Three figures lie motionless on the floor of a spacious dusty room. Off to one side of them, upon a raised dais, squats an ancient stone throne that is currently being occupied by one very decrepit skeleton. Its bones are covered by tarnished armored from the neck down to its dilapidated rotting boots. In its right hand is gripped the hilt of a once mighty sword that has succumbed to rust as the other bony paw clutches a rolled up scroll. To either side of the throne stand suits of black plate-mail concealed in the dust of ages past.
Above this, a high ceiling resides being supported by four large pillars that nearly glow white as fresh snow. Various doors line the four walls encompassing the room, each pose a possible exit though all but one are metal and instead of a handle or doorknob there protrudes a cupped metal hand. In the farthest corner of the room away from the three figures is a circle which has been drawn in some type of glowing ink of a red cross entwined by two black serpents.
A muffled babble hints at our heroes awakening.
"What...where...hey, wake up." Sgt. Drake hollers as he shakes the individual adjacent to him, Bjorn the Tarn Viking, awake.
Syvarris stirs at this commotion and rises, surveying the surroundings. "Anyone know how we got here?"
"We were travelling the forests of Bleakewoode, that is the last I remember.", replies Bjorn, drawing his sword as he speaks.
"It seems we are not alone." Drake proclaims as he points upwards towards a glass ceiling high above where numerous giant figures can be seen milling about seemingly in conversation. These watchers strange appearance are offset by the fact that they are dressed in what appear finely crafted outfits as they sip from golden goblets.
Bjorn's blood boils with rage as he bellows his incomprehensible anger to those looking down from above. They do appear to react momentarily.
"Easy Bjorn, let me try something." Drake fires his grapple arm up and at them but to his dismay it bounces off the ceiling creating minimal clatter when it hit and then quickly it retracts. "Drat, I have a feeling my pistol will not scratch that glass."
"Now what?" Syvarris inquires.
"Perhaps that scroll holds a clue." Bjorn chimes in as he advances suddenly towards the skeleton before Drake even has a chance to speak. Those words are barely out of Bjorn’s mouth when his foot touches the dais and the eyes of the skeleton start to glow with a sickly yellow light. With speed not common amongst the dead, the skeleton king towers forward as its blade clashes with Bjorn's causing a cloud of rust to explode in the Tarn’s face. A return swing that is sure to end the escapades of Bjorn by this sword wielding bag of bones is cut short as two arrows drill into the undead's shoulders just as a bullet explodes into its fleshless skull followed closely by Bjorn’s sword severing both legs.
The skeleton tumbles, its armor and sword disintegrating as it hits the ground. The strange figures above applaud in eerie silence.
The three of them just look at each other with a grin. Drake and Syvarris burst into laughter at the sight of Bjorn's rusty beard. Bjorn, not amused, shakes his head in disapproval, sending rust and shards of bone about. Syvarris retrieves the scroll made of ancient, brittle leather and starts to read aloud "The key is not always a key.” The Elf then smirks and mutters under his breath “that’s quaint."
"You make anything of this Elf?" asks Bjorn pointing to the circle in the corner of the room.
"No." Syvarris replies back.
"I might." Drake mentions as he meanders over to take a gander. ”Looks to me like a medical symbol." He exclaims after pondering over the inscriptions for a little bit.
Examining the room more Syvarris pauses in stunned silence as etchings appear on the snow white column in front of him depicting their previous battle with the skeleton.
Bjorn spits. "Magic, I knew it."
"Well we aren't getting anywhere standing around. Let's move men." barks Drake.
Syvarris nods and knocks an arrow; Drake leads as Bjorn and the Elf follow him out a wooden door to a crossroads with long passages beckoning to both sides and lined by numerous doors. The passage stops at a dead end that is straight ahead. Beckoning to them from the end of the passage are three wooden chests. Drake mutters something about rats and cheese and approaches. Emblazoned on each of the chests are their names.
Drake's chest opens as he steps forward revealing ammo for his sidearm. Bjorn's holds a roasted leg of lamb and the Elf's, a funny hat.
Drake reloads. Bjorn feasts. Syvarris just stares dumfounded. Looking up through the glass ceiling he shrugs his shoulders as if to say "why?"
Speaking with his mouth full Bjorn declares "Try it on Elf, It suits you."
Syvarris declines and moves off to scout ahead. The Elf, over his shoulder imparts to the other two “Lots of doors."
"Let's see what is behind door number one." States Drake, who, upon uttering these words, immediately proceeds to open the door and step inside of a small room. In the back of this room there is a massive motionless dog-like creature resembling a Deathstalker which appears chained to the rear wall. Around its neck is a red collar with an apple sized jade attached to it. Drake approaches cautiously, sword in one hand and his trusty pistol in the other.
The creature stays put, still, like a statue, yet its eyes flicker with life.
"What are you doing?" Utters Bjorn as he moves into the room as well.
"What do you want to bet this gem goes into those hands back there where we woke up?" Drake states as he stares deep into green stone.
"Better chance you get eaten." Reveals Bjorn as he creeps up beside the beast and with one swift motion draws and swings his stout blade, beheading the beast.
"Was that necessary?" Drake questions as he leans down to retrieve the jade just as the corpse spasms, its jaws snapping dangerously close to Drake’s hand as he snatches the gem whilst mumbling to himself “Apparently."
It doesn’t take long and they are back in the throne room when Syvarris asks "Which one?"
Drake steps up to the double doors and places the jade in the left hand. The hand closes, the gems glow momentarily. "I think we need more."
So off they go and soon exploration leads them to a room with multiple armed crossbows hanging on the far wall. A Jotun sized skull lies on the floor with emeralds sparkling in its eye sockets. Positioned upon the floor just inside the door are two apple sized balls, one of metal, one of wood. Drake leans forward and grabs the metal ball, as soon as he picks it up the crossbows drop into position and fire in unison. Thorian speed saves the Seargent but Bjorn is not so lucky. A pair of bolts rips into his chest, snapping ribs, penetrating deep, spraying the Elf, in Viking blood. Bjorn crumples as Drake breaks out his first aid kit and goes to work. Drake, after a short time is able to stop the bleeding but the wounds are dreadful.
After some debate and recovering the emeralds from the skull, they start to carry Bjorn back to the throne room and once there, to the circle in the corner where they place him inside.
"Now what?” Ask the Elf.
“Pray?" Replies Drake
Inside the circle Bjorn glows in a white light and then his eyes snap open. "What have you done?" the Viking bawls.
"We saved your life." Drake scoffs at him
Bjorn looks Drake strait into his eyes an barks back "At what cost? It was not your decision to make. I was in Valhalla, the true Valhalla. There was mead."
"It was and I would make it again, on your feet." Retorts Drake as he makes his way back to the double doors and places the emerald in the right hand, which closes, crushing the gem to dust. The hand rotates, dropping the remains then returns to its upright position.
"Try this one Drake." Syvarris says from where he stands near a single door.
"Go for it." Drake commands as he hands over the emerald which the Elf then places in the metal hand which immediately closes. The gems glows momentarily and the door swings open silently, disclosing a dark cavernous room, densely thick in cobwebs. If there is a glass ceiling in this room it is not visible.
"I do not like this." Syvarris opines as he lights up a torch.
Drake glances up to see figures gathering above. "Cover me from the door Syvarris." He expresses as he takes the torch from the Elf and draws his pistol. Bjorn, wandering about during all this, just stares at walls.
Drake enters and soon discovers that there are corpses entombed in the webs. Most seem to be human dressed in medieval garb and weaponry but the last cadaver shakes his soul. Clad still in his soldier's uniform is Lucky Harrison, one of Drake's best friends from the war. Lucky had died about a month before Drake’s arrival in Valhalla charging an enemy gun nest. There was barely anything left of him to send home. Lost in sorrow an unbeknownst to him, death creeps down on Sgt. Drake until two loud thumps and a hideous hiss returns Drake quickly to the present. He spins, unloading hot lead into the face of a poison leaking fanged massive giant spider.
"Get out, there are more." Syvarris screams as he finishes off the first spider.
At that same moment searing pain punctures Drake's shoulder, spinning him around and dropping him to a knee which by luck freed him from the Arachnid's grasp. Spotting a grenade on Lucky's bandolier, Drake snatches it, pulls the pin and rolls for the door. Arrows whistle overhead, finding plenty of marks.
Drake rolls to his feet, tosses the grenade behind him as he leaps for the door yelling "Fire in the hole."
KA-BOOM. "Lucky..." Drake collapses….
Drake awakens once again, this time though he is the one in the circle.
"You were poisoned," Exclaims the Elf, “How are you feeling?"
"Better," states Drake, "but I believe the circle may have adverse side effects. Look at Bjorn, he has been acting... strangely. I feel alright, except I have this overwhelming desire to stick my hand in a hole."
"Great, you took out the spiders and mutilated some corpses. Some of their gear may prove useful, especially this rope." Syvarris displays it proudly. "I also found this." Syvarris presents what appears to be the hand of a very large clock. "I think we need to find more gems to open the rest of the doors."
The three, after resting for a few moments, return to exploring once again and once more they approach the crossroads that they not long ago had passed when they notice that Elf's chest is closed and his name glows upon the lid like before. The Elf steps forth and like before it opens, this time revealing a golden necklace with a small red gem and a funny hat.
"Now this I like." Syvarris proclaims as he grabs the necklace which is accompanied by a voice that echoes throughout the passage exclaiming "Elf now has Reflective Shots."
"I'll kill you." Bjorn yells at nothing.
Curious, Syvarris picks up the funny hat.
"Elf now has Invisibility" Exclaims the voice once more.
Syvarris places the hat on his head an immediately disappears.
"Syv, Syv?" Drake whispers as he is looking around franticly
"I am still here." The elf removes the hat becoming visible once more and states matter of fact “Now that is going to be handy."
"Where's my loot Elf?" Bjorn questions, the blacks of his eyes expanding.
"I forgot, here you go." Syvarris tosses Bjorn some canned kippers he found on Lucky. The elf steps into the crossroads and wears the necklace. Firing a shot down the long hall it ricochets off one wall and then the other, zig-zag-ing down the hall. "Nice."
Heading down to what the group is calling the southern passage, they find it ends in a long stretch with solid wooden doors with a heavy bar across. Bjorn effortlessly lifts athe bar and admires it as a crushing weapon before opening the door revealing a small 10' by 10' room. Inside is a table of dark iron upon which rests a large upside-down glass flanked by two red lit candles. Inside the glass is a tiny man dressed in purple furs. He franticly jumps up and down. Bjorn steps out and retrieves the bar and uses it to smash the glass and splatters the little being inside. Syvarris glances worriedly to Drake as Bjorn laughs heartily.
Most of the rest of the cells are empty or contain a chained skeleton. The final door contains a nearly naked man, one arm chained to the wall and the other ending in a bloody bandaged stump at the elbow, around his waist is a worn leather belt and holster containing an antiquated looking double barrel flintlock pistol.
"Th..th..thiiirss...ty" a raspy whisper escapes cracked parched lips.
"Eslo.." The words drip from Bjorn's mouth as if venom as he instantly pulls his blade and entombs it into the man's chest. The chained man manages a true grin before his body shudders then sags lifeless.
"Bjorn, what the.." Drake stops cold, almost not believing his eyes as the old double barrel seems to float its way free of the worn leather holster, falling in slow motion to the floor where upon it lands, butt first, with both barrels pointing directly at the withered man hanging there. Then the gun suddenly shrieks as both barrels discharge a deafening blast of smoke and fire that almost appears to grasp for the man in a loving embrace of ebony flames which shortly envelop Eslo Rudkey in a cocoon of molten midnight.
The three of them step back as the black mass expands and begins to split open. Eslo stands now where he used to sag, whole, clothed as if he was back exploring the swamps of Michigan Territory. "That is a new one" He mutters to himself.
"The tales are true, he is immortal." Bjorn stammers as he attempts to swat flies that do not exist.
Eslo grabs up his cursed weapon and points it at the chain, then, thinking better of it, he holsters the flintlock. "How about helpin' me with these irons." Eslo asks of the three who stand before him.
"Eslo was on a mission with Eldgrim in Bleakewood Forest, only Eslo returned." explains Drake to Syvarris who’s slack jawed look says everything
Eslo nods his head in understanding to Drake then continues "He charged a Kisserflee, you call 'em Marro. Those monsters ran rampant on the last world I walked, but that doesn't matter now. Strange thing is, Eldgrim is still wit' me. That crazy little Viking talks to me in my head, usually tellin' me to run you fool. He says that Bjorn should not mourn his demise, that it was a good death, now, how 'bout these irons?" Eslo proclaims as he rattles the chains that still bind him to the wall.
"Pull it taunt," commands Drake, drawing his sword, he hacks through the chain.
"Hell of a blade," Eslo comments with a nod of approval.
Bjorn wanders off humming a lullaby.
"How did you get here?" questions Syvarris.
"After defeating the Kisserflee, I returned to report and I drank for the first time since I came to this place. I wandered off, all went black, and I woke up in this dungeon. I did not take kindly to this and unloaded the curse." Stepping out into hallway Eslo notes "They have made repairs. I had blown all these doors off their hinges."
"How long have you been here and what happened to your arm?" asks Drake.
"Not sure. Weeks, months perhaps, there are many nastys down here, one got the better of me and I woke in chains. I found that this darn cursed gun had less control of me with only my off hand to use it so I decided it was a nice break from its terminal control. Now though, I am thirsty!!! Do you have any whiskey? Though, let me tell you, I will settle for revenge."
"Good enough for me, let's move." barks Drake. "Where did Bjorn go?"
"He wandered off.", replies Syvarris. "He is getting worse."
Catching up with Bjorn they continue to explore. They find a hallway that is dark, except at the very end there is a spot light illuminating a human sized marionette. When the group gets closer they can make out more detail. There are what looks like two other human sized beings on either side of the marionette, one female and one male. There is a diamond hanging from a golden string attached to the ceiling. When the four get close, the two marionettes on each side begin to jostle, and make movement noises, though not very much. The one in the middle does nothing. Bjorn jumps up and snatches the diamond, the golden string breaks, the center marionette pounces like a spider, and attacks.
At such tight quarters the other three struggle to help the Tarn who is performing a dance macabre with the strange thing. Blades pop out from all over the giant puppet's body shredding Bjorn and bathing him in crimson. Slipping on his own blood Bjorn goes down and Drake leaps over his body cleaving the freak in half.
"Bjorn. Bjorn." Syvarris screams as he rushes to his side.
"You let me die Elf, it is a good death." Bjorn coughs up blood and is gone.
"Let's try this diamond.", commands Drake, prying the gem from Bjorn's hand.
Back in the throne room Drake tries the diamond in the double doors. The hand closes, the diamond glows, and a bolt of energy shoots out, zapping Drake and dropping him to a knee in severe pain. The hand turns upside down, drops the gem and turns back up. Drake tries a single door with the same affect.
"You ok Drake?" the Elf questions.
Through starry eyes Drake replies "I'll live."
The third time is the charm and the diamond glows and the door opens revealing a very long hall, open on one side where there is a giant chasm and another hall. Stepping in and looking across the expanse another group comes through a door in the other hallway.
A bit surprised, Syvarris blurts out "Krug and the Warwitch."
The word 'witch' makes Eslo's blood boil in rage and he draws his long knife instinctively. Looking at the strange pair he realizes it is not the witch who cursed him. Syvarris fires an arrow which reflects off the invisible wall in front of him, then the wall behind him and lodges deeply in the Elf's back. He drops his bow in agony and tries to grab the arrow just out of reach. The minions of Utgar laugh in silence and move down their hall. Drake removes the shaft from the Elf's back and gives the wound a quick field dressing.
Eslo continues, Eldgrim chatting away in his brain. Turning a corner Eslo cannot believe his eyes. A Kisserflee stands silently before him wielding its massive club that ends with lengths of chains with numerous skulls attached. Around its neck is a golden rope with a large pearl attached. Eslo has faced a Kisserflee recently and after one of the numerous times he was destroyed he was returned to life not by his curse but by the Kisserflee. When he resurrected he was free of the gun and the curse until the Kisserflee proceeded to unmercifully kill him again. (
The story of Eslo and Eldgrim is here.)
Eslo tosses the old double barreled flintlock pistol in the corner and charges the giant Marro with his long knife. The Kisserflee stands still until Eslo draws close. The club swings and the skulls howl before smashing Eslo into oblivion. Drake rounds the corners to witness a blue ball of light emerge from the Kisserflee's belly and float into the remains of Eslo Rudkey. In bright flash of azure, Eslo stands whole. Drake unloads his pistol into the creature's face, giving Eslo a chance to turn and run. His eyes wide and white he sprints past Drake and knocks down Syvarris in his desperate flight. Never acknowledging his new comrades, he yells one word "Free". They will never see him again.
A spirit invades Drake's soul. His body surges with speed as he draws his deadly sword. The Kisserflee charges and cocks back its club. Drake unleashes his grapple arm and grabs a length of chains, pulling him up to the Kisserflee's face. A quick stab relieves the beast of an eye and it bellows in pain, swinging wildly, sending Drake flying down the hall. Syvarris side steps Drake and dons his funny hat, becoming invisible. Two shots to the face and the Kisserflee loses its other eye but keeps charging. The Elf dives between its legs, dropping his hat in the process, it disintegrates when it touches the floor. Drake lifts himself off the ground and sees through the invisible wall that Krug and Kee-Mo-Shi are fighting their own Kisserflee. A voice in his head yells "Run you fool." Too slow, Drake is trampled by the Kisserflee his bones snapping sickeningly. Syvarris continues his assault dropping a quiver full of arrows into the Kisserflee before it falls.
The Elf notes the other Kisserflee has been hacked to pieces and Krug and Kee-Mo-Shi are nowhere to be seen. Syvarris retrieves the pearl and drags Drakes crushed form back to the healing circle. To his disbelief Drake returns to the living.
“? happened what" "Excuse me."
"?Me to happened What" Drake blurts out.
"That is going to be annoying replies Syvarris."?huH" "Never mind, let's see if we can get out of here." ".kO"
Placing the pearl in the last single door, it opens and reveals a tiny room with a jade lying on the ground. Syvarris grabs the gem and heads for the double doors. The jades glow and the double doors open to a large hall. A large solid looking wooden door lies at the far end, another set of matching double doors with hands and jades are open on this end, leading into another throne room. As Syvarris examines this new room, Drake notices there are dozens of saucer sized holes in the left wall of the hall.
"!seloH"
Drake gleefully plunges his hands in the beckoning holes making sure not to miss a single lovely opening. He is a half a dozen holes down the hall before the Elf realizes what is going on. Mechanical jaws snap shut and Drake pulls back stumps, spraying his scarlet life. Syvarris charges to the disarmed man who gets frightened and flees. Back in the other throne room Kee-Mo-Shi and Krug emerge from opposite doors and charge. Syvarris reacts with little time to spare and reaches for an arrow that is not there.
He draws two daggers and hurls them at the quickly approaching foes. Kee-Mo-Shi dodges left and the blades strike Krug in the arm and chest, next to an amulet hanging from Krug's neck which only serves to infuriate him. Kee-Mo-Shi tries to skirt around Syvarris who ducks the sweeping attack of Krug's massive axe. Reaching for two more daggers Syvarris never sees the backswing coming.
The crowd above toast goblets in silence.
July 1st, 2015, 07:01 PM
TAF was the Storyteller... 
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. Anyways, this was a good and mysterious story (something I seem to be fond of), with a clever balance between two characters. I felt that Agent Carr was more of the main character due to his "character knowability" (since Isamu was working for the Flame and thus already was in on the big reveal), but regardless it balanced itself out, and both characters were likable and enjoyably BA. 
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