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"An Icy Grave" : A Tale of Two Brothers
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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 297989" data-attributes="member: 2323"><p><strong>Part 9: It's Not Lonely at the Top</strong></p><p></p><p>Malak rubbed his beard as he looked back toward the library door. "There be nothin' here what answers a single question, me chalak. In fact, quite tha contrary, it be seemin' more and more like everywhere we turn we find more questions."</p><p>"Better ta find it than wait for it ta find us, whate'er it be, chalak," Karak replied. "I like nae what tha signs o' this 'ere struggle indicate."</p><p>"Aye," Malak agreed, his eyes moving from one piece of the twice-dead monk to the other. "There be nothin' here what looks good at all."</p><p>"It be seemin' t' me that tha sutmagmornder likes ta come out an' play aroun' near tha midden night hour," the warrior said, flexing his hands on the haft of his axe.</p><p>"Ye be thinkin' 'tis tha undead we face 'ere abouts?" Malak asked. "Aside from tha unfortunate monks, I mean."</p><p>"I do," Karak said and then he shrugged. "Now, I be nae Cleric as ye. And apparently I was nae graced with tha brains ta figure stuff out like ye. But I figure this. I nae want ta be unprepared when tha sutmagmornder 'ere comes."</p><p>Malak looked again at the hastily written prayer to Merrika.</p><p>"Aye, chalak," he said at last. "But a moment o' prayer before Shaharizod might be in order before we go wanderin' too much further."</p><p></p><p>They exited the room via the opposite door and stepped out into the hallway. To their right was a door that obviously led out onto the snow-covered balcony that seemed to circle the second floor of the monastery; they could feel the wind pressing in around the doorframe. A single closed door was set across the hallway - the only door off it that they hadn't yet opened. Malak eyed it and angled his head questioningly in that direction.</p><p>"Nae," Karak grumbled. "We're wastin' time with all these doors while tha midden night hour draws nearer. I say we brace for battle and take tha upper stairwell, ta see what these 'ere monks be fortifyin' against."</p><p>They proceeded back to the landing that looked down onto the entryway. There, Karak indicated the dark staircase that led to the third floor. He examined the splintered wooden boards that had at one time been nailed over the portal.</p><p>"Now I must say, if'n it was nae shabby 'uman fortification, it might 'ave 'ere held," the warrior said, shaking his head in disgust. A dwarf not a decade past the Mother's Rite could have produced a better barricade. "As ye well know, a dwarven one wou' 'ave held against a corporal beast."</p><p>At the sound of Karak's voice, the goat tethered to the banister downstairs let out a loud bleat.</p><p>"Come on," Malak urged. "Let's say a few words before tha Silver Queen."</p><p>Karak nodded and the brothers turned and started down the wide staircase, heading back to the shrine room and the statue of the goddess there. They walked in silence, both on edge, and both with a hand very close to their weapons. </p><p>The pack goat turned toward them eagerly as they came down the stairs. They each patted the beast reassuringly as they passed it.</p><p>As they entered the statue room, Malak again fished into his bag and retrieved a coin and dropped it into the clay bowl where it clinked against the other he had left. Even the sound of the coin, which had fallen from his own hand, hitting the bowl caused him to start a bit.</p><p>Karak harrumphed and looked around cautiously.</p><p>The Battleguard knelt and looked up at the wooden statue. Even though it was badly damaged by water and cold, a sense of calm swept over him at the sight of it. He knew that the goddess would protect him as best she could, and he even wondered if this might be a test that had been prepared for him. He had followed his brother into adventure with little knowledge about what lay ahead, questioning his own readiness. But Arngrim had come with the King's message and Shaharizod seemed to be telling him to go. So maybe this was a test, something to steel his will to continue, something to assess his readiness and allow him to prove to himself that he was ready. The King's message...</p><p>"Karak, where be tha message from tha King?" Malak asked. "Still on that infernal, smellin' goat?"</p><p>"I nae have it," his brother replied. "Unless ye took it, there it be."</p><p>"Then tha next thin' we ought ta do is go find it an' put it in a secure place, which nae doubt means in me pack," Malak jabbed as he got to his feet. "From there I put me trust in ye ta lead tha way. Ye be tha fighter... I nae b..."</p><p>Malak stopped himself there. If this was a test, he was not going to doubt his abilities. That wouldn't be what Shaharizod wanted.</p><p></p><p>With the heavy scroll tube secured safely in Malak's pack, they once more climbed the stairs to the landing. They crossed it to the narrow doorway. There was another closed door to the right, but they ignored it in favor of the stairs. They climbed into darkness with Karak in the lead.</p><p>The stairs led to what was undoubtedly the top floor. They arrived in a large, mostly-barren room with the open stairwell emerging in the center, surrounded by a protective banister. The roof of the room was steeply sloped. Near the right and left walls the roof was so low that Malak would likely have scraped his head, and in the center, where they emerged, an ogre could not have reached the ceiling beams. There were no windows that they could see, but their darkvision revealed all they needed to know. To the right and left of the stairs were two stone statues in the shape of stern men in monks' habits. Two doors were set behind them on either side of the stairs. There was no immediate sign of any undead.</p><p>Karak indicated the door on the left and they crept toward it as quietly as they could. Given their armor, that wasn't very quiet at all. Malak went about the business of checking the door for any obvious traps and listening for any sounds of movement behind it. He found and heard nothing. He tried the handle and found it locked.</p><p>As he turned to indicate as much to Karak, he heard a scraping sound and saw movement over his brother's shoulder. Karak whirled and the pair saw the danger as one.</p><p>The two stone statues had walked stiffly off their pedestals. Their fists were raised and their faces - which had been simply stern before - now were fixed in exaggerated expressions of rage.</p><p>They approached the dwarves haltingly.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 297989, member: 2323"] [b]Part 9: It's Not Lonely at the Top[/b] Malak rubbed his beard as he looked back toward the library door. "There be nothin' here what answers a single question, me chalak. In fact, quite tha contrary, it be seemin' more and more like everywhere we turn we find more questions." "Better ta find it than wait for it ta find us, whate'er it be, chalak," Karak replied. "I like nae what tha signs o' this 'ere struggle indicate." "Aye," Malak agreed, his eyes moving from one piece of the twice-dead monk to the other. "There be nothin' here what looks good at all." "It be seemin' t' me that tha sutmagmornder likes ta come out an' play aroun' near tha midden night hour," the warrior said, flexing his hands on the haft of his axe. "Ye be thinkin' 'tis tha undead we face 'ere abouts?" Malak asked. "Aside from tha unfortunate monks, I mean." "I do," Karak said and then he shrugged. "Now, I be nae Cleric as ye. And apparently I was nae graced with tha brains ta figure stuff out like ye. But I figure this. I nae want ta be unprepared when tha sutmagmornder 'ere comes." Malak looked again at the hastily written prayer to Merrika. "Aye, chalak," he said at last. "But a moment o' prayer before Shaharizod might be in order before we go wanderin' too much further." They exited the room via the opposite door and stepped out into the hallway. To their right was a door that obviously led out onto the snow-covered balcony that seemed to circle the second floor of the monastery; they could feel the wind pressing in around the doorframe. A single closed door was set across the hallway - the only door off it that they hadn't yet opened. Malak eyed it and angled his head questioningly in that direction. "Nae," Karak grumbled. "We're wastin' time with all these doors while tha midden night hour draws nearer. I say we brace for battle and take tha upper stairwell, ta see what these 'ere monks be fortifyin' against." They proceeded back to the landing that looked down onto the entryway. There, Karak indicated the dark staircase that led to the third floor. He examined the splintered wooden boards that had at one time been nailed over the portal. "Now I must say, if'n it was nae shabby 'uman fortification, it might 'ave 'ere held," the warrior said, shaking his head in disgust. A dwarf not a decade past the Mother's Rite could have produced a better barricade. "As ye well know, a dwarven one wou' 'ave held against a corporal beast." At the sound of Karak's voice, the goat tethered to the banister downstairs let out a loud bleat. "Come on," Malak urged. "Let's say a few words before tha Silver Queen." Karak nodded and the brothers turned and started down the wide staircase, heading back to the shrine room and the statue of the goddess there. They walked in silence, both on edge, and both with a hand very close to their weapons. The pack goat turned toward them eagerly as they came down the stairs. They each patted the beast reassuringly as they passed it. As they entered the statue room, Malak again fished into his bag and retrieved a coin and dropped it into the clay bowl where it clinked against the other he had left. Even the sound of the coin, which had fallen from his own hand, hitting the bowl caused him to start a bit. Karak harrumphed and looked around cautiously. The Battleguard knelt and looked up at the wooden statue. Even though it was badly damaged by water and cold, a sense of calm swept over him at the sight of it. He knew that the goddess would protect him as best she could, and he even wondered if this might be a test that had been prepared for him. He had followed his brother into adventure with little knowledge about what lay ahead, questioning his own readiness. But Arngrim had come with the King's message and Shaharizod seemed to be telling him to go. So maybe this was a test, something to steel his will to continue, something to assess his readiness and allow him to prove to himself that he was ready. The King's message... "Karak, where be tha message from tha King?" Malak asked. "Still on that infernal, smellin' goat?" "I nae have it," his brother replied. "Unless ye took it, there it be." "Then tha next thin' we ought ta do is go find it an' put it in a secure place, which nae doubt means in me pack," Malak jabbed as he got to his feet. "From there I put me trust in ye ta lead tha way. Ye be tha fighter... I nae b..." Malak stopped himself there. If this was a test, he was not going to doubt his abilities. That wouldn't be what Shaharizod wanted. With the heavy scroll tube secured safely in Malak's pack, they once more climbed the stairs to the landing. They crossed it to the narrow doorway. There was another closed door to the right, but they ignored it in favor of the stairs. They climbed into darkness with Karak in the lead. The stairs led to what was undoubtedly the top floor. They arrived in a large, mostly-barren room with the open stairwell emerging in the center, surrounded by a protective banister. The roof of the room was steeply sloped. Near the right and left walls the roof was so low that Malak would likely have scraped his head, and in the center, where they emerged, an ogre could not have reached the ceiling beams. There were no windows that they could see, but their darkvision revealed all they needed to know. To the right and left of the stairs were two stone statues in the shape of stern men in monks' habits. Two doors were set behind them on either side of the stairs. There was no immediate sign of any undead. Karak indicated the door on the left and they crept toward it as quietly as they could. Given their armor, that wasn't very quiet at all. Malak went about the business of checking the door for any obvious traps and listening for any sounds of movement behind it. He found and heard nothing. He tried the handle and found it locked. As he turned to indicate as much to Karak, he heard a scraping sound and saw movement over his brother's shoulder. Karak whirled and the pair saw the danger as one. The two stone statues had walked stiffly off their pedestals. Their fists were raised and their faces - which had been simply stern before - now were fixed in exaggerated expressions of rage. They approached the dwarves haltingly. [/QUOTE]
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