Advanced Level
The golden door creaked open before the seven-member group. "I don't wanna go!" Meeks whimpered and clutched Masoj's arm. Inside were five doors at the back of an enormous room, the middle door was open; the soft rustling of robes was the only sound to be heard. "It's them!" Meeks whispered loudly and pulled Masoj's sleeve roughly back; the mage frowned and pushed Meeks ahead, "They're probably only clerics." He offered in an attempt to make the warrior feel better, although he knew that no clerics were actually in the room ahead. Elyxya's tone had darkened somewhat from its original optimistic state, "Perhaps we should be protected before we go...sounds fair?" She looked at the crew's mages, "How about some paralysis-protection spells?" She asked, none too timidly. Pryzma, San-Raal and Masoj gathered around the crew morosely; they began to chant and raised their hands out to their sides to encircle the group with their web of magic. The mages found it difficult to concentrate knowing that illithids awaited them in the five chambers ahead -- and besides, they felt as though their minds were being tapped.
The spell completed, the entire group was protected from any paralyzing attacks; which was important, seeing as the illithids first offensive move was to paralyze their opponents. "What if we make ourselves invisible?" Will asked from beside Pryzma, desperate to get as much advantage over the mind-flayers as possible. Pryzma nudged he cleric and shook her head, "Nope. They're too smart...isn't that obvious by now, Will?" She asked rather irritably; the cleric rolled his eyes and then looked away. Meeks' loud voice sounded again, only to add to the party's nervousness, "They're listening!" She cried, her face panic-stricken and her dark eyes locked on the inside of the room ahead.
***
"They're here." Dran declared disdainfully and turned to face Sindel, "They're with Rain and the illithids; if they don't finish them off...then we'll have to fight. I am not sending any of my clerics into battle." His eyes showed concern and a tinge of fear. Sindel paced the length of Dran's personal chambers, "You're just one man and I'm just one woman -- how are we supposed to go against them after the leveled the rest of the temple?" She asked with a deep frown on her face; she looked over at Dran and noted a twinkle in the man's emerald eyes, "Right, it's just one man and one woman..." The cleric trailed off, seemingly thinking about something else altogether. Sindel walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders, "You really don't want Khelben to win this one, do you?" She asked and Dran glared at her, "I'm just as dumbfounded as you about how my ex-party could have made it this far, but I beg of you not to lose hope; there's got to be a secret weapon we haven't dished out...right?" The high-priestess piped, holding Dran's gaze firmly.
The High-Priest of Temple Darkmoon smirked suddenly, "But of course, my dear, there's always a secret weapon."
***
When the team finally decided to enter the fire-lit room, the four doors at the back that were closed opened up and illithids piled out. The illithids did not bother casting paralysis spells...they had indeed been listening. Each party member darted for one of the doors and began fighting the mind-flayers like reckless fools. Izzy had to be found! Meeks, who had run off into the battle on her own, bolted towards the middle of the five doors (the open one) and started to enter the room beyond. The slow-witted fighter gasped as a tall, golden-robed illithid stepped in her way, "Rain!" Meeks shouted at the creature, her knees growing weak. The illithid wiggled his fingers in delight, "So we meet again!" The creature's voice entered Meeks' mind.
Pryzma and nightshade were cast away from the doorway they had picked to ambush by six angry illithids, "Help us Lloth!" Pryzma called to her goddess as she drew her blade and readied herself for the attack she knew was coming. Nightshade's jaw dropped she summoned her magic, which she had only used once before during the whole adventure; the thief cast a lightning bolt spell that zapped past Pryzma's arm and hit head-on the group of six illithids. "Yes!" She cried as two of the creatures, not quick enough to move, crumbled to the ground a few feet away. Pryzma had already driven herself amongst the illithids and was thrashing madly with her sword; the creatures were unarmed.
All the way across the room, Masoj and Will squared off against another group of six mind-flayers. Unlike the others that Pryzma and Nightshade were fighting, these illithids made the first move; they simultaneously launched psychic blasts at their two assailants. Masoj and Will screamed in pain; the blast was enormous and horribly painful, it felt like claws were trying to tear their minds apart. When would the shock subside?!
Having a more plausible chance of winning, San-Raal and Elyxya met with a smaller group of armed mind-flayers. The creatures did not cry out when they charged ahead, whirling their slender sabers dextrously. "Run!" Elyxya screamed and grabbed San-Raal's sweaty hand, pulling him with her as she tore past the charging mind-flayers and into the room beyond. She had about two seconds before the illithids turned and met up with her, but she had the chance to look around the room; Izzy was there! The little thief sat on a chair and her head drooped onto her chest...the rescue mission had worked! Well...sorta, she corrected herself as she turned along with San-Raal and faced the angry group of illithids.
One of the creatures wrapped its arms around Pryzma and held her in a bear-hug; not an affectionate one, but a fatal one. "Pryzma!" Nightshade cried and burned to help her friend, but found herself unable to do so with three illithids circling her. The creature's grasp was amazingly strong, the drowess could hardly breathe! "I knew this was a trap!" Nightshade cried out to whomever care to hear.
Rain drew out a gleaming saber and held it out horizontally before Meeks; the warrior raised her halberd, "Call them all off! We are here to stop a great wrong!" She dared to yell, not realizing that Rain could hear her think. A tremendous energy wave coming from Rain swept over Meeks, but, even though her brain was wracked with agony, she gritted her teeth and swung her polearm -- and missed. Rain's watery voice talked to her once more, "What wrong do you speak of? This is a temple, Meeks." It stated matter-of-factly. Meeks didn't care for chit-chat; she jumped the mind-flayer and threw him to the ground. The two thrashed and wriggled away from one-another, always keeping a sword's length between them.
When the pain left, Will and Masoj were weak as kittens; their six opponents prepared for another blast. Without even thinking it through, the two turned tail and ran from the room, all the way back into the hallway outside -- and further still.
"Izzy!" Elyxya called but the thief did not answer. Ignoring the chasing illithids, Elyxya and San-Raal ran to the chair where the girl sat. "It's too late." San-Raal breathed, tipping Izzy's lifeless arm; he felt sick to his stomach. Elyxya screeched in frustration and realized that this whole rescue mission had been a trap orchestrated by the illithids, "No!" She protested and sneered. Bright flames erupted from San-Raal's fingertips and spiraled out at the armed mind-flayers; one was harmed and the others nimbly darted away. "This is hopeless!" San-Raal yelled at Elyxya's side, preparing for another spell, "There's too many and they're too strong!" His words sounded dark and apocalyptic to his beloved teammate.
Past Rain, Meeks could see Elyxya and San-Raal as well as more mind-flayers; she also saw a person in a chair...the person was Izzy, and she was dead. "Meeks!" A feminine voice shrieked and she recognized it as Elyxya's; she looked up from her wrestling match with Rain and her friend was running towards her with San-Raal close behind, "Turn and run!" The red-head pleaded. Meeks didn't care to argue, the last thing she wanted to do was remain in that room with all those brains on legs; she punched Rain in the side and pulled herself to her feet with the help of her weapon. Elyxya and San-Raal ran past Meeks, jumping over the fallen Rain, "Wait for me!!!" Meeks called and bolted along at their heels.
Nightshade's eyes bulged as she saw her teammates run the opposite direction. She began to panic and understood why they had fled; she looked over at her half-dying friend and, with a rush of adrenaline, charged forward through the mind-flayers that circled her and sliced open the arm of the one who hugged Pryzma. It shrieked silently and Pryzma crumbled into Nightshade's arms, "We're leaving!" She said to no one in particular then, forcing Pryzma to shape up, turned and fled from the room along with her slightly slower partner.
***
Will and Masoj, frightened out of their minds, had bolted into the hallway and had run down in the opposite direction as the team had initially come. They felt weak, their magic felt as though it had been lost, and their heads ached with the residual psychic blast. The ran until they reached a new staircase...one somewhat shorter than they had encountered before. They stopped before it and caught their breath, casting nervous looks over their shoulders.
"Damn!" Masoj cursed and clutched at his head, "We ran right into a trap!" He let the absurdity of the statement speak for itself. Beside him, sucking in deep breaths, was Will, "Everyone's still back there! We just deserted our team!" He said, coming to term with reality. Indeed they had, and now they felt awful for it; they didn't even know where they were anymore. Masoj frowned concernedly and looked around the room; it was huge and empty, "So...where the hell are we?" He asked grimly, genuinely happy to be away from the illithids. Will shook his head and opened his mouth to answer the wizard, but another voice cut him off.
"You are trespassing on my property." Dran Draggore said, his voice calm and controlled, even though his heart told him to grab the two fools and kill them on the spot. Will and Masoj whipped around to face the staircase, where Sindel and Dran stood quaintly. "You!!!" Will gasped and drew his longsword but did not advance on the high-priest, "You bastard!" He spat at the taller man. Masoj froze when he met Sindel's gaze; anger swelled up within him like an oil pit, Sindel was a traitor! And a wench! Dran's expression hardened, "I don't appreciate being insulted in my own home." He said seriously, glaring at Will with an air of contempt, "Where's the rest of you band of mercenaries? I'm sure there was more than just you and the mage." He asked with a raised eyebrow. Will regained his composure, but wavered when he stood straight, "They are not of your concern right now, Draggore. You have brought hell to my crew and you dare to put doubts in the minds of my friends concerning your role in this whole affair." He stated, his voice just as dead serious as Dran's had been a moment ago.
Dran was not impressed, "Than maybe your friends' are smarter than you, William." He retorted with an evil sneer, "Do you even realize what pain you've cost me? What damage you've brought to my temple? Or even what harm you've brought to my minions?" He asked, advancing on Will; the team's cleric drew his sword up and held it between him and Dran. "You are a fiend! You have killed innocent people! The Waterdeep loses sleep thinking of the atrocities that go on in this hole you call your temple!" Will dared to argue, finding it difficult to hold the high-priest's icy gaze without flinching. Near them, Sindel and Masoj continued to stare at one-another like statues. In a flash, Dran pulled a sword from beneath his flaming-red overcoat, "What have I told you about insulting me here!?" He cried, slapping Will's sword to the side and sending it flying across the room. He held the blade to Will's neck in his fury, "Who are you to decided who is the villain and who is the culprit in this affair? You obey the man who payed you and keep your mind shut out from all other ideas -- including the one that says you might have made a mistake!" He hissed at Will and narrowed his eyes, "You fight for the good of the people but...do you really know which side is which? Your behavior in the last week has not helped me to think you do!" He was so angry at the other cleric --and his team-- that he didn't even notice Sindel and Masoj lunging for each-other.
The mage and the high-priestess hit the floor in a heap and tried desperately to hurt one-another. Masoj grabbed handfuls of Sindel's golden hair and pulled, "I hate you!" He yelped childishly, the whole thing resembling a kid-fight. Sindel flailed with her fists and succeeded in landing a few punches, "You're an arrogant fool! And a mooch!" She fought on and scratched deep lines across Masoj's neck. The mage howled and grabbed Sindel's arms, then began slamming the woman's back against the carpeted floor. Sindel continued to claw and flail with her fists. They would have went on until one of the two had died, but they were stopped before things got worse.
"Stop this now!" Dran hollered and tore Masoj off of Sindel with his free hand; the slender drow gritted his teeth and tried to jump back at Sindel, but a sword point touched his nose. "Alright then." Masoj gulped, meeting Dran's infuriated gaze; the man did not look human when he was angry, Masoj concluded. Will did not come to Masoj's aid as Dran helped Sindel to her feet, he seemed to be thinking something over --something important. Sindel gave Masoj a cold look and mouthed a particularly insulting set of words to him; the mage tore out of Will's grip and jumped Sindel a second time. Unfortunately, this time, Dran was close to Sindel; the high-priest launched a punch at the wizard that knocked the drow cold out. Masoj dropped to the floor, unconscious.
Dran looked down at Masoj's unmoving form and congratulated himself; from what he had just seen, Sindel had been right about the mage's bad attitude. He shot a glare at Will and, all of his earlier anger returning, handed his sword to Sindel, "Here," He said evenly, "do what you've always wanted to do with the cleric.". Sindel grasped the sword and backhanded the blade across Will's stomach; the cleric didn't even try to fight, he just collapsed. Dran took the bloodied sword back from Sindel's trembling hand, the woman looked up at him inquisitively, "H-he didn't even fight me!" She breathed, turning her head to stare triumphantly down at Will's body. Dran sheathed the weapon, his emerald eyes aglimmer, "My words finally got through to his mind; he must have realized his mistake." He answered quietly, "How sad that it had to take this long." He added without conviction. He turned and climbed the stairs to his personal chambers, Sindel close behind as always, "The others are coming." He declared simply.
***
Rain and the illithids did not follow the team when they left the room. The crew ran in the only direction that they could: the opposite in which they came. They stopped when they reached a large room where two bodies lay on the ground. Their pace slowed and their stomachs tightened.
"Will and Masoj!" Pryzma cried, recognizing the two motionless figures; she darted into the room and the rest of the crew followed close behind. They ran up to the two bodies and Meeks began to panic, "Not again!" She whined as her eyes set upon Masoj; she was reminded of the time in the Test where the mage had been poisoned, she hoped nothing serious had happened this time. She knelt down by his side and she immediately felt his breathing; she hugged him right there but he did not come to, even after being shaken a few times. "He won't wake up." Meeks sniffed at the rest of her team that had gathered by Will's body.
"Neither will Will." Elyxya's dismal tone rang out, clear as a high-pitched bell. She had placed her hands on the cleric's large wound and her hands were now covered in warm blood. Meeks looked over to her side and inspected Will's corpse, "He's dead!" She cried in shock, wondering how this had happened and coming to the conclusion that at least she hadn't done it. "What are we gonna do?" Nightshade asked, panic-stricken to the extreme, "What happened?" She asked further more. The team looked over at Masoj and reveled in the fact that the little mage was still alive --unconscious, but still alive. "I don't know what happened, I really don't." San-Raal said, his voice meager and reserved, like it was when the group had first found him in the catacomb's dungeons. He looked up at the staircase to his side and his features hardened.
"I think we've come to the end of our mission, people." Elyxya declared and got up from the two unmoving forms of her fallen teammates. She looked up at the staircase and frowned, "This is it, boys and girls." She breathed determinedly and unsheathed her scimitar. The crew joined at her sides and followed her gaze; Dran and Sindel stood gravely at the top of the stairs.