A very wise
general once said that no plan survives the first encounter with
an enemy. Our plan was a good one, it might even have worked if
we could have fled the island. From there we would have made our
way back to the All Clans Isle, and told the Council what had
happened. With the support of Mistress Bell we probably could
have gotten them to listen, and at least investigate before killing
us on sight. From there it would have only been a matter of time
before the Council discovered what was going on at Taltros, and
things would have been dealt with. As I said, it would probably
have worked.... if we had gotten off the island.
As it was,
we turned around and were just about to launch ourselves from
the opening out of the crystal when a huge dark shape slammed
into Mistress Bell and sent her crashing backwards into Lord Sutton
and myself. Thank Io, I was only grazed by the massive beasts,
for I could easily have been crushed under the tons of dragon
which were suddenly thrashing about in the first room. Lord Sutton
had been slammed into the side of the chamber, up against the
crystal walls, as the black wyrm and mistress Bell thrashed about
in the center of the large chamber. Each seeking to get a hold
on the other, and if not kill, then at least immobilize thier
opponent. It was in this chaos that Darkheat made his way, finally,
into the opening of the room, just as a second, and then a third,
draconic shape landed in the opening of the tower, from the outside.
To my shock, two of them were not chromatics, one was an Amethyst
and the other was a Bronze. Our time was quickly running out.
---------------
"Go Sutton!"
Mistress Bell roared as she raked her claws over the stomach of
the black dragon she was locked in mortal battle with. Even as
she yelled she gathered her will and summoned a dust devil. To
those who have never been in a confined space, with a true dust
devil, then you don't understand what happened next. The force
of a sand storm is focused and everything was scoured by the pelting
sand which sprung up next to Lord Darkheat. The great red wyrm
roared in pain as the sand actually managed to injure one of its
eyes, and sprang towards the struggling forms in the center of
the chamber. Beyond rage as it strove to destroy mistress Bell,
releasing all of his frustration on her. Thankfully Mistress Bell
managed to roll the slightly younger black dragon over, and let
the helpless creature take the brunt of Darkheat's first burst
of lethal fire breath weapon.
Taking her
advice to heart, but not quite how she meant it, Jean scooped
up Laureine and, avoiding the battle in the center of the chamber,
managed to head around and back through the doorway Darkheat had
just come through. Heading once more deeper into the crystal instead
of back out as Mistress Bell had doubtless meant.
Unfortunately
they did not escape unnoticed. Mistress Bell may have managed
to avoid the red wyrm's breath weapon, but she could not avoid
the three dragons behind her. The fight was brief, bloody, but
ultimately the outcome was not in doubt as the amethysts psionics
came into play. With a harsh command, Darkheat left the unconscious
Brass dragon with them, and again headed back into the central
chambers of the crystal after the silver dragon and elf. This
time though, he went at a nearly sedate pace, as there was no
where for them to go, and the only way out that they could reach
would take them past him once more. There, they would met death,
and he was going to make sure that Sutton paid for all these delays
in spades.
