Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 23:38:55 +0000 (GMT)
From: goldenknight <goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Night of No Tomorrow - 13 (gay/boybands)

Disclaimer:

Hello again! Well then! I finally managed to get my ass back in writing
again (particularly because I'm so sick of studying college stuff 'n'
all...). But I'm back with the thirteenth part of NNT. Now what should I
yap about first... oh yeah! Legal stuff. You all may shut your ears now.
First of all (bla, bla, bla), as mentioned before, this story is totally
fictional and has no purpose whatsoever to imply that any member of the BSB
is gay. Secondly, also as mentioned before, the setting of this story is
100% based on TSR, Inc. Novels, the Forgotten Realms. The story is written
purely out of fun and leisure and I have no intention of publishing it
anywhere or whatever. Hmm... what else? Oh yeah, this story also contain
homosexual elements, so if you got a problem with it, Boo-hoo, I don't give
fuck. However, if you are looking for some hot monkey sex scenes, sorry
dudes, you'll be disappointed. I'm just not good in writing about that
stuff :P Let just keeps the detailed sex stuff behind closed doors. But if
you like stories that goes nice and slow and have more to offer than just
sex, oh well, you might like this one (I hope).

Well! Now that is gone out of da way, lets get on with the story. Hope you
enjoy it. If ya got comments, objections, suggestions, tips, death threats,
boos, tomatoes or cabbages to throw or whatever, just write to me at
goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk

Anyway, I would like to thank everyone who e-mailed me of your comments and
such. It's nice to know that you've enjoyed it. I live to serve (Hah!). All
in all, thanks guys. I intend to make this story as long as I can. But
ideas do tend to run out quickly. I can always think up of new ideas (if I
can get my lazy mind going long enough. It really needs a kick or two at
time but it has always serve me well... hmm... well, most of the time). But
if you have any inputs, ideas or suggestions, feel free to drop me a note
anytime you want, be it through e-mails, letters, pigeons, message in a
bottle, Morse codes, talking drums, whatever.

Author's Note:

Another thing is, in case you didn't notice; I have changed my email
address. So if you guys wanna drop us a note, sent it to
goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk

Right! Enough mindless chatters, roll back the curtain and on with the
show!

Drew and Andy

*******************************

Last time, in NNT12...



Far below, Lamelle breathed the last words of her final Spell of Flight as
she gently touched Ken's forehead. Ken smiled at her briefly before
springing aloft, blade flashing, to join the fray.

As she knelt by the moaning form of Delg and Alvin, Myra was calmly using
her own druidic magic to summon insects to attack the enemy mage. Ten paces
away, Kevin released arrows after arrows towards the dragon, though the
arrows did little damage against the armor-like scales of the great
wyrm. The dragon leaned forward again and spat out another of its deadly
lightning breath, this time towards Lamelle. As the bolt descended, Garth
raised his hands as he chanted his most powerful prayer. The bolt crawled
harmlessly away, as a barrier against dragonbreath appeared from behind the
two spellcasters, curved forward and slammed together before them.

The battle raged on overhead. The dragon slashed at Keres with its claws,
cartwheeling across the sky with mighty beats of its wings. Ken was flying
as fast as he could, while the uncanny air elemental struck again in midair
and Diana cast down lightning once more. Then Diana rose from her saddle
again, snarling a spell, staring balefully at Keres and Ken as she did so.

"Go, Sabre!" Kevin shouted.

A blur of shadow rise up from the forest and her spellcasting was foiled as
Sabre scratched her face, screeching in anger. The dragon swooped away
again, with Diana hanging at its back, screaming curses of anger and pain
as she did.

Myra finished her spell, pointing at Diana carefully, and then turned her
attention again to healing Delg and Alvin. From the forest, swarm of wasps,
mosquitoes, bees and biting flies rose up and snarled as a single entity in
the direction where Myra pointed. Kevin raised his bow and aimed carefully
at Diana. At the same time Diana, amidst the pain of the attacking insects,
saw him and hurled a lightning bolt towards him. Kevin staggered and fell
as the bolt struck at the same time as Diana screamed in pain as the arrow
struck deeply into her shoulder.

"Look out! She's free of the insects!" Kevin heard Myra cried out a moment
later.

Then the ground shook again as the fireball Diana hurled exploded in front
of Lamelle, Garth and Myra...




In the Stonelands, north of Cormyr...

AJ and Howie froze in mid-stride as they felt a vague sensation of panic
and pain deep within their soul.

"Something wrong?" asked Beth.

"I'm not sure... I felt something..." AJ responded uncertainly. "D?"

Tessaril looked at them in alarm.

"Kevin..." Howie murmured softly as he stare into the dark shadows of the
dungeon. "Kevin's in trouble."

"Kevin? One of your friends?" asked Beth.

AJ nodded. Howie looked at Tessaril.

"Tess?"

"I don't know Howard." Said Tess uncertainly. "Let's move on. We'll think
more of this once we get ourselves out of this place and on our way to
Shadowdale. Let us hope the good gods smiles upon your friends."






In the Woods of Sharp Teeth, near the Sword Coast...

"Kevin!" Brian cried out in alarm as he halted his mount amidst the pelting
rain and howling wind. "Nick! Did you... did you...?"

Nick halted beside him and looked at his friend. Even in the dark, Brian
could see the worry in Nick's eyes.

"I... felt something..." Nick stammered.

The eerie howls from the Hellhounds arise again from behind them.

"Make haste, Nick and Brian! Hurry! We must make it to the ruins quickly
before the creatures overwhelms us!" cried Galadriel. Soon they were riding
hard again through the woods...






In the Astral Plane...

Mielikki, the Lady of the Forest, Goddess of Rangers and the Woodlands,
gazed silently at battle that is unfolding within the High Forest. She
watched sadly as Diana's spells destroyed a good proportion of the
forest. Her initial Meteor Swarm spell has lay waste a good deal of the
forest. Her latest fireball spell only makes the destruction worst. She
could feel the earth and trees itself cry in agony. Even now, she could
sense the attention of Silvanus and Eldath, Goddess of Peace and
Tranquility, being drawn to this place.

She also watched Ken in particular, one of her most faithful followers in
Faerun. And she is also aware of one of the mortals Azuth seeks, who is
currently in love with Ken. Kevin is his name. The goddess has been
watching these two for some times now. Like every other deities, she cannot
see or sense this mortal. But somehow, she managed to discover a way to
overcome this limitation. Through her own eyes, she is not able to see this
mortal. But through another eyes, she can!

Gently, she touched the mind of the flying falcon, Sabre. This Kevin has
somehow managed to bond himself with this creature. Through the falcon's
eyes, she looked for the young ranger.

Far below on the grown, the goddess almost wept as she looked at the
destruction of the lands below. The sorceress Lamelle is still
standing. The shimmering Globe of Invulnerability around her effectively
shielded the sorceress from the fireball blast. Even as she watched, the
sorceress raised her hands and cast her next spell calmly. Blue-white magic
missiles rise forth out of the thin air before her in a bright dancing
group of lights, rushing in a deadly speed towards the evil mage sitting at
the back of the great blue dragon. The dragon roared in anger as its deadly
clawed limbs missed the flying paladin by half a foot or two. The paladin
slipped nearer and lashes out with his enchanted blade. The dragon let out
an even greater roar as the blade struck though its armor-like scale and
opened up another wound in its belly.

Beyond the sorceress, the partially scorched, Tymoran priest half-knelt on
the ground, chanting steadily with his eyes closed as he tried his hardest
to maintain the Dragonbreath barrier. Sweat trickled his brow as he
mustered all his strength and faith and put it into the effort.

Near the two, the druid, Myra crouched behind a huge boulder, trying her
best to protect the two badly injured dwarf and thief from the falling
rocks and dirt with her own body. Looking on, she saw what she was looking
for. Kevin lay unconscious on the ground below. Wisps of smokes still
rising from his badly scorched skin. Even as she watched, she saw Ken
landed and knelt beside him worriedly, calling out his name.

The goddess watched in grief as tears trickled from the half-elf's
eyes. Even if the lightning bolt hadn't already wounded him seriously, the
fireball blast surely would. The goddess looked at the two healers in the
group. The druid, Myra has already depleted all her healing spells on the
dwarf and the thief. The Tymoran priest is locked in his struggle to
maintain his dragonbreath barrier to protect the sorceress...

"Pray to me!" the goddess cried out silently at Ken. "Draw upon your faith
in me, my child, and call upon me!"

But the half-elf ranger continues to weep beside his fallen lover. Mielikki
looked upon them in frustration. Even as she watched through the falcon's
eyes, she could see Kevin slowly slipping into Myrkul's Realm.

"He is still alive, child! Call upon me!!"

In her frustration, the goddess reached out her hands to touch Kevin,
intending to heal him. But another hand grabbed hers as it gets nearer to
the fallen ranger. Mielikki looked up and her gaze fell upon the face of
the goddess Tymora. The Goddess of Luck looked upon her sadly.

"He hasn't call upon you yet, Mielikki. You musn't! No gods can touch the
Realm directly."

Mielikki looked upon the scene in frustration.

"Call upon me!!" she cried out.

A wicked laughter behind them drew their attention. Tymora hissed as she
saw the ethereal form of Bane looking upon them mockingly. The ethereal
form coalesced to form the figure of a dark armored man with long dark hair
and pale, bloodless skin. Blood covered the armor and soak the wavering
cape behind him. His eyes glowed blood red and filled with insanity and
hatred. The man smiled at them and a slow, cruel chuckled issued from his
lips.

"Bane!" Mielikki whispered harshly and willed her silver bow to appear in
her hands, readily nocked and ready to fire. Beside her, Tymora stepped
back warily, magic crackled in her hands.

The Black Lord smiled upon the goddesses mockingly.

"Tsk, tsk. Is that the way to greet a fellow deity? Particularly one of the
Greater Power?" said Bane.

"You'll get no respect from me, Dark One, no matter how powerful you are!"
Mielikki snarled. "Now get you back!"

Bane just laughed and stepped closer.

"As courageous and sharp-mouth as ever, Lady Mielikki. Even with Tymora to
aid you, do you really think you can defeat me?" Bane replied. "Helm and
Torm has faced me in the past, goddess, and they were supported by Tyr
himself, a Greater Power like me. Yet, I threw them all back. Do you really
think you can best me with just the two of you?"

"We're willing to try. We may fall this day and yet, we may not. It's the
chance we're willing to take." Mielikki replied.

"Bah! You're beginning to sound like that pathetic Torm. Have you been
taking lessons from him? I thought the Goddess of Rangers doesn't thought
much about things like honors and such nonsense." Bane sniffed in
disdain. He waved them dismissively with his gauntlet arm. "But I have no
quarrel with any of you... yet. I came here only to observe. But cross my
path only once, goddess, and I'll show you my true anger."

He turned his gaze upon the unfolding battle before them. When he saw Ken
weeping over a somewhat invisible mortal, his smile returned.

"Worry not, goddess, for when I have Mystra's power in my hands, you'll not
be the only one who will be against me."

Mielikki let her thought slipped back into the falcon's mind. Kevin's soul
is slipping more and more into Myrkul's Realm. And Ken hasn't still call
upon her!

"No, goddess. You cannot heal him. I guess your ranger is not as faithful
to you as you think, for he still hasn't call upon your aid." Said Bane.

"Grief is preventing him from remembering you, Mielikki. He is not
unfaithful to you. Listen to him not!" Tymora hissed fiercely beside her.

Mielikki nodded. Bane is simply trying to make her think that Ken is not
faithful enough to her. If that is true, then the goddess cannot aid him
even if he calls upon her for help.

"Bah! It doesn't matter now." Bane spat out. "Even as we speaks, the mortal
is slipping more and more into Myrkul's Realm. I wonder what the Deathlord
will do to him? Whatever happens, Mystra will perish at last! And her great
power will be mine at last!"

He threw his head back and laughed aloud.

"And when I'm powerful enough, no one can stop me! I will destroy any who
oppose me. You will have to serve me or d..."

The Black Lord was interrupted by a voice shouting hoarsely from below.

"Mielikki! Hear my call, I beg thee! Grant me your divine power to heal
this ranger before me! Heal this ranger so that he may yet further your
cause in this world for another day!!"

Smiling widely, the Goddess of Rangers and the Woodlands turned and
stretched her hand towards Kevin, channeling all of her divine might
towards the fallen ranger and using it to heal him. So great was the amount
of power Mielikki unleashed towards Kevin that Ken eyes widened in surprise
as the wounds and burns simply grew smaller and then vanished in a blink of
the eye. In the past, Ken has gained enough favor from the Lady of the
Forest to perform some healing, but only to cure light wounds - never
enough to heal serious wounds such as this. The half-elf ranger has already
thought that he has lost his lover forever, despite his limited healing
ability...

Bane looked upon the goddess with a growing amount of anger in his
eyes. Around him, dark aura of foul magic began to appear, increasing in
intensity as time passes on. Mielikki and Tymora tensed as they prepared
their own power. Mielikki trained her readily nocked silver arrow upon the
Black Lord in readiness.

Bane held out his right hand and willed a dark bladed long-sword to
appear. Dark fire licked along the blade, fueled by the essence of the
tortured souls of Acharon itself. It was said that the Dark Flame of
Acharon is so foul that a mere touch of it may corrupt the most lawful gods
and turn them towards evil and tyranny. Tymora backed away warily, eyes
never left the foul sword. Bane glared at Mielikki and raised his other
hand, which is crackling with dark magic.

"I warned you about crossing my path, goddess," he hissed
contemptuously. "Now feel the wrath of the Greater Power."

"Nay!"

A new voice boomed from beyond them all. The three deities looked at the
direction of the voice and saw a new figure standing not far from them.

"Silvanus," Bane spat out the name like a curse.

The Oakfather strode forward and stood beside Mielikki and Tymora. Mielikki
looked at the God of Wild Nature with a rising feeling of relief within
her. Besides being one of her greatest allies, Silvanus is also one of the
Greater Powers, just like Bane.

"You will not harm anyone here, Dark One. Now, begone while you still can."

"So, Tree-kisser, think you have the might enough to challenge me?" Bane
sneered.

"Mayhaps. You may be powerful, Lord Bane, even as a Greater Power. But
we're in the Prime Material Plane now, where I rule. Here, my power is
supreme. Now, begone, or face me at your own risk."

Bane snarled angrily and drew more of his power within him. Sensing this,
Silvanus called upon his own power, drawing all of it from the plane where
they stood now. Because they are also being so near Faerun, the Oakfather
reaches out to the plane and call upon his additional source of power from
the Earth itself. Soon the Oakfather stood tall and proud before the Black
Lord, wrapped around by a mighty aura of Earthen power that is so bright
that it almost extinguish the dark aura around the Black Lord. While the
Dark Flame of Acharon blazed brightly around the Black Lord's sword,
Silvanus white-glowing staff totally outshone it nearly to
obliteration. Taking the advantage, Mielikki and Tymora merged their own
power into that which the Oakfather is holding.

Severely overpowered, Bane took a step back. At any other planes, the Black
Lord knew he could take out the three deities, just like what he did to
Tyr, Torm and Helm. But Silvanus was right. The Astral Plane is part of the
Prime Material Plane where Silvanus rules. Here, his power is supreme.

With his vision nearly blinded with rage, he stole a view at the Realm
below. The sorceress Lamelle has just unleashed her own fireball towards
the dragon. The dragon, already severely struck by both magic and steel
roared in pain and rage. Down below, the ranger Ken is hugging the newly
healed Kevin...

"Mystra's power will be mine, yet, Silvanus." The Black Lord said
harshly. He fixed his gaze on Mielikki. "You may have opposed me in
everyway, goddess. But you have also unknowingly aid me so very greatly."

With that, the Black Lord touched the falcon's mind and gazed at Kevin
through it's eyes. For the first time, Mielikki's eyes widened in
horror. Bane smiled.

"Yes. I saw you looking at him through the falcon's eyes. I have been a
fool not to think of this sooner."

"By the stars, what have I done?" Mielikki whispered under her breath.

Silvanus stepped forward angrily.

"Bane!" The Oakfather roared. "What are you planning to do, Dark One? You
are aware that no gods can directly touch the Realm, are you not?"

Bane looked at the Oakfather mockingly.

"Do I, now?" he said softly. "Well, we'll just have to see about that,
don't we?"

With that, the Black Lord vanished from the plane in a flash of dark light,
leaving tendrils of wicked looking fog that started to reach towards the
three deities. Silvanus simply waved it aside and the tendrils vanish. He
leaned against his staff and suddenly he looked very old and very weary.

"It's beginning, I'm afraid." He sighed. "Dark time has begun and I fear
for the Realm below."

"What is he going to do?" asked Mielikki. "Do you think he will defy the
rules and strike directly upon the Realm?"

"With the Black Lord, who can say?" said Tymora. "His quest to gain
Mystra's power has clearly pushed him close to insanity. There's no telling
what he will do."

Silvanus nodded. He watched the unfolding battle below. He gently touches
the falcon's mind and watched Kevin shooting arrows towards the dragon that
is even now battling Ken and Keres simultaneously. The sorceress, Diana,
having already successfully dispelled the Globe of Invulnerability around
Lamelle, snarled out an arcane phrase and hurled magic missiles towards
her. Lamelle staggered and fell to her knees as the magic missiles slammed
and burned mercilessly upon her. Shaking with pain, the sorceress struggled
back to her feet. The dragon spat out another of its deadly lightning
breath towards the weakened sorceress. The lightning struck the barrier
against dragonbreath. Garth is fighting a losing battle to maintain the
barrier. After the blast, weariness finally caught the priest and he sank
to his knee and was forced to release the barrier, leaving Lamelle totally
exposed to any further dragonbreath attacks. Tymora looked upon his
exhausted priest sadly and gently blew her own strength into him. Gods may
not interfere with the affairs of the Realm directly, but the rule does not
apply to their clerics. Gods has been known to appear before their clerics
in the Realm.

"Keep your watch on the ranger, Mielikki. Aid him when you can," said
Silvanus. "I must inform all of these to Lord Azuth and warn Lord Tyr of
Bane's possible intention."

***************************

Somewhere in the Stonelands, north of Cormyr...

"This way!"

With the deftness of a cat, AJ slid quietly through the shadowy corridor to
join Beth, who crouched watchfully before the solid oak door leading
through yet another dark corridor. Behind her, AJ could see the body of the
guard that used to stand watch before the door. Still unused to death, AJ
winced unconsciously at the scene.

"I know what you're thinking AJ, but it's either him or us. They would do
worst things to us than we do to them." Beth hissed in irritation.

"Sorry, Beth. I... I guess I will never be used to it," AJ replied.

A sudden rustling in the dark told him of the approaching older thief. Beth
put her hand on his shoulder.

"Get used to it soon, AJ. You be seeing more of it before we get ourselves
out of here. And our very lives may depend on it." Beth whispered
softly. "Now signal the others to come here. We still have some way to
go. With luck, we'll be out of here before they notice their prisoners'
absence."

Beth padded softly towards the door again and checked the lock carefully
for any traps. Finding none, she took out her lock-picking tools and set to
work. AJ turned back to the corridor and gave a soft whistle. A moment
later, the muffled sound of armors clanking with each other told them of
their arrival. Beth sighed in frustration while AJ stifled a groan upon
hearing that. He wished Howie, Zen and Derek would not wear armors but the
warriors insisted in case they got themselves into a battle. While they
don't have their enchanted Cormyrian swords, they have to settle with the
swords they acquired from the Zhentarim guards they killed in the
dungeon. Tessaril and Howie arrived first. The Lady of Eveningstar still
bore the mark of her suffering all about her body, but she strode forward
bearing a sword as if she had a good night rest. She refused to wear any
armor for it would impede her spellcasting.

Behind them, the two surviving Cormyrian soldiers, Zen and Derek walked
along the dark corridor warily, acting as a rear guard. Derek, the younger
soldier held his sword nervously while Zen watched the shadows in full
alertness.

"Where's Beth?" asked Tess.

AJ turned back to the door only to discover that the door is slightly ajar
and she is gone.

"Scouting. She'll be back in a sec," AJ replied before looking at Howie and
the soldiers. "Will you guys keep those clanking down? You're going to
bring the whole fortress down on us in no time".

"I'm trying my best, okay," Howie growled "Not everyone is well-trained to
creep softly like a thief".

A slight clicking sound at the door prevents them from making any other
response though. When Beth looked up, she is staring at the point of three
swords and a pointing finger crackling with magic, before her.

"Now, that's a beautiful sight a thief would not see everyday," Beth smiled
before leaning against the wall. "Nice reflex, by the way."

"Glad it pleases you," Howie smiled back. "So what's the plan?"

"The door leads to a staircase leading to the upper chamber of the
fortress. There are two corridors leading away from there. One leads to the
guard hall filled with Zhentarim soldiers. The other leads to the sleeping
chambers. The door at the opposite end of the main hall leads to the
fortress courtyard and on to the front gate. With only AJ and myself, we
can sneak through the guard hall without them noticing anything. But with
all of you, it'll be nigh impossible. So, I say we go through the sleeping
chambers and find our way out from there."

"What if it's a dead end?" asked Zen.

Beth shrugged.

"Then, we'll die young. I don't think we have any other choice. Unless
you're up to fighting your way through about 40 or so Zhentarim warriors
and a priest of Bane and a Zhentarim mage. And not to mention your favorite
priestess of Talos."

"No kidding," said Howie.

"That's not the worst news. I overheard some of the guards saying something
about making preparations for the arrival of Manshoon here at around
noon. If that's true, we're all in a major deep shit."

AJ looked at her in surprise at her use of that not-in-this-world
slang. Beth simply smiled.

"Well, will you look at that!" said Beth cheerfully as she looks at AJ, "I
must have picked that up from you."

"We must get out before Manshoon gets here." Said Tess. "We might as well
take the other route. The last time, I heard the Banite priest, Laelar,
ordering the guards to takes our weapons and my spell book to his room. We
can pick them up along the way."

"Well, lets get a move on then," said Beth "And try to be quiet! By Mask!
You all sounds like an army of dwarves marching to a battle!"

*****************************

Meanwhile, in the High Forest, near the Star Mountains...

Shargrailar wheeled again, and Diana shook where she sat on the broad,
scaled back from the burning after-effect of the unleashed fireball cast by
that wicked sorceress down below on the ground. Her own fireball has
succeeded in striking a blow on many of the adventurers down below. The air
elemental that had nearly slain her was gone - thanks to the mighty
strength of Shargrailar - as were the other, lesser magic that had assailed
her. But below on the rocks, the sorceress and the young ranger that had
put an arrow into her shoulder still stood calmly. The sorceress' hands
moved again in the gesture of spell-weaving, and the paladin and the
half-elven ranger still flew after her, low and beneath Shargrailar's body
where she could not reach them, one on either side. The priest is on his
knees - probably exhausted from his effort in trying to maintain the
Dragonbreath Barrier. At least the sorceress is now completely vulnerable
to the dragon's lightning breath. Shargrailar will deal with her
soon. Right now, her immediate threat is the paladin and the half-elven
ranger, as well as that young ranger on the ground with his wicked arrows!

Diana snarled in frustration and leveled her wand of fire towards Kevin, as
the dragon dove again towards his enemies. Shargrailar moved more slowly
and heavily with each pass. Both spells and steel had struck the dragon,
and struck deeply. The blue dragon had felt nothing worse than the sting of
arrows for a long time.

'Nor have I met such resistance in a fair while!' Diana thought darkly as
she uttered the words to trigger the power of the wand. But Kevin has fired
his arrow first and the arrow sailed through the air and struck her again,
this time at the side of her torso. The painful surprise caused her hand to
shift slightly and the resulting fireball unleashed by the wand sailed over
the adventurers and exploded several yards beyond them. Curse that man and
his arrows!! Her eyes widened in horror as she then watched magic missiles
rise up from the sorceress on the ground towards her in a bright dancing
group of lights. With her magical barrier dispelled by that accursed druid,
she is powerless to stop them!

Behind her, she heard Ken's battle-cry as the half-elf thrust his blade
between two of Shargrailars armored scales. Diana turned, raising her wand,
but Keres was there, Shadowcleaver sweeping out. The blessed blade burned
across the invoker's fingers like liquid fire, and Diana stared in horror
as the wand whirled harmlessly away in the air amid droplets of her own
blood just before the magic missiles struck...




The fireball exploded some distance away in the woods but it still exploded
with a stunning force, showering everyone on the ground with a spray of
dust and small stones. Larger fragments cracked sharply off the rocks they
crouched behind. Only Lamelle, Kevin and the exhausted Garth still stood in
view. The others lay still under the dust or crouched behind cover
tensely. The earth's shuddering nearly threw the weary Lamelle to her
knees.

Kevin drew another of his enchanted arrow and nocked it on his bow, aiming
carefully at the evil mage riding at the back of the dragon. His near-death
experience was traumatizing but somehow he managed to hold on to his wits
and continue with the battle at hand. One thing for certain - he will see
that bitch dead before the battle is over, even if it means their death at
the hands of the dragon.

The dragon wheeled around, roaring with rage, and Kevin lowered his
bow. The dragon bulky mass is blocking his view of the sorceress. Near him,
Lamelle uttered the final words of her next incantations and hurled several
fiery lances made of fire towards the dragon. The lances struck deeply and
the dragon roared in pain. For a brief instance, the dragon ceased flapping
its great wings but then the flapping resumed though much more weaker than
before. They are succeeding! The dragon is weakening!

A shadow crossed Kevin's view for a moment and he stared at the source. It
was Ken, blade in hand. He was hurrying to the other side of the dragon
while Keres kept the dragon and the mage in distraction. Kevin aimed his
bow again, prepared to release the arrow as soon as the mage comes into his
view.

Beyond the hurrying half-elf, Keres struck again and again, at the mage
sitting at the back of the dragon. The mage twisted this way and that to
avoid the paladin's blows until suddenly she straightened with a roar of
triumph and then there was a flash of magical light. In moments, Keres was
hurled end over end through the air like a husk doll.

Then, the dragon turned ponderously under its rider's urging, and thundered
down out of the sky towards Lamelle. The evil mage raised her clawed-like
hands and hissed another incantation, as she prepared her final diabolic
spell towards those on the ground who had dared to wound her so very
badly. Her eyes glittered with insanity and her lips twisted in a feral
smile of triumph. The smile vanished, however and her eyes widened in fear
as she noticed Kevin readily nocked arrow aimed at her. She didn't even had
the time to curse as Kevin fired his arrow. The arrow sailed through the
air with an incredible speed, causing a shrill whistle in its wake,
straight to the sorceress' unprotected chest. The arrow struck, and the
sorceress choked in mid-spellcasting before her eyes glazed as death took
her instantly.

At the same time, Ken landed on the dragon's back and drove his blade
downward, straight into the base of the dragon's neck.

"For Mielikki!!" the half-elven ranger shouted as the point of the blade
smashed through the dragon scales and on through the underlying skin,
muscles, windpipes and heart.

The dragon ensuing shriek echoed off the forest and mountain walls a dozen
miles away, sending animals and monsters rushing for the cover of their
holes throughout the High Forest and the Star Mountains.

Ken released his blade and jumped off the dying dragon. On the ground
below, Lamelle, Garth and Kevin leaped out of the way as the dragon crashed
to the ground. Its momentum carried the beast through the trees and rocks
alike several yards away until it finally stopped - bleeding, broken and
unmoving. The dead mage lay where the dragon first crashed, her eyes still
open but glazed in death, staring unseeingly at the sky forever.

"Is... is it over?" Myra cracked voice arise from behind the rock where she
took cover with the unconscious form of Delg and Alvin.

Keres and Ken landed before her. The paladin, exhausted and bleeding and
scorched all over fell to the ground, unconscious. Myra ran towards the
paladin while Kevin rushed towards Ken and hugged him.

"We did it!" Kevin whispered at the half-elf ear.

Ken returned his hug and nodded.

"Aye, but at what cost?" said Ken. "Is everyone well?"

At that moment, Sabre swooped down from the sky and squawked. Kevin offered
his shoulder and the falcon landed on it smoothly.

"I managed to heal Delg and Alvin enough to keep them alive," said
Myra. "But I have depleted all my healing spells, and Keres yet need it
badly."

"Garth? Do you still have strength enough for healing?" asked Ken.

The cleric looks at the wounded paladin uncertainly.

"Mayhaps." The cleric replied wearily. "I can try, but I cannot make any
promises. My healing spells are still there for me to call upon, but my
weariness is blocking me from calling upon Tymora to grant me the power. I
will try nevertheless."

"That is the best we could hope for," said Ken as Garth shuffled his way
towards Keres.

"The dragon is dead, Ken, and so is the mage." Said Lamelle as she stood
from the broken form of the mage. "What should we do now?"

Ken looked at Kevin for ideas. Usually it is Keres who makes all the
decision. The paladin has always had an aura of command and confidence
around him, and the rest would follow him to the bloodiest battle if he
thinks they can do it. With the paladin down, the leadership falls onto Ken
- something that he is not good in doing.

"Half of us are badly wounded and disabled." Said Kevin. "All of us are
weary and wounded. The spellcasters' spells are depleted and they need rest
to heal, study and replenish their spells. I say we find a place to hide,
rest and heal."

Lamelle and Myra nodded in agreement and so does Ken.

"Lamelle, check the dead mage's body for anything that may be of use to
us. Watch out for magical traps. Mages tend to set off nasty traps or
contingency spells in the event of their death, just for the sake of taking
whoever defeated them to the Land of the Dead with them." Said Ken. "Myra,
aid Garth in his healing. We need them to be conscious and able to walk
while we find a safe place to rest. Kevin and I will scout around for a
suitable place to rest. Haste now, and keep a sharp eye for any more
attacks."

*****************************

In the caverns beneath the Star Mountains...

"It's gone." Said Maria as she frowned in concentration at the crystal
sphere before her. The diviner brushes the strands of her ivory dark hair
from her forehead unconsciously as she focused her skills on the task. "The
sorceress must have used a Cloaking spell to prevent scrying. I can't
penetrate it."

Halaster, face almost twisting with uncontrollable rage, simply said
nothing. The archmage still bore the pain deep within his soul upon the
death of his most favoured apprentice, Diana. When a mage trained an
apprentice, he also became bonded to them. Priests of Mystra speculated
that it is some sort of a magical pact made between an apprentice and his
or her master. The training wizard must teach the learning apprentice the
Ways of the Weave, and in return, the apprentice must serve the wizard in
everyway he or she can. The apprentice can use the bond to call upon his or
her master for aid should trouble comes upon them. And at the same time,
the master can also feel the pain should death comes upon the bonded
apprentice and exact revenge on their behalf.

But anger and rage is not the only feeling that swirls in the archmage's
mind. From time to time, grief creeps into his being - an emotion Halaster
is extremely unused to - for Diana is not only a fine apprentice. She has a
huge potential within her - probably a touch from Mystra to become a
powerful sorceress one day. She would have been a great asset to the Cult -
more particularly to him. That day will never come now!

"An attack that robs me of something so valuable must be swiftly avenged,"
the archmage spoke softly under his breath.

He turned around swiftly to face the rest of his apprentices, his dark robe
swirled in the process. He stares at each of his apprentice silently,
judging them carefully from Orannon to Hasufel until his gaze fell to the
final figure standing near the entrance of the room. Dathtor Fireblade has
served as the commander of the Cult warriors for seven odd years now. A
true brute in nature, the warrior's fighting skills is formidable and has
been brought up from time to time amongst the leaders of the Cult. Halaster
suspected that it wouldn't be long now before one of the leaders will die
soon and be replaced by Dathtor. On normal days, Halaster would consider
the warrior a threat to his position. But this time, the archmage finally
found a use of his warrior's skills.

"Dathtor."

"Aye, Lord wizard?"

"Prepare the warriors for possible attacks. I suspect we will having an
unexpected visit from our 'guests' soon."

"As you wish milord." The warrior replied monotonously.

"Galina, Orannon and Maria will stay here to attend me while I cast the
incantations necessary to harness the power of the portal and complete our
plans." The archmage continues as he regards his apprentices. "As for the
rest of you, accompany the warriors and see to our defenses."

The gathered mages nodded expressionlessly. Halaster looked at them
carefully before continuing.

"Let it be known to all of you that this will represents your final and
absolute test of loyalty to me. Be weak, and you will perish at the hands
of our enemy. Be victorious, and you will inherit my power."

Gasps and soft murmurs arise from the gathered mages as they turned this
startling piece of news in their mind. Halaster smiled coldly at his
remaining apprentices as they struggled hard to control their features -
more than one has greed in their eyes. More than one of his apprentices
will die today - of this he has no doubt. He might as well send them off to
meet their destiny now. The sooner he weeds the weak out of this gathering,
the better.

*****************************