A Device Infernal VI

 

A Device Infernal 

Chapter VI: Children of the Wings of Twilight

Well, they had finally found ole Lazar Mirande.  Turned out he left them a bit more confused than they had thought.  For he was not the keeper of the crystal lilies but as he said, “merely a guardian, making sure that what is up Crimson Bayou don't come tumbling down onto the living."  He also warned them that they might have stumbled upon a fight betwixt Baron Cimitere and Pater Carrefour since the Lord of Death seemed to be poaching souls that rightly belong to Papa Crossroads.  In such circumstances, the plight of mere humans was likely not to matter much.

Still, he told them that, for the problem with Vangeline's curse, they needed the leaves of but one lily, boiled into an extract and given to Vangeline, that should cure her.

 "So," he told them, "Go up the Bayou until you find it’s end, which will be soon enough and a vast jungle will spread out before you.  After all that, you will come to the land of the Baron Cimitere.  You will know it by the smell of wormwood and gall and brimstone.  And everywhere, the signs of the dead."  He gave them a forked stick, a divining rod, that would show them the way, no matter what the sights or signs might tell them. 

 By and by, they came to end of the river and left poor old Leon to guard the Virago while the rest of them set off on foot. 

They had set off into the jungle, the high canopy limiting their view of the dark sky.  Occasionally they caught glimpses of the red tinged clouds. A quiet pattering of rain began.  As it increased, they realized that the rain was made of blood.

As it turned into a downpour, the ground turned to slick oozing mud.  The weight of the rain began to drive them into the mud.  They rushed for the cover of a large tree, seeking its shelter.  Fiddlesticks and Placeed were both trapped at points, only the aid of their more nimble, or perhaps merely lucky, friends saved them from being subsumed into the slime.  After what seemed to be hours, the horrid rain stopped and they gingerly made their way forward.

It was becoming impossible to determine how long they traveled and even whether it was day or night.  The divining rod that Lazar Mirande had given them was their only guide.  Suddenly, they found that the trees all around them were covered in cobwebs. 

Although there were thousands of tiny spiders running along the webs, the vastness of the network seemed beyond the capabilities of the humble arachnids.

Concerned that some larger creatures lurked in the web-covered trees ahead, Fiddlesticks summoned up another of his "friends" to go before them and lure out any larger enemies.

It proved to be an astute course of action.  A huge pale spider leapt out of the brush and crushed the imp.

The huge spider then rushed forward and snared Fiddlesticks with a mass of web.

Fortuitously, just before being ensnared, Fiddlesticks had handed Skeeter a flame flask, trusting in the wet stomper's much better throwing ability.  Skeeter flung the missile at the spider and caught it afire.

Meanwhile, Maksen freed Fiddlesticks from his spidery entanglement.

Just as the giant spider was being driven back, the noise of the fight drew another one against them.

A short distance away, two more of the terrible giants could be seen approaching.

Jbili had set up the swivel gun on its stand and fired into the second spider.  Skeeter charged this second creature and whamped it a good one with his whamping stick. It was driven back into brush that had been set a fire by the burning first spider.

Hoping to remove some more of the webbing blocking their way, Placeed drew out of his satchel a packet of Dragon Jambalaya.  Tossing it down his throat, he then breathed the resulting flame into a mass of web.

As the flames began to spread, encircling them, they rushed toward the presumed cover of a nearby pond.  However, the two additional spiders caught Fiddlesticks in a blasts of their webbing. 

One of the creatures pulled Fiddlesticks toward its maw.

Skeeter rushed foward and dragged his friend out of the clutches of the creature.  Maksen placed the teleport ring on his finger, hoping to appear above the spider's head.

In the midst of his teleportation, Maksen saw a vision of Saint Sankari, in her full glory, guiding his hand.

He appeared as intended.  As he fell onto the head of the spider, his battle axe drove deeply into the creature's body, a magical light surrounding it.  The spider was cut in half.

The concentrated fire of the party drove off the last of the spiders.  However, flames now surrounded them.  They took refuge under the water of the pond, using some Placeed's Bullywog Etoufe to breath under water. After several hours, the fires burned themselves out and they were able to proceed, following as always the directions provided by the divining rod.

As they proceeded, the ground cover lessened and the going became easier. However, Servan, who was acting as rearguard, noticed something following them.

It was a large war party of Parrot men.  Realizing they were far outnumbered by the ferocious creatures, they party ran forward.  They came up to a wall of vegetation, Skeeter who was in the lead with the diving rod, plunged through.

He was shocked to discover he had come upon the most tranquil of scenes.

A large tavern stood upon a crystal lake.  On the shore, large numbers of people were feasting and dancing.  The rest of the party caught up with Skeeter and shared in his amazement. Servan noticed that the Parrot men were no longer following them but had halted, seemingly held by some invisible force.

A Elven woman, dressed in rich festive clothing, approached them in a friendly manner.  "I am Fayeth, of  les Enfants de l'Aile de Crépuscule.  We are Elves of the Wood and have made this place a refuge against the forces of Evil that surround you."

Although suspicious, they followed Fayeth.  A quarto of Elves danced hypnotically around a large fire in the midst of the clearing. Several richly attired Elves approached them.

Leading them was Aerendyl, King of these people.  He asked if they were runaways from servitude, indicating that his people believed that all sentient creatures should be free.  He reported that serfs for Muetar and Slaves from Shucassam and Rhombune came here seeking refuge.  Often his people would guide them to the free land of Hothior-Immer or Pon.  He asked if the party were such refugees.  They reponded that they were on quest in the service of saving a friend an beloved.  To this Aerendyl stated that he would do all he could to aid such a worthy endeavor.

They realized that all around them were refugees and runaways.  Dewy recognized one she had met in her travels in the woods near home.  She approached him, Persephon was his name and he had run from a Grandee ester near Beolon. Dewy had tried to assist him on his way.  He said that after he had left her, he began having dreams directing him here.  When he arrived, he found this place of refuge better than anything he could have hoped.  He reported that ever day or so, the Elves would lead small groups out to take them to the Free Lands.  Until then, the runaways were well treated.

Hearing this, Servan asked Aerendyl if he could provide a guide that would take them further up the bayou.  The Elven king agreed with alacrity.

He led them to the tavern itself, several beautiful Elven maids offering them welcome again.

They found the tavern filled with people, several appeared to be experienced trapeuse.

As they moved further into the tavern, Servan found himself facing Shad Le Duc and his Drow spellcaster Aluanvrae.  Servan realized that the trapeuse were the much reduced members of Shad's gang that had attacked Salteon and been pursuing them at the orders of Lord Alabastre. Servan tensely suggested that it might be better if they cooperated together rather than fight.  This was a suggestion to which Shad was more than reluctant to accept.

As this discussion ensued, Maksen was quietly approached by a young woman dressed in the garb of a city pistol fighter.  She suggested that he be careful since not all was as it appeared.  She indicated the Elven warrior guarding the door as something to be wary of.

Although Maksen could not be certain, there did seem something not quite right about this guard.

 

When he turned back to the woman, she had disappeared.  Maksen began to hurry the rest of the party out of the tavern, telling them that something was wrong.

As they hurried toward the door, two Elves barred their way.  These two suddenly dropped the glamours that were hiding them and revealed themselves to be ghoulish vampires.

As they looked around, all the Elves, including King Aeredyl, proved to be the blood-sucking monsters.

Aeredyl flung himself onto Servan and sunk his fangs into the hunter's throat, lapping up the blood flowing freely from the wound. Servan collapsed to the floor.

Fiddlesticks drew his whittling knife, and drove it into the heart one of the vampires barring the door.  The blade showed a dark glimmer as the small blade struck home.  The creature cried out in pain before dissolving into a cloud of dust.

Maksen swung his battle axe, an ancient family heirloom blessed by paladins of old.  As it cut through one of the vampires, it glowed with a golden light, destroying this creature as well.

Jbili, using a sword forged in the mystic fires of Rozenegg, sliced through a third monster.

Skeeter used his whomping stick to drive another of the vampires back through the door.  As the creature tumble away, they bolted the door shut.

Aluanvrae flung a fire bolt at King Aeredyl while Sabeen summoned up a wind blast.

The force of both knocked the vampire King out of the building. Sabeen quickly barred the door.

From the one unguarded door, another vampire charged into the tavern.  It fell upon one of Shad's men, killing him instantly.

Jbili managed to quickly dispatch the monster with his sword. Secure for the moment, Maksen cast a healing spell on Servan while the rest took stock of their position.

Investigating the attic, they discovered it full of coffins.  The three slain vampires' bodies were begining to reincorporate within them.  Maksen quickly placed in the coffins some of the amulets of Huisinga which he always carried.  The three vampire bodies quickly returned to dust.  Meanwhile, loud banging was heard at each of the doors as the remaining vampires were attempting to break in.

In an ill-considered move, Servan unbolted one of the doors and leapt at the vampire who was battering against it. He thrust one of Maksen's amulets into the creature's chest.  Although it burned into the vampire's flesh, the monster still had enough strength to slash at the weakened Servan.  The hunter fell unconscious to the floor, what blood remained within his body beginning to flow in a puddle about him.

The remaining vampire host swarmed into the room.  The party and Shad's men fired madly but ineffectually at the creatures.

A light shone out from the amulet burning in the chest of the vampire that had defeated Servan.  Suddenly, the mysterious woman who had earlier warned Maksen reappeared in this beam of light.  But this time, a pair of white angelic wings sprung from her back. She drew her revolver and fired at the mass of vampires, bright golden flames shooting from the barrel.

To be continued...