Hytorax Part 2

[Arat-Falathion]

"Alas! For our unluck at this moment!" Fimbren breathed, looking franticly around for some hidingplace. Glimdrell had already dissapeared.

"All of us can't find good enough hidingspots in this room. We should rather stay together and fight, to the bitter end if we must!" Elise said confidently.

"Fight? ME?" Hruad laughed ironicaly. "No! There has to be another way!"

[Lief Erikson]

"We don't even have any weapons," he muttered to himself as he moved to one of Dagankor's back rooms. "Everyone in here. Fimbren? Glimdrell, you out there?"

There was no response, but Fimbren and Elise had followed Hruad in. Hruad slammed the door and bolted it, and then knocked over a wardrobe into the way of the door with a loud boom.

"What are they doing to my quarters?" Dagankor muttered irritably under his breath from outside. "Six men must remain outside each door," he said more loudly to his troops. "The rest of you, get inside, search the place and kill anyone you find."

"Yes sir," the leader said with a nod. One of them ran around the hall to alert the other squad, and Dagankor's moved in.

Imarwyn leapt lightly out from around the corridor as the soldier ran past, and stuck out a long leg to trip him. He fell on his face, turned to curse at her, but she had already jumped on his back and he felt the pressure of her knife blade against the back of his neck.

"I wouldn't move," she informed the Shadowhand troop, "and I wouldn't call for help if I were you."

"You'd never get away with killing me, you'd be hanged."

"How clever you are to work that out," Imarwyn noted, but she had used the time of their short discussion to pick the guard's helmet up from the floor.

Clunk! The guard was senseless.

[Lief Erikson]

"Stand aside," a voice said from behind, and the guards turned around in surprise to look.

"Stand aside now," Dolais repeated, stepping closer to them. "I was a regional representative, and am a servant of the Shadowhand."

"Prove it," one of the guards said.

"Dagankor's orders are that you remove from this place," he continued. "The intruders are being dealt with by other means; you may go."

Two of them drew their swords, facing Dolais, and most of the others put their hands on their hilts.

"You threaten me, a servant of the Shadowhand?" Dolais asked, his lips curving mockingly. He kept walking toward them, finally stopping a few feet away. "You are needed by Dagankor to find Captain Athalt Cranain and assist him in his orders. The king is unwell; everyone is receiving orders from Dagankor, now."

"They are, are they?" one of the soldiers said with a small smirk. One of the others elbowed him.

Dolais smiled and nodded, but his smile was cold. "Yes, they are. The king may well be dead shortly, and you would do well to follow the orders of the greatest power in Enedwaith at the present time."

"How do we know you're a representative of that power?"

"I have had enough with your impertinance," Dolais said, and he whipped a blade from its sheath. It blazed with a brilliant light and gleamed red.

"Wha . . .?" one of the guards bumped against the wall, staring in horror. Dolais had beheaded the guard who had spoken, and his eyes were ice.

"Does anyone else dare refuse the orders of the power that gave me this blade and trained me in my power?"

The soldiers ran.

Imarwyn stepped out from the other side of the hall. "It's a good thing I met you," she said quietly. "I had no idea you were such a good actor."

"Let's just hope we're not too late," Dolais said grimly, wiping off Fimbren's sword and sheathing it.

[Earniel]

Tareod's mind still raced to find a way to get back to the king. A vague sound reached his ears: the sound of many heavy shod feet. Soldiers. And still so close to the king's quarters.

Without ceremony, Tareod pulled himself loose from the strong grip of the servant and ran back to the king quarters, leaving the servant dumbfounded what to do.

But king's chambers were empty, no servants and no Vahatres to be seen. Tareod cursed softly. Where could they have been taken the king? They couldn't be very far yet.

On impulse he ran to Dagankor's quarters and soon caught sight of the king but also of several Shadowhand soldiers. Tareod's hand automatically gripped the hilt of his sword but the soldiers didn't seem interested in Vahatres. Instead most of them entered Dagankor's room, much to Tareod's relief.

No one had noticed his arrival yet. Dagankor was giving out orders and Vahatres stood a bit back watching his advisor. Tareod quickly moved over to Vahatres, his hand still on his sword. If the Shadowhand soldiers would turn on the king now, Tareod was definately outnumbered. But, he thought grimly, outnumbered didn't mean defeated just yet.

[elvishfaerie3088]

"looks like someone could use a hand?" My voice was quiet and unassuring but there i was...did they hear me? did they know i was there?

[Lief Erikson]

Dolais turned in surprise as the elven woman showed up behind them. He had raised the blade half heartedly, but he lowered it again in relief. Thank goodness he wouldn't have to really fight someone- he was hopeless with the sword.

"We could use your help, yes," Dolais said, taking the sword from the dead soldier's grip and passing the hilt to the elf. "The Shadowhand has several of our friends trapped inside a room, and they're trying to get in to kill them. We've cleared one entrance in, but we're a little unsure as to what to do next. Can you help?"

[Lief Erikson]

"Ambassador," Vahatres said in surprise. He glanced down at Tareod's right hand. "Don't worry, we've got this situation well under control."

Dagankor turned to see who he was talking to, and he smiled. "Have you been shown your quarters? We've encountered some traitors, ambassador, and are about to try and pull them out. The king and I were about to enter the room just now. It might be better if you were to stay outside, though. This could be dangerous."

"I will stay with the king and see what's going on," Tareod answered.

Dagankor forced another smile, and drew his sword. Tareod drew his blade, but Dagankor stepped into striking range without doing anything with his weapon.

"Then come with me," he said invitingly, and took the king's arm with his left hand, guiding him toward the door.

[Arat-Falathion]

Glimdrell had hid in the shadows of the door, in between the leaves of a decorative bush in the corner. The guards had started to roam into the room already, when he suddenly heard a familliar voice reply to the words: "I will stay with the king and see what's going on."

The voice made his blood pump through his veins, a damned taste filled his throat.

"Then come with me," the voice replied. Glimdrell knew he had to react now if he wanted to get out of this alive.

He sprang out.

Glimdrell appeared before Dagankor and Vahatres, they had no chance to tell which direction he had come from, and if other guards had seen him coming out from his hidingplace, they wouldn't have time to tell, or voice enough. Shouts and curses was arousing by the door to the inner chamber, all the guards were engaging that spot.

"Master Dagankor, king Vahatres!" Glimdrell said feigning a rather bad darkish voice. "The traitors hide in the inner chamber, the door is blocked!" Glimdrell tried to do as few gestures of facemovements as possible, all in effort not to reveal who he truly was.

Indeed it wasn't hard to tell an elf from a human, yet there were exeptions among men, with handsome features, just like Glimdrell. And the outfit of a shadowhand soldier did indeed help sufficiently.

"You don't say..." Dagankor said sarcasticly at the obvious. He pushed the elf aside and strided forth. "Stand aside soldier!"

Glimdrell gained the momentum of Dagankors push and managed to get out the door while it all looked like Dagankor pushed him. If Dagankor had seen Glimdrells smile at that moment he knew he would have been revealed...

[elvishfaerie3088]

I pushed the sword hilt away and spoke while smirking a little, "That's okay, I have my own...Don't bother asking how i got for i shall not tell!" I felt like laughing but kept this to myself and awaited orders.

[Finrod Felagund]

Fimbren was sweating. "Wait! Grab a chest and when they enter we will ram them!"

[Lief Erikson]

"Suicide," Hruad muttered. "That would be the death of us."

There was another window in the chamber, but looking out through it, he saw there were guards beneath that one as well.

"All we can do is hold them off for as long as possible."

[Finrod Felagund]

"Hold them off with what!?!?" Fimbren demanded.

[Earniel]

Imarwyn looked at the door of Dagankor's quarters that Dolais had cleared. "Maybe we can break open the lock." she mused.

"We'll have to get in anyway if we wish to help the others. Does one of you two have any lock picking experience? Otherwise I think I can force it open with my knife." She said, looking calculating at the lock.


-----

Tareod gritted his teeth and followed the king and his advisor into the room. He supressed the urge to attack Dagankor. He knew that could a very unwise move before Vahatres was freed from the spell. The only thing he could do was stay very close to Vahatres.

[Lief Erikson]

The door splintered open with a crash, and Hruad, who had just been pushing another cabinet into the way, was thrown back onto the floor. The soldiers instantly began scrambling over the pile of rubble, while the companions seized fragments of wood and furniture. They beat at the guards, but Fimbren silkily evaded one of their swords. He caught the guard around the throat with one hand and broke the soldier's right wrist with the other. An instant later, he had the man's sword and had kicked the body out of the way. Just in time to parry a couple blows from different directions and slit the neck of the next guard storming in.

Elise snatched the sword from the floor, but looked very hesitant to get into battle, using it as a weapon. Hruad contented himself with a broken piece of wood, but could see that Fimbren didn't need him. He'd more likely get himself hacked up without purpose, and Fimbren would have to protect him. So Hruad hung back, waiting and hoping he wouldn't have to use the furniture piece as a weapon.





"Hmm," Dolais said, and tried the door with his hand. It swung open. "Maybe that won't be necessary."

His eyes widened as he saw the scene within, and he realized in an instant that the elf fighting in the doorway was this sword's master. It was almost pulling itself out of his hand in eagerness to get back to him.
bring me to my master, bring me to my master, he needs me, he needs me
Dolais threw the sword at Fimbren, and the weapon turned in midair, and Fimbren caught it by the handle. He blazed with glory, and smiled.

The soldiers hesitated.

"Kill him!" Dagankor cried.

Fimbren advanced into the room, and four soldiers lunged at him from all sides. Two fell dead in two seconds, and the other two only got away because they had limbs severed, and were no longer a threat. Dagankor drew his Morgul blade and backed toward the door. This was far more than he'd counted on.

One of his soldiers appeared at the door, a dagger drawn.

"Give me that," Dagankor said, extending a hand for the knife. The soldier smiled, and slashed his hand.

Dagankor screamed and staggered backward, as the soldier withdrew his helmet. He had pointed ears- one of the elves who'd been among the company.

From beyond the corridors, he heard the sound of a scuffle breaking out. Athalt Cranain appeared, surrounded by five soldiers.

The sound of clashing swords was irrupting from other points of the palace.

"Traitor! Treachery!" Dagankor screamed.

Dolais and Imarwyn burst into the room a moment later, each picking up swords from the floor.

Fimbren was finishing off the last of the guards, and people were storming the room from all sides. Dagankor pressed himself back into a corner, not daring to reach for his sword. "Spare me! I serve the king . . . treachery, spare me."

"The treachery is yours," Elise said. "Thank-you," she said to Athalt as he passed her her staff.

[Arat-Falathion]

OOC: OOOOH! Exciting, exciting exciiiiting

BIC: Glimdrell stopped just as he had exited the room. The sound of crashing door had him turning in fear for his friends. Glimdrell drew the dagger and walked back in.

"Give me that," A commanding voice said. A caped man extended a hand for the knife. Glimdrell smiled, recognizing the man for whom he was, and slashed his hand.

Dagankor screamed and staggered backward, as Glimdrell withdrew his helmet, revealing his elven heritage.

"So sagacious you find yourself, Dagankor. Yet you can not tell your friends from foe, and man from elf."

The sound of another fight sounded throughout the castle. And Dagankor could only scream and shout in his despair.

Glimdrell blinked over at Fimbren and gave him a nod of his owned respect. "Perhaps you will show me a trick or two of your skills when time and oportunity allows?"

[Sicirus]

ooc: You should have told me you were making a part two. I guess my pm are not working properly lately. Please can someone fill me in as best they can as what is happening. I cannot read the wholoe thing. Unless you want me off then that is fine too.

[Tessar]

Elise smiled, almost fondly, at her staff and gripped it with both hands as she shuffled towards Dagankor. She was hunched over again and her brown robes were torn in places, showing the green dress underneath. A few wisps of hair were loose from her bun and still stuck out even after Elise lifted the hood of her robe to hide her face.

The sorcerer cringed as Elise came to a halt in front of him, shifting her staff to one hand and drawing the other back. Her slap landed against his face with a resounding smack and knocked him on his side where he huddled.

“I think you and I shall have a very long talk soon.” Elise said in a voice so soft only the sorcerer could hear. “I have many questions, you have a few answers. I WILL have them.”

[Earniel]

Imarwyn smiled as she caught sight of Athalt. "Good timing, " she said. "I don't think you should have bothered coming a little later."

She looked at Dagankor who still huddled before Elise. "What will become of him?" she asked.

[Finrod Felagund]

OOC: Wow, dude! That was sweet, thanks for making me so cool. I got my sword back! Yay!

[Mathron]

The Shadow faded in and out of the wall, lurking in the corners of the room, an unseen patch of shadow buried amidst the darkness already there.

It smiled, watching events playing out before him. The heroes had given a good account of themselves - better than he had expected. Yet he doubted things were over yet - a wizard always has a trick or two up his sleeve...

Yet what if they did triumph? The Shadow frowned to itself. They could pose a threat to its continued existence. And if that was the case... and if he could not find a way to turn him to his own ends...

They would have to be removed.

The Shadow smiled grimly, and returned to watching the events in the room.