The Earthrin Stones 2 of 3: Trials of Faith

by Douglas Van Dyke

  Even as Trestan spoke, he listened for any sounds close by. He could almost feel the halfling sneaking closer. Even as Trestan faced off against a snake nest, he knew a dangerous viper was stealthily slithering around to surprise him. Even Revwar took a few steps to separate from the rest of his group in preparation for the expected.

  “I am asking you once more to leave quietly,” Abriana’s champion demanded.

  Trestan didn’t think he stood a chance against them. He knew they would not be intimidated by his bravado. All his training had honed his muscles and his mind, but this was as tough a challenge as he could have envisioned. In that moment, he had to drop the fear from his mind. He had to concentrate on his sword and the footwork he would need in order to avoid deadly spells. He couldn’t linger on the evil of the faces before him…it would be time soon enough to simply react.

  Jentan spoke strange syllables, his voice carrying a musical quality. The effect shattered before it began as Savannah elbowed past him, intent on Abriana’s chosen. The room’s light reflected off the nightmarish poses of death etched on her armor as she moved. She began setting her flail into a lazy swing, leaving a visible trail in the air from the black glow on the head of it.

  A small dagger went tumbling through the air.

  Jentan and Savannah had barely time to flinch as the sharp point carved a flight between them. The blade struck a gnomish contraption of unknown use on display. Jentan and Savannah saw the air waver in front of the device.

  Lightning exploded in sudden fury from the table. Its range was short, but large enough to send sparks cascading across the two intruders. Cat’s dagger had set off the magical trap guarding the gnomish device. The others saw Jentan and Savannah spasm as they dropped to the floor. The two weren’t seriously harmed by the blast, since Korrelothar’s guild did not want any serious accidents to happen with so much royalty on board. However, the protective ward would hold immobile, for a time, anyone close when the trap went off. Charges of electricity danced about Jentan and Savannah, part of the field which restrained their movement. Their eyes looked about wildly as they sought to escape their predicament, but they couldn’t get their limbs to work coherently. The abbess’ flail rolled to one side, losing its magical darkness.

  Revwar’s few steps to the side probably saved him from getting caught up in the same blast. He flicked his braided silver hair over his shoulder as he twirled his staff. Six feet long, and capped with a black marble stone with white swirls in a lightning pattern, the staff extended taller than the wizard. A few fingers placed on the right carvings along the staff produced a magical light which solidified in front of him. A gesture with his hand, and the light flew amongst the tables where the dagger originated.

  His aim proved too good for the half-elf’s comfort. Cat took a few running steps from her hiding place and rolled behind another table as the light behind exploded. In the place where she had been, a spray of ice shards peppered the floor and ceiling. A layer of frost formed around that area.

  Cat changed her mind about hiding behind the table with the howling crystal ball, thinking Revwar could set off a magical trap the same way she had done and indirectly catch her. She bounced to her feet with a throwing dagger at the ready, but Revwar was already casting the next spell.

  Trestan’s first instinct was to charge down Revwar when the trap went off, but his senses alerted him to be wary of a different attack. Reacting more by instinct than anything else, Trestan sidestepped and spun around with the sword. The blade swept around in a deadly arc to sever the torso of any attacker. The magical sword could cut through just about anything, thus Trestan felt no resistance as it connected with the halfling.

  Although, at her height of three feet, five inches, Trestan only managed to cut through the bun of hair on top of her head.

  Kemora Quickfeet only paused ever so briefly in shock as her loosened hair tumbled out of the bun, with many severed strands littering the floor. She moved forward with her domid-sized sword in one hand and the stiletto in the other. She attacked furiously. Trestan, off guard after his initial swipe, pulled his sword close and spun it with both hands to counter the halfling’s jabs.

  Kemora’s sword slipped past Trestan’s frantic blade early on. The breastplate deflected it harmlessly even as Trestan tried bringing his sword across. The halfling’s opportunity did not last long. The young paladin could swing his two-handed sword very fast, spinning it in patterns that offered little opening. The defensive spin served him well, but he lacked ability to take initiative as the halfling stayed close and worked two blades at once.

  Kemora could not match Trestan’s reach. With her small size she had every advantage if she stayed in so close that he could not effectively get a strong swing at her. With two weapons jabbing repeatedly, she left no opportunity for Trestan to break free and go on the offensive. Trestan, on the other hand, failed to get some space. He constantly moved back or dodged to one side.

  It reminded Trestan of Sir Wilhelm fighting the minotaur back in Troutbrook. The man had stood toe to toe with that eight foot monster, and yet the minotaur could not effectively fight him from so close up. The monster’s strength and reach lost advantage by the ferocity of the close swordplay. Now this halfling rogue did the same to him.

  Trestan didn’t miss seeing a wet gleam on the blade of the halfling’s stiletto. All she needed was a scratch with that weapon and he could be finished.

  Cat’s arm cocked for a dagger throw, but at the same time Revwar’s spell lit up from his hands. Both could well hit each other, as they had years ago, but the spell would likely be a lot more deadly than a thrown dagger. Cat instead twisted to one side, avoiding the same destructive beam that had nearly ended her life four years earlier. Instead, the magic blew a small hole into the far wall and two more walls beyond that.

  Finding her feet again, Cat snapped the dagger into the air. Revwar watched it with little concern as the wizard dipped a hand into a pouch searching for magical spell components. The dagger struck him in the chest, but the blade did not penetrate the robe. There was a slight ‘tink’ sound as it bounced away as if from solid rock.

  “Like my new robe?” He asked, but gave no time for an answer as he whispered arcane words.

  Cat wished she had her crossbow with her. It would be a deadlier ranged weapon than the throwing daggers. Too much distance remained between her and the wizard as she managed to advance several steps. The half-elf stayed ready to avoid the next spell.

  Revwar’s hands reached out into the air before him. With a magical command, he grabbed the air and began to pull it towards him with effort. The adventuress didn’t see any obvious threats coming at her, but a crashing noise started building behind her. Revwar created a magical chain from the air, an invisible yet strong band of force sliding towards her. The length of the unseen construct whipped across the floor, snapping the legs of exhibit tables and thus cutting a wide path of destruction as it toppled everything in its path. A tumult of magical energies unleashed as magical traps started going off in succession. Cat saw the danger and charged directly at the wizard. She tried to get to him before the invisible chain caught her.

  She wasn’t fast enough. The band of force whipped her legs from under her as tables and oddities crashed all around, setting off all their traps at once. Revwar lost sight of her amidst the tumbling debris, and the explosions of lightening, fire and ice.

  * * * * *

  The crowd on deck cheered as more thunderous booms were seen and heard from the magical display in the night sky, some of the noise even seemed to reverberate from the ship itself. The noise and carnage in the exhibit room paled amidst the booms of spells in the night sky. While the royalty enjoyed the show, another display of emotions took place below decks in the brig.

  “Well I shouldn’t expect a stuck up, holier-than-thou cleric to be interested in my petty concerns unless I put coins in their till, which I can’t.” Montanya’s face was flushed with anger. “But I swear to you
now, there is a thief on board this ship and only the fates know what she plans.”

  “I am not stuck up!” Sondra exclaimed, as the guard down the hall continued to watch and grin at the women’s verbal sparring. “I dedicated my life to the service of people who don’t care one wit about my own welfare or emotions! I could be enjoying the show of a lifetime on the deck but I chose instead to offer an act of kindness to a stranger.”

  The chiaso shot back, “Your god is the one who proclaims Honor, Duty and Service, so it comes with the territory doesn’t it? I tried to be helpful to others and look what it brought me! I’m the one stuck behind bars while the real rogue wanders freely. I didn’t ask for anyone’s ‘gift to the church’ in exchange for my goodwill either.”

  Sondra angrily shook her head in frustration at the way this red-haired woman repeated certain points over and over. “What makes you think the church is trying to do anything beyond covering the basic costs it needs to run? If your ‘profession’ is to wage some war against thieves, how will that support your income? How do you plan to make money in order to feed your stomach or put a roof over your head? Do you plan to charge people or beg for charity?”

  While the chiaso wouldn’t want to admit it, the acolyte’s observation struck a nerve. Montanya hadn’t any idea how she was to have supported herself, she had only focused on fulfilling oaths of revenge from her childhood. The woman did not want the pity of others nor did she take well to accepting any offerings.

  After nothing was offered from the cell but silence, Sondra continued her own tirade. “In listening to your words I am also wondering about your definition of the word ‘thief’. It seems you place the label easily on people for almost any offense. I truly wonder by what standards you judge the term. A person is a thief because they took your parents, another is a thief because of some argument you had on the street, and I am a thief because somehow in delivering your food I am stealing your dignity!”

  At the mention of the food, Sondra realized she was still standing outside of the cell of a hungry person, holding a meal that was becoming cold. With an awkward, embarrassed grace, she set the tray on the floor and pushed it through a space provided under the bars.

  Montanya watched the tray slide to her feet. Her hunger overrode her pride at that moment, and she stooped to pick up the tray. She set it on the bench she had been sitting in before, eyeing it hungrily but leaving it alone for a bit just to salvage some pride.

  Her greenish-blue eyes stared out past the bars as her face took on its usual scowl. “I’ll eat the food because I have little other choice. But don’t think I appreciate your church sending someone down here to mock me, even belittle me, while I stand helpless behind bars. For all I am concerned, you all deserve a thief in your ranks. As far as I know it might be another homeless person who won’t suffer the indignity of a copper pen.”

  Sondra threw up her arms in exasperation. Mother Evine would probably agree that Sondra could have left the food and walked away at any time, leaving the stowaway to her own beliefs. “I’m sorry you feel that way. I did not come here to engage in an argument with you…”

  The acolyte of Ganden shrieked a splash of water assaulted her. Montanya stood there with an amused smirk, holding the now-empty cup Sondra had provided with the meal.

  Montanya’s tone was sarcastic, “And I am truly sorry to have you suffer the opinions of lesser people.” Then she almost smiled as she added, “And hopefully as a cleric you will forgive my little outburst there. If it makes you feel any better, it did bring some good feelings back to my heart.”

  Sondra looked down at the wet spots on her vestments as water dripped from her blonde hair. Her chest rose and fell repeatedly as she took several heated breaths. Her temper came to a boil. “Ganden must have forsaken me, if this is how I am treated when simply trying to serve ungrateful people!”

  * * * * *

  Trestan and Kemora tried to recover from the bright flashes and thunderous noises that rocked the room. The young champion of Abriana looked awestruck at the damage done to the nearby exhibits. At a glance, there was no sign of his beloved among the carnage of broken tables.

  He had to have faith and keep a warrior’s concentration. He needed the courage to serve something greater than his own wants. A glance was all he allowed himself to take, for the halfling would quickly try to regain her close advantage. Kemora had no reason to glance over to see what her magically talented friends had wrought. She was quick to charge the more immediate threat.

  She lost her advantage of close combat, as Trestan had the full length of his sword between them. He didn’t push the attack in order to utilize one more strategy to counter the use of her two weapons. Although the hilt of Trestan’s bastard sword could well accommodate two hands, the blade wasn’t overly long or heavy, nor did it require a lot of strength to cut through enemies. Trestan wielded it one-handed, as his left hand dipped to his belt and the weapon still hanging there. He brought up the warhammer he had made in the seminary, on which he had molded the head to look like that of a bull. It had been modeled after the minotaur Trestan had beaten in combat; a former ally to the enemies which now faced him.

  This time Trestan chased Kemora. Elvish sword sparked against domid sword, while the warhammer kept ready to block any jabs of the stiletto. This time the human made use of his full reach as the halfling sought an opening.

  Revwar kept his staff before him as he surveyed the cluster of broken tables. He finally spotted the half-elf, lying still and quiet amidst the ruin. He couldn’t see all of her, just both leather-clad legs sticking out from the mess.

  The elf turned his attention to his two helpless comrades. Jentan and Savannah still suffered bursts of electrical charges. The effect wouldn’t last long, but the wizard preferred to expedite the process. He wove patterns in the air between both hands as the staff leaned against his shoulder. A web of black electricity enveloped the two subdued people, counteracting the remaining energy of the protective ward. All sparks died away as Jentan and Savannah stopped jerking erratically. The two breathed hard, though would soon get up under their own power.

  Trestan and Kemora sparred across the room, but the halfling would just have to take care of herself a little longer. She had lost her advantage against the tall human, but she kept up enough of a defense to keep away from his magical sword.

  Revwar turned to approach the stricken half-elf. His yellow eyes kept a very cautious gaze on her as he moved to a better position. Cat seemed to be at least partially conscious, groaning as she tried to stretch one leg. Her black leather outfit had a layer of some powder or dust on it. Her face was blackened by a close call, but it seemed as if one hand had been hurt far worse. Her left hand lay across her stomach, displaying a serious burn. She looked to have taken a painful beating but Revwar wasn’t about to take chances. Her eyes opened slowly as she started recalling her surroundings. Cat looked around and saw the elf wizard pointing a finger at her.

  Revwar started casting a spell. The elf wizard stood several steps away from her, and she was near helpless on her back. Her right hand looked for something to grab and she found it. Cat hefted the howling crystal ball and pitched it at the wizard with a grunt. The protective enchantment that had once warded it had already gone off when the table collapsed underneath it.

  Revwar’s casting came to an abrupt stop as the glass globe hit him in the face. The magical item was not as durable as it had seemed. As it bounced to the floor, the impact cracked its surface. An irritating mist spewed out as the eerie noises left the device forever. Its magic escaped in a choking, nauseating cloud. For a moment, the elvish wizard retched as he breathed in the fumes.

  Cat got to her feet as quickly as her damaged body would let her. She kept her burned left hand cradled close to her torso. She had a very brief moment to decide which course of action she should take. Just as quickly, she realized that trying to run or take cover in any way would not help remedy their situation. In order to succeed,
she had to charge the wizard. She drew her silver rapier and took up a stumbling run. Raven hair flying behind her, she gained some momentum after a few stumbling steps.

  Revwar swung his staff across, but the agile adventuress ducked under it. She then led with the point of her sword. The tip hit the caster’s robe and nearly brought her to an abrupt stop. The magical robe slowed the rapier, but her silver blade had an enchantment of its own. The point slowly drove past the robe and into flesh.

  Revwar prepared to slam the woman with his staff. Cat was willing to take the hit in order to sink the blade deeper into the caster. She had forgotten how well the elf wizard enhanced his strength in the past. The staff hit her gut with enough force to send her flying away. She landed hard, losing her grip on her rapier and coughing up blood.

  Trestan could not help her. He was at the limits of his fighting abilities against a halfling who was simply buying herself time with her movements. She couldn’t get close enough to use the poisoned stiletto, but she could keep tiring Trestan until Jentan or Savannah recovered their feet.

  Both of the fallen enemies were picking themselves up off the floor. Savannah crawled to where she could retrieve her flail, while Jentan sat up and glanced around the chamber.

  Cat grabbed her nearby rapier and got to her feet as Revwar charged her with his staff. Enough injuries lamed the half-elf that she had a hard time even keeping her balance. She knew she couldn’t begin to parry the staff with all the strength Revwar commanded. The elf caster whirled the staff like a weapons master. Cat backed up until she felt the edge of an exhibit table at her back. She barely glanced over her shoulder but it was enough to recognize what stood behind her.

  Revwar thrust the magical staff at her midsection. Cat dropped the rapier as she spun to the side, sucking in her gut at the same time. The adventuress grabbed the magical staff as it jabbed at her, nimble fingers feeling some of the symbols carved into its length. She used what strength she could to help guide it towards a target of her choosing.