Part II
The party returned to the tomb room and placed the armor on the sarcophagus. The lid absorbed the armor and it was almost as if the suit had never left. The party tried the door to the north wall. Once again it led them down a winding hallway. Finally they came to a door with an inscription over it. The inscription read The Sword of Sir Guy is legend. So sharp it could make the wind bleed. A frontal assault would be folly.
The party opened the door to find a room that was shadowed. There was a single source of illumination. That moved throughout the room. The party filtered into the room. They could see this room was lined with pillars. They crouched waiting to see the source of the light. A floating sword a glow and roaming in between the pillars. August readied his weapons. “Wait.” Roland hissed “Do you not read? The inscription said that the sword was deadly.” “So am I” August replied as he steeled his gaze fixing it on the sword. “Morganis placed his hand over Titus’ mouth to prevent a flow of obscenely insane scenario’s that were sure to pour out. “What would you attack? The sword is obviously animated and we need IT to complete the puzzle.” August stood down with a grim look on his face. “What is our move Roland?” Thorn asked. “Well I suppose…” Just then Roland caught an image on the pillar closest to him. “Light please” he asked. Utah snapped his fingers and a small flame appeared on his fingertip. He took this time to light a ginger weed blunt as well. Under the small illumination Roland read the fresco. “Hmmmm this sounds crazy but I think we need to sneak up on it and lay hold of the sword. These painting tell the story of how Sir Guy found the sword buried in a Cyclops’ eye. Before it killed the Cyclops warrior it was enchanted to protect someone, but after that someone died the sword essentially went insane seeking another wielder.”
Thorn tied on his mask. “I’ll handle this” The man left and melted into the shadows. A few moments later there was a flurry of movement by the sword. It stabbed chopped and sliced at Thorn who was in and out of the light dodging and twisting away from the deadly blade. The sword tried to spear its antagonist but Thorn avoided it by leaping straight up then pushing his feet off of a pillar he twisted mid air to land neatly behind it as the sword buried itself into the stone. Thorn grabbed hold of the hilt and cleanly pulled it from the stone.
With the sword in tow the placed it on the sarcophagus and watched it be assimilated into the relief. “A shield is what should be left I believe” Roland stated. August looked at his friends “We should take a rest everyone appears exhausted” The party agreed.
The next morning the explored the western doors. The first one revealed a small closet with long metal shod poles. Finding nothing else of interest they moved to the next door. This door opened to a straight hallway ending in a rough wooden door. The party proceeded. The wooden door opened to a moss covered cavern. Mildew and fungus assaulted their noses. The air was damp and cool. The cautiously entered into the cavern.
They came to a large chamber that was dominated by a natural rise. There in its center lay a steel shield. Titus started to slink up to grab it. The cavern began to tremble as the moss and rock twisted into a large vaguely human shape. The rock became its frame the moss strangled it into skin and sinew. What stood before them resembled a giant four armed ape with Sir Guys shield embedded into its back.
It let out a huff in mockery of being a living creature and charged at the party meeting Morganis and August. Clubbing the Vatan Cleric with a stony fist. The Cleric rolled with blow however and stood his ground. Morganis and August spread out around the creature and laid into it. Thorn joined the fray landing a series of violent strikes. Chips of rock and fungus were sent flying. The ranged fighters fired sparingly trying to avoid the Cleric and the two Fighters. Roland glanced a shot off its rocky hide. Titus’ arrow flew true sticking right below the shield of Sir Guy. Utah focused himself charging his spell gun. Thorn sunk his own sword into the beast. The beast threw another clubbing blow to the Clerics face then wheeled and turned on August. Two rocky claws hit home. The party watched in horror as the beast hefted the former Paladin and ripped his left arm off at the socket. August screamed inhumanly. Somehow he kept his feet. There was a hail of steel and spellfire. The beast still stood and let out another roar. Then with the last of his strength the former Paladin of Bahamut brought his war axe down and crushed the cavern apes skull. He crumpled to the stone floor beneath him, his breathing shallow and his skin pale. The party forgot about the shield as they gathered round their fallen comrade.
“Morganis can you heal him?” Titus cried as he cradled his friends limp body. “Aye boy I can, but I cannot make him whole. The arm is forever gone.” The cleric channeled healing power as a soft amber glow spread out from Morganis’ hands to the vicious wound. The bleeding stopped. Titus looked down at his friend almost envious. Somewhere in his heart the Archer wished it had been his arm of undead flesh that had pulled out. As Morganis continued to pour the healing of Vatan into his comrade his breathing steadied. They transported him back to his room. Roland upon seeing that August would both survive and was unconscious decided to complete the room. The others decided to complete the room as well. Titus however stayed by his friend’s side a bit longer but eventually caught up with the rest of the party.
Roland let the sarcophagus take the shield. Now there was a full relief of a knight atop the burial box. After that nothing happened. Roland adjusted his monocle and visibly swept the casket, then the room. “Morganis what was that you said about this room not being right.” The cleric seemed distracted but answered “Well I mean the casket belongs up there on the dais. The sconces should flank the casket and then another set should be opposite on the side walls. The party busied themselves with setting the sconces. They now focused on getting the sarcophagus onto the dais. They could barely slide it when Roland noticed the rings on the side. “Pallbearers, of course.” He exclaimed as he ran to the closet grabbing the two metal shod poles. They shoved them through the rings and collectively they managed to muscle the stone funeral box onto the dais. Upon correctly setting the sarcophagus a hidden door appeared in the floor. Ladder rungs led into the darkness.
August looked around. He could not remember how he had gotten onto this road. Everything seemed so grey. Had it always been this way? Where was he going? It didn’t matter he knew that he just had to go. Where had he been? Questions haunted him as he plodded on. Nothing else really mattered other than reaching his destination, whatever that may have been. He made his way up a windswept escarpment. There he knew he had to wait. It wasn’t long before he heard huge buffets. He became very uncomfortable as he peered into the swirling grey mist. Something was coming and that something was big. What broke the mists would’ve taken his breath away if August was in fact breathing. A dragon, but not just any dragon. This was the king of dragons. BAHAMUT. August shielded his eyes from Bahamut’s splendor. August had never seen anything so vast. Not even the imperial capital of Vollkrad was this large. His scales shined with a platinum hue and let a rainbow of color off of them. Six wings held the mighty beast aloft. Piercing cerulean eyes centered on the former paladin. The fallen holy soldier prostrated himself before his LORD. A voice like thunder and of many waters spoke.
“AUGUST FLAMEWIND, SON OF EMBER, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH A TASK OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE. ONCE THE PEOPLE OF YOUR NATION LOVED ME AND OPENED THEIR HEARTS TO ME. NOW THEY ARE STRANGLED BY RELIGION AND POLITICS. THIS IS NOT THE ORDER I WISH TO SEE. YOU SHALL TURN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE BACK TO ME. YOU SHALL LEAD THE REFORMATION. THIS SHALL BE THE SECOND GREAT DARKNESS YOU OVERCOME. THE CHURCH NOW EXISTS TO SERVE ITSELF. THIS IS NOT AS I DECREED. THE CHURCH WAS SENT FORTH TO BE A LIGHT AND TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. THIS QUEST WILL BE HARD BUT FEAR NOT FOR I AM WITH YOU AND I SHALL SEND TRUE SERVANTS OF MINE TO AID YOU. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.
August managed a meager response. “As you will my Lord, I am yours to command. I shall do as you ask. How will I know where to start?”
The Lord of the North Wind paused “YOU HAVE ALREADY STARTED. YOU HAVE SUFFERED A GREVIOUS WOUND IN BATTLE. TO THOSE THAT FOLLOW THE BUREAUCRATS THIS WILL LOOK LIKE JUDGEMENT. BUT I WILL MAKE YOU WHOLE.” August gazed at his Lord “You will restore my powers?” The King of Dragons hovered “I NEVER TOOK THEM FROM YOU” “but the hearing, after that I could no longer do the things that your chosen could do!” August said softly, tears streaming down his cheeks. “YOU GAVE THEM BECAUSE YOU BELIEVED THAT A MORTAL COULD EVER TAKE WHAT I HAD GIVEN YOU. YOU CHOSE TO BELIEVE IN THEIR AUTHOURITY OVER MY OWN. IN FACT THEY ARE STILL YOURS IF YOU WOULD TAKE THEM BACK UP. NOW GO YOU WILL NEED YOUR REST SIR FLAMEWIND. THE FIRST OF THE OPPOSITION APPROACHES EVEN NOW, BUT DO NOT LOSE HEART. REMEMBER MY PROMISES ARE EVERLASTING.”
August bolted upright in his room. Pain lanced through his left side and he saw that his arm was gone. He passed back out.
The party pressed on and took the ladder down. They were funneled into a room that looked exactly like the previous one with the exceptions of exits from the room. “Hmmm…” Roland pondered aloud. “By the hairy butt cheeks of six bakers, this is the SAME room. Uggghhh.” Titus wandered into the corner muttering some strange evil scenario’s about what would probably never happen. Morganis and Thorn just watched it all play out. There was one major difference Roland noted as he walked over to the sarcophagus. “Look here. Instead of a shield there is an open book on the relief.” Thorn pointed to a small inscription to the right of relief. Roland stepped over and examined it. “Ancient Ossorian glyphs this will take just a moment” Roland fished for some parchment and unfolded a sheet. Next he produced a stylus and began to write. After a moment he cleared his throat “Ahem. They way of blood and smoke has passed and only bone remains. Sir Guy can help you know longer. Crushed dust now guides the way.”
The party fired theories back and forth while Roland remained silent. Then something Titus said actually made sense. “The vial of powder! The way of bone. The skeletons. Sir Guy. Thus the skeletons in Sir Guys room.” Roland took the vial of powder and poured it over the empty pages of the stone book. Nothing happened at first and then the pages began to glow. Images swirled on the books face. Then they slowed. The first was a large building with columns and domed top. Then a bookcase marked by a bear. Then a large book with a leather binding dyed the color of a twilight sky. The last image was a wooden door banded with brass. The light dimmed and the images disappeared. After the light subsided there
“What in name of Lyaree’s skirt was that? You mean to tell me we have to find those things!” Utah exclaimed. Roland remained calm in spite but Morganis spoke first as he hefted his hammer “Alright boy. I tolerate the incessant flow of filth that comes out of that sewer drain of a mouth. But I will not listen to you mire the holy names of gods and goddess” Utah just waved him off “I am sorry. But those places could be anywhere. It will be like finding a bastard gypsy child’s Dad.” Roland chuckled “Fun isn’t it. This is what generations of my family have done. Chase obscure leads into abandoned elven villages, spent endless hours in some basement library referencing an ancient language, searching for some Halfling burial scepter in the middle of nowhere. It goes on and on.” The companions held their breath as Titus piped in. “Well I don’t know about the book case and the book or the door. But the building we saw was the Shining Temple.” Morganis looked up “You mean the temple to Rojelster the Shield Lord in the Rose Republic?” Titus nodded “Aye in my youth I found work for a bit at an inn called The Boring Warrior right across from the temple district.” Roland adjusted his monocle “So we go south to Mironand the City of Orbs”.
The companions returned to the manor proper to find August awake. They told him what happened. As Morganis examined Augusts wound he gasped. “By the mountains! The wound is healed over, no scar or anything as if you never had a left arm.” August sat up. “I need to speak with Morganis alone.” The party conceded and August told Morganis of his vision. “August you are blessed. You have seen the Platinum One. If this vision is indeed true, and I believe it is then you are in for many blessings and one helluva fight. I am with you.”
They let August rest a few more days, he practiced combat with Thorn and the shadowy fighter showed him how to keep his balance and protect his now unguarded left side. Satisfied that he would be a help and not a hindrance to the party they prepared to set out at dawn.
The summer had started to turn to autumn and the leaves had just started to turn. That morning was quite warm. The peaceful preparations would not stay so for long. Thorns ears perked up. Then the sound of horses approaching caught the rest of the party’s attention. Sure enough Ryril the eldest orphan came running. “A contingent of riders approaches Mr. Roland. They bear the standard of the Imperial Church of Bahamut.” Morganis and August shared glances. Nobody noticed Thorn fade into the shadows.
The riders were in fact armed soldiers. They made no pretense about their intentions. They dismounted and drew their blades. Most bore two handed swords. One of the soldiers held a long hunting rifle loosely. Two of them were dressed in armor resembling dragons and wielded long spears. The leader was a cleric of sorts, an inquisitor to be exact. Not one to be toyed with. “Greetings” Roland said. The inquisitor dismounted “Shut up. I am the Malleus Belros Serpenhelm. We know you are harboring one accused of the dark craft and murder. We have also been informed that you are in the company of seditionists and imperial force deserters.” At this the Malleus looked at August and sneered. “I see Bahamut has already decided to judge you little maimed knight. Augusts face showed righteous anger. “De’Achas the bloody son of a pig molester. He must have opened his mouth.” Utah cursed under his breath. Roland looked around and strode forward “First! THIS is my land deeded to my family by the Imperial Throne itself. As such it has remained outside the boundaries of the empire suffering no protection from nor lawful jurisdiction of the empire. I do not welcome you here. My companions business is our own.” The soldiers were now visibly on edge but Roland continued “Hence forth we will not bow to these accusations this day. We wish to make no enemy of the Church but you attempts at strong arming will fall short.” Roland moved his hands closer to his pistols. The Malleus drew two maces and with a flicking motion the heads slid down on about a foot of chain. “Under the authority of Inquisitor Stormwright you have been judged and sentenced to death!”
The inquisitor lashed out with one of his chain maces. In a smooth motion Roland ducked under the quick strike drew his pistols and fired. One shot catching a swordsmen in the throat the other in the face. The dragon armored soldiers charged in tandem. They both leapt high and brought their spears down. One narrowly missed August. The other one pierced Morganis through the shoulder. Morganis cried in anguish. Unable to use his hammer at such close range he created some space and called down a pillar of flame upon the dragon knight. Utah stepped forth his eyes flashing he conjured a single tentacle that coiled around a swordsman breaking his neck with a sickening POP. August wasted no time with words. Before him stood a lance Dragoon and they were ferocious in battle. He scored two solid blows to his opponent before the knight kicked him back. Thorn came out of nowhere and cut down two more of the swordsmen. The soldier with rifle took aim. Two of the three remaining knights ran towards Titus. One fell filled with arrows. The other arrived and scored a glancing blow on the archer. The final swordsmen arrived to help the Malleus. Belros noticed Thorn cried out “There is the night touched! We must take him alive for inquisition. Soldier finish off the gunslinger I will deal with out heretic.” The soldier advanced on Roland. He back peddled “Wait. I surrender. I am unarmed.” The soldier lifted his greatsword for a downward cleave then said “No mercy is found for you today.” “Nor you!” was Roland’s reply as a small pistol ejected from an apparatus around his wrist. He fired it right into the man’s face. The sniper fired hitting Utah almost taking his leg off. Utah hit the ground and let loose a stream curses that made everyone pause. Through gritted teeth he continued. “Fine you want to have a gunfight let’s dance!” He fired his snub nosed rifle and let loose his full battery of spellfire immolating both the horse and it’s rider. The lance dragoon and August danced a deadly ballet of steel until August sunk his war axe into the man’s chest. The lance dragoon fighting Morganis swept his feet out from under him. Morganis however reached up pulled the knight down with him. They struggled but Morganis eventually gained position on top and after a series of head butts the knights helmet and skull were crumpled and the clerics own head bled profusely. Titus dropped his bow and drew a long dirk from his boot. The final knight seeing his company essentially decimated lost confidence. He swung anyway. He missed. Titus sidestepped the strike and stabbed the knight in the groin. The man didn’t die but was definitely out of the fight.
The Malleus rushed Thorn and swiped out with one of his chain maces. Thorn threw up an arm to block. The mace hit the arm and snapped it. Thorn cried out in pain and felt the Other coming. With a shove Thorn was once again forced to watch his body fight in the possession of the Other. Thorns arm snapped back into place. His visage changed into something savage and otherworldly. His muscles bulged and strained threatening to pull off of his frame. The Malleus went to utter a turning but got a fist to the face that made him bite off his tongue. He struck with both maces entangling one arm and scoring another hit to the possessed warrior. The Other Thorn struck down with his hand and a half sword but the constricting chain caused him to lose his weapon. Thorn let loose a furious roar. He ejected his Tekko-Kagi from its sheath on his forearm. The Malleus began to know fear as he landed another solid blow but watched the warrior shrug it off. The Other Thorn ripped the chain mace out of Belros hand and then landed a kick to the knee that bent it backwards with a pop. The man cried out in pain but it turned into a gurgle as The Other Thorn plunged the Tekko-Kagi through his chest. The party kept their distance from their possessed comrade. The Other Thorn let out a final roar of fury before his features began to soften which left a silently weeping Thorn.
