Capellan
Explorer
Kull's First Report - Part 5
Having not personally witnessed much of the previous night's combat, I questioned those who had about the events, looking for a weakness that might be exploited. The others insisted that they had dealt the creature several blows, but that these had barely seemed to slow it. Certainly I had seen nothing to suggest they had done it any harm.
Zalich was, however, able to reveal that when he finally attacked the creature with fire - as I had wished from the start - it had seemed to affect it more seriously than any of the other attacks they had tried.
Armed with this knowledge, I quickly determined a plan of action. Obviously the creature would not suffer to let the furnace remain lit indefinitely - its single-minded actions in its previous attack made that much clear. Thus we could be sure that it would return to the furnace room, where we would have to stop it, or perish from the cold.
Hextor was with us, however, for the furnace room was readily defensible. There was a stout door between it and the store room, and another from the store room into the tunnel beyond. I knew we must turn these both into barriers against the creature: places where we could harm it without being slain ourselves.
To that end, I collected all the flasks of oil we each possessed, and shared them out among those of us with the best aim. Then I directed the others in barricading the store room door, and in building a pile of flammable materials in front of it. When the creature attacked, it would have to batter its way through the door, and would be met with a wall of fire when it did so.
With this accomplished, and with everyone aware of their role when the creature attacked, there was nothing left to do but wait. Zalich prepared tea and a meal, using the great furnace as a makeshift stove, and I warned the others to snatch as much sleep as they could, as we would all need to be alert throughout the night.
Sure enough, almost on the stroke of midnight, the creature returned. My preparations ensured we had plenty of warning, however, as it took over a minute for it to batter its way through the oaken door.
As soon as the top panel of the door gave way, the creature reached into the room, trying to push our barricade aside. It was met by a hail of oil, however, as four flasks were flung toward it. Only two ignited, but those soon lit the others, the flames racing across the pile of materials we had left for precisely that purpose.
The creature reeled back from the flames that licked around it. I called for others to ready themselves, in case it tried to burst through, but with a shriek of rage, it instead fled from the corridor, disappearing once more into the upper reaches of the monastery.
I felt a great sense of pride over this success. I had designed and directed a successful defence. The enemy had been driven off without losses to my force. Yet I also knew that the battle was not over: the creature would be back. Perhaps not until the next night; perhaps within the hour. Whichever it might be, I would need to make sure we were prepared.
Having not personally witnessed much of the previous night's combat, I questioned those who had about the events, looking for a weakness that might be exploited. The others insisted that they had dealt the creature several blows, but that these had barely seemed to slow it. Certainly I had seen nothing to suggest they had done it any harm.
Zalich was, however, able to reveal that when he finally attacked the creature with fire - as I had wished from the start - it had seemed to affect it more seriously than any of the other attacks they had tried.
Armed with this knowledge, I quickly determined a plan of action. Obviously the creature would not suffer to let the furnace remain lit indefinitely - its single-minded actions in its previous attack made that much clear. Thus we could be sure that it would return to the furnace room, where we would have to stop it, or perish from the cold.
Hextor was with us, however, for the furnace room was readily defensible. There was a stout door between it and the store room, and another from the store room into the tunnel beyond. I knew we must turn these both into barriers against the creature: places where we could harm it without being slain ourselves.
To that end, I collected all the flasks of oil we each possessed, and shared them out among those of us with the best aim. Then I directed the others in barricading the store room door, and in building a pile of flammable materials in front of it. When the creature attacked, it would have to batter its way through the door, and would be met with a wall of fire when it did so.
With this accomplished, and with everyone aware of their role when the creature attacked, there was nothing left to do but wait. Zalich prepared tea and a meal, using the great furnace as a makeshift stove, and I warned the others to snatch as much sleep as they could, as we would all need to be alert throughout the night.
Sure enough, almost on the stroke of midnight, the creature returned. My preparations ensured we had plenty of warning, however, as it took over a minute for it to batter its way through the oaken door.
As soon as the top panel of the door gave way, the creature reached into the room, trying to push our barricade aside. It was met by a hail of oil, however, as four flasks were flung toward it. Only two ignited, but those soon lit the others, the flames racing across the pile of materials we had left for precisely that purpose.
The creature reeled back from the flames that licked around it. I called for others to ready themselves, in case it tried to burst through, but with a shriek of rage, it instead fled from the corridor, disappearing once more into the upper reaches of the monastery.
I felt a great sense of pride over this success. I had designed and directed a successful defence. The enemy had been driven off without losses to my force. Yet I also knew that the battle was not over: the creature would be back. Perhaps not until the next night; perhaps within the hour. Whichever it might be, I would need to make sure we were prepared.
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