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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4837769" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 13 - The Inner Chambers (Part 5)Enlishia loosed more arrows from her bow, one driving into the chest of the bandit in the middle of the line and the other flying over the man’s head. On the right of the line, a bandit drove its halberd into the flank of Thorn’s beast form as the druid-wolf leapt at him and with a whimper, Thorn fell against the north wall of the chamber. Dulvarna faught back and forth with the two foes she faced but still she had been unable to wound them. Both stabbed out at her within a heartbeat of each other and she hesitated for a moment as she decided which to parry. Her delay allowed both weapons to drive into her hips, one each side and force her back from her enemies. She cursed her own indecision through the pain of the wounds and then rushed forward once more.In the northern chamber, the archers retreated, loading their crossbows as they did and it was then that Telkya noticed that they shared the chamber with their companions. A barricade of ruined furniture, crates and barrels divided the northern half of the chamber from the rest of the room but the sounds of battle were unmistakeably loud. Her companions were nearby, she realised, and her hope for victory soared. Only when a crossbow bolt clattered off the armour that she had taken from the dragonborn bandit leader, did her mid return to the battle. Another bolt flashed past her left arm and struck the wall close to Lavren behind her and then a third missed Erlmoor by inches. The elf maid steeled herself and then rushed at the bandit before her. The man ducked as she swung out her blade and the steel struck the stone wall above the man’s head. A bolt of black energy flashed out from behind Telkya and struck the shoulder of the furthest crossbowman, the one who had fled the werewolf, and hurled him back into the wall. Erlmoor followed up, a prayer on his lips and as his blade sang out it glowed brightly. The sword drove into the man’s side and threw him into the barricade of debris.“You should have kept on running,” the dragonborn growled at the man. “We don’t spare bandits.”Enlishia loosed an arrow that flew over the head of the bandit in the middle of the line and then loosed a second a moment later that drove into the man’s shoulder. He fell back but as he did, his companion on the left lunged forward and drove the halberd he held into the shoulder of Thorn’s wolf form. The druid retreated finally and shifted form back into his bestial, but human form. He raised his totem stick and uttered an incantation that called forth an icy whirlwind around the bandits. They ducked and evaded the worst of the icy blasts but the distraction was enough for Dulvarna, who darted forward and lashed her blade into the side of the left leg of the bandit before her. The man stabbed his halberd at her and she dodged to her right only for the other bandit to stab his own weapon into her side. She fell back, wounded and bleeding.The crossbowmen in the northern half of the chamber threw down their crossbows and drew clubs from their belts. They came forward as a furious wave but Telkya was ready and parried the clumsy club blows of the man before her easily. The other two men clubbed at Erlmoor, striking his arms and forcing him back a step but the dragonborn roared and lashed out with his sword to keep his enemies at bay. Telkya uttered a healing prayer and lashed out with her sword, the blade glowing brightly with divine radiance. As it struck the hip of the bandit in front of the elf maid, a ribbon of golden light snaked out and touched Lavren, healing some of his wounds and restoring his strength. The warlock stepped forward an raised his wand to loose a black bolt into the bandit in the middle of the line. The man fell back against the wall and as he did, Erlmoor surged forward. He plunged his blade into the belly of the bandit he faced and the man fell back against the wall behind him, dying.Enlishia loosed another barrage of arrows from her bow, one flying past the bandit in the middle of the line and the other driving into his hip. Again, the man fell back but again the line came forward fiercely, one bandit stabbing his long halberd into Thorn’s belly. The druid fell back, bleeding, but still managed to chant an incantation and call forth another whirlwind of icy gusts. One of the bandits reeled away from the wind but another ducked, holding his arms above his head, and evaded the blasts of ice and cold. Once the winds had passed, the bandits came forward ferociously, stabbing their halberds at Dulvarna. She parried one but another drove into her side and she fell back as blood poured from the wound.Erlmoor reeled back as the bandit before him struck his right wrist with his club. He faught through the numbness and pain of the blow and raised his blade to keep his enemy at bay. Across from him, Telkya surged forward, slashing her blade into the hip of the man that she faced. He reeled back into the wall and the priestess pressed her attack. As she did, Lavren loosed another black bolt from his wand that struck the man before Erlmoor and as the man reeled away, the dragonborn rushed forward, lashing his blade out high toward the man’s neck. The enchanted sword cut through the bandit’s neck easily and beheaded him, his body falling against the wall and his head rolling away to the left.Enlishia loosed two more arrows that flew past the man in the middle of the line and knew that Dulvarna was in trouble. As she watched helplessly, the ranger saw another halberd stab out and pierce the warrior woman’s side. She gasped, cried out and then fell at the feet of her enemies. Thorn raised his voice in another incantation and called forth a dark storm cloud above the bandits that loosed lightning at the men. They ducked and dodged and remained unharmed before coming forward at Thorn with their halberds in front of them. One man stabbed his weapon into the druid’s chest and with a whimper, the big man fell back against the wall behind him and collapsed, blood pouring down his body. The other bandit rushed down the narrow hallway toward Enlishia, stabbing out with his pole arm as he reached the ranger. The blade of the weapon drove into Enlishia’s right thigh and she fell back, pain filling her head. Desperately, she retreated toward the eastern chamber with her bow raised and an arrow nocked to the string.Telkya swatted aside the club of the man before her and then lashed her blade toward his chest. The bandit dodged to his right and avoided the elf maid’s sword but as he did, a bolt of black energy lanced out from Lavren’s wand and seared into the man’s chest. He fell back into the wall behind him and as he did, Erlmoor came forward and plunged his sword into the bandit’s ribs. The man gasped and then slumped down the wall to die beside his companions.</blockquote>

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