Swooping about the room while Kliza made what she could of the book,revealed two passages,one which was clearly a hidden door,in the floor,that Marty simple flicked open,and the other a carvitured arch with a sliding wall.With each possibility opened,they were wanting to move on,and Kliza closed the book and placed it in her pack,-the group waited for the translational statement next to the floor stairs.
"there's some more crazy fluming,but I really don't think any of it will help us,the idea of a final room,however was mentioned again,and so I don't doubt that that may be our final battle"Kliza
"final and triumphant-silly of me to say,but if the numbers aren't in our favor we know Marty can portal us back to the village,-isn't that right"Taiken stated,while they each imposed a look of no confidence at the theif.
"sure as can be we have a way through a no win furry-so let's not be timid,and get in there and kick some Zintrin slavor ass"Marty spoke not wanting to gather their reactions and began the steps.
Chink!chink!ch-chink!The sounds were getting louder as they found a slightly ajar door,and were set to attack,upon what was hidden within.A standard room,no features-lay forth the image of a Golem-chained to the wall,in wrist and ankle shackles,it stood 7 ft tall,and had brutted limbs,and leathur armour with ziz-zag patterns on it as though the markings of a strange religion.This was an undead harrowing as well,however,and they didn't know if caution should play the better part of valour,and simple a jumping wild attack could make away with the creature-but Marty was interested,and he held his arm so they could'nt get through-while finding a statement to be shed.
"hail….servant of Zintrin-we are here to send you with peace to heaven!"Marty said,looking to the friends,and Morigin shook in discouragement.
"argrhr-rghrgr-the world is unsafe-those still of the living….i am not what you think….a friend….tell me what year is it?"it spoke with a calm intelligent refinement in common,much to the bewilderment of the party.
"it's 260 –the change of seasons to summer beginning,why are you a prisoner?"Marty continued to lead the repose with the strangely golem.
"ahhh…..dear gods,and angels that seek the casts of purity in good deeds,how can I be a prisoner-that is a true question,I fear that whence the first days of dibandonement of this temple saw fighting,as Zintrin layde her claim,I and my band of clerics-though I am a Zelihinder monk,battled to prevent this-and scores of the undead you may have seen were the result of our very war at this place-working together we created great prayer and invocation to heavens sweetness,and cast the enemies to an-unmaterial plane-but they were wicked and too cold for this-and unwillingly we discovered they returned to fight once more-only as undead servants-I should have guessed-Zintrin and her minnions-they were not to be dispelled-but for the creating of a new more vicious army!One that we lost to-one that I must have vengance upon,and must send away this time to any aftrelife-only if can be for the merit of eternal rest!"The golem was certainly painting an impression that was unclear if his motives were in fact questionable-being an udead sort-and prisoner and all.
"I see,then you are not held by evils from this unwhlly form-we could certainly use an extra friend-but we must be sure you're not lieying"Marty answered as they stood next to it now,and Kliza searched the room and canidtae with hyer crown looking for life's other forms.
"no,there is no room for lies,good young friends,my journey in death has been tortous,and all I can do is seek my enemies,these undead that I feal you have met,and then I will be able to-well perhaps even return to life-you see elf(to Kliza)there are no demonites controlling me"
"so what's you're name-zombie and a half with the monk chip on you're shoulder"Morigin asked.
"I am Zenthor,divinator prime of the Zelihinder monks,and speak only truth"Zenthor responded a cracking in it's voice.
"well,I say we take this advocate to our quest from this prison and continue-any problems with that-Kliza?"Marty took the tools,and began to undue a wrist clasp.
"no,there's nothing here,but what weapon will you fight with Zenthor-cetrainly you need a sword,but monks aren't allowed that type of combat are they?"Kliza further spoke with little remorse for the plan.
"ahhh(arms free,it snapped the ankle binders with brute strength)-I have a weapon,one that I will call to now-"it stepped to the side and uttering a few words a staff with daggers on iether end appeared into his hands,and moving about with a show of talent Zenthor spun and feined with fluidity a few times.
"ok,let's get some potion for this fighter and we can be off"Taiken suggested,and they explained what it was,and it knew to be carefull and not let it meet with it's own blood,and they made their way,Zenthor taking the last spot.
As they traveled onward the area soon began to dilapidate untill they were walking the musty earth itself,a certain hall form lead finally to an opening.The confines of all that surrounded this place were always changing,and for some reason natural areas were intertwined with halls of qaurry stone,and what thoughts they had about this were focused on the likelyness that Zintrin had burrowed chambers and halls to make easier passage for those she called from the Abyss or to hide the devestations wreaked,or uncalmly sight of her underlings.The encounters with the ferryman and shreikers was probably just the first of supportive attacks that held the ground messes,that held no sign of the temple in and of itself.
"did you hear that-scuttling-small creatures!"Morigin called out,and they all took their weapons,as making further into the 150 ft cavern,they viewed scores of worms a foot in length with maggot like sculpting,scittering about,almost as if burning from the inside.
"what strange worms are these,they're going crazy-aha aahhh!"Marty took to mentioning the strange speedy movement,when suddenly 3 rasped fom the ground and using a body push flew into the air and towards him,he swiped them away in a block startled,and Kliza laughed,and Zenthor smiled,-surely these pesks were little more than a blite of hapless mindless simple worms.
They kept moving,Morigin and Taiken each landing their foot in a planted stomp on the same one,which squished and let it's vile innards scuff from the pressure broken skin,as they smiled to eachother-and again Kliza found the issue worthy of a snippet of luaghs.But it was not so humorous when they found a 7 ft 3 ft diamter,worm was awaiting tham at the cavern brim,this one with eyes,that bore through to them in a way of vicious intent,and a slew of sharp teeth,that were exposed as it hissed and made a warning.
"I don't suppose you spent some time studying grave rot and worm infestation while you were –unborne Zenthor"Taiken asked,as they took battle stances,and felt sure to be able to slash it easily with each at the go if it should jump forward as the little maggots did.
"no,but I can tell you we are not alone-there-"his words were cut off,as the beast screamed and swilled towards them,Kliza and Marty slashed it,though it was moving in a non-combative way,and as it breached towards the ground it ripped a hole and wallowed into the erath,disapearing.
The ground shook,and the confused trail to the adventurers mind was unsure of what was happening.The worm couldn't be making the quake,they looked about in lingering wariness to strike out quickly while they had the advantage,but were soon taken aback as from the side a super-giant worm broke into the space.This one was like the other-and cared not if it smashed down the maggots beneath it as it lashed into the group-sending them flying,or tumbling across the ground.Tribulets of electricity that held a ferral molton like qaulity skirted from the viens visible on it's surface hide,like straining muscles of an elder musclar fighter,only the strength and liviliness of this foe were none-to be shunted as a frail aged whim.The teeth setting themslves about the entirety of the mouth were easily quite dangerous and a vicious weapon,and Kliza rolled away as she looked into the maw lurching in to end her life,-and quickly the others gathered next to her-and held their swords forward thinking that it may not be able to smash them again if their weapon truss could send it a message with a puncturing stay.
"there are images about it-I can see strange eyes,…eyes of those who were killed at this temple-it consumed them-and now wants to do the-"there was no more chance to consider what to do for it was too late.The beast had reared into the air,and swalled the entire party into it's stomache.
They yelled in anger and confusion,and Morigin and Marty still with torches tried burining it,while they each made terrible sword wounds,sending the muck of it's mulchi-consistant blood,splatter about them.They began to be tossed about losing grip on their weapons as the fierce worm started to centipede about,the wave of flesh inside turned from pinky muck to starkened white-pink as the mounds moved to and fro curling it's body in the centrapodal walking.
"I have a spell that can explode,when we are gathered-hold your weapons and unleash them when I say to-"Zenthor said this as stumbling into Marty who desperatly tried to grasp his slipping sword at arms reach,just sent skittering from the last 'body wave'.
They timed a skittering to leave them with a space inbetween the mounds of flesh that didn't seem to be stopping the on the move antics of the evil worm.And Slapping into one another they were close enough for the spell-Zenthor holding his arms as he had to summon his weapon,said a few words,then magical tendrils-pain incieved summons-through a talent of monk arcance power,sent him to his knees,as he strained to continue the invocation.The others were afraid to touch him,and another mound of stomache curling was about to cause problems-and as Mif pushed himself from the side a buble was cast about them and Zenthor gave the signal.Sending their weapons through the magi-bind made it scour with proto-energy that instantly created what was a solid material construct rather than the porous see through containment before-and this in turn instantly after-exploded after buffiing to nearly twice it's original diameter.Outside the worm knew there was aproblem when it's belly that stung from the toothpick injuries before-now was bloated beyond the stretching leverage of it's injestion food hold standard,and suddenly as it tried to even bite it's own flesh at the place the orb of magic was setting to explode-….Bam!the flaps of skin slew open,and across the ground like the ramp to a skiff,and it's face detiorated in friction from metal of the spell,body innards and an unseen magic bond that had created the glorious obliterating attack.
The group unsettled,yet twice that some in gratefulness,looked at the monk,who was pleased with the work done,and they felt the emulation offset of treatchery and a peculiar glee at the way they had won this derailing fight.The expression less remainder of its face,was a putrid reminder of how close this lamely defended party was to being killed by one bite from a huge unruley enemy,and Morigin in distaste,took a two-handed swipe,and made a gash of 4 inches and ripped out several teeth,to further admonish the creature-if truelly it was an undead minnion it may be that it was atuned to the sentiment in it's afterlife dimension.
"great-that was a very strong spell-monk friend,one that I don't doubt requires a lot of energy,and we may not see it for awhile-soo….let's every one settle and cheer and not let great worms leer-for dead as they'll be to find us inside the sport of hunting for thsese beast we must not confide-"Mif hailed the crew,alive and greatfull for it,with the typical words of song-and soon they were off from that place-with no other option than to treck through the tunnel afforded by the overgrown maggot itself.