Disclaimer: Since its development in 1983, the animated series Dungeons and Dragons has belonged to the following at some point: Marvel Productions, TSR, Inc., Wizards of the Coast, Saban Entertainment, (according to rumor) Disney, and possibly even others. I guess my point is, it does not (nor has it ever) belonged to me. Oh, well! This story, however, does! I hope you enjoy it!
Rating: PG-13 for some language and violent elements
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LEGACY
Chapter 5 -- A Long Day's Journey into Night *
"Can we stop?"
Bobby turned to face John who was dragging up the rear. He then looked to the four suns above. "Yeah," he said, "We can stop for a little rest."
"Where exactly are we going, Bobby" Toby asked as the five settled into the nearest patch of shade that they could find in the surrounding Dustlands.
"Well," Bobby began, "If what Veng--, uh, -- Dungeon Master says is true, then these three beings have already overtaken a big part of the Realm."
"He said we have to reach the 'fortress of strength,' and that there we might find allies to aid us in our quest," Varla added as she slid off Uni's back. The unicorn then settled herself beside Bobby and he began to stroke her mane affectionately just like he used to. Ayesha joined him.
"How do we know where this 'fortress of strength' is?" John asked, tugging once again at his tabard.
"The strongest fortress I know of in this world is Tardos Keep," Bobby replied. "It was one of the places that Venger wasn't able to get into. If he couldn't do it, then maybe these three new 'Vengers' can't either. I figure it's as good a place to start as any. It shouldn't be much farther . . . just past the Dustlands."
He glanced over at Ayesha who was looking at him in wonder. Even though she was hearing it with her own ears, she couldn't believe how much her uncle knew about this world. He spoke as though he had lived here for years. What she found even more hard to believe, was that he never told anyone about it. And her mom and dad --
"I still can't believe that our parents spent time here," Varla said aloud as though she was reading Ayesha's mind. Then again, maybe she was. "This is like some kind of weird dream."
"I wish I could tell you that it was," Bobby sighed. "What I can tell you is that you four at least have families that will believe you and can understand what you went through when we get back."
"You mean if we get back," John grumbled.
Bobby locked eyes with the boy. "I said when, and I meant when." He paused, trying to reassure John with his eyes before continuing. "We all had a hard time when we returned home. We couldn't tell anyone because we knew they wouldn't believe us. Especially since no time had passed in our world . . . even though it felt like many months here -- A year -- Maybe even two. Or more. Anyway, all we had was each other." He smiled encouragingly. "You'll have it a lot better off than that!"
"My Aunt Di told me about this place. I thought they were just really creative bedtime stories, though," Toby admitted. "When I was about five or six years old she would tell me stories about six adventurers on a journey to find their way home."
Bobby smiled knowingly. He had told the same stories to Ayesha when she was little, too; when Hank and Sheila would bring her for a visit. He remembered laughing when she would inform him that her daddy had told her "that one" already. At the time, the girl probably thought that Bobby and her parents read from the same storybook.
"I remember several stories with a five-headed dragon," Toby said, "And one about a knight changed into a skeleton as punishment for a great betrayal."
Ayesha nodded. "The Child of the Stargazer, the young Illusionist, the girl who could dream the future . . . ." She looked at Bobby, who was still stroking Uni. ". . . And a baby unicorn with a fiery orange mane!"
"There was always a guy with one horn and batwings that tried to stop them . . . ," John continued, as though adding to a growing list with which they were all familiar.
Varla swallowed hard. "A-And they had a guide who gave them magical weapons to help them on their quest. A magic hat, a shield . . . ."
". . . A cloak of invisibility and a magic javelin . . . ." Toby breathed.
" . . . A bow that shot flaming arrows . . . ." John said.
". . . And a club . . . ." Ayesha could barely breathe as her eyes remained fixed on her Uncle Bobby's weapon. She slowly brought them up to meet the wide-eyed gazes of the others. They had all heard the same stories. Each Young One turned their head to face Bobby again.
The young man held up his hands with a lopsided grin. "What can I say?" he sighed, "Truth is way stranger than fiction!"
The next few hours passed rather quickly as the five had gotten into a whirlwind discussion about whose parent did what while in the Realm. Bobby found himself answering all kinds of questions, and actually enjoying it. He chatted excitedly about the time spent in this world -- something that he had never been able to do before -- and, as he had become the resident expert, the kids listened intently to everything he had to say.
"Yeah," he said retrospectively, "Diana was amazing. She didn't even bat an eye. She went charging into that column of light in the temple, destroyed the demon, and saved the entire city of Turad."
"Wow," Toby said, impressed.
"But she had to switch places with the man she loved and he was forced to leave her forever," Ayesha said, remembering the story. "I think that's the saddest thing I ever heard."
"We all left a little piece of ourselves here in the Realm," Bobby explained. "But, you know, you grow from experiences like that. Granted, it's not your typical coming-of-age, but . . . ." He paused thoughtfully. "I'm sure Diana wouldn't mind if you asked her about it when we get home. I think all of them would probably enjoy finally being able to talk about it."
"So, what little piece of yourself did you leave here, Uncle Bobby?" Ayesha coaxed, "If you don't mind me asking. Was it the dreamer girl? Was that you?"
"That was me," Bobby admitted with a smile. "But I didn't lose her. I found her again."
"Really?" Ayesha gushed, "Where?"
Bobby smirked at her. "Home," he said. "Don't you remember the story? The Dreamer was from our world."
Ayesha giggled excitedly. "Is it Teri, Uncle Bobby? Oooh, that is so romantic!"
"Give me a break!" John groaned from astride Uni, where both he and Varla were now stationed.
Bobby nodded as he turned back to his niece. "Actually," he said, "I left my best friend here in the Realm." He stroked the unicorn's mane as they walked. "I never thought I would see her again." He looked lovingly at Uni and she nuzzled into him again.
"Looks like she's glad to see you again, too," Toby said as he patted the unicorn as well.
"Bobby?" Varla asked, "Dungeon Master mentioned something before about my 'Illusionist namesake.' What did he mean by that?"
"Well," Bobby replied, turning to her as he walked, "Your dad helped to save a young illusionist here years ago. She had been a prisoner of Venger and she and Presto shared a special kind of bond. Anyway, her name was Varla, too."
"Really?" the Mystic said with a smile.
"You said Varla's father was the magician, right?" Toby asked. "So, was he the one who got to control the Dungeon Master's power for a day? That would have been awesome!"
"It was pretty awesome," Bobby agreed, "But it wasn't Presto who did it." He turned to John. "That was Eric."
The young Squire looked amazed. "My dad?" he said, "Really? Was he any good?"
Bobby smiled. "He was great at it, kid," he confirmed. "He confronted Venger one-on-one . . . and he saved our lives."
"Whoa," John breathed with a kind of quiet pride. He patted Uni's neck and sat taller upon her back.
"And your folks," Bobby said to Ayesha, "Sheila always knew the right thing to do and she took care of us all. And Hank . . . well, Hank was the best leader we could have ever hoped for. He was the one who got us home; he was smart and could think things through. And he wasn't afraid of anything."
"Hey, wasn't there a time when all of you had to face your biggest fears?" Ayesha asked. "In some tower or something?"
"Yeah, but Hank was the one who got us out of that," Bobby answered. "He always was the best at conquering his fears."
"So what's your biggest fear, Conan the Barbarian?" John asked jokingly.
Bobby shot a sideways smile at the boy. "It's certainly not the same thing now as it was back then," he said. But that was all he said.
"Mine's spiders," Ayesha offered, "I hate them!"
"Then we'd better watch," Bobby laughed, "`Cause they grow them pretty big here! Snails, too!"
"Forget spiders," John interjected, "What about being seen in these Renaissance Fair rejects? Especially the Purple Avenger over here!"
"Listen, Squire," Toby jeered, twisting the boy's new title, "For the last time, these clothes are indigo, not purple." He walked a few more steps before casting a sideways look back up at the younger boy. "So then, what's your biggest fear, Master Montgomery?" the Fighter scoffed, "Running out of cash? Or running out of people to boss around?"
"I'm living it!" John grumbled. "I've always been afraid that some seven-foot-tall wacko would dress me up in weird clothes and force me to march around a stupid wasteland looking for the ultimate evil!"
Varla wrapped her arms tighter around John to hold on as Uni eased down a rocky slope. "He's afraid of his father leaving him like his mother did," she said as though in a trance.
John stiffened, horrified. He looked down, to where Varla's hands were wrapped around his torso, and saw her magic wand glowing. He wriggled to get free of her grasp as he spun around to face her. "Get the heck out of my head!" he wailed. "You were freaky back home, but never this freaky!"
"I'm sorry," the Mystic said sheepishly. "I-I just don't seem to be able to help it now that I have this wand. That, and the fact that I was touching you at the time . . . I mean, I guess I just read your thoughts. Sorry."
John's cheeks reddened with embarrassment as he turned back around. Although the others did their best to ignore what had just happened, the fact that the conversation had suddenly turned so serious left an awkward silence in the air. Varla tried to break it. "If it will make you feel better," she offered, "I'll tell you mine. I'm totally afraid of--"
Varla's words were cut off by a sudden battle cry from above their heads. The Young Ones looked up as several pig-like creatures slid down the rocks surrounding them. "Eww! What are they, Uncle Bobby?" Ayesha cried frantically as the creatures closed in around them.
Toby stared at the snarling brutes with nervous disgust. "They look like Jabba the Hutt's guards!"
"Orcs!" Bobby yelled back, raising his club, "Everybody scatter!" The Barbarian brought his weapon down hard onto the ground with his familiar wordless cry, toppling many of the Orcs and sending the children staggering clumsily away as well.
Uni reared up as an enormous Orc soldier lunged for her, and Varla slid from the unicorn's back. John managed to hang on, thankful for the brief period of riding lessons he had taken about a year ago. The Mystic stumbled to her feet and gasped as one of the creatures made a grab for her. She squeezed her eyes shut and held up her wand as though it could save her life.
It did. Triggered by her desperate trust in it, the wand had managed to freeze the Orc in a running position. Varla looked at the stick in disbelief and tried again -- on the Orc advancing upon Toby. This time the wand remained dormant. "What's wrong with this thing!" she cried as she shook it.
The Fighter managed on his own, however. As the Orc took a swipe at him with its spear, Toby deftly sidestepped the attack with as much skilled grace as Diana had always shown, gripped the whip at his side and used it to pry the spear from his attacker's hands. The astounded Orc, seeing that his victim now had two weapons to his none, did the only thing that a self-respecting Orc could do. He turned and fled. As the Orc neared the drop of a rocky hill, Toby released his whip again, yanking one of the Orc's legs out from under him and sending him tumbling over the slope and out of sight.
Ayesha backed away from the Orc that was approaching her and drew her hilt from its spot at her waist. The minute both hands gripped it, the golden blade blazed forth from its center once again. "Stay away from me, bacon breath! I'm warning you!" she cried. When the Orc failed to heed her, she took a swipe at him with the sword. The blade, to Ayesha's surprise, shrank a bit as it neared the Orc's body, only grazing his uniform. The Paladin thought about how she hadn't wanted to hurt the Orc, only drive him back. The shorter blade enabled her to do just that. It listens to me! she thought.
As the creature leapt away from the tip of the sword and glanced down at his singed uniform, Ayesha took aim at him again. She mentally commanded the blade to fire the same type of bolt that had destroyed the rock back in the canyon. But this time, as it neared the Orc, it separated into two manacles which caught the creature's wrists and pinned him to a tree. Ayesha smiled at her success.
John had slid off Uni's back as most of the Orcs retreated. Bobby was driving a number of them away with another earthquake caused by his club. "And he says he was even younger than me when he was given that thing!" the Squire grumbled. "How come I only have a--" His words stopped as he noticed an Orc taking aim at Varla with a crossbow. The girl hadn't seen him as she was still struggling to get her wand to work again.
John ran toward the Mystic. "Varla!" he cried, "Look out!" He reached her side as the Orc's arrow was released. The power of the Squire's medallion surrounded both of them like a hazy bell as the arrow struck the side. The sound it made as it hit resonated in John's ears and he made eye contact with the cloudy outline of the Orc through the shield generated by his amulet. He looked up to see Toby take a strike at the creature with his whip, driving it away.
John then turned to Varla, a triumphant smile upon his face. But the Mystic was no longer beside him. He looked down at his feet only to see her crumpled into a ball there. For a moment, the boy's heart jumped into his throat as he thought that she may have been hit after all. He actually hadn't known whether or not the protective force of his medallion could shield more than one person, he had just instinctively tried to do it.
John crouched down beside his friend and tentatively touched her shoulder as the others came running over. "V-Varla? You okay? Say something!"
The girl whimpered slightly and curled herself tighter into the fetal position. "Shut it off, shut it off, shut it off . . . ." She repeated quietly over and over.
John shook her shoulder again. "What do you mean . . . ?"
"SHUT IT OFF, PLEASE!" Varla screamed at the top of her lungs. John suddenly realized that she was talking about the force field.
"It's off, Varla," he assured her. "It turned off after Toby chased that pig thing away."
The Mystic's tear-stained face emerged from where she had buried it beneath her arms and she gazed up at the others around her. Her breathing was shaky and erratic. "Thank you," she muttered weakly as she stumbled to get up. Ayesha helped her.
"What happened?" the Paladin asked.
"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Varla said in reply. She walked over to Uni, as stroking the unicorn seemed to give her comfort. "Let's keep moving."
They traveled in silence for a long time, until Bobby dropped back to walk beside Varla. "You're claustrophobic," he guessed. "That was the big fear you were going to tell us about."
Varla shrugged. "When I was little, my dad used to lock me in this little closet under the stairs. It was only a crawlspace for storing stuff. Sometimes I would stay in there for hours before he would come back. Once it was for a whole day. That's how I became a ward of the state. A neighbor heard me crying for hours and called the police. Child Services came and took me away that night."
"I'm sorry," Bobby muttered. It was all he could think to say. Both he and Sheila had had such a loving family life. Even Eric, who was eternally complaining about his father, had never had it that bad.
Varla forced a smile. "Don't be sorry," she said. "It turned out for the best. Coming to live with Presto and Maggie was the best thing that could have happened to me."
Bobby smiled back and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. She didn't talk like a thirteen-year-old kid. But, he supposed, having to live like that forces somebody to grow up pretty quickly. Bobby knew how that felt. Although the circumstances surrounding his instant maturity were somewhat different, to say the least.
"It's weird really," Varla continued, "I was more shaken up being cooped inside that shield with John than I was fighting the Orcs!"
"Are you sure it wasn't the company?" Toby said lightheartedly. Varla laughed, and this succeeded at easing the tension that had been hanging over the group for the last hour or so.
John, however, wasn't amused. "Yeah, yeah! Very funny! Listen, Fancy-Pants, just remember I saved her--"
Bobby clamped his hand over the boy's mouth and ducked behind a rock. The others followed suit. He released it when he was sure John wouldn't make a noise, and pointed toward the valley below. There, the five Young Ones saw an enormous stone monolith rising high off the canyon's floor. It was a towering structure, looking as solid and impenetrable as it did ancient. The bolted doors in the front were made of the heaviest-looking wood that any of them had ever seen.
What caught the eye of the youngsters the most was not the imposing edifice that Bobby pointed out as Tardos Keep, but the vast encampment of soldiers stationed outside the city walls. The Young Ones fell into a nervous silence as they watched hundreds of the Orcs, the same type of creatures that they had battled earlier, marching about beneath the stone steps of Tardos.
Bobby scrutinized the scene below them; almost the same scene that had played out the last time he had been here. He exhaled thoughtfully. "Déjà vu!"
* * *
Venger had apologized for the unceremonious way in which he bestowed their Realm clothing. Unlike Bobby and the kids, upon arriving, Hank and the others had been instantly dressed in their former attire, just like the last time, and their weapons followed in short order. As time was of the essence, it seemed best.
Teri was the only one who didn't receive a Weapon of Power. "You carry your greatest asset with you, Dreamer," Venger had told her. "Keep your heart open. It will provide aid when you need it the most."
It wasn't long before the Young Ones were on their way again; trudging through the Realm. The feeling was so familiar, even after all this time.
"So, where are we going, anyway?" Eric asked as he handled the golden griffin-faced shield on his left arm, adjusting and readjusting as though it was more of an ornamentation than a weapon.
"Venger said we have to return to the 'fortress of strength,'" Hank answered. "If, like he said, we're meeting an ally there, I'm guessing that's were we'll join up with the others."
"Expect to encounter aid -- most unexpectedly; at an unforeseen time, in a strange place," Presto intoned, more to himself. "You know the old DM gave him lessons in not making sense!"
"Are you sure he meant Tardos, Hank?" Sheila asked as she walked alongside the Ranger. "He was pretty vague. We've been in so many strong fortresses in this world."
"I'm hoping that it is," Hank replied. "It's where I would want Ayesha to be. It's the safest, most impenetrable place in this Realm." As he spoke, Hank took the opportunity to try his bow. He gripped the familiar handle and sought the bowstring with his right hand, allowing the golden arrow to blaze forth before releasing it up into the sky. It exploded in a burst of light.
Sheila approached her husband and took his arm. She smiled gently at him. "He could have seen it," she said knowingly. Hank glanced at her before returning his gaze to the sky, where the residual magic illumination of his arrow was twinkling back down to the earth like the remains of fireworks.
"Bobby's probably got a good day's lead on us," Hank said. "But if he did see the arrow somehow, maybe he'll know that we're here and sit tight to wait for us." Hank lowered the bow to his side once more. "I'll fire another in a little while."
"Just don't attract any unwanted attention, Hank," Eric warned. "At least not until we've all gotten to try these out." He held up his shield. "Do you think we can still use them the way we used to?"
"C'mon, Cavalier!" Eric looked up to see Diana vaulting from an area behind him, gripping a low-hanging branch of a nearby tree, and landing in a perfect flip beside Presto. "It's like riding a bike. You never forget!"
"Speak for yourself," Presto said. "We're not all old pros like you are, Diana. Looks like you've stayed in training. We may have gotten a little rusty."
"I wouldn't worry if I were you," Eric said to him. "It's hard to get rusty at something that was all screwy to begin with!"
"Hocus pocus, alaca-nap! We could all go for something to shut Eric's yap!" Presto whispered these words to his hat without hesitation, smirking triumphantly as a strip of duck tape flew out of the conical hat and slapped itself across Eric's mouth.
"YEOW!" Eric wailed as he tore it off. He rubbed his now-tender upper lip. "I didn't need that layer of skin or anything! Jeez, Presto, tell me the truth! You've been secretly writing new material hoping that we would make it back here some day! Fine! I take it back!"
"Sorry," Presto placated, although his smirk remained, "It wasn't what I had in mind. But I admit, it's kinda neat to be back in the real magic business again! After settling for simple slight-of-hand for so many years, I forgot how much I liked casting real spells . . . even if they didn't always work right."
"Always? Try never!"
"Come on, gang," Hank cut in, "We need to focus here."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Eric grumbled.
Hank looked up to the suns. Only two remained in the sky. The others had slipped below the horizon, and the travelers had only made it as far as the Wondrous Wood. "We're not going to be able to find Tardos Keep in the dark," he said. "Maybe we should camp here for the night." Hank was just as reluctant as the rest of them to cease the searching, but knew that they would have a better chance to find their children come daybreak.
"I'll take first watch," Eric offered. It seemed almost reflexive; as though they were settling back into their old routine. The Cavalier didn't think that he would be able to sleep anyway . . . a feeling shared by all of them, although noble efforts were made all around to get some rest. When Eric woke Diana for her turn a few hours later, she was more than ready, as sleep wasn't coming to her either.
Eric found a spot on the ground and Diana walked over to a nearby tree. She hoisted herself onto a lowered branch and climbed a few feet for a better look at the surrounding area. She didn't climb too high, however, so as not to distance herself too much from her companions. After a few minutes, she heard a voice below. "Do you think they're all right?"
Diana looked down at Eric. "I think they're fine," she replied with quiet certainty. "Bobby'll take care of all of them. And we should be meeting up with them tomorrow if what Venger said is true."
"I never thought I'd say this," Eric mused, "But I wish the old Dungeon Master was here."
"I don't know," Diana said amusedly, "I don't think the little guy could have handled you slugging him half as well as Venger did!"
Eric grimaced as he remembered that encounter, then looked up at Diana's still-smiling face. "I envy you," he said after a brief moment. "You seem to be taking this so well."
Diana continued to smile down at him lightly. "I know Bobby," she said with a shrug, "And Toby. My nephew's a fighter and I know he'll keep his head till we get there. I'm sure your son will, too."
Eric was still uneasy, but at those comforting words, he managed to turn over and try to sleep. Diana sat in the tree motionless for several minutes. Her eyes scanned the camp every few seconds just as they used to. She noticed that Teri was tossing a bit in her sleep. Diana then glanced at Eric. When she heard his breath evening out as a sign that the Cavalier was finally sleeping, the Acrobat's thoughts turned to her nephew . . . and she began to cry.
* * *
"Stay down!" Bobby ordered, and the others gathered in a huddle behind him.
"God," Toby whispered as he stared at the Orcs below, "There's like a million of them!"
"The last time we were here it was Venger who was trying to take the Keep," Bobby informed them. "Now it looks like one of the new guys is preparing an attack."
"What's that, Uncle Bobby?"
Bobby followed Ayesha's pointing finger to where a vaporous form was ghosting in and out among the Orc tents. The Barbarian narrowed his eyes at the dark specter. "Shadow Demon," he answered in a low growl.
"I-Is it a ghost?" Varla fearfully asked.
"More like a rat," Bobby grumbled, "And a whole lot of bad news."
"You sound worried," John commented. "Is he that bad?"
Bobby shook his head. "It's not him I'm worried about. Shadow Demon is a puppet -- nothing more than an opportunistic weasel. He attaches himself to whoever, or whatever, is the most powerful force around. It used to be Venger. If he's down there, that can only mean that one of those . . . things . . . that we need to defeat is down there, too. Maybe all three." Bobby surveyed the floor of the valley again. "I don't like this," he said. "I think we should wait until it gets darker, then try to sneak into Tardos. We don't know what we're up against and I don't want to risk getting spotted."
"You said you have friends here?" Ayesha asked.
Bobby exhaled thoughtfully. "I hope so, Ayesha," he said. "I don't know much about life spans here in the Realm. They could all be gone. But the last time we were here we helped save Tardos Keep from Venger. If Queen Sulinara isn't there anymore, maybe at least someone who's heard about us will be."
As night fell, Bobby surveyed the path they would need to take in order to get through the Orc camp. Even in the dark, the area below them still seemed to be a bustle of activity. He shook his head in frustration. "Looks like the graveyard shift is on," he said. "I don't think there's going to be a good time to get through there, even at night." He turned to Uni. "I hate to do this to you, girl, but is there any way you can teleport all five of us to the Keep?"
The unicorn, as though she had been waiting for him to ask, shook her head affirmatively, but, in her eyes, Bobby could see a hint of caution. "You can't get us all the way . . . not all of us," he guessed, to which Uni also confirmed with a shake of her head. "It's okay," he said. "Thank you, Uni."
As the Young Ones gathered around Uni, her alicorn began to glow brightly. She regarded each human until they were all touching some part of her body. Bobby had advised against anyone getting on her back, as she would most likely be very tired after transporting all of them and would need her strength to run for the safety of the Keep herself. "I'm not sure how close we're going to get," Bobby said once they were all in place, "But as soon as we reappear, run for it! Got it, everyone?"
"W-wait!" John whispered in protest, "What do you mean 'reappear'?"
There was no time to answer. The light from Uni's horn increased and surrounded all of them. The circumference of the glow expanded quickly and then shrank back in upon itself in an instantaneous flash, leaving nothing behind but the soft moan of the night air through the canyon.--
--The next thing they knew, the Young Ones were at the base of the steps leading up to Tardos Keep . . . and the soft moan of the night air had turned into the battle roar of dozens of nearby Orcs who had seen them appear. "Up the stairs!" Bobby shouted with a wave of his arm and the children began to race toward the heavy doors of the Keep. Uni staggered slightly, weary from her arduous teleport, but managed to gallop up the stairs behind the others.
As the Orcs began closing the gap between them and the fleeing Young Ones, Toby stopped and turned. When Ayesha whipped her head around to see why he had stopped, he locked eyes with her. "Keep moving!" he ordered as he uncurled his whip. The Fighter took aim at the nearest Orc soldier and struck out with the lash, binding the Orc's legs together and yanking the whip back with a forceful tug. The Orc toppled backward into his cohorts behind him and sent the troop of Orcs tumbling down the stairs. Having bought some more time, Toby turned and ran to catch up with his friends.
Bobby reached the door to Tardos Keep and began to thump upon it with his club -- just enough to create a loud resonation that would, hopefully, draw the attention of those inside. "Open up!" he shouted as the children and Uni gathered around him. "Please! We're old friends! We knew Queen Sulinara!"
At the mention of the name of the former queen of Tardos, the door opened a crack. Bobby smiled broadly as the impenetrable wood separated to allow them passage into the "fortress of strength" . . . a smile which faded upon seeing who had come to welcome them. He had been right. Their greeter was, indeed, someone who had heard of them. But it was not Queen Sulinara, nor could it have been any of her descendants. The sight that met Bobby's eyes was the pig-faced snarl of an Orc.
The Barbarian reached one protective arm in front of the children and brandished his club with the other as he backed away from the door. Oh, no, no, no . . . ! he thought with every step back that he took. His mind was clouded as several thoughts flew in and out of his head: How could it be that Tardos Keep was finally taken? How could he have led them to the wrong destination? Where were the allies they were supposed to meet? What made him think that he could ever take Hank's place as leader? He had failed his sister and his friends by failing to protect their children. I'm so sorry, Sheila!
A familiar sound was heard to his left -- a surging hum of electric energy. Bobby half expected to see the Ranger at his side, but as he looked down he saw the Ranger's daughter instead, her own golden sword blazing forth. The Barbarian knew that they hadn't failed yet. He gripped his club tightly with both hands, met the orcish eyes in front of him with a cold stare, and unleashed a thundering battle cry as he swiped at the brute, sending him floundering back through the doors of the Keep. Ayesha spun around quickly and sent a bolt of golden energy toward the far right of the stairs, scattering the Orcs there and opening a passage leading to a nearby crevice in the rocks. "This way!" she shouted as she ushered Varla and John toward the cave. The others followed close behind, with Bobby covering their backs.
Ayesha stopped to take aim at another group of Orcs who had gathered around the mouth of the cave, directing Toby and the others to continue running as she cleared the road. The Orc soldiers leapt out of the way as the Paladin's discharge from her weapon struck the ground at their feet.
"I don't think I can do this!" Varla shouted, panicked, as she neared the cave.
"There's no time to think, Varla! Just run!" Toby shouted back. "It'll be okay! We'll be right behind you!"
The Mystic uttered a silent scream as she forced herself into the darkness of the cave.
A sudden explosion sent Toby flying back from the mouth of the cavern, where he would have been the next to enter. He hit the ground with a sickening thud and rolled several feet from the force of the explosion before looking up to see the entrance to the cave sealed by a rockslide. He started to painfully stagger to his feet. "VARLA!" he screamed as he made a limping dash for the boulders that were now trapping the Mystic. "Varla, can you hear me? Varla!"
The others continued to run, horrified, to where the Fighter was attempting to pry one of the rocks away, praying that Varla was alive on the other side. They all froze as they heard a demonic neigh above their heads. Under the light of the Realm's three moons, they could make out a hellish figure astride a black horse. He was dressed in crude battle armor, studded with spikes that looked to be the claws of a dragon. A black cloak whipped about his shoulders and his right hand still blazed with the magical energy that he had sent to seal off the cave.
It was his nightmarish face, however, that was enough to instill pure horror. At first glance, he looked to be wearing a winged helm, similar to the Warduke's, but a bony, skeletal white. But, unlike the Warduke's helm, which opened up to reveal glowing red eyes and a darkened space beneath, where his unseen face could be found, this one encased the being's head entirely, forming what looked to be a menacing skull of a mask. As Toby stared fearfully at it, the creature glared down at him, its skeleton mouth curling into an evil sneer. The Young Ones realized that this was no helm at all, but the being's actual face.
"Welcome, Young Ones," the creature snarled. His voice was more sinister than Venger's had ever been; so deep that it seemed to originate from Hell, itself. "It has come to our attention that you have been searching for us."
Us?! Bobby frantically looked around. All three of those evil creatures must be here. His stomach sank. They were in real trouble.
As the Barbarian scanned the skies, another figure on horseback appeared behind them, circling above the Keep. This one was also dressed in armor, although not as crude as had been the first's. This armor was flawless, shiny, and black as midnight. It was accented by a helmet topped with a red plume. Although clearly not part of the rider's body, this mask was just as unnerving as the first, as it kept the creature's identity hidden.
The doors of Tardos Keep swung open and a third figure appeared. At first, all Bobby could see was its silhouette, but the sight made his stomach churn. He could make out the towering height, the cape-like batwings slightly spread, the single horn jutting out the side of its head . . . .
Venger! The Barbarian turned to the new arrival, enraged. "You lied to us! You son of a--!"
As the figure emerged into the light of the three moons, Bobby's words stopped. "Not Venger, Barbarian," a serpentine voice hissed at him, as though he had read Bobby's mind. "I am called Bane." The creature was indeed dressed as the former Dark Lord, but its face was more like that of a Lizard Man -- or a being that was half dragon. "My form was chosen to serve as a distraction."
Distraction? Bobby's head whipped frantically around. A distraction for what?
Suddenly there was another explosion behind them, emitted by the creature with the death mask. The Young Ones fell to their knees and Uni reared up in terror. A ghastly sinew whipped forward and lassoed her around her neck. The unicorn stared, petrified, at Bane, who had shot the beam at her from the center of his hand and now started to draw her in toward the entrance of Tardos Keep. Her alicorn glowed furiously, but she could feel her strength draining away, the magic radiating from the venomous tether stealing her ability to move anywhere but toward her attacker. Even if she had been able to teleport more than once per day, she would not have had the strength to do so.
"UNI!" Bobby screamed as he struggled to his feet and began charging toward the door of the Keep once more. Toby went back to wrestling with the rocks that had sealed Varla within the cave.
"Foolish children!" the first creature snarled as he began charging his hand for yet another attack. "You are no match for us!" Bobby turned at the sound and saw Toby struggling with the rocks, heedless of the fact that the creature was about to fire another energy bolt directly at him. The Barbarian opened his mouth to cry out.
"TOBY! WATCH OUT!" The sound didn't come from Bobby's mouth, however. The Barbarian watched as John Montgomery raced toward the Fighter, his medallion glowing. The young boy positioned himself directly in front of Toby as the evil being released his power toward them. The cloudy protective shield of the Squire that surrounded both boys for a moment was soon overtaken by the deadly energy, hiding the youths from view. Ayesha held her breath as the magic dissipated . . . leaving an empty space where her friends had been.
"NO!" Bobby cried as he froze in his tracks, torn between saving Uni or going after the monster that had claimed Varla and now Toby and John. His mind was made up for him as a bolt of energy was fired in his direction as well. The Barbarian stood ready to bat it away with his club as another magical force collided with it, causing it to burst in mid air. He looked over to see his niece readying another discharge from her sword to counter any more attacks from the creature.
Neither one of them would have to wait long as the skeletal being's hand glowed violently again.
"Stop!" came a voice from above. Bobby shifted his gaze to the other airborne warrior on horseback, who had remained silent until now. "Leave him, Mordreth," it said. "This one is mine!"
With a gruff snarl, the creature known as Mordreth abandoned his attack and the deadly energy died down. "Very well," he reluctantly agreed as he spurred his demonic steed and vanished into the night sky.
The Barbarian glared hotly up at the rider above him, narrowing his eyes and readying his club. The figure raised a gauntleted hand and removed the ebony helmet, allowing a cascade of flowing tresses to spill out. Bobby stared in disbelief. This final member of the evil triad; the newest threat to the Realm's very existence . . . was a woman.
And a beautiful one at that. Her hair was an impossible shade of red, almost glowing, even under the darkness of the night sky. Her eyes, amber in color and narrowly catlike, seemed to burn into Bobby's like golden fire. Bobby couldn't stop himself from thinking that this was probably the most exquisite creature that he had ever laid eyes on, even with all the armor that she was wearing.
The woman shifted her gaze with a light smile. "You may take your prize and go as well, Bane," she said to the dragon creature. "I shall handle this from here." She turned her eyes back to Bobby, who couldn't stop himself from staring at her. "My, my, Barbarian," she said to him, her voice sweet and tantalizing, "What a handsome young thing you've become!"
Bobby began to involuntarily lower his club slightly, a mien of confused disbelief on his face. This was one of the terrors that Venger was talking about? It didn't seem possible. The Barbarian became vaguely aware of several noises somewhere outside the realm of his mind. He slowly began to realize that it was his niece launching attacks at Bane, trying to rescue Uni. "Uncle Bobby!" she screamed, "What's wrong?"
Bobby shook his head. What the hell had just happened to him? Without another glance at the woman above him, he turned and sped toward Ayesha.
"Interfering fool," the woman snarled at the Paladin. Removing one of her gauntlets, her hand began to charge with an electric energy similar to that of Mordreth. Bobby glanced back and positioned himself in front of Ayesha as he reached her.
"Run!" he ordered as he brought his club up. "Go now!"
Ayesha shook her head in protest. "I'm not leaving you!"
"Ayesha, go!" Bobby urged desperately as he turned to shove her away. He heard a surging hum behind him and glanced up again to see a violent burst of electric power bearing down upon them. On reflex, he instinctively dropped his club and grabbed his niece, clutching her to him as the energy shattered upon his back. Bobby heard himself scream in pain as the world around him exploded into darkness.
* * *
"BOBBY!"
Teri awoke with a tortured cry. Sheila was the first one at her side. Diana leapt from the tree where she had been keeping watch and joined them. The others soon followed and gathered around the Dreamer as she sat up trembling in the Thief's arms. "I saw it . . . I saw it . . . ," she said weakly.
"Saw what?" Presto finally voiced the question that they were all afraid to ask.
"The others . . . attacked," Teri said in a trance-like whisper, "Separated from each other." She locked eyes with each of them, tears stinging hers. "And I think something will happen to Bobby!"
Hank rose to his feet, looking toward the horizon in the direction of Tardos Keep. Dawn was still a long way off. "Let's go," he said. "If we leave now, we can reach Tardos by morning."
* * *
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* Author's Note: The title of this chapter was taken from the play by Eugene O'Neill.