The War Without End – Episode 2.3

Lavera examines the portal and determines that somehow it has been locked open. For the time being at least it can be used without a key. She also observes that at this point, it would take a lengthy ritual to close it.

Shilaze looks at Ebon. “It’s probably a trap” she comments.

“Uh-huh” Ebon replies.

Together they step through. The others follow them.

Beyond the mist is a strangely shaped room. It appears to be a nexus point for many portals. Only the one they came through is open.

Shrouded in mist, a set of heavy wooden doors leads them to a cold dark hall, where they can vaguely make out the large shape of the Dragon lurking amongst the columns.

A female voice emanates from the creature. In the darkness it is difficult to tell whether the Dragon is speaking or whether someone else is in the room. “Why have you come here?” the voice demands.

“We are here for Fallana” Ebon replies.

“Fallana?” the voice sounds intrigued. “Really? Then perhaps we should talk.”

They move forwards but, as Shilaze approaches, the Dragon raises its snout and snaps at her angrily.

“Careful!” Ebon warns.

“I’m sorry” the voice apologises. “It seems he gets a little agitated if you come too close. Please keep your distance.”

Grudgingly Shilaze moves back. As she does so, Ebon notes that she momentarily drops her guard, inviting the Dragon to attack. However this time it does not.

“Who are you?” Shilaze shouts into the darkness. “Show yourself”

In reply there is a flicker of flame from the far end of the hall and a shapely female figure is illuminated. The woman sits on an ornate throne. She is adorned in scant chainmail that does little to hide her deathly pallid complexion. In contrast to the rest of her, her features are totally concealed beneath a full-faced Corinthian helmet.

“You may call me Sigora Brern”, the woman says, rising gracefully to her feet. “Do not trouble yourselves with introductions, I know who you are.”

“Where is Fallana?” Ebon presses.

“Your persistence in this matter is puzzling” the pale woman replies. “The Fallana you knew is no more. She was but a vessel for something else was she not? The wretched shell that remains is of little value to any of us. ”

“Nonetheless we have come for her”, Ebon maintains. “We will not leave without her.”

“How noble of you Ebon Mordain, but you have made a mistake by coming here. I have you at a significant disadvantage, and you are in no position to make demands. Since I am feeling magnanimous, I shall allow both you and Shilaze to leave, but an example will have to be made of your friends. They should not have trespassed.”

“I thought you wanted to talk” Shilaze observes.

“I merely wanted to see how like your mother you were” Sigora replies. “It seems that stubbornness and foolhardy devotion run in the family.”

“And what do you know of our mother?” Ebon demands.

“Another time” Sigora dismisses. “Now both of you go before I lose my patience.”

However Ebon and Shilaze refuse to withdraw. They have no intention of abandoning the others.

Seeing this Sigora sighs. “You are brave but it is time you learned a lesson in humility.”

She spreads her arms and seems to be concentrating. From the icy darkness, there are sounds of clattering and heavy grates are thrown open. In the cold, dark depths dead things start stirring.

The Dragon uncoils from between the columns and lumbers into the torchlight. Its movements are ponderous and there is something strangely cadaverous about it.

“Ebon, Shilaze, I give you one last chance to depart” Sigora offers.

They remain defiant. “Not without Fallana” Ebon declares.

On hearing his refusal, the Zombie Dragon attacks.

Ebon and Shilaze make short work of the cadaverous creature, but the battle has only just begun. The air grows chill and from the shadows, all around the hall, an army of Wraiths advances. Behind the ranks of shrouded, semi-corporeal beings are other Undead creatures; Wights and slavering, black Grave Dogs, with rotting flesh and patchy fur.

The Lich Queen, Sigora, watches as the legion of Undead encircles the Med-Jai and closes in. She wonders how the old fool’s grandchildren will fare against them.

For a time they stand firm, but the Wraiths’ icy touch drains the strength from living souls and with every blow that falls the Med-Jai weaken. Many of the Undead creatures are defeated, hewn by Ebon’s and Shilaze’s Holy weapons or sundered by Baratus’s and Elsabeth’s magic, but each time one of the tattered shrouds collapses in on itself, another steps forward from the deathless host behind.

As the onslaught continues, the chill seeps deeper and deeper into each of the Med-Jai’s bones. Only Ebon seems resilient to the Wraiths’ deathly touch, protected as he is by Seraphine, the blessed spirit bound into his Father’s armour.

His strength depleted, Kai is first to fall. Gaunt, hollow creatures clutch at him and drag him to the ground. Briefly he cries out “Elsaaaa!!!!” before he is choked into silence.

Moments later, Lavera is also overcome.

With the endless sea of Undead threatening to drown them all, Elsabeth turns the full fury of her magic on Sigora. She hopes that by defeating the Lich Queen she will send the Deathless army back from whence it came. Yet, to her dismay, Sigora proves to be a far more potent adversary than she had anticipated. In the exchange that follows Elsa struggles merely to hold her own.

Also fighting furiously to stem the tide, Baratus calls upon the divine might of Fharlanghn, and Ebon and Shilaze launch a brutal assault on their foes. Together they open a gap in the ranks of Undead and, before it closes, Shilaze breaks through.

Determinedly she advances on Sigora, paying no heed to the Dread Wraiths that rise up to either side of her. When she reaches the Lich Queen, she holds her sword ready to strike, and demands, “Call off your creatures and tell me what you know of our mother.”

But Sigora simply laughs. At that moment the Dread Wraiths sweep forward and Shilaze is surrounded. Hungrily they feast upon her life force and she is rendered powerless.

SHILAZE!!” Ebon yells, desperately trying to reach his sister. Though he tries he cannot breach the ranks of Undead that lie between them.

Seeing Shilaze’s plight, Baratus makes his own desperate attempt to save her. He calls once more upon the power of Fharlanghn but, as he does so, the Wraiths around him surge forward and he too is overwhelmed.

A short distance away the last vestiges of Kai and Lavera’s souls are consumed.

As a consequence of Elsabeth’s confrontation with the Lich Queen her magic is all but spent. She is powerless and she and Ebon are the only two still standing. The battle is almost done. Sigora turns and walks away, fading into the darkness. A pair of Wights accompanies her, taking Shilaze’s life-drained body with them.

“SHILAZE!!!” Ebon cries again.

Sigora’s voice echoes out of the gloom. “I recall that devotion to one’s friends is considered admirable amongst your kind. It is a shame then that you have had to lose so much to learn that this quality can also be a weakness. Perhaps you will remember this lesson next time we meet Ebon. Now go. If you ever want to see your sister again, then you will end this foolishness. Take Fallana, if you still covet her. You will find her behind the throne. ”

At this point Ebon has little choice but to accept Sigora’s terms. Both he and Elsabeth are surrounded. The Wraiths encircling the sorceress are drawing closer and he can see that she is all but spent. She looks pale and drawn from the slow draining of her life force, though she still faces them defiantly, refusing to abandon her friends.

“Alright” Ebon yells into the darkness. “Spare my friends and we will take Fallana and go”

“Nothing was said of sparing your friends”, whispers one of the Wraiths “Only you”

The ring of dread creatures closes even tighter around Elsabeth.

“Elsa, take anyone who is still alive and go” Ebon begs. “If you stay they will kill you.”

Unsteadily the sorceress hauls Baratus’s body up from the floor and with the last of her magic opens a Dimensional Door. It is too late for Kai and Lavera. They are nearby but she cannot reach them. With a last look at Ebon, she steps through.

Alone in the dark hall, surrounded by Undead, Ebon turns towards the throne. The Wraiths throng about him but leave the path ahead open.

He finds Fallana’s body as promised, though she is pale and lifeless and he fears she may be dead. He picks her up in his arms and walks slowly back towards the door.

When he is part way there, Sigora steps out of the darkness before him.

“What have you done with Shilaze?” Ebon demands.

“Your sister will be returned to you unharmed. On that you have my word” Sigora promises. “Be grateful that both you and Shilaze will survive this unwarranted intrusion. If I had wished it, I could have ended your lives here.”

Standing before the Lich Queen, Ebon finds himself deeply unsettled by a strange feeling that gnaws at the edge of his soul. Later he will think back upon the moment and recognise many similarities between Sigora’s mannerisms and those of his sister Blanca. He does not wish to dwell upon why this might be.

Gesturing towards the recumbent form in Ebon’s arms, Sigora remarks, “This I had not foreseen. It would seem that one of my tools has overstepped its instructions.”

She turns and snaps her fingers and a wraith appears. For a moment the creature writhes in indescribable agony before collapsing in upon itself and disappearing into nothing.

“Every action brings consequences”, she concludes. “We can but wait and see what the future now brings. As for you Ebon, it is time you left. Goodbye. We shall meet again.”

She gestures and Ebon finds himself standing outside the portal that was locked open. An impregnable iron seal now prevents them returning to Sigora’s domain.

Elsabeth is there. Her countenance is pale. Though dangerously weakened by the feeding of the wraiths, the ashen-faced sorceress kneels over the still form of Baratus and strives to find magic within herself to save him. Only by sacrificing even more of her diminished life force is she able to conjure the divine healing to bring him back.

Moments later Baratus stirs and Elsabeth nearly collapses. Only Ebon rushing to her side and catching her stops her from falling.

As they have no means of returning through the portal, the survivors are forced to accept defeat and make their way back to the Fortress of the Second. A short while later they trudge off into the dark tunnels through which they came, heading for home. Their spirits are raised when they discover Shilaze, lying on the floor of the passageway ahead of them. She is bound in chains, hooded and unconscious, but otherwise unharmed.

Despite his own recent escape from death, Baratus is able to get her back on her feet. Shilaze remembers little of her brief captivity and can give no explanation for her mysterious return.

Perplexed the forlorn band returns to Sigil.

Walking through the city streets, on their way back to the Fortress of the Second, a grief-stricken Elsabeth tearfully leaves the group, disappearing when Shilaze makes an ill-considered comment about the outcome of the encounter, appearing to overlook the fact that Kai was tragically slain. Shilaze explains to Ebon that she had not meant it the way it had sounded, but it is too late. Elsabeth has already gone.

When the others eventually reach the Fortress, Baratus goes back out to look for her while Ebon and Shilaze seek out Heiron.

Once they find the old wizard they recount everything that has happened. Heiron is deeply troubled, both by Kai’s death and the suggestion that they were too late to prevent some knowledge of the entity escaping. He shakes his head gravely and mutters to himself.

At this point Shilaze, who has become somewhat withdrawn during the course of the conversation, makes her excuses and departs. Unbeknownst to the others she is fighting against a powerful urge to draw her sword when Heiron is nearby. She suppresses it and goes to her room feeling nauseous.

After she has gone, Heiron informs Ebon that he has finally been able to discern Blanca’s location through the use of powerful magic. However, regrettably what he has learned is not cause for celebration. She is alive but trapped in Carynach, the 637th layer of the Abyss, a place from which there is no known return.

Ebon is grateful to hear that Blanca is still alive, but her situation and their recent defeat serve to dampen his mood. Soberly he turns his attention to Fallana’s seemingly lifeless body and begs his grandfather for help.

Heiron examines Fallana and then proclaims that she is lost to them, but Ebon will not accept that this is true. The old man tries fruitlessly to reason with his grandson. “Ebon, you know that she is not the Fallana we knew. She is one of the Doomguard. If she had not been host to the entity she would be our enemy. Why do you persist with this foolish desire to bring her back?”

But Ebon will not be dissuaded. “Because my heart tells me that Fallana lingers within this body”, he maintains, “and if there is a chance to revive her I must try.”

Heiron shakes his head and says sadly “I see that I cannot deter you from this course. I will not stand in your way. I am unable to determine what is needed to restore her, but I suggest that a Cleric versed in the arts of healing may be of some assistance. You know the Arch Prelate at the Temple of Heironeous do you not? I think that he would be a good place to start”

Notes:

First appearance of Sigora Brern (TBD)

During the confrontation, Sigora seemed particularly lenient toward Ebon and Shilaze. The reason for this is not known.

At great cost to herself, Elsabeth saved Baratus’s life by invoking a Limited Wish spell to transform her arcane magic into divine healing.

After leaving the Fortress, Ebon takes Heiron’s advice and goes to the Temple of Heironeous. The Arch Prelate makes it clear that if Fallana is to be redeemed, the path for her and for Ebon will be arduous. In the face of Ebon’s determination however, he agrees to do what he can to help.