Dungeon Crawl - Part 17

Borengar watched Missner approach as he stood at the fizzing blue magical shield. All was quiet in the room the shield protected. Krassner had slumped across the stone alter he had been chanting at. He had been this way since his wild incantation had reached its crescendo, blazing blue light had filled the chamber and then seemed to fall away to parts of the room that couldn't be seen from Borengar's view point. He would have thought the wizard dead if it wasn't for the blue lines of power that pulsed outward from the slumped body, tracing their way through the stone of the alter.

'Idiot', muttered Master Missner as he made his way to where Borengar stood in front of the barrier. His soldiers fanned out behind him, filling the corridor with bodies. Borengar looked at the man, 'Quite so. All that ranting he only managed to knock himself unconscious.' 'He's not conscious Master Steelskin. He's dead!' answered Missner. 'The fool has tampered with things beyond his ken. Necromancy my dwarf friend. The dark magical art of undeath. His own spell has consumed his life but he will rise again.' Borengar bristled and spat as if he had a bad taste in his mouth, 'Better get me through this bloody shield then old man. My axe will ensure he never leaves this place'. Missner's response was cut short as shouts of alarm echoed up the corridor. 

Missner and Borengar pushed through the troops that were straining to see the source of commotion and were greeted by the sight of Agrippa and one of his men sprinting full tilt toward the waiting soldiers. They had their weapons drawn and were both covered in sticky black blood. 'They're coming' panted a breathless Agrippa, 'Goblins, they rushed us whilst we were exploring the tunnels. Hundreds of them. We managed to slow their advance but they will be here at any moment.' As soon as the words left the mercenary captains mouth Goblins started spilling out of the side passages and heading en masse toward the startled troops. Lisandra Missner immediately started barking orders at the men who to their credit formed up in orderly ranks facing the green horde. Borengar took a place in the front rank of defenders next to the woman and they readied themselves for battle.

The wounded Orwin watched the young warrior in front of him spin away from another attack and bring his sword to bare on yet another skeletal opponent. He was mesmerised at Reven's skill, watching him as he ducked and weaved and struck with power and ferocity. The undead had backed him up as he desperately tried to prevent any of the sickening lifeless constructs from getting to Orwin. The water was still taking some of the skeletons with it. The blue light fading from their bony bodies as they fell. Orwin felt consciousness slipping away and he desperately fought to keep his eyes open but with the sound of combat ringing in his ears he could fight no longer. The image of skeletons swarming over Reven was the last thing he saw before closing his eye's and drifting into unconsciousness.