The bat and the dream- part 2
While preparing their ambush, Ben noticed the tell tale signs of druids in this forest. Nothing here looked older than a century, and so he came to the conclusion that this was another place that had been healed by Denev and her followers after having been utterly ravished during the divine war. Still, there was nothing the friends had to worry about
Torn had wedged himself in the crown of a tree, and from there, he was able to view several hundred yards of the meandering river and the road next to it. When he started his watch, the sun was standing high, bathing the roof of the forest, the river and the path in it's glorious light. After all, it was merely a few days left to summer solstice and after a while, Torn started to sweat.
The heat was getting even more oppressive, and after some hours, several mosquitos had feasted on him. He felt the roughness of the tree under him, and as the trees were already throwing their long shadows over the path and the river, and he was thinking of climbing down for a bit to stretch his limbs, he saw five riders turning around the corner.
They were still about three hundred yards away, but he could recognize three human sized figures and two riders who seemed to be much too small for their mounts. They seemed to be riding at a small pace and were engaged in conversation. Torn whistled, signaling his friends that the confrontation would soon begin. Jan and Niklas, who were fishing on a rock by the river, rammed their rods into the soft ground and took up a standing position, side by side in the middle of the road. In front of them, Trepat and Ben climbed into the trees, covered from view by leaves and branches.
As the approaching riders were still about a hundred yards away, something peculiar happened. The elf, who seemed to be wearing some sort of a helmet made out of a wolf’s skull sniffed the air, like an animal that had noticed an unfamiliar scent. Then, he gestured to the other riders, and all dismounted and drew their weapons.
Now Torn climbed down, and hid behind some bushes. Just as he had found his position, the five cultists turned around the corner. They stopped in their tracks, seeing the Palek brothers standing in the road about fifty feet away from them, but before anybody could say something, a sphere of fire appeared amdist the cultists.
Ben had decided that he would wait no longer and released the spell at the halfling woman, who was openly showing her symbol of Belsameth. Except for the priestess, no one moved for a short moment, the adventurers as surprised about the turn of events as the cutlists were. Then the elf stepped forward and with one, fluent motion, he had an arrow cocked and aiming as he walked up, he shot it at Jan, hitting right into a gap of the surprised paladin's armor.
Now the former peaceful corner of the wood exploded, and the sound of the trees and the gurgling river were substituted with the clanging of metal against metal, the pronounciation of arcane formulas and the screams of the wounded and the dying.
The priestess was the first to fall. As Torn, Niklas and Jan went into the melee, Ben and Trepat helped from their position in the trees. The halforc woman fought ferociously, expertly wielding her axe while protected by her full plate, her mate cast a spell and levitated up, shooting electrically charged arrows from his heightened position while the elf tried to maneuver in order to get into the back of whoever was fighting the woman. The remaining halfling cast a spell, and Torn turned into a helpless crying shadow of his former self. The massive halforc could not move anymore, as he was wrecked by feelings of sadness and regret, and as he crawled on the floor his body was trembling from his spasmic crying.
Before the halfling could enjoy the victory, however, he was hit by the flaming sphere and an acid arrow, cast by Trepat. He ran into the river, leaving the fire behind and washing off the acid, as Trepat hit him with another magical missile. The impact was enough to knock him out, and unconcious, he drowned.
All in all, the cultists had no chance. Having been initially caught unaware, they were at an disadvantage which they couldn't counter anymore. Soon, just about as Torn felt the unnatural sadness lift, the two remaining foes on the ground were defeated, and as the remaining halforc tried to levitate ever higher, he was shot down by Trepat's magical missiles as well.
Most of the friends were wounded, but nothing so severe as it couldn't be healed. They picked up the pieces of equipment they found interesting, there were scrolls and potions, and the wolf's skull the elf was wearing as a helmet was magical, intending to identify them when they got the leisure to do so.
Most precious of all, however, was the book: the Power of Death. Torn found it in the priestess' satchel, and leafing through it, he found that the pages in there had a magical force. Each word , even though Ledean like the words he used, had a special power and was burning itself into his memory, and he had a faint idea of dark and arcane powers. Stroking the black velvet of the cover, he closed the book again. He would have time to read it later.
They disposed of the bodies and took the road back south, and as the sun set, they set up camp by the riverside. After his watch, Torn leafed through the book once more, cherishing the delicate texture of it's paper in the flickering light of the campfire, and then went back to sleep.
A moment later, he was sitting in an innroom. With him, at a round table of old seasoned wood, were to other half-orcs. Both were about his age, and just as big, and he immediately recognized one of them.
"Dad!", he said.
His father nodded. And, with the certainty that is only possible in dreams, he knew that the other half-orc was his grandfather, who had originally stolen the book. "We are very proud of you", his grandfather said.
"And so is Erias", Torn's father added, sitting at a fire near the small lake of the oasis, the camels sleeping in the back. "Now, that you have truly picked up your legacy, we will be able to see you more often."
Torn leaned back contently. He knew that his family had never been completely gone, and now here he was sitting side by side with his father and grandfather.
Torn's father looked more serious now: "However, there are people who need your help". By now they were sitting in a cellar, the walls were rough, hewn stone, and they were sitting on benches opposite of each other.
"When the castle of Oreirover fell, shortly after you escaped with the two humans, the elf and the halfling, a young pries of Chardun cursed the villagers, that they would never reach Corean but be caught in an eternal dream. Now, the villagers are caught in the realms of dreams, kept from their destination.
"Now, for people like us, who worship freedom and Erias, there is nothing bad about this place. We change along with it. But the followers of Corean are not like us. Eventually, they will fall into the dream's core and their souls will be destroyed."
His father leant back, hardly visible now on the dark bridge of the ship, and as he took care of the helm, grandfather continued, merely whispering over the sound of the waves and the ship:" They need guides, or their souls will be lost. Tell your friends about it. And tomorrow, if you agree, we will pick you and your friends up, and together you shall lead the villagers to their destined after lives.".
Torn wanted to answer, but he felt that he was alone again, and he found himself back in a tent at the riverside, and through the entrance of his tent, he saw the familiar sight of Trepat boiling tea in a pot over their fire in the morning light.
"Are the others awake already?", he asked the elf.
Trepat turned to him:"No, they are all still asleep.".
"Well, there is something I need to tell you all once they are awake.
It must be really hard to come back from the realm of eternal peace to have to deal with this mess, and betrayal on top of it, just because you feel it is your duty. No wonder he's all bummed out. 
Cultists dead and now time to jounery into Erias's domain. Hopefully the god will be understanding and help they out. After all he might care much for Corean's order, but he and Corean probably WOULD want his faithful with him.