a few minutes. I just want to try to change my luck, please?” Lucius reached out and laid an arm on the back of his love’s neck, gently squeezing the muscles there.

“Don’t worry love, for our honeymoon I’ll take you fishing.”

As his words sunk it, Siabrey almost fell off her horse. “Wh….what?” She turned shocked eyes on Lucius. “What did you say?”

Tess sighed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous, Siabrey. You shouldn’t be surprised. He loves you, he’s handsome, he’s rich, he’s powerful, you couldn’t aim any higher if you tried!”

Siabrey barely heard Tess, her eyes holding Lucius’. “Honey, why did you say that?” Her voice quivered. He merely smiled unconcernedly, reached across pulled her to him in a fierce kiss. “Because I love you.” He stated mater-of-factly as their lips parted. Siabrey merely stared at him, for once completely speechless.

She spent the next few days of their travel in shock. Every time she looked at Lucius her heart leapt. He wants to be with me? Fully? In every way possible? Lucius saw her staring and gave her a broad happy wink. She blinked back. Did he really say that pseudo-proposal? Nah….couldn’t be….

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Second part of the adventure on Friday the Thirteenth:

The Desert... and Xanadu sees Action in Battle

It was several days later, and as the terrain around them shifted from wide forests to sparse plains, questions and confusion continued to rise in Siabrey's mind.

The desert, Siabrey’s mind thought in a daze. I might see one of those desert demons, she thought, and her heart leapt slightly at the thought. A distant, unthought question hung in the dark recesses of her mind, however... a question she wasn’t sure if she wanted to answer.

Is my father out there?

Troubling her mind also was the continued fallout from Lucius’ half statement a few days ago... her mind had finally recognized that it was nothing less than a pseudo-proposal...

A handsome, smart, funny guy wants to marry ME? was the thought that dominated her brain every time she reflected on it. Her instinctive first reaction was to assume she had been dreaming, until the smile directed at her from his face told her otherwise.

The desert, Lucius, an army behind us... what next? her mind thought. To keep the chattering of her wandering mind down, she trotted up beside Xanadu, who was back in half-elf form, and decided to ask him some questions that had been bothering her.

“Xanadu?” she asked above the horses’ canter, “What’s in the desert? What kind of creatures?”

Xanadu broke his seeming blank stare towards the horizon, and gave her a smile. “Well, my dear,” he began in his best rendition of a tutor’s voice, “the desert is just like any other terrain, in many ways. It has its own flora and fauna... some are good, some are ambivalent, and some are bad.”

“Like?” Siabrey asked, pressing for more.

“Well, you have us dragons, for example. There are others like me in the desert... none as old, sadly,” he sighed, “but there are others. Most of us are good, some of us are unfortuantely bad. Then there’s the siabrie...”

“There’s siabrie in this desert!?” Siabrey asked hurriedly, grabbing Xanadu by his arm.

“Yes, yes, there are!” he says with a small huff, until he realizes why she reacted that way. “Oh... I... I understand now. Yes... your father is somewhere in that desert... your father was Kelir, right?”

“Y...yes,” Siabrey said rather shakily. My father is there!?

“I met him... long long ago. I told you this already, correct?” Siabrey nodded uncertainly, while Xanadu smiled and continued. “With siabrie, it depends on which one you meet. Your father was a lordly and kind creature, one who was open to reason and discussion, capable of love and compassion, even if he preferred most of the time staying to himself in the deep desert. Some, like a younger one I know named Malthasar, are rampaging and destructive. Some, like one in this desert named Haran, are just... strange.”

“Then there are the bad things. Most of the desert peoples are like peoples everywhere... warm, compassionate, caring. But there are some that are intolerant, xenophobic, even evil...”

What the heck is xenophobic? Siabrey’s mind asked. She hated when Xanadu used words that likely no one outside the Royal Academy of Magic knew or understood.

“...so in short, we might get help, but there’s forces out there, not affiliated with the Countess, that might be dangerous too?”

“Yes,” Xanadu said, suddenly gazing off into space, “yes... I am... Oh... sorry!” he suddenly snapped back from his distant gaze.

Something’s worrying him, Siabrey thought. “What’s wrong, Xanny?” she asked, using her pet nickname for the dragon. He gave a distant, partial smile, before shaking his head slowly.

You’re lying, Xanny... but you’ll tell us when the time comes... I trust you...


A few hours later the party set up camp, and quickly the tired party members dozed off. Little of note happened on first and second watches, but on third watch, the story was different...

Siabrey had decided to take watch with Lucius that night, and the two had managed to keep their self control intact, and merely contented themselves with watching the woods, quietly whispering sweet nothings to each other even as their eyes scanned for danger. It was Siabrey that first noticed with her darkvision a figure off in the distance across the thinned landscape, above the scrub plants.

“Lucius... wake everyone up! What is that?” she asked, pointing at two hunched over figures that were approaching the party’s fire. As they came closer, she could make out roughly humanoid forms that were hunched close to the ground, with spines running down their backs. If it had been daylight, she would have seen that they were a mottled mix of grey, brown and purple in color, with hungry eyes. Even as she drew her bow to issue her challenge, they started to run.

The party by now was awake, and hurriedly armed. Grumki charged towards one of the creatures, but as the party watched in horror, the half orc suddenly stopped, hanging in the air like a thin breeze just after his warhammer connected. His mind had been smashed by a mind blast from the braxat to his front... a momentarily paralysis that would last only fifteen seconds... long enough he’d miss the rest of the battle.

The rest of the party launched a furious blast of fire and spell on the two creatures as Siabrey and Lucius both charged forward, swords drawn. Siabrey slashed into the 1st creature as Tess’ songstrike slashed into the second for a massive amount of damage. Both behemoths came nonetheless, like an unstoppable horde.

A bright flash from behind the party bathed them and the fierce creatures in an unearthly blue light, and as a shocked and somewhat blinded Pellaron ran forward, the moon and stars above illuminated the massive form of a now angry silver dragon silhoutted against the night sky. Xaandu stepped over Pellaron with ease, and with a bat of his massive claws, sent the fist braxat tumbling to the ground. Across the steppe then echoed an enormous thundering roar, sounding like ten thousand lions and ten thousand crocodiles rumbling as one.

Tess immediately launched another musical assault on the downed braxat, and the creature shuddered and then exploded into pieces... the gore only covering the massive dragon’s left foot. Xanadu’s enormous head then lowered, and with a soft (for a 200 foot long dragon) bite, he grabbed the second braxat and carried him skyward. Beyond the view of hte party int he night sky, the dragon shook his head viciously, and while one half of the hapless creature fell to the ground next to Siabrey, the other flew several hundred feet to the left.

As the party stood in shock, there was another blue flash, and suddenly, quite nude, their old friend Xanadu stood before them. Normally he would be desperately hiding himself and demanding a cloak, but now, something else occupied his mind, as he spat viciously on the ground, and started hacking and coughing.

“Those things taste awful!" he complained, as Tess finally reacted, handing him her canteen. Her thanked her wheezily, and gulped down some water which he swished about his mouth, and then spat on the ground. “Gah!” he complained, “I forgot the bad taste they leave in my mouth! What?” he looked around, finally realizes his show.

Hmm... not to bad for a 700 year old half elf, Tess and Siabrey both thought appraisingly, as the men of the group covered their eyes. Hands hurriedly shifted position, and quickly Lucius handed the elf his cloak and clothing while staring the other direction.

“Sorry for the full... um.. display,” Xanadu hurriedly apologized.

“That’s no problem! Xanadu, you were amazing out there!” Siabrey said with pride, clapping her hand on his shoulder, “and as for your ‘show,’ I don’t think any of us ladies minded!” She gave a wink to him along with a smile, and noticed Elenya and Tess doing the same. The old curmudgeon actually looked rather... young... aside from his face...

Scowls came burrowing down from Shaun and Lucius, which prompted Elenya, Siabrey and Tess to laugh as the night calmed back down to normal. Satisfied that their men had been annoyed, Siabrey and Elenya then set about planning the watch for the night...

“Hey Xanny, what were these things?”

Relieved to have something to focus on besides the fact that he had just flashed all of his friends (and they seemed to have liked it!), he furrowed his brow and frowned at the creatures.

“They are braxats... one of the bad creatures of the desert... I am not sure, however, why they are so far out from the deep desert....” His eyes grew unfocused as he stared off into space.

Oh great, he’s spacing out again. Why does he keep doing that? “Xanny?” Siabrey waved her hand in front of the half-elf’s face. “Xanadu?” He blinked and gave Siabrey a sour look, which she let roll off her like butter off her katana.

“Alright Xanadu, what’s up. You’ve been going all weird on us all week.”

Xanadu gave a small sigh. “I cannot tell you, my friends. Suffice to say that I may have to leave you sometime later on.”

“Leave us!” Tess wasn’t the only one to shout in shock. Siabrey shook her head, as if denying the half-elf’s words.

“You can’t leave us, Xanny, we need you. We would have been chopped braxat tonight if you hadn’t gone all draconic.”

Xanadu smiled that soft half-smile he usually reserved for when one of them said something really witty. “You will be alright on your own. I have faith in you all.” He drew his cloak tighter around himself. “Now then, perhaps we had better return to our sleep? We reach Obash tomorrow.”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

The City of Obash and Disturbing Rumors

On the morning of their fifth day after separating from the army, the party crested a rise and saw spreading out before them a massive cleared out piece of terrain. All the structures were contructed from adobe, and the city looked like it held roughly 8,000.

“The city of Obash.” Xanadu said needlessly. “I need to spend some time in town tonight looking things up, so you all might as well find a good inn to stay in.”

“The strength of Kord requires good ale as well!” their half-orc cleric yelled from the rear.

“Yes, Grumki. We all know what the strength of Kord requires.” Shaun said sarcastically. Grumki eyed him with a frown. “The strength of Kord does NOT require sarcasm, friend Shaun.” Shaun edged his horse away from Grumki’s cautiously. Maybe, but I bet it does require smashing backs with a friendly blow of those who use sarcasm.

“Enough antics back there you too.” Xanadu scolded. “We’re still running from a gigantic army of evil, remember?”

Thus chastised, the party trotted across the open scrublands surrounding the city of Obash, and reached its gates by midmorning. Immediately the party fractured; Grumki headed off for a bar, Xanadu ran away to the northern part of the city, and the paladins trapsed off looking for the Temple of Hironeous. Left with only Shaun, Elenya, Lucius, and Siabrey, Tess threw up her hands and said a few choice words about their inability to keep cover. Since it pretty much didn’t matter anymore, Tess volunteered to go find out any information about the Countess, the scary army that was after them, and general wierdness. Lucius and Siabrey agreeded, and went off to find the nearest inn, with the promise that they and Elenya and Lucius would NOT head up to the bedrooms the first change that they got.

Yeah right. thought Tess as she headed out into the streets to look for suitable people to pick for info. Keeping those four off each other is worse than…well, worse than keeping this party from splitting up the instant we reach a town. It was with a sour mood that she stomped up and down the streets before finding a small out of the way square with a pleasant tinkling fountain in the middle. The sight and sound of the water cooled her nerves some, and so when she headed over to a middle-aged man busy loading what looked to be sacks of grain onto a horse-drawn cart.

“Excuse me fine sir.” She gave him a devestating smile and flipped her hair over her shoulder flirtatiously. The man turned and eyed the tall beauty standing before him, and his cheeks reddened slightly.

“Yes, what can I do for you, young miss?”

“I am a traveling bard from the west just freshly into town, and would like to inquire about any odd happenings lately that perchance I may wish to immortalize in a song?”

Her gooey dripping words, along with the fluttering way she battered her eyelashes and pouted her lips did the trick. The man was only too happy to sit down with her and gossip away.

Unfortunately, Obash was a small town far out of the way of the conflict relating to the Countess. The only rumors that the man had heard was that a strange man in black with 50 riders had requested a large amount of water from a merchant here in Obash. He had placed his order by proxy, and would be arriving in two weeks to claim his order. The man had laughed as he explained that the man in black’s troops were not at all prepared for the desert.

“They’re not even buying scarves to wear over their armor.” He laughed, slapping his knee. “Those troops will be roasting within two days of entering the desert.”

Outwardly Tess laughed along with him, but inside her mind was reeling. Man in black, lots of troops….it has to be Rogar! I need to tell the others!

She couldn’t run off right away though, for her chatty friend had jumped right into the next rumor; and suddenly she was glad that she had stayed.

“Apparently, some strange ‘desert folk’ wandered into the center of a town not too far from her.”

A strange desert creature…it might have been a siabrie! “What did this creature look like?”

“That’s the odd part. They said he was fairly human lookin, but with dark skin, long blonde hair, and these huge wings! He just stood in the center of town, looked around, and then left! Odd, huh?”

“Yes, how strange.” Definitely a siabrie, although that one’s behavior sounds bizarre…didn’t Siabrey say they usually assume human form when entering a village?

“Oh, and that’s not all. Apparently, some crazy sorcerer has a band of people that are stopping travellers up between Hephasus and Kardatic, and searching for tapestries of all things! They don’t even take people’s gold, nosiree, just tapestries. If you’re heading up that way I’d recommend leaving any that you’ve got here.”

“Thanks, I’ll do well to remember that.” Tess gave a small bow and thanked the man, her mind eager to get back and tell her friends what she had learned.


Back at “The Golden Lantern” Inn, Lucius had taken a seat at the bar and was downing a few pints, while Siabrey was keeping her promise to remain dead sober whenever he touched alcohol and leaning against the bar, arms crossed, and listening to the local chatter. Quinn had been immediately approached by a gorgeous dark-haired women who smiled shyly and asked if he’d like to join her for lunch, an offer to which Quinn had graciously agreed.

Men, all they need is a pretty face and a covey of thick hair and they’ll do anything. Siabrey shook her hair and turned her attention to the other inhabitants of the inn. Interesting, that group of men over there’s engaged in some kind of argument. I wonder what it’s about…might be worth knowing. Siabrey thought as she looked around. “Stay here, Lucius.” She whispered to her love. He hiccuped and turned to grin at her, his eyes glassy. “Sure thing, Siabrey.” He slurred. She rolled her eyes, grabbed one of his empty glasses, and sauntered over to where the group of four men she had been eyeing were engaged in a roaring debate about….tapestries? Time to try my hand at this espionage thing she thought as she took a seat at a nearby table with her back to the group of men and pretended to sip from the empty cup. They were being so loud however that it would have been almost impossible to not listen even if she hadn’t been trying.

“I’m telling you, it just isn’t possible!” a stocky man dressed in faded desert motif. The man across from him who he was addressing was wrapped in a fine silken garment, and looked like he’d just come off the road. He banged his fist angrily on the table.

“I’m tell you it is! I saw it happen with my own eyes!”

The first man snorted. “Wizards robbing caravans looking for tapestries, not taking any gold, and letting everyone go! It’s ludacris!”

Tapestries?Siabrey’s mind was very confused as she got up to head back over to Lucius. Why on earth would wizards be stealing tapestries, and then not taking anything else? It just doesn’t make sense… At that moment, a very distraught looking Tess barged through the doors of the inn, cast about till she saw Lucius and Siabrey and ran over to them.

“Guys, you’ll never guess what the rumors on the streets are.” She hissed to them.

“Let me guess, a bunch of wizards are stopping caravans and robbing them or any tapestries they might have.” Siabrey smiled faintly at Tess’ shock, for once, it felt good to outdue the information gatherer.

“Well…yes, but that’s not all!” and Tess proceeded to inform her friends about the strange siabrie sighting and the man in black.

“Man in black with about 50 troops requesting water to head into the desert…It has to be Rogar.” Siabrey’s protective mind flooded her system with adrenaline. “How did they get past the army?”

Tess shrugged, a worried look on her face. “I don’t know. But we need to go tell the others. And don’t forget, we still have that old battle tapestry from Ananias’s cave, these tapestry-wizards may want to be something we need to watch out for.”

Siabrey nodded, eager to be off and doing something. “Right, I’ll go find Xanadu.” She glanced at Lucius and sighed heavily. The boy was holding up three fingers in front of a bartender and staring at them as he remarked quite loudly. “It was my birthday…..I’m 7, no, 17 now. That’s one…two…three…dang I lost count.”

“And I’d better bring Lucius, no telling what the boy drunk boy will do if we leave him here.” Siabrey grabbed him by the shoulder and proceeded to drag him out the door. The bartender gave a greatful sigh and turned to Tess. “That boy cannot hold his alcohol.” Tess smiled wainly. “His stamina lies in other areas, I assure you.”

As Siabrey dragged Lucius down the street, she digressed to her usual way of finding out what she needed to know; bluntness.

“Excuse me, have you seen a half-elf, about this tall, with black hair streaked with gray, violent eyes, and wearing a traveler’s clothing and cloak?” After asking around, she found a man who had reported seeing a half-elf of that description heading into a weapon’s shop not too long ago.

The sign above the door read “The Golden Dragon” as she pushed open the door and pulled Lucius inside by the hand after her. Inside, the shop was brightly lit, while its walls were lined with all the usual weapons one might see in a weapons show. A young human male, a few years older than her stood behind the counter, deftly polishing an already shining greatsword. He seemed slightly preoccupied when she entered, but smiled and put away the sword and cleaning rag as she walked up to the counter.

“What can I do for you miss? Interested in a new weapon?” he smiled broadly at her and as he did so she noticed with slight interest that his eyes were golden-colored.

“No thanks, I’m happy with my katana.” She patted the weapon on her waist as if to make a point. “I was wondering if you could help me with another matter though.”

“I’ll sure try.” He smiled and leaned on the counter.

She smiled back, leaned over the counter and asked bluntly. “Where’s Xanadu?” the man’s arms slipped from propping himself up, but he caught himself quickly.

“Are you a friend of Xanadu’s?” he asked quietly. Siabrey nodded, then narrowed her eyes as she put two and two together. Friend of Xanadu’s, the name of this shop, those golden eyes… “You know Xanadu’s true identity, don’t you.”

The man sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Indeed I do. That silver dragon was a great help to my ancestors, many years ago.” He removed his hand from his face and smiled at the couple. “Please follow me, Xanadu’s in a backroom.”

Siabrey nodded, and still pulling the slightly wobbly Lucius by the hand, followed the golden-eyed human through a doorway in the back. There, at a small rickity wooden table sat Xanadu, pouring over scripts written in a language that Siabrey couldn’t read, although she guessed it was probably Draconic.

Xanadu didn’t even bother looking up as they entered. “What are you doing here Siabrey….and why is Lucius drunk. Can’t you control him?”

“Rogar knows we’re here Xanadu.” Sibrey ignored his quips and got right to the point. “He’s heading this way now with a band of 50 men, with plans to head out into the desert.”

Xanadu sighed, and lowered the scroll he was reading. “I’m not surprised. In fact, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I wasn’t expecting this.” He seemed to notice for the first time the human standing behind Siabrey and Lucius and pointed him out. “I see you’ve already met my friend Hadnir. He was kind enough to let me go through these files.”

Hadnir blushed slightly and nodded, and as he did so his eyes turned brassy for a brief moment. Ah ha! I knew it! Siabrey’s mind trumpeted. “You’re a dragon too?” Hadnir nodded. She smiled at him briefly. “You might want to change the name of your shop, it’s a little obvious if you know what to look for.”

She turned back and ran her eyes briefly over the mass of papers on the table. “What are you looking at, Xanny?” Although Hadnir raised his eyebrow as Siabrey’s nickname for the silver dragon, he said nothing. Xanadu sighed again and stared off into space. “Records, files about the younglings with no leaders left.” Hadnir walked over and placed a hand on Xanadu’s shoulder.

“Xanadu here is the last Councilmen left.” He said proudly.

“Younglings…Xanadu, are you a daddy?” Xanadu refused to answer, which pretty much confirmed it for Siabrey. He stared off into space for a few more minutes, then shook his head and looked at Siabrey as if noticing she was there for the first time.

“You should go back and check on the others…I’ll be back at the inn my midnight.”

Siabrey nodded and squeezed Lucius’ hand. “We’ll be waiting. Be careful, Xanadu.”

“Don’t worry.” The man who was actually a juvinile golden dragon smiled down fondly at Xanadu. “I’ll protect ‘Xanny’.”

“Call me that one more time, and I’ll tan your golden hide.” Xanadu snarled at Hadnir.

Siabrey smiled and took her leave, dragging Lucius out of the shop back into the daylight. As they left the boy cocked his head and stared long and hard at the sign outside the door, before his face erupted into a huge grin. “The Golden Dragon! I get it now!”


Meanwhile, back at the inn, Tess had finished up Lucius’ half-empty pint and was busying swirling the dregs at the same rate that her mind was swirling. Wizards, tapestries, crazy siabrie’s, Rogar…. Her head ached with the sheer magnitude of it all. Trying to focus on something more constructive, she asked the bartender where she might obtain scarves and cloaks to protect her friends from the desert heart. The bartender replied that there was a silk-dealer at the marketplace who specialized in such wares. Thanking him, Tess waved goodbye to her brother, who was still talking to the pretty dark-haired women. He barely acknowledged her. Everyone’s getting some but me! her mind protested as she headed out feeling slightly ignored.

The marketplace was a swirl of colors, sounds and scents. For a few minutes, Tess stood on the edge of it all, drinking it in. The sweet nights of a pipe from across the square caused her fingers to itch with anticipation at adding her own music to the fray, but she restrained herself; she was here on business.

She asked around briefly, and was directed to the silk dealer’s booth on the north end of the square. The dealer was a thin, wiry looking man who looked as if every ounce of gristle had been baked out of him by the desert. He was wrapped in a handsome purple and blue shash that complemented his blue eyes, and was busying marking his inventory on a long piece of parchment with a silk stylus.

“Good day to you, sir,” Tess smiled seductively and leaned over the counter so that her stackedness (as Shaun would have put it) was fully in view. The man’s eyes bulged and he lowered the parchment with a smile.

“Good day, marm. What can I do for you?”

“Well, my friends and I are traveling out into the desert tomorrow, and we need to procure some scarves and clocks to keep the heat off.” Tess tossed her hair, and the sweet fragrance of roses fluttered over and caressed the silk-dealers nose. His eyes still firmly fixed on her bodice, he smiled and swept his hand over the piles of wares.

“Anything you see here is for sale, and for such a deletcible morsel such as yourself, at a mere 4 gold apiece.”

Nice, very nice. Tess thought. Unfortunatly, not good enough.. “Oh dear, I have to buy scarves for myself and 7 other friends, but I only have 20 gold. I guess I will have to be sunburned…” She smiled sweetly as she lied, and the man blinked, he bluff going unnoticed.

“Well, we can’t have that, now can we.” He reached into the pile of silks and drew forth a bundle of less-well made, but still obviously pricey scarves. “Tell you what, this bunch of scarves is already only discount, but I can sell it to you for a further 2 gold off each piece, which equals 15 gold total. Well within your budget, my dear?” he reached out and stroked a finger down Tess’s forearm suggestively.

Tess resisted the urge to smack the guy, and instead forced herself to smile. “That would be wonderful, thank you so much, kind sir.” She dropped 15 gold into his outstretch palm and took off as quickly as she could.

That guy was so slimy, I feel like I have to go to the bathhouse now! her mind complained.

She headed back, caring the scarves and shawls with her, and practically ran into Siabrey and Lucius outside of the door to their inn. Siabrey told Tess about her conversation with Xanadu and giggled to herself about something that sounded like ‘dragon babies.’ Lucius meanwhile was examining the scarves. He picked up a golden yellow one, held it out to the two women and smiling slightly lopsided, said with a grin. “Subtle, but pretty!”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Of Trickery, and Death Strikes Close to our Heroes


Why is Quin still sitting with a gorgeous young lass like that. Everyone knows I got the good looks in the family... why would she be interested in him? Tess thought as she glanced around the tavern.

Something’s up.

Ass eh strode into the tavern, she instinctively turned right, towards the corner of the bar where she could still clearly see Quin sitting, and the top part of the young woman’s head poking above the chair. More alarmingly, Tess can clearly see Quin’s eyes.

They are unfocused, staring blindly towards the woman’s chest. They had the unblinking, unblocked stare that only something beyond normal physical attraction could cause.

Thats DEFINITELY not Quin Tess worried. He might not be the most diplomatic person, but he has at least SOME of the Keldare family suaveness! Tess decided that her curiosity needed sating, and she casually, but directly, wandered over towards the table.

She’s done something to him, Tess’ mind raced, but what? And why? Tess saw her brother look up as she drew just behind the woman, and breathed a sigh of relief that his brain hadn’t been melded or anything.

“Quin?” she asked purposefully loud enough for the woman to hear, “I need to talk to you for a second.. Pardon me, miss, I am Quin’s sister, I just need to take him away from you for a minute,” she quickly explained to the young woman who now looked up at her. The woman’s face seemed to have been cut from the most beautiful marble, her lips were full and pouty, and the slighlty pointed ears of a half elf peeked out from behind her long dark locks of hair. Most startling were her eyes.... an unnatural shade of lavender danced around the pupils, and Tess found herself easily being drawn into them before she broke off her gaze to look again at Quin.

“Tess! C’mon! Now? Me and Saeunn were just getting to know each other!” he complained loudly. The woman looked up at Tess, and her eyes widened a bit. Tess didn’t have to look behind her to confirm her sense that Siabrey was suddenly right there as well.

“Ah Tess! Your brother has told me so many things about you and your skills with a harp! Are you sure he must leave now?” She leaned close to Tess, and gave a conspiratorial grin, her face blushing deeply. “He is a very handsome man... there aren’t too many of them at my school that are interested in me,” she said in a seductive whisper, pure sounding as autumn leaves blowing in the wind. “He’s quite charming,” she giggled, glancing towards him from the corner of her eye. Tess didn’t need to guess hard at Quin’s reaction.

A man would have to be either mad, or into other men to keep his hands off of you! Tess thought about exclaiming. There’s something wrong with you if the men at your school want nothing to do with you! Just barely above the noises of the bar, she heard Siabrey’s whisper that the woman dripped of magic.

“You said you went to school?” Tess fished for more information, “what type of schooling are you into?” You know magic... explain that away.

“I attend the local mage’s academy. There aren’t many men of Quin’s... looks or virility around, and my mother always taught me to take advantage of opportunities!”

A mage’s guild, eh? If your beauteous form ever set foot in such a guild full of horny, sexual frustrated males, they would take every opportunity they could get to satisfy your every want, my dear! Your story has more and more holes in it!

“True, my friend. What kinds of magic are you interested in?” Tess asked innocently. Siabrey still stood aloof, but well in striking distance, as Quin became noticeably more miffed. “I myself do musical magic.”

“Oh! How wonderful! I myself am interested in evocations and enchantments,” the woman said happily. She once again leaned close to Tess, her face turning beet red, “I find that sometimes they can get men to pay attention to me a little, at least.”

Too happily, Tess’ mind warned. You only need a low cut shirt and a short skirt to get their attention, dear.

“Well, Saeunn, is it? I am afraid I must take my brother away from you for a few minutes... I need to discuss some family business with him. I promise you,” she said at the woman’s pouting face, “I’ll bring him right back, and ask no more questions.”

Even as Tess gave her a disarming wink, her mind worked overtime... Does this woman want something with Quin? Does she want him for information? She has the beauty to clearly not need magic to attract males... something is amiss... Maybe he’s eyes are glazed from examining your assets, maybe you did cast a mild enchantment to get his attention... I need to know for sure.



“Dammit Tess!” Quin snarled when they reached the room the party had reserved for the night upstairs. “Why did you have to interrupt me like that!? That woman was gorgeous, delicious, and you had to interrupt! Now she likely won’t...”

“Quin,” Tess raised her hand calmingly, “I’m worried about you. Are you alright?” A look at his eyes showed they were still glazed, and he had a hard time focusing on anyone.

“I’m fine... I was doing excellent till you broke up my first chance in three months to possibly get a little mojo going... with the most gorgeous girl in this half of the province at that! Dammit Tess!”

His eyes... they’re still glazed. He wasn’t being merely a male... she cast a spell of some kind on him. Its not blind mind control, she thought, as Quin’s rant about his meddlesome sister continued, he’s coming up with these arguments on his own... ‘charm,’ perhaps?

“...and her figure is purrfect, Tess! You hear me!? And you had to trapeze up and try to ruin things because you aren’t getting any yourself!”

“What?!” Tess snapped, “Is that why you think I did what I did!? Quin, I love you, and I want to make sure you’re safe!”

“I’m plenty safe, as long as you aren’t around to keep my best friend from being let out of his lair!” Quin snarled before turning towards the door.

“Fine,” Tess said, feigning nonchalance. “Have a good time, my dear... remember the alchemists shop!” Quin waved his hand dismissively, and she heard him thundering down the stairs, two stairs at a time in his eagerness to get back.

“Tess!” Siabrey hissed from her hiding place behind the door that she’d taken before Quin arrived, “You’re just going to let him go back down there?!”

“Sounds like a charm spell to me,” Tess said quietly, nodding to Lucius who was hiding under the bed, “and no, I’m going back down to get some ‘dinner.’ Stay up here. If you hear any unusual noises, come down with weapons drawn.”

Siabrey nodded, adding, “when they come up here, I’ll have my ear to their door. If I hear any shouts of any kind, I’m breaking in.”

Lucius looked like he might have wanted to correct her for a brief moment, but stayed quiet as Tess left the room.

Tess ambled down the stairs and reemerged in the tavern portion of the inn. To her chagrin, several patrons whistled at her. In return they recieved a harsh stare that frightened them into quietness as she went up to the bar and asked for a small dish.

Now, my dear Quin, her mind ambled as she looked sideways at him and his friend, lets see whats going on between you cuties.

She immediately noticed that Quin and Saeunn, If thats her real name anyways, her mind corrected, were now on the same side of the table. Oblivious to anyone else, they were wrapped in a tight embrace, her sitting on his lap, her arms lazily wrapped around his neck as she kissed him....

... and boils formed on his skin. More and more each time their lips touched, and it was apparent his mind was too wrapped up in what was to come to notice the festering sores growing all over his body.

What the.. her mind cried, as in a flash she had left the bar and had stormed over towards where the couple was sitting.

“QUIN!” she shouted, and he lazily turned around to catch her gaze. Patrons stared, and some made idle jokes about an impending lover’s quarrel.

“Go away Tess!” he burbled, his sickening body pushing out spittle as he talked. Saeunn’s eyes flickered up towards Tess, and a smile crossed those gorgeous lips of hers.

“Listen to your brother, Tess,” she said quietly, her voice the same, quiet seductive tone, “leave us in peace.”

“NO!” Tess shouted, grabbing Quin by the shoulder to drag him out from under her. As he lurched sideways under her pull, Saeunn produced a black rose, and scraped his arm with one of its thorns. Out of Quin’s throat came a sickening gurgle, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his limp frame collapsed halfway on the floor, landing with a dull thud.

“You bitch!” Tess snarled, and her voice rose in an alarming, devastating songstrike, filled with rage and anger at the woman. Saeunn wobbled under the assault, but was quickly on the table, backing nimbly away from Tess’ fury, and within seconds a heavy crossbow, already loaded, appeared from her hip into her hands. With nary a word save laughter, she aimed and fired the bolt into Tess at pointblank range. The bard reeled under the blow, as she felt acid eating around the wound, burning her shoulder severely.

Lucius and Siabrey, meanwhile, had heard the commotion upstairs, and by now had stormed down the stairwell, only to be greeted by a sight that horrified them; the woman, now on top of the table, was still holding the crossbow as Tess staggered before their eyes, a bolt in her shoulders. Both of Tess’ friends immediately stormed forward as other patrons screeched out of the bar in panic.

Grumki, from his position at the bar, dropped the mug of ale he had previously been holding, and thundered towards the woman, his warhammer above his head. Siabrey immediately rushed forward, jumping over tables and chairs towards the woman, who was now fleeing towards a back window. She halted, and drew her longbow, firing two arrows at the woman just before she began her leap.



Lucius chased for a few steps, before stopping, and holding out his hands, and five missiles of light slammed into the woman as she broke through the window and disappeared into the dark streets of Obash...

Almost immediately, the party was clambering through the window as well, as patrons ran screaming out of the bar. Tess was the first through, and her rage filled eyes couldn’t see anyone, save scared commoners, in the streets. IN front of her were several shops, with barrels and boxes stacked outside, leftover from previous shipments of goods. The street ran from right to left, as above the stars looked down upon her plight from on high.

Where the hell did she go? That little bitch! Hurting my brother! Coward!

“Come out and fight me, you bitch!” Tess snarled. Quinnie is ok. She just knocked him out. He’s fine! He’ll be fine, Tess! her mind tried to control itself. Focus... that little cur is out her somewhere! “Come out and fight me, you little cur! Wench that strikes from darkness! You are nothing but a barwench with a crossbow, bitch!” Tess’ rage grew to frightening heights.

“You’ll have to live to catch me first!” a seemingly distant voice echoed among the buildings. Tess’s head bobbed around like the rest of the party, searching for the source of the noise, before the source found her. Another heavy crossbow bolt slammed into Tess’ stomach. While her body reeled and quailed in pain, her mind commanded clarity and control. Tess had changed... rage had transformed her into an acute, calculating machine.

The bolt... its coming out of my belly at an angle. I was facing the shop directly in front when I was hit... therefore, she must be...

Tess painfully swung her body around, and caught a momentary glimpse of a figure dashing from behind some barrels... enough that she cued her voice, rife with anger, grief and worry. It rose sharply in the air, reaching its highest, most dangerous pitch... and Tess was rewarded as a heavy, wet sound echoed up and down the streets as the woman’s head splattered the wall opposite the party, her songstrike devastatingly effective. Her body worn and worried, she almost collapse from the pain, Lucius and Siabrey catching her. A crowd of gawkers was already gathering, and Lucius, displaying his noble crest, was attempting to disperse them with one hand while supporting Tess with the other.

“Are you ok, Tess?” Grumki asked, looking at his friend with concern, striding up to her. “I should pull those arrows out and repair the...”

“See to my brother!” Tess said quietly. It was no stentorian call, nor was it a shout of bravado... it carried with it only the weight of a pained, frightened sister, and with that mass moved Grumki to dash into the tavern, now devoid of patrons. Tess painfully pulled herself up, and slowly, carefully made her way forward without the help of Lucius and Siabrey. As the two watched with worry and sadness, they heard Grumki call the horrific news from within the tavern...

”Quin is dead.”

 

[Emperor Valerian]

Of Horrors in Town, and the Party Hurries Off

”DEAD?!” Tess asked incredously. “How can he be dead? Quinnie? He can’t be! You’re lying!” she snarled as tears ran down her face.

“He is,” Grumki repeated, his voice full of melancholy.

Quinnie’s dead? No... Tess’ mind shrieked as she looked on her brother’s face. His eyes were still wide open, a look of surprise on them.

“Its my fault,” Tess blurbled quietly between tears. “Its my fault... I shouldn’t have let him come with... I shouldn’t have let him get involved!” As tears began flowing, she alternately clenched and released her fists. She sank to the floor beside her brother, cradling his head on her lap, and slowly started to rock back and forth.

Its all your fault, Tess, her mind snarled at her. You shouldn’t have brought him along... it was YOU that wanted the company and allowed him to come with when YOU knew the dangers...

Quinnie... please... come back... she pleaded, as Siabrey came over and protectively hugged her as the bard’s frame shuddered with tears.

Amid the noise of the growing crowd could be heard Lucius’ voice, yelling at them to keep their distance and move along. A few town constables arrived, and after seeing Lucius in his armor (in all its noble finery) and his explanation, they began doing the same. Above this din came a loud series of clanks, as the four paladins of Hiereoneous jogged into the tavern and took in the scene for the first time.

“Dear god,” Pellaron said, taking in the broken up Tess now cradling her brother. Grumki’s sad look told him the entire story.

“Tess, I’m so sorry,” he said, joining Siabrey and circling her as she rocked, her normally strong spirit a broken shadow of itself...

Wisely Pellaron and the other paladins let Tess cry out her emotions for the next thirty minutes, before gently lifting Quin’s corpse onto their shoulders.

“We’ll take him to the Temple of Hieroneous, there he can likely be raised,” Pellaron explained to a still sobbing Tess.

“If we must pay them, I will,” she managed to get out between gasps as they cleared the threshhold of the small temple. The paladins patiently explained what had happened to the local priest, and carried Quin’s body into the sanctuary, only allowing Tess to accompany them.

After they laid his dead form on the altar, Tess leaned over and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, “You will return, Quin... take care my little brother.”


Siabrey, outside the sanctuary, could only see the priests talking to Tess and her friend bending gently over her brother’s body.

I can’t believe this happened! Siabrey’s own mind sniffled as her own eyes welled up. Quin is dead... She turned to Lucius, and hugged him a little tighter. It reminds me to be thankful for what I have, and that its still ok. She looked up at him for a reassuring kiss, but saw his eyes were staring at something he was holding in his free hand.

“Whats that?” Siabrey asked, using her free arm to wipe her eyes again.

“I found this on the woman’s body,” Lucius said quietly, holding a piece of paper closer so Siabrey could get a look.

Check behind Fenrir’s Blacksmithy, five shops down from your inn. Dingalas sends his final regards.

R.

And suddenly Siabrey’s tears were replaced with fury.

“That sonuvabitch!” she snarled, not caring she was within the temple of her patron god. Why Dingalas? Why such a kindly old man?

They are toying with you, Siabrey... they are toying with all of us...

”We should head behind the blacksmithy to see whats there,” Lucius said sadly. Siabrey shook her head no vigorously.

“We need to find Xanadu... I think we need to leave the city now, and he should know about all of this,” she said as she started to pull Lucius out of the temple with her. The other three paladins said they would tell Tess where the two went.

“I really think we should go to the blacksmithy,” Lucius pressed as Siabrey let go. She looked at him, and with a voice filled with command, she firmly said no.

“We can’t afford to split up at a time like this,” she added. I would kill myself if something happened to you...

Poor Dingalas... he was such a kindly old man... but he was with the army. Wait... how did... oh holy ****! The army must have been destroyed too! Siabrey’s fast walk broke into a run, and she didn’t notice when Lucius slipped away from her, heading towards hte blacksmithy.

Siabrey burst into the weapon’s shop she had seen Xanadu at earlier, and with no introduction, forced her way into the back room. There, she found several others gathered around Xanadu... their eyes going brassy every now and then as his did.

“Who is this?” one of them asked, rising hurriedly until Xanadu motioned for him to sit.

“She is a friend, kind Carmalgun,” Xanadu said quickly. “What happened in the city? We gathered here because we heard there were murders by your tavern! Is everyone sa...” he began until he saw her face. He looked down.

“Quin’s dead,” she said quickly, “and so is Dingalas... the army to the south has likely been destroyed, and there might be more assassins in this city. We need to go now!” she said urgently. Xanadu nodded, and rose.

“I... I have learned what I needed to here. Take me to where the rest of the party is, and we shall ride. I can accompany you for a while, but then I must leave.”

Leave for what?! Xanny, if there’s any time where I’d want a 200 foot dragon backing me up, it would be NOW! Siabrey managed to only nod curtly, and turned to tell Lucius to look to the horses...

...only to realize he wasn’t there.

“S***!” she snapped, and grabbing Xanadu, dragged him to the blacksmithy. She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Lucius standing there, fine save the greenish look on his face as he held a box away from his person.

“Lucius! I told you not to run off!” she slugged him int he shoulder. It wasn’t a playful one, it held actual force in it. “I would kill myself a thousand times if something happened to you!” Lucius in response proffered the box to them. Xanadu took it, and opened it, before shutting it hard a second later.

“What was it?” Siabrey asked guardedly.

“Dingalas’ hands,” Xanadu said quietly. “We should ride...”


The three ran back to the Temple, where they found Elenya and Shaun had already gathered the party’s horses. Pelee volunteered to stay in Obash at the Temple to watch over Quin as the rest of the party continued on its ride northward, now with a new sense of urgency; as a price for raising Quin, the Temple of Hieroneous had requested that the party during its northern journey rid the roads between Obash and Hamatas of the miscreant sorcerer that was stealing tapestries... evidently he’d waylaid several church caravans.

The party rode hard for several days and nights, scarely without rest. It was on the third night, however, that the first of the noises began.

As Tess and Siabrye sat on watch, off in the distance came a rumble, a roar, sounding like the wind thundering over rocks and the massive deep bass of a huge creature. The noise was loud enough that everyone was roused, and most, including Lucius, threw themselves prone and tried to hide in their fear. Noticeably, Xanadu sat, moving his ears to try and tell its direction.

As the noise died, Siabrey asked him fearfully, “Xanny... do you know what that was? Should we prepare for battle?”

Xanadu smiled distantly. “No... that was one of the desert folk... a siabrie. I can’t tell who it was by his voice, but it was either Malthasar, Haran, or Kelir...”

A siabrie? Siabrey’s heart jumped, despite the fearfulness of the noise. Father?

“Yes, it might be your father,” Xanadu said distantly. “That you heard was nothing bad... it was a warning. We are on his territory, he is merely letting us know and telling us to keep our distance. However,” Xanadu smiled, as he started to stand, “you will have to head towards him should think.”

“Why?” Shaun asked... still frightened by the noise. He couldn’t imagine the horror that had caused sound to rend through the air like that.

“I will have to take my leave of you tonight... there are younglings...” Xanadu began, before shaking his head. “It will take too long to explain. I must go. Find Kelir, he fought with me here long ago, he knows the way and he will help!”

“But you can’t go!” Tess said, growing teary eyed again. First Quin... now Xanadu...

“But I must, dear Tesseron!” Xanadu walked over to her, and gave her a hug. “You are strong, young human. I have faith in you.” He pulled back, and took out a stylus and piece of parchment. For several minutes he busily scribbled, before handing the letter to Tessoren. She tried to read it, but it was in a language she couldn’t understand.

“What’s this?” she sniffled. Xanadu is right, I must be strong! I must be strong for the others!

“Its a letter detailing that you are here on my behalf. It is written in Draconic, a language he would know that you do not understand, to add credence to your claims.” He then slowly began walking away from the party, taking off his half elven clothes as he did, “Please be careful... I shall watch you as best I can while I deal with the crisis!”

“You... you have children Xanadu?” Siabrey asked quietly.

“I... I have many things to deal with,” he replied slowly and evasively. “There aren’t many younglings left to replace us old ones... but I must be off! Follow the noise to the siabrie! And ask them for help!” he said as his form glowed and shifted into a magnificent dragon. “Kelir will help you!” he called as he charged forward, and his great wings rent the air as he took alight. “I will be watching! You won’t be alone!”

It was later that day when Siabrey began the trek off into the desert, against the advice of Lucius, and the misgivings of some of the others.

“I don’t know if we should be going after whatever made that noise,” Lucius said uncertainly as he helped Siabrey out of her tunic. She shifted her wings so they poked out of her undergarments, and flapped them in the wind… it was an effort to make sure that whichever siabrie they met would see that she was not a threat.

I hope its my father, her mind said as she turned to her lover. “Hon… Xanny said it was the only way. I want you all to stay behind me… 100 yards or so. I don’t want it…”

“Hon, no way… what if something happens? I want to be close enough to help you out,” Lucius said, his voice nearing a whine. Siabrey grimaced, and then caved in.

“Alright… 100 feet. Ok?” Her scowl couldn’t help but change to a small smile at the grin of relief that covered his face.

“Alright… We’ll keep behind you hon. Lead the way.”

Some two days later, as the group was cresting a low ridge, the strange noise of clanks, shouts, and dull whacks rose over the rising sunshine… and Siabrey’s back bristled…