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<blockquote data-quote="Canaan" data-source="post: 2820280" data-attributes="member: 40239"><p><strong>Chapter 15: Hu Li's Madness</strong></p><p></p><p>For three days we unremittingly rode, stopping only to sleep for a few precious hours before saddling up again and continuing into the Wildlands. Shale expertly escorted us past many potentially fatal encounters. Without the druid and the Green’s aid, I fear we would have never reached Tanner.</p><p></p><p>As it was, we closely followed the directions provided to us by Balian and Helena’s scrying, and caught sight of the ruined tower as the sun was setting in the East. Its sole parapet was crumbling above the tops of a wide copse of trees. Both Gabriel and Talon swore they saw movement on the parapet. It was humanoid, they said, gaunt and bent.</p><p></p><p>We proceeded with great caution. At Lilian’s suggestion, we dismounted and led our mounts closer to the base of the tower as quietly as possible. </p><p></p><p>It was built within a clearing. A short, disintegrating wall, no taller than an adolescent, surrounded the tower’s base. Several hide tents with wood beams and siding had been hastily raised between the path that entered the clearing and large wooden door reinforced with iron banding at the tower’s only ingress. </p><p></p><p>We tethered our horses to some tree trucks several hundred paces from the clearing and convened to plan our assault.</p><p></p><p>Gabriel and Talon would scout ahead and determine if any Cultists were currently residing in any of the tents. If there was any sign of them, the two would return immediately with as detailed a report as possible. All were in agreement and the scouts initiated the plan.</p><p></p><p>Many minutes passed in silence. I quietly prayed to Canaan to aid us in the coming fight, and to keep Tanner safe and free from fear. Something tugged at the back of mind. </p><p></p><p>Lilian stood by her horse, lost in thought. Shale sat at the base of a tree, his legs folded in a lotus position, his eyes closed. Aesendal kept pacing back and forth at the edge of our ad-hoc enclave, while Hu Li quietly petted and cooed at Greater Daemon. </p><p></p><p>A shout rang out as a cultist pushed open the flap of one of the tents only to see Gabriel skulking about. Gabriel leapt to the attack, grappling the poor sot in a strangle hold, while the cultist’s fellows armed themselves and readied to attack the brawler.</p><p></p><p>Movement in the other tents signaled that they had been alerted to their fellow’s cries. Seeing a cultist emerging from a nearby tent, Talon dropped into a roll and swiped the feet out from under the unsuspecting miscreant. He dropped prone and Talon finished him with a flurry of blows as he tried to get up.</p><p></p><p>Lilian spurred her horse into the fray, slicing through a charging cultist as his swing went wide. His eyes widened and he dropped his longsword. Lilian had sent another soul screaming back to the Abyss. She prayed to Canaan that his divine justice be served this day.</p><p></p><p>Three of the cultists emerged from another tent and charged Gabriel. Effortlessly, he broke the neck of the grappled cultist, but his attention so taken, he did not notice his fellows closing on him. One of the cultists from inside the tent jabbed a spear at Gabriel’s side, causing him to gasp in pain as he dropped the strangled corpse. One of the three cultists charging him managed to open a wound down his arm as he dodged and parried, tumbling to regroup out of harm’s way.</p><p></p><p>Hu Li’s shrill voice could be heard sucking in words, rather than uttering them. A summoned dog appeared moments later and dropped one of the cultists harrying Gabriel.</p><p></p><p>Then the air became moist and the smell of freshly tilled earth filled my nostrils as Shale’s thick voice drifted on the wind. Vines twisted and writhed around the ankles of the remaining cultists, while Gabriel and Talon managed to leap out of the way at the last moment. So <em>entangled</em>, the cultists were no match for us. They all perished.</p><p></p><p>After the last cultist fell, both Gabriel and Talon padded up to us, slightly winded. </p><p></p><p>“The tents are covered in weird symbols.” Gabriel added. “Painted with blood.” </p><p></p><p>Hu Li took an interest.</p><p></p><p>“What sort of symbols?” He asked with repressed excitement.</p><p></p><p>“I have no idea.” Impatiently answered Gabriel. “But it appears the tents are made out of human skin. We saw faces stretched and tanned in the fabric. Does that delight you as well, Hu Li?” </p><p></p><p>Hu Li started to nod and betray a smirk, but upon seeing our horrified faces staring back at him, he quickly modified his reaction and feigned unconvincingly a disturbed seeming. </p><p></p><p>“If we are to act, we should act now.” Talon said.</p><p></p><p>“Yes.” Answered Lilian, sauntering up on her horse. “The way is clear. They won’t see us coming.” </p><p></p><p>Shale spoke a word and the roots and vines stopped writhing. I readied a blessing and took hold of my mace as we snuck forward into the clearing. The way to the tower’s entrance was clear. We were almost upon it when we were all startled and shaken from our duty by a sweet, gentle and lulling song that floated down from the roof of the tower like a placid, cool rainfall that comes after years of drought. </p><p></p><p>The dark night sky transformed into day, and floating before the sapphire firmament was a dazzling beauty, laced in flowing amber silks, and bearing great, silvery feathered wings. Her song was boring into me ever so gently, ever so lovingly, as, where I cannot recall a single note or word of it, I fondly remember the feeling it instilled in me. </p><p></p><p>That fondness only adds to the revulsion, for a second voice radiated somewhere deep within me. It demanded I combat the intoxicating effects of the music, for if I failed to do so, I was destined to perdition. </p><p></p><p>At that moment the bright blue skies plummeted back into night’s darkness and the beguiling beauty twisted into a horrid creature. The robes became a tattered, mud-caked jacket of brown feathers. The milky, smooth legs mangled into bald, vulture’s feet. The alluring, cherubic face melted into a desiccated, scarred visage of a hag. </p><p></p><p>The song too died, replaced by a shrill caw. </p><p></p><p>A harpy, and it was hungry for flesh.</p><p></p><p>It plummeted down, going straight for Lilian. She dove out of its path, but not before it reared back up, digging its extended talons into her back. Lines of blood erupted from Lilian’s ravaged back and she fell to the ground.</p><p></p><p>I ran over to her, praying to Canaan for His healing grace. Her wounds healed instantly. </p><p></p><p>I heard the melee around and above me. Hu Li was begging the others to stop their assault on the harpy. </p><p></p><p>“Come, my love!” He kept repeating. “I am yours! Don’t you see her? She is an angel! Behold her celestial breasts! Golden as the dawn! Full of healing sustenance! How can you be so cruel? How can you be so heartless?” </p><p></p><p>Clearly he had been taken by the harpy’s song and was hopelessly absorbed by its enchantment.</p><p></p><p>Aesendal pointed a finger at the creature and a gray beam erupted from it. The creature flew upward and twisted clear of the beam’s path. </p><p></p><p>Shale had crouched behind one of the tents and began cawing and screeching, looking expectantly into the sky, calling on The Green for one of nature's allies. Answering his call, a giant eagle appeared in the sky, screeching angrily as it fell toward the harpy.</p><p></p><p>Gabriel and Talon grabbed hold of bits of debris, pieces of the ruined tower that littered the ground, heaving them at the creature. It availed us little as the beast remained aloft, safely out of the range of their throws. </p><p></p><p>Suddenly the creature dove earthward. In a flash it grabbed Hu Li by its talons and shot upward. Shale’s summoned eagle tore at the beast’s face, digging its ample beak and sharp claws deep into it. The harpy howled in pain, slashed at the eagle with its hands and held all the tighter onto Hu Li.</p><p></p><p>It vanished from view as it cleared the tower’s roof. </p><p></p><p>Lilian rose to her feet. We all looked up toward the top of the tower. Shale, Aesendal, Lilian and I, looked on helplessly as Talon and Gabriel climbed up the walls of the tower in a desperate attempt to reach Hu Li before he was consumed in his ecstasy by the harpy. </p><p></p><p>We could all hear the wizard’s exaltations. </p><p></p><p>“Yes!” He cried. “Oh! Your breasts! Such jewels! Such succulent mangoes! Take me! Take me to your blissful domicile, my angel! I am yours for always! My life! My love! Take my seed and shower it over your children! I am yours!” </p><p></p><p>I secretly thanked Canaan that I was privy only to the sound of the unholy copulation; for I feared had my eyes beheld the act, recovery from such a vision would have been unattainable. </p><p></p><p>I heard the harpy let out a squeal of rage, followed immediately by a loud crack of bone. </p><p></p><p>Hu Li erupted into a prolonged outburst of complete ecstasy. </p><p></p><p>Gabriel’s disgusted face appeared over the edge of the tower’s roof. </p><p></p><p>“The harpy’s dead!” He said. “I broke its neck.”</p><p></p><p>Talon’s face peered down next to Gabriel. </p><p></p><p>“Stay where you are.” The monk said looking back at Hu Li. “We are coming down.”</p><p></p><p>“What of Hu Li?” Asked Lilian. </p><p></p><p>The two men gave each other a quick glance. </p><p></p><p>“He’ll be fine.” They said at the same time. </p><p></p><p>After collecting a few dozen coins and some jewels that the harpy had hoarded, Talon, Gabriel and Hu Li climbed back down using some tethered together ropes they had found near the beast’s nest. </p><p></p><p>Hu Li was covered in some unmentionable substance. He reeked of vulture dung blended with an all but overpowering scent of rotting mackerel. Greater Daemon, who had fallen from his master’s shoulders when the harpy nabbed him, skittered up Hu Li’s robe, popping out behind the hood and draping himself over Hu Li’s shoulder.</p><p></p><p>Aesendal moved up to the soiled wizard muttering an arcane poem while waving his hands over the stains in Hu Li’s robe. A prestidigitation. An instant later, the smell and stains evaporated.</p><p></p><p>“That thing was guarding this place. If the Cultists are here,” said Lilian “Then they know we are as well.”</p><p></p><p>I looked up at the sky, the stars twinkled in the black soup above me. The moon was nowhere to be seen. The urgency of the moment suddenly clamped down on me like a rabid hound’s jaw. </p><p></p><p>It was the night of the new moon. There was no doubt the sacrifice of Tanner had begun. </p><p></p><p>“We must hurry.” I said. </p><p></p><p>We all moved to the tower. Gabriel motioned for us to stop an wait as he strode over to the tents and picked up a large, flat sheet of wood. He returned, planting it down in front of the door.</p><p></p><p>“Everyone behind the wood,” he whispered. “I heard voices from in there. They are waiting for us.”</p><p></p><p>We did as he suggested. A moment later, from the side of the tower, Gabriel deftly opened the door with a thrust, not exposing himself to the entrance. A series of well-aimed arrows erupted from the bows of several cultists who had been laying in wait, just as Gabriel predicted.</p><p></p><p>Thanks to Gabriel’s clever thinking, none of us were hurt. A short and rushed battle ensued as the brawler, the monk and Lilian charged the waiting cultists, who, armed with bows, were not ready for the assault. Lilian’s sword cleaved one of the unfortunate cultists, while Gabriel snapped the neck of a second, and Talon landed a flurry of blows on the remaining two.</p><p></p><p>A downward staircase greeted us. Aesendal and Hu Li both held spheres of light in their hands, illuminating the well hued, but plain stone walls and floor that surrounded us. </p><p>Gabriel and Talon led the way through the shadows, Gabriel still holding on to the wood sheet. We moved ever so slowly, mindful of traps and other possible diabolical impediments.</p><p></p><p>It did not take long for one to show itself. Gabriel stepped on a loose pressure plate in the floor, triggering four crossbow bolts to fire out of the walls in front of us, but carrying the wooden sheet, the bolts harmlessly stuck into it instead of Gabriel and Talon. We continued on, much more alert.</p><p></p><p>We passed by a closed door in the wall to our left. It opened up to an empty room. Bare shelving units lined the walls and the floor was covered in shattered clay bowls, barrels and pots. </p><p></p><p>Gabriel insisted on using the wooden sheet as a shield to block any other possible traps should they be tripped. Our pace slowed even further. Anxiety and worry over the fate of Tanner and the success of our foes threatened to utterly consume me. My thoughts drifted to Helena’s story of the supposed theft of Canaan, of the omen and dire warning from the succubus. If we failed, there would be no hope for Turgos, evil would reign and it would matter not what the true story of Creation was, for only fear, horror and despondency would rule our world. </p><p></p><p>I heard a crack and thud in front of us. Gabriel and his wooden sheet had disappeared. We all looked to the floor to see a gaping hole set in the middle of our path. </p><p></p><p>Gabriel had fallen in. </p><p></p><p>He was unharmed, but once again, we were delayed. We dropped a rope down to Gabriel and helped him climb up. He did not hide his frustration.</p><p></p><p>“They’re crafty.” He said as he cleared the edge of the pit. “These villains.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes.” Hu Li chimed in. “No one would ever expect a pit in a dungeon. Most clever. Most inventive. Clearly they foresaw you lugging a door around with you and planned accordingly.”</p><p></p><p>I saw Gabriel’s knuckles turn white as he balled his hands into fists before taking hold of the door again.</p><p></p><p>Beyond the pit was a short landing that ended in a solid wall. </p><p></p><p>We had reached a dead end.</p><p></p><p>As we turned about, at the end of the corridor, we all spotted what appeared to be torch light moving toward us. </p><p></p><p>As it came closer I noticed it wasn’t a torch at all, but a skeletal head, immolated in red and orange flames. The head floated atop of humanoid frame, wrapped in strips of burial cloth. </p><p></p><p>Lilian unsheathed her blade. Aesendal and Hu Li both began their evocations. I held aloft my Canaan Cross, lifting it in front of me, shouting, “Back! Back, foul spirit! Back to the pit from which you came!” </p><p></p><p>The creature’s fleshless jaw opened up at my command and let out of high pitched cruel cackle. </p><p></p><p>Gabriel and Talon leapt on it, but it merely pushed them to the side, flinging them up against the wall of the corridor, completely unimpeded. Shale ran forth, brandishing his scimitar. He sliced into the mummified hide of the creature, but it only laughed again. </p><p></p><p>Hu Li took in a quick, unearthly breath, and a hound, haloed in a golden aura leapt from the ether and bit down on the monster. </p><p></p><p>The fiend howled in agony. </p><p></p><p>Aesendal took in his own deep breath and vomit forth a stream of acid that struck the creature square in the chest. It was flung back several feet and sent skidding on the floor. </p><p></p><p>Lilian fearlessly bounded up to it. </p><p></p><p>“In the name of Canaan,” She shouted “I <em>smite</em> thee and send thee back to Hell!” </p><p></p><p>Her blade was enveloped in a blinding white light. She plunged the blade clean through the creature, cutting deep. No blood emerged from the wound. It let out only a short cry. The flames extinguished from around the skull and its movements ceased. The skull fell loose from their conjured moorings and rolled along the floor. </p><p></p><p>When it stopped it disintegrated into dust. </p><p></p><p>Fighting down the urge to celebrate our victory and lose even more time as well as clarity, we ventured onward, doubly cautious. </p><p></p><p>That cautiousness will prove nearly fatal.</p><p></p><p>Gabriel and Talon had fished the door out of the pit and Gabriel took hold of it again as he led the way through the dank corridors. </p><p></p><p>We approached another room. Gabriel entered first holding the wooden shield in front of him so as to deflect arrow or bolt traps. We heard the sound of an underwater voice as Gabriel stiffened, encased in some sort of brackish film. The smell of rotten fish exuded from him and threatened to sicken us all.</p><p></p><p>At the sight of her brother, Lilian rushed into the room. None of us could see a thing with that damnable wooden shield Gabriel insisted on carrying blocking our view of the room’s denizens. More chanting could be heard.</p><p></p><p>A blade swung out, striking Lilian in the back as she rushed into the room. She crumpled to the floor. A tall man completely encased in a suit of black plate armor emerged from the side of the room into full view. He hovered over Lilian for a moment and raised his sword high over his head to strike a killing blow. His sword glowed with red runes along its blade. It hurt my eyes to look at them.</p><p></p><p>Aesendal interrupted the Black Knight’s death blow with a regurgitated torrent of acid that burned and sizzled on the man’s armor. The knight stepped back, bumping into Gabriel and knocking his wooden sheet loose.</p><p></p><p>I immediately spotted Tanner. The boy was bound to an altar painted with inverted pentagrams. </p><p></p><p>A black and crimson robed priest moved up to the boy, bearing an ornate, jagged knife.</p><p></p><p>The priest sneered and turn toward me, brandishing the knife.</p><p></p><p>“Heathens!” He shouted. “Death to you all!” </p><p></p><p>I ignored him and rushed up to the fallen Lilian. </p><p></p><p>Out of the corner of my eye, I saw, huddled in a corner to the right of the room’s entrance a woman whose flesh was the hue of a sylvan pond. She was surrounded by a thin sheet of undulating liquid. </p><p></p><p>She was chanting. Her voice was distant and muddled, as if she was completely submerged in water. </p><p></p><p>The others bound into the chamber. Shale stared at the priest and uttered an incantation to reveal his true form. Shale gasped.</p><p></p><p>“Dark Fae.” He sighed and lunged at him, brandishing his scimitar. The dark elf parried the attack effortlessly with his own curved sword. </p><p></p><p>Talon engaged the armored knight, but his bare hands and feet proved useless against the corrupted champion’s solid suit of black metal.</p><p></p><p>I called out to Canaan for his <em>blessing</em>. I felt His presence come to us in our time of need. But the Dark Priest quickly intoned his own <em>blessing</em> to Orcus and Canaan’s light faded. </p><p></p><p>I knelt over Lilian. She lay on her stomach, all but floating in a pool of her own blood that leaked from her back. I reached out to heal her, but was bowled over but the priest who flung himself at me in a mad rage. </p><p></p><p>I seized my mace as our roll came to an end. I blindly swung out, catching only air.</p><p></p><p>A fist swung out above me. It landed on the priest’s cheek, sending him reeling back. I looked up to see Talon above me, his hand reaching out to me. I took hold of it and was pulled up.</p><p></p><p>“Lilian’s in trouble.” I told him.</p><p></p><p>“We all are.” Was his response. </p><p></p><p>The battle ensued all around me. Shale and the dark fae, Priest of Orcus locked blades. Talon was still beating on the black knight, gaining no ground, but avoiding the villain’s blade with effortless ease.</p><p></p><p>The priest came back at Shale and me. This time I was ready. I caught the side of his head with my mace. He reeled back, but still stood.</p><p></p><p>“The boy’s soul shall be consumed!” He hissed, his voice bloated with madness. “You have failed!” </p><p></p><p>Shale retreated from battle into the corridor and began howling like a wolf, calling out to The Green. Hu Li’s voice joined the cacophony as he brought into being a summoned haloed hound. Just then a wolf bounded past Shale as he completed his call to The Green to send aid. The canine and lupine bound into the room, growling angrily as they threatened the sorceress. </p><p></p><p>But the sorceress had been busy, four water-soaked mirror images sprang into being around her and shifted slightly around the area where she stood. The <em>summoned monsters</em> attacked with abandon. </p><p></p><p>While they were thusly engaged, the sorceress worked more of her fell magic. With a word that sounded like a gurgle, she pointed and three watery globes of green water flew from her fingertips and pounded into Aesendal’s chest, interrupting his next attempt to breathe acid on the Black Knight.</p><p></p><p>Talon was having no luck against the Dark Knight. I was holding my own against the Priest. Then he called out, “Orcus, lord of darkness and night, your humble servant begs of you, smite this Canaanite’s sight!” A <em>blindness</em> spell.</p><p></p><p>I felt a heavy darkness come over me and I prayed fervently that the will of Canaan overcome this dark priest. The light returned and I thanked Canaan for smiling upon me.</p><p></p><p>But the priest had turned his attention to Talon, leaving me a moment to act. I seized the moment and rushed to the cocooned Gabriel. Thinking quickly, I began to utter a short prayer to <em>purify food and drink</em>.</p><p></p><p>The black knight disengaged with the ineffective Talon and, cackling under his helm, plunged his red-runed blade down at me. I managed to parry the ebony hued sword with my mace, but the force of the blow reverberated through my arm, clear up to my shoulder. I bit down the pain, rolled clear of the knight and scrambled to my feet. </p><p></p><p>Aesendal, who suddenly stood between me, took in a deep breath and let out a torrent of acid. It arched over Talon and rained down on the priest.</p><p></p><p>The priest did not scream. His face was instantly eaten away by the torrent and he fell into a burning clump of melted flesh. But he still breathed. </p><p></p><p>The black knight howled, broke from his melee and angled in on Aesendal.</p><p></p><p>The sorceress, managing to elude the wolf and dog and with two <em>mirror images</em> left, raised a hand and three more glowing globules of water shot forth, watery <em>magic missiles</em>, pummeling Aesendal, and throwing him up against a wall. </p><p></p><p>I touched the watery bindings that held Gabriel. Light flickered around the odorous cocoon, then instantly flickered out. My effort failed. </p><p></p><p>Hu Li summoned another hound. It joined its brother snapping at the legs of the sorceress. She was pulled to the floor, and the first dog vanished. </p><p></p><p>Shale again called out to The Green for aid and another wolf appeared moments later to harass the Sorceress. He once again wielded his scimitar and joined the fray.</p><p></p><p>The dark knight kept his focus on the sorcerer. I called out to Talon who was standing near the knight, but it was too late. The knight spoke, “meet your death at <em>Murder</em>’s edge, wyrmkin.” The red-runes on the knight’s ebony blade flared as the blade sliced through the back of Aesendal’s neck. The sorcerer’s head rolled down his back and dropped to the floor. </p><p></p><p>Talon howled and leapt on the back of the knight. I rushed the armored foe. Shale tumbled around to meet the knight on the opposite side of me. </p><p></p><p>The tyrant was surrounded, but it was short lived. He lunged backward into the chamber’s wall, crushing Talon, who loosed his hold and fell to the floor, stunned.</p><p></p><p>Shale and I brought our weapons to bear against the knight, but our metal was deflected by the well crafted suit of armor that protected the villain. </p><p></p><p>“Death comes! Death, so glorious. So beautiful!” </p><p></p><p>The outburst did not come from either the sorceress or the knight. It had come from Hu Li, standing in the room’s entrance. The small case that Balian had given him was opened at his feet. He held a tiny bead of pulsing blackness between his fingers, a sickening mad grimace dominating his ivory face.</p><p></p><p>“Death to all who oppose the will of the Eyeless Hollow Ones! Yes!”</p><p></p><p>The sorceress’ eyes widened, but she could not leave as she was pinned by Shale’s wolf and Hu Li’s second dog, her <em>mirror images</em> finally gone. </p><p></p><p>Gabriel’s cocoon evaporated and he fell to the floor, taking in a labored, deep breath. </p><p></p><p>Shale whipped around to look at Hu Li. Recognition dawned on his face. He went pale. “Everyone!” Shouted Shale. “Out! Now!” </p><p></p><p>Gabriel turned, seeing Lilian’s corpse for the first time. His face contorted in pain and grief. He screamed out.</p><p></p><p>“Lilian! Nooooooooooooooo!” </p><p></p><p>He ran to his twin sister, craddling her head in his arms and crying.</p><p></p><p>I looked to the boy, still bound to the makeshift altar. </p><p></p><p>Talon tumbled from the room. Hu Li backed into shadows.</p><p></p><p>Shale ran for the door, but was tripped by the priest, giving the dark knight time to bring his blade, Murder, down to bear on him, cleaving his left shoulder to the bone.</p><p></p><p>I lunged for the boy. Tanner’s eyes opened as I draped my body over him, to shield him from the blast that was about to come.</p><p></p><p>There was no conflict within me. If by my dying the next Voice and Will of Canaan would survive, my life would have had some worth and I could go to Canaan in peace. </p><p></p><p>Tanner looked up at me. He smiled. </p><p></p><p>“Don’t be afraid.” I said. </p><p></p><p>“There is nothing to fear.” He answered. “Canaan is with us.” His voice, though that of a child, held within it such a timeless wisdom and calm, that whatever lingering fear I may have had, was washed away. He would live. That much was certain. </p><p></p><p>I was ready to die. </p><p></p><p>I twisted my head around in time to catch Hu Li tossing the bead at the knight. It glimmered with a pitch black light from within. I turned my face away and closed me eyes. </p><p></p><p>There was first a flash of indigo light, then an explosion. A concussive wave slammed into my back. I held Tanner close. </p><p></p><p>Fire, steel and ice, all sensations of pain tore through me. </p><p></p><p>A moment later it was over. I opened my eyes, ready to see the Face of Canaan smiling down at me, but what I saw was blood, bone and gore splattered on the walls around me.</p><p></p><p>Tanner laid under me, unharmed, his face serene and calm.</p><p></p><p>“You see?” He said. “We are safe.” </p><p></p><p>The pain was so complete I could barely move, but I fought down the crippling agony and managed to roll over and stand. Aesendal’s body, so close to the epicenter of the blast, was completely destroyed, its remains painting one of the walls. </p><p></p><p>Lilian’s body, twisted and burned, still lay on the floor. </p><p></p><p>The knight stood in the center of the room, entirely encased in a smooth, iridescent indigo sphere. The priest's head was knocked into the side of the marble altar by the blast. It broke open his skull. He died.</p><p></p><p>Shale lay at the door, his back to me, but his face, staring blankly over his good shoulder, was completely turned about on a ruined neck.</p><p></p><p>Gabriel had been blasted from the room. He and Talon hurried in. Talon took hold of me. Gabriel took hold of his sister, still crying and in pain, both from the loss of his sister and Hu Li’s blast.</p><p></p><p>“Gabriel, we need you to be strong. Take the boy. He needs your help. He is an innocent. There will be time for all of us to grieve when this danger has passed.” Talon urged.</p><p></p><p>Gabriel whipped his head around, seemingly about to berate Talon, and at the last moment gathered his senses. Wiping away a tear, he unbound the boy and carried him out and Talon carried me out of the complex, barely conscious.</p><p></p><p>Just then, the room darkened. The hair on the back of my neck rose. I felt a heavy, thoroughly evil presence. A deep thick voice boomed. “You failed, priest! Your soul is mine!”</p><p></p><p>We heard an ethereal scream come from the corpse of the fallen dark fae priest and the sounds of chains followed. The screams got farther and farther away. After a few moments, we couldn’t hear them anymore and the darkness left the room. It returned to normal. Whatever that creature was that claimed the priest’s soul, I have no desire to meet it in my lifetime.</p><p></p><p>The blast from the <em>bead of force</em> destroyed the summoned monsters and nature's allies harrowing the Sorceress, but left the Sorceress untouched. She stood. Hu Li muttered an incantation under his breath and re-entered the room, seemingly holding another pulsating black pearl in each hand. He faced the Sorceress cackling.</p><p></p><p>“Oh, no, my dear!” He was saying. “You’re going nowhere!” </p><p></p><p>Talon and Gabriel turned back toward the sound, following it to the end of a hallway. </p><p></p><p>The water sorceress was kneeling before Hu Li, her hands up in a sign of surrender. </p><p></p><p>“I was merely a pawn!” She was saying. “I was merely his concubine. That is all! I know nothing else!” </p><p></p><p>I was dropped to the floor. It was then I realized Gabriel had held me.</p><p></p><p>“You will tell us everything!” He said, lunging at the woman. Some film that surrounded her reflected his hands. She swallowed the urge to smile.</p><p></p><p>“Witch!” Cried Gabriel. “My sister is dead because of you! Tell us everything, or by Canaan, you will join her!” </p><p></p><p>“Please!” She cried. “I know nothing! Show mercy! Show mercy!” </p><p></p><p>She began to wave her hands about. Something sparkled betwixt her fingers. We all saw it. Hu Li was the first to respond.</p><p></p><p>He held up another black pearl in his fingers. He bent over the witch, menacing her with it. </p><p></p><p>“Ah, ah, ah!” He said. “We’ll have none of that.”</p><p></p><p>Her hands stopped at the sight of the pearl. </p><p></p><p>“Let her go.” I heard myself saying as I lay on the floor. </p><p></p><p>All faces turned to me. </p><p></p><p>“My sister is dead, Evora!” Cried Gabriel, as tears of rage bubbled into his eyes.</p><p></p><p>“I know.” I answered through my pain. “And you demand justice. I know. By letting her go, she will be forced to report back to her masters her failure to sacrifice Tanner. Whatever fate awaits her will be far worse than anything we can administer.”</p><p></p><p>There was a silence, a tacit agreement to what I had said. In the quiet, the sorceress scrambled to her feet and fled. </p><p></p><p>“You had three of those things?” Gabriel asked Hu Li?</p><p></p><p>“No.” Hu Li responded simply. He snapped his fingers and the <em>silent images</em> of the pearls vanished. “Simple trick. But it fooled her.”</p><p></p><p>I remember very little of what transpired between then and leaving the tower. </p><p></p><p>Hu Li rode off on his own. He knew he had failed, though he somehow engineered a scenario that indicted Talon for the debacle. He mercifully did not stay long enough for any debate on the issue, but quickly announced that he must return to Balian to inform the Master what had happened. </p><p></p><p>We were all pleased to see him go. </p><p></p><p>“We must deliver the boy to Soliel.” I said. “I will also seek an audience with the Voice and Will. Lilian must be returned to us. Her fight here is not over. I am sure of it. I will request Canaan’s intercession to resurrect her. I only hope it will be granted.”</p><p></p><p>“You’re a fool.” Gabriel hissed. “She’s dead and what killed her is back in that tower. I can’t allow myself to just walk away and let him live. Only the Voice and Will has the power to raise a soul from the dead and he isn’t going to do it for a country bumkin of a priest, Evora!” </p><p></p><p>“The shell he is encased in will fall away at some point.” Said Talon, interceding. “Engaging him will be suicide.” </p><p></p><p>“Have patience, Gabriel.” I said, not taking Gabriel’s bait. “Have faith. Lilian will be returned to us. She would not want you to do this.”</p><p></p><p>“Don’t you dare speak for her!” His voice bellowed with rage and sorrow. He was devoted to nothing short of vengeance. “That thing deserves to die! Its bad enough we let that witch go! If we let him go as well, we will be complicit in whatever sins he commits from this day forward! If I die by his hands, at least I tried to stop him.” </p><p></p><p>Gabriel turned and stormed away from us.</p><p></p><p>“Do not let anger consume you.” I called out after him. “That is the path to the Adversary!” </p><p></p><p>“Let him go.” Talon said. “He has chosen his path. There is nothing else we can do.” </p><p></p><p>I watched Gabriel vanish back into the tower. The corpses of Lilian and Shale had been draped over the saddles of their horses. I moved over to them and sprinkled holy water and oils over them while reciting a prayer that would keep them in gentle repose. </p><p></p><p>Once I had finished, I looked back to the tower and recited a second prayer to Canaan, asking Him to guide Gabriel in his moment of crisis, and that should he die by the blade of the knight and the might of his own rage, that Canaan would be forgiving and compassionate. </p><p></p><p>And then I openly wept.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Canaan, post: 2820280, member: 40239"] [b]Chapter 15: Hu Li's Madness[/b] For three days we unremittingly rode, stopping only to sleep for a few precious hours before saddling up again and continuing into the Wildlands. Shale expertly escorted us past many potentially fatal encounters. Without the druid and the Green’s aid, I fear we would have never reached Tanner. As it was, we closely followed the directions provided to us by Balian and Helena’s scrying, and caught sight of the ruined tower as the sun was setting in the East. Its sole parapet was crumbling above the tops of a wide copse of trees. Both Gabriel and Talon swore they saw movement on the parapet. It was humanoid, they said, gaunt and bent. We proceeded with great caution. At Lilian’s suggestion, we dismounted and led our mounts closer to the base of the tower as quietly as possible. It was built within a clearing. A short, disintegrating wall, no taller than an adolescent, surrounded the tower’s base. Several hide tents with wood beams and siding had been hastily raised between the path that entered the clearing and large wooden door reinforced with iron banding at the tower’s only ingress. We tethered our horses to some tree trucks several hundred paces from the clearing and convened to plan our assault. Gabriel and Talon would scout ahead and determine if any Cultists were currently residing in any of the tents. If there was any sign of them, the two would return immediately with as detailed a report as possible. All were in agreement and the scouts initiated the plan. Many minutes passed in silence. I quietly prayed to Canaan to aid us in the coming fight, and to keep Tanner safe and free from fear. Something tugged at the back of mind. Lilian stood by her horse, lost in thought. Shale sat at the base of a tree, his legs folded in a lotus position, his eyes closed. Aesendal kept pacing back and forth at the edge of our ad-hoc enclave, while Hu Li quietly petted and cooed at Greater Daemon. A shout rang out as a cultist pushed open the flap of one of the tents only to see Gabriel skulking about. Gabriel leapt to the attack, grappling the poor sot in a strangle hold, while the cultist’s fellows armed themselves and readied to attack the brawler. Movement in the other tents signaled that they had been alerted to their fellow’s cries. Seeing a cultist emerging from a nearby tent, Talon dropped into a roll and swiped the feet out from under the unsuspecting miscreant. He dropped prone and Talon finished him with a flurry of blows as he tried to get up. Lilian spurred her horse into the fray, slicing through a charging cultist as his swing went wide. His eyes widened and he dropped his longsword. Lilian had sent another soul screaming back to the Abyss. She prayed to Canaan that his divine justice be served this day. Three of the cultists emerged from another tent and charged Gabriel. Effortlessly, he broke the neck of the grappled cultist, but his attention so taken, he did not notice his fellows closing on him. One of the cultists from inside the tent jabbed a spear at Gabriel’s side, causing him to gasp in pain as he dropped the strangled corpse. One of the three cultists charging him managed to open a wound down his arm as he dodged and parried, tumbling to regroup out of harm’s way. Hu Li’s shrill voice could be heard sucking in words, rather than uttering them. A summoned dog appeared moments later and dropped one of the cultists harrying Gabriel. Then the air became moist and the smell of freshly tilled earth filled my nostrils as Shale’s thick voice drifted on the wind. Vines twisted and writhed around the ankles of the remaining cultists, while Gabriel and Talon managed to leap out of the way at the last moment. So [I]entangled[/I], the cultists were no match for us. They all perished. After the last cultist fell, both Gabriel and Talon padded up to us, slightly winded. “The tents are covered in weird symbols.” Gabriel added. “Painted with blood.” Hu Li took an interest. “What sort of symbols?” He asked with repressed excitement. “I have no idea.” Impatiently answered Gabriel. “But it appears the tents are made out of human skin. We saw faces stretched and tanned in the fabric. Does that delight you as well, Hu Li?” Hu Li started to nod and betray a smirk, but upon seeing our horrified faces staring back at him, he quickly modified his reaction and feigned unconvincingly a disturbed seeming. “If we are to act, we should act now.” Talon said. “Yes.” Answered Lilian, sauntering up on her horse. “The way is clear. They won’t see us coming.” Shale spoke a word and the roots and vines stopped writhing. I readied a blessing and took hold of my mace as we snuck forward into the clearing. The way to the tower’s entrance was clear. We were almost upon it when we were all startled and shaken from our duty by a sweet, gentle and lulling song that floated down from the roof of the tower like a placid, cool rainfall that comes after years of drought. The dark night sky transformed into day, and floating before the sapphire firmament was a dazzling beauty, laced in flowing amber silks, and bearing great, silvery feathered wings. Her song was boring into me ever so gently, ever so lovingly, as, where I cannot recall a single note or word of it, I fondly remember the feeling it instilled in me. That fondness only adds to the revulsion, for a second voice radiated somewhere deep within me. It demanded I combat the intoxicating effects of the music, for if I failed to do so, I was destined to perdition. At that moment the bright blue skies plummeted back into night’s darkness and the beguiling beauty twisted into a horrid creature. The robes became a tattered, mud-caked jacket of brown feathers. The milky, smooth legs mangled into bald, vulture’s feet. The alluring, cherubic face melted into a desiccated, scarred visage of a hag. The song too died, replaced by a shrill caw. A harpy, and it was hungry for flesh. It plummeted down, going straight for Lilian. She dove out of its path, but not before it reared back up, digging its extended talons into her back. Lines of blood erupted from Lilian’s ravaged back and she fell to the ground. I ran over to her, praying to Canaan for His healing grace. Her wounds healed instantly. I heard the melee around and above me. Hu Li was begging the others to stop their assault on the harpy. “Come, my love!” He kept repeating. “I am yours! Don’t you see her? She is an angel! Behold her celestial breasts! Golden as the dawn! Full of healing sustenance! How can you be so cruel? How can you be so heartless?” Clearly he had been taken by the harpy’s song and was hopelessly absorbed by its enchantment. Aesendal pointed a finger at the creature and a gray beam erupted from it. The creature flew upward and twisted clear of the beam’s path. Shale had crouched behind one of the tents and began cawing and screeching, looking expectantly into the sky, calling on The Green for one of nature's allies. Answering his call, a giant eagle appeared in the sky, screeching angrily as it fell toward the harpy. Gabriel and Talon grabbed hold of bits of debris, pieces of the ruined tower that littered the ground, heaving them at the creature. It availed us little as the beast remained aloft, safely out of the range of their throws. Suddenly the creature dove earthward. In a flash it grabbed Hu Li by its talons and shot upward. Shale’s summoned eagle tore at the beast’s face, digging its ample beak and sharp claws deep into it. The harpy howled in pain, slashed at the eagle with its hands and held all the tighter onto Hu Li. It vanished from view as it cleared the tower’s roof. Lilian rose to her feet. We all looked up toward the top of the tower. Shale, Aesendal, Lilian and I, looked on helplessly as Talon and Gabriel climbed up the walls of the tower in a desperate attempt to reach Hu Li before he was consumed in his ecstasy by the harpy. We could all hear the wizard’s exaltations. “Yes!” He cried. “Oh! Your breasts! Such jewels! Such succulent mangoes! Take me! Take me to your blissful domicile, my angel! I am yours for always! My life! My love! Take my seed and shower it over your children! I am yours!” I secretly thanked Canaan that I was privy only to the sound of the unholy copulation; for I feared had my eyes beheld the act, recovery from such a vision would have been unattainable. I heard the harpy let out a squeal of rage, followed immediately by a loud crack of bone. Hu Li erupted into a prolonged outburst of complete ecstasy. Gabriel’s disgusted face appeared over the edge of the tower’s roof. “The harpy’s dead!” He said. “I broke its neck.” Talon’s face peered down next to Gabriel. “Stay where you are.” The monk said looking back at Hu Li. “We are coming down.” “What of Hu Li?” Asked Lilian. The two men gave each other a quick glance. “He’ll be fine.” They said at the same time. After collecting a few dozen coins and some jewels that the harpy had hoarded, Talon, Gabriel and Hu Li climbed back down using some tethered together ropes they had found near the beast’s nest. Hu Li was covered in some unmentionable substance. He reeked of vulture dung blended with an all but overpowering scent of rotting mackerel. Greater Daemon, who had fallen from his master’s shoulders when the harpy nabbed him, skittered up Hu Li’s robe, popping out behind the hood and draping himself over Hu Li’s shoulder. Aesendal moved up to the soiled wizard muttering an arcane poem while waving his hands over the stains in Hu Li’s robe. A prestidigitation. An instant later, the smell and stains evaporated. “That thing was guarding this place. If the Cultists are here,” said Lilian “Then they know we are as well.” I looked up at the sky, the stars twinkled in the black soup above me. The moon was nowhere to be seen. The urgency of the moment suddenly clamped down on me like a rabid hound’s jaw. It was the night of the new moon. There was no doubt the sacrifice of Tanner had begun. “We must hurry.” I said. We all moved to the tower. Gabriel motioned for us to stop an wait as he strode over to the tents and picked up a large, flat sheet of wood. He returned, planting it down in front of the door. “Everyone behind the wood,” he whispered. “I heard voices from in there. They are waiting for us.” We did as he suggested. A moment later, from the side of the tower, Gabriel deftly opened the door with a thrust, not exposing himself to the entrance. A series of well-aimed arrows erupted from the bows of several cultists who had been laying in wait, just as Gabriel predicted. Thanks to Gabriel’s clever thinking, none of us were hurt. A short and rushed battle ensued as the brawler, the monk and Lilian charged the waiting cultists, who, armed with bows, were not ready for the assault. Lilian’s sword cleaved one of the unfortunate cultists, while Gabriel snapped the neck of a second, and Talon landed a flurry of blows on the remaining two. A downward staircase greeted us. Aesendal and Hu Li both held spheres of light in their hands, illuminating the well hued, but plain stone walls and floor that surrounded us. Gabriel and Talon led the way through the shadows, Gabriel still holding on to the wood sheet. We moved ever so slowly, mindful of traps and other possible diabolical impediments. It did not take long for one to show itself. Gabriel stepped on a loose pressure plate in the floor, triggering four crossbow bolts to fire out of the walls in front of us, but carrying the wooden sheet, the bolts harmlessly stuck into it instead of Gabriel and Talon. We continued on, much more alert. We passed by a closed door in the wall to our left. It opened up to an empty room. Bare shelving units lined the walls and the floor was covered in shattered clay bowls, barrels and pots. Gabriel insisted on using the wooden sheet as a shield to block any other possible traps should they be tripped. Our pace slowed even further. Anxiety and worry over the fate of Tanner and the success of our foes threatened to utterly consume me. My thoughts drifted to Helena’s story of the supposed theft of Canaan, of the omen and dire warning from the succubus. If we failed, there would be no hope for Turgos, evil would reign and it would matter not what the true story of Creation was, for only fear, horror and despondency would rule our world. I heard a crack and thud in front of us. Gabriel and his wooden sheet had disappeared. We all looked to the floor to see a gaping hole set in the middle of our path. Gabriel had fallen in. He was unharmed, but once again, we were delayed. We dropped a rope down to Gabriel and helped him climb up. He did not hide his frustration. “They’re crafty.” He said as he cleared the edge of the pit. “These villains.” “Yes.” Hu Li chimed in. “No one would ever expect a pit in a dungeon. Most clever. Most inventive. Clearly they foresaw you lugging a door around with you and planned accordingly.” I saw Gabriel’s knuckles turn white as he balled his hands into fists before taking hold of the door again. Beyond the pit was a short landing that ended in a solid wall. We had reached a dead end. As we turned about, at the end of the corridor, we all spotted what appeared to be torch light moving toward us. As it came closer I noticed it wasn’t a torch at all, but a skeletal head, immolated in red and orange flames. The head floated atop of humanoid frame, wrapped in strips of burial cloth. Lilian unsheathed her blade. Aesendal and Hu Li both began their evocations. I held aloft my Canaan Cross, lifting it in front of me, shouting, “Back! Back, foul spirit! Back to the pit from which you came!” The creature’s fleshless jaw opened up at my command and let out of high pitched cruel cackle. Gabriel and Talon leapt on it, but it merely pushed them to the side, flinging them up against the wall of the corridor, completely unimpeded. Shale ran forth, brandishing his scimitar. He sliced into the mummified hide of the creature, but it only laughed again. Hu Li took in a quick, unearthly breath, and a hound, haloed in a golden aura leapt from the ether and bit down on the monster. The fiend howled in agony. Aesendal took in his own deep breath and vomit forth a stream of acid that struck the creature square in the chest. It was flung back several feet and sent skidding on the floor. Lilian fearlessly bounded up to it. “In the name of Canaan,” She shouted “I [I]smite[/I] thee and send thee back to Hell!” Her blade was enveloped in a blinding white light. She plunged the blade clean through the creature, cutting deep. No blood emerged from the wound. It let out only a short cry. The flames extinguished from around the skull and its movements ceased. The skull fell loose from their conjured moorings and rolled along the floor. When it stopped it disintegrated into dust. Fighting down the urge to celebrate our victory and lose even more time as well as clarity, we ventured onward, doubly cautious. That cautiousness will prove nearly fatal. Gabriel and Talon had fished the door out of the pit and Gabriel took hold of it again as he led the way through the dank corridors. We approached another room. Gabriel entered first holding the wooden shield in front of him so as to deflect arrow or bolt traps. We heard the sound of an underwater voice as Gabriel stiffened, encased in some sort of brackish film. The smell of rotten fish exuded from him and threatened to sicken us all. At the sight of her brother, Lilian rushed into the room. None of us could see a thing with that damnable wooden shield Gabriel insisted on carrying blocking our view of the room’s denizens. More chanting could be heard. A blade swung out, striking Lilian in the back as she rushed into the room. She crumpled to the floor. A tall man completely encased in a suit of black plate armor emerged from the side of the room into full view. He hovered over Lilian for a moment and raised his sword high over his head to strike a killing blow. His sword glowed with red runes along its blade. It hurt my eyes to look at them. Aesendal interrupted the Black Knight’s death blow with a regurgitated torrent of acid that burned and sizzled on the man’s armor. The knight stepped back, bumping into Gabriel and knocking his wooden sheet loose. I immediately spotted Tanner. The boy was bound to an altar painted with inverted pentagrams. A black and crimson robed priest moved up to the boy, bearing an ornate, jagged knife. The priest sneered and turn toward me, brandishing the knife. “Heathens!” He shouted. “Death to you all!” I ignored him and rushed up to the fallen Lilian. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw, huddled in a corner to the right of the room’s entrance a woman whose flesh was the hue of a sylvan pond. She was surrounded by a thin sheet of undulating liquid. She was chanting. Her voice was distant and muddled, as if she was completely submerged in water. The others bound into the chamber. Shale stared at the priest and uttered an incantation to reveal his true form. Shale gasped. “Dark Fae.” He sighed and lunged at him, brandishing his scimitar. The dark elf parried the attack effortlessly with his own curved sword. Talon engaged the armored knight, but his bare hands and feet proved useless against the corrupted champion’s solid suit of black metal. I called out to Canaan for his [I]blessing[/I]. I felt His presence come to us in our time of need. But the Dark Priest quickly intoned his own [I]blessing[/I] to Orcus and Canaan’s light faded. I knelt over Lilian. She lay on her stomach, all but floating in a pool of her own blood that leaked from her back. I reached out to heal her, but was bowled over but the priest who flung himself at me in a mad rage. I seized my mace as our roll came to an end. I blindly swung out, catching only air. A fist swung out above me. It landed on the priest’s cheek, sending him reeling back. I looked up to see Talon above me, his hand reaching out to me. I took hold of it and was pulled up. “Lilian’s in trouble.” I told him. “We all are.” Was his response. The battle ensued all around me. Shale and the dark fae, Priest of Orcus locked blades. Talon was still beating on the black knight, gaining no ground, but avoiding the villain’s blade with effortless ease. The priest came back at Shale and me. This time I was ready. I caught the side of his head with my mace. He reeled back, but still stood. “The boy’s soul shall be consumed!” He hissed, his voice bloated with madness. “You have failed!” Shale retreated from battle into the corridor and began howling like a wolf, calling out to The Green. Hu Li’s voice joined the cacophony as he brought into being a summoned haloed hound. Just then a wolf bounded past Shale as he completed his call to The Green to send aid. The canine and lupine bound into the room, growling angrily as they threatened the sorceress. But the sorceress had been busy, four water-soaked mirror images sprang into being around her and shifted slightly around the area where she stood. The [I]summoned monsters[/I] attacked with abandon. While they were thusly engaged, the sorceress worked more of her fell magic. With a word that sounded like a gurgle, she pointed and three watery globes of green water flew from her fingertips and pounded into Aesendal’s chest, interrupting his next attempt to breathe acid on the Black Knight. Talon was having no luck against the Dark Knight. I was holding my own against the Priest. Then he called out, “Orcus, lord of darkness and night, your humble servant begs of you, smite this Canaanite’s sight!” A [I]blindness[/I] spell. I felt a heavy darkness come over me and I prayed fervently that the will of Canaan overcome this dark priest. The light returned and I thanked Canaan for smiling upon me. But the priest had turned his attention to Talon, leaving me a moment to act. I seized the moment and rushed to the cocooned Gabriel. Thinking quickly, I began to utter a short prayer to [I]purify food and drink[/I]. The black knight disengaged with the ineffective Talon and, cackling under his helm, plunged his red-runed blade down at me. I managed to parry the ebony hued sword with my mace, but the force of the blow reverberated through my arm, clear up to my shoulder. I bit down the pain, rolled clear of the knight and scrambled to my feet. Aesendal, who suddenly stood between me, took in a deep breath and let out a torrent of acid. It arched over Talon and rained down on the priest. The priest did not scream. His face was instantly eaten away by the torrent and he fell into a burning clump of melted flesh. But he still breathed. The black knight howled, broke from his melee and angled in on Aesendal. The sorceress, managing to elude the wolf and dog and with two [I]mirror images[/I] left, raised a hand and three more glowing globules of water shot forth, watery [I]magic missiles[/I], pummeling Aesendal, and throwing him up against a wall. I touched the watery bindings that held Gabriel. Light flickered around the odorous cocoon, then instantly flickered out. My effort failed. Hu Li summoned another hound. It joined its brother snapping at the legs of the sorceress. She was pulled to the floor, and the first dog vanished. Shale again called out to The Green for aid and another wolf appeared moments later to harass the Sorceress. He once again wielded his scimitar and joined the fray. The dark knight kept his focus on the sorcerer. I called out to Talon who was standing near the knight, but it was too late. The knight spoke, “meet your death at [I]Murder[/I]’s edge, wyrmkin.” The red-runes on the knight’s ebony blade flared as the blade sliced through the back of Aesendal’s neck. The sorcerer’s head rolled down his back and dropped to the floor. Talon howled and leapt on the back of the knight. I rushed the armored foe. Shale tumbled around to meet the knight on the opposite side of me. The tyrant was surrounded, but it was short lived. He lunged backward into the chamber’s wall, crushing Talon, who loosed his hold and fell to the floor, stunned. Shale and I brought our weapons to bear against the knight, but our metal was deflected by the well crafted suit of armor that protected the villain. “Death comes! Death, so glorious. So beautiful!” The outburst did not come from either the sorceress or the knight. It had come from Hu Li, standing in the room’s entrance. The small case that Balian had given him was opened at his feet. He held a tiny bead of pulsing blackness between his fingers, a sickening mad grimace dominating his ivory face. “Death to all who oppose the will of the Eyeless Hollow Ones! Yes!” The sorceress’ eyes widened, but she could not leave as she was pinned by Shale’s wolf and Hu Li’s second dog, her [I]mirror images[/I] finally gone. Gabriel’s cocoon evaporated and he fell to the floor, taking in a labored, deep breath. Shale whipped around to look at Hu Li. Recognition dawned on his face. He went pale. “Everyone!” Shouted Shale. “Out! Now!” Gabriel turned, seeing Lilian’s corpse for the first time. His face contorted in pain and grief. He screamed out. “Lilian! Nooooooooooooooo!” He ran to his twin sister, craddling her head in his arms and crying. I looked to the boy, still bound to the makeshift altar. Talon tumbled from the room. Hu Li backed into shadows. Shale ran for the door, but was tripped by the priest, giving the dark knight time to bring his blade, Murder, down to bear on him, cleaving his left shoulder to the bone. I lunged for the boy. Tanner’s eyes opened as I draped my body over him, to shield him from the blast that was about to come. There was no conflict within me. If by my dying the next Voice and Will of Canaan would survive, my life would have had some worth and I could go to Canaan in peace. Tanner looked up at me. He smiled. “Don’t be afraid.” I said. “There is nothing to fear.” He answered. “Canaan is with us.” His voice, though that of a child, held within it such a timeless wisdom and calm, that whatever lingering fear I may have had, was washed away. He would live. That much was certain. I was ready to die. I twisted my head around in time to catch Hu Li tossing the bead at the knight. It glimmered with a pitch black light from within. I turned my face away and closed me eyes. There was first a flash of indigo light, then an explosion. A concussive wave slammed into my back. I held Tanner close. Fire, steel and ice, all sensations of pain tore through me. A moment later it was over. I opened my eyes, ready to see the Face of Canaan smiling down at me, but what I saw was blood, bone and gore splattered on the walls around me. Tanner laid under me, unharmed, his face serene and calm. “You see?” He said. “We are safe.” The pain was so complete I could barely move, but I fought down the crippling agony and managed to roll over and stand. Aesendal’s body, so close to the epicenter of the blast, was completely destroyed, its remains painting one of the walls. Lilian’s body, twisted and burned, still lay on the floor. The knight stood in the center of the room, entirely encased in a smooth, iridescent indigo sphere. The priest's head was knocked into the side of the marble altar by the blast. It broke open his skull. He died. Shale lay at the door, his back to me, but his face, staring blankly over his good shoulder, was completely turned about on a ruined neck. Gabriel had been blasted from the room. He and Talon hurried in. Talon took hold of me. Gabriel took hold of his sister, still crying and in pain, both from the loss of his sister and Hu Li’s blast. “Gabriel, we need you to be strong. Take the boy. He needs your help. He is an innocent. There will be time for all of us to grieve when this danger has passed.” Talon urged. Gabriel whipped his head around, seemingly about to berate Talon, and at the last moment gathered his senses. Wiping away a tear, he unbound the boy and carried him out and Talon carried me out of the complex, barely conscious. Just then, the room darkened. The hair on the back of my neck rose. I felt a heavy, thoroughly evil presence. A deep thick voice boomed. “You failed, priest! Your soul is mine!” We heard an ethereal scream come from the corpse of the fallen dark fae priest and the sounds of chains followed. The screams got farther and farther away. After a few moments, we couldn’t hear them anymore and the darkness left the room. It returned to normal. Whatever that creature was that claimed the priest’s soul, I have no desire to meet it in my lifetime. The blast from the [I]bead of force[/I] destroyed the summoned monsters and nature's allies harrowing the Sorceress, but left the Sorceress untouched. She stood. Hu Li muttered an incantation under his breath and re-entered the room, seemingly holding another pulsating black pearl in each hand. He faced the Sorceress cackling. “Oh, no, my dear!” He was saying. “You’re going nowhere!” Talon and Gabriel turned back toward the sound, following it to the end of a hallway. The water sorceress was kneeling before Hu Li, her hands up in a sign of surrender. “I was merely a pawn!” She was saying. “I was merely his concubine. That is all! I know nothing else!” I was dropped to the floor. It was then I realized Gabriel had held me. “You will tell us everything!” He said, lunging at the woman. Some film that surrounded her reflected his hands. She swallowed the urge to smile. “Witch!” Cried Gabriel. “My sister is dead because of you! Tell us everything, or by Canaan, you will join her!” “Please!” She cried. “I know nothing! Show mercy! Show mercy!” She began to wave her hands about. Something sparkled betwixt her fingers. We all saw it. Hu Li was the first to respond. He held up another black pearl in his fingers. He bent over the witch, menacing her with it. “Ah, ah, ah!” He said. “We’ll have none of that.” Her hands stopped at the sight of the pearl. “Let her go.” I heard myself saying as I lay on the floor. All faces turned to me. “My sister is dead, Evora!” Cried Gabriel, as tears of rage bubbled into his eyes. “I know.” I answered through my pain. “And you demand justice. I know. By letting her go, she will be forced to report back to her masters her failure to sacrifice Tanner. Whatever fate awaits her will be far worse than anything we can administer.” There was a silence, a tacit agreement to what I had said. In the quiet, the sorceress scrambled to her feet and fled. “You had three of those things?” Gabriel asked Hu Li? “No.” Hu Li responded simply. He snapped his fingers and the [I]silent images[/I] of the pearls vanished. “Simple trick. But it fooled her.” I remember very little of what transpired between then and leaving the tower. Hu Li rode off on his own. He knew he had failed, though he somehow engineered a scenario that indicted Talon for the debacle. He mercifully did not stay long enough for any debate on the issue, but quickly announced that he must return to Balian to inform the Master what had happened. We were all pleased to see him go. “We must deliver the boy to Soliel.” I said. “I will also seek an audience with the Voice and Will. Lilian must be returned to us. Her fight here is not over. I am sure of it. I will request Canaan’s intercession to resurrect her. I only hope it will be granted.” “You’re a fool.” Gabriel hissed. “She’s dead and what killed her is back in that tower. I can’t allow myself to just walk away and let him live. Only the Voice and Will has the power to raise a soul from the dead and he isn’t going to do it for a country bumkin of a priest, Evora!” “The shell he is encased in will fall away at some point.” Said Talon, interceding. “Engaging him will be suicide.” “Have patience, Gabriel.” I said, not taking Gabriel’s bait. “Have faith. Lilian will be returned to us. She would not want you to do this.” “Don’t you dare speak for her!” His voice bellowed with rage and sorrow. He was devoted to nothing short of vengeance. “That thing deserves to die! Its bad enough we let that witch go! If we let him go as well, we will be complicit in whatever sins he commits from this day forward! If I die by his hands, at least I tried to stop him.” Gabriel turned and stormed away from us. “Do not let anger consume you.” I called out after him. “That is the path to the Adversary!” “Let him go.” Talon said. “He has chosen his path. There is nothing else we can do.” I watched Gabriel vanish back into the tower. The corpses of Lilian and Shale had been draped over the saddles of their horses. I moved over to them and sprinkled holy water and oils over them while reciting a prayer that would keep them in gentle repose. Once I had finished, I looked back to the tower and recited a second prayer to Canaan, asking Him to guide Gabriel in his moment of crisis, and that should he die by the blade of the knight and the might of his own rage, that Canaan would be forgiving and compassionate. And then I openly wept. [/QUOTE]
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