| Heartwood Logs |
2000-06-09
| Heartwood |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Hunted Beasts
- Through the window Her light slips in, the sharp yellow
shafts a strong contrast to the dark shadows of the priestess'
meeting room. The dust, which hasn't been disturbed for years, kicks
up, drifting on the air, a soft mist betraying the age of this bleak
carven hollow. Benedict is the first to stir. Outside he can hear the
two cursed prisoners converse, their voices quiet. Out in the hall Anuje
must still be on watch, while Roxanna still leans upon him, still asleep,
still resting. Across the room Trystan is curled beneath the dandelion
and daisies. Brisa rests too, leaning back, eyes closed. And flounced
over her like a comfortable blanket Romana gently rests, using Brisa as
a pillow. Her hair is a bit unkempt and for the first time Benedict can
glimpse the slender point of a pretty eastern ear...
Benedict sits up, blinks, and stifles a sneeze from the ancient dust. Rubbing his nose and grimacing slightly, he frowns even deeper when he thinks of the task ahead of them: the slaying, out of sheerest self-protection, of an unknown number of Eastern hunting beasts. He performs a brief, silent morning prayer to Hastur -- Oh, Lord Hastur, guide us this day and reveal to us the Truth. -- but keeps it brief; there's something humbling about being in a temple from the Second Age, a temple devoted to the Mother and the Horned God. Somehow, it doesn't seem right to spend too much time praying to a Third Age god here. Especially not after what happened here. His morning ablution finished, he looks over to the other sleepers and blinks a little, tilting his head to the side as he sees the subtle, narrowing curve of Romana's ear through her hair. The sight reluctantly reminds him of the turbulent history between the Eastern lands across the mountain, and of the close of the Second Age.
Perhaps here is where the End of that age began, he reflects, standing and stretching as quietly as possible. The imprisonment in mortal shells of the Mother and the Horned God, the mad ride of He of the Red Scarf... Surely Master Hieronymous could not know what I would come upon. Hastur grant that what I See as his Eye may likewise open the eyes of the learned ones in the Temple, open them to the full tapestry of our history. He is not hopeful of that, however. Besides... the first order of business is to survive the beasts. "Best to find them first before they find us," he murmurs quietly, looking out one of the windows.
Brisa's eyes flick open at Benedict's movements, although her wary expression softens to just simple tiredness once she realizes there's no imminent danger approaching. She sighs softly, looking around without moving so as to not disturb Romana, and smiles quietly at Benedict. Then she glances down at Romana resting against her... her smile softens slightly and she gently runs the fingers of one hand lightly through Romana's hair, drawing it carefully down to cover her ear. Benedict inclines his head to Brisa, smiling quietly to her and at her concealment of the young woman's ear. "Good morn, Brisa. And may it end in a good eve."
Brisa nods quietly and gravely to Benedict, "Da, Benny. And a successful one... for us." Her voice is low, with the slightest of emphasis on the word 'us.'
The Dayallan's stirring in turn wakes the pretty Easterner, but she doesn't really stir. A creature of comfort, she gently tilts her head into the brush of Brisa's fingers, her eyes slowly opening in a patter of blinks. Romana's eyes take a moment to focus, "Mornings alreadys?"
Brisa smiles quietly, "Nyeh, mishka... noon. You are feeling able to move with us? I am thinking there is much to try today... before nightfall."
Benedict nods quietly, giving her a bit of a wry grin. "We'll ensure that the beasts go hungry, Brisa. And then we'll get out of here." His expression softens slightly as he looks to Romana, nodding. "We have maybe half a day's light before night falls."
Nodding her head, Romana smiles quietly, "Romanas feel fine..."
Brisa sighs and nods at Benedict's words... then reaches to draw her armor over to herself, although she doesn't shift yet. She glances up at Benedict quietly, "Benny... if -- nyet, when." She nods firmly, taking a deep breath, then continues, "-when we have slain all the beasts... we will need to bring food and water down here for dama Allena and the Verchovai. Will you help me remember that, please?"
Benedict nods quietly. "Da, I will. When we slay all the beasts." This time he doesn't quite catch himself until well after he finishes speaking.
Brisa smiles quietly up at Benedict, relaxing slightly... then she turns the quietly happy smile down at Romana, "Mishka, if you want to rest some more you can curl up with my cloak if you wish? But I need to be shifting to armor up again, please?"
Romana lets her eyes close, but she shrugs her shoulders, gently rising from Brisa. Eyes still closed she luxuriously stretches, yawning out her morning sleep. Sitting now upon her curled legs, Romana takes a breath and looks about. "Many things... yes... but which game piece to play first?"
Brisa starts armoring up, thinking quietly... then nods, "I am thinking best to first try to track the beasts, mishka. If we can find them all together, asleep, this is best for us."
Roxanna wakes up as the others start to move, looking at the sunlight spilling in and wondering again how the flowers are blooming this late into the Storm Season. "Let's try not to let them surprise us, nie?"
Benedict digs through some of the debris, looking for something useful, and nods. "Indeed, I'd much prefer that they never see us coming..."
Brisa nods quietly at the others' words. She rises, finishing buckling on her equipment, then slings shield, gorytus, and sword in their usual places on her person. Finally she searches through her stuff, mumbling, "A bag... I need a sack or bag... do any of you have one you're willing to give up?"
Roxanna shrugs. "Only one I brought down is my healer's kit. Kinda need it."
As Benedict roots through the debris, from beneath its concealment charges a fierce lizard, its jaws open in a deep, deep hiss, green and brown scales excellent camouflage for the rock-bound hunter... however, it might be more fierce if it wasn't less than a hand long. The little lizardling skitters back into the rubble upon its four little feet. Brisa starts at the lizard's fierce little hiss -- then leaves it be. Benedict gives a startled yelp and staggers back, falling heavily on his haunches. Panting more than a little, he stares at where the lizardling dove back into the debris. Brisa smiles at Benedict, pacing over to offer him a hand up. She nods to Roxanna, "Perhaps I can find something abo-" She blinks, turning to study the area the little lizard skidded into, then looks worriedly at Romana, "Do all hunting beasts think together? Or only 8-legged ones?"
Roxanna says, "Don't know much about them, myself. Do they grow extra legs as they get older, or was that a different kind?"
Romana looks down and pats down her tunics, "No purses or bags, showed to Brisas alreadys... but..." and she fingers her cloth, "Got two tunics, yes?" But she too starts as Benedict falls backwards. She turns and smiles, clapping her hands together once, and then she smiles quietly. "Oh. No. Just little lizard? Beasts have many legs; if not, not beast."
Benedict pulls himself up, managing to catch his breath and dignity, swallowing a little. If only the real beasts were only that large...! Brisa nods, giving Romana a relieved look, "Good." She smiles at Benedict, "You are all right, Benny?"
Roxanna chuckles. "I think he sprained his dignity. I'm afraid I can't cure that injury." Brisa grins.
Benedict says, "Many legs, hmm? I'll try to remember that." If I can count how many legs the thing gnawing on me has, I'm sure it'll help to know that... But he quashes that negative thought: they will survive this! "I'm all right, Brisa, thanks. Just humbled; ourselves and the beasts -- and the prisoners -- aren't the only ones here."
Brisa brushes her hand lightly against the brilliantly blooming flowers and nods quietly, "Da, Benny... this is true... even if we don't understand exactly how." She looks at her shield-cover, then at Romana thoughtfully, "Are you sure you will be warm enough, mishka?"
Romana smiles quietly, "Yes, Brish'khya... Romanas be fine." And without waiting Romana shrugs off her overtunic, rumpling her garb in a decidedly un-aristocratic manner. A raggedy princess for a playful moment, she then shakes herself out, handing Brisa the tunic and snaring up her borrowed cloak for herself.
Brisa smiles and shakes her head in affectionate amusement at Romana... then she accepts the tunic and knots it off neatly and firmly to make a strange but effective bag out of it. She nods, then takes a deep breath. "All right. So... now we try to track the beasts, da? We must stay close, please, and no one wander off alone? and while we search if you do not mind I would like to gather the remains of my sisters... so that they may have a proper cremation, even if it is late."
Romana nods quietly. Benedict also nods quietly, "Of course, Brisa. If I may ask, though... what is the tunic for?"
Brisa says, "To hold the remains of my sisters, Benny." Benedict winces slightly and nods, silent. Brisa looks down at the tunic a little sadly... then squares her shoulders and strides out firmly. She'll nod politely to the two women, explain that they're going to search for the lair of the lizards, and ask if there's one direction the lizards usually come from? Benedict follows after Brisa, continuing to look through the debris of the hallways and rooms.
The two prisoners look down from their chains, their conversation coming to a quiet halt. One, the Covener, has her face streaked with tears; the other, the Dayallan, looks a bit grim. "Hunting, swordling? Good luck then... and... be careful, little one. I... we... are looking forward to a good night's sleep."
Benedict interjects wryly, "We will." But he says it with a quiet grin, to take any perceived bite from his words.
Brisa nods quietly to the Dayallan, then pauses a moment by the Covener. Gently she murmurs, "I... am sorry I spoke so thoughtlessly, dama. I..." she pauses, not knowing how to apologize for dumping such ghastly news on someone... finally she just takes a moment with a hankie to dry Allena's tears (if Allena doesn't turn away) and offers her a drink of water.
Allena somehow manages a small smile, "It's not... not like any of you were responsible, ya?"
Brisa nods gravely to Allena, "True, dama. Still we will do our best to set things on a better path, da?" She gives Allena a careful (if slightly awkward) hug, then sighs and turns, "All right... so is there some direction the lizards prefer to come from, Verchovai?" Benedict blinks, at the last moment seeing the tears, and mentally berates himself. Good way to represent the Third Age clergy, Stones-for-brains, he thinks to himself. He murmurs a hasty apology.
Allena and Tashka both look to the north, away from the direction where Brisa first came through, where the rubble is the thickest. "Through those rocks, come dusk, they come." Brisa nods and heads that way, slowly and cautiously. Benedict nods his thanks to the two women and follows along behind Brisa, keeping his ears and eyes alert.
Brisa can only take two or three steps before the rubble stops her. Very similar to the ruined walls that kept her from reaching Tashka and Allena last night. She hms... then glances at Roxanna, "Roxy, may I ask you to gather the remains? I don't want to be looking the wrong way at some critical moment?"
Roxanna bows her head in prayer for a moment. Lady, it is not your way, but I may need to defend my companions or myself. Forgive me this once. She loosens her dagger in its sheath and nods. "If you wish. What should I be picking up?"
Brisa says, "Bones, please, any that you see? I think Dayalla will forgive me if some Covener remains are gathered also." She hands the tunic-bag to Roxanna, then stands at the rubble, folds her arms, and studies it gravely, "Somehow they come through here. There must be a path somewhere big enough for them... and they are larger girthed than we... so... we just have to find it."
Roxanna nods again. "Wondered if you wanted all of them, or just maybe skulls."
Benedict says softly, "Considering the Coveners would have died also in defense of her Temple, I think she would." Can I say the same of the Imperial gods...? -- Stop that! Now isn't the time to ponder theology!
Brisa smiles ruefully at Roxanna, "There may not be much more than skulls by now... but please, all you can find." Then she frowns, thinking... then slowly studies the entire area... floor, roofing greenery, walls, everything, looking for where over two hundred years of pacing might have worn a path.
Roxanna frowns and taps the walls. "A secret passage, perhaps?"
It doesn't take long to explore the rubble wall, to find several dark black holes, each an empty eye leading deeper into the temple. But to follow the lizards' way, it would have to be on hands and knees, and maybe upon one's belly... Benedict leans down, looking through one of the holes. "Going in there might be dangerous...
Brisa frowns again... then sighs, shifting her equipment so she can crawl with it. She carefully checks each hole, hoping to find one more used than the others. She grins wryly over her shoulder at Benedict, "That is the point, Benny, da?" The tunnels go back, their way twisting and winding. Maybe they join, maybe they don't. Of the three, two look more used. Romana looks down, peering in. She frowns, tapping her foot. Brisa calls her little spark, sending it dancing down the most used-looking hole, trying to see how long it runs closed in. She's pretty sure meeting a lizard in these holes is a quick death sentence... so the sooner out the better, she dryly supposes. And as Brisa's little star wanders down the holes, the fell truth is easily seen. The tunnels twist in a chaotic pattern, so within the height of two Benedicts, they curve out of sight. Brisa mutters under her breath... then sighs, "All right. I am thinking you should none of you follow me until I call, da? This way worst comes to worst I can try to crawl backwards quickly and know no one is behind me." She draws her sword and puts her shield in front of her, murmurs a quick prayer, and then... crawls into the hole, pushing shield and sword ahead of her.
Benedict says, "I don't know, Brisa. There's safety in numbers and they might -- oh, blast it!" This last as Brisa, without further ado, plunges into the hole.
"Brisas!" Romana's sudden cry is sharp and concerned, "If... Brisa... sure... Brisa crawl like lizard to fight lizard? Who better in that fights?" Benedict glances to Romana, nodding quietly in agreement.
Roxanna shakes her head. "Marvelous. Just marvelous..."
Brisa pauses obligingly, and calls over one shoulder, "You have better suggestion, Benny? Will happily try something else if you have a better idea?"
Benedict kneels outside the tunnel Brisa went down. "Sure. No matter what, those beasts are going to be able to go forward through those tunnels faster than you can get out backwards -- or even forwards, I'll wager. We have a couple of choices: we can go down these tunnels and possible get very, very lost... or we can set traps for them here."
Roxanna says, "Just make sure we know what you're going to do if the tunnel splits."
Brisa says, "I will mark clearly, Roxy, promise. Look for sword slash in side of tunnel I take." She smiles then and sighs softly, and backs out of the tunnels, "Look, everyone... we need to know where the lizards are. Now is best time to do this, da? They are nocturnal, we are not? And if we can find them all together sleeping... we win. They all B>die." She pauses, thinking, then adds, "But... one good point there... can anyone think of a way to carry a torch in there and not burn me up? I am thinking no lizard will want to run through fire at me?"
Benedict coughs slightly. "I don't know how well a lantern from behind will do. Though... if the beasts have some sort of lair, it must be bigger than the tunnels."
Roxanna ponders. "If you have to crawl, you're going to need at least one hand free. I don't see how you can carry a torch AND your sword."
Brisa frowns, thinking... then nods reluctantly, "True. Best to hurry, I suppose, while it is still daytime." She sighs then, smiling ruefully at Benedict and Romana, "Sometimes we have to take risks, my friends. We have planned ahead as best we can... so now wish me luck, da? I will call as soon as I can to bring us all back together in a group again. And if you hear anything coming by any other tunnel I will depend on you to call me back at once, please?"
Benedict takes in a breath... then nods, albeit reluctantly. "Don't hesitate to call, Brisa. Here... have we any rope...? Maybe tying off one end to you will let you find your way back if it's very twisty in there..."
Romana swallows. "Brisa... if... if wake... wake hungry..."
Brisa smiles at Benedict, "Our rope is our way out of the shaft, Benny..." She turns to Romana... then smiles again and gives her a gentle hug, "If they wake hungry, mishka, I will have to kill them quickly, da? I certainly couldn't leave you all here unprotected?"
Romana's hug is anything but gentle, it is strong and sudden and close. "Brish'khya... Brisa should be Brisa should be Brisa not hunting beast..." Brisa smiles, then turns and crawls back into the tunnel, the spark floating well ahead of her to give her as much warning as possible. And as Brisa pushes her way into the tunnel, Romana crouches near its entrance, looking down it furtively, one hand upon the cold ground. Benedict sighs softly, sitting down on some debris, nervous and alert. He glances down, then picks up a heavy branch or stick or pole, half-petrified from age. He frowns slightly at its unfamiliar weight and balance, then looks more nervously at the tunnel Brisa went down. Roxanna is more concerned about the other tunnels at the moment. As Brisa pushes her way through, the drag of shield and armor against the rock is an uncomfortable and twisted sound. Brisa sighs... she knows this isn't going to be fast or quiet... but she just doggedly keeps going, pausing periodically to listen cautiously, and always keeping a careful and wary eye (and spark) ahead of her. Hopefully this mess will open out soon.
- The tunnel twists and turns, worse than a serpent caught
in a wagon wheel running so fast its spokes a blur. And it is not a
quiet path, that's for certain, nor a straight one, its turns almost
treacherous as they slip in and out, up and down, and Brisa almost
doesn't catch herself as the bottom of a twist drops her onto a narrow
ledge. Her sword skitters ahead, and it's a deft leap to capture it
before it sails into the circular shaft. A few rocks skitter and after
a handful of heartbeats, the sound of the rocks splashing in cold, cold
water. Upon a ledge the Dayallan is precariously balanced. A quarter
of the way around the curving ledge there is a single hole leading even
deeper into the broken temple.
Brisa frowns, looping her sword lanyard firmly over her wrist, then studies her surroundings... is this down one of the wells? It can't be the central shaft -- she knows that is dry. She sits and thinks for a while, looking around to see if all the tunnels pass through this well shaft. This might make a useful bottleneck for the lizards? Looking to her left, Brisa sees the second tunnel, heading back in the direction she came. Two into here... one out. Obviously this isn't the only place the myriad tunnels go. Brisa sighs finally, checking to see if the little ledge is wide enough for her to turn around... and she takes a moment to send the little spark down the tunnel leading deeper. She doesn't expect to see very far... but she'll check to be thorough. The ledge is just about wide enough to sit on, and if one is careful one can turn around. The deeper hole goes perhaps a Benedict's length before rising up and to the left. Brisa nods quietly to herself and cautiously heads back, calling ahead softly so they know it's her returning... she doesn't want to get bashed in the head. Romana blinks and finally allows herself to breathe when she hears Brisa return. She steps back, allowing the Dayallan to regain her feet. Benedict blinks and looks up, standing as Brisa comes out of the tunnels. Brisa wriggles out, settling down on a piece of rubble and stretching, then returning her equipment to their usual places. She frowns, then pulls out her little sketch-map, "I think... I think I went to here..." she puts a finger on the map over the little circle for the closest well.
Benedict frowns. "The central well?"
Romana looks over Brisa's shoulder and nods, "And from theres?"
Brisa shakes her head at Benedict, "Nyeh, Benny, look. See, here we are in the northern corridor... and I am thinking I crawled up and down and around and ended up here, at the northwestern corner... and the tunnel went further. Also, only two tunnels exit there for the one that goes further in." She sighs softly, "That means more than one lair, I am guessing... so I am guessing we must clog up all the tunnels we find, except for one... and that one we must build our cleverest trap on." Brisa pauses, studying the map... then leans back slightly to look over her shoulder at Romana, "Mishka... how clever and quick is Icicle? Smart enough to follow a tunnel to where the lizards are? or bored too soon for that?"
Benedict hrms quietly and nods. "All right. That makes sense."
"Cleverest trap... " Romana blinks, "Brisas have unclever traps?" Shaking her head, Romana frowns. "Icicle must see what Icicle hunts."
Brisa grins ruefully at Romana, "I do not have any traps, mishka. I am hoping we can come up with something before night." She nods, unsurprised, at the news about Icicle, "Then we must close up the tunnels, as firmly and well as we can."
Benedict says, "Can we know that we'll get all of the tunnels?"
Roxanna says, "Or perhaps just set up traps in all of them." She bends down to peer into the tunnels. "How about a slip noose? Something that'll slip over the lizards head as it comes through and then tighten on its neck?"
Brisa says, "That way they're more likely to come only down one tunnel." She pauses, thinking, then curiously asks, "Hey... can lizards crawl backwards? That would maybe be a way to stop them, if they cannot? Get them stuck at the end of a long one-way tunnel?"
Benedict blinks to Brisa. "I would imagine they could, but... not having ever seen one of these hunting beasts before..."
Roxanna says, "I suspect they can dig. They'd be able to go through anything we could block 'em with eventually. And I can't imagine a tunnel dweller that couldn't deal with dead ends."
Romana nods as Roxanna speaks. "Beasts best diggers."
Brisa thinks, then nods to Roxanna, "Nooses sound good... and maybe fire? Flammable things packed in at the tunnels' end?"
Benedict nods, "Oil and such, yes. And lots of long, sharp, pointy things as barriers."
Brisa nods, "Well then... we have some work to do." She rises, stretching and sighing again, "Next time we do something like this... I think I will pack better! Food, at the very least..."
Benedict grins softly, standing as well. "Don't forget a few dozen swordsmen or swordswomen."
Romana looks to Benedict and smiles, "And feather beds!" Brisa chuckles quietly at her friends' comments, already looking around for stone blocks or kindling or sharp branches that can be used.
The little group works diligently for hours. Combinations of traps are chosen as the most likely to succeed... the two most-used tunnels have the largest rocks possible shoved down them in an effort to make the lizards push and scrape and crawl around them... and sharp, pointed branches are set into the walls and ceiling as firmly as possible, under the premise that the lizards must brush against them in order to get past the rocks. Flammables are packed into the ends of the tunnels and down their length for about a Benedict's height, and Roxanna is tapped to run into town to get oil to soak it all down. Around the large, heavy rocks ropes are carefully and tightly tied, then pegged neatly up at about head height -- and others at about foot height. It's true the lizards are probably strong enough to push any one of the rocks aside -- or pull them along... but perhaps it's not as easy for them to pull two or three -- especially while being throttled at the same time!
- As their companions work on their traps, Roxanna and Trystan
slip back through the corridors, heading for the central well and then
back to Bordertown.
When Roxanna and Trystan finally break into the dying afternoon, it is not into quite the return. A dull thunder ripples across the landscape, but it comes not from the skies. It takes a bit, a little while, to reach the edge of the broken pile of stone and brush and look out across the town. And then it is obvious the thunder comes from the land. Red and black garbed horsemen matched with chaotically mad foot soldiers wheel and charge against the town and at the base of the temple. Standing against them is the town guard, the Jvrillians refusing to give even the slightest inch to the Chaos Riders, His Riders, even though their defiance is paid in blood. Trystan looks at Roxanna, and she shakes her head and points back to the well shaft. They rejoin the rest shortly afterward. "No oil, I'm afraid. Not until tomorrow."
"What one sees..." Romana looks down, whispering her words quietly.
Benedict gives a visible start at the news of the riders. He swallows slightly and takes in a deep breath. "He knows," he says softly. Oh, Hastur... oh, Dayalla! We are going to need a great deal of help here... Third Age and Second Age alike. He bends back to the work, a new nervousness singing through him.
Brisa looks torn for a moment at the news of the chaos riders... then glances towards the hallway where the prisoners are chained and simply nods... and continues her work. "We'll use flint and spark then." She wonders aloud how they knew... or if they knew... then simply adds, "It does not matter. We have work here to do." She continues grimly working, "We will do it."
Romana takes a few steps back, quietly considering. "Looks finest... Brisa." Then she looks back down the corridor, shivering slightly. "Romanas wonder how angry He is."
Benedict says conversationally, "Probably very, I imagine."
Brisa smiles quietly at Romana, "Well, in some ways this is good, mishka... we know now we are on the right track, da?"
Shrugging, Romana shares with Brisa a mischievous smile. "Romanas never met one like Him befores..."
Brisa gives Romana an amused glance, "Let's hope we none of us do, Romishka."
Brisa has one other thing she does... she lays rocks and underbrush in a pattern that will require the lizards to twist and turn and climb along the hallway... in a pattern that affords her as many chances to shoot at them as she can make. She paces off distances, making sure she'll be as accurate as possible... and then does her best to make the hallway from the south full of loud and crackly things that will give warning should one approach from that direction. Benedict occasionally wanders by the shaft they descended, looking up it nervously, listening for sounds of battle -- or worse -- of chaos riders descending.
Brisa finally nods thoughtfully, looking around... "I think we've done all the preparing we can think of. Now we need to prepare you all." She finds the sturdiest and longest remaining branches she can find, then hacks the tips into sharpened ends. With everyone she explains and demonstrates how to use a boar spear, bracing the butt of the shaft with one foot and swinging it back and forth at chest height for the beasts, to let them impale themselves if they insist on charging. She also shows people how to stand side by side so they can cover the hallway with two such set branches... and then shows Anuje and Roxanna how to brace Trystan and Benedict while the two men are holding the spears. Benedict takes up the spear with only little reluctance. After all, if he's remaining true to the precepts of his faith... it does no good if the Truth isn't heard by anyone else and dies with him here, does it?
Roxanna says, "Well... I can hope. You want Benny, Anuje, or Trystan?"
Brisa says, "How often can you call Icicle, Romishka?"
Romana watches as the others prepare to fight. She looks back to Brisa and nods, "Once. Then must convince to be Friend again, yes?"
Brisa nods to Romana, "Then you will watch my back, da, Romishka? And if I call it will be time to call Icicle?" She quietly tears strips of cloth off the discarded tunic and wraps it around a longish stick for a torch to light the flammables... no need to have an emergency at the last minute from dropping the flint. Brisa gives the lit torch, near nightfall, to Romana to hold, and makes sure her arrows are ready. Then... they wait.
- The wait is long, so long the air almost begins to feel stuffy,
heavy with tension. Even Tashka and Allena, unseen around the corner,
fall silent. As if every heartbeat, like every other night since the
destruction of the Second Age, might be their last.
It is Romana, holding her touch high a step behind Brisa, who starts, turning her head. The room is deathly silent, but she says, "He comes..."
Brisa's head whips around to stare at Romana, her face pale, "Him?!"
Benedict's eyes widen, looking sharply at Romana. "Gods of the Second and Third Ages, help us!" he murmurs softly.
Brisa stares around in horror -- there's no WAY she can cover this many people from multiple directional attacks! She takes a slow breath, then just nods, "All right." She looks at her friends for a long moment... then sighs softly, trying to plan as swiftly as possible. "I will do the best I can."
Roxanna says, "Back to the Verchovai?"
Romana blinks and points back to the hole, "No... him!"
And as she points a green-scaled horror barrels out of the tunnel mouth, striving forward on eight massive legs. No, this one isn't as big as the other, but it certainly is fiercer, its teeth sharp, its first set of claws off the ground... and suddenly jerked back with a scream as the noose tightens about its neck, hauling it back like a fell leash. One of the anchor rocks pops and ricochets down the corridor, but for this moment both the noose and the beast hold. Benedict gives a shout, bracing the spear. "Brisa! Before it can get loose...!"
Brisa whips her bow up and starts firing pointblank, "Romana, the torch!" She snarls something in a foreign tongue, turning just enough to light an arrow from the torch in Romana's hand, then fires it into the tangled rubble at the tunnel entrance. The arrow sails into its mark, landing in the rubble and strewn bits of branches and woods. It smolders a bit while the great beast struggles, one of the big rocks shifting and rolling loose. The lizard leaps forward, almost a beast's length before the rope tangles again. Brisa's other arrow goes wide, bouncing off the rock and into the dark. Brisa snarls again at the monster, standing her ground and still firing, "Benny, Trys, brace strong now! When it breaks free I will try to back up between you -- Romana, you back up now, da? And Romana -- you watch behind us too -- we need to know if more come that way!"
Roxanna says, "Heads up! Brisa, we've got one tunneling through!" She points a bit to the right, where a few bits of earth and rock are starting to crumble."
Brisa sighs, shaking her head, then yells without looking around, "Benny, can you brace quick so it impale on yours?!" Benedict nods sharply, jamming the spear into the ground in the direction of the tunneling beast. He looks over sharply to Brisa, then back to the incoming beast, swallowing nervously.
There is a scream as the big beast rolls over. It crashes, slamming back into the rock as Brisa's arrow buries itself deep in its unprotected chest, a sudden eruption of black blood as it spasms, the arrow buried to its fletchings. But the true miracle is Benedict -- and that he was fast enough to jump back when a much smaller beast buried itself atop his makeshift spear. For a brief moment it almost seems that the hunting beast would crawl right up the wooden shaft to tear off the Brother's face. But Benedict was just a heartbeat too fast, and then it too shook itself to death. Benedict swallows hard at the rush of the beast, but dashes to the side to pick up a fresh spear, whirling with wide eyes to meet the next threat. Roxanna grins at Benedict. "Benny, I didn't know you had it in you! You should let Brisa train you, eh?"
Brisa whirls, her sword flashing crimson in the firelight, to make sure neither beast will be going anywhere again. It is as Brisa bends to slit the throat of the first beast though, that is when the third foul lizard erupts from the brand new hole on the heels of his spear-impaled brother. Like lightning it strikes, a fierce claw smashing Brisa's shield arm, almost slashing through her armor. And then its jaws close down upon her abdomen; it bites and draws Dayallan blood. And off her feet she is tumbled by its fell impetus. Brisa yells in fury, still trying to slash the beast's throat as she's tossed off her feet.
Benedict calls over to Roxanna, still watchful for another beast. "Not my calling, I'm afraid!" But how long will that last? he wonders. He is caught as flat-footed as Brisa is by the sudden appearance of the third beast. "BRISA!" he shouts, and dives forward, thrusting with his spear at the beast. Roxanna pulls out her dagger and dances alongside Benedict, hoping for a chance to stab it if necessary. Romana doesn't even pause to think, she leaps. The torch goes flying. But then the beast is caught. Trapped. Brisa's sword slashes up, shining like it had just been dipped into water. Benedict's spear stabs down through the beast's back. Benedict can see Brisa's sword break through the beast's hide, his face sprayed with an arc of black blood. And it is Brisa's breath that is knocked from her as Benedict's spear does the exact opposite. But, luckily, by the time his wooden shaft slams through the beast there is not enough strength left to penetrate Brisa's armor.
There is a moment's silence. A moment's more. A dead beast caught between spear and sword, and Romana holding down its long tail. Brisa pants... then yells, "Fall back!" scrambling to her feet, shoving monster out of the way, yanking her sword free. She's a little mad-eyed, but still looking around for more, "Romana, grab the torch! Roxy, help Benny -- we NEED that spear!" She puts a blood-spattered, booted foot on the monster's body, "Heave, Benny -- HURRY, everyone!" Roxanna sets her foot against the dead beast as Benedict tugs on the spear, looking wildly around for additional hunters... Benedict looks on with horror as his spear does exactly what he doesn't want it do. He pushes his foot against the body of the beast, pulling back on the shaft of the spear, moving back to the group. Blinking twice, Romana looses the tail of the beast and scrabbles for the torch. Retrieving it she looks up, ready to follow Brisa.
Brisa whews as everyone regroups behind the relative protection of the spears, then gulps and wipes black blood off her face, trying to swallow her panting so she can hear... she watches Romana, hoping her better hearing will give them the fractions of seconds they need to prepare for another onslaught. Romana tilts her head, listening. One heartbeat, two heartbeat. Then with a small smile she collapses, sitting down on a rock. "All quiets in broken rocks."
Brisa sighs gustily, backing up enough to lean on a wall. "Thank Herself."
Roxanna says, "So far, so good. Brisa, how are you feeling?"
Benedict pants as quietly as he can, ignoring the blood on him. "Is it over...?"
Trystan almost purrs as he comments, "'S good to have ears like those on our side, miss Romana."
Brisa says, "Uh?" She looks blankly at Roxanna, still high on adrenaline, "Um... maybe, Benny. We still need to be very cautious!"
Benedict gives Brisa a bit of a wry look. "I didn't even dare hope that it was, Brisa."
Managing a small smile, Romana shrugs. "Mother... father... baby one, baby two?"
Brisa gives Romana a puzzled glance, "What?" She glances around, checking to make sure she's still got all her gear and everyone's in one piece... she rubs her stomach absently, then blinks at the sudden twinge of pain, looking down at red blood on her fingers, "Oops... maybe I'll sit for a moment..."
Benedict says, "What if there's a baby three, four, and five?" He blinks over to Brisa. "Brisa...? Are you all right...?"
Brisa sits cautiously, "Da..." Her grin is wry, "Just a nibble..."
Looking up, Romana shrugs, "...they hunting here alreadys then, Bennydi-" She then starts and crosses back over to Brisa, "Brisa, sures?"
Roxanna says, "Probably not. You two, keep your spears up. Brisa, hold still." She gets out her bottle of antiseptic again and starts sponging the wound clean. "You're making a habit of this, Brisa..."
Brisa winces, then grins and says contritely, "Very sorry, dama. Won't do it again..." Her grin is mischievous and her crossed fingers obvious, of course. She smiles up at Romana, "I'm sure, kiska. You listen, help keep watch, and Roxy will have me all better before we know it."
Romana nods, and then she sits down next to Brisa, so she can look down the hall. "Wonder if beasts tastes good..." She considers absentmindedly.
Benedict keeps his spear up as suggested, alert. "It sounds like something a bit more than a 'nibble'..."
Brisa grins just as mischievously at Benedict, still elated from their current success and the adrenaline wash, "What, you want a nibble of your own next time, Benny? Should wait for Midwinter from what I hear?"
Benedict blinks and fails to get the immediate reference. "I'll pass, I think, but thank you, Brisa." He remains alert however. He's not entirely convinced there's not more of those things.
Trystan sidles over to Brisa, speaking low, "I... I can also take a look at that cut too... if you think... if you think you might need... well... if you think there might be more of-" he jerks his head at the carcasses, "-them." For the benefit of the others he mumbles something about having picked up a 'thing or two' from his wanderings as a lone minstrel.
Brisa smiles at Trystan, "We're fine so far, Trys... Roxy's an Atteran. But..." her elation fades a bit as she glances over her shoulder at the hallway they're so fiercely protecting, "...but later... will you talk with Allena, please, Trys? I don't know what's happened with her Lady and Lord... and I think her heart breaks for not knowing?"
Trystan quirks an eyebrow at Brisa in a 'you-know-what-I-mean...' sort of way, then nods, "Yes. I will talk with her." He straightens, his hands on his hips.
Roxanna frowns at the wound -- it's far from disabling, but it could be a problem if there's another attack. She nods to herself and begins the chant that summons the healing magic, the white glow again knitting the Dayallan's flesh back together. Brisa sighs softly in relief as Roxanna heals her... then smiles at her Atteran friend, "Spacebo, Roxy." She grins softly, "Next time I'm going to talk to you before battle, try to get you to promise to stay behind me..." she shakes her head in incredulous amazement, still grinning, "You were going to take on a hunting beast with a dagger! Extraordinarily brave... but crazy too, Roxy!"
Roxanna says, "Heh. I wasn't going to try anything unless Benedict pinned it. Figured I could still put the dagger in its eye. Used to be pretty good at it, before I became a healer."
Brisa chuckles softly, shaking her head, "And I thought I was crazy to do this!" Her voice is quietly amused, more happily friendly at their continued health and survival than chiding. She whews, shifting and straightening her armor... she stretches experimentally, then nods, looking pleased, "Da, spacebo, Rox. So... Romishka, we have killed... four now? You mention packs of 4 to 5, da? Is there usually that, or sometimes more, please?"
Leaning back a bit, resting her head on Brisa's arm, Romana looks up. "Mother, father, baby one, baby twos... if baby threes, be here alreadys, yes?"
Brisa says, "Da?" She shifts automatically so Romana's more comfortable, looking pleased, "So... it is maybe a good bet we hit them all?"
Roxanna says, "Sounds like it. There may be one more small one, and if so we can probably take it while guarding the prisoners, just in case there are other routes."
Brisa sighs in relief, then smiles, "Then why don't we pull back to the hallway entrance, da? Moment while I be sure these are well and truly in Krysta's hands... then we will set up watches, da?" Benedict nods quietly. Brisa will gently shift Romana with a murmured apology -- then swiftly and efficiently slashes the throats of each beast. If they can get up and fight with no head she'll be very impressed, she thinks with dark humor! Romana nods quietly to Brisa, her smile noting that no apology is necessary. She gathers herself up... takes a step... and then draws the hood of her cloak over her head. Brisa backs up towards the offshoot hallway cautiously, looking back and forth, studying the hallways... a few bits of adjusted rubble in the northern hallway so it will make noise also should something approach... then she nods again, satisfied. Trystan waits, watching almost impassively as Brisa works. Brisa says, "There. Now we can rest and set watches. This is all right with everyone?"
Trystan clears his throat softly, "Ma'am... Brisa, do you want me to go check on Allena?"
Brisa nods quietly to Trystan, glancing over her shoulder at Allena, chained against the wall, "If you do not mind, Trys." Trystan smiles a 'how could I mind' smile and, with a nod, he leads around the corner.
It's but a handful of steps and around the corner the battered travelers are. The two bedraggled prisoners look up; Tashka with a dry and ironic smile, Allena with relief... and then concern.
Brisa grins at the Verchovai, her teeth flashing in her blood-smeared face, holding up fingers, "Three in the hallway, Verchovai -- four so far!" She beams proudly at her companions, "Could not have done it alone either."
Trystan ducks his head, "...Allena, ma'am..."
Brisa adds quietly, "Dama Allena... Trystan is one of yours, I think. He can tell you more than I." She'll quietly set watches, making sure Trystan's is second to last so he can take all the time he needs talking to Allena... and she puts herself at the dawn watch -- the hardest one to stay awake for.
The two prisoners nod, Tashka's nod rattling the chains. "Not like I can remember what it is like to hold a sword anymore, Brisa." Allena takes a longer breath, looking back. "I... I can't remember the last time I have ever fallen asleep. Can I, in these chains?" She turns then, the Covener Priestess looking to Trystan. "And you, Treeherder?" Trystan blushes softly, dipping his head to the Priestess. He quietly talks with Allena, pausing, nodding, re-telling, but also taking time to answer her questions and to give his own thoughts...
Allena just swallows once, looking back at Trystan. "It's not hard; your bloodline sings, Sprout."
Trystan swallows, visibly moved, "Th... thank you, ma'am.
Brisa settles down, leaning her back against the wall next to the Verchovai, and (relatively) calmly starts cleaning weapons, checking her bow and the state of her arrows. She smiles up at the Verchovai, "Well... chains is the next problem, I think. Hey Benny!" She grins cheerfully at him, tossing a rag to him to wipe his face, "So... what breaks or opens or bends darksteel? Do you know, tovarisch?"
Trystan wonders aloud, "The key?"
Romana settles down next to Brisa, slowly drawing up her knees to wrap her arms about them. Leaning forward, she rests her head upon them, watching Brisa work. Tashka looks down upon the two and smiles, "It's an old problem, Brisa..."
Benedict blinks, catching the rag and starting to wipe the blood from his face. "Erf... uhm... ironsilver, magic... and darksteel. I don't suppose anyone here has a darksteel pry bar..."
Brisa grins cheerfully at Benedict, "Well, that's a start!" She polishes the black blood carefully off her blade, adding, "Old problem maybe, Verchovai... but that just means it won't go away while we concentrate on it, da?" She chuckles softly... then smiles at Romana watching her so closely. They're all healthy and whole, and hopefully all the hunting beasts are dead... there's a small fire crackling, and Allena has someone to talk to now... life's good so far! She grins and winks cheerfully at Romana, then goes back to quietly and peacefully polishing her blade. Romana catches the wink with a silent shared smile. Then she goes back to watching Brisa clean her sword, her eyes sharp, watching intently.
The elder Dayallan looks down and shrugs. "It'd be just nice to see one more sunrise, I think."
Brisa smiles again in quiet contentment, "We're working on it, Verchovai... we'll get it for you."
Benedict says, "I don't suppose that key that we got would be of much use..."
Brisa grins at Benedict, "Considering that it was doubtless returned to dama Samara Kelleni, Benny... probably not."
Benedict grimaces. "Good point. Blast..."
Roxanna says, "Besides, it would still need a keyhole. I'm very much afraid that the solution to the manacles will involve dealing with Him."
Brisa hms, "So... ironsilver, magic, and darksteel... we'll have to check with captain Garrick tomorrow, I am thinking, if the battling is over by then."
Tashka blinks, "Battling?"
Brisa nods to Roxanna... then nods to Tashka, "The chaos riders were assaulting Bordertown when we last looked, Verchovai."
Benedict's expression falls. "If it's over..." He looks upward, then nods and stands. "I'm going to take a look outside the hole," he says softly.
Brisa looks up suddenly, "Benny, please, varisch... let us move around here in pairs, please? Let's not get careless yet, please?"
Roxanna says, "Best wait until dawn, at any rate."
Brisa nods, agreeing with Roxanna, "So you can see, Benny."
Benedict nods, smiling quietly. "All right. Dawn then, and with someone. Uhm... we should keep some sort of watch just in case...?" He rubs his eyes. "Right. I'd forgotten that it's night outside..."
Allena looks up, her gaze locking with Tashka's. Tashka just nods, her word curt and deadly soft. "Brisa... He's not after Bordertown this time. He's very angry at the two of us."
Trystan watches softly, listening. Roxanna says, "And I suspect, by extension... us?"
Benedict sighs. "It would be something like that." He'd not been terribly eager to pit his faith in Hastur and the Imperial cult against Him. He still isn't.
Brisa tilts her head to look at Tashka. She's silent for a moment, then says quietly, "And this means we should expect... what, please?"
Tashka looks back, quiet. "Either we have to be out of here and his word broken... or someone will have to deal with Him."
Roxanna nods. "That's what I suspected."
Brisa sighs a little wearily, "Tonight? Ah well..." she rises, thinking, then says pragmatically, "So, if you call him... will he appear right in front of the caller?"
Benedict blinks. "Ah... Brisa, we don't have to rush in inviting Him here, you know. I'm sure He will understand if we need to freshen up, first!"
Roxanna says, "I rather doubt we could get him with boar spears..."
Brisa grins grimly at Roxanna, "Actually I was thinking of standing on the stone in the well shaft... let him fall down the well."
The Dayallan smiles wickedly. "No, he doesn't appear magically. He has to drop everything he is doing, however, and come directly here. How do you think I kept them chained here and not able to pursue?"
Roxanna grins. "And here I thought it was because you were giving such a wonderful party, Verchovai."
Benedict says dryly, "Fall into the shaft... and Hastur -- er, my apologies, Verchovai -- and who knows how easily he'll be able to fly out of it?"
Allena finally manages a laugh. "Unless the sword killer has sprouted wings... "
Brisa says, "Ah, not magically. Too bad." She sighs again, thinking... "All right. So... will His riders follow him?"
Roxanna says, "I'd count on it."
Brisa grins wickedly at Benedict, "Let him try to fly -- while I peg him so full of arrows he looks feathered! But... that won't work if it's not magical. Hmm... well, at least the hilltop is defensible..."
Benedict sighs. "Then let me point something else out: no matter what I was, if I was hauled halfway across the landscape, through the walls of a nigh-buried Second Age temple, and dropped down into a dry well... I would not be in the best of moods. All things considered, emotional control is not one of His strong points..."
Roxanna says, "So our first advantage is that we can count on him being raving mad and not thinking too clearly. Joy."
Laying a hand upon Brisa's shoulder, Romana shakes her head and softly reconsiders Roxanna's statement, "Unless, of course, Riders have other fight... like with guards, yes?"
Benedict says dryly, "Beings like him have a habit of wiping out entire counties when they get mad."
Roxanna says, "The Riders were pretty well tangled with the Jvrillians last time we looked."
Brisa looks up curiously at Benedict, grinning faintly, "So? We're trying to KILL him, Benny... most people don't think their clearest when furious. Hmm..." she nods to Romana, "-then now is actually a good time to call, oddly..." she glances at Tashka, "Do Her magics help against him?"
Tashka and Romana answer in unison, both with a single word. "Noon."
Brisa grumbles under her breath, then nods, sitting back down, "Would be stupid to call Him at the fullness of His power, da."
Tashka nods, "And they certainly do. Especially calling down Her wrath."
Roxanna says, "Normally you can't kill the God. You can kill their Avatars here though."
Brisa says, "Well then... I am going to sleep until it's my watch." She leans back against the wall, crosses her booted feet and folds her arms, then sighs, closing her eyes. She smiles faintly, and someone listening close might hear Brisa mumble, "Four!" before she gets quiet."
Benedict looks between Tashka and Romana and Brisa. "You're serious," he says softly. "You're planning on... on summoning Him and knickering him full of arrows and whatever else you have at hand. An avatar..." He lets out a breath, and as Brisa falls asleep he settles himself down to rest as well, adding wryly, "Well, why not? A new star, whispers of the Second Age, the chaos riders... maybe destiny has something planned for us in all this..."
Brisa chuckles softly under her breath once... then makes herself rest. Romana smiles quietly. Then, with a soft sigh herself, she closes her eyes and rests her head upon Brisa's shoulder. As her eyes close she looks across to Benedict and smiles, "Never killed one of Marin's lackeys before... could be funs..." Tashka and Allena just give Brisa's companion an odd, odd look.