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The Blade of Phoee (Updated 12/08/08)
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<blockquote data-quote="Funeris" data-source="post: 2523270" data-attributes="member: 22792"><p><strong>Chapter 2: Journey Into Darkness Continued</strong></p><p></p><p>“You said the other writing was the druid’s script?” Cassock stared questioningly at Lady Rowen. “Can you read it? What does it say?”</p><p></p><p>“Do I look like a druid, priest?” Ana wryly retorted. “I know what it looks like, I’ve seen the writing before,” her thoughts momentarily flickered to the strange adamantine box wrapped tightly within her backpack. “I don’t know how to read it though, only druids know the language.”</p><p></p><p>“That’s too bad,” the priest mumbled. He turned toward the doorway, his enhanced vision passing into the deep shadows beyond. The white marble path extended beyond and he could just make out a few departing doorways opening along the sidewalls. The main path extended beyond the reaches of his sight, however. “We should get moving.”</p><p></p><p>“The sun has almost set,” Aramil blurted. “We won’t be able to see in the depths of those shadows; we’re not you. I doubt any outside light could penetrate that hedge; it has to be at least five feet thick. I think we should camp here for the night.” The half-elf had tried to peer through the doorway, but the setting sun interfered with his sight. </p><p></p><p>“If we camp for the night, we’ll lose our advantage,” the Priest of Cael calmly claimed.</p><p></p><p>“And what advantage is that?” Aramil shot back, slightly infuriated. No one had ever taken his opinions to heart.</p><p></p><p>“The element of surprise,” Ana answered, already drawing her bow.</p><p></p><p>From deep within the heart of the hedged temple, a low tone sounded. The note, a long sonorous pitch, escaped the marble doorway and fled into the dying day. </p><p></p><p>“Four Orcs at least,” Cassock sighed preparing his warmace. “So much for the element of surprise,” he mumbled. Louder he added, “Don’t let them out of the corridor!” Cassock moved to close, Aramil somewhat reluctantly followed suit with his sword drawn.</p><p></p><p>Ana fired over both their heads, low grunts marking her success. Unleashing a few projectiles, Gabrielle added more cover to her companions’ maneuvers. Cassock headed straight into the corridor to join with the first attacker.</p><p></p><p>The orc, of slightly more intelligence than the average beast, noted Arami’s smaller shadow near the wall and lashed out at him first. Smaller opponents fall faster. Aramil lifted his saber in defense. The weak attack barely scratched the beast and the half-elf received a shattering blast against his face for the effort. Lifted off the ground by the beast’s sheer strength, Aramil tumbled through the first doorway and into a hedge-walled alcove.</p><p></p><p>Cassock bared his weapon downward, relying upon his enemy’s sluggishness. The warmace bit passionately into the orc, shattering bone. The orc fell; Cassock on top of it. Another volley of arrows flew above Cassock, into the three charging foes.</p><p></p><p>Aramil stood woozily, his eyes trying to adjust to the absence of light. He searched the ground for his sword and then stumbled toward the faint halo of light pouring through the doorway. The half-elf stepped back into the hallway. An orc appeared out of nowhere, preventing Aramil from tripping over his own companion. A blade lashed outward, opening the rogue’s stomach and he stumbled backward, once again into the hedged-alcove.</p><p></p><p>Cassock leapt upward, his warmace stalling the two other orcs as it danced and weaved in front of his body. One had already slipped past, but he knew he had to prevent the last two from reaching the girls. Arrows impacted just to his right, that orc seeming to sprout wooden branches from his gullet. The corpse collapsed to the ground.</p><p></p><p>Aramil fell against the hedge and rolled left, trying to place as much distance between himself and his attacker as possible. The brute stepped into the room; its eyes aflame with rage. It raised its arm to finish the job and shuddered mid-attack. It spun, something drawing it from its prey. Aramil frantically searched for an exit, his eyes not finding any. “I hope you’re not very thick,” he hoarsely whispered spinning to the hedge behind. He grasped his gut, hindering the blood while he hacked the vibrant hedge.</p><p></p><p>Gabrielle slid her bow to the right, taking aim on the beast exiting the first alcove. She freed a barrage of arrows, only one finding purchase. But the barrage was enough of a warning for the priest, she noted, as he ducked the first attack from behind. The orc’s blade instead of finding its original target, slid gently through his companion. The brute watched in contempt as his own mate collapsed. The diversion allowed Cassock to bring his warmace virtually straight up. The blow connected under the beast’s jaw and his head snapped backward. The nearly four-hundred pound monstrosity lifted nearly a foot upward and his eyes dulled. He joined his three dead friends upon the floor, eyes now glazed over.</p><p></p><p>The horn blast sounded again from the end of the hallway. Another orc charged; his horn dropping in his haste as he raised a spear into the air.</p><p></p><p>Aramil bust through the hedge and his eyes widened in horror [1]. Staring dumbly at him, four more orcs had their weapons drawn. Pure reflex, the rogue’s saber darted outward, slicing a thick and heavy line vertically through the first orc. Its eyes rolled backward in its head and its body fell apart, as its companions retaliated. Their blades dug deeply sending Aramil once again into the alcove determined to become his tomb. He stumbled toward the doorway and collapsed in a heap all blood, open wounds and unconsciousness. Coming to a rest, his blade vibrated softly against the marble.</p><p></p><p>The spear hurtled through the air and punctured Cassock’s arm. He would have charged forward, the beast was already drawing a vicious weapon, but he heard the commotion from the alcove. So, the priest spun to his right, dislodging the shaft and charging into the three unwounded orcs.</p><p></p><p>Ana and Gabrielle swiftly dropped the charging spearman. Ana threw her bow over her shoulder and drew her blade. “Fire into the alcove. Don’t worry about Cassock or me. If anything moves, shoot it,” she commanded. She sped into the corridor and through the first doorway, slamming bodily into an orc.</p><p></p><p>Knowing he was flanked, the Priest of Cael did all he could. The terrible weapons of his enemies were constantly finding purchase in his tattered chain mail. He risked another attack, pumping divine energy through his veins. He felt the wounds knit, but to no avail as new blade-thrusts merely reopened the healing lacerations. </p><p></p><p>Suddenly the orc behind stumbled forward, pushing into Cassock. The priest glanced back and saw Ana had apparently charged the monster. He spun his warmace outward clipping the beast in the kidneys. He laughed as blood erupted from its mouth. A low thump turned his attention back to the beast in front; now, an arrow pierced its right breast. He laid into the foul creature.</p><p></p><p>Ana’s blade cut low as the orc she had bumped into spit vitae. Easily the longsword dug through muscle, vein and bone. Its detached leg dropped to the marble with an arterial spurt. The beast followed its severed limb.</p><p></p><p>Gabrielled pumped arrows toward the moving shadows. Her own vision lacked clarity in the dim light, she prayed the volleys were true. Another shadow moved along the side of the hedge, toward a pile of something. She pumped several arrows toward it.</p><p></p><p>Cassock shoved his warmace directly outward, an attack to throw off balance not wound. A rough exhalation filled his ears as the beast lurched backward, weaponless. Its gigantic hands cupped its groin tenderly. The beast, so focused on the momentary pain, didn’t see the flash of warmace directed at its skull.</p><p></p><p>The priest bent carefully over Aramil. Rapid breaths still escaped the half-elf. The priest gifted some of his healing magicks upon the rogue. Aramil’s eyes flickered open, spittle and blood ran from his mouth. “Do you think we could rest now, master?” </p><p></p><p>Cassock grunted and turned toward the ladies. “I’m going to drag him into the passage he cut a passageway to,” he whispered. “One of you, go first. One of you, watch the rear and the hallway. If it is safe enough, we’ll loot the bodies and rest here.” The priest waited for Gabrielle to take her position and Ana to lead him into the next passage.</p><p></p><p>Once inside he pulled Aramil, as carefully as possible, toward the direction they had entered the temple. Sure enough, he found a thick dead-end of vegetation. He set the rogue down and headed toward the rough half-elf-created doorway for his scouts to return.</p><p></p><p>Ana and Gabrielle returned to the cleric moments later. “All seems eerily quiet,” Ana stated. “I’d like to know why or what rather that beast was signaling with its horn.”</p><p></p><p>“As would I,” Cassock agreed. “We’re going to camp here. But I need to move the corpses first. We can’t do anything about the stink of blood, but let’s leave as little evidence as possible.” The priest moved toward the hallway and began dragging corpses into the alcove. He left the ladies with Aramil. Once all the bodies were stuffed into the alcove, he began a thorough search through the gear.</p><p></p><p>Gabrielle’s bow lifted, her arrow trained on the sudden movement. Cassock moved into her vision and she lowered the weapon.</p><p></p><p>“Anything of interest?” queried the bard. </p><p></p><p>“Oh, I think I found something of interest,” the priest confirmed. With a divine gesture, he imbued a coin with light and tossed it upon the ground. Following the coin, Cassock tossed several brown masks upon the ground. Each had a black leaf embroidered upon the brow. “As fate would have it,” the Priest of Cael looked skyward although he couldn’t see through the thick hedge above, “we’ve found our murderers.”</p><p></p><p>“I’ll take first shift. Get some sleep,” the cleric commanded. He extinguished the light and waited quietly in the shadows for the next battle.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Funeris, post: 2523270, member: 22792"] [b]Chapter 2: Journey Into Darkness Continued[/b] “You said the other writing was the druid’s script?” Cassock stared questioningly at Lady Rowen. “Can you read it? What does it say?” “Do I look like a druid, priest?” Ana wryly retorted. “I know what it looks like, I’ve seen the writing before,” her thoughts momentarily flickered to the strange adamantine box wrapped tightly within her backpack. “I don’t know how to read it though, only druids know the language.” “That’s too bad,” the priest mumbled. He turned toward the doorway, his enhanced vision passing into the deep shadows beyond. The white marble path extended beyond and he could just make out a few departing doorways opening along the sidewalls. The main path extended beyond the reaches of his sight, however. “We should get moving.” “The sun has almost set,” Aramil blurted. “We won’t be able to see in the depths of those shadows; we’re not you. I doubt any outside light could penetrate that hedge; it has to be at least five feet thick. I think we should camp here for the night.” The half-elf had tried to peer through the doorway, but the setting sun interfered with his sight. “If we camp for the night, we’ll lose our advantage,” the Priest of Cael calmly claimed. “And what advantage is that?” Aramil shot back, slightly infuriated. No one had ever taken his opinions to heart. “The element of surprise,” Ana answered, already drawing her bow. From deep within the heart of the hedged temple, a low tone sounded. The note, a long sonorous pitch, escaped the marble doorway and fled into the dying day. “Four Orcs at least,” Cassock sighed preparing his warmace. “So much for the element of surprise,” he mumbled. Louder he added, “Don’t let them out of the corridor!” Cassock moved to close, Aramil somewhat reluctantly followed suit with his sword drawn. Ana fired over both their heads, low grunts marking her success. Unleashing a few projectiles, Gabrielle added more cover to her companions’ maneuvers. Cassock headed straight into the corridor to join with the first attacker. The orc, of slightly more intelligence than the average beast, noted Arami’s smaller shadow near the wall and lashed out at him first. Smaller opponents fall faster. Aramil lifted his saber in defense. The weak attack barely scratched the beast and the half-elf received a shattering blast against his face for the effort. Lifted off the ground by the beast’s sheer strength, Aramil tumbled through the first doorway and into a hedge-walled alcove. Cassock bared his weapon downward, relying upon his enemy’s sluggishness. The warmace bit passionately into the orc, shattering bone. The orc fell; Cassock on top of it. Another volley of arrows flew above Cassock, into the three charging foes. Aramil stood woozily, his eyes trying to adjust to the absence of light. He searched the ground for his sword and then stumbled toward the faint halo of light pouring through the doorway. The half-elf stepped back into the hallway. An orc appeared out of nowhere, preventing Aramil from tripping over his own companion. A blade lashed outward, opening the rogue’s stomach and he stumbled backward, once again into the hedged-alcove. Cassock leapt upward, his warmace stalling the two other orcs as it danced and weaved in front of his body. One had already slipped past, but he knew he had to prevent the last two from reaching the girls. Arrows impacted just to his right, that orc seeming to sprout wooden branches from his gullet. The corpse collapsed to the ground. Aramil fell against the hedge and rolled left, trying to place as much distance between himself and his attacker as possible. The brute stepped into the room; its eyes aflame with rage. It raised its arm to finish the job and shuddered mid-attack. It spun, something drawing it from its prey. Aramil frantically searched for an exit, his eyes not finding any. “I hope you’re not very thick,” he hoarsely whispered spinning to the hedge behind. He grasped his gut, hindering the blood while he hacked the vibrant hedge. Gabrielle slid her bow to the right, taking aim on the beast exiting the first alcove. She freed a barrage of arrows, only one finding purchase. But the barrage was enough of a warning for the priest, she noted, as he ducked the first attack from behind. The orc’s blade instead of finding its original target, slid gently through his companion. The brute watched in contempt as his own mate collapsed. The diversion allowed Cassock to bring his warmace virtually straight up. The blow connected under the beast’s jaw and his head snapped backward. The nearly four-hundred pound monstrosity lifted nearly a foot upward and his eyes dulled. He joined his three dead friends upon the floor, eyes now glazed over. The horn blast sounded again from the end of the hallway. Another orc charged; his horn dropping in his haste as he raised a spear into the air. Aramil bust through the hedge and his eyes widened in horror [1]. Staring dumbly at him, four more orcs had their weapons drawn. Pure reflex, the rogue’s saber darted outward, slicing a thick and heavy line vertically through the first orc. Its eyes rolled backward in its head and its body fell apart, as its companions retaliated. Their blades dug deeply sending Aramil once again into the alcove determined to become his tomb. He stumbled toward the doorway and collapsed in a heap all blood, open wounds and unconsciousness. Coming to a rest, his blade vibrated softly against the marble. The spear hurtled through the air and punctured Cassock’s arm. He would have charged forward, the beast was already drawing a vicious weapon, but he heard the commotion from the alcove. So, the priest spun to his right, dislodging the shaft and charging into the three unwounded orcs. Ana and Gabrielle swiftly dropped the charging spearman. Ana threw her bow over her shoulder and drew her blade. “Fire into the alcove. Don’t worry about Cassock or me. If anything moves, shoot it,” she commanded. She sped into the corridor and through the first doorway, slamming bodily into an orc. Knowing he was flanked, the Priest of Cael did all he could. The terrible weapons of his enemies were constantly finding purchase in his tattered chain mail. He risked another attack, pumping divine energy through his veins. He felt the wounds knit, but to no avail as new blade-thrusts merely reopened the healing lacerations. Suddenly the orc behind stumbled forward, pushing into Cassock. The priest glanced back and saw Ana had apparently charged the monster. He spun his warmace outward clipping the beast in the kidneys. He laughed as blood erupted from its mouth. A low thump turned his attention back to the beast in front; now, an arrow pierced its right breast. He laid into the foul creature. Ana’s blade cut low as the orc she had bumped into spit vitae. Easily the longsword dug through muscle, vein and bone. Its detached leg dropped to the marble with an arterial spurt. The beast followed its severed limb. Gabrielled pumped arrows toward the moving shadows. Her own vision lacked clarity in the dim light, she prayed the volleys were true. Another shadow moved along the side of the hedge, toward a pile of something. She pumped several arrows toward it. Cassock shoved his warmace directly outward, an attack to throw off balance not wound. A rough exhalation filled his ears as the beast lurched backward, weaponless. Its gigantic hands cupped its groin tenderly. The beast, so focused on the momentary pain, didn’t see the flash of warmace directed at its skull. The priest bent carefully over Aramil. Rapid breaths still escaped the half-elf. The priest gifted some of his healing magicks upon the rogue. Aramil’s eyes flickered open, spittle and blood ran from his mouth. “Do you think we could rest now, master?” Cassock grunted and turned toward the ladies. “I’m going to drag him into the passage he cut a passageway to,” he whispered. “One of you, go first. One of you, watch the rear and the hallway. If it is safe enough, we’ll loot the bodies and rest here.” The priest waited for Gabrielle to take her position and Ana to lead him into the next passage. Once inside he pulled Aramil, as carefully as possible, toward the direction they had entered the temple. Sure enough, he found a thick dead-end of vegetation. He set the rogue down and headed toward the rough half-elf-created doorway for his scouts to return. Ana and Gabrielle returned to the cleric moments later. “All seems eerily quiet,” Ana stated. “I’d like to know why or what rather that beast was signaling with its horn.” “As would I,” Cassock agreed. “We’re going to camp here. But I need to move the corpses first. We can’t do anything about the stink of blood, but let’s leave as little evidence as possible.” The priest moved toward the hallway and began dragging corpses into the alcove. He left the ladies with Aramil. Once all the bodies were stuffed into the alcove, he began a thorough search through the gear. Gabrielle’s bow lifted, her arrow trained on the sudden movement. Cassock moved into her vision and she lowered the weapon. “Anything of interest?” queried the bard. “Oh, I think I found something of interest,” the priest confirmed. With a divine gesture, he imbued a coin with light and tossed it upon the ground. Following the coin, Cassock tossed several brown masks upon the ground. Each had a black leaf embroidered upon the brow. “As fate would have it,” the Priest of Cael looked skyward although he couldn’t see through the thick hedge above, “we’ve found our murderers.” “I’ll take first shift. Get some sleep,” the cleric commanded. He extinguished the light and waited quietly in the shadows for the next battle. [/QUOTE]
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