Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn From: aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey) Subject: [R] This is NOT going well! Message-ID: <1992Oct30.235041.4044@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1992 23:50:41 GMT Remi and Vanshar, back to back, were cutting a swath through the guards of the Arcas. Then Remi heard two of his least favourite sounds, cutting through the sound of the combat. One was the sound of sailcloth bursting into flame. The other was the sound of hull being stoven in. If these had happened on the Arcas, that would have been bad enough. But these sounds both came from the Cote d'Azur. Remi swore. Now they would have to take this ship intact, it seemed. Or hope that the Cote d'Azur could survive the damage she had taken. What the hell was Sardonikas >doing<, to let them treat his ship that way? At least those feigning injury had revealed themselves. That had almost turned the tide, but his presence spurring the pirates on seemed to be turning it back... *** Sardonikas didn't enjoy either of those sounds either. He had disposed of the meddling archer, but it wasn't until the sail was already aflame that he noted the unusual St. Elmo's Fire that had started it. A ball of lightning that seemed almost sentient. Sardonikas pondered. What kind of spell would be most effective against such a creature? It seemed to be some kind of cloud-being. Destroy Water would be the best, but he hadn't been expecting to need that spell today, so it wasn't available. And a fireball would only make the flame worse. Gust of wind, perhaps? The mage let loose a blast of air at the form upon the mast... *** Laurent was slightly puzzled. The witch, his friend, had told him to fight the other pirates. He hadn't been sure about it, but had complied. His men had gone to the task cheerfully, but he kept recognizing faces amongst those he was killing. He would have to ask the witch about that. Then he saw the captain moving forward. And he stopped, standing stock-still for a moment. The Captain was his friend. Etienne-Remi de Revimer. They had been friends since childhood, growing up in the Ydoinais village of Revimer. When Remi had mentioned leaving Ydoine, and turning to a life of piracy, Laurent had joined him, if only to keep him safe from Vanshar's machinations. He had tried since to keep Remi from degenerating into a bloodthirsty barbarian like Vanshar. But the witch wanted him to kill Remi. With a cry, Remi snapped free of the spell. He called out to his men, "Stop! We were bewitched!" Around him, heads shook and eyes cleared. Apologies were muttered to pirates that had been fighting among themselves. Laurent knew great shame, that he had been subverted thus. And when he spotted the maiden Remi had selected, he knew what he could do to make things up. She was comely, he admitted. He motioned his men in her direction, only to be stopped in his tracks by the sight of a tiger feasting on the entrails of a recently-slain pirate. And it was between them and the maiden. The tiger lifted its head and stared at them, snarling. It leapt... *** Vanshar was no longer worried about the organized resistance from the guards of the Arcas. It had become clear by now that a far larger threat was formed by the adventurers on board. One of them was felling pirates left and right by some foul magic. Another was fighting with an odd mix of skill and ineptitude that was proving quite effective. And that woman fighter was truly something to behold. The others had more than their fair share of magic, and Sardonikas wasn't being much help. Laurent seemed to have come to his senses, at least, Vanshar noticed. To Remi, he said, "Let us concentrate on the adventurers. They are the greatest threat to us." The Captain nodded. "Agreed." They split up, the Captain going for Raden, Vanshar for Angus... -- ---Alfvaen(Canadian SF Quasi-Activist) "Don't plant your bad days, they grow into weeks." ---Tom Waits Current Album--Chess Soundtrack Current Read--Nicole Luiken:Cross My Heart And Hope To Die