…in the heat of battle I remembered something so vivid from my childhood that it seemed to give me great strength in battle. It was a story from my father Volker. While serving as a mercenary for Citadel he encountered an aberration with great powers much like the one we were fighting now. He further explained that it was in this time that he was at his weakest. The beast somehow controlled him to the point where he began to attack his comrades in arms…even to the point of killing his best friend Brohom. He further explained that he had no control over his body and his actions had to be re-told to him because he couldn’t remember what had transpired. In fact, the aberration was so strong that the mercenaries were not able to vanquish the beast that day but rather took a tactical retreat as the cave began to fall in on them.
I remembered this story well because it was one of the driving factors in why I decided to become a strong willed Cleric. My father was a very strong fighter and had to equal on the battlefield in that regard but it was his lack of balance that cost him his friends… and glory in battle that day.
This story flashed into my mind the moment I saw my brother tumble towards me, raise his flaming sword, and lunge it just glancing off of my armor. Fearful that perhaps some of my other companions but overwhelmed with a desire to free my brother I pushed on with those who were not under the aberration’s spell to keep fighting harder. It also appeared that Hunter was under the influence of the beast since he fired several arrows at Lochlan…even sinking one of his giant spears into his back.
The fight was looking perilous and I was starting to run low on some of my healing spells just as Tenedos who had appeared to run off joined the fight and unleashed an arcane blast that killed the only present Aboleth.
At that same moment, the other Aboleth that we appeared to be fighting start to dissipate in the minds of the others and the room began to shake as though it was starting to cave in. Most of the group in the room started to run in fear for their life but I could see past the ruse from the story that my father told me. While some ran for their lives I pressed on with Gim and Lochlan to finish off the beast that had caused us so much pain and sorrow. If it was putting on this hard of a show for us it must be in pain and it must be trying to scare us away from the reality that it was near death.
Gim dove into the water and found the almost lifeless Aboleth and dragged it back onto shore. It was at this point that I raised my Weapon of Throrn to the sky and slammed it into the beast. I suppose it was my overconfidence but the blow barely made a scratch. Again it was at this moment where I remembered my father’s strength and though that had he been here that strike would have split the beast in two, but alas Lochlan and his mighty halberd performed just as well to vanquish the last remaining Aboleth.
Finally, we were all freed from the mind control and the illusions and the frustrations that had filled our life for the past few months. Finally, we could return to Citadel and claim the glory that was due us. Finally, we set to rest the aberrations that plagued the land. Finally, I can gain my father’s and clan’s glory by re-telling the tale of how The Shield Of Citadel brought justice to the undeserving and freedom to all. For Throrn!
|
