Lanari was raising her sword to cleave the shrivelled mummy in two, when a sparkle of light surrounded the undead creature. Blinking to clear her vision, she finished her stroke, only to find that her weapon bounced off the monster! The mummy turned an impassive gaze on the Shadow Knight.
"Kalamia is my master." it intoned in a hollow voice.
Lanari glared at her companion. The enchantress giggled as the mummy took up a protective stance beside her.
"That wasn't funny Kal."
Kalamia cast an amused look at Lanari.
"Oh come on Nari. You can be far too serious sometimes; what's wrong with having some fun?"
The Shadow Knight frowned.
"We're on a serious quest here Kalamia. We should be bending all our focus to completing it successfully - we don't have time for your silly games with charmed pets."
Kalamia chuckled and gestured to the empty Oasis docks.
"What else would you have me do? Sit around and wait for the Barrel Barge like a good little enchanter? Meditate on the glories of Innoruuk?"
"I certainly wouldn't complain."
Kal sighed.
"Fine," she said, "Have it your way."
She moved her hands in the gestures of the counterspell to her charm, muttering the incantation under her breath. The spell broken, the mummy turned on its former mistress with an evil laugh. Kalamia quickly rooted it to the ground, then moved out of harm's way. Gesturing the the monster, she gave a sardonic bow in Lanari's direction.
"All yours, my friend."
Nari sneered elegantly. Sometimes, as much as she liked her friend, her hand itched to slap that irritating smile off Kalamia's face...
With a mental shrug - hardly worth dwelling on it - the dark knight closed in on the mummy, her teeth bared in a feral grin. Two swift sword strokes later, the undead monster lay crumpled at her feet. Kalamia applauded, and Lanari grinned at her.
Another mummy caught sight of the pair, and shambled quickly towards them. Nari laughed exultantly as she raised her sword again. Casting a quick glance towards the ocean, she saw a speck on the horizon that could be the Barrel Barge. Still, she had plenty of time to deal with the mummy.
Sparks of light filled her vision again.
"If you've charmed this one too Kal, I swear I'll drown you..." she muttered under her breath.
Once the light faded however, she realised that Kalamia had cast a spell to slow her opponent's movements. Green light pulsed around her own form a moment later, and she felt herself begin to move faster. She cast a quick smile at Kalamia, then turned her attention back to the monster. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad after all...
Lanari and Kalamia looked around curiously at the Outpost in the place known as "The Overthere". Behind them, the Bloated Belly pulled away from the wharf, heading back into the Timorous Deep.
Kalamia wrinkled her nose as a troop of undead marines paraded past, leaving a stench of decaying bone and rotting seaweed in their wake.
"Some great achievement this is." the Enchantress muttered. "A handful of crumbling ruins and they call it an outpost."
Lanari inhaled deeply, relishing the scent of death.
"Hush Kal." she chided her friend. "The people here have no great love for us as it stands - we should avoid antagonising them."
Kalamia murmured something inaudible under her breath, which Lanari decided to take as an agreement.
They refreshed their supplies at the Gnome-made clockwork merchants, who regarded them apprehensively, but said nothing. Fully stocked for the trip (or so Lanari hoped), the Shadow Knight and Enchantress set out on the road through the Overthere.
Also on the path were several Teir'Dal Dragoons, patrolling the area. Several times, Nari and Kal found themselves walking alongside these formidable warriors.
"Why do they patrol so much?" whispered Kal one evening. "I've seen nothing out here but rhinos and tigers and Sarnaks... oh my!"
She broke off her rant suddenly as the most peculiar looking creature either of them had ever seen crossed their path. On first inspection, it appeard to be an oversized chicken. However, as it turned it's beady gaze on the pair, they noticed a snake's tail.
"Cockatrice!" gasped Lanari.
With a loud "Frrooaakk!" the creature charged. But before Lanari's sword had even cleared it's sheath, two Dragoons were there, attacking. In a matter of seconds, the cockatrice was nothing but a heap of bloody, mangled flesh. One of the Dark Elf warriors bent down and severed the creature's beak, remarking to his companion on the good price he would get for it.
"Is that what they patrol for, do you think?" Kal murmured to Nari.
A Dragoon overheard Kal's question, and smiled evilly before answering.
"No, young traveller. We guard this area around our Outpost against invasion by the foul allies of Firiona Vie. More and more disgusting Koada'Dal, Fier'Dal and even halflings and the like are coming here now. Many seem to be interested only in testing their skill against the formidable creatures lurking in this area. However, their prescence is an insult to the power of His Imperial Majest, Venril Sathir. Therefore, we eradicate any member of any so-called "good" race we come across."
One of the other Dragoons gave a short, nasty laugh.
"Quite apart from the fact that we are serving our master, there is a lot of fun to be had hunting down elves and carving them to pieces." He remarked.
Kal and Nari joined in the laughter. Although neither of them paid any allegiance to Venril Sathir, they had to agree with the warrior's statement.
Lanari mused on the idea of hunting elves as they walked. "What a show it would be to watch those pathetic beings die."
"If we come across any of them soon, you shall watch us destroy them." promised General V'Deers, leader of the patrol.
The Shadow Knight's wish was granted later that night, as the scouts reported that a band of light elves had set up camp not far ahead. Swiftly, the General drew up his attack plan.
"Stay out of our way," warned V'Deers, "and we will try to make it as enjoyable to watch as possible."
With a shout, the Dragoons charged the elven camp. A cry of "Goons! RUN!" went up from the elves, and as one, they turned to flee.
Three of them were cut down before taking half a dozen steps. One tall, fair Koada'Dal backed off slightly, chanting the Gate spell. V'Deers cursed as the elf vanished in a shimmer of light. Another one seemed to have had the same idea as her friend, and she began to chant. Noticing this, Kalamia quickly began casting a spell of her own. The High Elf's casting was interrupted as Kal's spell hit, stunning her. She stood, frozen, as a Dragoon closed in and neatly severed her head from her body.
"What do you think you're doing!" hissed Lanari. "He told us to stay out of it!"
"Helping!" retorted Kal. "He can't fault us for that! Look, that one's getting away! Use your snare spell!"
Lanari looked where her companion was pointing. Sure enough, a young wood elf was fleeing the scene. Juding by his speed, he had imbued himself with the spirit of the wolf, and unless he was stopped, it was unlikely that the DRagoons would catch him. Lanari muttered an oath, then began moving her hands in the gestures of a snaring spell. The Fier'Dal stumbled and slowed as a cloud of darkness engulfed him. He had time for only one screamed plea to Tunare before a Dragoon blade plunged into his back, silencing him forever.
The fight over, General V'Deers returned to where Lanari and Kalamia were standing.
"A good fight." he proclaimed. "Only one of them lived... partially thanks to you two. The Dragoons of Venril Sathir thank you for your help this day."
The Dark Knight and Enchantress bowed, acknowledging the compliment gracefully.
"Now, our path lies back to the outpost," continued V'Deers. "You are heading for the Burning Woods you say? Well, the safest way for you would be through the Frontier Mountains. From there, skirt the edge of the Dreadlands till you come to the Burning Woods. It is less dangerous than any other way."
"Thank you General." replied Lanari. "May Innoruuk guide your blade."
The General saluted, then led his patrol back the way they had come. Nari and Kal watched them go, then turned to look at each other.
"Well?" said Kal. "Shall we be on our way then?"
Lanari looked towards the pass to the Frontier Mountains, as behind her, the sun began to rise.
"Yes," she agreed, "we shall."
