Aef-Grimnir's Trials: Back Into the Light
Aef-Grimnir turned his back to the fighting pit and made for the exit from the arena. Beyond it was once again the ever-changing passage of crescent tiles and seamlessly meshing cogworks, bathed in a warm golden light... and again acolytes and daemons waiting for him.
The Blue Horrors quickly fell under his axe, the Brimstone Horrors spitefuly immolating themselves to no avail as Aef's ur-gold flared bright. In the maddening confusion of flames and golden gleam, the acolytes stumbled and were left open to the Runefather's counterblows.
In the following chamber, a Pink Horror was riffling through piles of coins and gems. Aef-Grimnir charged forward, but on that treacherous footing his blows were not telling.
Screaming in outrage, the Horror called forth one of his brethern, but their pink flames washed over the Runefather with no effect.
Aef-Grimnir worked himself into a berzerker fury and though he slipped a few times on the clattering gold, soon the Horrors were nothing more than embers. Duardin's greed took over the Runefather and he searched through the coins, finding a glowing pendant that he quickly hung around his neck.
He stepped forward, finding himself once again in the library where he had been pelted by the walking tome. But this time it was a Pink Horror that stood in front of him.
Aef run for it, but scattering books and scrolls all around, the daemon fled screaming through a nearby portal. As it vanished into it, its surface broke into an onslaught of sorcerous flames. The pendant thrummed, and though pain wracked the Runefather he survived the blast.
Then he was once again surrounded by blue and purple fog that resolved in the shapes of acolytes thirsting for his blood.
He killed two, but then he was pushed on the defensive, the thrumming pendant the only thing keeping him alive. As he parried and dodged, a cacophony of shrill voices filled the air as the blighters that had pestered him through the Tower's rooms came at once to taunt him.
Aef exploded once again into ur-gold fueled rage and as the acolytes fell around him, the familiars fled.
As he paused for a moment, letting the ur-gold cool and heal his wounds, the avian homonculus came back bringing two acolytes with it.
The pendant kept protecting the Runefather as he was cornered, then he fought back and managed to grab hold of the homonculus. This time, he just snapped its neck, the creature disappearing in a cloud of ectoplasm.
As he peered through the portal, a beast's musky stink hit his nostrils. Three tzaangors turned their evil eyes on him, the green glowing flask they were fighting over thumbling to the floor. The Runefather backed away, knowing full well he was in no shape to fight all of them at the same time.
That was enough, for only one managed to reach him.
As he dealt with it, the smell of rotten fish mixed with the gors' stink, the screaching of the creature landing them speed.
Unable to draw on his spent ur-gold, Aef-Grimnir was locked in a protracted fight. That drew all the pendant's protective magic, and it was only the Runefather's skill that kept the wild blows of the gors in check.
But still, the Runefather emerged victorious to kick away the accursed fish blurting insults at him.
The Runefather returned to the tzaangors' nest. He picked up the flask they were fighting over and studied it for a moment. Could that be one of the fabled Alarielle's Kisses, potions able to restore a warrior to their full strength in the blink of an eye? But then, three grotlings emerged from a sinkhole and surrounded him.
After the fight with the tzaangors, that seemed like a training exercise, and the Runefather quickly broke through to find himself on the lip of a narrow ledge. He had already been there, he knew for sure, and next would have been the room were he had fallen at the beginning of this maddening journey.
He kept his footing over the ledge despite unnatural winds buffeting him. And as he had expected, the statue of the Lord of Change was waiting for him in the next chamber, an adept leading daemons into some unspeakable ritual. The adept broke off and charged forward while the daemons hurled blue fires at him.
The pain was atrocious and as he warded off the adept's attack, he fumbled for the flask and downed its content. He felt a wellspring of life surging within him. Indeed that was Alarielle's Kiss. Fully restored, he barged over the adept and made it for the closest crystal prism. This time, it gave way under his push and as the beam coming from it hit the statue, it shook. Then the beam continued onto the Horrors and they screamed as if in pain. They retorted with gouts of flames, the screaching bird-headed familiar appearing next to them.
The Runefather took a deep breath as the flames came washing over him and desperetely prayed to Grimnir. The dead god answered, and Aef's runes glared again. He charged and cut the daemons down, the familiar fleeing in fear.
Aef went back to the prism and turned it back towards the statue. As the statue began to vibrate, two lesser portals opened up on the chamber's walls.
"You are not going to turn the other one, Son of Grimnir!" the hissing voice came together with the stink of rotten fish.
"If you don't, daemon, I surely do!" and saying so Aef-Grimnir rushed for the second prism and janked with all his strength until the second beam hit the statue.
In a flash, the statue disappeared, the Gaunt Summoner instantly replacing it.
"Who said I didn't want it? It was the only thing stopping me. Now you're mine!"
Rage filled Aef-Grimnir at the trick and he hefted his axe. It came down in a blazing arc, but as it tore through the Summoner's armour he suddenly felt weak.
Surprised at the duardin's fury, the Gaunt Summoner moved away with incredible speed, syllables of power streaming out of his mouth. Daemonic apparition closed upon Aef-Grimnir.
"Is this the best you have, daemon?" Aef-Grimnir's voice came in a roar of laughter as the phantasms vanished. "I'm not spooked that easily!"
He jumped for the fish-creature.
"You gave speed to the gors, take me to your master!" he growled as he squeezed the squirming thing.
In a blur, he was in front of the Gaunt Summoner, the daemon sorcerer realing back under his blows, tearing rent in the air to bring forth its minions.
But the fury of Grimnir was upon the Runefather. He cut through the closest Horror, stepping forth to corner the Gaunt Summoner and fell it.
He then turned to the remaining daemons and as the last one fell, a third fragment of amulet laid between him and the portal. As he grabbed it, the portal rippled, the narrow ledge behind it turning into walls of stone. Real walls of real stone. Aef-Grimnir stepped forward.
The Thief of Wits rose, patting away the dirt from his robes. As a throng of Horrors materialised and made to pursue the Runefather, it lifted its hand.
"That's enough! Our little charade served its purpose. He is where I want him, and soon his companions will be too".
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