Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)

The flash of fire momentarily blinds Cadfael, but the smell is enough to tell him that Sa'id's fires have once again found their mark. It's fitting, in a way, that the fire breathed back into his body should flash out to take another life in payment. He knows, of course, that it doesn't that work that way. The only thing that begets violence is violence. But it's hard to shake the notion that all the blessings he's asked for in the past week have been not been for what he thought, but rather to speed the destruction of Pelor's foes.

And so be it. Kill or be killed, not even Gods can escape this universal truth.

The shriek of Farron's eagle reminds him that, still as things are on the ground, there is more of God's work to be done. He jogs back to the mage and hisses in his ear, "Stay close to Mission, they will not risk bringing harm to the child. Were it not for him those tentacles would have finished what the arrows started and no power of mine could have brought Sa'id back."

He doesn't wait for an answer, there is neither the time nor the need for one. Rather, a quick prayer falls effortlessly from his tongue and the heat within Farron's veins is renewed.

[Cure Medium Wounds -- Monster Summoning II if I took it, Remove Paralysis if I didn't. Clearly I need to save the spell lists I give to Ty. Or stop pretending I'm going to cast anything other than a heal :p]

Subject: The Chase; hey look, Sa'id is alive, but, then so is the witch (1)

[Initiative Rennik 24, Tichenor 22, Garyth 22, Farron 22, Eagle1 22, Witch 21, (11)black tentacles 21, Sa'id 19, Mission 14, Cadfael 4]

Rennik runs past Garyth, pausing only long enough to grab a flask of oil off a hook on his backpack, then heads toward the itchy moss. Tichenor stays by his side, looking everywhere at once, and growling. Clearly, he is not as convinced that the fight is over. Rennik sees the cut on his flank still dripping blood, and feels a pang. The wolf had taken wounds defending them, as any good pack member would. But unlike the rest of them, the wolf did not understand why what they were doing was important. He would get no food or chance to mate from today's fight. The fact that he fights anyway, simply to defend his pack, shames Rennik when a vision of walking out on the group a couple days ago flashes into his head. Mielikki's lessons are as simple and harsh as Tichenor himself.

Garyth calls to Rennik to help him, but the halfling just grabs a flask of oil off his back and runs off. Shrugging, Garyth moves to the fallen ranger's side. A little blood still pumps feebly from the severed wrist, and there is a flutter in the half elf's neck as his pulse races and then fades. Looking at him now, Garyth sees a gentle and handsome face. He remembers the ranger's grace and quickness in battle, the obvious dedication to mastery of the blade. And he wonders what happened to this man that put him in league with something like Kor Garesh. By his side is the severed hand and long sword, smoking in the damp air. The ranger also wears a chain shirt of remarkable strength and lightness, though it is several sizes to small for the big shouldered guardsman. Finally, a quiver of fine arrows is still on the half elf's back, reminding Garyth that the ranger had dropped a longbow in the brush when he drew his swords.

Farron pauses while Cadfael rushes toward him. He is hoping that the cleric intends to impart some of Pelor's grace. Three arrows still stick out of him, and he drips blood on the ground at an alarming rate. While he waits for the cleric, he looks up, hoping to catch some glimpse of the battle still raging up there. While he waits, there is another shriek from his celestial eagle, followed by a cry of pain. The eagle must have hit the witch again. He mentally cheers the summoned creature on. Through the treetops, he sees a flash of light, and then the second eagle falls down through the leaves and branches to land with a thud not too far away.

Sa'id turns to Mission, who looks at him with a vague expression of distaste. In his arms, Promise stares wide eyed, with only curiosity on his cherubic face. "Thank you," the wizard says, and Mission nods. "I think they can feel Promise somehow. We have no other choice but to run, with minimal rest, until we are safe." Mission nods again, looking down at the baby this time.

Mission turns away and calls to Rennick. "If you start a fire, you will mark exactly where our camp was to the rest of Kor Garesh's army. They won't need a tracker to know where we've gone, then." But it may be too late. The halfling is already kneeling at the side of the moss patch with oil and flint in his hands. Mission calls to the rest of the group, his voice tight and desperate. "We can't let the witch live. If she found us once, she could find us again, and bring more troops."

Cadfael catches up to Farron and says, "Stay close to Mission, they will not risk bringing harm to the child. Were it not for him those tentacles would have finished what the arrows started and no power of mine could have brought Sa'id back." Farron nods at this. It's a good point. The witch could have put the tentacles directly under Sa'id's unconscious body, and probably killed him and the monk. It does seem that she went out of her way not to hurt the child. In fact, looking at Mission now, it is possible to see that he took not one wound during the fight. He is the only one unhurt. As he thinks this, relief floods into him, sudden and wonderful surcease of pain [Healed 16]. All three arrows are removed, and only small wounds remain when Cadfael's ministrations are completed.

Subject: Re: The Chase; hey look, Sa'id is alive, but, then so is the witch (1)

Rennik smiles over his shoulder at the monk.

"And I hope they come running right to this spot! You saw what just rubbing against this plant did - the army would be running straight into a cloud of oily smoke, breathing that poison into their lungs and blinking it into their eyes."

He continues with his preparations, but does not yet light the moss.

"There is no wind, so the smoke will stay in the area and not follow us, just spread under the dense canopy slowly, making a wide smoke screen. With luck, it will drift up just enough through the gaps in the canopy to choke down that cursed witch, too. Only the skeletons and zombies will be unaffected."

Looking at Mission, he agrees with Cadfael's assessment.

"We took a beating, but nothing came anywhere close to hurting the child. We should stay as close as possible to Friend Mission - if only to prevent them from using more damnable magic, or risking ranged weapons."

"We must move quickly, though," he nods in the direction of Kalama territory. "Stealth is no longer an option - they know where we are. For all we know, that devilspawn witch may have sent a beacon to call the armies right to us - if they aren't drawn to the child already."

"As soon as you start moving, I will light the moss and follow."

If he has time, Rennik will dig a shallow ditch around the moss with his heel, to limit any spread of the fire beyond what is necessary. The leaves are all very damp from the rain anyway, which would limit the spread of the fire, but every little bit helps. While a raging forest fire between the party and the armies of the dark might be a great help, he simply could not justify destroying a swath of jungle simply through carelessness.

He will burn only what he needs to, and limit the spread as much as he can.

Subject: Re: The Chase; hey look, Sa'id is alive, but, then so is the witch (1)

Garyth kneels by the dead ranger, staring at his face. Whatever brought him to this, Garyth hopes that his spirit finds rest and freedom from the Soul-Drinker. Glancing up, he sees that Rennik is not coming, and not waiting either. He reaches out and gently closes the half-elf's eyes, then takes the quiver, sword, and scabbard. Such a fine warrior deserves a proper burial along with the tools of his trade, but there's no time and the party can't afford to leave the weapons behind.

Garyth stands and glances around for the bow. He lingers a moment more, grimly giving the ranger a mental salute, before running off to rejoin his party.

OOC: Garyth won't spend more than a few seconds looking for the bow. If he finds it, he'll take it, if not he'll just hope that taking the arrows is enough.