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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3468036" data-attributes="member: 143">Ah, come on. What player hasn't secretly held the desire to lay some smite on a fellow PC (especially one that's annoyed them in the past). Confusion just gives an excuse. Although Dar and Allera's relationship is complicated enough already.  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> * * * * * Chapter 150THE ORIENTATIONAllera, kneeling protectively over the still seriously injured Serah, had nowhere to go; Talen was still engaged in deadly combat with the umber hulk behind her, and Dar was coming on too quickly for her to evade. The healer quickly cast a spell, blanketing the area with a soothing wave of peace.  The calm emotions spell pierced the veil of confusion that the hulk had laid over him, and he stumbled to a stop, lowering his sword just a few steps away from her.  He still looked confused, but it was the genuine emotion, and not tinged with the violent effects of the umber hulk’s gaze. “Allera... what... I... I’m sorry...”Bullo had likewise stumbled back, dropping the bloody rock as he looked around with a bewildered look on his face.  Allera’s spell had had the desired impact on the two confused fighters, but it had a negative side effect as well.  Talen and the hulk had both been within the radius of the calm emotions.  The pair had spent a violent ten seconds engaged in an intense close-quarters melee, exchanging heavy blows, but the knight had by far taken the worst of the exchange.  Talen was trained at blind-fighting, compensating to some degree for his inability to look up at the monster, but thus far ill luck had made nearly all of his attacks against the hulk ineffective, only a single glancing cut to its leg drawing blood at all.  As Allera’s spell hit Talen blinked and lowered Beatus Incendia, his fighting rage blunted.  But the hulk, whether because of its alien mind or simply through sheer willpower, was clearly able to shake off the effect.  Faced with a suddenly docile foe, it lifted both claws, and smashed them down hard into the knight’s chest.  Talen was driven back into the ground, and did not stir. “No!” Shay yelled, charging at the hulk before it could make certain of its foe.  The hulk turned to face her, but even as it swept a claw around to intercept her, she sprang high into the air, leaping over the hulk’s arm.  As she flew past it her hand snapped forward, impaling the creature with the full length of her elvish-made sword, driving it to the crossguard into its neck.  The umber hulk staggered backward, clawing with futility at the hilt of the sword, and as Shay dove to the side it landed hard on its back, quivered, and fell still.  Dar blinked and looked at the dying creature, frowning as he looked down at his own sword. Allera rushed over to Talen, beating Shay by a scant second.  As the scout drew off his battered helm, the healer checked his pulse, letting out a sigh of relief as she placed her hands around his neck, pouring healing power directly into his body.  Talen groaned, and Shay let out her own relieved breath. Bullo, still somewhat dazed, started to come over to them, but Varo forestalled him.  “Hold your position, warrior.  You are enspelled, but if the healer’s magic expires before the effects of the hulk’s gaze, you may again turn on your companions.”The legionary’s look indicated that he didn’t fully understand, but he obeyed.  “Serah, keep an eye on Bullo and Dar.  If either appears to fall into the confusion-rage again, you must hold him.”The cleric, still barely on her feet herself, nodded. “Cleric!” Varo turned to see Baraka and Kalend rushing forward, supporting the limp weight of Travius between them.  The legionary was heavily injured but conscious, groaning in obvious pain.  He had held off six ants for most of the battle, completely surrounded, but a few of the soldiers had finally managed to get through the deadly defensive weave of his twin swords.  Blood oozed from the multiple wounds he’d taken from the ants, including a pair of nasty stings. “Is everyone else all right?” Baraka asked, as Varo cast a healing spell upon the injured warrior. “It appears that all will survive this encounter,” the priest of Dagos said.  He gave them a look that encompassed all three of them.  “In any event, welcome to Rappan Athuk.”The three men shared a grim look, as Varo drew his cloak around him, and walked away.</blockquote>

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