[SleepingDragon]: 268.The Staff of Illidon.Chapter Eleven- Loose!

Chapter Eleven- Loose!

“I hope you know what you’re doing wizard.” Chad said skeptically.
William stood in the corner of the small guestroom, gently probing the newfound piece of staff with a spell of identification. He had kept his word. They had explored everywhere they could before he began any further tampering with their findings. Now was the time for action. If they were going to confront the dragon, he needed power, enough power to stop a beast three times the size of his own house. He needed power that would not sap his own energy, leaving him vulnerable before the creature.

“Do you feel that?” Mari asked.

“What?” Chad responded.

“It grows damp in the room, and chill. It has been ever dry in this place.”

It was evident that Mari was correct when cold droplets of water began to fall from the ceiling onto the three comrades. It was raining inside the structure! Soon, the light rain turned to a downpour and the torches began to crackle and snap.

“Wizard, stop!” Chad cried.

William complied, and the deluge soon turned to drizzle before ceasing altogether.

“This is good.” William said happily. “This piece holds the power of water.”

“How will that help?” Chad asked incredulously. “Does the dragon really care if it’s raining?”

“I have but scratched the surface of the power the staff holds.” William informed. “And in combination with the other piece, I may be able to do much. The dragon may not be concerned with normal rain, but it does draw from the elemental power of fire for its defense. Remember, we’re not trying to kill it, simply draw it out, and survive in the process.”

“If you say so.” Chad replied, uneasy.

William dug in his pack and retrieved the other portion of the staff. He fumbled about with both of the parts for a moment. Soon, there was a bright flash of light as the new piece snapped in place.

“Ready.” He said with a heavy breath.

The company made their way back to the balcony and descended the staircase to the main hall. All appeared quiet from the direction of the throne room. It seemed the dragon slept.

“Let us open the doors.” William instructed.

They opened the large and heavy arched doors leading to the corridor in the front of the palace and beyond those, the main entry doors to the structure. They returned then to the main hall.

“I must first break the holding spell upon the dragon.” William spoke. “Afterward, I will create such commotion as to drive the beast hence. Stand by the throne room doors and make for the right wing when it comes forth. It cannot pass through the small archways. I shall find you in the last room to the right.”

Chad and Mari exchanged glances before nodding in consent to William. They each took a torch and moved over to the wall on the right. William found his way to the stone block in the midst of the room and set himself before it, facing the throne room doors. He held the half-staff in both hands.

Passing the archway to the right wing, Chad and Mari crept along the wall to the far corner before turning left along the back wall of the room. They stopped before the doorway and Mari leapt to the other side.
William bowed his head and began to chant in a low voice, reaching out for the source of the binding spell. It was old magic, and powerful. It would take much strength to overcome it. Setting his will, he lifted up his head and his voice.

“Arcana nur’ Hasbah!” He uttered. It meant ‘The King releases you’ In the old tongue. Upon speaking the words, the wizard crumbled to the stone floor in a heap, dropping the half-staff. It rolled away into the darkness. At the same moment, a bright flash of light filled the throne room, accompanied by a loud ‘crack’. Immediately, there came a deafening roar from inside the room, along with the sound of scraping and thrashing. The dragon had awakened.

William tried uselessly to get to his feet, straining to pull himself up by the arms. It was no use. He simply did not have the strength, and collapsed back to the floor.
A burst of flame shot through the throne room door, followed closely by the enraged dragon. Mari rolled to her right as Chad dove to the left, dropping his torch. He scrambled after it and pitched it toward the archway to the left of the hall. Mari quickly did the same. They had to distract the beast and keep it away from the fallen wizard.

Instantly the dragon reared up, drawing its head back before releasing a blast of crimson flame at the torches. In the light of the fire, Mari began shooting arrows at its head, sinking at least two into its large ebony eye. These had little effect but to anger the creature further. It stomped around in the dark hallway in an effort to locate the source of the irritation, taking out portions of the left staircase as it did so. A massive foot came down upon the stone just inches from Chad and he buried his broadsword in one of its large scaly toes.

The dragon writhed in pain with an ear-splitting roar, sending a plume of flame to the vaulted ceiling overhead. Mari ran for a torch while Chad dove behind the right staircase, just in time to avoid another blast from the dragon’s angry maw.

With torch in hand, Mari moved to the center of the room near the stone block.

“Come hither, beast!” she cried, waving the torch above her head.

“Mari, no!” Chad shouted uselessly. Mari paid him no heed, and continued to entice the disgruntled dragon, backing toward the doorway. Soon the creature locked onto her position and moved toward her with a deep guttural growl emitting from its long throat. Mari turned about and heaved the torch through both sets of doors, out into the courtyard. The dragon sprang after it like a dog after a stick, leaping over the stone block while Mari tumbled out of its way. It then smashed through the double set of arches, wings folded at its side, disappearing into the blackness of the outer courtyard.

Chad ran for the stray torch and he and Mari moved to where the wizard lay upon the floor, the half-staff just out of his reach. Chad helped him to his feet and Mari retrieved the half-staff, handing it to William.

“Come on, wizard.” Chad encouraged. “Now is our chance. To the throne room!”

“I am sorry.” William labored. “The spell took all of my strength.”

“Forget it.” Chad said. “Let’s go.”

They helped him across the hall and through the doors to the dragon’s lair, each with an arm about him. The room was full of debris and treasure of all sorts. There was everything from chests filled with coins to broken furniture and bones of men and goblins long dead. They had taken but a few steps when Mari’s elf eye’s spied something atop one of the piles.

“There.” She informed William. “It is another piece of your staff.”