Adventuring pt. 5
The light from the arcane circle began to collapse and condense toward the stone slab, racing up it till it combined with the creature laying on it, then bursting into a bright flash. It sat up and looked around, as if were confused where it was.
‘Welcome my child. Stand, let us see you.’ she beckoned him.
The Vuldroag stood up. Its height was an imposing 8 feet. He looked and moved toward the robed woman, kneeling in reverence as he kissed her hand when she extended it.
‘Show me your true form, child.’ she requested gleefully. ‘Show them the gift that has been bestowed upon you.’
It got up from its knelt position, turned to face the party. Its gazed affixed on Ar’Kelos. The fires of hatred in his eyes could be seen even from a distance. It smiled, displaying the rows of sharp teeth in his mouth. The smile grew into a small laughter. Laughter to pain as the changed took place. Fur began sprouting over its scales. Keeling over his stomach, it began to increase in size as his Ssethric features merged into an odd mixture of canine and lizard. Its laughter changing from the guttural grow into the mad cackling that of a hyena. After the transformation, he stood at a menacing 9 feet tall. Patches of fur and scale littered his body in a non-pattern fashion. Its gaze once again perforating the Elorii.
‘Enough of this!’ shouted Eifrain. ‘Behold the power of my Lord …’ As he turned to the guards holding weapons against him ‘… and revere his brilliance!’ the cleric chanted and began to grow so bright that his luminance almost compared to the glory of Illir himself. The three lycans were powerless to resist, falling to their knees as tears began to roll from their eyes from the awe and presence of Eifraien’s cant.
‘How dare you?!’ she disapproved. ‘You openly defy the gift you will soon receive? I am disappointed! Eliminate them, my son.’ pointing at the group. The chanters kneeling began to scurry away to an exit in the rear of the chamber.
Govrin readied his weapons, as Plish and Tabithna took advantage of the chaos by lopping the head from one of the lycans caught in Eifraien’s Awe.
The Vuldroag, jumped on the stone slab, squatted briefly and leaped off it with such might that it cracked the stone underneath. Its target was obvious as he began to close toward Ar’Kelos when it jumped. Ar’Kelos locked his gaze with the creature as it closed in. If it landed on him, it would surely crush him where he stood, yet the Elorii never moved, didn’t flinch as the growling hulk moved closer and closer to end the hated elf’s life.
‘Eberon, aeleros.’ Eloran: {‘Eberon, to my aid.’}
A mass of rocks and stone quickly emerged from the ground right in front of Ar’Kelos, landing a powerful uppercut on the Vuldroag’s chin mere seconds from it landing on the Elorii. The blow was so intense that it flung the being back to the slab from hence it launched.
'NO!’ yelled the robed woman.
‘Eliminate him.’ commanded Ar’Kelos in that eeringly calm tone of his. The earth elemental wasted no time following its master’s commands as it charged the creature. The weight of its mass causing the ground it stepped on to sink in slightly.
Ar’Kelos quickly began to cast another spell as he muttered the words of power, he gave pause as searing pain claimed his mouth, blood trickling from his tongue and lips. ‘That will be enough from you, mage!’ scowled the robed woman as she hexed the Elorii.
Govrin moved in front of the other kneeling lycan. Cocking his hammer, preparing for a mighty swing. The blow landing square on lycan’s head, blood gashing out from force of the strike. Govrin followed up with a second attack bashing the thing’s head right off, knocking both head and body into the third, captivated, lycan. The shock waking it from the spell’s effects.
Plish and Tabithna charged at the now woken lycan. The creature readied himself too quickly, tripping both of them with his spear just as they closed in on him.
Govrin began to run towards the guard only to have his dash trumped as a spear pierced his leg. The lycan in the pose of having thrown something. Eifraien ran over to Govrin just as he pulled the weapon from his leg. The cleric quickly casting a heal to speed the recovery process.
The Vuldroag got up, shaking its head from the vigorous blow dealt to it. As his senses came to focus, he reacted to the elemental barreling towards him, attempting to brace its charge. The might of the elemental wrecking into him knocked it further back, slamming it against the chamber’s wall. The impact causing it to gasp as the air from his lungs escaped. Were it not for his increased regeneration, it would have probably been crushed to death. Gaining his foot, it roared so greatly that the echo would have shattered glass were there any in the vicinity. The elemental still gunned towards it, this time the Vuldroag was ready, lowering himself as he counter-charge it, grasping the construct around its waist, dragging themselves onto the ground were it began to pound onto the rocky being, each strike cracking the stone composing the elemental’s body.
The lycan guard got up, reaching to grab the closest of the prone attackers. Only to have its arm shot by Eifraien as it claws almost grasped on to Plish. Grabing its arm at the wound, it growled at the cleric, the blood already began to slow as regeneration took its effect. Ar’Kelos drew out his short sword and ran towards the robed woman. He was at a disadvantage while not being able to cast spells, but at least he could prevent her from casting too. Clashing his blade against her dagger, she taunted him - ‘You’re useless without your magic, Elorii.’ He spat some of the blood in his mouth at her, landing square on her face as he pushed her back, causing her to lose her balance for a fraction of a second. ‘You bastard!’ she growled.
Govrin, thankful for the magical aid, once again charged at the guard, pummeling his hammer in the back of its legs causing it to buckle and fall onto his knees. Plish jumped on its back, digging two daggers in the process. The creature yipped in pain as it reached behind to swat off the annoyance. Its efforts wasted as Tabithna came in with the killing blow, cutting off its head.
The Vuldroag kept delivering blow after blow on the elemental. It did not want to be on the receiving end of that thing again. The construct raised an arm to protect itself. The Vuldroag walloped it with a haymaker, shattering the elemental’s arm into pebbles.
Ar’Kelos and the robed woman keep dancing their game of dodge and parries. ‘You will not defeat me. Without your casting you are useless.’ she continued to tease. They locked their blades once more as she continued to mock the Elorii. An intense smile spread across Ar’Kelos’ face as a shimmer of divine light caressed his mouth. ‘Advantage mine.’ he retorted. The shocked look on her face was distraction enough for Ar’Kelos to shove his sword into her side as he jumped back once more. Her attention toward Eifraien with murderous intent as he lowered his hand from the recent cant. ‘Damn you cleric.’ she cursed. Her loathing short lived as she was knocked back from the blast of fire Ar’Kelos unleashed at her. The elemental attempted to bash its attacker. The Vuldroag blocked it, delivering a final blow to the construct’s chest causing it to crumble into smaller rocks, pebbles, and sand. It looked for the Elorii only to find him firing a bolt of fire to robed woman. The blast pushing her back. Anger swelled inside him as he released another powerful roar, charging toward Ar’Kelos. Its blitz thwarted as Govrin swung his hammer at its feet causing it to slam head first onto the ground.
Ar’Kelos unleashed another firey bolt at the robed woman, the stress of casting so quickly causing him to bleed from his nose. The spell though had its effect: so powerful the bolt that it singed her robe to almost nothing as it tossed her back again, causing her to roll on the ground as ash and steam rose from her. She began to run. Although she could regenerate the damage, she knew it wouldn’t take long for the party to defeat and then kill her. She quickly exited to the nearest corridor, the shadows covering her retreat.
‘Ogaro nare? Efa na rous. Uten caros tolos nare?’ Eloran: {‘You see? She runs, leaving you behind. Is this the fate you wish to follow?’}
The other party members, weapons ready to strike, surrounded the Vuldroag. The creature look at the Elorii, hated still ruled it. However, he also possessed intelligence. Slowly it sat up and transformed back into Ssethric form.
‘Isss desssired power … more ssstrength ssso I could dessstroy you and yours, Elorii. Ssshe promisssed power and a placssee. Ssssshe no better than Sssaanu.’ comenced the Vuldroag. ‘Iss no longer have home. I cannossst return to Ssssanu. I ssshal not ssstay here.’ As the Ssetheric warrior continued talking. Ar’Kelos noticed a parchment on the ground by the slab where the Vuldroag originally laid. He reached down to it and inspected it. ‘This is the ritual that transformed you.’ He continued to read. Though complicated to perform, the ritual’s instructions were conveniently short. ‘I’m sorry, it seems the process is irreversible.’
‘Ess uvra cocooursss.’ Ssethric: {‘Give me a soildier’s death.'} as it looked back to Ar’Kelos compassionately.
‘Govrin, he has asked to be given a soldier’s end.' Ar'Kelos translated.
‘Why?’ Tabithna questioned. ‘Why do you have to die? Come with us. You will have a home amongst us.'
‘A b o m i n a t i o n.’ the Vuldroag responded.
‘This doesn’t feel right!’ Tabithna retorted. ‘Plish, Eifraien, Ar’Kelos! Do something?!’
‘It is his choice, Tabi. You do not interfere with choices such as these.’ Plish stated.
‘I won’t take part of this.’ Tabithna pouted. ‘It’s not right!’
‘Then don’t stand in the way.’ Ar’Kelos stated as he burned the parchment with the transformation ritual …
Hours later, back at the local town …
‘Have you informed the authorities?’ Eifraine asked.
‘Aye.’ Govrin stated. ‘The threat of the werehyenas has been officially put on watch.'
‘Our rooms have been arrainged.’ Ar’Kelos added. ‘I am ready for sustenance. Anyone see our bard?’
‘She’s still upset with you, Elorii. I would avoid her for a few.’ Plish responded.
‘You were not jesting concerning a woman’s grudge.’ Ar’Kelos said.
The men walked back to the tavern. Govrin and Eifraien walked in first as Plish pulled Ar’Kelos aside.
‘I’m curious, Elorii. What do you plan to do with it.’ Plish addressed.
Ar’Kelos raised an eyebrow, curious of what the dwarf asked.
‘You may have fooled the others. But you never burned that parchment. I saw you slip it into your robe.’ Plish continued.
‘Sharp as always, Rogue.’ Ar’Kelos stated. ‘There is knowledge that should not be known. And methods to counteract it were this type of information discovered and used. Despite being used on such a hated enemy, no one should have to suffer that fate. I intend to ensure that it does not and that a way to undo the effects is ascertained.’
‘I'll leave the realm of magic to you and Eifraien. Just don’t get carried away.’ Plish concluded.
‘When have I ever?’ Ar’Kelos seriously asked.
The End (?)
_________________ Talendos, the Shadow Raven 3.0 Expert, Soldier of Retribution, Assassin "When you do something right, it's as if you didn't do it at all ..."
Echo B-lister, Super Human, Brawler "Bringing the noise!"
Last edited by EddieS on Sun Mar 09, 2014 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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