Big City Darkened Nights

Eye to eye, nose to nose, the hideous Hag plants a forked tongue kiss on Carr’s open mouth. Her putrid breath lingers on his tongue. With a sly grin Tetra lets him know, “I’m not through with you yet.” Like a rag doll she tosses Carr into the cavern wall.

Dell slices hard attempting to remove the hag’s head. Glimpsing him she drops avoiding the blade and kicks out Dell’s legs. As he hits the rocky ground Tetra slams the mace down. Dell’s metal chest plate caves in forcing all the air out of his lungs.

With only two of the Larvae left, Captain Avilo hears the blow to Dell. Glancing over sees all four men are down, Carr seems to be the only one moving on his own, in a fighting way.

Scanning the cave Tetra sees Carr shakily standing. She rises to stop him from picking up a weapon. Running by Paul, he reaches out and grabs her ankle.

Hindered and annoyed Tetra lines up Paul’s head. Raising the mace high overhead.

Picking up the bastard-sword Carr sees Paul in trouble and runs over.

With great force she brings the mace down, Paul’s skull cracks as he goes unconscious.

Dispatching the last Larva Avilo hears the crack of bone echo in the cave. Figuring all will soon be dead Captain Avilo rushes in.

Hearing Carr too late, she turns to see Carr’s sharp blade swing in and remove her left forearm. More out of pain Tetra clobbers Carr’s chest with the mace, momentarily stunning him and dislodging the heavy sword from his grip. The detached limb’s fingers twitch almost seeming to crawl away.

Avilo closes in as she beats on Carr’s back.

Trying to avoid the mace Carr raises his hands to protect his head. Not fast enough, as the mace connects with the back of his skull, knocking Carr down and out.

She’s wide open to an attack and Avilo takes advantage, his razor sharp long-sword cuts deep into Tetra’s back. The blade glows as it severs her spine. She starts to turn towards Avilo as her legs give out.

Thinking it’s over Captain Avilo steps back cleaning off his blade watching her collapse on the ground.

Still with plenty of fight Tetra bashes Avilo’s leg nearly breaking it with the mace. Landing on top of Tetra, Avilo receives numerous hits.

As Tetra flails about whacking him with the mace and half an arm, Avilo grasps her right wrist. Struggling to pin the good arm, Avilo does manage to pin her other arm under his knee.

Getting the mace to the ground he nearly gets bit by her fangs. Pushing himself up and pinning the weapon arm under knee Avilo speaks roughly, “This is your last chance Hag. Let us be. Or be damned.”

“Hah,” Tetra cackles still struggling to escape, “You’re too much of a goodie, goodie to kill a woman. Hah.”

“I’m not,” states Cornelious.

They both look over to see the old mage lining her up with the bastard-sword held high overhead.

Tetra spits a mouthful of crud at the mage. Giving Cornelious the strength needed to cleave her head from its’ shoulders.

Dark almost black blood sprays from the wound as the body violently convulses. Avilo jumps from the body. The old wizard drops the sword to steady Avilo.

Her head rolls over, Avilo and Cornelious watch her glaring eyes and moving mouth, feeling as if being cursed by her. They were but fortunately the Night-hag can’t finish the thought.

Rolling over to see the demise of the Night-hag, Dell loosens the straps of his breastplate.

After Tetra’s parts stop moving the mage kneels shoving his arm into the neck wound, up to his elbow.

Avilo’s stomach turns forcing him to look away, “My god man what are you doing?’

Feeling around her chest cavity the mage states, “Insuring she doesn’t come back.” Finding the heart, he grunts and moans tearing it from the chest.

Grimacing Dell and Avilo view the black organ in wizard’s hand.

Taking a leather sack from his satchel Cornelious inserts the heart. Tying it tight places the sack back into the satchel.

Disgusted by the sight Avilo turns to Dell, “Ah even though you look a mess, can you check on Junior. I’ll see if Paul’s still with us. Cornelious, would you mind checking out our rogue.”

Cornelious sees Carr breathing and lightly slaps his cheeks, “Hey, are you alright?”

With the plate still stuck to his torso Dell attempts rolling Junior over, both men groan loudly.

Avilo leans over lightly patting Paul face, “He’s breathing, but out cold. We’ll have to carry him back through.”

Rolling Junior over pries the armor from Dell’s chest. Jumping up and around Dell cries out, tossing the armor off, fully waking both Junior and Carr.

Junior sits up with a blood-soaked face, “Where is she?” He spots the decapitated Hag’s body, “Oh.”

Sitting up Carr gets a painful headrush and clasps the skull with hands, “Kill me now.”

The mage pats Carr’s shoulder, “You’ll live.”

Wanting to vacate Avilo turns to the wizard, “Can we leave now?”

“Sure,” The wizard nods and picks a spot close to where they entered to sit and cast the spell.

Captain Avilo tries to pick up Paul.

Walking off the pain Dell comes over to help Avilo move Paul over to Cornelious.

Junior takes his time standing asking Carr. “What happened to the Hag?”

Not ready to stand or speak Carr shrugs.

Looking at the bastard-sword beside the body Junior tries to figure out what he missed, “You were the last one I saw with the sword. And Paul was conscious before I went out.”

Enduring throbbing pain Carr recounts, “I took off her arm. She laid me out, shortly after.”

Carefully setting Paul down, Dell takes a seat beside him, hoping to be back in the castle soon.

Kneeling beside Paul, Avilo removes a bandage from his satchel to wrap Paul’s head and gaping eye socket.

Sighing Cornelious turns to Avilo, “I haven’t enough power. Don’t worry I just need an hour to recoup.”

“Great,” Avilo looks around noticing three possible ways in or out. Two are large and noticeable with a red hue marking them. One is black and looks more like a depression in the rock. “I hope this isn’t a place creature’s frequent.”

The mage sits across from them, “I think if anything was close by, it would have surely stopped by to see what all the screaming was about.”

Knowing they’re in Hell, Dell remarks. “I would think screaming and fighting would be common down here.”

Junior and Carr pick up the loose weapons before joining the group.

Avilo considers their comments, “Perhaps we should keep quiet in case something else should happen.”

Out goes the wizard’s cast ball of light, leaving them in the pitch black.

Carr being the only one with any night vision adjusts. He can see the black image of Junior with outstretched arms trying to find the others, “Hold on Junior.” Carr walks over to him.

Hearing Carr get close Junior inquires. “Can you see in the dark too?”

Carr takes Junior’s free arm, “Not quite.” He leads him to the group, “I see black objects in the blackness. Can’t tell you where the walls end.”

Stopping beside Cornelious, Carr sits. Junior gets the idea easing down.

Wishing he could see better Avilo jests, “Are you sure you’re no Lycanthrope? Perhaps part Orc or Elf?”

“No.” Quietly Carr answers, “I just see better than some.” Where the ability comes from, he doesn’t know.

Cornelious hands the wounded men each a leaf, “Put that in your mouth and suck on it. Tastes bad, won’t cure you. But it will numb the pain.”

Sitting quietly praying in the dark, the men hear distant echoing screams barely reaching them. Not sure how to feel, safe something else is busy far away, or cowards for not running off to help. The old mage and Carr are counting on the first.

Junior being the youngest starts to make out what Carr can see. Night vision is at its best Carr’s able to spot the third smaller opening.

Picking up the mace Carr stands, “I’m going to check the walls to that opening at the back.”

“Alright.” Captain Avilo welcomes scouting, “Call out only if needed.”

Junior sees Carr’s figure stand and walk away. A few paces beyond the group, he vanishes into the black. Hearing only what the group can, Carr’s soft footfalls.

Opposite of the smaller opening, Carr taps the cave walls with his fingers. He circles the group towards the mystery opening.

Reaching one of the larger red hued openings, he peers out into a tunnel running deep right and the left bends away from them. Not wanting to become lost down here keeps following the cavern.