Thralls of a Dread Lord (1.59T)
Welcome to my weekly serial. This is a rough draft that I am working on, for your reading pleasure.
It is a fairly grim tale, so be warned.
Here is the first post from this series.
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Retaak stumbled toward the shouting of his friends. It seemed to be real, even if uncharacteristic of Uyage and Kuzat. Unreal, and yet he could feel it to be true, it was them, and not some illusion created by Karniloth.
“I’m here,” he said, loudly, but not a shout. He stumbled toward the sound, his head swimming. The immensity of his encounter with the Demon-spider was almost too much for his mind to contain it seemed; even now his memory rebelled against it, not wanting to hold such a strange and terrible thing within it, like Waachear’s tortures.
Uyage and Kuzat ran out of the haze of mist and webbing, stopping when they saw him. Uyage’s bow was broken and she held an axe and dagger in her hands, which dripped with spider-gore. Kuzat had an ancient spear in his hands, also bloodied.
“Is it him?” asked Kuzat.
“It is,” said Uyage. “I would recognize those knotted brows anywhere.”
“We can talk later,” said Retaak, suddenly understanding that Karniloth might simply be using him as bait for his friends. “She is near, we must go!”
“Have you seen the Elf or Uyaashie?” asked Uyage, her eyes roving.
“No,” said Retaak. “We must find them, but they are not here.”
“What is that bracer?” asked Kuzat.
“I will tell you later, friend Kuzat,” said Retaak, urgently. “But we cannot linger here. I have gazed on the face of the Demon-spider once today and wish to be gone from her realm. Go.”
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“The Elf is near,” said Uyage. “I’m surprised that she survived.”
“I am not,” said Retaak. “She has powerful magic and is quite resourceful.”
Uyage snorted.
“What?” asked Retaak.
“Nothing,” grumbled Uyage. “The tracks lead out of the desolation. We should be able to find her easily enough, she does not hide her passage.”
“Can we search for Uyaashie then?” asked Kuzat. “She is still in the Desolation and I fear she may be hurt.”
Kasuukak pulled Retaak, nagging at him to fulfill Ushochhushi’s will. He ste aside the compulsion with an effort of will.
“Uyage, you must seek out Albyursia,” said Retaak. “Kuzat, you know the desolation well, you and I will search for our friend.”
Uyage nodded and they parted ways quickly. The sun was slowly sinking down to the mountains and Retaak had a strong feeling that they could not survive another night in the desolation.
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After hours of searching, Retaak and Kuzat found no further sign of Uyaashie. Spiders watched them from every nook and crevasse as the sky began to darken. At least Retaak turned to Kuzat. “We must go, Kuzat.”
Tears stained the goblin’s cheeks as he turned to Retaak. “I will stay and search. This is my fault Retaak.”
“If you had not led us through the desolation, our heads would be decorating the walls of Greyrock or Gurgumaars belt,” he said. “Uyage has wise eyes, she will be able to see what we cannot on the morrow. I will not leave here without Uyaashie.”
Kuzat nodded and they began their ascent back out of the desolation to the place wehere they had parted ways with Uyage. As they sighted the path that led to their goal, Kuzat gave a little yelp and ran toward what Retaak thought was a rock. The goblin out his hands on the surface of the rock and it shifted, falling away to reveal Uyaashie. The hobgoblin woman was pale and shaking holding a dagger in her hand and the map case in another. The veins on her face stood out, throbbing and black.
“Help,” she croaked. “Poison.”
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