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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Puppy Kicker" data-source="post: 1747390" data-attributes="member: 20284">Chapter 3Attack in the Desert---Vesmer 26 The companions dusted themselves off as they stumbled from the rubble of the cave entrance into the chill night air. "Fortunate the rapscalion was in a hurry else he may have done a more thorough job of it," Juni said as she gazed back at the caved-in tomb entrance. "Though your temper may have been as much to blame as his thievery, magician." "Ba! He was nothing but a piece of underclassed garbage of no use to the human race. I treated him no worse than he deserved..." He paused, "It appears you will be on foot this journey, lady Juni." Algrel pointed at the place Juni's mount had been tethered, now an empty spot of ground with nothing but a dung pile to show the horse had ever existed. "Small chance we will catch him, mounted as he is. Halfway to Vykira by now, doubtless." Algrel kicked a rock in anger before rummaging through his satchel in search of dinner. "Let us camp, and discuss our plans. Zeldora is many miles from here, and we will need provisions soon." The group made camp at the entrance to the collapsed cave. They discussed their next step while they prepared the camp. They eventually decided that they would aim first for a small town called Welton.  Juni had passed through it on her way to Shesada and it had been accomodating enough. It was no more than three or four days march from where they were located, along a major trade route. From there they would attempt to join with one of the frequent caravans that passed through the town and reach the city of Ilmara. A ship ride from there would bring them to Zeldora. Their course of action charted, they prepared to rest.  Juni sang a soft song accompanied by her lute as she took the first watch, and soon the other two were snoring quietly. ---Vesmer 29 The journey was uneventful for the next couple of days.  They contended with nothing more interesting than the autumn heat.  By day three they were running low on water and food, despite the small spring they'd discovered the day before. The sun was setting as the group discussed how much farther it must be, hoping the worn road they had discovered was leading them in the right direction. "This heat is making me delirious. Soon I will be spouting Orchazi love songs and making amorous gestures towards the stones. We must get there soon." Juni wiped sweat from her brow and pulled her riding hood forward to protect against the hot wind. Her head perked up. "What was that?" The group stopped, craning their heads in various directions trying to catch another hint of the noise. Soon it came again from the evening shadows far to the East. A long screaching sound, followed by a kind of chittering. Nuvarel unsheathed his broadsword and squinted into the eastern shadows.  Suddenly, an answering shriek came from the opposite direction. Juni's short bow was in hand instantly, an arrow ready. Algrel clutched his staff. "I suppose this noise is not familiar to you, Seysad?" Nuvarel shook his head. "But I think we can agree, it does not sound friendly." The shrieks continued, growing steadily closer. Within a couple minutes the group was able to make out a dark sillouette in the ever darkening sky, a vaguely man shaped body, at least from the waist up. The bulbous, eight-legged underbody was anything but manlike. A moment later Algrel spotted the other, skittering towards them from the opposite direction. Both were wielding wicked looking spears, waving them threateningly. "The westerly one I will combat. You two keep the other busy. Mage, whatever tricks you Ethera men keep in your sleeves, 'tis time to pull them out now." Nuvarel switched his broadsword to his left hand as he spoke, pulling a dagger from his bandolier with his now free right. Juni stepped forward, an arrow knocked. She released twine and an arrow flew true.  The eastern man-spider jerked backward, then charged forward with a renewed vigor. Algrel readied himself, the Staff held in a spear-like grip. The beasts rushed forward, using the many rocks of the desert as cover. Juni let two more arrows speed to their target, but neither gave indication of contact. Then the man-spiders were on them. Nuvarel's hurled his dagger at the last possible moment before diving away from his opponent's flailing twin spears. The dagger sank into his opponent's skin, but seemed to show little effect. The other monster skidded to a halt as it reached Algrel and Juni. Its right arm hurled forward and the wicked-tipped spear rocketed toward Juni. She attempted to dive away from this unexpected attack, but the jagged edge of the spear shredded a chunk of meat from her left thigh.  She staggered as waves of pain and nausea shot through her body. She heard Algrel screaming words in an odd tongue, and watched as the man-spider was hurled backward under the force of a bolt of water. Juni staggered onto her right leg, dagger drawn. Algrel stepped up beside her, staff at the ready as the injured beast charged them yet again. Nuvarel was circling his opponent now.  His leather armor was damaged by several near misses but he'd lost no blood yet. The man-spider was not in such good condition. Nuvarel's dagger was still buried in its side, and one of its spears lay on the ground, dropped by its now useless left arm. It aimed a clumsy stab at the Seysad's chest, which Nuvarel quickly ducked beneath. He rolled forward, the broadsword held forward in a thrusting position. But this was not a man the warrior was fighting, and it had resources no man could bring forth. As Nuvarel lunged forward the monster plunged two barbed legs at him.  Nuvarel avoided a mortal injury by inches, dodging one of the spear-sharp legs as it whisked by his eyes.  The other was more lucky and impaled the Seysad's side, drawing blood and knocking him to the ground. He groaned as the pain hit him and collapsed, the barbed leg still penetrating his abdomen. Algrel attempted to call forth magic to his hands as Juni tried desperately to keep the beast away from the mage long enough. Her weakened leg would not support her and she could feel fire building all around the wound. She stabbed at the beast with the dagger in her right hand while she clutched the man-spider's spear in her left. She was inches from the spear tip, watching the greenish ichor dripping from it, when Algrel completed his casting. Bolts of electrical power slammed into the creature.  It roared in agony and hurled Juni away.  Smoke wafted from the charred wounds the mage had inflicted as it turned to face Algrel. Juni fell several feet away.  Her hand burned from where it had scraped the spear tip as she was tossed away. She heard a groan from nearby and saw Nuvarel lying on the ground, his opponent's spear raised for a killing strike. Juni used the last reserve of strength left in her to hurl her dagger, piercing the man-spider in the cheek and forcing it to turn away in pain. Nuvarel leapt to his feet and swung, his broadsword making an arc at the beasts exposed belly. Green and brown ichor spewed as the beast screamed in pain, falling to the ground. It rolled around, trying to make the pain stop, but the Seysad ended it with a sword thrust to the head. Nuvarel stepped over the now unconcious body of Juni and leapt at the remaining enemy. Distracted by Algrel's staff work, the man-spider was caught unawares by a slash to its gut. It watched in amazement as its innards fell to the ground beneath it and had time to glance upward just in time to watch the return sweep of the blade remove its head. Nuvarel collapsed to the ground, hand on his bleeding side. "The lady... she is hurt worse. Help her, mage." Algrel rushed over to Juni.  He pulled bandages from his satchel and tried desperately to stop the bleeding of the bard's leg wound. The wound itself was not as bad as anticipated, and short work by Algrel and the Seysad stopped the bleeding. She was feverish to the touch, however, and closer examination of her wound revealed the ichor. "She is poisoned. If we do not get her to a healer soon, she will surely die," Algrel said. Algrel and the Seysad took turns carrying the dying woman as they continued their journey, not stopping until they saw the welcoming lights of Welton.</blockquote>

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