Black Hart

To Kill A King

Chapter 22 - A Pact with the Drow

As Mordekei finished his spell, the desired magical web appeared across the door.
The crack in the crossbar had widened, and cracked further with another blow.
And then there was silence...
Sholin looked at Mordekei in a ponderous manner, and all was silent for a moment. Then, from without, they heard shouting, and the sounds of metal on metal, the screams and war-cries of men in battle.
Both men jumped as from behind, within the kitchen, an almighty din arose - they could hear screaming - amongst it all was Bermen and Eloi and a horrendous raving as though the Demons of all the Hells were unleashed within. They looked back within the kitchen to see Aranon, Tumbry, Hamman and Jean-Paul gathered around the trapdoor, peering down.
Mord turned and shrugged.
"The cavalry?" he queried, before turning and quickly rushing back in to the kitchen....

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Jean-Paul turned to Aranon
"What in Heironeous' name is down there? Do you have the magic to counteract the darkness. So, that we can at least see what is behind that unearthly babbling?"
Mordekei ran back into the kitchen to join the others around the trap door, stepping over the soundly sleeping Akhan who had been rolled back from the edge.
He could not see into the trapdoor for the others, but Aranon had a perplexed look on his face as he peered down into the cacophony before pronouncing his judgement of the situation.
"Aw Feck!"

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Bermen yelled as something cut into his ankle. His yell was part silent, but then the silence ended, and he heard the end of his shout. Realising that perhaps the others might now be able to hear him, he shouted up, or at least what he thought was up!
"Aranon, Mord, get rid of this darkness! There's something down here!"

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With a crunch, Eloi landed, his head reeling from the cacophony about him. Amongst the wild, maniacal ravings there was screaming, like a tortured soul, and above he could hear shouting. His brain swam as he regained his feet and opened his eyes.
And immediately wished he hadn't!
Before him, in a ten by ten foot room, was a monster so hideous that Eloi had seen nothing like it, although he thought perhaps he had slept with its better-looking sister. Massive, green, slime-ridden, it was a giant blob with dozens of mouths all over its shape. And underneath it a man, or what remained of him, was in his death throes.
The only light came from a small handlight which the now-dead man had dropped.
The sounds knocked Eloi off-balance, sent him out of control, and before he knew what he was doing, he was charging the beast, flail flying, laying into it like his life depended on it, which it undoubtedly did. The monster turned from its meal and lashed out, several sharp-toothed maws snapping at one time. He dodged all save one, and barely tore away as he regained his senses.
It was a desperate situation, and called for desperate measures. And he knew the solution!
Grabbing inside his underpants, Eloi pulled out his beloved 'Doors', throwing them to the wall. He had just placed the key in the lock as the beast reached him, and he was bitten again, but this time two of the mouths attached themselves to him, and he felt his life's blood drain from him. All the while this beast continued to rant and rave, a noise that was driving him insane!
Again, he totally lost control, turning from his mission back to the beast, lashing out wildly, catching it a few good blows.
Again and again he struck, knocking green lumps from its form, but as he did so, many more mouths attached to him, and he began to feel weak.
As he landed a heavy strike, his eyes felt heavy, then his vision closed in, greying at the edges until he was staring helplessly through mere pinpricks. As total darkness fell over him, Eloi Brand collapsed on the floor.

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Suddenly, the noise from below became too much for Bermen.
With an almighty roar, he launched himself upwards, through the trapdoor hatch, lashing out at the first creature he saw. Luckily, Aranon had been in a few battles in his time, and despite being in his forties was still quite nimble, dodging the blow and blocking it with his staff.
Everyone stepped back from Bermen, his face seething with anger, looking like nothing so much as a rabid dog. In an instant, the look changed, and was replaced by bewilderment.
"I…I'm sorry, I don't know what happened!" he stammered. "The noise, that dreadful noise."
Bermen seemed confused, then a thought seemed to dawn on him.
"Eloi!" he yelled. "There's something down there, we couldn't see through the darkness. I think its got Eloi, can you help?"
Aranon nodded and stepped to the trapdoor, praying as he clasped his holy symbol.
The others returned about it, and as Aranon stopped his chant, the blackness below disappeared. What they saw below chilled them, as a hulking green monstrosity lurked over Eloi, its many mouths biting him as he lay, unconscious or dead on the floor below.
"A gibbering mouther!" Aranon declared. "Of course!"
Bermen could see for the first time what had stopped Eloi - just twenty feet down, the ladder ended, hanging in space a further twenty feet above the floor. It was a small room below, ten by ten at best, and there appeared to be no other way out.
"Help me rescue him!" Bermen shouted as he jumped onto the ladder once more, this time sliding his legs and hands down the outside. Jean-Paul also joined him, albeit more cautiously.
They dropped onto the basement floor and immediately set about the monster.
It seemed wounded, and Gottflinder squelched deep into its hideous body. With another thrust from Jean-Paul, the beast quivered then collapsed on the floor. As it twitched, Jean-Paul hacked into it again, and it lay still.
Checking Eloi, Bermen looked back up at Aranon.
"Its bad!" he shouted. "He's lost a lot of blood."
Jean-Paul pointed to the wall.
"Looks like he was trying to get into his Doors!"
"How are we going to get him up here?" Aranon shouted down.
As Bermen went to answer, he saw Aranon and the others look around, then run off away from the hatch.

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Aranon peered over at the front door which Hamman had shouted him to view.
"They'll be through in minutes," Hamman said. "We'd better get down there quick."
Aranon shook his head.
"It doesn't look like there's a way out down there, some sort of trap. We'll have to go back up!"
Aranon ran back to the trapdoor.
"We'll lower the set-up we had for Akhan to come down," he shouted. "JP, you come up first, give us a hand lifting him. Bermen, we'll send the rope back down for you. Someone's trying to break down the front door!"

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"They're coming through!" Mordekei shouted. "The Web'll hold a minute or two!"
Aranon pulled Bermen clear of the hatch.
"Through there," he said, pointing to the main hall. "The others are headed up the stairs.
They ran back to the main hall, where Jean-Paul and Tumbry were busy lifting Eloi up the stairs, Sholin and Hamman hefting the lighter Akhan behind.
As Bermen crossed the room, he sheathed Gottflinder, taking off his longbow and notching an arrow.
"You go, I'll cover."
Aranon and Mordekei ran up the stairs behind him, and Bermen slowly walked backwards, pointing his arrow at the men who were now cutting through Mordekei's web in an effort to get into the room.
Something caught his attention, and he suddenly realised that the female Drow was conscious. With a gesture, he saluted her using their sign language, and began to walk sideways up the stairs.
Something bothered him about the two men who entered the room first - they moved with military precision, and he felt sure he had seen them before somewhere.
"Perhaps at the Palace," he thought, since Lominstrall was also there.
"Stay back!" he screamed at them. "Stand where you are or I will fire!"
In reply, the lead man fired his crossbow, the bolt clattering off the wall behind him. The man fell dead to the ground before he even realised that Bermen had loosed his arrow.
Through the broken door, more men came, four of them kneeling to fire, the next few running up the stairs on the other side of the hall.
"They're coming up the other side!" he yelled.
A quick glance showed that Eloi and Akhan were safely out of view, and Bermen continued working his way back up the steps, taking another arrow to fire as the quarrels fell about him.
"We have no grudge with you!" a voice shouted from outside.
A man emerged through the doorway, and Bermen almost dropped his bow. It was the man who had shot him at the ferry!
"Give up Lominstrall!" the man shouted. "He is the only one who needs fear us."
Bermen was speechless, and then he saw Jean-Paul cut down one of the soldiers at the top of the other stairway. Jean-Paul looked at the man for a second.
"Do you seek Redemption here?" he asked the man, almost smugly.
The man peered up at him, and signalled his men to stop.
"Lominstrall is not here, Shebbedd O'Harle!" Jean-Paul declared. "He has fled, by magic, to where we know not. We are not your enemy!"
Shebbed looked about, pointing two of his men to their fallen comrades. As the men dragged them out, he looked up to Jean-Paul.
"This is the last time, good knight. If you obstruct my task again I will kill you!"
"Help us, Shebbedd!" Jean-Paul replied. "Help us track him and bring the Chamberlain to justice."
"Justice!" Shebbedd cried. "The kind of justice that hung my brother by his neck for his beliefs? You Keoish justice is of no use to me, I want revenge!"
As the last of his men having stepped out the doorway, Shebbedd also left without another word.

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Bermen and Hamman covered the front door, making sure the Redemptionists had gone, as they brought Eloi and Akhan back down. Aranon checked them over as best he could.
"I can see little wrong with Akhan," he said. "He has a wound, but nothing that would cause him to pass out. He is, to the best of my knowledge, asleep - either poison or magic I would suspect."
Turning to Eloi he poked at Bermen's crude field dressings.
"A good effort, Major!" he said. "Eloi is another matter - if you hadn't stopped it he would have bled to death where he lay. I can do little for him that rest and time will not accomplish."
He looked over to Bermen, who was standing by the female Drow.

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Bermen concentrated hard on the Drow's body movements, trying desperately to remember the secret language Eldrave had taught him so long ago.
Wizard - come - kill - sooner.
He looked over at Mordekei.
"Where is Lominstrall?" he signed, painfully signing out the Chamberlain's name, doing his best not to be seen by the others.
"Freedom," she replied.
"Why were you with him?" he asked.
"Freedom," she replied again.
"I give you my word, you will go free if you tell what you know."
"Only speak to you, tell you most. You take me from others, then when I leave I will tell you rest," she signed.
"Major!" Mordekei yelled, causing him to jump.
Mordekei walked over.
"She's awake!" Mordekei said. "What are you doing?"
"Why did you try to kill her?" Bermen asked.
Mordekei was caught off-guard.
"Well, I…".
He paused, drawing breath.
"She was a threat, she's one of them," he said. "Anyway, how can you communicate with her? How did you learn that?"
"None of your business," he said. Turning to the others, he told them, "I think she knows more about Lominstrall and his plans. She will tell us if we set her free."
"No!" said Tumbry. "She cannot be trusted.
"If it means we capture Lominstrall," Aranon said, "I have no fears of a single Drow. Find out what she knows, Major."
As Bermen turned back to the Drow wit ha smile, Aranon remembered the prisoner they had set free, and began to examine him.

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"Lominstrall was planning something soon," Bermen said. "She knows most of it, but won't tell until she is far enough from here, with only me there. She does not trust you."
"I don't like it at all!" Mordekei said. "I don't trust her!"
Aranon shrugged.
"What else can we do?" he said, rhetorically.
Bermen nodded, pulling his bow over his back. He turned to the ungagged Drow, and cut her hands free with his Hornblade. As she bent to lift up her sword, he stopped her.
"I do not trust you that much either," he stated, bending down to retrieve it. "You shall have it when we part company."
She turned without a word and started out of the keep door. Bermen smiled at them, then walked after her.

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Mordekei had started a fire in the room, as the morning was cold. The others lay about, Aranon sleeping alongside his three 'patients', Tumbry on watch and Hamman and Sholin having something to eat.
"So where to from here?" Mordekei asked.
"We'll just have to see where Bermen's enquiry takes us," Aranon said without opening his eyes, obviously not asleep. "I can get us back to Niole Dra, to the Olidamarran Shrine there anyway, with a spell."
Aranon sat up, staring over at Akhan.
His eyes flickered open.
Suddenly Akhan jumped to his feet, reaching for a sword that was not there. Aranon smiled, reaching over and putting a hand to Akhan's leg.
"All is well, Akhan," he said, reassuringly.

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Aranon seemed sad.
"I cannot believe it," he declared. "I have known Fimuth all my life - he is stupid and foolhardy, but a traitor?! I hope somehow you are mistaken, Akhan."
He looked over to Akhan, who had found the chest under Lominstrall's bed, and was trying to pick the lock.
"Dirty bastard!" he muttered as there was a click from the box. "Poison needle trap!"
Suddenly realising that Aranon had spoken to him he looked up.
"What? Sorry, oh, eh, that? No Aranon, I'm sure. I asked the male Drow about another traitor, and when I looked into his mind I saw him meeting with Fimuth at Fim-Sular, I presume. Think about it, it all fits together."
Another click, and Akhan's face lit up.
"That's more like it, he said, opening the chest and pulling out a shirt of fine Olven mail. He held it to his chest for size, then spilled the box's contents, a few hundred platinum coins, onto the bed. A key also fell out, and he threw it over to Mordekei, who was checking the drawers.
Returning to the locked bedside cabinet, the key fitted and Mordekei opened it before Akhan could warn him to let him check for traps.
Mordekei pulled out a small leather tome, waving it in the air.
"I think," he said, "I may have solved our travel problems."

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It was about an hour after sunset when the Drow stopped. They been travelling roughly north-west without speaking for over eight hours now, and Bermen reckoned they had covered about fifteen hard miles in that time.
"I am Alleiyad Mek'kris of the House Noquar!" she declared to Bermen. Of course, from her House badge he already knew her loyalties.
"I will leave you now to your fate Bermen Zladek of the House Eilserv, and you will leave me to mine. As I promised, I will now reveal to you Lominstrall's plan. He has gone back to the King, to take his life along with Shabass T'Lan, for neither could return to their Scarlet masters with only failure to report and expect to live."
"Lominstrall has managed to obtain the means to summon a dragon - not an ordinary one, of flesh and bones, but a Shadow Dragon, with which to attack the King. But that is not his true plan. Knowing that a creature such as this would draw the attacks of his bodyguards, Lominstrall will fight with it, drawing them away while Shabass T'Lan uses the distraction to attack and kill the King."
"They then plan to sail south on the Sheldomar to join their fellow conspirator - Count Fimuth!"
Bermen's mind swam in the details - Lominstrall and T'Lan, Fimuth and a Shadow Dragon! And of Eldrave and his son Zladek!
As the whole sordid tale of treachery poured forth, Bermen lowered his head with the shock of it all. Count Fimuth! He could not grasp the idea of anyone so close to the King being so false. It left a sour taste in his mouth and a real sadness at the betrayal. Finally he brought himself back out of his morose thoughts and looked up at the Drow.
"Alleiyad Mek'kris of the House Noquar. I honour you for respecting our bargain. We are enemies it is true but I respect those whose word is their bond."
Bermen began to untie Alleiyad's hands and his thoughts, in such turmoil, returned to the news of his wholly unexpected son.
"What is he like? "
"I have never seen your son, Bermen Zladek. He lives with Eldrave in Ess'karn, the Eilservs' fortress-city many miles from Erelhei-Cinlu where I once lived. But alas, my home is no more!"
"No more?" Bermen questioned, recalling Eldrave's vivid tales of the subterranean wonders of that city, and of the Vaults of the Drow. He recognised the word 'Ess'karn', and as he searched his memory, remembered the word, which as far as he could translate meant 'Enclave'.
"Do you not know?" she asked. "But of course, it is some distance for your rounded ears to pick up. After your people killed the goddess Lolth, there was a civil war between the Houses, mainly between the Eilservs and their allies, and all the others. So great were the magics released that the Vaults collapsed, and they are lost. The cave-in completely sealed off and destroyed our lands!"
Seeing Bermen's interest, she continued.
"That is why, with their forces and their reserves based firmly in Ess'karn, the Eilservs are now undisputed leaders of the Drow. Eldrave's mother, Eclavdra, along with all the other Madran, died in the cave-in."
Madran, he knew, was the Drow word for their House Matriarch.
Oh to be able to leave with this Drow woman and see his son. But no, it wouldn't do to leave his duty behind when so many traitors threatened the King. If only. But there would be time soon. Best to leave it as a bright piece of hope at the back of his mind for now.
He looked gravely at Alleiyad.
"But before you return with my message to Eldrave of the Eilserv, can you tell me nothing of why such Count Fimuth would betray his King?"
"Gu'haar laughed about that. Fimuth is a base character, a lover of wine, women and song. And money. It seems he paid off the Brotherhood when they tried to kill him and his colleagues for destroying the Slave Lords. After he spent much of his inheritance on the colony of Fimsular, he was then left with little money, and was heading for bankruptcy when a mysterious benefactor paid his debts. Soon enough, when they came for their payments, he discovered it was the Brotherhood."
"Since then he has been in their pocket, albeit reluctantly at times. The attack on Fimuth in Axewood was real, and was a warning as it seemed he had thought of leaving their service before the King was dead. But in the end, he was the only one able to steal the Demonomicon from his own magist, Zarn, and use it to summon the demon to kill the King."
Bermen could think of only a few more questions with so much hope and danger swirling round his head.
"The Scarlet One - T'Lan - how does he mean to attack? Is this to be an assassin's dagger in the back or another magic like the summoning of the demon? And the Shadow Dragon: by what means is Lominstrall to summon this beast?"
He looked at Alleiyad attentively all this while, the sight of her alien features stirring his memories of his time with Eldrave.
"I do not know what this Shabass T'Lan is. I have not met him. But from what the thief Gu'haar said, I believe he intends to kill the King in combat, or by assassination - I do not think he is a mage of any sort. As for Lominstrall, I know not how he summons the beast, only that he can."
She seemed uneasy at Bermen's constant staring.
"And what course do the Drow now follow, with Lolth dead? The goddess was cruel chaos itself. Think you that House Eilserv will continue with the old ways. Or do they have a different vision of the future for the Drow? Lolth moulded the Drow solely for her own purposes, but I wonder whether perhaps it is not time for your people to follow your own path now."
"That I do not know. The Eilservs follow their Elder Elemental God, and for now the other Houses have naught else to do but to follow them, such is their power. Ess'karn is a veritable stronghold, and unknown to the others the Eilservs have been building up its power away from the Vaults in secret over the decades."
"As for the Old Ways," she continued, "I believe Bermen Zladek that you may have caused Drow culture more harm than those who ended Lolth's very existence."
Bermen looked very puzzled and she explained.
"Eldrave is very protective of your son. Very, very protective," she said, emphasising her point.
"Our matriarchal society has been turned on its head in Ess'karn. Rumours abounded when she returned that she had been among humans too long, had adopted their values. I imagine it was you responsible, but she purports equality of the sexes, and the races in a manner unknown to we Drow. She says her son will be her successor, the first Padran since the Drow descended to the UnderDark."
"She is not in any danger, not by Drow standards anyhow, but your son has been subjected to some attempts on his life so far. For his safety you have her own skills and the Velveldrin to thank. Many of the Old ones do not share her enthusiasm for the ways of the OverOerth. Some say she intends somehow to legitimise her rule among the humans of Sterich, but I think some talk too much without thinking."
Bermen glanced keenly round the terrain, automatically searching for danger, but saw nothing of note and quickly returned to his questioning.
"And what of you sister? What of your station, your klashg't? Do you return to much danger from your rivals in the House Noquar?"
Taking his supply of water he offered it to Alleiyad.
"I have you to thank for my klashg't, Bermen Zladek. House Noquar, like all save the Eilserv, is a pathetic remnant. With your message, and the knowledge of where to find you, I have station, I have worth to Eldrave. I will join the Eilserv and be a Chendre again."
She took Bermen's water bottle, and when he had finished his drink, turned to leave.
"Next we meet, Bermen Zladek, I hope we shall make the journey under together."
Before he had the chance to reply she had gathered her cloak about her and was headed off in a roughly south-east direction.

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"I'm off to fetch Ash," Akhan called as he went to the door. "Anyone coming?"
"A good idea, Akhan!" Mordekei said. "I'll fetch Grym, and we can bring the horses over, set them loose in the filed until we have time ot return for them.
Aranon nodded in recognition as he kneeled over Eloi, putting the potion bottle Mordekei had found in the cabinet to the half-orc's lips. As he poured the Elixir of Life, Eloi's his breathing grew noticeably stronger. Colour, albeit a dull brown colour, rushed back into Eloi's cheeks, and his eyes opened slowly.
"Stay where you are," Aranon told him. "I must heal you properly now."
While Aranon prayed over Eloi, Tumbry walked over to Mordekei, who was reading through the book he had found by the last light of the afternoon sun.
"I don't understand Mord, how does his travelling spellbook help?" he asked.
"Lominstrall left by magic," Mordekei explained, not lifting his eyes from the page. "Some sort of teleport spell from Akhan's account. So it must be here in his spellbook, and if it is I can use it to get us wherever we want, preferably somewhere close to Fimuth."
"Ahhh," the bard said. "Smart thinking. I guess, being so close to the King, Fimuth may reckon on trying again."
Mordekei looked up and addressed everyone.
"I've found it! Get your things together, we need to be off as fast as we can!"

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It was several hours later, the run having relieved him of his tiredness for the moment, that the village of Torrisz and its Keep came into sight. There were no lights within, in fact the only light he had seen on the journey came from what he presumed to be a farmstead a few miles to the north of the Keep.
Cautiously, Bermen approached the Keep. The Outer and Inner Gates were open, as they were when he left. He strolled in silently to the inner keep. The broken outer doors had not been mended and he walked over to them, peering inside.
Bermen almost jumped out his skin when Sholin's face appeared a foot away from his on the other side. Displaying little emotion as usual, Bermen was sure he saw the merest hint of a smile at one corner of the monk's mouth at his shock.
Putting a finger to his lips, Sholin beckoned him inside, moving some of the loose boards of the shattered door. As he entered, Bermen only saw one form within the room, lit only by the embers of a dying fire.
Seeing his puzzled look, Sholin explained.
"Akhan came around after you left. Someone called Fimuth is in on the treachery too, and they used a spell from Lominstrall's spellbook to return to Axewood. Aranon will return us to Niole Dra in the morning, once he has prayed. For now I suggest you get some sleep."
Bermen nodded. He had still not sorted everything out in his mind yet, and reckoned it would be better explained in the morning, and to both men rather than telling it twice. He laid out his bedroll near to the fire and soon fell fast asleep.

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As they handed over the prisoner from Torrisz to the guards at the gates to the Axewood Estate, a carriage thundered past them. Akhan's heart leapt as he recognised Fimuth's shield, and he stammered to get the words out.
Strangely, the carriage drew to a halt, and the footman came around, speaking to the occupants. Akhan watched as the footman turned and walked towards them, the others now realising he had stopped.
"Master Akhan Bherruliann?" the footman enquired of him.
Akhan nodded. He noticed that Ash, recovered from his disorientation at the teleport, was sniffing the air as if in recognition of someone, and appeared relaxed.
"The Countess Hanali would wish to speak with you momentarily, if it suits," he said
Without speaking, Akhan walked over to the open shutter of the carriage door.
"Hanali," he said. "Its your husband, he's…"
"A traitor dear Akhan?" she asked as though she knew the answer. "I had surmised, but you'll not find him here. He's gone, south I think, back to his half-Drow whore in Fim-Sular most likely, and good riddance to him."
"When did you know?" he asked.
"I knew something was up, he's not been his usual self of late. I just assumed it was the troubles here that were worrying him. I am on my way to tell Thoggin now, he has taken as much of our treasury as one would imagine he could transport, and I think he has met his ship somewhere on the Sheldomar."
"The Moonlight Rose?"
She nodded.
"I will tell Thoggin, we need to see him now. The King is in danger."
"The King is not here either," she said.
"Where is he?"
"Gone to Niole Dra, for the funeral."
"Funeral?" Akhan said, giving his best puzzled look.
"Have you not heard? The Mareschal, Darrak Thurnsyte, he's been killed."

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Thoggin's face was turning red. A very deep shade of red.
"Nope," thought Akhan. "I'd definitely say that was purple now."
"Fimuth?!" Thoggin repeated.
Jean-Paul nodded. They were standing on the front steps of the palace.
Suddenly, Thoggin exploded, shouting and screaming. He snatched the axe from his belt, and Eloi flinched, thinking he was coming in his direction. The gnome smashed the axe into the nearest stone pillar. Several people walking by, mostly guards at this late hour, turned their heads at his outburst.
Eloi was not impressed to see the pillar had suffered more than the axe.
"Mareschals being killed, Kings attacked by demons, friends that are turncoats!" he screamed. "And Zephyr, when I need them they are beyond me!"
Thoggin sat down on the step.
"What happened to Darrak?" Akhan asked. "And where are Zephyr?"
Thoggin sighed, putting his head in his hands.
"Darrak was killed by some unknown in the Lortmils, a wizard or something. And Zephyr are there, trying to investigate and hunt down the killer."
"So where's the King, and who's guarding him?" Akhan asked.
"He's gone to Niole Dra to prepare a state funeral, and he's with the c…"
He stopped suddenly and looked up. They waited for him to continue.
"By the silver beard, he's with Fimuth's soldiers as an escort!"
Akhan rolled his eyes, imagining any minute his old classmate Jebeddy Deable would appear and tell him this was all one of his bad practical jokes. But it wasn't!
Thoggin, not flustered, seemed more calm, yet urgent now, his mind racing into overtime.
"You have to chase him!" Thoggin said. "I'll get the fastest horses we have, you ride them 'til they burst, they left over three hours ago, a carriage and a score of guards. If you hurry, you might catch them, I'll send what troops I can muster just behind you!".

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It was only a few hours before daybreak as they rode on down the road from Axewood to Niole Dra, a road they had travelled often in the past weeks. It was still very dark here, however, as the thunderclouds overhead kept away Luna's light, which should have been shining almost full like the previous evening.
They had been riding furiously for hours now, trying desperately to catch up with the King's entourage, expecting at every corner to find his carriage strewn across the rode with the dead Monarch within . They had passed Edalsvell some time ago, and reckoned they would reach the capital by sunup.
As they rode towards a small wood, Eloi's nose began to twitch, and he slowed up, then came to a halt. As he breathed in the air deeply, the others halted and rode slowly back to him, milling around them.
"What is it, Eloi?" Hamman asked.
"We have no time for this!" Tumbry said impatiently.
Eloi snorted the air again.
"It smells like...like..."
"What?" Jean-Paul asked. "What does it smell like?"
Eloi looked at the paladin with a puzzled expression, shrugging his shoulders.
"Darkness!" he declared in a doubting tone. "I don't know how or why, but I smell darkness ahead."
Akhan looked quizzically at the Baron.
"Darkness?" he asked sharply.
Turning to Ash he muttered, "And there I went and wasted a good Elixir of Life on this head-case."
"Let's follow Eloi's nose then and hope he hasn't just caught a whiff of his undergarments." Akhan raised his eyebrows, looking at Eloi to see if he had anything to add.
Eloi dismounted from his horse rather gingerly, he'd never liked proper horses, and moved closer on foot to the wooded area, scanning it for movement.
"Wait here" he whispered to the others. "Akhan, come with me, something is not right up ahead."
He went to draw his dagger, suddenly realising that it was missing, instead drawing his flail. He moved swiftly, but silently, towards the wooded area. After his last act of poor judgement Eloi did not want to face this darkness alone. He reminded himself to listen to his bowels before his foolhardy head.
Jean-Paul looked confounded at Eloi's actions.
"We should be making better time towards Niole Dra, instead of wasting time here. I don't need to use my nose to know that there is darkness ahead. It is night after all."
He waited impatiently for the foolish scout's return.
Mordekei looked around nervously.
"I'd feel happier if we had a Dispel Magic, lads, we're a wee bit exposed here if there's going to be some serious spell use".
With that, he got off his horse and paused for a second, before quickly casting a spell. He then, very cautiously, began leading his horse up to the front of the party.
Despite the flippancy Akhan was now getting spooked by Eloi, and he dropped lightly off his horse, motioning Ash to take up position at his heel. As he followed Eloi towards the wood he grinned nervously at the war dog and put his finger to his mouth motioning for silence.
Something in Ash's eyes told him that the dog understood him perfectly.
As they crept forward, Akhan moved slightly to the right of the half-orc, to get another angle of view into the scene ahead. His hand moved to Kagnstir's hilt and the sword came clear. With it, some of the thief's natural dislike of being outnumbered reasserted itself.
"What am I, bonkers? I'm following this idiot into a darkened wood. And he just back from the dead after getting knocked on the head by a great green gobbler."
Stopping momentarily, Akhan turned to the rest and with a movement of his head beckoned the rest of the party to follow.
"Nobility seems to be going to this silly bugger's head" he thought with disgust. "If anything in there is going to jump on our heads I want that lumbering great paladin at my back."
With the magical bluish glow from Akhan's shortsword filling the entrance to the woods, first Hamman, then Jean-Paul and Tumbry, slipped quietly from their horse. Drawing their weapons, the others followed Eloi and Akhan into the cover of the woods.
There was a crashing noise within the woods, to the left of the road, then some shouting from the road up ahead.
As they stood still, listening to the sounds ahead, Akhan could discern a strong voice, shouting in common.
"Who goes there! Show yourself!"

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