From: bwr@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (bruce.w.reisman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc
Subject: STORY: Darkness Rising (part 51)
Date: 15 Oct 92 17:10:27 GMT
Organization: AT&T

51.  RE-MATCH


Unheard, Vilim calls out, "The evil is definitely evil and all around
here!  The center is there," he points at Joel's body, which is starting
to stir.  Vilim attempts to transport Joel's body away with a spell.  It
doesn't work, he's frustrated but not surprised to see.

Omerta aims his cross-bow at the creature's head.  Ragnor shouts futilely,
"Let's get *out* of here!"  The silence is unbroken.

Omerta's bolt is a direct hit on the creature's head and it continues to
stand up.  Jhere motions to everyone to *GO*!  Kidd and Ragnor depart.
Oliver drinks the potion.  Jhere runs to attack and smashes the creature
again with her staff.

Omerta is torn between knowing Jhere wants him to leave and staying to
protect her.  He leaps upward as Oliver takes flight.  Janet is clearly
not going anywhere until Jhere leaves.  Omerta clutches the rim and
fortunately Ragnor can just barely make out a finger on the lip of the
hole.  He reaches down, grasps Omerta's wrist, and hauls him up.  Omerta
thanks him and they move outside to wait for Jhere.

As Jhere's blow strikes the demon, Vilim strikes a simultaneous blow with
his new laen staff, having again moved outside time's normal flow.

The creature remains standing though it is still dead.  It is clearly
still animated by the evil force.  Jhere motions to Janet to let Vilim
get her out.  Reluctantly she does and Jhere and Vilim fly out after
Janet.

The others have formed a defensive ring around the entranceway.  The
golems have formed a larger ring around the tower penning the group in.

"Let's leave," Jhere says.  She is still glowing and not willing to take
any further nonsense.  She leads the way out.  Oliver taps her shoulder
and points out the line of golems closing behind them.  There is now a
single circle of golems surrounding them.

"Let's go," she repeats.

"Would you like me to make an opening?" Ragnor asks.

"Yes."

He moves up to one and swings and it crumbles to dust.  There is almost
enough room for them to get through.  The golems move slowly enough that
Jhere moves up and hits the one next to the reduced creature.  There's a
substantial explosion and blue lightning reduces it to shrapnel.

Everyone bunches up behind Ragnor and Jhere and they head out at a fast
pace.  As golems keep approaching, they continue to crunch their way
through them without problem.  The golems are just too slow to cause any
real difficulty.

Even Omerta gets an opportunity to slice up a few golems as they leave.
Shortly they are back with the mercenaries guarding the bridge and ponies.
Jhere is still an avatar and attempts to reach Ariel, but there's no
response -- either she's not quite strong enough to establish contact or
the Queen has moved.

Jhere is becoming concerned.  Nearly a quarter of an hour has passed and
she's *still* Freya's avatar.  And she can't stop the magic since she did
nothing to start it.  She pauses and prays briefly to Freya again and
gives thanks.  She tries to simply accept that this is Freya's will.  They
mount and move back toward the mountain where they left the Queen.

Ragnor moves up besides Jhere and asks if, when there is time, he could
make a suitable offering to Freya to "thank her for letting you save my
life."  He goes on to ask what a suitable offering would be.

Jhere says that's a wonderful offer and Freya accepts opals, but on seeing
Ragnor blanche and mumble he doesn't have any gemstones, she goes on to
say Freya also deeply appreciates wild flowers, fresh fruits, grains --
any of the bounty of the earth or seas.  He nods and moves off.

After a few minutes, Ariel speaks within Jhere's mind.  From the feel of
the contact, Jhere is certain that the Queen is high above her, riding on
Wind Runner.  "Jhere, there must be a reason why Freya continues to reach
through you.  Perhaps you should go back?  I sense your task is not yet
completed."

Jhere sighs to herself.  "I was afraid that would be the case," she
mentally replies.  "But I didn't know what else to do.  Will you join
me?  I think perhaps this may be a task for the three priestesses?"

"I will not venture directly, but I will lend you what strength you need."
With that, Jhere feels a wash of power, as wine filling her cup to the
brim.  The connection to Ariel seems almost visible to her, as a thin blue
cord, glowing, reaching upward beyond reach of her sight, into the clouds.

Jhere involuntarily stands in Mia's stirrups and stretches toward the sky
and Mia halts.  She smiles, "Thank you, Ariel."  She sits back down and
looks to the others who stopped moving when she did.

"I must go back," she tells them.  "Can we wave Alicia down?  I believe
it will be magical, spiritual, means that will defeat the demon.  Vilim,
I'd ask you to join us, but do so only if you have sufficient strength
remaining.  I will take only Alicia, and Vilim if he's able, and Kidd
and Omerta.  Everyone else can best help by destroying the remaining
golems."  She turns Mia back toward the city.

Janet's lips set in a firm line, "It may be that magic will the means to
victory, m'lady, but I cannot leave your back unguarded.  Lord Oliver, Sir
Ragnor and the mercenaries can easily deal with the golems."

Jhere sighs and replies firmly. "I did not make my intent clear.  There
*is* no discussion on this, Janet.  You *will* stay above with m'lord
Oliver.  I believe the demon will be distracted as *every* golem in its
power is destroyed.  This will significantly help us who attack it
directly."

Jhere firmly turns Mia back toward the former city.  Omerta turning his
mount, says, "The people above keeping the golems busy needn't destroy
them quickly.  The busier the golems are kept, the more the evil creature
has to direct them.  In other words if there are 50 busy golems instead of
zero busy golems, this should be so.  Does anyone agree?"

Vilim has begun to meditate and doesn't respond to Omerta, who glances
around.  His comment seems so obvious no one answers him.  Oliver leans
close to Jhere.

He whispers so that only she can hear, "Perhaps it might be best to take
Janet with you in that she will undoubtedly attempt to slip after you
anyhow.  It would be best to know where she is.  We certainly are more
than enough to handle the golems above."

Jhere whispers back, "I don't want to have to worry about her!"

"I doubt you can avoid it," he answers.  "She takes her duty quite
seriously."

Jhere sighs again and concedes.  "If you think it best.  But I am not
happy."

"I *don't* think it best.  But I do think this is better, that you know
where she is, than have her stumble around unexpectedly underground."

"Well, you have a point."  Jhere answers then continues, "Do you have any
idea how we can signal Alicia to get her down?"

He mutters sotto voce, "I shot an arrow in the air --"  Jhere glances at
him; is he, too, that thoroughly disenchanted with her abilities?

"Well, can you speak with Ariel?  Perhaps Ariel can reach Alicia?"

Jhere smiles at forgetting the "obvious".  Though he is unaware of it,
she and Ariel *are* still closely connected -- there is an aural "cord"
stretching from her middle to Ariel invisible to the others.  Jhere
unfocuses briefly and talks to Ariel; could she reach Alicia and send
her down to them?

"I can try," Ariel replies.

"Ariel will try, but perhaps we should still signal Alicia somehow to
come back," Jhere tells Oliver, who looks around.  "Everyone wave at the
sky," he orders.  Everyone except Vilim stands in their stirrups and waves
vaguely at the sky.

Alicia does notice and starts spirling down as Ariel mentally reaches her.
"Alicia, I believe they want you to land".

"Yes, mighty Ariel, Queen of Trun, I will dive down immediately."

They are aware of her arrival through the backwash of air suddenly beating
upon them, necessitating them to control the ponies from panicking.
Omerta, as the closest one to Alicia's arrival, gags slightly as once
again she exhales intentionally in his direction.

Jhere calls out, "Alicia will you please change back and become visible?"

Alicia changes back and says in an odd falsetto voice, "Hi, Jhere!"

Jhere looks around, "Alicia?  Where are you?"

Alicia, still playing, deepens her voice seemingly to disguise it and
replies, "I'm here!  What did you want mighty princess?"  Alicia is trying
very hard to ignore the obvious presence of Freya but can't completely
resist the goddess' influence.

Kidd points out, "She's right there!"

"Wow, Jhere!  You've changed.  I feel a presence.  The force is definitely
with you," Alicia exclaims ignoring Kidd's identification of her location.

Jhere directs a slightly puzzled look in her direction.  "Yes.  And
therefore we are returning to the tower to tackle the demon.  It is
quite clear that it will take *our* powers as priestesses."

"But I'm far too weak to deal with anything as a priestess -- unless
Meilikki deigns to be merciful and finally respond when I commune to her
and actually help me," Alicia protests.

"Perhap --" Jhere begins but is loudly interrupted.

"She's a *good* deity, though.  Don't get me wrong.  Meilikki is a good
deity.  She has some good reason for not talking to me."

Omerta begins to concentrate on energizing himself as he is becoming more
concerned over Alicia's abilities to help them, as Jhere continues her
conversation with Alicia.

"Perhaps it would be appropriate for you to begin communing with Meilikki
at this point.  It is very clear it is going to take all our combined
efforts so I suggest you find a pony and join us."

Omerta offers Alicia his pony and she gratefully accepts.  As Omerta walks
beside Alicia he fills her in on what happened within the tower.

As the party approaches the bridge, Oliver points out that the golems have
seemingly gathered at the bridge to prevent them from entering.

Alicia comments she needs to pray to Meilikki before they go into battle.
Jhere suggests she get to it.

Alicia pauses to pray quietly for a moment, then adds aloud, "If I
had anything I'd offer it but please accept my earnestness, oh mighty
Meilikki."

She then continues passionately, getting into the 'spirit' of the moment,
"Oh mighty Meilikki, greatest of all goddesses, I recognize all goddesses
are equal but you are slightly more equal, please Meilikki grant me the
strength to enter this evil abode and wipe out the evil within with my
friends Jhere, Omerta, Kidd and Vilim.  Please guide us and give me the
strength that I need to fight this evil and purify the world for all
animals and herbs to live in peace.  And I beg of you please give me the
strength, oh mighty Meilikki, greatest of all goddesses.  And I owe you
one.  Thank you."

There's no obvious answer and a very disappointed Alicia and slightly
disappointed Jhere continue on.

On hearing this plea, Omerta quietly begins to pray to Seker.  He's
getting a very bad feeling about what's about to occur.

The group pauses at their end of the bridge and Jhere turns to Oliver.
"I think that we should just punch a hole through them so that those of
us who are going inside can get going and the rest of you should spread
out and start taking the golems out."

Before Oliver can answer, Alicia comments she could release the panther.
Omerta instantly says, "No!"

"The task at hand is the golems," Omerta comments as Jhere adds, "Remember
we don't want to take them all out all at once."

Oliver motions to Ragnor to lead the way.  Omerta is beside him.  When
they are about halfway across, the golems begin lobbing rocks at them.
The first few volleys miss and Ragnor and Omerta return.

Jhere turns to Vilim in consternation.  "Do you have enough power to place
me back within the cavern?  Along with Omerta, Alicia, Kidd and yourself?"

"Certainly.  But why don't I just allow those of us who are going, to
simply fly over the golems?"

"Is that less expensive for you than transporting us instantly?" Jhere
asks.

"It's maybe safer.  After all, we don't know whether or not the spot I'd
target on has changed or not."

"In less than half an hour?" Jhere asks.

"Well, we don't know," Vilim answers.

"Good point.  All right, we'll fly."  Jhere then tells Vilim that she,
Omerta and Alicia will need the fly spell.  At which point, as Janet
realizes she's about to be left behind, comes up to Vilim and demands he
make her fly as well.  Vilim glances over at Jhere who shakes her head
'no' and Vilim tells Janet he cannot spare any extra power for her.  Janet
backs off but appears rather frantic.

Omerta helps Alicia dismount from his pony as Vilim begins to cast his
spells.  Kidd concentrates and begins to rise in the air.

As Jhere lifts off the ground, she calls down to Janet, "You will follow
m'lord Oliver's commands!"

Janet grits her teeth and replies, "Yes, m'lady."

The five rise to heights between 50 and 75 feet as they go over the bridge.
They watch below them alertly unsure as to the abilities of the golems.

Suddenly Alicia is just missed by a rock as others soar past them.  They
all instantly move higher as they go on.

There's another barrage almost immediately.  Alicia is hit.  She mutters,
"Stupid golems!  Try and hit me, will they!"  She is slightly hurt however,
and her flying ability is somewhat impaired.  A rock veers as it nears
Omerta and Alicia is hit again; she drifts in the direction she had been
moving, stunned and quite annoyed.

The rocks continue to fly up, well over 100 feet into the air.  Everyone
else escapes being hit and shortly they arrive at the tower and land
outside the entrance.

Vilim asks if anyone was injured by the rocks.  Alicia, landing last and
seeming somewhat out of sorts replies affirmatively.  Vilim gives her a
couple of his special berries.  She thanks him and feels much better after
quickly chewing and swallowing them.  She murmurs a quick healing spell
and repairs her last reminders of the rocky flight.

Jhere prepares to cast her spell to dispel the magically induced darkness
within the tower and cavern upon the end of her staff and they prepare to
go inside.  Vilim once again casts his protective spell upon himself.  It
will also protect the Princess while he continues to remain within 10 feet
of her.

Omerta asks if it makes any sense for him to prepare a fire ball.  No one
has an answer so he waits to see what happens once they're inside.

"Have you gotten any insight as to how we should approach this evil once
we encounter it?" Vilim asks Jhere.

"No.  I haven't a clue," Jhere honestly replies.  Vilim gulps.

"M'lady," Omerta says and snaps his fingers as another thought occurs
to him.  "Did you one time say that if we were to capture one of the
creatures you could take it into the ward to determine if it were evil or
not?  What would happen if we brought the evil into your ward?  Would that
dispel it?"

"That was actually my idea," Jhere replies, "But I truthfully don't know
if it will work or not."

"It is not my intention to sully Freya's place," Omerta hastens to add.

"But we do know Freya can certainly take care of whatever it is," Jhere
concludes.

"That would be most pleasant if we could do that," Omerta finishes.

"So we will go in and trust in Freya," Jhere states.

"When I tried to throw a firebolt at Joel," Vilim now contributes,
"you remember how it was thrown back at me, so I'm not sure what magic
I possess would be effective.  In any case, could we pause a moment
while I finish preparing?  I need to work on restoring certain spell
capabilities."  He does not mention he needs to recharge his time
altering/moving capacities.  Jhere nods and waits to cast her spell.
Omerta changes his mind about casting one of his clearly weaker fire
balls than what Vilim is capable of doing.

So while waiting, Omerta finishes filling Alicia in on what they could
expect inside.  "It was utterly dark in there until it was dispelled.
It is utterly silent.  We cannot communicate with each other orally.  No
sounds are transmitted in there, even when you survive the 25 foot drop
in the entrance straight down.  Joel is in there.  He is possessed by
some evil.  He has a cross-bow bolt in his head and heart so he's not
moving of his own volition.  If it will help you," Omerta goes on and
draws his sword, "to cast your ward, we will keep him busy to make sure
he doesn't move."

Alicia is becoming concerned, "I don't know what I can do, except for
healing."

"Don't heal it!" Omerta exclaims.

"No, of course not," she replies slightly stung.

A few minutes later, Vilim comes out of his trance in time to see Jhere
and Omerta rush the dozen or so golems with rocks in their hands slowly
approaching.  Jhere shouts, "Omerta, let's go!"

They successfully destroy the golems before they can react to the swift
attack.  One blow of Jhere's staff causes her targets to explode;
Omerta's laen sword makes mincemeat of his golems.  Within moments they
are dispatched and Jhere and Omerta quickly return to Alica, Kidd and
Vilim.

Alicia meanwhile had cast a spell which produced an 'air wall' between
herself and the golems with the intention of being able to deflect any
thrown rocks.  As Jhere and Omerta return, she cancels the spell.

"Are we ready to go in?  Let's go." Jhere says.

"Do we know what we're going to do?" Vilim asks.

"I'm going to dispel the darkness and we will deal with whatever we find."

On entering the tower Jhere notices that there are hand and footholds
carved into the wall, circling upward.

Kidd reports he can't find a sentient creature just before they all enter
but Vilim reports the evil is still in place.

"It *may* attempt to acquire another host and if so we must be prepared
to deal if one of us starts to attack," Omerta reminds the group.

Jhere is followed by Omerta, Alicia, Kidd and finally Vilim.  There is an
extremely narrow ledge around the edge of the tower and they proceed down
to the bottom of the shaft.  On landing, Jhere is startled to hear her
footfalls crunching.  "Can you hear me?" she calls out.

"Yes!" Omerta replies as he lands.  Alicia continues to mutter to her
deity as she and Vilim land.  Jhere had cast her potent light spell and
now moves over to where they left the remains of Joel just a short time
ago.  There is nothing evident but what may have been some blood and other
bodily fluids.  "Is this the center of the evil?" Jhere asks Vilim.

He concentrates and reports, "No.  It's everywhere around us."

Jhere looks around and then casts a spell to permit her to see where the
Joel-creature went.  It staggered off and into one of the passageways that
lead from the cavern.

Jhere reports this and Omerta comments, "If that was one of the tunnels I
knew, I don't now because it seems to have been worked over somehow."

Jhere nods and questions Vilim once again, "You said the evil was centered
all around us?"

"There seems to be no center -- it just permeates everything."

"I want to follow at least briefly the path that the Joel-creature took
in either coming here or leaving and tell me if you pick up anything as
to the evil's centering."

Vilim nods and follows directly behind Jhere, followed by Omerta and then
Alicia, with Kidd guarding their rear.

They proceed about 100 feet down the tunnel when they hear a loud grinding
of stone behind them.  They whirl around but cannot see anything so they
hurry back.  As they continue, the grinding ceases with a thunk and they
realize that about 30 feet from the cavern the tunnel has been closed off.

Vilim reports no further evil is present as Omerta gently tries his laen
sword against the rock.  It slides effortlessly in and comes out.  He
can't tell how deep the rock blockage is and looks to see if Vilim wants
to tap it with his laen staff.  Vilim however is concentrating again so
Omerta doesn't disturb him.

Jhere tells everyone to stand back, remembering what happened when she
struck the stone trolls and golems, and strikes the wall with her staff.
Unfortunately nothing happens.

"Show yourself!" she calls out.  Nothing happens.

Vilim meanwhile completes his spell and reduces the wall to powder in an
approximately 4' high by 2-1/2' wide by 10' deep area.  As Omerta coughs
to Alicia to blow the dust away, they step back from it.  She invokes her
censer and a sudden breeze obligingly clears the air.  Jhere moves up,
thrusts her lit staff through the hole, and determines that the way back
to the cavern is passable, if a bit cramped.

Vilim points out that it's interesting that the wall did *not* reform as
the tower did before.  Omerta suggests then perhaps they should finish
exploring the tunnel since they can get back into the cavern easily.

Omerta utters an incantation and a beam of light springs from the palm of
his left hand, giving them additional light as they explore, and uses his
sword to mark an 'x' every 30 paces or so.  They continue on.  Eventually
they reach a branching in the tunnel.  Jhere unerringly follows the trail
as Omerta marks an arrow pointing back the way they came -- not that he
doesn't trust the Princess to find her way, but fearing against her loss.

A bit further along they come to a sheer drop and there's no sign of the
passage continuing.  Jhere leans over the edge and looks down.  A short
way below are several passageways leading in different directions.  There
is a narrow ledge protruding from the wall on the level with the other
entrances.

"I'm going to go down just long enough to see if the trail continues,"
Jhere announces and lifts herself up slightly to check to see if Vilim's
flying spell is still in effect.  It is.  She moves over the drop and
down and finds the trail.  Omerta follows and Kidd leaps down.  Vilim
and Alicia carefully fly down.

Jhere proceeds into one of the tunnels and she begins to feel they are
getting close to their quarry although no one is picking up any evidence
of sentience or of evil.

Omerta swings his light forward but all they see is another branching
corridor.  She moves down the correct one as Alicia and Omerta string
their respective bows.  Shortly they spot a figure staggering away from
them at the limit of Omerta's beam of light.  It looks more like a zombie
than anything else.  Vilim reports it is evil but there is nothing else
around that registers.

"It's definitely evil," Jhere agrees.  "We will get close to it and I will
take it and us into Freya's ward and trust to Freya to destroy it."

They rush forward and Jhere casts her ward as it turns toward her.  And
leaps at her!  Jhere is prepared, however, and hits it with her staff as
the ward comes into being around them.  Alicia begins dancing.

The creature is knocked into the water and sinks and disappears.  Jhere
looks at the others surprised and asks Vilim if he's still detecting any
further evil.  He is a little dubious about casting his detection spell
within Freya's ward and is unsure if it will work.  He tries anyway and
does not detect any evil.

Jhere moves over to the edge of the stone and kneels as the others stand
respectfully behind.  She prays to Freya, thanking her for all her help
and asks that she give the soul of Joel rest.  She is startled when a
lovely feminine voice asks in her mind if she wishes Joel restored to her.
She answers affirmatively, then watches as the waters in front of her
begin to bubble and churn.

In moments, a bedraggled, but whole Joel bursts to the surface,
floundering and Omerta rushes forward to help Jhere pull him from the
waters.  He emerges totally dry to Omerta's and the others amazement.

"Wha... wha.... what happened?" Joel stammers clearly in shock.

"You don't remember anything?" Omerta demands.

"No.  Not since I entered the tower."

"Oh, well, apparently you were taken over by the evil --" Omerta begins
to tell him.

Jhere interrupts, "And through Freya's mercy, you have been restored to
us.  But we must continue on."  Joel and Omerta sputter respectful though
quick thanks to Freya and Jhere.

She cancels the ward as Omerta takes Joel in charge.  Joel looks nervously
around a cave he can't remember and reminds Omerta that he is unarmed.
Omerta doesn't want to give up any of his weapons, but would rather have
another defender than someone who would be an easy target.  He says, "This 
crossbow has been in my family for generations -- can you use it till we
make camp?"  Joel admits he can't, and looks pointedly at the laen sword,
commenting that he can use a sword pretty well.  Omerta compromises by
loaning him his dagger.

Before they proceed on back to the cavern, however, Vilim renews their
flying spells.  On the way back they discuss what to do next and it becomes
obvious the next possibility is to climb the tower and see if it holds
anything or anyone.  Once they reach the cavern, Vilim reports that he can
once again sense evil pervading the air about them.

They cautiously begin the upward flight; Omerta and Jhere holding onto
Joel as Vilim did not wish to waste power on enabling him to fly.  They
deposit him at the entranceway and tell him to "guard it alertly."


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