[coronatiger]

Grogg began lifting the portcullis, invoking his god, bellowing “Orga!” By this time, I had checked the restroom, and found it empty, except for a set of cabinets under the washing bench. I told Nujan to check those. Xipil came running, having fetched his staff, and joined Nujan. We heard something metallic behind the back wall; the washing bench was to our left and the toilets to our right.

As Grogg lifted the portcullis high enough for him and Wolfram to get out, I called out, “Remember the axe!” I put the throwing knife between my teeth, thinking I’d have time to reapply poison to the long knife while he forced the door at the end of the corridor.

Wolfram came out from the portcullis room and Grogg kicked his axe out. Wolfram smashed his flail into the sturdy door, and Grogg exited the prison, dropping the portcullis to the floor with a crash. Xipil hit the wooden wall of the restroom near the washing bench and called for Grogg. The wall was hollow!

The murder holes in the corridor opened, and Wolfram was struck by a bolt. He turned and stabbed upwards with his sword, while calling for help. Grogg picked up his axe and told Xipil he had to help Wolfram first. I finished poisoning my knife and put the vial back into my belt pouch. Nujan ran over to me near the door, and told Wolfram to come to us, as there were no murder holes in the restroom ceiling. The giant human threw himself between Nujan and me, and Grogg began chopping up the door at the end of the corridor.

Nujan took up position in the restroom door, shield up to protect against arrows. I took the throwing knife from my mouth and told Wolfram to retreat into the room and take it easy until I had time to give first aid. He crawled backwards and held a hand over one of his wounds.

Grogg declared the door was open, and I hurried out past Nujan and him. “Open” was a bit of an overstatement, but he had made a hole, large enough for me to dive through. I rolled around and got my feet under me again. Nujan tumbled after me.

In this large room was a T-shaped table. In the far-right corner stood a ladder leading up to a balcony that overlooked the room from all sides, except the side we had just burst through. There was another sturdy door on the far side of the left wall, and someone was trying to hide on the balcony on the left side. All that was pushed to the back of my mind, for Podo stood on the table. He stared at me, just as surprised to see me as I was to see him. He held a knife in each hand.

I ran at Podo and threw a knife before veering off to the right. Podo ducked under the blade that was meant for his throat, and jumped off the table, away from me. I shouted “Grogg, above and left!” and positioned myself so I faced both Podo and the woman on the balcony. Nujan ran past Podo, swinging his sword, but he missed. The woman on the balcony lit her knife. Podo shouted that if it was this important, I could have the whole list.

Grogg made two rapid chops at the woman above, and she tumbled to the floor, dropping her glowing weapon. I drew my second throwing knife and approached Podo carefully. The fallen Toxiner watched me intensely, practically ignoring Grogg and Nujan, except for making a quick attack against Grogg’s neck. Due to Grogg’s metal-inlaid skin, the knives didn’t stab deeply, but I knew the blades were poisoned. You must have withdrawn Your blessing from the apostate, for Grogg’s only reaction was “That hurt!”

Grogg attacked Podo with the flat of his axe in case I wanted to interrogate him, but Podo dodged. I ran up to him and stabbed, but Podo dodged again. “Drop your knives, and I’ll let you live,” I told him. Nujan joined Grogg and me, and Podo dropped his knives and retreated towards the ladder.

A door opened behind us, next to the one Grogg had destroyed, and a man rushed out, swiping a blade over Grogg’s right arm. Unfortunately for our opponent, that arm is the most heavily armored arm in all of Arland, and the blade just clanged off the thick plate. Grogg turned and chopped horizontally, nearly taking the man’s head off.

I sheathed my knives and told Podo to sit down. Not quite seated, Podo pulled back towards the ladder, and Grogg ran to block his retreat. Nujan listened to the massive door, and Xipil looked around for more threats. I bent down and picked up Podo’s knives, putting one of them behind my belt. Podo watched Grogg warily now that my attention was elsewhere, and asked him to let him go. Grogg loomed over him menacingly.

I cut strips of the fallen woman’s dress while Nujan opened the big door. Podo shifted towards me, asking if everything would be all right if he sat down. Grogg followed. I confirmed that if he surrendered, we wouldn’t harm him. Nujan reported to Grogg that he had found the board game room.

I brought the strips up to Podo and had him turn around and put his hands on his back so I could tie them up. I explained that I respected him as an opponent, and it would be irresponsible of me not to control him while we were here together. He asked if he couldn’t just leave, but I told him not yet. He let me tie him up. Then I slit his throat, using his own blade. Even though I was standing behind him, I got blood on my pretty, white dress. It didn’t matter, as it was already turning red.

Nujan reported that there was an exit from the game room, and he believed many had fled that way. I went to take a look, and saw a staircase leading up. I couldn’t go there before I had cleared the complex. I glanced about the room and estimated that there had been at least six people here, and probably more than ten, based on the hastily abandoned wine glasses and other remains. Xipil, Nujan and I went to search the rest of the area.