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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7621979" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 308</p><p></p><p>There was no time to react as the naga seized Kosk from behind, its long fangs driving deep into his body. The others could see the dwarf’s face twist in pain as its jaws locked onto his chest, lifting him off his feet to dangle helplessly in the air.</p><p></p><p>“No!” Glori yelled, but the naga just flicked its head almost casually to the side, hurling the limp form of Kosk to the floor of the chamber.</p><p></p><p>Quellan let out a roar of raw fury. He raised his shield and invoked a nimbus of <em>sacred flame</em> that coalesced around the head and upper body of the creature. But before the spell concluded the naga lunged forward, slashing through the gathering magic and sundering it into nothing.</p><p></p><p>The cleric’s companions unleashed a full barrage of attacks at the creature, but they likewise had little effect. Rodan fired the last arrow from his quiver, but the naga continued to shift rapidly back and forth and the shot narrowly missed. Similarly, Xeeta’s <em>fire bolt</em> streaked harmlessly past it. Glori strummed her lyre, trying to affect the creature’s mind with one of her few remaining spells, but that effort too failed.</p><p></p><p>Quellan lifted his mace and started to rush forward, but he’d gotten barely five steps into his charge when the creature opened its jaws wide and hissed at him. He could see the white flicker of magic gathering as it prepared a spell, and dodged to the side.</p><p></p><p>A pale beam of energy shot past him, but he heard a cry of pain and glanced back in time to see Xeeta fall to the floor, clutching her chest. Rodan started to go to her aid, but Glori beat him to it, gesturing for him to help the cleric. But before the tiefling could reach him Quellan heard the slithering approach of the naga and turned back to see it bearing down upon him. It was already so close that he could see the hate in its eyes and the tiny droplets of poison that trickled down its fangs.</p><p></p><p>Quellan raised his shield again. He could just see the still-unmoving form of Kosk underneath it. The sight awakened a violent rage in him, but even as he drew back his mace he cast his awareness outward, to the place where his connection with his patron god resided. He called out to Hosrenu, and the god answered.</p><p></p><p>A wild eruption of divine fire came cascading down out of the domed vastness of the chamber. The naga hesitated and looked up, but its speed and agility were of no avail against this assault. The <em>flame strike</em> slammed into it, driving it to the floor and unleashing a wash of fire so intense that Quellan’s companions were driven back a step. For a moment the cleric disappeared within that conflagration, but when it cleared a moment later he was standing there on the edge of a blackened circle upon the marble tiles, within which lay the smoking wreckage of the naga.</p><p></p><p>Quellan gave it one look, then hurried over to where Kosk had fallen. Glori and Rodan watched him, even as the bard expended the last of her magic to heal Xeeta and bring her once more back to consciousness.</p><p></p><p>Xeeta groaned and blinked as her attention focused on Glori. “Kosk,” she said.</p><p></p><p>“Quellan’s tending to him. We’re safe for the moment, just rest for a second.”</p><p></p><p>“No. Help me up. Rodan.”</p><p></p><p>Glori and Rodan helped her slowly to her feet. The sorceress was a mess, her clothes both scorched from the naga’s <em>lightning bolt</em> and crusted with ice crystals from the <em>ray of frost</em> that it had blasted her with just before its death. But none of them were much better off, and it wasn’t entirely sure who was leaning on whom as the three crossed the room to where Quellan was kneeling over Kosk’s fallen form.</p><p></p><p>One look was enough to confirm his fate. Kosk’s robes had been torn wide open, revealing a dark web of black lines running through his skin where the naga’s poison had wrought its deadly work. The muscles of his face and neck were clenched in a grim rictus, a death mask that had denied him even the peace of his end.</p><p></p><p>“If you hadn’t had to save me, you could have brought him back again,” Glori said.</p><p></p><p>“No,” Quellan said. He looked up at them, the tears falling unashamed from his eyes. “He sacrificed himself willingly, for us. We will grieve, but the only blame here is lying dead over yonder.”</p><p></p><p>He tried to get up, but his legs buckled under him and he crashed heavily back to the floor. Glori rushed over to him. “I think we’re done, at least for now,” Rodan said.</p><p></p><p>Quellan nodded. “We can take a short rest. I can bolster us, at least a little bit.” His eyes turned toward the dark opening where the naga and its skeletal guardians had appeared. “But Bredan needs us. And I don’t know how I know this, but somehow I know that our time is growing short.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7621979, member: 143"] Chapter 308 There was no time to react as the naga seized Kosk from behind, its long fangs driving deep into his body. The others could see the dwarf’s face twist in pain as its jaws locked onto his chest, lifting him off his feet to dangle helplessly in the air. “No!” Glori yelled, but the naga just flicked its head almost casually to the side, hurling the limp form of Kosk to the floor of the chamber. Quellan let out a roar of raw fury. He raised his shield and invoked a nimbus of [i]sacred flame[/i] that coalesced around the head and upper body of the creature. But before the spell concluded the naga lunged forward, slashing through the gathering magic and sundering it into nothing. The cleric’s companions unleashed a full barrage of attacks at the creature, but they likewise had little effect. Rodan fired the last arrow from his quiver, but the naga continued to shift rapidly back and forth and the shot narrowly missed. Similarly, Xeeta’s [i]fire bolt[/i] streaked harmlessly past it. Glori strummed her lyre, trying to affect the creature’s mind with one of her few remaining spells, but that effort too failed. Quellan lifted his mace and started to rush forward, but he’d gotten barely five steps into his charge when the creature opened its jaws wide and hissed at him. He could see the white flicker of magic gathering as it prepared a spell, and dodged to the side. A pale beam of energy shot past him, but he heard a cry of pain and glanced back in time to see Xeeta fall to the floor, clutching her chest. Rodan started to go to her aid, but Glori beat him to it, gesturing for him to help the cleric. But before the tiefling could reach him Quellan heard the slithering approach of the naga and turned back to see it bearing down upon him. It was already so close that he could see the hate in its eyes and the tiny droplets of poison that trickled down its fangs. Quellan raised his shield again. He could just see the still-unmoving form of Kosk underneath it. The sight awakened a violent rage in him, but even as he drew back his mace he cast his awareness outward, to the place where his connection with his patron god resided. He called out to Hosrenu, and the god answered. A wild eruption of divine fire came cascading down out of the domed vastness of the chamber. The naga hesitated and looked up, but its speed and agility were of no avail against this assault. The [i]flame strike[/i] slammed into it, driving it to the floor and unleashing a wash of fire so intense that Quellan’s companions were driven back a step. For a moment the cleric disappeared within that conflagration, but when it cleared a moment later he was standing there on the edge of a blackened circle upon the marble tiles, within which lay the smoking wreckage of the naga. Quellan gave it one look, then hurried over to where Kosk had fallen. Glori and Rodan watched him, even as the bard expended the last of her magic to heal Xeeta and bring her once more back to consciousness. Xeeta groaned and blinked as her attention focused on Glori. “Kosk,” she said. “Quellan’s tending to him. We’re safe for the moment, just rest for a second.” “No. Help me up. Rodan.” Glori and Rodan helped her slowly to her feet. The sorceress was a mess, her clothes both scorched from the naga’s [i]lightning bolt[/i] and crusted with ice crystals from the [i]ray of frost[/i] that it had blasted her with just before its death. But none of them were much better off, and it wasn’t entirely sure who was leaning on whom as the three crossed the room to where Quellan was kneeling over Kosk’s fallen form. One look was enough to confirm his fate. Kosk’s robes had been torn wide open, revealing a dark web of black lines running through his skin where the naga’s poison had wrought its deadly work. The muscles of his face and neck were clenched in a grim rictus, a death mask that had denied him even the peace of his end. “If you hadn’t had to save me, you could have brought him back again,” Glori said. “No,” Quellan said. He looked up at them, the tears falling unashamed from his eyes. “He sacrificed himself willingly, for us. We will grieve, but the only blame here is lying dead over yonder.” He tried to get up, but his legs buckled under him and he crashed heavily back to the floor. Glori rushed over to him. “I think we’re done, at least for now,” Rodan said. Quellan nodded. “We can take a short rest. I can bolster us, at least a little bit.” His eyes turned toward the dark opening where the naga and its skeletal guardians had appeared. “But Bredan needs us. And I don’t know how I know this, but somehow I know that our time is growing short.” [/QUOTE]
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