Abandoned In Claddeau, Adventurers Book 1

Chapter 11 ~ Perceval Drudge

The hovering cloaked oddity lurches forward after Kethra. Its gangly, clawed hand takes a swipe at her (15vsAC13-dam 5 and failed con save DC14, -2), cutting along her arm as the wound goes pail for a moment.

Enraged, I run after it, lunging forward with my rapier (art20vsAC15-dam 11) and stabbing into it. The blade manages to stick into the chest with a sickening crack, though it doesn't seem to be bleeding.

Overhead, Arthur throws a static blue spell towards Arkith, though as he reaches his palms outward, his pet bubble only pops, blasting in his face.

The second of these diabolic creatures hovers towards me, raising a claw above its head (11vsAC15), though I manage swat its hand from trying to reach me.

I notice above that Arkith reveals a bottle from his cloak and throws it toward Sariel (19vsAC16-7 dam). It smashes on the ground next to her, she then chokes for a moment, eventually breathing again once the cloud blows over.

Kethra's hands glow slightly bright. She clenches her free hand into a fist and pulls it down. A bright light spirals downward toward the ghastly thing (17vsDC14, dam 6) but manages to brace itself before impact.

Clearly enraged, it lurches forward (nat1vs19) but Kethra simply sidesteps the creature, letting it face plant into the dirt.

I take the opportune moment and strike the grounded ghoul (adv26vsAC15-dam 10, adv19vsAC15, dam 2), both my rapier and dagger crunching on impact, though a nasty gas cloud wafts out of the air from its wounds.

An arrow flings in our direction (CritvsAC15, dam 15), impaling one of the hungrists through the chest. Behind it, I notice a Peep release another arrow (23vsAC15, dam 8) as it hit its mark a second time, now that filthy smoke protrudes from the beast.

From behind the hungrist once more, a static blue bolt whirls from Arthur's palm (17vsAC15, dam 7), striking it dead on impact. The limp body then bursts into rotten bones as it impacts the floor.

Above, Arkith throws a black, bubbling orb toward Mr. Dwindle (10vsAC16) but flies right past him.

Kethra and I then run up the right side of the old, stone staircase to reach Arkith on his platform.

Carric, who became freed by Sariel, those two approach Arkith from the other side of the platform in a pincer formation.

Arthur stretches his arms outward toward Arkith, "Hold it right there!" (7vsDC15) The oddity's movement ceases, freezing him in position.

"Now is the time, everyone!" Carric leads us forward, though Kethra charges past us, her mace being enchanted by some sort of odd, dark magic.

She swings at the disfigured vren, causing physical decay on the creature with each brutal beating until a large, painful crack to its neck, rotating its head to an unnatural position. The body then falls to the floor, not a single sign of life in its body.

"Kethra!" I shake her back to reality, her breathing near hyperventilation, "I've never seen you like this! What's wrong?"

"It doesn't matter," she looks aside, "What matters now is that we need to destroy those three pillars." She gestures toward the rocky columns where the stream of necrotic energy is being siphoned.

"Then how do we shut it off? Have you encountered this before?" I ask.

She stares off in the distance for moment, fear flashing in her eyes for a moment before looking back to me, "I think I have. When we killed the necromancer controlling it, it must've shut off because no one was concentrating on it. Now, I think knocking the pillars over will have to do."

"I got it, fellas, don't worry!" Kriv hops down from the platform, rushing over to the odd ritual site. He places both hands on one of the rocky pillars and pushes on one of the rocks, knocking it over into the beam, cutting off the odd stream of energy.

The nivallen that remain then scamper off, climbing up along the walls, leaving their blether opponents behind.

At least that heathen known as Arkith is over and gone with. Perhaps now that the case is solved, Valencia can get their colony in order.

~~~~~~~~~~

The sun rises over us in the Claddeau Colony. To feel the sun's welcoming rays that I have forgotten as we sit on the dock's edge, I could vaguely recall the games I had played near the shoreline by the Drudge manor. I would chase after my siblings, my siblings would chase after me. It's a welcome memory that seems to have had decided to arrive only now. Regardless, I welcome it with open arms.

Peep rests his head on my lap, his beak wide open as he breathes with his tongue dangling off the side. Drool did seep onto my pants but I don't have the heart to wake him up about it. After all, he could use the rest.

Behind me, Sariel gives Carric one final hug of goodbye. Though, after that, Carric punches Arthur straight in the face, "And that's for using your wizardry on me!" He proceeds to head off into the nearby woods.

Kriv couldn't help laughing.

"And what of Professor Étrange?" Arthur asks, rubbing his bloody nose.

"He was quite happy to see me, actually," Sariel replies, "At least it seemed that way. He said he was far behind with his work in the Eskillian Society and had to leave quickly. I hardly even got to catch up with him."

"Well, we can't win everyone's hearts."

Kethra stretches out, yawning as she gets off her bag she used as a pillow. "Are we ready to go back to Regalia yet?" She asks.

"I think we are," I whisper, "Though, once Peep wakes up, then we can."

She rolls her eyes with a smile as she stands up to walk over to the edge and sit next to me. Her hands grip the edge of the wood as she peers toward the sunrise over the sea.

Hearing footsteps, I look back to see Arthur with an odd, tattered book, "Perceval, I've done what reading I could with this and found it to be in abyssal. I hope you could can make something of this."

He hands me the odd book full of arcane scribbling and notes. One page even depicts a portrait of a human being drained of this necrotic energy. One entry being particularly the most concerning:

"If one hath taken the essence to bring forth the resurrection of Arkengrath, harvest this arcane grain, for it allows his return to come swifter and arrive sooner. The Order of Arkonia provides the necessary tools to collectively gather the necrotic energies needed enough to sustain the ritual for his coming."

"That's why..." I point to the entry, "Arkith was harvesting the colonists here for their potential fuel for necrotic energy."

"So it would seem colonial empires are the least of our worries," Arthur observes, "We have cultists trying to bring back some sort of undead warlord to the living."

I stand up, lifting Peep up with me, "Let's not give them a head start then."