The Emerald Inn: Part 6

[Enigma]

As soon as the Shadow Hands pass by, Anariel rises slowly, being extremely careful not to be seen. "We must go inside and be as invisible as the night," She says, knowing that a spell might be required on her part.

Quasan also rises to his feet and dusts himself off, looking almost like Anariel did when she returned back to the real realm. "How are we to become that invisible? It is literally impossible to not be heard or leave behind tracks!" He argues, trying to voice his opinion.

Anariel gives this some thought and then formulates a better plan. "You are right," She replies, "Which is why we are going to need to think of a better plan! We may have to do what I am about to propose anyways...so why do we do it now?" She takes out a pair of rings from her pockets that are both identical in colour, size and shape.

Quasan looks at these with a curious eye and then nods. "Yes...this would be a better idea. By wearing these rings, we could eliminate any tracks left behind and reduce the level of noise we produce. Where did you get these from?" He asks. He puts one of the rings on that he is handed.

Anariel puts the other ring on and sees herself fade, so that she is partially visible but not very visible. "I got these from a wizard I befriended on my way through the West. Now, let us go and make haste!" She says, entering through the same entrance that the Shadow Hands went through.

Quasan follows, keeping a close eye at watch.

[Staranos]

Bithan's thoughts begin to drift until he forces himself to concentrate on what's ahead and what he may face before reaching the others. I hope it's not to far ahead now...I can't keep this pace up much longer.

[Enigma]

Inside the Forbidden Mountain, Anariel sees many more Hands, Shadow Hands and Mordicants. They all seem to be very busy at work carrying boxes upon boxes and lifting things. She forces herself to pull away, knowing that now is not the time to cause a disturbance. She has made a decision and cannot go back.

"What do you suppose they might be doing with all of that?" Quasan asks her. He looks at them and then shudders, which is very unusual for him to do. "This looks all too suspiscious..."

Anariel nods and then sees something very surprising. She sees Indris, the scum and wretch, giving these minions of the dead orders. She grits her teeth angrily and walks past them. After I get my soul back...I promise that I will destroy you myself! She enters a narrow corridor and then sees a door at the far end of it. "Now that looks like a good place to start," She mutters.

Quasan warns her to be careful and then steps into the corridor after her. He begins to believe that all is normal until daggers start flying out of nowhere. "Look out!" He hisses, pulling her away from one that is flying. He does a backflip and then lands at the end of the corridor.

Anariel runs as quickly as she can being careful along the way. When she reaches the door at the end, she tries to open it but finds that it is locked. "Damn!" She curses. She tries to remember any spells she might have learned for unlocking doors but fails. "I cannot remember any spells for this!"

Quasan looks closer at the door and sees inscriptions written on it that are in a strange dialect. "What is this?" He asks.

[Staranos]

Bithan finally reaches the Forbidden Mountain, slowing down and treading more stealthily as he does. I think it's going to be more brains than brawn from now on, at least at first. He enters into the Mountain.

[Enigma]

Anariel looks at the inscriptions and sees that they are in a form of Elvish. "This is the language of the elves who are of pure blood," She answers slowly, while trying to translate the meanings. She furrows her eyebrow as every word begins to come to her mind. "It says...he who enters beyond this point must have a key or the sacred blessing. Do you know what the sacred blessing is Quasan?"

Quasan looks at the inscription bitterly, knowing exactly what the sacred blessing is. "I think we had better find a key," He mutters, "Because in order to get the sacred blessing we must spill blood. Any blood spilt will cause the dead to notice a disturbance and discover that intruders are present. We do not want that." He looks around for any clues as to where he might get this key from.

Anariel gazes at the skies above the Forbidden Mountain to see that they are black looking and quite dark. "We haven't much time," She says, "We will have to spill blood or find this so called key very quickly!" She asks him how the sacred blessing is supposed to be obtained.

Quasan initially refuses to tell her but then concedes, realizing that he is just wasting more time. "All right," He agrees at last, "You have to shed blood from a very tender part of your body and recite an incantation."

[Staranos]

I think I'm lost...

[Enigma]

(Sorry about the disappearing act! I had to take care of something.)

Quasan continues to explain to Anariel what to do and then takes out a small dagger from his tunic. "Do what you have to do...but do not make me cut you!" He says, barely able to contain himself. He does not like this idea but knows that they must do it.

Anariel takes the knife and gives herself a fairly deep, yet small cut on her elbow. She then grimaces in minor pain and tries to ease it. She recites the incantation for the sacred blessing and then sees the door open. Beyond the corridor is anything but light. "Let's go on..." She says, while cursing under her breath.

Quasan leads her forward and takes out Ranna, just in case there may be a need to fight any of the dead. "Which way are we supposed to go?" He asks nonchalently.

"I think we may have to ask a Hand that," Anariel answers. She walks forward and waits for one of the dead to cross paths with her. After several minutes, a weak looking Hand does pass by. She rings Mosrael firmly and makes it answer her every question. "Where are all souls detained?" She asks in a firm voice.

The Hand hesitates and then answers when it sees that it cannot escape. "All souls are detained at the western point of the Forbidden Mountain. It is beyond where the Mordicants train and strengthen their flames. It is where he is said to reside."

Anariel asks the Hand another question as she is there. "What operation is being undergone in this vicinity?" She keeps Mosrael raised high in case it refuses.

[Staranos]

Hold on...that's Draconic! An older form, but I think I can still read it...

[Enigma]

The Hand struggles against her seemingly firm hold over it and then makes a groaning sound. "That is...a....secret...of which none know except for he." It answers reluctantly. "We are all pawns in this operation!"

"Release him at once, or I shall have you killed!" A familiar voice threatens, in a nasty voice.

Anariel sees her form fading back into sight and realizes that the ring which she was wearing on her finger slipped off. "Indris," She spits, "You of all people should know that when I want to attain something...that I will stop at literally nothing!"

Quasan raises Saraneth and Astarael together, getting ready to do anything in case it is necessary. "Leave her alone," He treatens back, "Or you and your minions will answer to me. I am a necromancer of the official order and am fully authorized to banish you all to the last precint!" He raises another bell to emphasize his point.

Anariel crosses her arms and then asks, "Where is my soul and what have you done to it?!" She takes a lunge at him next and kicks him down to the ground. She raises Saraneth and Astarael as well.

[Staranos]

By all that's Holy! I think it's a map! And if it is...then that must be where Anariel's soul is bound.

After taking long enough to memorize the passage of writing and the accompanying picture Bithan sets off.

I'll work out what the rest of it meant later...

[Enigma]

"Now why do you think I would tell you that, Anariel?" Indris hisses. "If I gave you the exact coordinates to your soul that would mean losing control over it and you eventually! Why do you not accept your fate as it is?" He makes a move to grab her arm and then sees that it is bleeding.

Anariel dries the blood that is dripping from her elbow with her free hand. "I will only ask you nicely once," She hisses back, "Tell me now or fight! Make your choice!" She raises the rest of her bells and is prepared to fight the Hands, Shadow Hands and Mordicants once again if necessary.

"Get them!" Indris orders, unleasing a dark and unimaginable force.

Quasan has a spell already in his mind and works on weakening the minions. He cuts three from different angles and then rings Ranna. They each instantaneously disappear, until only a few are left with Indris. "That was a bad move on your part," He says.

"YOU! YOU have meddled with my affairs for the last time! I don't care if you die or somehow lose your life! Kill him!" Indris snaps, continuing to bark orders. He waits for them to surround his enemy before giving the last commands.

Anariel sees this all happening too quickly and then decides to take a step in. She finds the most powerful spell she has in her mind for disturbance and uses it to divert their attention, while she grabs her friend and quickly escapes. "Run!" She says, turning back the other way and going left. She doesn't care anymore if this is the right or wrong way to her soul. All she wants is to escape.

(Gotta go!)

[Staranos]

Left turn at the gargoyle...I think that poor guy used to be alive...Middle passage at the fork...Second door on the right. He stops and turns toward the door.

Now to figure out how to open it. He begins to examine the surrounding passageway and door.

[Enigma]

Anariel continues running through the darkness, not knowing whether Quasan is behind, ahead or next to her. Feeling a little bit nervous, she decides to call out his name just to see if she will get an adequate answer. "Quasan!" She calls, while picking up her pace, "Are you near?"

For a moment there is nothing but silence and the sounds of footsteps.

Quasan is ahead of Anariel and asks, "What took you so long? I've been waiting here for quite some time! I think I have figured out where your soul has been placed! I picked up a conversation that the Prince of Darkness was having with a few of his minions, and figured out where exactly he was! We must reach the western point of the mountain as fast as we can!" And with that, he speeds off and encourages her to do the same.

Anariel starts breathing in and out very deeply, showing that she is not very used to all of this running activity. She has run before but not this fast or long. When she finally reaches Quasan, she sees a crimson coloured light ahead of them that is extremely dark and difficult to see in. "Now what?" She asks.

Quasan points ahead. "We must cross that bridge," He answers, looking down to see the height at which they could drop. "Hurry!" He speeds across and drags her along with him until they are both there. Then, when he sees the Hands, Shadow Hands and Mordicants approaching, he cuts the bridge down so that they cannot follow.

Anariel sees the remaining minions of the dead falling downwards and the other wise ones cursing. "Ha!" She says, and then continues on towards her soul.

[Staranos]

His fingers search the wall of the passage as he looks. They stop as he feels a carving his eyes can't see. Hmm, what's this?

He traces the carvings. It feels like a word...and a number sequence? What does it...

"It's a scripture passage."

He concentrates, trying to remember the verse. Ask and it shall be given unto thee. Seek and ye shall find. Knock... His gaze travels back to the cell door. "...and the door shall be opened unto thee."

Taking a deep breath he knocks, a sound that reverberates throughout the passage. And as the echos die away, the door opens...

[Enigma]

Anariel and Quasan take a full hour to reach the western point of the mountain. Along the way they encounter heavy resitance from strong Mordicants and headstrong Hands. They banish them all to their rightful places in death, at the last precinct and gate.

When they reach the gate at which all souls are detained, Anariel feels like throwing up. She suddenly feels very unwell, possibly because she has no soul and sees many now. "Where is mine?!" She asks aloud, unaware that every soul there can hear her.

All of the souls jump up at once and say that they are hers. "Take me with you...just get me out of this prison!" They plead, almost whining.

Anariel looks at Quasan and then says, "Is it a necromancer's duty to free souls that are trapped and held against their own will?" She wonders if rescuing them all could be worthwhile and help her attain the next level in her order.

Quasan ponders this for a while and then shakes his head sadly. "A duty it might be for a higher necromancer...but not for one of my level. I do not even know how to free souls yet. Perhaps, after the next mission we could when I get a higher level in my order."

Anariel concedes. "All right we shall free them then," She says, while forcing herself to turn her gaze away from them. She slips through the gate and surprisingly goes through. She is puzzled at first as to why she can go through and then figures it out. Anyone without a soul is not restricted. It is only souls that are restricted from moving in and out. Oh no! That means that once I find my soul that this gate will be locked! If only there was a way!

Quasan tries to enter but is blocked, because he has his own soul. He curses repeatedly in a language that is not meant to be translated. "You'll have to find your soul quickly, Ana! I do not know how much longer it will be until they track us down!" He warns, urging her to pick up the pace.

Anariel walks through the realm of the captured souls and feels like throwing up again. But still...she pursues, knowing that she needs to get control over her soul before someone else has control. She breaks out into a run and sees many prison cells up ahead. But which one is my soul inside? How can I tell or feel anything when I am so dark and lifeless? Oh wait! She suddenly comes to a realization that she should be able to feel more complete as she draws nearer to her soul.