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Message: <blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4888630" data-attributes="member: 3285">Castle Ambrose: Part 19b – The Enchanted Sword of SylaireSephora gave them careful instructions that would enable to find the werewolf's den without delay. It was easy to locate the den, for well-used paths ran toward it with little deviation. The place was the mounded remnant of a tower that had crumbled down into grassy earth and mossy blocks. The entrance had once been a lofty doorway: now it was only a hole, such as a large animal would make in leaving and returning to its burrow.Light poured through several apertures, latticed with wandering tree-roots, where the mound had fallen in. The place was a cavern rather than a room. It stank with carrion remnants. The ground was littered with bones, broken stems and leaves of plants, and shattered or rusted vessels of alchemic use. A verdigris-eaten kettle hung from a tripod above ashes and ends of charred faggots. Rain-sodden grimoires lay moldering in rusty metal covers. The three-legged ruin of a table was propped against the wall. In one corner was a litter of dead grass. The strong, rank odor of a wild beast mingled with the carrion stench.Beldin and Vlad entered.  Sebastian launched himself into the yawning cavern’s heights.A billowing cloud of mist engulfed them.“Magic!” snarled Vlad.  From out of the mists bounded white wolves the size of men.  Their icy cold breath scorched both warriors.  Vlad struck one and was rewarded with a yelp.  Then they retreated back into the fog.“We can’t keep this up,” said Beldin to the heavens.  “On the next attack, do it.”Vlad nodded, holding Grungronazharr before him.  “I’m ready.”Before the wolves could strike again, time a blast of flames exploded all around them.  Vlad and Beldin were unharmed.“That cleared the terrain a bit,” said Beldin.  “That wasn’t me!” came Sebastian’s voice from above.Bounding out of the fog came a creature even larger than the wolves themselves.  It had white fur, but it loped in a poor imitation of a man.  Blue flames shimmered from its hide.Beldin lashed out, only to drop Windcutter in pain as the flames shot up the haft of his axe.  “He’s protected somehow!”Vlad struck out at the werewolf, but the results were the same.  The werewolf howled, and the other three wolves joined it.  “Now Sebastian!” shouted Vlad.More flames blasted the terrain, the wolves, and the two warriors.  The fire sent the winter wolves scurrying, but the werewolf was relentless.  It grabbed Vlad by the throat and hurled him across the clearing.Beldin advanced on the lycanthrope, but before he could close it unleashed a bolt of lightning.  Beldin was knocked backwards from the jolt.The werewolf howled again, but this time in pain.  A sizzling hole burned through its shoulder, an orb of acid cast by Sebastian somewhere in the depths of the cavern’s ceiling. It turned and surged toward Vlad…The mad werewolf sprang as if hurled from a catapult, and his red, open gorge was spitted on the out-thrust point. Vlad’s hand was jarred on Grungronazharr’s hilt, and the shock drove him backward. The werewolf fell thrashing at Vlad’s feet. Its jaws had clenched on the blade. The point protruded beyond the stiff bristles of his neck.Vlad tugged vainly with Grungronazharr. Then the furred body ceased to thrash — and the blade came easily. It had been withdrawn from the sagging mouth of the dead ancient sorcerer, Malachie du Marais, which lay before Vlad on the flagstones. They returned Malachie’s dripping head to Sephora’s tower. The light of early morning set the leaves of the trees on fire with a blazing yellow. The sunlight streamed through the trees, but beneath their great trunks the land was yet dark, cast in blue. “Every league you travel north, the danger will increase,” said Sephora. “Nor will you find safety in Yhtill. By river you have the chance of outrunning the enemy to the Alar. And now, as promised…” Sephora extended a silver blade to Vlad.“My gift for you, Vlad, is the enchanted sword of Sylaire, our most powerful weapon.  Use it wisely.”They left wordlessly, enchanted by Sephora’s mere presence.  “Farewell,” she waved after them. “There is much you have left to do.”</blockquote>

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