A Knight's Quest - (closed)

[milkmaiden38]

Regris

Regris was a centaur. Half man, half beast. It was a balancing act, normally his reasoned “man” side won, but not now. Regris, turned off his reason. He let his horse side take over. He did something reckless and dangerous.

His flanks heaved, his hooves thundered, his hair flew in the wind. He was a centaur at full gallop. There are not many creatures more majestic, powerful, or wild! Regris was running free, up the tunnel where Beldan, Branar, and Leneira had gone. It was crazy and dangerous. One slip, or rock out cropping and he would be killed. But he did not care. He was going to save Beldan and the heart of the forest. He ate up the distance in no time, and was on the Wizard, just as the evil man realized what the sound coming out of the tunnel was.

Branar had reached the ground floor of the keep. He was getting ready to collapse the tunnels below when the huge war centaur appeared out of the dark tunnel.

Regris slammed into the wizard sending him crashing to the ground. The centaur skidded to a halt. He was surprised to find two hobgoblins carrying Beldan and Leneira. Hobgoblins, were larger, stronger, smarter, and more menacing than goblins. Regris yelled a challenge, as the two hobgoblins, dropped Beldan and Leneira, and drew their swords. The centaur’s sword rang-out, as he battled both of them. Blood lust in his eyes as he batted away their swords. He slashed one of their arms, and a leg on the other. But both hobgoblins were still on their feet and fighting back.

“Fucking stupid horse” Branar screamed as he got up and started to cast a fireball at Regris. The centaur would have been killed. But Foy dagger stabbed into the evil wizard’s back, and the spell never went off. Foy had been on Regris’ back as he galloped up the tunnel. She jumped off just as Regris smashed the wizard to the ground.

Branar screamed in pain as he turned on Foy. The halfling had her second dagger ready, but before she could strike, a blinding light flashed in her eyes. She threw the dagger anyhow, but missed the wizard. The light faded in seconds, but the wizard was no longer in the chamber.

Regris was only able to defend against the hobgoblins attacks until one took a wide swing with his sword, allowing Regris to rear up and smash his front hooves into the creature’s chest. That send the hobgoblin staggering backwards.

To make matters worse for the hobgoblins, Conan and Alladan, came out of the tunnel. They all advanced on the two hobgoblins.

“Drop your weapons and you’ll live!” Conan said. The hobgoblins thought for a moment and then dropped their weapons. Their hand held high in the air. They surrendered.

“Where is the Evil Wizard, Beldan and Leneira?” Conan asked, looking for them.

“Teleport spell” Foy said in disappointment. “I stabbed the Wizard, but he had enough time to teleport out of here.”

“Quick teleport, he must have gone to a predetermined place” Conan reasoned. He looked at the hobgoblins “Ask the hobgoblins” He suggested to Regris.

“His study, in this keep” One of the hobgoblin confessed

“Tie them up” Conan said to Foy and Regris. “Let’s go!” Conan said to Alladan as they started up the flight of stairs to the Wizard’s study.

 

[SandS13]

Both women were lifted and carried by the large, ugly creatures. They were moving behind others who carried the wizards chests and sacks. It looked like an exodus of a family, not a wizard and his prisoners. Branar was barking orders and preparing to level the place once they were safely out of the way.

He inhaled deeply. Beldan watched the magic grow around him, swirling green between his hands. Leneira moaned pitifully. Beldan's heart was wrenched. She knew the wizard was draining the life of the nymph, using her power and warping it. It was no wonder that Alladan had almost collapsed, the nymph had been crying out to the druid in her pain.

Beldan struggled in her binds, in the arms of her captor. The creature laughed and squeezed tighter. She felt the air being crushed out of her.

The interior of the mountain began to tremble. The deeper caves began to crumble and collapse. The wizard had set off a chain reaction.

Branar laughed. "Your companions are going to die. I am sorry we can't stick around and hear their cries for help. I would see them crushed. Heroes are such fools." He gestured for the creatures to move out.

Beldan shouted in anger but was smacked by her captor and the world went black.

He had lost so many already and was in a great deal of pain. The teleport had used up a lot of his energy. The blasted heroes...

"Move out!" He called and focused his magic on knitting the wound.
------
Alladan froze. "Beldan...the heart...he is taking them!" He was pale. His eyes went to Foy. "If he gets away he might kill her. We can't let that happen."

 

[milkmaiden38]

Not a Keep to keep

Conan and Alladan had just started up the flight of stairs, when Alladan froze. "Beldan...the heart...he is taking them!" He went pale. His eyes staring at Foy. "If he gets away, he might kill her. We can't let that happen."

Then as jarring as that news was… the keep shook as if from a series of explosions. Dirt drifted down from the stairway and the tunnel below. The keep was falling apart. Stone blocks began to shake loose from their mortar. The room they were in was collapsing.

“GET OUT NOW!” Conan screamed as he ran to the nearest door. He was a great runner when his life depended on it. He sprinted past Alladan and burst through the large doors. It was an exit but he lost his footing and he tumbled down the hill side. The rumbling of falling stones grew louder as Alladan, Foy, and Regris came out of the same door.

They all kept on their feet as the rumbling grew louder and the whole keep collapsed in a huge cloud of stones and dust.

“BY THE GODS” Conan gasped and watched as the keep became a large pile of rocks.

“Conan, the hobgoblins…” Foy said

“I tried to help one, but they did not make it” Regris finished what Foy was trying to hell the human.

“Crap. We tried to save them. But those hobgoblins worked for an evil wizard, that a job that never ends well” Conan reasoned.

“Look” Alladan said point at a small group move down the Barren Mountain windswept pass.

“That’s the evil wizard. Let’s go!” Conan said and everyone started after them.

 

[SandS13]

The walls and ground trembled around them. Alladan reached for Foy, pulling her in protectively. Conan told them to get out.

“But-Beldan!” He wanted to push past to find his sister and the heart but there was no arguing. The collapsing walls made it impossible. They ran. Outside they were breathing heavily with exertion but they had escaped.

The party began to move. Alladan was focused on the group that was moving. He had felt his sister’s fear but knew if they got too far away he would lose her.

Branar was struggling to move. He had closed the wound but he was still in pain from the impact. He cursed the heroes but he turned his eyes to the two women he now held captive.

“We must make for the upper ridge. Once there we can cause an avalanche. They will never survive the snow and rocks. We will move down. I have a place we can go.”

There were grunts from those who carried the chests and the women. Beldan was still unconscious. Leneira was simply limp though she relished being outside once more. The fresh air did a great deal to revive her but she knew she was no match for the wizard. She would just need to bide her time.

 

[milkmaiden38]

Conan

Conan was not scare of the evil wizard. Maybe he should be, but his mind was focused on catching up to the group in front of them before they reached the high ground. He set off on a rapid, distance eating, pace. Regris and Foy could keep up, but he was worried about the Alladan. The elf had been through a lot. But a smile crossed his lips as he watched Alladan easily keep pace with the others. Despite the rocks and small patches of snow, Alladan was nibble, quick and determined.

The group in front of them could not match their speed. Carrying chests of gold and magical items, two women, and a slowed, wounded evil Wizard, did not engender speed. With the distance closing between the two groups, Conan quickened the pace.

“We can catch them! Everyone hurry!” He ordered and sped up the trail. He was at a jogging pace. The high altitude and thin air jarred his lungs, his leg muscle started to burn. He ignored his labored breathing and muscle strains. He started to reason out how to take down this wizard for good. "Think! What will the wizard do next?" He thought. The man was evil and used magic. He had little experience with magic. He did not know what tactics magic users used.

His mind was drawing a blank. “Think” he told himself. He started to think what another knight might do in this situation.

“Head for high ground, use the terrain to his advantage” He said to himself. He glanced around and that was what the Wizard was doing. The group was headed up to a ridge line. Then Conan saw the danger, there was a bank of snow and ice, one magic fireball or earthquake spell and it could cause an avalanche.

He was pleased with the team progress, but if they continued along this path there was little protection from an avalanche. There was a chance they could get close enough to the group that an avalanche would endanger the wizard as well. But the evil man was desperate, he might trigger it anyhow. He made up his mind.

“Everyone, I’m worried about a trap. Head for that forested area, it will provide protection if the wizard triggers an avalanche.” Conan ordered.

“But we are so close!” Foy protested.

“Trust me, I have a bad feeling about this!” Conan replied.

Everyone vied off and headed for the protection of the forest, except Alladan. He accelerated and dodged between rocks and raced toward the evil Wizard.

“Alladan” Conan said to call him back.

“Don’t worry, I have magic to protect me from the avalanche” The elf replied.

“I had not thought of that” Conan said to himself as he hurried to the forest. Alladan was in the worst area of the mountain side when the evil wizard turned to look back to see him.

"Good bye you annoying little NAT" Branar said and with an evil laugh, Branar triggered the avalanche!