Lords of Norwold
by Jeff DalyEowyn, a young forester of Thyatis who wanted desperately to be an elf, had travelled with the Lords of Norwold before (though at that time they were known as "Halav's Avengers"). So it was she greeted with great shock, her old companions as she rode from the "too-clean" town of West Portage. Clinging to the waist of Aligorum, the 4 heroes on 2 horses made their way toward the black blot which hung in the sky.
Sliv's nostrils flared, "I think we are coming close to a--"
"Gudentag Frau Uta. Ve--Vatistdat?!?!?!"
The horses reared and threw the heroes to the ground as three shapes, unseen in the dark, seemed almost to melt from the very night air itself. Two men, and one woman, wearing white tabards emblazoned with a rearing white lion, drew their swords and approached the heroes slowly.
Aligorum sprang up, all teeth and claws, surprising one of the men. Eowyn rolled away and drew her shortsword, incidentally knocking Sliv over as he fumbled to free his spear from the harness on his back.
Count Diego, already on his feet, began to chant the words of magic.
"Uta!" The man being mauled by Aligorum shouted frantically.
Uta looked at the other man, and pointed fiercely at Eowyn and Sliv. Then she turned a grim eye on the rakasta.
But she was too late. Completing the spell, Diego grinned happily as Uta fell to the ground and began snoring.
With 2 feints and a lunge, Aligorum cut a deep gash in her prey's throat. Keeping an eye on Eowyn, Sliv, and their opponent, she began to wipe at the blood, flecked upon her fur.
Sliv shivered when he heard Count Diego cackling behind him. He shot a glance at the mage, and wished he hadn't. Diego stood, legs spread shoulder-width, fingers crooked jaggedly, and a look of insane glee on his face. Twin rays of light shot from his eyes.
Sliv felt a stab of pain as his opponent got a cut along the lupin's ribs. Foolish of him to look away from his opponent!
Turning back, he saw the rays of light strike the man before him. His limbs slowly stopped, the sword held high above his head. A look of horror came upon him as his flesh turned stony.
Sliv cocked his head in curiosity as Diego approached the statue, muttering more words of magic.
Touching the head of the statue, he continued to giggle like a little schoolgirl who has just received a new doll. Or perhaps more apt, a schoolboy who has found a frog to torment.
The head of the man disintegrated,
and the statue spell's duration wore off. The now headless, though
once again fleshy, body of the man toppled...as Diego capered
around in a mad parody of a dance.