Shackled City Epic: "Vengeance" (story concluded)

[Black Bard]

OOOPPPSSS!!!
Telekinesis, man!!!
Let's how our bouncing gnome will do this time...

Oh!! And as usual: great writing, Lazy!

 

[Polynike]

will one of those two ever get it?

great writing

 

[Lazybones]

Chapter 232

Mole flew.

While the sensation of being hurled by telekinesis across a room was interesting to say the least, the sight of the plasma geyser rushing up at her was definitely unappealing. A scream filled the air—her senses were too busy for her to realize it was hers—as death drew nearer.

She twisted her body, snapping her torso to the left, trying to alter the inexorable course of her passage. It wasn’t enough; but at the last moment something hard slammed into her body, and she was jerked roughly to the side. Pain jolted through her torso where she’d been hit, but it was nothing compared to the searing wave of heat that scorched her body as she narrowly passed along the fringes of the plasma geyser.

But then she was through, and she somehow managed enough presence of mind to flip and land gently on her feet, using a few forward somersaults to eat up her forward momentum.

Glancing back, she saw the object that had struck her, saving her life.

A small hammer.

Zenna had already turned back toward Kaurophon, and her own power coursed through her frame at her command. The bright surge of a color spray washed over him, the lights parting around the empty bubble where the invisible sorcerer stood.

“Surely you did not expect that such a puny spell would affect me,” he said.

“I didn’t mean for it to affect you,” she replied. “I meant for it to show them where you are.”

The sorcerer turned and dodged back, but was too late to avoid fully the assaults focused on his position. Hodge’s spear again thrust through emptiness, and Dannel’s probe with Alakast slid off of the sorcerer’s shield.

Morgan let out a desperate cry from deep within him as his holy blade cut the air in a broad arc. For a moment it looked like he, too, would miss his target, but then the edge of the sword unleashed a spray of red as the sword bit deeply into the body of the half-fiend whose actions had opened this entire course of events, the man whose misguided passion had drawn them into this place of shadow and evil. Kaurophon screamed, and they could see the droplets of blood that fell upon the ground smear as he landed upon them.

“It ends here,” Morgan said, bringing up his sword with the blade pointing straight down, both hands wrapped tight around the hilt.

Kaurophon let out a pathetic sob and reached for the amulet at his throat. There was a flare of light and a faint sucking sound. The sword descended, but only struck empty stone.

“He may still be nearby!” Dannel said, turning to scan the room.

“No,” Zenna said, sagging wearily to the floor. “That was a plane shift. He’s gone, truly, and won’t be back anytime soon.”

“It be over, then,” Hodge said, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

“No, not yet,” Morgan said softly. His stare was fixed at a point across the room, drawing their attention around as they followed the path set by his eyes.

Toward the pulsing geyser of liquid flame.

“Then our road ends here, at least,” Arun said. “For none of us will make the choice that Kaurophon was willing to make.” He said it firmly, as if defining a fundamental truth for all of them.

“No,” Morgan said, stepping forward. The knight wore a strange expression, a look that combined wonderment with determination.

“There will be no sacrifice today,” Dannel said, echoing Arun’s words, stepping protectively in front of Zenna. But the knight ignored both of them, and continued walking toward the geyser.

Zenna was the first to realize what he intended. “What are you doing?” she said, rushing around Dannel to block his advance upon the geyser. Morgan did not stop until she was directly before him, and when he met her gaze, she saw something she’d never seen before in his eyes.

“Kaurophon was right about one thing,” he said. “Whoever completes this Test will have power—too great a power, the power to reshape an entire reality. We cannot just leave it here, for Kaurophon or another like him to seize it.”

“Maybe there’s some way we can destroy the geyser,” Mole suggested.

“No... no, the power gathered here represents the power of this entire place. Can you feel it, any of you? There is a deep current of Taint here in this place, the darkness that lies over this entire plane magnified and concentrated a thousand times over. It sickens me, and is almost irresistible, here. But there is also an undercurrent... Kaurophon did not lie about that, either. There is a fragment of what Occipitus once was, the power of Good...”

Arun looked around, as if seeing the chamber anew, and nodded, but did not speak.

“The cathedral,” Zenna said. “And the bodies on the plain of cysts.”

“Yes, and currents deeper yet,” Morgan said. “That is why the sacrifice must be made, and that slender thread given a chance to flourish, for the original destiny of this place to have its opportunity to emerge anew.”

“But how can you be certain,” Zenna asked. “Would you surrender everything—perhaps even your soul—on such a tenuous hope?”

Morgan smiled, and for the first time since she had known him, it was an entirely genuine gesture. “I know,” he said, and she was surprised to see tears in his eyes. “I know, because I hear His voice again... I can hear Helm speaking to me...”

“Morgan...” Dannel said.

“You cannot dissuade me, any of you, from what I know must be done. You were right, Zenna. I came with you for a purpose, but it was not to free Alek Tercival. I know now that I wrong about that, and about a lot of things.”

He reached out and laid a hand upon her cheek. She felt a soft flush as the glow of healing energy spread from his fingers into her, easing her own hurts and suffering.

“I am sorry,” he said. “For everything.”

The others gathered around him, but he did not look back. He walked toward the geyser, and as he went he unslung his sword, letting it fall to the ground with a clatter. Then came his shield, his pack, and the pouch containing its precious scroll of plane shift. Finally it was just him, standing there clad in his resplendent armor, the raging column outlining his body.

Then the cleric of Helm stepped forward, and was consumed by the wild torrent.

 

[Dungannon]

Wow. You really know how to dispatch those Helmites with style, LB. Only downside is now we gotta listen to Polynike whine that it shoulda been Zenna.

 

[Guillaume]

Wow. You really know how to dispatch those Helmites with style, LB. Only downside is now we gotta listen to Polynike whine that it shoulda been Zenna.

Maybe we must, but you won't see me complain. I loved the ending !

 

[Broccli_Head]

Chapter 232


He reached out and laid a hand upon her cheek. She felt a soft flush as the glow of healing energy spread from his fingers into her, easing her own hurts and suffering.

“I am sorry,” he said. “For everything.”

The others gathered around him, but he did not look back. He walked toward the geyser, and as he went he unslung his sword, letting it fall to the ground with a clatter. Then came his shield, his pack, and the pouch containing its precious scroll of plane shift. Finally it was just him, standing there clad in his resplendent armor, the raging column outlining his body.

Then the cleric of Helm stepped forward, and was consumed by the wild torrent.

Loved this last Part. Can Morgan come back as a guardian Celestial?

 

[wolff96]

Don't forget who was administering the test: A demon lord. A tricky demon lord.

My bet is that the "sacrifice" is the one who passes the test. I would bet that a willing sacrifice will push the plane towards good and happiness and light, while an unwilling sacrifice would push it fully over to evil.

That's my guess, anyway.

And on another note, I have to say... damn it. I don't hate Zenna and Mole, at least not like Polynike does, but I'm betting that this will remove Morgan from the Story Hour -- whether my guess is right or not.

And that's unfortunate. Because he, Arun, and Hodge are by far the best of the characters in this go-around.

Even if Morgan is dead or out of the story hour now, though, the writing is still great. Hell of a way for a character to go.

 

[Mimic]

Awesome writing... Out of all the heros I like Morgan the least, right up to that post.

 

[Lazybones]

Thanks for the feedback, all. Seems there's a definite bias toward the "ass-kicking" characters; few seem to like the brooding, tormented types. I enjoy writing Mole, and personally can't see how anyone can hate her, but I know that there's a powerful anti-gnomian movement here at ENWorld, and this may be related... As for Zenna... hmm... don't think I'll say anything at this point. *cue evil cackling in the background*

I am well ahead in the story at this point (more than a full module ahead), and while I won't give anything more now, suffice it to say I've made a few general shifts in the story to reflect the feedback I've gotten thus far. A major new character will be joining the saga soon, and we'll see some old familiar faces as well. I appreciate all of the kudos I've gotten from my readers, and greatly enjoy reading all of your feedback. I'm pleased that I can inspire both love and hatred for these characters.

Since I am so far ahead, I will go ahead and start the next part of the story on Monday instead of taking my customary week off.

P.S. Much insight, wolff96...

* * * * *

Chapter 233

For a long minute they just stood there, watching, silent.

Finally Mole spoke. “Is that it?” she asked. “He’s just... gone?”

Zenna lowered her eyes. “I don’t know,” she said. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Should we wait here, then?” Dannel asked.

“There is no need,” came a voice, from the fire.

They turned to see Morgan step from the geyser, falling from the embrace of the pillar to drift softly several feet to the ground. His armor was gone, his body covered only with a shimmering white tunic. His skin was a clean white, the accumulated dirt and blood that they all wore from their travails in Occipitus scoured away. Most alarming was the fact that his left eye was gone, replaced by a bright point of fire that danced within the socket.

“Morgan?” Mole asked.

The man smiled. “I am still Morgan Ahlendraal,” he told them. “And I am something else as well, though the full knowledge of what that is has yet to be fully revealed to me. But I have begun a journey, a new road that may end in something new not only for this place, but for all of us.”

“Speak clear man,” Hodge growled. “What do this mean fer us?”

“It means that the dark road has come to an end,” Morgan said. “I must remain here, to explore what my own new destiny has in store for me... but for you, my friends, it is time to return to your home. Cauldron waits, and I fear that she will have need of you sooner, rather than later.”

“Are you certain, Morgan?” Zenna asked. “To remain here, alone?”

He nodded. “As certain as I have ever been in my life, Zenna. And I will not be alone. Already we have met some allies here; the avoral, perhaps even Saureya, someday. And there are others, whose presence I can now feel upon the sadness that is Occipitus. You will hear from me again... this, I promise.”

“Good luck, knight,” Arun said.

“Aye,” Hodge said. “I’ll be glad to leave the stink o’ this place behind. No offense,” he added, with a nod to Morgan.

“So I wonder what’s been going on in our absence?” Mole asked.

Dannel and Arun gathered up Morgan’s discarded possessions—he had no need of them now, he insisted—and they gathered again in the center of the room. Zenna unrolled one of their scrolls of plane shift.

“Are you all ready?”

“Take us home, Zenna,” Dannel said.

Zenna read the words scribed upon the parchment, and the air around them shimmered briefly... and then they were gone.

THE END OF “TEST OF THE SMOKING EYE”

COMING SOON... “SECRETS OF THE SOUL PILLARS”

 

[SolidSnake]

Thanks for the feedback, all. Seems there's a definite bias toward the "ass-kicking" characters; few seem to like the brooding, tormented types.

That is SOOOOO not true. Those are the best characters!