Chapter 26: Stealing the Dawn
Royal Palace of Sol-Falena, 338 Solar Year
As Lazlo and Simeon were making their way outside the city gates, something very odd caught their attention. Two cloaked figures were slowing making their way down the main road passed the various peddlers and merchant wagons going into Sol-Falena to sell their wares.
Even with hoods, it was clear to make out from their body shapes and curves, even by how they walked that they were both women. But the one had accidently bumped into a passerby and some of her hair had peaked through her covering. The hair was platinum color.
Lazlo knew of only three women with that hair color in the whole Queendom existed. One was in bed with a concussion and another was being held prisoner and in another part of the country. That meant this had to be Olinda and the other female had to be Rose. Lazlo ran up to them with Simeon hot on his heels.
"I don't know what you think you're doing, your Highness. But please go back to the palace, it's not safe out here!" Lazlo pleaded with the hooded figures who had seen him coming and had moved off the main road to a side path with less people traveling on it. Realizing there was no point in the hoods, both women lowered them.
Olinda looked very annoyed, "Safe!? You think the palace is any safer than out here? High stonewalls and guards didn't stop Nethergate last night! Why would they stop them tonight or the night after that? There is no safe place in the Queendom anymore." Lazlo couldn't exactly refute this point, but he still wanted to know where she was going and asked her as much.
She added, "I am going to save my sister. Father is more concerned with winning this damn war right now than saving Cyrah. So, I am going to do it. And if he thinks I'll just stay in my room like some good little girl until all this is over and then go marry that creep Barows, he's dead wrong. Forget it! I'd rather sell all the jewels and treasures we own to pay for that stupid lighthouse. Then have Barows bankroll it just so he can lay his grubby hands on me again."
Lazlo was concerned, but also somewhat elated, by her words about Barows. He asked, "Okay, but where are you two going now?" Olinda at last said, "East Palace!" Now the warrior understood. She was going to get the Dawn Rune to trade to Nyoka for Cyrah's life.
He pleaded with her, "Look, I know you want to help, but we can't let that crazy bastard get his hands on both the Dawn and Twilight Runes, right? Not to mention, I am going to try and save Cyrah right now. Your father does care! That's why he dispatched me on a secret mission to save her. Please, go back to the castle! Let me do this! Trust me, please!"
"Lazlo En Kuldes, I trust you more than anyone I have ever met. You know that! And I know you're only saying this because you care about me. But, please understand. As much as you care about me, I care for my sister as well. I won't just leave her to rot in some crazy priest's dungeon. We already have lost Graess. I will not lose my sister too! I just won't!" retorted the Princess in a very strong firm tone, Lazlo had only heard last night. Then, he thought that assertiveness was very becoming on her, and now not so much.
He turned to Rose, "Can't you say anything to help here?" "I already tried. Believe me. But I am her bodyguard first and her friend second. Once I realized I couldn't convince her as a friend, I agreed to protect her from whatever danger we encounter. That is my job as her Queen's Knight."
Olinda smiled a self-satisfactory smile then said, "I am going to get the Dawn Rune with or without you. I am going to try and save my sister with or without you. So, do you guys want to come with us and help or not?" Lazlo lifted his arms and lowered his head in surrender.
If he couldn't convince her not to go, he would at least go with her to make sure she stayed safe. He suddenly knew what Rose must be feeling as both warriors made eye contact momentarily. Simeon finally spoke up in his strange dream-like voice, "Well, now that that is settled shall we be off? I feel our journey will be a dangerous one. So, strength in numbers is a good idea."
When they finally got just outside East Palace. Rose asked, "How do we get in unnoticed?" Olinda spoke first, "Well, I do recall an old path or something, Uncle Ishaan, showed my sister and I one summer while we vacationed here as children. Maybe, we could find that in order to sneak passed most of the guards and the grounds staff."
Lazlo smiled a little and added, "We don't have to look. I know right where it is. Desmond and I would often sneak out that same secret path in the middle of the night and head into town to hear the latest news while we lived here all those months during the trade talks. I found it one day walking around after an exceptionally boring day of meetings. But, your right Olinda. That path will take us through this forest and right behind the compound."
They found the old worn out path in a few minutes' time. He led the small group through the forest and into the back of the East Palace. Rose added when they arrived at their destination, "Hey, there is that meeting hall where the talks happened. Hmm, I bet this is the same path those crazy extremist guys used to escape so quickly after they threw those flaming rocks at your meeting last year."
Lazlo nodded in agreement and said he figured that same thing after he had discovered the path. He figured it was not worth mentioning, since those guys and their leaders were already dead or locked up in jail. Despite it still being daylight the group made their way unseen to the building storing the Dawn Rune.
They hid behind some nearby tall and nicely trimmed bushes in order to survey out the scene. The door was now being guarded, surprisingly, only by one man at the moment. Though alone, Lazlo could tell the man was a warrior by his stance and maybe able to put up a decent fight before more help arrived. A plan was needed.
"The guard isn't just going to let us in, right? I mean only Olinda can go in anyhow. I recall Graess once told me that only members of the royal family are allowed pass the door. Plus, even if Olinda goes in I don't think the guard will let her walk away with a national treasure like the Dawn Rune. Moreover, these Rune Guards are supposed to be very well-trained. I don't think we can just take the guard out without attracting attention from others here on the estate." stated Lazlo.
"Your right, I guess I really didn't think about that… Rose, what are you doing?" asked the Princess quizzically. Rose at that moment was undoing the hair-band that normally kept her medium length red hair back so it would not be a distraction for her in battle. After she let her hair down she casually unfastened the top buttons of her Queen's Knight uniform revealing a little bit more cleavage then she normally showed off.
In addition, she even pulled out a little cylinder from her side pouch. It was red lipstick, which she put on. "Don't worry. I planned for this part. He maybe a well-trained guard, but he's still just a man. And you all have the same basic weaknesses." finished the red-headed temptress in a very seductive voice as she adjusted her chestguard a little, while looking at Lazlo and Simeon who were looking at her. Then she added, "Wait here until the coast is clear. Once we're out of sight, you three can head for the Dawn Rune's Chamber."
Olinda couldn't help but let off a girlish giggle, "Rose, you're so naughty!" Lazlo always thought Rose was attractive in her own way, but right now he had to admit to himself, she was looking pretty stunning and seductive. He had a fairly good idea of what she was going to attempt. He only hoped the guard thought so too.
The last thing Rose said to them was, "Make this quick! I can probably only give you like 20 minutes," She looked over the guard once more like a lioness looking at her prey, "Better make that only 10 minutes with this guy."
"Stop! Who goes there!" a voice called out loudly enough for them to hear from the nearby bushes. Rose replied in her improvised charming feminine tone, "It's me, Rose, from the Queen's Knights." Lazlo assumed the man had finally got a decent view of the redhead as his once strong voice was now starting to crack a little bit.
"Ahh, Lady Rose! It's you! You look... I mean. Umm, sorry Ma'am. We had a break-in last night. Both guards were wounded. Luckily, the thief was unable to make off with the Dawn Rune before more guards showed up. Only three of us are left now. One went to Sol-Falena to request more guards. Myself and the other guy are here guarding the Dawn Rune in 12-hour shifts."
Rose started to play a bit with the ends of her straight hair by curling them with her finger. "That's so brave of you! You scared off that intruder. I am sure if youhad been on duty, you would have killed that would-be thief with one strike of that mighty sword of yours. Whoosh..." retorted Rose pressing her lips together to make the whooshing sound at the end of her sentence in a rather alluring manner. The guard gripped the hilt of his sword quite firmly at her words, Lazlo saw as he was glaring through the bushes.
The flirtatious redheaded siren's charms seemed to be working. They were now whispering and speaking in hushed tones, so the three could no longer hear what they were saying. But they saw as Rose further beguiled the helpless guard. She placed her index finger on his chest and made some kind of motion on his armor plating they couldn't really tell as now Rose's head was in the way.
A moment later, she seemed to gesture him onward to some nearby room adjacent next to the Dawn Rune's chamber. They saw the guard fumble and drop his set of keys, before he found the right one to open that door. Both walked in. The Dawn Rune's Chamber was now guardless and ready to be entered.
Simeon said in a quiet and impressed voice, "Well now, that was interesting. Shall we follow Lady Rose's words and go in now?" The other two nodded in agreement and proceeded into the room. They looked around upon entering as it was the first any of them had been in here before. It was a normal looking room as compared to the other rooms at East Palace.
It had tables, couches, and chairs throughout the room. There were paintings on the walls, which were blue themselves. The only thing of notable difference was a tall white marble statue in the center of the room. The statue was a figure of a beautiful woman. Probably a past Queen given the amount of detail hewed into the stone figure. The Queen's right arm was also raised upward into the air. On this extended right arm, a watery blue light could be seen glowing faintly on its' hand."
Lazlo had a bad feeling about this. He still had his doubts. Like that time the Chief of Na-Nal had wanted Lazlo and Lino to steal the Immortal Potion from the Elves on his Island in exchange for Na-Nal's help in the fight against Kooluk. Lazlo's hunch had been proven right.
The chief had betrayed them to Kooluk instead, but fortunately the Elves of that island were prepared for such an act. Just like then, Lazlo had an eerie feeling like all was not as it seemed, like they were being watched by someone or something.
He had agreed to help Olinda do this treasonous act to save her sister. But he, also, knew he was probably falling right into Nyoka's hand. Oh, well, he thought, one bridge crossing at a time. For now, I have to protect Olinda, he thought to himself.
Olinda was first to speak up, "That's it! That is the Dawn Rune! I recognize its symbol from all the banners and artwork at the palace. That's it! Wow, it is far more beautiful than the artwork." Olinda stepped toward the statue in an attempt to touch the rune.
But suddenly, the faint glowing of the rune intensified greatly. The whole statue started to glow intensely, as shimmers of more blue light began to swirl like a mini-tornado around Olinda's whole body. Only there was no wind or force pushing against her.
The blue swirls began to converge on her right palm. Everything suddenly became still again. Olinda opened her eyes and looked down on the back of her right hand. The crest of the Dawn Rune was emblazoned upon her soft white skin.
She could feel the gentle power surge through her whole body. It felt calm like a small breeze or a gentle wave pushing against your feet, but it also felt like a warm fire coursing throughout her whole being. Only this fire didn't burn her, but rather it just made everything warm. It was more powerful than any common rune she had practiced with growing up, that is for sure, she thought to herself.
Simeon and Lazlo both looked at this new rune bearer. "Remarkable, the rune chose her of its own will. Simply remarkable! Truly you are a daughter of the First Queen!" said the tan robed magician in an impressed voice. "Thanks, I guess." replied Olinda still sort of bewildered herself. Olinda turned and smiled at Lazlo, "I am a rune bearer like you now."
Lazlo looked at her and returned the smile. Simeon spoke up again in his ethereal voice, "Well, not quite like Sir Lazlo. He possesses one of the 27 True Runes. The Sun Rune is one of the 27. But the Dawn Rune is not. Although it is very unique, powerful, and quite dangerous if not used properly. But, it seems the rune has chosen you. That's a good sign. Thus, you shouldn't have any trouble wielding it."
"Dangerous, if not used properly, indeed!" an eerie female voice called out from the shadows. The three spun around to where the voice had originated from. Lazlo was about to draw his blades, but Simeon placed his arm in front of Lazlo's arms stopping him. He said in a calm voice, "It's all right. Hello, Zerase, how are you doing on this fair day?"
"Simeon, I should have known." replied the woman who had now appeared out of nowhere. She was a tall thin woman with pale skin and had long black hair and dark eyes. She wore a black dress, which was over laden by a black cloak and a hood that also had some gold trimming on it as well.
This woman, who Simeon called Zerase, looked over Lazlo as though she was seeing into his soul and then some. His magical senses were nowhere near that level. But, he could sense a strange aura coming from this woman. She, too, possessed a unique and powerful rune. What kind? Lazlo couldn't tell, but it wasn't a True Rune. It felt about as powerful as the Dawn Rune, reasoned the Islander.
Zerase spoke again in that same displeased tone, "Hmmm, Oh, that True Rune. How far you have ventured oh, Chief of the Heavenly Stars." "Excuse me!?" said Lazlo toughly; still not fully trusting of this woman. "Your star, the Tenkai, you once led the 108 Stars." she replied in her same rude tone. Lazlo added, "How do you know about that? Simeon, your friend says some strange things. Reminds me a bit of Leknaat."
However, before Simeon spoke, the black robed woman interrupted him. "I assure you. I know many things, Star-Gatherer. I know Simeon. And I know Leknaat. Yet, we are hardly friends; acquaintances that is all. Also, I know that you being here at this time is not an accident. It is fate and destiny!"
She turned toward Olinda and added, "More importantly than all of that, you child, Daughter of the Sun, I know the Dawn Rune has chosen you. I will not go against the will of the Dawn Rune and stop you from taking it as I did that stupid unworthy fool. No, it has chosen you as the Twilight Rune has chosen your sister. Such a thing is not a coincidence either. It, too, must be fate. You must be worthy of this rune, young princess. Should you fail… Well, don't fail."
Olinda was speechless. She didn't fully understand what this mysterious woman was telling her. She had no idea why Zerase kept calling Lazlo the Star-Gatherer. But, the woman's warning was not lost on the girl. It had only been moments since she took possession of the Rune of the Dawn, but she could feel its energy flowing through her whole being and she wanted to be worthy of this great power and gift.
Olinda raised up her eyes after staring at the rune for some time, then asked, "How can I be worthy of this rune?" However, the strange woman was gone. Zerase had vanished into thin air. "Where did she go?" a confused Olinda asked. "Oh, she does that. Don't worry! Actually, I think she likes you my dear. She seemed friendlier than I last remember her being." retorted Simeon with a small chuckle.
Lazlo was lost a bit in his own mind considering the black-garbed woman's words of warning, but then composed himself. After sneaking a peak out the window, he said, "It's clear still. Let's go! I don't know how much longer Rose will be able to keep that guy distracted." So, they snuck out the door and made their way back to the bushes that they had occupied prior.
Sure enough, about five minutes later Rose walked out of the other side room first. She was tying the back of her chestguard, adjusted her few top buttons in the front, and then proceeded to fix her hair. The guard followed out behind her.
He had a great big smile on his face, which he immediately tried to conceal when he realized he was in a semi-public area again. He, also, seemed to be busy fixing his uniform, which he had buttoned unevenly in the room.
They watched as Rose kissed him on the cheek and patted him on his behind. She whispered something to him as she walked away. It was faint, but Lazlo thought it was something to the effect of, "Remember, it will be our little secret, you tiger you!"
The man waved good-bye to the Queen's Knight. The big stupid grin returning to his face once more. She turned the corner as he immediately returned to a vigilant position or so he tried.
Rose made her away around and eventually back to the bushes to her companions. Olinda blushing made the comment, "I can't believe you did that! Hehe. And, that was longer than ten minutes, Rose." "Well, what can I say, he liked to cuddle. Besides, I wouldn't be much of a Queen's Knight if I didn't use all my skills and talents to complete my mission, right? And some missions are just fun, even if not fully... satisfying." she added in a small and not fully pleased tone.
Lazlo looked at her unsure of what to say, himself. Luckily, Rose quickly turned the conversational tone to a serious one by asking, "Did you get the Dawn Rune? What happened in there? Olinda extended her right hand showing the runic tattoo glowing faintly to her bodyguard. They, then, explained all that had unfolded in the room with the Dawn Rune and their encounter with Zerase.
Looking up at the sky and the position of the Sun, Lazlo knew it was the late afternoon and they needed to get going if they wanted to make it to Mt. Amdort by nightfall. So, Lazlo led them out the back of the compound through the secret path through the forest to the main road.
Again, no one saw them. However, once they got to the main road a figure stepped forward from behind a nearby tree. The figure looked a bit bruised and unkempt, but Lazlo recognized him immediately it was Razi. The escaped criminal from Agate Prison and the arrogant personal servant to Lord Nyoka.
Though he looked weak and defeated, he still had that same boastful conceit in his voice, "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Princess Olinda and her little entourage of pathetic bodyguards? My, my how a bit of good fortune seems to have smiled down upon me at last."
Rose, Lazlo, and Simeon all drew their weapons as Razi removed his sword from its sheath.
Then something caught the young man's eye, "What is that? Is that the Dawn Rune? How did you? You defeated that black caped witch!?" Olinda quickly pulled her right hand behind her back and covered it with her left. At the same time, Lazlo put himself between the two saying, "Never you mind her. I believe it's about time you and I had some words!" After saying this, he lifted his weapons to an attack posture.
He called out to the others, "Rose, Simeon, get Olinda out of here. Take her to the place. I'll be along shortly." Rose, nunchucks in hand, grabbed the princess by the hand and started pulling her down the main road. The bodyguard's eyes were on the trees as well as Razi.
Simeon, rod in hand, said nothing, but nodded to his old companion and proceeded to follow the two women at a brisk pace watching their rear flank as they made their way down the road. Lazlo could hear Olinda's concerned voice call out, "Lazlo, Win!"
Both men watched as the three vanished up over a hill. Then, Razi smugly declared, "I'll find her and that Dawn Rune. I imagine there is only one place they will be going. Just as my Master planned. Soon, I will get them both!"
Lazlo with the same measure of confidence rebuked him saying, "It doesn't matter what you know. You and your friend will be dead before this hour is up. Yes, I can sense him. I sense you assassin in your little tree up there! I have since your friend first ambushed us. And heaven knows I can smell you! When did you guys bathe last? Whatever, come out already and let's get this show started. We're not getting any younger here."
With that, the hidden assassin leapt down from a nearby high tree his sword drawn as well. Both men came at Lazlo charging and weapons in the air ready to slash down upon him at first chance. With his front and back flanks being closed in upon, the warrior turned to his side so both attackers were now at his right and left.
He raised his left and right arms outwards extending both his blades at each charging foe. Both men slowed down so they wouldn't impale themselves on his thrusted blades. The two changed their stances and at the same time proceeded to turn their swords parallel with their bodies and use them like a club to knock Lazlo's blades out of his hands.
Lazlo waiting for this counter-move retracted his own blades and quickly re-sheathed them. The keeper of the Rune of Punishment next did a flip backwards, so his back was now closer to a large tree beside the path and the two men were in front of him. He redrew his weapons. With one less flank exposed the Islander was ready for their next attack.
He had watched Razi's fighting style before in his duel with Robert. The knight was a master halberd wielder and, yet, he couldn't match the young man skills. In fact, only by borrowing a page from Lazlo's own playbook of doing something unexpected and unorthodox had Robert won.
Razi was so well-trained in conventional and official textbook fencing and swordplay that only by playing dirty and using street smarts could Razi be beaten. Lazlo figured he'd have to be a little less conventional in their duel as well. Plus, he had fought enough Nethergate warriors over the past year he knew their fighting style well enough by now too.
The assassin struck at Lazlo first. The dual sword master parried the blow with his right sword and brought his left down like lightning to the Nethergate warrior's chest. Nevertheless, before he could kill him, his foe raised the iron gauntlet on his free wrist to his own chest fast enough to deflect most of the blow.
However, the iron wristguard was no match for Lazlo's reforged elvish blades combined with his swift and mighty blow. The sword passed through the ore with ease, but stopped just shy of breaking skin and cutting off the man's hand. Realizing this, the assassin backed off for a moment to refocus himself.
Razi pressed his advance and Lazlo met his blade with his own. Both men matched each other strike for strike and blow for blow. The ageless warrior was impressed how someone as young as Razi could be this good. He seemed to be learning Lazlo's fighting style while dueling him at the same time. However, his form though good was not totally flawless.
His keen eye started to notice a few imperfections. Sometimes, when the young protégé extended his blade forward too much, Lazlo noticed his leg stance was off balance ever so slightly. Against a normal duelist, it wouldn't make a difference, but Lazlo was already thinking of a way to exploit it to his advantage.
Nyoka's servant was at a loss, himself. He had never fought anyone like this. He had never seen so many different sword styles being used by one single person. Just when he thought he had figured this brown-haired man's technique out. He completely changed forms to something new.
Lazlo's sword skills were phenomenal. How could that be? He looks about my age. Even the highly-trained assassins of Nethergate were not this good, thought Razi. At last, he understood why the plan to kidnap Olinda near Holy Lunas had failed all those months ago.
The young ex-priest normally dominated his opponents. Even that large Queen's Knight, Robert, was on the defensive against his skill for most of their fight, recalled Razi. Even when he had dueled Graess to a draw, he never felt this outclassed. Though that duel had been interrupted. He never doubted he would have found a way to win eventually.
But not so with this ambassador. No, this man was utterly different. His technique was without a doubt better than both knight brothers. He fought like a swordmaster, who had been trained in, and had mastered several different fighting styles over many decades. Razi knew he had at last met not only his equal, but his better, and that thought scared and intrigued him.
At the moment, both men were attacking Lazlo again simultaneously and he was using either of his swords to fend off each of their attacks. The Islander quickly swapped from a defensive to an offensive posture.
He swung his right blade upward catching the Nethergate warrior's blade as it was coming downwards. Both blades clashed together with great force and sparks. With his sword-arm still high in the air, the assassin's body was exposed.
Lazlo turned his body quickly raising his left knee and crushed it into the man's stomach. The ninja lurched backwards and fell to the ground. He could hear him gasping for air.
At the same time, Razi saw his chance and quickly thrusted his blade forward at Lazlo's exposed side. However, the warrior was hoping for just this move and sure enough in his overconfidence and eagerness to lunge forward quickly, Razi's feet were slightly off-balanced as Lazlo had noticed before.
As the young priest was thrusting his sword at the former Prince of Obel, who still had his body slightly turned and knee in the air, spun back around and launched his right sword at Razi like a frisbee or boomerang. The twirling blade came hurling right at him and sure enough his stance was unbalanced and he fell over trying to dodge the weapon at such short proximity.
His own clumsiness had saved his life. Had he not fallen so suddenly the flying blade would have taken the boy's head clean off his shoulders. Lazlo's unorthodox technique had worked against Razi's superb textbook training.
The ageless warrior took his left sword and placed it to his right hand, which was his dominant hand anyways. He held the blade to Razi's neck while kicking the Nagarean's own weapon out of his reach. For once he was speechless and even fearful as this Island Nation's Ambassador had not only defeated him, but a Nethergate warrior too, simultaneously.
Besides that, he didn't even seem tired or worn out. Like he hadn't even been giving it his all. Plus, it occurred to him that there was never even a time he had the upper hand in the fight. Truly, this Islander was a rare breed, indeed.
The assassin stood up and saw that Lazlo was now standing over a defeated Razi. He clutched his chest a bit to catch his breath as the wind had been knocked out of him too. A moment later, he regained his awareness and picked up his weapon. He started to yell very loudly and recklessly began to charge at Lazlo.
The swordmaster had missed none of this. He didn't take his sword or one eye off the fallen priest. Instead he raised his left hand and said with a great deal of calm intensity, "You people love to attack helpless old men and defenseless women in the dead of night. You love the darkness so much. So, let's see how you like this: Voice of Death."
The Rune of Punishment started to show forth and emanate with power around Lazlo. The charging warrior stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes fixated on the Rune's energy as a new spell came forth from the man's left hand. Razi on his back, also, watched on with great curiosity at this devastating and unknown spell before him.
He felt his body froze. Suddenly, he could hear what sounded like wings flapping. He looked up and a small portal of dark green, purple, crimson, and black energy appeared and it begin to swirl above his head.
The sounds of flapping began to intensify. It wasn't just the sound of one thing flapping its' wings, but several dozen. Then, sounds of small screeching could be heard coming from the swirling runic power above the stupefied man's head.
The swirling vortex opened up like a giant fisherman's net and out of it dozens of giant bats appeared. They went right for the frozen assassin and attacked him. A moment later, they and the dark light show had vanished. The Nethergate fighter fell over dead without making a single sound, say for the thud of his body collapsing on the ground.
Now Lazlo had both eyes again fixed on his other defeated foe. "Like I said before, it does not matter what you think you know. You are not leaving this place alive. I won't let you hurt Olinda or let you have the Dawn Rune." declared Lazlo as though a judge who had just passed sentence.
Razi coughed a bit and tried to pull himself up a bit with his own elbows. Conversely, Lazlo pushed his blade closer to the exiled priest's neck indicating he shouldn't move. The young man stayed still, but added calmly, "You're the one wrong. I don't want the girl or the Dawn Rune. That's all Nyoka. Always has been. He wants to be the sun-god; not me. However, this Rune. Now that one, I am very intrigued by. What kind is it? Where did you get it?"
Lazlo smiled, "That story will take longer to explain than you have time to live. Speaking of which, any last words before I give some degree of justice to all the innocent people that have been killed because of you and your master's twisted plans?"
Razi smirked as well. That arrogant expression returned to his face once more. "I do have to thank you. It will be easier to get that rune from her Royal Cuteness, then from that black caped witch again. I wasn't sure if my Plan B would have worked against her, anyhow."
The confused bandana wearer replied, "What 'Plan B' are you referring too?" Razi whispered softly, "This." At that same moment, he reached into his pocket and pulled a poisonous dart and thrusted it into the side of Lazlo's left leg just above his boot.
Lazlo tried to jump back in time, but it was too late. The dart had already pierced his skin and he could feel its toxin beginning to course through his body. He felt his left leg go numb and then the rest of his lower body. Soon his arms and hands were shaking too. He fell over unable to move his muscles. This was what had happened to Rose that one time outside Lunas, and now he could feel his body shutting down.
This didn't make sense to him. He had been hit by one of those darts before, but his True Rune that made him immune to disease, sickness, and even death, had proven very effective against the toxin's effects. Was this poison somehow more lethal than the other darts?
The exiled clergy stood up and let out a small laugh, "What's Plan B? Simple, play dirty. Just like you! That stupid whore of a witch proved to be far more formidable than I thought. We had to retreat. We knew our swords and common spells would be no match against her powerful sorcery. Plus, we figured regular sleeping darts would be useless too. But I wasn't going to return to Lord Nyoka again empty-handed.
"Thus, we scoured the forest all morning looking for the most powerful poisonous herbs and plants we could find. I was quite impressed by our good fortune when we found both mandrake root and wild hemlock. Either will kill a normal man effortlessly even with a small dose. But combined in their rawest form, one could bring down even the mightiest of behemoths in seconds."
He went on, "Who needs to kill that crazy druid freak now, when you're a far better prize. That Rune of yours. It still intrigues me. Don't worry, I won't take you back to my Master right away. No, there is a hidden cottage just south of here; near Rainwall. I think we shall go visit there, first."
Lazlo couldn't move. Everything was going dark. All he could hear and see before passing out completely from this tremendously fatal and venomous concoction was Razi lifting up his left hand and saying, "Yes, you have many secrets to tell me, indeed. Secrets that soon, I alone shall possess."