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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7448470" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Just a quick note that I will be doing some traveling starting at the end of next week. The story will be on hiatus for a few weeks during that time.</p><p></p><p>* * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 175</p><p></p><p>The alien monster’s huge jaws swelled to fill Xeeta’s vision as the tentacle dragged her inexorably closer. She tried to pull free, to grab hold of something, but her fingers only scratched painfully on the uneven stone, unable to find solid purchase.</p><p></p><p>She felt a scream bubble up as the creature lunged forward, but before it could strike Bredan was there, his sword flashing in his hands. He chopped down and severed the tentacle a scant foot from Xeeta’s ankle, freeing her. The creature let out a feral cry of pain and turned on him. It reared up, its jaws snapping out at Bredan’s torso, but before it could impact he summoned a <em>shield</em> that kept those nasty teeth at bay. The creature tried to engulf the magical barrier, but it held long enough for Bredan to grab hold of Xeeta and pull her free. But even as the sorceress fumbled to her feet she saw that the creature wasn’t finished.</p><p></p><p>“Look out!” she warned, but was too late to help Bredan avoid one of the tentacles that came slashing down like a club. It smashed hard into the warrior’s shoulder from behind, staggering him from the impact. It slashed around, seeking his neck, but he was able to avoid the probing tendril. But as the <em>shield</em> dissolved the rest of the creature came lurching forward again.</p><p></p><p>Bredan turned to meet it, but before he could engage it again Darik came rushing in from the side. The dwarf slammed his axe down, nearly severing one of the tentacles and damaging one of its stubby legs. The creature lashed out blindly in pain, driving both warriors back with the frenzy of its struggles. Its remaining tentacles slashed out wildly like whips, and Bredan suffered another hit, a stinger to the hip that had him grimacing with pain.</p><p></p><p>Xeeta stepped forward, her eyes ablaze. Fire lashed from her hands, blasting into the creature’s face. One of the <em>scorching rays</em> shot into its open maw, searing the interior of its throat. She let out a ragged cry as the magic poured out of her, then stumbled back as the last of the fiery beams faded. But some of the power still clung to her, and she stared down at her hands in surprise as red flames continued to engulf them, blazing like a pair of torches.</p><p></p><p>The lake monster had apparently had enough; it retreated back to the safety of the water, hissing as it immersed its seared mouth. Bredan and Darik watched it warily until it was gone, then turned to Xeeta.</p><p></p><p>“Are you all right?” Bredan asked her, coming forward.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t touch me!” she warned, holding her arms away from her body. “It’s… I’m okay, it’s not hurting me.” She turned away, unwilling to let him see the shame in her eyes as she fought to push the Demon back down into its cage within her soul.</p><p></p><p>Stung a bit by her demeanor, Bredan turned back to Darik. “What was that thing?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know,” the dwarf said. “Never saw one of those before.”</p><p></p><p>“What do you mean you’ve never seen one before?” Bredan asked. “I thought you were the expert!”</p><p></p><p>“I told you, all kinds of awful things live in the deep places under the earth.” He gave Xeeta a quick look as she continued to struggle with the flames surrounding her hands. “We should get back.”</p><p></p><p>As if to confirm the dwarf’s words, a distant sound reached them, a deep, moaning cry. All three of them lifted their heads, listening until the echoes of the sound faded. “Yeah, I think that’s a very good idea,” Bredan said. “Xeeta, you’re sure you’re…”</p><p></p><p>“I’m fine,” she said. “Let’s just go.”</p><p></p><p>Bredan made his sword vanish again and recovered his lantern. They made their way quickly back up the slope to the other cavern above. Darik led them swiftly back along their path, Xeeta trailing behind. Her focus was on her burning hands instead of the route, but Bredan lingered back, making sure she didn’t fall behind. Through an intense effort of will she kept the flames from spreading, and after a minute or so they faded back into nothing, leaving her hands as they had been.</p><p></p><p>“Thanks for driving it off,” Bredan said.</p><p></p><p>“You saved my life, again,” Xeeta said. “I should have blasted it myself when it was dragging me, but I couldn’t think. Another second and I probably would have pissed myself.”</p><p></p><p>“I felt pretty much the same,” Bredan said. “Do you think… was it just a coincidence, it being there?”</p><p></p><p>Xeeta looked at Darik, who was a good thirty feet ahead of them, pushing the pace. Whatever the cry they’d heard had been, it had clearly spooked the dwarf. “He didn’t hesitate to help us.”</p><p></p><p>“Maybe he didn’t know. It wasn’t his idea to take us there, remember.”</p><p></p><p>“Still, it seems something of a stretch to think that the Council of Elders wants us dead,” Xeeta said.</p><p></p><p>Darik turned and waited for them at the mouth of another tunnel. “Come on,” he said. “Are you all right? Injured?” He gestured at Xeeta’s leg.</p><p></p><p>“I’m okay,” she said. “Bredan took far heavier hits than I did.”</p><p></p><p>“I’ll take you both to the infirmary when we get back,” Darik said.</p><p></p><p>“I’m fine,” Bredan said. “I’ve taken worse in practice bouts.”</p><p></p><p>“Better to be safe,” Darik said. “Some of the things down here… they inject poison or carry spores that can cause a disease if left untreated. It might hurt diplomatic relations if your arm were to fall off in a few days.”</p><p></p><p>He hurried forward again, and the other two shared a look. “Dwarf humor,” Xeeta suggested.</p><p></p><p>“The wonders of diplomacy,” Bredan said dryly.</p><p></p><p>They passed several familiar features, and soon they entered another cavern where they could see the reassuring bulk of the Darkfall Gate, surrounded with a bright nimbus of light, waiting ahead.</p><p></p><p>This time, approaching from the outside, Xeeta was able to study the Gate in more detail. This side obviously lacked the stairs and ramps and mechanisms on the other side, and looked smooth at first glance save for the uneven notches that formed the battlements at the top. But as they got closer she could see that the first impression belied a more complex truth. The wall was marked with hundreds if not thousands of gouges and other scars, some old, some new. There were a number of places where it looked as though repairs had been made. Some of the marks looked as though they might have been made by claws, which caused Xeeta to shudder.</p><p></p><p>They returned to the sally port beside the main gates. The steel door swung open at their approach and several armored dwarves stepped out to greet them. They were only permitted to pass after another interview, this one conducted quickly with frequent glances toward the darkness beyond the lights that wreathed the Gate. Their guards remained close until they had passed through the rune arch again.</p><p></p><p>“I need to report in to the watch officer,” Darik said. “I’ll just be a few minutes, then we can go to the infirmary.”</p><p></p><p>“Really, we’re fine,” Bredan said. “And we have a cleric with us in case there are any lasting issues.”</p><p></p><p>“I’d feel better if you let our medics give you a quick check,” Darik said. “And there is something else in the infirmary you may want to see. The last part of the story that began with that mural.”</p><p></p><p>He headed off, and Bredan escorted Xeeta to the one side of the guardroom, where there were a few empty benches. “What do you think?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>“I think we need to learn as much as we can about what’s going on here, as quickly as possible,” she said.</p><p></p><p>“Agreed. We need to… hey, there’s Quellan!”</p><p></p><p>Both of them rose as the cleric came in, escorted by another dwarf warrior. “Are you both all right?” Quellan asked. “They said you’d gone to the lower gates of the city, but it looks like you’ve been in a fight!”</p><p></p><p>“Just a minor disagreement with a weird monster,” Xeeta said. “Apparently this place is thick with them. What about you? Did you learn anything at the local temple?”</p><p></p><p>“I’m not sure yet,” Quellan said. He looked around in a significant way. There were several dwarves in other parts of the room, but none of them seemed to be paying any attention to them. He leaned in and in a lower voice said, “They know about the Book, and have the key. But I don’t know why they’re interested in Bredan, or whether they intend to let us take the key back to Severon.”</p><p></p><p>“Our guide went out of his way to show us that Ironcrest is threatened,” Bredan said. “It could be that they’re setting us up for asking for something significant in exchange for the use of the key. Have you talked with Konstantin yet?”</p><p></p><p>“No, he wasn’t in the quarters the Council reserved for us. I figured I should come look for you first. Maybe we should stick together from here on out.”</p><p></p><p>“Darik’s coming back,” Xeeta said.</p><p></p><p>The dwarven warrior approached them, acknowledging Quellan’s presence with a neutral nod. “Are you ready?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>“Lead on,” Bredan said.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7448470, member: 143"] Just a quick note that I will be doing some traveling starting at the end of next week. The story will be on hiatus for a few weeks during that time. * * * Chapter 175 The alien monster’s huge jaws swelled to fill Xeeta’s vision as the tentacle dragged her inexorably closer. She tried to pull free, to grab hold of something, but her fingers only scratched painfully on the uneven stone, unable to find solid purchase. She felt a scream bubble up as the creature lunged forward, but before it could strike Bredan was there, his sword flashing in his hands. He chopped down and severed the tentacle a scant foot from Xeeta’s ankle, freeing her. The creature let out a feral cry of pain and turned on him. It reared up, its jaws snapping out at Bredan’s torso, but before it could impact he summoned a [i]shield[/i] that kept those nasty teeth at bay. The creature tried to engulf the magical barrier, but it held long enough for Bredan to grab hold of Xeeta and pull her free. But even as the sorceress fumbled to her feet she saw that the creature wasn’t finished. “Look out!” she warned, but was too late to help Bredan avoid one of the tentacles that came slashing down like a club. It smashed hard into the warrior’s shoulder from behind, staggering him from the impact. It slashed around, seeking his neck, but he was able to avoid the probing tendril. But as the [i]shield[/i] dissolved the rest of the creature came lurching forward again. Bredan turned to meet it, but before he could engage it again Darik came rushing in from the side. The dwarf slammed his axe down, nearly severing one of the tentacles and damaging one of its stubby legs. The creature lashed out blindly in pain, driving both warriors back with the frenzy of its struggles. Its remaining tentacles slashed out wildly like whips, and Bredan suffered another hit, a stinger to the hip that had him grimacing with pain. Xeeta stepped forward, her eyes ablaze. Fire lashed from her hands, blasting into the creature’s face. One of the [i]scorching rays[/i] shot into its open maw, searing the interior of its throat. She let out a ragged cry as the magic poured out of her, then stumbled back as the last of the fiery beams faded. But some of the power still clung to her, and she stared down at her hands in surprise as red flames continued to engulf them, blazing like a pair of torches. The lake monster had apparently had enough; it retreated back to the safety of the water, hissing as it immersed its seared mouth. Bredan and Darik watched it warily until it was gone, then turned to Xeeta. “Are you all right?” Bredan asked her, coming forward. “Don’t touch me!” she warned, holding her arms away from her body. “It’s… I’m okay, it’s not hurting me.” She turned away, unwilling to let him see the shame in her eyes as she fought to push the Demon back down into its cage within her soul. Stung a bit by her demeanor, Bredan turned back to Darik. “What was that thing?” he asked. “I don’t know,” the dwarf said. “Never saw one of those before.” “What do you mean you’ve never seen one before?” Bredan asked. “I thought you were the expert!” “I told you, all kinds of awful things live in the deep places under the earth.” He gave Xeeta a quick look as she continued to struggle with the flames surrounding her hands. “We should get back.” As if to confirm the dwarf’s words, a distant sound reached them, a deep, moaning cry. All three of them lifted their heads, listening until the echoes of the sound faded. “Yeah, I think that’s a very good idea,” Bredan said. “Xeeta, you’re sure you’re…” “I’m fine,” she said. “Let’s just go.” Bredan made his sword vanish again and recovered his lantern. They made their way quickly back up the slope to the other cavern above. Darik led them swiftly back along their path, Xeeta trailing behind. Her focus was on her burning hands instead of the route, but Bredan lingered back, making sure she didn’t fall behind. Through an intense effort of will she kept the flames from spreading, and after a minute or so they faded back into nothing, leaving her hands as they had been. “Thanks for driving it off,” Bredan said. “You saved my life, again,” Xeeta said. “I should have blasted it myself when it was dragging me, but I couldn’t think. Another second and I probably would have pissed myself.” “I felt pretty much the same,” Bredan said. “Do you think… was it just a coincidence, it being there?” Xeeta looked at Darik, who was a good thirty feet ahead of them, pushing the pace. Whatever the cry they’d heard had been, it had clearly spooked the dwarf. “He didn’t hesitate to help us.” “Maybe he didn’t know. It wasn’t his idea to take us there, remember.” “Still, it seems something of a stretch to think that the Council of Elders wants us dead,” Xeeta said. Darik turned and waited for them at the mouth of another tunnel. “Come on,” he said. “Are you all right? Injured?” He gestured at Xeeta’s leg. “I’m okay,” she said. “Bredan took far heavier hits than I did.” “I’ll take you both to the infirmary when we get back,” Darik said. “I’m fine,” Bredan said. “I’ve taken worse in practice bouts.” “Better to be safe,” Darik said. “Some of the things down here… they inject poison or carry spores that can cause a disease if left untreated. It might hurt diplomatic relations if your arm were to fall off in a few days.” He hurried forward again, and the other two shared a look. “Dwarf humor,” Xeeta suggested. “The wonders of diplomacy,” Bredan said dryly. They passed several familiar features, and soon they entered another cavern where they could see the reassuring bulk of the Darkfall Gate, surrounded with a bright nimbus of light, waiting ahead. This time, approaching from the outside, Xeeta was able to study the Gate in more detail. This side obviously lacked the stairs and ramps and mechanisms on the other side, and looked smooth at first glance save for the uneven notches that formed the battlements at the top. But as they got closer she could see that the first impression belied a more complex truth. The wall was marked with hundreds if not thousands of gouges and other scars, some old, some new. There were a number of places where it looked as though repairs had been made. Some of the marks looked as though they might have been made by claws, which caused Xeeta to shudder. They returned to the sally port beside the main gates. The steel door swung open at their approach and several armored dwarves stepped out to greet them. They were only permitted to pass after another interview, this one conducted quickly with frequent glances toward the darkness beyond the lights that wreathed the Gate. Their guards remained close until they had passed through the rune arch again. “I need to report in to the watch officer,” Darik said. “I’ll just be a few minutes, then we can go to the infirmary.” “Really, we’re fine,” Bredan said. “And we have a cleric with us in case there are any lasting issues.” “I’d feel better if you let our medics give you a quick check,” Darik said. “And there is something else in the infirmary you may want to see. The last part of the story that began with that mural.” He headed off, and Bredan escorted Xeeta to the one side of the guardroom, where there were a few empty benches. “What do you think?” he asked. “I think we need to learn as much as we can about what’s going on here, as quickly as possible,” she said. “Agreed. We need to… hey, there’s Quellan!” Both of them rose as the cleric came in, escorted by another dwarf warrior. “Are you both all right?” Quellan asked. “They said you’d gone to the lower gates of the city, but it looks like you’ve been in a fight!” “Just a minor disagreement with a weird monster,” Xeeta said. “Apparently this place is thick with them. What about you? Did you learn anything at the local temple?” “I’m not sure yet,” Quellan said. He looked around in a significant way. There were several dwarves in other parts of the room, but none of them seemed to be paying any attention to them. He leaned in and in a lower voice said, “They know about the Book, and have the key. But I don’t know why they’re interested in Bredan, or whether they intend to let us take the key back to Severon.” “Our guide went out of his way to show us that Ironcrest is threatened,” Bredan said. “It could be that they’re setting us up for asking for something significant in exchange for the use of the key. Have you talked with Konstantin yet?” “No, he wasn’t in the quarters the Council reserved for us. I figured I should come look for you first. Maybe we should stick together from here on out.” “Darik’s coming back,” Xeeta said. The dwarven warrior approached them, acknowledging Quellan’s presence with a neutral nod. “Are you ready?” he asked. “Lead on,” Bredan said. [/QUOTE]
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