Ironworks Gaming Forum - Solo Warrior 30: Of Palaces and Prisons

Missy Hissy grabbed the edges of the still-opening door and hurled herself upward. Her ears pounded from the suddenly increased water pressure, and she knew that solace lay in finding a source of air. She followed the trace bubbles that escaped from her lips. Natural laws couldn’t be confused enough, and she knew they would head toward daylight, or whatever passed for it. Kicking strongly and debating the wisdom of swimming in a full set of armor, she continued upward.

Missy broke the water’s surface into a small room, much like a temple or a throne room. Taking several deep breaths to replenish her tortured lungs, she looked around. The room was beautiful, with black and white pearl pillars gleaming translucently and gold highlights reflecting the flickering fires. Beautiful windows surrounded the room on all sides, allowing the light to filter in. As she looked around, the place was deserted, except for a gentle humming coming from the high-back seashell chair on the other side. The melody was an engaging song, brimming with hope and promise.

Missy stepped closer, and the chair spun around. Kerah, guardian angel, greeted her and smiled. “Welcome below the sea,” she intoned. “I’m pleased to see you. There is much still to do.”

Missy approached. “Wha- what are you doing down here? Where is this place? What’s going on?”

Kerah nodded. “You should have many questions. This place is my solace, my refuge. When Anephas sacrificed all, I kept this place as a way to remember. But Cet grows stronger, and there is much yet to be done. Anephas can be brought back to life in the pyramid below if you can bring the light of the gods to his burnt body. Then you can take this teleport to Cet’s Tomb, where he can put the dark lord down forever.”

Missy looked around. “I’m not so sure I’m up for this. I mean, where do mortals fit into the gods’ plans? I thought the gods merely toyed with us, creating problems and challenges in our lives. I’ve never heard of a god relying on a mortal for anything, or needing a mortal’s help.”

Kerah’s face grew long. “’Tis true, the gods usually stay away from mortals. There are yet some times, however, when the works of a mortal can sway the fates the gods have planned. Anephas did so centuries ago, and many of the champions who have preceded you have also played in the realm of the gods. The gods do not control as much of life as the priests would have you believe. And your help is now needed.”

Missy stared at Kerah for several long minutes. Her mind raced. Anephas had been a mortal? A mortal who battled a god to a stalemate? But he was only a magician, or so it seemed. What more could be out there for her? What more could she lose? Her father, her mother, her childhood… there was little else to be taken from her. “Okay, I’m in. But if Anephas couldn’t defeat Cet before, why should he succeed now?”

Kerah smiled and seemed relieved. “Before, Anepahs was a champion, but a magical champion. He knew little of battle and war, and the best battle he could plan was a tragic draw. You know more of arms and militia than most, and with your help, there can be no other result. Success will be ours…” Kerah seemed to drift mentally, picturing the results of a glorious battle with Cet. “Besides,” she said, coming back, “if Anephas leaves this shrine, Cet will be able to leave as well. You can enter Cet’s tomb, open the other teleporter, and allow Anephas to enter undetected.”

Missy looked puzzled. “But to get up here, doesn’t he have to leave the shrine?”

Kerah’s eyes flashed an ebony glare. “My magic can keep him protected in here for a few minutes in my element. By the time Anephas comes here, there will be no time for Cet to do anything. Just start spinning the teleporter there, and the rest will come.”

“Okey-dokey.” Missy walked over to the teleporter, put a hand on it, and started it spinning. As it rotated, it seemed off-balance, and by the time it rotated for the third time, the ancient stone spun off its balance and shattered on the floor. “Oops.” She looked back at Kerah. “Sorry about that.”

Kerah seemed to be counting numbers, a strange practice in most cases.

“Hey,” Missy said. “This obelisk thing fell out of the spinny piece. Maybe it’s still usable.”

Kerah finally hissed through clenched teeth. “Take it and go. Perhaps it can still wake Anephas. Perhaps all is not completely lost here. Just leave!”

Missy looked around. “Leave where?” Then she saw a fish swim past one of the windows. She walked over to window and saw that it was not a window, but a magical wall of air holding the water out. Taking a deep breath, she walked through the wall of water and left.

Following her bubbles again, she made her way to the surface. As she bobbed lightly in the warm water, she saw a beach in the distance. As she reached it, she saw numerous small footprints throughout the sand. Strange that they weren’t washed away by the tides, and stranger still that no other tracks, human, animal, or humanoid, sullied the sand. At the end of the clearing, she found a treasure chest, and opening it, found a green opal stone in a necklace. She recognized it, a clover stone, and realized that it must be the leprechaun’s treasure. Pity she’d slain him before. At least now, Miruth might put a cork in his mouth about it.

Creating another portal, Missy teleported back to Brimloch Roon to unload some of her adventuring acquisitions and to have one more talk about leprechauns…