Forgotten Realms:

Angels and Demons

Part XXXIII

By the coming dawn, the rest of the Challengers awoke to Kirann standing facing the rising sun. Luminous dragon wings billowed out, flexing around him, and they could swear the aura around him pulsed. He was so bright, that he blinded them as if they were looking straight into the sun. Just as they started to complain, his light returned back to normal and he turned towards them.

"Let's get going," he said gently, even as his words rumbled over them.

The Challengers continued on, traveling through the desecrated lands. Lorinda tried to keep the disgust from her face but failed. The corruption of nature tore at her, pulled at her emotions. Something sacred and pure, ravished by something unnatural and horrific. She wanted to be angry, but rage didn't come. Instead a deep, depressing sadness swept over her.

Raven must have glimpsed this, as she pulled off her guitar and began singing. Lorinda felt her mood lift, and she had to admit that the new bard was very good at her job. Because of her, the druid was able to concentrate. Thanks to this, she felt a sudden disturbance in nature's song. Something was siphoning life nearby, and Lorinda rushed forward.

She didn't have to look behind her to know the rest were with her. As she moved quickly forward, the concentration of abhorrence only intensified. It started to physically affect her. Skin became pale and paper thin, fullness started to drain, leaving only gaunt limbs. A deep lethargy spread, and limbs became heavier and heavier. Lorinda found herself nearly crawling as she got closer and closer. Why she kept going, instead of falling back, she couldn't answer. Her mind was muddled, all she had was the need to go forward.

Something hot plucked her up and Lorinda found herself being carried backwards. She didn't have the strength to fight back, instead her head lowered and she fought against heavy eyelids. As she moved farther away, suddenly the lethargy left. Energy flooded back, but she still felt exhausted. The person carrying her laid her down, and she felt the wooden planks of their wagon.

"Easy now," Kirann said. "That was close."

Lorinda noticed he was looking dimmer than he usually did and there were bags under his eyes. The others looked even worse for wear, but they were fine. It looked like she had taken the worst of it. Now away from whatever was causing it, her mind went over what was going on. Her mind could only go to one place, which thankfully Raven thought the same thing.

"I think that was necromancy," she said almost breathless. "Why would anyone delve into such power?"

"You were once a warlock," Lorinda reminded her, realizing how that sounded and felt bad.

"True, but I don't think this person is only using the power for safety," the Tiefling responded. "I'd say whoever is behind this is very powerful, or has friends."

"We rest, then we continue," Kirann took up position. "I'll take first watch."

A few hours passed and everyone began to feel much better, their color returning. Once they were up to moving, Kirann had Lorinda do a small cleansing. However, he had her do it away from their camp. Though it tired her account again, she was still good to go. Then they were on the move again.

This time they stayed on the outskirts, slowly moving in to prevent a similar reaction as before. Every so often Kirann would have Lorinda stop and cleanse an area. Afterwards they'd move in the opposite direction, before returning back to their circular route. This went on for the rest of the day, before they camped by a well nestled on an abandoned farm.

Because of the strain of the day, Lorinda was the first to rest, with Raven and Kirann taking the first watch. The others were also laying on their sleeping mats, from the sounds, they were quite well into sleep's embrace. He looked at her, knowing she was just as tired, but fighting it. He was too, but he knew the others had been affected by the drain. They needed time to recover.

"Second time today," Raven broke the silence. "You should have let someone else take watch."

He laughed, "I think they needed it more. Besides it's a beautiful night."

She nodded, "This close to death and destruction and you're looking at the stars?! You're a unique one, Kirann."

"We are all individuals," he replied back, prodding her with an elbow.

She pushed his arm, "That's not what I meant! You see things differently than anyone I've ever met. That's a good thing." Before he could speak, she continued on, "We've been through a lot. For most of that time, I hid from all of you. Yet, you still trust me."

Kirann gave her his gentle smile, "I trust your heart and actions. Neither of those have ever lied."

"I just wanted to tell you, that I'm sorry," Raven lowered her head. "You all have been better friends than anyone could ask for."

Kirann nodded, "Don't underestimate your own worthiness. To me there is nothing to apologize for."

"You would say that!" Raven sighed, even as a small tear went down her cheek. "Listen, I don't have much, but I can tell you this. I took the name of Raven, but that isn't who I was born as. My name is Jessica Umbra. I just wanted you to know that."

He pulled her next to him, wrapping an arm around her. For several moments he didn't speak, just held her there. Doubts began to rise in her mind again, and she began to see every way he'd turn on her. Yet, a flow of warmth coming from him relaxed her. He squeezed her even tighter, not gently but lovingly.

"I will not betray your trust," he quietly said. "You are very special to me. I'm glad you came with us, all that time ago."

Raven smiled, "You big softy."

The rest of the night passed in silence. Val and Leilani took the next watch, with Walton and Lorinda taking the last watch. Each of the Challengers noticed though, that their monk leader and their new bard were smiling ear to ear. Val began to wonder exactly what happened while she and the other rested. However, she figured they deserved a little happiness.

The next morning the party continued their circular path. Val and Walton went back to bring their wagon to the abandoned farm. After securing the horses and the wagon in the barn, they secured the door. Once sure that it would hold, they met up with their friends. Which by that time, had stopped to view a scene of horror.

A contingent of walking skeletons walked up and down the road. Walton guessed the road would lead to the town. Had he still had his holy abilities, he would have known the unnaturalness was actually coming more from the east, instead of from town. Lorinda though did get that same feeling from her connection to nature.

She wanted to march immediately towards the wound and desecration, but Kirann argued for swinging by the town first. There could be more information gathered, and maybe an idea of who they faced. The druid had to admit he was right, but she still felt wrong not immediately taking this desecrator out. She turned to Walton, to see if he felt the same. Yet, he just looked distracted.

"Is he calling to you?" Kirann asked Walton as they backtracked.

Walton turned angrily towards the monk, "Leave it, monk."

Even as he stomped off, he felt bad. Kirann was only trying to help, but he couldn't know. How could anyone? They should, it should be evident. He did something wrong, something evil. He couldn't call upon a goodly lord and ask for miracles, with what he had done. He needed a drink, or maybe a fight. No, what he really needed was the priestess. To feel her warm body against his, to feel her breath on his neck, but most of all to feel her love. Love he didn't deserve, but freely gave.

Val led them around the patrolling undead. There were a couple of times that they were nearly found, but those were quickly taken care of. One of those was when a group of six skeleton just appeared out of nowhere. Minutes later, the bones were bundled up into a makeshift bag and thrown off the side of the road. Eventually they made their way to the outskirts of the town.

Decrepit buildings greeted them. Once proud structures, built solidly, reduced to haggard lean-tos. All were damaged in some way, some showing no signs of habitation recently. Some that did look like people still lived in them, had doors that were propped up in the frames. Beneath them disturbed dirt showed the movement of tiny feet.

The Challengers silently made their way through the town. This was a feat, as Walton was wearing his plate armor. Thanks to the amount of times he had to sneak around, thanks to the group's love of stealth, he'd developed a quieter gait. That and the fabric stuff between the joints, cut down on the amount of noise the metal clad warrior.

A teen boy and girl were sneaking around, but not for a romantic rendezvous. Instead, they scurried about with a small satchel of looted supplies and scavenged produce. One of the teens carried the carcass of a slain hare. Both were so focused on trying to safely return, that they didn't see the adventurers.

With a loud gasp, the teen boy struck out with his walking stick. While the girl started the opposite way. They'd split up and meet back at the predetermined meeting place outside of town. She though felt herself slow severely, and she looked back to find the boy being thrown to the ground. The walking stick in the hands of the glowing man, and pointed at the boy's chest.

"Peace," the glowing man said. "We are the Challengers, and mean you no harm."

As to explain this further, he held out his hand for the boy to take. Then lifted the youth up rather easily. The teen girl still felt panic in her gut, but stopped fighting for the moment. Deciding that she wanted a better look, the girl looked over the group. That was when she spotted the ebon skin of one, and the curved horns of another. Immediately she was back to pure fear. There was a Drow and a half demon here!

"Calm yourself," Kirann said, moving to catch up with the teen girl. "You are among friends."

The boy was still stunned by how quickly he'd been taken down, that when he caught sight of Leilani and Raven, it didn't faze him. Instead, he went to the girl, standing in front of her as Kirann and Walton came up to her. Somewhere deep in his mind, he recognized the danger these warriors were. He wouldn't leave her to them though, and he was still trying to figure out where they had come from.

"Let us go," the girl pleaded. "It's not safe."

Walton spoke before he could stop himself, "Then let's get you home." Noticing Kirann's smile, he growled, "We'll escort you home."

The two teens thought about arguing, but knew they were caught. They also knew that their families would need the supplied they had recovered. These people were an unknown and could either be heroes or more vultures preying on the weak. They also couldn't take the chance of taking this group back. They'd have to lose them.

That plan might have worked, but the boy began to cough uncontrollably. He was leading the heroes when it his, and he fell to the ground. Rough, phlegmy coughs wracked his body, forcing him to the ground. Spasming on the ground, his eyes rolled up as the attack made the boy curl into a ball. His companion, the girl, fell to her knees, pulling him up to her.

"He's sick," Lorinda examined the boy. "This infection is very serious, haven't seen something this bad."

"Can you save him?" the girl asked.

Kirann looked at Raven, "Know any healing spells? If we pool Lorinda's abilities and ours."

"That might work, I know a light healing spell," Raven said. "Lorinda, you start, Kirann and I will assist."

They had the teen boy lay on the ground, already his breathing had worsened to strangled wheezing. The teen girl held his hand as the druid began to chant. Reaching into the energy of nature, the druid pulled healing energies into her chant. Letting the magic grow, she let it start to pour out of her hands and into the very sick young man.

As she did, Raven cast her own healing magic. Not as powerful as Lorinda's, hers added to the restoration of the damaged body. Between them both, the boy began to breathe easier. The addition of Kirann's holy energy ended up pushing out the remaining sickness. Between the three of them the boy was healed, but would need to recuperate.

The boy opened up his eyes, and breathed without pain or agony. He looked up at the adventurers with the look of a man to the deities. The girl had grabbed him back up in a strong hug, almost unbelieving in the miracle she had seen. She turned back to them, knowing that she could trust them now. They hadn't asked why or who they were, but still healed the boy because he needed it. These were good people, that was all she needed to know.

"Easy now," Lorinda gently said. "You'll need a few days to get back on your feet."

Kirann looked around, "I'd suggest we get inside. I feel something unnatural coming."

The girl motioned for them to follow her, "Come, our families will welcome you."

She led them, with the teen boy in tow. Down pathways leading between the broken houses. Across lanes where a once vibrant village stood, she led them to the last vestiges of the living. Huddled in an old barracks, several families hunkered together. Protecting them were the two guards remaining and the same amount of rangers.

The guards used to number five before what had come. The rangers roamed the area when the unnaturalness came. Because of their courage, the two groups saved what left of the village's people. In return they had lost people, with that loss weighing heavily on all. None shirked what their duty was, and continued to protect those people still alive.

As such it took the teen girl's insistence on the friendliness of the newcomers, that kept a fight from breaking out. The Challengers were looked at with suspicion, especially Raven and Leilani. The testimony of the teen boy and girl though, did soften some of the stares they got.

One of the rangers came up to Kirann, "I am called Strider, do you lead this band?"

"I am Kirann, and we are the Challengers," the monk answered. "We're here to help."