Standing over the pair of them are Samia, now unbound, and a motley group of adventurers. The woman is armed, as are her companions, and they have an air of expectant triumph. At Adamant’s approach, she levels the point of her sword at Anomen’s unhelmeted head. Taking warning, the returning paladin halts, just inside the tomb’s threshold. His eyes narrow as he watches carefully, not speaking.
Ah, the little traitor Samia...
“That’s what we wanted,” she agrees. “I’m afraid that we will have to take them now, along with your gold and that fancy sword of yours.”
“What if I am unwilling to give these things up?”
“Then I fear these ones will die,” she says, slapping Anomen on the side of the head with the flat of her blade.
“I fear not death,” Anomen declares passionately. “Do not give in to them Adamant. Flee and keep your life. No doubt they mean to kill us all any…!” His speech is cut short by Samia boot, kicking him in the shoulder.
Well, Anomen is being overly brave again, it seems.
“ ‘No blood will be shed’?” Samia repeats, shaking her head. “I thought you just a little trusting, but you are a fool. Kill this twit boys, he’s got my swords and shield.” Samia’s goons start forward, hefting weapons. One is armed with a bow and though he nocks an arrow, he does not loose it, for fear of hitting his comrades in the confined space of the corridor. Next to him a mage begins to invoke a spell to assault Adamant. However, the arcane speech is cut short with a wet, wrenching sound. His eyes are dull and empty as he sinks to the floor, behind him Yoshimo’s leather-clad figure becomes visible, as though stepping from behind an invisible curtain.
*grin* She bit off a bit more than she can chew.
Throwing the shield aside, Adamant surges towards Samia, who lifts her own sword to the ready and charges as well. But Anomen drives himself bodily sideways, knocking Samia down as she tries to get past him. As she falls, Adamant kicks her sword from her hand and, using the butt end of his hilt, knocks her senseless.
Wham! Down she goes.
In short order, the battle is done. The kodiak bear shifts in form and becomes Jaheira again, her shape shifting over. Only Samia and one of her goons survives, and both are swiftly divested of their arms and armour. At sword point they are forced back into the tomb and the party closes the doors.
“You can’t leave us like this,” Samia protests.
“You refused our mercy,” Adamant replies. “Now see if Firkraag’s troops will give you any.”
A fitting punishment. Who knows, they might actually make it.
“What?” asks Yoshimo with a shrug, also perplexed.
“Nevermind,” Adamant says, resolved that Yoshimo doesn’t understand and likely never will. “Let’s just keep watch.”
Good story,
---Weyoun