Bladesinger - Keith Francis Strohm [92]
When he finally caught sight of Marissa, trussed up cruelly by a thick chain that wrapped around her good hand and traveled up to the ceiling, where it ended in a metal bolt, the half-elf's heart skipped a few beats. Marissa's normally lustrous red hair lay matted thickly against her head, caked with dried sweat and crusted with congealed blood. Dark bruises blossomed like evil flowers beneath her eyes, and a thick stream of blood flowed from her nose.
"So " a voice hissed from out of the remaining shadows, "I see that you managed to defeat my little pet. You will not find it so easy to overcome me."
Taen drew his sword at the sound of the voice. Behind Marissa, stepping out of the shadows as one might step out of a fine robe, a dark figure strode into view. From where he stood, the half-elf could see that it was a female with some measure of orc blood. One thick hand wielded a rune-covered mace that looked to be made entirely of stone, while the other hand sported a metallic bracer from which sprouted four razor-sharp claws. The light from the hall behind him reflected dully off the half-orc's polished plate armor, throwing three purple scars running down toward the creature's throat in harsh relief. An onyx disk with a single glowing rune hung from her neck.
"Don't be too sure about that," Taen shot back, nearly quivering with rage. Here, at last, was someone at whom he could take out his frustration and anger for Marissa's captivity. He pointed the tip of his blade at the half-orc, and was surprised to see the silver runes flare into life. "We've fought our way into the heart of this gods-blasted citadel, and we're not going to stop until we've walked upon the broken husk of your corpse."
"Ahh," the cleric muttered with a mock smile, "it seems that the hero has brought a pretty speech along with him. What's next, a profession of your undying love for the captive elf?"
Taen's anger rose in him then stilled as he watched the half-orc's smile fade when she caught sight of his blade. "That's a pretty toy you have there, elfling," she barked. "I'll make it a gift to my mistress as she sucks the spirit from your body for all eternity."
"Enough talk," Borovazk shouted from behind Taen. "Ugly cleric hurt little friend. Borovazk say let's kill cleric now."
The cleric gave a half bow. "You're welcome to try," she responded then called out a single word.
Immediately, the floor beneath Taen's feet began to buckle. The half-elf looked down, alarmed to see the thick stone undulating and roiling like a wave in the surf. Quickly, he dived forward, rolling to his feet on a patch of stable ground. As he stood, the half-elf summoned arcane power and intoned the words to a spell. Blue-green lightning sped from his outstretched hand, arcing toward the cleric. Taen watched in mute astonishment as the bolt of lightning veered oddly at the last moment, striking a round glass sphere that hung on a chain around the half-orc's neck. The glass glowed briefly when Taen's spell lashed against it, finally fading as it absorbed the arcane force.
The half-elf had little time to dwell on this unfortunate occurrence as two arrows hissed by his head, cutting through the air toward the cleric. Just as it looked like they would strike the cleric, a purple flare of energy erupted, and the missiles jerked swiftly, batted away by some divine force.
Roberc charged forward, the force of his momentum blunted slightly by the shifting floor, and ducked beneath a wild swing of the cleric's mace. Swiftly, he stabbed forward with his blade, finding a hole in the juncture of his opponent's armor. The blade slid forward easily then stopped, as if striking stone. The wounded cleric shrieked in pain and fell back a step.
Though obviously not as hurt as she should have been from the ferocity of Roberc's attack, she gave the halfling a penetrating look, as if sizing up her opponent for the first time. The cleric slashed down with her claws swifter than a coiled asp. The metallic blades sent sparks flying from their contact with the halfling's