Season of Bloom - 8. Verdant Vanquisher

Lapis ran a hand over his belt, identifying the potions he wore quickly. A vial to toughen his skin, a vial to make him disappear, a vial to ease his wounds, a scroll to summon a wolf, and a potion to increase his courage and skill. Two would be taken in the next ten minutes, before he stepped into the silent chamber ahead, and the rest held just in case. He could feel a malice to the area; something was not happy to have him there. Whether that was because he wasn’t Cassiel, or whether it was because this truly was a trap, he could not say. But Lapis was here now, and he would see this through.

Posting his horse to the ground, the amurrun pulled two potions off his belt, draining them in a series of rapid gulps. Prayers of protection and aid followed, Lapis focusing most of his efforts on Khemet. The tiger’s teeth grew sharper, his body toughening slightly as the magic worked over his body, and the cat yawned widely, stretching as he prepared himself for combat.

They passed into the overgrown fortress, stepping carefully around vines and roots. A large tree sat in the fortress’ court, branches swaying heavily in a nonexistent breeze. Oak, sturdy, well kept, and utterly out of place for the bog around them. This had to be the nymph’s tree, and Lapis understood then the malice he felt. The nymph was angry at whoever had put the stone walls around her, the people who trapped her power and prevented her from saving the lands around her. She had probably been trapped here for centuries, watching the land wither and die under the care of humans who would rather fight and kill each other.

His hand reached out, touching the tree gently, and the hum of magic filled the air, Khemet growling as a hydra appeared behind them.

“What’s this? The baron sends a messenger? Such a shame he shall never receive an answer…”

Lapis’ eyes followed the voice, a green skinned nymph appearing on one of the outer walls to the fortress.

“A lonely meeting place, a summons to come by ourself, and it turns out to be an ambush. You know the baron is already dead, right?” Lapis called up to her, an eye watching the hydra warily.

“It matters little. Another will take his place, and another and another. This land has suffered under the rule of your kind. The land will be renewed, reborn, reclaimed. And it will start with the deaths of every one of you. Die or run, I care little. Nothing will change; I will have my revenge.”

The nymph vanished suddenly, the hydra slithering closer as Lapis set an arrow to his string. He had one trick to play, one offering to the gods, and if that didn’t work, he would be forced to kill the beast.

“Bastet grant me the power to control this beast!”

His amulet heated briefly with power, the prayer calling upon a magic that failed as soon as it left him. Lapis let out a hiss as a manticore and an owlbear appeared on either side of the hydra, Khemet charging forward with a feline battle cry.

The tiger tore into the hydra, Lapis adding his fire and acid desperately to his companion’s strikes. The five headed beast fell under their combined assault, Khemet whirling on the manticore as the owlbear lumbered slowly toward them.

Acid and claw reduced the manticore to sizzling remains, the two turning their fury on the owlbear before breaking free from the chambers. Running back the way they came, Lapis tripped over a root, a large circle of entangling vines appearing to pin both him and Khemet down as a giant flytrap crawled toward them.

“Bastet, grant me the fire of your fury!” Lapis gasped, a bolt of flames flying at the plant.

He and Khemet fought free, the two standing side by side as the plant neared. Quick shots picked off petals and twigs, Lapis throwing healing spells at Khemet as the plant tried to pummel them into submission and death. By the time they crawled away from that fight, Lapis was feeling almost as drained as he had been in Trobold.

“I… I don’t think I like travelling anymore Khemet…” he gasped as they made good their escape from the trapped chambers.

Kiba fell from the pony, crawling away desperately as Linzi dropped beside him.

“No more… please no more… Kiba hurts too much…”

Regongar laughed uproariously, shaking his head as he handed the reins of his stallion to the stablehand. He said something to the human, the young man chuckling nervously as he looked at the kobold on the ground.

“Get up. You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Kiba looked up at the dark one, running a hand over his scaled legs in an attempt to alleviate some of the burning.

“He was just riding for a whole day without any chance to stretch,” Linzi defended, the halfling offering a hand to the kobold.

Kiba ignored it, standing up painfully on his own. He felt a rush of frustration from Apsu, and to alleviate it, he touched the halfling’s hand cautiously. Linzi made him lean on her, the kobold trying to keep himself up regardless of her help as they made their way after the larger members of the group.

“Remember, I’ll tell you what they say, and then you tell me what to say. Most of them can speak Draconic… or, at least Octavia and Regongar can. I’m not sure about Tristian, Kassil, or Jhod.”

Kiba nodded along absently, his mind threatening to shut down as the warmth of the day began fading into a cooling evening. Summer was nearing its end, and he would become sluggish soon, the best of days rarely seeing him outside his den. The benefits of living underground, the temperature was always constant, just warm enough for kobolds to live and work. Above ground, the harshness of winter would soon drive him into a hibernation of sorts, unless he could find a way to alleviate the chill in the air. Maybe with the dark one’s fire.

The kobold barely noticed when he was set into a chair; he was bone tired and needed sleep, craved sleep. His head bounced off the side of the wooden table in front of him with a thud, Linzi helping him sit up straight. The murmur of words surrounded him, and it wasn’t long before Kiba was snoring quietly, lulled into sleep.

“Cassiel is dead?”

The mage gasped, her eyes filled with pain and horror.

“Are you sure there is no way to bring him back?”

“We tried. He is unwilling to return,” Tristian frowned, staring at the unconscious kobold across the table. “I understand that we need to discuss succession, but we will not be getting anything out of the kobold in his current state. Perhaps we could wait until morning? It has been a rather long day for us all.”

“I am considering him an emissary of Chief Sootscale. It would be best if he were awake during this meeting,” Octavia frowned.

Faes sighed quietly.

“I got him,” the elementalist said, a spark dancing through the air before landing on the kobold’s arm.

Kiba let out a yelp, sitting up straight as he was shocked awake.

“No! You no hurt Kiba!” he hissed, his own hand raising, and a spark of electricity flashed at Faes, the lightning absorbed by the magic in the half-drow’s flesh.

“Why you little fiend-”

“Enough!” Octavia said loudly. “There will be no magic thrown in this room, am I understood?”

“Yes,” Faes muttered, backing down from the regent’s scowl.

“Faes, Kiba, you are both here due only to the service you provided to the barony. You will both behave or you will be removed,” Kassil added firmly.

The kobold shrank in his seat, but Faes could feel his glare through the wood. The half-drow wasn’t too upset about the attack; he’d been trying to provoke one to see what the kobold could actually do. It still caught him off guard though.

“We are here to discuss the succession of the barony,” Octavia said, taking a breath. “Everyone here is in contention for the title. If you wish to be removed, please say so now.”

“I wish to be removed from consideration,” Faes said immediately. “However, I would like to nominate the amurrun who travels with me. Lapis showed true mettle in Trobold, and proved himself capable of making tough decisions, even if we didn’t like most of them.”

“It will be a cold day in Avernus before I ever allow a cat to rule over me,” Regongar snapped.

“Reg, settle down,” Octavia said soothingly. “The nomination is on the table. Does anyone else wish to confirm?”

“I will,” Tristian said. “As Faes said, Lapis showed the true strength of his character. I was not happy with some of his choices, but he did what he could to spare lives.”

“Accepted,” Octavia said, making a note in a book. “Does anyone else wish to step down?”

“I do,” Kassil said. “My loyalties were questioned by Cassiel, and would continue to be questioned should I become his successor. I can better serve the barony from my current station.”

“I am too old to worry about ruling,” Jhod added, the aging cleric chuckling quietly. “I will withdraw my name, and support whoever becomes the ruler.”

“My book is not about me,” Linzi agreed. “What kind of writer would I be if I took control of where the story of Ellesmera led? I don’t want to be a baron, it would cut down on my writing time.”

The rest of the table looked at each other, silence falling over them. Kiba, the fighter Valerie, Tristian, Ekundayo, Regongar, and Octavia all waited for a moment, before Ekundayo let out a sigh.

“I do not wish to be trapped in the capital. Let me return to my village, and try to make something of the ruins there.”

“You are welcome to stay,” Octavia denied. “Cassiel spoke highly of you when he met you.”

Linzi murmured something to Kiba, and the kobold let out a gasp.

“Kiba is no chief!” he yelped, the draconic hisses filling Faes’ ears.

The half-drow winced at the noise, Octavia nodding from across the table.

“So be it. Valerie, Tristian, Regongar, you are all in contention for the barony. We will break here, to let everyone rest and recover. Tomorrow, we will meet and you will present your arguments to each other and this group. We will decide who is to be sent north to Lady Aldori for confirmation,” Octavia said. “Faes, you will present an argument for Lapis.”

“If the cat returns,” Regongar smirked, standing up. “Come, my Octavia. We have much to discuss tonight.”

Faes watched the two leave the room, signifying the end of the meeting, and he frowned.

“Where are Kiba and I to stay while we remain here?” he asked.

“The manor has a few guest rooms for dignitaries. You may stay with Consul Sootscale for the time being,” Kassil said. “Would you like me to show you the way?”

The half-drow bit his tongue, cutting off a remark about having to stay in the same room as the kobold. He nodded stiffly, following the half-orc from the room with a motion for Kiba to walk with him.