-Chapter Twenty Seven-
They returned to camp, hands clasped like young lovers without a care in the world. Lana grinned and stepped lighter then Casavir could recall seeing her. He grinned down at her, placing a light kiss on her forehead as they approached their comrades. Shandra smiled openly while a slight smirk played at the corners of Sand's mouth before returning to the book he was reading but Bishop's reaction momentarily brought concern to Casavir. Bishop's face glowered, his eyes turning fierce as he looked from Lana's radiant smile to their clasped hands before quickly turning away to busy himself elsewhere.
This could be a problem. He knew we had feelings for one another, what was that about? That ranger is nothing but trouble, I am sure of it.
"So, is everything mended and all is well again in the world?" Shandra teased lightly.
"Yes, I think so. Thank you Shandra. Things couldn't be better." Lana beamed at her. Casavir smiled as he watched Lana. She looked so young and innocent, without a care in the world. He wished he could give her this peace always, knewing it wouldn't last once they returned to Neverwinter.
Let her have this moment, they are so fleeting. If only I could take her away, give her a normal life. I desire nothing more then to be with her with no concerns other then a roof over our heads and to take care of each other. That would be paradise.
After two more days of travel, they arrived back at Neverwinter. Lana barely crossed the threshold of the Sunken Flagon when life returned to its normal insanity.
" 'Ey Lana, Brelaina needs you at the guardhouse immediately. Something about Aldanon needin' ta speak ta ya. She wasn't specific, just that you be quick about it." Duncan boomed to her in greeting.
"When did they send for me Duncan? Maybe I can at least clean up first," Lana asked with a sigh.
"The messenger just came right before ya arrived. Seemed flustered, I'd hurry if I were you lass."
"Alright, I'm on my way. The fate of Neverwinter, everything must be done immediately. No time for a bath or anything," Lana again sighed but shot Casavir a bawdy wink.
Casavir felt the tips of his ears flush warmly but only grinned a little in reply.
"Alright, Casavir, Bishop and Sand- want to come along? Could be something interesting, but I doubt it."
All three men nodded, falling in behind her as she retreated back out the door. Shandra jumped quickly between Bishop and Sand, uninvited as always.
"I don't remember you being asked along," Bishop snarled.
"I don't remember caring about your opinion," Shandra shot back.
Casavir shook his head as he heard Lana mutter under her breath "As if I have a choice."
The five entered the guard headquarters enmasse. Brelaina was sitting behind her desk looking harried as she shuffled the mass of papers strew across the desktop. She quickly stood, meeting Lana partway across the room.
"I'm so glad you were able to come quickly. We have a situation and we need your… skill set immediately," Brelaina said by way of greeting.
"We have a stand off and a hostage situation. Marshal Cormick has been wounded and some thieves that have taken the sage, Aldanon, hostage. We need you there because we have intelligence that those holding Aldanon have set traps along with their armed men and we are not sure what else. Get in there, free any hostages and get our men out. Go quickly, and be careful."
Lana's mouth was set in a hard line. She said nothing in reply except a curt nod before turning on her heel.
"Everyone got everything they need? Looks like it could be a nasty one. Bishop, I'll need you with me, maybe we can sneak our way through this. I'll handle traps, the rest of you cover me."
"I'll cover you. You know I'm always ready," Bishop sneered.
"Yes Bishop, I know," Lana smiled with a shake of her head. Sand groaned in reply, rolling his eyes in repugnance.
They arrived to a stand off just as Brelaina had told them. A handful of guards were milling around outside the gates looking uncertain while two ruffians prowled behind the home's small brick enclosed courtyard. Marshal Cormick lay sprawled on the ground behind the men, blood oozing slowly into the pavers under his head.
Lana put out a hand to indicate they all stop a few yards away, out of range of the bandits. She approached the small group of guards and after a few moments of heated discussion, returned to her companions.
"How in the hells those men manage to get dressed in the morning is beyond me. Five guards and only two thugs, idiots. The bandits seem to have a wand so be wary," she muttered.
She strode toward the sage's house calling "My name is Lana Thel. I come on behalf of the city watch."
"Go ta hell! We ain't budging ya dog!" came the reply from behind the wall.
"Lana Thel? Ain't she the one cleaned out the docks?" came a second voice from behind the wall, but more subdued. There was some rustling and shuffling noises from behind the stone wall, but no movement could be seen.
Lana looked over her shoulder as Bishop, Casavir, Sand and Shandra as they all smirked and shrugged. She returned their shrug before turning her attention back to the raiders.
"I would advise you to come out while you have the chance. If you surrender now, things will go easier for you," Lana called out.
The first voice came loud but sounded shakier then before. "We got demands that we need met first."
"I assumed as much. What are your terms?" Lana replied, her voice firm and calm.
"We give ourselves up, but only after our demands are met. We got a wand here and it's got some charges left."
"I understand, what are those demands?" Lana shouted more impatiently. As she talked, she signaled Bishop to her side. The ranger slunk quietly beside her and she leaned to whisper something into his ear. He nodded and almost instantly disappeared from sight.
I hate it when he does that Invisibility Globe. What are those two up to?
Lana looked over her shoulder, giving a sign for silence and then waved Casavir and Sand to her side.
"We will surrender ourselves but only if you promise to let us go. Otherwise, we finish this dog we got lyin' here. He's not lookin' so good so you better hurry," came the shout from the meeker sounding ruffian.
"Is that all you demand? Safe passage? Those aren't very original demands," Lana called back.
Casavir stood up straighter, looking at her questioningly. She returned his look with a wolfish grin.
There was more scuffling from behind the wall. "I told you we shoulda asked for more ya idiot. Damn it all! You don't get to handle this anymore."
Bishop's voice came from somewhere over the wall. "No, now neither of you gets to handle this. I would throw down your weapons if you want to walk anymore." Two arrows came in almost blinding succession from the top of the wall, the thwip thwip sound followed by immediate squeals of surprise.
"Bloody hell! What was that?" came a panicked cry.
As fast as the arrows had launched from the wall top, Lana was standing atop the other side of the barricaded gate with her bow drawn and aimed.
"I don't think there will be any negotiations. The only arrangement I will make is to let you walk out of here on your own power. Now open the gate like good little maggots." Lana snarled as she held deadly aim at the bandits head. Her range was too close to argue with. She looked at them with an angry sneer playing across her lips, it sent a chill up Casavir's back.
The gates opened slowly and two shaggy heads poked out. Casavir almost laughed at the stunned looks on the men's faces. They put their hands up high into the air as the five guards ran and put them into custody.
The guards looked with fearful reverence up at Lana. She ignored them as she hopped down and returned to her companions.
"Well that was the stupidest thing I've had to handle. Dare we imagine the rest inside are as idiotic?" Lana snorted.
"No, I dare not hope," Sand chortled.
Casavir stood looking at Lana somewhat mystified. "Would you like to explain that little moment of bravado? What were you thinking?"
Lana stared at Casavir as if he had grown a second head. "Just solving a problem. I'm not making deals with the likes of them, ridiculous morons."
"Yes but my lady that was reckless. There was no call," Casavir continued.
Bishop snorted, "I'm not sure why you have your knickers in such a twist pally. That was the easiest thing we've done in ages. There was no risk. Lana and I were more at risk getting a pebble in our boots then those two imbeciles presented. Maybe you haven't noticed Lana can handle herself."
Lana stood staring at Casavir, realization dawning on her face. "Are you worried about me? After all we've been through, this was nothing. Casavir, this is me. I'm a big girl, hero of Neverwinter and so forth. A couple of minor thugs are like a walk in the park. You could've handled them with one hand behind your back, blindfolded." She stepped closer to him, clasping his hand between hers.
"You can't worry so much about me. Just because things have changed between us can't affect how we work. It can't or one of us will get hurt. Casavir, it's still me and I can handle anything with you at my side. Now let's get in there and get this out of the way. We can talk about this later okay, I promise," she said with a little smile.
"I am sorry. You are right of course. Let us proceed," Casavir sighed.
"About damn time. This is pathetic!" Bishop snarled.
Lana dropped Casavir's hand. "Alright, let's do this thing. Everyone ready?"
They all nodded agreement.
"Alright, Sand- cast some buffers on us. Cas, the same. Bishop, let's go in quiet and low. Cover me for traps, same as always. Shandra, stay near Casavir and follow his lead," Lana said with a bob of her head toward each in turn.
Sand stood with arms raised as he called the various incantations, focusing his energy on each spell and party member in turn. Casavir closed his eyes, calling on Tyr inwardly to prepare for the fight before them as he cast his various invocations upon himself and Lana. Bishop stood silently, murmuring under his breath as he cast his various protective spells for himself. Shandra stood silently observing the proceedings.
After several minutes, everyone was ready. Lana took the lead and trotted to the large doors to Aldanon's house.
She stood for several seconds, an ear cocked toward the door listening to something only she could hear. "Trap inside, right in the entrance. Bishop, cover me when I open the door."
Bishop grunted acknowledgement as she carefully put her hand to the large brass door handle. It was always disconcerting to plunge into a closed space like a home or building and not being able to see what lie behind closed doors.
Lana slowly opened the door, ducking low as Bishop hovered behind her. She swiftly bent to disarm the trap that only she could see, Bishop close at hand, bow drawn as he guarded her. Within seconds Casavir heard the unmistakable click as a trap was brought to submission. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until he exhaled deeply.
She stood and motioned them all forward, Bishop shadowing her. Casavir felt his thoughts wander as he watched the two of them work. They moved as a team; fluid and graceful, not speaking, working as a single entity. Lana would stop, kneel over an unseen trap with Bishop instantly at her back, bow drawn slightly off to her side until she finished and without speaking, withdraw as she stood again. There was an effortless grace to their movements.
Watching them is like watching dancers, they know each other so well. Sometimes it's like spying on lovers. Part of me wishes I could work like that, not just be the big powerful meat shield guarding everyone's back while clanging and banging like an ox in my armor.
Years of training and devotion had made him a warrior for Tyr, fierce in his devotion and battle techniques. Contrary to common belief, a person could run in armor with minimal noise but only after much effort had been put into training and building of the strength necessary to carry the added weight. However, watching Bishop and Lana move effortlessly left him out of sorts. When it came to fighting in enclosed spaces, it made him feel claustrophobic. It was harder to take an adequate sword swing and the constant strain of the unseen weighed heavily on him. Bishop seemed to be able to adjust easier even though his training focused mainly on things relating to the outdoors. This was Lana's specialization, sneaking and stealth were his weakness and he knew it.
I never noticed the level of risk she is in. Out front and exposed, unable to wield a weapon while she disengages traps. One false move and she gives her life. There is really no choice but to have Bishop guard her like that, he's the only one that can. My sword cannot overcome the radiuses of those traps.
Just as Lana completed disarming a rather nasty acid trap, a bandit slammed open a door into the hallway. Bishop reacted before anyone could blink as the raider opened his mouth to shout an alarm. Instead all that emerged from the man's mouth was a gurgle. A fan of blood shot from the wound at his neck along with the slap of Bishop's bowstring against his leather bracer. The bandit clutched as his throat, eyes wide in anguish and surprise as he collapsed in a pool of his own blood.
Lana unsheathed her blades and advanced to the open door as two more bandits emerged. Casavir plunged past Bishop as the ranger let another arrow fly. Casavir could feel the air waver past his ear as he ran with blade at the ready, lunging into the nearest bandit with the flat of his shield.
He made full contact with the raider, slamming him into the wall behind with a deep woof of breath pushing from the raider's lungs. Casavir used the bandit's momentary surprise taking an upward swing with his longsword to pierce the man's exposed side, thrusting the blade deep and straight up. The bandit slumped when Casavir withdrew his blade, falling to the floor in a heap.
As Casavir stood to take a quick survey around him, he felt and heard another arrow whisk past his head. At the instant he turned to look over his shoulder to shoot Bishop a look, a bandit collapsed beside him with a grunt. Casavir's eyes went wide in surprise as the realization hit him- he had thought Bishop was taking shots at him but instead saved him from a surprise attack. He nodded acknowledgement to the ranger before ducking toward more raiders emerging from the room. It was a large storage room and held several more bandits including a wizard Casavir quickly surmised.
Lana was already in the room, slicing and fending off attacks with three raiders in front of her. Casavir bolted toward the spell caster before he could complete an incantation he was aiming at Lana's direction. Casavir was too late as sparks of brilliant colored light flashed from the wizard's hands and flew towards Lana.
It seemed an eternity as Casavir watched the wave of lights shooting toward Lana's unprotected back. He tried to call a warning, but there was not enough time. Casavir watched as the incantation hit her with full impact. She staggered but managed to awkwardly block one of the raider's lunges.
The world seemed to slow to a snail's crawl as Casavir watched Lana collapse. Her shoulders slumped, blades still clenched in her hands as she fell. She crumbled like a rag doll. The bandits she had been fighting looked in shock as she fell unbidden before them. In that instant, a blast of fire shot into all three men's chest as Sand launched an attack at them. They screamed in pain, running while beating their flame engulfed clothing.
Casavir came to his senses charging the remaining spellcaster. The man's hands were a blur of complex configurations as he cast another spell. Casavir was faster and with a bellow of rage, ran with blade held out to his side. He swung his longsword from his side to a sweeping, upward arc as he ran. When he was within striking range of the wizard, he made a vicious slash horizontally, decapitating the robed figure with a grunt of effort. The body collapsed, the surprised face on the now rolling head bouncing a few feet away.
Casavir pivoted toward Lana's still body as he took in the surroundings him quickly. It appeared there were no immediate attackers and he turned his attention back to Lana. Casavir ran the few steps separating them, scooping her limp form into his arms. He sought for the rise and fall of her chest. After seeing none, he placed two fingers to her neck to check for a pulse. Bishop loped beside Casavir, still wary for further attacks while Sand ran and knelt beside Casavir on one knee. Shandra stood looking glumly at Lana's prostrate figure but held her silence.
Fear gripped him when he found no breath or pulse, but knew there was no time to think only act. He gently draped her lifeless form across his lap and closed his eyes. He sat quietly as he cleared his mind of all distractions. Years of devotion allowed him to find peace quickly. He focused his energy, thinking of the healing needing to be done and nothing else.
Casavir placed his hands gently on Lana's chest as he uttered a silent prayer. His hands glowed a warm yellow like a miniature sun before the light sank into Lana's skin. Casavir moved his hands away as they all watched her prone form, the healing power of his prayer radiating outward, pulsing softly as the yellow glow flowed through her whole body.
The four men watched and waited for what Casavir felt was an eternity. After only a few more minutes ticked by, Lana gasped. She gulped in a large breath and coughed, her eyes darting as she tried to grasp her surroundings.
"What… where?" she stammered.
Casavir pulled her into a tight embrace, locking her arms to her side awkwardly before releasing her again.
"You took a full Prismatic Spray to the back. Casavir had to bring you back to us," Sand replied quietly.
"Looks like I should've listened to you Casavir. It appears I deserve an 'I told you so'," Lana muttered.
Casavir gently pushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, "No, but please use more caution. I wish to keep you around longer. Just don't leave me like that again."
She smiled meekly, "Agreed. What would I do without my champion?" Lana struggled to her feet, still wobbly but recovering rapidly with one hand on Casavir's shoulder to steady herself, giving him a squeeze.
"Guess we still have more of these pesky bandits don't we? Shall we take a quick moment to regroup first?" Lana asked.
"Sounds good. Let's just be quick about it," Bishop nodded as he shut and bolted the door.
The remainder of the house yielded more bandits which were easily picked off. The rest of the house only had one or two ruffians in each room and were quickly dealt with.
The adventurers found Aldanon's chief butler and a few remaining staff members in the wine cellar where they had been imprisoned. Lana and her party were all dismayed to find Aldanon had been accosted and was long gone after getting what information they could from the butler. The situation was grim, the servants had overheard Aldanon had been taken to Crossroad Keep to aid in a ritual for Garius.
"Garius is not a wizard to be trifled with. He has risen to power in the Hosttower rapidly and that does not bode well." Sand informed them glumly.
"Sounds like things are getting bigger then we knew. It appears we need to take this to Nasher as much as I hate the idea. This just gets more fun by the minute," Lana muttered.