The Purifiers

Chapter 4: The Monsters Within (Scene 1)

"Do not go," E'Sarinn mumbles as he sits up, his vision blurry as his senses struggle to return to this world. There's an owl hooting overhead. He hears the sway of a branch followed by a leaf falling on his head, and now the sound of wings flapping as they quickly move away. As his eyes focus he notices H'Dargoyn staring dead at him. He flinches back. The eyes of H'Dargoyn remain entranced upon him. "Can I help you?" E'Sarinn asks nervously.

H'Dargoyn responds in a flat tone, "You shouldn't let ghosts haunt you like that."

E'Sarinn tenses. "But how --" he fumbles out before his words elude him.

"You talk in your sleep," H'Dargoyn answers as he casually turns away. The luminous flame of the campfire transcends the darkness which encroaches upon them from all sides.

"Sorry," E'Sarinn says. "I hope I did not disturb you too much."

H'Dargoyn says, "Do not apologize to me. It is not my spirit you dredged up with your Death Trance. The power was never meant to be used that way, and continuing to do so will do neither of you any good."

E'Sarinn responds, "It ... is complicated."

"I am sure," H'Dargoyn says uninterested.

E'Sarinn asks, "What are you doing awake at this hour anyway?"

"Standing guard," answers H'Dargoyn.

"I thought it was Mancer's turn?"

H'Dargoyn says, "He went to sulk on one of his long and brooding walks again."

E'Sarinn sighs. "I should have known."

Off in the distance there's the faint sound of metal clashing against metal. Both Elves look in the direction. H'Dargoyn says, "Sounds like a fight."

E'Sarinn suggests, "Mancer might be in trouble."

H'Dargoyn says, "I will scout ahead. You wake the others." Without waiting for response he dashes into the looming darkness.

E'Sarinn wastes no time in traversing the camp, rousing the various members from their slumber. As he nears Q'Uetel the Elf jerks up from his rest. Q'Uetel asks in an alarmed tone, "What was that?"

Z'Xen rubs her eyes groggily, "What is going on?"

Q'Uetel says, "I do not know, but I just felt an intense release of magical energy. The amount of power released was ... humbling."

E'Sarinn adds, "There is a battle not far away. We think Mancer may be in trouble."

The eyes of K'Ulnar open wide. "Why did you not say so earlier?" he asks as he quickly hops off the ground, sliding his shield onto his arm in one simple motion. "It is urgent we help, do you not agree? So why have we not yet departed?"

E'Sarinn answers, "Because we are strength in numbers."

Z'Xen says, "So you are off to fight again. I take it you want me to wait here?"

Bastiel responds, "No. We're not in the safety of a warded cabin any longer. Out here you'd be even more vulnerable waiting behind. You come with us."

E'Sarinn looks at Bastiel, then back to Z'Xen with a nod of agreement. Z'Xen stands to her feet. As she looks across the campfire she sees Haven curled up with Pax, the last of the Purifiers to yet be awaken. She asks, "Is he ... spooning the wolf?"

"Don't know," says Bastiel, "and none of my business."

Z'Xen exclaims, "But that is not normal!" Then, in a puzzled tone she asks, "Is it? I mean, is that even a female wolf?"

Bastiel answers, "Don't know, and none of my business."

Rock says, "Hey, don't look at me. I'm not looking."

Z'Xen protests, "But --"

Q'Uetel says, "I still remember what it did to that Troll Necromancer. I would not dream of invading its privacy."

Rock says, "Oh yeah ..." He shudders.  With a smile he adds, "I wouldn't have wished that on my worst enemy."

Z'Xen asks, "Wait ... what did the wolf do to the Necromancer? You are just joking with me ... right?"

As E'Sarinn finishes waking Haven he says, "Enough. We need to get going. Time is of the essence."

K'Ulnar says, "About time. Let us find our friend, shall we?"