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Blackness engulfed Arrayan as thehands closed around her throat She couldn&039;t begin to concentrate enough to throw one of her few reth to defeat or even deter the th to begin to fight back She grabbed the ht as well have been trying to tear an old oak tree out of the ground

Shewith another pair of the horrid creatures, and that one glance told the woman that her friend would likely join her in the netherworld

Theher head back, and somewhere deep inside she hoped that her neck would just snap and be done with it before her lack of breath overcaered backward, and the rasp Confused, Arrayan opened her eyes then recoiled with horror as she realized that she was holding two severed liasped a deep and welcomed breath of air, and looked back at the creature only to see the ind that was Arterabbed at Arrayan from the side, and she cried out

And Entreri was there, rolling his extraordinary sword up and over with a left-to-right backhand that forced the mummy&039;s arh, flipped his dagger into the air and caught it backhand, then drove it right to the hilt into the mummy&039;s face as he came around Gray dust flew froer free, spun around so that he was facing the creature, and bulled ahead, driving it right over the railing

Arrayan sobbed with horror and weakness, and the assassin grabbed her by the aruided her toward the stair

"Get down!" he ordered

Arrayan, too battered and overwhelhtened, hesitated

"Go!" Entreri shouted

He leaped at her, causing her to cry out again, then he went right by, launching hinoll an their deadly dance once rowled in frustration It was going to be hard enough keeping himself alive up there asto protect Arrayan A glance toward the door inspired hierkhan To the stair with you, I beg"

Perhaps it was the e in his voice, but Entreri was glad indeed to see the woman sprint off for the stairs

The muerkhan was losing badly Bruises and cuts covered hi of his heavy war club

Entreri hit hiht past the pair of battling erkhan hard against the back of the opened door The door slaed between it and the ja creature

He ignored theon hioyle He slashed and stabbed and drove it back

Olgerkhan&039;s weight finally closed the door

"Just hold it shut!" Entreri yelled at hied away at the re two rave danger Perhaps it had been the tone of Mariabronne&039;s plea for help or even that the legendary Rover had called out at all Perhaps it was the closed door at the bottom of the staircase before her, or maybe it was the sound

For other than her footsteps, and those of the duo behind her, all was silent

She lowered her shoulder and barreled through the door, stu into the room, shield and sword presented There she froze, then slumped in horror and despair, her fears confir and with his neck and chest covered in his own blood Blood continued to roll fro forth as it had been, for the ranger&039;s heart no longer beat

"Tooin behind her

"Guardian dae the de about the room "A valiant battle"

Ellery continued to si at the dead hero of Damara Froreatand his particular relationship with the line of Tranth, the Barons of Bloodstone and Ellery&039;s ieneration, Ellery had held up the legend of Mariabronne as the epitoonsbane and his friends had inspired the young warriors of Mariabronne&039;s generation, so had he passed along that inspiration to hers

And he lay dead at Ellery&039;s feet Dead on aDead because of her decision to split the party to explore the tunnels

Als, Ellery was shaken froate

"That&039;s the priest!" the dwarf yelled, and he charged back out of the roo hand on her shoulder

"You are needed elsewhere," the dark elf bade her "There is nothing more you can do here"

She offered the drow a blank look

"Go with Athrogate," said Jarlaxle "There is work to be done and quickly"

Hardly thinking, Ellery staggered out of the room "I will see to Mariabronne," Jarlaxle assured her as she stumbled back up the corridor

True to his word, the droith the ranger as soon as Ellery was out of sight He pulled out a wand and cast a quick divination spell

He was surprised and disappointed at how little istered on a man of Mariabronne&039;s reputation The man&039;s sword, Bayurel, was of course enchanted, as was his ar, but a cursory glance told Jarlaxle that he possessed at least a dozen rings of greater enchant the obvious ring wasn&039;t worth the risk

One thing did catch his attention, however, and as soon as he opened Mariabronne&039;s small belt pouch, a smile widened on Jarlaxle&039;s face

"Obsidian steed," he reurine A quick inspection revealed its coer&039;s arms over his chest and placed Bayurel in the appropriate position atop hiret He had heardhis short time in the Bloodstone Lands, and he knew that he had become party to a momentous event The shock of thetime to come, and it occurred to Jarlaxle that it truly was an iave a quick salute to the dead hero and acknowledged the sadness of his passing

Of course, it wasn&039;t enough of a regret for Jarlaxle to put back the obsidian steed

"Ahat&039;d ye do?" Athrogate asked Pratcus as soon as he ca priest

Pinned to the corridor wall, his chest shattered and torn, Pratcus could only stare nurabbed the spike and tried to pull it back, but he couldn&039;t get a handhold It wouldn&039;t have mattered anyway, both of them knew, as did Ellery when she o to Moradin&039;s Halls, then," Athrogate said He pulled a skin from around his neck and held it up to the priest "A bit o&039; the gutbuster," he explained, referring to that et there and put ye in a good asped He sipped at the skin, and even ed a thankful nod as the fiery liquid burned down his throat

Then he was dead