James Ward: The Paladins

"Still no sign of any room that appears on this map of Khelben's," said Miltiades, studying the parchment under the light of an enchanted jewel. "This mazework of caves and corridors required the work of a twisted genius!"

A whisper of laughter echoed through the hallways.

"You're welcome," scoffed Jacob to the darkness.

"Actually, we've been extremely lucky," said Aleena. "We've only encountered a handful of monsters, and most of them were of the bite-and-run variety."

"That's because somebody else has already been through this area," replied Miltiades. "We've certainly encountered a lot of bodies."

"Who do you suppose wiped out those beholders back there?" asked Able. "Whoever did it, I hope they're on our side."

"Many groups of adventurers wander these hallways, honing their survival skills," said the wizardess.

"I'd say whoever killed those beholders is ready for dragons," said Noph.

Trandon stood and walked a few steps into the eastern corridor. "Whatever's making that noise, it's getting louder."

Kern got up and joined him, staring into the impenetrable darkness ahead. He concentrated on the noise, trying to decide if it was a mass of voices or blowing wind. Without warning a wave of nausea drenched him. He staggered back from it, his vision spinning. Trandon lunged for him as he fell. The warrior caught the young paladin in his burly arms and lowered him gently to the floor.

"Tyr save us!" sputtered Kern. "I've never felt so much concentrated evil in my life!"

Miltiades stepped into the shaft, steeling his nerves against the assault that overpowered Kern. Bitterness stung his heart like wet hornets, and he turned away from it. While the others looked on, he marched over to the northeastern corridor.

"Evil in that direction as well, but not so strong as from the east."

"Time for justice!" swore Kern, struggling back to his feet and glaring down the east shaft. Jacob drew his sword and stood next to him. Trandon tucked his quar-terstaff into the crook of his arm and took up a position behind the swordsman.

"But what of the evil in the other direction?" asked Aleena.

"There's evil everywhere down here," said Miltiades. "Besides, I don't want to separate the party. It's too dangerous."

"Then let's send a small group, just to spy it out," suggested Able. "We don't want to be caught from behind."

"They're right," said Kern. "I'll go investigate it alone."

"No, I'll go," volunteered Able. "If that much evil radiates from the east, you two should stay here in case whatever's down there comes this way. Ill just peek in this direction and be right back."

"Trandon, you're light on your feet," said Miltiades. "Go with him."

"Right." Trandon swung around to the northeastern cave mouth.

"If it's okay, I'd like to go, too," said Noph. The paladins looked at him doubtfully. "I mean, I'm not even wearing armor, so I can sneak better than any of you. I promise I'll be careful."

"All right, but don't start anything," cautioned Kern. "Just check it out and get right back. And hurry. We've got a princess to rescue."

"I'm telling you, Kern, she's not a princess," growled Aleena.

The trio crept down the water-carved passageway and slipped around the bend. Soon, the backward cast of their dim blue light faded from view of the cavern where the rest of the party waited. The passage stretched on for several hundred feet, cutting a crooked path that turned toward the north. A few cave links large enough for one person to squeeze through branched off here and there, but they kept to the main shaft.

The party reached a sharp turn and paused. Around the corner, they spied reddish light.

"Can you see what it is?" whispered Able. The others shook their heads.

"I’ll crawl up there and see if I can get a better look," hissed the boy.

"Be careful, Noph. Be very, very careful!"

Kastonoph drew his dagger and clenched it between his teeth. It forced him to pull his tongue way back into his throat and felt uncomfortable, but it did give him a fleeting sense of confidence. He dropped to his belly and wriggled around the corner, making his way toward the source of the light. Quietly he shimmied into a shallow depression of the cave floor. He clawed his way to its opposite rim and peeked over, looking into the cave beyond.

A hulking, brutish creature, with reddish-brown fur covering most of its body and gray flaps of skin along the sides of its face stood with its knuckles resting on the floor, looking into a mirror. It grinned wickedly into the glass, baring its long fangs, and lifted one forehand to flex its six digits in a grotesque wave at itself. Noph choked back a gasp.

The mirror began to glow brilliantly, and the beast covered its eyes with a hairy paw. A low hum swelled, followed by the shrill snap of lightning sparks. Before the boy's amazed eyes, a red-furred, six-toed foot stepped from the mirror's smooth surface. A second later a duplicate monster fully emerged, paused a moment while it checked its footing, and then drew itself up before the other. The new arrival snarled and raised its hackles at its twin, and they began to slowly circle one another.

Noph took advantage of the moment to slip back toward Able and Trandon.

Something against the wall next to him shifted…

Noph caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and froze. He tensed his muscles for a spring and dug his fingernails into the soft sandstone, then raised his buttocks as he shifted to his knees, finding purchase for his toes. His eyes and nostrils flared wide. With a final deep breath, he leaped up and forward, grunting with the effort. His hands left the ground as he shifted his weight to his feet and pushed off for all he was worth. A cool breeze slid through his hair as he accelerated.

In a flash, a massive claw shot out from the cave wall and snatched the boy by the collar. His feet swung out in front of him with a jerk as his forward momentum came to a sudden stop. Another one of the creatures, somehow camouflaged against the cave until now, lifted him by the back of his shirt and grinned cruelly into his eyes. Noph gawked back at the thing and opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out.

"Stop!" shouted Able, who stood two paces away. The creature looked his way with a start. "Filthy Abyssal bar-lgura! You shall not have him!"

Trandon came to the cleric's side and twirled his quarterstaff threateningly. "You shall know and fear the power of Tyr!" he cried, pointing at Able. "This priest carries the god of justice within him!"

At Trandon's words, Able started and froze. He held forth his warhammer with Tyr's scales of justice emblazoned on its head, but no words came to him. Trandon looked at him with a frown of concern, and both the bar-lgura and Noph paused in dread, watching him-yet nothing happened. Five more bar-lgura stepped away from the walls. They were joined by the two from the room beyond.

"We feel nothing!'' sneered voices in Abie's head. "No power of Tyr. All we sense from you is… fear."

"Able, call upon Tyr!" urged Trandon, taking a step back

"Feel the power of the Abyss!" whispered the telepathic voices. The bar-lgura released their aura of terror and Noph screamed. Able and Trandon fell to the floor as though they'd been run over by a war wagon, crying out in horror themselves. "Tyr-slime, unloved by Tyr," the bar-lgura sneered. "We shall eat you alive and take this man-boy back to the Abyss, where he will be turned into a larva!" Macabre laughter rang through their heads.

"No!" shrieked Able. "Tyr, why have you forsaken me?" He looked at the wretched tanar'ri leering at the boy, who dangled helpless before them. Suddenly, his fear turned into fury, and he climbed to his feet. The bar-lgura looked at him, surprised.