Saora's Benediction 12

    "Saora!" Onyxe called back, sweat pouring form his forehead, "do yeh need ta rest?"

    She shook her head, "Just keep going!" He frowned but charged up the steps of a nearby ziggurat. The undead general at the top screamed curses at him, firing bolts of frost and ice. Saora quickly charged a heal, wiping away any pain her friend felt. She glanced over her shoulder and glared at the sun beginning to disappear behind hte destroyed city. They were running out of time. As exhausted as she was she couldn't rest. They had to keep going. They had to save the prisoner.

    The general screamed once more as he fell, his body hacked apart. Grifton muttered a prayer and plowed a glowing spell through the fiend's head. He wouldn't get up again. Grifton, Armod and Endy entered the ziggurat to clear out the cultists hiding inside. The remaining Dwarf hurried back to Saora and Verita.

    "This's three," he panted. "Priestess Laurena's sources said once the three zigs're destroyed, the barrier 'round Rivendare's stronghold'll collapse."

    Verita pointed northwest, "The final gate is just there. We should make it before the execution. Barely."

    "Thank the Light."

    The hunter raised an eyebrow at Saora, "You are shaking."

    "Stop."

    "If you need to rest--"

    "No."

    "We will not succeed if you are too weak to continue."

    "I AM NOT WEAK!"

    "Whoa, Saora," Onyxe gently patted her arm, "no one's sayin' that. But pushin' yerself beyond yer limit inn't gonna help that girl." Saora glared at him and turned away. He was right. She knew he was right. Even so, a little fatigue wasn't going to stop her from saving the girl.

    "Incoming," Verita growled, stringing an arrow. She fired at something overhead. A shriek burst above, followed by the falling body of an enraged gargoyle. The creature roared, whirling to bite the hunter. Onyxe's mace kept it from ever moving again.

    An explosion within the ziggurat moved the grund under their feet. The green mist surrounding the structure lifted, along with the protective spell on the gate up the rotate. Whooping, the rest of their party exited the zig and rejoined the others. Far ahead, something screamed. The group froze.

    "The shield is down! Protect the Citadel! Protect the Baron!"

    The ground shifted. Saora blinked, glancing at the others. They looked just as confused as she was. Another shift, this one followed by a faint boom. Another, even closer. Saora crouched, planting her hands on the ground for support.

    "Wh-what is that?"

    "It's comin' from the gates," Armod pointed.

    "Aye," Grifton swung his sword, "let's give it a proper greetin'." He raced for the gate, Onyxe and Armod right beside him. The girls glanced at one another and followed. Faster than any of them was Endy.

    The panther flew down the road, nothing more than a blur. He roared and charged at a mass edging its way around the gate's corner.  The creature roared back and swung a huge white limb at the cat. Endy dodged and swiped at the arm. With a scream of pain, the monster grabbed the huge cat, lifting it off the ground with ease. Saora head a TWANG. An arrow launched through the air and buried itself in the monster's shoulder. It roared again, dropping its new toy.

    Saora gasped in horror. The thing was disgusting, a lumbering white corpse as wide as it was tall. Its two bulging arms rivaled an oak tree in width, while its legs were thinner than her own. Beady yellow eyes glared at her as the beast screamed at the advancing fighters. Drool dripped from the gaping mouth that refused to close.

    Even when Onyxe's hammer smashed against its jaw.

    The creature roared, cradling its smashed chin. Armod laughed, his swords removin the beast's arms. With a triumphant yell, Grifton shoved his sword into the creature's stomach. Green puss spew from the wound. The monster howled, staggering back on its skinny legs. With another cry of pain, it toppled to the ground, twitched and laid still.

    "Well," Armod wiped his swords, "that was disappointin'."

    A flash of light blinded the group. Saora managed to squint through her fingers. The light was coming from the dead monster. It covered the body then shrunk and abruptly vanished altogether. In the creature's place, facedown in the city's grime, was a body. A human body.

    "What the..."

    Saora shoved past the men. They shouted warnings but she didn't care. She had to help him. She charged her resurrection spell, hoping she still had the strength to complete it. A hand covered in green claped her wrist.

    "There's no soul left, Saora," said Grifton. "You canna raise an empty shell."

    She shoved him away, "I have to try."

    "You will only waste strength."

    "Will you please stop assuming I'm a weakling, Verita?"

    "Someone able to wield Light as you do," the Elf growled, "cannot be called weak. One who wastes it can be called foolish."

    Armod raised an eyebrow, "You like that 'fool' word, don'cha?"

    Saora's arms dropped, releasing the incantation. Light flowed to the body and hovered around it. With a final flash, the spell rocketed to the dark sky. Nothing happened. He was gone.