FINAL REWARD: PART VI
by: Taliaferro Erucolindo
Kiren, Darshan, Thanoslug and Taliaferro kept to the eastern edge of Nektulous Forest. Darshan's spells kept them moving fast and unseen. Kiren kept the lead, noting many signs of passage by the Dark ones. They were nearing Neriak itself, and the evil was almost palpable. Tal came next, swords out, looking and listening for danger as best he could. Behind Tal was Thanos. The Dwarf practically had to sprint to keep up with the taller Fier'Dal, but his stamina was easily up to the task. His iron-backed axe held in both hands, the Dwarf muttered, "The stench o' tha Undead hangs aboot this place...". Behind him, Darshan leaned closer. "There is an arcane obelisk near here. It draws them to it, like bees to pollen," whispered the Druid. "Then I say we swat the buggers!" snarled Thanos. "Remember why we're here....we get our friends, and get out. The others are risking much to give us this chance," said Kiren. Thanos nodded, as the foursome turned north, and raced through the trees towards the river that bisected the forest.
.......
"HOLD THEM BACK, MY FRIENDS!!!" bellowed Rekus, as he brought down a massive Ogre Warrior that tried to breach their defensive line, cutting the large creatures legs out from under him with a low sweep of his weapon. Zosmann drove his sword point home into the Ogre's chest before he could regain his feet. On the left, Telree hacked down another Teir'Dal and looked beyond him to the forces massing just out of spell range. He comtemplated calling for a volley of arrows at them, but his forces were tied up in melee with the shock troops the Teir'Dal had thrown at them. Any moment now, a charge could drive a wedge into their line, and the gods only knew how long they could hold. They had to give the rescue team time to find their friends. They must hold.
.......
Reaching the river, Kiren momentarily looked about for signs of trouble. Most of the locals used the bridge, further to the west. Not seeing any immediate threat, Kiren waded into the stream and began to swim quietly across. Camoflagued though they were, no spell could hide a disturbance in the slowly flowing water. Tal paused at the river's edge. Turning to Thanoslug, Tal asked quitely, "Can you swim? I mean, in armor and all....being a Dwarf..." Thanoslug scowled at his well-intentioned friend. "D'ye think we dinnae ha' lakes in Kaladim? Silly tree-dweller....I'll bloody well swim outta 'ere!" replied the Dwarf, as he clenched his axe in his teeth and began to paddle rather ungracefully across the river. Tal shrugged and slid into the water himself. Kiren emerged from the other side of the river, arrow nocked and alert for any sign of ambush. Thanos muttered something in Dwarven under his breath as he clambered up out of the water. Tal kept both blades in his hands as he rose quietly from the cold river. Looking back, they all three saw Darshan casually walk across the surface of the river, floating inches above the water itself. As Dar finished levitating over the river, he seemed puzzled by the irritated looks on his cold and wet friends, who all three glared at him. "What?" asked Darshan innocently, barely able to conceal his grin. All three of his friends sighed and the party resumed their trek northward.
.......
The charge came almost exactly when Telree expected it to come. The majority of the diversionary team's casters were sitting down in the middle of the protective box formed by their guildmates, many of them hastily paging through their spellbooks, re-memorizing spells and drawing mana back into their bodies to fuel those spells. That was exactly when Telree would have ordered the charge, and it was exactly when Giliath Lang expected it. "SUMMONERS.....NOW!" called out Telree. The Magi of Giliath Lang, as well as many of the Enchanters, and even a few of the Clerics, Druids and Shamen, stood as one and invoked spells that were held in reserve for just this moment. Elementals erupted from the Earth, leapt forth from various torches and other fires, sprang from puddles and formed from the sky itself. Wolves emerged from behind the trees. Swords, hammers, and shields all animated and joined the assault. Suddenly, the charging Dark forces were met with a wall of magically animated weapons, local animals, and spell-casting elementals. Some broke through the wall, but they were no match for the steadfast defenders of Giliath Lang, as they stumbled past the summoned reserves and into their own deaths.
.......
Just ahead lay the Wizard Teleportation platform, not unlike the arcane spires found in Greater Faydark, thought Kiren. No Teir'Dal were guarding it, but all the same, the four adventurers carefully moved from tree to tree, still camoflagued from sight by spells. Moving steadily northward, they saw the rendezvous point. Holding up a hand to halt his friends, Kiren knelt close to the ground and examined the multitude of tracks there. Darshan looked over his shoulder as well. Thanos shifted his axe from hand to hand, restlessly. Tal perked up his head, listening to the sounds on the wind. "What? What are ye' hearin' Tal?" asked Thanos. Tal gazed to the north, and slightly eastward. Trying to see with his eyes what his ears were telling him. "The battle rages on....the diversionary team has drawn all of Neriak's attention." Thanos shook his head, "I ken ye want ta be there, friend, but we cannae help them now. Once we've recovered our own, THEN we can aid our brothers and sisters in spillin' the blood o' the Dark ones. I dinnae lug this bleedin' pigsticker all the way from Felwithe not ta give it ta the lady it belongs ta." Tal smiled at his Dwarven friend's disdain for swords, and knew that no matter how much his heart longed to be on the battlefield alongside his friends, his mission here was to rescue his friends, his long lost mentor Glorelion, and the Lady Lorfindur. He hadn't seen them in many seasons, and he so badly wanted to hunt alongside them once more. "Any sign of them, Kiren?" asked Tal. Kiren shook his head, "It's hard to distinguish Fier'Dal and Koada'Dal tracks from Teir'Dal tracks, especially with this many overlapping trails. This area is well used." Kiren stood and pointed towards a fallen tree. "Let's check over there," said the Ranger, "it's a good place to wait for them."
As the three Fier'Dal and one Dwarf moved north from the Teleport platform, they came closer to the massive fallen tree. It was hollow inside, and could easily be a place to hide from prying eyes. As they approached the base of it, Kiren suddenly stopped short. A wide smile broke out on Darshan's face, and Tal could hardly contain his excitement. As Thanoslug looked on warily, a lone Wood Elf male, and a tall High Elf female, clad only in dirty rags, stepped tentatively from the hollowed out fallen tree, looking around cautiously. They didn't seem to see the four adventurers, but they looked about and then almost stepped back into the hollowed out tree. Taliaferro could no longer contain himself.
Shaking off the camoflage spell, Tal stepped forward and showed himself to the two Elves, practically beside himself with glee. "Glorelion! Lorfindur! We've found you!"