Mists over the Musarde, Chapter Four

[steveflam]

"Jon, stop!," the dwarf yells at the beastie as he moves towards Cirdan, Van Dieks and Jon. On the way, however, he removes his wand.

[ewancummins]

Cirdan's armored fist smashes into Van Deicks' furry head with a loud thud. The beast is temporarily stunned by the impact.

[Adam]

"Remember, our spells are not as effective since she is only party in and out of our world," Bennedict says, backing up against a wall. "Spells with force effects will be the most effective. And guard your thoughts! She is an enchanter!"

[ewancummins]

Van Diecks, incredibly still conscious, tries to squirm out from under the knight, who squats on top of him, raining down crushing blows with armored gauntlets.


Wolutha passes by Benn, and instead drifts towards Cirdan, who is beating Van Diecks to a bloody pulp. She speaks a few words, and a coruscating ray darts from her right hand to strike the knight in the flank.

[ewancummins]

Wolutha is struck in the back by Benn's spiritual weapon. She shrugs off the blow and keeps advancing upon the party, hate blazing brightly in her eyes.

Wolutha now flies towards a suddenly weakened Cirdan, who struggles to hold down Van Diecks. As she passes, Alain- guided by Dorgio- reaches out to touch her with his left hand. The bluish black halo around Alain's hand dissipates as soon as he makes contact with the ghost. She flees screaming into the right hand wall! Wolutha is swallowed up by the stones, passing into them as if they were no more solid than she.

A split second later, Jon seizes the opportunity afforded by Cirdan's weakness, and lunges to attack Van Diecks. Jon twists under Cirdan's right arm and clamps his jaws down hard on the other werebeast's windpipe. There's a wet crunch and then bright red blood is pouring from Van Diecks' twisted, feral mouth.

[JMaytr]

As Van Dieks's blood pours from his lifeless body, the Jonathan creature slowly changes back to the form of the fifteen year old boy. Tears fall from his eyes.

"I don't...I....he made me into that monster...I couldn't control it..."

Jonathan stares down at Van Dieks's corpse for a long time, seemingly oblivious to the world around him.

[ewancummins]

In death, Gaston Van Diecks undergoes a final transformation. His form shifts slowly from bestial to human. The monster is gone and only the battered and bloody corpse of the man is left.

[Adam]

"Pull yourself together, there's no time for tears now," Bennedict says, stooping to examine the dead Van Deicks. "The witch is still out there somewhere."

He shakes his head in irritation, muttering to himself in Lamordian. "Foolish boy, there are a number of methods to control lycanthropy we could have tried, if you'd have just trusted us with the knowledge."

He stands, looking around for any sign of the ghost.

[ewancummins]

Benn, and everyone else alike, sees no signs of Wolutha's presence.

The visible extent of the hall is empty but for the dead man and your party. The teleport room is also empty. As for what may lie further down the long, gloomy hallway....

[steveflam]

"Bah! We needed 'im alive. Dangit all." Norzak appears to be quite upset at Jon, but controls it, for the benefit of the lad. Keeping his focus on the wand, he aims it at the queen, ready for her.

He moves close to Jon now, getting himself in between the lad and the dead Van Dieks. "Laddie, move away. Let 'im rest in peace." "I know ye tried ta control it. Dun fear, we try ta git ye a cure, ye get ,me?" The dwarf sighs. It wouldn't be easy with the young man from now on.

[ewancummins]

Keeping his focus on the wand, he aims it at the queen, ready for her.

Of course, Wolutha has fled, and so Norzak has no target in view.

[Le Noir Faineant]

As Van Dieks's blood pours from his lifeless body, the Jonathan creature slowly changes back to the form of the fifteen year old boy. Tears fall from his eyes.

"I don't...I....he made me into that monster...I couldn't control it..."

Jonathan stares down at Van Dieks's corpse for a long time, seemingly oblivious to the world around him.

Cirdan collapses next to Van Dieck, breathing heavily under the black armor.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain ask's Dorgio"Did we drive her off ?"

[JMaytr]

Jonathan stares hard at the dwarf.

"I heard the witch say you had a bargain with her Norzak. What was it?"

Wolutha speaks, her voice strong and commanding-

''Norzak, do not forget our bargain! ''

[Brock Marsh Runoff]

If Dorgio hears Alain's question, he makes no response. Instead, Van Dieck's corpse fills his vision and he tastes bile in his throat. He stoops, then retches onto the floor. He then rises, and wipes the vomit from his lips, and stares at Jon with cold eyes.

"What were you hoping to gain from this boy? How many times did we try to treat you? Maybe the raunie could have helped you if you hadn't ran! And now, who is knowing how we will be leaving here if we are bringing the raunie a corpse!"

He pauses and tries to collect himself, to little avail. "Wat is still here somewhere. I am not returning with two dead bodies."

The thought of the villager seems to galvanize him a little, and he approaches Cirdan. "Are you wounded?" When he says this, his own burns begin to throb again. He chants a prayer to the Morninglord to sooth his burns. <i>More scars from the fire</i> he thinks, remembering the flames that seared him in the sewers. <i>But he who serves the sun must sometimes touch its flames</i> he remembers one of the priests telling him as a child.

As the burns fade, so does some modicum of his fear and anger. And with that, something Jon says manages to stick.

"Yes...what bargain, Norzak?"