The Devil's Dreams, Chapter Five

[JMaytr]

''What in the name of all the gods are you doing? Are you insane?''

[RocEter]

Thom quickly downs another potion and moves away from the mold towards Alain. "You WOULD try and KILL me over a snatched letter?" He shouts at Alain while he does."Has the maddness taken you? There will be no forgiveness for this!" He continues on and then suddenly strikers Alain with an open palm.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio coughs out a dry laugh as Eustace helps drag him into the cavern. "Are you believing that worked?" He asks, half delirious. "The demons, we can fell them, by the Dawn!"

He eagerly takes the vial from Alain and quaffs the potion, feeling some measure of his strength return. He begins to look around, his eyes now clearer. And then he frowns, seeing Eustace's state. "My friend, I was not knowing..." He grits his teeth and for an instant there's a look of shame. "Be holding out 'till the morning, and you'll be having your cure."

The priest then turns in time to see Goderic flee, and before he can voice his confusion he sees Thom do the same, followed by the liquid death!

"Be stopping this madnes!" He shouts in his still-raspy voice, and he attempts to move between Thom and Alain. "Are we all at each other's throats now?"

[ewancummins]

Thom rushes back through the chill zone, heedless of the biting cold as he makes for Alain.

Alain is doing something with his hands, behind his back, but Thom doesn't see this.

Thom bursts out of the tunnel mouth and snaps a quick open hand slap at Alain's face. Alain grabs Thom's shoulder a split second before Thom's hand smashes into Alain's face. Lightning arcs from Alain's hand, enveloping Thom's body! Thom still manages to strike Alain hard in the face.

Thom goes down, maybe dead, maybe still alive.

Dorgio is just a second too late to stop Alain from shocking Thom.

[ewancummins]

Zandor comes up from behind and impales Alain with his silver rapier in his right hand! The bard reaches around in an attempt to cover Alain's mouth with his free hand.


Rotwang grabs Thom, and pulls him away from Alain.

''Let me help him, Cornelius!"
Toddlestone begins first aid on Thom.

[Lord Skybolt]

"What the Hell was that for Zandor !! That was between me and Thom ."After Zandor attacks him by surprise .

[ewancummins]

Alain's POV:

Alain can't be certain just who it was that struck him in the back, of course. He was focused on the hated Thom, stealer of letters and withholder of evidence.
The weapon didn't pass clean through Alain's body, so he can't even be certain that it was Zandor's rapier. Was it a dagger? Was it Zandor, or someone else about his height?

He looks back to confirm his suspicions...

Instead of seeing what he expects to see, an angry Zandor with sword in hand; Alain sees an unarmed, smiling, dancing Zandor. The bard whirls and dances, laughing. Alain finds himself laughing too. He feels happy. Why was he mad? The pain in his back bothers him a little, but that's no big thing. The dancing man is so much fun to watch!


What everyone else sees:

Zandor jumps back, drops his sword, and begins dancing merrily about the cavern.
Alain turns to face Zandor. A look of confusion overtakes Alain. He begins to chuckle like an idiotic child at the carnival.

[JMaytr]

As he dances Zandor says to the others, "heal thoms wounds but do not touch the warlock." Zandor gestures to Alain.

"Dorgio...what do we do now?"

[ewancummins]

Alain shakes his head. He blinks. He tears his gaze away from the dancing bard.

Zandor can see that the spell is broken!

[JMaytr]

Zandor moves his hand to his sword (which, check the pm I sheathed) and watches Alain. If the evil wizard moves to attack anyone else or the downed thom, Zandor will attack.

[ewancummins]

The fungoid, which no one has been watching, drops from the ceiling and lands on Alain's shoulder. It squirts a thick milky substance all over Alain's face!

Alain clutches at his face, screams in agony, and drops to the ground. He thrashes about for a moment, and then falls still.

[JMaytr]

"No!!!!" Zandor yells and tries to help Alain while being careful to avoid the fungus.

[ewancummins]

The fungus doesn't bother Zandor.
It just sits contentedly by Alain's still body, as if waiting for him to begin to decompose.


Toddlestone says, to no one in particular-

''Thom will live, but he needs better healing than my poor skills can provide."

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain looks at Zandor shakes his head at the idiotic people he has to work with looking at Zandor and Thom . Thinking:These guys are fools . I could easily have attacked Thom with ranged spell and taken down Thom before he ever laid a hand on me, but waited to attack when I was threatened and hit . If that fool Zandor thinks a open palm can not kill someone then he needs to get out more feeling his face where Thom "slapped" him and the bruise that is left there .

[ewancummins]

Alain looks at Zandor shakes his head at the idiotic people he has to work with looking at Zandor and Thom . Thinking:These guys are fools . I could easily have attacked Thom with ranged spell and taken down Thom before he ever laid a hand on me, but waited to attack when I was threatened and hit . If that fool Zandor thinks a open palm can not kill someone then he needs to get out more feeling his face where Thom "slapped" him and the bruise that is left there .

These are Alain's last thoughts as he sinks into the death spiral. That and, "ye gods, my face is burning!"