21 - Shadows Cast, Shadows Claimed
| Session 1 | Session 20 | Session 21 | ||
| ◀◀ | ◀ | ▲ | ▶ | ▶▶ |
| Ashira Brolin Frostbite | Ashira Brolin Frostbite | Frostbite |
and books..
The dim glow of enchanted sconces flickered across the library’s dust-veiled tomes, casting long shadows that clung to the edges of reality like half-forgotten dreams. Frostbite, never one for idle musings, let out a low growl as his patience thinned. Another book, another delay.
"I don’t mind books," the shifter grumbled. "They are functional. It’s the time being wasted on reading them that’s the issue. Can we go on?"
Dhanell, for his part, was in his element - browsing, annotating, smirking at the darkly poetic endings in each tome. Every single one concluded with the death of Endalyn. Ironic. Comforting, in a grim way. Yet somehow, Endalyn always returned. Annoying.
Out of nowhere, Zephyr’s voice rang like a note off-key. "The scepter is the key."
Frostbite gave him a blank look. "What does that help us with?"
Zephyr shrugged. "It’s what the goat said."
"The goat?" Frostbite blinked. "Time to move on."
Beyond a deceptive stretch of hallway, Zephyr approached a seemingly normal bookshelf - and it opened on its own. A hidden passage revealed itself, drawing the party forward. But the moment Ashira stepped to inspect the mechanism, the bookcase shut with finality - leaving Zephyr alone on the other side.
"Zephyr?" No answer.
The tension thickened. After an anxious minute, the bookcase creaked open again - but Zephyr was gone.
The rest of the party surged forward. Another hallway, another backdrop - this one a moonlit graveyard. Before it, a gaping pit. Dhanell peered in cautiously: no spikes, no blood, no Zephyr. Just a three-meter jump.
Behind him, Frostbite’s icy calm broke slightly. A sharp kick sent his claw through the backdrop.
"I can confirm we can still go back," he said dryly, flexing his claws.
But Dhanell hesitated at the jump. He shook his head. "I’ll fall short."
"Touch my arm," Frostbite instructed, extending his left limb. Dhanell did, albeit skeptically.
Frostbite whispered a prayer to the moon and earth. Power surged through them both - a grounding warmth.
"Go ahead. Take that leap. Believe."
Dhanell leapt - and vanished behind the curtain.
Moments later he returned, breathless. "Zephyr’s in some sort of theatre. No exits. Gleam’s shadow is there too."
The group advanced - except Frostbite. He slumped down against the wall. "They’ll be back," he muttered. "Jumping’s overrated."
But the sounds from the curtain grew louder. Light spilled into the hallway.
With a sigh, Frostbite stood and whispered an incantation. His form twisted and shrank into that of a spider. He skittered easily across the wall, over the pit trap, and into the chaos beyond.
The theatre was a maelstrom of shadows.
Zephyr, Dhanell, Gleam - each stood surrounded, struggling. Arrows flew. Thunder shook the stage. But the shadows struck back cruelly, draining strength with every hit. Zephyr swayed, pale and diminished.
From above, Frostbite watched. Then, invoking the moon’s light, he called down a radiant beam. A column of silvery brilliance lanced through the shadows, burning them into nothing. Dhanell followed with another thunderous blast. Together, the tide turned.
The shadows had disappeared. Silence returned.
Zephyr collapsed into a theatre chair. Dhanell staggered. Gleam watched her newly reclaimed shadow with trembling fingers.
Frostbite descended from the ceiling, landing softly on Zephyr’s shoulder. Something tingled in his back - something unfamiliar - but he dismissed it. Another mystery for later.
"Dear earth, please heal this poor creature," he whispered, and Zephyr’s wounds mended slightly.
Then he padded over to Dhanell. "Stand still."
Still in spider form, he was met with a puzzled expression. So he shifted back, placed his clawed hand gently on his shoulder, and called upon nature once more.
Dhanell brightened. Gleam waited silently nearby - but Frostbite didn’t even glance her way.
The group returned, wary of Endalyn’s wrath should the shadows have returned to their rightful owners. Frostbite transformed again, crossed the trap, and ripped the backdrop door from its hinges. They built a crude bridge using it and the theatre props.
Zephyr, still weak, complained like a child. Frostbite hoisted him effortlessly onto his shoulder.
Back in the library, the darklings and goblin attendants remained oblivious to the battle. Gleam, too drained to continue, stayed behind. Maeve did as well - and so did Frostbite. Not for Gleam. For Maeve.
Eventually, the group reassembled and decided to rest in the sleeping quarters Ashira had discovered earlier. They took shifts. Sleep came swiftly.
Morning broke with Stagefright’s shrill voice.
"Endalyn is ready for you!"
But something strange happened. Dhanell stepped forward. "May I see that?" he asked, pointing to the goblin’s scepter.
"What?"
The two grappled. Confusion flickered through the group. Frostbite approached, eyes narrowing.
"Let go," he snarled, grabbing the scepter himself.
Stagefright, pale and shaking, released it immediately and bolted, shrieking, "I’ll tell Endalyn about this!"
The room fell silent. Tension, once more, was thick. What was next?
| Session 1 | Session 20 | Session 21 | ||
| ◀◀ | ◀ | ▲ | ▶ | ▶▶ |
| Ashira Brolin Frostbite | Ashira Brolin Frostbite | Frostbite |
Updated on: 19:14
