Secrets revealed...

PART THREE

When the dust finally settles after the fight the elf girl, Jengi Silverhand, steps out of the shadows and sarcastically applauds the freed slaves.

Well done all! You have survived the Tembo. And your strength will return, eventually.

The rest of the night passes uneventfully, but the group of freed slaves stay in camp until mid morning to give Miloch time to recover his full strength before they walk into what might be a very dangerous situation. The group walk all day, being led by the elf girl, and by the time that dusk is starting to darken the sky they are able to make out a large structure on the horizon. It is about four hours distant and so they settle down to camp and light a large camp fire so that they are obvious to any Elf scouts that are looking in their direction.

The night passes uneventfully and the following morning sees the group walking slowly into the Elven stronghold with their weapons slung. The stronghold is an ancient castle, one of the many prehistoric structures that dot the Athasian landscape. As the group approach they can see many Elves watching from the crumbling battlements with bows loosely held, a group of Elves are stood before the main entrance and Jengi runs straight up to what is obviously the leader and throws her arms about him and he returns her hug. It is a fatherly hug, and his stern visage falls briefly when he holds his youngest daughter, but when he looks back at the group his face is one of an Elf that you would not cross.

The chief of the Jura Dai gestures for us to follow him and as he turns to lead them into the castle the group realise that they have met him once before. He was the Elf that led the attack on the mekillot wagon that originally freed them. He leads them through the ruined castle and into an old tower at the rear of the inner courtyard, once they are inside he turns to them and asks in accented common;

I am Toramund, Chief of the Jura Dai. What brings you here?

As one, the group look to Balboa. Balboa clears his throat and relays the story of the oasis, and how they discovered his youngest daughter in the kludz lair. Balboa also artfully drops in that the oasis was poisoned, the chief of the Jura Dai looks shocked and says;

Did you consult with the Druid?

Balboa replies;

He is not there. And the oasis was definitely poisoned.

The chief, still keeping a look of shock on his face replies;

Why would people do that?

Balboa decides to push the point and tell him that they witnessed the Elf juveniles pouring the flowers of the poisonous plant into the source of the oasis. That puts him on the back foot and so he changes tack;

And I am expected to take your word for that? Besides, the Dwarves sent soldiers to attack us.

Arthur speaks up now;

No they did not!

The chief of the Jura Dai smiles, he sees what is happening now, and so he asks;

Would you like to stay here? Sample our hospitality?

Arthur replies that we have to return to the village of Kled as we have people to meet, but the chief says that it is not a request. That is enough for Arthur, who asks;

Am I a prisoner?

The chief smiles and replies calmly;

I haven’t taken your weapon yet Dwarf! You are my guests, for how long I do not know.

With a wave of his hand the discussion is ended and a group of well armed Elves step forwards and escort the freed slaves down some stairs, along a corridor and into a clean cell. The group are provided with food and water, and are left with all of their possessions, but still feel like they are prisoners. Well fed and comfortable prisoners, but prisoners nonetheless. After a short while an Elven healer arrives and tends to Miloch’s wounds and we are provided with more food and water. As night falls we agree to set a watch and get some rest.

That night the strangest thing happens to Kank. While he is sleeping a distant voice enters his head. A voice that has a very alien quality to it. It says over and over again;

Trust not Toramund! Kill you he will! Be ready!

Kank wakes with a start to find Balboa looking at him, he tells his friend what happened in his dream and Balboa says that he believes that it is the Druid communicating with him. The following morning over breakfast Kank relays his story to the rest of the group and they all agree with Balboa’s insight and the group agree to not settle to readily.

The evening of their second day of captivity sees Jengi Silverhand visit the freed slaves. She says that her father has decided to keep them here for a little longer, and that there will be nothing at Kled for them to go back to as they will all soon be dead. Arthur’s hands visibly clench, but she continues saying that it is most unfortunate but that is just the way of things. Balboa looks at her and says;

Your reasoning is infallible, if somewhat skewed.

Jengi shrugs off the thinly veiled insult and smiles at them, she thanks them for saving her from the lair of the Kludz and then leaves. That night Kank’s dreams are visited once again by the disembodied alien voice;

Kank! Now awake! Ready with your friends you must be!

Kank sits bolt upright startling Miloch, who is on watch. They quickly wake everyone up and stand ready with weapons drawn. Minutes later they can hear Elvish voices raised in alarm and the sounds of a skirmish somewhere above them. Balboa looks at the cell door and borrowing Miloch’s shortsword is able to dislodge the bar locking them in. The group file out and begin to head up the stairs. Yet again Kank hears the alien voice in his head telling them to turn left, he quickly and quietly tells the others and they step into the darkness of one of the castles corridors just in time to avoid two Elves running down the stairs.

The voice in Kank’s head leads them back up the stairs and to a doorway on the next level. They enter and find trapped beneath a grill in the floor the Thi-Kreen Druid T’Klick’Chik. The group close the door behind them and while Scar and Arthur guard the door, Kank breaks the Druid out of his bonds and frees him from the pit. Without hesitation the Druid mind speaks that they should head upwards, Kank relays this to the others and Arthur listens at the door and indicates that he can hear the sound of running feet coming down the stairs. Just as they are about to pass the Druid’s cell Arthur bursts out and catches them unawares.

Arthur launches himself at the two elf guards but misses with his attacks, the guards counterattack and while one of them misses him the other stabs him with a shortsword in his arm. Scar steps forwards and slices down with the Sword of Kemalok, the steel blade cleaves straight through the Elves right arm and blood soaks the stairs. Balboa stares at the stair that the elf is fighting on and mumbles under his breath strange and guttural words, the step flows and changes shape into a ramp and the elf stumbles backwards down the stairwell.

The situation begins to turn against the freed slaves as Elven guards appear from both above and below on the stairs. However, the elf at the front of those running up from below slips on the blood soaked ramp created by Balboa and falls backwards into his comrades making them all stagger backwards and allowing enough time for Balboa and Kank to swap places so that Kank can meet the assault from below while Arthur meets the attack from above.

The pair hold their own with their two mauls swinging back and forth, but they are unable to land any blows against the nimble elves. And then one of the elves at the back of the group attacking from above loses the top of his head, through the spray of gore Arthur can see the grinning face of a blood soaked Dwarf. This distraction allows for the elf attacking Arthur to dart in under the swing of his maul and slice him across his thigh. It is a nasty wound and Arthur collapses to the floor when his leg can no longer support his weight.

Scar steps into the breech while Balboa and T’Klick’Chik drag Arthur out of the fray, the Druid places one of his hands on Arthur’s leg and heals the nasty wound. Balboa takes the opportunity to formally greet the Druid;

Plants and animals live on the stone, and the stone is happy.

T’Klick’Chik looks at Balboa with his multifaceted eyes and replies;

No time for humour funny man!

On the stairs Scar continues to battle where Arthur left off, she strikes but the elf parries the blow. As she is fighting she notices that the Dwarves at the back of the elves are creating havoc. Kank takes a blow in the arm, and he strikes back quickly with his maul crushing the elf’s rib cage. The dwarves have cut their way down the stairs to the group and shout for the group to follow them up. So they rush upwards with Kank holding the rear in a fighting retreat.