”It didn’t work!” Bjorkus barks as he starts to feel woozy. ”Everyone hold your breath!”
He nods to Rilka. ”You’ve gotta try it again.”
Gabriel yells out loud, to everyone, "If anyone can help with that trap do so! Everyone else, huddle together around me and stay together!"
Gabriel takes a deep breath and he'd quickly rush to the side of the two prisoners that had fallen and pull them close. Then he . His mind calms even as the fear of gas hurting others reaches him. If the others do as he told them too, he'd reach inside himself as he often did when he called upon his powers to heal or smite, or as he rarely did, to light the world with the power he had been blessed with.
'Please, hear me gods! Help me shield them! He thought furiously too himself. That light inside him, it could do so much. It should be able to do this too, right? It was meant to protect others. Gabriel pulled at that energy, willed it to take the desired shape. He could feel in it his mind, it burned like the lightning that so often crackled about him when he used his powers. His arm tingled with the energy as he imagined himself gripping it... and then he released it into the air.
It spread like a wave, a pulse of energy. The air crackled and hummed and wall of prismatic energy swept over each individual within thirty feet of the tiefling, fading after a few moments. Well, sort of fading. Around those who had been caught up in the light, the energy continued to crackle and hiss, not harming them but shielding them. Should they be near another who was struck, the crackling energy would seem to redouble, arcing between them.
Rilka quickly drops down to where the trap is at and finds the problem. With Dalton helping to hold her tools, she barely manages to close the trap.
"Well-done, Lady Rilka!" Dalton says after a sigh of relief. These skin-of-your-teeth moments are truly not my forte.
”Thanks for the help,” Rilka says letting out a deep breath. ”You made all the difference.” Using her veil, the halfling wipes the sweat from her face. She puts her thieves’ tools away. Her fingers dance along the vials of her alchemical kit and remove a dark glass container. She uncorks it then takes a short, deep sniff. ”Some bitters to keep me better focused,” she says with a chuckle.
Rilka's sharp ears detect that the gas has stopped, and after a few moments the two unconscious prisoners recover. Then there is a very loud grinding hear from directly below you that goes on for a good ten seconds and seems to travel in a southeast direction. Rilka and Toramin take point again and try to head towards that direction which is also where the door is they originally came into this hell maze with Targ. Sure enough, after another hour of twisting and turning the front door is seen with sun peeking in. The sides of the door have scrapes where stone slid on stone, making it apparent that the blood sacrifice was what triggered the door to open. The party steps out into the light...
And into a warzone. Hundreds of people are running, fighting, screaming, and dying on the streets and rooftops. Even for a warzone it's a mess, the only people taking a clear side are the white cloaks and the people directly fighting against them, although there are many other fights going on that don't involve the white cloaks. But the chilling participants in the fight are ragged bodies dressed in ripped clothing with sunken in cheeks and no eyes; undead are prevalent and seem to be helping the white cloaks.
The sun glints off of something on the rooftop a moment before a faint twang is heard. A bolt comes rushing at the party, but before it connects a shadow overcomes them and a massive greenish body clad in blue-hued armor and covered in weapons blocks the bolt with his chest, sending it off to the ground with a clang. The figure turns with a savage grin...
"Miss me?" Krokar laughs, spinning his massive orc double axe as his eyes flick over the fight. He has detailed war paint on his face that takes away from the civilized half-orc he normally appears to be and marks him as a savage and dangerous fighter, but his eyes still show his intelligence. His eyes catch a section where a dozen warriors are being driven back by white cloacks, but he whispers something and after a moment ten more warriors come from behind them and cut down the corrupted law keepers. Evidently Krokar is in charge of the situation, and a large number of the unmarked fighters are Aestherics.
"I bet they missed me just as much!" A horse passes by and Heff nimbly leaps off of it's back in front of the group. His heavy robes, cape, and hat are gone, replaced by wraps of silks that go up his torso and around his arms, covering about half of his skin. Each seems to strap some sort of equipment to his body within easy reach, although his baggy pants seem they can easily hide a number of other surprises. However, with so much of his skin showing it's curious to see that all of the names he showed to Gabriel are no longer present, at all.
"Listen up; you, us, and Acera are the only ones who know Targ is dead. Acera immediately started taking drastic measures and she seems pissed. The Aestherics are doing the brunt of the fighting right now and can't win this fight; we're basically stalling. You need to get Targ's head with Ares holding it to someplace very public and rile up some noise. Acera is out for blood and the public doesn't know why, but once they do and learn of Targ's death they will rise to overthrow the slavers." He takes out half a dozen gold earrings, giving one to each member of the party. Heff and Krokar are both wearing identical ones. "This will allow you to communicate with us. Krokar will be occupied fighting the white cloaks so I will be your main source of help. After that we need to locate Acera."
Krokar steps in, eyes still on the battle. "I can send a small group of warriors to help guard you, you're very high priority targets right now. But that will take away from the fighting here. Think about it carefully, do you need the protection?"
Bjorkus wouldn't admit it but he was glad to see Heff, Krokar, and the rest of the Aestheric fighters. He wonders briefly if this was the plan all along. They'd been sent to gather intelligence but there's no way the Aestheric leaders expected them to stand by when they saw what Targ's regime was doing within Akropash.
"How long's the fightin' been goin' on?" the bull asks of the half-orc. "And where'd the undead come from?"
"A little over two hours. We're assuming they are Acera's since she's the only noteworthy necromancer we know of in the area." Bjorkus recognized the undead as pretty standard zombies and skeletons.
"So the witch's tryin' a show of power before word of Targ's death reaches the city? If she thinks a little fear's gunna be enough to keep these people in chains she's a fool. This city's been hungry for change for a long time and some thugs in white and walkin' corpses ain't gunna stop it."
At Jaime's warning, Bjorkus looks to Heff.
"When that bastard died his blood put some kinda curse on us. Jaime here's a healer and had a spell that held it back for a while but we're gunna need to be cured before we can really lead this thing."
Even though he cannot hear their banter, Toramin plans on following the strateegy that they had laid out.
"We must get to the arena. There is where you will be most visible. Also healers are there and there are injured amongst us."
Heff cocks an eyebrow at Toramin. "This area is protected from eavesdroppers, no need to whisper." He looks back at Bjorkus, folding his arms in his familiar fashion. "Not exactly my specialty, nor Krokar's. Perhaps the masked healers can help. However since the fighting started they locked down their temples and have refused access to anybody that even remotely seems involved in the fighting."
"The Aestherics don't have a skilled healer among 'em?"
"Not any that are here. Our divine casters that valuable aren't anywhere near the front lines. I could get you to one, but since we can't teleport the trip would completely remove you from the fighting."
”You got any powerful enough to use the spell Jamie did? Scrolls or potions maybe? That curse is cripplin’. We’re gunna be no good in a fight if we can’t come up with somethin’.”
"Maybe, but we'd have to call them off of the front lines. Krokar?"
Krokar finishes his sentence and turns. "Not something they prepared for this fight, they mostly have combat and healing spells. Scrolls are back at base, but that's a three hour trip on horseback." He quickly goes back to giving orders.
"What about those trinkets that refresh magic? If you've got a couple of those Jamie could reapply his spell."
"What about flayleaf? This is a hell of a time to start a habit but it's better than nothin'."
"I've been rendered deaf by resin. I'm trying not to yell."
You ass.
Toramin will drop the acorn.
Bjorkus nods. ”Rilka said she could clean him up with some kinda ‘solvent’. You got any of that stuff?”
Gabriel comes out of the tunnel hoping finally to find some peace, but what he actually see's very nearly drops him to his knees. More fighting. More bloodshed. So very much of it. People dying for what they did. His first urge is to throw himself against the undead and he can already feel some of the power inside him begin to answer his call, but before he could sheathe his blade in lightning an unfamiliar voice is followed by a familiar one. Heff. Of course.
Admittedly once the man speaks, Gabriel finds himself a bit happier that Heff was doing so much scheming. He still didn't like the man's philosophy, but that didn't mean Gabriel couldn't acknowledge him as capable. "If the Colosseum, there may be some underground tunnels we can take to get closer. Rather then send a guard with us, and take away men from the frontlines, do you have a messenger or a scout you can spare to lead us through them? The curse is painful, but if we can get there before Jamie's magic wears off it might not matter. Speaking of..."
Gabriel looks back to the prisoners they had rescued, then over to Heff. "Do you have any place they can hide? If they stayed down in the tunnels below until the fighting is over, could you keep the enemy from bothering with it or them? These people... They are all witnesses of Targ's atrocities. They'll be very important in restoring order after the fight and may even bring more of Targ's allies over to your side, when their tales are recounted."
It made Gabe sick to describe the people they had saved like that, but he remembered how Heff had acted, and didn't want to give the man any reason to abandon their safety. If they were useful, Gabe thought he might be more willing to spend resources protecting them.
"Pearls of power and drugs I do not have on me, however..." Heff fishes in one of his pant legs and pulls out some universal solvent, tossing it to Rilka. "I'll ask some of our casters about getting some pearls, but right now they are very preoccupied trying to locate Acera." When Toramin drops the acorn Heff gives a lopsided grin. "Oh come now, don't be so sour. It ended up helping you!"
Heff looks at the rescued prisoners. "Of course, we're currently protecting and escorting non-combatants out of the city, we can easily add them into the mix."
Gabriel reaches to take one of the earings offered to him, but as he does he notices Heff's skin. Particularly the fact that all of the names he had shown Gabriel earlier were missing from his skin. Before Gabriel puts the earing on, he looks at the man closely.
"Will there be more unremembered heroes to add to your memorial today, Heff?"
Heff gives Gabriel a brief look of confusion, then laughs and smacks himself in the head. "Ah, what an obvious oversight! Oh I just needed to fire you up a bit is all, get you motivated. Apparently it worked, judging by Targ's head!" He chuckles, as if the memory of the 'serious' conversation with Gabriel was nothing but a trifling play.
Gabriel cocks his head to the side briefly, his tail going completely rigid behind him for a few moments. The long limb was curled behind him, as it often was, but rather then the irritated or sometimes nervous movements that seemed to accompany the tail, it had stopped. "How much of that talk was real?"
Heff looks up, stroking at his goatee for a moment. "I'd say about none of it, completely pulled it out of my ass. You know the saying though, artists use lies to tell truths."
Gabriel starts shaking his head slowly, a sly grin on his face. Even a chuckle begins to escape him as he considers this fact. "Actually, yes, I do know the saying. I also know you're distorting it a little. I was partially raised by clerics or Shelyn you know."
The tiefling turns his eyes to the battle as his other friends get ready to move. "If its not rude to ask, do you still hold the ideals you spoke of? Were those the lies you painted the truth with, or the truth you were painting?" The last time Gabriel had broached the subject he had been disturbed, to say the least, and clear bothered on several levels. Now he seemed... curious... inquisitive... but rather then offended, there was an earnest, honest, note to his voice. He was looking for an answer, and while his question might not get it, he thought it might get him closer to it.
Bjorkus moves gingerly, as if a quick motion might make the crippling pain return faster.
”We’ll see what Heff can pull up as far as magic resources but we can’t go anywhere without either another hit of the spell Jamie used or gettin’ the curse lifted. The boy’s strong but we can’t go out there with only Gabe’s blade. He’ll be overwhelmed if we’re intercepted by a unit of Whitecloaks.”
”Where’s the place your order will be hidin’ out?” the bull asks with a nod at Jamie. ”It’s important we get you off the street and I want a word with ‘em.”
Heff waves offhandedly. "I was paraphrasing. No it's not rude, but I won't answer that. For the moment anyways. And the general purpose of that was to teach a lesson on perspective in a way that would keep your attention."
Jamie looks around, terrified of all the violence going on. "I imagine the temples. They can lock them down pretty tight if they need to."
Gabriel looks at Jamie and Bjorkus, then offers, "Perhaps it'd be better if he go to the non-combatants that are being protected. Some among them might be injured and require aid and by their very name, they are not participating in the fighting and thus wouldn't break his oath to get uninvolved. Would that work Jamie?"
Gabriel glances to Heff and stares at him for another brief moment, then nods, "Another time then."
”The fightin’s gunna get a lot worse before it gets better and the city needs to stand together if it’s gunna survive what comes next. Gettin’ Jamie home is about keepin’ him safe and securin’ more allies. If they’ve got any sense, seein’ what Targ’s done to one of their own will help ‘em see that sometimes you’ve gotta spill some blood to save lives. At the very least havin’ a good place for refugees to lay low will help.”
Bjorkus gesture for Four Tooth to join the discussion.
”What about you big man? Think you can get out of the city?”
"Unfortunately, I think whether or not they care about what Targ has done, their oaths will prevent them from helping. I... spoke to them. These oaths of theirs would keep them from fighting Asmodeus himself should he choose to make war upon this world." Gabriel grimaces a little, then shakes his head slowly. "More likely they will wait for the fighting to end, then offer their services to whoever remains on either side. Quite possibly they will offer it to no one too. Though they could be friends, unless Heff has some more tricks we don't know about yet, I doubt they will ever be allies in a conflict."