It's
a cold night, the kind of crisp frigidity that really makes one glad to
be a Razor. Not that anyone else appreciates it -- a bunch of
hot-blooded grumblers is what they are. The last few days passed by
with much incident and peril, but we did gain more than we lost. Come
to think of it, we didn't really lose anything. Positives all the way,
that's how I like my adventures to end up.
We left Bardel determined to find the Cave of Monsters, much to my
dismay. Had not the last few fights shown that we desperately needed
healing spells? Should we not go to the valley of the Care Bears, an
almost mythical race to many? Sure, the Care Bears were filled with
sunshine and hope and goodness to the point of being almost more than a
mere mortal can handle. But they had healing spells, and they could
teach us a few. But nooo! Why not hit the Cave of Monsters on the way?
A little bloodshed and mayhem never hurt anyone.
Two days later of travel and we still had a long way to go. A new
complication arose as we spotted two riders -- Cold Army Cavalry -- on
Janers were trailing us. How many of them were there really? Had they
sent someone back to tell Tanarak Dell of our whereabouts? They were
too fast for us to catch them. Subterfuge and guile would help here,
but they would have none of that and instead approached the two riders
brazenly and with weapons drawn.
The cavalrymen set their Vertang on us. Truth be told, Vertang are
nasty creatures that can quickly overcome small groups of enemy who
don't have any way to combat them. Fortunately we did have weapons, or
more precisely magic, that could hit a Vertang. Krelga used her newly
aquired Sleep spell to down one of the snakes, and Tok bashed its head
in before it could rouse. I tried a Disruption but couldn't overcome
the snake, which spit poison that nearly hit me. Krelga slept the
second snake and we killed it also.
After that little skirmish, the two cavalrymen didn't want to play with
us. Not having any other choice, we continued on a straight line to the
Cave of Monsters. That night we ostensibly made camp and set our
watches. But secretly we were planning to skedaddle after dark and try
to lose the two riders. Luck was with us, because it started snowing.
Under cover of the falling snow, we set off again. But we were still
going to the Cave of Monsters. Why were we still going in a straight
line? What was the point of losing the riders if we didn't change
course? Alas, the lure of combat and the unknown pulled at the rest of
the imbeciles like the siren call of breakfast. Sigh, men are so
stubborn.
The next time we made camp we found a road as they cleared the snow.
Why clear snow just to sleep on cold ground is a mystery to me. At
least I can use that snow to make my snow castles. In the morning we
followed the road, which seemed to lead from Bardel to the Cave of
Monsters. Presently we saw a strange looking snow mound. Curios we
approached it and saw that it was some sort of cylindrical structure,
with eye slits on the side. There seemed to be some sort of people
inside, who didn't respond to our overtures of friendship. We walked
closer and someone threw a dart at us. Knowing when I'm not wanted, I
backtracked. But the rest were too curious and closed in.
The barrage from the lookout post drove everyone except for Nakaro and
Tev back. Tev because he ran up to the outpost and they couldn't see
him. Nakaro because he has plate armor that they couldn't penetrate
with puny darts. Nakaro came back after having a look-see, saying that
the building had some sort of underground-looking creatures. Not a
talkative bunch though.
We continued on and saw a second pillbox, this one taller than the last
with eyeslits higher up. Once again Nakaro and Tev went to look. This
time the pillbox was equipped with little doors so that the inhabitants
could drop acid on intruders hiding next to the walls. Nakaro came back
and reported that it was manned by creatures much like the last one,
except quite a bit taller. Were these lookout posts of two races at
war? Perhaps they were outposts of the inhabitants of the Cave of
Monsters.
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Conjectures
aside, we continued to the Cave of Monsters. At some distance from it,
we started to hear a thin, high-pitched whistling noise. Only a few of
us heard it, so it was a complete surprise when a head-sized rock
whooshed by us and tore up the landscape nearby. Amazement settled on
the group. Then we heard it again. Perhaps the Cave of Monsters *is*
something to be avoided, so we hightailed it out of there. Finally we
were on our way to Care Bear Valley.
The journey there went without incident, until we approached the
valley. A Care Bear scout spotted us and waved us to hurry up.
Wondering at this strange greeting, we were ushered into a nearby cave,
quickly and quietly. Once inside we met the Care Bears, who welcomed us
with open arms. It seems that their legendary hospitality is not an
overstatement.
Alas, the little devils wouldn't give us the healing spell for free.
They demanded yttrium coins, which none of us had nor knew where to get
any, as they are an obsolete currency not used in ages. But perhaps we
would be able to convince them in another way, for the Care Bears had a
problem. A great big chaos problem. It seems that a rather tall chaos
beastie had recently moved nearby and was plaguing the Care Bears. It
could throw Disruptions from very far away until the Care Bears ran
away or sang their kumbayah song, which would drive it away for the
moment (and not without good reason). Not to worry, we said, we will
take care of yonder beastie.
With our usual brilliant planning, we started circling the Care Bear
Valley, waiting for it to make an appearance. And appear it did, over a
slight rise and a good thousand yards away. What do we do now? Ow!!
Hey, the blimey is hitting us already! Let's get him. And off we went
charging like a bunch of rabid chickens, and about as organized too.
Nakaro, Tok, and I quickly fell behind the rest, what with our heavier
armor and all. Tev sped up Timroth and still made it to the beastie
first with his big, loping strides.
Soon Krelga joined in and it was all the two of them could do to fend
of the creature's attacks. It was huge, half again as tall as our tall
Gabter friend. And it had four arms, which wielded spears and shields.
Spittle ran down its mouth as it leered at us with a hideous, lopsided
grin. Its unkempt hair a tangle of brown and reds, a perfect complement
to its gaunt, almost skeletal frame, draped with pieces of armor from
past victims.
Krelga and Tev both went down as Timroth reached the creature. "My god!
It's Antal!" he said in astonishment. Antal? Wasn't that one of the
Underworld Vikuls? Weren't he and another Vikul investigating the Chaos
Pit? Oh, the implications were staggering, and while Timroth stood
there shocked Antal struck him down with a blow.
Now Tok was there. Too bad he has little skill with his pike. The
creature hit him once, twice, and he died. But no! Tok called upon his
God and was granted a boon, for he was up again fighting Antal as
Nakaro reached him. But the boon was not enough as Tok again went down.
Nakaro and I were the only ones left, and I was still running up. How
could we defeat Antal? Plainly we had little hope, as Antal kept
Disrupting us as we fought him. It would only take one or two
Disruptions to down me, and then Nakaro would be no match.
As I reached the fight I prayed. Prayed for a miracle, for a hand to
guide mine so that I would strike true. And a voice spoke to me. "Be
not afraid, Icee, for I will protect you" it seemed to say. But at the
time it didn't all register with me. What did register was the sudden
influx of energy, a divine power that gave me the strength to strike!
And strike I did, swinging my Da's poleaxe and decapitating Antal.
The aftermath is a bit blurry to me. Krelga was dead, but once we got
her body back to the Care Bears they relented and resurrected her
mortal coil. Also, now that we had proven ourselves, they taught Tev
the healing spell. Tonight there will be a celebration in our honor.
But I know *something* happened to me back there, on that lonely
hillock, facing death in the eye (or the knee as it were). Whatever it
was, I'll be keeping it to myself for now. No telling what the others
would think of my seemingly mad ramblings.
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