Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Enchanted Trinkets Complete--a hardcover book containing over 500 magic items for your D&D games!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1701940" data-attributes="member: 15043">A blinding white light was all that Tess could see in front of her.  The bard had been to Celestia, and seen where souls traveled for judgment, and this most certainly was not the path.Where am I? her mind wondered, as a slight murmur filled her ears.  Is it monks chanting?  A prayer for the dead?  Am I not dead, but not alive?  The murmur was rising now, until it thundered into a gigantic roar.  Desperately, her mind’s eyes swam about, trying to find its source, trying to find the monster she thought was bearing down on her.  As she panicked, the roar grew louder than a bombard’s blast, and changed... instead of a continous noise, it broke apart, as if a massive drum was beating right next to her eardrum.It was then she realized it was her own heartbeat.The bright white light revealed the white Temple Plaza of Kulloden as she blinked, chaos still enveloping its once pristine walks of contemplation.  It took the battered bard a moment to realize what was happening, but her mind jostled back with a sense of urgency once Vanerthorpe’s face fell into her line of sight, blood streaming from his mouth as his eyes stared lifelessly at her.  She remembered herself high up, striking low the attackers headed towards the prince... and then a sharp pain... then falling...Valaron!  Raven!  The bard tried to turn over, and instead felt a massive, searing pain flood her arms, soon to be complimented by a similar pain filling her belly.  Take it easy... you’ve probably been hurt.  Move slowly... you will be less likely to be noticed, and you won’t injure yourself more...  Slowly, carefully she moved her head downward, and saw the hilt and part of the blade of a thin, rather nasty dagger sticking from her belly.That’s how I fell, her mind thought rather dispassionately... something that surprised her.  She then moved slowly to look at the arm she had tried to push off with, only to see it bent two directions, part of her forearm bone sticking from her skin like a bony knife.That’s why I can’t push myself upright, the same analytical mind said.  Maybe I can roll on the other arm...  Gritting her teeth, Tess shifted her legs, pulling her body around slowly.  To her relief, her other arm hurt, but not nearly as bad.  Now partly on her stomach, the bard could look towards the Pelor Temple, and saw Val’s red head circling ‘round a dark haired man with blade drawn.She looked down at her belly again, the knife still rising from it angrily.  If I don’t get that blade out, I shall soon bleed to death.  She moved her legs till she was more on her side, and reached her good arm down, grasping the dagger’s hilt.  You have felt worse Tess.  This won’t feel bad at all, compared to what devils have done to you, she lied to herself.  Her breaths came rapidly as she coached her courage up, before gripping the dagger tightly and wrenching it out.  Her scream of pain echoed over the plaza.Raven did not hear Tess’ cry of pain, for it came at the same time as the scream of the assassin in front of her.  The woman had charged her confidently, unarmed, and had been surprised when the rough whip at Raven’s side had lashed forth with more than mere leather.  Now blinded, the woman stumbled to a halt before another snap of the nagiaka cut her throat to ribbons.She did hear, however, the rapid song of two blades dueling next to her, and turned in time to see Val and the man opposing him at each other’s throats, their blades whirling and striking faster than her eye could track.  Val!  Her first instinct was to jump in behind the man attacking her prince. Hold on! her mind raced, as she frantically tried to gauge distances, trying to track the blur that was the other, darker haired man.  However, the whirl and swirl of blades was too fast, too quick for her to get a clear line, and she realized that her nagiaka might very well slash Valaron instead of his attacker.More yells and shouts caused her to spin back around, and she saw a small group of the dark clad assassins charging towards the prince and his adversary.  Six... six of them, she counted, her heart sinking.  She knew she could not take them down with her nagiaka alone... and her mind flashed back to the armory... and her practices.Focus, Raven... she heard a cool, calm voice inside her say.  Despite every part of her body screaming not to, she closed her eyes, her nagiaka arm drifting out, away from her body.  The battle seemed to slow, and the shouts became beacons in her mind.  She felt the magic in her veins flow... rivulets of power forming a mighty stream down her free hand.  When her eyes opened again, the panic that had been in them was gone.As the closest of the six drew within about fifteen feet, she spun her entire body, putting all the torque and power her small frame could muster.  The nagiaka sang through the air, whistling as it went.  She felt rather than saw, the end of the whip snap around the lead assailant, and yet she kept spinning, stepping backward as she moved.  A terrible scream filled her ears, and she could feel the glass shredding through the poor man’s body.When she again faced the five remaining, their comrade was tumbling to the ground, his stomach shattered open, gripping his innards.  She gave the whip a yank that brought it flashing back in front of her, cracking just inches from the other five.  They skidded to a halt, as her free hand extended towards them.  She felt a powerful release, as if a dam had collapsed in her arm.  A small, tiny bead of light flashed from her hand, tumbling through the air towards the midst of the five...“Move faster!” Harrapias shouted as the loud thunder of some kind of explosion echoed in his ears.  His blade was out, as he felt his old legs piston like they hadn’t done in a long time.  His breath came quick and deep, the rush and excitement pushing back the pain his body was likely screaming at him.They’d marched to the Dice manor, only to find it empty.  The servants stated that their Lady and the Prince had left for the Temple Plaza to go pay their respects to the Pelor House.  I hope to Hieroneous the Merciful that they made it...As they rounded the last corner and the seventeen paladins poured into the Temple Plaza, they could see a scene of horror and chaos.  Bodies were strewn about, as arrows and bolts continued to sail through the air from archers behind turned over stalls and wagons that had been turned into sniper’s nests.He looked about desperately, only to see something he had dreaded since the first screams had come that violence had exploded in the Temple Plaza.  On the far end, he saw the prince, just as the Dice servants had said, save his blades were whirling and dancing about another man’s.  There was no air of play in their movements, only the speed and deadly precision of moves intended for deadly results.An arrow flashed by Harrapias, shortly followed by a small hail of bolts coming from three upturned stalls just in front of the paladin’s own temple.  “Flush them out!” he snarled to four of the paladins, who charged towards the offenders, blades raised to inflict the ultimate punishment.  The battle priest, for his part, broke his tired legs into another run, across the plaza towards his prince...Eyrna pressed herself closer to the wall, as bolts and arrows clattered on the stone pavement around her.  The noise of swords ringing hurt her ears, which she held covered.  Out of barely opened eyes did she see Contans sword come crashing down on the man in front of him, only to have the assassin deftly dodge the heavy blow.  Beyond him, the Prince and his attacker were in the midst of a deadly dance, which neither side seeming to gain a good hand.  The Dice girl was nervously eyeing the Prince’s combat, and watching a slew of new people charging into the plaza.How shall I strike out in this, Tarantor on High? she mumbled to herself.  She was not gifted in bladework, or much fighting at all.  She was quick... That might serve for something, she thought as she watched the massive blows Constans tried to level on his opponent strike air again and again.  But she is unarmed... Eyrna thought watching his opponent, Yet she moves with an arrogant confidence even greater than his.  Constans face was now filled with rage at the small creature deftly ducking his blows, and Eyrna caught what was happening.  She is tiring him... but for what?  Her fists are too small to...Her mind froze as she saw the young woman flip out something small and black... a small rose.  Immediately the entire situation made sense, as the woman deftly dodged another powerful, yet clumsy swing from the bigger man, before flicking the rose along his arms.  Constans eyes bulged out, and he stumbled back, gurgling.  He collapsed back, shaking lightly in death spasms.The Black Rose! Eyrna thought with excitement, and now she realized Hemmel’s confidence in charging into the plaza.  By now, she had uncovered her eyes, and openly watched as the Black Rose woman now looked to Valaron’s combat, trying to slash the prince.  He and his line deserve nothing less, Eyrna hoped, only to see the Dice girl dash her hopes to the ground.  That damnable whip of hers that had downed so many of Hemmel’s comrades lashed out again, and the Black Rose lost her hand in its first strike.  As the woman screamed, a second strike opened her from belly to throat.“Dammit!” Eyrna snapped.  Boldness in this?  How am I to be bold? her mind thought.Valaron gave a sharp curse in frustration as he and Hemmel parted momentarily.  The prince was breathing heavy, and his arms seemed to be made more and more of lead rather than flesh.  Hemmel’s eyes danced with laughter, and his taunts had yet to stop.“My prince, your mother always said you needed to build up your endurance.  Growing tired in combat can be deadly,” Hemmel mockingly chided, before a flurry of blade thrusts and swings from his free hand assaulted him.  Val swung his two blades in quickly, slashing circles in front of him, and move designed to force his opponent to give him space.   His shoulders were screaming at him... Hemmel had landed a sharp blow on both early in the fight.  His heart raced, his face flushed with exertion and anger.He is trying to anger me, Val heard part of his mind.  Valaron heard his mother’s instructing voice in his head again.  Taunting is a two edged sword, son.  Don’t let your opponent make you strike in anger.  Strike only with sureness and resolve, not fury.  Val edged back more, his blades in guard positions.  He was on defense already, and he could sense the wall of the Pelor temple close behind him.  I’m out of room.“I think of your mother and sister often, boy,” Hemmel smiled wickedly, “and of how I shall use them again and again after you and your father are dead!”  He laughed, circling Val like a vulture marking a dead carcass.  “Or perhaps I should leave you alive, and let you watch?”Instantly what coolness remained in Val’s mind was replaced with blind fury.  Traitor! Val’s mind screams.  Without bidding, only on unseeing, primeval instinct, did Valaron’s katana and washazaki lash out, twin blades of death each intended for one of Hemmel’s eyes.  It took only an instance for Val to realize the mistake he’d made, when he saw Hemmel’s blade dip then slash upward with immense force, catching both of the prince’s swords.  Val felt a powerful slug in his stomach, and his body crumpling as he doubled over.  A second sharp pain slammed through the back of his head, and he suddenly found himself on the ground.  The back of his neck prickled as he felt something ice cold slide along it.“Stop!” he heard Hemmel’s voice call, and Raven’s voice cry.  “Move another step, and His Royal Highness will find himself without a head!”  That was Hemmel’s shout.  He heard a laugh... a raving laugh, one of triumph.  “My prince, it is over!  It seems the Dragon did not teach you all her abilities!”  There was the noise of him sucking in air, before a whisper floated down to the prince’s ears.  “I shall remember this moment when I break in your sister.”I failed, was all Val could think, rage coursing through his veins.  He felt himself tense up, even as his mind realized any movement would result in the blade slamming even sooner into the back of his neck.  He heard Raven’s voice crying, offering everything, even herself, if Val might be spared.  He does not want you, Raven! Run!  He wants me! Val wanted to shout.  I have failed...  and now the drow will get the Fire Stone... my House will fall, and there will war upon war...Val felt the icy feeling on the back of his neck move with a sudden jerk, and for an instant he thought it was the end.  He expected to suddenly have his sight go black, and feel himself flying to the winds of Celestia, but instead he heard an odd, strange gurgling sound, like someone trying to breath through water.  He glanced up, only to see an image that would be burned into his soul the rest of his days.Against the bright light of the sun, Hemmel’s dark form rocked, then crumpled backwards, the sharp tip of a blade coming from his chest like a spire of Hieroneous rising into the heavens...Eyrna wanted to scream when she saw Hemmel fall like a ragdoll, the Hieroneous paladin’s blade sticking from him like an obscene finger.  The old man gave a sharp curse, rolled Hemmel’s limp form over, and pulled his blade from the assassin’s back.  Hemmel had backed the prince so close before dying that Eyrna could almost feel the assassin’s last gasps of life rattling from his throat.Bastards! she wanted to snarl, her fists clenching and unclenching.  Her eyes desperately cast about, until she saw Constans’ still warm corpse only inches from her... a dirk still strapped to his waist.  She heard Val say something to the priest, but she did not focus on them now.  Be bold... this is your moment! her heart cried, Strike back for your father!  She fumbled with the dead man’s belt, and within seconds had the dirk.  Her eyes, wild and feral with fury, looked at the prince and his savior.Valaron was starting to rise, clutching his stomach.  The Dice girl was beside him, an arm around his shoulder.  All eyes were on him, and Eyrna realized none were watching her.  It was then she drew close...“Are you alright?” Raven was already by Val’s side.  When he grimaced and motioned at his stomach, she was already lifting his tunic... which revealed a blue and black bruise, already massive and angry from where Hemmel’s fist had knocked him low.  Another bruise was forming on the back of his neck, and she noted with alarm that he couldn’t move his left arm.  She paid no attention to the silence now surrounding her... the crashings had all ceased.  The only thing she noticed was Valaron, and the obvious pain on his face.“Is anything broken?” she asked again.  She heard his teeth click as he gritted them hard, and he nodded yes.  Running a hand along his stomach bruise, his ribs underneath felt unnatural... they moved far too easily, and he bit on his lip so hard when she touched them that a small trickle of blood formed when he grunted.“His ribs are broken, Commander,” she looked up at Harrapias.  He was also quickly by the prince, his own hands feeling along the ribs.  With this intrusion, Val let out a shout of pain, and then a whimper.  “He has three broken ribs at least,” the priest said quietly.  “Run into Pelor’s House, and tell the Holy Light to come forth.  Tell him that his friend Harrapias demands it.  He will know.”Raven was up even before the old paladin had finished his request.  When she spun towards the Pelor Temple, she suddenly stopped.For there Eyrna stood, inches from Valaron, a long sharp dirk in her hands.“No!” Raven screamed, lunging forward, but the Erelion woman had cat-like reflexes, deftly slipping aside, her blade flashing in front of the Prince’s neck.  Her eyes flamed with something dark and evil, and Val let out an unholy cry of pain when she hefted him to his feet with dark strength borne of angry vengeance.“If any of you twitch, you shall find your prince with a new mouth in the midst of his throat!” she snarled.  Her eyes were feral, as she pulled him back towards the temple, the blade mere inches from his throat.  “I believe Lord Valaron has a Stone he must fetch!  She looked about, desperation blazing from her eyes.The dreams of the bold come true!  I am bold!  I shall have the Fire Stone! her mind raved as she pulled the Prince closer to the gate entrance to Pelor’s House, putting distance between herself and the terror-struck muddle of survivors.  The Prince was thankfully pliant, save it appeared Hemmel had battered him quite bad.  He could hardly move.No matter... I need him only take this stone back to my Uncle... and then... and then...  Her mind dismissed the problems posed by using the stone.  She had committed... it was too late to change course.  She saw the Dice girl headed towards her, eyes pleading again.“Back away!  He will carry the stone for me!” Eyrna shouted.  It is so close... only inside the walls of that Temple...  She backed closer and closer to its gate.“That won’t be necessary,” a deep, horribly familiar voice echoed from beyond the walls of Pelor’s Temple.  There was a rumbling chuckle of laughter, before the same voice spoke, “You see, dear Lady Eyrna... we already have the stone!”</blockquote>

Verification