Earth/Waters Balance. May the wrath of Thor be upon you!!!!"Adolphus merely sniggered at this outburst, but was secretly overwhelmed by the strength and might displayed by the party, who he had taken for a paltry group of weaklings. He thought - I must get back to Zordemon and bring him these tidings.
"I care not for your rantings, Wendolin... but give you one more warning before I go - turn back now if you wish to live.". He then turned abruptly and facing his brother, said: "And as for you, Benson...we will meet again, let me assure you". With that, he swung his horse around, and galloped northwards, leaving an infuriated group of travellers in his wake.
The party moved over to a clearing under one of the hills, protected by a group of rocks and boulders. Gillandra was already tending the wounded, for not one of them had come out of the battle unscathed. She was quite concerned by the nasty looking gash on Chunky's arm, but said nothing to alarm him.
Lysette made the fire, and began cooking the healing broths required, while Thoren and the rest began repairing their armour and weapons. Wendolin had decided that here was indeed the best stop to lay camp. Marcus Lindicus was already tucking into his food and wine, despite his bump to the head.
Jayhawk and Gillandra moved among them, tending wounds here, and lightening spirits there. The group was deeply shaken by the attack, and doubly unhappy that they had been forced to kill such beautiful lake creatures (though they hadn't appeared too beautiful in battle).
Meanwhile Wendolin sat alone, brooding deeply about the imbalance they had caused by the slaughter. She pulled out her spell books and tomes of knowledge that she carried with her, and immediately started poring over them, searching for a way to reinstate the Earth/Waters balance and atone the Gods. While the others continued to sleep, she kept scouring her books through to the early hours of the morning.
At last she found what she was searching for - an incantation she had learned more than 20 years earlier. Without waking the group, she crept in the dark over to the lake's shore and stood there, alone in the dark, beginning the incantation - "Arg Vire Mahattya Hir" "Arg Vire Mahattya Hir" "Arg Vire Mahattya Hir" "Arg Vire Mahattya Hir".
Not long after beginning, the lake, which seemed to be seething and boiling still, began to settle, though the wind picked up and made the surface choppy. "Arg Vire Mahattya Hir" she continued, louder and stronger each time. She was calling to the spirit of the lake. "Arg Vire Mahattya Hir".
All of a sudden, from out of the tumultuous lake came the spirit, spray and wash lashing aroubnd her - "How dare you disturb me from my mourning - you, Wendolin, who are the destroyer of the deep creatures". The creature appeared angry and like a shapeless vapour, its colour a deep magenta purple, drifting and wafting on the shoreline, with salt spray flying around them.
Wend was scared but resolute "Naranya, Naranya, great spirit of the Earth/Waters, I come to appease thy soul". The spirit looked upon her, and allowed her to continue, though she could easily have smote the mortal with one wave.
"Naranya, I come to swear an oath to avenge the death of your deep creatures. They were enchanted by Zordemon the Black, and I promise thee we will make amends before I pass this way again".
Naranya's vapours turned from purple to black, then to a menacing red at hearing the sound of Zordemon's name. She gathered together and spoke: "Wendolin, let me reassure you - you certainly will not pass this way again if you have not avenged my deep creatures. Go, and do not return until you have this news." With that, the spirit ebbed back into the lake, leaving Wendolin alone and forlorn on the sides of the shore.
She crept back to the campsite, rolled back her bedroll and slept soundly for 2 hours, before it was time to wake up and check on each of the party members. She had not been aware that Randorian had slept closely behind her, and that he had also seen the amazing exchange between the Spirit and the Pallidin the previous evening.
[This message has been edited by Wendoolicus (edited 04-01-2000).]