Dragon Wench peered over her shoulder, “A scroll of Defensive Harmony?”
Manveru seemed to ignore the question, “Now, I must take my leave…”
“Can you not stay, help with this battle?” Vivien asked, pulling leaves out of her hair.
“No, I prefer to act in an advisory capacity,” the green robed wizard said, “Best for maintaining my enigmatic and mysterious image.” In a flash he was gone.
“Seems there will be no battle tonight,” Darkpoet said from the window, “The parlay appears successful. The black knights must be from the Gilded Rose as Georgi said.”
The five ladies of the Harem, Darkpoet, Kramo, Gwalchmai, and Mazzy left the house and began approaching the field where the armies were arrayed. No assassins lurked on the rooftops. Things seemed quiet, almost anti-climatic. Suddenly, they were horrified to witness the messenger from the black Gilded Rose knights whip out a glowing dagger and murder the messenger from the Halfling army in cold blood. Before they could comprehend what they saw, a great explosion rocked the land, emanating from near the southwestern gate of Trademeet. “I’m sorry to leave you my friends, but I must be with my brethren!” shouted Mazzy as she ran to join the Halfling army that had lost the initiative against the dark knights.
The Harem and their somewhat former slaves ran to investigate the location of the great explosion. “Our Tent!” Dragon Wench cried as she looked at the crater where once stood the Harem Tent. Figures were moving down into the crater toward a brightly glowing spire that had been revealed by the explosion. The lead figure stopped and stared at the ladies, “I thought you said you had taken care of them,” the figure hissed at a tall man standing next to her. “I thought I had as well,” Waverly replied. “Distract them now, I only need to remove the gem. It is the last component. Once I have it, we can all return to the Underdark.”
Waverly moved menacingly toward the eight heroes. “Georgi,” he said, “you fooled me, didn’t you, my dear? And Vivien, you seem to have recovered. Loner, you look tired. Are you having nightmares again? Jennabard, you needn’t fear for your dark past, your visions are just illusions, you know. Dragon Wench. I’ll bet you are angry enough right now to do something foolish, no?”
“You’ll not harm my… I mean, these Ladies while I live!” Kramo shouted, drawing his blade.
“I’ll not suffer these foolish servants,” Waverly said. Then he gestured, and three beams of light shot from his fingers. Gwalchmai was suddenly paralyzed, his skin, clothing and equipment becoming like rock. Darkpoet suddenly collapsed under the weight of his own armor as the ray of enfeeblement struck him in the chest. The light struck Kramo in the head, and he stopped with a dazed and blank expression as the feeblemind spell took hold.
“Now, for you dear Ladies,” Waverly said raising both arms. The ground erupted all around the five warrior women, as a hundred undead soldiers arose. Desperately, the Ladies fought the skeletons, while Waverly just stood and laughed.
From behind stone eyes, Gwalchmai watched the tableau unfold. “Aw, Dude!” Kramo said as his intellect slipped away, “My magic resistance totally sucks!” He sat on the ground and started drawing in the dirt. Darkpoet felt like an overturned turtle, unable to even lift an arm under the weight of his gauntlets. He struggled to move, then called, “Kramo! Get over here! Get the potion of strength from by pouch and give it to me!” Kramo heard his friend’s call, but was distracted by the battle before him, “Ooh, Pretty Ladies!” “Kramo!” Darkpoet pleaded, “Please come over here!” Meanwhile, a small flock of pigeons landed on Gwalchmai’s head.
Every swipe of a katana, Flame Tongue, or staff destroyed a skeleton warrior, but two more replaced each. “We’ll never make it!” Jennabard shouted, “There’s too many!” “But we must stop Waverly and the Being,” Georgi shouted, “None but the Gods should have immortality!”
Kramo fumbled with the potions in Darkpoet’s pouch. “Here’s some juice for you, “ he said, pouring a gray liquid into Darkpoet’s mouth. “No! *gaack* Not the potion of Heroism,” Darkpoet said, his voice two octaves lower. He was feeling very brave now, but still couldn’t move, “Give me the potion of Strength! The white one!” But Kramo fished out a pretty red vial, and emptied the contents into Darkpoet’s mouth. Suddenly, Darkpoet began belching out huge gouts of flame as the potion of Fire Breath took effect. “I’ve got to go potty,” Kramo said. “No! Take off your cod piece first!” Darkpoet cried desperately, with smoke trailing from his nostrils. But Kramo’s eyes had already rolled back into his head, “Aaaaahhhhh,” he said blissfully, “All better!” “Oh, man!” Darkpoet coughed, “You reek!” Just then, the pigeons relieved themselves too.
Beaten, bloodied, and almost fallen, the Harem could almost fight no more. In an act of desperation, Jennabard pulled out the scroll of Defensive Harmony and read it from her knees. Suddenly, a soft white light emanated from the sky and five silvery, iridescent wings enveloped each of the Ladies. All wounds were healed, strength returned to their limbs, and fatigue was banished. Their fears, nightmares and shames of the past sloughed off them like snow melting before a summer breeze. Their armor glowing a bright white and their weapons sheathed in cascading rainbows of color, each Lady knew instinctively that this was no ordinary effect of the spell. They knew, that together, their powers were much more than the sum of the parts. These five warrior women, acting together, as a team, could be invincible.
Smiling, grinning even, they attacked as though they were one. Just touching an undead enemy seemed to cause it to explode in screaming dust. Waverley’s eyes grew wide, as the sea of summoned undead seemed to evaporate, and the Five strode toward him unchecked. He gave a frightened cry, and ran back toward his Mistress, the Being. “This is what you were supposed to prevent, you fool!” the Being said in silken tones, “No matter. I have what I came for.” With a fiery flash, Waverly and the Being disappeared, with only inches to spare before the Harem could reach them.
Exulting in their newfound power, The Five Flames touched weapons in salute. “Now to help the Halflings!” But a new triumph was at hand. The Halfling army was joined by rank upon rank of Radiant Heart and white-frocked Gilded Rose Knights. The Dark Knight Army was soon routed. In the celebration that followed, the Harem turned their attention to healing their former slaves.
The Underdark awaited.
(ooc: I hope I haven't overstepped my bounds with this addition. If so, please ignore.
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