by Jamie Davis
"Hal, can I have a word with you?" Kay said.
Hal could tell his partner didn’t like what he was doing.
"Kay, you'll have to trust me. I can tell she's being truthful with us. Don’t ask me how, I just can."
Hal turned back to Sister Darla. "Answer the question. Can you help us and get your colleagues who are true to their vows and want to be rid of the Warden to come to our aid?"
"I cannot speak for them, but I will implore them to help you. I will come to your aid. That is all I can promise. Others may or may not join me." Sister Darla met his gaze with a level stare.
TRUTH.
"I BELIEVE HER, Kay. She's telling the truth."
"You sound awfully sure of yourself," Kay said.
"I can't tell you how I know, I just know," Hal said. "She'll help us and implore others to help as well. She's an ally."
"I swear upon the God of the Sun and his bride the Mistress of the Moon that I tell you the truth. I will fight by your side and help you defeat the Warden," Sister Darla swore to Kay.
TRUTH.
KAY SEEMED IMPRESSED by the formal oath coupled with Hal's assurances. She nodded. She'd allow Sister Darla to help them.
"Sister Darla, is there a way to get close to the Warden in the Temple's Sanctum without her noticing, a secret or rear entrance perhaps?" Hal asked.
Sister Darla pondered the question for a few seconds before answering.
"There is a service entrance to the High Priest’s robing room. It is where the least of the acolytes enter to clean and remove the garments for laundering. If you can sneak in there, you'd be just behind the altar," Darla said. "You'd be maybe fifteen to twenty feet away from where she usually sits holding court."
"Then that's what we'll do," Hal said. "We'll get in there the back way. Now, we need a distraction. Sister Darla, how many of your fellow initiates can you be sure of? How many will follow you into this fight?"
The Sun priestess paused in thought.
“I am sure of four, I think. There are five others who might join us once the fighting begins, but I am sure of four. We have discussed this between us already. I know two are already there in attendance. I just left them in the Sanctum. The others have assigned duties elsewhere today, but I can find them."
TRUTH
"HERE’S what I want you to do, then. First, take Kay and I to the robing room to hide while you go and gather your friends," Hal said. "Once you've got your friends with you, I need you to open the temple gates for our friends outside and then go to the Temple Sanctum and announce your grievances to the Warden. Make a big disturbance that draws attention to you and your companions. That will be our cue to sneak out and catch the Warden unawares. Can you do that?"
"I can and will," Sister Darla said. She seemed confident in Hal’s plan. "You understand there is great risk in this plan. Even with my friends helping, we will be outnumbered. The Warden is well guarded."
"Leave that to Kay and me. I think resistance will fade once the Warden is dealt with."
"I hope you're right. In any event, we must hurry to get you two hidden before I can get my friends from their duties."
"Then lead on, Sister. We're right behind you."
32
SISTER DARLA TOOK Hal and Kay downstairs to the back hallway without incident. Soon they were in the passage leading to the rear of the temple sanctum where the high priest's robing room was located.
"Go down this hallway, and you will find the robing room and the closet where the robes are kept. Hide in there. I will be back as quickly as I can with my colleagues and your friends after opening the temple gates," Sister Darla said.
"That's perfect, Darla," Kay said. "We'll wait until we hear the commotion and then attack the Warden and her guards from our hiding place."
"I do not know what prayer would be appropriate in this case,” Darla said. “Know, though, that I will offer prayers for all our success. May I lay hands on you now?"
"I suppose so," Hal said. He didn't know what to expect.
Kay shrugged and nodded.
Darla stepped forward and placed a hand on each of their heads, muttering in a low voice. Hal strained to hear what she said but what little he could hear was in no language he knew. When she was finished with her prayer, she stepped back and smiled.
"Go with the Sun's blessing."
BLESSING BESTOWED - +1 added to all saves
"THANK YOU, SISTER DARLA," Hal said. "Your blessing honors us."
"Be safe Mr. Hood. I will return with the assistance you need. Have no fear."
The priestess turned and left the two rogues standing in the narrow service hallway.
"Shall we go and get settled in our hiding place?" Hal asked.
"I wish we could get a better sense of the layout of the Sanctum," Kay said. "We should have asked the sister to draw us a floor plan. I hate going into this blind."
"Let's see what we find when we get to the robing room. Maybe we can risk a peek out into the Sanctum," Hal suggested.
Continuing down the hallway, they found an ornate, embroidered purple curtain across the entrance to the robing room. No one was inside, and they located the closet with the high priest's vestments and ceremonial robes. It was nearly as large as the outer robing room. Hal and Kay searched the outer room and found the passage that led to the Sanctum. They started down it a few steps but stopped when they heard voices close to the Sanctum's entrance. The two companions shared a glance, and they retreated.
Hal and Kay entered the closet and sat down on either side of the open doorway, listening to the buzz of conversation coming from the Sanctum. They couldn't hear any specific voices or words, but it sounded as if they'd have no problem hearing when Sister Darla started her diversion and let the crowd in.
Hal wished he had a watch or some sort of timepiece in this world. He had no way of judging the passage of time. Kay seemed unfazed by the wait.
He was trying to gauge how long it had been since Sister Darla left and guess at how long it would take her to find her supporters and gather them to her cause. She also had to find a way to get past the guards at the entrance and open the Temple gates. Hal guessed at a half hour but knew it was only a guess and based on nothing he could know for sure.
He was just about to leave their hiding place, after losing patience with waiting, when loud chanting was heard from a host of voices. It swelled until he heard a crowd shouting "Hood, Hood, Hood," over and over again.
"That's our cue, I think," Hal said.
"This is it, Hal," Kay said. "Are you ready?"
"I'm almost ready. Just one more thing I have to do."
Hal took a flask from his belt pouch where he kept the three healing potions. It was the potion of luck. He figured if he ever needed extra luck, it was now. He pulled the cork from the flask with his teeth and spit it on the floor. Tilting his head back he downed the contents in one go. The potion tasted of savory herbs like sage and rosemary.
He didn't feel any effects, so he checked his stats page.
NAME: Hal Dix
Class: Rogue
Level: 10
ATTRIBUTES:
Brawn: 14 -- +3
Wisdom: 8
Luck: 24 -- +8 (+2 - potion)
Speed: 14 -- +3
Looks: 8
Health: 80/80
SKILLS: Taunt - 2, Dark vision, Acrobatic dodge - 6, Hide in shadows - 2, Sneak Attack - 4, Open locks - 2, Find/remove traps.
Master Thief skills - Instant kill (land an attack while engaging this skill and instantly kill the target). Detect lies (detect if someone is lying for a period of five minutes once per day).
Experience: 88,600/140,000
SPOTTING the additional luck modifier in place, Hal smiled. "Let's go. I'm ready now."
The slots started rolling in his head again as soon as they started down the passage. They both still wore the red robes. It might help them get closer to the Warden. They were ready to cast them off as soon as the fighting st
arted.
Hal had a dagger in one hand and a throwing knife in the other. He was ready for anything. Kay had her short sword out with the blade held down at her side, partially hidden by her robes.
The shouting voices got louder, and then the two of them entered the Temple Sanctum. There was a large marble altar directly in front of them. On the far side was a small boxed in seating area. It was surrounded by a low, ornately carved wooden wall with a gate that faced the congregation area with its row of pews.
Hal spotted the Warden as soon as they walked in. She had to be the woman in white and golden robes seated in the boxed in area. She was pointing to the crowd and speaking to a Temple guard captain standing next to her. On either side of the boxed in area were a double rank of guards armed with crossbows and maces. There were six to each side, twelve in all.
On a shout from the guard captain, Hal saw the guards level their crossbows at the crowd of people, about to fire the armor piercing bolts at unarmored flesh and bone. It would be a massacre. He had to do something.
Hal threw off his robes and jumped up onto the top of the marble altar. In a loud bellowing voice, Hal shouted his defiant demand at the Warden.
"Leave them be, Warden. Face me if you dare."
Everything stopped, and everyone in the temple turned to look at him.
The Warden's eyes narrowed when her eyes met his own. She pointed towards him with both hands, fingers splayed outward.
Hal realized it was a spell she prepared and he dove to one side just as sheets of flame hurled from her fingertips and scoured the top of the altar.
Hal felt the heat pass over his head. The cloth tapestry covering the top of the alter caught fire. He was crouched down behind the altar now. Kay just behind him.
"Still think this is a good idea?" Kay asked. "I think she's a little stronger than we guessed."
"What else did we have to do?" Hal said. "You go left, and I'll go right and try to draw her fire."
"You're the boss," Kay said with a nod.
"Go!" Hal shouted.
He dove from the cover of the altar looking for a target for his knives.
The crossbow wielding guards on his side had started moving his way to get an angle on him behind the altar. When he dove out of his cover, it caught them by surprise and a few fired of shots by reflex.
The bolts whizzed past him as he rolled to a crouch.
Hal threw two knives and was happy to see two of the guards go down clutching at their throats. The slots continued to roll in his head.
3,000 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED.
3,000 experience points awarded.
HAL CHARGED at the remaining guards facing him. The three who'd shot at him and missed threw down their crossbows and drew their swords. The other three turned to face their rear.
The crowd surged forward with a roar.
"HOOOOOD!"
Hal felt the slot machines rumble to a stop in his head. This time the chime sounded like a gong going off.
He smiled and fired off two more knives at the guards and saw one more go down, clutching at two knives in his back.
3,000 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED.
THEN HE WAS in the middle of a frantic melee. The crowd was poorly armed. One or two had old rusty swords pulled out of attics. A few even had what looked like kitchen knives. Most only had their fists.
They fell on the guards with abandon nonetheless.
Hal ducked as a flaming bolt of fire sizzled past his head. It was close enough to burn the ends off some of his hair. He smelled the acrid odor of the smoke.
Diving to one side to avoid presenting a stationary target while he searched for the source of the fire magic.
The Warden was no longer seated in the boxed in area.
The whole Sanctum had turned into a pitched battle.
Other spells were going off around the temple as Sister Darla, and her companions battled the priests loyal to the Warden.
Hal saw lightning lance down and fry a pair of priests to his right. He had no way of knowing if they were friends or foes.
In the middle of the crowd from outside, Korran was engaged in a duel with the Temple Guard Captain.
A flash of light to his right drew his eyes. He spotted the Warden.
She was crouched down next to a pew near the front of the Sanctum. She was firing off a series of small balls of fire at Kay as she fought her way through a group of guards.
Hal saw his friend hit in the chest by one of the fireballs. The tiny explosion threw her backwards to the floor.
When the fire cleared Hal saw her start to climb back to her feet. She looked injured but was still moving. That ring of fire resistance from Colin was coming in handy.
With the Warden distracted by Kay, Hal took the opportunity to fling two knives at her unguarded back.
They flew true but, just before they sunk into their intended target, the knives were deflected aside mere inches from her back. It was as if they’d struck an invisible wall.
The Warden must have felt the attack even if the blades failed to reach her. She spun around and leveled her hands at Hal. He had no chance to duck or dodge the spell. A column of fire enveloped him and he screamed in agony as he felt the flames bite deep.
FIRE RESISTANCE - 1/2 health damage
Health damage: Health -20
THE FIRE finally burned out as the spell ended. His bracers had saved him from some of the effects but not all.
Hal pushed past the pain of his burns and looked around for cover. He needed to keep moving, or the Warden was going to cook him alive.
Hal dove between two pews just as a stream of six small fireballs flew past his head.
One of the flaming missiles struck one of the street demonstrators and sent the man crashing to the floor dead, his body aflame.
Hal had to get to the Warden. She was too dangerous. If she was left unoccupied, she’d be able to fire off her magic at every target of opportunity.
Crawling along below the level of the pews between he and the Warden, Hal soon reached the central aisle.
Peeking around the pew in front of him, he spotted the edge of the Warden's robes just a few pews ahead of him.
Hal charged out of his hiding place and threw his final two knives at the Warden, hoping they'd penetrate her shield. One pinged off, deflected as the others were. The other somehow got through and embedded in her shoulder.
The Warden screamed and turned to face Hal as he jumped over the last pew and crashed down into her, driving her to the floor.
Hal drew his daggers and tried to drive them into the Warden's chest. She gripped his downward striking hands with her own, displaying surprising strength. She stopped the blades a few inches from her chest and laughed at him as she muttered a new spell.
His hands flared in pain as the blades of his daggers heated up to the point that the leather bindings on their hilts charred and burned away.
FIRE RESISTANCE - 1/2 health damage
Health damage: Health -12
HAL GRITTED his teeth against the pain and held his grip on the heated metal of the daggers, pressing downward with all his might.
The skin on his hands started to char.
The Warden pressed upward, fending him off and keeping the blades just above her heaving chest as she continued to chant her spell.
FIRE RESISTANCE - 1/2 health damage
Health damage: Health -12
FIRE RESISTANCE - 1/2 health damage
Health damage: Health -12
WISPS OF SMOKE started to curl up from his hands now. Even the magic resistant bracers couldn't stop all the effects of the Warden's spell.
Hal pushed with his feet, so his entire body weight pressed down on the blades. With a sizzling sound, the point of one blade and then the other pushed into the Warden's chest.
She screamed in pain, breaking her muttering chant. The blades were still white hot, and Hal refused to let go, pushing down with his last once of strength.
FIRE
RESISTANCE - 1/2 health damage
Health damage: Health -12
THE BLADES SLIDE HOME, their white-hot metal now quenched by the blood coursing in the chest of the Warden. Her eyes widened, and she tried to utter one last spell.
The charred steel blades in Hal's wrecked hands finally did their work, and she fell silent.
QUEST COMPLETED - Kill the Temple Warden.
15,000 experience points awarded.
HAL ROLLED off the Warden's body, letting go of the blades, holding his charred hands in front of him. He'd never felt such pain before.
He fumbled at his belt pouch to try and pull one of the healing potions free. It was no use. His fingers were too far gone to untie the leather thong that secured the pouch.
Hal lay back, his strength fading and stared at the ceiling. He listened to the sounds of battle start to die down around him.
He didn't have the energy to sit up and see who won. He closed his eyes and lay there, waiting for someone to find him.
Would it be friend or foe?
"Hal. Oh, my God, Hal your hands. Are you alright?"
Hal opened his eyes and saw Kay's soot-stained face staring down at him. He managed a small smile, ignoring the pain.
"Did we win?" Hal asked.
"Yes, we won, Hal. Now shut up and let me get you some help," Kay said.
She pulled at his belt pouch, opening the flap and pulling a healing potion free. Kay held one up to his mouth.
"Drink this Hal; it will help you feel better."
Hal coughed a little but managed to swallow the familiar peppermint health potion. Some of his pain went away immediately.
HEALING POTION EFFECT: Health +16
"STAY HERE, Hal. I'm going to help with some of the others," Kay said.
As Kay moved to provide some care to more of the wounded, Hal forced himself up on one elbow and looked around. He saw Sister Darla tending to some wounded commoners nearby.
Korran was talking to several of the temple guardsmen who'd surrendered and sat on the floor nearby with their hands on their heads. Hal overheard the captain as he explained how they could gain their honorable parole.
Hal approved. Perhaps they were forced to fight for the Warden. Darla had not been on the Warden's side even though she was inside the Temple.