#104 - Halbazar the Infernal

From the Analects of Simel, veteran of Karrnath 

Zarantyr 24th, 999 YK

A fireball looks different from the inside.

A moments distraction searching for ammunition scattered about the charred remains of the gnolls was rewarded most unpleasantly. Even as I registered a chuckle from the darkness above, I found myself as the clapper inside a giant bell of blinding light and pain. I ran forward, squinting against the heat and brilliance, calling out for my companions to scatter, but couldn't hear my own words through the sound that had taken residence in my head. Despite the pain, it was obvious I had avoided the brunt of the blast. Magnus and Wynn had occupied its center, but neither were felled.

My bow at the ready, I scanned for the source of the attack and found two shadowy creatures scuttling down different walls of the cavern, their bulk belied by their speed. While I felt joy at having targets to punish for this latest unpleasantness and immediately loosed arrows at one, it was clear that they were not the source of the fireball. They showed no great intelligence or predisposition to “chuckling." Instead, they hurried towards us, mouths agape with prominent tusk-fangs gnashing openly, as if we were a long postponed meal. They were orcs but moved and fought like no living orcs I've seen.

None of my companions seemed in the mood to oblige the slavering beasts' hunger and ran to engage them. Magnus and Wynn both attacked my target and we rapidly ended the twisted orc-thing. Wynn, who was either familiar with the beasts’ vulnerabilities or, showing a disturbing window into her character, removed its head from its body with her partisan and kicked it some distance away.

Clarion and Aleae had engaged the other, and while I was not focused on their confrontation, Clarion appeared to interpose himself between his companion and their foe's slashing claws more than once.

"Don't worry, Magnus, you will die last," spat a voice from above from our fire-slinging chuckler. I would come to know that voice as that of Halbazar—erstwhile companion of Magnus and Cypher—but for now it was only confirmation that our attacker was not just concealed, but invisible. Cypher and Rungo used the cover of our combat to try to locate the unseen heckler, which, despite being the target of his attacks, they continued to do most methodically.

Aleae, once free of her opponent, guessed at Halbazar's location and unleashed a storm of ice which seemed to do him harm before she dashed out of sight. For several long moments as the battle progressed, it was clear that our enemy was a sorcerer and he dogged Aleae more than any of us: a dark wave of energy coursed into her from and she was forced to conjure her spell-shield against at least one blast. Even Cypher, who had continually searched for Halbazar, must have been targeted by a spell: the warforged stopped quite suddenly, briefly frozen in place.

His orc-dogs dispatched, Halbazar finally appeared, clinging to the ceiling as he uttered words which became a dazzling spectrum of lovely lights. And in that moment, it dawned on me: Halbazar was a friend, wasn't he? I had heard Magnus say as much once. Why I had not understood that earlier baffled me. He would protect us. There was no justification for this fight. I saw him standing there on the cavern ceiling, a human in nobleman's garb. Yes, he had been forced into a defensive vantage because we had persisted in attacking him.

I felt a joy at seeing him, the sort I have only felt when witnessing the life forcibly leave a Blood of Vol disciple. I smiled, and Wynn smiled back. Magnus smiled, I smiled back. I think they understood the folly of our actions, too, and stayed their hands. The dazzling colors continued to swirl about my field of vision like an afterimage of rational thought. They were so very lovely!

But Aleae was being unreasonable again. Even as she has fought with Cypher, she exchanged blasts of acid with Halbazar. Halbazar's ribs showed through his blasted chest and he was clearly pained by the devastating magic. Why would she do that?

Then Aleae strode up to me and struck me with her staff. WHY?!

Oh. Halbazar was no friend.

Understanding, I hurried to Magnus and punched him (it hurt me more than him), and I began to loose my arrows at Halbazar now that he was both visible and stationary. Rungo, still clinging to the ceiling like an insect, sprinter over and attacked the undead human. Magnus, shaken from the same spell of enchantment, bellowed what may not have been words and ran to the ground forty feet directly beneath Halbazar. He slammed his massive bone-mace to the ground and another ice storm erupted around him that reached to the ceiling engulfing both Halbazar and Rungo. I did not realize Magnus could conjure spells like this—least of all with his weapon.

Blasted by the ice and wind Halbazar fell to the cavern floor at Magnus's feet, moving pitifully. A living man might have broken bones from such a fall, but this was no living man—yet the spells had devastated his body. He said something too low for me to hear, seeming to appeal to Cypher, who had just run to his side. I advanced with my silver dagger out, fully intending to test Wynn's strategy by sawing the man's head from his torn body. Cypher staid my hand.

"Wait," Cypher said.

I turned away. "He was your friend, deal with him as you will."

Magnus pushed by me and, despite Cypher's protestations, separated Halbazar's head and body with one stroke. Magnus held the acid and ice-burned skull to eye level and screamed…  I am not sure what he screamed, but it was heartfelt.

A short while later, Magnus wore Halbazar's head on his belt. Bereft of flesh, the blackened human skull now rested beside a somewhat smaller, elvish skull. Oh yes, I remember the female vampire creature from a battle in the halls above. That was days ago, wasn't it?

I haven't been moved to ask Magnus why he is wearing their skulls.