Spellbreakers at Realm's Edge, Part 8

Through darkness and light

Laelanyel opened the casket her shadegheist had recovered in Wortbad and stared once more at the scrimshawed bone. She could feel dormant energies in it, but for all her skills she had been unable to rouse them. That was why she was now taking her Arh'khaladh to the Piremoor. There, among the ruins of the Temple of Khazla, she knew she would have unraveled the the bone's secrets. With a thought, she sent her shadegheist to lay a shroud of illusions to fool any pursuing orruk, then motioned the Caengan forward through the Realmgate.

The Caengan stepped upon the fireheath, the burning energy of Aqshy mingling with the sparks emanating from their ur-gold runes.

Laelanyel drifted among the shattered pillars of the Temple of Khazla. Those broken stones were of no use to her. She needed to be on the central dais.

She could see it in the distance. And what she saw displeased the Saih. The Gloomfern Hunters were there, their Tidecaster deep in a summoning trance.

The air in front of the Shadowflames condesed quickly into two tiny spots. One of utter darkness, the other of blinding light, orbiting around each other. They quickly grew in size, two Geminids of Uhl-Ghysh.

The Gloomfen Hunters moved forward loosing a hail of arrows. Most fell armlessly on the fireheath, but one found its mark on Tark.

The Geminds spun wildly, flames leaping from the Piremoor to meet them. They traced a course over the Caengans. Aef-Grimnir and Durbak fell to the ground, their minds ravaged by the sudden alternation of lies and revelations.

Engrin withstood the magical onslaught, but he had not been spared. Doubts still lingered upon him and his axe moved slowly, leaving the Hearthguard Berserker at the mercy of the Gloomfen Hunters.

Seething with rage, Laelanyel darted forward and fell a Reaver before he could claim the duardin's soul.

The Tidecaster closed onto the Geminds and bound them to her will.

As the assault of a Melusai brought Laelanyel to her knees, she realised there was no hope in fighting. She let the shadow magic coursing through her body loose and took the Arh'khaladh away.