That Infamous Key
Chapter Twelve

            "Wolves!" cried Bubbagump, as he loaded his hand crossbow.

            Wolfsire shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "That howl just doesn't sound quite right."

            "That's because Bubbagump is only half right," I said. "What you're hearing is only part wolf."

            "Lycanthrope!" cried Eileen.

            "Yes," I affirmed.

            "Lie-can . . . what?" asked Bubbagump.

            "Here!" Eileen thrust a canteen at the halfling.

            "I'm not thirsty," said the halfling.

            "Lycanthrope," I repeated. "A werewolf."

            "It's not for drinking, you silly . . .," Eileen shook her head. "It's holy water! Sprinkle it on your crossbow bolts!

            Bubbagump hastily snatched the canteen and unstopped it, splashing the water on his supply of bolts.

            "A werewolf!?" exclaimed Wolfsire. "My axe won't be much good against that!"

            "No," I agreed. "But you can still damage it and keep it at bay while Eileen and I do our best to kill it." I looked at Eileen. "Do your best to keep your shield between it and you. And use your silver dagger."

            "And you?" she asked.

            I presented my staff. "Fire."

            We readied ourselves and listened intently. We hadn't been whispering and I was sure that the creature was aware that we were awake and on guard. We formed a triangle, with Bubbagump in the center. As we listened, we could hear rustling coming from several directions.

            "There's more than one," said Wolfsire.

            "Perhaps," I admitted. "But they're also known to lead wolf packs, so . . ." I shrugged. It grew quiet. "Brace yourselves."

            They burst upon us all at once, from every direction. A quick glance told me that there were two werewolves and four, or five, normal wolves. Apparently Rudd -- called 'Lady Luck' -- was with us, for one of the Lycanthropes burst from its concealment right in front of me. Having already leveled my staff, I spoke the word of power and a jet of flame shot forth, engulfing the werewolf in front of me. It howled in pain and fell to the ground, writhing.

            My attack stunned the second Lycanthrope and it paused in its charge towards Eileen. Bubbagump fired his crossbow and his bolt struck true, right into the beast's shoulder. It threw back its head and howled its own cry of pain, its shoulder smoldering from the holy water on the bolt, wisps of smoke rising from its pelt.

            Eileen leapt forward and plunged her silver dagger into the werewolf's heart. It clutched at the dagger, then fell to the ground, dead. At the same time, the normal wolves had leapt at us. Wolfsire's axe nearly cut one of them in two. A second wolf slammed into me, knocking me down. I managed to get my arm up in time and the beast clamped down on it.

            "Urgh!" I cried out in pain as the animal began to savage my arm.

            Wolfsire turned and chopped down on the wolf, severing its spine. The animal released its grip upon me and fell over on its side, dying.

            Of the other two wolves, one had bowled over the halfling and the other snapped at Eileen. Then both suddenly stopped and looked around, whimpering. Taking it all in, with their sight and smell, they both turned and bolted away into the darkness. It had all happened in mere moments. As suddenly as it had started, it ended.

            "Well, that happened fast," observed the barbarian.

            "Not fast enough," I replied, sitting up and cradling my arm.

            Eileen turned to see me holding my arm. Blood was apparent in the firelight. "Here, let me look at that." Eileen came and knelt beside me. Gently taking hold of my arm, she rolled back the sleeve of my robe to examine the wound.

            "Those wolves ran away," Bubbagump said, in a puzzled tone.

            "Yes," I said. "They were lead by the werewolves." I caught my breath and winced as Eileen worked. "Once we killed the werewolves, the normal wolves were left to their own devices and fear got the better of them."

            "I'm sorry," Eileen softly said. "But this is going to hurt a bit."

            I just nodded that she should get on with it.

            "Fortunately, it was a normal wolf that bit you," she continued, indicating the dead wolf near me. "Otherwise . . ."

            "Yes," I agreed.

            "Otherwise . . . what?" asked Bubbagump.

            "Otherwise, he'd turn into a werewolf," Wolfsire answered.

            "Ooooo," the halfling breathed in wonderment.

            Eileen finished cleaning the wound, then, holding my arm and closing her eyes, she said a prayer. As we watched, the wounds on my arm began to close. The cleric opened her eyes. "That takes care of the wounds, but it will take a more powerful spell than that one to rid you of the scars." She shrugged.

            Feeling better, I stood. "It doesn't matter," I said, "I can live with the scars. A souvenir of our adventure." I smiled and laughed. The others joined in.

            Wolfsire walked over and examined the chard remains of the Lycanthrope I had burned. "This thing stinks," he said. "We need to drag the carcasses away from camp. We'll never get any sleep if we have to smell this all night." He looked at Bubbagump. "Get a rope."

            Bubbagump did so and the two of them set about hauling the bodies away. I moved to my bedroll and sat down. I reached for the pot on the fire and breathed my satisfaction; there was still some coffee. Eileen sat upon her bedroll.

            "I could use a mug of that too." She held out the mug and I poured.

            "Feels good to be alive, doesn't it?" I asked with a smile.

            "It does indeed," she agreed. Sipping coffee, she nodded at my staff. "That's quite a weapon."

            The staff rested upon my knees and I lifted it slightly. "It is a gift from my Master," I informed her.  "I can assure you that it would be quite sometime before I could acquire -- much less craft -- such a staff as this." I ran my hand along the shaft. "Technically, it is known as a Staff of Fire, only this one is slightly more special. A staff of this kind produces several types of fire spells, but that particular jet of fire that I used is actually the same as the fire breathed by a red dragon. That's why the Lycanthrope was consumed so quickly. There are few things that could stand up to such a blast."

            "Indeed," she agreed. "That's going to come in quite handy." She cleaned her dagger as we spoke.

            "No doubt," I agreed, "But there's both a danger and a limit to its use. You see, it's not really a 'finesse' weapon. It does considerable area damage. As long as the rest of you aren't standing in front of me when I use it . . ." I shrugged. "But, in a tight space?" I shrugged again. "It can harm us just as easily as it can our enemies."

            "I understand," she said. Then, smiling, "We'll just have to make sure that we're behind you."

            I nodded and we both laughed.

            "What's so funny?" asked Bubbagump, as he and Wolfsire returned to camp.

            "Just happy to be alive, my friend," I replied.

            "Yes!" the halfling agreed. "Charmalaine was surely with us!"

            "Charmalaine?" I asked.

            "Another halfling goddess," Bubbagump replied. "A minor one. Charmalaine is credited with 'narrow escapes.'"

            "Well, this probably qualifies," said Wolfsire, as he sat.

            "Well, I need to return to sleep," I said. "If I'm to be of any use tomorrow." I laid back upon my bedroll, staff near at hand.

            "Is it safe?" asked Bubbagump, turning his head quickly about.

            "Yes," I replied. "Those wolves won't be back tonight. And with two Lycanthropes in the area, it's doubtful that there are any other monsters about. The rest of the night should pass without incident." I rolled over onto my side.

            "Well, the rest of you turn in," ordered the barbarian. "It's my watch."

* * * *

            The sun rose brightly the next morning and we broke our fast. Eileen said her morning prayers and created more holy water for Bubbagump's bolts. When all was done, we continued on our journey. As I had planned, it only took a couple of hours to reach the Tomb of Blood Everflowing. This insured that we were well rested for whatever might lay ahead of us.

            The two red obelisks rose before us just as depicted. There was writing upon them. Off to one side was what remained of a long dead tree. It would do as a location for securing our mounts and I nodded in that direction. Riding close, I looked around before dismounting and muttered an incantation under my breath. There was a faint sense of magic emanating from the tomb, as I had expected, but I could detect nothing else in the immediate area. Nodding to myself, I dismounted and the others followed suit.

            "We'll tie the horses here," I looked around. "It seems the most suitable spot."

            "Loosen the saddle girths," Wolfsire advised. "It will let them breath easier. And use a halter rope, that's more secure than the reins."

            "Why not take the saddles off?" asked Bubbagump.

            "Because we might have to leave in a hurry," Eileen answered him.

            Everyone checked their gear. I patted myself down to insure that I had all of my pouches. Mortellan's Wand of Paralyzation was close at hand and my staff was firmly in my grasp. The gem quality ruby atop the staff would provide all the light I would need, so I carried no torch.

            As the others continued checking their gear and securing the horses, I approached the obelisks for a closer look. They stood about twenty feet tall and were some three feet square at their base, narrowing as they rose upward. The writing was old and weather worn, but I could just make out the language and the words. I heard the others approaching from behind.

            "What does it say?" Asked Eileen. "Can you read it?"

            "It kinda looks familiar," offered Wolfsire. "But I don't understand it." He was shaking his head.

            "It's ancient Suloise," I explained. "That's why it looks familiar to you." I looked at Wolfsire. "It was your people's original language, centuries ago. Of course, it's changed much during that time."

            He shrugged. "Makes sense."

            "What does it say?" asked Bubbagump.

            I shrugged. "Not much really. It just says that a Suel nobleman was buried here centuries ago. He was a devotee of Wee Jas, the Suel Goddess of Magic, Death, Vanity and Law."

            Bubbagump touched the obelisk. "This rock sure is red."

            I nodded. "Yes. A type of basalt, I should think, though I am no geologist."

            The halfling looked up at me. "Gee-o . . . what?"

            I smiled down at him. "A Geologist." I repeated.

            "A geologist is a person that studies rocks and such," Eileen clarified.

            "Studies rocks?" Bubbagump asked. "You mean, like, they sit and look at them?"

            I burst out laughing. "Something like that. But come, there will be time for such questions later. We need to get moving."

            Nodding agreement, the others followed along after me. The tomb's hill was barren, with little more than scrub growing upon it. There was a dark opening within a recessed area on the side of the hill, which proved to be the doorway. It had once been sealed with a large, heavy fitted stone, which could be seen lying upon the ground, off to one side. The door looked to have been open for some time.

            Wolfsire was squatting, studying the ground. "A lot of people have passed this way recently. He stood, readying his axe.

            Just inside the door was a set of dirt covered stairs, leading down. I spoke a word and the ruby atop my staff ignited, providing me with a red light. The light would provide illumination, but not to the point where the light could be seen at a great distance. I did not think it necessary to alert anyone inside to our presence.

            I reached the bottom of the stairs and took a couple of steps. A corridor seemed to cross the one we were in. I stepped forward and saw a channel cutting across my path, perhaps a foot wide. There was an odor in the air which lent a coppery taste to the tongue. Looking into the channel, I saw that it flowed with blood.

            To my left, recessed into the wall slightly, was a pool of red liquid. It appeared to be blood. There was a channel of this blood recessed into the floor and coming from my right. I followed the channel. Eileen followed behind me. "Careful where you step here," I admonished her, then I moved to the right.

            I followed the corridor for some ten feet, then it opened into a round room some fifteen feet across. Within this room was another pool of blood, perhaps ten feet across. Above it, mounted into the ceiling, was a skull. The blood flowed from the openings in the skull and into the well below. There was a lip on the well basin and the excess blood flowed from there into the channel in the floor. Upon the walls of the room were more of the ancient Suel writings. I stepped to my right, just inside the room, and Eileen was soon beside me.

            I looked over my shoulder. "This goes nowhere," I informed Wolfsire, who brought up the rear. "Watch our backs, we could easily get trapped in here." He nodded and moved back down the corridor.

            I gestured at the walls. "This appears to be a list of names." I moved around the pool. Eileen stayed near the door. I stopped and studied the writings. After a minute, I spoke again. "These are apparently the names of Suloise nobles." I wriggled my fingers and spoke a few words. "The blood is magical, necromantic in nature." I concentrated for a moment. "But I can detect no danger from it." I indicated that we should rejoin Wolfsire and Bubbagump.

            Taking the lead once more, I proceeded down the original corridor. I did not have far to go before I stood in the doorway of another room. This one appeared some fifteen feet wide, by nearly twice that long. There were murals upon the walls and it was easy to see that this chamber has once been richly painted. Now they were covered by various writings, in several languages.

            I could see small alcoves in the corners nearest to me which contained sarcophagi, as near as I could tell. But their broken lids lay upon the floor and I knew that they had been pillaged of any valuables long ago. Some five feet in front of me was another pool of blood and the taste of copper was heavy, but this pool was rectangular. It was five feet wide and stretched the length of the room, all the way to the far northern wall. I stepped to the right and Eileen entered through the door.

            "Squeeze next to me and let Wolfsire slide past you and take the left." I spoke loud enough that all of my companions could hear. "Bubbagump, watch the rear and follow behind Wolfsire." I looked at Eileen. "You follow behind me."

            We proceeded down the two corridors. The pool was not so wide that we could not leap across it, if that became necessary. Halfway down there was another corridor to my right and Wolfsire's left. Taking a few steps into it, I saw more broken sarcophagi.

            "More broken coffins here," I informed the barbarian.

            "Same here," he replied.

            We moved on. Upon reaching the end, one didn't need to be a tracker to see the bloody footprints upon the stone path. Many such foot prints.

            "What are these writings?" asked the ever curious Bubbagump.

            "Graffiti," said Eileen. I looked at her and she shrugged. "One of them is in Common and I recognize one of the other languages." I just nodded.

            The pool of blood seemed to end at the northern wall of the room and yet the pool was churning, causing soft burbling sounds to echo through the room. And then there were the foot prints on the floor. I kept looking at these things, as did Wolfsire. Finally, we looked at each other.

            "I'm thinking 'secret door,'" I told him.

            Nodding his head, he agreed. "Has to be. Where else could these people have gone?"

            Eileen examined the small alcove in the corner, where another pillaged sarcophagi was to be found. "There's dust on these." She looked from one of us to the other. "These were not robbed recently."

            "My Master implied that this tomb has been visited often," I informed them. "Obviously, no one ever made it past this point . . . until Veltargo and his cabal figured it out."

            "What are those?" Bubbagump asked, pointing at the north wall, above the pool.

            There were small indentions on the wall in an irregular pattern. I looked closer and ran my fingers over them. They seemed familiar. "Wait a minute," I said, and drew the talisman Altamaic had given me from my pouch. Sure enough, the Cairn Charm fit right into the indention. But nothing happened.

            I looked closer at the indentions and noticed that there was a tiny, circular groove around it. A thought occurred to me and I turned the Cairn Charm in the indention. There was a hiss and then a grinding sound and then a doorway began to open. Blood immediately began draining from the pool. Once the door had fully opened, a stairway leading downward was revealed and the blood flowed down the stairs.

            "Well, that explains the foot prints," said Wolfsire.

            The blood level in the pool quickly dropped to a couple of inches.

            "Well, there's nothing now but to move forward," I said. "It's the nature of such doors not to remain open for too long." Retrieving the Cairn Charm and placing it into my pouch, I stepped down into the pool.

            "By the Gods, this is . . . disgusting," said Eileen, as she followed me in.

            "It's icky," agreed Bubbagump, but he jumped down too.

            As usual, Wolfsire brought up the rear.

            The stairs descended a full level. At the bottom the corridor stretched forward for some seven feet and then opened up, providing room for all of us to stand. A moment later, I heard the door grinding closed. We stood upon a ledge that overlooked a chasm some thirty feet across. The light from my staff barely reached the other side, which was a good thing.

            The taste of copper was nearly overwhelming. There was an enormous amount of blood in that chasm.
           
           

To be continued... Stay tuned!

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