The Heat of the Moment

Chapter X: Kiss It Better

Diana and Karlach had relayed their findings to the rest of the group and they all laid out a plan of action in dealing with the horde of goblins separating them from finding the arch druid Halsin - and also their best bet at finding a cure for the tadpoles. This included the bit about the goblins mentioning something called True Souls - to which none of the rest of the group was familiar with such terminology. The initial plan had them coming from the south, having a chance to explore the sunny marshlands before heading through the Goblin village. However, it seems that the Gods had other plans while the party left camp later in the afternoon - quickly spying the billowing column of smoke reaching high into the sky, coming from the direction of the risen road.

The team shifted gears quickly, making their way through the hills to the north at a brisk pace in an effort to discern what it was that created such a large amount of smoke as it burned.

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A short time later, Diana, Karlach, Lae'zel, and Gale stood in the wreckage of the courtyard in what remained of Waukeen's Rest. Charred bodies of Goblins, Drow, and soldiers alike littered the grounds and an acrid stench hung in the smoke-filled air as the party surveyed the devastation in front of them.

"What in the Hells happened here?" Gale breathed, wide-eyed as he took in the chaotic scene before him. Diana headed up the group as they came upon a soldier kneeling over a fallen comrade, reciting a prayer over his body; She could hear the despair, coupled with strength in the woman's voice as she quietly stood beside her, lowering her head out of respect for the dead and clasping her hands in front of herself as she waited for the woman to finish. Karlach, Wyll, and Lae'zel had hurried around her to assist however they could in tamping down the flames, the sounds of the Flaming Fist soldiers shouting orders to each other in an effort to gain control of the situation.

Karlach looked back over her shoulder and watched as Diana gathered information from the soldier who had been praying over her fallen comrade, sadness panged in her chest as she watched the range of feelings crossing Diana's features, mouth finally settling into a firm line at what appeared to be the culmination of the conversation. Diana raised her head and met the barbarian's eyes, not needing words to communicate that the situation was dire.

Karlach's head whipped around at the sound of people gathering behind her, trying desperately to break the door down in order to save someone who was trapped inside. She turned and strode up to what appeared to be the woman in charge, sizing up the heavy wooden doors that were firmly shut against them. Karlach grimaced at the shrill sounds of glass shattering, fire erupting through the newly open windows as the flames were introduced to more oxygen.

"Hang on!" she shouted, getting the attention of the squad leader who glared at her with contempt for halting their desperate mission to break into the building.

"If you tear those doors down, the entire building will go up in flames. We need to try and find another way in to save whoever is inside and then we can work on stifling the blaze."

The other woman stared at her for a span of seconds, eyes widening as she registered the small licks of flame produced from the vents in her chest and shoulders. With a few words, she halted the other soldiers and instead ordered them to help find alternative ways in, all of them scattering in opposite directions with Karlach following closely behind them. As her eyes scanned the area, she jolted as she recognized barrels of wine spread all around the courtyard either whole or laying broken in burgundy-colored pools. No wonder the fire had spread so quickly .

The building to the right appeared to not have taken on much of the flames so far, however it appeared that a giant cask blocked the entryway - Karlach studied the level above, eyeing the breezeway that connected the two buildings and decided that this would likely be the best way inside without creating too much fuel from the raging blaze in the next building. Reaching behind her head, she hoisted the great-axe from where it was secured against her back and raised it high above herself at an angle, bringing it down in one mighty swing and cleaving the massive cask into pieces.