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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JollyDoc" data-source="post: 4080649" data-attributes="member: 9546">The journey took little more than an hour, and along the way Celeste was eager to hear tales of the Legion’s adventures.  She revealed little of her own information, however, stating that it was not her place to speak for her queen, but that they would be in Morwel’s presence soon enough.As the company emerged from the forest and crested a hill, it seemed almost as if they were climbing into the heavens themselves.  The hill was taller than it first appeared, and very quickly they were above the tree line and even the clouds, with snow crunching underfoot.  Yet the air seemed only pleasantly crisp, and not cold at all.  The night stars sparkled around them, and the crystal palace before them seemed close, until its true scale began to sink in.  Its walls were built of glowing crystal, and when they finally reached the outer gates, they saw literally thousands of separate magical lights glittering within.  Some were lanterns, but others were living creatures, some tiny, others several feet across.  They floated in and out of the palace like soap bubbles.“Bubbles!”  Cleaver said with delight.At the gate, two eladrins with opalescent eyes greeted them, bowing deeply to Celeste before stepping aside.  Within, the palace seemed brighter and brighter, until at last Celeste led them into a dazzling central dome.  Hundreds of eladrin in elven and glowing light forms watched silently from the tiers rising from the room’s edges.  Octurus readily picked out the sullen figure of Andros among the spectators.  At the center of the room rested three golden thrones.  Sitting regally on the central and largest throne was a tall red-haired, and shockingly beautiful elven woman wearing a diaphanous gown that seemed made up of thousands of flickering pinpoints of lights.  She did not speak, but a silver-haired and deeply tanned woman sitting on the throne to her right did.“Welcome mortals,” she said.  “What brings you to the Court of Stars?”The left-hand throne was empty, but Octurus barely noticed.  He was literally star-struck as he stared in open-mouthed awe at the embodiment of the Whirling Fury.Mandi told their story yet again, leaving out nothing.  Daelric punctuated with small details, all the while noticing that every time Demogorgon’s name was mentioned, Gwynharwyf would clench her fist, her eyes sparkling dangerously.  As the tale came to and end, Morwel nodded.“Your task is worthy and the stuff of heroes.  And heroes such as yourselves must be supported and honored.  You have my pledge of aid in this battle.  Although I cannot leave the Court, you shall have the support of my dear friend and her armies when the time to strike comes.  Gwynharwyf has had dealings with Demogorgon before, and she has been waiting for a chance to return his favors.  Yet, while my trust in you might be enough to satisfy the concerns of my children, it would be foolish of me to not offer proof of your heroic nature to them.  As much as it pains me to ask, I need a favor from you before I can allow Gwynharwyf to prepare for battle.  At the base of the World Ash gnaws a dragon, a particularly foul-tempered dread linnorm named Redfang.  He has vexed my children for ages, but his distance and power have ensured his longevity.  Yet of late he has gone too far.  He has razed eladrin holdings and fatted upon my children, and now lies in torpor in his lair among Yggdrasil’s roots.  It is time for him to die.  Go you then, and bring me Redfang’s heads…no, wait.  His heads are too large.  Instead, gut the beast and release one of the stars from his belly.  When you return, Gwynharwyf shall take you to the Fountain of Beauty to seal our alliance.”A murmur of approval rose from the Court.  Mandi turned to each of her companions and her questioning look was met by nods of approval or indifferent shrugs.  “We understand your need to test our mettle, my Lady,” she said, turning back to the queen, “and we will do as you have asked, or die trying.”“It is settled then,” Morwel said, smiling.  Then she stood, and her body transformed into that of a large sphere of multi-colored light.  Violet beams began emanating from the globe, and as each one struck a member of the Legion, they vanished from sight.______________________________________________________________What had at first appeared to be the ground was, in fact, an immense moss-covered root.  Closer inspection revealed that there was no proper ground to be found anywhere, only a tangling descent of additional roots that formed a dizzying array of hills and valleys.  Above, an immense wall of wood rose into the sky beyond sight, and the sky itself was a vast, endless canopy of branches and leaves.  The horizon was a foggy expanse, and a cold, misty wind drifted along in the air.Ahead, a cavern descended between a V shape formed by two gigantic roots, each of them ninety feet high.  The space between them was about forty feet wide and littered with stones, enormous dead leaves, and two tunnel entrances, both thirty feet across.  The cold, misty wind seemed to be issuing from there.“I guess this is the place,” Sepoto said.  “Cleaver and I will take point.”The company fell into line, with Octurus following behind Sepoto, then Marius, Daelric, invisible as usual, and last, Mandi.  The tunnels descended several hundred yards into the tree before opening into an immense cavern, the far side and roof of which could not be seen.  There, coiled and hissing, was a wingless dragon of colossal proportions.  It had two necks and two heads atop its massive, black-scaled body, and no legs grew from the rear of its serpentine form.  As the Legion entered, it roared a bellowing challenge.“More of Morwel’s lackeys,” it rumbled.  “Though you do not appear as sweet or delicate as her star children, I will make a meal of you nonetheless.”“Hold that thought,” Mandi said, then wove her hands in a complex spiral.  A rippling green energy field began to emanate from Redfang, and the linnorms twin heads looked about in confusion.“He won’t be escaping except by going through us,” the sorceress announced to her companions.  “And just to show that we mean business…”Another spell left Mandi’s lips, and as it did so, the familiar sound of blood vessels ripping free of their host filled the air.  Redfang screamed as his vasculature fell in a heap to the ground before him.  Sepoto, Tower Cleaver and Octurus were in motion before Mandi had finished her incantation, with the goliath reaching the linnorm just as his blood exploded into a fine, red mist.  The crusader shouted a battle-cry as he ran, wielding his chain like an extension of himself as he drew even more blood from the pain-crazed dragon.  Octurus was right on his heels, the raptor tattoo on his bicep roaring to life as he pounced into the air.  Redfang was a fraction of a second faster, and the teeth of one of his heads fastened around the Maztican’s torso and shook him like a rag doll.  Blood spurted from the demon hunter’s mouth as the linnorm bit and tore at his flesh, finally heaving him into the air and then sending him careening across the cavern with a slap of his oak-like tail.  Octurus struck the wall, and slid down it into a motionless heap, his chest heaving and wheezing as blood filled his lungs.Then Cleaver was by Sepoto’s side, and the two warriors hammered at the linnorm, forcing him further and further back into the depths of the cave, and away from their fallen comrade.  Meanwhile, Daelric rushed to Octurus’s side, shaking his head at the gravity of the Maztican’s wounds.  Placing his hands on either side of Octurus’s chest, he bowed his head and invoked Shaundekal’s name.  In a swirl of white fire, the demon hunter’s horrible injuries sealed shut, and his breathing eased.  Finally, he opened his eyes, gripped the priest’s shoulder in gratitude, and then rose to his feet and headed back into the fray.“No!  What sorcery is this??”  Sepoto shouted as, before his unbelieving eyes, Redfang’s wounds also began to heal.  Morwel had not exaggerated when she said the linnorm was powerful.  “Keep at him!” the crusader cried, and he and Tower Cleaver redoubled their efforts, joined once more by Octurus.  In the end, however, despite the withering damage they dealt, it was not the blows of the three warriors that felled the titanic drake, but instead the utterly devastating blasts of Hellfire hurled by Marius.  It seemed the little gnome had learned a few tricks at the feet of his new mistress.As the linnorm convulsed in its death throes, Octurus slashed into its gullet with his twin blades, exposing its stomach with surgical precision.  The organ glowed dimly from within.  Quickly, the hunter incised the peritoneum and the tissue beneath, releasing a flood of caustic bile.  From the gory remains rose a small orb of light, glowing with the illumination of a candle.  It swirled around Octurus’s head, healing the rest of his wounds as it touched him, and then healing his companions in turn before shooting out of the cave in a twinkle.</blockquote>

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