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The druid’s spear bit into the gray-bearded magic user’s thigh before the big warrior closed half the distance between himself and the magic user. Despite this, the magic user got off another spell—a Major Lightning Spell. Pointing his index and middle finger, he directed the forked bolt of energy at the charging big warrior and one of the thin-thief’s spearmen. The electric blast blew the latter ten feet through the air, leaving the man’s chest with a charred hole the size of a fist. Rings of his mail armor were melted into his flesh and a sickly, steaming smoke from boiling blood rose from the downed man’s mortal wound.
The big warrior, however, appeared immune to the energy of the fork directed at him, as well as the thunderous boom that accompanied the magical attack. He charged forward as if nothing more than a throw pillow had been tossed at him.
Everyone, even the magic user’s allies, were temporarily deafened by the echoing thunder crack. The druid, closest to the bolt’s path—with the dead spearman in front of him—staggered back a step, partially stunned.
The second of the entrapped thief’s spearmen held his spear at the ready, facing the attacking party, but didn’t advance.
The axe-wielding warrior with a shield moved to interpose himself between the big warrior and the magic user. He was knocked aside by the half-goblin thief who’d leapt from the tree branch onto his back. His cutlass clanked against the warrior’s helmet as they both hit the ground hard.
The Hades cleric completed a spell—an Arrest Movement Spell, by its effect. Both the druid and the hesitant spearman stopped abruptly, frozen in place. The sentinel, preparing to engage the other axe-wielding warrior and his released war dog, slowed in her movement for a fraction of a second, but managed to throw off the spell’s effect.
The sentinel, intent on attacking the Hades cleric, had to fight her way through the axe-wielding warrior and his trained attack dog. She commenced to doing that. She inflicted a draw cut to the warrior’s leg—only a minor wound. The dog got around behind her and locked its jaws on her calf. Its teeth didn’t pierce the sturdy leather. Nevertheless, the attack hobbled her as the war dog attempted to drag her down.
The elf released a Slumber Spell. It succeeded in causing the war dog’s jaws to release as the canine dropped into a deep sleep. As for the gnome, he’d lifted is shield and charged, his cudgel cocked back. He shouted at the scarred thief, “You’re mine!”
The amused thief, with short sword in hand, gestured for the gnome to bring it on.
Snix left his hidden perch and flew through the branches of the trees, toward the entrapped thief. The man was doomed, flailing like a moth ensnared in a spider’s web. Snix couldn’t do anything to save him. But, once the man succumbed to suffocation, the homunculus might be able to somehow reach the wand. Or, if the enchanted gel vanished, he’d be on hand to snatch it before anyone noticed.
Snix spotted the blue jay sitting quietly in a tree, possibly considering the same. The bird just might be big enough to hold the wand in its clawed feet and fly with it. At least for a short distance. If it managed, Snix was confident he could wrest the wand from the familiar.
The big warrior reached the gray-bearded magic user and slashed mightily with his long sword. The magic user backed away, attempting to avoid the blow but failed. He staggered back, a deep gash across his chest showed through his blue robes as blood began to soak into the fabric. He retaliated with a Mystic Missile Spell. Six, blue-glowing orbs shot from his pointing index finger and slammed into the big warrior.
The spell attack didn’t appear to be enough to kill the warrior. He just dropped his sword and collapsed, unconscious.
The half-goblin and the axe-wielding warrior separated and were now on their feet. The warrior had lost his shield, but he appeared more than a match for the thief and his cutlass. The thief backed away and hurled a dart from his bandoleer left-handed. The warrior ducked his head to the right and avoided its point.
The thief drew another and taunted the bigger man. “That’s all you got, dude? My grandma’s little toenail is tougher than you.”
The warrior charged. The half-goblin backpedaled in retreat, toward Snix’s position.
The gnome wasn’t very fast on the charge. Maybe he’d slowed down, seeing the big warrior fall. He’d stopped shouting and mumbled instead, still closing with the waiting thief.
The sentinel continued exchanging blows with the axe-wielding warrior. He wasn’t able to get past her guard, but neither was she able to land a decisive blow.
The Hades cleric was standing still, casting what must’ve been a complex spell. The elf disrupted the effort when her pink Mystic Missile hit him. The cleric glowered at the elf for a second, then seemed to realize the minimal effect of the spell—nothing like what his magic-using partner could cast. Annoyed far more than injured, he began another spell.
The gray-bearded magic user briefly examined his wound. Apparently confident that he wouldn’t bleed out from it, he looked around and then cast another spell. Another Mystic Missile Spell erupted from his finger. This time the fist-sized blue spheres sped toward the sentinel.
The blond-haired woman staggered back, enduring the onslaught of blue missiles. Unlike the big warrior, she didn’t go down. But, like the gray-bearded magic user, she appeared severely injured.
The axe-wielding warrior stepped over his unconscious dog and pressed his advantage over the sentinel.
The elf drew her rapier and ran toward the half-goblin, still backpedaling from his foe. At the same time her familiar took to the air.
The scarred thief gestured again, awaiting the gnome’s completed charge. The gnome slowed his charge to a trot, but kept closing. At the last moment, the gnome cut right. After several strides he dove toward the downed big warrior and rested a hand on his prone party member’s forehead. He managed to complete the spell he’d been working on before the scarred thief knew what his opponent was doing.
The gnome fell unconscious the same instant the big warrior shook his head, sat up and looked around. Before the scarred thief reached the gnome or warrior, the blue jay dove in, jeer calling and drove its beak deep into the back of the scarred thief’s neck.
The gray-bearded magic user saw the big warrior grab his sword and climb back to his feet. Gripping his staff and backing toward the Hades cleric, he uttered another spell. A wad of stringy spider web the size of a fat groundhog appeared and shot from his extended hand. The big warrior ducked and rolled to the side, avoiding the expanding stringy glob. The Web Snare Spell continued expanding until its sticky strands engulfed the nearest plumb tree.
The half-goblin taunted his axe-wielding foe again. “Dude, your momma’s so ugly, when she dances at the Blue Bugle, everyone throws coins so she’ll keep her clothes on!”
That enraged the axe-wielding warrior. He saw that the half-goblin was backing toward the magical glob that’d smothered the life of the thin thief. Confident there was no escape, he rushed the taunting half-goblin. The thief stood to take the attack and then shifted left. But he kept one leg stretched across the charging warrior’s path, tripping him. The man stumbled forward and into the gooey, gelatinous mass.
The warrior managed to slow his momentum so that his face and hands penetrated the gel only a few inches. But, before he could pull himself free, the half-goblin brought down a devastating cutlass strike against his exposed back.
The Hades cleric completed his spell. The warrior with the melted armor and hole in his chest climbed to his feet as a zombie. The evil cleric pointed and commanded, “Kill the elf.”
Hearing the cleric’s command, the elf, who was running to help the half-goblin, turned to see the undead creature. Her gaze flitted between the zombie and her rapier and back. As the creature reached out and began shambling toward her, she said, “Oh, double crap!” turned and ran. “I hate those things.”
Snix, having seen the elf’s fleetness of foot, knew the zombie wouldn’t be able to catch her.
The gray-bearded magic user, being chased by the big warrior reached the Hades cleric’s side. He grabbed the cleric’s hand and completed a spell. They were gone, an instant before the big warrior managed to thrust his long sword’s tip into that spot.
The scarred thief, while cocking back a dagger, preparing to throw it at the blue jay familiar, saw his two partners Transport away. It took a half second for him to decide the tables had turned against him. Almost as swiftly as the elf, he dashed to escape the fight.
Unfortunately for the scarred thief, he discounted the gnome, probably thinking he remained unconscious, or wasn’t a threat. The gnome was on the ground. The healer leapt forward like a stumpy toad and latched on to the fleeing thief’s right ankle.
Snix saw the half-goblin slash deeply into the axe-wielding warrior’s hamstring. The man had extracted his face but hadn’t freed his hands from the enchanted gelatinous blob. The big warrior, cussing away, ran to help the faltering sentinel in her fight against her axe-wielding foe. The elf was out of sight, and the druid and spearman were still held immobile by enchantment.
The homunculus remembered that the scarred thief held a grudge against his master. He couldn’t let such a man get away. Deciding to take a risk, the homunculus folded his wings and dove. He landed next to the scarred thief, who was lying on his side, kicking at the gnome’s head with his boot, trying to get his smaller foe to let go.
The scarred thief sensed something nearby, but not swiftly enough. Snix darted in and bit the man’s cheek before leaping away. He drew blood while leaving behind some venom in the small wound.
The homunculus got away and into the air before the half-goblin thief arrived to assist his party member. Already, the scarred thief’s struggle to escape became lackadaisical. His attempt to stab the gnome with his dagger lacked focused strength. The sleep-inducing venom was working.
The big warrior cut the remaining axe-wielder down from behind.
The half-goblin wound up and let go with a vicious kick. His leather boot connected with the downed man’s crotch. Snix lacked those anatomical features of a human, but he was aware of the disabling results. The man grunted while his eyes rolled up in his head. A half breath later, he was out.
The big warrior turned around and asked, “Thief, where’s Marigold?”
Standing over the prone scarred thief, the half-goblin said, “That evil cleric dude animated one of delivery dude’s henchmen into a zombie. Then he ordered it to ‘kill the elf.’ She took off faster than a greyhound chasing a rabbit.”
“You heard him, gnome,” the big warrior said. “The thief called Marigold a dog.”
“I did not!”
“Which way did she go?” the sentinel asked, sword held ready. “She may need our assistance.”
“No way a zombie’ll catch her,” the half-goblin said. “Petie’ll let us know if she’s in trouble.”
“Petie?” the sentinel asked.
“That’s her familiar,” the half-goblin explained. “He began patting down the scarred thief and going through his pockets. “Jax, go find something to tie this dude up with.”
The sentinel appeared confused at the lack of concern. “What about your associate?” She gestured toward the unmoving druid.
“Gotta be an Arrest Movement Spell cast by that evil cleric guy,” the half-goblin said. “The one you took issue with.”
The gnome trotted over to the sentinel. His nose was bleeding, and one of his eyes was turning black from getting kicked in the face by the scarred thief. “Thanks, Elisha Justine. Without you—”
“Hey, gnome,” the big warrior said. “The thief asked you to get something to tie that guy up.”
The injured sentinel smiled down at the gnome, dimples showing. With minor difficulty she sheathed her sword.
“You’re name’s Elisha?” The big warrior firmly gripped her arm. “I’m Kalgore. Let me help you over to that tree.” He gestured to a nearby one. “You can sit down there.” As they walked, he continued, saying, “Once Lysine gets unfrozen, he’ll be able to do a little curing. He’s a druid.”
After the big warrior helped the sentinel down to the ground so she could lean back against the plum tree’s trunk, she asked. “How did you survive that magic user’s bolt of lightning?”
“Got a fulgurite that negates them.”
She nodded once, seeming to understand. “Are you sure Marigold does not need assistance?”
“Nah,” the big warrior said. “Here comes her bird. She’ll be right behind him.” He winked an eye at the sentinel and whispered. “Watch. Soon as she gets here she’ll start bitching about something.”
The sentinel raised an eyebrow. “If she is not in danger, maybe you could find something to make into a muzzle and tie it around that war hound’s snout. Tie him to a tree so he doesn’t run off?”
“Good idea,” he said and turned. “Gnome, bring me that asshole thief’s belt so I can make it into a muzzle for that war dog.”
The gnome was busy tying the thief’s wrists behind his back using the thief’s own boot laces. “Do it yourself. I’m busy.”
The big warrior turned to say something to the half-goblin, but the thief was poking around at the gelatinous glob with his cutlass.
“Dude that cast this was tough,” the half goblin said. “We gotta get that wand and get outta here.”
“Yeah, someone’s bound to come see what caused that thunder boom,” the big warrior agreed. He looked up into the tree next to him. “Hey, bird, where’s Marigold?”
A moment later the female elf ran into the small clearing.
“Where’s the zombie?” the half-goblin asked. He stared at her, eyes wide.
“I outran it, and circled back around,” she said. Her familiar landed on her shoulder. “Think it’ll, like, bother anyone or try to kill them?”
“Not unless they’re an elf,” the big warrior said, tugging the belt off thief the gnome had just finished binding up. “A freakishly tall one, with a chest half falling out of her shirt.”
The elf rolled her eyes and adjusted her blouse. “I lost another button running from that creepy zombie thing.” She threw her hands up in the air. “Why do they always gotta come after me?”
“See, Kalgore,” the gnome said. “Marigold taking Running Skill was pretty smart after all.”
The big warrior ignored the gnome and grinned at the resting sentinel, as if to say, “See, what’d I tell ya?” Then the big warrior went over and buckled the belt over the dog’s snout and began searching the nearby dead axe-wielding warrior. “Marigold, get your bird to fly up and see if anyone’s coming.” He pointed toward the immobile spearman. “Then watch that guy.”
He gestured toward the druid. “Gnome, Lysine’s coming out of it. Tell him to get over to Elisha and cast a few cures while me and the thief gather the rest of the loot. We gotta get moving.”
“Yeah,” the half-goblin said. “And we’re taking this dude, too.” He kicked the bound thief. “Bet Higslaff’ll pay us pretty good for capturing him.”