torg 03- The Nightmare Dream by Jonatha Ariadne Caspian Page B
Authors: Jonatha Ariadne Caspian
Tags: Games, Role Playing & Fantasy
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waving his fingers and firing another bolt into the monster.
The second bolt struck its right shoulder, disintegrating the bone in a sizzle of sparks. The skeleton staggered, almost fell, then with great effort righted itself and leaped toward the crackling dwarf.
The dwarf smiled triumphantly and made ready to cast another bolt. Before he could speak the word of power that would send it on its way, a glowing black dagger of light shot out of the jungle and struck the dwarf. Grim screamed, collapsing to the ground.
Meanwhile, the skeleton landed over the dwarf, peering down at him with hollow eye sockets. It moved even more awkwardly than before because of its ruined shoulder, and it seemed slower since being hit by two bolts of magic lightning, but it was still capable of great destruction.
Grim was not yet helpless, however. He was struggling to rise when another black dagger flew from the jungle and sliced into him. It caused no visible
wound, but like its twin the enchanted missile seemed to sap the very life from its target. Tolwyn traced its path kick into the trees and noticed a black shape partially hidden behind a huge trunk. She grabbed a nearby soldier and pointed into the trees.
For a moment, the soldier was confused. He did not . i • anything. Then, following her finger, he nodded. He raised his rifle to his shoulder, aimed down the length of I he barrel, and fired. The bullet struck the dark form, and Tolwyn watched as it jerked and went down.
"Finish it, Grim," Tolwyn ordered as she charged toward the tree line.
The dwarf, still on his back and sorely hurt, looked at I lie skeletal monster looming over him. Then he fired his last two bolts in quick succession. The twin bolts of jagged lightning shattered the skull and rib cage of the the creature, and shards of bone rained down on the dwarf.
Tolwyn watched with satisfaction as the skeleton fell apart. She reached the jungle a moment later, but the dark form was gone. All that remained as proof of its presence was a bit of trampled grass and a splatter of still-warm blood.
She returned with her news. "The soldier's bullet wounded the dark mage," Tolwyn reported, "but he managed to slip back into the jungle."
"Then I suggest we move out," the general said. "I want to reach our ship and be gone from this accursed island before any more monsters can be thrown at us."
Tolwyn agreed, and the companions followed the remaining soldiers toward the shore.
15
Wilfred Markham watched as the tall warrior woman examined the spot he had recently occupied. He barely had time to cast mage dark around himself and slip into the hollow of an ancient tree before she arrived.
Curse them all! He couldn't remember the last time he had suffered such wounds! Why, the dwarf had actually knocked him senseless with a metal tool. The lump over his left eye was a painful testimony to the dwarf's act. Then, to make matters worse, one of the Victorian soldiers had gotten off a shot. Luckily the blessed bullet had passed through his body, but the wound in his shoulder made his left arm virtually useless.
If the damage to his own person were only the end of it! No, these travelers from other realms had destroyed four chthon and a skeletal golem with relative ease! It must be the stone's doing, he decided. Somehow they were drawing on the power of the eternity shard the priest carried. It was the only explanation he would accept.
The woman returned to the others, and after a brief discussion they gathered their gear and started back down the trail. How sure they were of their safety! How arrogant!
Markham began to search through his robes for components. He had to have a spell left to deal with these bothersome wanderers. Eternity shards in Orrorsh were hard enough to come by; he wasn't going to let one that presented itself to him by accident slip away so easily.
"Put away your magicks, Markham. These travelers are not for you."
The voice startled Markham, and he spilled a
The second bolt struck its right shoulder, disintegrating the bone in a sizzle of sparks. The skeleton staggered, almost fell, then with great effort righted itself and leaped toward the crackling dwarf.
The dwarf smiled triumphantly and made ready to cast another bolt. Before he could speak the word of power that would send it on its way, a glowing black dagger of light shot out of the jungle and struck the dwarf. Grim screamed, collapsing to the ground.
Meanwhile, the skeleton landed over the dwarf, peering down at him with hollow eye sockets. It moved even more awkwardly than before because of its ruined shoulder, and it seemed slower since being hit by two bolts of magic lightning, but it was still capable of great destruction.
Grim was not yet helpless, however. He was struggling to rise when another black dagger flew from the jungle and sliced into him. It caused no visible
wound, but like its twin the enchanted missile seemed to sap the very life from its target. Tolwyn traced its path kick into the trees and noticed a black shape partially hidden behind a huge trunk. She grabbed a nearby soldier and pointed into the trees.
For a moment, the soldier was confused. He did not . i • anything. Then, following her finger, he nodded. He raised his rifle to his shoulder, aimed down the length of I he barrel, and fired. The bullet struck the dark form, and Tolwyn watched as it jerked and went down.
"Finish it, Grim," Tolwyn ordered as she charged toward the tree line.
The dwarf, still on his back and sorely hurt, looked at I lie skeletal monster looming over him. Then he fired his last two bolts in quick succession. The twin bolts of jagged lightning shattered the skull and rib cage of the the creature, and shards of bone rained down on the dwarf.
Tolwyn watched with satisfaction as the skeleton fell apart. She reached the jungle a moment later, but the dark form was gone. All that remained as proof of its presence was a bit of trampled grass and a splatter of still-warm blood.
She returned with her news. "The soldier's bullet wounded the dark mage," Tolwyn reported, "but he managed to slip back into the jungle."
"Then I suggest we move out," the general said. "I want to reach our ship and be gone from this accursed island before any more monsters can be thrown at us."
Tolwyn agreed, and the companions followed the remaining soldiers toward the shore.
15
Wilfred Markham watched as the tall warrior woman examined the spot he had recently occupied. He barely had time to cast mage dark around himself and slip into the hollow of an ancient tree before she arrived.
Curse them all! He couldn't remember the last time he had suffered such wounds! Why, the dwarf had actually knocked him senseless with a metal tool. The lump over his left eye was a painful testimony to the dwarf's act. Then, to make matters worse, one of the Victorian soldiers had gotten off a shot. Luckily the blessed bullet had passed through his body, but the wound in his shoulder made his left arm virtually useless.
If the damage to his own person were only the end of it! No, these travelers from other realms had destroyed four chthon and a skeletal golem with relative ease! It must be the stone's doing, he decided. Somehow they were drawing on the power of the eternity shard the priest carried. It was the only explanation he would accept.
The woman returned to the others, and after a brief discussion they gathered their gear and started back down the trail. How sure they were of their safety! How arrogant!
Markham began to search through his robes for components. He had to have a spell left to deal with these bothersome wanderers. Eternity shards in Orrorsh were hard enough to come by; he wasn't going to let one that presented itself to him by accident slip away so easily.
"Put away your magicks, Markham. These travelers are not for you."
The voice startled Markham, and he spilled a
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