We return to Al Zhabi fresh from our exploits in Korroloka, Cie a Paladin, I a Ranger. It's been a successful day, we're much stronger coming out than we were coming in. We return to the sounds of sirens wailing through Aht Urgan, the sounds of undead moans fade. No time for rest though, the trolls are on their way, and Cie and I must ready ourselves to meet them.
The hume Therelith waits for us outside the gates, and we band together. He is weary, and he greets us with the news that three generals have already succumbed to the undead. We prepare, hurry up and wait, as the sin hunters say. We try to relax, but the tension overwhelms us, and only Ettie can rest as the sirens rise to a screaming pitch.
Bomb smoke rises over the gates, and the clank of heavy armor announces the arrival of the troll mercenaries. We wince but General Najelith and General Mihli fortify us for the battle ahead. Our reserves are slim, our kits nearly empty, and Qiquirn fighters the only allies us midland adventurers have. But we brace ourselves for the battle ahead.
The nimble Vyuvurjar appears, and with all our breath, ignoring scorpions, trolls, and bombs, we chip away his health. The General Najelith leads us, and our healers remain back to keep her healthy. Wherever Vyuvurjar runs, we follow. And he falls, but in having fallen, our troop loses direction.
The notorious and menacing Gurfurlar appears, and some of our number chase him, as futile as it is to stop him before his minions fall. And while Vyuvurjar fell quickly, his comrade the claviger Xarhorkur refuses to go quietly. His hammer pounds my bones and my mind into unconsciousness, and even after we wake, my body still stings from the resonance of every hit.
Cieria and I seek shelter to recover from our wounds, and get perhaps a moments refuge from the battle. My stomach tosses as the shouts reach across the city. "The Galeserpent General has fallen! Protect the Cat General!" I know only General Mihli binds the Hall of Binding, but the ache and the weariness override that knowledge, I stay put, only to hear that she too has been captured by the trolls.
Cieria, Therelith and I rush to the Hall of Binding, our bodies to be the obstacle between the invaders and the Astral Candescence. Scorpions wait for us, their tails poised to strike any who catch their attention, several times their attacks leave me unable to move, and I must cure myself. Cieria falls and rises only to fall again. Ettie herself has risen and fallen so many times, I wonder if she is not a mere wyvern, but instead the legendary Phoenix.
The scorpions fall, and only the bombs are clearing the way. We lure them out of the hall and back into the city proper. Cieria waits in the hall, in case they come back, while Ther and I emerge, looking for Xarhorkur. We find him, and I ready my polearm. I fall again, his hammer striking a blow that enters my left temple and reverberates throughout the party.
I retreat again, my body has given out. I've drawn on Ettie's strength twice already, and the the many hammer blows have given me a permanent case of the shakes. I stumble to an unoccupied corner and recover from the ordeal.
Meanwhile, the immediate threat from the Hall of Binding subsides, and Cieria walks to the square, and Therelith has retreated into another corner. The worst of the exhaustion leaves me, and I hop to my feet. Xarhorkur and his hammer must be punished.
I cannot battle Xarhorkur directly, but I let my Jumps carry me. Cieria, Therelith, and I support each other. We will not fall again. The Troll ranks thin out, and finally, they retreat. The Astral Candescence remains safe. And we have one last surprise.
Thanks to some of our fellow adventurers, the General Zazarg returns in the nick of time to congratulate us on our victory and give us leave to enjoy some breads and rice.
