The Return Home
A cold breeze ruffled the blonde, shoulder-length hair of Armanthia as she surveyed their surroundings. Arnon and Rosso glanced at the cloud laden sky and then looked at each other doubtfully.
"My guess is that way," Rosso offered after a moment. Arnon shrugged.
"These clouds make it tough," Arnon said to the others, who were busy assessing their own physical condition. "We think north is that way, but we're not 100% sure."
"We aren't going to know for sure until morning, " Rosso said. "We may as well look for shelter from this rain."
Lando motioned to no one in particular.
"Hey, take a look at this," he said, pointing to his waist. Brother James and Aud drew near. The heavy, battery powered armor that had proven so effective in their journey thru the stars glistened in the rain, the water beading in little droplets against the grey-blue steel.
"What am I looking for?" Brother James asked. Aud motioned to Landorian's waist, where the armor was jointed to allow freedom of movement.
"What's that green stuff?" Aud asked. "I don't remember seeing that before."
"That's what I'm talking about," Lando agreed. "Look, it's all over."
The others began inspecting Arnon and Taesha's armored suits as well. Sure enough, from all of the joints, a luminous light green gel appeared to be leaking. Armanthia shook her head, muttering under her breath.
"It almost looks like it's bleeding," remarked Parvati.
"Something tells me you aren't going to be able to heal these so easily," Alik said wryly.
"I'm not entirely certain I can heal at all," Parvati muttered, pulling her cloak tighter around her. "I remember feeling this way just before we left, and it wasn't a good thing."
"I sense it too," Roldana agreed. Pop, her familiar, sniffed the air suspiciously before entwining himself around her feet. "There is some sort of change in the aethyr; the wind of magic. I do not think it is a good change, either."
"Well, whatever the change is, us standing around in the rain ain't gonna set things right," Alik said impatiently. "Let's find cover."
Rosso pointed in the direction he suspected was north.
"I'll head up that ways and see what I find," he volunteered. Arnon nodded.
"I'll go that way," Arnon announced, pointing in the opposite direction.
"Is it wise for us to split up?" asked Aud, adjusting her armor. "Perhaps we should all stick together; there is strength in numbers."
"I can move faster alone," Arnon said, popping open the hatch to the armored suit. He scampered out and stretched his limbs, wincing as some of his joints cracked audibly. "Bein' cooped up in that thing does have its disadvantages," he remarked, cracking his back.
Rosso checked his sword in its scabbard, and quickly evaluated the condition of his bow; both appeared to be in good condition.
"We can move faster and quieter alone," he agreed. "If we're not back in 10 minutes, come for us."
"Who do we go for first?" Brother James said with a grin, although the question was serious.
"Me, " Rosso replied. "You won't be able to find Arnon anyway with that ring of his." Arnon grinned, putting the ring on his finger and disappearing from view.
"See ya in ten" the party heard Arnon whisper as he quietly made his way down a small trail. Rosso headed up onto the side of the hill and began working his way along a winding elevated path. The party watched until Rosso disappeared from sight, then they turned their attention back to themselves.
"We should probably take inventory," Brother James suggested. "Let's see what else, if anything, didn't survive the trip through the portal."
Taesia motioned a moment, and then her voice could be heard thru the external speakers in the powered armor.
"I'm checking for any movement," she announced. "I can detect Rosso, but not Arnon."
"Anything else in range?" Roldana asked. "This is not the time for us to run into anything unfriendly." Taesia shook her head as best she could from within the heavy suit. The servos inside the suit whined audibly, something they hadn't done before.
"No, it's all clear," she replied. "For now, at least."
The group quickly took stock of their equipment as the rain around them intensified. Within minutes it was a torrential downpour. Lightning flashes illuminated the sky with bluish green tendrils of energy; the rumbling thunder could be felt in the pits of their stomachs. Parvati shook her head.
"Look at that lightning," she said. "Nature is unbalanced in some way."
"Is it too much to ask of the fates that we catch a lucky break? Just once?" Roldana moaned. Her weasel familiar poked his head out from under her robe and chattered, as if in agreement.
Brother James stood, wiping the rain from his eyes. "We're light on provisions," he announced. "And it would appear that we don't have any rope."
The group laughed grimly at the inside joke; for several weeks they had been searching for rope that they were certain that they had been carrying. The last of the rope had been used tying up a prisoner back in the Xill caves - but at least now the erroneous belief that they did have rope could be put to rest.
"What a shame," Armanthia said. "We could probably use rope in this terrain." The others nodded.
"We haven't caught a break yet," muttered Roldana. "Why should things change?"
"I've got movement," Taesia called, her voice distorted thru the external speakers in her suit. There was a slight bit of static in her voice as well. There was definitely something amiss with their prized suits of powered armor.
"Is it Rosso?" Brother James asked, grabbing his staff. Aud drew her sword, just in case. Taesia's response was all but obliterated by the static and white noise that issued from the speakers.
"It may be," Lando translated. His external speakers weren't as bad as Taesias, although his suit whined more audibly when he moved. "She says it's coming from the same general direction that he headed out to." Lando moved his suit into position and brought his flame thower to bear. The others noticed the grinding noise that the arm made as Lando moved it.
"I don't think those suits have much life left in them," remarked Brother James.
The group arranged themselves into defensive positions, readying missile weapons as they waited to see what approached. There was a tangible feeling of relief when Rosso's head popped up from behind a boulder.
"There's a small cave up ahead," Rosso shouted down. "It's dry, but a tad bit of a climb."
"Let's wait and see what Arnon finds," Parvati said. The rain continued its furious pelting of the landscape as the group huddled as best they could. Finally, the small shape of Arnon could be seen making his way towards the party.
"Any word from Rosso?" Arnon called out over the rain.
"He's found a cave, but it's a bit of a climb," Roldana replied. "What about you?"
"I got one too," Arnon said, gasping for breath. He bent over, hands on his knees, breathing deeply for several moments. "I think I got spoiled in that armor."
"You better unspoil yourself quick," Alik said. "Those things didn't take the travel through the portal well."
"So, what about this cave?" Aud asked.
"It's pretty big, and nice and dry, but it looks like someone, or something, is using it as its lair," Arnon explained. "It isn't occupied right now, but there's signs of recent activity in and out."
"Any ideas what lives there?" Parvati asked.
"It's some kind of mountain lion, or some other big cat," Arnon answered.
The group looked at each other. A bit of climb versus an unknown occupant. The choice wasn't very tantalizing.
|
