Chapter 93
A TREACHEROUS WELCOME
The creatures that lurked in the dark chamber needed no light to see; their sharp senses revealed all of the secrets of the darkness. That included the smell that one of them detected, an odor that drew its attention at once, and attracted it to the bank of the underground river. The meaning in that smell was clear, and with a bark it alerted its companions.
Prey...
The creatures spotted a light, a pinprick of glow that grew rapidly larger, approaching fast. It shot past the first of the monsters in a fiery streak, continuing for only a few more feet before it exploded with a roar of liquid flames. The flames scorched several of the creatures, but others leapt back, avoiding the worst of the fireball through nimble agility. Several of them seemed to shimmer as the fire surged around them, shifting about through a trick of the light.
The one that had initially detected the invaders remained near the river, its lips tucked back into a snarl. The fading light of the fireball revealed it to be a large, emaciated six-legged beast, not quite canine, not quite feline, but some uniquely monstrous creation with features of both. A pair of long tentacles sprouted from its shoulders, edged with ugly ridges that looked capable of truly terrible wounds.
An arrow came blasting down the river tunnel toward the momentarily silhouetted creature, but while it seemed to be dead-on for the center of its skull, when the missile hit it passed harmlessly through its body. The air around it shimmered, and the monstrous thing suddenly appeared two feet to the right.
The displacer beast, unable to get to its prey, wisely drew back, out of the line of sight of the river tunnel. The cavern was filled with angry barks and hissed, some tinged with pain.
A light appeared from the tunnel mouth, accompanied by a furious battle cry. The displacer beasts crept forward, but remained out of the view of the tunnel, waiting patiently for the enemy to arrive.
They were surprised a moment later as a second fireball streaked into view, exploding directly before three of the creatures. This time they had a harder time of it avoiding the flames, and those in front took the full brunt of the blast.
Even as they shook their scorched heads and blinked the smoke from their eyes, the first of their enemies exploded out of the river tunnel and into the room.
The tall human bore a club almost as big as he was, and he smashed it into the head of the nearest beast before they could fully recover. The blow should have crushed its skull, but once again it passed through empty air, as the creature shimmered a few feet away, safely out of his reach.
“What the hell—” began the warrior, but he was cut off as the displacer beasts tore into him.
The man was armored, but the serrated tentacles of the beasts seemed to find every weakness in his defenses, tearing vicious gashes in his arms, legs, and torso. Within a few seconds the attacker was staggering back, in bad shape. The displacer beasts, used to hunting as a pack, surged around him in an effort to flank him, cut off his retreat, and finish him off.
But the human was not alone. More of them emerged from the tunnel, quickly leaping to the attack. An already injured beast yelped as a lightly armored human woman thrust a spear into its flank, cannily detecting its true location despite the magical shifting aura that concealed it. The monster was no stranger to violent battle, but self-preservation overrode its fury, and it quickly withdrew from the battle.
Another male warrior joined the first, although his own initial attack was just as ineffective. But more enemies had appeared in the tunnel mouth, floating upon the water like their allies. One, a slender figure draped in a cloak of shadow, pointed a device at one of the beasts, unleashing a potent magic upon it. The displacer beast snarled and turned as it sensed the spell taking hold, but could not counter before it shrunk down into the form of a harmless white mouse.
Another man came forward, ignoring a swipe from a tentacle that smashed hard into his side. He carried a bludgeon, but instead of attacking he came to the aid of the battered first warrior, using his own magic to heal some of his wounds.
Driven to a frenzy, the displacer beasts pressed their attack. Surrounding the four intruders in the center of their ring, they extended their tentacles to their full length, ripping and tearing at these foes that had dared to invade their lair. All of the humans took hits, and the powerful fighter was struck hard across the brow, ripping his helmet off and digging deep, bleeding gashes across his forehead. He cried out as blood poured down his face, blinding him, but instead of retreating, he leapt forward swinging his club around in a low arc. This time, even though it passed through a false image, it kept going and clipped the creature hard in the jaw. Bone shattered from the force of the impact, and the beast fell back, suddenly less interested in a fight to the finish against this unexpectedly durable foe.
A cascade of magical bolts found their way into the melee, striking one of the beasts despite the confounding aura that concealed its true location. By no coincidence, the creature was one that had already been burned by the fireballs earlier, and the five magic missiles on top of that were too much for it. It staggered back, disengaging from the melee, but only made it a few steps before it toppled over on its side, mewling in pain.
The attackers fought on with a fury that matched and surpassed what the beasts could offer. Another warrior, this one armored in a second skin of silver metal, clambered up out of the river, and charged into one of the beasts from its side. It raked him with its claws, but this time the serrated edges glanced harmlessly off its armor. In turn, the armored man began laying about him with his bludgeon, smashing into the beast with surprising strength. The first swing missed, the attacker fooled by the creature’s displacement powers, but like the others he learned quickly, and followed with a wide arc that caught it in the shoulder with enough force to audibly crack bone.
The two still lingering in the river passage continued their attacks as well. Both now fired additional magical bolts, which once again struck unerringly, burning into the flesh of the hapless beasts. Another went down, its head and body covered with smoking craters.
That magical barrage broke the creatures’ remaining will to fight. The survivors, several of which had been damaged to within an inch of their lives, spun and darted across the cavern toward the only apparent exit, a large opening along the far wall. The woman with the spear intercepted one with a thrust that drove through a lung; the displacer beast tore free only to veer right and miss the exit, slamming hard into the adjacent wall. It fell to the ground, wheezing as blood poured from the wound in its side.
The invaders were victorious, if battered. As the displacer beasts fled, the tall warrior with the club lifted a hand to wipe his own blood from his eyes. It didn’t help much, as more blood continued to pour down from the deep gash in his forehead.
“Thas right, run. Run, you bishes!” he slurred, but even as he spoke the last word, his eyes rolled up into his head and he toppled forward.
At least there are lots of things to hack and slash in Rappan Athuk. ![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
