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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7496777" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 206</p><p></p><p>As Bredan rushed into the entry of the Temple of Hosrenu he stopped in surprise and dismay at what he found.</p><p></p><p>The large double doors that led into the temple had been blasted off their hinges, one of the great panels reduced almost to kindling. Dwarves were still clearing away a barricade of stone pews and other detritus that had been stacked in front of them. All of it—broken doors, pews, even the nearby walls—were splashed liberally with blood and gore, and a fearsome stench of death hung thick in the air.</p><p></p><p>“Bloody hells,” Xeeta said from behind him.</p><p></p><p>Dwarves were visible all over the room, most of them armed and armored. Some of them noticed the pair standing in the doorway and came over to block them, but then Darik arrived and at a gesture from him the guards let them past. Bredan barely noticed, moving forward into the room with Xeeta in his shadow.</p><p></p><p>The center of the temple was a cluttered, almost impassible muddle, so they circled around the edge of the nave to the sanctuary at the far side. Bredan could see that there was a large hole in the center of the floor, surrounded by more bloodstained pews. Extensive scorch marks suggested that fires had ravaged the place not long ago, and smoke and soot still hung thick in the air.</p><p></p><p>It was fortunate that the dwarves relied on stone rather than wood in their construction, Bredan thought.</p><p></p><p>The destruction on the far side of the chamber was even worse. At least a dozen dead trolls had been arranged in a line off to the side, the corpses leaving bloody trails across the floor. Bredan and Xeeta followed those to the doorway that led to the high priest’s chambers. The sanctuary had suffered damage, and somehow even the massive altar stone had been toppled and shattered, but that was nothing compared to what they saw when they got to the doorway.</p><p></p><p>The doors to the temple had been shattered, but the one here had been eviscerated; even the spots in the threshold where the hinges had been attached had been gouged out of the stone. The entire entry was scorched black and further caked in seared ichor. About five paces to the left of the gaping doorway there was another opening, a five-foot circle that had somehow been carved into the rock. Another troll lay dead in that breach, its skull caved in on one side.</p><p></p><p>Bredan hurried through the doorway, stepping over several thick puddles of gore that made the stone slick. Most of the blood trails from the bodies outside ended here. But not all of them; there were several more corpses strewn about the inner chamber as well. The destruction here had been more selective. Rich furnishings, decorative tapestries, and fully-populated bookshelves circled the room; some fully intact, some tainted by just a few drops of blood, and others transformed into blackened wrecks.</p><p></p><p>Bredan’s eyes were drawn to a figure covered in pale cloth, spread out on the floor opposite the entry. Blood had already soaked through the covering. When he saw a heavy mace lying on the floor beside the fallen figure he felt a sharp pang before he realized that the corpse was too small to be his friend.</p><p></p><p>“Bredan?”</p><p></p><p>The voice drew his attention to the corner of the room, where he was relieved to see Quellan. The half-orc was slumped in an armchair. A dwarf medic was helping him out of the remnants of his armor. Most of it was already lying on the floor, covered with blood.</p><p></p><p>“Quellan!” Xeeta exclaimed, rushing over to him. “Are you all right?”</p><p></p><p>The cleric nodded, though it was clear that he was anything but. “I’m okay,” he said. “They gave me a potion. My reservoir is completely drained.” His eyes shifted over to the covered body. “Akhenon saved me,” he said. “He held them off. He sacrificed himself. I’d never seen anything like it before.”</p><p></p><p>“We saw them, the cavern they were using as a base for digging that shaft,” Bredan said. “Xeeta believes that they were using some kind of magic to transform the rock.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes… we had a run-in with the wizard,” Quellan said. “He escaped…”</p><p></p><p>“We tried to get back, to warn you, but they saw us and gave chase. Koron… he held them off while we ran. We barely got away. If only we’d been faster…”</p><p></p><p>With an obvious grimace of pain Quellan reached up and grasped Bredan’s hand. “If you hadn’t distracted them, then they might have gotten past us,” he said. “You were in time, the reinforcements got here before they could get to… Ah, thank you,” he said as the medic pulled away the last of the heavy plate. The armor would need major repairs before it could be worn again. There were more wounds underneath, and fresh blood continued to seep into the fabric of the chair as the half-orc settled back.</p><p></p><p>“You should go to the infirmary, sir,” the dwarf said.</p><p></p><p>“I will. I am just going to rest here for a moment. There are other wounded, see to them, please.”</p><p></p><p>The dwarf glanced up at Bredan then nodded. He picked up his medical bag and headed back into the outer temple.</p><p></p><p>“What did they want here?” Xeeta asked once he was gone.</p><p></p><p>They were alone for the moment, but Quellan still leaned in close. “The key,” he said. “It’s here. Other treasures as well, but I’m almost certain that they were after the key.”</p><p></p><p>“But they didn’t get it,” Bredan said.</p><p></p><p>“No. They didn’t get a chance. There’s a vault behind that wall.” He let out a grim chuckle. “Hopefully there are others besides Akhenon who know how to open it.”</p><p></p><p>“They got very close, then,” Xeeta said.</p><p></p><p>“How did they know?” Bredan asked. “That it was here, I mean.”</p><p></p><p>Quellan considered a moment before responding. “This enemy,” he said. “It was more than just trolls and giants. I did not see what race the spellcaster was, but it wasn’t one of them.”</p><p></p><p>“So it’s like the Silverpeak, then,” Bredan said. “Someone else pulling the strings.”</p><p></p><p>“That would be my guess,” Quellan said.</p><p></p><p>“I’m worried about Glori,” Bredan said.</p><p></p><p>“I am too.” For a moment his eyes seemed distant, but then he focused back on Bredan. “You’re injured as well.”</p><p></p><p>“Just a few scratches. You know me, always getting my ass kicked.”</p><p></p><p>“This time I think I have you beat,” Quellan said.</p><p></p><p>“Company,” Xeeta said. Bredan turned just as Dergan came into the room. The dwarf acknowledged them with a nod then went over to the shrouded form. He knelt beside the fallen priest with a look of sadness on his face, then came over to the three companions.</p><p></p><p>“The enemy has retreated, for now,” the dwarf said. “The price was high, very high indeed. But it seems we are in your debt once more.”</p><p></p><p>“You said before that we needed to know what you face,” Bredan said. “Now you know what we face, all of us, together. This enemy will stop at nothing to block us. We can help you… but you need to trust us.”</p><p></p><p>The dwarf nodded. “I will speak to the Council.”</p><p></p><p>“I think I would like to go to the infirmary now,” Quellan said. “If you promise to accompany me, Bredan.”</p><p></p><p>“I will order a stretcher brought,” Dergan began, but the half-orc shook his head. He accepted Bredan’s hand, then pulled himself up. “I can walk.” Leaning on his friend, with Xeeta leading the way for them, the battered cleric made his way across the room. He paused only to offer a final bow of respect to Akhenon, then left the ruined temple.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7496777, member: 143"] Chapter 206 As Bredan rushed into the entry of the Temple of Hosrenu he stopped in surprise and dismay at what he found. The large double doors that led into the temple had been blasted off their hinges, one of the great panels reduced almost to kindling. Dwarves were still clearing away a barricade of stone pews and other detritus that had been stacked in front of them. All of it—broken doors, pews, even the nearby walls—were splashed liberally with blood and gore, and a fearsome stench of death hung thick in the air. “Bloody hells,” Xeeta said from behind him. Dwarves were visible all over the room, most of them armed and armored. Some of them noticed the pair standing in the doorway and came over to block them, but then Darik arrived and at a gesture from him the guards let them past. Bredan barely noticed, moving forward into the room with Xeeta in his shadow. The center of the temple was a cluttered, almost impassible muddle, so they circled around the edge of the nave to the sanctuary at the far side. Bredan could see that there was a large hole in the center of the floor, surrounded by more bloodstained pews. Extensive scorch marks suggested that fires had ravaged the place not long ago, and smoke and soot still hung thick in the air. It was fortunate that the dwarves relied on stone rather than wood in their construction, Bredan thought. The destruction on the far side of the chamber was even worse. At least a dozen dead trolls had been arranged in a line off to the side, the corpses leaving bloody trails across the floor. Bredan and Xeeta followed those to the doorway that led to the high priest’s chambers. The sanctuary had suffered damage, and somehow even the massive altar stone had been toppled and shattered, but that was nothing compared to what they saw when they got to the doorway. The doors to the temple had been shattered, but the one here had been eviscerated; even the spots in the threshold where the hinges had been attached had been gouged out of the stone. The entire entry was scorched black and further caked in seared ichor. About five paces to the left of the gaping doorway there was another opening, a five-foot circle that had somehow been carved into the rock. Another troll lay dead in that breach, its skull caved in on one side. Bredan hurried through the doorway, stepping over several thick puddles of gore that made the stone slick. Most of the blood trails from the bodies outside ended here. But not all of them; there were several more corpses strewn about the inner chamber as well. The destruction here had been more selective. Rich furnishings, decorative tapestries, and fully-populated bookshelves circled the room; some fully intact, some tainted by just a few drops of blood, and others transformed into blackened wrecks. Bredan’s eyes were drawn to a figure covered in pale cloth, spread out on the floor opposite the entry. Blood had already soaked through the covering. When he saw a heavy mace lying on the floor beside the fallen figure he felt a sharp pang before he realized that the corpse was too small to be his friend. “Bredan?” The voice drew his attention to the corner of the room, where he was relieved to see Quellan. The half-orc was slumped in an armchair. A dwarf medic was helping him out of the remnants of his armor. Most of it was already lying on the floor, covered with blood. “Quellan!” Xeeta exclaimed, rushing over to him. “Are you all right?” The cleric nodded, though it was clear that he was anything but. “I’m okay,” he said. “They gave me a potion. My reservoir is completely drained.” His eyes shifted over to the covered body. “Akhenon saved me,” he said. “He held them off. He sacrificed himself. I’d never seen anything like it before.” “We saw them, the cavern they were using as a base for digging that shaft,” Bredan said. “Xeeta believes that they were using some kind of magic to transform the rock.” “Yes… we had a run-in with the wizard,” Quellan said. “He escaped…” “We tried to get back, to warn you, but they saw us and gave chase. Koron… he held them off while we ran. We barely got away. If only we’d been faster…” With an obvious grimace of pain Quellan reached up and grasped Bredan’s hand. “If you hadn’t distracted them, then they might have gotten past us,” he said. “You were in time, the reinforcements got here before they could get to… Ah, thank you,” he said as the medic pulled away the last of the heavy plate. The armor would need major repairs before it could be worn again. There were more wounds underneath, and fresh blood continued to seep into the fabric of the chair as the half-orc settled back. “You should go to the infirmary, sir,” the dwarf said. “I will. I am just going to rest here for a moment. There are other wounded, see to them, please.” The dwarf glanced up at Bredan then nodded. He picked up his medical bag and headed back into the outer temple. “What did they want here?” Xeeta asked once he was gone. They were alone for the moment, but Quellan still leaned in close. “The key,” he said. “It’s here. Other treasures as well, but I’m almost certain that they were after the key.” “But they didn’t get it,” Bredan said. “No. They didn’t get a chance. There’s a vault behind that wall.” He let out a grim chuckle. “Hopefully there are others besides Akhenon who know how to open it.” “They got very close, then,” Xeeta said. “How did they know?” Bredan asked. “That it was here, I mean.” Quellan considered a moment before responding. “This enemy,” he said. “It was more than just trolls and giants. I did not see what race the spellcaster was, but it wasn’t one of them.” “So it’s like the Silverpeak, then,” Bredan said. “Someone else pulling the strings.” “That would be my guess,” Quellan said. “I’m worried about Glori,” Bredan said. “I am too.” For a moment his eyes seemed distant, but then he focused back on Bredan. “You’re injured as well.” “Just a few scratches. You know me, always getting my ass kicked.” “This time I think I have you beat,” Quellan said. “Company,” Xeeta said. Bredan turned just as Dergan came into the room. The dwarf acknowledged them with a nod then went over to the shrouded form. He knelt beside the fallen priest with a look of sadness on his face, then came over to the three companions. “The enemy has retreated, for now,” the dwarf said. “The price was high, very high indeed. But it seems we are in your debt once more.” “You said before that we needed to know what you face,” Bredan said. “Now you know what we face, all of us, together. This enemy will stop at nothing to block us. We can help you… but you need to trust us.” The dwarf nodded. “I will speak to the Council.” “I think I would like to go to the infirmary now,” Quellan said. “If you promise to accompany me, Bredan.” “I will order a stretcher brought,” Dergan began, but the half-orc shook his head. He accepted Bredan’s hand, then pulled himself up. “I can walk.” Leaning on his friend, with Xeeta leading the way for them, the battered cleric made his way across the room. He paused only to offer a final bow of respect to Akhenon, then left the ruined temple. [/QUOTE]
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