FINAL REWARD: PART X
by: Taliaferro Erucolindo
Thanoslug could hear Darshan choking on the ground behind him and saw him thrashing about blindly. Frantically, the Dwarven Paladin continued his search through Taliaferro's possessions. "Where d'ye keep the bloody....AH! Here it be!" thought Thanos triumphantly, as he withdrew from Tal's backpack a rough, yet perfectly round stone. To normal sight, the stone looked to be simply pumice, but Thanos knew better. Rubbing the stone quickly in his hands, Thanos saw the stone begin to glow. Rising to his feet, barely, the Dwarf let the stone sail....and managed to hit Darshan with it. As the magick of the stone met the magick of Tarina's spell, the stone seemed to devour it! Darshan was still in a state of shock, but at least the source of the damage was gone! Thanos staggered over to Darshan, and said, "'Tis now or never lad!" and placed his hands upon Darshan, asking Brell to heal him. Darshan felt life return to his limbs, as healing energies flowed up into his body! "Can ye cast, laddie?", whispered Thanos, barely able to stand. Darshan wasn't sure, the mana which fueled his spells was nearly exhausted. Closing his eyes, Darshan entered a state of meditation, whispering, "Buy me time....". Thanos wearily nodded his head. "Aye lad, tha' I will," as he turned back to face Tarina.
Kiren noticed, felt really, that Thanos had saved Darshan, and that if he could hold out a little longer, Darshan could save them in return. Already, his lifeblood was flowing from several lesser wounds, but he knew that one true strike from the evil weapon could end his life. Legend had it that the sword would consume the soul of any it struck true. Kiren didn't want to find out. Drawing Tarina's attention away from his companions, Kiren fought on. Tarina, with blood running from her scarred face, slashed away at Kiren's defenses. Suddenly, the Ranger stumbled. Tarina sensed victory! Raising her sword above her head, she prepared for the deathblow.....only to feel the pain of an axe tearing through her armor and sinking into her back! Staggered by the force of the blow, and by the pain, Tarina stumbled forward....into a harpoon thrust from Kiren into her midsection! Dropping to her knees, Tarina whipped her massive sword around, passing harmlessly over the head of Thanos as the Dwarf rolled to his right. Pulling herself free of the harpoon, Tarina lashed out and kicked Kiren in the midsection, staggering the Ranger as he was closing in for another slash at her head.
As Kiren reeled from the blow, he spared a glance at Darshan, to see if he was still okay. To his horror, the one-armed skeletal pet had broken loose of his snare again, and was stalking up behind Darshan! Without hesitation, Kiren threw his harpoon with all his might, sending the magickal weapon sailing just over Darshan's head, impacting with the skeleton, and punching through the skeleton's ribcage! The harpoon continued it's flight, taking the skelton with it, until it sank into the trunk of a nearby tree. The skeleton, one arm flailing and feet dangling off the ground, was pinned helplessly to the sturdy oak.
Tarina saw her opening! The Ranger had left himself open to her attack! She drew back and began a swing which would take the Fier'Dal Ranger's head off in one stroke. Just as Kiren released his missle at her pet, Tarina's sword traced a deadly arc, on course for Kiren's neck. Just before it reached it's target, Tarina heard, "KHAZAD AI-MENU!!!!" as Thanos lunged up between them, swinging his Iron Backed Axe with all his remaining strength on an intercept course with Innoruuk's Curse. The two weapons met, and in a massive clash of sparks, the axe shattered into pieces! The impact, however, was enough to deflect the sword away from it's intended target. Shouting a curse at Thanos in her own Dark language, Tarina was about to turn her attention on the now weaponless Paladin of Brell.
Suddenly, Darshan stood to his feet, eyes still closed, and began his incantation again for the spell that would transport them to safety! Tarina saw this, and began her own spell! Before either Kiren or Thanos could react, Tarina vanished into the shadows! Looking back to their friend, Kiren saw Tarina re-appear, stepping out of the shadows a scant few yards BEHIND Darshan! Darshan, lost in concentration, did not notice her! Tarina drew back her sword, and began a charge that would end with her thrusting the blade between Darshan's shoulderblades, ending all hope of escape for her enemies, and allowing her to capture the Artifacts of Light! Kiren and Thanos both began to run towards Darshan, but Kiren's longer legs enabled him to quickly outdistance the much shorter Dwarf.
Darshan, oblivious to all else around him, was almost through with the spell. Just a few more syllables, and they would be safe!
Kiren knew he could never reach Darshan in time to parry the thrust. He knew that Thanoslug would never reach Darshan before the deathblow struck. He knew that Taliaferro lay dead upon the ground. Kiren knew that there was only one way.
"Tunare......save my friends!" prayed Kiren, as he gave one last burst of speed, and dove between Tarina and Darshan.
In one moment, many things happened.
Tarina, focusing her willpower and hatred into her weapon, thrust it forward with all her strength at Darshan's back.
Kiren threw his body between Tarina and Darshan.
Darshan spoke the final syllable of the teleportation spell.
As the spell began to take effect, Kiren felt the point of Innoruuk's Curse
penetrate through his armor, through his chest, through his muscle and bones,
and into his heart.
The sword flared an evil darkness, as it began to consume Kiren's lifeforce. Kiren felt his life slipping away, felt the sword drawing his very soul out of his body. He locked eyes with Tarina, hers full of anger at being denied her prize, his full of peace at knowing he had saved his friends.
"I win!" whispered Kiren to Tarina.
As he felt the mystical portal open around him, Kiren Tiradoio....Ranger of Faydark and Surefall....Keeper of the Losse Onde.....Officer of Giliath Lang.....
.....died.