Young Writers Society

Lyrth followed Harry through to the new challenge. They passed through a great hall first, the sort that smelled of history and betrayal. His eyes drank in the gilded carvings and glittering chandelier that leant the room a whimsical glow. Lyrth wondered what they all meant. Surely something important, something bards would sing about.

Back home, in Faerun, he had always loved the mystery and the glamour of places such as this. How many hours had he spent in the library at Mordesai, examining the mosaics, in awe of whoever had painstakingly laid each glass tile in place? He scowled. If only they weren’t in such a rush, maybe he’d have asked Felix to share those stories. Aware that he had fallen behind a bit, he rushed through a large gate at one end of the room after Harry.

Lyrth looked down to find snow coating the ground in powdery waves. He smiled to himself, listening absent mindedly as Felix highlighted the dangers of the maze they were about to enter. A maze in a maze. How peculiar. It seemed to all be pretty straightforward obstacles; monsters and magic and moving walls. Lyrth was more interested in the runes that covered the walls of this strange room. They felt hauntingly familiar, the slanting curves and sharp dips tantalizingly similar to some language he knew. He wondered if- “Anyone else have an opinion on splitting up?”

He blinked. Perhaps he should have paid better attention. Splitting up? Isn’t that the worst possible choice to make on an adventure? He thought to himself, wishing that Vendryck could counsel him from within his mind. But Harry and Felix were right, they couldn’t afford to lose everybody in one go. Better that someone went home, rather than no one at all. Better that someone was you. A malicious voice at the back of his mind whispered. He scowled, pushing it away. He had more honor than that.

“Better that someone goes home, rather than no one at all,” He said, forcing his tone to take on a carefree sound, “If we must split up, then we had better do it.”

Rune glanced at the others in the group.

He had been elated when Felix had mentioned phantoms being a part of the maze. He could handle things like that with ease. It wouldn't be anything like the necromancy he had done earlier. He wouldn't have to rely on things other than necromancy, either. He was right on a maze being easier than a fight.

Then Felix mentioned splitting up.

And Harry, Jennifer and Lyrth all seemed to agree.

Rune, admittedly, wasn't all that used to traveling in groups. The last time had traveled in one had been a long time ago, back when he was a child and didn't know any better. Maybe splitting up in a situation like this really was a good idea, but Rune knew there was strength in numbers.

"I'm against splitting up," Rune said. He glanced over at Felix, still remembering his reaction to Rune's offer to heal his wounds. "Necromancers don't usually travel in groups. People have a tendency to...fear those who can manipulate the dead. But based on the previous challenges we've faced, it seems like we're a good team. Why should we break up our strengths now?"

"I'm against splitting" Felix was slightly surprised by this.
He'd assumed Rune would want to split up, either out of fear or in order to be able to attack one of them with the least resistance.
listening as Rune went on Felix started to understand why Rune didn't want split up, although he wasn't particularly sure he trusted all of what Rune said it did make sense.
But it was also a pretty weak argument.

"If we're such a good team why lead us all to our deaths when splitting up would be the best chance for all of us to survive? I know this place, I've lived here for probably longer than any of you've been alive, well not you two" he corrected with a side glance at Harry and Jennifer
"and I've seen how people try and outsmart, or run through it, or just break it down and it almost never ends well.
without a doubt, splitting up always works out the best"

Felix finished with a glance at Rune, either he was pretending to be scared of everything in order to fool them, catch them off guard do something horrible.
Or Rune was actually scared of them all which was strange in Felix, if he was so scared people would be mean to him because he was a necromancer why did he become one in the first place? and why would he be scared of people in the first place when once they find out what he can do people should be scared of him?

Perhaps the world Rune came from has far more powerful beings than necromancers, this thought temporarily terrified Felix when it occurred to him that he may have hit the mark exactly

"that's my opinion and if all of you disagree and decide to go in a team I'll just leave in the other direction"

"Alright, so that's fairly conclusive," said Harry, "only one of us doesn't want to go through with splitting up, and while that's an understandable concern, I don't think that's quite strong enough to overturn the majority here. I'm sure we'll do perfectly fine in smaller groups, you've all shown yourselves to be somewhat capable."

"Yeah, I think the potential advantage we could gain here manages to outweigh the risks of the situation, now all that remains is to choose the teams wisely. We could use Felix's suggestion there, have all of us go as one team, and have him do this alone...after all he does have experience with it...but uhh...I don't think you'd survive in this version of the maze all by yourself Felix, you might know the route but the maze's creatures are sure to be a lot stronger than usual," said Jennifer.

"Yeah, that's a terrible idea," said Harry, "I think a more reasonable route to go as far as teams for this are concerned is well...first of all, I'll have to be on one team and Jennifer has to be on the other, I don't think either of you should be alone in there. Now for the three of you, we can't exactly evenly divide it but uhh...I think Rune, you can potentially be in the team of three since you favor having more people so why don't you and Felix go ahead with Jennifer. Felix would know the correct path as well, so I think that would potentially the safest. I can take Lyrth with me and find a way through here, it can't be that hard. I've made my way through my fair share of deadly mazes."

"That does seem mostly logically sound," said Jennifer, although she wasn't quite ready to agree with that selection of teams owing to the slight hostility between Rune and Feilx at the moment. "But umm...is everyone happy with those teams?"

Lyrth glanced at Felix from the corner of his eye. There was a lot of hostility in his voice that Lyrth didn’t understand. He had picked up from some earlier strange interactions between Felix and Rune that Felix had something against necromancers, but he didn’t know why. Yes, necromancers were generally not the best and morally pure of the many people he’d met, but most people weren’t.

I’m sure I know more necromancers I’d call friends than blacksmiths or farmers. Besides, there are far worse things in Menzoberranzan than necromancers. House matrons, for one. And dryders. Lyrth shivered. It’d be a cold day in hell he chose to fight a dryder over a necromancer. He grimaced. I’m still not sure this isn’t hell. And it’s very cold here. So perhaps I shall withhold that statement.

Lyrth winced inwardly when Harry suggested that Felix and Rune go together. As much as Lyrth wanted to question Harry, and get to know him better, Rune and Felix were far from dear friends. Not wanting to embarrass either of his comrades, he resorted to thinking in the direction of Harry and Jennifer.

Perhaps Rune could join our team, Harry. Or I could switch with him. Whichever you believe to be best. But I think our friends need a bit of a cool off period. Personally, I think Felix’s fire curse situation and Jennifer’s ice talents work rather well together. And if things get out of hand on Felix’s end, seeing as it is his memory, Jennifer is best equipped to keep herself and Felix out of harm’s way. Lyrth made sure to look lost in thought, as to not draw attention to the mind conversation going on. I will follow your lead on this, my friends.

An annoyed expression flickered across Rune's face. It wasn't all that visible due to his bandages and his cloak's hood, but anyone close to him could probably make it out. Didn't anyone else see how bad of an idea it was to split up? Each suggested team would at least have Harry or Jennifer, but still.

Rune frowned. If everyone else was in favor of splitting up, he couldn't argue. He would just have to hope for the best.

...And maybe it was petty for him to think this way, but he was taking comfort in being put in the same team as Felix. Back in his world, being a necromancer meant almost always being turned away. He knew Felix didn't want to be on a team with him, but there was a chance Felix wouldn't actively protest the decision. If worse came to worst and Felix physically or verbally lashed out at him later on, Jennifer would be there to mediate.

"I don't have a problem with those teams," Rune said, fighting the urge to give a smug smile. Felix was probably only a teenager. He really shouldn't have been taking so much joy in the possibility of forcing him to spend time together with a necromancer.

But when else would he get a chance like this?

Felix sighed, he really wanted to disagree but arguing would probably waste time also, he figured, he should be glad Rune was agreeing to split up at all.

“Alright then if we’re all agreed can we get a move on? I for one would like to get out of here as soon as I can”

Actually, he had lied. It wasn’t that Felix was enjoying the constant threat of this horrible place but it was exciting, and he hadn’t been on what one might call an adventure in a while.
So while he wasn’t particularly enjoying the danger, he was enjoying the challenge and the exploration of a new place.

Harry considered the feedback he was getting from everyone regarding the teams. The tone of Jennifer's question seemed to suggest that she expected there to be objections to the teams and sure enough Lyrth confirmed it moments later with his thoughts. And yet the two people that appeared to be the source of the concern had both said they were fine with it. This was going to be a difficult decision but weighing them quickly in his head, Harry made his move. Time was not to be wasted after all.

"Very well then, it looks we're all good with things, Jen, you take the two of them and go first, Lyrth and I will follow. Good Luck."

With that nod, he made it clear it was time for everyone to get moving. Jennifer was soon stepping into the maze.

As he waited for the the other two to make their way in after Jennifer, he thought towards Lyrth.

A very valid concern there, but I believe in this case it should be fine. I sense more of a fear than hostility there in Felix, I doubt it will come to any case of them fighting each other, its more of a risk of them not helping each other, which is manageable because Jen should take care of it okay. Besides, with neither of them refusing the teams, I feel like it would be a bit out of the blue to have changed the teams. That might have well caused other problems.

"So, ever run through a maze inside of a maze before," asked Harry, turning to Lyrth.

With a swish of his cloak, Rune followed Jennifer. He could have said something to either her or Felix, but he was content being silent right now. He wanted to keep an eye out for whatever this maze was going to throw at them. He seriously doubted it would be as bad as the arena or what had come before, but it didn't hurt to be prepared.

Lyrth nodded subtly at Harry, watching as Jennifer headed into the maze. He turned back to him, chuckling. "I can't say I have. But I'm always one for peculiar adventures. I've had no shortage of those. I myself spent a great deal of time in the form of a fish!" He seriously doubted Harry could say the same, but who knows what sorts of strange things nephilim can get up to.

He drew Vendryck, to inform him of the new developments in their quest. The blade thrummed with annoyance, his wonderfully clear voice echoing in the cavern, "Now you decide to bring me out? I'm still not clear on what exactly we're doing here. And I haven't been cleansed since our last battle,"

Lyrth smiled apologetically, "Yes, that was a blunder. In my defense, our party hasn't stopped long enough for me to perform the ritual yet. And I do suppose an explanation is overdue. We seem to have been swept into another world, that functions as a prison for the most wretched and powerful of evildoers. We're to be led through these trials to escape this prison, and back to our respective worlds through the Land of the Dead by Harry and Jennifer, some lovely angels I've met."

Vendryck's annoyed humming softened with Lyrth's explanation.

"That isn't the most thorough description, but I suppose it'll have to do. You had better get on with the ritual, though, if you want enough time to complete it,"

Lyrth nodded, quickly assuming his meditative position on the snow-covered ground. He looked up apologetically at Harry, "This won't take long,"

Lyrth placed Vendryck across his lap, balancing the double-bladed scimitar on his knees. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his soul energy to Vendryck's. Met with the comforting familiarity of his friend's soul, Lyrth felt all the pent up apprehension and fear that had been building his chest lessen, until it was all but gone.

He sighed as the tension in his shoulders eased. He directed tendrils of his magic over the blades, finding the places where Vendryck's power was tainted from battle, lending bits of strength to patch each injury.

He was vaguely aware that Vendryck was floating maybe a foot above the ground, glowing with soft purple light. He sang softly, using the words of magic to stabilize his own, and strengthen the connection between them.

Al Akhrua's Vel nha siun Tan
bound lor'enna other
ath Tel'alusfaen Ath enemies mertel

lend tel'quiet vian lida
lend tel'quiet vian avae'mhaor
lend tel'quiet vian reloseer
ent sal shall deth nehel'feer

Al Akhrua's Vel nha siun Tan
bound lor'enna other
ath Tel'Avae Ath victorys waen

lend tel'quiet vian Avae
lend tel'quiet vian nytwyshae
lend tel'quiet vian ruael-maen
ent sal shall deth nehel'feer

The magic returned to Lyrth, and Vendryck thrummed contentedly, his soul injuries healed. He quickly returned Vendryck to his sheath, and leapt to his feet. He felt much more grounded and prepared for the next challenge. Lyrth gazed with a mixture of apprehension and excitement at the entrance to the maze.

With a last glance at Harry and Lyth before following Rune into the maze,it seemed he would have to get along with Rune for a while at least, or one of them would probably die.

After he’d caught up with Rune they walked on for a while, neither making an attempt at conversation.

Suddenly from behind, when he was starting to wonder if he should check whether Jennifer was behind them, there was a slam, and crack, and an all to familiar grinding noise, the wall behind him closed shut as he spun around, he didn’t notice if Jennifer was there because he spun back around to see the wall in front of them open.

I let my guard down because I thought it would be easy, and now I’m back in the same spot as before. He thought as a wisp of fog curled around the corner and behind it emerged a skeletal figure in a tattered cloak.

He remembered this ghost, wraith, whatever these were.
The first person to come to the ruins came in a boat, Felix could still remember it as it came around the last iceberg and he realized there were actually people crazy enough (other than the esteemed self, Felix) to leave the eastern shores and the island empire to come looking for the frozen continent, meaning he might actually have a job to do.
The ship was a dark wooded longboat, unlike those of the empire. It had what once was a white mast but now looked grey and tattered in the morning light, there had been a storm a fortnight ago no doubt that was how the sail fell into such disrepair, the ship came forward in such a precise way it almost seemed as though a single person rowed it all at once, every oar rising and falling in tandem with the rest.

Shaking himself from his thoughts Felix came out of the past and back to the present, (or he wondered, perhaps the future) and pulled his knives from his coat, this would be a hard fight.

Jennifer let Felix take the lead once they were inside the maze, falling back a bit to keep both Rune and Felix in her sight so that nothing would surprise them for behind and she could also intervene if the differences between Rune and Felix flared up and led to a fight.

Before long, the Maze made its first move. The walls in front of Jennifer began to close, making a painfully loud grinding noise. Rune and Felix were both past the wall. Jennifer charged forward, managing to slide between the rapidly closing walls at the last second.

Recovering from the surprise, Jennifer looked to see if the maze had spit out anything to attack them. There was a fog curling around the corner which had her instantly suspicious.

She peered through the fog to see a skeletal figure emerging. It looked to be one of the phantoms that Felix had mentioned earlier. She could see him drawing his knives and preparing to fight.

She decided to sit back for the moment, there was no telling if the wall that had just closed behind her would open up and release more horrors for them to fight.

"Keep in mind this is not the maze you were in Felix, it might look very familiar, but that phantom there may not act the way you expect it to, so be careful. Rune, try your powers, if they don't work, don't waste precious time trying to make them work. I'll stay back in case something comes out the wall behind us," she said, keeping her voice clear but commanding.



Harry laughed at the mention of a fish. He'd become a little too experienced in that particular form at one point in life.

"Ahh, being a fish is certainly quite an experience," said Harry,"I can safely say that going undercover as a pet goldfish is an experience I wouldn't wish on most people."

Harry then watched quietly as Lyrth brought out his blade and proceeded to carry out some sort of ritual. He didn't recognize the specifics of it, but he could make out the gist of what Lyrth was saying.

Once Lyrth was done, Harry could see a noticeable increase in Lyrth's spirits. That apparently was perhaps not just good for the blade but Lyrth himself too.

"Are you ready to take on the maze then? The rest of them are already inside" said Harry.

Rune nodded.

"You don't have to tell me," he said, giving a tiny smile underneath his cloak. After having a break from using his powers in the battles in the arena earlier, he felt almost like he had before he had tried controlling multiple deceased people at once. It wasn't exactly the same level of energy, but it was close.

He took a deep breath, held his hands out and focused.

The air grew still and warm. He was trying to rewrite what was keeping this specter here, but he couldn't tell if it was working or not. He didn't really know if what he was facing was dead—it could have just been something that seemed dead. Necromancy couldn't do anything to illusions.

Lyrth grinned at Harry, nodding. "Best be on our way!" He waited to follow the angel's lead, unsure of how they would progress.

At Lyrth's nod, Harry moved towards the maze. Once inside, he scanned in the direction that Jennifer and the rest had gone in. Looking through the walls, he couldn't make them out. A bit of sweeping left and right revealed that they'd taken a turn somewhere, or the maze had closed i and changed its shape somehow.

Assuming that was probably typical of the maze, Harry ignored that and looked around for a path that would take the two of them on a different path from where the other team was headed. As far as Harry could see, the end of the Maze could still potentially be reached from any direction they went in.

The Maze itself felt rather stuffy inside, despite it's large size and the walls gave of a strangely musty smell. Where said smell came from was rather debatable as the walls themselves didn't look solid enough to make out much detail. They looked like low resolution photographs applied hastily to a green screen. The magic that constructed this nightmare was clearly working overtime to create its various monsters leaving details like the walls looking fuzzy.

He finally decided on a specific section of the wall to their left. There were quite a few creatures lying in wait, but he was confident Lyrth would be able to handle them with his help. It looked to be the shortest path along the maze, provided the maze didn't shift heavily enough to influence that.

"This way," he said, pointing at a slight crack in the wall.

Hoping that Lyrth was behind him, Harry made his way towards the end. A grinding noise indicated that things were going according to plan and the wall opened up to admit the two of them.

Beyond the gap in the wall stood the creatures exactly as he'd seen them earlier.

Two rather mean looking trolls stood clutching large clubs that looked to be wooden. They were much taller than most trolls that Harry had run into before. Behind the trolls lay three serpents, coiled up and looking ready to strike. He estimated them to be at the very least fifty feet long and at least as wide as he was tall. This was going to be fun.

"Lyrth, so...remember, unlike the arena, these creatures are likely to be solid constructs, its pretty clear from the out of focus looking walls that the maze itself is straining from having to generate so much magic. Intangible light constructs like the warriors from before could never tax the magic quite this much. So...good news, you can hit them anywhere and talk them down as you would a normal beast, bad news, they can hit you with more than just a sword," said Harry. "So you want the trolls or the serpents?"