The Chronicles of Eberron: Chapter 5

Summary of Chapter 4: Lia, Sul, and Stander made their way to the second temple, Kha’shazul. They alerted several encampments of lizardfolk and got attacked by a hoard of the creatures. Stander fought valiantly but was defeated alongside Sul. Now Lia hides behind one of the Lizardfolk’s buildings.
Lia’s skin starts to harden and becomes black. Her face grows and razor sharp teeth fill her mouth. She stands up and appears out of her hiding place as a blackscale lizardfolk. 
Though, this disguise does not hide her inner turmoil. Four years ago she said she would never go back to her life of prejudice. That she would never do anything to remind herself of her past, but if she does not act now, she might not have a future. (see The Passer).
The lizardfolk pursuing Lia stop suddenly in front of her, and in a hissing voice the blackscale speaks in his native tongue. Lia is able to discern the language for a changeling has a natural knack for it. 
Blackscale: Where did that human go?
Lia raises her hand in the direction behind her.
Blackscale: Follow Them!
The group of lizardfolk starts off into the woods. Lia trails behind them for a short time, and then she turns around and makes her way to Sul. Lia exits the woods, and she encounters a lone poison dusk.  
Poison Dusk: What are you doing?
Lia: I am going to finish off the Male Human. Go find the other one.
Poison Dusk: Yes sir.
The poison dusk heads off into the woods.
Lia arrives to Sul’s body. She bends over and checks his pulse, but it does not beat.
Lia: I was too late.
She looks over to Stander and sees his body lying inactive.
Lia: I will be back, but first I need to find more help.
Lia races off into the woods back to town. She travels for three days and arrives safely there. 
***
Lia sits calmly in her room back in her human form. Her eyes are closed and she sits cross legged on the floor. She can feel the psionic energy focusing itself, and her mind relaxing. Then suddenly there is a rudely loud rapping on her door. The sound is not able to breach the barriers of her mind though, for it is hard to break her out of meditation. However, another loud knock, even louder than before, breaks her mental trance and wakes her up. Lia stands up and cautiously walks over to the door, and cracks it open.
Lia: Who are you?
Durin: I am Durin. Are you Lia? I am to speak to you.
Lia: What do you need.
Durin: I understand that you lost your partners in a battle near one of the temples.
Lia: Yes. How did you know that?
Durin: Rumor spreads quick.
Lia: Sure it does. What does it matter to you?
Durin: I also understand one of your comrads was named Sul. He and I are from the same city. Your employer, Sur’kil, hired me, so I am here to assist you.
Lia: The blackscales are strong. I hope you understand that. 
Durin: I understand completely. 
Lia: Fine. For now, you can assist me by leaving me alone. Good bye.
Lia closes the door and goes back to her meditation.
***
Lia and Durin meet each other the next morning, and travel to the temple of Kha’shazul. Lia is able to use her knowledge of the land, from already making several trips, to find a fast and safe path. The two sneak their way to the temple, and Lia notices that her formal partners’ bodies are missing. Suddenly a poison dusk lizardfolk rushes out of some brush. Lia quickly dispatches it with a punch and puts her finger to her lips, motioning for Durin to be quiet. Then they finally sneak up to the temple gates without alerting the lizardfolk of the encampments. 
Several steps ascend to the temple. They lead up to a large stone platform with three stone pillars on each side of it. In the middle lies a circular closed shaft that looks as if it has recently been open and closed. 
Lia and Durin walk up to the gates. As they pass the shaft, it opens up, and a small black dragon, about four feet long, flies from the opening. It opens its mouth and sprays a line of acid at Lia. The monk easily uses her evasive skills to dodge the acidic line. Then in a blink of an eye, the dragon flies back down the shaft which closes once more. 
Durin cautiously moves forward to the large gates. The twin doors look heavy and are made of solid metal. Durin goes to try and open the doors, but they open by themselves and another black dragon, similar to the other one , darts from the doors and bites at Durin. The dragon’s teeth catch his arm, but the damage is minimum. The dragon, like its partner, darts back into the gates. 
Lia: Prepare yourself!
Durin takes out his Kasari Gama. A double sided weapon with one side used for slashing and the other for bludgeoning. Lia readies an attack at the shaft and Durin readies an attack at the doors, and, as suspected, the dragon in the shaft darts back out. Although it is surprised as Lia’s fist comes down on it, knocking it back down. The dragon flies back up and lands in front of Lia. The door also opens and the other dragon leaps out of it at Durin. Durin sidesteps the attack and whips around with his Kasari Gama. The weapon swings down in an arc, and leaves a small scratch on the beast’s face, but it does little damage. 
Durin and Lia continue to fight the two dragons, each of them taking one of the young adults one on one. Lia glances over and admires Durin’s skill in combat, and takes note that he is a much greater warrior than her formal partner Sul. But she can not let herself get distracted from her fight too long, for this black dragon is a formable adversary. It lets out a line of acid, but Lia outmaneuvers the attack easily. Just before she is soaked in the corrosive liquid, she does a cartwheel to the side, dodging the acid, then she lunges to the left of the dragon, and brings both of her arms up; she clenches them together as a hammer and brings them down upon the dragon’s head. The beast recoils as its skull caves in and his lifeless body falls onto the cold concrete of the temple steps.
Though Durin is not having as much luck as Lia, for his weapon is no match for the scales of a dragon. He whips his kasari gama around in a fluid motion; the sickle connected to the chain dances around the dragon, leaving several small scratches on the beast. However these scatches do nothing the slow the dragon’s retaliation of teeth and claws. The creature’s natural weapons rip and tear at Durin’s darkleaf armor; the armor is made of tightly compacted leaves that are almost as hard and durable as platemail, only lighter. He glances over to Lia just as she finishes off her foe, and though he would like to defeat this dragon alone and show Lia how powerful he is, he does wish the female monk would assist him in his fight. And to his relief, she does. 
Lia eyes the other dragon and lets the psionic energy run free throughout her body. Then with just the right distance from her and the dragon to initiate a full throttle charge, she does. Her speed is blinding as she slams into the dragon, her fist glowing purple with psionic energy. The dragon rolls sideways from the blow, but is still able to regain its footing. 
The dragon knows that it can’t defeat both Lia and Durin alone without utilizing all of his advantages. The dragon leaps up into the air at full flight, out of reach of its ground combatants. It circles around and lets out a line of acid at Lia and Durin. They are able to jump out of the way safely. The failed attack makes the beast very angry. It dives at Lia with all of its might, but it is surprised as Lia’s fist smacks it like a bat to a ball. The force of the blow causes the dragon’s body to shut down and fall to the ground, just as his partner.