A/N: And here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Dungeons and Dragons. I only own my original ideas.
Chapter 58: A Close Call
The commander looked us over, and smirked.
"Well, what have we here?" said the commander, "drop your weapons and surrender, and you'll get to live another day".
"No can do," said Charles, "we don't take orders from you. Why don't you tell us what we know about the Shadow Triad?"
"I only know the name," said the commander, "they hired the services of me and my soldiers to guard this place. Sorry about this, but business is business. Besides, your dragon's hide would make a nice set of armor for me. But enough talk, to arms!"
I looked at our foes, and knew had a chance for a good opening blow. I inhaled deeply, and unleashed my fire, aiming for the commander and half of the knights. While some where caught off guard, the commander and two of the knights managed to evade the worst of my attack. Krisyra slammed her staff to the ground, and the ground beneath the knights I hadn't attacked suddenly erupted upwards. Three of these knights took the full brunt of this attack. She then morphed into a large feline creature with very large teeth. One of the knights she'd damaged charged Krisyra, and struck her tansformed self with a greatsword. It was a shallow blow, and as the knight went of a secod swing, she deftly doged out of the way, snarling.
Charles moved up to one of the knights I'd burned, and swung his greatsword low, knocking the knight off his feet. He followed up with another strike, and this knight looked badly wounded. The commander approached me, and struck me with his greatsword, and then swung around again, hitting harder this time. Luckly, his third swing went wide. I wasn't feeling too good. (1.) The embers drifted through the air coalesced around the commander, burning him again. One of the knights went after Narcrath. His first swing was completely off balance, but the second one connected. The knight nearest to Charles slowly got to its feet, and tried and failed to pierce his armor. Narcrath's hands sparked with lightning, which then blasted out at the knight assaulting him. Another knight went after Krisyra and while she dodged the first strike the second one caught her. Lydratir moved over to assist me, pouring restorative magic into me. I felt a bit better, but I knew this commander could still easily slay me. Another knight went after Narcrath, hitting once. A knight went after Lydratir, but his armor turned its blade aside. One of the knights leveled a crossbow at Charles, but the bolt simply bounced off his armor. the last of the knights took aim at Narcrath with a crossbow as well, but the bolt missed entirely, embedding itself in the ceiling.
I was still not feeling the best, and lashed out with my claws and fangs at the commander, tearing into him with a surge of andrenaline. Krisyra struck at one of the knights near her with her own claws. The knight tried to retaliate, but missed. Charles took out the knight near him, and then moved over to assist Krisyra, finishing off the more wounded of the knight near her with a mighty blow. The commander struck me with another fierce blow, but his second swing against me glanced off my scales. He then attempted a strike against Lydratir, but missed. The knight near Narcrath attemped to hit him again, but Narcrath was deftly dodging. Narcrath struck at the knight with another shocking grasp, taking it down. The remaining knight that was near Krisyra attempted to strike her again, but missed. It then attemped an attack agaist Charles, but his armor turned the blade aside. Lydratir struck at the commander with his rapier, and I could see we were wearing him down. The commander's stance faltered a bit. The remaining knight near Narcrath struck him once, but it was a shallow blow. The knight near Lydratir attempted to hit him but he evaded both attacks. The two knights with crossbows took aim again this time at Lydratir and Charles but both shots went wide.
I struck at the commander again, my claws finding purchase as his once confindent smirk turned to worry. Krisyra broke off from the foe she was engaged with, easily evading its swing at her, and loped towards the commander. And the leapt at him roaring. Her claws sank into the commander, but even though he stembled a bit from the impact, he was still up. Charles swung at the knight Krisyra had left in her wake, hitting twice. He then swung around again, finishing the knight off. The commander looked between the three of us surrounding him and made a sweeping strike, hitting each of us. I was in really bad shape now, but my companions were in much better shape. Narcrath focused his magic again, and the air was split by a powerful bolt of lightning, taking down the knight near him as well as one of the two using crossbows. Lydratir took aim with his rapier again, and with two deft stabs, finished off the commander. The knight nearest to Lydratir shouted in anger seeing his commander fall, and swung at Lydratir with extra force. The remaining croosbow wielder fired at Narcrath, but missed.
I turned towards the nearest foe, by breathing ragged, and swiped with my claws. I struck once, but it dodged my second swing. Krisyra dashed off towards the remaining crossbowman, pouncing on him, and biting down, finishing him off. Charles moved up to the only remaining knight, and fininshed him off as well.
Krisyra shifted back to her normal elven self and hurried over to me. She poured healing magic into me, and I felt a bit better, but I still wasn't in good shape.
"I… I say we get some rest," I said, "I personally really need it".
"By the gods, are you alright?" asked Lydratir.
"I just need some time to heal up," I said, "that was much closer than I would have liked".
My companions searched the remains of our foes, discovering a key which fit the door leading out of this room. We made our way out, and after following the passage, found ourselves back in the previous hallway. We returned to the north to the room with the kayaks, and after barricading the door made camp. I slowly lay down to rest, my wounds still painful. I soon fell into a fitful sleep, while my allies kept watch.
A/N: Well, that battel too longer than expected. The party (more specifically our dragon friend) had some close calls. Luckily, they all make it through with their lives intact. Next time, the adventure continues. See you then!
Footnotes: 1. The commander of this group of knights was a Champion (found on Pg. 231 of 'Tales from the Yawning Portal'. As long as this enemy is above 1/2 health, he deals an extra 2d6 with his attacks. As you'd expect, taking potentially 3(4d6+5) damage per turn really hurts, and could have one shot Valignatirisk… or anyone in the party.