Keith Strohm - The Tomb of Horrors

With a cry born of grief and triumph, Kaerion unsheathed the blade that had lain quiescent for a decade. Galadorn burst into life with an explosion of white heat. The runes running along its blue-steel length flared with coruscating energy. Raising the sword high, Kaerion called on the protection of Heironeous. The blade sang with power.

At last, we are reunited! it shouted within Kaerion’smind, sending forth a burst of energy that knocked the monk from his feet. Already, Kaerion could feel the blade’s holy might pushing back Acererak’s darkpresence.

I ask your forgiveness, Galadorn, for denying you so long, Kaerion said to the sword.

There is nothing to forgive, came the reply. It took afew moments for Kaerion to realize that the sword’s voice in his mind seemed.. different somehow. He had little time to think about such oddities, however, for he felt the righteous anger of his god rising within him. Acererak’s skullhad turned from the battle and now regarded the paladin with a deadly gaze. Black energy shot out from the demi-lich’s eye-only to be swept away by a singlecut from his holy sword.

The skull’s presence throbbed like a cancerous blight to hisgod-enhanced senses. Everything inside Kaerion screamed for the abomination’sdestruction. Breathing deeply, he charged the demi-lich.

“Heironeous lend me strength!” he shouted as he drew nearer.

Slowly at first, and then with increasing speed, he felt the Arch Paladin’s power filling him-white and hot and potent. Every fiber ofKaerion’s being drank in the holy energy, until his bones vibrated with thestrength of it.

The paladin swung his sword with a cry, barely able to contain the divine fury that swelled within him. There was a moment of resistance-and then Galadorn struck the demi-lich. Heironeous’ power rushed outof him. Fueled and magnified by the holy sword, it detonated against the skull, causing it to explode in a hail of powder and dust. The roiling darkness of Acererak’s spirit fled with an unearthly shriek.

“No, you fool!” he heard a voice shout from somewhere nearthe vault’s door.

There was no time to explore the source of that voice. Glancing at his companions, Kaerion could see that the golem had almost vanquished them. Landra stood before it, bruised and bleeding, barely able to hold up her sword, while Bredeth charged in and out of the creature’s reach,slicing at it like a hunting dog might worry the heels of a giant boar.

Gerwyth had retreated a few steps and was firing arrows repeatedly at the monster. Several had managed to pierce its flesh, but it was nowhere close to being hurt. Kaerion ran forward, eager to bring Galadorn to bear on the situation, and was surprised to hear a soft whispering sound coming from the elf’s bow. He recognized the familiar lilt of Elvish, but, not beingfluent in that language, he could not understand what it was saying. He had heard Gerwyth speaking to the weapon in battle before, but had never dreamed it was sentient.

Galadorn’s influence must be allowing me to overhear it, hethought.

The golem reached out a meaty hand to grab at Landra just as Kaerion swung his blade at the monster. The force of his blow cut deeply into the creature’s flesh. Kaerion heard the crack of bones as Galadorn cleavedthrough its shoulder, nearly severing the golem’s arm from its body. Through itall, he could hear the blade’s triumphant song ringing in his head.

Another arrow struck the golem, lodging in the constructs throat, but that did not slow down its counterattack. Hastily, Kaerion slid to the creature’s left, raising his shield to block the forearm that threatened tosnap the bones in his chest. The paladin grunted under the impact as his shield bent awkwardly around his arm. He was about to throw the useless instrument to the ground when Galadorn shouted, Kaerion, behind you!

Kaerion turned but was not quick enough to dodge the attack. He screamed in agony as a black-clad figure thrust a blade deep into his back. Kaerion cursed at his own stupidity. He had completely forgotten about the thief that had stolen some of Phathas’ maps during the attack on the inn.

You are badly wounded, his sword declared-somewhatunnecessarily, for Kaerion could feel that the damage was extensive. The thief’sblade had sliced through his kidney and probably punctured his stomach.

I will heal you, Kaerion’s holy sword said, and thepaladin could indeed feel his wounds knitting together. Strength once more flowed into his arms. Kaerion threw himself back, unwilling to remain flanked a second longer.

But you’ve never been able to do that before, he said toGaladorn. This is new.

Indeed, was the blades only reply-and suddenly Kaerionrealized what was different about the sword’s voice.

Vaxor? He asked. Is that you?

We are here, came the reply. Thank you for your gift.

A movement off to his right stopped his next question. There, rising up from a pool of blood, was Phathas. The mage’s breath came heavy andlabored, but he struggled to his feet. “Kill the cleric,” he wheezed, andpointed at a balding figure who held a black object in one hand. “Let the othershandle the thief.”

“What of the golem?” Kaerion asked.

“Leave… to me,” was all the mage said. Kaerion was takenaback at the fierceness of his tone. “Do it!”

Shaking his head, he moved away from the deadly construct and searched the room for signs of the thief.

“Remember me, my friend,” the mage said softly, momentsbefore he lunged at the golem. Before the monsters muscled arms could enclose him in its deadly embrace, he took his staff and broke it in half. Eldritch energy exploded from the item with concussive force. The power from the staff’sdestruction beat against Galadorn’s wards, but the sword’s protective magicheld.

Kaerion ran toward the evil cleric, but before he could reach him, a red robed figure blocked his path. “This ends here,” Kaerion growled atthe monk, who merely nodded in response. The paladin lashed out with a diagonal slice of his holy sword-and barely saved the blade from flying from his hand ashis opponent delivered a spinning kick that struck the weapon. His effort to hold the blade securely left an opening for the monk to strike, and strike he did. Two vicious open hand blows struck Kaerion in the face, one nearly smashing the cartilage in his throat. Reeling, Kaerion could not raise his battered shield in time to block the monk’s snapping kick-which knocked him to his knees.

He strikes like the wind, Kaerion said to the presencelurking within his blade. If I don’t wound him soon, this battle will beover.

The response from Galadorn was instantaneous. The sword glowed brighter for just a moment, and Kaerion felt his blood quicken as holy power increased his own mortal reflexes beyond their natural speed. He rose to his feet just as the monk launched a blinding flurry of blows-and Kaerionmanaged to avoid every one of them. The fourth time he blocked the monk’sknife-edged hand attack, he had the satisfaction of watching his opponent’s eyeswiden in surprise.

Not wishing to delay the battle any longer, Kaerion launched his own offensive, his holy sword weaving a trail of purest energy as he struck out at the monk. His first strike missed as the red-robed man danced nimbly out of the way, but his second stroke caught his opponent across the ribs. Galadorn flared in response as the monk’s blood spilled on to the floor.

Sensing victory, Kaerion closed the distance and thrust forward with his blade. The monk stumbled in his attempt to avoid the attack and, summoning the power of Heironeous once again, Kaerion brought his sword down and to the side for a swift, killing blow. Energy flared along the blade’slength in response to the white-hot power that flowed through him. The monk leapt to avoid the strike, but he could not evade Kaerion’s attack. Righteousanger and grief strengthened the paladin’s sword arm.