A Chosen warrior screamed out as Celeste’s glowing war hammer once again struck home, casting a flailing servant of Chaos into the abyss. So much smoke and mist was rising from the pile that James could no longer observe the Dwarf’s progress along the ceiling above the ongoing battle.

Celeste was by now backed up to the top step of the scaffolding which had the advantage of allowing only one Chaotic warrior the opportunity of engaging in combat with Celeste. Unfortunately, that one was the warrior armed with the halberd.

Whoosh! Went the razor sharp blade, swinging within inches of the crimson robes worn by Celeste. She seemed to have leaned out over the Blue Stone sludge pile in order to avoid the blow.

The Chaos warrior advanced another step up the metal staircase, and readied himself for another swing of his massive blade.

“Advance no further demon spawn!” commanded Celeste. “You shall not defeat me on this day! I call for the aid of Theodor! Lord of all that is good in this world!” and with that pronouncement Celeste raised her war hammer directly upwards. The light which emanated from the weapon dramatically intensified and acquired a three dimensional aspect both in front and behind the Theodorite Sister. In front of her a massive hammer, with a head composed of a twin tailed comet appeared amongst the rising blue steam. Behind Celeste, a huge figure formed itself appearing as a muscular giant of a man. The giant swung the comet headed through the three Chaos soldiers below Celeste on the scaffolding, with incredible velocity. The arms of the giant and the haft of the gargantuan weapon passed directly through Celeste without effect, but the cometary head yielded a different result.

All three warriors were bludgeoned in the explosive impact, collapsing their bodies and propelling them into the pile. Theodor grinned, then faded slowly. Celeste fell to her knees on the scaffolding, visibly exhausted.

“She has expended too much energy Sir James,” responded Elana at James’s side. “Celeste requires your assistance. A spell like that cannot be repeated and will diminish her ability to continue the engagement!”

James sprung to his feet, and drew his short sword, and then wondered to himself what he could possibly do. A quick glance towards the Sunstone confirmed what he had feared. The crystal’s light was diminishing. It still shone intensely bright but less so than the beginning of the battle. A look towards Erik’s Lodestone was equally alarming as white trails formed at least a hundred times a second inside the device. James could feel the heat from the pile. Obviously the sludge pile was approaching a critical stage. It could explode at any moment!

James lifted his sword and ran down the slope towards Celeste. Already two more Chosen warriors were climbing the scaffolding towards his fallen friend.

A massive translucent black hand materialized in front of James and he ran full speed into the apparition. It felt about the same as if he had collided with an upright bed mattress. James even bounced back a bit, then fell on to his behind.

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The image of the black hand morphed into an image of Gloamanthal himself. “Where do you think that you are going Master James! James the Weak! James the Incompetent! James the Ignorant!” boomed the image of Gloamanthal. “You have no place in this world, and no role to play in this conflict! Begone with you!”

The image of the Chaos Lord faded, but James’s mind was permanently damaged. Or so it seemed to him. James felt overwhelmed with dismay. ‘What the hell am I doing here? I have no chance of helping anyone. Why do I even have a sword in my hands? This is all ridiculous!’ James let the sword fall from his hand, and watched it tumble to the ground.

Then he noticed an odd anomaly. There were golden glowing worms of some kind moving through the Earth below his feet. They seemed to be just below the surface of the stony soil and working their way down the slope in the same direction as James had been trying to run.

Next James cast his gaze directly upwards, trying to discern any sign of the progress of Erik Blarneysson. Steam, dust, and waves of heat made that impossible. The Dwarf was not visible.

James looked towards Oakleaf Gilderwood. Gloamanthal stood over top of the elderly Wizard. It was obvious that Gloamanthal was enjoying his impending victory, and an evil grin extended across his face. “Patriarch of Seedlings, Ruler of Flowers!” he boomed. “Worm king! You are defeated and destroyed!” called out the Dark Lord. Gloamanthal drew his black lightning entwined blade high above his sinister helmet, and prepared to deal the decisive blow.

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Erik Blarneysson muttered to himself, “I ain’t navar failed a climb in my life, and aye ain’t about to start now.”

The truth was, the recalcitrant Dwarf was in a bit of a pickle. The rock was soft, the ceiling was high, and with every foot gained the air became hotter and more contaminated. The entire route was an overhang and whenever he made some progress there was another stalactite in the way. Master Jamersson had emphasised the need for brevity, but it obviously would not do for the Dwarf to end up falling into the pile of Blue Stone sludge. So Erik Blarneysson took his time, searching out edges and handholds with caution. One slip, and well……

Since the initial few climbing moves the vision into the lower regions of the cavern had become obscured. Erik could hear this and that, but it was difficult to make out if his side, or the other, was gaining the upper hand. He also wondered just what the hell he was doing. James insisted that Erik must reach the apex of the cavern, directly above the pile, but would James’s plan work? It better, or the Dwarf might just end up roasted alive!

Just then, a handhold failed and a chunk of limestone pulled loose from the ceiling with Erik, once again, left hanging by one arm. The Dwarf swung his body back and forth, once, twice, and three times lucky. His free hand lunged out and a second purchase was acquired. More struggling ensued. Progress was slow, but steady.

Just then Erik Blarneysson caught sight of what appeared to be the summit of his climb, the highest point in the cavern. Dozens of hugely long stalactites hung from the stone ceiling, yards long. This was it. Now, could Erik accomplish his mission? ‘Hot’, thought Erik. ‘Too hot, even for a Dwarf used to working in the bowels of the Earth itself.’

And the damn Blue Stone dust. That couldn’t be good. Even with bloody Goldenwood’s spell of purification wrapped around him, the cavern stank of the stuff. Dwarf’s don’t believe in magic anyways.

Well, there was nothing left in it, but to do it. Impossibly, the Dwarf inverted himself and acquired the necessary footholds. Erik Blarneysson expertly drew beloved Dora back as far as he possibly could, and delivered a massive blow to the base of the nearest stalactite. It loosened. A second blow, with even more force did the trick, and the cylindrical stalactite came loose and fell downward like a Frost God’s javelin, disappearing into the mirk below. Erik readjusted his footholds to enable a strike at the neighboring stalactite, and the powerful Dwarf separated the ancient pillar from the ceiling in a single blow.

‘“Forty more to go.” said the Dwarf to himself.