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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7080326" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 19</p><p></p><p>Kosk’s lips tightened in a snarl and he let out a low growl as he raised his staff and leapt to the attack.</p><p></p><p>Glori flinched back as the iron-shot staff slammed hard into its target. The attacks kept coming, one after another, the head of the staff striking like a snake. She threw up her hands to protect her face as shards of stone shot past. “Ahh!” she yelled. “What’s he doing?”</p><p></p><p>“The faces,” Quellan said, as the dwarf continued smashing one of the stone masks embedded into the walls. “It’s the faces!”</p><p></p><p>Bredan turned to another of the stone faces. To him it seemed like the exaggerated expression of joy was mocking him. He realized with a start that he had his sword bare in his hands; he did not remember drawing it. He’d almost swung it, though that would have likely only shattered the steel. Trying to clear his head, he let the sword fall and reached for his tools.</p><p></p><p>On realizing his companion’s plan Quellan took out his mace and went to work on the stone face showing pain. He felt a jolt ring up his arm as he struck it, but nothing otherwise as he started methodically smashing the carving. Martial notes filled the air as Glori, realizing she had nothing useful for stone-crushing, strummed her lute. The song was evocative of the march she’d played that morning, the orderly structure of its melody helping to counter the discordant effects of the masks. Within a few moments her companions’ blows all synchronized to the music, a regular harmonic beat that was offset by the patter of shards bouncing off the walls or floor.</p><p></p><p>The stone faces might have lasted for centuries, but against the determined assault of three strong men they could not stand. Kosk was the first to complete his destruction, but as his mask shattered into fragments a pulse of mental energy erupted through the room. All four adventurers staggered back, clutching their heads.</p><p></p><p>“What… what was <em>that</em>?” Glori asked.</p><p></p><p>“Maybe… maybe the energy of the spell being discharged?” Quellan ventured. “Can you leave?”</p><p></p><p>Glori was nearest the exit, and she crossed to it in a flash. “No,” she said after a moment.</p><p></p><p>“More work to do, then,” Kosk muttered, lifting his staff again.</p><p></p><p>“Wait, just wait!” Quellan said. “I’m not sure how many of those pulses we can withstand.”</p><p></p><p>“You can get out,” the monk said. “Go wait outside, if you can’t handle it.”</p><p></p><p>“It’s not that I can’t handle it,” the half-orc said.</p><p></p><p>Glori idly dropped a hand to her lute, and as her fingertips brushed the strings Kosk turned to her. “And you can lay off that bloody racket! I can’t hear myself bloody think with all the noise you make!”</p><p></p><p>“It’s not my fault you have the artistic perceptions of a toadstool!” Glori shot back.</p><p></p><p>“You’re starting to get on my nerves!” Kosk shouted. Without realizing it he’d taken a step closer to her, leaving just a narrow gap between them.</p><p></p><p>“Leave her alone!” Quellan roared.</p><p></p><p>Bredan let out a wild yell and threw himself back at his mask with a fury that briefly shocked the others out of their argument. With a chisel in one hand and a small hammer in the other he rained down blows on the stone face. Dust swirled into his face and covered his clothes, and for a moment he could hardly see, but he kept on delivering precise strikes. Before any of the others could intervene there was another loud, ominous crack, and they all tensed in anticipation of another wave of pain. That pulse came, but it was weaker this time and its effects quickly faded.</p><p></p><p>Bredan was already staggering toward the next mask, looking like some sort of ghoul with the pale dust covering his upper body, but before he could resume his attack Quellan intervened. “Wait… I think that might be it,” he said. “Try it now.”</p><p></p><p>Glori ventured to the exit once more, and this time she was able to step into the far passage without difficulty. “It’s okay,” she said. “It worked.”</p><p></p><p>“That…” Quellan said. “It was just the magic, it wasn’t us.”</p><p></p><p>“I know,” Glori said, with a look at Kosk. The monk was holding onto his staff tightly, staring down at his fists clenched around the wooden shaft. The others all watched him until he let out a breath and let his hands fall. “I’m sorry,” he said.</p><p></p><p>“No harm done,” Glori said.</p><p></p><p>Bredan took a steadying breath of his own as he replaced his tools in their case. He started toward his sword, but Kosk beat him to it. The smith looked suspicious for a moment as the dwarf lifted his weapon, but Kosk only slid it back into its scabbard and offered it to him. “Well done,” he said.</p><p></p><p>“Thanks,” Bredan said as he accepted the sword. He started to move past the dwarf, but Kosk interrupted him by asking, “Was it my face you saw? When you were smashing the stone?”</p><p></p><p>Bredan’s face cracked into a small smile. “Maybe.”</p><p></p><p>“Let’s get out of here, okay?” Quellan suggested.</p><p></p><p>“Aye, let’s see what other creative ways these Barat bastards have to try to kill us,” Kosk said.</p><p></p><p>They left the room but did not get very far. The new passage only extended for about twenty feet before it turned suddenly and ended in a solid wall.</p><p></p><p>“Um… dead end?” Glori asked.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t give up so easy,” Kosk said. He slipped past Quellan and examined the wall, running his fingertips over the surface. “This was built later than the rest of the place. Masonry work, and done in a hurry I’d guess.” He flicked a piece of mortar clear with his thumbnail and gave the wall a tap with his staff. “I expect the boy could chip us a passage fairly quick.”</p><p></p><p>“I wonder who built it, and why?” Glori asked. “To keep folks out… or to keep something in?”</p><p></p><p>“Like what?” Bredan asked. “Some kind of monster? Another guardian?”</p><p></p><p>“There’s no way of knowing,” Quellan said. “But the fact that someone went through this amount of effort suggests that there’s [/i]something[/i] important behind this wall.”</p><p></p><p>Kosk shrugged. “None of that matters. If we’re going to do what we came here to do it’s an obstacle we need to get through. So unless you want me to do it, time to start hammering, boy.”</p><p></p><p>The others stepped back and Bredan went to work. The hammer and chisel made a lot of noise, but after the ruckus they’d made back in the entrance chamber they were less worried about drawing unwanted attention. Even so, they took turns keeping an eye on the passage behind them. When Bredan finally knocked an opening through the wall with a clatter of stones they all tensed, half expecting something to jump out at them, but only darkness and stale air greeted them. Working together they quickly widened the breach until it was wide enough for Quellan to slip through. The half-orc bent low and squeezed through the opening, then made room for the others to follow behind.</p><p></p><p>The passage on the far side of the wall quickly gave way to a narrow stone staircase that wound deeper into the interior of the bluff. Quellan led the way, his torch held high to brighten the way for the others.</p><p></p><p>The stone steps descended steeply, twisting around upon themselves until they abruptly ended at a landing roughly ten feet square. The small room appeared to be empty, but Quellan’s torch revealed another passage that exited opposite the stairs.</p><p></p><p>The half-orc paused and glanced back to confirm that his companions were still close behind. Everything seemed well, but as he stepped off the bottom stair onto the floor of the anteroom a demon materialized in front of him and attacked.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7080326, member: 143"] Chapter 19 Kosk’s lips tightened in a snarl and he let out a low growl as he raised his staff and leapt to the attack. Glori flinched back as the iron-shot staff slammed hard into its target. The attacks kept coming, one after another, the head of the staff striking like a snake. She threw up her hands to protect her face as shards of stone shot past. “Ahh!” she yelled. “What’s he doing?” “The faces,” Quellan said, as the dwarf continued smashing one of the stone masks embedded into the walls. “It’s the faces!” Bredan turned to another of the stone faces. To him it seemed like the exaggerated expression of joy was mocking him. He realized with a start that he had his sword bare in his hands; he did not remember drawing it. He’d almost swung it, though that would have likely only shattered the steel. Trying to clear his head, he let the sword fall and reached for his tools. On realizing his companion’s plan Quellan took out his mace and went to work on the stone face showing pain. He felt a jolt ring up his arm as he struck it, but nothing otherwise as he started methodically smashing the carving. Martial notes filled the air as Glori, realizing she had nothing useful for stone-crushing, strummed her lute. The song was evocative of the march she’d played that morning, the orderly structure of its melody helping to counter the discordant effects of the masks. Within a few moments her companions’ blows all synchronized to the music, a regular harmonic beat that was offset by the patter of shards bouncing off the walls or floor. The stone faces might have lasted for centuries, but against the determined assault of three strong men they could not stand. Kosk was the first to complete his destruction, but as his mask shattered into fragments a pulse of mental energy erupted through the room. All four adventurers staggered back, clutching their heads. “What… what was [i]that[/i]?” Glori asked. “Maybe… maybe the energy of the spell being discharged?” Quellan ventured. “Can you leave?” Glori was nearest the exit, and she crossed to it in a flash. “No,” she said after a moment. “More work to do, then,” Kosk muttered, lifting his staff again. “Wait, just wait!” Quellan said. “I’m not sure how many of those pulses we can withstand.” “You can get out,” the monk said. “Go wait outside, if you can’t handle it.” “It’s not that I can’t handle it,” the half-orc said. Glori idly dropped a hand to her lute, and as her fingertips brushed the strings Kosk turned to her. “And you can lay off that bloody racket! I can’t hear myself bloody think with all the noise you make!” “It’s not my fault you have the artistic perceptions of a toadstool!” Glori shot back. “You’re starting to get on my nerves!” Kosk shouted. Without realizing it he’d taken a step closer to her, leaving just a narrow gap between them. “Leave her alone!” Quellan roared. Bredan let out a wild yell and threw himself back at his mask with a fury that briefly shocked the others out of their argument. With a chisel in one hand and a small hammer in the other he rained down blows on the stone face. Dust swirled into his face and covered his clothes, and for a moment he could hardly see, but he kept on delivering precise strikes. Before any of the others could intervene there was another loud, ominous crack, and they all tensed in anticipation of another wave of pain. That pulse came, but it was weaker this time and its effects quickly faded. Bredan was already staggering toward the next mask, looking like some sort of ghoul with the pale dust covering his upper body, but before he could resume his attack Quellan intervened. “Wait… I think that might be it,” he said. “Try it now.” Glori ventured to the exit once more, and this time she was able to step into the far passage without difficulty. “It’s okay,” she said. “It worked.” “That…” Quellan said. “It was just the magic, it wasn’t us.” “I know,” Glori said, with a look at Kosk. The monk was holding onto his staff tightly, staring down at his fists clenched around the wooden shaft. The others all watched him until he let out a breath and let his hands fall. “I’m sorry,” he said. “No harm done,” Glori said. Bredan took a steadying breath of his own as he replaced his tools in their case. He started toward his sword, but Kosk beat him to it. The smith looked suspicious for a moment as the dwarf lifted his weapon, but Kosk only slid it back into its scabbard and offered it to him. “Well done,” he said. “Thanks,” Bredan said as he accepted the sword. He started to move past the dwarf, but Kosk interrupted him by asking, “Was it my face you saw? When you were smashing the stone?” Bredan’s face cracked into a small smile. “Maybe.” “Let’s get out of here, okay?” Quellan suggested. “Aye, let’s see what other creative ways these Barat bastards have to try to kill us,” Kosk said. They left the room but did not get very far. The new passage only extended for about twenty feet before it turned suddenly and ended in a solid wall. “Um… dead end?” Glori asked. “Don’t give up so easy,” Kosk said. He slipped past Quellan and examined the wall, running his fingertips over the surface. “This was built later than the rest of the place. Masonry work, and done in a hurry I’d guess.” He flicked a piece of mortar clear with his thumbnail and gave the wall a tap with his staff. “I expect the boy could chip us a passage fairly quick.” “I wonder who built it, and why?” Glori asked. “To keep folks out… or to keep something in?” “Like what?” Bredan asked. “Some kind of monster? Another guardian?” “There’s no way of knowing,” Quellan said. “But the fact that someone went through this amount of effort suggests that there’s [/i]something[/i] important behind this wall.” Kosk shrugged. “None of that matters. If we’re going to do what we came here to do it’s an obstacle we need to get through. So unless you want me to do it, time to start hammering, boy.” The others stepped back and Bredan went to work. The hammer and chisel made a lot of noise, but after the ruckus they’d made back in the entrance chamber they were less worried about drawing unwanted attention. Even so, they took turns keeping an eye on the passage behind them. When Bredan finally knocked an opening through the wall with a clatter of stones they all tensed, half expecting something to jump out at them, but only darkness and stale air greeted them. Working together they quickly widened the breach until it was wide enough for Quellan to slip through. The half-orc bent low and squeezed through the opening, then made room for the others to follow behind. The passage on the far side of the wall quickly gave way to a narrow stone staircase that wound deeper into the interior of the bluff. Quellan led the way, his torch held high to brighten the way for the others. The stone steps descended steeply, twisting around upon themselves until they abruptly ended at a landing roughly ten feet square. The small room appeared to be empty, but Quellan’s torch revealed another passage that exited opposite the stairs. The half-orc paused and glanced back to confirm that his companions were still close behind. Everything seemed well, but as he stepped off the bottom stair onto the floor of the anteroom a demon materialized in front of him and attacked. [/QUOTE]
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