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I stood in a familiar room. It was dark and empty. It was the very room I was in a few nights ago in my nightmare. However, instead of being on a table unable to move while watching two men fight, I was standing alone. Fear took hold of me as the loneliness set in. It was like waves against rocks; I’d feel the fear hit me, subside a little only for another wave of fear to crash over me more intensely. My body was unable to move as I began to desire to run, to flee, to find wherever it was Cloudbreaker had went.
In my helpless state I became aware of that humanoid being again. It was there in my peripherals, but I still couldn’t see it. I just knew it was there. Once more, the creature placed it’s warm tongue on my cheek, licking down slowly to my neck.
My eyes snapped open as I sucked in a deep breath. The cool air felt good, but the fear still lingered as I realized I was alone. I could feel myself laying down on a table with heavy chains webbed across me. The chains didn’t feel that tight, yet I couldn’t will my limbs to move.
I then heard voices whispering. They weren’t the kind of voices that would instill a sense of relief, but rather tears welled in my eyes as it became evident that they were my captors.
“Can’t I have a little nibble?” I heard one of them ask. Vampire, I thought. Somehow I wasn’t shaking as my mind swam in a sea of terror.
“No,” a second, almost too soothing, voice said, “You saw what happened last time-” Lash must have been who they were talking about, or at least that’s who I’m certain they were referring to, “Now, we need one more. Go find us another for the ritual,” the being commanded.
It was silent for a moment when I suddenly felt the presence of the second voice above me. I could see a faint glint in his eyes that were inches from my face. I then felt his hand stroke my cheek.
“Don’t worry my little dove. You will always have me.” I could sense the hungry smile upon his lips. His sensual voice was repulsive like his touch. Alas, there was nothing I could do as my mind worked while my body remained motionless. I then faded back into the darkness.
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My eyes opened once more. The weight of the chains were gone and so I sat up. As I did, my body clenched up in fear while my head throbbed in pain. I hugged my knees and cradled my head while a sob escaped my lips. Just as I was about to let the despair of abandonment take hold of me once more, I felt a warm hand and heard a familiar voice.
“Blackwing? Are you alright?” Cloudbreaker’s gentle voice called out. So many emotions struck my mind in the few seconds that it took me to find my words. I hated how he had disappeared earlier and left me to those monsters. I hated that I was angry at him and still uncontrollably dependant on others for my safety. Yet at the same time I loved him all the more that he came for me. Then guilt took over. Why was the Goliath wasting his time on me? Wasn’t it my resolve to keep him safe? Between the throbbing headache and how weak I’ve felt since waking up in the bowl, I felt utterly useless. I looked at Cloudbreaker standing in the dim light the room now held.
“My head hurts,” I simply said, “Can we get out of here?” I asked. Cloudbreaker nodded his head. He then introduced me to a man who I didn’t recognize. His name was Abu. I told him I was Blackwing.
I then took in my surroundings. I found myself sitting on an altar made of skulls. A lone woman laid next to me to which I scooted away. Part of me wanted to rescue the poor damsel, but another part of me wanted to save my own hide. As I stood up, it was like some unforeseeable weight was placed upon my shoulders.
“Where’s the way out?” I asked as I took a few cautious steps away from the altar.
“Just through the tunnel over there,” Cloudbreaker pointed out.
Right about then I realized Grendel and Bal Vyr was no where to be seen.
“Where are the others?” I asked. Then I heard the Goliath mention something about Bal Vyr dying but was up the tunnel and fine... or was it that since he hadn’t found Grendel that he was the one who died... Whatever had happened, it didn’t matter much for Cloudbreaker and Abu began to mess with some of the items at the base of the altar. I didn’t want to try and leave on my own, so I sat down near Cloudbreaker.
I don’t recall quite when I began to lean on the Goliath, but I bolted upright as a weird glow encased him. I tried to focus on Cloudbreaker to figure out what was happening.
About as soon as I noted Cloudbreaker’s state of immobility, Bal Vyr suddenly was in the room. He asked what happened. I wasn’t sure so the Drow directed his attention to Abu. He said he handed the Goliath a scroll that was addressed to him. Bal Vyr muttered to himself and walked around the Goliath. As I think about it, he wasn’t disguised at the time. Part of me was impressed that Abu wasn’t freaking out.
Anyways, Bal Vyr then came to some solution as he scrutinized over the Goliath. He reached out to Clodbreaker and suddenly the glowing aura was all around the Drow.
“I dunno Abu, these scrolls are probably a waste of time- Bal Vyr?” Cloudbreaker stated before noticing the frozen Drow in front of him, “When did he get there?”
“You were frozen just a moment before. Bal Vyr then touched you and became frozen himself,” I answered. Abu then apologized for having him read the scroll. I then reminded the group that we really ought to leave. Cloudbreaker picked Bal Vyr up and as he walked away with him, I looked back at the woman. I wanted to leave her, but I felt compelled to try and help her. So I woke the woman up.
Almost instantly she went into a babble about it being too late and that we were all to die. She then dropped her voice and began to wave her hands in a familiar way. I knew it was a dark spell that could kill each of us. With a moment of adrenaline I brought my halberd around (surprisingly my gear wasn’t taken from me) and swung at the woman.
I remember missing. What I don’t remember was how I got on my back. Some other man, who later I learned was a cleric named Armadeus, was standing near me. He wasn’t looking in my direction as he slowly moved away. I quickly looked about and found Cloudbreaker fighting with a werewolf. I felt my heart race. I picked myself up and realized I was bleeding heavily. My body shook with fatigue and my head continued to pound. I maneuvered to the back of the room, casting a light about me. As the light became stronger, I pulled out my rust colored bag of tricks to get a creature to help fight.
As I did that, suddenly a skeleton that resembled the frame of an owl bear, appeared. I watched as Cloudbreaker fought valiantly against the creatures. I was able to send a wolf in to help and directed my charged light at the skeleton.
It seemed the fight was over about as soon as it started. The werewolf had escaped through some secret door. Part of me was nervous about the beast still being alive and missing, yet the pain I was in made it impossible to worry. I had to get out. The men thought the scrolls might be of importance and that it'd be unwise to just leave them behind. I didn't care, but I went and snatched them up hoping that that would get them going faster. I also took a ritualistic looking dagger off the alter before turning on my heels and heading toward the tunnel.
Of course getting out wasn’t completely seamless. The tunnel, that was our exit, was blocked at the end I was on and water began to flood the cavity we were in. I tried to break the grate that prevented our escape but it was a pathetic attempt. Cloudbreaker pushed past me as the water became waist deep. With one jerk he removed the grate and helped the rest of us out.
Something else unusual that I remember happening during the fight and our escape was Cloudbreaker glowing once more. However, as soon as Bal Vyr regained his ability to move, he’d touch Cloudbreaker again and take the glow back. I can’t remember why he did that, but the priests at St. Cuthbert made the glow stop completely once we arrived there.
We then stopped at the Guard Captain’s place to show the evidence of the kills we had made. I sat down in the lobby waiting on the men as they went up. With how hurt I felt, it pissed me off somewhat that they were taking their time, at least that’s my assumption. I had just decided to get up and make my way back to the Chalice Inn when I heard the men’s footsteps come down the stairs.
“You look awful Blackwing,” Cloudbreaker pointed out.
“You don’t say,” I sarcastically responded. The Goliath chuckled and gave me a pat on the back. I cringed under the weight of his hand and once more my desire to go to bed increased.
“Hey, let’s go back and get us some drinks,” Cloudbreaker suggested. For a moment I wanted to scream at him and all the guys who agreed. Wasn’t it clear that I was badly hurt!? Yet funny enough, the sound of a drink was very desirable.
And so here I am writing while Abu and Cloudbreaker do their drinking contest. I've enjoyed my pint which dulled some of the pain I felt. Dale shook his head when he saw me.
"What you go and get yourself into this time missy?" Dale asked with a mischievous smile.
"Oh just a couple of vam
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