Evil Awaits

As Aurei and Eleazar explore the Emperor's airship, they become aware that something evil lurks in the lower decks of the vessel.

32.

Evil Awaits

 

 

 

It was very dark and rather unsettling below the deck of the ship.   A great struggle had occurred there, with the Emperor’s crew apparently losing.   Only a few corpses were to be found and all of them were Imperial servants who had died while defending the ship.

 

They walked softly and carefully, both with their swords drawn, allowing their dark Elven eyesight to guild them through the creepy ship.  The first lower deck was the banqueting area, kitchen area and servants’ quarters.  They were searching one of these quarters when the ship suddenly jerked forward; startling both of them for a moment before they realized Captain Tarron had just ‘set sail’, pulling the imperial ship behind it.  

“That was unnerving.” Aurei whispered to Eleazar in the darkness of the small room.

“Indeed.  Do you feel anything?   An uneasiness, perhaps?”

“Well, yes, now that you mention it, I do, but I thought it was just this spooky old ship.”

“Perhaps it is, but I am feeling it more strongly as we progress lower into the ship.”

“What do you think it is?”

“Evil.  Below us, waiting.”

His words made her skin crawl, “An ambush?”

“That would be my best guess.   I don’t think we’re alone on this ship.   There are too few corpses on this deck.   Compare it to the dead on the main deck; there should be bodies everywhere, but instead we only see a few as if they were placed there to fool us.”

“I don’t think they are zombies.”

“No, not yet at least.   I think that whatever is waiting for us wants us to keep going deeper into the lower decks.”

“So what do we do, then?”

“Give them what they want - we go find them and eliminate any evil we find.”

“I was afraid you’d say that.  Are we strong enough to defeat it?”

“I don’t know, but we’ve got to try, because this ship is bound for Westmark and if we are defeated, it will bring the evil to the city.”

“Okay, let’s go get it.”

“Do you know where Fendoris would keep his treasures while on board of this ship?”

“Well, Aunt Zeatt and I were kept in the brig, which is a rather small room on the bottom level, and I saw at the other end, by the stairs, another door, and it was made of metal and very heavy.”

“Then that is where we’ll head, and probably find the evil that awaits us.”

“Is that ring worth getting killed for?”

“No, but stopping evil is, so let’s press on.   Stay behind me, okay.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to walk side by side?”

“Aurei-“

“I have some resistance to magic.”

“But not to arrows and swords, so please stay behind me.   Please.”

“Oh, alright.”

 

They headed for the stairwell and began descending, down two more levels until they stood on the last couple of stairs before the lowest level of the ship’s lower decks. 

“Yep, I definitely feel it.”  Aurei whispered to Eleazar as they paused, “Very strong, straight ahead.    It reminds me of what I felt when I encountered the Death Knight.”

Eleazar nodded grimly, “I was afraid of that.   I’d say we walked into a trap.    So let’s go spring it.”

“Perhaps a plan would be something you should consider?”

“Not much need, I’d say, if we don’t go to it, I suspect it will find us or come out when we get to Westmark.”

“I don’t want that.   Oh, boy, this is not turning out like I’d hoped.”

“Come here for a moment.   Come close to me.”   Eleazar didn’t wait for her to comply but reached out and pulled her close to him.   Aurei was completely surprised by his action.

“Uh, Laz…”

“Shh!”  He looked heavenward and began chanting and then touched her forehead with his hand, then his own.   A light blue glow flowed over both of them for an instant, and then disappeared.

“You just cast a spell!”  Aurei exclaimed, “Just like Brother Darv did - that was a Protection from Evil spell, wasn’t it?”

“No, neither one of us need that.”

“I’d say we do!”

“Aurei, you are a Paladin, as I am, we radiate protection from evil like an aura around us.”
“We do?”

“You didn’t know that?”

“Not until now!   That’s good to know.   So what did you cast?”

“Protection from Undead - if we do not attack an undead creature, they will not be able to attack us… except for the very most powerful types.”

“Such as Death Knights?”

“I’m afraid so, yes.”

“Not much help then, is it?”
Eleazar shrugged, “It’s all I have.”

“How’d you learn to cast Clerical spells?   You cast one on me when we were heading back to Westmark.”

“It is a blessing of a Paladin after many years of service.   Yesh gave me the spells after I prayed for them while I was on the road to rescue you and Matron Zeatt.  I’ve waited for years for this blessing.    You’ll receive this blessing too, some day. ”

“If I live long enough.”

“I don’t intend to let you die in this battle.”   Eleazar said firmly.

“Hopefully there won’t be any battle.”

“You know there will be.   Behind that steel door at the end of the hallway is -probably- the treasury for the Emperor on this ship.   Apparently they knew I was coming here to look for that ring and they are waiting on us.”

“Death Knights… two of them.” Aurei said in a slightly distant voice as the knowledge of this came upon her so suddenly she knew it to be so.

Eleazar nodded, “Yes.  We will go to them and destroy them or we will be killed.”

“I understand.”  Aurei suddenly felt very calm, accepting the near impossibility of the situation.   She smiled at Eleazar, who returned the smile.

“Let’s go get them.”  She said, starting down the hallway.

 

Reviews

[Elina]

"...allowing their dark Elven eyesight to guild them..." Guild should be guide, I believe.

[Eddie Davis]

Yes, you are correct again. Wow, you are a good proofreader!