Hello, Everyone!
We’re still in the elven cemetery, and the fight with Kloth and his Undead is still ongoing. Mary was unconscious for a couple of moments and woke up to a zombie chewing on something--probably her--but Bruno got her on her feet and fighting again. She managed to return the favour, sending a Counterspell at Kloth when he was casting something really nasty at their Cleric.
All in all, last time our heroes managed to deal some pretty good blows at their enemy, and Mary even blasted the magic staff off of his hands with a well-placed Eldritch Blast. However, this painted her as a target, and in a matter of seconds, Dorina Dwendel had her stiletto right through our dear Mary’s heart.
For a second time this evening, she fell.
For the second time this evening, Mary gasped into consciousness. It was Tesaya's face she saw bent over her now, their hostess' hands glowing green from one of the healing jewels on her necklace.
The moment she saw Mary take a breath, the Paladin grabbed her and dragged her away from the most dangerous area.
"No!" Mary croaked through her dried throat. "The staff!"
Kloth raised it and started another incantation. He was almost corporeal now, most of his darkness was somehow blown away while Mary was out. He looked weak and desperate.
She aimed an Eldritch Blast and released it on the staff. It hit so powerfully that it tore off Kloth's whole arm.
He roared in agony but his voice was cut short. Bruno's spiritual weapon swung at him one last time and crushed his head where he stood. The last bits of darkness flaked around his form like ashes, and what was left was the dead body of Correlon Entivio.
Mary's theory had turned out right.
She didn't feel any satisfaction from that fact. Аlmost by muscle memory, she helped Tesaya and Aurum finish off the last Undead around them, and then turned to see what had happened to the person who’d stabbed her through the heart.
Dorina Dwendel was lying on top of Entivio's body. The moment he had perished, she had fallen like a rag doll. Aurum cast Hold Person on her unconscious body, and Bruno rushed to take the stiletto away.
Then, he studied Kloth's staff. It was still glowing red and quietly chanting through its open mouth. The dwarf set it on a gravestone and tried to smash it with his hammer. Unsuccessfully.
"Try to dispell the magic," Mary suggested.
He did. Ord's flames shot out from his holy symbol and enveloped the dragon skull. Its eyes went out, and at that moment the remaining undead just… dropped. Corpses crumbled on the ground all around the mausoleum. Far in the distance, where Myth Adofhaer’s elves were still fighting, surprised gasps and triumphant yells came through.
Mary looked around. There were no more enemies to fight. Bruno and Aurum were moving Dorina's unconscious body to a more secure position and searching her for any hidden weapons. Tesaya, covered in blood and dirt, trudged up to the mausoleum wall and almost collapsed beside it.
"I need a rest," she sighed weakly. Her face was calm now, no sign of the animalistic frenzy she'd displayed during the fight; but it was so tired!
Mary stumbled towards her, feet trembling with exhaustion. She was just now realizing how broken and hurt her body was. She, too, needed a rest.
"Careful," Tesaya said when she flopped down next to her and dropped her head on the Paladin’s shoulder. "I might bleed on you."
"Not if I bleed on you first," Mary said.
They chuckled.
The elves came not long after. There were regular guards, the likes of which Mary and her friends had seen all over the city, but there were also the strange dark-cloaked ones with the sapphires on the lapel. Those were quick to disappear once they made sure that the threat was gone.
Tiriel Elaire, in her night gown and a hastily put on top of it robe, stood above the scene, flying in a bright ethereal sphere, her white hair flowing behind her. She didn’t pay any attention to Mary’s group, swooped down to take the bone staff and immediately started barking orders.
“Who’s going to talk to them?” Bruno whispered while the elves were still too far away to hear them. “I don’t wanna.”
“Uh-uh,” Aurum said. “Not me either.”
Tesaya, suddenly on her feet and as straight as a nail in the presence of her superiors, just shook her head.
Mary rolled her eyes and stood up, staggering from the exhaustion. She managed to stay upright to meet Balaine Endoras. Unlike his fellow Elder, he came directly to them. His hair was dishevelled, he was wearing a night robe and loafers, but his bow was hanging from his back, pulsing ever so slightly.
“Agents,” he said, “What happened here?”
Mary sighed. Where to even begin?! They went into the archives. Found Olivia’s name. Met Correlon Entivio. Messaged Dorina. Talked to Kloth behind the mausoleum. Had an hour to decide what to do. Met him again. Fought. She almost died.
Twice.
While she was considering her words, Balaine Endoras glanced at the scene. His eyes moved from the fallen figure of Correlon, the marks of the battle around the mausoleum, the bone staff in Tiriel Elaire’s hands and the unconscious Dorina lying on the ground. He kneeled down and took the stiletto. It quickly disappeared in the folds of his robes.
“I see,” he said. “Do you have anything useful to tell us?”
Again with the usefulness! Mary felt anger rise in her chest. They had fought for the elves’ cause. She had almost died for the elves’ cause! She had her dead parents brought before her eyes, and she couldn’t do anything, because her friends wanted to ’help Myth Adofhaer’!
And all Balaine Endoras would say to them was “do you have anything useful to tell us”!
She felt a soothing touch on her shoulder and noticed Bruno shaking his head slightly. Mary let out a deep breath and held in her anger. She realized she had no excess energy for that, so she cut straight to the chase.
What couldn’t the Elder sus out from what he saw before him?
“Correlon Entivio wanted to resurrect his dead wife,” she said, “and was doing experiments with the souls of the elven girls. His laboratory is hidden somewhere underground and there might be four girls still alive there. Also, there were souls trapped inside that staff of his. He used up two of them while we fought and we couldn’t do anything to prevent it.”
She turned to Tiriel Elaire who was still inspecting the item.
“Please! If there are more souls trapped inside, can you try and help them?”
The Elder woman ignored her.
“So, an underground laboratory,” Balaine Endoras said. “Maybe in his house?”
Bruno raised a key chain. He’d found it when he'd searched Correlon’s body.
My baby is ALIVE! Woo-hoo! I’m so relieved, even though I knew how the story was going to go. XD It’s really interesting to re-read these chapters before I post them, it’s been months since I’ve written them.
What did you think of the fight? How was my pacing? Did I use the right words? After all this time, I’m still worried that I won’t be able to deliver on the action…
Anyway, we had a pretty intense couple of episodes. Next, we're going to see the aftermath of the fight and find out if our heroes are going to be able to save Dorina and find the elven girls.
Oh, also, do you have anything to ask for an upcoming Q&A? I think it’s time we had another chat with our DM. Ask him things like:
'what was going to happen, if [blank]'
or 'how did you think of [blank]'
or 'how dare you [blank]'...
See you in the next chapter!
Take care and he well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide and the Glossary for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: These are my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum and Bruno) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.