Brian Pratt - Warrior priest of Dmon-Li

Miko does as he says and they return to the Star room. The lead warrior says, “Go and protect the fire.”

“We shall,” says James. As he makes to leave, the warriors rush past him and out the door, engaging the enemy.

At the door, Jiron almost runs into them, both of them coming to a quick stop. “Who are those guys?” he asks him.

“Not really sure,” James says. He looks down the corridor and sees them fighting most effectively against the soldiers. “Let’s get out of here while we can.” One more glance back at the fighting and he sees the warriors have mowed through the soldiers like a scythe through wheat.

They begin running down the corridor in the opposite direction when James suddenly feels an intense prickling sensation. Abula-Mazki!

A feeling of evil and revulsion rolls over them like a wave. James is almost reduced to vomiting from the feeling of it.

“What was that?” Jiron asks.

“I’m not sure,” James replies once he’s regained control of his stomach again.

From up ahead, they hear movement. Holding the orb up, its light reveals a corpse shuffling around the corner ahead of them, others following behind. “He’s raised the dead against us!” James cries out.

“James!” hollers Jiron. “The Star!”

Holding the Star of Morcyth high, the light again comes from it. The dead only shy away from it, it slows them down but fails to stop them entirely.

“It’s not working!” shouts Miko when he fails to see the dead dissolve like the torsos had.

“The magic of Abula-Mazki must be sustaining them,” replies James. Turning to Jiron, he says, “Only one thing to do.”

Nodding his head, Jiron moves to the fore where he begins laying into them. Hits that would normally drop a living man have minimal effect upon these.

“Don’t try to kill them,” advises James, “they’re already dead. Try to disable so we can get by them.” He sees Jiron nod as his tactics suddenly change.

One of the dead is wielding a sword and Jiron easily takes it from him. Then he uses the sword in one hand and a knife in the other as he begins cutting off limbs from the dead.

Miko suddenly cries out as a hand that had been severed from a corpse grabs his foot. Screaming, he kicks out with his other foot and knocks it away. In revulsion he sees the hand still moving, as it begins pulling itself across the floor toward them with its fingers.

“Come on!” he hears James yell. Turning back toward him, he sees that the last corpse has been sectioned and the way is clear. He hurries past the moving pieces of the dead that try to grab him as he passes, and joins James and Jiron.

They make a break down the corridor and come to another junction. The orb’s light shows shambling shapes coming from the right so they turn and go to the left.

Running down the corridor, they follow it for twenty feet before it turns sharply to the right. Around the corner, they come to a flight of stairs. Without pausing they race up them, taking them two at a time.

When they reach the top, they find themselves to be in an old cellar, perhaps of a temple of some kind. The ceiling has collapsed in several spots and it’s difficult to make it through to the doorway on the far side.

They’re going to have to dig out some of the rubble in order to squeeze through. “Guard the door!” James yells to Jiron as he and Miko begin clearing the way.

“Hurry up man!” Jiron hollers over to them. A corpse comes into view at the bottom of the stairs and begins to climb up. Many more follow.

Digging as fast as they can, they finally clear a wide enough space for them to squeeze through. Miko goes first and James has to push him through for him to make it. He widens it a fraction more before he hollers over his shoulder, “Jiron, let’s go!” James quickly squeezes through and then turns to watch Jiron still fighting at the stairs.

Jiron kicks out at a corpse, knocking it back down the stairs. Then he turns and dashes toward the narrow opening and easily wriggles through.

Leaving the room, they follow a hallway for another twenty feet before coming to a flight of stairs going up. Rubble chokes it, but they are able to work their way up the stairs and soon find themselves outside under the moon and stars.

“Which way?” Jiron asks when they’re all out.

“Not yet,” James says as he pauses a moment and summons the magic. When he releases it, the ground begins to shake and they start to lose their balance. Suddenly realizing he went too far, he yells, “RUN!”

They follow him as he runs away from the entrance as fast as possible. Behind them, they begin to hear a roar as the shaking of the ground increases. They are thrown to the ground and all they can do is lie there. The roar intensifies as the shaking continues, James prays they’ll not be caught up in it.

When the ground finally stops shaking and they’re able to get up, they move cautiously back toward the entrance to the catacomb. The dust is thick and it takes a while before they can see clearly. When they do, the sight amazes them.

The cliff had collapsed and fallen into the canyon. The moonlight doesn’t show the extent of the damage but the edge of the cliff is now a lot further back than where it had been. The ruins they had climbed from are gone, probably lying somewhere in the bottom of the canyon.

“Hope that killed him,” Jiron says as he stares into the darkness of the canyon. From below, they can hear the sound of stone sliding down the slope.

“I do too,” agrees James.

“I don’t think we should stay here,” Jiron advises. “We better put as much distance between us and here as we can.”

In the moonlight, James nods agreement. They set out away from the canyon, ever mindful of the troops awaiting them at the northern end. Angling more east than north, they walk for several hours before stopping.

“Just a quick rest, and then we must be on our way,” James announces. “I’ll take first watch.”

He can see Jiron nod affirmatively and lie down. A glow suddenly appears from where Miko sits. Glancing over, he sees him holding the Fire in his hand. “Probably shouldn’t be touching it more than you have to,” he advises him.

Jiron sits up and looks over to Miko. “What is that?”

Miko gets to his feet and brings it over to them. “They said it was the ‘Fire’,” he explains.

“Fire?” he asks confused. “What does that mean?”

“It would seem it has to do with Dmon-Li,” James replies. “The priests of Morcyth had stolen it somehow and had secreted it back there,” he explains, gesturing back toward the canyon. He goes on to explain all that the spirits had told him.

“Man!” Jiron exclaims. “Now what?”

“I don’t know,” James replies. “But we better make sure that it remains hidden.”

“It’s so beautiful,” they hear Miko whisper. Looking over, they see him completely engrossed with the gem, his gaze fixed upon it.

“Miko,” James says, trying to get his attention. When Miko fails to respond, he hollers louder, “Miko!”

Starting, Miko looks over to James, his eyes not really seeing him.

“Put it away,” he tells him. “You need to get some sleep.”

Nodding abstractly, he returns the Fire to his pouch and promptly lies down. His snores can be heard moments later.

James moves closer to Jiron and whispers, “We’re going to have to keep an eye on him. Not sure if that will affect him in any way.”

“Yeah, it sort of looked like he was lost in it for a moment there,” Jiron whispers back. “Why don’t you take it?”

“I can’t,” replies James. “The spirit said ‘Only a son of this world may touch it. All others must surely perish.’ So I’m not sure what would happen, but I’d rather not take the chance.”