Cabin Ways

Cabin Ways

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Jordero Mountains. Merrill and Asa ride a reindeer sled up the eastern slope of the Ever-met Mountains, a few miles north of Fort Kapaka. A Kapaka steers the reindeer carriage up the mountain slopes. The carriage arrives at a hunting lodge. Merrill wears a

polar bear-fur coat over his chain shirt. Asa wears a similar dress over her studded leather hide armor as well. She fixes her red-brown hair as she is helped off the carriage by the Kapaka dwarf. The male Kapaka dwarf wears a padded armor shirt and has a red beard.

“Master Merrill, Lady Asa. The hunting lodge is not busy this type of year and I hope you both have a festive time.”

“Thank you Villein see you in a couple of days.” Merrill shakes the hands of the Kapaka dwarf.

“There is a small stable in the back that is taken care of by the caretaker. So if you need a mount, I will let my cousin know and he will bring a pair up. See ya later Judicar.”

The Kapaka dwarf helps unload some merchandise and leaves the newlywed couple behind.

Asa puts away the merchandise as Merrill starts to start a fire in the fireplace. The howls of wolves are heard in the distance. “Hey, Asa, can you start a small fire with your talents?”

Asa looks back with seductive pale blue eyes. “ Get some dry firewood, lover, and I will get it started but I don't think we will need a fire that much tonight.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Merrill steps outside to the late winter early spring weather and

carries a hand ax to get some firewood.

Short Distance away. A trio of dog-men observes Merrill working on a dried-out log. The dog-men known as Gnolls wear leather hide armor and each carries a spear and longbow. “Goren, I thought lodge would be empty. What he do?”

“I do not know this is no problem. Man and Woman Wimps,” comments Goren a Gnoll with a scarred face from years of combat.

“Humans not take our treasure. Though foul stench in the air.”

“Foul How?”

“Not know smell like a fiend.”

A puff of gray smoke appears behind the Gnolls. And a winged humanoid with the face of vulture steps through the clouds. The V-rock bounty hunter known as Bowen spots the three Gnolls. Stepping calmly behind them he screeches loudly spotting the Gnolls. Who stand petrified by the daemon.

“Where is she, Gnolls?”

Where is who, daemon?”

“The treachery Succubus daughter of Queen Kent-thorn.”

The Gnolls look at one another about this information. Bowen raises his short sword at the Gnolls. “We help for Price, daemon?”

“Price, what type of answer; is that but I will listen.”

“Lodge holds our treasure and we will share if you spare our souls. What say?”

Bowen massages his lower beak and looks hard at the Gnolls. “perhaps, show me where she is and we take it from there.”

The lead Gnoll Goren points in the direction of the hunting lodge where Merrill now carries some firewood. “With a human, in the lodge? What say you?”

“Intriguing and a sense a foul smell of law and order here from that human.”

The V-rock looks at the Gnolls. He raises his wings and releases a set of spores on the Gnolls.

“Thank you but your services are no longer needed.”

Colliding his wings together the spores release its toxic poisons on the Gnolls who begin to vomit and gag yellow mucus on the surrounding grounds.

KOFF KOFF KOFF GAG GAG

“Now my lovely Succubus what have you on this law and order human. Disgusting your mother will pay handsomely for you and your lover. Dead or Alive”

Hours later. Merrill and Asa sit in a wrapped polar bear rug beside the campfire looking at the flames ahead of them. Asa notices Merrill seems distant this evening. “What troubles you, my husband?”

“I'm not sure Asa earlier today I thought I heard an unfriendly vulture screech. From what you have told me about your past I thought it was one of the many bounty hunters tracking you for your mother and Grazz't. Am I crazy?”

'I know this relationship is new but anything is possible. Just know that I love you and

I will protect you from my past as long as Torm and Sune protect us.”

“Very well, do me a favor and contact Jerrin with your telepathy and tell him what is happening up here. We should be ready if trouble comes in our path.'

“That's why I love you always thinking ahead.”

Outside. Bowen is now joined by two bear-like daemons as they advance the cabin.

Bowen is the only one carrying a sword while his daemon followers each carry a spiked chain weapon. “We strike in the early hours, my followers. Asa will not even be awake by the time we strike.”

“What of a human cleric?”

'Like all humans either he gives us his soul or we kill him.”

Early morning hours.

After years of fighting darkness, Merrill has sustained a small sleep talent but also senses things that are of an evil nature. This evening is no extension as he starts to put on his chain shirt and trousers with shin guards. Touching Asa on her naked shoulders. “Asa wake up something is coming. Get dressed.”

Asa rolls out of bed as Merrill reaches for his Mace of Smiting. Much like the holy avenger sword used by paladin knights like himself, Merrill has been satisfied with his mace of smiting over the years.

Dressing quickly Asa joins Merrill. Within moments the door of the lodge is slammed open and Bowen and his daemon thugs that look like a malformed grizzly bear attack the lovers in their lodge. Swinging his holy mace he strikes the close grizzly bear daemon with the iron spike piercing the beast.

Asa casts a series of spells on the remaining Bowen and grizzly with a series of sonic bolts

that causes wart-like bumps on both their daemon skin. The Grizzly close to Merrill strikes with its malformed claws and maim Merrill seriously. Asa throws a form of ashes that forms

an Ash-like elemental with round fists as it uses its hands and tries to asphyxiate the daemons.

Bowen slams his wing claws together and releases a series of toxic spores in the air ensnaring the heroes and grizzly daemons. The toxic spores affect Merrill who collapses and vomits.

KOFF KOFF GAG

Seeing the effects of the poison spores Asa takes flight grabbing her husband and pulling him closer to the fireplace where she pours two vials of holy water on Merrill to take care of the poison. Angered by his harm, Asa charges the intruders and releases a high pitch sonic blast that harms the intruders.

Minutes later. Jerrin, Bruenor, and a militia of Kapaka dwarfs charge the daemons flailing their weapons. Bruenor and three dwarfs use holy war-axes that slice the daemon grizzly which sends the creature back to the Abyss it came from.

Jerrin loads his longbow with the aid of three dwarf archers with modified arrows release a quarry of arrows on the remaining daemons. The arrows pierce as the screeches of both Bowen and his henchmen are maimed by the holy arrows.

SCREECH SCREECH

Bowen attempts to use his toxic spores on the militia but they only slow Jerrin and the dwarfs down. The Kapaka dwarfs continue their fight against the demons of the abyss. Recognizing he is mortally wounded Bowen flees thru a fiery portal back to his place in the Abyss. The mutated grizzly continues its death fight but the dwarfs release a heavy dose of quarrels at the beast.

The fight ends as Asa returns from her flight and aids her husband who is seriously wounded. One of the dwarfs assists her and mumbles several healing words on Merrill but

Merrill is physically-scarred and unconscious from the attack.

The combat medic dwarf and Bruenor put together a stretcher to get Merrill back to the holy church of the Kapaka dwarfs. Jerrin leans down and holds Merrill's hand and comforts Asa from the recent attack from her mother and her master.

“I am sorry your honeymoon was ruined by that daemon, Asa but we will be ready the next time another hunter comes looking for you.”

“My brother in arms fought well as did his wife. Thank you for warning us so I could speak to the religious counsel at home concerning this event. I will contact Thomas and have him

bring a group of paladins to assist us in the next fight with your daemon mother.”

“Thank you, Jerrin. But I must now be a strong wife to help my love.”

“You are part of this family Asa even if you have daemon blood in you.”

Bruenor looks at Jerrin and Asa. “ Jerrin, my lady ready for a hearty ale victory meal or do I need to celebrate with my kin?”

“Thank you for your invite, Bruenor but I must care for my husband. Perhaps at a later date.”

“As you wish my lady you are part of the Kapaka kin. What about you Elf? Thirsty or other plans.”

“Let us cleanse this lodge, Bruenor with your Templar friend Then we can celebrate.”

“ You are right, Elf we need to keep more daemons from inviting themselves here. I think I saw Alabaman in town. I'm sure he can help us close the shop. For a drink of course.” Comments

Bruenor as he gives Jerrin and Asa his noted wink of drinking good beverages.

Epilogue 3 days later. Asa joins Merrill who is lying comfortably in the holy sanctuary of the

Kapaka God Ulutiu. Asa looks in the green eyes of Merrill showing a look of concern and comfort. Merrill in a nightshirt sips the famous Kapaka coffee made by Mother Kapaka.

“Merrill, your brother will be arriving in a few days with a small circle of Templars to help protect Fort Kapaka and us from the daemons hunting me down.”

“Judiciary Grexxes is not happy but he understands about the events that I have brought to these good people and the man I love.” A tear runs down her face. Merrill holds her hand.

“Asa darling do not worry as the religious council says the couple must be together through good and hard times. So I am not going anywhere. Besides you always make me a better man and I Know I make you a better woman. So cheer up. We will get through this and work with Thomas and his Templar circle.”

Merrill moves closer and kisses Asa who now shows a smile of a woman recently married as a newlywed.

SMACK SMACK

The End.