A Grim Goodbye

Abel clearly wanted to move on, and was palavering with Andreas about his thoughts regarding leaving the place. For his honor, Andreas would not budge, but knowing he was not a prevailing authority, asked the others for their opinion. Nobo'ru also agreed that they should leave, and Sorden, not having a hand in either choice, abstained from making a choice. Azariah decided that it would be best to wait, saying, "These Urash trees have mystical healing properties that aid us beyond our physical limits of recovery. It is also possible that Bacouth might have something to help us...I believe we should wait. It may also be that we have bled them, and so with reconnaisance we might learn more."

"Very well," said Andreas, "We will wait to see what Bacouth has that can help us."

Azariah asked Bacouth if he had anything that might be of aid, and he gave them the same drink that they had before at the feast, which Azariah had forgotten about between moments of unconsciousness and killing Ruk Shol. They were revived to a degree, but all except perhaps Sorden were exhausted and would not be able to last against any except the weakest and most last-ditch assault.

Just then, the familiar form of the ranger Draven came into the clearing. He was clutching a bloody wound on his arm. "The Ruk Shol!" He said, "The Ruk Shol are coming, more of them!"

"How many!?" asked Azariah, speaking more quickly than he does normally. "At least 15 more, they'll be here any minute!". "Of what quality are they?" Andreas inquired. "Just the weak grunts. It looks like a last-ditch attack to me," replied the wounded ranger.

Azariah turned to Andreas. This changed things. Now it was confirmed that more Ruk Shol were coming their way; but they were also weak, and relatively easy to put down, as the archers had been. Andreas, began to talk to everyone else. It was decided that if they were weak, that they could be held against- and that the original plan of ambush would likely work better this time. "At the very least," said Azariah, "it is time that the Priests of the Stars bore the brunt of their duty."

They left Draven at the tree, and slipped out past the now almost worthless tarp curtain and circled several hundred feet to the fank; when the sound of fighting began, they would come and surprise the Ruk Shol from behind.

Five minutes passed, and nothing. Then fire more. There was more palaver, and it was decided to wait five more minutes before going back. Five more minutes passed again without a sound, and they quickly came back to the tree. From behind the shredded curtain, they could hear Bacouth bellowing, "What are you doing!? Traitor!" As they entered, they could see the Priests of the Stars attempting to bind the ranger Draven. Andreas arrived first. Ever since they had discovered that the boy Jakoba had been a Ruk Shol shapeshifter, Azariah had been checking Ruk Shol bodies to see if they carried anything the boy had on him... but Azariah was not the only one seeking the creature's blood. Andreas would demand a repayment for the blood of the children that died because of this creature.

As they circled around the man named Draven, they found on him the same vials of black stuff which had been thrown at the tree before, and he had already put some on it, causing it to darken. Nobo'ru picked up one of the vials. Pinning the ranger to the ground, Andreas began to question him. He was not gentle. Draven lied, saying that his family had been kidnapped, but the Sorden and Nobo'ru saw through the lie. Without a moment's hesitation, Nobo'ru dropped some of the fluid on his forehead. He began to make more noise as it started to burn his skin. Andreas demanded that it assume its true form, and roaring "Never!" it started to try and break its bonds and escape. With a muffled popping sound, Andreas dislocated its right arm. Draven began to shift, and as he did the bonds loosened. Again Andreas pinned him down.

As he did so, Azariah walked away. As much as he would have enjoyed tormenting the Ruk Shol, he enjoyed the silence of the darkness outside better. Slipping past the remains of the curtain, he climbed a dead tree and waited, listening quietly to the sounds outside in the rain and the screams of the creature that had called itself Draven inside.

With surpirising strength, the thing, now certainly a Ruk Shol, broke free and attmepted to flee but was stabbed by Nobo'ru and tackled again by Andreas, who used his experience with grappling to put the Ruk Shol in an ankle lock. A lot of pain and a broken ankle later, the creature revealed its name, which no one cared to remember, and the plans of the Ruk Shol. They learned of their organization, and of their plans to take over Abaden. Most importantly, they learned that the force that "Draven" had said was coming was a third larger and far more powerful. As the interrogation drew to a close, the Ruk Shol said arrogantly, "You cannot stop us. We will detroy you all and enslave this world."

"Well," Andreas said, "Then I suppose my one consolation will be that you never lived to see it." And rising up with his sword in hand, Andreas cut the creature's head from its body. Azariah once again came back inside. "I heard nothing," he said. "The reinforcements are likely still a while off." "Well, by a half-hour, at least," said Andreas.