Luckily, Sath had an empty pack with him. He dropped the heart into the pack, lamenting the rate with which its blood was beginning to saturate the fabric. Quickly grabbing a blank piece of parchment from his other pack, he dipped his claw in the pooling blood in the dead bodyguard’s chest and began to write, “Please receive this gift from the messenger you sent to me, and know that you are next.” He stood up and, after donning the hooded cloak of his downed enemy, began his journey to catch up with his compatriots. “Next time it will be your black heart, Dorlagar,” he swore under his breath as he ran, heading for the Outlands and that cursed Keep.
The other Fabled Ones, minus Sath, had camped out on the edge of the Outlands, almost in the Forest. Once it was discovered that Gin was missing, they were sent by Ailreden to wait there, possibly to raid the ruined Keep to look for her but more likely to keep Sath from doing anything stupid. He felt personally responsible for Gin’s disappearance in a way that only Ailreden seemed to understand, but the others were happy to do whatever was needed to protect a member of their little family. They had been there for many days now, and as Sath ran up on them, he felt his heart would burst with relief and happiness.
“Hail, friends!” he called out, forgetting that he was still dressed as the messenger. Immediately Elysiam turned on him.
“Hack!” she shouted. “We’ve got another one, magic user from the looks of his robe, coming in hot!” She raised her arms and chanted loud words in Elvish. Ailreden had taught Sath enough of the Elvish language for him to recognize the spell that called up roots to spring from the ground and slow his movement. He headed straight for Elysiam to show her who he was, but was quickly intercepted by Hackort who was swinging his axe straight at Sath’s knees.
“Leave the druid alone, scum!” Hackort bellowed at Sath. Inwardly Sath was pleased that he had not summoned his magical pet, for the tiger would have attacked his friend without a second thought.
“Wait...” Sath said, fumbling to remove the hood from his head. A blow to his back knocked him to his knees and knocked the air from his lungs.
“Well done, Tee!” the gnome called out to the dwarf that had cracked his staff directly in the middle of Sath’s back. “Elys! Now! Fry the rat-bastard!” Sath glanced upward to see Elysiam once again raising her arms, and though he hated to do it, he quickly recited the words to a spell that caused a swarm of magical insects to form around the druid. Her casting interrupted, Elysiam swatted the insects away and Sath scrambled to his feet. “Mighty strike incoming!” the gnome shouted as his axe hit Sath squarely in the stomach. The giant cat fell over backwards, unconscious, the hood falling back from his face and Hackort’s axe stuck in his armor.
“SATH!” Teeand shouted. “Stop guys, stop!” Quickly the dwarf knelt and placed his head on Sath’s chest. “Oh, for the love of…He’s still alive,” Teeand said, “but just barely.”
“What the...?” Elysiam ran to Sath’s side and knelt, placing her tiny hands on his chest and reciting healing spells. Finally, the Qatu’s eyes fluttered open. “Mind telling us what that was all about, Kitty Cat?” she said, her voice stern.
“Only if you tell me why in the nine hells you attacked me?” Sath said, his voice sputtering as he dusted himself off. “Oh...the robe...” He closed his eyes a moment, the world still slightly spinning around him. “Thanks for the healing though, Elys.” He opened his eyes and smiled charmingly at her, but the druid still glared down at him.
“You were lucky,” Hackort said as he retrieved the axe from the front of Sath’s armor. “One more strike from me and you’d be nothing but a furry bag of bones.” The wee man held out his hand. “Can I help you up?”
“I doubt it, but thank you anyway,” Sath said as he rolled over on his side. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he smiled. “I am glad to have run into you though. I have a... problem I need some help with, if you don’t mind.”
Hackort waggled his eyebrows. “Why do you think we’re out here, Sath? Ailreden knew you’d be up to something stupid once he found out our Ginny was missing. We’ve just been out here waiting till you showed up to help us.” He grinned broadly, as Teeand chuckled. Sath’s solemn expression soon put an end to the frivolity, however. “Hey, buddy, I’m sorry...what’s wrong?”
“You are partially right, Hack. Gin is the focus of the problem.” The Qatu took a deep breath before he continued. “Do you remember Dorlagar, the human that she used to run with before she met us?”
Teeand grumbled. “The rat-bastard hobo that tried to help us free Gaelin? Aye, I remember him,” the dwarf said. “What of it?”
Sath’s brow wrinkled as he spoke. “He has Gin, Tee. He’s holding her in the Keep, and I’ve got to get her out of there. He says in this letter that he has handed her over to his master.”
“Bellesea Keep? Are you insane?” Elysiam said. “We’d have to gather an entire raiding party for that, Sath, or a small army! We never would have gotten Gaelin out without that idiot’s help…if you can call it that.”
“I don’t care, Elys. Gin is in trouble and we have to help her.” Slowly Sath got to his feet and walked over to Elysiam as he spoke. “We’d do the same for you, or for any of us if needed.” She nodded, grimacing.
“I think we can manage it,” said a deep voice from Sath’s right side. Gaelin had finally joined the conversation. His age and demeanor commanded the attention of everyone around when he spoke. “I am much rested from my ordeal and in truth, I would not mind a chance for a bit of revenge. My magic longs to be used.” His eyes twinkled maliciously.
“Aye,” Sath said, “and I’m glad you didn’t use it on me just then.”
Gaelin chuckled. “I was just about to when your hood fell off, you know.”
“So, I suppose I can thank Teeand for that?” Sath grinned. “Will you help me?” Hackort and Teeand looked at each other and grinned.
“Any fight is a good fight as far as I’m concerned,” the gnome said. “I’ve got a bone to pick with those wyverns anyway. I’m in!”
Teeand nodded. “Aye, count me in as well. Ailreden sent us for this very purpose. Protecting the innocents is part of what we do...” He paused a moment and studied Sath. “I have to ask you this, my friend, please understand...are we sure that Gin wants to be rescued?”
Sath stared at Teeand. “Well of course she does! She’s with Dorlagar so she can’t have gone there of her own free will...could she?”
“I would hope not,” Elysiam said. “Humans and wood elves...” She shuddered at the thought. “But we should be sure, Sath, because that’s a dangerous place to burst into only to have to say ‘Whoops! Sorry about that!’ and then head for the door.”
Gaelin raised a finger and everyone fell silent. “What do we know of how to defeat his master, this Lord Taanyth mentioned in the letter sent to us and to Sath?” Sath gaped at Gaelin first and then at his own empty fist. “It fell out of your hand when our warriors here put you on your back, friend, and I thought it might be important.”
“Lord Taanyth is a dragon lord,” Teeand said, his voice pinched with worry. “I’m thinking that might be too much even for us. He’s no drake, he is a full grown magic using fire breathing dragon lord!”
Hackort fidgeted. Gnomes were not known for their patience, and warriors were even less so. “Let’s just go kill the wyverns and get Ginny! If she doesn’t want to leave with us after we’ve laid waste to the Keep minus the big bad dragon, we can just leave her there.” Hackort caught sight of Sath’s pained expression and was silent. He wandered over to Sath and laid a miniscule hand on the Qatu’s boot. “I’m sorry, Sath.” he said. “We all love Ginny, really, but…”
Elysiam fiddled a stray thread on her tunic. “We need a plan then,” she said. Sath marveled for a moment at how different Elysiam and Gin were. Though both druids and wood elves, Elysiam possessed a hunger for battle that Sath had never seen in Gin. On hunts in the past, Gin would hang back, astride Beau, as Elysiam ran straight into the fr
ay, dealing out fiery magical death to their opponents.
“May I make a suggestion?” Gaelin asked. His solemn demeanor was quite a contrast to his abilities in a battle. Sath glanced over at the elder wizard and nodded. “Keep that robe on, Sathlir,” he said. “You’re almost tall enough to pass for a small wyvern, as evidenced by our attack earlier.” Hackort chuckled, but Elysiam had moved in behind the gnome and soundly bonked him on the head. He whined in complaint but then fell silent, again listening to Gaelin. “We can cast invisibility on you and head into the Keep’s outer courtyard. Have you any idea of where Ginolwenye is once we’re inside?” True to his slightly haughty, high citadel-raised elven nature, Gaelin always referred to his compatriots by their full names.
Sath shook his head. “Nope, only that she is there...and I am here.” The Qatu frowned and sat down next to the wizard, who patted Sath’s shoulder in a fatherly manner. Teeand joined Sath in a frown – why was his old friend so concerned over this one wood elf?
“Then that information will have to be enough,” the wizard said. “My suggestion is that the four of us work our way in to the courtyard, with you alongside us, but under a spell of invisibility. Once we have moved to the second floor, you will move to a safe distance from us and remove the invisibility.” Gaelin shifted slightly, stretching his long arms. “With the hood up to conceal your identity, you will make haste to all the sentries and bodyguards within, warning them of the intruders on the lower levels. They will flock to us, of course, leaving you free to find Ginolwenye. The two of you can then magically transport to safety and we will do the same.” Gaelin was silent, but nodded, as though in agreement with his own plan. “You will not have much time,” he added, “but I feel that this is our only option.”
Sath considered Gaelin’s words for a long time before a smile spread across his face. “I think this is a wise plan, Gaelin,” Sath said. “There is just one thing I must do in preparation. Make yourselves safe, I will return to you in a moment.” With that, the cat replaced the hood and set out toward a wyvern that had appeared on the hill.
“How now, brother?” he called out as he reached the crest of the hill. The wyvern turned in Sath’s direction and grunted a greeting in the dragon language. “I am in need of assistance,” he said. “Take this to the human that dwells in the castle...tis the heart of an enemy, and he will understand the meaning.” Sath held out the still dripping backpack and the note, and the wyvern took it, sniffing it slightly. “Be on your way, brother, you know the influence Dorlagar has with the Lord Taanyth.” The wyvern nodded and took off running for the castle, flightless wings flapping in the arms of the robe it wore. Sath turned and headed back toward the adventurers. “Soon, Gin, you will be safe,” he whispered. “I will snap that human’s neck with my own hands if he has hurt you. This I swear.”
Teeand held up his hand, silently signaling for the group to stop. “Let’s take care of the two on the outside first,” he whispered. “I’ll try to only bring back one at a time, but you never know.” Sath chuckled under his hood at the dwarf. Everyone knew very well that Teeand would only come back with one of the wyvern guards trailing. The group members took their places as Teeand ran off after the guard, bellowing obscenities in its direction.
Elysiam backed up to the rear of the group so that she could heal the others without being attacked herself. Gaelin moved to the right and slightly in front of Elysiam and sat down, meditating to raise his magical energy. Only Hackort stood in front, axe in hand, ready to take down whatever followed Teeand back to the camp.
“Sath,” Hackort whispered, “don’t forget that you’re invisible. No magic pet, no fight.”
Again Sath chuckled. When the group hunted together Hackort often complained that he never got to be the one that actually killed their opponent because of the wizard’s magic, the two druids and their magic, and himself casting spells on the monster. The two druids... Sath’s mind wandered a moment to Gin, and he growled. “Hey, I’m just trying to help,” Hackort said.
“That wasn’t at you, Hack,” Sath mumbled.
“Incoming!!” Everyone took their positions on hearing Teeand shouting as he rounded the corner with a large and angry wyvern hot on his heels. Teeand had taken a few blows on the run back to the where the group was waiting, so Elysiam immediately recited a healing spell for him. The wyvern stopped suddenly, sniffed the air, changed direction, and headed straight for Elysiam. The druid merely tightened her grip on her club and smiled. Just as the wyvern’s claws were about to rake her face, the creature spun around to face the other direction. Hackort was standing behind it, bellowing at it as loud as he could and whacking it in the backs of its legs. While Hackort had its attention, Teeand began attacking with his broad sword. The wyvern’s attention soon shifted to Teeand, who had started to bellow horrible things about its mother. Hackort slashed at the monster with his axe until it turned back to him.
“This is taking too long,” Gaelin muttered, an amused smile on his chiseled face. Hackort and Teeand were soon joined by searing flash of magical light that coalesced into the form of an air elemental, who flew into the melee and quickly dispatched the wyvern.
“Aw, Gaelin, we warriors never get to have any fun with that pet of yours around!” Hackort complained. “This is how we always take down baddies, first I start with bellowing at it and then...”
Gaelin held up his hand, smiling at Hackort. “We are without the assistance of our friend Sathlir, who would be casting detrimental spells on the monster while you two are playing catch with it.” Hackort nodded his head. “Now, then, Teeand, if you will be so kind as to bring us the other guard?”
Teeand grinned and ran off after the other guard. The fight followed the same plan as the first, and the wyvern soon fell at the hands of Gaelin’s magic. “Okay, I get to burn the next one right?” Elysiam asked. The others laughed as Teeand ran off to see what would be next.
“Of course you do,” said Hackort, “as soon as you’re done keeping us alive, silly druid.” He turned his back to her and once again, she landed a blow on his head with her club. “Oweee!” he exclaimed, rubbing his head.
“Incoming!!!” Teeand soon rounded the corner with yet another guard. “Sorry I couldn’t scout it first guys, but this one decided he wanted to play.” Elysiam cast a spell that snared the wyvern’s feet, and then unleashed deadly spell after deadly spell as it advanced on her. Finally, she let fly her worst magical fire, and the wyvern melted into a fiery puddle in front of her.
“It’s good to be a druid,” she said, her voice low and menacing.
“Perhaps we could just send Elys in and the rest of us can wait out here for her to clear the castle?” Sath whispered, chuckling.
“You’d better hope I can’t see invisible things, kitty cat,” Elys snarled. Again the group burst into laughter.
“Entrance is clear, move up to me,” Teeand called out. The group advanced, and repeated the battles again. Soon they were standing on the drawbridge leading into the castle, surrounded by corpses. “Okay, once we’re in the courtyard, let’s start with the left side,” the dwarf whispered. “I think while we’re engaged in that room, Sath will be able to start running into the Keep proper to sound the fake alarm.”
Gaelin nodded. “In fact, Sathlir, why don’t you run on ahead now?”
“I’m on my way!” Sath said, and ran down the drawbridge. He turned to the right at the end of the passageway, and passed unnoticed through the open courtyard where several sentries were standing guard. “I’m coming, Gin,” he whispered as he started up the nearest staircase.
Once at the top, he found a row of cells with a wyvern standing guard. The heart wrenching and piteous cries from behind the bars caught his attention. Gin would be begging us to set them free, he thought, if she were close enough to hear them. He decided to scout out this floor of the Keep a bit more before revealing himself and passed down the line of cells. Making a left, he froze in his tracks at the sound he heard.
Sath’s stomach twisted. She’s calling out to that human for help? he thought. He stifled a growl and turned his keen hearing toward the direction of her cries. With his back turned he didn’t see Dorlagar come running down the hall and pass right by him as though he was not there.
Dorlagar stopped a moment. It felt as though he had just passed through cold water. He turned back around and looked down the hall, but saw nothing. Gin’s stifled screams roused him and he headed for the room where she was held.
Forcing his feet to move, Sath followed the human. He passed through the doorway just as it swung shut behind Dorlagar. The sight that greeted his invisible eyes burned him to the core. The wyvern was on top of Gin, who was kicking and struggling against it. Dorlagar leaped onto the bed and tossed the guard off and onto the floor. The guard sat up and shook his head, then sprang to his feet to attack. When he saw who had removed him from the bed, he froze, hanging his head.
“Forgive me, Lord Dorlagar,” the wyvern grumbled. “The wood elf was trying to escape, and I was merely trying to...”
“SILENCE.” Dorlagar said, his voice echoing off the stone walls. Sath noted again that the human had a good command of the dragon language – he had been here a long time. “Get out of my sight, and tell the Warlord I require a new guard for my property.” Sath swallowed a growl. Dorlagar moved to the window as the wyvern scurried out the door, giving Sath a better view of Gin’s condition. He had to work hard to remember that she had only been here a few weeks.
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