From: bwr@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (bruce.w.reisman)
Subject: STORY: Darkness Rising (part 46)
Organization: AT&T
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 12:18:03 GMT
Followup-To: poster

46.  CREATURES OF FIRE


"Alicia, go wake the others."

"Why me?"

"Would you rather stay and face it?"

Alicia goes and wakes Janet, because that's as close to Jhere as she can
get, while Vilim moves toward the figure calling softly out to the other
guards to wake the others.

Jhere wakes on hearing Alicia calling to her.  She nudges Oliver awake
and pulls on her boots and grabs her bow and staff as Oliver gets up.

They quickly go and start nudging everyone awake.  As everyone is getting
up the creature moves within a hundred feet or so of Vilim.  The magician
fires off one of his cold balls about halfway between him and it as a
warning shot across its bow so to speak.

The fiery creature does not react and continues moving forward.

Vilim looks behind him and sees the camp is indeed aroused and most of
the Companions and the Queen are rapidly coming toward him, along with
many of the mercenaries.

Reaching Vilim first are Omerta, Ragnor, and Kidd followed by several
mercenaries some feet behind.  Behind them, the Queen, Jhere and Oliver
are observing.

Fire suddenly explodes all about the leading four Companions.  Jhere
exclaims in dismay, "Oh, Freya!" and whips one of her special arrows off
at the creature.  Her arrow shaft bursts into flame as it approaches the
creature though it seems it still somehow travels straight through the
creature's forehead.

Omerta, Ragnor and Kidd drop to the ground, injured and burning though
the surrounding fire has vanished.  Vilim is injured and on fire, too,
but is not yet incacapitated; he is able to cast a spell to free himself
from the normal flow of time, enabling him to then loose another cold
ball at the creature nearly the same moment Jhere's arrow proceeds
through it.  Vilim doesn't wait for the results to become apparent, but
repeats the same sequence again.

Struck simultaneously by the two cold balls and Jhere's arrow, the
creature flickers, staggers, then vanishes entirely.

Vilim now drops to the ground to put himself out and pops one of his
healing berries in his mouth as Jhere turns and sends Janet for her box
of potions.  The four injured people are obviously hurting quite a bit.
Vilim is most seriously injured, she realizes when she checks them out,
but even her mildest burn relief potion will handle his injuries.  She
looks at Alicia for help.

Alicia does indeed have an herb.  Jhere suggests she take it and the
injured into her ward.

"Why?" Alicia asks surprised.

"Because it should be 100% effective when used in Mielikki's ward," Jhere
retorts.  Omerta mumbles something in concurrence.

"That's okay, it's already 100% effective.  I've already taken care of
it," Alicia responds distinctly snottily.

Jhere looks at Ariel for help since she is no longer sure she can
determine when Alicia is reporting accurately and when she's just
being obnoxious.

Ariel shrugs implying to Jhere this point is simply a judgment call that
must be left up to Alicia.

Jhere sighs, then asks Oliver to check out the spot where the creature
was 'standing' and see if it left footprints such as Walt and Omerta
described, and, if they would see if he could recover her arrowhead.

Alicia smugly prepares her censer and tells Omerta, Ragnor and Kidd to
gather around.  Omerta is disappointed he won't get to see Meilikki's
ward, but is in enough pain he just wants relief as soon as possible.
Vilim rolls his eyes and walks off, perhaps to get a new shirt.


Vilim is still smarting from the actions of the group when he dispatched
the two people at the altar.  That is why he has been very quiet during
the discussions by party of strategy to deal with Trolls.  He had hoped
that he had found some new friends that he could trust and be with.  He
feels that his advice and actions with the party have been above reproach.
In fact, he feels that his contributions and support has been as high, if
not higher, than any other in the group.  Perhaps his view of himself is
not consistent with reality, but he has dealt with each member fairly and
expected to be so treated in return.  To be attacked as he was by party
hurt deeply.  It was as a bunch of mad dogs attacking a wounded deer.
There was no understanding, no compassion.  He wonders that there must
be a deeper reason for the party's actions (over-reactions) to that
situation.  When he saw that the party did the same thing to Alicia,
attacked her when she was preparing to help the party -- using her
expertise in healing, he walked away in disgust.


Oliver goes off to do Jhere's bidding, motioning a couple of guards to
join him, and finds footprints imbedded in the rock, still warm to the
touch.  Jhere's arrow point cannot be found.

Oliver returns to her and asks, "What was that thing!?"

She looks up from closing up the box of potions, "I don't know.  It didn't
have any sort of mind despite being somewhat humanoid in shape, so it
couldn't have been a true elemental -- in which case it would *not* have
been so easy to destroy.  Did you find my arrow head?"

Oliver shakes his head.

Jhere continues, "Do you think we should go see this lava flow chasm for
ourselves and see if we can figure out what it is Walt saw?  Perhaps the
creature was simply a defense for the possessor of the altar or forge?"

Oliver shrugs, "It's certainly possible.  I've never seen its like before.
And yes, I believe we should investigate what Walt saw.  Perhaps there
is something of value or of power ... or just dangerous.  I can't see how
we'd be worse off for having more knowledge, though we'd best be on our
guard.  Ragnor, Vilim, Kidd and Omerta should accompany us, I think.
Perhaps Queen Ariel is interested, too?"

Jhere quirks her eyebrows, "Perhaps.  I will ask.  But I had thought it
might be safer to ask her to lead everyone else, except those who go with
us and those who stay here to guard our ponies and Dancing Star, out and
continue along the trail.  If we should run into bad trouble further
inside, they at least will not be in our way as we fight our way out?"


As Jhere and Oliver are talking, Alicia's herb is effective and the
others are healed.

Omerta thanks Alicia for a job well done.

"Thank you!" Alicia responds although it does sound rather as if she
intended to say something else.

Kidd adds his thanks also and Alicia graciously acknowleges *his*
thanks.  Ragnor rumbles, "And I, too, thank you for your continuing
good contributions to the effort."

"It's *nice* to be appreciated," she beams at Ragnor.

Omerta moves over to Vilim, who's rummaging through his pack for another
shirt.  "Vilim?  This all happened so quickly, was there anything that we
missed leading up to our getting hit?"

Vilim turns and glances oddly at him, "I don't know what you saw, so how
can I tell what you missed?"

Omerta flushes but gamely continues on.  "What led up to the attack?  What
happened before the flames enveloped us?"

"That creature approached and I gave it a warning it didn't heed, it kept
coming and then the rest of you arrived and we defeated it."

"I didn't have a chance to get off any spells.  Do you know what defeated
the creature?"

"I think a creature like that does not like the cold," Vilim rather wryly
replies.

Omerta nods, remembering Karen's explanation of that night in camp when
Jhere disappeared.  He assumes he understands Vilim has some sort of cold
spell attacks.

"Obviously the cold worked, but would water not have been perhaps more
effective?" Omerta fishes for further information.

Vilim almost grins but again cryptically answers, "Certainly if one had
the choice, then one might have followed the logic."

Omerta nods and moves off.


Oliver meanwhile looks at Jhere rather aghast again, but with a definite
twinkle in his eyes comments, "One would hope that they would be fighting
as opposed to being an encumbrance."

Jhere's mouth quirks, "Oliver, I *think* you know what I meant!"

"Oh, yeah, there is somebody else here besides mercenaries -- uh, well,
they don't have to move that far up the trail -- it's pretty obvious what
direction they have to follow."

"Nevertheless," Jhere replies firmly, "if we come running out fighting,
we don't want to be falling all over them because they haven't gone far
enough, so we do want to get them started."

"I think Jonathan can deal with that."

"Well, we'll ask Ariel."  She gets up and is followed by a smiling Oliver.

Jhere explains their idea and asks Ariel if she'd care to join them or
start the rest of the party out on the trail.

"I would much rather head out than go further into the cavern.  It would
be my pleasure to lead the party out."

Jhere now goes over to the Companions and asks them if they'd care to join
her and Oliver in taking a peek at the chasm.  Everyone decides to go
along and Omerta asks if he should gather his squad to come along also.

"No," Jhere answers, "but they should be the ones to stay behind, here,
with our ponies, along with Slither, and guard, while Ariel leads the
others along the path."

"There might be some merit in bringing Walt along," Oliver comments,
"since no one else saw what he saw."

"Very well," Jhere replies.

Kidd quite boldly speaks up, "Whoever opens the cavern door must remember
to be quick on their feet!"

They head for the back of the cavern (Omerta and Walt leading) as Ariel
opens the cavern entrance (clearly heeding Kidd's warning) and moves on
through as Jonathan and Karen direct the remaining mercenaries and Lord
Alan's party.


        [the old road to Knearn]
	The 3rd day of Hi Summer in the year 6049
	temperature:	high 66 - low 40 (falling slowly)
	sky:		variably cloudy
	wind:		2-25 mph (slight-strong breeze) (diminishing)

As they continue, Vilim quietly ensures his ability to see extra acutely
as Jhere reminds everyone they are only going for a quick "look-see".

They reach the chasm without incident after noting that some of what may
be *new* footprints carefully skirt the pool of water.

Neither Kidd nor Alicia sense anything.

The chasm, while only about 15 feet wide, is producing so much heat
distortion, as well as glow, it is difficult to see the other side
clearly.  Omerta glances at Vilim, knowing he can see *very* well.
"Vilim?  What do you see?"

"There appears to be a smithy-type place -- bellows, forge, and so on --
there's a number of objects around but I can't quite tell if they're scrap
or not."

"If one were to fly across very quickly and be wet as well that person
should be safe?" Omerta asks.

"Do you think it's worth taking a closer look?" Jhere asks Vilim.

Kidd mutters, "Without causing any problems?  Tact, tact.  We don't want
to disturb anybody."  Jhere glances his way but doesn't reply.

"The only way we're going to find out any more is by going over there,"
Vilim answers.

Omerta quietly casts a spell to see if he can detect any level of magic
emanating from any of the objects.

"You have a point," Jhere finally comments to Kidd.  "However, we could
probably use the knowledge.  It's not as if Queen Ariel or I were sensing
anything inherently evil here."

Vilim and Omerta discuss their detecting abilities as Omerta does not have
any luck.

Vilim tries checking for himself, unsuccessfully, then turns to Jhere.
"It does not appear as though there's anything of value."

"So you don't think it would be worth trying to go over there and seeing
if there's anything we can use?" Jhere asks.

Vilim shrugs finally, then, "I'll go take a look."

"Are you sure?" Jhere asks.  "Is there someone else who could go with
you?"

Vilim shakes his head "no", then casts a resistance to heat on himself.

Jhere persists, "Do you feel safe enough to go by yourself?"

Vilim shrugs and goes on with his preparations.  After a moment, he
rises into the air and zips across the chasm and begins looking around.
He lands and finds several completed items and a bunch of stuff under
construction, broken, and scrap.  The completed items are a broad sword,
a 6' staff and an 18" long dagger.  All are made out of a smoky-colored,
glass-like substance.  He casts some additional spells to try and
determine the items' history, properties and abilities.

Vilim determines that the items were made here, of laen, in a time beyond
imagining, by a smallish individual, and the sword is indeed a broadsword,
the dagger is a dagger, and the staff is indeed to be used as a weapon as
opposed to a spell device.  They are not magical items as nearly as he can
determine.  He is faintly disappointed but feels they could be of use.

He looks around to make sure he hasn't missed anything, then picks up the
sword and staff and realizes he can't also carry the dagger so he leaves
it and flies back to the others.  He lays them on the ground in front of
Jhere and returns for the dagger and looks around one last time but again
doesn't see anything useful.  He returns to the others without incident.

Omerta comments they might be physically hot since they seem to be made
out of some form of glass so they should be careful.

Jhere and the others look with interest at the items.  Omerta especially,
looks longingly at the broadsword, but no one touches them.  Vilim tells
them all he was able to determine and they briefly discuss who should get
them.

"Thank you, Vilim." Oliver interjects into the conversation.

"Yes, thank you.  It looks like we have a couple of extra weapons now to
carry along and divvy up at need," Jhere comments.  "So it's not a total
loss.  We might as well head back."

Omerta looks around, "From what I remember of the party there aren't many
besides Oliver who can use the broadsword.  Since Walt discovered this
place perhaps he should --" he trails off unsure how to suggest Walt
receive something.

"Well, I think we should get back," Jhere replies.

Omerta gingerly picks up the sword since no one else seemed willing to
touch the items despite Vilim's assurances they were safe.

"Who's going to take the dagger?" Kidd asks.

"I think the dagger should go to Walt?" Omerta suggests looking at Oliver.
"And the staff to Jhere?" Omerta continues, getting used to the sword's
heft and balance (it's *very* well-made).

Jhere is faintly irritated, "It was my thought the extra weapons should
stay with the party to be used at need."

Oliver finally comments, "As we wouldn't be here, except for you, Walt, if
you're interested in either of the remaining weapons you should claim it."

Walt picks up the dagger.  Oliver turns to Jhere and glances at the staff.
Walt carefully sheathes his new weapon.

"I don't want to be the one to pick it up at this point in time," Jhere
comments.  "It was my thought, again, that we just add it to one of the
packs in case someone's primary weapon is destroyed."

"Should I take it?" Janet asks.

"The same reasons why I shouldn't pick it up applies to you, too, I think,
Janet," Jhere answers.

Vilim walks over and picks it up.  After all he's already handled it and
nothing happened.  Kidd shrugs, he was about to get it but Vilim beat him
to it.  The staff makes a faint humming noise as Vilim picks it up.  Jhere
steps back away from him as Janet steps in front of her.  But nothing else
seems to be happening so the group heads back.

Vilim checks the staff out again and this time finds that he can't
determine what the original caster's profession was but it seems it
was related to alchemy and there is substantial power that's an active
permanent essence spell permeating it.

He comments as they're walking that suddenly the staff *does* seem to be
imbued with some form of potent essence power but he does not think it's
hostile.

Jhere glances back, "I think you've attuned to it.  You have yourself a
staff."

"What will I *do* with a staff?" he asks perplexed.  He glances at it and
says, "Quiet," hoping the humming will stop.  It doesn't.  Ragnor groans
audibly, "Oh no, another person who talks to his weapon!"  Jhere grins;
only she, Alicia and Kidd would remember Stoutheart who talked to his,
though the others would remember Elured and his staff of healing and
*their* interesting conversations.

Vilim puts the staff down and the humming stops.  He picks it back up and
it starts again.

Omerta suggests he try hitting something like a tree with it, but *not* in
here, "We wouldn't want any resonance bringing the ceiling crashing down."

Jhere adds, "When we have the opportunity, Janet or Oliver or I would be
happy to start showing you the basics of using it."

The group continues but quickly realizes the sizzling seems to be getting
louder if anything from behind them.  Alicia says she thinks she can sense
some movement but she's not completely sure.

"I have an idea," Ragnor ventures, "Let's leave the things.  Maybe
somebody doesn't like that we came here."

They look back.  The head and shoulders of one of the humanoid fire
creatures, about three times the size of the one earlier, is appearing
over the brink of the chasm.

"Maybe we should just leave?" Kidd ventures.

Jhere gets her bow ready and turns back as Vilim first refreshes the spell
that is hopefully protecting him from excessive heat and then he casts the
same spell upon Jhere.  She remains unaware of it.

She's prepared to shoot as she knows how surprisingly effective her arrow
was against the other creature.  Omerta, too, prepares to zap it with his
special water attack scroll.

The burning creature emerges from the chasm and the cavern lights up all
the way to the ceiling.  Jhere doesn't wait but lets her arrow fly.  Kidd
and Ragnor still think they should put down the stolen weapons and head
for the hills (or outside this one, at the least).  The arrow seems to
ignite before getting to the creature though it was headed right for its
"heart".  Vilim now prepares his cold attack.

The creature moves ponderously forward.  They retreat at a fast trot when
the creature seems to momentarily flicker, but then it continues onward.
Omerta changes his mind and reserves his scroll.

About three minutes into their retreat, Alicia comments, "I think there's
two of them!"  Jhere looks back as do most of the others, only now there
are *three* -- two real big ones, and slightly further back an even larger
one.

"Let's *run*!" Jhere exclaims.  They do.

A couple of minutes later, Omerta, in the lead suddenly plunges screaming
into and through a wall of fire that abruptly appeared in front of him.
Walt and Alicia pull up, just missing hitting the wall; the rest halt as
Omerta can vaguely be seen rolling on the ground to extinguish the flames
on the other side.  The wall is a roaring flame as high and wide as they
can see.

Omerta takes his canteen and pours the water over his head, finding that
he's been singed but was not ignited.  Vilim takes the opportunity to
prepare a wall of ice.  The creatures are now about 200 feet away.

"I think we better just go through!" Jhere states.

"I've got light burns, but am okay," Omerta calls out.  "Vilim!  Could you
quickly cast a resistance to heat?"

"Come on, people!" Jhere exclaims.

Kidd suddenly appears beyond the flames, having magically transported
himself there.

Jhere looks at Oliver, "We're just going to have to go through."  She
covers her face with her arms and leaps through.  She's surprised to
realize she's not hurt.  As Vilim comes through the staff suddenly glows
brilliantly orange and the wall of fire is gone.  He also is unhurt.

"Well done!" Jhere comments to him as the others hurry up to them.

Vilim looks slightly confused and doesn't say anything.  The staff is
still glowing but is not radiating any heat.  They see the creatures are
still behind them so the fireball that envelopes the party is no surprise.
Omerta is unscathed, but everyone else is burned to one degree or another.
They keep moving however and Vilim chews one of his berries and hands over
a berry to each injured person, "Here, chew this!"

They try to move more quickly; they're only about halfway to the entrance.
Kidd suddenly senses sentient beings above, "Keep to the right or left!
There's something above us!"  The group splits and keeps moving and is hit
again by another fireball.  But, Vilim's new staff glows brightly and the
sword in Omerta's hand begins humming and glowing simultaneously with the
fireball and no one is hurt!  Omerta has the distinct impression the sword
sucked the flames into itself.  "Yes!  Yes!" he exclaims.

"Keep going!  Keep going!" Kidd responds.

Jhere sees they're getting close to the entrance of the cavern.  She yells,
"Get out of here!  Take the ponies and run!"  She goes a few paces further
and gasps to Oliver, "Run ahead!  You've got to get Dancing Star out!"

He is clearly torn but recognizes the wisdom of her words.  Abruptly, he
grabs a torch and runs for it.

The creatures are now about 350 feet behind but still plodding in pursuit.
Vilim begins to prepare his wall of ice spell while moving, but then he
realizes that it won't be wide enough to be effective so he abandons the
idea.

Alicia leads the party out, Kidd remains behind with Janet and Jhere to
close the door, planning to teleport to safety afterward.  Janet urges
Jhere out.  As Jhere rounds the corner outside, Janet is just a couple of
paces behind her but still within the tunnel.  There is a roar of rushing
flame bellowing up the cavern much too fast for people to react to and
while Kidd is caught in the edge of the bolt of intense flame and is
severely burned and knocked unconscious, Janet is literally burnt toast
in the entrance.

Jhere flattens herself against the wall as the flame whooshes out and
harmlessly dissapates over the edge of the mountain.  She turns back to
the entrance, "Janet!  Kidd!"  Then she sees Janet's cremated body and
tears start down her face.  She momentarily turns away toward the others
further up on the path, "Alicia!  Alicia!  I need you.  Hurry!  Everyone
else who's hurt, come too!"  She turns back to the entrance.


+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|       Copyright 1992, 1991, 1990 by B. W. Reisman & E. E. Wolfe.        |
|                           All rights reserved.                          |
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| such publication, and that this notice is retained.                     |
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