Chapter 5

When Dorm awoke at dawn's first light, he discovered that Jaina and the Goblet of Maridoc were gone.

Careful not to wake anyone, the ranger grabbed his weapons and armor and went outside. After quickly strapping on his armor, he followed Jaina's footprints, leaving them away from camp. Moving at a quick pace, Dorm followed Jaina's tracks to the entrance of the ruins where she was now standing.

"Little early for a stroll don't you think?" Dorm asked, drawing Silverwind and his short sword. Jaina whirled around, surprised to see Dorm standing behind her. She was ready to explain her early departure from the hut when a man in black robes stood at the entrance of the city.

"So the mayor sent his daughter's friend to get her back," Grimall hissed. His eyes glanced over at Dorm, then at the goblet.

"Such beautiful craftsmanship," the wizard remarked with a smile. He tried to reach for the goblet, but Jaina pulled it to her side.

"I want to see my friend," Jaina said in a cold voice. "Where is she?"

Grimall sighed, then walked into the ruins. "Follow me."

As they walked through the ruins, Dorm noticed the drawings on the wall. They depicted scenes of battle between chromatic dragons and metallic dragons. Broken statues of men in armor were propped up against corners, and a skeleton was sprawled on the floor.

Grimall led Jaina and Dorm into a large room. Many glowing orbs that were hung from the ceiling lighted the area. In the center of the room was a large black stone table where Eliza lay sleeping. Jaina's eyes filled with rage as she looked at Grimall. "She is under a magical sleep," he said calmly.

Jaina quickly dropped the Goblet of Maridoc and ran over to the table. Dorm followed her, but then he noticed Grimall casting a spell. He tried to warn Jaina, but it was too late.

Several bolts of lightning shot from Grimall's fingertips. The lightning flew through the air and hit Jaina in the chest, sending her to the floor. Dorm bent down to help her while Grimall picked up the goblet and drew his dagger. The man in black robes quickly walked over to the table, cut Eliza's arm with his dagger, and poured her blood into the goblet. He then walked over to the mirror that stood up against a wall and threw the goblet at it.

The Goblet of Maridoc smashed through the mirror. The blood was splattered all over the broken shards of glass. A creature then materialized in the mirror frame. Above her waist, she resembled a beautiful human woman with black hair, shiny green skin, and six arms, each holding a long sword. Below her waist, she had a long snake-like tail. "I am free," Modan the marilith hissed.

Grimall stared at the creature. "I thought you were an efreeti."

Modan turned her yellow eyes to Grimall. Her long snake-like tail snapped forward and wrapped itself around Grimall's ankle. "I lied," she hissed as she used the strength she had in her lower body, she tossed him across the room. He flew in the air, and then was impaled on top of a broken statue's sword tip.

Modan's eyes turned to the girl laying on the table. Saliva dripped slowly from her lips as she slithered closer to the virgin. Jaina and Dorm stepped up to the demon. "Don't you touch her," Jaina said coldly, drawing her weapons.

The marilith turned to Jaina. and attacked in a fury, slashing all six of her blades at Jaina's chest. Three of the long sword ripped through the half elf's armor, wounding her flesh.

Dorm stabbed Silverwind deeply into the marilith's arm, then made a quick left spin. His slashed his short sword hard, cutting off the demon's middle left arm. Jaina stepped right, her long sword and short sword slashing two diagonal cuts in Modan's side.

Modan growled and closed her eyes. Several small hairless demons with pale skin surrounded the marilith. They had slack jawed mouths with sharp fangs peeking from their lips. Six of them charged Dorm while Modan turned to attack Jaina once more.

"I see they've started the fun without us," shouted Timber as he, Roxi and Allister entered the room. Timber took a good look at the scene, wondering what those creatures were.

"The little ones are dretches," Allister said softly as he reached into his white robe. "The big one is a marilith." He pulled out a beautifully crafted rapier. Its blade glowed a fierce red light and its handle was made of malachite with red padded gripping. The mage handed the blade to Timber. "This is Alcarin, and this will help you against those demons."

Timber took the rapier Allister had given him and charged at one of the dretches. He felt warmness radiating from the blade. With one swipe of Alcarin, Timber cleaved the dretch in half. The rogue turned left, stabbing the dretch closest to him. The small demon growled as it fell to the floor.

Roxi began to channel the divine energy of Mishakal, preparing to cast her favorite cleric spell; Searing Light at the marilith. She opened her palm and out shot a long ray of bright light. The cleric's target was the marilith, but a dretch jumped in the air, and took the full force of the spell.

Three of the dretches that were fighting Dorm charged the cleric. Roxi reached back and grabbed her Eagle Headed Staff. She swung her staff hard at one of the dretches. Her blow crushed the skull of the small demon. She took another swing, but this time she missed the other two dretches. From behind, Allister cast a Chain Lightning spell. A lightning bolt flew from his fingertips and struck one of the dretches hard in the chest. When that dretch fell over, the same bolt leapt at the other dretch, striking the demon hard.

Modan continued her attacks, her swords furiously striking Jaina's weapons. Jaina continued to successfully parry and deflect the demon's five swords, until a sword in Modan's left hand found its way deeply into her midsection. Jaina stepped back and let out a soft cry of pain. She grabbed her side which stared to bleed badly.

The marilith brought her five swords together, and made one quick thrust at Jaina's chest. Jaina quickly spun right, avoiding the demon's attack. She raised her long sword high, and brought it down hard, severing Modan's upper and middle right arms. The marilith howled in pain, her tail snapped forward and wrapped itself around Jaina's body.

Jaina dropped her weapons as Modan's tail constricted around her. She tried to struggle, but the loss of blood made her both light headed and weak. Her eyes looked over to where Eliza's body lay.

Timber was cutting down any dretch that was foolish enough to get close to him. The elf then grabbed the girl's body and ran back across the room where he handed her to Allister, then went back to kill the remaining dretches.

Dorm finished off a dretch with a stab of his short sword to the stomach. The attack caused Dorm's weapon to break. He then saw Modan literally squeezing the life out of Jaina. In a movement of quickness, Dorm ran and picked up Jaina's short sword and drove it hard into Modan's exposed throat, then reached up with Silverwind and stabbed the demon's throat once more, this time finishing her for good.

He suddenly felt the handles of both weapons burning his hands. He dropped them on the floor. Just as Modan's lifeless tail released Jaina, Dorm quickly grabbed her and held her close.

Timber finished off the last dretch while Roxi and Allister were trying to wake up Eliza. They both looked to see Dorm sitting on the floor with Jaina in his arms.

Jaina weakly raised her hand and stroked Dorm's cheek. "Is that creature dead?" Dorm nodded his head and held her hand. He didn't know what to say.

"Can you do me a favor?" Jaina asked in a weak voice. "Can you take Eliza home for me, and tell her I'm sorry for not taking her horseback riding."

Dorm leaned close and softly kissed her lips. "You have nothing to apologize for, and I'm sure she'll understand."

Jaina nodded. "Good," she whispered. For a moment, she stared into his eyes, then continued," There's something I want you to have Dorm. Two things actually. First is my short sword. I want you to use it. It works well, especially against goblins." She laughed softly. "The second thing I want to give you is back at my house in Two Creek. It's in a little red jewelry box. Eliza can take you there."

Dorm nodded. Part of him wanted to refuse the gifts, but he knew that it would be an insult to her. Jaina smiled at him once more. "I wish we could have met years ago Dorm Silverfalcon," she whispered. "We could have had many adventures together." Then Dorm felt her last breath brush his lips.

Tears streamed down Roxi's face. She buried her head in Timber's chest. The elf wrapped his arms around the cleric. He gently stroked her hair with his fingers as the tears fell from his eyes. Allister kept his head low while he held a sleeping Eliza in his arms.