Secrets revealed...

Finally the sandstorm outside had abated, and the villagers of the small settlement beside the muddy oasis left the headman’s hut and blinked in the bright sunlight. The air was still hazy with sand and it cast a dull yellow glow across the land, the old ashik joined the young sibling herders as they went to check on their kank herd. As they encouraged the kank to dig themselves out of the sand drifts and move to the oasis to graze the old ashik looked over at the brothers and said ‘let me tell you about the battle of the Face in the Stone, a fight that they nearly didn’t survive’

The group of freed slaves continue to sprint hard for the left hand passage, desperately trying to make it to safety before the obelisks charge and fire once more. But luck does not look kindly upon them and just as they are entering the passageway lightning leaps once more from the pinnacle of both obelisks, one of the bolts just misses Balboa but the other strikes Kank in his left leg and the large Mul crashes to the floor and slides up against the wall of the passage unconscious. Scar, who is just behind him skids to a halt and shouts;

Medic!

Miloch slides to a stop next to her and, taking an arm each, they start to drag him up the passage. Dragging the big Mul slows them down to the extent that Arthur, puffing hard, manages to overtake them and sees Balboa disappear around the corner at the end of the arrow straight passageway. Arthur digs deep and pumps his short legs hard racing after Balboa.

As Balboa rounds the corner he finds himself facing a group of the three foot tall, naked creatures. His eyes are drawn to their vicious looking clawed hands and he freezes on the spot. He is snapped out of his surprise by the twin cracks of lightning from behind him as the obelisks fire once again, and then the creatures leap at him. One of them strikes him hard in his left arm and it’s claws leave deep wounds across his upper arm and the limb falls useless by his side. Balboa retaliates by swing hard at the beast with the flaming torch that he is holding in his right hand, the makeshift weapon is effective and he manages to break one of the creatures legs with a powerful strike.

Balboa hears the sound of heavy footsteps and bursting lungs behind him as Arthur rounds the corner, and he also spots that one of the creatures is hanging back and appears to be weaving its hands in the air. The beast then points at Balboa and he feels the effects of magic smash against him. It is then that he sees a fourth creature step out of the solid wall and start to weave its hands in the air. The sound of one of the obelisks discharging lightning can be heard once again and Balboa thinks to himself that they could be in trouble.

At that moment Arthur stepped in beside Balboa and swung hard with his iron maul at one of the creatures and connected breaking its arm. The two creatures that are seemingly throwing spells both point at Balboa but nothing seems to happen. The fight between Arthur, Balboa and the naked creatures blocks the passage and forces Miloch and Scar to remain within range of the obelisks, they drop Kank and draw their weapons getting ready to join the fray.

A fifth creature steps out of the wall and that convinces Balboa that he is safer dodging lightning bolts than vicious claws and so he steps backwards allowing Scar to step into the melee. Arthur, having regained his breath after all that running, swings once again with his iron maul and smashes one of the creatures back down the corridor. The beast lands in a dead heap with its back broken. Scar stabs down with the Sword of Kemalok and transfixes one of the creatures on its blade, she watches as the life leaves its eyes and then pulls the iron sword free. Seeing two powerful warriors facing them the remaining creatures all run straight back into the walls and disappear.

Balboa helps Miloch drag Kank out of range of the obelisks, but as they are moving there is another crack of lightning and Balboa is hit is his back as he staggers around the corner. Scar and Arthur attempt to administer first aid to Balboa and are successful in repairing the damage to his left arm and Balboa finds that he is able to use it once again. But as Arthur is looking at a wound on his right arm he opens the wound up and causes Balboa significant hurt. Balboa calls upon the gnomes of the earth to heal Kank and the big Mul regains consciousness and rises to his feet fully healed.

Miloch, who had been watching the walls for signs of the creatures, is the first of the group to hear the sound of a gong being bashed but it is not long before the others can hear it. Scar points up the passageway and says;

It’s coming from that direction. I can also hear the sound of running water.

They move slowly and warily further up the passage and as the light of their torches reaches out and pushes back the darkness they can see a shimmering ahead of them. As they draw closer to the shimmering the sound of the gong stops and Kank spots movement beyond the shimmering.

Even though they are battered and bruised they agree that they have to push onwards and so Kank moves forwards to investigate what is ahead. Kank gets to the edge of a crevasse running across the passageway and discovers that it is a fast flowing underground river. The water appears to be running down one wall of the passage and then onwards along the crevasse, the crevasse itself is eight foot wide at its narrowest and as Kank investigates he spots that there are more of the short naked creatures watching him from the darkness across the crevasse, as he locks eyes with them he feels an attack pressing in against his meagre mental defences and so he quickly backs away towards the rest of the group.

Arthur suggests that Balboa goes forwards to investigate as he possesses the strongest mind, Balboa looks at Arthur in shock and says;

I don’t think that’s a good idea!

But Arthur insists and eventually Balboa agrees to have a rope tied around his waist and he slowly creeps forwards towards the edge of the river. He holds his torch high and looks into the water, and as he does so he spots a large shape moving below the surface. The shape surges upwards and a giant, translucent, reptilian creature bursts from the surface of the river. It is at least twenty foot long and it instantly lunges at Balboa, flailing at him with its writhing tentacles. But Balboa nimbly dodges out of the way and then runs as fast as his little legs can carry him back to the others. The reptilian creature sinks back into the water.

The friends consider their options and agree that there is a good chance that the beast in the water will need magic to hit it. They also agree that they are getting desperate and so Arthur takes the last of his weezer honey to heal himself up. They agree that Scar will cast spells upon Arthur’s, Miloch’s, and her own weapon and then Arthur will teleport himself across the river to attract the reptilian beast, Miloch and Scar can then attack it from behind. With the plan formulated they put it into action, Balboa and Kank wait further down the passage while the others push forwards to ten feet from the river. Scar casts the spells and Arthur stares across the river and a look of concentration crosses his face.

Arthur disappears and reappears on the far side of the river facing back towards Miloch and Scar. Once again the reptilian creature rears up out of the water and as soon as it breaks the surface Miloch and Scar rush in to attack. Within a heartbeat of each other all three strike with their enchanted metal weapons. Arthur’s blow cripples one of the beasts tentacles and Scar’s lops off another, then Miloch’s iron battle axe cuts deep into the beast's back and it collapses back into the water. As the reptilian beast disappears below the surface of the water Arthur looks over his shoulder and sees that the short creatures are closing in to attack him and he shouts;

Quick! Get across!

Further down the corridor Kank starts to sprint towards the river and shouts at Miloch and Scar;

Get out of the way!

Miloch and Scar press themselves back against the walls of the passage just before Kank gets to the edge of the river and leaps.

On the far side of the river Arthur is attacked by two of the creatures but they both miss him with wild swipes of their clawed hands. Arthur counterattacks with a swing of his iron maul and lands a crushing blow knocking one of his opponents backwards to land in an unconscious heap. Kank lands heavily beside Arthur and draws the attack of the remaining creature, but manages to dodge the vicious claws. Seeing a gap Arthur charges forwards to engage another of the creatures and runs into a swinging blow, but he is pleased when it glances off his helmet. The creature facing Kank swings and misses again and Kank strikes back with a mighty punch to the things leg. He is pleased to hear the sound of breaking bone as his blow lands.

On the far side of the river Miloch backs up to Balboa preparing to take a running leap across the river. But both he and Balboa are surprised when two of the creatures step out of the wall just behind Balboa. One of the creatures leaps at Balboa and drags its claws across his right arm, the wound is deep and Balboa loses the use of the arm. He also cries out drawing Scar’s attention who rushes to his and Miloch’s aid. Miloch slices down with his iron battle axe but misses. As Balboa staggers backwards and away from the combat Scar leaps into the gap and slashes down with the Sword of Kemalok but as she does so there is a snapping sound and the leather strap holding in place her leather kilt fails and her kilt slips down entangling her ankles.

Kank swings at his prone opponent and catches it a glancing blow doing very little damage. Arthur swings at his new opponent and forces it to stagger backwards with a broken arm as his massive iron maul lands with unerring accuracy. Arthur then takes a startled step backwards as yet another of the creatures steps out of the wall in front of him. This one however is carrying an iron mace and wearing a key about its neck on a leather thong. Arthur realising that this must be the chief of these creatures quickly shouts for support;

Kank! Get your arse up here!

Arthur swings his iron maul at the chieftain only to see it side step out of the way of the strike. The injured creature slashes at Arthur with its one good arm but its claws scrape against Arthur’s armour. The creature that Kank is battling misses him with its clawed hands. The chieftain then slams its iron mace into Arthurs arm and the blow is so strong that his arm hangs limp and useless by his side. Arthur chances a quick glance over his shoulder and seeing that Kank is not rushing to his aid screams;

Kank you baazrag! Stop playing with that one and get up here!

On the far side of the river one of the creatures hits Scar and drives her back a step, Miloch manages to land a blow but the beast is still fighting. With Scar backing up, Balboa steps in and swings with his stone mace landing a glancing blow of the creature, Miloch reverses his grip and whips his battle axe around in a lethal arc slicing clean through one of the creatures. Balboa once again lands a blow against the last of the creatures on his side of the river and then Scar steps back into the fray and cuts down the beast with a swing of the Sword of Kemalok.

Kank punches his downed opponent once again and then starts to move after Arthur not looking to see if the creature is dealt with. Arthur throws a punch at the chieftain but the creature dodges to one side again. The chieftain thumps Arthur in the gut with his iron mace and Arthur crumples to the floor. As Kank charges forwards he powers up the Earth ring and roars a challenge at the chieftain, the creature swipes with the iron mace but Kank ducks beneath the swing and lands a crushing blow with his one good fist. Once again there is the sound of breaking bone as the chieftains arm is shattered. Before he can follow up, Kank sees the chieftain step back into the wall, he howls in frustration and turns his attention to the creature in front of him.

Hearing the howl Balboa, Miloch, and Scar look across the river to see Arthur down unconscious and a one armed Kank swinging like a lunatic at one of the creatures. As they watch the creature dodges Kank’s blow and slashes at his face but misses. Scar also spots the creature that Kank thought that he had dealt with crawling towards Kank’s back, and realises that Kank does not know that it is there. That forces her decision and she sprints towards the river, leaping it in a single bound of her long limbs. She rolls on landing and rushes into the fight.

Kank punches the creature in front of him and breaks its leg, but he hasn’t noticed the one on the floor behind him, that is until it slashes his lower back with its elongated claws. Blood begins to run down Kank’s back. Again howling in pain Kank spins around and punches down at the creature on the floor finally knocking it senseless. Scar rushes in and quickly dispatches the injured creature left prone on the floor. Kank looks into the room beyond where they were fighting and sees two more of the creatures, he also sees the chieftain step out of the wall and is looking completely healed.

There is a thud as Miloch jumps the river and lands safely on the side of the fighting. There is also an audible gulp as Balboa realises that he is alone on his side of the river. Kank swings at one of the new creatures and lands a crushing blow in its gut, the beast doubles over and collapses to the floor. Kank looks at the chieftain and sees that it is waving its hands in the air, it then points straight at Kank and Kank feels the power of the earth ring drain away. In a rage he charges at the chieftain.

Scar follows Kank in charging forwards, and just as the last of the creatures is about to attack her in the back Miloch arrives and slashes at it with his iron battle axe, burying its blade deep in its chest. Kank rushes at the chieftain and swings hard but the chieftain dodges the blow, the creature returns the blow with a swing of its iron mace but this time it is Kank who dodges the blow. Scar slashes downwards at the chieftain but misses and then Kank lands a punch against the chieftains right arm, once again the Mul’s mighty strength allows him to cripple the chieftains arm.

Before they can follow up their attack the chieftains outline shimmers and when Scar swings at it she finds that she can’t hit. The chieftain slams his iron mace into Kank’s leg and Kank drops like a sack full of rocks. Scar swings again, but again she misses. Then Miloch steps into the fight and sinks his iron axe blade deep into the chieftains chest. The creature slides off the blade and lays dead on the floor.