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Back to Empire on the HPe3000
... and ...
This is a first draft of a story set in the world of Greyhawk.
It is based on a home campaign so some of the people, places and things
may be different. Any helpful comments or suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks
Jason Zavoda
"Cllaaannn-Gggeeddd-IN!" screamed Nyradir. The dwarf had found his
axe, jumbled carelessly with the equipment of his slain companions, and
now raced across the camp to attack the giants. But they had fled, the
last of them already on the trail and heading up, to escape the fire-beast
that chased them.
His head whipped round as he scanned the camp. Behind him one
giant stood, the monstrous warrior facing an unarmed man. Galar gave a
whistle, drawing Nyradir's attention, and pointed to the giant. The dwarf
gave a shake of his head, "Cursed priests." he muttered, then turned back
to the man and the giant.
He expected to see the man dead, crushed beneath the giant's heel,
or smashed by a huge fist. Instead, the giant backed away as the man came
forward. The giant lunged, but half-heartedly, a weak, brush with his hand
that the man easily avoided. There was a solid thump. Nyradir couldn't see
what had happened, but the giant limped back, favoring one leg, and the
man swirled aside and to the giant's left.
"Clangedin!" Nyradir shouted, then ran with his axe brought to one
shoulder.
The giant kept shifting, trying to keep the man in his sight, and
the man kept moving to the left. They had turned so that now the giant's
back was toward Nyradir. The dwarf smiled. The best way to attack a giant
was from behind, or with a boulder dropped from a very high cliff.
A dwarf had to strike at what he could and whittle an opponent
down to size. Nyradir brought his axe up from his shoulder and slashed
open the back of the giant's knee.
There was a gout of blood, shooting out as the giant stiffened,
the monstrous body going straight as a board and tipping forward. Then the
injured leg gave way and the huge warrior dropped to one side with a
rumble like an avalanche.
Nyradir chopped at the giant's neck as the man seemed to flow
toward him and crush the barrel-sized throat with the heel of his foot.
"Well-met!" laughed Nyradir.
The man said nothing, but gave the dwarf a nod.
Nyradir's smile faded from his lips as he nodded back. "A grim
one." he thought to himself
There was a clap like thunder and a blinding flash of light.
Something screeched, its voice fading off as if it fell into a deep, deep
pit.
* * *
"That thing still lives." said Ghibelline. The elf pointed with
his sword as he spoke to Gytha.
From beneath the body of the giant it had killed, the fire-beast
clawed itself free. It tossed the carcase of the huge warrior aside, the
back of the giant had been burnt to the bone and almost hollowed out by
the elemental it had lain upon.
"I don't think that it is on our side." Ghibelline said over his
shoulder. He lunged and put the point of his blade through the creatures
throat. He might as well have tried to stab a flame.
The creature hissed, a bright red tongue, the color of a
sword-blade fresh pulled from the forge, licked out. It hurt the eyes just
to look at the creature. The elemental rose, and Ghibelline's sword passed
down through its body. Stepping forward it engulfed the blade up to the
hilt and would have kept coming up the arm, till it could sink its
white-hot, molten teeth into the elf's throat.
Ghibelline pulled back, giant's blood sizzling on the edge of his
sword, cooked by the body of the elemental. He ducked a slash from the
fire-beast's claws, but they left three deep burns across his forearm.
"Back to the flames beast!" commanded Gytha. The Cuthbertine
priestess strode forward with her iron staff held in both hands. "By the
strength of the holy Saint, send this fire-beast, this nameless elemental
of fire, send it back to the place of its creation. It is not of this
Oerth. O Saint, cast it out!" she screamed and brought her staff down on
the creatures head.
* * *
(To Be Continued...)