laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Once they stealthfully entered the gatehouse and made their way through a labrynth of tunnels, rooms, hallways and large chambers, Adgertesse’ and Brittany soon enjoyed the freedom of no patrols or guard animals wandering by. Knowing that the danger was no less prevalent, Tess allowed the dark home of the grey dwarves and their demon overlords to hide them naturally. Using their magic was still a problem however but, they would chance it when the need arose.
The long vaulted ceilings, gorgeous carvings in the walls, columns and doorways told of a day when the dwarves who lived here had once been cherished cousins to the Black Anvil clan but were now seen as abominations. Once awakening Idanac from his deep grave, the industrious Redlaver clan became slaves and joyously gave their lives for their new master. Maybe once this demon was vanquished and sent back to Sater, they could again live in peace with their neighbors. Time would tell.
As they approached a large, banded oak door, the dark elf could feel the emanating pulses of energy coming from the frame and surrounding stone. Someone or something of import was behind it and her hunch was someone dear to the inhabitant’s enemy. She stopped and neared the tall barrier and allowed her mind to drift beyond it and soon found the tortured mind of someone close to herself. Kailee.

“Here she is,” Adgertesse’ whispered excitedly as Brittany neared. “We have to find a way to get her out.”

After a long pause, Brittany eyed her. “Whomever closed this door never meant for anyone to open it. It’s magically warded. I don’t have the ability to dispel something this powerful, do you?”

Crouching, orange eyes looked for a seam, crack or any avenue that she could slip through but found none. Someone indeed meant to keep their prize.

“Let’s continue. Hopefully we can get Kristal and the others out before we alert everyone in here by opening this door. By then, it will be too late to search further for the others,” Brittany continued.

Desperate, Tess stood and studied the strong portal for any weaknesses not wishing for her friend to remain here any longer, but found little hope. She turned to her companion. “You’re right. We can’t compromise the others like that. But, we are coming back here and getting her out.”

“I know,” Brittany nodded. “We can at least try. Maybe Kristal will have an idea.”

Continuing on, they evaded nadlac patrols and soon entered a chasm that fell away into darkness. Immense, the cavern widened to right and left where she noticed a long bridge continuing on towards another entryway which gave her the sense of more evil. Perfect sign that Idanac’s chambers were getting close. Odd that he didn’t contain Kailee closer to himself. Perhaps that option was too obvious. Quickly moving along the narrow pathway, she noticed two dark lumps on the middle of the bridge which gave her a moment of pause.

‘Dogs,’ Brittany mentally warned. ‘Not the usual type either, we’ll have to go around.’

‘Alright.’ Tess concentrated and her body soon morphed into a large bird as the vampire copied the raven shape and both flew across the expansive pit which seemed to have no bottom. Perhaps this was where Idanac had been buried. As they arrived to the opposite side, she landed on a rocky outcropping and looked around to make sure no one else had emerged. Coast clear, they both returned to their natural form and continued on to find another door barring their way. Keeping her senses alert, Tess checked the door for traps then opened it which allowed both to slip in and leave the duo of slumbering guards on the stone bridge behind them. Little light was available here as the inhabitants beyond the main city of Enkhuzen didn’t require torch or candle light to see. Another reason Adgertesse was glad the group wasn’t with them. As she stepped into the main foyer decorated with large tapestries, heavy furniture and trophies of dwarven shields, human helmets and various flags captured in battles over the centuries, Brittany touched her right arm and guided her towards a far door.
While quietly moving towards the flanking mahogany shelves, the creak of another door opening on the far side prompted both to morph into rats which quickly scurried beneath the shelves. Turning, they peered out to see the large booted feet of someone large stomp towards the main door they had just entered in from. Booming, heavy footfalls nearly jarred her teeth from her head as Tess could smell the sulphurous stink which permeated the demon’s body and clothing and knew right away who they were watching. Idanac had business with someone towards his new kingdom and she prayed it wasn’t with Kailee. They had to hurry. Once Idanac was out of sight, door slamming home, both rats ran from underneath their hide and moved towards the door to their right, slid under the thick barrier and entered the great hall.

‘Beyond is their holding cell,’ Brittany informed mentally as they ran towards the long table. Suddenly, a furry predator crouched atop the nearby chair and readied to pounce. Tess knew they couldn’t outrun the cat and quickly scanned the room and noticed two servants attending the hearth to their distant left. Darting to the left, Adgertesse evaded the cat as it leaped, causing it to have to double back and give chase towards the far side of the table. Once the long legged predator gained ground, Brittany bit into it’s hind leg as Tess stopped, turned and attacked from the front side. Leaping onto the cat’s thick neck, small claws bit into their attacker, causing a cry from the grey furred animal as it tried to fight them off. Soon, long teeth, hands and feet bit into it’s flesh, the cat retreated which both rodents allowed. Now free to continue they scurried across the wide stone floor towards another door which both squeezed under.
Now in a dark hallway, Brittany morphed back into her human form as Tess followed suit.

“They’re in here,” her hand touched the cold wall. “Behind this,” her nose neared to find the seam as Tess began searching for the lock. Into mist form, Brittany slid inside and disappeared as the nightblade worked on the lock and opened the well disguised door. Wafting out from their prison, the stink of death nearly made Tess sick and she quickly moved inside to notice their companions laying about corpses which they had apparently been fed by their captors.

“We’re going to have to find them more to feed on,” Brittany stated as she held Kristal’s frail body in her arms.

Sighing, Tess knew this was now the priority as she exited into the main hall. Pushing the now unlocked door to, she followed another set of doors into a long corridor. Ahead, she noticed sunlight pour into what appeared to be a large valley within the cave system. How odd, she thought until approaching the squared cave entrance to Idanac’s private home and noticed the green valley below. Trees and grass surrounded a large lake fed by a long gash in the stone roof above. Grazing below and to the left, she noitced a herd of cattle through the trees and quickly returned to the vampires.

As they fed, Tess kept an eye on the surrounds looking for any farmers which she had a feeling lived in other caves which dotted the rocky wall above and around them. Soon, Kristal and Brittany walked to her.

“I told her about the chamber that Kailee’s held in and she didn’t have any ideas,” Brittany said quietly.

“I wish there was something we could do to get her out,” the blonde added whose body slowly returned to it’s normal shapely form. Now fed, they all healed from their treatment which was nothing short of barbaric.

Tess sighed. “There has to be some way to get her out of there. Why don’t you fly up through there,” she motioned towards the daylight above. “I’m going to return and find some way to free her.”

“Adgertesse,” Brittany’s hands grasped her shoulders. “We have to find someone else to help with that. None of us can dispel the magical wards on the door and the best you’re going to do is get yourself killed for nothing.”

“Kailee would never forgive us if we let you go,” Kristal reminded. “Let’s see if your friends can help us.”

“Don’t you see, Idanac is holding her as a bargaining chip and once Sater gets tired of being played, he’s going to take her for himself. We can’t wait any longer.”

“Then let’s get back to your friends quickly and bring them here.” Kristal’s blue eyes gazed at her sympathetically.

Brittany turned to Kristal. “They’d need an army to get in this place. It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Tess bowed her head and sighed.