139 - "More Tricks With Stones” - Karendle - A Tale of Heroes

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Muttering and cursing, Karendle crouched low and crawled over to the injured man. She pushed aside the remains of a cracked and splintered pew to kneel beside him. She glanced up and around the nave above them. No dragons for the moment. 

The man was lying on his belly, his finely sewn jacket covered in rock and plaster dust. His legs were buried underneath a large wooden beam and a few large carved stones. She surmised that the rocks had probably smashed the pews first, then fallen onto the man. That, at least, was probably lucky for him. She tried to push the rocks, then lift the board. Nothing moved. It was too heavy, too tightly wedged in place.

The drakes above screeched more and she could hear more flames being spit onto the cathedral walls. She ducked down behind the rubble some more.

“What’s happening? The Destroyer has come! The world is ending!” The man began crying.

“Shush! Quiet!” Karendle hissed through her teeth, “Do you want to draw all of those dragons over here?” The man stared at her, then dropped his head back down to the floor in fear.

What do I do? Well, I can move rocks. It’s a good thing I practiced. She reached into the new leather pouch threaded into her belt. The tension in her arms made her fingers quiver as she dug out her oculi. Where’s the sapphire? Just grab them!

She pulled out her fist holding the magical stones. One was a shiny, faceted blue, and the other was round and flat, a polished piece of green and brown jade. She could barely hold them both together in her shaking hand. She took one in each hand and shifted herself away from the man and the rubble.

Well, let’s see what I can do, here. She opened her mind to her will, as she had practiced many times before. She reached out with her left hand, holding the shiny blue oculus stone, now slightly glowing, and pointed it at the biggest rock. It raised quickly, up off the man, and she tossed it a few feet aside. It crashed into some of the other chunks of rubble. Next, she moved the beam. That was more difficult, as it was wedged under a downed pew as well as other rocks.

“You’re a wizard!” the man gasped with awe on his face.

“Not really,” Karendle mumbled, “I just pretend to be one. Stay down. There’s more stuff I have to move.”

She turned her focus to a large rock remaining on the man’s left foot. It started to shift in place and the man cried out in pain. “Sorry!” she shouted. I’ll have to lift this straight up. No twisting. She reset her knees and closed her eyes to focus her concentration.

A screeching sound jolted her out of the focus. A drake had heard their noises and streaked toward her, teeth and claws bared. She screamed and threw her hands up in front of her, bracing for the hit, hoping to shield herself in any way she could.

The jade nature oculus glowed warm in her hands. The rock shot up into the air, suddenly stretching itself out into a large flat disc right in front of the oncoming drake. Unable to stop or turn, it smashed hard into the improvised stone shield, cracking it into pieces. The drake and the stone fragments dropped to the ground, crashing onto the remnants of the pew.

Karendle looked in amazement at the oculus in her right hand. Wow! Maybe this thing is useful after all!

The drake flopped and turned on the floor, trying to right itself in its dazed confusion. Karendle quickly brought the blue oculus up again and lifted the man up and away from the pews and rubble, and into the aisle. With great care she set him down close to the wall.

She heard some new voices mixing in with the screams of panic and the shrieks of monsters. These were confident voices, shouting commands and laughing. Confused, she scrambled back over to the pillar and looked around. Two men were walking through the nave toward the sanctuary. Walking? No, they were floating, riding on a cloud of darkness. One wore a robe of black, the other, red. She recognized the trim patterns and markings on the robes, and it fueled anger inside her.

The Wizard’s Guild! The sniveling cowards! Why are they attacking a church?

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This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox, Genevieve Springer!

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