Chapter 11: The Gem of Glow Wing
-----An hour later, the party crosses two more of the wooded hills and descend into a valley. The animal activity here seems normal to the adventurers as birds fly from tree to tree and small animals run about the undergrowth. As they look to the southeast, they can see the trees thin out somewhat telling them they are nearly at the edge of the forest. Raven stops them momentarily to check the ground.
-----As he climbs back up on his horse, he leads them north out of the small forest valley. After a half-mile through the trees, the forest settles into a flat area between two hills. Up ahead they see something that looks unusual.
-----Among the trees and rough bushes are over a dozen stone slabs set into the ground. The slabs measure about ten feet long and are arranged in a large circle about fifty feet in diameter. Some of the slabs look as if they have been moved out of position. In the center of the circle is a small mound, which has a post, measuring six feet tall, rising from its center. Atop the post is a dark colored box about the size of a backpack. Mounted atop the box is the skull of a steer-like animal. Its long bone-white horns point in the direction of the party.
-----The place projects an old charnel smell and the horses stamp and whinny nervously. Overhead in the trees, a great flock of birds makes a very noisy racket.
-----Sarah begins to dismount. She then slowly approaches the circle of stone slabs looking about on the ground.
-----Zentil climbs down off his horse and draws his bow. "I don’t like the look of this place," he says, staring at the strange looking construct in the middle of the mound.
-----Thalog dismounts and bends down to examine the area.
-----After staring uncomfortably at the area in front, Sol slowly slides off his horse. He places a hand on his horse’s nose, and whispers a few words of encouragement. Moving carefully, he makes his way to where Sarah is walking. Once there he begins following at the same pace, keeping an eye out, heading regularly sweeping from side to side.
-----As the entire party approaches the circle of stone slabs, they can see the stones are etched with ancient markings. Some of the slabs have been broken and some have been laid aside to reveal dark openings that lead to somewhere below. The droppings of birds spot the stones as well as the surrounding ground. The noise overhead remind all where the droppings originated. The smell almost overwhelms the senses.
-----"Let me take a look at that thing close-up", says Zentil. Zentil begins walking up to the post with the box on it. After looking over the construct for a few seconds, all hell seems to break loose!
-----Suddenly from the center of the mound, a great rush of air is heard as if some great beast exhaled. A cloud of smoke shoots out of the skeletal nostrils of the animal skull.
-----As the shocked adventurers look around, the ground seems to pulsate in different places as if something underground is emerging. Small animalistic chattering noises are heard coming from the dark openings in the ground. The horses scream with terror as they begin to bolt from the area. Sol quickly grabs Sarah and pulls her behind him.
-----The trees overhead seem to suddenly explode as dozens of dark birds take flight and then descend, swooping down toward the party.
-----Still holding onto Sarah, Sol guides her to the nearest large tree. He puts her back to it, and tries to defend her and himself from the birds.
-----Raven lets out a curse and then draws his blades. He quickly scans the area for cover.
-----Zentil quickly runs down off the mound and outside the ring of stone slabs.
-----Sarah looks toward one of the openings in the ground. She suddenly yells, "Down here!" Sol gives her an incredulous look, and shakes his head in disagreement.
-----Just then the birds swirl around the heads and faces of the party. The screeching and the fluttering of wings makes it very disorient to try to move. As the adventurers cover their faces and look towards the ground, in different spots, the earth pops open. What is revealed runs a chill through them, especially the men. Rat-sized animals with fore flippers bearing razor sharp claws emerge. The things appear to be without eyes, but their jaws open revealing sharp teeth. The party is aware of at least a half-dozen of the creatures, where in other spots the ground still bulges as if there are others. These animals remind the heroes of the creatures they saw attack their prisoners in the old Lathanian ruins.
-----A loud squealing draws everyone’s attention toward the dark openings in the ground. Suddenly from the openings that are uncovered issue forth scores of swiftly moving black rodents.
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