From: richk@tekeda.PEN.TEK.COM (Richard C Kurschner)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [L&S] Run-away 8
Message-ID: <9878@tekig7.PEN.TEK.COM>
Date: 7 May 93 22:03:37 GMT


Bonarth was barking!

That meant they were closing in on Trina, but the wolf had been trained not
to bark unless commanded.

A yelp of pain and a thud replaced the barking, followed only by silence.

Warily, the Captain and Kell'an approached the alley where Bonarth was last
heard.  The only illumination around was a single lantern hung outside a
doorway sixty feet away.  Sprawled face down in the small pool of light was
the unmoving form of Trina.  The rest of the alley was dark.  Unnaturally so,
even for this Hell-hole.  There was no sign of Bonarth.  The Captain and
Kell'an moved towards Trina.  They didn't get far before Lestack started
growling.

"Creepy Charlie's here," whispered Kell'an.

As if in response to her warning, a BLACK form rose between them and the
light, a silhouette blacker even than Luthor's probability cloak.  The only
distinguishable features on the ebon form were the two two points of piercing
white where eyes would be. It seemed to move closer and grow larger.  A deep
voice of evil and malice seemed to ooze out from the very rocks of the walls.

"Leave me.  I am feeding."

"Who are you!" The Captain's voice was a command, not a question.

"I am Soul Stealer.  Take care that I do not feed on yours tonight."

"'Soul Stealer' is not a name.  I ask you again, Who Are You." The Captain's
voice rang out in challenge.  Lestack's growl became an agitated barking.

"I do not give my name to meddling sell-swords and little girls.  And mutts
offend me."  He punctuated his irritation with a blast of BLACK energy,
blacker than the night.  The bolt of BLACK hit Lestack square in the face
and sent him flying back out of the alley.  No further sounds came from the
dog.

The tension of her journey through the Shunned Center topped by such cruelty
to one of her dogs was was more than Kell'an could bear.  She charged,
screaming "Die, Creepy Charlie!".  Her fight was over just as quickly as her
hound's; a bolt of BLACK silently crumpled her against a wall.

"For the deaths of my fiends and animals, you owe me your name!  For the third
and last time, I ask you, WHO ARE YOU!"

The deep earthen reply came back almost as a chuckle, "Oh they aren't dead.
Not by a long shot.  Though they will soon wish they were.  And so shall you!"

Before another BLACK bolt could be fired, the Captain dropped his mental
shields and released a brilliant blast of white light.  It hit the ebon being
square on in its chest, forcing it backwards.  The Captain fired again with
the same results.  He fired a third bolt of pure white energy, and this time
he was rewarded with a scream.

A hole had appeared in the void of the BLACK chest.  The being seemed to
dissolve and dissipate.  Soon only its eyes were left.  A deep whisper was
heard from the surrounding rocks and bricks:  "Know this human, my name is
not for you, and I shall discover yours.  And when I do, you will rue the
day you discovered the Soul Stealer feeding.  Death himself shall not keep me
from you."  The white light of the eyes winked out.

He crawled over to the limp form of Trina.  The third bolt had taken all of
the Captains reserves.  It was only then he realized that while in the
presence of the being, he had not needed his mental shields, there had been
no mental pressure.  But the pressure was back now.  And he couldn't stop it.
His head hurt.  His vision swam.  The light in the doorway changed through
the colors of the rainbow.  Very Pretty.  The shadows and the stars started
to shift and dance.  Little people grew out of the street.  And smiled
at him.  The Captain passed out under the assult.