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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3236987" data-attributes="member: 143">Heh, great descriptions, jfaller!  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> * * * * * Chapter 63THE POUNDING“I hate it when I’m right,” Dar said, coming around the crypt to flank the creature from behind.  The monster headed straight toward Talen, who had moved forward to block its route to Allera and Varo.  Up close, they could see that it was a constructed being, a thing fashioned from the flesh of several creatures.  Its eyes were dead orbs, but it seemed to have no difficulty sensing the presence of enemies before it. The captain narrowly avoided a pulverizing overhead smash of the creature’s fist.  The blow smashed into the corner of the adjacent crypt, shattering the stone and sending bits of debris flying.  Talen looked down at the broken stone with surprise.  The creature lifted its other fist to strike, but the fighter quickly recovered, slashing his sword across its torso. The sword bit into its hide, but barely managed to gash it.  There was no blood. “Its skin is like leather!” he warned. “I’ll take it down,” Dar said.  He put his full weight and strength into the blow, smashing the club into the small of its back.  The attack was the same that had taken down cultist after cultist in the temple above, and its force was utterly devastating. The club hit the creature with a loud twack.  Instead of toppling to the ground, it simply turned and fixed its empty stare on the fighter. “Oh, cr—”He never got a chance to finish, as the golem smashed its fist solidly into the fighter’s jaw.  The critical hit sent Dar flying, spinning out of control into the nearby crypt.  Spitting blood, he couldn’t do anything but take the punishment as it smashed him with its other fist, punching him in the back.  Dar groaned as his internal organs were rearranged somewhat; gobs of blood exploded from his lips to splatter on the top of the crypt. “It’s killing him!” Allera exclaimed. “Don’t worry, he’s got a bit more fight in him, I suspect,” Varo said calmly.  The cleric was focusing his concentration on something else; he muttered words of power under his breath, and began scanning the area.  He nodded to himself as he faced the corridor, and started moving slowly in that direction.  “What, where are you going?” Allera asked.  The cleric didn’t respond, and the healer began to move around the crypts, hurrying to get around the battle to aid the battered fighter. Talen laid into the golem from behind, but while his blows were scoring its back, they weren’t inflicting much in the way of damage.  The creature’s thick hide seemed to be considerably resistant to injury, and it clearly did not experience pain.  Ignoring the captain, it lifted its huge fists to finish off the more dangerous foe.Dar heaved away from the crypt just as another blow slammed into it, smashing the entire wall of the tomb into dust.  Electing for a less wild attack this time, he smashed his club into its arm with precision, there was a crack of bone, and the creature staggered slightly.  “Tho woo cad be hut,” the fighter snarled, his broken jaw slurring his words beyond comprehension.  The golem turned to track him, and he followed up his initial strike with another swing at its right leg.  The creature’s knee join was knocked inward, twisting its leg at an angle that would have been excruciating for a living creature.  Instead, it just swiveled awkwardly and punched Dar in the shoulder.  “Ah woo muwa fahir!” Dar exclaimed, clutching his battered arm in agony.  He looked up to see Allera coming around the edge of the melee, toward him.  “No!” he yelled, holding up his good arm in an effort to forestall her. Too late.  The healer was trying to keep her distance from the golem, but she underestimated its long reach.  The golem swept out a long arm, clipping her on the side of her head with its fist.  The blow was just a glancing one, but Allera was knocked to the ground, stunned.  “Go woe!” Dar yelled to Talen, lifting his club again.  The captain must have guessed what the fighter was getting at, for he swung his sword low, aiming for the golem’s injured knee.  The sword bit into its flesh, and as the golem started to wind up for another attack the battered limb gave way.  The golem fell to one knee, already struggling to get up.  The fall put its head right on a level with Dar’s.  The fighter roared a bloody challenge as he brought his club around in a broad arc, smashing it into the side of the golem’s head.  There was a loud crack, and its head bent over to the side, its ear almost touching its shoulder.  The golem twitched, its hands still reaching for Dar.  Then it toppled forward, smashing into the floor in an inert heap.  “Ahr woo awrite?” Dar asked, as Talen helped Allera to her feet.  A bruise was already starting to form on her temple where the golem had hit her.  “You stupid, stubborn fool,” she said, clucking as she took his head in her hands.  He gasped as powerful healing energy flooded into him, knitting his broken head and body back together.  “Wow,” he said, when she was done.  “What happened to Varo?” Talen asked.  “He was looking around, and then went to the passage,” Allera said, pointing. “Fat lot of help he was against that thing,” Dar said. “I was keeping an eye on the wizard,” the cleric said, reappearing in the passage mouth.  “Or have you forgotten already how dangerous spellcasters can be?”“So what happened to her?” Talen asked. “She made herself invisible,” Varo said.  “I wasn’t able to pinpoint her exact location, but I did note that she went down the corridor behind us.”“Back toward the temple?” Allera asked. “No,” Varo said.  “As I went into the corridor, I saw a secret door we’d missed being shut.  I believe that we’ll find her somewhere beyond it.”“The smart thing would seem to be to count our blessings that we met a foe ready to run instead of fight, and keep going,” Dar said. The four companions looked at each other for a long moment.</blockquote>

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