Chapter 9: Crossroad Keep
I was in my room packing more of the things I need. I started to name the stuff I was grabbing. "Healing Potion, Healing Kit, my Gold, Pouches, and-."
Neeshka came in and I stopped naming the stuff. I turned around and smiled. "Is there something you want?"
"No. I just want to visit." As she took a drink of mead. She held it out in front of me and I refused.
"I don't drink much." I sighed and sat on the bed. "I was thinking about this for a while and I came to a decision. After this mission, I'm going to quit doing what I do. Sneaking, Stealing, Assassinating, and so on, and becoming what I am really. The arts of Hellfire Warlock, since I'm already know more about it."
Neeshka's eyes were wide opened and said blurted out "Hellfire Warlock? Why, you were enjoying going around and stealing, sneaking, and assassinating and I have fun with you because were alike."
I stood up and hugged her. "I'm sorry Sis, I can't keep hiding what I am really."
She hugged back and said "Okay, you do what you have to do. But since your not going to do what we do anymore, I'm going to have less fun fighting."
I smiled at her and turned around and grabbed my things. "I'm ready to go, are you?"
"Yes, let's go." She walked out of my room first and I followed. Elanee, Shandra, and Khelgar tagged along.
When we arrived at the Keep, an Elf named Vale came running towards me and said "Who are you?"
"I'm from Neverwinter. Were here to help." I said looking at the keep. "So, how many are there?"
"Were just waiting for the patrol to open the gates and we will charge in." Vale said looking at the gate.
I nodded and waited for the gate to open. Neeshka was waiting beside me. "So, what's the plan Veltan?"
"I don't know Sis. Too many to try sneaking around or hiding in the shadows, so I guess full on fight." I distracted her as I used my tail to grab the extra dagger she had in her pack. I took it out and hid it to my other side of me. I grabbed it and placed it on my belt. Elanee saw, but didn't say anything. Khelgar and Shandra didn't pay attention much.
"Okay, Now!" Vale said aloud. We charged towards the keep and the guards weren't expecting us and were out of order. I took out my daggers and held them both and cut one's neck and then stabbed him in the back. We were inside the castle and more guards came out. Khelgar then said "Now they evened the odds. This will be good."
I smiled at him and I heard the Captain of the guards say charge and I ready myself. I didn't worry much about anyone else, but me. I kept dodging and going for a good counter attack. I went towards the Captain after I killed the ones guarding him. He held up his sword and swung at me. I jumped over him and tapped his shoulder. He turned and swung his sword. I was behind him again and tapped him once again. He held his sword up and swung downward. I dodged it and took both of the daggers and stabbed the side of him. I picked him up while I was holding the daggers in place and threw him. I walked up to him and held my dagger up and stabbed in between his eyes. I left the dagger in him that I took from Neeshka's pack. I had my special one with me. I felt someone pull my tail and I spun around and held my dagger to the neck. It was Neeshka. "Really Neeshka, you have to pull my tail? How about I pull yours?"
I reached over to grab it and she tripped me and stood over me. I moaned and said "Ow, why did you do that for?"
"You took that dagger from my pack without me noticing? Very sneaky, but you could have asked." She laughed and held out her hand. I grabbed it and she pulled me up.
I brushed myself off and said "That'll teach me. Come on, we have to find a way into the castle."
We went through the Castle's Escape tunnel and we saw a bunch of papers and books on the ground. I went up ahead, Khelgar, Elanee, Shandra, and Neeshka ready there weapons and I went around the Bookshelf and saw Aldanon. "There you are, look, get back to Neverwinter now."
"Wait, I remember you. How's it going?" Aldanon said smiling.
I sighed and grabbed his arm and said "Go back to Neverwinter. You'll be safe there. I'm just here to stop the ritual from happening."
Aldanon grabbed my hand and pushed it away "Why? I like it here. So many books. And the ritual, it won't work. Or will it. I don't know. But fine, fine, I will go back."
I watched him walk into the tunnel and I went through the door and saw more guards and two wizards holding the door with magic. I ran towards the mages as Neeshka, Elanee, Khelgar, and Shandra go after the guards and hold them off of me. I stabbed both of the wizards and Vale came running in and helped. Elanee finished everyone off by casting Call of Lighting. I looked around and all I saw was ash. "Great job Elanee. That made things easier."
She smiled and said "Thank you."
I walked through the other door and saw a group of Shadow Priests. I sighed and said "Don't you guys stop?"
They attacked first and I threw my dagger at the woman that said attack. I held up my hands and they caught on fire and I sent in a flaming wave down and killed all of the Shadow Priests. I walked over to where my dagger was and said "See, that is why. I like this power too. Of course I feel a little weaker though. Let's keep moving."
We went down into the basement of the Castle and saw Garius in the circle with five Wizards casting around him. "You? Stop him quick before he-."
I raised my hand and sent it on fire. My eyes glowed to fire like before at the fight with Lorne. I blurted out "Flock ish o sheal fin." Flames were around me and everyone behind me stood back.
I raised my other hand and called upon and Flame Wave around me. I clutched my fist and pulled them down quickly. The guards, The Wizards that were circling Garius, died within a flash. Garius was still alive and I watched him and he was consumed by his own ritual. I retracted the flame from my eyes, hands, and around me. I felt much weaker and I need someone to hold me up. Elanee was the one that walked over towards me and held me up. She tried healing me, but it did nothing. I walked out of her grip and walked towards the body of Garius. He had a shard. I grabbed it and placed it in my pouch. "Let's gooo-." I fell and blacked out.
I woke up on the cold, wet, ground. I sat up and rubbed my head and saw Elanee walk to me. "Look, we can't have Khelgar, Neeshka, me, or anyone else to carry you out when you black out. I think if you want to master these…Demonic arts, you should practice more somewhere not on the battle field."
I smiled and said "Well, I did what I have to do to stop the ritual right? I guess I should go talk to Vale now." I stood up and walked towards Vale. "So, is everything alright now?"
He smiled and said "Not you, but the castle is fine yes. You done much here tonight, you should go back to Neverwinter now."
When I walked into The Watch Headquarters, I saw a woman, sort of like a Githyanki, but not like them. She looked up at me from the cage she was in and said "I've been waiting for you, Kalach-Cha.
I sighed and said "Why does you people call me Kalach-Cha? It's getting old. You know what, never mind. What is your name?"
She then responded quickly "Zhjaeve. I know more than you about the shards. If you let me out of this cage, I will be able to help you on your journey."
I looked at Cormick and then Captain Brelaina and said "Release her, please."
Cormick nodded and opened the cage. Zhjaeve walked out and walked towards me. "And so it is done. I know this may be hard, but you are the only one who can stop the King of Shadows. But before you can face him, you need to do a ritual called Ritual of Purification, if you wish to stop him."
She took the map I handed her and she marked where I should go. I was told to head back to Crossroad Keep for some news. When I arrived, they told me I was Captain and owned this place. I responded "What? I know nothing of…Oh forget it."
I went into the castle and looked around. I went back out and said to Master Veedle, "I want to rebuild the bedrooms and rebuild the walls."
He rushed off and went to report. I began walking back to Neverwinter.
When I arrived, I went into my room and sat on the bed. I opened up my pack and pulled out a set of clothes for me to wear. The shoulder pads were heads of skulls. The chest was covered with skeleton hands, and legs were black with skulls on the knee for pads. The boots look like claws. It was all placed well on black leather with red straps. I took off my clothes and slipped on the set I bought and I moved around a little. "Comfortable. I like these." I smiled and walked around a bit it loosen it up. I took my old leathers and went out to the mess hall. Duncan saw me and his eyes were wide open.
"What are you wearing Veltan?"
I smiled and said "I am becoming what I am, a Hellfire Warlock."
Duncan walked towards me and hugged me. "You can become whatever you want. Just don't burn my place down, or summon Demons. You will drive the customers away."
I smiled and said "What's the fun of that. That'll make things interesting."
I handed him my leathers and he took them and said "I will hold on to these. In case if you ever want to go back."
I left his presence and went back to the Keep. When I arrived, Master Veedle came up to me and said "The rooms are rebuilt and made your room special. The walls are now being repaired." He ran off again before I said anything. I looked around and said "Wow, I own this Keep to myself? Well I guess I can add my Gold for the Hells of it so we have more."
I walked around and explored. I saw Elanee sitting on a rock and staring at the tree and then back at her beloved pet Naloch. I walked towards her and sat down by her. She looked at me and said "Wow, your going with it are you?"
I smiled and said "Yes, I need your help. To control magic, or in my case Eldritch, you guys say…Demonic."
She stood up and said "Follow me." I stood up and followed her out to the farm where all the crops are dead. She sent Naloch to sit over by the dead hay and she stood beside me. "First rule of magic is to how to control it." She casted a flame from her hand and showed me. I grabbed at it and held it in front of me.
"That was easy." I sighed and retracted it. I then looked back at her and she then casted Entangle on the ground in front of me. "Second is to control magic by using it in battle field."
I looked at my hand and focused. It was set on fire and I held it in front of me with my palm facing forward. I sent a long flame in front of me and closed back up my hand. "Like that?"
She smiled and said "Third, never over use it. In my case, I have a certain number of times I can cast it before I know I need to rest. You, you can cast it as much as you want with a cost of feeling weaker in your case. When you use it to much you pass out. Or if you over do it…well you know."
I started to cast a few more spells and then felt I was getting weaker. She then said "Rest. See if that helps."
I sat down and closed my eyes. After a minute or two, I stood up and felt better. "I fell better than I would not know to rest. I…Thank you Elanee, for everything." I walked over towards her and hugged her. She was shocked, but hugged back. "You're welcome Veltan."
I let go of her and walked by her. She followed behind me as I walked. I looked at my hand and set it on fire. I looked around my hand and said "This I believe Hellfire."
When I arrived back at the castle and went into my room. I took out a book I found here and read it. It was the arts of Demonic power. I read a little further past the basics. I then saw a drawing of a man holding up his arms and summoning a Demon. "I'm going to try to summon a demon, but how would I…" I kept on reading and saw the words to say. I stood up out of my bed and walked to the end of the bed. The room was big enough to fit my old house in here. "Vir lish yen tum deas flum." I held up my hands and a circle of fire was around me. I looked at the other circle where I was summoning. Then I saw it, I summoned a demon. He was all red, with big horns and wings of a dragon would have. His hands were long and his claws were sharp. I circled it around and examined it. The demon looked at me and smiled evilly. I smiled back and said "Do you under stand me?"
The demon looked at me as if I were stupid. I though for a moment and said "Ka uai ifkaylzsofk ty (do you understand me)?"
The demon looked at me and smiled. He opened his mouth and said "Qwu kek uai zittaf ty wyly af swez bedsw dessdy afy (Why did you summon me here on this filth little one)?"
I was shocked, and yet surprised that he can talk and understand me. I looked at him and shrugged. I looked behind him to see if he has a tail like me. He did not. "Qwu kaf's uai wojy o soed (why don't you have a tail)?"
He looked at mine and said "fas odd kytafz wojy soedz. Xyzekyz, swyu rys ef swy qou (not all demons have tails. besides, they get in the way)."
I looked at my tail and looked back at him and smiled. I raised up one hand and said "Fash nick el thos." I unsummoned him and I sat on the bed. Neeshka came from the ceiling and I sighed and said "Hell, why do you do that?"
She smiled and walked towards me. "You actually are going through with this? Here, look, I know a little bit of Demonic language and I wanted to know if you understand?"
I smiled and said "uyz ra owyok (yes, go ahead)."
She sat on the bed next to me and jumped on to me. I looked at her with a smile and said "Ohhh, I see where this is going." I rolled her over and she wrapped her arms around me and pulled herself up and kissed me. My tail grabbed hers and I wrapped it around and held us in place. I sat up over her and took my shirt off. She took hers off slowly and said "What if someone-."
I raised my hand towards the door and set a wall of flames. "No ones wanting to go through that Sis."
She smiled and took her shirt off all the way. I said to her smiling "Your so beautiful Neeshka." I bent down over her and went down to take her pants off. I undid her leather pants and slipped them off slowly. I placed my fingers on her thigh and slowly and softly moved my fingers down. Then up again. "Smooth."
I placed my head between her legs and stuck out my tongue and placed it within her. She placed her hand on top of my head and moaned. Her legs were over me and I held them up with my arms. She was already wet and I went up to her face and she rolled me over. She went over me and went down to undo my pants. She was on top of me and I was in. she moved her hips up and down and she bent down to kiss me. I wrapped my arms around her and she placed her hands on my face. She moaned and Moaned and she couldn't stop. I thrusted upward and back down and her moaned went louder. I thought for sure someone heard, but I didn't care any how. "Ohhh, Veltan." She said as she moaned.
"Neeshka." I said stumbley. I pushed up and I came and she came as well. She and I breathed deeper and panted a little. She went to the side of me and hugged me and kissed. "I love you Veltan."
I smiled and said "I love you too Neeshka." And I placed my hand on her cheek and brought myself for a kiss. We stared into each others eyes all night, and then drifted off to sleep.
