Issue #16: The Shrine of Gormoth - Episode 5 of 5
Paks doesn’t hesitate. Having taken the stairs two at a time, she bursts past Novalia as the archer draws her bow. The warrior charges across the room, to the right side of the altar. As she enters the room, she is struck as though by a blow with a force of pain. Somehow, she knows that she feels the angel’s pain echoing down upon her. Realizing that she is not injured, she focuses her will and attacks the nearest rat man. She reaches it so quickly that she catches it flat-footed, and scores a deep cut across its deformed back.
Miriel takes Madriel’s Tear out of her pouch, and rushes into the room with the artifact held aloft in her right hand, and her spear held in the other. She is surprised to find that the Tear is extremely hot, and the pain of holding it focuses her through the Hope’s pain as well. The Tear glows with a bright white light, which casts a pure healthy illumination across the scene.
At the doorway, Goldpetal, Telryn, Novalia, and Chuck step into the room, with bows and crossbows drawn. As they enter the room, each can feel that the room itself is amplifying the pain of the angelic being. It takes a force of will for each of them to draw their bow, even to stay on their feet, and Chuck’s viper is knocked unconscious by the pain. Goldpetal is the first to succeed, but his shot misses. Telryn shoots a rat man on the left side of the altar, hitting it. Chuck’s arrow flies at the shaman, wounding it in the shoulder.
Novalia, however, has a different idea. She aims her two arrows at the Hope! One hits, and each of us hear its scream, telepathically echoing through our heads. The arrow is slowly pushed out of the Hope’s body, and the true horror of its position becomes clear: though helpless and badly injured, its natural healing properties regenerate its wounds, keeping it on the verge of death, but never able to take that final escape.
The tentacles piercing the rear wall are reaching fully five feet into the room now, and we can see a great shape looming in the misty darkness beyond the wall. Time is clearly running out, and whatever horror waits in the shadows is nearly upon us.
Paks rushes forward, ignoring the other ratmen to reach the shaman. She hits it, cutting a deep gash into one of its arms. We hear a golden voice in our heads, which we can only assume is the Hope. Questioning wonder suffuses its thought: The Knight of the Swan, here?
As Miriel reaches the altar, the Tear gives off a burst of impossibly bright light. It is the brightest light any of us have ever seen, like a beam directly from the Sun. Four of the ratmen die immediately, and the shaman and the last surviving ratman are blinded. Even as it injures our enemy, the light heals us all. We are all fully healed and divinely inspired. Better yet, the tentacles recoil, smoking as though burned. They retreat into the back wall, which seems somehow more solid and substantial. The oppressive sense of dread lifts, and those of us aligned with Good feel a sense of joy and wonder.
In the aftermath, the pain has lifted, though many of the grievous wounds on the angel’s body have not been healed. The telepathic voice is filled with thanks and gratitude. Madriel’s Tear! Thank the Goddess!
The entire shrine begins to shake around us. The shaman turns its frightening aspect on Paks, beginning to chant a spell. Both blinded heads cast about as though looking for her. It completes the spell, and an evil-looking dark nimbus surrounds its right tentacle. It gropes for her, trying to touch her, but she steps around it, to the right. She slashes at it, and cuts off its left arm. That barely seems to slow the shaman. The remaining rat man moves towards the shaman and tries to attack Paks, but it can’t see her, either, and she sidesteps it easily.
Goldpetal was both blinded and healed by the Tear. Unable to see, he slowly backs up to the wall, away from the edge. He has his bow out and knocked, but he cannot see to fire, and does not remember whether the door is to his right, or to his left.
Telryn casts a magic missile at the shaman. The cyan bolts further wound the fearsome monstrosity. Chuck advances into the room, firing his bow as he moves. He misses twice, his arrows whistling past the shaman to shatter against the idol behind it.
The whole room is shaking violently now, and rocks begin to fall from the ceiling as Paks continues to circle around the shaman, trying to pin it against the altar. The chasm looms behind her, just a step to the left of the shaman if it should misstep. She sees an opening, and with a mighty swing chops off its right head. Before she can press the advantage, she is struck and knocked to one knee, stunned by a falling rock.
Novalia rushes across the room to join Miriel at the altar. The priestess is examining the bonds holding the Hope. Huge metal bracelets encircle each arm and leg, covered with blasphemous runes and chained to the altar.
Miriel touches Madriel’s Tear to one of the armbands, hoping to sear the evil bonds, but the Tear is already cooling, and its touch has no effect. They are adamantium, the Hope tells us, its telepathic voice an echo of beauty in this place of despair, and consecrated to Gormoth. You have not the powers to free me.
With Paks stunned by the rock, the shaman rushes her. With the warrior nearly helpless, he makes numerous attacks. He again tries to touch her with the dark nimbus, but misses cleanly. His other claws scrabble at her armor, unable to break through her chain mail. His scorpion stinger bounces harmlessly off of her shield. He tries to bite her, but she is able to push him away. The only thing which he succeeds with is latching the other tentacle to her back.
At the doorway to the room, Goldpetal is hit by a rock. He drops a sling bullet over the edge of the ledge, trying to figure out where he is in the room. Telryn rushes into the room, moving towards the altar, but he too is hit by a rock.
The other rat man is hit with a rock, and knocked off balance. He pitches forward, into the chasm. His scream lasts for many seconds as he falls. Novalia looks up just in time to see this, and is inspired.
She turns, and rushes at the shaman. Before she can reach him, the enchanted tentacle catches her on the shoulder, and with a dark burst, magical energy rips into her body. Her momentum carries her on, and she lowers her shoulder into him. He staggers back underneath her bullrush, and one foot tries to plant over the edge of the chasm. It finds nothing but air, and Novalia quickly pushes him the rest of the way over the edge. For a moment, his other tentacle threatens to pull Paks over the precipice as well, but then it looses its grip, and we can hear his scream fade into the depths as he falls.
The ratmen are dead, but the danger continues. Leave me, the Hope commands. This cursed place is collapsing. Leave the Tear here and save yourselves.
Paks ignores the instructions. As she rushes to the Hope’s side, she yells, “Telryn! Try the acid!” She lays on hands on the Hope, and prays for Madriel to heal the wounds it has been deal. There is no effect.
The Hope’s voice echoes telepathically in our heads. Your powers of healing have no effect here, child. Leave the Tear and go.
Miriel places the Tear upon the Hope’s breast, and meets its eyes for one last moment, as though to remember its beauty for a lifetime. Then she turns, and runs for the door.
“Everyone, follow me!” she yells. When she reaches the ledge, she grabs Goldpetal’s hand, and leads the blinded elf to the stairwell.
Telryn draws one of the vials of acid out of his pack, but before he can unstopper it, he is hit by a falling rock. This changes his mind for him, and he bolts out of the room and begins up the stairs. Novalia casts a quick enchantment on herself, expeditious retreat, which allows her to run much faster than the others. She sprints up the stairs, catching Telryn. “Give me the vial!” she yells, and he does so. Chuck runs out of the room, leaving Paks alone with the Hope.
Paks fumbles frantically in her pack, looking for something. Wait, Paks, the Hope’s voice echoes in her head alone, Wait. Every generation, Madriel picks a Swan Knight, a champion... You are being tested... The Serpent Amphora, it’s been found... the Dar-al-Annot must not recover it... Protect it at all costs. You must leave and protect the Serpent Amphora.
Paks has tears running down her face. She pulls two vials of holy water out of her pack. She pours one over the angel’s wounds, and the other over the bonds, but neither has any effect.
Leave now, child, the Hope’s telepathic voice gently commands her. Madriel has other plans for you.
As Paks begins to stagger back towards the entrance, half-blinded by the tears in her eyes and choking back sobs, Novalia flashes back into the room. In a moment, she reaches the altar. She holds the unstoppered vial of acid out, and pours the acid on the bonds. The bonds flash and smoke, but don’t appear to be eaten away by the acid.
The Hope’s voice becomes almost frantic. No, you fools, no! There’s no way to free me! Go!
Up ahead, Miriel and Goldpetal run up the stairs. When Miriel is hit by a rock, Goldpetal takes the lead. He is starting to recover his vision, but there is a great after-image etched on his eyes which makes it tough to see. He leads everyone across the upstairs room. Behind him, Miriel, Telryn, and Chuck follow. Chuck is hit by a falling rock, and staggers, falling a ways behind Telryn.
Below, Paks reaches the stairway up towards the upstairs room. She, too, is hit by a rock partway up the stairs. Novalia is the last to leave the Hope’s side, but she quickly begins catching Paks, as the spell gives her a fleetness no mortal could achieve without aid.
As Goldpetal reaches the ramp and passes the lever, he is hit by a rock. Behind him, Miriel is hit by another rock, halfway across the upstairs room. Telryn is hit by a rock, and knocked unconscious. Chuck runs past him, and he, too, is hit by a rock while running across the room.
When Paks reaches Telryn, she leans over him with her shield above her head, trying to protect him from the falling rocks. She is hit by one, but immediately eats her bread of life, healing the worst of her injuries. Just as she does, Novalia rushes in and heals Telryn. He wakes up, groggy, as another rock bounces off of Paks’ back. It would have hit him. “Leave him,” Novalia yells to Paks. “Go!”
Above them, Goldpetal steps on the first of the plates that shift. The fire jet shoots out in front of him, but he is just able to stop himself, and lurches back. It misses him. Chuck, in an all-out sprint, has passed Miriel, who was hit by another rock, and reaches Goldpetal.
In the room below them, Paks picks Telryn up and staggers to the end of the room with him, trying to keep her shield over his head. Telryn digs in her pack, and finds Paks’ other chunk of bread, once Hands of Fire’s, and eats it as she carries him. When he is healed, he leaps down off of her shoulder. Novalia rushes past them.
Goldpetal, still in the lead, triggers the metal spikes from the floor. He is lucky, however, and the spikes come up on either side of him. Chuck and Miriel work their way slowly through the spikes. Novalia, with the speed of her spell, reaches them, winding lithely through the spikes, and passing everyone to take the lead.
Below, Paks is struggling. She is hit by a rock as she moves into the sloping corridor. She tries to lay hands on herself and Telryn, “Madriel, heal us!” she calls to the deity, but Telryn dodges her hand. She heals only herself. “Somebody, drop your bread!” she yells, unsure if anybody else can hear her.
In the corridor, Goldpetal yells, “Novalia, is anyone behind us injured?” Before she can answer Goldpetal’s question, Novalia is hit by a rock. She collapses to the ground.
Miriel, too, is struck by another rock, but remains on her feet. She calls Madriel’s healing, slowing just enough to cast the spell as she continues on. Goldpetal is also hit by a rock, but he summons Denev’s healing upon himself. Chuck, too, is hit by a rock, but runs on. He passes Novalia to become the leader. At the side of the corridor, he sees the blade sticking out of the wall. He thinks it was probably triggered by a falling rock.
Paks and Telryn run for their lives, trying to gather as much protection as they can from her shield, held above their heads. Despite her efforts, Telryn is hit by a falling rock.
Miriel and Goldpetal reach Novalia. As Miriel kneels beside her to bandage her, the priestess is hit by another rock. Miriel quickly bandages Novalia, and Goldpetal mumbles a druidic chant, which heals the archer and restores her to consciousness.
Telryn dodges the rocks and runs up to the spikes, just ahead of Paks. They can see Miriel, Goldpetal, and Novalia just ahead of them. Novalia is just staggering to her feet. The young mage telepathically calls to his owl, “Chester! Get off the stones and into the air!”
An ironic laugh returns to him. “Way ahead of you, boss. Those stones fell down about a minute ago.”
“Chester! Next time, warn me about something like that!”
Chuck is struck by another rock, but he sees the pit, ahead, in the floor. He leaps over it. Behind him, Novalia also leaps over the pit. She rushes past him, and reaches the last set of spikes. Goldpetal is third, hit by another rock, and Miriel is just behind him. Above them, Novalia wriggles through the last set of spikes, and climbs the stairs. She is the first to reach the open night sky.
Chuck works his way through the spikes, several seconds behind her, but then he, too climbs the stairs and bursts out into the night. Behind him, Goldpetal shrugs off another rock and leaps over the pit, and begins to twist his way through the spikes. Miriel is struck again as she reaches the edge of the pit. She sidles past the edge of the pit, and she enters the spikes just as the elf reaches the stairs.
Deep below, Telryn and Paks are in dire straits. Telryn is hit by another rock, but staggers on. Paks is struck by a rock as well, despite her shield. She takes a moment to pray, asking Madriel for protection from evil, falling a little ways behind the mage. She looks up just in time to see him get hit by a rock and fall unconscious.
The tremors are worsening, and cracks begin to run along the ceiling. Her muscles still bulging from the bull’s strength, Paks lifts up Telryn’s limp form and carries him along the twisting corridor. They are only at the sword-trap, a long way from the stairs, and none of the company is still in sight. “Madriel, protect us!” she cries, but her words are drowned out by the deep rumbling of the earth.
Outside, all of the standing stones have fallen over. Novalia and Chuck run to the bottom of the hill, where we had tied the horses, and begin to untie them. Atop the hill, Goldpetal attempts to consecrate the ground around him to Denev. It is shaking too hard for him to complete the ritual: it takes all of his concentration just to remain on his feet.
Miriel, too, has reached the outside, where a quick head count tells her that there are two still below. She prays to her goddess for their protection; beside her, Goldpetal, too, asks Denev to see them safely out.
Two long minutes pass, and there is still no sign of them. The hill is beginning to crumble in upon itself, and the hopes of those atop the hill fade to despair.
Paks doesn’t hesitate. Having taken the stairs two at a time, she bursts past Novalia as the archer draws her bow. The warrior charges across the room, to the right side of the altar. As she enters the room, she is struck as though by a blow with a force of pain. Somehow, she knows that she feels the angel’s pain echoing down upon her. Realizing that she is not injured, she focuses her will and attacks the nearest rat man. She reaches it so quickly that she catches it flat-footed, and scores a deep cut across its deformed back.
Miriel takes Madriel’s Tear out of her pouch, and rushes into the room with the artifact held aloft in her right hand, and her spear held in the other. She is surprised to find that the Tear is extremely hot, and the pain of holding it focuses her through the Hope’s pain as well. The Tear glows with a bright white light, which casts a pure healthy illumination across the scene.
At the doorway, Goldpetal, Telryn, Novalia, and Chuck step into the room, with bows and crossbows drawn. As they enter the room, each can feel that the room itself is amplifying the pain of the angelic being. It takes a force of will for each of them to draw their bow, even to stay on their feet, and Chuck’s viper is knocked unconscious by the pain. Goldpetal is the first to succeed, but his shot misses. Telryn shoots a rat man on the left side of the altar, hitting it. Chuck’s arrow flies at the shaman, wounding it in the shoulder.
Novalia, however, has a different idea. She aims her two arrows at the Hope! One hits, and each of us hear its scream, telepathically echoing through our heads. The arrow is slowly pushed out of the Hope’s body, and the true horror of its position becomes clear: though helpless and badly injured, its natural healing properties regenerate its wounds, keeping it on the verge of death, but never able to take that final escape.
The tentacles piercing the rear wall are reaching fully five feet into the room now, and we can see a great shape looming in the misty darkness beyond the wall. Time is clearly running out, and whatever horror waits in the shadows is nearly upon us.
Paks rushes forward, ignoring the other ratmen to reach the shaman. She hits it, cutting a deep gash into one of its arms. We hear a golden voice in our heads, which we can only assume is the Hope. Questioning wonder suffuses its thought: The Knight of the Swan, here?
As Miriel reaches the altar, the Tear gives off a burst of impossibly bright light. It is the brightest light any of us have ever seen, like a beam directly from the Sun. Four of the ratmen die immediately, and the shaman and the last surviving ratman are blinded. Even as it injures our enemy, the light heals us all. We are all fully healed and divinely inspired. Better yet, the tentacles recoil, smoking as though burned. They retreat into the back wall, which seems somehow more solid and substantial. The oppressive sense of dread lifts, and those of us aligned with Good feel a sense of joy and wonder.
In the aftermath, the pain has lifted, though many of the grievous wounds on the angel’s body have not been healed. The telepathic voice is filled with thanks and gratitude. Madriel’s Tear! Thank the Goddess!
The entire shrine begins to shake around us. The shaman turns its frightening aspect on Paks, beginning to chant a spell. Both blinded heads cast about as though looking for her. It completes the spell, and an evil-looking dark nimbus surrounds its right tentacle. It gropes for her, trying to touch her, but she steps around it, to the right. She slashes at it, and cuts off its left arm. That barely seems to slow the shaman. The remaining rat man moves towards the shaman and tries to attack Paks, but it can’t see her, either, and she sidesteps it easily.
Goldpetal was both blinded and healed by the Tear. Unable to see, he slowly backs up to the wall, away from the edge. He has his bow out and knocked, but he cannot see to fire, and does not remember whether the door is to his right, or to his left.
Telryn casts a magic missile at the shaman. The cyan bolts further wound the fearsome monstrosity. Chuck advances into the room, firing his bow as he moves. He misses twice, his arrows whistling past the shaman to shatter against the idol behind it.
The whole room is shaking violently now, and rocks begin to fall from the ceiling as Paks continues to circle around the shaman, trying to pin it against the altar. The chasm looms behind her, just a step to the left of the shaman if it should misstep. She sees an opening, and with a mighty swing chops off its right head. Before she can press the advantage, she is struck and knocked to one knee, stunned by a falling rock.
Novalia rushes across the room to join Miriel at the altar. The priestess is examining the bonds holding the Hope. Huge metal bracelets encircle each arm and leg, covered with blasphemous runes and chained to the altar.
Miriel touches Madriel’s Tear to one of the armbands, hoping to sear the evil bonds, but the Tear is already cooling, and its touch has no effect. They are adamantium, the Hope tells us, its telepathic voice an echo of beauty in this place of despair, and consecrated to Gormoth. You have not the powers to free me.
With Paks stunned by the rock, the shaman rushes her. With the warrior nearly helpless, he makes numerous attacks. He again tries to touch her with the dark nimbus, but misses cleanly. His other claws scrabble at her armor, unable to break through her chain mail. His scorpion stinger bounces harmlessly off of her shield. He tries to bite her, but she is able to push him away. The only thing which he succeeds with is latching the other tentacle to her back.
At the doorway to the room, Goldpetal is hit by a rock. He drops a sling bullet over the edge of the ledge, trying to figure out where he is in the room. Telryn rushes into the room, moving towards the altar, but he too is hit by a rock.
The other rat man is hit with a rock, and knocked off balance. He pitches forward, into the chasm. His scream lasts for many seconds as he falls. Novalia looks up just in time to see this, and is inspired.
She turns, and rushes at the shaman. Before she can reach him, the enchanted tentacle catches her on the shoulder, and with a dark burst, magical energy rips into her body. Her momentum carries her on, and she lowers her shoulder into him. He staggers back underneath her bullrush, and one foot tries to plant over the edge of the chasm. It finds nothing but air, and Novalia quickly pushes him the rest of the way over the edge. For a moment, his other tentacle threatens to pull Paks over the precipice as well, but then it looses its grip, and we can hear his scream fade into the depths as he falls.
The ratmen are dead, but the danger continues. Leave me, the Hope commands. This cursed place is collapsing. Leave the Tear here and save yourselves.
Paks ignores the instructions. As she rushes to the Hope’s side, she yells, “Telryn! Try the acid!” She lays on hands on the Hope, and prays for Madriel to heal the wounds it has been deal. There is no effect.
The Hope’s voice echoes telepathically in our heads. Your powers of healing have no effect here, child. Leave the Tear and go.
Miriel places the Tear upon the Hope’s breast, and meets its eyes for one last moment, as though to remember its beauty for a lifetime. Then she turns, and runs for the door.
“Everyone, follow me!” she yells. When she reaches the ledge, she grabs Goldpetal’s hand, and leads the blinded elf to the stairwell.
Telryn draws one of the vials of acid out of his pack, but before he can unstopper it, he is hit by a falling rock. This changes his mind for him, and he bolts out of the room and begins up the stairs. Novalia casts a quick enchantment on herself, expeditious retreat, which allows her to run much faster than the others. She sprints up the stairs, catching Telryn. “Give me the vial!” she yells, and he does so. Chuck runs out of the room, leaving Paks alone with the Hope.
Paks fumbles frantically in her pack, looking for something. Wait, Paks, the Hope’s voice echoes in her head alone, Wait. Every generation, Madriel picks a Swan Knight, a champion... You are being tested... The Serpent Amphora, it’s been found... the Dar-al-Annot must not recover it... Protect it at all costs. You must leave and protect the Serpent Amphora.
Paks has tears running down her face. She pulls two vials of holy water out of her pack. She pours one over the angel’s wounds, and the other over the bonds, but neither has any effect.
Leave now, child, the Hope’s telepathic voice gently commands her. Madriel has other plans for you.
As Paks begins to stagger back towards the entrance, half-blinded by the tears in her eyes and choking back sobs, Novalia flashes back into the room. In a moment, she reaches the altar. She holds the unstoppered vial of acid out, and pours the acid on the bonds. The bonds flash and smoke, but don’t appear to be eaten away by the acid.
The Hope’s voice becomes almost frantic. No, you fools, no! There’s no way to free me! Go!
Up ahead, Miriel and Goldpetal run up the stairs. When Miriel is hit by a rock, Goldpetal takes the lead. He is starting to recover his vision, but there is a great after-image etched on his eyes which makes it tough to see. He leads everyone across the upstairs room. Behind him, Miriel, Telryn, and Chuck follow. Chuck is hit by a falling rock, and staggers, falling a ways behind Telryn.
Below, Paks reaches the stairway up towards the upstairs room. She, too, is hit by a rock partway up the stairs. Novalia is the last to leave the Hope’s side, but she quickly begins catching Paks, as the spell gives her a fleetness no mortal could achieve without aid.
As Goldpetal reaches the ramp and passes the lever, he is hit by a rock. Behind him, Miriel is hit by another rock, halfway across the upstairs room. Telryn is hit by a rock, and knocked unconscious. Chuck runs past him, and he, too, is hit by a rock while running across the room.
When Paks reaches Telryn, she leans over him with her shield above her head, trying to protect him from the falling rocks. She is hit by one, but immediately eats her bread of life, healing the worst of her injuries. Just as she does, Novalia rushes in and heals Telryn. He wakes up, groggy, as another rock bounces off of Paks’ back. It would have hit him. “Leave him,” Novalia yells to Paks. “Go!”
Above them, Goldpetal steps on the first of the plates that shift. The fire jet shoots out in front of him, but he is just able to stop himself, and lurches back. It misses him. Chuck, in an all-out sprint, has passed Miriel, who was hit by another rock, and reaches Goldpetal.
In the room below them, Paks picks Telryn up and staggers to the end of the room with him, trying to keep her shield over his head. Telryn digs in her pack, and finds Paks’ other chunk of bread, once Hands of Fire’s, and eats it as she carries him. When he is healed, he leaps down off of her shoulder. Novalia rushes past them.
Goldpetal, still in the lead, triggers the metal spikes from the floor. He is lucky, however, and the spikes come up on either side of him. Chuck and Miriel work their way slowly through the spikes. Novalia, with the speed of her spell, reaches them, winding lithely through the spikes, and passing everyone to take the lead.
Below, Paks is struggling. She is hit by a rock as she moves into the sloping corridor. She tries to lay hands on herself and Telryn, “Madriel, heal us!” she calls to the deity, but Telryn dodges her hand. She heals only herself. “Somebody, drop your bread!” she yells, unsure if anybody else can hear her.
In the corridor, Goldpetal yells, “Novalia, is anyone behind us injured?” Before she can answer Goldpetal’s question, Novalia is hit by a rock. She collapses to the ground.
Miriel, too, is struck by another rock, but remains on her feet. She calls Madriel’s healing, slowing just enough to cast the spell as she continues on. Goldpetal is also hit by a rock, but he summons Denev’s healing upon himself. Chuck, too, is hit by a rock, but runs on. He passes Novalia to become the leader. At the side of the corridor, he sees the blade sticking out of the wall. He thinks it was probably triggered by a falling rock.
Paks and Telryn run for their lives, trying to gather as much protection as they can from her shield, held above their heads. Despite her efforts, Telryn is hit by a falling rock.
Miriel and Goldpetal reach Novalia. As Miriel kneels beside her to bandage her, the priestess is hit by another rock. Miriel quickly bandages Novalia, and Goldpetal mumbles a druidic chant, which heals the archer and restores her to consciousness.
Telryn dodges the rocks and runs up to the spikes, just ahead of Paks. They can see Miriel, Goldpetal, and Novalia just ahead of them. Novalia is just staggering to her feet. The young mage telepathically calls to his owl, “Chester! Get off the stones and into the air!”
An ironic laugh returns to him. “Way ahead of you, boss. Those stones fell down about a minute ago.”
“Chester! Next time, warn me about something like that!”
Chuck is struck by another rock, but he sees the pit, ahead, in the floor. He leaps over it. Behind him, Novalia also leaps over the pit. She rushes past him, and reaches the last set of spikes. Goldpetal is third, hit by another rock, and Miriel is just behind him. Above them, Novalia wriggles through the last set of spikes, and climbs the stairs. She is the first to reach the open night sky.
Chuck works his way through the spikes, several seconds behind her, but then he, too climbs the stairs and bursts out into the night. Behind him, Goldpetal shrugs off another rock and leaps over the pit, and begins to twist his way through the spikes. Miriel is struck again as she reaches the edge of the pit. She sidles past the edge of the pit, and she enters the spikes just as the elf reaches the stairs.
Deep below, Telryn and Paks are in dire straits. Telryn is hit by another rock, but staggers on. Paks is struck by a rock as well, despite her shield. She takes a moment to pray, asking Madriel for protection from evil, falling a little ways behind the mage. She looks up just in time to see him get hit by a rock and fall unconscious.
The tremors are worsening, and cracks begin to run along the ceiling. Her muscles still bulging from the bull’s strength, Paks lifts up Telryn’s limp form and carries him along the twisting corridor. They are only at the sword-trap, a long way from the stairs, and none of the company is still in sight. “Madriel, protect us!” she cries, but her words are drowned out by the deep rumbling of the earth.
Outside, all of the standing stones have fallen over. Novalia and Chuck run to the bottom of the hill, where we had tied the horses, and begin to untie them. Atop the hill, Goldpetal attempts to consecrate the ground around him to Denev. It is shaking too hard for him to complete the ritual: it takes all of his concentration just to remain on his feet.
Miriel, too, has reached the outside, where a quick head count tells her that there are two still below. She prays to her goddess for their protection; beside her, Goldpetal, too, asks Denev to see them safely out.
Two long minutes pass, and there is still no sign of them. The hill is beginning to crumble in upon itself, and the hopes of those atop the hill fade to despair.
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