Spider_Jerusalem
Explorer
"This had better work!"
Lyle knew his revenge was close. He dropped the last of the onyx gems into the skulls of the dwarven bodies. Stepping back through the unearthed burial ground, Lyle admired his handiwork. Ignoring the ethereal clawing of the enraged spirits as they slid harmlessly through him, Lyle withdrew the scroll and practiced the verses silently in his head. Lyle cleared his throat and voiced the dark words haltingly. His voice was untrained for such pronunciation.
Torious crouched to heal the mage's tattered leg. Thalin gritted his teeth as he felt the flesh knit back together.
“Wait. I only need enough to walk, save your powers,” said Thalin.
“As you say,” Torious answered.
Torious checked the leg was stable enough before he allowed the mage to stand. Thalin made a few shaky steps before turning and following Milo through the now opened western wall, where the rail tracks had previously disappeared into.
Milo tiptoed to the end of unveiled rail tracks. He balanced precariously on the edge of a rock grinder set ten feet deep in the stonework floor. Its huge metal teeth, used to crush excavated rock, stood unmoving and layered with a thick dust. Milo grew instantly bored at the unmoving mechanism and gazed about the rest of the room.
Milo saw a small door in the corner set with a thick pane of glass. The halfling shook with uncontrollable curiosity thinking of what treasures a warden’s office might contain, and with a deft leap over the swirling rail tracks, landed next to the door. It was locked. Milo pulled himself up to the thick window and peered in. Milo squealed with delight and quickly dropped back down and began to pick the dwarven lock.
MEanwhile, Torious had found a stone lever, which, with a terrible grating sound, activated the grinder. Torious winced, then pushed the lever back down and halted the slow spinning of the immense cogs.
In the midst of speaking the arcane verses, Lyle snapped his head up as a sound rumbled from the large chamber, then died. Realising the distraction has thrown his momentum; Lyle read the next verse speedily to keep pace with the bass thrum of the magic that now coursed through the air.
Milo shouted a victory cry as he finally sprung the lock with a thick metallic click. Looking back over his shoulder and grinning once again, Milo pulled the large door open. Thalin turned to look at the elated halfling. The mage shouted a warning just in time,
“Move!”
Milo instinctively ducked as a huge gauntleted hand swung inches over his head. A giant metal statue stepped slowly from the doorway, forcing Milo to flip out of its reach.
“Iron golem!” shouted Thalin.
The golem stepped dauntingly onto the chamber floor and took slow, inevitable steps towards the three intruders. The guardian was dominated by a magnificent chain beard, which swayed heavily.
A plan sprung in Thalin’s mind. He grabbed Torious and Milo by the arm and manoeuvred his companions to the other side of the grinder pit.
“Milo! The grinder!” shouted Torious, catching onto Thalin’s plan.
Milo was way ahead of this however, and the crossbow bolt pinned the hand of the lever into ‘on’ as Torious shouted his instruction over the ‘thump thump’ of the golem.
“This had better work!” yelled Milo.
The golem reached the far edge of the grinder and without a pause, placed his next step over the gap and with a thunderous crash fell into the revolving teeth of the grinder. Thalin, Milo and Torious covered their ears in pain as a bone-shivering scream wailed from the grinder. The teeth locked against the golems huge form and halted the turning of the cogs. Arms stretched to the sky as it grasped towards the intruders, the golem was stuck fast.
The bones of the dwarves slithered back into place. Lyle finished the last of the verses. He watched in morbid amusement as the dwarven skeletons stood as if dragged up by some invisible puppet master. Their skulls lolled. Twisted and dirt encrusted beards hung limp. Then as one, the heads snapped to attention as the final puppet string was pulled and the risen dead awaited their orders.
His bloodthirsty revenge had been playing in his mind all day, and he could wait no longer. Lyle pushed open the door with his boot. He stalked from the shadows of the chamber entrance. The undead crowded after him. Their deformed movements quickened as they sensed their prey.
Lyle sighted the three talking companions. He rested his crossbow over his stump and took careful aim.
- - - - - - - - - -
Lyle knew his revenge was close. He dropped the last of the onyx gems into the skulls of the dwarven bodies. Stepping back through the unearthed burial ground, Lyle admired his handiwork. Ignoring the ethereal clawing of the enraged spirits as they slid harmlessly through him, Lyle withdrew the scroll and practiced the verses silently in his head. Lyle cleared his throat and voiced the dark words haltingly. His voice was untrained for such pronunciation.
- - - - - - - - - -
Torious crouched to heal the mage's tattered leg. Thalin gritted his teeth as he felt the flesh knit back together.
“Wait. I only need enough to walk, save your powers,” said Thalin.
“As you say,” Torious answered.
Torious checked the leg was stable enough before he allowed the mage to stand. Thalin made a few shaky steps before turning and following Milo through the now opened western wall, where the rail tracks had previously disappeared into.
Milo tiptoed to the end of unveiled rail tracks. He balanced precariously on the edge of a rock grinder set ten feet deep in the stonework floor. Its huge metal teeth, used to crush excavated rock, stood unmoving and layered with a thick dust. Milo grew instantly bored at the unmoving mechanism and gazed about the rest of the room.
Milo saw a small door in the corner set with a thick pane of glass. The halfling shook with uncontrollable curiosity thinking of what treasures a warden’s office might contain, and with a deft leap over the swirling rail tracks, landed next to the door. It was locked. Milo pulled himself up to the thick window and peered in. Milo squealed with delight and quickly dropped back down and began to pick the dwarven lock.
MEanwhile, Torious had found a stone lever, which, with a terrible grating sound, activated the grinder. Torious winced, then pushed the lever back down and halted the slow spinning of the immense cogs.
- - - - - - - - - -
In the midst of speaking the arcane verses, Lyle snapped his head up as a sound rumbled from the large chamber, then died. Realising the distraction has thrown his momentum; Lyle read the next verse speedily to keep pace with the bass thrum of the magic that now coursed through the air.
- - - - - - - - - -
Milo shouted a victory cry as he finally sprung the lock with a thick metallic click. Looking back over his shoulder and grinning once again, Milo pulled the large door open. Thalin turned to look at the elated halfling. The mage shouted a warning just in time,
“Move!”
Milo instinctively ducked as a huge gauntleted hand swung inches over his head. A giant metal statue stepped slowly from the doorway, forcing Milo to flip out of its reach.
“Iron golem!” shouted Thalin.
The golem stepped dauntingly onto the chamber floor and took slow, inevitable steps towards the three intruders. The guardian was dominated by a magnificent chain beard, which swayed heavily.
A plan sprung in Thalin’s mind. He grabbed Torious and Milo by the arm and manoeuvred his companions to the other side of the grinder pit.
“Milo! The grinder!” shouted Torious, catching onto Thalin’s plan.
Milo was way ahead of this however, and the crossbow bolt pinned the hand of the lever into ‘on’ as Torious shouted his instruction over the ‘thump thump’ of the golem.
“This had better work!” yelled Milo.
The golem reached the far edge of the grinder and without a pause, placed his next step over the gap and with a thunderous crash fell into the revolving teeth of the grinder. Thalin, Milo and Torious covered their ears in pain as a bone-shivering scream wailed from the grinder. The teeth locked against the golems huge form and halted the turning of the cogs. Arms stretched to the sky as it grasped towards the intruders, the golem was stuck fast.
- - - - - - - - - -
The bones of the dwarves slithered back into place. Lyle finished the last of the verses. He watched in morbid amusement as the dwarven skeletons stood as if dragged up by some invisible puppet master. Their skulls lolled. Twisted and dirt encrusted beards hung limp. Then as one, the heads snapped to attention as the final puppet string was pulled and the risen dead awaited their orders.
His bloodthirsty revenge had been playing in his mind all day, and he could wait no longer. Lyle pushed open the door with his boot. He stalked from the shadows of the chamber entrance. The undead crowded after him. Their deformed movements quickened as they sensed their prey.
Lyle sighted the three talking companions. He rested his crossbow over his stump and took careful aim.
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