Talonn reached down and snatched up his sabre. When he looked up at Hammer his eyes were glowing once again, he readied the 'Rage' for possible use. Talonn gestured to Hammer that he would again go to the left side of the room.
Giving a nod to Hammer, the half-elf pushed the door open with his foot. After the pause of a heartbeat, he charged into the room with his blades poised and the 'Rage' boiling.
Talonn made a quick inspection of the room. The table was bare and the dust swirled in the faint light. "There is nothing here, Hammer. Lets return to the others, I do not trust that woman." Upon saying that, Talonn turned around and headed back to the other room.
"Too bad, friend Talonn. I was hoping to crush a few more goblins." He followed Talonn out of the room.
Kaa never saw Sala's approach and was distracted by the shelf's collapse. A flurry of movement brought his attention back to the woman and Sala. He barely had time to raise his axe before Sala transformed and mauled Milara. The dwarf leapt to Sala's side as she slumped to the floor. Dropping his axe, he hesitated a moment before reaching out to cradle her sagging head.
Talonn reached the door just as the shelf fell. He watched helplessly as Sala and Milara struggled briefly. He stood in awe as Sala grew hidious in form and the tore into the woman like an animal. "The demon!" he cried.
Talonn suddenly found the will to move. He charged across the room and skidded to Sala's side. Shoving aside Kaa, he picked up Sala from the floor and lay her on the table, sweeping aside the useless statue.
"Sala, are you well! Someone help her."
Hammer saw Sala's change from over the head of Talonn, who had stopped in the doorway. As Talonn charged into action, Hammer moved back into the Hallway, and prepared for any who might have heard the commotion.
Seeing that it was simply a manesfestation of her demons, Ifreet decides that she'll just need a little time. Milara, however, was obviously in a little bit more trouble. Ifreet walks to her and checks for pulse and breathing.
Startled by the sound of the shelf crashing to the floor, Qki looked up from his surveillance of the little door. Immediately he felt guilty that he was ignoring his duties and concentrated once more on the doorway. Then when Sala attacked the other lady he looked up again in time to see her, in demonic form, reaching for the doorway. He was filled with horror - the doorway had done something while he wasn't looking, and now Sala had to take care of it! The others definitely wouldn't let him go with them any more if he had shirked his duties so. Hoping nobody noticed his lapse, he stared at the doorway again, his mind working. It seemed that Sala had to ability to change herself, too, although whatever she had changed herself into didn't look as fun as being a bird did. He decided he didn't want to do that! Worried about his status with the other people, he didn't look up from the doorway no matter what else happened in the room, although he tried to watch the events from the corner of his eyes.
In the meantime, Ifreet had made a few gestures which stopped the bleeding long enough for him to apply bandages and stiches. He glances briefly towards Sala while he works, his hard eyes softening in sympathy for a moment, then returns to taking care of Milana. He pushes the leg back into place, and applies a splint to help it mend. Somewhere in the commotion he had gotten off his steed to help her, and the said horse was standing watch at the door with the others.
Talabrina comes into the room and quickly checks over Sala. "Sit thee in the chair milady," says Talabrina gently, "and learn forward with thy head between thy legs. Thou should feel better in a moment." Going to Milana and looking hher over Talabrina remarks "Thou doth do good work Lord Ifreet, now I will add to what thou hath begun." Standing with her arms outstreched toward Milana, A bright silver light leaps out from her hands to envelop Milana. For a few moments Talabrina keeps up the light and then lets it fade away, with Talabrina suddenly looking far more tired than she did. Talabrina falls to her knees, "There, `tis done, now Lady Milana shouldst recover barring further injuries that I knew naught about."
Kaa stood from where Talonn had pushed him aside. He could tell by the way the half-elf was breathing that Milana had mere seconds for Talabrina's healings to work before the lad slit her throat. Clamping an iron grip upon Talonn's arm, Kaa pulled him away from the table and Sala. When Talonn turned to face him, his eyes were like a roaring fire.
"Laddie, don't go thinking that you are gonna hurt that woman. We need to find out what this is all about. She is the key to finding the right doorway, I can feel it. Go secure the hallway and release a little of that.... frustration. I think Milana has learned a lesson that she won't soon forget. We have things aright here."
Talonn glared at Kaa. The rushing sound of the 'Rage' nearly drowned the dwarf's words. He opened his mouth to protest but stopped when Kaa placed his palm on his chest. "Laddie, it has been a long day. Don't make it worse." was all the dwarf said.
Talonn stood for a moment more then turned and headed for the door. As he passed Qki, he noticed the anguished expression on the little golem's face. For a moment, Talonn was envious of the fellow's ability to show his emotions freely. Talonn clasped Qki's shoulder in a firm grip. "Twas not your fault, my friend. Lady Fate is always a step ahead of our feeble plans. Relax and be well." With that, he continued across the room.
As he came to the door, Talonn informed Hammer that he was returning to the room that they had entered before the commotion. "I will guard the passage behind us from there. Stay to the shadows if you can, my friend, or you just may get your chance to bust a few more heads." He then disappeared into the empty room. The glow from his eyes the only indication that he was there.
Hammer nodded to Talonn, but his face showed alittle irritation. *Who was this half-elf to tell him how to do his job? I am Hammer, champion of Clan Devil Dogs. Where was Talonn when Hammer had stood watch over the Orcs in the plain, come to attack his villiage?*
Hammer snorted, then walked further down the hallway, giving Talonn some privacy, and himself some space. *Talonn was only trying to help, not knowing your past experiences. Now Kaa, on the other hand, seems to be a born leader. And their are very few of those on this world. Him, I will follow.*
Kaa turned his attention from Talonn and looked to the others. "Well, that was a bit of a mess. Any ideas on what our next move should be? Will Milana be well enough to speak soon?"
Talabrina shakes off her lethargy and takes a good look at Milana, "I doth believe she will recover Lord Kaa. If needs be I can revive her with smelling salts." Talabrina is silent as she quickly searches Milana and removes her spell components, if any. "Just on the account of incase milord," she says to Kaa. "We wouldst not wish her to cast any spells that could be banefull to us."
After a moment Talabrina looks up at Kaa, "Milord, If I couldst ask thee a question about Lord Talonn, why be he so angry?"
The dwarf removed his helmet and ran a weathered hand across his brow. Replacing his helmet, he bent down and picked up his axe. He looked at Talabrina somberly and cradled the axe in the crook of his arm.
"Talonn's a good man. You could ask for no better at your back than he. He takes his promises very seriously. He likely feels that because he wasn't in here, what just occured did so because he wasn't here to stop it. His sense of honor is what angers him now.
What is inside him is another matter entirely. He was abused a great deal as a child. During that time, he developed a way to hide his true self from the pain and created another, a sage once called it an alter-ego, to suffer the abuse. That same sage said that because of his elfin blood's natural magic and his desire to protect himself, the alter-ego took on a life of its own. The 'Rage', as Talonn calls it, now seeks to dominate his true identity and take over his body. A war rages in his head between the true Talonn and the 'Rage'. His berserker frenzy is but a taste of what Talonn would become if this alter-ego ever took complete control.
He has learned over the years to use 'it' when necessary. He says that the 'Rage' builds up strength like water against a dam. To protect himself from it, he releases it by channeling it to a task of his choosing. The berserker frenzy is one way he does so. But as this weakens the 'Rage', it weakens him as well for he must battle to keep control of his mind during that time he allows the 'Rage' its freedom. The color of his eyes is a testament to what happens when his grasp slips."
Kaa shook his head a moment like he was coming awake from a dream. "Listen to me. Telling things that should be told by the one who lives it. Fahh! This whole mess has got me in a dander. Revive the witch woman and make her talk. We need to get this thing done so we can be on our way. I have a thing or two I would like to say to Nagard and I need a bath. No offense, Lady Sala, but you could use a little freshening yerself." he said with a wide, but strained, smile.
Talabrina stands up from where she is and looks at Kaa. "Mayhaps `tis best that we let Lady Milana rest just a bit longer." Then Talabrina goes over to the table and sits by Sala. "Lady Sala, what happened a few moments ago was not of thy doing and I think that not a one of us would doubt that." Talabrina reaches out and takes Sala's hand in hers. "I, for one, would never leave thee milady." Talabrina looks at Sala with a greaty deal of care and affection.
Ifreet simply turns his hard gaze towards Sala for a moment, then returns it to watching over Milana. He smiles faintly when he thinks no one is looking.
Still facing the door, not the room, Granite spoke. "Your transfer of form makes no difference. I can also alter my shape. I have said this before. My changes do not happen as quickly. But they otherwise seem the same in effect. Your change in behavior is not something that happens when I change form. But this is probably related to your condition."
"Don't you fret, lass. I believe I speak for us all, we are with you till the end."
Kaa walked to the center of the room and began to pace again. Scratching his beard and mumbling to himself, he made four circuits of the area before he stopped. He stared at the floor a moment more before he finally spoke.
"We can't linger here long. If that woman there can't give us any answers now, and I must say I don't think she would willingly anyway, I say we press on.
Here is my thinking. Sala, if you would, have Pine change into a mouse again and send him/her scouting the corridor. There is another door ahead that we know of and maybe more. We will secure the lady there so that she won't raise an alarm, lay the desk over and hide her behind it. When Pine returns, we continue our search. Any comments or suggestions?"
Kaa watched Sala stagger across the room. He felt ashamed for asking her to use her "gift" when she was obviously still recovering from her ordeal. He moved to her side as Pine returned.
"Sala, will ye be alright? I am sorry for asking you to do that. I didn't realize how tired you were. We will wait until you are rested before we continue onward. It won't do us any good to have you collapse in a sticky moment. Take yonder seat and regain your strength. Some of us can stay with you and the witch, and the others can check the near room. Volunteers?"
Talonn crouched in the shadows of the doorway facing the passage to the group's rear. For the last several moments, he had been trying to release the 'Rage' in directed waves to the floor. The energy rippled across the floor and struck the far wall with an almost inaudible thud. After four such sendings, Talonn conceded that the strength of the 'Rage' was too much to be sapped by such minor releases. This was not the time to launch into one of his beserker sword katas. He remembered a technique that his mentor had tried to teach him. Although Talonn had never been able to succeed in the technique, he knew he had to try and release the energy or he would be useless to the group or a menace to them.
He drew the dagger from his boot and held it before him. Keeping an eye on the passage, he concentrated on the dagger. He willed a connection between the cold steel and the white hot 'Rage'. The strength necessary to bend the 'Rage' was more than he could spare but he knew he had to give it. He was on the brink of giving up when, shaking from the effort, he felt the 'Rage' falter. Suddenly, the pressure in his mind seemed to race down his arm and flow into the blade of the dagger. His eyes widened as waves of red began to ripple, not on the blade, but within it as if they had been there all along. The flow of energy to the dagger subsided as the blade now glowed blood red.
Fearing that he had ruined the blade, he touched the point to the stone floor. He gave a silent curse as he felt, what he believed to be, the blade point compressing with the pressure. Looking closer, he realized that the blade was not dissolving but actually penetrating the stone. Gasping, he pulled the dagger free and set it softly on the floor. When he release it, he felt the contact break and the weakened 'Rage' rush back up his arm and into his mind once more. There was also a wave of force as the energy that had inhabited the dagger leapt outward once the contact with his hand was broken. With touching it, he examined the dagger and judged it unharmed.
Remembering where he was, he quickly scanned the passage for enemies. Glancing at the gouge that the dagger had left in the stone, he tried to calm his breathing and relax muscles that he did not know he had cliched. He didn't know whether to be relieved by his new ability or deathly afraid. Fear held sway for now.
Nods, as the plan sounds good, and stays at his post with Milara, and begins watching Sala as well, since both are now under his care. His right eye twitches as Talon alters the dagger in the hallway, even though it is out of his field of vision.
"If it pleases thee milord, I will stay with Lady Sala and Muffy can go with those who doth wish to explore the other room. Also I would like to ask if Lord Talonn would remain here," Talabrina looks down at the floor and back up to Kaa. "I too hath not lead what one might call an exemplarly life. I think I could help Lord Talonn with his `Rage' as thou doth call it," says Talabrina earnestly.
Hammer waited patiently, but heard no sounds of approaching goblins. He decided to head back to the room. "Kaa, I have heard nothing approaching. Appearantly, none heard the sounds of battle. What is your plan now?"
"Talabrina, I appreciate your offer, as I am sure Talonn would, if he were to hear it. Yet, I hesitate to agree. The lad is more than a bit self-conscious about 'it' and, honestly, he would probably refuse. That elfish trait of overzealous honor, you see. No offense meant to the rest of you. All I can advise is to make the offer if you wish but, I beg you, please don't be offended if he refuses."
Kaa removed a small bone tube from under his shirt. Lifting it to his lips, he blew softly. The sound of a soft moaning breeze filled the room and the passage. By the time he had replaced the tube in his shirt, Talonn was standing at the door.
"We are going to split up for a little while. Some of us are going to stay here to guard the witch and protect Sala while she rests. Ifreet and Talabrina have volunteered to remain here. Anyone else wishing to remain may do so.
I think that your cat should stay with you, Talabrina. She seems more than capable of keeping our little goblin friend in line. Perhaps a little further interrogation might help our cause."
"The rest will go to search the door nearest to us. We will return here after we have searched the room. Stay alert. If trouble starts, either here or in yon room, give a shout. We are dangerous as a group, much more than when scattered about. Who will go with me to search the room?"
Talonn listened as Kaa explained the plan. As tired as he was from his ordeals, Sala looked to be on the verge of collapse. He removed a small wineskin from his shirt and took it to Sala. "Drink this, Lady Sala. It is an herbal blend that helps to dispell fatigue. Only a few sips are necessary. If you drink too much, you will feel as strong as our friend Hammer there, even as you drop dead from exhaustion." Talonn said with a grin.
"I will go to search the room."
Hammer leaned up against the door frame, and surveyed the room, and the people in it. "I will go also to search the room. There is power enouph staying behind. No need to squander too much. However, I believe we need a way to stay in contact. If something were to happen, and one group had to move to another spot, we could end up with more trouble than we need. I do not know of a two way comunication system other than runners, but that may not be practical. Any ideas?"
Qki waved the hand holding the dagger in the air, without taking his eyes from the little doorway. "Kaa! Can I go? Please? This door hasn't done anything in a long time!" Frankly, he was getting pretty bored.
"There will be more of you going than staying. Or so it would seem. So I will go as well." Granite said, still unmoving. The black spots on the back of his head had disappeared, unnoticed.
"Prithee stay Lord Talonn. There is a matter that I wouldst speak with thee about." Talabrina says. Looking to Kaa she continues. "Thou needs not worry about little Gabble here, " she says indicating the goblin, "he will not be a problem to control, particularly if Lord Talonn remains with Lady Sala and myself." Then Talabrina looks over to Sala. "How art thou feeling fair maiden? Much better I hope?"
Talabrina nods to Sala and smiles. "`Tis good to hear that thou art recovering milady but I still wish to caution thee about overtaxing thyself alright milady?"
"It is done then." said Kaa. "Hammer, Granite, and I will go to search the room. Qki will come along to help and serve as a runner if things get hairy. Qki, that means if a fight or something dangerous happens, you can be the hero by running back here and bringing the others to our aid. A very important job, it is lad. I think you are just the fellow to do it." Kaa added with a flourished bow.
Kaa could see that Talonn was about to protest about being excluded from the raiding party. The dwarf raised his hand to stop the complaint. "Talonn, you have been on the point since we dropped into this mess. We both know what walking the knife edge does to someone if they aren't given a chance to rest a spell. This is your time. I want you fresh if things go badly later. I know what you are capable of and I want you able to deliver when we need it. Aye, laddie. I know your next words as well. Hammer gets his rest spell after this."
Kaa stood and glared at Talonn. It was a face off they had on countless occasions. Kaa hoped this was one of the few instances where his will would win out. He hid his surprise as Talonn visibly relaxed and nodded. Taking pleasure in his minor victory, Kaa executed a precise military about face and headed for the door. "Lets get to it, lads."
Granite followed Kaa out the door, still somehow managing to walk without making much noise, despite his stony construction.
Kaa took a moment to unsheath his axe once they were in the hall. "Keep a sharp eye, me lads. Hammer take the lead, Granite take the rear. Qki and I walk the center. When we reach that door on the left, stand aside while I check the lock. Once the door is open, Qki, wait in the hall until you hear us call you into the room or you hear the sounds of combat. If you hear the latter, go back and get the others. They should be ready if Sala is watching through Pine. Questions or comments?"
Hammer moved into position at the point, and waited for the signal to move. Once the signal was given, he started out, going slowly while searching for any traps. When he reached the door, he waited on the right side of the door way, to allow Kaa room to work.
Talonn watched the dwarf and the others leave the room. He knew now, without a doubt, that Kaa had spoken to the others about his 'Rage'. He willed himself to relax as much as possible and prepared for the questions that were sure to come. Unfortunately for him, the questions were as painful to him as 'It' could be. He had long held the opinion that shame was, in terms of pain, second only to death.
"Lady Sala,if you have finished with the drink, I think that I am in need of a sip myself. Lady Talabrina, I am at your service." he said with a bow.
Talabrina had watched the exchange between Kaa and Talonn very quietly, silently studying each in turn. She knew that she had best proceed very delicately with Talonn. Untying thr rope from her arm she puts her end under Muffy's paw before turning to the goblin. "I am sure I don't need to tell Gabble what will happen if Gabble tries to run." Talabrina warns the goblin. Then she turns back to Talonn.
"Prithee be seated milord, Lord Kaa told thee to rest and I want to give thee a massage. `Twill help thee to relax a little." Talabrina smiles.
Talonn experienced a moment of doubt upon hearing Talabrina's offer and Sala's soft request. He could sense the power each of them commanded and, for the span of a heartbeat, he felt the desire to leave and join Kaa. Cursing himself silently for having such thoughts, he moved to a nearby chair and sat.
Resisting the urge to rest his hands on his swords, he sat back and said, "My thanks to you ladies for your kindness, given my conduct since we arrived here. As much as I would welcome your ministrations, Talabrina, I must refuse at this time since we are in a hostile area and I must be ready to defend you ladies if the need arises. Once we have completed our task, I will expect you to honor your offer, my Lady." He smiled warmly. "Sala, if I may ask you a question, do your transformations cause you pain? Do they come upon you unawares or do you get some kind of warning?"
Talonn accepted the waterskin from Sala and squirted a swallow into his mouth. He gestured to the others in the room that they could also have a sip if they wished. He took a breath as he felt the liquid begin to do its work and renew his strength.
He looked at Talabrina. He was intrigued by her offer, wondering what it was she was attempting to accomplish. Talonn suppressed a grin and responded to her. "We are all friends here, or at the least, on friendly terms. I will agree to your deal provided when one chooses not to answer, they will be thought none the worst for it. If you agree to my stipulation, then I shall begin and thank you for the opportunity. My first question is this, why do you wish to make this deal that we have begun and what do you hope to learn from it?" With a chuckle, he added, "Forgive me, dear lady. It appears that I have begun with not one question but two. Please disregard any one of your choice and answer the other."
After shaking her head to refuse a drink, Talabrina listens to what Talonn has to say and smiles. "Well for a start, I wouldst be most honored if thou were to call me friend even though we hath known each other for but a short time. As for thy stipulation I doth agree for I would not hath though ill of thee even without such." Talabrina pauses a moment to consider and then speaks again. "I choose to answer both of thy questions should I wish to ask thee a two part question later milord. Why do I wish to make this deal? I doth wish to create an atmosphere of trust between us milord. If I answer questions about myself at the same time I ask questions about thee I achieve this goal. What doth I hope to learn from this? I doth hope to learn more about thee and as thy companion and friend, how best I might aid thee. As for my question, tell me about how thee and Lord Kaa did meet."
Kaa approached the door slowly, testing each step carefully. Although adept in the art of trap identification and lock defeating, he was in no way equal to a full time theif. Even Talonn surpassed him in experience, give the half-elf's assasin training. He tested several of the stones before the door and held his axe flatly in front of the handle in hopes of avoiding any darts. When no traps made themselves apparent, he lowered himself to his knees and began to examine the handle and lock. The dim light of the corridor did not make his task any easier. "Steady there, you old goat." he muttered to himself as he reached into a pouch on his belt.
Qki bounced up and down, ready to run back to the other room if he heard the others taking goblins apart. They weren't opening the door yet, though. Curiosity got the best of him, and he had to see what was going on. Qki stood on his toes to try to see what Kaa was doing, and heard the gruff comment. He knew what a goat was, but he didn't see one around. Maybe Kaa had a miniature goat in his pouch. That would be neat! The little golem leaned closer to the dwarf so he could see inside the pouch.
Granite stood next to the door, watching impassively as Kaa tested for traps. As Kaa began to examine the lock, Granite asked, "What are you attempting to find?"
Kaa turned to look at Granite and found himself nose to nose like appendage with Qki. The sight of the metal man's face so near startled him and he jerked away. Just before he made contact with the door or the frame, Kaa caught himself and jerked himself to his feet.
"Dragonspit, Laddie! What are you trying to do?" he whispered. "Qki, please stand aside before someone gets hurt, namely me. Once this is all done I will show you what I was doing." the dwarf said while removing his helm and wiping sweat from his bald forehead.
The site of Kaa and Qki almost sent the barbarian into unstoppable laughter. He clenched his jaw shut as his stomach rumbled with his barely contained laughter. Finally, when the laughing fit had passed, He could look again at Kaa without tears rolling down his eyes. Finally he wispered to Kaa, "I think he is looking for your old goat." Laughter almost rumbled out again, held back again, but shone clearly in his eyes.
"You are attempting a visual based examination of the object. It does not appear to be suited to that method. This seems a strange thing to do. Why do you not attempt a touch based examination? This would provide more accurate detail. I can do so if you are unwilling to. You are also probably intending to open the lock. A touch based attempt would seem more likely to succeed than a visual based one."
Qki smiled uncertainly at Hammer. The tall barbarian seemed to understand what Qki wanted. "Yes... I'd like to see the little goat," he said to Kaa. "Is it like Pine? Can you turn it into a little bird, too? I'd like to fly like a bird!"
Kaa stood for moment trying to figure what they were talking about. After a moment, he realized what it was and shared a chuckle with Hammer. "Qki, there is no goat. It is a name I call myself sometimes. Please, hold your questions, step back and wait until this is done."
"Granite, I must examine the lock visually first. If it is trapped a paticular way, touching it could spring the trap and likely kill me or us all. I must be very delicate so that I don't trigger the trap, if there is one, and eventually unlock the door so that we may enter. It will take all of my concentration to do this. If you would be so kind, keep watch along the corridor and try to keep our curious friend from getting in the way."
"There are not many things which would be able to destroy me." Granite said, "But organics seem less sturdy. I can still perform a physical examination. After you have performed your visual one. Or unlock the door. If you want me to." Granite then turned on the spot to face down the hallway.
The dwarf lowered himself back to his knees and began to examine the door once more. "I may just take you up on that offer, Granite. Give me a moment to see what we have here."
Kaa reached into a pouch at his belt and removed round piece of glass. It was about the size of a large brooch or cloak pin and concave. Muttering about the amount of light available, Kaa began to look through the glass at the door handle. He then used the glass to examine the frame on both sides of the door. When he had viewed as much of the door as his height would allow, he replaced the glass back into his pouch.
He took a slow step back, removed his helmet, and wiped his forehead again. "Well, me lads, here is what we have. The door latch is trapped by a spring pin and there appears to be dart slots in the frame. The spring pin is hidden in the latch. The lock may be picked without harm but when the latch is turned, the pin, which is likely poisoned, will prick the hand. A nasty death is sure to follow.
The darts are probably triggered by the opening of the door itself. When the door is opened to a point wide enough for someone to enter, the darts will fire across the doorway. Again there will likely be poison involved. Whatever is behind this door must be quite a prize to be guarded by such a devilish trap as this."
Replacing his helmet and causing the trinkets in his hair to jingle, Kaa sighed. "I am going to pick the lock. When I am done, Granite, will you be so kind as to trip the latch? I don't believe the pin could puncture your... hand. Once that is done, we will just push open the door, let the darts fire, then enter afterward. Everyone agreed?"