Abnormalia 2/Abnormalia 2.adf/Articles/11.pak/11.pak

Text File | 1992-09-02 | 15KB | 334 lines

TITLE:DUNGEONS AND DRUIDS by MERLYN of THE MAGIC GUILD
PALETTE:0223 0dcd 06ba 0ace
BRUSH:01

                               DUNGEONS & DRUIDS

                          by Merlyn of the Magic Guild


 Skeletonwhite hands gripped the edges of the blackened cauldron.
 Piercing, bloodshot eyes stared intently into the murky depths.
 A foglike substance shifted languidly to & fro in the deep of the vast
 cauldron.
 Occasional, tiny flashes of multi-coloured lights shot through the grey
 matter.
 Images & half-glimsed figures glided in & out of the magical, foggy substance.
 Nothing solified into discernable pictures, though.

 The hands gripped more tightly, evidencing an increased concentration.
 The eyes narrowed in fierce determination & slowly a picture of a figure,
 clad in vividly coloured clothes, appeared in the eddying fog.
 The tiny projection showed a young man climbing down a rocky slope,
 supporting himself on an ashwood staff.
 Slung across one shoulder, the man carried a large, embroidered haversack.

 Suddenly the picture zoomed in on the man's left hand.
 A ring of an intricate pattern showed up clearly. A tiny crystal ball,
 entwined by tiny bands of hammered gold.
 Concentrating deeply the necromancer stared at the ring. Microscopic letters
 run along one of the bands. Slowly the black wizard mouthed the letters: TMG.
 With a vile curse he flung away from the cauldron, spittle dribbling down his
 withered chin.
 The accursed wizards of The Magic Guild were on his tracks once more!!

 The rash act prevented the necromancer from seeing the image of another man
 following the first, as the misty fogs once more swelled & eddyied in the
 cauldron!

 A loud groan caused the black wizard to turn slowly. His eyes fell on the
 two elves, hanging by their wrists from rusty chains at the back of the
 chamber.
 An evil sneer disfigured his face, as the necromancer approached his prisoners.
 "So my dear friends", he spat, "I do believe U'll prove useful to me in other
 ways than planned."
 Raising lacklustre eyes towards their tormentor, the two elves regarded the
 necromancer.
 Judging from their costumes, they obviously belonged to the Druistic Orders.

 After a cursory glance at their chains, the black wizard left the chamber.

 Hardly had the oaken door closed, before the two prisoners turned painfully
 towards each other.
 "Scrying in a cauldron?", whispered one of the druids.
 "Unusual to say the least, but our most pressing problem is how to get free
 from these schackles", observed his companion laconically.
 "If only I could be free for a few seconds & lay my hands on my axe", muttered
 the first elf darkly.
 "We do need help & the wanderer may well be our only hope!"
 "Aye", stated the other, "my magic worked anyway. The necromancer's luck turned
 to the worse as he wasn't able to utilize the scrying spell to the full."


 Meanwhile the abductor stepped briskly towards the upper regions of the vast
 dungeon, that harboured his laboratory & living quarters.
 Musing on his recent advancements in matters mystic & magical, a smile of
 utter self-satisfaction creased his mouth.
 Lord Axel of d'Anville, Lord Axel the Grand Necromancer!!
 His unforeseen luck in experiments with living, human tissue had enabled him
 to break new ground in necromancy. He now only lacked one final breakthrough!
 The two elves in the dungeon cell would provide materials for the last
 experiments & tests! Elven blood & living tissue far outweighted mere human
 gore, being infused by magic from birth!
 As soon as he'd dealt with the wanderer,  he'd start!


 Grimfaced, Sperminator steered his steps down into the deep ravine.
 Casting weary glances all round at the stark, black rockfaces, he finally
 turned towards his companion, who at that moment scrabbled down beside him.

 "This must be it!", exclaimed the druid. Slowly extending his right hand, he
 turned in a half-circle.
 The ring on his index finger glowed faintly. A bluish light grew stronger
 & stronger within the ring's magic centre.
 Suddenly the light sprang from the ring & struck the rockface deeper into
 the ravine.
 Exchanging sharp glances the two magicians trudged carefully forward.


 Unaware of the malicious eyes following their every step, the wanderers
 walked deeper & deeper into the shadowy depths at the mountain's feet.

 The band of orcs, who guarded the dungeon's enterance, slowly rose to their
 feet to encounter the wanderers!

 "Look out!"
 The warning cry burst from Druid's lips scant seconds before the rockface
 inches from Sperminator's head suddenly grew a new outcrop!
 Staring wide-eyed at the wicked edges of an orc spear's tip, Sperminator
 was momentarily caught of balance.
 Another spear pierced his cloak & whipped the wizard around, pinning him to
 the ground!
 Druid hastily cast a protection spell around his companion, before diving
 for cover behind some huge boulders.
 Chanting softly, the druid from the Central Massive concentrated on creating
 an elemental.
 Sharp, grinding noises rose from the mountainside just as the foremost orcs
 rounded the boulders & fell on the unfortunate magician.
 Sperminator, having discarded his beloved cloak, rose shakily to his feet &
 pulled a small vial from his haversack.
 Throwing the vial at the oncoming orcs, he shouted a spell of levitation!

 Suddenly unable to control their movements, the orcs flew headlong into the
 sharp, rockhard mountainside!
 Crushed & dying the monsters fell brokenly to the floor of the ravine!

 Meanwhile Druid put up a desperate fight, trying to avoid the swipes of the
 orcs' wicked, rusty blades.
 The orc band's leader, a huge monster of immense propotions, lifted his great
 sword. An evil grin spread across it's warty face as the blade began its
 downward sweep.

 A look of utter disbelief suddenly transfixed the monster's face as a giant,
 rockhard hand gripped it's arm & crushed it utterly!

 Druid raised his eyes to the giant straddling the ravine. His elemental had
 materialised just in time!

 Making mincemeat of the rest of the orc band were a grisly task done in
 seconds.

 Mentally ordering the elemental to guard the ravine against eventual new
 monsters, Druid gripped Spreminator's arm & dragged him further into the
 shadows, seeking out the enterance to the dungeons.


 The great necromancer, Lord Axel, having reached his living quarters, hastily
 set about searching one of the huge chests lining the walls.
 Pulling forth a black wand, he departed his chambers.


 In the cell, the magician known as Sheriff,  sent his mental probes after
 the necromancer. Infused by the elf's extraordinary magic powers, the
 probes sought out Lord Axel just as he turned down the corridor leading
 to the enterance of the dungeons.
 Suddenly stumbling, the necromancer fell headlong!

 Muttering obscenities the necromancer scrambled to his feet & hurried towards
 the enterance to the dungeon. Whatever the intruders wanted,  he'd give them
 a warm welcome!


 Diving to the stony ground,  Druid escaped the huge fireball flaring out of
 the pitchblack opening in the mountainside!
 Sperminator,  a bit slower in reacting was flung backwards by a glanzing blow
 of the sizzling,  flaming object!

 Smoky tendrils spiralled upwards from the prone form laying huddled against
 the boulders.
 Casting ananxious glance at his friend,  Druid pressed his body against the
 cold rockface.
 Mentally racing through possible strategies in the coming confrontation with
 whoever occupied the dreaded dungeon,  Druid absentmindedly fingered the
 amulet dangling round his neck.
 Slipping quickly behind a huge boulder,  he chanted softly.
 Extending his left hand,  he cast a spell of sleep & stability on his fellow
 wizard,  thus locking Sperminator in time & place.

 Turning towards the cave enterance once more,  the druid from the MoonMist
 Mountains strode boldly forward!


 A deep, rumbling sound vibrated through the prison cell.
 Momentarily distracted in his attempts to break his chains,  AxeMan cast a
 startled glance at his fellow prisoner.
 A stone burrower?
 The question hung like an ominious omen of desperate fate between the two
 druids.
 Chained to the rock walls they wouldn't stand a chance against such a
 monster!

 Suddenly the rockface close to Sheriff's head groaned & tiny pebbles rained
 to the floor.
 Instinctively flinging himself backwards,  the wizard crashed into the wall.
 Mesmerized the two wizards froze in place as a large hand of stone suddenly
 shot out of the wall!
 The very wall itself seemed to shudder & move for an instance.
 Slowly a huge stone golem emerged from the rockface!

 Glowering eyes regarded the two prisoners impassively.

 Stony fingers closed around the chains & a quick twist of the hands shattered
 the metal links.
 The druids were free!!


 Eyeing the wizard approaching,  Lord Axel could hardly believe his eyes. The
 man must be mad! Walking straight into the lion's den,  so to speak!
 Raising the black wand,  the necromancer sent forth yet another huge fireball,
 straight at the wizard now silhouetted in the cave opening!

 Mesmerizingly watching the spell waste the harebrained magician to a cinder,
 Lord Axel was totally unprepared for the unbelievable sight confronting him.
 The fireball blew straight through the druid & crashed into the mountainside
 on the other side of the narrow ravine,  bursting into a fireflash!
 Of the druid there was no sign!

 Having spent two spells in relative quick succession,  Druid felt drained as
 he dived to the floor inside the dark tunnel. His illusion spell had worked
 far better than he'd hoped for!

 Lord Axel wasn't fooled for long though. Suddenly realising the truth,  he
 flung yet another fireball crashing & richocheting down the tunnel towards
 the cave opening.

 Barely missed by the flaming,  deadly object,  Druid pressed himself into a
 narrow niche in the stony wall.

 Having glimsed his opponent in the wake of the fireball,  Lord Axel flung
 out the wand once more. Now it was over! The druid couldn't possibly escape!


 Shaking off the broken shackles the elven mages,  raced out of the cell &
 up the corridor leading to the upper levels of the dungeon.
 Would they be in time to save the unwary travellers?!


 Arresting his sudden blood-urge,  the necromancer lowered the wand & pulling
 forth a small purse sprinkled a bluish powder in Druid's direction.
 Being prepared for another fiery attack,  Druid cast a freeze-spell & was
 totally unprepared for the magically erected ice-cage suddenly growing up in
 front of him. In fact the freeze spell solified the cage far more quickly
 than Lord Axel had intended, locking the druid in its icy grasp!

 Having secured another victim for his unholy experiments of necromancy,  Lord
 Axel briefly gloated over his latest prisoner before directing his steps
 towards the prison cells once more.
 The intrusion of the stone golem had escaped the necromancer,  the sounds
 being masked by the fiery explosions in the tunnel.
 Lord Axel's main priority was the security of his two exquisite prisoners,
 pining away in his dungeons.
 Not really needing the sacrifice of the human druid,  the necromancer woved
 to save him for later.
 Now the time had come for his final experiment!

 Rounding a sharp bend in the tunnel Lord Axel collided violently with the
 two elves racing around the corner!
 Caterwheeling backwards by the sudden impact the trio tumbled head over
 heels down opposite ends of the tunnel.

 Being of true elven blood the two druids were quickly back on their feet
 again & flinging up their arms for spellcasting,  stared straight into the
 evil-looking obsidian tip of Lord Axel's wand!
 Floating a few feet above the ground,  the necromancer smiled wickedly down
 on the elven duo.
 "So my slim friends,  we're back where we started more or less",  grinning
 maliciously the necromancer waved the wand threateningly.

 "U daren't kill us!",  the enraged shout burst from AxeMan's lips.
 "We're needed for Ur experiments,  remember!"

 Nodding condensatingly the necromancer smiled down on the gaunt-featured elf.
 "How nice to have co-operative guinea-pigs",  he crooned.
 "Well,  my dear friend. If U would be so kind as to open the door behind U?"

 Turning slowly AxeMan scanned the dark rockface. A door?
 Nudging his companion roughly Sheriff pointed to an area slowly glowing
 faintly. The image of a door did indeed slowly emerge from the shadowy wall.

 Realising they were doomed,  Sheriff tentatively pushing the door open &
 stepped first into the room beyond. Maybe he could somehow overcome the
 evil mage when he came through the door!

 As AxeMan stepped towards the door,  he was suddenly pushed backwards by the
 re-emerging Sheriff. Staggering ashen-faced backwards,  the elf howled in
 anguish & shock!
 Sheriff's tormented shout was abruptly overlayed by a braying,  highpitched
 scream of glee as Lord Axel stared in evil anticipation at his prisoners.

 Stumbling into his friend Sheriff shook his head & wrung his hands in pure
 revulsion!

 Gripping Sheriff's shoulders fiercely,  AxeMan stared incomprehensively into
 the tormented seemingly sightless eyes of his fellow druid.
 Thus totally at the necromancer's mercy,  the elves truely were doomed!

 Stroking his wispy beard,  Lord Axel savoured the beautific sight lingeringly.

 A mere whisper of a sound made the necromancer suddenly jerk up his head,
 though.
 What thoughts or images raced through his evil mind as he realised his own
 doom won't ever be known.
 Sufficient to say that he didn't utter a single sound as the huge stone
 golem emerging in the tunnel's roof.
 Falling on the nacromancer,  the stone golem crushed Lord Axel to pulp under
 its enormous weight!

 Slumping wearily to the ground the elves clasped hands in the ancient grip
 of friendship.
 Leaning against the cold wall,  they closed their eyes & sent their prayers
 of thanksgiving to the Elven God.

 They were still sitting there when Druid rounded the corner in the tunnel.
 With the destruction of the black wand,  the ice cage had disintergrated &
 freed the druid from his icecold prison.

 Having helped the elves to their feet,  Druid turned towards the cairn in
 the middle of the floor & mumbled an arcane formulae.
 Turning solemn eyes on the druid,  the elves nodded in unison.
 The spellcasting ensured the permanence of the cairn & ensurance against
 Lord Axel ever returning from the Domains of the Dead!


 Emerging from the necromancer's dungeon,  Druid hastened towards Sperminator
 still lying lifeless among the boulders.
 Using the orcs' spears & strips of clothing Sheriff quickly fashioned a
 stretcher.
 Laying the magically sealed wizard on the makeshift stretcher the elves
 lifted the wizard from The Magic Guild & following Druid's lead walked down
 the narrow ravine.

 Casting a last look back at the accursed mountain,  a shadow of utter sadness
 flickered over his elven features.
 Hopefully he would in time forget the gruesome sights he'd encountered in the
 necromancer's laboratory.

 Turning his head forward once more the elf caught the first glimses of the
 deep, green forest sprading its welcoming branches towards the magical trio.



  From "The Chronicles of The Magic Guild".

  (C) 1993 Merlyn. LoreKeeper of The Magic Guild.