The night was darker than most and the rumbling of thunder foretold of a storm yet to come. The wind blew hard on the halfling sentries stationed upon the Misty Thicket Wall. They wrapped themselves up snugly within their long cloaks, the chill wind was like a whisper through their ears.
The sentries watched warily into the thicket, most of their minds thinking of being in a warm hobbit hole instead of out here.
The rain began to pour down heavily and the halflings' visibility was lessened to only twenty paces ahead of them. Their range of vision was so low that they did not see the dark figure creeping up to the outer wall.
This was a creature that the hobbits had never dealt with, an ancient being long since forgotten.
One of the sentries on the outer wall sneezed and shivered as a sudden cold crept across his body. His ears picked up a clicking sound, as if something climbing the walls.
"Filthy Goblin, show yourself!" he exclaimed as he rushed to the wall to look down.
He peered into the darkness below but saw nothing.
"Probably just one o' them meddling bixies," he grumbled.
He turned around only to be staring into the eyeless sockets of his worst nightmare. It was hard to discern its shape in the dark but its head was attached to a long slender neck that went up towards a massive body in the darkness. The halfling had no time to scream as huge tentacles whipped out from the creatures body and wrapped themselves around the entire hobbit. The hobbit squirmed for only moments before all his bones were crushed by the sqeezing tentacles.
A little while later Officer Tagglefoot was making his nightly rounds on the outer wall. His lantern swayed back and forth as he moved. He thought it strange that Guard Biggles hadn't acknowleged him yet.
"Biggles you out there? Hey Biggles!" but there was no response.
Tagglefoot soon discovered a most gruesome scene. He let out a yell as he found the torn bloodied skin and clothing of Biggles on the ground, it was as if all the bones and organs had been sucked right out of him.
"Noooo who did this? Noooo!"
The next day in Rivervale was tragic and mournful, rumors stirred on who or what could have done this.
"I say its King Xorbb come back to haunt us!" one halfling claimed.
"No it be Innoruk himself come to torment and enslave us!" another halfling claimed.
"No No, ye all be wrong, it be a man of flesh and blood I seen this kinda thing done before, probably just that crazed barbarian Omerand. I hear he's back in these parts and we all know that he means nothin but trouble, ten stout hobbits is all it will take to bring justice to the likes of him," said an old hobbit.
"Officer Tagglefoot thirty-seven hobbits were murdered last night and yet you have no idea of who could have done this?" questioned Mayor Gubbin.
"There was not a single witness who survived! We lost ten of our best men out their investigating, we will double the guard and there is nothing more we can do," said Tagglefoot.
"You will have to organize a party and hunt this killer down, I don't care what it takes he must be stopped, we cannot have another incident like this. Send out a call to the bounty hunters of the land, I will pay whoever brings me proof of the dead murderer 2,000 platinum pieces from my own pocket," said Gubbin with a frown.
"You don't trust me to get the job done...well so be it," Taggleoot murmured.
A week later many of Norrath's finest bounty hunters arrive in Rivervale, the people eye them suspiciously. Their races range from Loria the female gnome to Grimble the Ogre.
"By now you all have heard by word of mouth or posters that Rivervale is in dire need of your assistance, there have been over a hundred deaths so far...and no one has seen this killer and lived to tell. So to compensate you for your risk I will double my offer and pay 4,000 platinum pieces to whoever finds this killer and brings proof of him, dead of course," said Gubbin doubtfully.
One of the hunters, a human named Higgins clad fully in white platemail steps forward, "My companions and I will bring this fiend to justice free of charge in the name of Mithaniel Marr! Come, we ride!" he and his fellow knights ride their steeds down the road to the Thicket.
"Me good at smashing, me go smash him now and come back for pretty platinum pieces," says Grimble as he trots off.
Loria a feisty little gnome and her five gnomish companions step into their steampowered tank.
"C'mon boys!" She clonks one of them over the head, "We got work to do stop goofing around!"
They close the hatch and drive off.
"Come my dear, we must make haste if we wish to get to the bottom of this before the others," says Taul the high elf as he and his wife Reanna walk off holding hands.
Zerex is the last bounty hunter remaining, he is a dark elf with wavy white hair, a long blue cloak, and dressed in ringmail from neck to toe so dark that it seems to absorb light. His face is very angular and his expression neutral. Two magical swords with arm and a half length blades hang at either hip. "You know that what we're dealing with is beyond most mortals, it is an ancient evil awakened by a trespass on sacred ground. I advise you to stay indoors at night not that it will do you much good."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm not exactly fond of your kind so I advise you to get a move on if you want the reward," replies Gubbin.
"As you wish," and with that Zerex mounts his black steed and rides off towards the thicket, his cape fluttering in the wind.
The night is nearly pitch black and the breeze is heard rustling through the trees. The darkness is Zerex's companion though as he rides his steed slowly down the dirt smoothed Thicket road. His two magical swords one his Malice, and one his Passion hang loosely at his side. These weapons of great power, enchanted ages ago and passed down through generations have minds of their own and commute their ideas to the weilder.
"It sounds to me like the demon we're hunting is a Morargian, its been a long time since I've tasted the blood of such a beast, I can hardly wait!" says Malice.
"You must be careful Zerex, it grows stronger after each victim it feeds upon, we have to find it as soon as possible," says Passion.
"I am quite aware of the dangers," says Zerex.
"You know you remind me so much of your father! He always was such a go getter like yourself," says Malice.
"Don't speak of him," says Zerex.
A glint catches the corner of Zerex's eye, he turns and draws Malice just in time to deflect a throwing dagger hurtling towards him. Goblins step out from the shadows, encircling him.
"Ye be no hobbeet so me weel cut ye a deal see? Ye just be droppin ye weapons and pretty golds now and we be lettin ye walk away back towards thee hobbeet's wall see?" says the head goblin in a guttural voice.
"Hahah pathetic creatures come on Zerex let's just kill them now and be done with this trash," says Malice.
"The taking of another's life is never to be taken lightly but they leave us no choice," says Passion.
"I'll make you a deal, go walk to the outer wall and turn yourselves over to the debuties and I won't have to kill every last one of you," says Zerex.
"Ehh? ye bein in no position to be a makin demands, go on and kill this fool boys."
All at once the goblins threw their spears and rocks but Zerex simply vanished from where he was.
"Ehh? Where he go?"
Green blood sprayed from the chest of a nearby goblin as Passion was thrust through it's heart. Zerex appeared behind another and slit its throat with Malice. The goblins whailed in pain as Zerex spun through them like a whirlwind of death. Zerex sheathed his weapons as the last of the goblins fell to the ground with a sliced throat, gagging for its last breath.
Zerex climbed back on top of his horse and rode off into the night.
The Morargian creeps up behind a group of unsuspecting knights the sounds of night come to a halt and everything becomes still. It is a massive creature but it blends in with the shadows well and moves quietly enough to stay unnoticed until it is to late. It has been sealed up in the earth for as long as it can remember but somehow it got released and has wasted no time in devouring whatever living creatures it can find. Its withered sinewy face grins slightly, "I know you are out here somewhere Zerex..." Whispers the Morargian in a raspy hissing voice.
Higgins spins around in a flash as one of his men is dragged off screaming into the dark by a giant appendage. His giant two-handed sword makes a ring as he draws it from its sheath and charges off into the shadows while his men follow. They stop dead in their tracks as they see the Morargian sucking the life from their comrade. The creature's body is a seething mass of tentacles and a long slender neck protrudes from its center to ten feet up in the air with a face on it that might have been human at one point but now has hollow holes where eyes would have been and a long, narrow, drooping face.
"Get the pots of oil and throw the torches at it men!" exclaims Higgins.
The pots of oil shatters on the creature and it is completely soaked, then come the torches which ignite it aflame. The fire slows it down little though, flaming tentacles whip out and drag men to their deaths.
Zerex hears men shouting and the sound of battle so he rides as hard as he can towards the commotion.
"Foolish humans why should we save them? They've always been less then dubious to you," says Malice.
"The Morargian has become much more powerful than we anticipated we have to finish it off now," says Passion.
Zerex rides hard towards the enflamed creature then dismounts from his horse and leaps high into the air.
The creature sees him coming and whispers "Ahh Zerex...," in a hissing voice.
Zerex is taken aback but he comes down from his leap swinging Malice and Passion, severing all the tentacles aimed at him. The severed tentacles hit the ground and rot away into a green bubbling substance. The flames all over the creatures body burn out quickly. Higgins and his knights attempt to cleave their way through the massive appendages but are beaten back. Bones are heard snapping and crunching in sickening ways as men are dragged in to their certain doom.
"I must sever its head," says Zerex as he jumps and swings his swords from both sides at the creature's exposed neck. The blades make contact but rebound off with a metal "twang!" sound.
"What? How did I not cut through?" questions Malice.
A tentacle snatches Zerex from the air and entwines his arms and legs.
"I hate to say this man, but you are so screwed," says Malice.
The energy begins to drain from his body as the grip of the monster tightens and begins to crush, but Zerex is helpless to resist. A lightning bolt arches out of the sky and strikes the creature in a brilliant flash, Zerex sees Taul the high elf and his wife Reanna channeling their magic a short distance away. A tentacle flies out and hits Taul sending him flying backwards into a tree. The Morargian loosens its grip on Zerex from the distraction, so he acts quickly.
"USE YOUR ANGER AND AGRESSION, REMEMBER WHAT YOUR FATHER DID!" exclaims Malice.
Malice flares up into a dark red pulse, the huge amounts of power eminating from it are palpable. The tentacle constricting Zerex is sliced in a split second, then he turns, weilding Malice and forces the blade deeply through the creature's outstretched neck. It makes it halfway through before Zerex is knocked aside by a flailing tentacle. The demon wails a high pitched shreik of pain, heard through the whole Thicket, and scuttles off into the darkness.
Zerex lands on the ground and kneels, clutching his side.
"You injured it greatly, I doubt it will come out to feast upon the living for a long time. I assume it will go off to a cave somewhere nearby," says Passion.
Higgins staggers to his feet and walks over to Zerex, "You were quite brave for a Dark Elf my lad, had you not shown up we would surely have been overrun."
"I did not come for your sake," says Zerex.
"Haha well that may be, but this demon is much more powerful than you or I expected. I say we call an allegiance, I am not interested in money and all my men lie here dead...this creature must be brought to answer."
"Do as you will but don't expect me to stick my neck out for you," says Zerex.
Higgins clasps a gauntleted hand on Zerex's shoulder, "Well then glad to have you aboard comrade."
Zerex shakes his head, "Whatever you say..." .
Reanna comes running to the two, "Someone come help Taul! He was badly injured in the fight!"
"I am no cleric, but I'll see what I can do my lady," says Higgins regrettfully.
"Being a bounty hunter certainly is a strange profession for a married couple," says Passion.
"Reanna such a slim blonde High Elf. Ahh she reminds me of someone...I know, your mother! But I'm sure you've buried those memories deep inside of you by now, eh Zerex?" says Malice.
Zerex sqeezes the hilt of Malice until his knuckle turns white.
"Owww cut it out would ya?"
"Is something the matter?" Reanna asked.
Zerex looks up and into her eyes, "No, show us where Taul is."
Taul lay motionless in the middle of a clearing where Reanna had set him. The three of them rush to his side.
"Taul wake up! Taul!" exclaims Reanna.
Taul turns his bloodied head slightly and whispers, "Reanna...my dearest love, we had...many adventures together...ever since we were children..."
Reanna comforts him, "Shhh hang in there, these two are going to help you."
Higgins hands emitt a blue glow as he lays them down upon Taul's forehead, Zerex begins to bandage him.
Reanna throws her arms up in the air, "So what happened? Is he alright?"
"He'll be okay, he just needs to rest for about twenty four hours. We'll have the debuties bring him back to the Vale," says Higgins.
Reanna hugs both of them, "Thank you so much you two! I'll never be able to repay you!"
Higgins bows, "Just doing my sworn duty my lady."
Zerex is riding through the thicket alone, trying to find traces of where the Morargian has fled.
"I've been meaning to ask you two, how did that thing know my name?"
"Morargian are demons bound to Innoruk, it is sometimes said that Innoruk's greatest servants are reincarnated as one of them after they are slain in battle. If they cling onto life long enough their souls can be implanted into the demon. After they devour enough living things they return to their previous form and walk Norrath once again," says Passion.
Zerex's eyelids lower, "Are you suggesting...?"
"Ha Zepheel? It wouldn't surprise me, you should have listened to me and killed him when you had the chance fool! But I suppose you get the softness from your mother's side so..." says Malice.
Zerex closes his eyes briefly, "That's quite enough. So after all these years you've come back to haunt me Zepheel...my brother."
The night is almost over, the chirping of crickets begins to cease, the mist subsides. Zerex has still found no trace of the demon, suddenly a large burly barbarian jumps out from behind a tree. The man's face is covered with an orange beard, his body is tattooed in so many places that it seems the natural look of his skin. He is about three heads taller than Zerex.
"Greetings there dark wanderer, my name is Omerand of Halas. I am an oracle, I see many things, such as your name which is Zerex and that you are hunting a great evil."
Zerex rests a hand on his sword hilt, "State your intentions."
Omerand scratches his beard, "Ahh of course, you see I am attuned to the spirit plane. I could pinpoint your demon if I were def, blind, and halfway across the world. That is the extent of its evil radiance." .
"You seem to have a less than impeccable reputation with the hobbits, why should I trust you?"
"Bah! The hobbits fear me because I dabble in the mystical arts, they are always unsure of outsiders."
"What can you tell me of the creature's whereabouts then?"
Omerand looks off into the distance, "A fissure that runs deep into the earth near the Runnyeye Citadel is where you'll find that which you are seeking. I ask of you to let me come along and put this spirit to rest. I have many useful tricks and it's always good to have someone to watch your back haha."
"I know that I'll be watching mine..." murmurs Zerex.
Higgins and Zerex follow Omerand to the fissure, soon Reanna comes running behind. "I wish to come with you into the fissure, I will make this creature pay for what it has done to my husband."
"But my lady, we don't know what will face us down there. It will be perilous to say the least," points out Higgins.
"I can take care of myself, besides you'll need someone like me who can channel," says Reanna with hands on hips.
Omerand spits on the ground and waves a hand, "Let the woman come if she has a death wish it is no concern of ours heheh."
A sudden vacuum of wind surrounds Omerand and knocks him off his feet.
"Hey...!" Omerand winds up to strike at Reanna but Zerex grabs his fist.
"Just let it be."
The group spots Grimble on the ground, his back up against a tree. As they get closer they hear him snoring. Higgins kicks him in the side to wake him up.
"Hey me was sleeping why you wake me?" says the groggy ogre.
Higgins offers him a hand, "Where we are going will require your strength mighty ogre."
Grimble hoists up his giant warhammer, "Hey you right, me strong, but me no need the help of you punier races."
A blood curdling howl is heard from the fissure a distance away.
Grimbles eyes dart back and forth, "Okay, me give in, me go with you."
As they get nearer to the fissure Officer Tagglefoot comes trotting towards them, "We followed the beast here last night, we sent some scouts in to assess the situation but none have emerged. We found the gnomes' giant bucket with wheels that had been tossed up in a tree a short distance off, Loria is the only survivor. Whatever went down there is powerful indeed," says Tagglefoot grimly.
They see the small gnome Loria wrapped in Tagglefoot's cloak sitting on a stump with her head drooped down.
Tagglefoot walks up behind her and rests a hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry about what happened, if there is anything my debuties or I can do you need only to say the word. We've all lost loved ones and friends in the past few days I know how you feel."
Teary eyed Loria looks into his eyes, "My friends, my two brothers, all gone because I was brash enough to talk them into chasing monsters...no I'm afraid the only thing left for me is to come with you and help stop the killings."
Tagglefoot crosses his arms, "You cannot go, you must remain here where it's safe."
She stands up and begins to load ammunition shells into a foreign looking device with a long barrel and trigger handle.
She holds the mechanical device in the air, "This is a gnomish contraption called an 'Amulias Shooter', there is always energy in the air, such as particles colliding with each other. It gathers those particles and makes them collide at a focused point, creating a ray of energy that fires out of the this long tube," says Loria pointing.
The group looks at her bewilderdly.
She looks from face to face, "In short, it packs more punch than this ogre here, I just aim it somewhat like a bow and whatever I have in my sights will be decimated."
Grimble steps forward and puffs up his chest, "Dat no more powerful than me, me could easily crush dat wee little toy in me fist."
Loria aims it at a line of three trees then pulls the trigger, a green ray of light bursts out in the blink of an eye and burns symetrically perfect holes through all of them.
"Uhh me not so sure no more..." says a gaping mouthed Grimble.
The party stands just above the fissure, a huge cloud of mist is rising out of it and a stench of something rotten fills their noses.
Tagglefoot heads for a nearby debuty tent, "Let us rest here for about six hours, we have been busy all night and we have a long day ahead of us. Not to mention we still don't all of each others' names!"
After about half an hour of getting more aquainted with each other the party rolls up into their sleeping bags to get as much rest as possible before going into the fissure. Zerex begins to have a dream about his past.
(Zerex stands alone in a snowy field, voices fill his head, "You are pathetic!" "You have inherited to much of your mother's weak side!" "Don't forget about our ancient lineage, our duty to serve"
"You can't even bring yourself to kill him"
"Never forget, you are a descendant of Innoruk. His blood runs through your veins and gives you great power. The power to bring chaos and destruction back to this soft world!")
Zerex snaps awake.
Tagglefoot walks into the tent with jum jum juice and eggs, "Good to see you awake lad, I made breakfast so eat up. You'll need all the energy you can get for today."
The party prepares their supplies for the trip then takes one last glance at the daylight before setting their eyes on the deep abyss below.
Tagglefoot unravels a rope, "I will be going in with these folks, you debuties wait out here for our return."
A debuty with shaking knees replies, "No problem Officer! We'll just wait out here and cut off the demon's escape route!"
"Okay lower the rope and in we go!"
Zerex is the first to go down the rope and into the fissure. Higgins lowers himself next, then Tagglefoot with the supplies and all the others. The mist at the bottom is so thick that the party can only see six paces ahead of them.
Higgins gives the area about them a quick survey, "This is definitely a crypt or tomb, it will be crawling with undead and the like, be on your constant guard."
Tagglefoot moves to the lead, "I'll stay near the front, back in my days I was very skilled at picking the odd lock as well as finding and avoiding traps, still am to hehe."
"Omerand will lead us, he can sense the Morargian," says Zerex.
"Good, that's right where I can keep an eye on him, don't be surprised if you find a dagger buried in your back if you try something funny," mutters Tagglefoot.
"You waste your breath hobbit, make yourself more useful and divide your attention to the dangers around us," says Omerand with a snort.
"Wait, let me cast a ward around us before we start moving," says Reanna.
Reanna murmurs an incantation and shiny white glyphs and symbols appear in the air directly eight paces away from her at set intervals. The ward is a square perimeter that stays around Reanna even when the group starts moving.
The group has been traveling through the mist for seemingly hours with no sign of it availing. Tagglefoot and Loria carry the lit lanterns as Grimble carries the heavier supplies.
"I hope you know where you are taking us Mr. Omerand," says Higgins in a questioning tone.
"Quiet, I sense it.. that way," Omerand turns ninety degrees and the others follow.
Zerex suddenly comes to and abrupt hault, Reanna bumps into him from behind and falls over.
"Hey! If your going to come to a dead stop like that at least..."
"Quiet," whispers Zerex.
Zerex draws his blades in a flash and looks off to his left. The rest of the group now hears the scuttling sounds, almost like limbs dragging on the ground. Snarls of rage and bloodlust begin to fill the air.
About thirty pairs of glowing red eyes appear all around the group a short distance off in the mist. Tagglefoot lights off a flare and throws it towards them. The group sees giant mutilated hairy bodies lumbering towards them. Their contorted and disfigured animal faces sneer at the light as they scamper away from the flare.
"Werebeasts, gather in close together so they don't single us out," warns Higgins as he draws his sword.
"Me beginning to think dat coming down here not me brightest idea," mumbles Grimble as he lowers the bag of supplies to the ground and gets his battle hammer ready.
A werebeast runs into Reanna's ward and is instantly reduced to a pile of ashes. Loria fires a shot at a pair of eyes in the mist, resulting in a pained howl. Another one paws at the ward and its entire arm is scorched to dust. Tagglefoot throws a dagger resulting in a wounded animal cry and a pair of eyes disappearing. Suddenly all the eyes vanish.
Zerex lifts his head up, "Above us."
Omerand throws a magic powder into the air that illuminates the entire area around them. The group sees the twisted looking beasts jumping high enough to make it over the ward unscathed. A few more are killed with Reanna's magic and Loria's shooter before the swarm reaches them.
The men shout their battlecries as they hurry to meet the oncoming rush. Higgin's giant broadsword severs an arm as he ducks away from a claw that sails past his head, barely missing him. He swings at the monster's torso and cuts it clean in half. Zerex moves with speed and grace, his two swords glowing faintly as demons fall every which way he cuts. A demon swipes at Reanna with a giant claw but Malice flares up and lops its hand off then skewers the demon through the throat. Grimble winds up and smashes one of beasts with his warhammer so hard that it goes flying into the ward. Omerand throws a powder into the creatures' eyes that seems to blind them, then he takes his staff and hits one in the gut than cracks it over the head, breaking its skull. Tagglefoot throws two daggers, hitting a werebeast in both eyes. Reanna summons flames that dance and flicker through the horde of hideous monsters, scorching and charring them. The battle is over in mere moments with a few werebeasts futiley trying to escape, throwing daggers and magic bringing them down. The stench of death and burning hair fills their nostrils. Reanna's ward fades as she kneels down to grope a leg wound as many inumerable howls are heard from all directions.
Zerex sees her fall, "Are you still able to walk?"
"I think so," she tears off a piece of her robe and binds the wound then tries to walk but stumbles.
Zerex's keen elven ears pick up the sounds of the beasts scuffling towards their position, "That was just a skirmish, we won't survive the next wave, find us a way out of here quick Omerand."
Zerex takes Reanna's arm and hoists it around his neck to prop her up. She blushes but doesn't argue.
Omerand nods, "Quickly follow me mates! There's a narrow opening up ahead."
The party breaks into a run with Zerex helping Reanna to meet Omerand's pace. Zerex looks back briefly and sees an endless sea of glowing red eyes moving closer through the mist, "Don't look back, just keep running."
They finally come to the tunnel, it is wide enough for only one person to fit through at a time. Omerand dashes through followed by Tagglefoot, Loria, and Reanna.
Zerex motions Higgins to go through, "I may need to buy us some time."
Higgins slips through just as the vanguard of the werebeast army comes into combat range. Zerex kneels down and concentrates, just as the beasts are almost on top of him he springs out in a glammer of spin slashes, malice flaring red and passion flashing white decapitating any foolish enough to get to close.
Grimble is trying to fit through the narrow opening, but he is not making much progress.
Grimble lurches to a stop, "No me stuck! Zerex go on without Grimble me no make it through!"
Higgins and Omerand pull on Grimble's arm from the other side in a vain attempt to dislodge him. Zerex continues to fight the forefront werebeasts but the legion of them gets closer and closer. He finally clears enough of them away to run and elbow butt Grimble in the hip, the force knocking him loose to the other side. As Grimble falls through, the narrow tunnel begins to collapse on itself. The group sees one last glimpse of Zerex being dog piled by a surge of werebeasts before all the rocks collapse, effectively sealing off the other side. The remaining party finds themselves in a large cavern with a pool of water in the middle and a tunnel continuing on downward.
Higgins pounds on the wall, "Zerex!"
Reanna's face turns white with shock, "Oh no..."
Grimble begins to sob, "He done it to save me, me feel so guilty, poor little elfy."
A frowning Tagglefoot takes off his hat and looks at the ground , "That poor young man, I'm old why couldn't it have been me instead..."
Loria's eyes close as she shakes her head, "How many lives will this devilry claim?" she turns to face Tagglefoot who is clutching his bloody chest.
Her eyes go wide, "Mr. Tagglefoot are you ok? Let me see your injury."
Tagglefoot grins slightly, "Don't worry it's just a flesh wound, I've suffered far worse."
"Quit being stubborn! I'm going to check it anyways I have ointments that can help."
Loria applies her salves on the injured party then they sit in silence for a long amount of time, the only sound in the wide echoing cavern is the steady beat of droplets dripping on a pool of water.
Omerand is leaning up against the wall with arms crossed and head tilted towards the floor with a frustrated look on his face, "Well this puts a damp on things, but we must continue on."
Something is heard emerging from the pool of water, Tagglefoot jumps up on a rock, "Show yourself demon! I'll tear ya to peices RARRR!"
Zerex steps out dripping wet, his long blue cloak torn, and dozens of gashes lining his black armor.
Tagglefoot's rage filled face immediately turns into a grin, "You are quite an amazing young man."
Reanna rushes over and hugs him and he hugs her back somewhat.
Higgins shakes his hand, "Ahh I knew you would be fine."
Grimble gives Zerex a slap on the back, "You save Grimble's life! Me owe you great debt."
Loria kicks him in the shin, "You listen here don't you ever take risks like that again!"
"I was very lucky to find the water tunnel that connects to here, fortunate for us the werebeasts can't swim."
Omerand steps forward, "It's great that you're back but we must move onward, follow me."
The mist dissipates as the party moves on. Reanna stays near the front and uses her magic to light the way. The tunnel leading from the cavern keeps going downward and downward, the crystal formations changing the further they go, no signs of life are seen or heard. The party stops to rest at a small stream running from a crack in the wall. Zerex walks off to be alone for a moment.
"You have feelings for the girl don't you Zerex?" says Passion.
Zerex nods, "It's strange but I feel like I would do anything for her."
"Ha you could never love someone much less protect them, you couldn't even save your mother. Besides she's already married," says Malice.
Zerex face contorts in rage as he pulls Malice from its sheath and throws it at the wall.
"You can't get rid of me Zerex, we were bound together on the Peaks of Everforst on that fateful day," says Malice.
The party continues forth. The texture of the ground soon goes from being rocky and jagged to smooth and flat.
Higgins runs a hand across one of the stone walls, "We definately seem to be in a crypt of some sort, we are closing in on our query."
Tagglefoot motions the group to stop, "See that small panel in the floor over there?" He pulls out his sling and fires a pebble at it. Darts fly out of slits in the walls, four guillotines swing down from opposite sides of the hall, and countless spikes rise out of the floor.
Tagglefoot waits patiently for the traps to reset, "Now be cautious to the utmost extreme when moving through here."
The party continues to move on through the tomb with Tagglefoot pointing out traps until they finally come to a sealed door covered with symbols.
Zerex examines it, "Looks like we need to touch the symbols in the correct order to pass."
The group tries pushing the symbols in different orders but the door doesn't budge.
Grimble shoves his way to the front, "Me just got idea, stand away."
The group moves away from him as he winds up his mallet and brings it crashing down upon the door repeatedly with all his strength. The door still stands firm without a single crack when he is through. Grimble goes to sit down when a rumbling is heard, dust and dirt lift from the ground as the door rises open.
"Ha he must have pushed the right combination with his hammer, what blind luck!" exclaims Higgins."
Grimble scratches his head, "Me knew dat would happen."
The party files into the next room, it is a wide area with a ceiling rising far into the darkness out of sight.The air reeks of a musty smell, sarcophaguses and tombs fill the chamber. Platinum and other valuables lie about on the ground. Grimble runs to start scooping them up.
Omerand tries to stop him, "No, you foolish Ogre!"
But to late, Grimble picks up a pile of platinum which turns to dust in his hands, "Hey what da?"
Grimble hears a shrill voice of laughter overhead. A dark cloaked figure soars down from above and lands on top of a nearby tomb. It flies towards Grimble with blinding speed as it swings its razor sharp cloak in an arc and slices through the Ogre's chest. Grimble staggers back and falls to the ground, his lifeless eyes staring up in bewilderment. The cloaked figure flies to the center of the room. His wizened face has high cheek bones with pale white drooping skin, a white wavy beard hangs from his chin. His body is dressed in a black suit of leather with the long glistening steel-like cloak dangling behind him.
He takes a step forward and in a high pitched shreiking voice says, "Ahhh it's been quite a long time since these burial grounds have been disturbed! My name is Ormit, High Necromancer and the guardian of this crypt. Names do not matter though for you will soon be joining the dead buried here. Come, rise from your grave fallen warriors! The time has come to do battle once again!"
Sarcophaguses and tombs fly open as mummified hands reach out from them. Groans and moaning are heard from the living dead as they awaken from their long slumber. The party wastes no time waiting for them to crawl out though. Higgins and Tagglefoot charge for the nearest ones, stabbing them before they can limp out of their graves. Reanna creates a wall of icicles as sharp as daggers and sends them hurtling towards the lumbering corpses. Zerex fends off undead from all sides in an attempt to make a protective ring around her. Omerand unstrings a bag of shiny powder then hurtles it at a group of mummies. Their skin ignites into flame and begins to dissolve as they fall to the ground spasming. Loria rests the stock of the Amulias Shooter against her shoulder and fires a ray of brilliant green light at Ormit. The beam burns through his upper left shoulder then travels out the other side scorching another unfortunate zombie.
"Yarrrg!" exclaims Ormit as he rests a hand on his injury.
He waves his finger in the air, "Tsk tsk nasty little gnome, I'm coming for you!" He soars towards her in a blur but Tagglefoot barrel rolls into him out of nowhere, sending him crashing into the wall. Zerex rushes towards the necromancer and unleashes a series of attacks. Ormit jumps back to his feet then parries and deflects the attacks with his cloak. Sparks fly from their weapons as the two attack each other in a frenzy. Higgins joins the melee and Ormit spins and whirls, swinging his cloak in both directions as best he can. Ormit realizing he stands a slim chance at this rate, flies up into the air out of their reach. Ormit begins to chant and murmur, suddenly Grimble rises back to his feet from the ground.
Higgins turns around, "Grimble are you alright...?"
Grimble charges and Higgins jumps out of the way as a giant hammer crushes through the place he was standing a heartbeat ago.
Grimble turns towards him, his eyes rolled back into his head, "GRARRR!"
The hammer whiffs overhead as Higgins ducks, the momentum throws Grimble off. Higgins raises his blade high then brings it down, slicing off the ogre's arm. He pulls his sword back, "I'm sorry, but I have to put you to rest," the sword plummets through Grimble's face as blood splurts out like a geyser.
Zerex jumps into the air with Malice flaring and cuts at Ormit so hard that it slices through his cloak and takes off his hand. Black oily blood gushes out of the wound as Ormit falls to the floor. Zerex gives him no chance to recover though as Passion punctures through his heart and Malice sweeps through his neck. Ormit's head rolls to the floor with a shocked look, eyes still fixed on Zerex for a few seconds before finally closing. The remaining undead fall to the ground and convulse violently then cease to move.
The group bows their heads over the loss of Grimble, then Omerand speaks, "We are very close to our target, let us not linger we must move on."
After traveling on through the crypt hallways, they come across stairs leading upward to a giant red door. They open it and to their surprise walk into a grand hall with lit torches and polished marble walls and floor. The hall glistens with not a sign of dust or dirt. The ceiling rises with intricately designed arches and the party's footsteps echo throughout their vastness.
Omerand moves forward and looks down a hall, "This was once an ancient palace inhabited by Teir'dal lords, they were so powerful at one point that they challenged Innoruk himself. In his wrath he sent mountains crashing down from the heavens onto the city, burying it deep into the earth as it is now. We have just exited the tomb of the Teir'dal lords, now I must take my leave of you."
Tagglefoot pulls out a dagger, "What are you talking about? How do you know all of this?"
Omerand faces the other way, "This is not the first time I've been down here, now I'm afraid I'll have to detain you."
Before the party can react Omerand throws a cloud of a strange looking powder into their faces then steps aside. They all become immobilized and begin to choke, the weight of their bodies begin to feel heavy as they collapse to the ground. Zerex's vision becomes blurry and the last thing he sees is Omerand standing over him laughing.
"Wake up fool! It seems we are trapped," says Malice.
"Omerand appears to have a fine hand in magic," says Passion.
Zerex wakes up suspended in mid air, he is unable to move any of his muscles other than his head. He turns and sees all the others in the same predicament. He sees Omerand standing below them. "What is your purpose Omerand? Why the betrayal?"
Omerand grins at him, "You are such a foolish boy, you don't seem to understand the power of Innoruk. I am the one who brought your brother Zepheel here all those years ago. After you left him for dead in Everfrost, I came across him barely alive. I was just a meager hermit back then but the sound of Innoruk's voice filled my head like a choir. I was promised great powers if I were to help Zepheel come to this sacred place and regain his mortal body. The power that's holding you now is just a drop in the bucket of what I will receive once Zepheel is fully reincarnated, he is almost completely resurrected as we speak. You threw away your chance of being Innoruk's chosen, Zerex, so Zepheel and I will lead the armies of the Great Dark One when they come to conquer this world."
Zerex laughs, "You believe his false promises? You are no more than a pawn of Innoruk, you will be lucky if your soul isn't tortured for an eternity after I kill you."
Omerand's face contorts in anger, he raises a hand and squeezes it into a fist. Zerex feels as if a thousand needles are stabbing into his body. His expression remains neutral though as he bares with the pain.
Omerand relents his attack a little, "Innoruk can no longer take material form in this world, he needs me to channel his power and carry out his will."
Reanna laughs, "You are the last thing he needs now, once Zepheel is revived consider yourself dead."
Omerand turns towards her and Zerex is somewhat thankful that she drew away his attention, "What would a wench like you know? Once Zepheel does what he needs to I will enjoy having my way with you."
Suddenly a fireball hurtles into Omerand engulfing him, "Arrgh! What the hell?"
Taul sends another fireball towards him but Omerand's fist glows and knocks it aside, "Who the bloody hell are you and how did you get here?"
Taul channels a lightning bolt that Omerand blocks with magic of his own. "I am Taul, I heard your whole story. You poor sap, suckered into this by your desire for power. Now I will deliver you to your god of hate, you better hope he shows mercy to failures."
A gust of air booms loudly and knocks Omerand into a wall, he loses his concentration on the prisons of air surrounding Zerex and the others. Zerex falls to the floor, drawing Malice in an instant and tossing it at Omerand. The blade whistles as it spins through the air and splits Omerand's skull in half, his brains splattering all over the finely polished walls.
Reanna runs to Taul and they kiss, "How did you find us down here?"
Taul runs a hand through Reanna's hair, "Your ward left a faint trace of magic that I was able to follow, I used an old wizard trick to disappear and get past the werebeasts. Then I followed the traces of your magic used to light the corridors and found my way into this palace."
Higgins bows, "You saved us all from certain doom, thank you."
Tagglefoot looks down a corridor, "This place is massive, we need to find this Zepheel soon if what Omerand said was true."
Zerex runs down a corridor as the rest of the group follows him. The hallway is lined with many doors but his vision is fixed on a door ahead with skulls and rubies designed into its frame. The door bursts open as Zerex collides into with his shoulder, it slams shut and locks behind him. The room around him is shaped like a dome, skulls and bones decorating the walls all the way up to the center of the ceiling. Sitting booths for kneeling down and praying line the walkway leading up to an altar. Beyond the altar a ray of light shines down into the center of the room upon a pentagram. Zerex sees a dark elf kneeling in the middle of the pentagram, dressed from neck to toe in golden platemail engraved with unknown lettering, a sleek red cape hanging from his back. The dark elf slowly stands up and turns his head, "So you made it little brother, as you can see, the Morargian devoured enough souls and here I am whole again."
Zerex takes a step forward, "You should be dead, why have you come back?"
Zepheel grins slightly, "You don't really think you could beat me so easily? I've come back stronger than ever, Innoruk has granted me more power than you can imagine. Of course after I destroy Norrath I will crush him as well."
Zerex rests a hand on his sword hilt, "I don't remember you being so arrogant."
Zepheel clasps his hands behind his back, "I have reason to be, did you know that we have Tunare's blood running through our blood as well as Innoruk's? Our mother's lineage goes back to Tunare, why do you think that you can weild Passion as well as Malice? Malice forged by the smiths of Innoruk and Passion forged by the smiths of Tunare. One passed down by our father, the other passed down by our mother how ironic. Innoruk wanted us to have the mixed blood so we would be near immortal, though our mother was a High Elf we still appear as full fledged dark elves because Innoruk wanted us molded into his image. I am tired of the gods dominatiing our lives I intend to stop them all. It's not to late you can still join with me Zerex, we can destroy all the gods, they have manipulated Norrath long enough."
Zerex shakes his head, "Just to have you rule over it in the same way? I don't think so, I won't give up Malice or Passion to you either so we might as well end this confrontation in conflict."
Zepheel smiles, "You'll readily kill me just as you killed father, not that he didn't deserve it, I think he actually loved our mother at one point before he brutally killed her."
Malice and Passion flare up in their scabbards, Zerex's eyebrows narrow down, "Do you have a point to this?"
Zepheel nods, "Yes, I'm saying you are no different than father or me, you didn't just kill him, you tortured him. You try to escape what you truly are but it will just snap you back even harder once you come to the realization that you are just as wicked and evil."
Zerex unsheathes his swords, "If such a time comes than I will be hunted as you are now, it's that simple."
Swords of pure energy appear in Zepheel's hands, they hum with power, "So be it, come, let us test our skills against one another yet again."
The two leap off the ground, and clash with each other in the air. Their blades only faint flashes of light as they attack and parry at incredible speeds. They land on the ground untouched then rush at each other and lock blades in a stalemate, "I see you've improved Zerex but you'll have to do better."
Zerex knocks a blade out of Zepheel's hand then nicks him in the shoulder with Passion. He lands a kick in Zepheel's chest and knocks him into a praying booth. Zepheel springs back onto his feet and in a blur of motion rushes at Zerex and lands a fierce punch into his stomach with a gauntleted hand, sending him tumbling backwards. Zepheel summons another blade into existence, then stabs it into the ground where Zerex just rolls away from. They engage in another fierce clash of swords, forged metal screeching against pure energy. The capes of the two combatants fluttering and falling, each determined not to give ground.
Higgins and the others stand outside the door, trying to force their way in. Taul and Reanna try using all the magic they know but nothing works.
Zerex and Zepheel continue to spin and whirl, blades flashing and whistling through the air. They both spring off the ground once again and engage in a relentless aerial combat, using both blades and feet to try and throw the other off. Zerex brings Passion down with such strength that it causes one of Zepheel's swords to explode in his face, sending him crashing down into the floor in a heap. Zepheel recovers instantly and creates another blade. They dash towards each other fearlessly as their swords collide once again, the sparks flying as they parry and block. Neither of them lets down his defenses even for a heartbeat. Zepheel seems to move in a haze as he speeds up unexpectedly, Zerex now on the defensive trying his best to stay alive. Zepheel does a back flip and lands on the altar, "Now I will show you my divine power."
He thrusts his open hand forward through the air, a sudden force hits Zerex as he goes sailing backwards through the air at an amazing speed. As he slams into the door it bursts open and the others rush in.
Zepheel laughs, "What does this pitiful band expect to accomplish?"
Higgins rushes towards him with sword pulled back, Reanna and Taul send in waves of flame, Loria fires a shimmering green ray, Tagglefoot charges in while throwing daggers. Zepheel is to fast though, he deflects the green ray into a wall with his cloak. He catches the throwing daggers and crushes them. The wave of flames reach him but divert around him due to a magical forcefield. Higgins slashes down hard but Zepheel simply grabs the sword blade out of the air and with a twist cracks it in half. He grabs the paladin by the neck then throws him far across the room. Tagglefoot peirces Zepheel's leg with a quick thrust. Zepheel gropes the wound for a split second then kicks the hobbit hard, sending him crashing into a wall. Zepheel glows blue with energy and floats up into the air. Suddenly a huge shockwave radiates out from around him in the blink of an eye, knocking the rest of the group down.
Zerex, seeing all his comrades down is finally able to get back on his feet, Malice and Passion in his hands glowing more brilliantly than ever before.
"Whoa Zerex! I've never seen you this pissed off!" says Malice.
Zepheel turns his head and sees Zerex marching towards him, eyes fixated and burning with hate.
Zepheel grins, "You might as well just go lie back down, even your weapons are no match for my magic."
His hands begin to spark and crackle with power, he sends huge bolts of lightning zig zagging towards Zerex. Zerex keeps trudging forward through the assault without faltering once. Zepheel sneers, "Now you will die."
A giant pillar of flame erupts beneath Zerex's feet completely surrounding him. Zepheel turns away, "Now, on to more important things...what?"
He turns around and sees a scorched and burned Zerex slowly stepping out of the flames, never slowing down a step. Zepheel's face fills with rage as he ignites his energy blades and closes the distance towards him. Zerex stands still, with a calm expression on his face. Zepheel slashes at him in a whirlwind of fury, but Zerex simply is not there. Zepheel looks around furiously as Zerex falls down on top of him from above, a barrage of his blades cutting so fast that they are almost unseen by the human eye. Zepheel's seemingly impentrable armor lies smashed and split open into his body, puncturing internal organs. His battered and cut body collapses to the ground, trying to crawl away with the little life left in him. Blood pours from his mouth as he speaks, "Well...now...isn't that something...defeated by you once again...will you spare me as you once did?"
Zerex grabs the dark elf by his blood soaked white silky hair and snaps his head back, "I will not make the same mistake twice," and with a flash the head is decapitated.
Zerex spits on the floor, "May Ire Ghasts and The Corrupter of Life itself tear your soul apart piece by piece for failing your 'Great Lord.'"
"Ahh the blood of your brother tastes so sweet, his black heart was innocent because his hatred and anguish was all he ever knew." says Malice.
"Your positions might have been reversed you know, if certain events hadn't taken place." says Passion.
Zerex looks around at the fallen party, Higgins is the first to wake up.
He looks up at Zerex and crawls back, "Stay back from me you Spawn of Innoruk!..Oh sorry Zerex didn't realize it was you! You seemed to have handled him well, blast him for breaking my sword it was a family heirloom! Ahh well I can always find a dwarven smith to repair it."
Tagglefoot wakes up rubbing his head, "Owww that's going to leave a lump," he runs over to Loria and shakes her awake.
She stands up and rubs her eyes then sees Tagglefoot, "Oh thank goodness you're alright!" the two hug briefly.
Taul and Reanna stumble to their feet, they look around briefly then embrace in a warm hug, thankful to be alive.
Reanna and Taul walk over to Zerex, "You sir are the most incredible elf I have ever met, if you ever need the services of this poor excuse for a wizard you need only to say the word," says Taul as he kneels.
Reanna kisses him lightly on the cheek, "You were great out there, I don't care what other elves say. You will always be welcome in our home in Felwithe if you ever pass through there."
The palace begins to rumble and shake, parts of the ceiling beginning to crumble and fall.
Taul looks around in surprise, "Zepheel must have rigged this place to collapse in the event of his untimely death, quickly follow me! I will create a portal."
A blue circular gateway appears in the air, the trees and grass of the Thicket are seen on the other side. The party quickly jumps through.
Mayor Gubin sits at his desk with reading spectacles on, filling out papers with a writing quill.
Suddenly a bloodied dark elf head thuds right on top of his papers.
He looks up in anger at a figure in the dark, "What is the meaning of this? ...oh it's you Zerex I see you found our killer! It's a dark elf to, well I'm not to surprised. I see you even kill your own kind without a shred of remorse, the 4,000 platinum pieces are in that bag over there take them and please leave. I am sorry but I don't think the townspeople will greet you warmly so it's in your best interest to leave."
Zerex grabs the bag of money, "I understand. Keep the head, bury it, burn it, or mount it on a pike it makes no difference," he turns and walks out of the room.
Outside, the sun fills Rivervale with light, a calm cool breeze blows across a nearly cloudless sky. Tagglefoot walks forward with a frown on his face, "So it's time to say goodbye, if you ever are interested in becoming a debuty Zerex I will set you up with the badge and everything!"
Zerex grins a little, "No thanks, you take care of yourself now."
Loria slugs Tagglefoot in the shoulder, "I'll be the one taking care of him since he seems to have a hard time managing on his own!"
Tagglefoot grins smugly, "Yes, Loria and I have decided we want to get to know each other alot better. We may get married soon so you will have to visit us again!"
Zerex nods as he mounts his black steed, he pulls the reins slightly and begins to trot down the road. He comes across Higgins telling the tale of what happened to a group of hobbits, he leaves out no details.
A hobbit sees Zerex and spits on the ground, "I never liked dark elves, outlander, you had best move along from here before you wind up in trouble."
Another halfling winds up his arm to throw a stone at Zerex, but Higgins grabs him by his shoulder and lifts him off the ground.
"You ungrateful wretch! This man is your savior if not for him this city would be up in smoke and probably the rest of Norrath along with it! Have you no thanks? exclaims an enfuriated Higgins.
"Put him down, Higgins," says Zerex.
Higgins mounts his horse and rides alongside Zerex, "I will report these happenings to my order in The Hall of Truth in Freeport. You are more than welcome to join me, you would make a fine knight, we would vanquish evil in all of its forms!"
Zerex shakes his head, "A knight's life is not for me, I do not do good things for the people, I do it for the money."
Higgins laughs, "I once felt as you do now, but a greater calling brought me to where I am today. If you ever change your mind, the offer will always be open. I must be heading off now though, until we meet again Zerex!" He rides off towards Freeport.
Zerex comes across Taul and Reanna sitting on a bench, they both stand up and run to greet him.
Taul frowns, "I see you are leaving, parting is such bitter sad sorrow, if you are ever on the continent of Faydwer you will be able to find us in Felwithe."
Reanna looks up at him, "Our adventures seemed to short, it deeply grieves me to see you go, will we ever see you again?"
Zerex looks off into the distance, "Perhaps."
He turns back towards the two, "I wish for your eternal happiness, may you always find joy in who and what you are, but now I must move on."
Zerex's cape flutters in the breeze as he turns and rides down the road, a trail of dust following him.
Taul shouts, "Safe journey!"
Reanna shouts, "Goodbye!"
Reanna looks down at the ground, "I wonder if we ever will see him again?"
"Another job well done Zerex! Where are we headed now?" says Malice.
"I wish to visit my mother's grave and say a prayer at the Everfrost Peaks," says Zerex.
"Boy, you really are becoming soft on me!" exclaims Malice.
"You've changed much, maybe you'll find your true love out there someday also," says Passion.
Zerex can't help but laugh a little, "Maybe so."
THE END