From alt.pub.dragons-inn Tue Jan 17 11:28:58 1995 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8068 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!news.sprintlink.net!malgudi.oar.net!sun!vax.cns.muskingum.edu!hsexauer From: hsexauer@muskingum.edu (Rapunzel) Subject: [Legacy] The object of the quest - cont. Message-ID: <1995Jan15.093954.1@muskingum.edu> Lines: 123 Sender: root@sun.cns.muskingum.edu (Operator) Organization: Muskingum College Date: Sun, 15 Jan 1995 14:39:54 GMT A tremor ran through his hand from the blade, stabbing him with a shock of chilling malevolence. At the same time a sound like a screeching banshee echoed throughout not only the hall but all of Highspire. Some minute aspect in the celestial blade's nature cringed from Aleric's palm. The feeling of revulsion emanating from the sword touched not only Aleric, but the others as well. It ceased the banshee wail, but the sensation did not change. "Ah hellfire," Aleric swore. "I should have paid closer attention to the prophecy. It warned us about that." Elcoran dropped his hands from his ears, as he had tried to block out the painful shriek. "Then that would mean it was bound to happen anyway. Only thing we can do now is get ready for company." He looked around wildly, searching vainly for a better defensive position. "Shouldn't we get moving elsewhere? I expect the Shekiren will come flocking any minute, together with that horde of demons they keep as pets." Ruel grimaced, "I hardly think that's a topic that's open for discussion. Move, elf!" The valeman latched on to the young elf with one hand and propelled him in the direction of the stairs, trusting Aleric and Laurenth to follow on their own. He was gratified to hear the sounds of the Lyorn and mage pelting after him as he swung around the railing and dashed down the stairs two at a time. At the bottom of the stairs, Elcoran paused to get his bearings and choose a direction. Neither end of the broad hallway was advisable, as already his keen ears detected the sounds of quickly approaching feet. Ruel barrelled into him from behind and thrust him forward, arbitrarily picking the left branch. Before Elcoran could protest, Aleric and Laurenth reached the base of the staircase and crowded after them. Tightening his grip on his ash bow, Elcoran ran down the hall beside the valeman. Fifty feet before the hall turned, and they would run into the approaching Shekiren and nighthaunts, Ruel skidded to a halt and peered out the glazed window. Laurenth slammed into his broad back and nearly fell to her knees at the sudden stop. "Ruel! Keep going; this is no time to admire the view!" she gasped, panting to regain her breath. "No, look. This is what I was aiming for," he explained quickly, pointing down. Immediately below the window was yet another quirk of Lyorn architecture, a stair stepped ridgeline terminating in a ten foot drop to an open courtyard with the withered remains of a small garden. "Step back while I break the glass, and we'll go down there." "Wait," Laurenth cried, hanging on his arm before he could slam his fist into the glass. She touched one hand to the glass and spoke a word. It shimmered briefly, and seemed to disappear. Gesturing curtly, she motioned the rest through saying, "Quieter, and I'll be able to replace it. Hopefully they'll skip past us and it'll buy us time." Not one to waste a moment, Ruel set his boot into the sill and thrust himself out the window, stumbling down the ridgeline and letting himself drop into the courtyard below. He was immediately followed by Elcoran, who sprang catlike to land neatly on the balls of his feet. Guarding their escape, Aleric shoved Laurenth through the window and ducked out after her. She waited just on the other side to restore the glass as soon as Aleric had passed her and descended to the courtyard. By the way the mage suddenly dropped to the stone and flattened herself below the window's frame, Aleric guessed the first of their pursuers had rounded the corner and entered the main hallway above them. Hissing urgently, Aleric motioned for Laurenth to let herself go, and slide down the roof. She paused barely a second to consider. Aleric gestured impatiently, and held out his arms to catch her. Laurenth decided swiftly and twisted her body so she would slide on her back rather than her side, and released her hold on the decorative trim around the window. Ruel and Elcoran had already retreated into the shadows of a doorway leading back into the keep, but the Shekiren above were already visible in the wide windows as they hurried toward the Hall of Ages. Aleric braced himself as Laurenth slipped off the edge and fell the short distance to his arms. Scarcely daring to breathe, he hugged her to his body and spun around, placing his back against the wall and hiding them both under the overhang. Xel'eman buzzed spitefully in his hand, but thankfully remained silent. Aleric prayed fervently, leaning his head back against the cool stones and hefting Laurenth a bit more securely. He didn't dare put her down now, lest the motion attract unwanted attention from above. She wound her arms around his neck to help ease the strain, and stared up at the gutter above as though she could see through to the windows higher up. A thin stream of nervous sweat trickled down the back of Aleric's neck and soaked into his collar. Almost hesitantly, he added, Though he heard no response to the tentative plea, he felt strengthened in his own right as though by his submission to the goddess he earned the right to her aid. The sound of shattering glass echoed in the early afternoon stillness, and the ponderous sound of huge wings flapping swept away the ringing remnants of that echo. Aleric edged along the rim of the courtyard, toward the shadowed doorway where Ruel and Elcoran hovered, peering fearfully up at the azure sky. Skimming the uneven pile of the keep, the shadow of the unseen flyer passed over the fugitives' hiding place and continued in a circular sweep of the area. "Shades of damnation!" Laurenth hissed under her breath, audible only because her head wasn't far from Aleric's ear. "What in the fiery pits of hell was that?" He grunted slightly in reply, not venturing a guess. "Hush and hold still. You're not as light as you look." She tugged sharply on a lock of his hair, causing him to wince. Leaning close to his ear, she muttered urgently, "Head for the others, fast. I've covered us with a shield, but I can't hold it for but a minute or two. I've only a smidge or two of strength left for it." The shadow passed overhead again, pausing to do a slow loop over the area as though it were listening to something. With a few strides, Aleric covered the distance separating them from the haven of darkness. As soon as he was concealed in the shadows, he set Laurenth back on her feet and shifted Xel'eman to his other hand. Placing one finger to his lips to indicate the need for silence, he led the way into the corridor beyond. -- hsexauer@muskingum.edu DIPLOMACY: The ability to tell someone to go to Hell so that they'll look forward to making the trip.