We were fortunate indeed, I thought as I looked over Tymora’s wounds. Yev’rah, Jalore, and I had quickly moved among our companions, tending to each other’s wounds and injuries. I wrapped one final bandage around her arm and stood, patting her twice on the cheek. As I walked away, Dettrick moved to her side to speak to her. I went to Jarguk’s side, cinching up my saddle, listening to the mage and Tymora talking quietly together. There is love there, between those two. It is not a romantic love--at least I do not believe so--but it is something stronger than a simple friendship, or camaraderie. I fear I shall never enjoy even that again.
Tymora laughed then, and Dettrick joined in. That laugh made me close my eyes and grip tightly to the saddle straps to stay upright. The laugh was as a dagger through my heart. Ah, Kliess -- my Kliess Whurdral! How I miss you. For you, I curse Boric. Aye, of course I curse the orken that took you from me. Mostly, though, I curse Boric; the fact that he still draws breath galls me and fills my mouth with bile.
***
1344: The Year of Moonfall
Eleasis 1
The loneliness is unbearable today. I have found myself dwelling on the sights of that last battle: my friends falling to orcish blades and arrows. And Kliess. My dear Kliess. It may not be dwarkar remarn {dwarven opera}, but my bursting heart must vent itself on this page:.
Bak bha then Ekde Taerin.
Gordul! Bak bha then. Bak bha crag then.
Kurs bak sabrakmos. Azandinkel ang.
Glosdinkel splendarr.
Aekel klan.
Dorkel dek.
Kuldarenkel narn.
Bak velnae Ekde tor, mosk bak bha deldaraugh.
Bak bhanae kurs ged alaghel vel Ek kurs bakde achen fednae runedar.
Erb Ek masnae bak val Ek bha hren, nos dag zel erb hrenged.
Ekde samman! Bha lan gelm, Kliess. Ek fod lan kurs samged klat bakde guth.
Bakde hrunnar bha Ekde torlkel nosh. Ekde herbakkel taerin dorgrum.
Ek bha her bak lan var, Ekde Belaja.
***
I must confess to losing myself in reverie for the rest of the morning; I awoke only when Tymora returned from her scouting, bringing a group of elves with he. These elves were traveling to Teuveamanthar. Apparently an army of orcs had circled around from the North and had happened across our home. These warriors from Evereska were on their way to aid Dettrick’s men and the citizens to defend against the foul creatures. The men are skilled, but could certainly use this help, I thought.
To Dettrick’s credit, he immediately asked Tymora to travel with the elves to lead the men in their defense. To Tymora’s credit, she did not hesitate a moment before she agreed. I said a quick blessing over her for safety. Dettrick does not need to feel the pangs of loss that rise from my soul.
We decided to continue traveling southward; the elves also alerted us of a Fey’ri post. They warned us it was heavily defended, but that the majority of the recent kidnap victims were being held there.
It was only a few hours’ travel until we reached the Fey’ri outpost. Our travel was marred only by yet another Fey’ri attack. This one was alone, but caught Yev’rah by surprise. We quickly dispatched the fiend and Yev’rah healed himself with a draught. The outpost itself was surrounded by a tall wooden fence. From where we stood, we could see several observation platforms around the perimeter. The wall itself was well-constructed -- for wood -- and the segments of the wall fit together fairly tightly.
Yev’rah climbed to one of the look-out platforms on the side and began relaying to us the general layout within the walls, signaling to us with a small mirror. I hastily prepared a spell which would cause the undergrowth, grass, and other plants within the walls to grow quickly. My plan was to hamper the movement of any Fay’ri within the walls while we tried to free the prisoners. Yev’rah signaled us to point out the prisoners’ location; they were right on the other side of the wall from where we stood. Our plan was ready.
Dettrick called down the power of the storm; a lightning bolt tore through the wood like a dagger through butter. The resulting hole was just large enough for Creeg and Jalore to get through.
Dettrick yelled a warning--there was a creature flying in the air above us. As I looked up to see it, it began to dive toward Yev’rah’s position. Again Dettrick demonstrated the power of the storm, causing a hail storm to appear around the creature, causing it to disappear from view. It’s too bad he’s a mage. He’d make a good druid. Turning back to the hole in the wall, I could at last see inside and cast my spell. Unfortunately, I’d misunderstood Yev’rah’s signals--there was not nearly enough undergrowth where I focused my spell to cause much of a distraction for the Fey’ri.
I was pushed a step or two backwards then, as a fireball exploded just within the hole in the wall. It caught Dettrick, Jalore, and Creeg in its effect. I dropped from Jarguk’s back well away from the hole. He was a dumb frus, but he was my dumb frus, and I don’t want to spend any more money on dumb frusen than I have to. As my last spell had not done much, I cast another spell inside: one that would cause the roots, briars, and seeds hidden in the dirt to spike upwards. Any creature walking on those would be hampered and wounded, at the least.
Creeg pushed in front of me and started through the hole. Jalore stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and whispered something to the half-orc. Creeg grinned and stepped aside, letting the paladin enter the stockade first, then stepped inside himself. Out of the corner of my eye I saw twin beams lance from the sky to strike where Yev was hiding. I couldn’t see Yev, but saw a figure standing with an enormous sword upraised. Dettrick yelled something I didn’t understand and the flying figure dropped from the sky. The sword-wielding figure vanished in a flash of light as I watched.
Knowing our roguish friend certainly needed help, I called out to Dettrick. “I will tend to the Rogue; cover the prisoners’ retreat!â€Statistics: Posted by Boric Glanduum — Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:33 pm
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