Chapter 5

Reluraun's Tomb was a large dome structure made of dark colored stone. Runes drawn in elvish script decorated the outside of the tomb. Drawn on the outside doors was a large tree that resembled the ones that circled the outside of the tomb.

Gileed and his twelve surviving men approached the tomb with caution. The elf leader knew that he had to get inside of the vault and retrieve the amulet. From what scouts had told him, there were adventurers following their trail.

Tyresian must have sent them to stop me, Gileed told himself as two soldiers opened the doors. Then, Gileed walked inside of the tomb.

All over the walls were images of elves battling dark elves. The elf leader guessed that these images depicted battles from the Crown Wars.

"Sir, we've scouted two rooms ahead and found so sign of monsters," Neidlarin said as he approached the elf leader. Gileed nodded, wondering if all of the rumors he had heard about Reluraun's Tomb were false.

"You disappoint me Gileed, son of Fonatain," a low ghostly voice whispered. A skeleton materialized in front of Gileed.. The skeleton wore a thin green silk robe with golden bracelets on his hands, and golden rings on his fingers.

Gileed drew his sword. He had never faced a lich before, yet there was something familiar about this creature.

"Put your sword away, for I am the baelorn of this crypt," spat the undead creature. "My brothers and I protect our ancestor's ghost and tomb. You have not come here uninvited Gileed, but you must understand that only Reluraun's descendants can enter the tomb freely, and you are not one of Reluraun's descendants."

Gileed's eyes stared through the ghost. Baelorns were the elven equivalent to a lich, except for the fact that they were good wizards who were known to guard the graves and tombs of their kin. "Hill Elder Solostran, one of Reluraun's living descendants asked me to get the amulet. He treats me like a member of the family. If you want to honor Reluraun's descendants, then you will let me explore the tomb."

The baelorn let out a sigh. "Explore then Gileed, but know that only our descendants can retrieve the items left here without consequence"

Gileed bowed to the baelorn, then he and his men walked into the next room.

"He brings great danger," whispered the baelorn as he watched Gileed explore the next room. "I must warn my brothers before the tomb falls apart."

On the other side of the room where Gileed and his men were exploring, was a larger room filled with eroded statues of elves and broken bones that lay scattered across the floor.

Tanis and his comrades materialized in the room. "That's an interesting trait your weapon has," the half-elf commented to Gilderoy.

Gilderoy's' face swelled with pride. "It's good for a quick escape," he said, holding Nightwalker in his hand. The cutlass was given to him by priests of Waukeen. Not only was it a might weapon in battle, but it could also teleport the half-orc and his comrades to far away places, at least once per day.

While the men were discussing weapons, Kaylah and Lucilya took this chance to look around the room for any doors. Freya decided to take the time and study the statues.

Her small, but strong fingers brushed one of the statue's shoulders.

"Eroded statues of those long gone," she whispered as she brushed the dust off of a statue.

"Halfling, you dare touch the statue of one of my fallen comrades!" screamed a voice inside of Freya's mind.

A white transparent image of a longhaired elven warrior appeared before Freya, his lifeless eyes staring at the halfling as he drew his long sword.

Freya drew her double-axe and swung it at the ghost. The axe went through the elf's body, but it seemed to have little affect on the ghost. With a wicked grin, Reluraun stabbed his long sword into Freya's shoulder.

"I think we found Reluraun's ghost," Freya screamed as she stepped away, holding onto herb wounded shoulder. At the far end of the room, Kaylah and Lucilya drew their weapons, Kaylah with her crossbow and Lucilya with her long bow. They aimed at the ghost and fired.

It looked as if Lucilya's arrow was going to fly straight into Reluraun's forehead while Kaylah's crossbow bolts were going into his stomach.

Reluraun let out a cruel laugh and vanished before the arrow and the bolts could hit him.

No less than five seconds later, he materialized back in the same spot and pointed his sword at the half-drow. "I will kill you drow spawn."

Kaylah aimed her crossbow while Tanis drew his long sword. They were both about to attack the ghost, when Gilderoy stepped in front of them.

The half-orc drew his holy symbol and channeled Waukeen's divine power.

A wave of holy energy was released from Gilderoy's symbol and flew at Reluraun. The ghost let out a terrible scream as the energy wave hit him. Tanis and Kaylah took this moment to attack, but Reluraun vanished once again.

"Do not worry travelers, Reluraun will not trouble you any longer," said a baelorn wearing tattered blue robes appeared.

"You must be one of the baelorns that guard Reluraun," Lucilya as she stepped over to the baelorn and bowed. "Before you speak any longer honorable one, you should know that you have come here not to purge the tomb's treasures, but to protect them."

The baelorn exchanged looks with Lucilya, then turned left as another baelorn, this one wearing torn up red robes and a silver circlet on its forehead, entered the room.

"Simoniel, this must be one Tyresian sent here," whispered the red robed baelorn in elf tongue.

"I agree Alamaxin," Simoniel whispered back in the same language. "Theodir encountered the group of elves earlier, who were on their way down to the vaults." Alamaxin turned it's skeleton head towards Lucilya and said," The one known as Gileed has invaded the tomb and on his way to plunder the vault. Though we cannot help you, we will try and keep Reluraun under guard."

Lucilya smiled and thanked the baelorns as they disappeared, then saw a large section of the wall that was opposite of them, slide open, revealing a dark hallway.

"That's good," whispered Freya as Lucilya closed her eyes. "I don't mind fighting the living. It's undead that I don't like fighting."

Tanis nodded and placed Wyrmclaw back in its scabbard. He and Kaylah left the room after the others.

As they walked through the doorway, as the sweet sound of harps, violins, and flutes filled their ears. The music that was created by this combination of instruments was truly beautiful.

So beautiful, that it caused Tanis and Kaylah not to notice the blue glow that was coming from inside Wyrmclaw's scabbard.