NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 4194646" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 30IMPASSEThey tried other options, but most of them could tell that they were just going through the motions.  Qatarn’s soldiers went to work on the hatch with prybars, but it was pretty obvious that they weren’t going to have any luck where Letellia’s magic smashing hand had failed.  Allera tried a break enchantment spell, likewise without any effect.  By the time they had run through even those options the water level had climbed to their waists, and was slowly but steadily rising. “I can empower most of us to walk on the surface of the water,” Maricela said.Dar let out a frustrated sigh.  “No, save it,” he said.  “We’re not going to accomplish anything here.”  He looked up at the shaft, at the distant point of light high above.  “We’d better...”“Wait,” Allera interrupted.  “There’s one more thing we can try.  Maricela, you said before we left that you had a sending spell prepared?”The priestess nodded.  “Yes, to report back to the Patriarch.  I’d intended to wait until we got to the hatch, but now...”“Do you have to know the person that you are trying to contact?”“Well, generally, yes, although you can attempt to contact someone with whom you are familiar, but have not met personally.  Such attempts are often difficult and there is no way to know...”“If there’s a chance, we have to take it.  Here is what I want you to do...”* * * * * The spell took about ten minutes to cast, although it seemed much longer for those shivering in the water.  By the time she finished her incantation, the water was up to the chests of the soldiers, and the others crouched miserably in crevices around the perimeter of the shaft, clutching to slick and slime-encrusted protrusions of rock to keep them from sliding back down into the pool.  Maricela had told them that she could send a brief message of up to twenty-five words, and receive a reply of similar length if the sending reached its intended destination.  But none of them expected the reply they got. “Why have you returned?” Maricela asked, her voice subtly different than it had been before.  “Mari?” Kiron asked, turning toward her in concern.  He started to reach for her, but Selaht interrupted him with a hand on his arm.  The knight started to shrug free, but Dar stepped in between them and the priestess.  “Why have you come?” she repeated.  “Amurru?” Allera asked.  The priestess did not reply, but there was something strange in her eyes, an odd look that Dar had seen once before, in the eyes of his wife.  “We have come in pursuit of evil men.”“You have failed to protect the keys,” Maricela said, her voice hollow and empty, but her words an indictment.  “You have let this danger enter within the vault.”“Look,” Dar interjected.  “We know they want to release the Ravager.  Just let us—”“They will not succeed.  The Ravager must never be freed.”“Yeah, how’s that going for you?  These bastards aren’t your average bad guys.  If there were dead, you wouldn’t be talking to us right now, so I’m guessing they’re making pretty good progress against your traps and guardians.  If there’s a chance that they can succeed, let us in, and we’ll take care of them.”“We have a stake in this as well, Amurru,” Allera added.  “If the Ravager is released, it is our people, our cities that will be destroyed.  Please... we only want to help.  Once these enemies are defeated, you have our word that we will withdraw.  You can keep the keys, so that no others can intrude upon your sanctuary.”There was a long silence.  “Please, Amurru.  You know my heart.  You know I speak the truth.  Look into the heart of the woman through which you speak.  We only want to protect the prison.”The guardian stared at them through her borrowed eyes. Finally, a noise started, a grinding sound that rumbled through the ground beneath their feet.</blockquote>

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