Mists over the Musarde, Chapter Four

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio screams in naked agony as the flames burn his flesh. Fire! Why did it always have to be fire?! He lifts a swollen hand to his chest in an attempt to cure himself, but then he sees the others, wounded as badly as himself or worse. And then he sees the unmoving form of their newfound friend.

"WAT!"

With what little strength remains, he rushes to Wat's side, checking the man for any signs of life.

[Lord Skybolt]

"Come we must get to cover before she blasts us again . So lets get Wat to cover . Where ever that is ? " As Wat is dragged away Alain keeps a hand on him to not be left behind .

[ewancummins]

Benn drags Wat behind a tumbled mound of building stones in the courtyard, giving at least partial cover. Alain is able to cling to Wat's coat, and stumble along to join Benn and Wat behind the stone. Dorgio soons joins them.

The priest finds that Wat still has a pulse, albeit weak, and is breathing raggedly. Wat's eyes flicker and he groans, but does not speak. His entire back is severely burned.

Jon is still out in the open, franticaly shoving handfuls of dirt onto Norzak and the dwarf screams and flails about on the ground of the courtyard.

Cirdan moves foward and takes cover near the base of the tower, where a part of the wall juts out to provide him with some overhead cover.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio breathes a painful sigh of relief when he sees that Wat is still alive. He kneels, more for his own sake than Wat's, chants a fevered, rushed litany of healing* over him.

And then he sees Jon and Norzak in the open. He stares hard, and then swallows. As soon as the pain lets him, he stands and rushes to the dwarf and the boy.


* [[OOC: Cure light wounds]]

[Adam]

Seeing that Wat, Alain, Norzak, and Jon are in good hands with Dorgio, Benn takes a deep swallow, tries to ignore how badly he must be burnt given the way the cleric looks, and pops out from behind cover, sprinting up to the knight's side at the base of the tower.

"We have to get inside!" Benn shouts to the half-elf. "We can draw her away from hurting the others! I have your back!"

[ewancummins]

Jon manages to extinguish Norzak's flames, and is trying to help the injured dwarf to his feet when...

Wolutha appears in the uppermost window of the northeast tower, a cold but lovely apparition, translucent in the twilight.

The Witch-Queen's cold laughter echoes across the courtyard-

''Hahahahaha!''

She extends a pallid hand towards the courtyard, and three ghostly arrows spring from nothingness to hang in the air at her right side. With an almost dismissive gesture, she sends the spectral arrows streaking towards Norzak and Jon.

Before Dorgio can reach his exposed comrades, they are struck- Jon once and Norzak twice. Norzak flops to the ground like a rag doll. Jon flinches when the missile impacts, but keeps to his feet.

[JMaytr]

Jonathan struggles to find cover as the pain from the witch's missile threatens to take him into unconsciousness.

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Dorgio bites back the raw throbbing in his lungs and quickens his pace towards Norzak. He drops once he reaches the fallen dwarf, and says the words of prayer between coughs. "Close, damn you!" he rasps as he passes a hand over the injuries*.

*Cure Moderate

[Adam]

Bennedict grimly sets his jaw, intoning the ancient words of power to call forth the weapon of the Morninglord and directing it to strike Wolutha.

He prepares himself for her inevitable counterstrike.

[ewancummins]

Benn's incantation summons a radiant spear, which flies from his side to strike at the ghostly witch.

Wolutha shrieks in fury as the glowing spear bites her. She flees backward through the tower wall, out of sight. The spear then floats back to Benn's side, hanging in air.

[Le Noir Faineant]

Back at the fireside:

"She gave this to me. And after it was stolen, Norzak found it in Wolutha's bedchamber. A thing so beautiful, that even a ghost would covet it, perhaps?" He blinks. "Forgive me, I am rambling. Cirdan, one way or the other we'll be back. My friend, I just watched an undead knight kick you through the door, and then you were punching a horse to death. Whatever happens, I am thinking you will be fine."

Cirdan will put his iron gauntlet on Dorgio's shoulder.

"That's a nice gift, and yours to keep.
I don't doubt that we will see Evangeline again."

The knight slowly gets up, with Dorgio's help.

"What I am not sure about is if we will still be ourselves when we meet them."

- Oh, curse this darkness, and the mists!"





NOW:

When the fireball hits the group and takes some of his companions
out by surprise, Cirdan...

Remains exactly where he is.

While the fire burns away most part of his cloak,
and heatens his thick armour to the point of barely unbearable pain,
the dark knight just remains remains where he is,
his eyes glowing against the light of fire,
and foam and little flames dancing on him.


[Batman voice:] "Ben... I cannot hurt her. But I can distract her.
When I am there, make sure you're ready."

Slowly, while the hot iron of his armor burns into his flesh,
Cirdan draws his sword.


[Batman voice:] "WOLUTHAAAAAA!"

[ewancummins]

Something strange is going on in the keep: The lingering twilight illumines the phantom outlines of the towers, battlements, old walls- and the images are becoming more and more solid with every passing second.
Points of silver gray light flare into existence, bobbing in the gloom like lanterns carried by night-searchers.


When Cirdan, standing in the open, screams out his challenge, the Witch-Queen answers him. Out of the tower wall she comes, drifting down on a lattice of moonbeams. Her expression is fierce and proud.

'''Cultist scum, you will never take me prisoner! My guards are coming, but I do not need them - slaying you will be an easy matter!''

The sound of boots tramping on the walls and in the courtyard is heard by all, but no guards are visible...yet.

Wolutha halts just out of Cirdan's sword-reach, and raises her hands, clasping them together.

''Die, servant of Incabulos!''

Blue flames burst from her hands in a bright cone, washing over Cirdan. The knight staggers under the furnace blast, his bold war cry transformed to a long, terrible wail! He falls to the ground and his voice is stilled.

Wolutha hovers over Cirdan's smoking form, her eyes shining with triumph.

[Adam]

Bennedict's eyes widen in horror, staring down at what is left of Cirdan.

His eyes turn back to the witch, alight with fury. "It's time for your madness to end!" Pointing at the Witch's chest, he sends the Spear of the Morninglord streaking towards its target.

As the point strikes home, he drops to a knee, channeling some healing power into the knight's still form. If any life is left in the half-elf, his touch of healing will restore and hopefully save it.

[ewancummins]

Benn's conjured spear of light strikes a glancing blow against Wolutha.

As Benn lays a healing hand on Cirdan, the half-elf champion rises to his feet, shaking off soot and ashes. His visor is down, but his voice booms out clearly enough-

''NOT...DEAD...YET!''

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

Seeing his friends at least somewhat rallied, he finally takes a moment to heal himself*. Then he looks around, seeing how the images around him grow more and more solid. He takes cover, and then removes the the hemlock and applies a small amount to his spear.


*[[Cure light wounds]]