A Dark Stranger- chapter 7
Disclaimer: I don't own Neverwinter Nights or its characters except the ones I create in this story. Bioware takes credit here.
Authors note: David- thanks for reviewing, and I'm glad you liked chapter three. It'd help me a lot if you told me why you liked it a lot so I can try make more chapters like that. If not, doesn't matter. I hope you'll keep on reading, and yeah maybe I will write my own fantasy sometime. has a sister site for them, doesn't it?
Anyway without further ado, chapter 7. Enjoy
The sound of their feet was muffled by the grass of the now still graveyard. The rotting corpses now lay; finally still, ready to return to their slumberous peace. The most brutal of the killings left their limbs hacked from the flesh. And yet the stillness of the graveyard had tranquillity to it now.
Only after this havoc, could the peacefulness of this place be utterly and completely appreciated, and the only thing that stared where the two men, making there way, without a word, through it. Looking into the face of a nearby man, and thinking of the silence, Leo thought of the cliff, on which his family rested. The salt water that sprayed up the cliff with a tangy breeze was one of his favourite places to visit, in his childhood. He would think for hours there. Alone.
It was there he brought the woman who enchanted his heart, where they had sat in the sunset for many hours at a time. It was there he had asked her for hand in marriage. And there he had left her to sleep forever. Where he himself longed to lie. Such a place could hold so memory memories. He was as attached to that place, as he was to his heart, and in many ways it represented that very organ.
It was a part of him in very much the same way that this town was to Aribeth and her lover. He realised in light of this revelation that they where - and as much as both he and the paladin would like to deny it- not that different. Could he ever really be a apart of society again, after this was all over? Stirred from his thought by the gentle coughing of the barkeep Leo quickly shook his head, and the last thought quickly disappeared, though lingered dangerously close to the forefront of his mind. After all he had never considered what he would do should he live through this to his freedom?
He could feel Isaacs's eyes on the back of his head as he proceeded to the crypts, and supposed he might have suspicions about what the convicts thoughts where on. However, to Leo's relief he dropped the subject, and continued to follow at the heels of the man. By the torchlight that Leo held aloft they could see a narrow passageway ahead. It had been subjected to years of neglect and grime. The cobwebs hung off the low ceiling and did not stir in the stale air, which had a deep, arid presence throughout the crypts.
The crackling flames where the only sound for a long time, until the chamber opened into a large open space. Several stone tombs surrounded them at either side… not that this was of any particular importance, especially seen as the staggering corpses flooded into the torchlight. Bolts few furiously form Isaac's crossbow pelting into there flesh. Drawing his sword Leo began his desperate struggle once more.
The more fell, the more that came, and Leo felt as though it was an endless battle. A cry of pain told him that Isaac had been injured, despite him having no time to check on his comrade. Eventually the last fell. It was with great effort that Leo heaved the elderly mans body out of the pile into space, letting him lean against a stone coffin. Blood poured from his shoulder freely. His hair seemed greyer than ever, while his skin was clammy and pale. Leo was… frightened for his life. It was he who has brought him here… to his death? Almost as if he knew what Leo was thinking he said, "I wanted to come, and if I die it'll be worth knowing I fought for my home. You must stop all this. GO."
"No, I can hel…"
"GO"
"I will be back for you" was the last things he said before taking a last fleeting look at his friend before leaving.
In the large open chamber the large snake being surrounded herself with undead worshippers. She was stood on a raised platform, proud, tall, and cruel. The yaun-ti seemed to sense a presence skulking in the shadows, and it hissed a high pitch scream "Who intrudes Gunlans home. Who dares enter my domain?" Before Leo could think what to do, a voice answered her- a deep, silky voice, that Leo instantly mistrusted.
"I do" a broad shouldered cloaked man exited the shadows. "Gunlan, it is I who helped free you, and I want to set you free from the confines of this city." The being considered him for a moment, while Leo watched in apprehension. If it left the city, he will have failed.
Leo pulled out his sword, and held it close to his face. The deadly steel seemed to glow, and in a snap moment he pulled out from the shadows. Launching his sword into the nearest zombie the battle began. There where less here, than in the passageway, and the zombies soon fell leaving Gunlan, and the strange man, who had stood there with a great calm, yet maintained a deadly look.
Instead of the usual pre-fight banter the convict expected, the man drew his mace and charged. Striking a blow to the convicts arm, the torch fell to the floor with a clatter, and his arm shattered with a sickeningly loud crunch, that reverberated around the large chamber. Narrowly escaping the second blow, by rolling away, Leo tried to remember what he had been taught. Calming his mind, he waited for the man to attack, countering with a blow to the ankle with a quick succession of blows to the back, he fell, almost silently, with no outcry of pain, one would usually expect. And only the yaun-ti remained.
She laughed at his presence, like some kind of amusing joke, she could scorn and toss away any moment she chose to. Leo charged and she sidestepped him with the ease of one, outsmarting a child. "You cannot possibly defeat me. I, Gunlan the greatest of yaun-ti". An idea struck the convict, as clearly has her voice and he replied in a monotone
"You are right; I can not possibly hope to defeat you"
"Of course you can't, but I will show you mercy, if you bow down now" Leo bowed down onto his knees, his hand still firmly oh the hilt of his blade. She walked over to him.
"Good, you recognise superior might, my…" what she would have finished Leo never new. She had come within range of his blade, and it had sliced her ankles with a deafening scream.
Gunlan overestimated her powers. It was with satisfaction that Leo held the still beating heart, its blood dripping down his arm. The city would be one step closer to being revived, which after realising the love people would have of this town, made him feel urgency in his task that had not been there before. But now was not the time to be thinking. Scouring the mans body, he pulled out a note, explaining of a cult known as the "people of the eye". They where responsible for this plague? That's sick, Leo though. As Leo retreated to his friend, an arrow struck into his stomach- a blow that knocked him to the ground. He had triggered a trap. Damn. He had gotten careless. With sheer determination he journeyed on.
It was many hours later when Leo finally dragged his now unconscious friend to the entrance of The Halls of Justice. His arm still crushed, and the wound bleeding freely. Aribeth ran over immediately.
"What has happened?" The paladins gaze twisted between the injured man, and Leo, who was also injured she realised.
"Please… Please help him" was all he could stammer. Collapsing to his knees in pain, Aribeth had already begun to try and heal the elderly man. Leo, so great was his fear, did something he had not done in over two years. He prayed to Torm. Aribeth noticed, though said nothing at the convict's almost silent plea.
The letter claimed from the body of a corpse clutched in his hand, he held it out to the paladin, before collapsing completely from pain and exhaustion. She called for healers to come and help the elder of the two, now that she had staunched the bleeding. Scanning the note quickly, she turned her attention to tending to Leo wound. Removing his shirt, she turned him onto his back to better see the wound.
She noticed a small tattoo she had not noticed before on his right bicep. It was of an eye. An eye, with a sword that slashed through its centre. Could he be in this cult? She wondered, suddenly afraid of what she had brought to her town. Still, she would question him when he awoke. Everyone had the right to fair, impartial judgement, didn't they?
(Authors note: This is chapter 7. It's quite short, but I didn't want to start something new in this chapter that's better left for the next one. Anyway hope you liked it is doubtful lol, and please read and review and tell me what you thought)
