It's times like those recent when I really miss FrostFang. Big scary red dragons who flip out and refuse to croak are not my idea of a good time.
I'm not sure if I can ever allow Nyran to ever transport us again. He's said he's done this lots of times. Why is he acting like such a novice then? It's like "I know I'd said I'd drop you here, but how about HERE instead?" First, to the plane of dreams to relive a screwed up memory of mine where everybody dies, except when they don't. . .I can't talk about that now. . .
Anyway, then we're THOUSANDS of miles off course. And people don't want to go explore. And believe you me, the ruins of Atma look nothing like Tel-Tenauril.
We're plodding along. Nyran is flipping and Elana isn't too happy either. Something about "We don't want to be here. It's dangerous." Do you think you could say something that won't make me want to run out and explore immediately? And what makes this place so much more dangerous than any other place we've been.
I quickly get my answer.
Across the way, out of the mists appear four figures. Well damn. They have to be agents of Aram sent to take the crystals from us. Huh, like we would let that happen. Any doubt was instantly stripped from our minds when one of them charged at us. Well, right at our poor bard, Grizzly. Like he's ever hurt anything.
Hmmm. Not a good place.
Immediately, I close this joker in. Not going to let whoever they are just walk all over us. His blade flashes out and instantly, a wide gash opens on my upper arm. Owie! Nyran calls a pet and lets loose with this bright blast. Ka-blewie! Knocks down one or two of them. II see Elana make a single, fluid motion with her arm. The ground opens up and fire and rock jets out. Leaving one. If this chick ever took lessons from Jacques, she'd be real dangerous. As it was, she did me a fair bit of damage. There was this one punch. I can't help but groan to think of it now. I'm positive she cracked a coupla ribs. But then I got her. Figured out how she moved, her patterns and powpowpowpowpow! Sent her reeling and weakened enough for Elana to finish the job.
Nyran couldn't move us until the next day, so we decided to find a shady spot to rest up. The only possible building we found was made of stone. And was it ever old. We figured it was the city's tavern, considering the cobweb studded casks and broken tankards littering the ground. There was even a skeleton in the corner with a half-full mug in front of him. Grizzly took it upon himself to finish the man's drink. Not good. Turns out the stuff is like, seriously old. It made him real sick. At least I know better than to take a drink from a skeleton's hand.
Well, pretty soon, we pick up movement outside our hidie-hole. We each take a strategic position, except Phillippe, who is by now groaning in a pool of his own vomit. But at least he was out of the way.
Then they start coming inside from the front and the back. Kinky. Think to take us by suprise? We'll just have to turn the tables. Anwar caught the first at arrow-point. Warned him to not do anything or he'd be on the receiving end of sharp pointies. He replies and I'm trying to concentrate on keeping quiet, but it's needling at my mind. Then I fall on the name. Roven. Hey, wait a sec. I know him. I call out his name and stand up from hiding. Yup, this guy is ok. So I finally put my weapons away.
We strike up a conversation while others hesitantly begin talking. The usual, so how is your quest going. You're traveling with some different people. Yes, many have fallen, but fortunately I have made new friends along the way. Of course, I remember him. Your gray hair travelled with us for a while. The usual.
Soon, we heard the sounds of many stamping feet coming towards our haven. Goblins! Well, goblins were alright. We should break out the tequila. Grizzly was handing out drinks already. Ahh, no. All goblins are not as cool as the desert ones were. These ones wanted to rip, tear, and generally pummel us into a pulpy mess.
They were taken care of quickly, I do have to say. When our two groups combine our abilities, things go way more smoothly. What really was interesting was the purple fire that sprang up a few yards away. Following my natural curiosity, I moved closer the dancing flames.
I was not expecting a series of moving pictures. They rippled along. We think they were showing the battles that happened here. It was a brutal fight. Limbs flying and sprays of blood. People running. Demons walking right along like it was nothing. Suddenly, one of them stops and LOOKS at us. I swear it was staring out of that fire, smiling at us. Then it was gone.
How I always seem to pay for my curiosity! It was a force, a whiplash that just sends you staggering. The tingling in my Garanlyon sword had quieted. Well, that's just great. At least my rapier is still in working order. My cloke is ok too. The crystal? Well, my eyes are still gold so I guess it's ii's just fine. Other people seemed a little better off, I have to admit. Some were not. The samuari guy about flipped when he couldn't talk to his sword anymore. I can sympathize.
There was also the fight with the Atman golems. I remember fighting those. They're pretty powerful. Considering their bodies are partially made of admantine and they're fired by a magic item. And when they're backed up by a humongous red dragon. That was fun.
The parties basically split into their own groups. We each took on a golem. We're working away at it. Anwar, who had pawed through the bag of holding to make sure everything in it was ok, had just happened to come across a nifty trinket we're forgotten about. Her arrows were punching big holes in the things. They were actually considerably easier that way. When the dragon enters the battle and lets loose with a jet of fire. Burns everyone. Then it basically became a free-for-all. Just get it! The thing starts convulsing and just attacking wildly. Finally, Nyran ended it with a spell completely burning the dragon into nothingness.
We all stand around, catching our breath. We start hearing clapping. All mocking, like, good job! That was a truly spectatular display. And there's this guy. He's all nonchalant. Like we hadn't just destroyed a dragon. Nyran knew him. Turns out Nyran isn't human. He's part of some funky underground group that tries to influence the world. Something like that. Hmmm. He's travelled with us how long and never chose to mention this? We keeps our secrets. But apparenty it wasn't this guy, as was explained after Nyran froze him in place. They each looked suprised, in their own way. I'm not sure either expected whatever it was Nyran did to work.
So now we're sitting deciding what to do. Order number one is to get out of Atma at the first chance. But first, I think we're supposed to go see some guy named Primus. Hmmm. Well, it's never the easy way. But first, I think a little uneasy rest is tops in my mind. |
