Animosity III, The Prime Dominion - Part 8

The Price of Knowledge

The Thief of Wits' eyes narrowed. The simplest of glamours he had learnt in its millenia long service to Tzeentch was more than enough to hide it from the sight of the dimwits interfering with its plan. As it had foreseen, Alti's machinations had made the Basileun Library and its Custodian vulnerable. And while the envoys of the Teclandec and Aurannar negotiated a concerted rescue effort, its Covens had already extracted the tomes and scrolls it craved. All, but those nicked by Zotbag Longears. And now the Madcap Shaman was hiring the Ironforged Ogors to escort him through the Lux Umbra to some Moonclan lair deep within it.
With its Acolytes trying to find a way out of Iscarion, the Gaunt Summoner had to rely on one of its unknowing pawns. And to steal something secured away in the Lux Umbra, none were better than the Shadowflames.

Aef-Grimnir bent over the unconscious Lady Laelanyel, the heat of his ur-gold runes channeled to cauterise her wounds.
The Shroudmaidens stood watch at the entrance of the chamber, throwing nervous glances at the Runefather tending to their mistress. The rest of the Shadowflames hung around, equally bitter for their defeat at the hands of Felthon Metheara and grateful for their rescue at the hands of Ancamarth and Tante. The Darkling Sorceress and the Jade Wizard were long gone now, called to support the rescue of Iscarion population. But a bond had been created, which the Shadowflames had sworn to honour in due time.
Suddenly, the Mistweaver bolted up, her eyes, for once not hidden behind her mask, glazed and rolled over.
"The sneak and the brutes! Find them! Seize the knowledge they carry! It's key to freedom from the Dominion!"
"What's the meaning of that?" asked Drevakh Xosh as Laelanyel slumped back.
"We'll soon find out. She is healed" replied Aef-Grimnir. "Those dreams and visions of her have led you to find me. I trust they'll get us out of this aelfen and vampiric mess we are in. And if there's anything we can get for our efforts, all the better".

Drevakh Xosh and Iyshak peered over the crumbling wall. As Lady Laelanyel had foretold, the Ironforged ogors were camping at the opposite end of that stretch of tunnels, just outside one of the many unnamed settlements of the Lux Umbra.

The pile of books and scrolls they had come to take laid unguarded, as the ogors guzzled on the mushroom ale poured by their grot employer. The scouts signalled for their companions to take position and prepare for the attack.

Somehow, Cargo the Meneater spotted the incoming Shadowflames and moved to protect their loot. In a display of aelven agility, Viserhyx dashed forward, grabbed the books and scrolls and fell back, all the while dodging Cargo's bullets and his companion's heavy throwing axes.

With Anielyn covering him, Aef-Grimnir strode up to Cargo, his axe sinking almost harmlessly into the Meneater's blubber.

With a screeching cry of outrage, Zotbag order a drunken Glutton forward. The brute barreled onto Iyshak, his sheer mass and momentum enough to almost crush the Shadowkin. Wounded, Iyshak withdrew, letting Drevaxh and Tark step in to deal with the hulking brute.

Then the chill wind of the grave blew through the Lux Umbra, a rasping and yet booming voice carried over it.
"Kneel before me, Grallem Vallkern! For I'm Alti's Hand and you rejected his offer!"
The Wight advanced slowly and steadily into the settlement, his flaming sword levelled and ready to strike.

The commotion dragged the last few Ironforged from their feasting and they moved to bar Viserhyx's escape. Still holding onto the books and scrolls, the aelf shadowleapt back and up, onto the safety of the settlement's main building's roof.

Lady Laelanyel and her party emerged from the darkness to launch a diversionary attack on the Ironforged back. Down the tunnel, they saw Aef-Grimnir blazing bright, the runes in his frame flaring as he dispatched Cargo.

Then Zotbag struck at the Runefather's back, his jagged knife sinking deep into his shoulder. Lady Laelanyel rushed to Aef's side, her staff deflecting the grot's next stab.

Drevakh and Tark sparred with the glutton, Iyshak's arrows raining down to finish it, though not before he had sent the Tenebrael Shard flat on his back.

Anielyn fired three arrows in rapid succession, barely managing to keep the ogors at a distance. From behind him, came Grallem Vallkern's voice.
"You will die!"
The Wight's sword trailed flames as he approached the nearest ogor.

Viserhyx shadowlept again, landing where Tark and Iyshak were.
"Cover me! Get Anielyn out of there!" he shouted, diving for the safety of the tunnels.

The Shadowkin and the Vulkite Karl joined the rest of the Shadowflames as they closed in to support Anielyn, throwing axes and arrows raining onto the ogors.

"You!" Alti's Hand's voice rose again. "You denied the Ceraph!"
Necrotic and runic flames mixed, Aef-Grimnir barely surviving the Wight's onslaught.

Lady Laelanyel saw the Runefather reeling in pain as her blade fell Zotbag. With a sweap of her staff she drew a curtain of solid darkness around the Shadowflames.

"Retreat!" she ordered. "Viserhyx has what we came for! We'll deal with Alti's lapdog, Runefather, worry not!"

Still hidden behind its glamours, the Thief of Wits watched with pleasure as Viserhyx carried away the books and scrolls . Now, it was just a matter of convincing the Shadowflames to willingly part with them. And for that, the Gaunt Summoner had a most convincing servant awaiting them at Gleamdeep.