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Date Posted: 20:32:29 03/26/02 Tue
Author: Erlic & Valhorek
Subject: Departure
In reply to: Isobel 's message, "Will those two hurry up already!" on 04:00:49 03/26/02 Tue

Jade, and Erlic offered each other the solace that they could under the circumstances, embracing each other as if it were their last time together. She then broke the closeness they had shared, and stepped away, moving a bit farther as she pulled a small green stone from her pouch, pointing toward a wall, and recited the arcane words that would activate the magic housed within the stone. A portal appeared not far from the exotic woman, as she paused momentarily to look into his eyes.

“To remember me until I return……” were the only words she uttered, at least the ones he heard, along with the explanation for the dagger she left with him, as she stepped into the portal, and vanished.

He stood there for a time wondering what it was about the woman that had captivated him, a cold, cruel, and sometimes-heartless man that most people chose to ignore. Yet she found him different, and stated it as such. He looked down at the dagger, feeling its outline before placing it in a sheath around his leg. He would miss her very much, especially if she didn’t return.

He realized, at that very moment, he was once again alone, something he had been used to for so very long. He hoped she returned, but made a resolution to remember her always, regardless if she returned or not. As he stared at the area where the portal had stood, he remembered the touch of her hands on his face, and how he had enjoyed her touch. But he was alone, and there were others that needed his help, and it wouldn’t be fair to him, Jade, or the others to simply remain standing there as a lovesick puppy.

He followed the hallway until he caught up with the others in the group. He entered the chamber they were in, and quickly looked around noting that it was a storage area of some sorts. Everyone was huddled in front of a door as he made his way toward them. The questioning look on their faces all asked the same question. “Jade found the item she had been searching for,” Erlic explained, “and thus had to return the article back to her customer. Perhaps she’ll return, but for now, we’re on our own.”

They didn’t need to know all the details, that much were certain. He was aware of what it meant to accomplish a mission, and return the items he had been asked to find. Many customers didn’t appreciate waiting for long, regardless of how difficult any mission could be, or whatever dangers they might entail. They simply wanted the goods, nothing more, and nothing else.

Ravin quickly gave him a brief synopsis of what they had found, and motioned over to the door. Erlic simply nodded, and surveyed the area once again. He had not mistaken the look on Isobel’s countenance, for it seemed that there was something, or someone else down here. Why was the magic question, but for now they needed to continue forward before the Sheikh became irritable again.

Erlic looked around the door, and still having his gloves on, started to check for any signs of traps. Everything looked normal, and after turning towards the others, grabbed the handle of the door, and opened it.

The room was fairly large, and quite well lit. In the center of the room was a massive dining table, capable of seating twelve people on either side, with one at each end. Against one of the walls stood an ornately crafted cupboard filled with dishes, cups, goblets, and other items needed for dinner. The table itself had already been set as if someone were expecting company. What amazed Erlic was the fact that there were no traces of dust, or cobwebs, thus giving the indication that someone, or something, kept cleaning the area quite well. A massive fireplace was on the opposite wall of the cupboard. Various tapestries of scenery, castles, mountains, and strange gods adorned the walls.

As the group walked in to get a better look, Erlic turned to Ravin, Isobel, and Val. “This seems so out of place, especially down here under the temple.” A fancy liquor cart stood several feet away from the main dining table, filled with bottles that seemed, at least from his vantage point, still sealed, and quite full. “Someone has sure gone to a lot of trouble to set up this magnificent room,” Erlic mentioned as he started to walk around the room.

The slightest scratching sound alerted everyone in the room as they turned toward its source, only to find nothing. Erlic could have sworn he had heard something, as did Ravin, Isobel, and Val, especially since they were all looking around wondering where the sound had emanated from. They continued to explore, and once their backs were turned the sound echoed again through the room. Erlic had quickly turned, and again nothing. Ravin’s eyes were constantly shifting from one area to another, and when they focused on Erlic’s, the unasked question remained with both of them. What was going on?

Then it started, the sound of wood softly hitting wood, creating an unusual cadence, and beat, as if in prelude to something that was to happen. Everyone looked around for the source of the sound when Erlic pointed to the chair by the dining table. The one leg of the chair was moving in an up, and down manner as if it had a mind of its own. Erlic still couldn’t see anything but drew his sword as if in preparation for the unseen servant that was behind this.

The tempo picked up a bit, but now one could hear a compounding of the wood, as a few of the other chairs, one by one, joined in with their brethren, in keeping up with the unusual cadence. Erlic slowly backed away, looking around when suddenly the door of the cupboard flew open of its own accord, and one by one the dishes started to fly toward the group, randomly taking aim at those that had entered their domain.

Erlic quickly ducked as one of the dishes flew past his face. This was totally crazy; dishes didn’t simply fly of their own accord. He held his sword high, and as another dish sailed toward him, he simply sliced it in mid air, as it came crashing to the ground. He kept his Katana at shoulder level, using his keen senses to determine when the next plate or goblet would come flying in his direction, when he noticed one of the chairs starting to move as if it were an animal, moving its legs away from the table.

“Everyone watch out!” Erlic yelled while pointing in the direction of the chair, which was slowly advancing on him. Suddenly it rushed toward him as if it were alive, and Erlic simply swung his sword at the animated object, sinking his Katana into the wood. The chair acted as if it had been injured, turning toward him as if watching his every move. By now Erlic managed to discern that some of the other chairs had started to move, and were making their way toward the others.

The chair suddenly flew at him, and he quickly rolled onto the ground avoiding any damage it could have caused. He was quickly on his feet, and swung at the object from behind. It turned to face him, and Erlic suddenly realized that the sword was not accomplishing anything, other then knick the once ornately carved wood. But he was a Ninja, one practiced in many forms of martial arts, just as deadly with a weapon as he was with his bare hands. His mentor had shown him how to concentrate all of his focus onto the side of his outstretched palm, forcing his inner power into that area, or any other area of his body, allowing him to crack wood in half. Perhaps now was the time to find out.

He stood totally focused as the chair leapt into the air toward him. With amazing speed he quickly spun around as his foot connected with the chair, splintering it in several pieces where they simply fell to the ground, unmoving.

“Try to find a blunt object, and destroy the chairs,” Erlic yelled once he figured out how to defeat this most unusual nemesis.

********************


Val had watched what was happening and was just as mystified as the others in the room. One of the plates had hit him in the arm, and although it caused no real damage, he could understand what could possibly happen if they somehow managed to aim for someone’s head.

And that was when the chairs started the cadence, beating as if to the sound of a drum. Slowly, a few, but not all of the chairs, started to move under their own power. Val immediately pulled out his broadsword, and prepared for anything. He had seen what Erlic had done with the chair, and realized that although not a blunt instrument, his sword was nearly twice as long as that of the others, and had more girth to it as well, and for that reason it required the use of two hands to wield it.

As the chair made its way toward him, he simply made a flowing downward arc toward the object, cracking it in half. “If you can’t find a blunt weapon,” he yelled, “hit it with all the might you’ve got.”

Now the whole group was under attack by chairs, and occasionally a flying plate, or what remained of the plates in the cupboard, as Val moved toward his newest enemy. He thought it quite funny that a chair was now the enemy, and he had to take up a fight against it, or them.

He swung his mammoth sword, but this one was a bit quicker, and moved away just in time, his sword only causing a slight knick in the wood. The healer moved around quickly, and tried to ascertain if the chairs had any thought sequences or not. As unusual as this seemed, he thought it quite probable, since the chairs seemed to recognize that they were the invaders.

The object moved to attack, and this time he ducked as it leapt at him. He quickly turned, and stood, swinging the large blade at the object, splintering it into several pieces. He quickly turned to those that needed assistance.

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