Chapter 13 - The Inner Chambers (Part 4)
“It has to be here,” Vyrellis insisted once the companions had searched the whole of the chapel. “I sense it.”
“Perhaps it is only nearby,” said Erlmoor as he looked around the chapel one more time. “It is not here.”
“And we have tarried here for long enough,” said Enlishia. “It is time that we moved on.”
The others nodded their agreement and slowly, the companions left the chapel while Vyrellis continued to try and persuade Lavren to remain and seek the shard of her life force that she was convinced was in the room. He paid her no mind and instead followed the others out of the chamber and into the southern passage. The corridor turned eastward after a short distance and then led into a wide but plain room with two open doors in the far wall and a strange bronze panel to the left of the passage entrance.
Telkya was the first to start forward, moving cautiously toward the northern doorway. It opened onto a short and narrow passage that led into an empty, square chamber that she crossed quickly. As she reached the far end, she saw that another narrow passage led out of the room at the far side and at its end, an door led into another, torch-lit room. She stopped as the torchlight fell across the form of a man sitting on the ground with a crossbow resting on his crossed legs. He was chewing on some dried meat but as he senses the priestess’ movement, he reached for a bolt from the quiver at his belt and began to crank back his weapon.
“More bandits!” Telkya called back to the others and Lavren came running.
The warlock crossed the square room quickly and rushed into the narrow passage ahead of his wife, shielding her from any crossbow fire that might come from the room beyond. Erlmoor rushed into the square room next and moved past Telkya toward the passage entrance. The crossbowman rose to his feet and levelled his weapon at Lavren while calling something inaudible to unseen companions.
Back in the entry chamber, Enlishia rushed toward the southern door and found a narrow passage within that led to an open door at the far end. In the far chamber, Enlishia saw three men in chainmail armed with long halberds, arraying themselves into a battle line hastily. She raised her bow and loosed an arrow and then another toward the bandits. Both shafts drove into the right leg of the man in the middle of the battle line and sent him reeling back.
“More in here!” she called back to others.
Dulvarna and Thorn rushed into the passage together, the druid already changed into his black wolf form. They ran the length of the narrow hallway and burst into the far chamber to charge at the bandit battle line. One of the men thrust out with his halberd and scored a gouge along the flank of Thorn’s wolf form while the others braced and held firm as Dulvarna rushed at them with her blade. The warrior woman fell back for a moment, frustrated by her enemies but then, as a halberd drove painfully into her right leg, she came forward again with renewed fury.
Lavren regretted his advance into the western corridor at once as crossbows clicked and deadly bolts flew toward him. One drove into his shoulder, another into his right thigh, and a third pierced his left arm, below the elbow. He cried out in pain and reeled back against the left wall of the passage, snapping the bolt in his left arm painfully as he did so. He cried out again but as he did, Telkya pulled him back gently and rushed past him, her blade and her amulet in hand. She darted to the right and charged at one of the crossbowmen, her blade slashing out into the man’s shoulder. He spun away and as he did, Lavren forced himself to rush into the room behind his wife. He turned toward the other two crossbowmen and as he raised his wand, he realised that he recognised one of them as the man who had escaped from the battle with the werewolf. The warlock uttered a powerful curse and watched with satisfaction as purple bolts of energy lanced out to strike the two bandits, sending them reeling.
Erlmoor rushed into the chamber next and recognised the crossbowman that had fled, as Lavren had done. He roared and charged at the line of bandits, letting searing acid spray from his mouth as he reached the men. He lashed out with his blade but the man before him leapt back beyond the reach of the dragonborn’s blade.
“Still a coward then,” Erlmoor growled and then stepped forward after the man.
“It has to be here,” Vyrellis insisted once the companions had searched the whole of the chapel. “I sense it.”
“Perhaps it is only nearby,” said Erlmoor as he looked around the chapel one more time. “It is not here.”
“And we have tarried here for long enough,” said Enlishia. “It is time that we moved on.”
The others nodded their agreement and slowly, the companions left the chapel while Vyrellis continued to try and persuade Lavren to remain and seek the shard of her life force that she was convinced was in the room. He paid her no mind and instead followed the others out of the chamber and into the southern passage. The corridor turned eastward after a short distance and then led into a wide but plain room with two open doors in the far wall and a strange bronze panel to the left of the passage entrance.
Telkya was the first to start forward, moving cautiously toward the northern doorway. It opened onto a short and narrow passage that led into an empty, square chamber that she crossed quickly. As she reached the far end, she saw that another narrow passage led out of the room at the far side and at its end, an door led into another, torch-lit room. She stopped as the torchlight fell across the form of a man sitting on the ground with a crossbow resting on his crossed legs. He was chewing on some dried meat but as he senses the priestess’ movement, he reached for a bolt from the quiver at his belt and began to crank back his weapon.
“More bandits!” Telkya called back to the others and Lavren came running.
The warlock crossed the square room quickly and rushed into the narrow passage ahead of his wife, shielding her from any crossbow fire that might come from the room beyond. Erlmoor rushed into the square room next and moved past Telkya toward the passage entrance. The crossbowman rose to his feet and levelled his weapon at Lavren while calling something inaudible to unseen companions.
Back in the entry chamber, Enlishia rushed toward the southern door and found a narrow passage within that led to an open door at the far end. In the far chamber, Enlishia saw three men in chainmail armed with long halberds, arraying themselves into a battle line hastily. She raised her bow and loosed an arrow and then another toward the bandits. Both shafts drove into the right leg of the man in the middle of the battle line and sent him reeling back.
“More in here!” she called back to others.
Dulvarna and Thorn rushed into the passage together, the druid already changed into his black wolf form. They ran the length of the narrow hallway and burst into the far chamber to charge at the bandit battle line. One of the men thrust out with his halberd and scored a gouge along the flank of Thorn’s wolf form while the others braced and held firm as Dulvarna rushed at them with her blade. The warrior woman fell back for a moment, frustrated by her enemies but then, as a halberd drove painfully into her right leg, she came forward again with renewed fury.
Lavren regretted his advance into the western corridor at once as crossbows clicked and deadly bolts flew toward him. One drove into his shoulder, another into his right thigh, and a third pierced his left arm, below the elbow. He cried out in pain and reeled back against the left wall of the passage, snapping the bolt in his left arm painfully as he did so. He cried out again but as he did, Telkya pulled him back gently and rushed past him, her blade and her amulet in hand. She darted to the right and charged at one of the crossbowmen, her blade slashing out into the man’s shoulder. He spun away and as he did, Lavren forced himself to rush into the room behind his wife. He turned toward the other two crossbowmen and as he raised his wand, he realised that he recognised one of them as the man who had escaped from the battle with the werewolf. The warlock uttered a powerful curse and watched with satisfaction as purple bolts of energy lanced out to strike the two bandits, sending them reeling.
Erlmoor rushed into the chamber next and recognised the crossbowman that had fled, as Lavren had done. He roared and charged at the line of bandits, letting searing acid spray from his mouth as he reached the men. He lashed out with his blade but the man before him leapt back beyond the reach of the dragonborn’s blade.
“Still a coward then,” Erlmoor growled and then stepped forward after the man.