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Wizard of Zovoe Chapter 6: Between a Rock and... (nosex viol magic) � 2010 Rhys.The.Mage Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 || Ch. 4 || Ch. 5 || Ch. 6 || Ch. 7 || Ch. 8 || Ch. 9 || Ch. 10 || Ch. 11 Sun Tzu said, 'Death ground is that in which the army survives only if it fights with the courage of desperation.' [1] Since leaving the Tong forest nothing of interest had befallen the party. The men seemed none the worse for their experience in the forest, and Rhys had found much time to instruct Jillian in the use of her new staff. A full day of riding had brought them to the Trigosh road. The number of travelers and merchants that seemed to be fleeing out of Om did not bring them any solace. If anything, it made their mission more desperate. Just before nightfall, Gylal and Zilan returned from the edges of the Tengerpartal where they had spent the day talking to people on the road. They sat around an early evening cooking fire close to another large band of merchants who had also stopped early for the night. Nearing the fire, Gylal thrust a fresh log into the blaze and dropped down heavily with a wine skin. “Nearly all of them have the same story. They all have been directly affected by odd creatures or know someone who has been killed. Whatever is going on in Om has reached a critical point.” Gylal tug a long tug on the skin. Zilan nodded throughout Gylal's telling. “It is as he says. The merchants here with us have no intention of returning until,” he paused uncomfortably, “the evil in the city is removed.” Rhys raised an eyebrow. Lusan and Kiba seemed oblivious as usual, doing their best to cook some fresh venison over the fire. Rhys knew they were more than they seemed, but they put up a very good front. He turned back toward the others, “Any idea what the evil is?” Gylal and Zilan looked at each other, then Gylal spoke up. “To a soul they refer to the Mage's Guild. But only in hushed tones. Men taken during the night, people killed in broad daylight, livestock slaughtered.” From the fire, a voice said, “Sounds like we need to fuck 'em up.” Everyone turned, but Kiba, having said his piece, was focused once again on the fire. Jillian nodded emphatically. “He's right. It cannot stand. The guilds are supposed to protect people.” Rhys sat back against a large rock, shifting to try and become comfortable. It wasn't working. “Anyone have any tabac?” He produced a small pipe from within his robe, and Lusan whistled sharply. Making eye contact, he threw Rhys a small pouch. Rhys waived it back at him, a silent thank you. Rhys tamped some tabac into the pipe, then used a small twig near the edge of the fire to light it. He inhaled deeply, then threw the pouch back to Lusan and nodded appreciatively. It was good weed. Everyone remained silent. Jillian held her tongue for as long as she could. “So is there a plan, oh master wizard?” “A plan. Yes. I suppose if I laid out a plan it would help to put your mind at ease. Truth is a plan would probably just cloud your mind.” Jillian looked hurt. This was not what she had expected. “So instead of giving you a plan, which will never survive first contact with the enemy, I will tell you what I expect to happen.” He paused and stood. Lusan and Kiba had finished cooking and were handing out portions to everyone, who immediately began eating. “They have already tried once to attack us on open ground. They, and we, are ready for another such attack, so that is unlikely.” “Not that we won't be prepared,” Lusan said. “Have you just discovered your tongue?” Jillian asked. “Most words are just movements of air. I'm done now,” the big man said, and sat down to eat. He motioned for Rhys to pass him the pipe, which he did. “The Tengerpartal is a passage of steep cliffs where the mountains meet the sea, strewn with boulders and endless hiding places. It is a perfect spot for an ambush. That terrain would perhaps best be called death ground.” The two fighters grunted, then resumed eating. “Death ground?” Gylal asked. “You fight with desperation, or you die.” “Lovely,” said Jillian. “So this is more of an execution?” Rhys shook his head. “Hardly. It is unlikely that they know we are aware of the trap.” “So there is a plan!” Jillian said. “Er, no. What part of 'no plan' didn't you understand?” Rhys asked. Jillian decided to just stay quiet. Rhys continued. “There are a few things in our favor, and a few in their favor. While I would not call it a plan, I will tell you how I think we should proceed.” The band listened attentively to his 'non-plan,' set the wards and the watch, and retired for the evening. [2] They were up early in the morning. They promptly headed south, into the maw of the Tengerpartal. As sure as the tales the night before, the terrain quickly shifted to one of steep cliffs, large boulders, and limitless opportunities for ambush. Jillian was at the rear, riding with Zilan and all the supplies. Rhys and Gylal were in the middle with Lusan and Kiba on point. There were no birds in the sky, no sound save for the waves far below crashing on the shoreline. A rock fell ahead of them and from just above. Rhys and Gylal dismounted and sent their horses back toward Jillian. Lusan and Kiba readied swords and shields and dropped their visors. They did not have long to wait before the rocks ahead of them seemed to explode into action. More than a dozen men sprang forth from the cover of the boulders, crossbows drawing beads on the trapped party. Rhys lifted his staff slightly. “Lusan, pajaz, Kiba, pajaz .” The falling rocks had given them just enough time for Rhys to take action, and as the bolts flew at the two fighters, the points failed to connect. Another bolt whizzed by Rhys and nicked Gylal in the shoulder. Now off their mounts, Lusan and Kiba closed on the attackers to render their crossbows useless. To the rear, Zilan drew a rapier as Jillian, as per the non-plan, did nothing outwardly visible. Quietly, Jillian uttered the words for a spell that would deflect arrows and bolts from the horses. To a casual observer, the bolts just seemed to miss. The clang of shields and blades rang out from the front of the skirmish. Lusan and Kiba were heavily engaged, but seemed to be holding their own. Here and there one side or the other landed a blow, but still the two fighters held their ground. A bolt of pure electrical energy shot forth from above them, vaporizing a small boulder near Gylal and throwing him through the air to land in a heap ten feet away. Rhys calmly dismounted and turned into the threat, staff in hand. Trusting his mind to place the point of origin correctly, Rhys stilled his mind for an instant before saying “Remeg.” At the point he focused upon, several boulders seemed to shake loose and move violently down hill. One, perhaps a second sharp cry came from the area. Rhys had a moment to note Gylal was moving slowly, but at least he was alive. From the area he had shaken with a minor quake not one, but two men in robes emerged. One was limping badly, the other appeared unharmed. Rhys was regaining energy, ceding the next move to his attackers, when he recognized the man with the limp. It was Timeran, the Guildmaster from Om. He did not recognize the other man, but he suspected this was not the last of the surprises. Hoping to distract them for just a few moments, Rhys called out to them. “Timeran. I see you there. Where once you used to lead now you are simply a whelp barking at his masters' leg.” The Guildmaster spat on the ground and raised his staff. “You have no idea what awaits you.” The other mage moved fluidly, enough to give Rhys pause. He knew Timeran, could predict him—lightning strikes not withstanding. The other, well, that was something different. From the second mage he sensed a gathering of energy. Rhys dropped, cleared his mind and said, “Etzort.” At the same time the second mage released his will and a surge of energy fell upon Rhys, threatening to sear his clothing to his skin. The amount of energy he had thrown was huge, but Rhys' counter had been to diffuse the energy, so all around them the air heated up, leaving Rhys unharmed. Assessing that his opponent was fixated on large energies, Rhys went for something more subtle. Gathering his will even as Timeran readied an attack, he said, “Zunet.” The old tongue for pause, he watched as the unknown assailant registered shock and staggered back. It wouldn't stop his heart for good, but maybe just enough to really scare him. Rhys turned his attention back to Timeran, who even now was releasing his will. [3] As Rhys dueled the two mages and the two fighters valiantly tried to keep their dozen attackers at bay, Jillian felt something shift nearby. All to late she saw the danger. “Zilan!” she called out, to late to save him. Jillian watched in horror as a two foot length of steel emerged from his chest, then lifted him up and threw him away like so much trash. With Zilan out of the way, Jillian saw his attacker. The lightly armored namaah she had seen in a fevered dream—Azarea. The demon with oversized tits and a foul attitude licked her lips as she strode around the riderless horse and approached Jillian. “A woman. Hmm, well, although I prefer to feed on men, perhaps you can be of service.” Closing to within sword reach, Jillian watched carefully as the female demon snicked her sword with inhuman speed toward her. Clutching her staff she tried to still her worried mind even as the blade whistled toward her. “Vas,” she said, uttering the word for iron and thinking of her skin. The demon's blade cut instantly and effortlessly through the clothing Jillian wore, but the only real effect of the sword's contact was to throw Jillian from the saddle. She landed hard, but she was not dazed. She held herself motionless, certain the demon would sense something was amiss, see that there was no blood. The she-demon moved quickly like flowing water around the horse and was upon her in a second. It realized something was not right, but then Jillian snapped over and produced her staff. The demon sneered at her. “A witch girl? This will prove fun.” She readied another strike at Jillian. Before the blade moved forward Jillian thought 'fast' and said, “Besseg.” Moving faster than the demoness now, she cleared the path of the blade , “Yenge.” The demoness' sword whistled by where she had been a heartbeat before, but when the sword impacted the ground it did not shatter as Jillian expected. Jillian saw the surprise in the demon's face, but it quickly turned to a knowing smile. “Besseg,” it said, and became as fast as Jillian. “My blade is not of this plane, your spells are nothing against it.” The namaah, Azarea, wrenched the blade free of the ground. It appeared unharmed. Jillian breathed heavily and considered her next move as the demoness shifted with her. [4] Lusan and Kiba continued to hold their own, but time was running out. They were badly outnumbered and the small wounds were starting to add up. They had already dispatched six of their attackers, but without some relief they were doomed to fail at some point. Rhys was worried about them, but should he be distracted from the mages he might not live long enough to help them. He felt Timeran gathering his strength, but felt he was not focused. Feeling he'd missed something, Rhys gathered his will and waited for Timeran to release his spell. From above them, a rock the size of a small horse flew down at him. Essentially Timeran had only to lift the rock, and then guide it as gravity did the rest. The counter that Rhys had in mind was just right for this case. Seeing the rock headed toward him, Rhys simply deflected by using his will to create a small 'chute.' The boulder flew toward the unknown mage, who was still struggling to breathe after Rhys had stopped his heart. Seeing the rock coming toward him, the mage grabbed the amulet around his neck and uttered something inaudible. As the rock crashed into the hillside, the mage was no longer there. “So, whelp. Where is your master now?” Rhys said, preparing to finish his opponent. “Behind you, of course,” said Timeran. Rhys risked a brief look back and caught a glimpse of Jillian moving blindingly fast, apparently dodging something else that moving very fast. Whatever that something was, it was definitely female. The namaah, most likely. Wishing her luck, Rhys turned back toward Timeran. “What happened to you? I once studied under you.” The former Guildmaster of Om spat blood on the ground in Rhys' direction. “You have no idea of the power of my master. The one who was here, and the one who is still here are but his servants. You have no idea what you are dealing with.” Rhys caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He raised his voice theatrically, “Then strike me down, if you are so powerful! Why haven't you been able to?” Timeran saw the movement then, something blue and shiny and red just off to his side. He reacted instantly, throwing a bolt of lightning at the figure who approached him. The bolt hit the figure squarely in the chest—and fizzled. “Fucking wizard know-it-alls” Lemley said, and watched as his partners' axe cut Timeran into two pieces cleanly through his midsection. Blood flew out, hitting both Lemley and Lynda. Cleaning her axe off on her boot, she approached her mate. “Are you as horny as I am?” she said. He growled back at her. Then they realized Rhys was running away, and that there was still fighting in the valley. Drawing swords Lemley said, “Ladies first.” “I love that about you,” Lynda said, and she flew into the battle to help Lusan and Kiba. [5] Azarea was throwing spells and blades at her quarry, but the curious witch woman was somehow able to anticipate her moves and dodge her attacks. Azarea feigned an attack to her left, then tried to hit the woman with a paralysis spell. Jillian blocked the spell with a protection. In the few moments she had to come up with something new, an idea formed in her head. Jillian focused on Azarea's left nipple and the ring that pierced it. “Elet,” she said, focusing all her energy on the ancient word for life. Azarea was ready for an attack when her left breast burst into brilliant pain. She recoiled from the feeling, dropped her sword in stunned silence, then saw the other mage approaching. Holding her demonic hand over her left breast, she spat at Jillian. “This is not the end, bitch.” Azarea held forth her hand and said, “Altal.” Then she stepped through nothing, and disappeared. Reaching Jillian, Rhys found her weak, but unharmed. “What did you do to her?” “I figured she might be more dead than alive, so I tried to bring a small part of her to life.” Rhys laughed thinly, “Well done. Demons like her are not so much dead as different. Still, you were obviously effective.” “What of the others?” she asked. Rhys looked over his shoulder, saw that Kiba no longer stood. The dwarves were finishing off the remainder as Lusan struggled to move away from the fight. He saw Zilan laying nearby, eyes open but unseeing. “We have lost two I think. Timeran is dead, but his master and that she-demon are still alive.” Jillian nodded toward the sword. “She left something behind.” Rhys nodded. “Have to look at that carefully. It might be good for us, or very, very bad.” Lusan neared them, along with Gylal. “We lost Kiba. He fought well, but we were badly outnumbered.” “We grieve with you,” Jillian said. Lusan nodded, then asked Gylal to help bind his wounds. Ahead of them on the trail, the dwarven duo had finished dispatching the last of the enemy and were now searching the dead for useful things. And that wasn't all. “Did you see the way I took that last one?” “Aye lass, you were a thing of malevolent beauty!” Covered in blood and sweat, she grabbed his pony tail and kissed him firmly on the lips. “You say the sweetest things. Find anything of use?” He grinned sheepishly, then waived a piece of paper. “Maybe a letter from our dear departed mage over there.” Lynda shrieked, an entirely un-dwarflike, un-fighterlike sound. She clapped her hands excitedly and kissed Lemley again. Jillian shook her head. “Too bad we can't get those two a room.” “Something tells me they won't wait,” said Gylal. “Hey, why aren't they dead?” Rhys, who was piling stones on Zilan as a crude grave, replied offhandedly. “Dwarves are very resistant to magic. You'd think Timeran would have known better.” Jillian and the others were finally starting to feel the effects of the battle. “Maybe we could just saddle up and get out of this place.” A few yelps from behind a nearby boulder told her the dwarves were sating the results of their battlelust. “Or maybe we should wait for them.” Gylal said. Rhys nodded. He finished his task, then helped Lusan with Kiba's grave until the dwarves were done. … Lemley presented Rhys with the letter he found on Timeran's corpse. “Is it helpful?” he asked. Rhys nodded. “We know where we are headed next. But first we have some unfinished business to attend to.” Before mounting up, Rhys picked up the sword of the demoness with a gloved hand, cautious about actually touching it before he understood what it was. Their business in the Tengerpartal complete, they turned toward the trail. Next Chapter |