Lut Gholein
Chapter 18
I heard the voices first. They were quiet, but I could sense the anger hidden in them. Two people, or perhaps more, were arguing, but trying to keep from awakening me. I tried to ignore the voices, to force them out of my head, but it was no use. So I slowly, carefully opened my eyes. While my vision was very blurry, it was enough to see Kiara standing near the door, facing another woman. She had long red hair, and a leather jerkin, possibly a blacksmith.
I still could not understand what they were saying, but Kiara was gesturing animatedly. It seemed as if she were trying to explain something, but the blacksmith just stood there, arms crossed, face as blank as the metal she worked. I attempted to raise my arm to get their attention, but my arm wouldn't budge. Looking down, I saw it had been secured to the bed, along with my other arm and both legs.
My voice rasped in my throat as I attempted to speak. The first try was unsuccessful. I didn't even hear it. "Wat. . . er. . ." That got their attention. Kiara rushed over to me. She began undoing the straps on the bed. When she finished, she helped me sit up, then held a glass to my lips.
After quenching my thirst, I asked, "What happened? I remember leaving the Rogue Encampment, but after that, it's blank. I don't remember anything."
"Twelve days ago," Kiara answered, "we were attacked by a large group of Saber Cats. Some of them were lobbing poison potions. Too many of the vials burst near you. You were heavily poisoned. We were only able to keep you alive but pouring health potions down your throat every hour. When we arrived in Lut Gholein, Mara, the blacksmith and healer, was able to help, with the aid of Drognan and Lysander."
"Was. . . was anyone else hurt?" I asked, interrupting her.
"Alanna and Blaise both caught javelins in their legs, but they recovered quickly. Riega got a smaller dose of the poison, and it wore off by the end of the day. You were the only one critically injured. I was afraid I lost you again. . ." Her eyes started welling up, and tears started to flow. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me.
"You heard what Tyrael said. You won't lose me that easily, my love."
We laid there, together, for the rest of the day, and through the night. When morning dawned, Ravina and Paige brought us some food, and described in their words what had happened since we left the Rogue Encampment. They also told us they had spoken to the townspeople, and one of them, Atma, an innkeeper had asked them to clear the town sewers and avenge her husband's death at the hands of Radamant, a Mummy King.
"Cain thinks we should wait until you are recovered before we go, but Alanna and Riega went down to scout the area. They got around most of the skeleton patrols on the first floor, but decided there were too many to face without our help."
"Give me a few hours. I'll be ready by noon."
"No, Xavier. Rest. Please. You need it," Kiara pleaded.
"Kiara, let me do this. I'm no savior of the world if I let a simple case of poisoning keep me in bed."
"You are no savior of the world if you have no strength. Stay in bed, one more day, please, my husband?" She turned her large, wet, doe eyes on me, and I felt my resistance falter. I looked up at Ravina and Paige, and saw them both trying to hide their smiles, but were failing miserably.
"Alright, alright, one day. That's it. No more. But tell Cain to come in here. I want to ask him about Radamant, and whatever else is around here."
Deckard Cain shuffled in a few minutes later, leaning hard on his staff. The old man looked as if he had been up for days, or just finished fighting a battle.
"Ah, Xavier! You are awake!" He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked me in the eyes. "All these women were afraid you wouldn't awake. I have to admit, it was close. Even Fara, the town blacksmith and a fairly good healer, was having a hard time flushing the poison. Between us we were able to do it though."
"Wait a minute, did you attempt to contact Tyrael? He was able to do it last time," I said.
"I tried, yes," Cain said. "But he was nowhere to be found. I learned a few days ago he had been tracking the Dark Wanderer through here. I'm afraid he got caught and is being held prisoner." His hand resting on my chest was enough to keep me from getting up. "There is nothing you can do in your condition to help him. I believe you were told to wait. Do so. You can start tomorrow."
In my weakened condition I couldn't fight him. "If that's how it's going to be. Alanna, Riega, give me a rundown of what you encountered in the sewers."
"Mostly things we've seen before - skeletons, both swordsmen and archers, and zombies. But there are some other creatures - tall ones, with four arms, and each arm holds a sword. Atma said that's what Radamant is. Some of those four-armed ones are like the shaman we saw in Khanduras, with the ability to raise the dead. They die quickly, though, if you can get around their arms, or use a bow."
"Very well." I looked out the window, trying to guess the time. "It looks like it's about time for lunch. What do they have to eat in this desert?"
"With the opening of the caravan route, the supplies have gotten better. Do you want beef, pork, or chicken?"
"Beef, lots of it, and cheese, bread, and fruit if you can get it."
"Coming right up." Alanna and Riega stepped out of the door, giving whispered instructions to Blaise and Amplisa. I heard their hurried footsteps rush away.
"Now, what else do we know about this place? I take it the city is well defended, but what about the surrounding desert?"
"It's covered in sand. It's hot. There are monsters out there. Tombs and rocks dot the landscape. What else do you want to know?" A man stepped through the door, carrying a club and a shield. "The name's Luc, Luc d'Olborne." He stuck his hand out, which I took, cautiously.
"A druid, in Lut Gholein? Tell me how you came to be here, Luc."
I heard the voices first. They were quiet, but I could sense the anger hidden in them. Two people, or perhaps more, were arguing, but trying to keep from awakening me. I tried to ignore the voices, to force them out of my head, but it was no use. So I slowly, carefully opened my eyes. While my vision was very blurry, it was enough to see Kiara standing near the door, facing another woman. She had long red hair, and a leather jerkin, possibly a blacksmith.
I still could not understand what they were saying, but Kiara was gesturing animatedly. It seemed as if she were trying to explain something, but the blacksmith just stood there, arms crossed, face as blank as the metal she worked. I attempted to raise my arm to get their attention, but my arm wouldn't budge. Looking down, I saw it had been secured to the bed, along with my other arm and both legs.
My voice rasped in my throat as I attempted to speak. The first try was unsuccessful. I didn't even hear it. "Wat. . . er. . ." That got their attention. Kiara rushed over to me. She began undoing the straps on the bed. When she finished, she helped me sit up, then held a glass to my lips.
After quenching my thirst, I asked, "What happened? I remember leaving the Rogue Encampment, but after that, it's blank. I don't remember anything."
"Twelve days ago," Kiara answered, "we were attacked by a large group of Saber Cats. Some of them were lobbing poison potions. Too many of the vials burst near you. You were heavily poisoned. We were only able to keep you alive but pouring health potions down your throat every hour. When we arrived in Lut Gholein, Mara, the blacksmith and healer, was able to help, with the aid of Drognan and Lysander."
"Was. . . was anyone else hurt?" I asked, interrupting her.
"Alanna and Blaise both caught javelins in their legs, but they recovered quickly. Riega got a smaller dose of the poison, and it wore off by the end of the day. You were the only one critically injured. I was afraid I lost you again. . ." Her eyes started welling up, and tears started to flow. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me.
"You heard what Tyrael said. You won't lose me that easily, my love."
We laid there, together, for the rest of the day, and through the night. When morning dawned, Ravina and Paige brought us some food, and described in their words what had happened since we left the Rogue Encampment. They also told us they had spoken to the townspeople, and one of them, Atma, an innkeeper had asked them to clear the town sewers and avenge her husband's death at the hands of Radamant, a Mummy King.
"Cain thinks we should wait until you are recovered before we go, but Alanna and Riega went down to scout the area. They got around most of the skeleton patrols on the first floor, but decided there were too many to face without our help."
"Give me a few hours. I'll be ready by noon."
"No, Xavier. Rest. Please. You need it," Kiara pleaded.
"Kiara, let me do this. I'm no savior of the world if I let a simple case of poisoning keep me in bed."
"You are no savior of the world if you have no strength. Stay in bed, one more day, please, my husband?" She turned her large, wet, doe eyes on me, and I felt my resistance falter. I looked up at Ravina and Paige, and saw them both trying to hide their smiles, but were failing miserably.
"Alright, alright, one day. That's it. No more. But tell Cain to come in here. I want to ask him about Radamant, and whatever else is around here."
Deckard Cain shuffled in a few minutes later, leaning hard on his staff. The old man looked as if he had been up for days, or just finished fighting a battle.
"Ah, Xavier! You are awake!" He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked me in the eyes. "All these women were afraid you wouldn't awake. I have to admit, it was close. Even Fara, the town blacksmith and a fairly good healer, was having a hard time flushing the poison. Between us we were able to do it though."
"Wait a minute, did you attempt to contact Tyrael? He was able to do it last time," I said.
"I tried, yes," Cain said. "But he was nowhere to be found. I learned a few days ago he had been tracking the Dark Wanderer through here. I'm afraid he got caught and is being held prisoner." His hand resting on my chest was enough to keep me from getting up. "There is nothing you can do in your condition to help him. I believe you were told to wait. Do so. You can start tomorrow."
In my weakened condition I couldn't fight him. "If that's how it's going to be. Alanna, Riega, give me a rundown of what you encountered in the sewers."
"Mostly things we've seen before - skeletons, both swordsmen and archers, and zombies. But there are some other creatures - tall ones, with four arms, and each arm holds a sword. Atma said that's what Radamant is. Some of those four-armed ones are like the shaman we saw in Khanduras, with the ability to raise the dead. They die quickly, though, if you can get around their arms, or use a bow."
"Very well." I looked out the window, trying to guess the time. "It looks like it's about time for lunch. What do they have to eat in this desert?"
"With the opening of the caravan route, the supplies have gotten better. Do you want beef, pork, or chicken?"
"Beef, lots of it, and cheese, bread, and fruit if you can get it."
"Coming right up." Alanna and Riega stepped out of the door, giving whispered instructions to Blaise and Amplisa. I heard their hurried footsteps rush away.
"Now, what else do we know about this place? I take it the city is well defended, but what about the surrounding desert?"
"It's covered in sand. It's hot. There are monsters out there. Tombs and rocks dot the landscape. What else do you want to know?" A man stepped through the door, carrying a club and a shield. "The name's Luc, Luc d'Olborne." He stuck his hand out, which I took, cautiously.
"A druid, in Lut Gholein? Tell me how you came to be here, Luc."