Zandyrium
Episode 58
The elemental focus room, as they had come to label it, brought a sense of fear in the adventurers. Wassabe was quick to point out, “Look at the size of those arches!”
Heinrich noted, “The key is we must only face one of the guardians at a time.”
“Look,” Ginny said, “We have no idea if there are guardians. If this is where we will find the keys for the lower door. Or what, if anything, lurks beyond those arches.”
“Do something or I’ll be walking through one of these arches,” Thoren grumped.
“Yes, yes,” Heinrich clucked. “Patience. Justinius, tell me what you think is beyond each of these arches.”
Justinius stroked his goatee thoughtfully for a moment and then spoke, “This is purely conjecture on my part, but I believe each chamber holds a small slice of the respective elemental planes.”
“In other words don’t bother with
banishment?” Heinrich asked.
“Yes,” Justinius replied. “I think calling the name above the arch may be enough to break the binding and summon whatever lies beyond.”
“Perhaps we should get the rest,” Ginny said referring to Mercutio, Morguhn, and Githraldul.
“By the gods!” Thoren wailed. “Go cower in a remote corner and I will do this myself!”
Wassabe chuckled at the fighter’s outburst, “I’m with him. Let’s dance.”
Heinrich looked at Justinius who returned his gaze and gave him a grim nod. Heinrich spoke the word above the Earth arch.
A might elder earth elemental appeared in the midst of the adventurers and immediately knocked two of them to the ground. Every time Wassabe tried to stand up the earth elemental slammed into him knocking him 15 feet across the chamber. The elder elemental towered over 25 feet tall and the ground shook with its every step. Its fists were like huge sod hammers that struck with great power knocking all who were in their arc.
Wassabe and Thoren were both pressed to the edge of death and Ginny grew increasingly frustrated by her ineffectiveness. Even Justinius and Heinrich were doing their best to hack the huge elemental down. Thoren, on the very edge of death, managed a masterful blow that dropped the earth elemental. As the creature faded into the ground it left behind what was clearly one of the keys to the lower door.
“Well, than answers that,” Wassabe said.
The clerics went about healing everyone and they repeated the procedure with the Air Elemental and then the Fire Elemental. Each yielded a key and neither proved to be the challenge the Earth Elemental had. The problem was even with all three keys in hand the adventurers were in no shape to continue. Both clerics had tapped all of their spell resources and yet Thoren was still nursing a burn injury from the combat against the Fire Elemental.
“We will need to camp,” Heinrich stated.
“Why don’t we just duck into the door and see if there is something we cannot handle before throwing the towel in for the day,” Wassabe suggested.
“Not a good idea,” Justinius disagreed, “We are far too vulnerable to undertake such a risk.”
“Chi-me-yan Slay-vers,” Wassabe emphasized each syllable in a mocking tone.
“Thank you for the reminder,” Heinrich stated flatly. “I think we have a way of at least slowing this pursuers even if they should find their way down past the tree.”
“I’ll look forward to seeing that,” Wassabe snapped.
*****
Justinius cast his remaining spell
Forbiddance.
“So we have the password?” Wassabe asked.
“Right,” Justinius confirmed.
“They cannot get through?” Wassabe asked.
“Unless they follow the true and righteous call,” Heinrich answered.
Justinius smiled at Heinrich as they watched Wassabe contemplate what they had told him.
“Ya’ know,” Wassabe began, “I think this might work.”
“I’m so glad you approve,” Justinius replied.
The adventurers retired to the library.
*****
The following morning the adventurers dawdled in the half-empty library to see if Mercutio and others might show up so they could persuade them to come along. Thoren’s impatience wore off on the whole group however, and they decided to press on. They descended the stairs to the final level and pressed the three keys into place. The large door creaked ominously open.
A large chamber opened before the adventurers. Gothic vaulted ceilings, intricately decorated walls with bas-relief carvings surrounded the room. A large marble statue of a wizard sitting studying a book towered fifteen-feet high in the center of the room. Each side of the chamber had large niches, each containing another large statue. The rear of the room had a very large pair of double doors.
“I got my eye on ye’!” Wassabe said loudly pointing at each of the statues in turn. His voice echoed through the chamber.
“Thanks for announcing us,” Ginny quipped.
“What be guarding a place as this?” Wassabe asked rhetorically. “Orcs? Ogres? No lass, magical constructs, undead, and traps. They don’t need me to announce us. The bastiches are always ready.”
Ginny did not reply. She knew Wassabe was right, but she was not about to admit
that.
“Ginny would you mind checking things out?” Thoren asked.
“Statues or door first?” Ginny asked.
“Statues I should think,” Justinius answered.
“I’ll come with you,” Thoren offered.
“We should all go,” Wassabe said. “Especially as she is to poke about the statues first.”
The group moved up to the massive center statue of the wizard. As soon as Ginny touched the statue one of the statues in an alcove transformed into a hulking metallic beast and moved towards them.
“Ye’ predictable bastard!” Wassabe yelled.
The adventurers charged into combat, but all were soon frustrated by their vain efforts as weapons continually bounced off the iron hide. Yet, every time the construct hit it would shake someone to his or her core and Thoren nearly went down twice.
Ginny was the first to suggest it. “We’re doing no damage – perhaps we should regroup.”
Wassabe was in agreement, but Thoren continued bringing his blade down on the metal beast. Blue and white sparks flew with every strike of the blade on metal.
Justinius tried to heal Thoren the best he could during the fight, but he had used some of his big spells already and he was not keeping pace with the wounding power of the golem. “Thoren, it might be time to go.” Justinius knew where this fight was headed.
“I’m hurting him!” Thoren cried out. “Just help me or leave!”
Heinrich grimaced. He was furious. This was not the first time the fighter had forced him to delay in an unfavorable combat.
”Well, if I’m going to die – I’m going to die swinging and not healing some fool.” he thought to himself.
The construct’s brutal fists came down on Thoren again and even the fighter was not sure how he was still standing. Heinrich’s
status spell told him Thoren was on the very edge of death. He struggled with his decision and resolutely rejected the idea of healing Thoren –
Strength and Honor! I will die fighting!” he thought as he swung his mace at the golem.
Ginny was now calling for retreat in a loud voice. Wassabe was trying to distract the golem to give Thoren a chance. Justinius was vainly trying to keep up with the fighter’s wounds. Heinrich was madly, but ineffectually buffeting the golem with his mace. Thoren was fighting – there would be no retreat – “Stand or die!” he screamed as he launched a desperate assault with his axe.
To be continued…
