Daren and Ce'Nedra escape from their demonic captors to the safety of the Guild Keep - or so they thought. Apparently the minions of Takhisis were not so willing to give up their quarry. The sturdy granite walls of the Keep itself are wracked by missiles of every magical nature as the undead mages open portals, allowing demons to swamp LoK territory.
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Weak and exhausted, Ce'Nedra slumped against the cold stone walls of the LOK Keep. Her violet eyes shone dully with dismay as she let the past events sink in.
Demons and monsters were appearing all around the Keep, some she was familiar with, while others were so malformed and disfigured they seemed to step right out of her worst nightmares and she was forced to look away. She, Daren, and a few other look were crouched inside the safe confines of the solid granite walls. They had stood through many battles and attacks, but Ce'Nedra feared that they wouldn't hold much longer.
God's what will happen now She thought.
Seeing the dismay in her face, Daren excused himself from a huddle of ranking guildmen and hurried over to her. Ce'Nedra noticed that he was staying well away from the windows.
He crouched beside her, offering an encouraging smile. "Gary says that the undead mages must have tapped our portal when we left. They were waiting for it. A call has been sent out on runners to the towns, others will be arriving shortly." He brushed aside her sweat matted fire-red hair, they hadn't had much time to recuperate after their narrow escape from the Underworld. "How are you feeling?" The concern was clear in his gray eyes.
Ce'Nedra nodded wearily. "I'll be fine. I just feel so stupid. I should have tapped the power waylines and dispersed the gate's trail. Then none of this would be happening."
She was forced to look him in the eye when two stern hands were set on her shoulders. "Ce', you were barely alive! Why you cast the gate I don't know but you saved our hides."
Ce'Nedra looked away.
He touched her cheek lightly, making her look back at him. "Ce'Nedra, I owe you my life."
She smiled, feeling better in an odd, detached way. The cleric seemed to have a talent for making her feel hope in the worst situations. Their eyes held for a moment and she was suddenly at a loss for what to do or say when a wave of dizziness swept through her. She let her bowed her head slightly, trying at once to fight off the sudden disorientation and hide it, but Daren must have detected the droop in her shoulders or seen it in her eyes because his arms became more firm in support. "You need healing." He muttered.
Already she could see the timeless mist of magic gathering in his eyes as he repositioned himself in front of her.
Ce'Nedra drew herself up, setting her face in a mask of willful resolve. "I'll be alright, Daren." She said brusquely. She was about to leave it at that but the confused look on his face gave her pause and she forced a smile. "We're both tired and you'll need all the strength you can gather for casting." She smiled wryly. " And I have a feeling I won't be much in the way of help. Don't waste any valuable mana on me."
A look of uncertainty passed over his face and Ce'Nedra realized that she had never really noticed how handsome he was. She had learnt sometime ago of his distant elven relations, though he was more human, his elven heritage, no matter how obscure, showed in his refined features. The stronger human blood gave him the size and sturdiness although he moved with innate grace. His gray eyes were lit with the faintest tinge of blue and had an almost hawklike quality.
Ce'Nedra smiled an brushed a strand of sandy hair from his face. "Don't worry about me. If you must, send a healer, but save your strength for the real fighting."
He had learned well that it was useless arguing with her, and Ce'Nedra had purposefully left no room for argument. Finally he sighed and nodded, contenting himself with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Help is on the way." He said confidently.
They both glanced out through an arched window, undead were gathering quickly.
Though she said nothing, the concern was clear in her eyes. Daren simply smiled at her reassuringly, already their fellow guildsmen were recalling into the Keep.
"Have faith, Ce'."
Suddenly the Keep shook with an explosion. Daren lunged forward, shielding her from the falling rocks and debris with his body.
When the tremors ceased, Ce'Nedra glanced out the window again, the mages were conjuring fire ballistas and hurling them at the granite walls. She glanced back at Daren. "Well, Cleric Daren, I think it's time you started praying."
His jaw tightened. "The walls are not as strong as they used to be." He laid a hand on a fluted pillar. "I must rally the other mages."
"Let me help -"
"No." Daren's eyes flashed with finality. "Please Ce'," He said patiently. "You may not admit it, but I can see as clear as day that you're weak right now. Rest and save your energy. We'll be needing you later. I won't have you getting yourself killed from pushing your limits." The last was spoken with a note of such fierce concern and command is surprised her. Ce'Nedra nodded.
"Yes, Daren."
Daren smiled slightly. "Thank you, Ce'Nedra." He grasped her hand tightly for a moment, seeming uncertain of what to do next. Finally he nodded and, motioning for a healer to tend her, he turned away to gather the others of their sect.
She found her voice just before he was out of earshot. "Daren,"
"Yes, m'Lady?"
"Thank you."
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Weak and exhausted, Ce'Nedra slumped against the cold stone walls of the LOK Keep. Her violet eyes shone dully with dismay as she let the past events sink in.
Demons and monsters were appearing all around the Keep, some she was familiar with, while others were so malformed and disfigured they seemed to step right out of her worst nightmares and she was forced to look away. She, Daren, and a few other look were crouched inside the safe confines of the solid granite walls. They had stood through many battles and attacks, but Ce'Nedra feared that they wouldn't hold much longer.
God's what will happen now She thought.
Seeing the dismay in her face, Daren excused himself from a huddle of ranking guildmen and hurried over to her. Ce'Nedra noticed that he was staying well away from the windows.
He crouched beside her, offering an encouraging smile. "Gary says that the undead mages must have tapped our portal when we left. They were waiting for it. A call has been sent out on runners to the towns, others will be arriving shortly." He brushed aside her sweat matted fire-red hair, they hadn't had much time to recuperate after their narrow escape from the Underworld. "How are you feeling?" The concern was clear in his gray eyes.
Ce'Nedra nodded wearily. "I'll be fine. I just feel so stupid. I should have tapped the power waylines and dispersed the gate's trail. Then none of this would be happening."
She was forced to look him in the eye when two stern hands were set on her shoulders. "Ce', you were barely alive! Why you cast the gate I don't know but you saved our hides."
Ce'Nedra looked away.
He touched her cheek lightly, making her look back at him. "Ce'Nedra, I owe you my life."
She smiled, feeling better in an odd, detached way. The cleric seemed to have a talent for making her feel hope in the worst situations. Their eyes held for a moment and she was suddenly at a loss for what to do or say when a wave of dizziness swept through her. She let her bowed her head slightly, trying at once to fight off the sudden disorientation and hide it, but Daren must have detected the droop in her shoulders or seen it in her eyes because his arms became more firm in support. "You need healing." He muttered.
Already she could see the timeless mist of magic gathering in his eyes as he repositioned himself in front of her.
Ce'Nedra drew herself up, setting her face in a mask of willful resolve. "I'll be alright, Daren." She said brusquely. She was about to leave it at that but the confused look on his face gave her pause and she forced a smile. "We're both tired and you'll need all the strength you can gather for casting." She smiled wryly. " And I have a feeling I won't be much in the way of help. Don't waste any valuable mana on me."
A look of uncertainty passed over his face and Ce'Nedra realized that she had never really noticed how handsome he was. She had learnt sometime ago of his distant elven relations, though he was more human, his elven heritage, no matter how obscure, showed in his refined features. The stronger human blood gave him the size and sturdiness although he moved with innate grace. His gray eyes were lit with the faintest tinge of blue and had an almost hawklike quality.
Ce'Nedra smiled an brushed a strand of sandy hair from his face. "Don't worry about me. If you must, send a healer, but save your strength for the real fighting."
He had learned well that it was useless arguing with her, and Ce'Nedra had purposefully left no room for argument. Finally he sighed and nodded, contenting himself with a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Help is on the way." He said confidently.
They both glanced out through an arched window, undead were gathering quickly.
Though she said nothing, the concern was clear in her eyes. Daren simply smiled at her reassuringly, already their fellow guildsmen were recalling into the Keep.
"Have faith, Ce'."
Suddenly the Keep shook with an explosion. Daren lunged forward, shielding her from the falling rocks and debris with his body.
When the tremors ceased, Ce'Nedra glanced out the window again, the mages were conjuring fire ballistas and hurling them at the granite walls. She glanced back at Daren. "Well, Cleric Daren, I think it's time you started praying."
His jaw tightened. "The walls are not as strong as they used to be." He laid a hand on a fluted pillar. "I must rally the other mages."
"Let me help -"
"No." Daren's eyes flashed with finality. "Please Ce'," He said patiently. "You may not admit it, but I can see as clear as day that you're weak right now. Rest and save your energy. We'll be needing you later. I won't have you getting yourself killed from pushing your limits." The last was spoken with a note of such fierce concern and command is surprised her. Ce'Nedra nodded.
"Yes, Daren."
Daren smiled slightly. "Thank you, Ce'Nedra." He grasped her hand tightly for a moment, seeming uncertain of what to do next. Finally he nodded and, motioning for a healer to tend her, he turned away to gather the others of their sect.
She found her voice just before he was out of earshot. "Daren,"
"Yes, m'Lady?"
"Thank you."