{"id":236,"date":"2018-11-02T11:59:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T11:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/141.148.246.190\/index.php\/single-post\/wings-of-chaos-pt-5\/"},"modified":"2022-11-30T18:20:05","modified_gmt":"2022-11-30T17:20:05","slug":"wings-of-chaos-pt-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/index.php\/2018\/11\/02\/wings-of-chaos-pt-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Wings of Chaos: Chapter 6-7"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Chapter Six: Choosing Sides<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Whisper\u2019s paws were shackled with heavy iron chains linked between them, and he was dragged to the prison tents without another word. <\/span><\/p>\n

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All within the span of a few hours the tabaxi had boldly walked into the enemy camp, had acted as an initiate to the Cult of the Dragon, had washed dishes in the cooking tents with a friendly dwarf named Baror, and had wandered to find the monk Leosin, who was also a prisoner. He had approached a commander and asked too many questions about the leaders of the cult: Mondath, Rezmir, and Langdedrosa. He was recognized as the \u201cpet\u201d–bah, how insulting. <\/em>The human was clearly his pet—<\/em>of Shale, the woman who fought Langdedrosa in Greenest. He was subsequently arrested and was now being taken away. They thoroughly ignored his explanations.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The tabaxi was not worried, however.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Two guards pushed Whisper through the tent flap, and he stepped ahead lithely. He stood a full foot taller than either of his human guards. Dust rose up from the packed earth as they followed him through, and the tabaxi gazed about his new surroundings with quick, examining eyes. The walls were made of thick, beige canvas stained by dozens of previous rainfalls. Several stakes were in the ground, wrapped and bolted with chains. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSend for Langdedrosa,\u201d Whisper said in draconic, turning to face his captors. \u201cI wish to speak with him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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One of the guards, a man with thinning red hair and a large birthmark crawling up the side of his neck, raised a hand and backhanded the tabaxi. Whisper took the punch and held back a hiss, the hairs at the base of his tail rising. \u201cShut it, cat,\u201d the man said in a thick accent. They proceeded to chain him.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou idiots have arrested an initiate of the cult. Go. Get. Langdedrosa.\u201d Whisper growled.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The second guard, a dark-skinned burly man with cropped hair, studied the tabaxi uncertainly. \u201cUh, Carid, maybe we should\u2014if we arrested a follower\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cOur commander told us to arrest him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m going,\u201d the second man muttered, pushing out of the tent and leaving the one named Carid behind. Carid grumbled, spat in the dirt, then placed himself firmly at the door, casting a dirty look back at the tabaxi.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whisper sat back and waited, absently wishing he could reach his ball of yarn.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat do we do now?\u201d Keelan asked, standing atop the cliff beside Oszaren and Fillip, having just watched the scene unfold below in the army grounds. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI say we lay low until sundown,\u201d Oszaren suggested, making another mark on his map. \u201cWe can\u2019t help him in the light of day.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat if they kill Whisper?\u201d Keelan paused, looking at them both. \u201cDo\u2014we care?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe can\u2019t let that happen,\u201d the warlock said, and Fillip shrugged at Keelan. \u201cWhisper is one of us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c\u2018One of us\u2019,\u201d Keelan repeated sarcastically, \u201cwe\u2019ve known each other for five minutes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIf they recognized him, they will definitely recognize you,\u201d Fillip pointed out to Oszaren, who nodded distractedly. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe should tell Shale and Reverence.\u201d Keelan scratched his chin and gazed down at the prison tents, shifting his weight foot to foot as if deliberating over a very difficult arithmetic problem. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAt least one of us should stay up here and keep watch,\u201d Oszaren told them. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to miss anything.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI can go,\u201d Keelan said and the other two nodded their assent. \u201cI\u2019ll be back.\u201d With that, the human jogged away, heavy armour clanking. Oszaren winced at the sound, then turned back to studying the army.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A dark-skinned man ran from the prisoner\u2019s tent to the massive command tent. He stood conversing with the guards there briefly, then one guard disappeared inside. A few minutes later, the huge, blue-scaled form of the half-dragon Langdedrosa emerged from the command tent beside the same woman who was in Greenest: with short, dark hair, wearing robes streaked with purple and carrying a glaive at her back. They followed the guard through the camp in long strides. Eight guards, a mixture of humans, dwarves and one elf, flanked them with spears. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Fillip crossed his arms. \u201cWell, it seems that our friend Whisper is fucked,\u201d as the group entered the prison tent.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Shale and Reverence listened to Keelan\u2019s description of Whisper\u2019s arrest while quickly packing up their belongings and beginning the journey up the cliffs. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is troublesome,\u201d Reverence said slowly, \u201cand there are two ways we can go about this. We can\u2014create a distraction, or, we can\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cInfiltrate them,\u201d Shale nodded. \u201cExcept we would need convincing disguises for that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe can discuss it all once we\u2019re together,\u201d Keelan sighed, and after a moment, added. \u201cAre cats even good?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThat\u2014is a philosophical question,\u201d Reverence said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI mean, this is Whisper, right?\u201d Shale said. \u201cWe have to get him out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cHow well do we know Whisper?\u201d the monk asked, and Shale shook her head. \u201cHe entered the camp\u2014without consulting\u2014any of us. He might\u2014be up to something.\u201d She had known the tabaxi for less than two weeks. There was very little she knew about him. Excluding Oszaren, whom she met at the same time as Whisper, she had spent very little time with any of her travel companions.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The image of a man\u2019s face melting from white-hot flames came to the forefront of her vision, and she shuddered. They could trust Whisper, couldn\u2019t they?<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cUntil he proves otherwise, we give him the benefit of our trust,\u201d Shale finally said. \u201cThe same trust we\u2019ve afforded to each one of us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Keelan nodded thoughtfully, gazing off into the distance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The massive blue form of Langdedrosa crouched through the tent flap and stood before the chained tabaxi, who was shackled low to the ground and otherwise would have stood to a height with the half-dragon, though the latter weighed at least a dozen stone more.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whisper bowed his head respectfully to the stern half-dragon, who did not return the courtesy. \u201cI see our guards were right about you, fluffy ears.\u201d His voice was a deep, growling snarl.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The woman with the short, dark hair, approached as well and folded her arms. Mondath<\/em>, that was her name. Frulam Mondath<\/em>. In draconic, she said, \u201chow did you find us?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe followed your army\u2019s trail. It was not hard.\u201d Whisper responded in draconic. \u201cAre you stupid? I am an initiate, as I have said again and again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cPerhaps I should have clarified,\u201d she said patiently. \u201cHow do you know about us? About what we are? I have not seen you with us before, and you were with those outsiders in Greenest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whisper moved a chained paw to reach inside his coat, and a half-dozen guards drew their weapons in an instant and raised them in his face. \u201cI\u2019m showing you how I know,\u201d the tabaxi said, slowly reaching into his coat and drawing out a small book that was little more than a pamphlet. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The woman reached down and took it from him, examining the pages with raised eyebrows. Langdedrosa eyed it curiously, then shot Whisper an appraising look. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhere did you find this?\u201d Mondath asked. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s my only possession,\u201d Whisper said quietly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThat doesn\u2019t answer my questions,\u201d she responded. \u201cWhere are your friends?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cFriends? I don\u2019t know where they are. I mean\u2014they aren\u2019t here. I don\u2019t have any.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou don\u2019t have any,\u201d Langdedrosa repeated, \u201cor you don\u2019t know where they are?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYes,\u201d Whisper said quickly. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWell,\u201d Mondath sighed, tucking the pamphlet into her coat, \u201cthis is troubling.\u201d She signaled to their guards and they all turned to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cQuestion,\u201d Whisper said derisively, \u201cdo you normally arrest your initiates?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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They ignored him, so he loudly said \u201cAsk Baror the dwarf. I washed dishes with him all day of my own volition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mondath stopped and looked back at him. \u201cHow very kind of you to wash our dishes. Nonetheless, Baror is known to have a tongue that can be bought. A few coins from you and he would tell us the tallest of tales.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWell I\u2014I did not know that about him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cPresumably, or you would not have mentioned it,\u201d she said lightly, and she pushed open the flap of the tent.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWait! What is the Harper doing here?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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She paused again, this time striding a few steps toward Whisper. \u201cAnd how do you know about that?\u201d She sounded partly amused and partly exasperated. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m an initiate,\u201d Whisper said again, looking at each of them in turn with heavy contempt. \u201cI know everything. I know about the dragon lady, Rezmir, I know about\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDon\u2019t say her name,\u201d Langdedrosa hissed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cSorry, I didn\u2019t know that,\u201d the tabaxi looked down humbly. \u201cAs I said, I am only an initiate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe do not know you,\u201d the woman said slowly, scratching her forehead and looking to the half-dragon. \u201cThere\u2019s only one thing we can do.\u201d She looked over at Carid. \u201cYou and your men will tie him up with the monk. We will execute them both at dawn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Carid nodded his head smugly, calling for his fellow guard, who rushed in immediately. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAh, did I mention I\u2019m here for the monk?\u201d the tabaxi strained forward in his chains excitedly. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYour story grows more convoluted by the minute,\u201d Langdedrosa said.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI came to contact Tiamat. Can\u2019t you smell it on me?\u201d he looked at the half-dragon probingly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Langdedrosa eyed Mondath with a confused expression. \u201cSmell what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whisper stuck out one sharp claw and slashed open the padding of his other. In a quick flash, a streak of crimson appeared, blood pooling up then seeping over his palm and into his fur. \u201cNow do you smell it?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Langdedrosa gave him an odd look and said, \u201cno.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDragon\u2019s blood,\u201d Whisper said in a reverent voice.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t know what this freak is talking about,\u201d the half-dragon muttered to Mondath. \u201cPerhaps he is mad after all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cUnbind my hands,\u201d Whisper insisted. \u201cI will show you my powers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cLet him stew for tonight,\u201d Langdedrosa said finally.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cDon\u2019t!\u201d the tabaxi said. \u201cDon\u2019t let me stew tonight. If you do, my friends will definitely try something stupid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou said you didn\u2019t know where your friends were,\u201d Mondath pointed out.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t, obviously, but they\u2019re somewhere.\u201d Whisper shook his head emphatically, \u201cI know them. They will act. And, I know that Greenest is creating an army as we speak\u2014to take you down. I can help stop it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cGreenest, an army?\u201d Langdedrosa asked with interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cUnbind my hands,\u201d Whisper said again, squirming in his bonds. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou are in no position to bargain, fluffy ears,\u201d the half-dragon nearly laughed. \u201cWe\u2019re done with him. Tie him up with the monk, and then we\u2019ll see how long his supposed faith lasts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI am an initiate of the dragon lady!\u201d Whisper shouted after them, then swore in common. Langdedrosa and Mondath exited the tent with their guards, leaving Whisper to be unfettered by the remaining two guards. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cLet\u2019s go, kitty,\u201d Carid smiled, wrenching Whisper to his feet. \u201cWho knows, maybe once you\u2019re dead we can stuff you and keep you as a trophy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whisper allowed them to push him out of the prisoner\u2019s tent. They led the tabaxi to an open clearing where several huge wooden stakes were posted into the ground. Chained to the one nearest him stood the semi-conscious form of Leosin. They quickly wrapped thick rope around Whisper\u2019s torso on an adjacent stake, leaving his hands, still shackled, pressed tightly against his chest. The guards left in a hurry, ignoring Whisper\u2019s requests. The large command tent was at least a hundred yards from him, and there were guards posted in front of it. Whisper waited, then shouted at one as he passed by to check on the prisoners.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou!\u201d He shouted in draconic. \u201cGet Langdedrosa! It\u2019s urgent!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

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The man looked at him uncertainly and drew nearer. \u201cIf I were you, I wouldn\u2019t tempt my fate,\u201d the human said in common. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019ve already chosen to execute me at dawn,\u201d Whisper said in draconic, \u201cwhat could one more conversation harm?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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The man shrugged, \u201cit\u2019s your own grave you\u2019re digging,\u201d then made his way to the command tent. A moment or two later, Langdedrosa emerged from the tent and loomed over the guard, leaving him cowering under the half-dragon\u2019s glare. After a short, stilted conversation, Langdedrosa strode over to Whisper flanked by two guards. The one who had sent his message went rushing away in the other direction, happy to be out of Landedrosa\u2019s piercing gaze. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou certainly wish for death, fluffy ears,\u201d he rumbled. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI need to speak with you,\u201d he hesitated, looking at the two guards. \u201cPrivately.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cNo,\u201d Langdedrosa said shortly.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI have a plan to speak to the dragon queen,\u201d Whisper said calmly. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Langdedrosa squinted his eyes at him. \u201cWhat do you know that we don\u2019t, tabaxi?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI have sought knowledge from Candlekeep,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cThis monk,\u201d he gestured to the sleeping form of Leosin, \u201cis my way in. I plan to use him to break into their library and steal all of their information on the cult.\u201d When Langdedrosa didn\u2019t respond, he continued. \u201cYou need someone smart to go in there, to modify their information.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAnd that\u2019s you?\u201d Langdedrosa laughed humourlessly. \u201cYou and your friends lack honour. Why would I trust you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m on your side,\u201d Whisper breathed through his teeth, steadying his patience.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Langdedrosa gave him a long, studying look. \u201cWell, you certainly do know a lot for an initiate. Too much, if you ask me.\u201d He glanced over at the monk. \u201cWe will speak further of this in the morning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Whisper bowed his head. \u201cThank you for listening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Langdedrosa nodded carefully, then cast Whisper a curious grin and left with his guards.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat in the fiery depths was that?\u201d Fillip demanded. \u201cDid that dragon-person just smile at Whisper?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s odd, I’ll grant you,\u201d Oszaren agreed. \u201cBut, we should trust Whisper. I\u2019m sure he\u2019s just telling them what they want to hear.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI guess so,\u201d Fillip sighed. \u201cThey didn\u2019t seem too agitated by him, so that\u2019s good. It means we have time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cStill, we should not waste time. We have to break him out tonight, at dark.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAgreed,\u201d the druid said. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Shale, Reverence and Keelan trekked up the hill around the army base for at least an hour, passing men carrying bows and strings of rabbits. The three of them carried a deer tied to a long branch between them. They simply nodded to the group as they passed and continued on their way. With an army as large as this one, they had need of constant hunting parties scouring the surrounding area for wild game.<\/span><\/p>\n

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They soon crested another hill and saw Oszaren and Fillip sitting together in close discussion. \u201cWhat have we missed?\u201d Keelan asked, striding ahead of them and glancing down over the hundred-foot drop.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019ve brought Whisper outside. He\u2019s with Leosin.\u201d Oszaren said, and they quickly filled them in on everything that had happened.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe saw him talking to that blue fellow a lot,\u201d Fillip added. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cCould you\u2014hear any of it?\u201d Reverence asked. His voice and the pace of his speech had improved somewhat, but it still had a soft, sleepy timber to it. <\/span><\/p>\n

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They both shook their heads. <\/span><\/p>\n

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A sudden, booming voice echoed below. The voice was distinctly female, husky, and spoken in a harsh, guttural tongue. The five of them jumped to their feet and ran to the edge. Standing before a large, dome-shaped tent stood a fierce, black-scaled half-dragon. It seemed she had amplified her voice by magical means, and soldiers everywhere had turned to listen to her. When she was finished speaking, she stepped back through the tent and disappeared from view.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat was that?\u201d Shale asked, \u201cdid anyone understand that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Oszaren said, \u201cit was draconic. I only caught pieces of it. Something about \u2018dawn\u2019 and \u2018the tunnels\u2019\u2026 It sounds as if they plan to leave.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhere are they going to go, I wonder,\u201d Keelan said aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cAnd why\u2014are they\u2014in such a hurry,\u201d Reverence added. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cMaybe Whisper told them about us,\u201d the paladin wondered.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Oszaren shook his head. \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t be hard to guess we\u2019re nearby, after capturing one of our own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThis means we have a firm deadline,\u201d Shale said. \u201cDawn.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThen we should start planning,\u201d Oszaren spread his map out before them.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Shale had to admit that, without Whisper there to run off and ignore them, the planning went much smoother. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\nChapter Seven: An Eye for an Eye<\/span><\/h3>\n
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The group discussed several plans before finally settling on one that would, hopefully, not get everyone killed. With their promise made to Nazim, they had two people to rescue from a cult army, filled with spellcasters and fighters. The prospect was not appealing, but nevertheless necessary. Their biggest question was how to remove the bonds from Whisper and Leosin after sneaking through the camp. The rope wouldn\u2019t be too difficult. After all, Whisper had claws. But, the shackles were another story. None of them were great at picking locks and smashing metal with a hammer was not an option. The goal was to get in and out unheard. They had to get them past the hundred-foot cliffs before removing the shackles. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cKeelan, I suggest you go naked,\u201d Fillip proposed happily.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cUh, what?\u201d the paladin stopped his chewing and looked over at the druid. They were getting in a quick meal of bread before dark.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWell, because your armour is so loud,\u201d the half-elf said flippantly. \u201cObviously.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cPlease, no more nakedness,\u201d Shale pleaded. \u201cI\u2019ve already seen enough of that from this group.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cYeah, I\u2019m not doing that,\u201d Keelan grunted uncomfortably.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThey won\u2019t be able to see us up there, so long as we hold the ladder until the last possible moment,\u201d Shale pointed out. \u201cSo, your armour shouldn\u2019t be a problem. Just\u2014don\u2019t fall off the cliff,\u201d she added. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Fillip pulled out a packet from his bag and began smearing fake blood over his face, hair and shirt. As he worked on this, Reverence took out rope and handed half of it to Shale, and the two of them began weaving knots into the length of it, creating a makeshift ladder. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cThe ladder is done,\u201d Shale announced a half hour later, just as the sun was dipping near the horizon and streaks of colour were settling over the landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Fillip clapped his hands together with excitement. \u201cExcellent. Ready, tiefling?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reverence stood.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cGood luck,\u201d Oszaren nodded to them. \u201cWe\u2019ll be waiting.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Fillip looked around at all of them confidently. \u201cFriends, if this plan works out, it\u2019s going to be really awesome.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Reverence gave a short bow, then he and Fillip turned and began their slow journey. Fillip would transform once they were nearer the guarded entrance. In the meantime, he kept his cloak up to hide all the fake blood streaked through his hair and face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Shale, Keelan and Oszaren made for a spattering of trees at the highest point of the clifftops, where they carefully tied their rope ladder to the thickest, sturdiest trees they could find. They unfurled it and left it in a neat pile behind a sharp boulder at the edge of the cliff. From this vantage point, they could look down over the entire army. But, more importantly, they stood only a couple hundred feet from Whisper and Leosin, meaning they could watch the prisoners easily. Now that Shale stood on the ledge, she guessed it to be a hundred and fifty foot drop down. They had made the ladder at least that length, but she still felt twisting knots in her stomach as she considered the height. It would be easy enough to shoot down at the enemy from here, and much more difficult for the enemy to shoot back at them, should they be seen. That also meant that it was an incredible climb for their companions. So far, they had hardly seen Leosin stir. Could he make the climb?<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cBless us, Kossuth,\u201d Keelan whispered, watching the army in the growing darkness. There seemed to be a light behind his eyes when he took to prayer, something Shale found quite curious. She didn\u2019t know much about the god this paladin worshipped and took a mental note to ask him about it another time. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Should they survive the night, that was. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Fillip bent as his shape began to transform. Thick, white and gray fur sprouted from his body as his clothing transformed with it. His arms and legs shortened, and his back stretched and straightened. His nose elongated, and his eyes turned a pale yellow. In a few seconds, he was a direwolf. He gave the monk a wolfish grin, examining his fur where the fake blood still matted it, nodding in satisfaction of his work. Then, with a feigned whimper, he went limp and rolled over, playing dead. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWell done,\u201d Reverence said, then hoisted the direwolf over his shoulders with some difficulty. Fillip let his tongue lull out of his mouth for extra measure. Then, they approached the guard\u2019s towers that flanked the entrance to the cult\u2019s army.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cDirewolf? You see that?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cDirewolf? Where? Ooh!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRauck, Come see!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat do you want, Pheki?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSomeone\u2019s killed a direwolf!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The kobolds were entranced by Reverence\u2019s capture, to say the least. The small dog-like dragon creatures praised him in common as he carried Fillip\u2019s heavy body through the lower section of the army. This section seemed to be inhabited solely by kobolds. The tents were smaller here, the pathway muddy, and there was a littering of bones and other refuse everywhere he turned. The kobolds followed Reverence for a short while, thoroughly intrigued and probably a bit hungry. Reverence ignored them and carried on until he reached a secondary section of the encampment. At this point, his kobold fans fell away. This section was slightly more organized, and a mix of humans, dwarves, elves, and even a few tieflings swept about in common, everyday clothing. Some were working, others gambling, and even more were finding a comfortable spot at a fire for the evening. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat\u2019ve you got there?\u201d A human stepped up and stopped Reverence with a hand on his chest. \u201cOh, got yourself a direwolf, did yah? That\u2019s impressive,\u201d the man nodded approvingly, inspecting Fillip carefully. \u201cLooks tasty too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m certain\u2014it will be,\u201d Reverence said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSuppose we have to feed that one to the hatchlings\u2026?\u201d The man looked around for anyone watching, then leaned in, pressing two gold pieces into Reverence\u2019s palm. \u201cHow\u2019s about you take the direwolf to the mess hall. Butcher\u2019ll have that cleaned up right away,\u201d he paused, lowering his voice, \u201cfor us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence nodded knowingly and gave the man a quick, sharp-toothed smile. \u201cOf course, but\u2014I\u2019ll do the skinning myself. It is a\u2014matter of honour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cGreat,\u201d the human nodded, and grabbed Reverence\u2019s arm. \u201cC\u2019mon, I\u2019ll take you to the butcher\u2019s tent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Seeing no other option, Reverence allowed the man to lead him away. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The man opened the flap to the butcher\u2019s tent and gave Reverence a wink before turning and jogging off. Reverence pushed through the low entrance, crouching and looking around. The wide tent had four wooden tables in varying degrees of mess. Internal organs were laid out on one, another had an array of knives and cleavers, and a third had a man, presumably the butcher, standing over it and dragging a long knife under the skin of a buck, cutting fur from meat in scraping cuts. Blood-soaked dirt surrounded him, and a bucket sat at his feet where he tossed the fattier bits. The wall of the tent was lined with a wooden shelf displaying hanging daggers and saws. <\/span><\/p>\n

The butcher turned to Reverence as he entered and stared at seeing the direwolf slung over his shoulders.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cImpressive kill!\u201d The man was thick waisted and had a rosy face and greasy black hair that extended into an unkempt mustache. He set down the knife and appraised the monk, bloodied hands on hips. \u201cHow did you manage that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence stepped up to the only empty table and heaved Fillip\u2019s wolf-form onto its surface. \u201cWith great difficulty,\u201d he said to the butcher. He leaned back against the table with the array of knives and palmed one, slipping it into his sleeve. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019d imagine,\u201d the butcher laughed. \u201cSo, you need me to clean that up for you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cActually, I\u2019d like to\u2014do it myself,\u201d Reverence said. The butcher shrugged and turned away, and Reverence leaped the moment his back was to him. He clamped one hand over the butcher\u2019s mouth, and with the other he drew out the dagger and dragged the blade across the man\u2019s throat. His hand slipped as blood spurted from the opening and the man gargled, trying to cry out. In that instant, Fillip leapt from the table and pounced into the man\u2019s chest as he fell, pushing him back and tearing out his throat with a snap of his jaw. He wrenched back his bloodied muzzle a moment later and gave Reverence a quick nod. Reverence threw down the knife just as a voice came from the other side of the tent. Someone banged a hand against the canvas. \u201cEverything okay in there?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence cast the direwolf a quick glance, then, lowering his voice into an imitation of the butcher\u2019s accent, called back, \u201cI cut my hand, but I\u2019m alright.\u201d The man on the other side of the tent seemed satisfied, and after a few moments of silence, Fillip gave a quiet growl, gesturing with his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, time to go. I get it,\u201d Reverence said. He took a long blade from the butcher\u2019s table and sheathed it at his belt. Then, both direwolf and monk stole from the butcher\u2019s tent and into the darkness. Fillip ran into the shadows of the cliff, and Reverence walked casually back to the path, sticking to the dark corners and trying to act casual. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Shale pulled out four arrows and wrapped thin pieces of cloth around the tip of each one. She dribbled oil over each of them, then rested three on the ground next to her and strung the final one to her bow. She pulled the string taut and found her mark: a group of tents on the edge of the army base near the prisoner\u2019s tents. She gave Oszaren a nod. \u201cNow,\u201d she whispered.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

He put a hand over his forearm, covering his tattoo as it began to glow softly. Then, he snapped his fingers together. A small flame appeared at his fingertips, flickering in the slight breeze. He touched the edge of the flame to the cloth, and it ignited. Shale took a deep breath, then released. The arrow sailed in a huge arc, the flame a tiny light in the star-speckled sky. It landed a second later on the roof of a tent. Without pitch on the tents, it would take a few minutes to start burning properly. Shale picked up another arrow, notched it, and Oszaren lit this one as well. She shot, and this arrow came down on an adjacent tent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d Keelan said, and Shale quickly gathered up her arrows and returned her bow to her back. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Within a couple of minutes, the tents caught fire and began to burn in earnest. Shouts echoed as people began to realize the fire was there. An amplified voice echoed above the rest: \u201cFire! Fire! Get water!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The three of them ran over to where their ladder lay and threw it down the edge of the cliff, collectively holding their breaths as they saw Reverence appear in the clearing, running toward the prisoners. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

As he ran, Reverence cast three consecutive spells. First, he amplified his voice and shouted, \u201cfire! Fire! Get water!\u201d Then, he shot a hand behind him and made the flames flare up even hotter, catching a third tent with the growing flames. Finally, he made the ground beneath him tremble. People ran past him screaming in confusion, some with empty buckets dashing to the nearest well, others looking around to see what had caused the chaos. Reverence continued forward at a jog, hanging close to the shadows. The attempt wasn\u2019t necessary, however. No one seemed to notice the orange tiefling going by in the direction of the clearing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Still in wolf-form, Fillip watched until the flames flared up, then bounded across a huge cavern entrance once the way was clear. He dashed past kobolds as they ran for the fire. He caught sight of Reverence, and the two of them got to the prisoners simultaneously. Fillip ran to free Whisper, biting apart the ropes with his sharp teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

No guards were near them. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence used the stolen butcher\u2019s knife to cut the ropes that held Leosin. The half-elf was barely conscious and fell to his knees when the ropes dropped. Reverence helped him up and Leosin suddenly grew aware of his surroundings and stood up, pushing away from the tiefling with shackled hands. \u201cNo!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe\u2019re here\u2014to free you,\u201d Reverence said in a hushed tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI have too much to do! I can\u2019t leave!\u201d His voice was growing louder, more desperate. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence smacked the monk in the forehead with an open palm, knocking him out cold. The half-elf fell back, and Reverence caught him and threw his limp body over one shoulder. \u201cLet\u2019s go,\u201d he said to Fillip, who nodded and quickly transformed back to his two-legged self, brown cloak swirling around him. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Fillip ran for the ladder, looking behind him to see Whisper stepping away from the post he was staked to, but otherwise not turning to leave. Not my problem, <\/em>Fillip thought as he quickly began to ascend the ladder. I did my part.<\/em> More than a hundred feet up, he could see Oszaren, Keelan and Shale leaning over the edge watching them.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\u201cWhisper\u2014the ladder,\u201d Reverence panted as he turned to leave. \u201cCome\u2014with us.\u201d Whisper ignored him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The dark-haired woman, Mondath, burst from the command tent and ran at the nearest guard. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on here!\u201d She demanded, seeing the fires growing in the distance. Then she turned and saw Whisper standing untied. Whisper stepped toward her as she ran up, shouting to her guards. He held out his shackles to her. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI can help!\u201d Whisper said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

She slowed as she approached him. \u201cHow did you get out?\u201d She shouted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Whisper wiggled his claws before her in the air. \u201cI can help you,\u201d he said again.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

After a moment\u2019s hesitation, Mondath signalled for a guard to approach. \u201cRemove his shackles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The guard ran forward to release Whisper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Mondath turned, then, to see Leosin missing. \u201cWhat the\u2014you! Stop!\u201d She yelled at Reverence, seeing the tiefling near the base of the cliff. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence was watching Whisper as he rubbed his sore wrists and turned to Mondath. A blue light coalesced in Mondath\u2019s fingers as she swirled them through the air. Reverence shook himself and started to run full sprint to the ladder, Leosin bouncing on his shoulder. He felt a sudden shock run through him as Mondath\u2019s spell hit, and his limbs locked up for a second, but he pushed through and continued to run.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

He turned back and saw Whisper, standing next to the enemy and doing nothing to stop her. Whisper was helping them. \u201cTraitor!\u201d With a flash, Reverence reached into his cloak and flung a dart. It spun through the air and hit its mark. Whisper stumbled back, hissing and yowling and pressing his paws to the dart protruding from his eye. Blood poured down his cheek and stained his whiskers, and Mondath shouted for help.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence leaped at the rope and pulled himself up, his muscles straining against the weight of the monk on his back. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Oszaren shot a blast of green energy down at Mondath, who stepped aside and let it pass through the air next to her. Shale quickly cast a hunter\u2019s mark onto the woman, keeping her in her sight, and shot an arrow from her longbow. The arrow clanged against her breastplate and fell away uselessly. A burst of thunderous air shot from the base of the ladder, where Reverence was now climbing slowly. Fillip had nearly crested the top, but now their location was known.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cHurry!\u201d Shale cried, drawing another arrow and looking around at the swarming enemies. It was difficult to see what was happening in the darkness and the chaos, but she saw Whisper still down there. What is he doing? Why isn\u2019t he running? Except, Whisper was talking to a guard and running away, towards the tents on fire, one paw over his face. What? Their previous worries came rushing back to her in an instant, but there was no time for that now. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m pulling them up!\u201d Keelan shouted, and he started towing up the ladder, wrapping each rung over a boulder on the edge of the cliff and moving them up in stages. He was carrying the weight of three men.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLift with your legs!\u201d They heard Fillip shout helpfully from below. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat about Whisper?\u201d Shale asked frantically. She could no longer see the tabaxi. He had disappeared into the night. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The entrance to the command tent opened again, and the massive form of the black half-dragon appeared and started running toward Mondath. She held out a hand and a long blade appeared in it, glowing with blue light. She shot the light at the cliff face and narrowly missed Fillip as he leapt to the next rung up. A spray of blue acid exploded and sent rocks flying. \u201cOh, shit, shit, shit.\u201d They could hear Fillip saying frantically as he began to climb with renewed vigour. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Finally, Fillip scrambled to the top of the cliff and, seeing Keelan standing there with ladder in hands, grabbed the paladin by the shoulders and planted a firm kiss on his cheek, then slapped him on the butt as he stepped away from the edge. \u201cLove you, man,\u201d he sighed, then drew out his sling and shot a stone at one of the panicking guards. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

After a moment of confusion, Keelan continued to pull up the ladder as Reverence climbed, Leosin still hanging over him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A small man with a shaved and tattooed head had exited the command tent. He was robed in scarlet fabric and turned to the black half-dragon. \u201cWhat can I do to help?\u201d He yelled.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Those red robes sparked a familiarity in Shale\u2019s mind, but she put it aside to contemplate later. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cStay out of the way!\u201d The She half-dragon screamed back at him. The events were quickly degrading. Shale loosed another arrow at Mondath, and it sliced across her cheek. Even from this distance, Shale could see a flash of red on her pale skin just as Mondath shot a spell at Reverence. Reverence kicked off the cliff, holding tightly to the ladder and barely rolling out of the way. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Before she could shoot again, Oszaren hit her with an eldritch blast, and the green fire caught her in the shoulder. She cried out, enraged as Reverence finally dragged himself over the edge of the cliff, dropping Leosin on the ground beside him. Keelan grabbed his arm and helped him up, then pulled up the final lengths of rope. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt will take them hours to get up here,\u201d Keelan breathed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

They threw down a few more shots at Mondath, who was screaming in rage and calling for their heads. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat happened? Why didn\u2019t Whisper come?\u201d Shale demanded as Reverence got to his feet. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The tiefling looked up at them and said simply, \u201cWhisper betrayed us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Whisper used a spell to drop a swirling ton of conjured water over the burning tents, quickly extinguishing the flames. He held a paw over his blinded eye, the fiery rage in his chest still burning hot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt seems I misjudged you,\u201d Langdedrosa grunted, putting a massive, scaly hand on Whisper\u2019s shoulder. \u201cYou\u2019re a handy fellow to have around.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Whisper gave him a look. \u201cI told you,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cRight, let\u2019s get that eye fixed,\u201d the half-dragon called for a healer. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

A small, light-haired dwarf rushed forward and looked up at him. Whisper bent down so she could place her stubby fingers over the wound. She pulled the dart from his eye in one deft movement, drawing more blood. Then, with a hand glowing white, she pressed her palm over his eye again and the wound sealed up. Flesh and fur knit together, but the damage was done. The flesh closed over the place where Whisper\u2019s eye once was, and part of his world stayed permanently dark. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\u201cWhat if he was trying to be clever? What if he was deceiving them?\u201d Shale asked, astounded. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Keelan wrapped up the ladder and Reverence stowed it away in his pack. \u201cWe let him go\u2014and he ran straight to them.\u201d the monk explained again. \u201cAnd I took out his eye\u2014because\u2014he is a ranged spellcaster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe saw him talking to the enemy several times,\u201d Fillip added uncomfortably. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe need to go,\u201d Keelan pressed, and they picked up their belongings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI just\u2014I don\u2019t know,\u201d Shale said slowly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know either,\u201d Oszaren scratched the back of his neck. \u201cI trusted Whisper. I liked him.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence looked up, his eyes flashing and serious. \u201cCan we afford to be wrong?\u201d He demanded. No one answered. They knew he was right. They had all seen it. Whisper betrayed them for the cult. Perhaps he had been working with them all along, and his defense of Greenest was a ruse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

The five companions, with Keelan now helping the partially conscious Leosin, made as much distance between themselves and the army before them, heavy hearts following their journey back to Greenest. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\u201cCome with us to Baldur\u2019s Gate,\u201d Langdedrosa told the tabaxi, \u201cwe could use you there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI am leaving,\u201d Whisper said. \u201cI must get to Candlekeep, as I said.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Mondath nodded and said, \u201cdo you need help with this mission?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Whisper shook his head. \u201cThis I must do on my own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cVery well,\u201d she sighed. \u201cI\u2019m glad we could trust you in the end. When you are done in Candlekeep, find us at Baldur\u2019s Gate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI will,\u201d the tabaxi promised. \u201cFirst, I have a quick stop in Greenest.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

With that, he stepped away from the cultists and, as he wound his way out of the camp and toward the guard\u2019s towers, he raised a paw in the air and shot a blast of orange and red flames. They arced across the black sky and swirled into the form of a giant dragon. He cast a secondary spell, and the fiery dragon roared across the camp, sending shudders through the stone and echoing over the plains above. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

The group only stopped once to catch their breaths, allowing Keelan some time to break Leosin\u2019s shackles. It was, by Shale\u2019s estimation, nearing midnight. Fillip healed Leosin\u2019s wounds and the monk soon returned to consciousness. Once they had given him a few bites and some water to drink, he seemed to regain much of his vigour.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry about before,\u201d Leosin told Reverence apologetically. \u201cYou won\u2019t need to carry me anymore. I won\u2019t run away. I was just\u2014confused.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe can speak more on it once we\u2019ve reached Greenest,\u201d Oszaren told him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

They continued to run on through the night. Shale followed behind the rest, ensuring their tracks were well hidden amongst the stone and sparse vegetation. A few hours later, they reached the town of Greenest, exhausted and fearful.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

They entered the familiar inn, which sat in shambles from the raid only a couple of nights before.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

They found an upright table in the corner and seated themselves around it. It seemed the innkeeper had not yet returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat was the point?\u201d Fillip wondered aloud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe saved Leosin,\u201d Keelan pointed out. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Oszaren slammed a fist on the table and everyone started. \u201cWhy did you have to take his eye?\u201d the warlock growled. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI would not change my decision,\u201d Reverence said calmly, \u201cI only lament having to make it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not right.\u201d Oszaren let his hand drop, and his shoulders relaxed, defeated. He had taken a liking to the tabaxi over their time on the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLeosin,\u201d Fillip turned to the weary monk. \u201cTell us about the Harpers. What were you doing with the cult? What did you hope to accomplish?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Leosin leaned back, closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts. \u201cThe Harpers,\u201d he sighed, \u201care a group of people who promote equality. We are behind much of what happens along the Sword Coast.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cPolitically,\u201d Shale said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat is your plan now?\u201d Fillip prodded.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cTo go to Elturel. To find out why this cult has grown so quickly, and what they\u2019re planning on doing next. That\u2019s why I followed them in the first place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cHow do you know of the cult?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThese raiders, the cult of the dragon, have been present on the Sword Coast for over a thousand years. It has only been recently that they\u2019ve grown bolder than the occasional raid on villages. They have started to amass a great amount of wealth, and a longer trail of bodies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat for?\u201d Shale asked, then, thinking on what Whisper had said before, added, \u201cdragons?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThey have eggs,\u201d Leosin said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

They all looked around uncomfortably, contemplating what this meant. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure where they will go next. I can only guess. But, as you may have heard, their army planned to leave at dawn today, which means they will be taking their stolen treasure with them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAre they ramping up to steal more?\u201d Fillip asked. \u201cOr, are they looking for a place to hatch these dragon eggs\u2026 Shale,\u201d she looked over to him, \u201cyou\u2019re familiar with these lands. Do you know of any places where they might go to hatch a dragon?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Shale shook her head, \u201cI know nothing about dragons,\u201d she sighed. \u201cAlthough, I could guess that the Sunset Mountains, the place where the blue dragon flew after the raid on Greenest, might be a good place to start.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI never got a chance to find out what was in those caves,\u201d Leosin said mournfully.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cEggs? Treasure?\u201d Shale offered. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cHatchlings?\u201d Reverence said thoughtfully. \u201cI thought\u2014perhaps a soldier mentioned that. The one who\u2014walked us to the butcher\u2019s tent\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat would happen if we found dragon eggs?\u201d Shale asked. \u201cWhat would the Harpers have done with them?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cDestroy them,\u201d Leosin said simply. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat if we hatched them?\u201d Fillip asked. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Oszaren grabbed Reverence by the arm and pulled him away from the table, whispering so the others couldn\u2019t hear. \u201cIt\u2019s better to destroy the eggs. Dragons are chaos incarnate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence sighed. \u201cA war on dragons\u2014will never lead to peace. We need to\u2014know more\u2014before destroying the eggs. We don\u2019t\u2014want them\u2014in the hands of the cult, certainly.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cI don\u2019t trust secret organizations. There\u2019s too much mystery surrounding all of this,\u201d Oszaren hissed back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Leosin stood, then, his chair scratching against the floorboards as he pushed it back. \u201cThat\u2019s enough adventure for one day,\u201d he announced. \u201cI must make my way to Elturel. There\u2019s much to be done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cNazim,\u201d Shale said quickly, \u201che sent us to find you. He\u2019s waiting for word of you in Berdusk.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cVery well,\u201d Leosin smiled, \u201cI will send word to him to meet me there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIs that where we\u2019ll find you, should we come looking?\u201d Fillip asked.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIf I am not in Elturel, ask for a paladin who goes by the name of Omthar Frume. Mention my name to him, and he will help you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat does he look like, so we\u2019re not mistaken?\u201d Oszaren asked, stepping away from Reverence.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cA portly man. Long brown beard, always a bit dirty, and can usually be found gambling on horse races. He typically wears a silver breastplate with the symbol of a gauntlet engraved on its front.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSounds like a fine gentleman,\u201d Fillip said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIndeed,\u201d Leosin said, then gave them all a bow. \u201cThank you, again. I wish we could have learned more, but I am happy to have left with my life.\u201d As he went to leave, he turned back one more time. \u201cI\u2019m\u2014sorry about your friend.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Reverence folded his arms and nodded curtly. \u201cGoodbye\u2014monk,\u201d he sighed heavily.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cLikewise,\u201d Leosin said, then exited the inn.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWho needs a drink?\u201d Fillip asked in the silence that followed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

\n

The night had grown cold. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the air smelled heavy with rain. Whisper crept through the edges of town until he reached the familiar, menacing shape of the Keep. He slunk forward in the darkness, but it seemed that the town of Greenest was fast asleep. With a deep breath, the tabaxi raised his paw and rapped on the door.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/main><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapters 6-7 follow our adventurers in this Dungeons & Dragons campaign as they cross Faerun, fighting against the rising tide of the Dragon Cult, in this story based on The Hoard of the Dragon Queen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":671,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[18,19,17,14,15,13,16,21,20],"series":[],"class_list":["post-236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wings-of-chaos-dungeons-and-dragons-series","tag-campaign","tag-cult-of-the-dragon","tag-dnd","tag-dungeons-and-dragons","tag-fantasy","tag-hoard-of-the-dragon-queen","tag-series","tag-wings-of-chaos","tag-wizards-of-the-coast"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Giant_s-Gamble-Blog-PhotosArtboard-1-copy-4.png","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"amazon":{"key":"amazon","url":"https:\/\/music.amazon.ca\/podcasts\/09c34bbc-b359-49af-a286-31830ed5634c\/short-stories","label":"Amazon","class":"amazon","icon":"amazon.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_play":{"key":"google_play","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Play","class":"google_play","icon":"google-play.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0lcQCRs52MfYlKs35lVX4K","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"itunes":{"key":"itunes","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"iTunes","class":"itunes","icon":"itunes.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/feed\/podcast\/default-podcast","embedCode":"

Wings of Chaos: Chapter 6-7<\/a><\/blockquote>