Liron was one of the first to speak, "Neat trick elf, hopefully the same one we will use to get us past the other pile and hopefully face to face with her royal ugliness. I volunteer to go first; let us not delay any longer." The elven sorceress neared the elf and added, "Aye, that should get us in but suddenly Mendi has become key to our success…and our survival. How will be get out should he fall in battle?" The question stung deep into their hearts as each one contemplated a death in a tomb 50 underground….

Somehow the plan didn't add up right in Koreth's brain, something was amiss. His head still buzzed from his time in the chamber, it made it hard to think. He took in a steady breath and leaned up against a wall. <I almost died in there!> the noble warrior thought <and you may have another chance to if you don't get your head on straight!> He took a moment to draw in a few more breaths, reveling in the feel of air in his lungs. He almost understood what Ayrus must feel for the element.

"I don't think that relying totally on Mendi is such a good idea," Koreth said "trusting one mekillot to pull your wagon is an easy way to find yourself in trouble. But I see no other alternative...." He sinks down into his nexus, drawing up the energy for what he hopes is the final confrontation. The energy floods his limbs, replacing tension and tiredness with power and strength. A renewed vigor pulses through is body, clearing the laziness from his limbs like a brush fire sweeping across scrublands. He flexes his hands, feeling the strength flood into them.

Gaigin grinned as Koreth and Rayne stepped through Mendi's portal in the tunnel. The rescue had worked, which was one problem at least that had been overcome. "Bout time ye two stopped lazing about and decided to rejoin the hunt. I was beginnin' to think ye'd lost yer taste fer scrab blood." Gaigin laughed, welcoming them both back to the lands of the living.

As the group's minds turned to the coming battle, Gaigin unslung his waterskin and unstopped the cork, letting a tiny dribble of water flow into his open mouth. It seemed this was somewhat of a gesture of habit to the warrior, he often seemed to sip at his water when he was thinking.

"Liron's right, we may as well get this over with," Gaigin said after a few moments, his tone resigned. "As soon as Koreth and Rayne get their breath back, we move. Liron goes first, then we move in after." Gaigin glanced at Tak' "Ye get the big job, yer the most powerful mindbender we have. Ye get to keep her majesty busy. Attack with whatever ye have. The rest of you, go for the queen as soon as ye see her. Use whatever ye still got stored up yer sleeves. And watch yerselves, there may be a sorceror or another mindbender in there. Liron, Migdalia, if yer kin is there, ye'll have to get to her and keep her safe...we're needed for the fighting. We'll try to help her, but taking out the nest comes first." Gaigin recapped his water and slung the near-empty skin over his shoulder. Clutching his spear, The warrior stood and stretched, loosening taught muscles. "Not much we kin do in the way o' plannin'. We're going in blind, and any plan would only last until melee anyways, then fall apart. Just try yer best and keep yer wits about you all." Gaigin paused, the shot a look and a grin at Mendi, "And you, elf, Keep yerself alive. I've had my share of digging already, and I wouldn't wanna have to dig me way outta here with me bare hands."

Rayne takes a couple more gulps of air and sighs with relief as she feels energy returning to her body. "Thank ye all fer the rescue." The mul turns and surprises the elf with a hug of gratitude. Turning to her other companions, she hugs them each in turn with murmurs of good to see ya, thought that was it fer me, glad to be out of there, and a special thanks to Ayrus for the risk he took to save her and Koreth.

Checking her weapons, Rayne also remembers to prepare herself mentally for the upcoming battle.

MINDSCAPE:
The mul child enters the tent and look to the old man seated there. "Marteu, I need yer help, I can't seem to do it on me own." The old man smiles and stands. "Don't worry little one, stay in here and practice your meditating, I will watch over you." With that the old man draws forth a shiny metal longsword and leaves the tent. Rayne seats herself on a pile of pillows in a meditative position, then lets her mind go to focus on this morning's training with Marteu as the sun was dawning over the horizon. Focusing on the moves they performed as they went through their daily kata, dancing a graceful, deadly dance that for Marteu showed years of training and for the mul a lifetime of practice ahead.

Marteu positioned himself outside the tent's entrance and periodically strolled about to check the horizon all around the tent. He stayed alert, but all was silent for now.

Rayne turns to Gaigin with a wink. "Ready to go when ye say the word captain. I'm ready to be done and see the sky over me head again" As the group begins to move down the tunnel Rayne turns to Koreth. "Watch me back, I'd say we owe these bugs some payback fer our loss of time 'n comfert in there." With a wink and her tell-tale smirk, she turns and runs down the corridor after the others.

Aryus pats both Koreth and Rayne on the shoulder, "Glad to have the two of you back and breathing sweet air again." At thought of the oncoming battle, Aryus felt worried. The previous battles with these scrabs have all been life death struggles or battles of the mind. Feeling his will drained, Aryus felt almost weak for the final confrontation. Never big on tactics, Aryus left the discussing to his more knowledgeable companions. Instead he checked over his equipment, made sure his arrows were sharp and near his reach. He checked over his pouches for spell components and scanned his memory for his remaining spells, <hmm not as much magic left as I thought>.

Elric's relief at seeing the group together again momentarily overrides his other feelings and he is able to settle himself for the coming battle. A quick shake of his cloak knocks the sand from the tightly woven material. Using the end of his cloak Elric wipes the sweat from his hands and face. Drawing the deadly Tempest, Elric steps forward preparing to enter the dimensional door, in his off hand the half-elf holds his bone dagger SpellBinder. Just before entering he closes his eyes almost all the way closed and prepares himself in case the light conditions are extremely different.

The group was before the other pile before they knew it; no one spoke much and the anticipation was seen in their faces. But everyone was anxious to get this over with. They all wanted to go back to the olive tinged skies and feel the sun on their skin. The lighting was being provided by Rayne's glow worm and Elric's magical sword but was insufficient at best and many walked in near total darkness in the tunnels. Mendi got his tired will up to the front of the pile and everyone else lined up so as to go in quickly; whatever they would face it was best they faced together even if it was certain death. Liron was about to crash through the sand and rock pile when the shimmering portal appeared. The young elf hit himself on his head and exclaimed, "I shall see you all under the sun or never again…" He stepped through the portal and was gone in an instant.

The rest quickly followed and soon everyone was on the other side of the portal. The room was huge, much bigger than any they had been in so far and the precarious lighting did not reach neither the ceiling nor the further walls. The room was silent except for some faint squeaks coming from the left side and soft scraping sounds coming from all around them, The noise and action started all at once as magical energy crackled the air and a harsh, loud screech pierced the room. The voice screamed in a heavily accented elven, "You dare burst into my chamber, I will make sure you never leave it alive!!!"

COMBAT

A huge scrab came into view surrounded by 3 rather large warrior scrabs; 2 normal scrabs were a bit to the side and gesturing their claws in an arcane fashion. The queen spat her last words and a green veil left her claws, The veil split in three distinct sheets that sought out the elves in the group. Liron charged at the sight of the queen and the magical sheet hindered him but he was able to shake it off; the magic dissipated in the air along with the queen's curse. Migdalia struggled with her own spell but could not rid herself of the green sheet that ended up enveloping her. The elven sorceress was left motionless and could not even utter a word although pain was clearly visible in her face. Her eyes turned and to one of the scrabs that held back its rush and her face paled in pain. The sorceress' eyes screamed her terror and perhaps it was best if she had to be silent.

The third sheet of magic went straight for Mendi who also jumped to the side trying to avoid the spell. The sheet stuck fast to him and held him immobile in a prone position. The other scrab who did not rush forward to battle with the three warrior scrabs gestured wildly and screamed a curse towards the elf who was held motionless on the floor. Mendi tried to scream as three bubbles of red light sped to his body. The missiles struck unerringly into his chest leaving holes in his armor lined with blood. The elf struggled to maintain his consciousness and destiny had it that he could see his attackers from his position. The elf was mortally wounded and could not resist another attack of this nature. The small tagster almost forgotten by Elric (DM note: tsk, tsk) had gone over to Mendi confused with all the action.

"Somebody get the girl!" Koreth shouts, as he draws his sword and falls into a defensive stance "Alright you bloated harlot! I'm going to sink my blade into your guts!" Growling a dwarven war cry, he launched himself at the nearest scrab with murder in his eyes. One of the large warrior scrabs moved over to intercept the noble warrior. Its mandibles dripped some sort of venom and its wicked claws opened and closed in anticipation. Koreth's sword slices through the air, arcing at the scrab's head.

His sword impacts with a sound not unlike a mellon being cracked open. The scrab's skull carapace cracks open from the blow, sending the bug man reeling backwards. Ichor dripped from the vicious wound, as it steadied itself. Koreth grinned, bearing all of his white teeth in a feral sneer as he prepared to launch himself into another attack. The scrab quickly recovered and seemed not to mind the warrior's sword. It lunged with its head barely missing the warrior's shoulder. Its claws, however, rip into Koreth's side and leave deep grooves that were quickly covered in blood.

Gaigin slipped his mask down as he rushed through the portal behind Liron and Koreth, spear clutched tightly in both hands. Immediately, the warrior took in the scene and began moving towards the scrab queen. A scrab warrior intercepted him, and with no way around, Gaigin had no choice but to fight, and hope someone else made it to the Queen first. With a bellow, Gaigin raised his spear and jabbed at the scrab's middle, hoping for a quick kill.

The spear-head struck, thrusting viciously between a pair of chitinous plates. Gaigin gave the spear a twist, and thrust the spear in deeper, determined to immobilize his opponent quickly. The scrab screeched its rage and pain and raked its claws on the warrior's side. The tattered cloak was not a suit of armor by any means and the warrior felt the chitin ripping skin and flesh. Gaigin contained a scream and readied himself for another thrust.

Rayne launches herself at the queen, lost in battle lust. Her obsidian razors flash in the green glow emanating from her pouch where the worm bounces comfortably nibbling small rations she dropped in there for it. The third warrior scrab intercepted the mul. This scrab was almost as tall as her and its saliva looked similar to the kreen's. The scrab bites into the mul and Rayne involuntarily scream as the saliva burns into her muscles. The insectman takes advantage of this and rips a bloody trail on the mul's thigh.

Rayne puts her obsidian razors to good use as she counterattacks. She smiles as she scores a hit, feeling the razors slide into the soft under-flesh of the creature. Her hand was warm with ichor as she plunges her fists deeper into the beast, twisting and turning her hands the deeper she gets. "Die and be done with it! I'm tired 'o bugs 'n caves and I'm gonna get outta here!" The mul continues to twist her fist, ready to pull away as the queen begins to thrash about.

Liron was able to sneak past the three guards engaged and got to within striking distance of the queen. Had he more time to think about it, he probably would have turned around and left but the elven's boy blood run hot at this moment. The queen was taller than his own 7 feet and hideous to say the least. The elven boy raised his sword, fainted high and plunged it deep into the queen's underside. The bone sword become slick with ichor as the elf pulled it out and danced himself into position again. The queen turned her full attention to him and screeched in her alien tongue.

Aryus held himself back and quickly scanned the room. He identifies the defiler that had just discharged a spell at Mendi and pulled back his bow. Two arrows fly in quick succession, the first deflecting itself on the scrab's chitin but the second one plunging deep into one of its chitin plate.

Appearing in the larger cavern Elric took a deep breath. The air helped calm him, the small spaces of the scrab nest have affected him in ways the more cramped living halfling structure never did. Seeing the others of the group charging forward towards a much larger scrab, Elric follows, his eyes scanning the others in the room searching for defilers in the midst of their evil casting.

Seeing the evil scrab mage, Elric turns. In a smooth flowing motion his hand comes up and over his head. Delivering the dagger SpellBinder in a powerful throw. Quickly following behind his throw weapon, Elric charges, while drawing his other short sword.

The dagger spins end over end so quickly the small blade is little more than a blur as it flies through the air. The scrab mage's concentration on its spell gives it no time or thought to dodge the on coming weapon. SpellBinder strikes in the softer leathery scales where the arms meet the main body rather than the hard chitin and sinks deep. The scrab mage shrieks in pain and the dagger digs deeper with each movement of the injured appendage.

Tak quickly runs towards the defiler brandishing his two daggers. He exchanges blows with the scrab but neither of his daggers pierce the already wounded insectman. The halfling clapms his mouth tight, changes his grip on one of his daggers and prepares for a different type of attack.

Your actions…

OUT OF CHARACTER

HEALTH STATUS

Remember the scale:

Healthy (H) 100% hitpoints remaining

Slightly Wounded (SiW) 75% to 100% hitpoints remaining

Wounded (W) 50% to 75% hitpoints remaining

Seriously Wounded (SeW) 25% to 50% hitpoints remaining

Mortally Wounded (MW) 0% to 25% hitpoints remaining

Gaigin (SiW), (W) Scrab warrior 1 (W)

Koreth (SiW), (SiW) Scrab warrior 2 (SeW)

Male elf (SiW) Scrab queen (SiW)

Rayne (W), (SeW) Scrab warrior 3 (SeW)

Migdalia (H) Scrab psionicist (H)

Held (cannot move)

Mind opened

Mendi (MW), (SeW)

Held (cannot move)

Elric (SiW), (W) Scrab defiler (SiW)

Ayrus (H), (W)

Tak (SiW), (SiW)

GENERAL

Good going here. Please give me 2 rounds of actions this time and I am not holding back here since I feel this is a major event here that should be hard; the rewards will be accordingly.

Questions, comments, and suggestions please.

L8r,

Fabian