Scorched Campaign

13: Scales

.^^ Hoard ^^

— Tommy —

Sandy turned a baleful glare at me slowly. "What?" She growled darkly.

"Didn't you know? The Skøll Clan will rise from all High Lady's to the Duchesses of the Northern Territory, while Gramma Hilde will get the rank of Marquess, and therefore the Skøll clan will be the Fourth Great House." I shrugged, unnerved by her steady and intense glare.

Cassidy sighed, and patted her lover's back gently. "As insensitive as Tommy is, that is the deal. After we're done, the Skøll Clan and Clock Wardens takes over here, by order of the Queen." She explained.

Sandy hummed. "I see, I thought you meant you were going to simply claim it. If the Queen has decreed that is what's happening, then all is well. We should wait a bit, watch their reactions... ambush the group's they send to investigate."

"I agree. Can you make a little hidden inlet in the wall, over here? We can hide the boat, and rest a bit, then kill the roving parties as they appear. It'll be good training for the girls." Cassidy nodded.

I hummed, and then blinked. "Glade, hold me away from the water for a moment, I'm going to cleanse a small section for us to drink." I explained what I meant, and he held me suspended over the edge of the water, as I carved multitude of anti-poison Sigils along both sides of the inlet's bank.

As they activated, the water shimmered, and steam started rising as the poison was removed, as soon as it reached the inlet. I pulled out a bottle of poison cure and placed it against my lips, just in case, then placed my hands into the water. When nothing happened, I cupped some, and sipped it, then gagged.

Cassidy immediately tipped the potion back, pounding my back until I pushed her off me. "I'm Alright, it's clean, it just tastes like rancid blood, from all the dead things in it. Gimme a moment." I gulped down the potion just in case, and added more cleansing Sigils and Runes along the bank, focusing on impurities, more than poison.

More mist, then the water cleared up until it was crystalline, and when I tasted it again, it was perfectly clean. "Alright, it's safe now." I nodded, and looked up, finding myself alone on the bank, with the entire inlet gone. "Guys?" I frowned, and looked around, then searched with my mind, looking for Caz.

I frowned, and stomped towards her, passing around the optical illusion of the layered stone walls, making the entrance disappear, then punching her in the gut as hard as I could. Sandy laughed as I immediately regretted my decision, groaning as the pain hit me as well. "You bitch!" I grumbled, and kicked Caz in the chest.

She laughed and dodged it easily, grabbing my leg and flipping me onto my back. "That all you got?" She teased.

I paused, hearing a set of footsteps and one odd, vibratory sound. I held up a hand, and slunk up to the entrance, peeking out of the illusory exit. About twenty feet away, four Dwarves with dark grey skin were guarding a floating beholder with only five eyes, two on either side and one big center eye.

'That's a Spectator, not a Beholder. Weaker servants to the Beholders.' Glade's mind tapped mine gently.

'Weaker How? Less spells?' I responded.

'Yes. They can cause wounds and turn spells against you, instead of negating them. In a way, they could be more dangerous, because of that. Don't use magic.' He nodded.

'No problem.' I grinned, and pulled out my new grenade launcher. 'Finally gives me a good reason to use this!' I fired an acid-gas round, and leaned against the wall lazily as the four Dwarves dove into the water to get the acid off, forgetting it was poison.