[SleepingDragon]: 268.The Staff of Illidon.Chapter Twelve- Sacrifice

Chapter Twelve- Sacrifice

“The crown must be part of the staff,” William said.

The wizard sat with his back against a broken chest, as far from the nearest bone pile as he could. He chewed on a piece of dried beef in an effort to regain strength. He was recovering slowly, but still felt very drained and light-headed. The dragon had not returned, but he didn’t doubt it would shortly. They had little time to explore and find the missing piece of the puzzle.

“What do you mean, a part of the staff?” Chad asked from where he sat upon the ancient throne of Illidon. Mari sat on one of the steps of the dais a short way in front of him.

“This piece does not fit with the others,” William explained. “It has a star-shaped hole and a triangular peg. There is a piece that goes between them. If this were the top piece, as it should be, it would have no hole and would be irregular on one end.”

“So where is it then?” Chad “We’ve been all through this junk. It’s not here.”

“It must be.” William insisted. “We have searched everywhere else.

“Perhaps whoever opened the stone on the upper floor has removed it.” Mused Mari.

“I don’t believe so.” William said. “The magic here is very strong. I have learned this from the spell on the dragon. Whoever used magic to remove a piece from its stone was too weak to do so for the other three. They then sought the crown in the throne room as we did, and met their own fate here.”

“I’m telling you, it’s not here.” Chad argued, leaning back in the throne with his arms spread wide. “Maybe someone else took...”

At that moment, a leg of the old throne gave way and it toppled over, lopsidedly. Chad tumbled out of it, onto the floor. There, beneath where the throne had stood, was a closed chest. It was in surprisingly good condition, despite the amount of dust upon it. William struggled to his feet and moved to investigate. Chad and Mari looked on.

On the front of the chest were four round insets, part of a complicated latch. Each had colored inlays around them. William didn’t bother trying to open it.

“We need the stones that lie near the large block.” he told them.

“I will retrieve them.” Mari said, taking up a torch.

“Bring back a pint and a rack of ribs when you return.” Chad jested.

“You would like potatoes with that as well, I’m guessing.” Mari replied. “It is a shame you did not invite a tavern wench to accompany you on this journey.”

Mari was gone little more than a moment when the heavy thud of approaching footsteps was heard coming from the courtyard. It was accompanied by a loud roar and a reverberating snarl.

“The dragon!” Chad yelled, grabbing William by the arm and dragging him toward the nearest wall. “Stay out of sight!”

“The staff!” William cried, struggling to break free of the mercenary’s grip. He had left it upon the floor where he had rested against the broken chest. “I need the staff!”

Outside of the room, the dragon had re-entered the main hall and was quickly approaching the throne room. Mari was nowhere in sight.

“Where is it?” Chad asked, pushing the wizard up against the wall near some broken furniture.

“Near the chest!” William exclaimed frantically.

“Stay here!” Chad ordered. “And hide!”
Chad stumbled in the darkness, through the mounds of treasure and debris, searching for the half-staff. A massive roar shook the chamber as the black dragon burst through the archway, nostrils flaring in a crimson glow and teeth bared. Plumes of orange flame trailed up on each side of its huge head.

In the darkness of the throne room, the fiery breath of the dragon emitted just enough glow for Chad to see faintly. Hurriedly, he cast about in an effort to locate the half-staff. He spotted it upon the floor not far from where he stood.

Lunging, Chad dove over a pile of debris toward the broken chest. He rolled as he landed, coming to his feet with the half-staff in hand.

“Wizard!” he yelled, tossing the half-staff toward where he had left William.

The dragon, hearing Chad’s cry, became enraged and furiously charged the sound of the intruder. Chad dove again, just in time. A blast from the dragon scorched the floor where he had stood but a moment before. In the light of the flame, Chad thought he saw a shadow flit past the arched doorway.

“Alura von arkan Kabal’!” Came a cry from the other side of the room.
At once, a low rumble began in the stone of the floor and bolts of lightning flashed across the room, one striking the dragon near its huge head. The beast roared and stomped, smashing its tail against the nearest wall. The rumble increased, and Chad lost his footing as the room began to shake violently. Rain began to fall in torrents and a great rent shattered the foundation of rock.

The dragon reared back its scaly head and released another blast of fire, lighting up the throne room. It then turned and retreated from the chamber, roaring wildly as it went. It did not go far. It could be heard stomping around in the hall.

The chaos of magic subsided and a flash of light lit the room. William had fashioned a new torch from a table leg and was making his way toward where Chad lay.

“Wizard, over here!” It was Mari. She was kneeling down by the chest, rummaging through her pack. As William and Chad approached, she produced the four stones she had gathered from the main hall.

“Good work.” He told her.

William placed the stones and the chest opened easily. Inside, as expected, was the top portion of the staff. It had a large crystal in its center and fluted branches that formed a crown. It had a star-shaped peg in the bottom of it.

William lifted it out of the chest, casting about for his pack, which lay a few feet away. He retrieved the other piece of staff from it. With a flash of light, he snapped them together.

“We have to get to the right wing.” He said flatly. “Any ideas?”

“You two make for the stone.” Chad said, taking the torch from William. “I’ll distract it.”

The three comrades crept to the archway and stopped, backs to the wall.

“Whenever you’re ready” William whispered. Chad nodded to each of them.

“On three.” Chad’s broad grin flashed in the torchlight. “One...two...THREE!”

Chad leapt through the archway and flung the torch toward the right wing door. He then snuck quickly along the wall to the corner. The dragon spun around and released a fiery blast at the torch. William and Mari slunk against the wall, creeping along in the opposite direction.

The dragon wasn’t fooled for long, and became very unsettled. It turned its horny head this way and that, searching for the intruders it knew were there. It began to sniff the air and soon homed in on Chad’s location.

Mari and William reached the left wing and Mari produced an unlit torch that she had disposed of earlier. William quickly set it alight and they hurried into the room with the stone. They were confronted by two large arachnids rearing at them from atop the stone. Mari disposed of one with a throwing knife while William set the other ablaze with a weak fireball spell. William approached the stone, staff crown in hand.

In the main hall, Chad was trying frantically to stay hidden from the dragon. He was again behind the staircase, but had found himself trapped. The beast peered around it from one direction, then around the other. He was quite sure it could smell him.

Chad waited for the creature to peer around the left side one more time, then bolted for the right wing door. He dove through it just in time as a blast of flame filled the corridor. He regained his feet in time to see the great head of the dragon smash through the archway, inches from him. He turned and forcefully buried his steel between the eyes of the beast.

The blade became stuck in bone and as the dragon reared up, it pulled Chad back into the main hall, dropping him on the stone floor. Flames shot at the ceiling as the creature roared in pain, twisting in the throes of death. The great serpent fell over then, its massive neck pinning Chad where he lay.

William and Mari emerged from the left wing, staff in hand. They ran to the mercenary’s aid. Using the staff for leverage, they pried the great neck off Chad’s body. Blood trickled from his mouth as he struggled to speak.

“Mari.” He croaked mournfully. She knelt and took his hand in hers.

“It’s going to be all right,” she said. “The wizard will heal your wounds.”

“No Mari.” Chad said. “I am broken. He cannot fix me.”

“Don’t speak like a fool.” She told him. “We have succeeded. We will find a way out.”

“Wizard.” he labored. “You have the staff. Use it well. And take care of Mari, she will need looking after.”

“No, you buffoon!” Mari cried, grasping at Chad’s leather vest. “Don’t do this to me now!”

“I love you Mari.” Chad said, and they were the last words that he spoke. His head rolled to the side and he breathed no more.