Dungeon Crawl - Part 16

Reven stepped back into the stream as the dead came on. The ghostly blue glow lighting the cavernous space before him as he looked out on the sea of bone. He could see that many of the magical constructs were heading into dark tunnels that wound up and away from the cavern floor. The ones that weren't deserting the cavern were continuing their silent advance toward Reven. He assumed a fighting stance and awaited the tide of dead to hit. 

Before they attacked a shape came splashing out of the water and stumbled into the flanks of the semi-circle of dead. Reven struggled to see what it was in the light but it's screams soon identified it as the mercenary that had accompanied him on his search. Reven splashed through the stream toward him and saw the dead pounding on him as he struggled to his feet. Reven let out a blood curding war cry as he scythed into the skeletons with Bloodthirster. They shattered under the blades weight as Reven stepped in front of the scrabbling form of his comrade, fragments of bone lofted into the air. Reven noted that the blade was heavier as he swung it for a second time, it obviously had no love for these bloodless beings and as such didn't lend any of its magical essence to the attacks but Reven didn't need any help. He risked a glance back at his companion and saw blood gushing from the man's head as he still struggled to his feet. The skeletal horde responded strangely to the attack becoming more animated and more fluid as they countered. They pushed in trying to surround Reven and the fallen mercenary but Reven fought on trying to keep an exit clear. The stumbling man took a shard of bone to the thigh as he regained his feet which sent him stumbling back again, falling into the stream. Reven smashed the skull from the shard wielders body as he fell back in time with the man.

Now knee deep in the fast flowing waters of the stream Reven helped drag the man further away from the horde who paused at the fast flowing waters edge. Tentatively the skeletal horrors pushed into the water but they lacked the weight and mass needed to fight the fast flowing currents of the stream and several lost their footing and crashed into the water. Reven used the respite to prop the mercenary up on a rock on the other side of the stream. The man was bleeding freely from several wounds to his head and a steady plume of crimson was being leaked into the stream from the deep gash in his thigh. 'What's your name soldier?' Reven asked as he tied the ripped sleeve of the man's under shirt above the wound on his thigh. 'Orwin', the man replied through gritted teeth, 'Orwin Smith'. Reven probed the cuts on the man's head as he spoke, 'Orwin, good. Stay focused and stay awake. I'm going to go and have a chat with our bony friends here and then we'll get out of here, do you understand?. Orwin nodded, 'Yes sir, I'll uh, ....I'll just wait here.' Reven smiled at the man's attempt at humour. Then he turned and met the skeletons as they continued their timid advance across the water. He smile widened into a maniacal grin as he hewed his way into the front ranks of the skeletons hoping that he hadn't just lied to Orwin. Hoping that they would both be able to walk out of here and not join the ranks of the undead.