I squinted into the spider hole after Jörg rid of the giant spider carcass that was now roasting to ashes in the fire behind me. The tunnel went straight into blackness and once again I was the only one able to fit in its space. Obviously unconcerned that there might be more spiders down there, or for my general safety, my party waved me on. The ranger was kind enough to give me a torch that I thought I could use to blind any beast that might be still down there. Before I went down, Caerulean produced a rope and helped tie it around my waist.
"Tug once for more slack and twice for us to pull you out in case you run into anything down there." He explained and I gave the sign Pelor. I knew it had to be done because those kids needed to be found. If they were still alive at all they would be down in the center of their nest. I grimaced feeling the sticky substance of the creature's silk beneath my feet. I kept thinking I would soon see their beady eyes flicker in the darkness ahead of me but I didn't. After thirty feet or so the tiny hole opened up into a huge circular space. The bottom was filled with water that dripped down from above through the damp dirt ceiling.
I almost slipped into the pit of water where the spiders crawled out from. I could see a smaller tunnel beneath the surface and was sure it came out on the other side of the city wall and into the river that flowed right along side of it. I didn't know spiders could swim but they must have if they were able to make these tunnels. If there were more of them we needed to close off this tunnel so the dark creatures could no longer gain access to the orphanage. As for the kids they already took, it seemed to me they were gone. I signed to Pelor. Their little bodies wouldn't be able to fight all that poison, not to mention the tiny scrape marks from a child's hand that went down along the edge of tunnel into the water. I made a small prayer to Pelor to take pity on them and traveled back through the tunnel a came down.
Outside, my party waited for me. When I told them what I had found everyone discussed what we should do. "Spiders can hold their breath for hours. That tunnel could go on for more than any of us can hold our breath." Rolan explained. Some suggested we should go in after them, others wanted to cross the river, and I just wanted to collapse the tunnel all together. As this was being hashed out I saw a wagon with a funny feller on top holding the reigns. He rolled up right next to us and his little droll mouth was hidden under the fiery bushy beard. I was sure he was a dwarf. He was only slightly taller than myself and still half the size of the humans among us. He tumbled down and waddled to the back of the wagon. Grabbing one of his many barrels he rolled it towards the spider hole.
"Excuse me sir who are you?" Maleficent queried. He turned with a smile that showed his rotting teeth, some were missing making his S's howl.
"See here my name is Wun Bomblast. Thea sent me to take care of this here spider hole. My special Wun powder will do the trick. Thea would like to see you all about a crises in the far north part of the city by the way." He told us and went back to his wagon to get more barrels. "No, need to stand around for the show folks, I can take it from here." He snapped the straps on his overalls and shied us away with his hands to leave. Rolan shrugged, and Jörg raised a quizzical brow, but we left him to his job knowing we had other pressing matters to attend to.
Inside the orphanage I assured Sister Beatrice that everything was well. She was appreciative and praised our bravery in fighting the beasts. Apparently the raucous of our little battle had awoken the whole orphanage who pressed their faces to the windows to watch us. Some of the kids must have overheard because they came out shouting in celebration and would not be still until Gordon the VI sung them the tale of how we slew the giant spiders. They cheered us out and down the street as we made our way back to the Keep.
Out in the courtyard Thea greeted us with an austere gaze telling me something was wrong.
"You have to hurry to Pelor's temple in the northern quarter. I'm afraid its been robbed. The stuff the thieves stole well its of grave importance to the people of Portcullis and will need to be returned to the temple as soon as possible." My heart accelerated at her words. Absent-minded, I signed Pelor with my hands moving in a circular motion in front of my face. How could anyone steal from a temple of the light?
I don't remember leaving the courtyard, only that I had and was rushing down the streets to where I knew the Temple of Pelor was located. My companions seemed less worried as if it were just another job. I tried to feel compassion or sympathy for them all, knowing that their ignorance of the light and truth allowed for some mercy and patients to be shown. This was one of those moments when I felt like an outsider to the rest of my group. Even so how could they not realize that hundreds of people in this city relied on the healing waters that the Temple possessed. I hastened my footsteps until we reached its gates.
There were sick people milling around the front of the temple pleading to the guards and priestesses among them to let them in.
"Please, I'm sorry we can not allow you in this day. The pool is dry, no healing can be done I'm afraid." I recognized Priest Theron's low timid voice struggling to rise above the now panicked peoples. Some fell to their knees asking forgiveness as if it were Pelor who had turned his shining face away from them. I could stand it no longer and pushed my way through the throng until Theron could see me.
"Brother Theron. Please my comrades and I are now citizen patrol. Let us in so we can all figure this out." Thankfully he recognized me and ushered the seven us through the gates and away from the ails of the people. Inside almost broke my heart, and I could feel my chest tighten against the sight of my lord's temple ransacked. The pews and tables were over turned and sideways. The golden pensive and some other valuables were missing but nothing stopped my heart more than when I noticed the golden sun missing from up on the front wall. In that golden sun was a crystal blue diamond known as Pelor's tear; holy water dripped from its stone into the golden pensive below where his priestesses and priests would then bless its water and carry it out to fill the pool of healing. That is why the sick could not be healed.
"As you can see Sister Daisy, the situation is dire. We need to find the tear before more people die before Sister Rose-Mary dies. As we speak she lays with Sister Sarah, another victim, unconscious and with life draining from her." Brother Theron signed Pelor, his intimate voice slightly echoed in the acoustic sanctuary that wrapped around in a U-shape forcing the attention up towards the pulpit. The sermons given here were given with fervor that boomed around the room like thunder giving a sense that Pelor himself were speaking.
"What happened to them?" I asked.
"They were attacked by the thieves last night. Sister Sarah might recover but Sister Rose-Mary may never wake again. We have tried to heal her and used up all our efforts trying but she simply will not wake. Its truly tragic." Brother Theron held up his hands as if handing his burdens over to Pelor's light. He was the only one that could heal her now.
"Take me to Sister Sarah if she is awake I need to speak with her immediately." I implored Brother Theron to take me to Sister Sarah's side. Jörg's hulking shadow engulfed my own as he followed me through the Temple's halls. The Temple was built to let in the natural light of Pelor through the ceiling's curved glass. The soft light would filter in and reflect off small fountains of water that poured out from statues of lions or suns that were placed in small alcoves along the wall. The white marble floors were regularly scrubbed so that its smooth shine caught our reflection if you looked down into its glossy surface.
In the right wing of the temple and up on the second floor was where the sick was generally kept. I saw the other Priests and priestesses crowding around the two sisters who were attacked last night. Sister Rose- Mary was a pasty, sweating, mess lying unconscious under the sheets. One of the priestesses I knew as Sister Milly was putting a damp cloth over her forehead. On the bed to Rose-Mary's left lay Sister Sarah, her eyes were sunken in dark circles of a sleepless night and she was a sallow sight herself, but at least she was awake.
I went to her side and dipped a clean rag into a bowl a water and started to dab her forehead and chest.
"Sister Sarah, I heard all about what happened last night. I'm so glad to see you alive." She smiled weakly at me and took my small hand in her clammy big one.
"I hope I can stay alive, but im afraid with out the tear Sister Rose-Mary and myself have a short fate ahead of us."
"Did you see who it was who attacked you? Perhaps we could find him and return the items lost." I pleaded with her hoping she could tell me anything. All she said was that they were cloaked and one had a dagger. She thought she remembered a green tunic but it was such a common color for clothing it wasn't much help at all. She was weary and started drifting off to sleep, so I patted her hand and left her to rest. There were no words to utter, just rising righteous anger that threatened to boil over. I would find whoever was responsible for this. Once I do, I vow to Pelor that he will have his vengeance or I will never walk in the light again.
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