Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!news.reed.edu!sun.lclark.edu!netnews.nwnet.net!alfa02.medio.net!news.sprintlink.net!uunet!not-for-mail From: guido roessling Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives Subject: STORY: Qelrik part 76 Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc Date: 19 Jun 1995 08:52:53 -0400 Organization: Technische Hochschule Darmstadt Lines: 128 Sender: smm@uunet.uu.net Approved: smm@uunet.uu.net Distribution: world Message-ID: <3s3rv5$t92@rodan.UU.NET> This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------------------778392514533 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii *** If you have WWW access (Mosaic, Lynx, Cello, Netscape,...), take a look at the official QELRIK site at http://www.pu.informatik.th-darmstadt.de/dida/qelrik.html If you look for missing chapters, they can either be found on the WWW Page or - for those without WWW access - on the ftp server ftp.cs.pdx.edu in pub/frp/stories/qelrik *** ---------------------------------778392514533 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain ========================================================================= Fox in the darkness ========================================================================= Fox shuddered as Mindseeker drew energy from her, pulling the thick darkness around her like a protective blanket. The blade always drained her when she used its powers. When she had consecrated Mindseeker four years ago, her victim had been unwilling, and as a result Mindseeker drew energy instead of providing it. She had friends whose blades had been consecrated by a willing victim, and envied them. Their blades lent them power and strength; Mindseeker took it. Her headache grew steadily worse, and Fox knew she had so little to spare. The air sparkled blue, but Fox could see well enough. Anyone else who walked in Mindseeker's black reach would see nothing at all, not even their hands held to their own eyes. Fox smiled lazily and waited. The orcs' shouting died as they reached the perimeter of the darkness, and they hesitated in confusion. Fox laughed, although she knew the orcs could not hear her, either. Neither could her three new companions, and she could not hear them, which worried her slightly. It was an expected effect, one she couldn't control. Mindseeker throbbed eagerly in her grip, but she waited. Eventually, one orc would be stupid enough to penetrate the darkness. She would let him come further in before killing him. She would not do it on the periphery, as no more orcs would enter. They were not that stupid. She was not disappointed. The first orc waded through, pawing the air with his meaty hands like he was trying to push aside rows and rows of black gauze curtains. She studied his cracked leather breastplate, noting the flaws with lazy interest. When he stopped in confusion, she sank Mindseeker into the orc's chest. She yanked it free as the orc screamed soundlessly, toppling forward and almost landing on her. Lightly, she jumped aside and waited for the next one to stumble forward. By the time three orcs lay dead at her feet, more were coming in larger numbers and Fox knew she couldnUt hold out much longer. She knew her reflexes were slow in her pain and exhaustion. Without the darkness, she doubted she would have survived to get out of the damned lair. Her blade lashed out again, but unexpectedly, a large hand whipped around with a small knife. The blade chittered on mail, slashing a rent in her tunic across the top of her breastbone. Fox's sword bit deep, but not before the orc managed to draw the knife back across her jaw, laying open a four-inch gash. Fox yelped in surprise as much as pain, jumping back and tripping over a half-dead orc, landing hard. She could feel heat rising in her face and eyes as she scrambled to her feet, furious. Mindseeker whirled in her hand, slashing the orc who had probably bestowed yet another facial scar to her growing collection. Three more orcs fell, the pile growing deeper. A small group of orcs reached the dead ones, stumbled over the corpses and fled in the other direction. All they knew was that something in this hellish darkness was killing their brothers, and that was enough for them. As they lurched out of the darkness in the other direction, Fox let her blade drop, took two large steps backward and sat back on her heels, breathing heavily and watching the retreating orcs through slitted eyes. She lay Mindseeker down gently, letting the blade drink the blood which coated it before sheathing it. Carefully, she stripped off her gloves and touched her slashed jaw tenderly. It was bleeding heavily, but a slight, painful probe with her fingertips told her the cut was not deep, nor did it burn or itch. She tasted the blood on her fingers, and tasted only the salty, warm metallic taste of her own blood. No poison on the blade, it seemed. It took all the effort she had to take Mindseeker to hand again, sheathe the sword and stand. Her gloves were next. She pulled off her tunic and tore off a piece from the rent, wadding it up and pressed it to her torn jaw. The rest of the tunic she cast down over the face of a dead orc, spun on her heel and stalked out of the darkness. It would last another ten minutes or so without her and Mindseeker -- enough to give them time to escape. But that was the last; she knew she did not have enough energy left in her for another one. She emerged from the darkness, eyes still blazing in anger. Gernodt was holding Kyle in his arms, and both he and Dahlarin looked edgy and impatient. Nearby, shrouded in darkness, the panther stood over victims of its own. "I see my friend is back," Fox said softly, eyes fastened on the panther. "Back?" Dahlarin asked, puzzled. "Where in hell have you been?" Gernodt growled. "I yelled and you didn't answer. I was just about to go in after you." "I can't hear anything in there. Nothing's coming through now, though. Let's go." "You're hurt," Gernodt observed. "So are you," she snapped. "Go." ---------------------------------778392514533--