Aphrodite's Acolyte (23 page)

An invisible form erupted in flames from the center of the ball of light, the outline of the elf giving away his hiding spot. The dwarf started to charge the wizard, but not quickly enough. The wizard surrounded the dwarf in a bubble and picked him up, tossing him toward the door of the balcony. Noxater crashed through the door hard, tumbling down the stairs, his helmet flying from his head in the exchange. The sorcerer laughed as the dwarf slammed his head against the bottom of the stairs.

The blue-eyed fiend turned back to the balcony, looking for his second hidden adversary. He walked to the edge, looking closely in all the shadows, finding no sign of life. As he turned back to pursue the dwarf, an emerald pommeled dagger plunged into his chest. The wizard dropped backwards, trying to quickly summon some healing energy.

As Abby entered the light, the elf's eyes went wide in surprise. “I killed you!”

Abby smiled, her strides measured and quick, “Finish the job this time, then!” She plunged her second blade into the wizard's shoulder, severing the tendons connecting his arm to his body. She pulled the dagger out of his chest and stabbed his other shoulder, again severing the tendons of the spell casting fiend. She stabbed over and over, up and down the wizard's arms and then to his legs. Her face suddenly went blank, absent of all emotion. Her eyes were cold and her hands moved quick.

The wizard screamed in agony, begging for the human to end his suffering, the dozens of slashes causing persistent pain. The unforgiving Abby wouldn't have it. She continued her assault with absolute intent on making the wizard suffer an agonizing and deserving death. She heard the sounds of a dwarf calling her name from far away. Abby could not stop herself.

Fidel raised his staff up high and swung forward hard, hoping his course of action was the right path. As his staff smashed into the mirror, the walls shuddered as if the mirror was directly connected to the room. The shards of glass fell to the floor, each one shaking the ground as it made contact. The room started to fill with a magical black mist, swirling and growing dense. The mist grew thicker and thicker around Cap's area, eventually materializing into the form of Fidel's childhood friend sitting in a chair and bound with rope.

Fidel ran over to Cap and pulled the gag out of his mouth. “It's about time!” Cap shouted, “How many more clues could I give you!?” Fidel smiled and went to work on freeing Cap's sinew bindings. Cap rose from the chair and turned to the remaining mist materializing, he shouted, “Let's go! That's Pravas!”

Cap grabbed Fidel's arm and Fidel pulled away. Fidel stated coldly, “Exactly who I want to see."

Cap shook his head, “Not like this you don't! She is not how you remember her. I need my bow! Let's go! Up one level Fidel, up one level! You need to trust me!” Cap grabbed Fidel's shoulders and pulled him toward the door. Fidel stared intently into the mist, wanting to ignore Cap and face his nemesis head on. Cap pulled harder. “Seriously Fidel! Let's go!” As the last words left Cap's mouth, the mist took on its final form.

Abby heard Noxater's voice as she continued stabbing the corpse of the defeated mage. “Abby? Ye done?” the dwarf's voice was mellow and calm. Abby, lost in some trance, started to pull herself from the unfamiliar state. She focused on the dwarf's voice, a voice she recognized. The dwarf's voice carried a tone of compassion. “Abby, girl? Ye in there? Is it even ye?” Each time the dwarf spoke, Abby was able to hold a word or two, pulling herself back to her own mind. After a few more questions from the dwarf, she stared down at the bloodied corpse in front of her, the twin daggers falling from her grasp.

Abby's voice trembled. “I did this?”

Noxater nodded his head. “Aye girl, it was ye physically. I doubt it was ye in yer own mind though. The look on yer face showed me otherwise.”

Still in shock at the almost unrecognizable heap of flesh in front of her, Abby's eyes flashed with anger and she stammered, “It cannot be.”

Noxater put an arm on Abby's shoulder. “It was. But do not fret, you can investigate this side of yerself after we destroy this apprentice's master.” The dwarf pointed at the corpse of the blue-eyed mage, then pointed at the battlefield below. “Regardless of  how ye destroyed this threat, thee battle turns back to our side below. I do not question thee means if thee ends are justified. Ye should consider doing thee same.”

The dwarf slapped Abby on the back and picked up the daggers she had inadvertently dropped. He stood up and held the daggers out before her, “Are ye ready to finish this? I believe Fidel will be needin' our assistance soon.” Abby's eyes changed from anger to concern as she grabbed the daggers. She looked at the dwarf and nodded. The duo headed into the keep through the same door the dwarf unwillingly broke open only a few moments prior.

The mist formed before the pair of elves, a black pair of scaled three-clawed feet taking shape. The legs of the creature formed next: short, stubby, scaly, and powerful. The frame of the creature was next, thick around the midsection with wings forming on both sides. The wings fanned out, twice as wide as the creatures midsection on each side. A spiked tail formed and then a long and scaled neck. The head, a double horned shape with the eyes of a serpent and nostrils of a hellhound finalized the form.

The dragon roared, standing nine feet tall and spreading its wings, smoke bellowing out from its nostrils. Finally, a crown of ivy formed around the creature's head, confirming Cap's previous hint at Pravas' transformation. Fidel's eyes went wide with surprise. Cap, however, didn't show much interest in marveling at the creature before them.

Cap grabbed Fidel's shoulder again, this time receiving no refusal from Fidel. The two started out of the room as the creature roared and expelled flames from its wide opened mouth. The twin elves ducked and rolled as they cleared the doorway, feeling the heat of the flames as they exploded through the exit and took hold of the opposite wall of the keep, setting the tower ablaze. The elves ran to the staircase and made their final ascent to the fourth floor of the keep in pursuit of Cap's belongings.

Abby and Noxater entered the fourth story room of the keep, a large and round throne room with a door in each direction set into the wall. They looked to the stairs as they heard loud thumps and shouts. The duo of elves came into view as they ran up the steps. Cap looked to Abby and Noxater as he approached the top of the staircase, “Quick, the room on your right!”

              The dwarf and human took heed of the words and started for the room closest to the center throne. A stream of incendiary spit soared up the staircase as Fidel reached the top and rolled to the side as the flames flew past.

              Abby stopped abruptly and turned in the direction of the elf. “Dragon?”

              Fidel rose back to his feet and nodded fervently. Abby gave a long exhale, showing her recognition at the dreadfulness of such beasts. She smiled at the elf, “I could go for more dragon scales!” Fidel couldn't help but give a small grin.

Cap reached the storeroom first and pulled on the door, trying to open the locked room. “Locked!” Cap shouted, turning to face the rest of the group.

Noxater, already noticing the inability of the elf to move the door, came charging in with his axe in hand and an overhead chop in motion. Cap quickly rolled to the side as the dwarf's axe smashed into the door, splitting the wood but not forcing the door open. The dwarf snorted at the failed attempt as he took a few steps backwards. He rushed the door and crashed through, taking the door from its hinges and falling forward, crushing his nose on the splintered wood as he plunged to the ground, face first. Cap hopped over the dwarf, entering the room as quickly as he could.

Fidel turned to face the stairwell as the dwarf crashed through the door, determined to slow the beast down while Cap fetched his belongings. As the dragon's head peaked over the top of the staircase, Fidel unleashed three bolts of lightning at the creature, each bolt hitting the winged lizard squarely in the face. The dragon took the hits without any ill-effect. Fidel stood in awe as the dragon appeared to smile at him.

The smoke from the dragon's nostrils dissipated as the dragon opened its mouth to launch more fiery streams at the tetrad. As the fire exited the dragon's mouth, Fidel slammed his staff to the ground, summoning a large wall of water to stand between the group and the dragon. The flames snapped and popped as they entered the watery shield. Steam quickly filled the throne room of Pravas Medeis.

Fidel smiled back at the dragon, his stance showing the transformed sorceress he was up for the challenge. The dragon's eyes narrowed to tiny slits of scorn toward the elf. Fidel's smile left his face as the dragon climbed the remainder of the steps and stood a few feet before him.

The dragon snapped at the elf, its maw barely inches from the elf's face. The spiked tail of the winged lizard swiped at the elf's feet, forcing Fidel to jump. The dragon stabbed with its horns, driving them toward the nimble elf. Fidel used his staff to knock the lizards head to the side, then performed an uppercut with the staff, knocking the dragon's head upwards.

The dragon's head quickly snapped back down, showing the elf his weapon would be no match for the winged beast.

Abby began her own assault, pulling vials from her satchel and launching them at the dragon's head with her slingshot. Vials broke left and right, clouds of various effects trying to take hold. The tenacious lizard showed no sign of weakness at the human's alchemy-based attempts. Abby pulled her daggers and rushed in to aid her elven companion.

Noxater rose to his feet and saw the dragon. He shook his head as he noticed the Crown of Iocus upon the beast's head. He grabbed up his axe and charged in, also offering his assistance.

Cap searched the room and found his belongings. He pulled on his armor quickly and filled his quiver as full as possible, keeping an extra three arrows in his hand. He watched his allies fighting the creature, each doing their own parts to keep the dragon at bay.

Abby took to staying under the beast, rolling and striking at the creatures legs and wings at every opportunity she could get. Fidel kept the beast's head at bay, blocking and countering snaps and stabs. Noxater focused on keeping the tail under control, using his axe to punish the lizard every time it attempted to strike. Cap decided he would strike from the distance, launching flame enchanted arrows into the creature's head every time Fidel knocked it upwards, each blow dealing a fiery bite to the creature.

The lizard roared in frustration as the allies forced the battle into a stalemate. The transformed sorceress spread her wings wide and pushed forward, knocking Fidel and Noxater from their feet. She turned her body amazingly quick, bringing her tail around and swiping Abby from her footing. Her tail came back around in a powerful swipe, tossing all three of the companions into the opposite wall of the throne room. The beast roared and sucked in a huge breath of air. Flames spewed from her mouth as she let loose on the annoying archer by her treasure room.

The three allies smashed into the side of the room opposite the stairs, each giving a moan as the towers wall absorbed their impact. Fidel watched as the dragon took in its deep breath, quickly identifying the lizard's attack. Still in a seated position, he summoned forth a large stream of water from his staff and directed it between Cap and the dragon. The flames protested as the stream interfered.

Fidel, Abby, and Noxater quickly rose to their feet to press the dragon as it moved in on Cap's position. Fidel raised his arm to Noxater, a request for the dwarf to halt. “You've fought these creatures before, how do they do in the dark?”

Noxater's furry eyebrow's raised. “Aye, their vision is lackin' in thee dark, but their sense of smell makes up for it.”

Fidel quickly stopped the group's advancement as a hint of a grin formed. “Better four senses instead of five!”

He motioned for the group to meet behind the throne, shouting to Cap to do the same. As they were hurrying toward the large iron throne, another blast of fire erupted from the dragon's mouth, sweeping the room for good measure. The group barely escaped the blasts, each rolling and dodging to avoid the biting flames, each making their way to the throne.

Fidel whispered into his staff
, “Oculus Luna”
, then slapped the staff on the ground. A small green and orange circle rolled out from the staff's tip and grabbed the feet of the allies. The orange and green mist climbed up their legs, making its way to their eyes. Each of the tetrad's heads shuddered for a second as the mist entered their eyes. The light in the room amplified a hundred fold, blinding them.

Cap called out in fear at the blinding light, “Fidel!?! What did you do!?”

Fidel responded, “Close your eyes, I'll tell you when to open!” The elf quickly worked his second spell. He shouted, “
Thalamus Nox!
” and pointed his staff at the ceiling of the throne room.

The dragon stopped its assault as it watched a twirling mist of dark energy erupt from the end of Fidel's staff. The mist made its way to the top of the room and solidified, forming a light stealing darkness. The mist grew larger and larger, stealing the light from the room as it went. The dragon roared in protest, Fidel's cue to inform the allies to open their eyes.

Abby and Cap opened their eyes slightly then opened them wide, the room appearing devoid of color but with greater contrast of the shapes. They both expressed their surprise to Fidel as the black dragon's scales glimmered in the dark room.

Noxater opened his eyes and shrugged, “Aye. Night vision. Good move elf!” The dwarf pulled in his axe and shield and came out from behind the throne. He watched the dragon moving, its head wagging quickly back and forth, showing the dwarf the dragon was not accustomed to such lack of vision. He smiled widely then slapped Fidel on the back, “Ye should know us short folks already have this gift.” The dwarf charged toward the dragon, axe held high and shield up.

The dragon's head snapped toward the approaching dwarf, confirming the superior smell of the dragons nose. Flames erupted toward the dwarf from the lizards maw. Noxater dodged to the left as a stream of water jetted in to meet the flames head on, the sizzling sound of the flames filling the darkness.

Cap moved from behind the throne, flanking the winged lizard and volleying arrows at the beast's head and body, every hit scoring a fiery bite and sending a bright flash as the enchanted arrows erupted with flames.

Abby quickly made her way to the forefront, looking for an opening to slay the nine foot winged beast. She moved in, dodging the blinded creatures attacks. She worked her way to the rear of the beast, being careful to avoid contact with the creature until she was ready to strike. The spiked tail of the dragon swept side to side quickly, Abby rolling to avoid the strikes as much as she could. The tail finally made contact with the human rogue's chest, catching Abby off guard and sending her flying toward the staircase, crashing and rolling down the steps. The beast roared in victory at the human's failed attempt.

Fidel watched as Abby tumbled over the staircase railing and out of sight. He looked to Noxater, who was fending off the beast's maw attacks. He watched Cap pulling his bowstrings, noticing the ring on Cap's finger, a ring he gave to his elven friend back in Puldechra.

He put his own ring to his mouth, activating the communication abilities of the ring. “Abby, you okay?”

Her response came in labored breaths. “Yes. Damned lizard caught me by surprise that time”

Fidel called back in the ring, “Stay there for a second, I have a plan.”

Abby's voice came back, “I hope so. The arrows aren't doing anything and the dwarf is barely keeping up.”

Fidel slowly made his way to the staircase and ducked behind the railing. Abby met him, a splinter of wood protruding from her shoulder.

Fidel's face showed great concern. “You call that okay?”

Abby smiled, then grimaced in pain for a second. “Yes, I have potions for this. Pull it out please.”

Fidel shook his head at the his comrade's persistence. He grabbed the wood and pulled hard, Abby's face contorting as the pain jolted through her body. She grabbed her potion and poured it over the wound, feeling the healing potion's effects immediately as she moved her injured arm in various circles.

After a few moments, Abby looked to Fidel with the pained expression removed from her face. “Good as new. So what's the plan?”

The dwarf was doing well, his shield blocking the maw of the dragon and his axe meeting the tail strikes head on. The volleys of arrows had no effect on the dwarf's vision. Noxater's vision could quickly move between the regular and dark lighting conditions due to his underground heritage. The cloaked room gave the perfect environment for the battle hardened dwarf. His dance proved it.

After a few moments, the dwarf looked around the room, “Where's thee wizard?”

Cap shrugged, launching another arrow at the beast. “Haven't seen him!”

The dwarf mockingly replied, “He better not have runned away!”

Cap smiled, knowing the heart of Fidel Austempes to not be one to abandon his friends.

Fidel came around the banister, launching bolts of electricity at the dragon. The sizzling bolts hit the dragon from the right as the fiery arrows of Cap's bow landed on the left. The dragon roared as the bolts of magic were nothing but annoying flies to the creature, its scales designed to tolerate bites of dragons and lightning strikes of the gods.

The dragon took in air and exhaled, a long stream of fiery breath launching at the magical elf. The dragon expected to hear the sizzling of the counter, an expected stream of water. But no such counter came. Instead, in the light of the fiery stream, the dragon saw the elf's staff glowing white, moving toward the dragon's head. The fiery light diminished and the dragon stood up tall, confused.

The dwarf and bow wielding elf watched as Fidel lifted Abby over the top of the dragon's head. Taking the cue, Cap slung arrows into the dragon's wings, hoping to provide more distraction while Fidel placed the human rogue in the intended spot. The dwarf smiled and rolled toward the beast's backside, slamming his axe hard into the tail of the dragon.

The lizard roared, turning its long neck toward the rear, attempting a bite in the expected direction of the pesky dwarf. As the head of the dragon snapped in, Fidel released the bubble containing Abby, dropping the human rogue a few feet to descend on the dragon's head. Abby grabbed hold and held on tight as the dragon launched its head upwards and gave a loud roar.

Abby went to work quickly, tossing a small rope around the dragon's neck and holding tight, just like a horse trainer would do to a wild stallion. The lizard bucked hard, throwing its head up high in attempts to smash the human into the ceiling. Abby held tightly, pulling a part of the rope around her waist and tying it off, freeing her arms to work her daggers. Cap and Noxater watched in awe as Abby, the dragon tamer, had everything under control.

The tail of the dragon jerked upwards, catching Abby in the mid-back, the devilish spike protruding from her abdomen. Noxater yelled at the beast as the blood stained tail dropped to the ground, ready for another assault.

Abby's momentum slowed as she felt the blood drain from her body. She reached into her satchel, digging for one of her magical potions. Her arm was too weak to continue and she started to feel lighter. Her vision faded, the heavily contrasted outlines before her blurring as the darkness of death took hold. She heard the scream from the dwarf and felt the jolts from the dragon as it fought to free itself of the rogue's grip. She gripped the ropes as tightly as she could, putting forth all her effort to stay in place.

Noxater hopped on the lizard's tail, gripping with both hands, pulling his full weight in. The dragon roared in protest as it battled the weight of the heavy dwarf. Cap got in closer to the winged beast, launching arrows directly at the feet of the lizard. Fidel pulled all three vials of the healing potion Abby gave him from his pack and placed them on the ground. He pulled his staff in and summoned another bubble around the potions, raising them into the air.

The dragon squirmed and roared, its tail under control by the dwarf and reducing its ability to move. The dragon's head snapped back and forth, trying to push the human from its back. Fidel carried the bottles slowly at first, watching Abby's movements as she held tight and flung back and forth abruptly. Abby's eyes closed and she started to lean forward. The elf yelled, “No!” and he moved the bubble quickly to his ally, throwing caution to the wind. His heart refused the loss of his first friend found on the road to Puldechra.

The bottles slammed into Abby's chest, shattering and spewing forth the healing potion just above the spike tailed wound. Fidel, launching another bubble around the beast's head, pulled the dragon's skull upwards, hoping gravity would move the liquid for his doomed friend. The liquid found its way to the wound and entered, an orange glow emitting from the large wound as the potion went to work.

Abby's eyes snapped open and color returned to her face as the flow of blood returned to her body. She quickly pulled her dagger out with her left hand while holding fast with her right.

She wanted to slam the dagger deep into the creatures skull, fitting it between the layered scales and ending the dragon's life. She looked down to Fidel and saw the look of joy on the elf's face at her return. She remembered the plan and the promise to the Goddess of Love.

Abby slammed her dagger between the crown and the dragon's skull, wedging it deeply. She pulled up hard as the dragon protested and jutted its head back and forth. Another transparent bubble appeared around the creature's head, pulling it down to the ground, allowing for better leverage. Abby pulled harder. All in the room heard the suction sounds of the crown roots being released from the dragon's skull.

The dragon roared in defiance again, tossing its head high as the bubble dissipated. Another bubble appeared, pulling the dragon to the ground harder as the elf's will fought hard to save the transformed sorceress' soul. Abby moved the dagger and pulled again, the release of the crown slightly easier as another root broke free. The tetrad continued their battle until the Crown of Iocus was finally freed, the final pull yielding a blinding light that dissipated all the magical energies in the room, except for the spell holding the form of the dragon.

The dragon stopped fighting as the light vanished out the window. Pravas Medeis, still in the form of a dragon, fell to the ground face first. She breathed heavily as the tetrad of friends regrouped around her sleeping dragon form.