After camping overnight the group finally arrive at the
bottom of the stairs to the volcano in the early morning of the next day.
As they make their way up the stairs they hear a voice ahead
of them,
“A-ha! There you are you fiends!! I’ve been looking for you!
Now admit you’re in over your head and hand me those tokens you’ve collected”
demanded the voice,
The group didn’t need to look nor did they want to look up
the stairs at the source of the voice as they could pretty much guess already
to whom it belonged as they sighed and shuddered at the thought.
“How did he get away from the circus?” asked Natalia (see Abadius 25th 17 - Once upon a time in a very very strange
and distant land)
“No idea” sighed Vaneer
Without a doubt as they slowly look up the staircase ahead
of them they do indeed see a familiar looking paladin at which point there is
an audible groan from the group.
“Come along then I don’t have all day! I need to save that
persons daughter and defeat the evil dragon!” the paladin exclaimed,
“No” said Vaneer, “We’re rescuing the girl and defeating the
dragon like we told you last time, your welcome to assist us but we’re not
handing over the tokens!” the cleric continued.
“Ah, yes you. Do not be fooled any longer my friends as this
cleric obviously worships an evil god to refuse the request of a paladin and
has been fooling you to think he is working with your interests at heart! Join
me in defeating this evil and I shall go rescue your daughter!” The paladin
announced as he stepped down the stairs and took a swing at Vaneer which only
just missed.
“Whoa! Hang on there, you just attacked a Cleric of
mostly…pretty good standing surely that makes you evil for attacking an fellow
holy warrior?” Miro interjected before the paladin took another swing,
“Ha! Little man if you truly believe me to be evil then I do
insist that you strike me right here and now with that holy weapon of yours, go
on I won’t even defend myself!” retorted the Paladin as he stood there arms
open wide.
Miro smirked and took out his holy enchanted blade and swung
at the paladin and missed by miles.
The paladin laughed, “You see! The gods protect me! Why?
Because I am pure! Heroic! Truly Valiant! I am holy beyond holy and if you
don’t join me as my squires I shall have no choice but to smite you
all..starting with the evil cleric! Maybe he can be redeemed!” as the paladin
again swung for Vaneer and this time not missing.
Vaneer retaliated but his attack missed and was met with a
snigger from the paladin,
Miro flanks the paladin but his attack also misses and is
met with another snigger,
Hugo charges in and manages to land a blow
The paladin turns to Hugo “You sir! Must be of true
judgement to be able to hit me, join me good man! And we shall vanquish evil
together!”
Boss shots at the paladin and also hits,
Otto casts a Haste spell on the party,
Paladin manages to land another blow on Vaneer,
Vaneer though still fails to hit the paladin,
Miro manages to find a gap in the paladins armour and land a
blow,
Hugo again lands another blow,
Boss shoots two arrows this time with both finding their
target,
Otto casts scorching ray and hits the paladin who just
laughs and heals himself,
Vaneer finally manages to land a blow,
Miro stabs the paladin again which dealt enough damage to
drop him to the ground,
Vaneer looked down at the paladin, an internal debate was
racing through his mind and eventually sighed as he bent down and cast a
stabilise spell on the paladin and then stepped over to Otto and Natalia to
discuss what they should do with him,
Ideas ranged from just leaving him there, to leaving him
there naked, donating his service to the giants and dwarves up the volcano
though that didn’t really work at the circus. As they debate Miro decided to
undo the stabilise spell with a quick swipe of his dagger.
Then as if by magic an avalanche happened to roll down the
volcano and sweep the paladin down the side with it, Miro couldn’t help but
chuckle whilst Vaneer stood at the side worrying what he should do..if at all
anything.
“Well he isn’t Erastil is he?” mentioned Miro
“No” replied Vaneer
“So why worry?” asked Miro
“He’s still in an annoying way a good man” responded Vaneer
“Really?, he stood in our way to rescue an innocent girl
from capture and struck you without a seconds thought!” Miro said pointing down
at the mist of rock dust rising from the avalanche,
“You know what, your right! He clearly stood in the way of
me performing Erastil’s work. I tried to save him but if the fates decided to
sweep him away in a freak avalanche then I can’t be to blame” Vaneer decided
“Good!” Miro said patting the cleric on the back, “Of course
it was a freak accident! How else could it have happened!” the Halfling smirked
as he walked towards the rest of the group as they prepared to continue their
ascent up the stairs.
The group make their way back up to the top of the volcano
where they meet again with the ‘Tick tock’ man where they hand over the ample
supply of grubs they had collected which in returns earns them a jade lens in
return.
With the job done the group head back down the volcano, as
they reach the bottom of the slope the ground begins to rumble and the sky
begins to turn red as a solar eclipse covers the storyworld.
Suddenly 3 skeletons erupt from the ground,
Vaneer casts a positive energy burst severely injuring all 3
skeletons,
Otto uses magic missile to finish the job just as another 4
skeletons emerge,
Miro attacks a skeleton,
Hugo dispatches another,
Natalia uses her flaming blade to attack,
Vaneer casts another positive energy burst,
Otto turns his attention to the moon and casts an fireball
at it,
Boss attacks 2 skeletons and kills both as 6 more emerge,
Miro continues his onslaught and kills a skeleton,
Natalia attacks another skeleton,
Bob attacks and hits a skeleton,
Hugo attacks another two and hits both,
Vaneer casts another positive energy burst killing 3 more
skeletons,
Otto casts another fireball at the moon again as cracks
start to appear,
Boss attacks and kills another skeleton,
The remaining 2 skeletons miss both Miro and Vaneer,
6 more skeletons emerge from the ground,
Miro misses his target,
Hugo attacks and hits two of the skeletons,
Natalia uses a flaming sphere on a skeleton,
Natalia swipes at another skeleton with her flaming blade,
Bob attacks another skeleton,
Vaneer casts another positive energy burst killing 2 skeletons,
Otto fireballs the moon again causing the celestial body to
explode and causing the light in the world to return to normal which destroys
the remaining skeletons.
After a short breather the group heal up and make their way
towards the playhouse whilst resting along the way.
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