Parrotman
Da Hui Guildleader
Posts: 1160
(7/18/03 2:13 pm)
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06 - Collaboration - The End
The Seventh Floor...
The hum of magic met their ears. It was as if the entire floor pulsed with a magical energy. They stood in a room full of mirrors attached to a larger chamber. A silver door led out into unknown halls beyond.
Rashindo slipped silently to the door and began to examine it while the other party member waited. A few moments and a quick motion of his picks in the lock, and the door swung open. "That was not so hard," said Rashindo. The chamber beyond was light by blue torchlight... an ethereal light that was neither warm nor comforting. Arnough took the lead, with Jotu close behind him. The rest of the party members fell into step, Dimleelit behind Jotu, Rohm and Shakuhatchi in the center with Ezmrella and Ouze at the end of the column. They moved through the doorway and another beyond it, into a network of tunnels. The walls seemed to sense their passing, and the whole place had the feel that they were being watched. "I love what she's done with the place," remarked Shakuhatchi. "Yeah, the garden spot of Velious for sure," joked Hiemer. "All it needs is that certain something... you know...oh what's missing... call it..., LIFE!" "This creature is not concerned with life, unless she is snuffing it out," said Rohm. "All the more reason to be on our guard," noted Ezmrella. "Now lets focus on the task at hand."
The group moved through the tunnels until they emerged into a large, multilevel chamber. A massive spiral staircase rose from the center of the room and a walkway connected the top of the staircase with the tunnels where the group had emerged. At the bottom of the stairs, the room spread out with torches lining the walls and a doorway leading to more tunnels and the rest of the level. A large dragon tapestry dominated the North wall, waiving slightly as if touched by a breeze. The group started out onto the suspended pathway toward the stairs, but Arnough brought the group to a halt. "We are not alone here," he stated. "Prepare for battle." At that moment, a voice reverberated through the chamber. "Greetings, I am Tserina Syl'Tor." "Welcome to my home." They party could not see the speaker, but her voice grated against the walls and had a hint of poison in its melody. "Yeah, um, thanks, but we were just passing through," said Shakuhatchi. "Ok guys, nothing to see here, lets be off." "No," the voice said. "Please do stay, I have a friend who is... dying... to see you." The tapestry then fell from the wall, revealing Kapena, bound and hanging from the wall. His eyes were rolled back into his head, and blood dripped from his wrists and back. From time to time he shivered, as if in a trance.
The sight of Kapena brought rage fully to Arnough now. He belowed and leapt from the walkway to the floor below, landing with a crash and clanging his sword against the stone floor. He was quickly to his feet and moving toward Kapena, when he was struck from the left and enveloped by blue fire. "The torches!", yelled Dimleelit. "They are alive!" Without fear for her safety, Jotu leapt off the walkway to Arnough's side. Ouze had just enough time to turn around as he was beset from behind by no less than 7 torch-creatures. "Arrrgh, we walked right past them and into a trap," he grunted, as he brought his weapons to bear upon the closest torch. "Go and join up with Arnough and Jotu,... get to Kapena!," shouted Ezmrella. "I will stay with Ouze."
Arnough had just about finished the torch that had wounded him, when he noticed more torches moving toward them from around the room. Eight in all, began to encircle the warrior and his cleric wife. From above, Hiemer, Rohm, Shakuhatchi and Dimleelit crashed down behind Jotu with a collective thud, and the group formed protectively in the corner for the coming onslaught. "This oughta be fun," said Hiemer. "Yeah, nothing like fighting overwhelming odds after being surprised in a trap, when your chance of survival is slim... a real swell time," said Shakuhatchi. "Sometime I am going to have to teach you to see the positive side of things Shak," said Hiemer. "Perhaps a different day," said Rohm. "Today, the battle is joined."
The battle...
The shouts of battle rose now from the great hall. Arnough brought his weapons to bear time and again on the closest torches. Almost as frequent, he was bathed in blue fire, wincing with pain. Rohm and Dimleelit began chanting, casting spells to slow and burn the creatures in front of them. One torch broke off from the pack, and circled around toward Jotu and Shakuhatchi in the corner. It closed rapidly on Jotu, who was in mid cast and did not see the coming danger. At the last moment, the torch stopped short, hovering low over Jotu's head. She finished her casting and turned, surprised that she had not been hit. "You can thank me later Jotu," said Shakuhatchi, as he played his flute. "Privately to be sure... " said Shakuhatchi with a wink. Then the torched lurched forward, as if compelled and began attacking other torches in the room. "I always said you had a less than charming personality Shak,... I was wrong," joked Jotu.
Above the group, Ouze waged a private war against the torches that now bombarded him from 3 sides. Ezmrella stood at his back healing his wounds, looking over her shoulder every so often for any signs that they were being surrounded. Green tendrils of energy pulsed from Ouze's sword, and from time to time, enveloped the torch he was attacking. Four torches had fallen in his wake, and only three remained. "Not so bad," said Ouze. "Make it fast Ouze, we need to get down there and regroup with the main force" said Ezmrella. Suddenly there began a chanting below them. The voice they had heard echoing through the chamber was back, no longer echoing, but now certainly casting. Ezmrella looked down to see the creature, pale ashen white with black wings protruding from her back, directly below them. "Arnough, there she is!" yelled Ezmrella. "That is your target!" But before she could do any more, she heard a creaking of bones followed by a cackling laughter. From behind, she was struck by blows, and she turned to meet the new foe. Ouze too heard the cackling, and cocked his head back to see the new threat. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a skeletal form attacking Ezmrella from behind. Further back behind the skeleton, at the top of the stairs, stood Parrotman.
Arnough turned to see the mistress of the tower, Tserina Syl'Tor, approaching from the side. She stopped from time to time to cast a new spell. When she got within 10 feet of the fighting, she stopped and closed her eyes. Her lips began to move and a blue glow enveloped her fiendish form. She reached out toward the party and then fell silent. Arnough reeled in pain as he was struck from behind by Jotu. He turned in time to see her raise her warhammer once more over her head to bring it crashing down upon him. "What the..." shouted Shakuhatchi. "Jotu, what are you doing!" pleaded Arnough. Yet she was oblivious. The hammer came down once again smashing into Arnough's chest. He crumpled to a knee then sprang back up turning once again to battle the torches. "What is wrong with her," he yelled. "She is charmed, taken by the mistress," Rohm yelled back. Fire erupted in Arnough's eyes. The torches were forgotten, only one foe remained to him. He turned and ran headlong at Tserina, who met him head on. For many moments they battled, blow for blow. All the while Arnough took blows from behind from torches and Jotu alike. "Nothing works on her!", shouted Dimleelit. "I cant cast on Tserina and I cant break her charm!" "Damn, this has gone from bad to worse," screamed Shakuhatchi, who had begun to take damage as his charm on a torch wore off. The remaining torches crowded in around the rest of the group.
Kapena opened his eyes and looked around the room. The sounds of battle brought his gaze to the corner. He saw his friends, both above and below, trapped and cornered. He saw Tserina locked in mortal combat with Arnough. He saw Parrotman standing at the top of the staircase laughing. He felt helpless. Tserina's mental bombardment had ceased, probably due to the battle. He had awoken from his trance, brought his mind out of its protective shielding, only to witness the death of all he cared about. He was chained, helpless, and anger welled up inside of him. Then Rashindo appeared at his side. "Well, nice to have you back in the land of the living," said Rashindo, as he quickly began to work his picks in Kapena's locks. "Rash!" "Hurry up man, get me in the fight!" "Working on it," take it easy," said Rashindo. Just then the chains fell away from Kapena's wrists and he crumpled to the floor. Rashindo steadied him. "Are you able to do battle?" Rashindo asked. Kapena nodded. "Lets get in there."
Ouze finished the last of the torches and turned to help Ezmrella. With one move he grabbed the dwarf and moved in front of her by heaving her over his head. She landed on the walkway behind him with a thud. "Dammit man, easy on the merchandise," said Ezmrella. "Your safe aren't you," said Ouze. "Be grateful." Ouze met the skeleton before him, but turned his gaze to the Necromancer behind it, its master. Parrotman's stare bore into Ouze like a thousand needles. "You are weak Ouze, let me help you by releasing you from your life!" At that the skeletal creature lept at Ouze, who parried more than joined in the fight. "Who are you," Ouze asked. "I am your superior!" yelled Parrotman. "I am your master!" "I am the one who will take your place when you are gone." Parrotman's mania was tenfold now. "Fool, you don't deserve the praise and wealth that has been heaped upon you, you have fallen out of favor with your god!" "Now, I will destroy you, and then your filthy friends," yelled the Necromancer. "I, Parrotman, will take my rightful place!" Ouze's eyes narrowed as he spoke. "It is you who are the fool, and I will take pleasure in gutting you." Ouze then turned his full attention to the skeletal figure in front of him, and began to rain blows upon the creature. "No time Ouze, look below," yelled Ezmrella. "We have to get down there!" Ezmrella lept from the walkway, crashing down to join the rest of the companions. Ouze turned an icy gaze once more on Parrotman, then he too lept off the platform, crashing down at Arnough's side. Parrotman's pet turned and ran down the staircase to pursue its enemy, while Parrotman stood above and watched. "You will not evade me this time Ouze," mumbled Parrotman. "Your time is at an end."
It was clear that Arnough was close to done for. Ouze could see he was beaten, yet he fought Tserina with no concern for his own safety. Torches battered into his back and Jotu swung at his head and shoulders, but he paid them no mind. Ouze could see that Tserina too had taken a beating. The barbarian's relentless onslaught had done much damage to her, yet if things continued as they were, she would be the victor. Ouze turned and brought his weapons to bear on Tserina. "Greetings bitch," said Ouze, as his sword cleaved heavily into one of her wings. She seemed unaffected and continued to swing at Arnough. Suddenly the torches at Arnough's back were knocked away as 2 forms dove into battle from the darkness. Rashindo's blades moved with the skill and grace of a trained assassin, striking each torch in a flurry of motion, his body then spinning away to strike another. Kapena's fists were just as deadly, whistling through the air as he struck one target after another. He was bloody, and beaten, but he was pure fighting skill as he moved through the torches mercilessly. The group was shocked for a second, mesmerized by the dance of death that both Rashindo and Kapena engaged in. Heimer cast a spell of healing on Kapena, bringing him fully upright and even more into the fight. "Now that is a sight to see," mumbled Hiemer. "Get to healing you halfie!' yelled Shakuhatchi. "I aint getting any younger here!" Hiemer cast a healing spell on Shakuhatchi, who was just then finishing his torch enemy. The group could sense the tide of battle turning.
Ezmrella used the last of her power to heal Arnough, then backed up into the corner. "That's all I got boys... do your thing," she said. The torches were all but dead, and the party turned its attention on Tserina. Parrotman stared wide eyed from above at the turn of events. "No, this cant be happening!" he screamed. Then Jotu's warhammer clanged to the floor. She stood there, blinking in disbelief, looking at the companions with a confused look on her face. "What the...," Jotu started to say. "The charm has broken," said Rohm. "Jotu, we need your healing!" Jotu immediately set herself on the task and brought Ouze and Arnough to full health. Beginning to remember, Jotu began to realize what she had done. "I am sorry,... I could not control myself..." she muttered under her breath. "No worries," said Shakuhatchi. "But there will be many spankings later."
Tserina was now hard pressed. She was dying, and she knew it. She turned to flee, but Ouze was expecting this. "Not so fast mistress," said Ouze, as he reached out his gloved hand toward Tserina. His hand crackled and pulsed with the snap of energy as he touched her. Tserina screamed in agony and jerked upright as Ouze's harmtouch roared into her body. "She is finished," said Kapena. "Not before I am through with her," stated Arnough, the fire still burning in his eyes. With one final blow, Arnough brought his Wavecrasher down, burying it deeply through Tserina's collarbone and down into her chest. She exhaled,... once... then fell dead.
The room fell silent for a moment. The friends gathered, looking at the corpse of the mistress of the tower. Parrotman stood above them, a look of shock and horror across his face. He turned to run into the tunnels leading to the mirrored room,... and impaled himself to the hilt upon Rashindo's dagger. "Going somewhere friend?" asked Rashindo with a sly smile. Parrotman gasped in shock and pain. Rashindo shoved the dagger into the Necromancer's belly even further, bringing a cry of pain to Parrotman's lips. "But we have only just met... a pity," said Rashindo. He drew his dagger from Parrotman's body, and the Necromancer fell from the walkway down to the floor. As life faded from his eyes, Parrotman's last vision, was of Ouze, his foot raised above the Necromancer's head, a steel boot driving down.
The resurrection... a new foe.
Parrotman awoke. He was on a bed of ice. The walls and ceiling of the room were massive, stretching far into the air. He was cold, still on Velious he reasoned, but not in the tower. But where? His mind raced. How was he alive. He felt the pain still throbbing through his head and stomach. He reached out and felt his wounds... gone. Someone had resurrected him, but who.
Parrotman sat up, and saw for the first time the massive storm giant sitting in the room. He measured almost 25 feet tall, and was clothed in fur robes with a great red cape. "Greetings Necromancer, I am Tormax." The giants voice boomed throughout the room. Parrotman knew of this giant. He was a king of the giants who ruled the lands of Velious and the home of the giants, Kael Drakkel. He was a cruel, and merciless creature, one who enjoyed nothing more than crushing human's and dwarves beneath his feet. "Why am I here, why have you let me live," stated Parrotman. "Because, you and I have a mutual enemy human, and I intend to have your help in destroying him," replied Tormax. "I seek the troll shadowknight known as Ouze, an... acquaintance of yours I believe." Tormax smiled deviously then. "Ouze defeated me, he is beyond my power," said Parrotman dejectedly. "But not beyond my power, and I want to make his acquaintance." "I have pain to inflict upon him," said Tormax, "and I think, he will want to make my acquaintance soon enough."
Tormax smiled and gestured to the wall along side Parrotman. On that wall hung a dented, slightly bloody suit of armor, fit for a female ranger.
TO BE CONTINUED IN A NEW STORYLINE...
THE END.
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