Pt II Ch 9 Sunlight

Crimthann allowed himself a sigh of relief as sunlight hit his face.  He'd been underground his fair share in his life, but he'd never really be comfortable, just something about the warmth of sunlight on his face, especially after this last venture.

Kazimir hadn't slowed running since they left the caverns, Aedan was clearly exhausted but keeping pace, still helping Gabreilla, though it helped that a run for Crimthann and Kazimir was more a light jog for the two humans.

As they exited the caves, Kazimir suddenly stopped, signalling for the others to do the same, moving from a run to a cautious walk. "Easier for ambush from trees than caverns, more hide in shadows" he whispered, eyeing the trees as they walked

Crimmthann knew the gnome was right, yet the return to a cautious stealthy gnome from the crazed death tornado in the cavern was surprising to him.  Most of his previous travel companions were predictable, even if it was predictably crazy.  He wasn't sure what to do with a companion who switched between stealth and insanity like a switch, but he made a note to pay attention to the gnomes eyes, they seemed to signal when something insane was coming.

He was torn from his thoughts as Kazimir stopped in front of a hill in the woods.  To the untrained eye, it seemed a normal tree covered hill, but looking closer he guessed why his new friend had stopped.  Kazimir motioned to Aedan and Gabreilla to enter a previously unseen entrance to a small hidden cave.

"In, in, rest" he motioned.  Inside the cave along the sides were raised sections covered in moss serving as beds.

"Kazimir keep many hidden spots in forest for hiding, is safe, rest!"

As Aedan and Gabreilla collapsed onto the beds in relief, asleep nearly before they were down, Kazimir stepped outside, motioning for Crimthann

"Best they stay, they sleep, I watch, go, get help, time now, not get them to city alone, need help, dark mad, dark hunt, be safe here for now, I watch, you go"

Crimthann nodded. "Ok my friend, be safe, I'll make haste and go get the cavalry!"

"Horses not good in forest"

Crimthann didn't wait to see if his gnome friend was joking or not, he nodded, and headed off towards help.

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Detric awoke with a start to someone shaking him awake.  Alsandiar, Caolite, and himself had been rotating so that one of them was watching at the gate ever since Aedan and Crimthann had left.  Alsandiar and Caolite had wanted to charge after them, but Detric knew Crimthann could handle himself, and wouldn't enter into more than he could handle, a good stealthy rougue would do far better than a battalion of troops crashing through the woods.

He looked up to see one of the city guardians, urgency in his eyes.

"Alsandiar sends for you, come quickly!"

Detric jumped up, his friend wouldn't wake him without cause, he ran out the door to the gate.  Alsandiar and a squad of city troops were already mounted at the gate as Detric approached, Caolite close behind.  Two mounts were saddled and ready for them, and Detric saw that Jaci must have been sent for as well, as two panthers came sprinting towards the gate.

"Crimthann approaches,  sprinting as if his very life depends on it!"

"Is he pursued? Is he alone?!" Detric yelled as he got on his horse

"He comes alone"

The group departed, Detric, Alsadiar and Caolite at the lead, the squad in formation behind them, prepared for whatever may appear on the horizion behind the apparently panicked halfling, with Jaci and Jasmine on either of Detric's flanks.

The group rode out to meet Crimthann, as they got close, the group slowed, Jaci transformed and Crimthann nearly collapsed into her arms.

"Aedan, Gabriella, gnome, cave...woods...hiding...dark"

"Catch your breath my dear friend!"

Detric dismounted and handed his old friend a flask of water, which Crimthann unceremoniously chugged

"I found Aedan and Gabriella, a gnome helped me rescue them, they are hiding in the woods, the gnome is keeping watch, we cannot get them here safely alone, I came back for help!"

"Artegal?" Jaci asked

Crimthann caught Detric's gaze and shook his head.

"Artegal....Artegal is....I could not get him...we choose to get Aedan and the princess...Artegal...is....he has gone....I...we must get Aedan and Gabriella"

Crimthann's face looked pained, Detric nodded
"One thing at a time, let us make haste, my friend, are you ok?"

Crimthann nodded as he climbed onto Detric's horse

"We ride to the tree line, the horses will be little use in the forest"

with that, the group was off, back the way the halfling had come

Pt II ch 8 Decisions

Crimthann awoke from a restless sleep. Kazimir was seated near the entrance, and stood when he saw Crimthann awake

"Short human ok? Much troubled, Kazimir worry"
Crimthann managed a chuckle "yes, or at least better. What you showed me shocked me a bit"
"The dark shock?"
"Well, more who I saw, they are brothers, sons of a man I swore my service to...."
"Kazimir see but one man, broken man, other not brother, other dark, other die or kill, dark not brother"
Crimthann hesitated, choosing his words carefully
"My friend, I understand your sentiments...but I have known him from birth, he is not evil, he is family...he is deceived...as broken as his brother he holds"
"NO!"
Crimthann stepped back, surprised at the outburst from the gnome
"He lost! He make dark choice, he betray brother, he betray father, he betray Crimthann. No save, must die. No save both brothers. Kill dark"
"And who will tell his mother he is gone?! His father?! His sister? Will you tell a youngling her beloved brother is gone? Will you look them in the eyes and tell them you saved one brother and let the other perish?"
The answer was cold, blunt
"Yes. I tell. He choose dark. To save is to help dark. Kazimir hate dark. Crimthann hate dark. Brother hate dark or brother not be tied, not be captive. Brother not keep brother captive, dark keep. Do you wish dark take both brothers? You tell mother, father, sister you no save good brother because dark brother?"

Crimthann knew his friend was right, they must do what they could to save Aedan, even if it was Artegal who stood in thier way.

"Very well, we must at least save Aedan, the captive one"
"Both captive, one by choice"
"True words my friend. Do you have a plan? Should we get more help?"
"Time important. Aedan little time, girl little time. If act, we act, now"

Kazimir dismantled the lantern and began to leave.
"We must plan my friend"
"No plan, do. Kazimir make trouble for dark, Crimthann help, Kazimir and Crimthann save Aedan and girl"
"Great Source, spirit of my brother Conall, be with us" Crimthann whispered as he followed the gnome into the tunnels

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Crimthann saw the flickering of faery fire ahead, they were approaching the main cavern he had seen before, but not from above as before, they were heading directly for it!
Kazimir turned, motioned for silence, and Crimthann saw a small pouch in each hand, different from the glowing ones.
A grin was on the gnomes face, this worried Crimthann
Before he could even think, Kazimir ran into the cavern, screaming wildly
"Trooouuuubbbbbllllleeee for you dark!"
Explosions rocked the cavern as the gnome threw pouch after pouch wildly, exploding as they hit ground.
Crimthann ran out behind him, seeing no choice but to support the reckless charge.

Two dark robes guards reacted in shock, not expecting such an attack. Kazimir lunged at one, and the figure fell, a dagger in his skull.
Crimthann dropped the other with a crossbow bolt between the eyes. The battle was over before it even started, and Crimthann ran to a crouched, bound and blindfolded Aedan, asking Kazimir as he passed him
"What of sneak and stealth?"
"Trouble no sneak. Trouble rage, trouble hunt, trouble kill, Kazimir trouble."
Crimthann shook his head, they would need to move quickly, that attack had not been quiet, reinforcements would be coming, and Kazimir had gone from a stealthy, sneaky gnome to one consumed by bloodlust.

"Crimthann my dear friend! This was not wise!"
Aedan embraced his old friend
"My brother has turned, you should not have come....and I'd have expected more stealth from you....who's the crazy gnome?"
"I'll explain later we must go"
Crimthann turned to leave the way they had come, as shouting and running footsteps could be heard coming down another tunnel.
Two things stopped him.

Aedan did not follow, but was facing the other tunnel
"They still have her, we must rescue Gabreilla"

Kazimir was running, screaming as one possesed, towards the tunnel the noise was coming from
"Kazimir kill dark! Ttttrrrrroooouuuubbbblllleeee! Save Gabreillllaaaa!"

Aedan pulled a sword off one of the fallen guards and, tired and battered as he was, followed, joining the battle cry of a gnome he'd not even formally met "Gabreillaaaa!"

Crimthann shook his head in dismay, if they survived, Detric was going to kill him for allowing this reckless insanity.

He ran after his friends, crossbow at the ready "Conall guide my hand" he muttered as the three joined battle in the tunnel with a group of dark robes guards.

Kazimir was in a frenzy, Crimthann had never seen such ferocity from a gnome, a whirlwind of flashing daggers, rage, and blood.

Aedan stayed well clear of the gnome, not wishing to be mistaken in the rage as an enemy, fighting those who tried to also avoid the screaming death that came at them.

Crimthann picked off what he could with his crossbow, but Kazimir did most of the fighting

The tunnel was a bloody mess, 10 robed figures strewn along the floor, most slashed to bits by dagger wounds, not standing a chance against the rage that had consumed the once quiet sneaky gnome.

They continued along the tunnel, Aedan running towards another cavern, Kazimir and Crimthann close behind.

This cavern was lit by faerie fire as well, and, tied to a post in the middle, Gabriella, beaten and battered, and looking very frightened.

Aedan ran to her, cutting her loose, and she collapsed in his arms
"I dreamed of you, I knew you would come" she cried

"We must go, we can only be so fortunate for so long"
Crimthann declared.
Aedan nodded, and, half carrying Gabriella, headed back as they had come.
"Kazimir!"
The gnome turned, his eyes calmer, the rage subsiding
"Kazimir, you must guide us from here, you know the best way out, I will watch the rear!"
"Yes, yes, come, quick, must go!"

Pt II Chapter 7 The dark reality

Crimthann followed his new friend off into the tunnels. Before leaving, Kazimer shut off the lantern, dismantled it, and put it in his pack.  Crimthann was interested to see that there was no flame, faerie or natural, but having some familiarity with the tinkering of gnomes, chose to wait for a different time to satisfy his curiosity.

As they left, Kazimir paused "you see in black? I from deep, see clear, see ok?"

"Not clearly, but I've been underground before, if you stay close, I'll get by"

"No fumble? Dark see light, dark find, no sneaky...but Dark hear fumble stumble, dark find, no sneaky, need light?"

Crimthann stifled a chuckle "I defer to your judgement, master of the deep. I've been underground before, had to deal with little light, but I am from the surface, I'm not as comfortable with it as yourself"

"We use little light then, but when close to dark, little light go, dark see"

The gnome pulled what appeared to be a small vial from his pack, shook it, and handed it to Crimthann

It gave off a dim, blueish glow, just enough to see his immediate surroundings.

The issue of light settled, the two headed off, Kazimir leading the way through a maze of tunnels and caves.

They travelled along in silence, using only hand signals to communicate, avoiding unneeded sound lest it carry underground and alert unwanted ears.

After some time, Kazimir stopped, motioned for the vial, which he poured out, the glow dissapating as the liquid flowed into cracks in the rock. They sat in silence, Crimthann guessed Kazimir was allowing him to adjust to the change. After a few minutes, he felt a nudge on his shoulder, the darkness was overwhelming, and even with being familiar, more familiar than most surface folk anyways, with being underground and in low light, he had no idea how his gnome friend could see much at all.

They proceeded, slowly down the tunnel, until Crimthann noticed a change in the lighting, the walls flickered with a faint glow, and voices could be heard carrying along the tunnel, muffled and echoing, but voices.

Crimthann noticed in the faint light that this tunnel was not natural, but hewn from the rock, and it narrowed as they continued on.

Kazimir stopped as they approached the end of the tunnel, motioning Crimthann, his finger to his lips, urging him to be silent, as if the motion wasn't enough, he mouthed "sneaky" as he motioned to a gap in the rock, barely the size of a small head, this was where the light flickered from, Crimthann recognized the odd glow of faerie fire torches, and the voices were clearer.

He cautiously approached, just enough to see and hear.

"......you followed your dreams brother, I followed mine, you see? We are together. Our dreams are linked, you cannot fight it, you have lost, you are wrong, accept it brother, join us! Don't be like father, arrogant that only one path is right, red is just as powerful as silver, this is not good and evil, the very arrogance, to declare 'the Source' as if all other power is counterfeit. My source of power is just as real. The red eyes have spoken to me since youth, taught me to embrace my fear, to seek my own strength, to hide from fathers arrogance, yes, even from yours, your blind faith in some noble greater good! This world is only us, what we seek, our power, our success, what we do. There is no great 'Source', no greater powers, only other beings that manipulate us as we allow. The one with red eyes taught me this, helped me be strong in myself, not in some misguided service to a being who uses us, demands innocent sacrifice...."

Crimthann stumbled back from the gap, barely stifling a gasp as realization dawned. The gap was near the top of a deep cavern, cleverly positioned so that it blended with the shadows, he guessed placed by Kazimir. He could not see clearly, but he had seen two figures, one bound and seated, head bowed in tired defeat, the other a robed figure, his back to them, but Crimthann recognized the voice, he had heard it for many seasons, he helped raise the boy!

Kazimir, sensing his distress, led him back the way they had come, after a time producing another vial and handing it to him, they travelled in silence, Crimthanns mind going wild, how could this be? How had they all missed it, how could one of thier own, a son of Detric, turn like this.

By the time they reached the cavern they started from, tears ran down Crimthann's face. How had he not seen?? What was he to do?? He knew the Source had brought him and Kazimir together for a purpose, but he knew not what to do now, were they two to try and free Aedan alone? His gnome friend seemed terrified to directly engage whoever these "dark ones" were, yet had done so to help him....and...how was he to tell Detric that one of his sons seemed to be serving thier ancient foe? Great Source, how would he tell Jaci!

Crimthann collapsed onto the moss pile the gnome had originally placed him on, exhausted and confused.

Pt II Chapter 6: Unexpected

Crimthann awoke with a jolt. He found himself in a cave of sorts, lit by a strange, bright lantern. His gear lay beside him, from what he could tell, all was there, including his pack and everything he had stashed away inside it. In fact, near as he could tell, what was removed had only been removed for his comfort. He scratched his head, wondering what kind of fix he had found himself in now, and how he would get out alone.

That was when he noticed he had a bandage on his head....So someone had struck him, knocked him out, bandaged the wound they caused, and made him comfortable?

"Thirsty?" Crimthann jumped, startled, normally he did the surprising.  He turned to see a smaller figure standing in what served as the entrance to this cavern.

"Pardon the frighten, thirsty?" The figure held out a flask, Crimthann decided that, given his current position, an offer of any help was welcome, and accepted it, happy to find it full of fresh water.

"I Kazimir, you?" Crimthann looked closer, his eyesight adjusting to the strange lighting. A gnome stood before him, perhaps a deep gnome, he spoke like a deep gnome, but his dress was...odd for a deep gnome, and he was alone, Crimthann could never remember finding a deep gnome willingly alone, they preferred groups, as a defence against the darkness found in deep places

"I am Crimthann"
"Nice to meet Crimthann, head ok?"
"Uh...yes, I think so, how did I get here, did you hit me? Where am I?"
"Kazimir no hit, no no, Kazimir find, Kazimir help, dark robe hit, Kazimir help, chase off dark robe, help Crimthann, enemy of dark robes"

Crimthann began to look over his new friend. This character was armed to the teeth, dressed for war. Multiple daggers everywhere, a crossbow, and not an ordinary crossbow, this was modified somehow. A belt of small round pouches was slung around the gnomes shoulders, he had no idea the purpose they served...

"Where is Kazimir from? What brings you here friend?"
"From deep, leave village, village say Kazimir trouble poke nose beyond Kazimir concern, pick fight with bad, village say surface bad not deep bad, ignore dark, dark ignore, Kazimir leave, Kazimir hunt dark"

"Kazimir, I too hunt the dark, I fear the dark robes as you call them may have a friend of mine, a half elf, have you seen anything of the sort?"

"Dark robes have three not dark robes, two not willing, one seek dark robe, not hunt, but seek"

The news stopped Crimthann thoughts cold...hunt, not seek? Who were the two unwilling, and who was...seeking?

The gnome sensed his confusion "One human lady, bound, fight much, but bound. One is elfkind, angry, much fight, fearful harm human lady. Other elfkind, hurt first elfkind deeply when see, very strange, Kazimir not sure, Crimthann see? Kazimir take, sneaky, must be sneaky, Kazimir and Crimthann not get take, Crimthann be sneaky?"

Crimthann chuckled a bit "Yes Crimth- yes, I can be sneaky, I will follow your lead my friend"