Taggart draws his sword, the Selandri blade flashing in the sunlight. He pushes his hand through his tousled locks and holds it up to Kane and Khom-Bei for their inspection. Both of the young men are armed with clubs that Taggart made himself. "It's a fine blade, innit boys?"
Kane says, "Any blade would be fine compared to theses clubs. But yes sir, it is a mighty fine blade."
Khom-Bei nods, "A fine blade, sir."
The rough circle drawn in the dirt is an arena of sorts.
"Are you complainin', boy?" Taggart huffs. "No use complainin'."
Kane replies wearily, "Yes I know. 'You can't whine to a blood sucker, boy!'" He hefts his club and assumes a fighting stance.
The heavy-set man with the wry smile grins. He tells Khom-Bei, "He knows me too well. Am I gettin' predictable in my old age?"
Khom-Bei grins and shakes his head, "Predictable? Never."
Kane looks at the sword and says "Let's hope so." He circles to his left.
Taggart holds up the blade, advancing casually on Kane, almost like he's not fighting at all. "Think you're so clever, do you, son?" he asks.
Kane looks for an opening in the Taggart's guard, readying to make his move. "I guess we'll find out soon enough." When he thinks Taggart will expect it least Kane rolls on the ground and strikes at Taggart's leg.
Taggart sees the move, and dances back out of range, but now he circles on Kane, blade held before him. "As I was sayin', th'Selandri had many secrets. Stick around long enough and you may even learn some from me. Know where I got this blade, Khom-Bei, boy?"
Kane rolls back to his feet before Taggart can strike him.
Khom-Bei says, "From a Selandri, by the look of it, sir."
Kane looks at Khom-Bei and says, "You gonna help me or are you going to just stand there talking?"
Khom-Bei tries without much success to hide a smirk, "A warrior I am not, Kane. Master Taggart has been kind enough to teach me such."
Taggart turns his back on Kane, in open contempt of his ability, to lecture Khom-Bei. "See not all th'Selandri in th'Long Summer lived forever. Some o'them, see, took th'wrong path. Cursed for it, too, by the Selandri Lords. Became somethin' else."
Kane rushes Taggart, aiming a blow at where his neck and shoulder meet.
Taggart dodges, casually, letting Kane's strike go wide. He continues as if uninterrupted, "Took this blade off one of 'em. A Shadaman. That's Selandri for 'the lost'. Dangerous fellow, a more fearsome undead you'll not encounter until you stand before a Vorghol Elder, and neither of you's ready for that. They took the wrong path, as it were, and it drove 'em mad. Might be you walk their road one day...mind you stay on the path."
Khom-Bei nods slowly, as if commiting Taggart's words to memory, "And is there a way to defeat the Lost Ones, Master Taggart?"
Kane charges past Taggart and just barely manages to teeter at the edge of the circle.
Khom-Bei calmly places a hand on Kane's chest and pushes him back into the ring.
Kane mutters to himself, "I knew I should have woken the damned Urag."
Taggart blinks at Kane, as if surprised. "You gonna fight, son, or dance?" he says, tauntingly.
Once again, Kane, finding himself in a vunerable position, rights himself and turns to face his foe, and teacher. He says with a wicked grin, "If you would just stand still like people of your age are supposed to, this would all be over."
Khom-Bei's smirk spreads to a full-faced grin at Kane's remark.
Taggart snaps, "My age? What's he mean, my age?"
Kane decides a direct approach will bear more fruit and starts to advance on his opponent.
Khom-Bei says, "I have no idea, Master. My own father was still siring children when he had your years."
Kane says in playful mockery, "Come now, Taggart we all know you have stopped counting the gray hairs and started counting the black ones." He moves in closer, hoping to drive Taggart towards the edge of the ring.
The old Hunter shakes his head. "Little ingrates. And it's Master Taggart t'you, Kane." He blocks Kane's quick blow with his sword, but steps back under the assault, giving ground.
Kane presses forward, as he feels he has the advantage."Here where I hand you your ass in a sling 'Master' Taggart."
As he steps back from Kane's hail of well-aimed blows, Taggart sneers, "Fancy court fencin', lad? Learn that when you were waitin' on the Vorghol King?"
The taunt only angers the younger man and he doubles his attack. Kane's furious attack strikes the sword from Taggart's hand and it spins off into some haybales. The older man closes the range on Kane now, stepping inside the striking radius of the club. He drives his elbow into Kane's midsection.
Kane doubles over but manages to swing his legs at Taggart's on his way down. Both go down in a tangle.
A young dark-haired girl has approached the ring and stands near Khom-Bei, watching with wide eyes. "Father isn't going to kill him, is he, Khom-Bei?" she asks,
Khom-Bei says, "I don't think so, Mistress."
Kane lays there on the ground hands on his chest with a big stupid grin on his face. Finally Kane crawls to a sitting position and offers Taggart a hand up.
Taggart, untangles himself from Kane. He's a little winded, more than Kane expected. But his demeanor is deadly serious. "You're gettin' better, lad. But I've told you before and I'll say it again. Don't ever let them make you angry."
Verraine seems relieved that Kane has survived.
Kane hangs his head down, grin wiped from his face and says, "Yes Master Taggart."
Khom-Bei nods slowly, "It is difficult to face the Cold Ones without anger, Master."
Taggart whirls on Khom-Bei. "Savor your anger, boy. Keep it close. Use it. But don't let them control it."
Khom-Bei nods again, seeming almost lost in his own thoughts.
Kane says, "Master Taggart speaks truth, Khom-Bei, the blood suckers feed on anger, hate and fear."
Khom-Bei says, "Master? You spoke of the Lost Selandri, are they the ones who created the Vorghol? How can we hope to fight such power?"
Kane is surprised that Khom-Bei has come to this conclusion on his own.
Taggart seems to notice Verraine for the first time. "Well, hello, poppet!" he grins at her. "Lunch time already?"
Verraine smiles. "Yes, Father. Mother asks the pleasure of your company."
Taggart takes her hand. Smiling at the young girl, he says without looking at his young proteges, "Find the sword you lost, and both of you practice your staff work. I'll tell you more of the Shadaman when I'm done. Good job I had a Selandri wi'me to defeat them..." Hand in hand with his daughter, she leads him off towards the farmhouse.
Khom-Bei bows his head as Taggart leaves and then turns to Kane, all seriousness, "There is so much to learn from Master Taggart, Kane, I feel I shall never have the knowledge needed to fight the Cold Ones."
Kane says, "Have faith friend, have faith."
Faith has brought you a long way. You recall that midsummer day, a dozen or more years ago, when things seemed so different. Now snowflakes from an early winter fall from a dark sky as you stand in the circle of Standing Stones, confronting the menace that Taggart described. Ten phantasmal Selandri warriors, glowing with blue light. You can see the shapes of the stones through their translucent forms. Kane, Elianel and Khom-Bei stand shoulder to shoulder in the glowing circle, weapons drawn. Thragga stands before the three of you, interposing himself between the Shadaman and you.
Thragga hisses, "Kane, speak to them!"
The warriors grin at you, rotting translucent flesh whicking back from long jagged incisors. They carry long cold steel in their clawlike hands. Their shapes are a mockery of the graceful Selandri form. "No one will pass. The way is closed." one says, but no mouths move. You can hear their voices in your head.
Elianel says, "We do not wish to trespass, but our need is great!"
Khom-Bei moves back from the Shadaman, "Elianel, if there are some words or rituals that your father taught you, I would say that now is a good time to remember them."
Kane calls out, "Selandri Warriors! We don't wish to fight you but we need to pass through the stones."
Elianel steps forward and speaks in Selander, holding the key before her: "I, Elianel, claim right of passage with this lawful key, which bears the rune of the King Under the Oaks. Stand aside!"
Thragga hunkers down and makes ready to spring forward.
The Shadaman leader, in a tall conical glowing helmet, reaches for the key, an onyx gem carved with Selandri runes. "We will take that...come with us!" He seizes her wrist and Elianel shrieks.
Kane calls, "Unhand her or I will un-hand you!"
Khom-Bei stands tall, hands aloft, and calls out, "Your place is no longer of this world, Lost One, release her."
The undead warrior tosses her aside, clutching the onyx to himself. Elianel falls back, her wrist burned with cold.
Khom-Bei raises his hands, and the light of the Great Father pours forth. It shines out over the snowy night, across the stone circle, blinding in its brilliance. And then...it fades. And the Shadaman stand before you, untouched by it.
Kane strikes his flaming sword at the ghost's wrist. Light Bringer cleanly lops off the thing's hand. The hand, still twitching, drops into the muddy snow. A howl goes up. "Dragha fire!" he says, in your head. The voice is like a chill wind blowing in your mind. "The Reith bears a Dragha sword!" The warriors seem a bit taken aback by this.
Thragga doesn't wait. He barrels into the Shadaman leader that Kane struck. The Urag warrior stumbles into the snowy mud.
The Shadaman warriors crowd forward, menacing.
Khom-Bei steps back and extends his arms, "Ancestors, bless the living in our fight against the Lost."
"Eternal enmity to the Dragha! Death to the firewings!" comes the cry.
Kane strikes again at the Shadaman leader replying, "Given to me by a Selandri to fight the undead, now die!" Kane's fiery blade slices into the leader's undead form.
The Shadaman are roused now, and move forward, blades held high. They strike expertly, swords cutting and flashing. You each feel the chill of the grave as the blades strike into each of you. It saps your strength and you go weak with the sheer force of it.
Thragga, furious now, rolls to his feet and hacks at the leader. His great axe slices through the undead creature's neck. An arc of blue fire gushes from the leader's neck and the form staggers forward, falling to a pile in the snow before you, before exploding in a great gout of cold fire. Thragga roars with rage and turns to confront the others.
One of the Shadaman strikes Thragga from behind and he topples forward again, into the midst of a circle of the undead creatures.
Staggered by the Shadaman attack, Khom-bei drops to one knee and places his hands on the ground, calling aloud, "Ancestors, in your stead I claim this place and consecrate it to the use of the living." A warm glow spreads from Khom-Bei's hands, suffusing the chill, snowy circle of standing stones.
Elianel strikes with her father's sword. She lunges for the second phantasm, charging forward. She ducks under a cold steel blade and brings her own sword up and through her target. There's another explosion of blue fire as the thing falls back, then explodes in a convulsion of cold light.
Kane keeping his anger in check, slices back-handed into Thragga's attacker. There's a clash of steel as the warrior parries Kane's blow and ripostes.
Elianel pulls her sword free and helps Thragga to his feet.
Kane lunges forward to meet the attacking Shadaman, slashing as he goes. Light Bringer's orange fire sinks deep into the blue glowing form, and it hisses and spins around for a counterattack.
A storm of Selandri steel sweeps forward. Kane parries three blows, Khom-Bei dodges back from two others. But one sword takes Thragga in the shoulder, and another catches Elianel's hip as she tries to evade.
Thragga pushes forward, shoulder to shoulder with Kane. He's in a complete rage now, as only a wild Urag of the prairies can be. Two mighty strikes of Thragga's axe, almost too swift to follow, and his foe implodes in blue light. Thragga presses forward.
The spectral warriors are sorely pressed by the big Urag's fierce flurry of attacks.
Two of the warriors charge Khom-Bei. He holds up his outstretched hands and says: "By the Ancestors, be gone foul creatures!"
A blinding blast of holy white fire washes over the two. A shriek is heard in your heads...no sound in your ears. The two Shadaman stagger back under the onslaught, and then are consumed by the fire.
Snow swirls down on the battle, borne by chill night breezes, drifting down on the ancient standing stones. The scene is an eerie one, lit by orange dragonfire, blue undead light, and the warm glow from Khom-Bei's divine magics.
You have all taken wounds, including Elianel, and now confront five of the Shadamans. Your breath forms pale clouds of steam in the wintry air. The Shadamans do not breath at all.
The five remaining warriors circle around, forming into a line and preparing a charge forward.
Elianel, winded, holds her father's sword before her and looks to the Hunters. "I had no idea your Powers were so powerful, Khom-Bei!"
Kane prepares himself for the charge.
Khom-Bei says, "The spirits of Aerryt and our ancestors hold great power indeed. I pray that it is enough for this fight."
Thragga calls over his shoulder, "Let us make a final end to these restless ghosts!"
Khom-Bei nods and raises his hands to the sky again.
Elianel gives a battlecry: "For the light!" She sprints forward, lunging with her sword, even as the Shadaman swarm her.
Kane hacks at Elianel's foe with Light Bringer. The creature recoils, hissing. Its eyes glow with malevolence and its form is a twisted mockery of the Selandri.
Kane swings his sword in wide arcs, passing it from hand to hand, weaving the blade in an ever more complex pattern. Then like a snake, he strikes at Shadaman he has slowly been approaching.
The Shadaman warriors counterattack, swiftly, their feet barely touching the snowy earth as they do so. Their coordinated assault strikes home, driving back the Hunters with fury. Each feels the bite of chill phantasmal blades.
Elianel hurls herself to one side as her foe charges past.
Khom-Bei's foe gives his cold blade an extra twist, grinning with rotten teeth as he does so.
Thragga stands fast. As he takes one in the ribs, he returns the blow with rage. He cleaves off one of the spectre's arms. Then he cleaves off a leg for good measure. The creature, still clinging to existence, staggers and hops forward, groping for the Urag.
Khom-Bei staggers back, arms falling to his sides, calling out, "Ancestors, send these evil creatures to their rest."
Another great flare of holy light blinds all the combatants as Khom-Bei speaks his words. The Shadaman turn their heads, unable to look directly at the light, but seem none the worse for wear. They advance again. "Come come," echo their twisted voices in your head. "We will take you with us on the path, little mayflies...we know the way..."
Elianel tosses her blond hair to one side. "Cursed things! Your time has past." She strikes out with her sword, but her foe parries it with a mocking laugh.
Kane thrust himself between Elianel and the Shadaman, again leting out a snake-quick thrust at the ghost. Light Bringer pierces the undead creature's eye. It falls back with a hiss, a snarl, and then an explosion of blue light.
The remaining four strike again, the wind swirling their ragged cloaks and the falling snow.
Elianel takes a cut across the cheek, and gives a shriek of pain.
Kane sidesteps his enemy's blow.
Khom-Bei tries to parry, but the undead warrior's blade strikes home. The Northerling's legs totter as his blood goes cold. He can feel his very life force being drained by the cold blade that slips between his ribs. He still stands, though, summoning up his very last reserves.
Thragga is overpowered by the furious undead opponent as it scrabbles forward, sinking teeth into his green hide and clutching itself to him. Thragga bares his own fangs and howls in rage. He shrugs the thing free, then hacks at it with his axe held in both hands. The Urag axe slashes the undead horror in two. There is a flash of blue light as it disintegrates with a thunderous noise. Thragga implacably steps forward and slashes at the with its blade deep in Khom-Bei.
Thragga's axe whirls in a blur as he strikes down the foe. He and Khom-Bei are enveloped in blazing vortex of blue light as the creature hisses and screams. But its fingers still cling to the cold blade and it tries to fight on.
Khom-Bei staggers back, falling to one knee, his voice shaking as he feebly raises a hand, "This world is for the living, be gone from it." Holy fire cascades from the Northerling's raised hand, incinerating the warrior before him and another one, just behind. Thragga, in his frenzy, doesn't even shield his yellow eyes. You hear the Shadamans' unearthly shrieks in your heads as the holy light fades.
A single warrior now remains, facing Kane and Elianel. Elianel presses her advantage and strikes high, sword swinging in a long vicious head cut. The creature twists and avoids her blow.
Kane takes Light Bringer in both hands and thrusts it into the remaining creature. The Shadaman ripostes with its long slender Selandri sword, but Kane easily parries the attack.
Thragga thunders forward. The Shadaman tries to parry, but the Urag's axe bats the weapon aside. Thragga swings with all his remaining strength, slashing and hacking. The spectral apparition tries to scramble back.
Elianel lunges with her sword. The spectre, still an expert swordsman, blocks her blow.
Khom-Bei attempts to rise to his feet, but stumbles and falls to the ground.
Kane, following right behind Elianel, strikes from the other side. But he loses his footing in the snowy mud, stumbling forward. Light Bringer spins off into the snow, not far from Kane's hand. The Shadaman laughs and whirls on him, raising its blade and stabbing down, swiftly. Kane rolls at the last second, avoiding the cold blade. He scrabbles for his sword in the snow.
Thragga doesn't waste a moment, bearing down on the last creature like a storm. He nearly slices the creature in half with one mighty blow, and as it reaches for him, his second backhanded blow finishes the job. It falls into the snow near Kane and explodes in blue light and a muffled thunderclap.
Thragga scans the circle for more enemies, just getting warmed up.
Elianel rushes to Khom-Bei's side.
Clouds of steam rise into the chill wintry air. You're all weakened and chilled by the Shadaman weapons. The night seems more bitter now, the early winter cold sharp like a sword.
Khom-Bei lies still on the snowy ground, eyes closed, lips moving in silent prayer.
Elianel looks at Khom-Bei in horror, touching his face. "Kane...he's very pale..." She hovers over Khom-Bei, removing her cloak to warm him.
Kane rushes to Khom-Bei's side. "Friend, can you draw strength as well as give it?"
Blue light suffuses Khom-bei's body and he opens his eyes, a wan smile crossing his lips as he slowly sits upright.Khom-Bei says, "I apologize for any fright I caused, I needed a moment to gather strength." His complexion darkens as you watch, his eyes returning to their former vigor, his strength restored.
Elianel breathes a sigh of relief.
Khom-Bei hands Elianel's cloak back to her, "Thank you, m'lady."
Elianel smiles. "You are most welcome, Khom-Bei."
Thragga pulls a wineskin from his belt, but as he goes to take a drink, he staggers a moment.
Khom-Bei walks to Thragga's side and places his hands on the Urag's shoulders, "Easy, friend, that can wait a minute."
Kane reaches to support his friend.
Khom-Bei says, "Ancestors, return to the living what has been stolen by the unliving.""
Warm, blue light passes from Khom-bei's hands to Thragga, surrounding him completely before fading away. Thragga narrows his eyes, but doesn't say anything and lets his friends help him. He allows Khom-Bei to work his divine magic, stretching and shrugging his shoulders. His pallor returns to its usual shade of green and he looks ready to take on ten more Shadaman.
Kane finds the onyx key lies on the ground in a puddle at Kane's feet. He retrieves the key, then walks to Elianel and offers it to her.
Khom-Bei extends his hand to Thragga, "Are you going to share the wine or not?"
Thragga passes the wineskin to Khom-Bei. "I was getting hungry anyway."
Khom-Bei drinks a mighty gulp from the skin and hands it back to Thragga, "I could almost eat a horse myself."
Thragga wipes a spot of blood from his cheek, and asks,"How about Kane's?"
Khom-Bei laughs, "I said 'almost'."
Elianel takes the key from Kane. "So much riding on a little nothing."
Kane nods and say, "Shall we see if it works?"
Elianel approaches the tallest of the standing arches, which is scribed with Selandri runes. She studies the right-hand column a moment. "Do either of you read Old Selander?"
Elianel points out some runes that seem to spell, PASS HERE IN THE NAME OF HE WHO RULES UNDER THE OAKS. They form a circular pattern and a small indentation is carved into the dark wet stone at the circle's center.
Kane moves closer to get a better look and to protect Elianel from any danger.
Elianel says over Kane's shoulder, "Taggart taught you to read it, didn't he?"
Kane says, "A little, I learned more from another teacher as well."
Khom-Bei catches sight of a gaping wound on Thragga's side and steps forward, "Let me look at that wound, you great oaf, how many times do I need to remind you that I can't heal what I don't know about?"
Thragga is sucking the marrow from some soup bones he pocketed back in camp. "You remind me of my mother!" he snarls.
Khom-Bei places his hands over the gash and concentrates for a moment, "Ancestors, heal this warrior that he may fight another day." Divine light suffuses Thragga's wound for a moment, and the gaping hole begins to knit closed.
Elianel steps forwards and presses the key into the indentation. For a moment, nothing happens. A deep, resonant tone, a sound like the purest bell ever struck, tones into the circle. You all feel it in your bones and teeth. Between the columns of the arch before Kane and Elianel, light shines, red and harsh. And something opens there, in the red light hard to make out, but glowing fitfully. Something like a long, narrow corridor. leading off between the mighty arch.
Elianel beams. "It works. Oh, Kane...it works!"
Kane says, "We must start moving the people through. Do you wish for me to be the first through?"
Elianel tells Kane, "When we return, you can be the first. But you have already done so much for the Refuge, Raen, you need not if it is not your desire."
Elianel snatches the key from the groove and the corridor closes. The reddish light from between the arches diminishes.
Thragga watchesthe Selandri gateway close, in silent awe.
Kane says, "There may be danger, I will be first or last. But it is my desire to make sure that the way is safe for the others."
"We should go and bring the others. They're not far!" Elianel says. She turns to sprint for her horse.
Khom-Bei says, "Wait, milady!"
Elianel swings her leg up into the other stirrup and turns her mare around. "What is it? There is no time to lose!"
Khom-Bei runs and catches the bridle of Elianel's horse, "There is always time to take care. Taggart taught me that long ago. We will go back and get the people together. Right, Kane?""
Thragga rises. "I am ready."
Kane says, "Elianel is right. We must hurry so do what you can and let's go."
Khom-Bei whistles for his pony and mounts quickly.
Kane moves to his horse and mounts up.
The Refuge convoy waits at the bottom of the hill where stand the Selandri stones. As you crest the hill and begin your descent, you look out across the darkened, snowy valley where the Bitterroot Creek flows. You have followed it south this far. And there, coming from the west, far across the valley, you see a line of flickering torches. Illuminating many riders on horseback, and headed in this direction. They are tiny at this remove, but are no more than five miles distant and will be here soon. Elianel doesn't seem to notice them, but Thragga looks towards his Hunter companions.
Khom-Bei nods to Thragga silently.
Kane turns to Elianel and says, "Change of plans, you will lead the way. Women and children first."
Elianel, a skilled rider, is making her way down a steep incline. She whirls her horse around. "Change of plans? What?"
Kane turns to Elianel and says, "You should prepare the way let us Hunters deal with this."
There is a distant howling and growling from ahead, down where the Refuge camps. It sounds like the two Nedri mastiffs, Rog and Tog, you met when you first entered camp many days ago.
Khom-Bei spurs his pony ahead of the others, racing toward the camp.
Elianel draws her sword, finally seeing the distant riders. "Quickly!" she spurs her horse after Khom-Bei on Cakilgan. Thragga races behind her.
Khom-Bei rides into the camp calling out to the guards, "We must go quickly, get the wains moving!"
As Elianel and the Hunters race into camp, the sentries lower their bows. "Hold! It's her Ladyship and the others!"
Nearby, the huge, faithful dogs are howling and barking, straining at their chains, wanting to be let loose on something in the woods.
Colyn calls to Khom-Bei, "What happened, son?"
Khom-Bei dismounts and claps Colyn on the shoulder, "The story will wait, grandfather, we're in danger here and need to move quickly."
Ronan and Tyrin hurry up to Kane. Ronan takes the reins of Kane's charger to allow him to dismount.Kane tells the boys, "No time for that! We must get everyone up the hill now."
Bailent tells Khom-Bei, "The hounds have the scent of something!"
Thragga squats by the dogs. He has no love for these animals, having battled Vulkah wardogs many times in his youth on the steppes. But he respects them.
Kane starts moving through the folk urging them to hurry up the hill.
Khom-Bei notices Thragga and moves to his side, "What is it?"
Thragga tells Khom-Bei, "It's what you think. A Vorghol, bastard's probably watching us. Just over there, behind that willow." He grips his axe and looks eagerly at his companion.
Khom-Bei says, "More than one?"
Elianel gives orders for the convoy to move at once. She tells the young Tobon girl, Melone, "I am sorry, young one, but you must come with us a while longer."
Thragga shakes his head. "No. Just one."
Kane moves alongside his companions and draws his blade. He says to his friends, "We guard the retreat."
Bailent says, "We stand with you, Kane!"
Ronan and Tyrin chime in, "And us, my lord!"
Khom-Bei turns to Kane, "One Vorghol, in the trees, we should dispatch him quickly and go."
Bailent pats the chained mastiffs on the head. "You smell it, don't you, lads? "
Ronan and Tyrin look at each other. "We will not fail, my lord!" Ronan says.