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The Doomed Bastards: Reckoning (story complete)
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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 3672818" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Chapter 221</p><p></p><p>ONCE MORE ON THE EDGE</p><p></p><p></p><p>They emerged from the goblin cave and started cross-country through the hills toward the south. The terrain was rough but navigable, and Shay was able to blaze a trail forward. The day had been full when they’d returned from the hidden entrance, but the sun remained hidden behind a dreary bank of gray above them. </p><p></p><p>Honoratius departed their company about an hour after they left the cave. Talen called a halt as Letellia quavered and sat down on a protruding rock. She raised a hand to her head, shivered briefly, and then blinked several times. </p><p></p><p>“Are you all right?” Allera asked. </p><p></p><p>“I... I’m fine,” the sorceress said. “The disorientation lasts only a few moments.”</p><p></p><p>“Let’s hope it doesn’t happen in the middle of a battle,” Dar said. </p><p></p><p>“Archmage Honoratius knows the limits of his spell,” Letellia returned. “And I am far from helpless, when he is absent.”</p><p></p><p>“He cannot return until tomorrow, correct?” Talen asked. </p><p></p><p>The sorceress nodded. “He will <em>scry</em> us, and then initiate the transposition when it is necessary. I have a pair of <em>sending</em> spells on scrolls that I can use to contact him, but I recommend their use on for emergencies, as they are a finite resource.”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t worry,” Dar said. “You’ll find that there’s no shortage of emergencies when you spend time with us.”</p><p></p><p>“All right then,” Talen said. “Let’s get moving.”</p><p></p><p>They continued south by southwest for several hours. Eventually the slowly fading light from above indicated the waning of the day, and they began to look for a place to set camp. They settled on a rocky outcrop well-shielded by a ring of large boulders. Letellia unrolled another scroll and cast a spell, conjuring a small, durable-looking cottage of stone upon the clearing at the top of the hill. </p><p></p><p>“Wow,” Dar said, stepping forward to inspect the building. “Sorceress, I wish we’d had you with us before; this sure beats sleeping on the ground.”</p><p></p><p>The <em>secure shelter</em> proved sufficient to their needs, although they still were careful to set watches. But nothing troubled them during their rest, and they woke early to the faint patter of raindrops upon the surface of the structure. </p><p></p><p>“Oh, great,” Dar said, muttering as he pulled his blanket up over his head. </p><p></p><p>The <em>shelter</em> vanished even as they were packing up their gear after a sparse breakfast of oatmeal and hot coffee. Fortunately the rain proved light and fleeting, although the clouds continued to darken as they continued south. </p><p></p><p>“Looks like a doozy of a storm coming,” Shay said. </p><p></p><p>As if triggered by her words, they all heard a distant rumbling, followed by the faintest hint of a tremor in the ground beneath their feet. </p><p></p><p>“What was that?” Allera asked. </p><p></p><p>Shay had crouched to the ground, and laid her head against the rocky soil. She held up a hand for silence, but the disturbance was not repeated. </p><p></p><p>“We felt a quake like that on an earlier visit to Rappan Athuk,” Talen said. “Varo said it was connected to the ritual that the servants of Orcus were conducting.” </p><p></p><p>Letellia nodded. “It may just be a natural quake, but it is wise to take precautions.”</p><p></p><p>“Is Honoratius joining us now?” </p><p></p><p>She shook her head. “I do not think so; the spell’s duration is limited, so I believe he will wait until we reach the vale.”</p><p></p><p>They pressed on, with Shay directing them across a landscape that seemed devoid of notable features to the others. But the scout had spent a lot of time tracking in these hills, and they had come through these hills when they had fled Rappan Athuk via the bee tunnels, what seemed like a lifetime past. </p><p></p><p>It was midafternoon when they reached the crest of another low rise to look down at Rappan Athuk once again. </p><p></p><p>From their vantage, they could see the full length of the dell, stretched out before them like a fallen corpse. The valley formed the outline of a great cross, and through the omnipresent wisps of fog that were ever present they could just make out the forms of some of the thousands of headstones and monuments that marked the graves of the fallen soldiers that had battled here centuries ago. The mausoleums on the far side of the valley were just vague outlines from where they stood, but each of those who had experienced the Dungeon of Graves could feel their presence like the shade of a dear friend long dead. </p><p></p><p>“I wonder if we get to kill the greenies again,” Dar said, loosening <em>Valor</em> in his sheath. “Each time we come here, I think they get a bit easier.” He started down the hill, flexing his arms behind his head, getting limber for the inevitable confrontation. </p><p></p><p>“Does he not feel fear?” Nelan asked. “I feel as though someone has thrust a dagger of ice through my vitals.”</p><p></p><p>“No, he’s just crazy,” Shay said. “You’ll get used to it.”</p><p></p><p>“Come,” Talen said, following the fighter down the far slope. The others trailed behind. </p><p></p><p>Dar waited for them at the valley’s edge. The blackened wreckage of the soldiers’ fort was still visible to their right, halfway around the perimeter of the depression. Nothing lived as far as they could see in every direction. </p><p></p><p>Dar said, “Well, I guess it’s time for—”</p><p></p><p>The fighter was interrupted by another thrumming within the ground. They ground trembled faintly but noticeably beneath their feet, and a sound reached them from ahead; a ferocious groan that sounded like a violent spasm of a sick giant. Several voices spoke at once.</p><p></p><p>“What was <em>that</em>—”</p><p></p><p>“It came from down there—”</p><p></p><p>“There, I think... the Well—”</p><p></p><p>“Quiet!” Talen hissed. <em>Beatus Incendia</em> had appeared in his fist, the bright light of the sword casting the dull dreariness of the day into stark relief.</p><p></p><p>The noise came again, louder it seemed, this time. It came from directly ahead of them. The companions readied spells and weapons. Dar drew <em>Valor</em> and actually took a few steps forward into the vale, but he glanced back at the others and hesitated. </p><p></p><p>“Letellia...” Talen said, turning toward the sorceress.</p><p></p><p>“He’s coming, I think... the casting, it takes time...”</p><p></p><p>“No time!” Dar said, as he pointed toward the dark outline of the Well. Another noise issued from that direction, different and alien and terrible. As the companions watched, they could <em>feel</em> the progress of something up that dark shaft, the noise it made sounding like the protests of the earth itself at its passage. After an agonizing but sparse passage of seconds, long claws appeared, grasping the upper edge of the Well from within. </p><p></p><p>The creature that emerged was a horror beyond imagining. It was much bigger than it first appeared, its body swelling outward as it passed through the comparatively narrow neck of the Well. It was huge, its hairless flesh a shockingly bright crimson, its visage resembling that of a weasel, but with monstrous jaws from which teeth the size of shortswords protruded. As more of its body emerged from the Well they could see that it had eight sets of legs, all of them equipped with powerful scoop-shaped claws. Its teeth, claws, and eyes were all utterly black. </p><p></p><p>As it emerged from the bowels of the earth, the creature let out a roar of utter rage and fury that shook each of them to the core. While it was different in shape than the last instance of its kind they had encountered, Dar and Talen recognized it at once. </p><p></p><p>Another spawn of the Ravager had emerged to wreak havoc upon the world.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 3672818, member: 143"] Chapter 221 ONCE MORE ON THE EDGE They emerged from the goblin cave and started cross-country through the hills toward the south. The terrain was rough but navigable, and Shay was able to blaze a trail forward. The day had been full when they’d returned from the hidden entrance, but the sun remained hidden behind a dreary bank of gray above them. Honoratius departed their company about an hour after they left the cave. Talen called a halt as Letellia quavered and sat down on a protruding rock. She raised a hand to her head, shivered briefly, and then blinked several times. “Are you all right?” Allera asked. “I... I’m fine,” the sorceress said. “The disorientation lasts only a few moments.” “Let’s hope it doesn’t happen in the middle of a battle,” Dar said. “Archmage Honoratius knows the limits of his spell,” Letellia returned. “And I am far from helpless, when he is absent.” “He cannot return until tomorrow, correct?” Talen asked. The sorceress nodded. “He will [i]scry[/i] us, and then initiate the transposition when it is necessary. I have a pair of [i]sending[/i] spells on scrolls that I can use to contact him, but I recommend their use on for emergencies, as they are a finite resource.” “Don’t worry,” Dar said. “You’ll find that there’s no shortage of emergencies when you spend time with us.” “All right then,” Talen said. “Let’s get moving.” They continued south by southwest for several hours. Eventually the slowly fading light from above indicated the waning of the day, and they began to look for a place to set camp. They settled on a rocky outcrop well-shielded by a ring of large boulders. Letellia unrolled another scroll and cast a spell, conjuring a small, durable-looking cottage of stone upon the clearing at the top of the hill. “Wow,” Dar said, stepping forward to inspect the building. “Sorceress, I wish we’d had you with us before; this sure beats sleeping on the ground.” The [i]secure shelter[/i] proved sufficient to their needs, although they still were careful to set watches. But nothing troubled them during their rest, and they woke early to the faint patter of raindrops upon the surface of the structure. “Oh, great,” Dar said, muttering as he pulled his blanket up over his head. The [i]shelter[/i] vanished even as they were packing up their gear after a sparse breakfast of oatmeal and hot coffee. Fortunately the rain proved light and fleeting, although the clouds continued to darken as they continued south. “Looks like a doozy of a storm coming,” Shay said. As if triggered by her words, they all heard a distant rumbling, followed by the faintest hint of a tremor in the ground beneath their feet. “What was that?” Allera asked. Shay had crouched to the ground, and laid her head against the rocky soil. She held up a hand for silence, but the disturbance was not repeated. “We felt a quake like that on an earlier visit to Rappan Athuk,” Talen said. “Varo said it was connected to the ritual that the servants of Orcus were conducting.” Letellia nodded. “It may just be a natural quake, but it is wise to take precautions.” “Is Honoratius joining us now?” She shook her head. “I do not think so; the spell’s duration is limited, so I believe he will wait until we reach the vale.” They pressed on, with Shay directing them across a landscape that seemed devoid of notable features to the others. But the scout had spent a lot of time tracking in these hills, and they had come through these hills when they had fled Rappan Athuk via the bee tunnels, what seemed like a lifetime past. It was midafternoon when they reached the crest of another low rise to look down at Rappan Athuk once again. From their vantage, they could see the full length of the dell, stretched out before them like a fallen corpse. The valley formed the outline of a great cross, and through the omnipresent wisps of fog that were ever present they could just make out the forms of some of the thousands of headstones and monuments that marked the graves of the fallen soldiers that had battled here centuries ago. The mausoleums on the far side of the valley were just vague outlines from where they stood, but each of those who had experienced the Dungeon of Graves could feel their presence like the shade of a dear friend long dead. “I wonder if we get to kill the greenies again,” Dar said, loosening [i]Valor[/i] in his sheath. “Each time we come here, I think they get a bit easier.” He started down the hill, flexing his arms behind his head, getting limber for the inevitable confrontation. “Does he not feel fear?” Nelan asked. “I feel as though someone has thrust a dagger of ice through my vitals.” “No, he’s just crazy,” Shay said. “You’ll get used to it.” “Come,” Talen said, following the fighter down the far slope. The others trailed behind. Dar waited for them at the valley’s edge. The blackened wreckage of the soldiers’ fort was still visible to their right, halfway around the perimeter of the depression. Nothing lived as far as they could see in every direction. Dar said, “Well, I guess it’s time for—” The fighter was interrupted by another thrumming within the ground. They ground trembled faintly but noticeably beneath their feet, and a sound reached them from ahead; a ferocious groan that sounded like a violent spasm of a sick giant. Several voices spoke at once. “What was [i]that[/i]—” “It came from down there—” “There, I think... the Well—” “Quiet!” Talen hissed. [i]Beatus Incendia[/i] had appeared in his fist, the bright light of the sword casting the dull dreariness of the day into stark relief. The noise came again, louder it seemed, this time. It came from directly ahead of them. The companions readied spells and weapons. Dar drew [i]Valor[/i] and actually took a few steps forward into the vale, but he glanced back at the others and hesitated. “Letellia...” Talen said, turning toward the sorceress. “He’s coming, I think... the casting, it takes time...” “No time!” Dar said, as he pointed toward the dark outline of the Well. Another noise issued from that direction, different and alien and terrible. As the companions watched, they could [i]feel[/i] the progress of something up that dark shaft, the noise it made sounding like the protests of the earth itself at its passage. After an agonizing but sparse passage of seconds, long claws appeared, grasping the upper edge of the Well from within. The creature that emerged was a horror beyond imagining. It was much bigger than it first appeared, its body swelling outward as it passed through the comparatively narrow neck of the Well. It was huge, its hairless flesh a shockingly bright crimson, its visage resembling that of a weasel, but with monstrous jaws from which teeth the size of shortswords protruded. As more of its body emerged from the Well they could see that it had eight sets of legs, all of them equipped with powerful scoop-shaped claws. Its teeth, claws, and eyes were all utterly black. As it emerged from the bowels of the earth, the creature let out a roar of utter rage and fury that shook each of them to the core. While it was different in shape than the last instance of its kind they had encountered, Dar and Talen recognized it at once. Another spawn of the Ravager had emerged to wreak havoc upon the world. [/QUOTE]
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