Session+43

**The Battle of Bridget - the Crowned of Melar and Her Barbarians... Z'larra Brings a Ray of Hope!**
 * 4-5-14 **

Having returned to The Sun's Heart after retrieving Loch and some of the elves from another sphere in the astral sea, we disembark Destiny to meet up with the others. Thorn, Posy, and Uther come out to greet us. We introduce Fayrun Bloodlaced and the refugee elves who are still mainly in shock. Fayrun seems to have a talent for knowing how people feel and seems the most together. Tyrian is happy to offer rooms to them while they acclimate. Wren introduced the ghostly pale elven witch clinging to her side as Lochlian Feathermoon.

Kale walked just behind them, watching Wren like a hawk. Noticing the dragon-blooded warrior's growl, Thorn nudged him, "Look at the golden opportunity you have here in front of you..." He nodded toward the two lithe elven women walking so closely together, arms around each other's waists. Kale just turned to glare at him, obviously unwilling to share the raven-haired witch. Thorn shook his head and sighed, "It's your loss..." Kale nodded toward the white-haired pale woman and looked at Thorn, "You can take her if you want." Thorn shrugged, still sure Kale just wasn't seeing the delicious prize on the platter before him, "Don't dragons collect things? One coin is never enough for a treasure trove..." Kale glanced over at him from the side of his eyes and then returned his watchful gaze to the elven woman wearing his ring.

We fill in everyone on our adventure. Yuki teases Thorn about how much treasure we got, (which of course was just people) but when the halfling threatens to search her... she runs to hide behind Erevin. Erevin winked at Thorn, "Better watch it... she has a boyfriend around now." "That's me," Axton nodded stepping up beside Yuki and putting an arm around her, "Just stay close to me." The lovely priestess melted slightly beside him, but then she turned to Thorn with a youthful taunt, "My boyfriend will smite you!" Thorn muttered, "Did he say how green you look today?" "H-Hey!" Yuki whipped her head back to him. Erevin nodded good-naturedly to Thorn, joining in the joke, "She's fine, I assure you." Thorn nodded up to him, "Not tired or haggard at all." "Heeeyyy!" Yuki pouted slightly, "Jealousy doesn't suit you guys at all!"

Still morning, Yuki and Wren suggested going to the gypsy carnival so Thorn and Posy could get their fortunes read. Yuki nodded excitedly, "I'm going to get engaged in the future!" Posy looked at her and back at Thorn, "Mmm... Didn't see that comin'..." Thorn nodded with sarcastically feigned excitement, "Wow! Her foretelling powers sound amazing." Erevin shook his head, "Nevermind the cards that turned black... or her doom..." "Erevin!" Yuki scolded him, "Happy thoughts!" Thorn raised an eyebrow, "Black, huh... yeah, I'm sure that's good news. I'm sure nothing bad could happen with that." Yuki stared at them with big wattery eyes, "What do you mean?" "I'm sure it will be a beautiful wedding..." Erevin nodded, setting the scene, "just before the drow attack." "You guys!" Yuki looked back and forth between them. "You're a priestess of love!" Thorn assured her, "Don't worry... it will just give you another opportunity to fall in love again. You would be pleasing your goddess, I'm sure." Wren patted Axton on the shoulder. He nodded to Yuki, "I'll die in your arms lovingly." "You're not helping!" She cast a stern look at the fire haired priest, "Don't encourage them!" "See! Lovingly!" Thorn nodded. Erevin nodded, "What more could you want?" Yuki looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well..." "Hey!" Axton turned to her. "Oh!" Yuki came back from her thoughts quickly.

"We can get our fortunes read if you want to..." Posy nodded to Thorn, "But I ... don't really want to know." "You don't want to know? In that case... let's go see this gypsy with amazing powers... of the obvious," Thorn nodded. As we walked to the camp, Erevin nodded to him more seriously, "Actually, she was pretty good." Thorn nodded, "Okay." Yuki nodded, continuing on, "She said Erevin was going to be a great leader and stuff!" Thorn rolled his eyes, "Oh once again... to view the obvious... third floor." Wren laughed with delight. "Actually, She said there was going to be a road I would have to choose," Erevin nodded, "One of them... could lead to great leadership." "Oh," Thorn nodded to him and turned back to Yuki, "Details... you can't leave those out... Were there other details in yours besides your engagement and then black?" Yuki shook her head in thought, "I really can't remember anything after the word engagement." Wren laughed softly, "Oh yeah... and Mali's said that she was going to have a baby." Thorn and Posy both looked at her, blinking, but said nothing.

All of the vendors were opening up and happy to see us coming in. Thorn was wary of all of the game invitations that he knew were cheats and swindles, but he was polite and smiled, "We'll be coming back around... maybe then." We made our way to the fortune teller tent and the older gypsy welcomed us in. Posy shoved Thorn in first, but he dragged her in behind him. "Ohh have you come to get your fortunes read?" the elder gypsy smiled at Thorn. He nodded, "Yes, WE have." He pulled Posy in a little further. The woman nodded, "I can sense you are a halfling of great destiny!" Thorn pointed at Posy, "And her?" The fortune teller bowed slightly to Posy, "I don't know many gnomes... but you look familiar. Like a gnome I once knew... named Jerome." Posy smiled and nodded. Thorn sat up on the stool while the gypsy spread out the cards. "The upside-down Chariot," she nodded, "Oh! This is not good... your present plans are doomed to failure! You'll lose at the very last moment. They will collapse... so abandon those plans!" He raised an eyebrow at her, trying to think about what his present plan was.... searching Yuki for treasure? "Damn... this woman is so wise... tell me more." She turned the next card over, "I see rest after illness... repose replenishment. You should take it easy, young halfling... the King of Pentacles upside-down... I see in your immediate future, I see using any means to a desired end... I see vice, avarice... peril." Thorn nodded, "That's my daily life..." He shrugged. "In your far off future... the Knight of Wands. A journey... advancement into the unknown. Flight... some change of scenery. Your destiny is in far off places, my friend." "Eight of Cups... this can't be right!" She turned it upside down for a moment. Thorn raised an eyebrow, "Let's hear it, lady..." "Despite your future of avarice... I sense that you are loyal and trustworthy to your friends..." Thorn nodded, "No, you're right... that can't be right at all." She nodded, "Even helpful! Your friends are very fortunate to have such a good friend as you, my young halfling." "Damn straight they are!" Thorn nodded, sitting up a little more proudly, "You ARE wise! Can I get that in writing?" The gypsy woman laughed.

While Thorn sat with the older woman getting his fortune read, a younger woman approached that only Posy could see... also with dusky skin and a slight family resemblance to the woman with the cards. "Can I read your fortune?" She smiled at Posy who nodded, agreeing and following her over to the table... dividing them several times. Yuki stared at Posy talking to no one and looking over a smaller table to the side. She nudged Wren who raised a slight eyebrow, but didn't seem as alarmed... Posy was the one who could see the dragon within Mali afterall... "She looks like she's talking to herself..." Yuki tugged on Wren. The young witch nodded, "I think she's done that before... I'm sure it's fine." "The upside-down Two of Swords..." they young gypsy looked over the first card, "False friends... lies and deceit. Be careful who you trust." Wren leaned against Kale, "Hey! I'm perfectly trustworthy..." "Also in the present," the fortune teller went on, "I see stubbornness, bull-headedness... imbalance... the unwillingness to move forward in a relationship." "It's not unwillingness..." Posy protested to the young woman no one else could see or hear, "Everybody dies, okay... everybody dies!" Yuki continued to stare at Posy, "Why is she yelling at that table?" Wren shook her head, looking over Posy who seemed to be earnestly talking to someone. The young gypsy patted her hand, "The Ace of Pentacles, also upside-down... I see in your past, ooo... prosperity without happiness... wasted wealth... did you make any bad purchases?" Posy shook her head, "I never had any money." "Oh miserliness..." the gypsy nodded. Jerome, standing next to the table, shrugged his shoulders and displayed his hands openly, almost as if to say Sorry... too late now... I spent my fortunes... Posy nodded to him and back to the gypsy woman. She turned over the next card, "Three of Cups. In the immediate future I see solice... healing... fulfillment. The resolution of a problem." "And finally... your destiny... The King of Swords... I see justice... force... controlled and commanding warrior. I see a great future of battle for you, smallest bear. A lifetime of war." Posy smiled happily, pleased with her fortune. The gypsy woman smiled, "My name is Zalarra. I am..." she nodded to the elder fortune teller reading Thorn's cards, "I am her grandmother." "Wait a second..." Posy blinked at her... this woman she was talking to looked younger... The gypsy woman smiled and nodded to her, "I've been dead for some time." Thorn glanced over at Posy and back at the others, "She's talking to herself again..." He glanced back over to the gnome, "Hey... it's your turn." "She's giving me goosebumps!" Yuki nodded, "Make it stop." The ghostly gypsy continued on with Posy, "I can not pass on until my destiny is fulfilled... and you are the one who can fulfill that destiny." She pushed a deck of tarot cards toward her and Thorn watched a deck of cards fall onto the table and Posy picking them up and putting them in her pocket. That wasn't smooth at all! He glanced at the gypsy in front of him who was shuffling her cards and seemed oblivious to the event. Thorn hopped down from his stool and moved closer to Posy, whispering, "You're stealing from gypsies?! They'll put a curse on you!" They gypsy woman smiled at Posy, and nodded to the cards, "I'll be here to give you advice if you need it to fulfill your destiny..." Posy nodded, "Okay." Thorn nudged her, "It's your turn!" She shook her head, "I'm already done." She gestured to the small table. Thorn looked at her a little blankly, "You've been standing there talking to yourself..." he muttered a little quieter, "And pocketing things..." "I have not.... I've been talking to her." Posy took her cards and walked out of the tent. Thorn shrugged, "At least we only have to pay for one fortune telling." Yuki nudged Erevin, looking at the small table and after Posy. He shook his head, "I don't know much about her people... maybe for them, it's normal." Jerome walked beside Posy, "That girl was kind of cute... think you can put in a good word for me?" Posy smiled, "Maybe next time we visit. I'll have to return the deck after I figure out what I'm supposed to do with it."

We play games and eat carnival food and Posy shares her tarot reading and shows us the pretty hand-painted deck that seems quite old. The ghostly form of Zalarra appears for Posy when she pulls a card. She nodded to her, "Did you have a question?" Posy nodded to the deck in her hands, "Yes... Why did you want me to have this deck? And how can I help you with your destiny?" Zalarra nodded to her, "You're already on that path. You have one of two destinies... either to free the barbarians from the curse of Melar and return peace to their tribe... or join with the beast lord and become such a scourge and terror that these lands have not known since Kazaron." Posy shook her head, "Well hopefully not... How do I fight the urge?" "You need to stop the young barbarian woman known as Bridget. She has stolen the crown of fangs from Scarwall.... and with that Melar is with her, influencing her and the other barbarians to commit horrible attrocities." Posy nodded, "So... kill Bridget and everything will go back to normal?" The gypsy woman looked at Posy a little taken aback by such a direct line of thought, "That would... probably work." She nodded, "If the head comes from the shoulders... it's over."

"Posy..." Yuki touched her hand softly, "I'm getting worried... You're talking to nothing." "No..." Posy shook her head, "We have to kill Bridget... she stole the crown." Yuki looked at her with concerned wide eyes, "And did the voices in your head tell you this?" Posy blinked at her, "She's not in my head! She's right there! I swear!" She gestured in front of her, "Just like..." she spun around looking for someone else and caught Jerome making fun of Thorn as he danced behind him making wild slapping motions. Posy shook her head, "Anyway... just trust me. We have to kill Bridget." "Just trust you..." Yuki nodded. Erevin looked at Posy curiously, "Do you often talk with people that we can't see?" "Just my uncle most of the time..." "The one who was in the group?" Erevin asked, "He's around?" Yuki stared at her, "But isn't he...?" "Dead?" Posy finished and nodded her head, yes. "So you talk to dead people..." Erevin nodded. "Not all of them," Posy shrugged, "Mainly my uncle Jerome... and if I touch the deck, I can see Zalarra." "So she is bound to the deck?" Erevin looked at the deck still in Posy's hands. Posy nodded. Yuki nodded, impressed that this woman... the grandmother of the fortune teller, had come to Posy and read her fortune... naming her. Thorn nodded, "Yeah... and you got out of there without having to pay." Erevin nodded to him, "She brought the fortune teller with her... I thought you were the rogue." "So who is Bridget?" Uther goes on to tell us that Bridget was once the woman chosen as Ursus's girlfriend and the crown was an artifact of the beast lord.

Erevin sends Wren to build a fire, disappointing her with no dancing... He invites Uthgarte to the fire where we gather in a circle to hear his stories while continuing to feed him alcohol. "Many years ago... the three tribes were at peace. The Black Elk, The Blue Wolf, and The Red Bear... we roamed the tundra, masters of the land. We traded with many, including some of the elves and human kingdoms. There was one among us who that that this trading... instead of taking what we wanted... made our tribe weak. He was known as Kazaron. He struck dark bargains with the cult of Melar after he was banished from the tribes. We did not see him for some years until he came back with a vengeance wearing a crown of beast fangs that almost seemed to be biting into his head... He was perpetually bleeding. He had a madness that infected many of our tribe and he began to terrorize the tundra. Caravans, elves... any that he could find. And he would hunt... and these are not hunts as you would understand them, elf. This was not hunting a deer in the forest... This was blood... slaughter... capturing caravans of women and children, cutting the backs of their ankles and sending them free... naked into the forest to be hunted by savage animals." Yuki gasped and Wren stared at him wide eyes. Erevin nodded, "All to fulfill this... Melar." Uthgarte nodded. "It is often the way of the corrupt to see understanding as weakness," Erevin nodded. Uthgarte went on, "My great-grandfather, Mandrob, was a hero of our tribe. He confronted Kazaron with the aid of the dozen barbarians who were still uncorrupted. With a powerful holy blade, a gift from Tempess (God of Battle), they snuck into the great fortress of Scarwall (Kazaron's victims were forced to build this for him) and slew him. Unfortunately Mandrob's good fortune did not last... for right after he severed Kazaron's head... an army of orcs who had been waiting for a sign of weakness poured in to overwhelm them... So much death brought about a horrible curse on the place... everything rose up from the grave. The castle became a twisted force of evil... and the one orc who had survived, escaping to warn his brethren... his skin was no longer green. It was white. Since that time... none of our people have gone near it." "So then what happened to the crown?" Erevin inquired, "This Bridget must have found it?" "Apparently she and her cult must have journeyed into the castle and stole the crown." "What happened to the holy blade?" Posy leaned in, curious. "It is either in the castle..." Uthgarte looked up at her, "or perhaps Bridget has that as well." Yuki continued to refill his glass as he looked her over like she was candy to be eaten. "You are a fine young woman..." He nodded to her. "Thank you," she smiled sweetly, watching him gobble up the ale that poured out over his beard and chest... "Dainty bar of soap?" She offered him a small bar of soap. A middle-aged human still finely chiseled with muscles, defined now by his soaking chest. Posy looked him over and then up at Uther, "Is that what you're going to look like?" Uther glanced at his father and nodded back to Posy, "I'll look better. Dad doesn't have anything on me." She nodded, "Well alright... Maybe I will have to hang around."

Uthgarte tells several more unrelated stories... some of the elves of The Sun's Heart join the circle, listening to the stories. Loch lays down and puts her head in Wren's lap, reaching up to touch her face gently. Yuki looks up at Kale who is growling beside her. She nudged him, "What are you doing?" She pushed him toward Wren. He went over to sit next to Wren and she leaned against him with a happy sigh. Both Kale and Loch glancing at each other with icy stares. Erevin shook his head watching the three. Yuki sat near him, leaning against Axton and twisted his robe, "This isn't going to end well... I don't know what to do." Axton nodded to her, "We should pray together." She looked up at him, a little surprised, "Really?" He nodded. Erevin muttered in mock sweetness, "Because the gods answer all of our prayers..." "Erevin!" Shri folded her arms, "I find your lack of faith disturbing..."

We also hear the story of Bridget and Ursus being brought together, but it didn't take... and Bridget never quite got over that. A proud and stubborn barbarian woman. Uthgarte tells several stories of when his two sons were young... Uther interjecting nudges, and the occasional, "Dad!" eventually taking him off to put him to bed. Wren waved, "Thanks for the stories!" "You're welcome!" He wandered off drunk with his son. Yuki called after them, waving too, "Good night!" "Good night, Miss... Boobies..." Thorn laughed beside Yuki. Yuki threatened to strike him with flame. Axton slipped an arm around Yuki, taking her away a little early. She was disappointed until he took her to a secluded spot to surprise her with making out.

Tyrian wished us a safe journey and agreed to keep the elves with him while we go. A week's travel across the icy tundra and forest by foot or horse, so we take the ship, discussing what things might be like. Yuki asks about the "hunts" and Erevin suggests that things may be even worse now... We pass over the ice glacier with Destiny's speed and then an early spring scent of pine. The giant bloody ice claw structure rose up from the hills... and appeared to be bleeding in the light of the sun as the bloody ice melted. We set down to move in on foot through the trees.

Crowe agreed to stay behind and watch over the boat. "Will you look after Loch for me?" Wren tilted her head. Crowe smiled a wickedly, "Of course... I haven't had a chance to talk with her yet..." "Please be nice to her. She's been through a lot." The elder sister's eyes were still sparkling with mischief, "Oh I'll be very nice to her." "Uh huh..." Wren shook her head at her, "Those are not your secrets to tell." We gathered to leave... Posy glanced at Shade, "I don't know... he didn't do much last time." "What?!" he protested, "What about that haste spell I put on you!" "That's all you did!" she barked back at him. "And stone skin!" He yelled back. "I don't remember that..." Posy folded her arms. Wren assured her that it was just the insect chatter that made her forget and Shade had done a lot including giving her wings to get up to the balcony. "I would die to protect you, Miss Posy!" He nodded confidently. "No, no... I'm not asking that... just do something."

Shri, Axton, Shade, Rue, Kale and the troupe of barbarians, including Uther and Uthgarte, traveled with us by foot into the forest. No birds... no woodland creatures... quiet... Wren shuddered, "This place is creepy." Yuki glanced up at the trees, and gasped at the cute squirrel, "A squirrel!" Everyone glanced up to find the cute squirrel look down at them with red glowing eyes. Yuki's eyes went wide, "Erevin!" The squirrel leapt out of the tree down toward Yuki's face, but Erevin's arrow pierced through it, carrying it away before it could reach her. We hear a rustling from the undergrowth and Yuki looks around, "Do you think there are more?" A carpet of squirrels, bunnies, dear, birds, and other woodland creatures all with red eyes swarm over all of us. Yuki cast sanctuary over herself and the wave of creatures parted around her. Shade sent out fiery spells to take down clouds of them at a time as everyone battled against them. Finally... the ground littered with dead bodies... and feeling dirty... we moved on toward the claw.

Wren and Posy began to get angry the closer we walked towards it. Wren, who normally loved the forest, was swearing up a storm about pine needles stabbing her in the foot, static electricity sparking around her while Posy cursed about being slowed down by the creatures and being tired of still walking in this damned forest! Erevin and Yuki eyed an uncharacteristic Wren uncertainly and Thorn nodded toward Posy, "We need to get her into a battle quick."

One of the gnarled trees twisted and shrank down to become a raven-haired muscled barbarian woman wearing a crown of giant jet-black fangs half embedded into her skull, blood running down her face. Bridget looked up at Uthgarte, "So you've finally reconsidered, dear father... you've come to join with the rest of the tribes and we will be one again." Posy nudged Ursus who she knew Bridget was once in love with... and whispered, "Tell her yes..." Ursus stepped forward, "We would be happy to rejoin the tribes again, but we must put an end to this madness." "Madness? There is no madness... there is only Melar's will... and soon... all of you... will share that will." Several trees shrank around her, forming more barbarians, bears, and lions. Erevin looked around at our gathered forces and directed everyone to spread out, loosing two arrows into the obvious casters across the field as he moved.

Bridget stepped forward with a loud booming voice, "Melar... bring these wolves back into the fold!" The fanged crown twitched, biting into her head deeper as blood flowed down and a great blood-red fog rolled out from her through the area. A feeling of wanting to kill... a lust for blood... rolled over everyone. Most felt it, but resisted with a clear head, but the barbarians fell prey to it harder... clutching their heads and starting to snarl! Uther's claws grew longer as he tried to fight the rage building within him... and Uthgarte gritted his lengthening teeth, "Never!"

Bridget pointed toward Yuki, recognizing her as the woman all of the raged animals parted around, "Kill her!" Most of the line of bears, lions, and barbarians rushed forward from her side toward Yuki across the field. Wren, Kale, and Thorn spread to the opposite side of Erevin and the witch sent an ice storm over the approaching line of barbarians... Blinding ice and snow covered the middle of the field. Uther and Uthgarte advanced together at Posy's command, fighting the rage and meeting the line coming toward them with savage claws! Posy stayed back with Shade to protect Yuki who warded her from evil and called back to Axton to calm the barbarians behind them. "Good idea," he nodded, sending out a softer warm red aura of love to calm the tribe struggling with rage.

The druid barbarians pulled up a wall of air to protect them from the ranger's bow attacks, so Erevin turned and impaled Bridget with his arrows instead, imbuing them with a fiery explosion. Shri called upon Eilistraee's blessing to bring down the wall of air, but the druids power was strong. Shri shook her head wearily, "The presence of Melar is here." He glanced at her, "So once again... the elven gods have abandoned us... I'm getting used to it. It's alright." Shri frowned at him and Erevin continued, "Perhaps I should seek the solace of the human gods... I hear Mask is always recruiting." Shri sighed, feeling the weight of his furthering lack of faith.

So focused in her rage, Bridget didn't even acknowledge Erevin's strike, "No... they must join. We must be one happy family again!" She pointed out toward the priest calming the barbarians. Axton's back was toward her as he was concentrating on the barbarian tribe behind us, nodding over his shoulder at Yuki, "I think it's working... they're coming around. I've almost got them." A red light shot from Bridget's hand across the field with a sharp claw penetrating through his back to come out of his chest! He gasped sharply with his arms out... as Yuki turned around to the sound and watched almost in slow motion as he crumpled to the ground, "AXTON!!!!!" Tears streamed down her face as she screamed out his name, almost frozen in place as the barbarians and shape-shifted druids advanced out of the ice-storm behind her. One of them slashed into her, but it seemed like her body moved in slow motion, blind to her own pain as she ran to his side, falling to her knees and sobbing out his name as she cradled his lifeless body into her arms. She pulled him up to her lips and kissed him passionately, breathing life into him and willing him to live with all of her heart. Though still unconscious, she could feel his heart beating and feel him take in breath.

Kale stepped in front of Wren, meeting one of the lions with his blade as Thorn stepped behind it to double team with the elven warrior. One of the barbarians struck an axe into Shade as the line seemed to ignore the little gnome, splashing the blood of her friends all around her. The druids, still protected by their wall of air, summoned a massive earth elemental that stood up out of the earth beside Erevin and Shri! Wren stepped out to send a bolt of lightning through a long line of barbarians straight into the enormous earth elemental, rocking it slightly. The wounds on the barbarians seemed to be healing on their own. Posy buried her axe with great gashes into the barbarian attacking Yuki, spilling his blood everywhere, but still so enraged and focused on Yuki... he didn't even turn. Believing everyone was being fully controlled by Bridget, Shade offered to take Posy across the field. They teleported instantly with his spell to arrive in front of the crowned woman. Rue created a pink glowing, sword with a roses wrapped around her hand and charged forward to fend off the barbarians coming for Yuki.

Erevin and Shri tore chunks of earth out of the enormous earth elemental together as Mari held back another of the blindly raging barbarians, biting and clawing into his thick hide. Bridget looked down at the little gnome now in front of her, "So you're the littlest bear... I'm not impressed." She shook her head as Posy flipped her off, undaunted. The barbarian woman raised her hands to the sky, raining fire down all around them. Smoldering with wafts of smoke drifting off of her, In full rage, Posy looked up at her with a dark giggle. Shade collapsed to the ground beside her, unconscious and covered in burns. Assuming him to be dead, Posy

Thorn was a furious flurry with his two daggers, slicing into the lion with strike after strike. It's bloody body crumpled to the ground between him and Kale. The casters across the field called in a lightning cloud, bringing down bolts into Erevin and Shri! Their guardian moved in behind Posy, slashing into her with two strikes of his axe! Posy was smeared in blood and gaping wounds! After being electrified with lightning, one of the barbarians struck his axe heavily into Wren. She stepped back, spitting out blood, and sent out another lightning bolt out through her wand, arcing through the barbarian and into the massive earth elemental between Erevin and Shri. The elemental shattered into rubble! Kale stepped between Wren and the barbarian, pushing him back away from her protectively.

Assuming Shade to be lost, Posy... furious and brave, sent out a wide ring of fire from her ring of retribution... incinerating Shade's corpse and taking part of her own life to wash the barbarians around in fire! Hearing Rue behind her, "I'll hold them back for you, Yuki! You saved me!" Yuki glanced back to see her friend horribly wounded, and she sent out a powerful wave of healing... bringing Axton awake and giving Wren and Rue much needed healing life. Erevin dropped his bow, drawing both blades as he charged forward dropping one of the barbarians that was attacking the determined priestess. Shri poured healing into Erevin as Mari held back another.

Bridget stepped back, yanking one of the fangs out of her head and whipped it into Uther! He grabbed his head in growling in agony as his claws grew longer. The casters continued to call down lightning as Rue called out, "Run, Yuki!" One of the barbarians impaled the priestess and kicked her body off of his blade! The bear grabbed her and started to drag her away, but Wren stepped forward to cast suffocation over it causing the bear to gag and gasp, dropping the body and pawing at it's throat trying desperately to get air as it staggered back and forth. Posy charged into Bridget, slashing her with her axe... but the wounds start closing as fast as she can make them and the barbarian woman boasts at her, "I have the power of a god, little bear!"

Seeing Posy covered in wounds and blood, Yuki dashed to Wren and sent a pillar of life to grow up from the ground between Axton and Rue, "Wren! Please fly me to Posy! She's going to die!" Wren nodded, "I'll get you there!" Axton grabbed the pillar of life, healing himself and grabbing Rue's body to heal her, bringing her back to conscious. Erevin sent out more arrows into another barbarian as the suffocating bear dropped to the ground. Shri stayed close to the ranger, keeping him healed. Bridget touched Posy, taking more of her life as Thorn circled around to slash his double daggers into the crowned woman's back! Surprised by the attack, he actually broke her focus enough to glance back at him, "Wait your turn..." The decimated lion on the ground finished self healing and stood up behind Wren, clawing into her and grabbing her arm in his mouth! The raven-haired witch managed to keep her focus as she reached out to grab Kale in front of her and Yuki clutched onto her, "Kale, stay with me. We need to protect Yuki!" She stepped through a dimensional door, taking both with her. Kale moved to defend her while the young elven woman recovered from her spell.

The casters summoned up to 2 large fire elementals! Yuki sent out a powerful wave of healing into Posy. The gnome leapt up and grabbed onto the fanged crown and pulled with all of her might, Bridget screaming as the fangs pulled slightly out of her skull. Struggling to pull it, just needing a little longer, Posy gasped out as Uther stepped forward to send his claws through her back and out of her chest! Posy dropped in a heap to the ground!

Losing Axton's calming effect since his death... the tribe of barbarians were losing their control and falling to the rage. Things were looking more and more grim... Bridget sent out a painful blinding light into the area, sending everyone reeling! Thorn, holding his eyes, yelled out to Kale,"Pull off her crown! It's the source of her power!" Yuki crumpled to the ground as bolt of lightning came down from the sky! Axton and Rue were stuck across the field, surrounded by barbarians and unable to get to her to help. Kale turned to Wren, pointing at the priestess on the ground, "Take Yuki and get out of here!" He moved toward Bridget to block her. Wren shook her head, "I'm not leaving without you!" He yelled back over his shoulder, "Do what I say!" Tears slipped down her cheeks, looking around at their failing situation, and she shook her head stubbornly, "I am NOT leaving you!" Uther was posed over Posy's body about to impale her with claws again, but tears were pouring down his face as he didn't seem to have any control over his body. Wren sent Cirdan to Crowe, carrying a message of a grim situation where we might not be returning to the ship... "we are all dying." and she cast out a wave of break enchantment that released the hold over Uther.

Erevin looked over the bloody field and remembered Uthgarte's story of the holy blade... and he realized that it's not here with her... we needed to flee and find it to help defeat her... outnumbered and falling, how do we get out? Kale was struggling with Bridget, trying to pull her crown. Wren yelled at him, "Leave her, we have to go!" He nodded, "Go! Run! Get out of here!" "No!" She shook her head again, "I'm not leaving without YOU!" Thorn grabbed Yuki's body and pulled her away from the battle and Wren conjured a riding horse. Uther stepped up next to Kale, grabbing onto Bridget's crown, "You've got a good woman, brother. She wont leave you. Take her and go!" Kale nodded to him, scooping up Posy's body in one arm, and set her and Yuki on the horse. Wren sent the horse forward toward the forest and took flight, using Kale's ring to make him light enough to carry him.

Bridget turned into fire and she took to the air, Uther still attached to her. Shri cast out an aura of healing, moving up to join Wren and the others, bringing Yuki to conscious. Erevin fired arrows into the fire elemental, clearing our escape and pulling back the other way once we were out. Axton and Rue fought themselves a path out and ran with the others. Yuki woke up on the horse and sent out a powerful wave of healing, bringing Posy back to conscious. Yuki and Rue used calm emotions to bring the barbarians back under control taking them with us back to the ship... except for Uthgarte who went after Bridget and Uther.

On the ship, everyone went below the deck... somber, exhausted, and weary from the battle. We had lost Uther and Uthgarte... and Shade was dead.

Posy went to bed alone... the bed was so big and empty... and she laid there miserable, burying her face in his scent. The tarot deck slipped out of her pouch and Z'larra's ghostly form sat near her, "Your soul is sad, littlest bear." Posy sobbed, "I never got to tell him I loved him!" "You're not giving up, are you?" "Just for a minute..." Posy sighed heavily, "I need a minute." Z'larra smiled, "I know that you are made of stronger stuff, Posy... Earth Shaker." "We'll get him... I just need a minute... don't make me throw this tarot deck," Posy wiped tears from her cheeks. Z'larra smiled again, "I'm afraid I'm already quite dead. ...i know... though it has been many years... where castle Scarwall is." Posy nodded, "We need that sword if we're going to help Uther."

The ghostly gypsy nodded and began to sing the tale... // Fate of steel—Serithtial // // Her cage for years sustained // // Four enthralled in lost Scarwall; // // Undead to keep her chained. // // A spirit first, red war his thirst // // Still stands at post of old; // // A second foe, infernal soul // // Waits high in tower cold. // // In kennel’s grime third bides his time // // Then vents his killing breath. // // And on a stone ’mid ash and bone, // // The final dreams of death. // // The spirits worn and battletorn // // And locked in their damnation, // // The chained one’s hold at last grows old // // And ushers in salvation. // // Yet hope remains amid the chains // // When blade’s stone cage has crumbled, // // Friends to dread and the death of the dead, // // Keys to Kazavon humbled. //

The gypsy nodded, "I believe the "friends to dread" may refer to the barbarians... you should probably avoid taking them into the keep." Posy nodded, wondering if she should just go alone so that her friends would not be endangered again, "How far is this place?" Z'larra looked around, "Maybe two days? If you wish before you enter this place... I can use my magic on this deck. Each of you who enter may draw a card... it will somehow help you at some point in the keep. I do not know how... but it will help." Posy nodded gratefully, "We'll take it." "And... as a warning... as the story went, Melar turned everything there into undead, so your priests should be prepared for that." Posy nodded, "I'll tell them." Posy went up to Whitestrake and had him turn the boat in the direction of the castle.

Two days of travel... we can see the castle on a hill, surrounded by a lake that appeared to've come from something that long ago had impacted the land... leaving a crater that filled with water.