Rescuing the Prisoners

Even as she commands the demon, the floor rises up around several members of your group... and swallows them whole down into the ground.

You find yourselves in a smallish stone cell. An empty room without windows or doors. Yet even as the group of you becomes acquainted with the fact that you are stuck here - a door appears in the wall.

The Gobbo squeaks as suddenly she's swallowed up by the floor. She blinks at the darkness and looks around, "Faran. Halani. Cryosanthia.", she says softly, almost to herself. "We're separated from Seldan and the others. Do you know where we are, Cryosanthia?"

"No Mistress! No" Cryo calls, as Salina speaks.

Then she is sinking through the floor. This is unexpected, but these things happen in a place her mistress controls at a whim. Surprised, Cryosanthia waits until it's over. When the cell appears around, she looks at the walls frantically, "No, no, no! Don't make us wait."

She looks at Acedia, "It's a cell, in the dungeon, we're below." A door appears, "Yes! Go through, get to everyone."

Halani's lips press together, and the leather in her gloves creak as she tightens her fists... but she refrains from punching the floor, straightening instead as she door appears in the wall. She looks at it, then looks at the others. "Everyone is okay, yeah?" Another second of looking at them, eyes up at Cryosanthia, then falling down to Acedia and Faranmidahn. "He's going for them. We need to hurry. Maybe throw something through, first.. a light stone? Then we should move." She nods at Cryosanthia's last phrase. "We need to get to them first. You know the way, yeah?"

Faranmidahn gasps in surprise as the floor is suddenly-! Gulp! She is vaguely bewildered by the sudden change in scenery, nearly so much as the fact that they weren't simply smothered within the stone. Just to see how long it takes. She takes a quick survey as they are released, with some relief that they weren't separated. She smiles in relief as she feels Zephy pawing at her jaw with her little forelegs, though noticing a conspicuous absents brings her scant comfort with the situation to a literal screeching halt. One that sounds a lot like "TORRENT! No! No! No! Nononono!" She reaches out to touch Cryo's arm, "We need you, Cryo. Come on!" she answers the sith's words, and starts to move toward the door. She pulls her skipball from a pouch on her belt and absently tosses it through to see if anything happens on the woman's words.

Nothing happens as Faran's ball goes through the doorway. It bounces into the hall and you realize that there's a faint light being emitted from the stone itself. Enough for you to see faintly by. There's a hallway on the other side of the door, a hallway with many other doorways to either side. Doorways holding prisoners. Down that hallway, you hear the sound of blood-curdling screams.

Kira stands within another open cell door, further down the hall. She is facing forward and staring ahead, not really looking at anything in particular. Her clothing is ... well, there's not much left of it. Her tabard is absent, her tunic is in tatters, with barely enough left to be decent, revealing stitched, still angry-red lines along her torso. Her breeches are also missing a fair portion of their length. Normally-bound blonde hair is a scattered, matted mess and even appears lopped off in places.

She stares blankly ahead for a moment, as if expecting something. When that something never occurs, she blinks. Peers. Then she spies something across from her and gasps hoarsely, stepping across the hall towards the opposite side. Ok, less stepping and more limping slowly, clutching her abdomen.

Acedia peeks out into the hallway, and carefully steps forward a little, peering at the other cells. The screams from further down cause her to glance that direction, and she takes a few quiet steps in that direction. Her ears suddenly stand up and she looks over her shoulder at Kira. "Kira?", she whispers, "Is that you? How did you get here?"

"There's no traps down here! Follow." Cryo says, not waiting any further. She runs through the doorway, ducking with a fluid practiced moment that lets her horns just clear the low sil. If the Mistress left a surprise she'll run straight into it. The sith stops short, seeing the first prisoner in the hallway, "Kira! Oh Kira!"

Cryosanthia digs a potion out of her haversack, stepping to the paladin, "Here, drink this."

Halani is quick to follow Acedia and Cryosanthia, slipping around the former, squeezing past the latter. She pauses for a moment to look Kira over, but seeing as how the hearthguard is walking, Halani elects to start inspecting other cells.

Kira seems to hear the voices, but doesn't turn to look at them, much less acknowledge them Instead, she speeds up her limping 'dash' across the hall into the open cell across from her. "No..." her voice is hoarse and quiet. "Not again. Not yet. I need to. Tend him. First."

Faranmidahn not fully bereft of her faculties, though certainly on a higher emotional octane at the moment with her beloved Torrent missing, takes the skipball not exploding as a positive sign, and as she moves forward, drawing her cold iron sword, begins her detection incantation. "Magic forces, sweeping earth to sky, reveal your flows to my focused eye!?" and.... nothing. She blinks, "Damn!" then, 'Be careful, something's wrong with my magic!' She is out the door in time to see the wounded woman's state and she blinks, 'Miss Kira!' wait.... her heart climbs into her throat to try and get a peak at what's going on, 'Tend.... tend who...?' <unknown>

There are a... great number of prisoners in here. And none of them look like they could move if they wanted to. There are screams echoing down the hallway, cries and pleas for mercy that are cut off in the most gruesome way. You know that people are dying. Yet... Kira is limping across the hall determinedly to where a sith-makar lays curled on the ground. A blue-scaled sith who... Is he even alive? His body lays there limply as if he might already be dead...

The Gobbo's heart lurches as she can see whom is laying upon the ground. But further up the hallway... Acedia pulls a blade, a long, slender sword almost as big as she is. And she runs up the hallway towards the screams of the dying. "Kor. I have not prayed to you before. I am no warrior. But grant me this one thing. Let me save these people. And if you do not listen... to the nine hells with you!"

"Zeke! No." Cryosanthia immediately moves to Kira's side, to her cihuaa's. She stares at her, at him, eyes black, "What happened? What do I do? How can I help."

Those screams, always a choice. "Faran! Look for your parents. Halani... I... don't know. Tell Eclavdran to stop, tell him he'll have to kill his Maraiel but you know a way he doesn't. Tell everyone to go the other way, away from the screaming, that's where the exit is. If they can move."

She's panting, it's all gone so chaotic, so fast. She looks over his body, no, no no no no...

GAME: Kira rolls heal: (20)+16: 36

Halani hadn't paid the blue scaled sith'makar any more mind than any other prisoner she saw... enough to see he wasn't moving on his own before moving on. But she turns around at Kira and Cryosanthia's cries, taking a step back towards them. Until she hears the white sith'makar's instructions. She nods, her eyes tightening as she listens to Faranmidahnès cries then, but she turns, moving after Acedia and then pushing past. "We need to get to him now!"

Faranmidahn's eyes widen in horror at the realization, though at the directive, she nods and begins to move along the cells, "Mother! Where are you?" a little further, her tone climbing in pitch as dread starts to crawl up her spine again, "Father! Please, answer me! It's Faran!" Please, please please be alive, please please please.... <unknown>

Kira collapses to a kneel at Zeke's side and seems to echo Cryosanthia, though she still hasn't really acknowledged her. "Zeke...no... it will be alright..." She leans close to him, checking over recently bandaged or stitched wounds and puts her ear to his chest. Only then, staring directly at the white sith, does she blink and there's a spark of recognition. "Cryo?" Recognition, though maybe not belief. "Weak. He's so weak. He must rest. Don't take him, please." Whether or not Cryo really is her or some new ...evaluation or experiment, she pleads nonetheless.

"Yes, it's Cryo, it's me Kira. We have to go, we..." The whitescale sith stares at the Paladin, "Am I here too? Have you seen me, is this before?"

She looks down helplessly, on all the injuries, the bandages. Her eyes have gone black, she can't hold back mournful wails at what she knows he has suffered. Oh my mate! There's nothing she can do. Even touching him will rip open some of those wounds. Cryo's breathing is not getting any slower, "Eclavdran, the Mistress ordered him to kill everyone. He's coming Kira. We have to get everyone out, stop him, both."

Zeke doesn't move. Barely seems to breath. Only Kira's words give comfort that he still lives. The blank bottomless stare of his empty eyes echoes death too loudly. As if his soul has already flown him.

Whether pure luck, or fortune favoring her Faran quickly finds... her mother. The lucht is curled up in a corner, alone. There's no sign of Faran's father, and her mother does not respond to her calls.

Meanwhile, Acedia and Halani head further down the hall and encounter... Eclavdran. The demon is it seems, having a great time ducking into the cells, dragging out the occupants and murdering them in the hallway.

Acedia comes to a stop, her eyes wide at seeing the Demon. "Eclavdran! Stop! Help us free the prisoners. Help us find your consort! Help us escape, and we shall break BOTH of the circles. We're here to see Salina be thrown down. Help us and you can be free of her control. Surely that must anger you, that she tugs on your chain?"

The albino draws in a sharp breath as what she sees in one cell brings her search to a halt. A swallow and she moves in to check on her dame, her source, and a part of what she is, "M-mother..." She takes a knee by her side, "Can you hear me...?" and she reaches out to lightly touch her hair. <unknown>

"Awwwww scud..." Halani mutters as she skids to a stop as well. Only briefly, though.. a glance likely shows that these prisoners aren't in a condition to move on their own either. Just in case, though, while Acedia gets the demon's attention, she shouts, "Hey! He's coming! Get out of your rooms and get behind me and the gobber!" It isn't much of a motivational speech.. and for people who have been subjected to all sorts of physical and psychological horrors, she doubts it will help much, but even as she shouts she starts walking towards Eclavdran. "Hey! Eckles! If you keep doing this, you'll have to kill.. Mar... Meri.." Oh damn. She licks her lips. "Maraiel! Yeah! But we know a way you won't have to!"

Kira blinks a few more times, confused. "No, not before. But she likes to ..." Kira finally seems to register that Cryosanthia may actually be here, and finally seems to notice the other goings on once she processes Cryo's warning. She swallows hard to try and wet her throat. "Moving him. He could die..." She looks terribly pained. "... but we can't leave him to ...this." Still, she seems terrified at that choice presented to her. But maybe it doesn't need to be, or shouldn't be her choice. "What shall we do?"

Eclavdran drags another prisoner out by the foot and shoves his blade into the person's belly. There's a sharp gurgle and cry as the demon lifts his head and looks at those talking to him. He snorts. "My consort is not /here/ you fools." A deep laugh echoes out of him. "Come little adventurers, face your death. I owe your kind a bit of spilled blood."

Faran's mother shudders and tries to get away from her touch, crying soundlessly, tearlessly as she tries to get away into the wall. Curled as tightly as she can get into the stone.

Cryosanthia stares at the bandages on Zeke. All of the bandages are, or were, white cloth. Some with bits of a blue pattern on them. One folded into a pad is held on by Kira's eyepatch. There is no Healer's Kit here. Her cihuaa looks terrible, the warning that moving him might kill him, strikes to her core. "Stay with him. Don't move him. I'll... do something."

The sith runs out of the cell. Her heart is pounding. She grabs at straws. Placing a hand on either side of Zeke's cell, she thunks her head against the sill above it. All that staring at the ooze, all the time here. She searches inside, feeling for her magic, trying to sense the magic in the tower she knows is there, pressing hard. Feeling, in a sorceress way. Close, close. She imagines the wall sealing over, it flowing together, "Zehier's tower, close this cell door. No door, only wall."

The Gobbo swallows. "It depends on when this is. Your consort WILL be here, either in the past or in the future, Eclavdran. You have some idea of how this tower works. If she is not here this moment, it means if you help us, you can be free, and Maraiel might never be imprisoned here. Surely breaking TWO circles is worth you staying your hand?" She slowly brings up her blade. "Are you certain about this, Duke of Hell? This is your best chance to be free that you've had in .. how long? Do you even remember? Even now, our friends are fighting Her above. Help us and we help you. YOU HAVE MY WORD AND MY LIFE ON IT." She stomps one of her feet for emphasis.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls Use Magic Device: (19)+9: 28
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls knowledge/arcana: (12)+10: 22

The Lucht is consternated beyond measure at this development, but gently tries to curl arn arm around her mother's waist to draw her to her feet, "The demon comes, we can't save you or father unless you MOVE! Please, mother, I don't matter, but please, for Korsandir's sake, mooooooove!" <unknown>

"Acedia... " Halani starts... then stops. For all she knows, the gobber's words might actually work. It wouldn't be hard, after all, to have a better understanding of what's going on than Halani does. She does step around Acedia, though, advancing on Eclavdran. Swiftly. Her hands come up defensively as she prepares to at least slow him down. "There's a way out of this, Eckles, but you gotta want it, yeah?"

The wall shudders, moves VERY slowly like it's going to close... but doesn't. It's VERY unsatisfying. "No, no! Why?"

Cryosanthia pounds at the side of the door, "It should have worked, why didn't it work? I felt... something. Why... how to control it. I thought it was his name. Is there a control centre? Where would there be a control system. Yes that's what we're after, to get her off it. Top floor? Down here. Have I seen anything that looks like a control system."

The palescale sith thinks hard, then shouts out, "Ignition! Inferno! Are you here? Zeheir says to give me control!"

Eclavdran shifts, bending down to pull yet another unfortunate soul out of their room. Futile efforts are made to stop the demon, but he crushes the person with his blade and steps toward Acedia and Halani. "I know more than you think, and my consort has never, will never be trapped in this tower. I tried to help you. Tried to give you aid." His eyes flash red. "And what thanks do I get? I get your ilk attacking me in the /one/ place I told you not to go."

Faran's mother turns and grabs her, holds on and weighs her down. "He's dead! He's dead!" She sobs on her daughter inconsolably. "Why are you here? Why are you tormenting me?"

Kira looks to Cryo and the doorway. When it starts to close, her eyes wide. Trapped in a cell again? Not good. Not moving Zeke and able to tend him? Pretty good. Zeke trapped in the cell again? Terrible. She's not sure if its hope or fear that makes her struggle to her feet and move to the hall. "We can't leave him here!"

Then she notices - Oh, look, it's Eclavdran. And he's ... stabbing people. "Please, take him. Get him out." So now she's making a choice. Not a preferred one, but she knows that moving him, however risky, is MUCH less risky than, say, a demon running him through with a giant sword.

Acedia winces as yet another person is slain. "From when I am from, yes, Maraiel will end up here. I wouldn't even know her name, otherwise." The Gobbo cants her head slightly. "My ilk? Not me. I stand by my word, and I have not ever attacked you or gone to where you told others not to go." She takes a deep breath, her hands shaking slightly, causing the blade to wobble. "Your aid has brought us here, the map has worked. You only need be patient for a little bit longer, Eclavdran. Stay your hand. You can be free. Salina will be brought down."

Faranmidahn's heart stops. Her lungs. The.. thinky thing. She tried to expect it. Tried to be ready in the way that a militant father expects his duly trained daughter to be ready. Still it hits her like Globdulac swinging for the horizon and her head cants a moment before the desperate voices of her comrades reach her ears. The mission. The others. The innocent, "Because Daddy would want you safe..." her voice a taut whisper, but no tears come. She digs in, and with a groan starts to haul her mother to her feet, "I know how to bring him back, come on!"

Cryo has to move him, and she can't. Zeke will die, he's so broken. She's desperate and there has to be something, she heads for the examination room. There's a medical bed, attached to the floor, maybe not well attached. As she passes cells she looks in them for a demoness consort, calling, "Move, move if you can," to anyone she sees. Think Cryo Think! She screams aloud at herself in frustration. Is there nothing down here I can use?

"Enough!" Halani snaps, stepping close enough now to Eclavdran to put herself in his way, body shifting into a familiar, defensive form, hands up before her, palms out. "Us, us, us! You blame us, over and over, but who is the one who let himself get trapped by Her? We didn't go attacking you anywhere. We are here offering to help. Or is this part of your plan? You have this all figured out? You can leave any time you want to?" She takes a deep breath. "I'm not going to let you kill any more of these people."

Kira is looking down the hall to Eclvadran and those between her and him. It seems Cryo is searching for something to help with Zeke, who also seems to be Kira's primary concern. So she posts herself in the hall at the doorway for the moment. One more between the demon and everyone beyond. Also, the wall makes a really nice support to lean against.

Eclavdran stares down at Halani, blood dripping from his weapon slowly. It puddles on the ground. A sick crimson stain. "You can not stop me, but I would rather not kill you." He grins. "You still owe me a favor after all... Still... If you don't get out of my way? I will enjoy killing you."

While the demon threatens Halani a few people are making their way out into the halls toward freedom. None of them are in great condition, but the possiblity of freedom lures them. It does not seem however to comfort Faran's mother who sobs and weeps on her daughter. It's as if the woman has given up all hope. "There's no coming back. This is the end." She shoves Faran away and tries to crawl into her corner. "Go away! You're not real. Just... just another figment. Just another illusion. My baby..." She cries.

GAME: Acedia rolls perform/string: (11)+10: 21

Cryo frantically looks around the Examination room. There is a table full of alchemical stuff. She grabs it and throws it over, sending everything to the floor, then drags the table back on its feet and into the hallway, pulling it towards Zeke's cell. It's unwieldy, but might work. Loud grunts of exertion escape as she moves it as quickly as she can. "Kira, can you help me load Zeke onto this, will that work?"

She's staring down the hallway at the others facing Eclavdran, and has no idea how to help them.

With the demon's attention distracted by Halani, the Gobbo sheathes her blade and fumbles with the case holding the Golden violin. She puts the bow to work, the tune uplifting. Hopeful. She sways from side to side, dancing a little to the tune, and begins to move away from the Demon. Moving towards freedom. "Pick up your feet, move to the beat, freedom's out the door, you're not imprisoned any more."

Faranmidahn closes her eyes and shakes her head. Her baby. Finally..... but at what cost...? She fights the older lucht, using her likely advantage in conditioning to bring the woman out, "I forgive you, momma, please.... come..... ONNNN!!" She's failed her sire, her Daddy, but turns to throwing all of her desperate strength into getting her dame to safety so she can look for.... enough of her father to try and bring him back. But one has to come before the other.

GAME: Faranmidahn rolls strength: (2)+1: 3

Kira turns at Cryo's call and improvised stretcher. Well, she can't lie: it certainly will work better than nothing. "Yes!" She urges herself to move more quickly, now. Still limping, but with more positive and direct purchase. She reaches Zeke and kneels to him again. This time, she works her arms under him in, well, a hug of sorts. Her specialty. "Your cihuaa. She's here, Zeke, to take you home. Stay strong. Just a little longer."

She lowers one hand to grip him lower and does her best to lift him, carefully, trying to support his weight and not across his wounds. While she might pull some of her own trying to get him to and on the table, better hers than his.

"Two favours," Halani says, curling fingers on one of her outstretched palms until only two fingers remain extended. Her stance doesn't shift, though, besides a small amount of rhythmic bouncing. Maybe the music is getting into her bones. "She sent you down to do a job, Eckles, but she didn't say how fast you had to do it, yeah? Maybe you take a break here for a minute. Enjoy the..." She glances past him, a fraction of a second, a quick look at the bodies he's left behind, before her eyes are back on him, watching for him to move. "Enjoy the work you've done so far."

GAME: Zeke rolls 1d100: (22): 22

Eclavdran tilts his head at Halani and smiles a low small smile. "Oh, I knew I liked you for a reason. You have an excellent point, /and/ an offer that I like. Why can't more mortals be like you?" He tilts his head and nods. "We are in the fae lands still. Swear by the Darkness that Devours all things that you will owe me two favors of my choosing and I will... Enjoy myself with what I have already accomplished for a time." His red eyes burn into hers.

Faran's mother is... immovable. She's curled into the corner, batting her daughters hands away as best she can with one arm. Refusing to move.

Zeke groans and shudders as he is moved. His eyes finally closing. In pain, or perhaps some other reason. Blood from one of his wounds reopening pours down Kira's side, and it's blood he can ill afford to lose.

Cryo works with Kira to lift him as gently as she can. Another noise of worry as Zeke's wound reopens. She swiftly tries to support him, staunch the flow, hands over the injury as he is lifted to the table. "Kira, Kira! Zeke."

-TBC