Wrath of Soth
By Josh Miller
Part 2

A scout had seen the death knight, Soth, caring the lance to Neraka, a major enemy fortress and temple to the Queen of Darkness. This time the three remaining companions, Aidan, Alie, and Xavier, set out alone. It was a day's walk to the temple. When they made it there they came to a troop of four hobgoblins at the gate.

"Halt," said the leader," you no pass without permission from lord."

Knowing how stupid the hobgoblins were, Aidan stepped forward and said, "Who do you think your talking to? Were the royal guard. Out of the way!"

Confused they looked at each other and than at the companions. None of them noticed Xavier in the back start to cast a spell. "Uh, we no remember see you before. You sure you from royal guard?" asked one.

"Trust me," said Aidan as Xavier finished casting the poisonous cloud that engulfed the hobgoblins.

Once past the gate they made their way through the shadows to the stairs up the only tower still intact. Using his magic Xavier could detect where Soth was. They had been given charms that would protect against the death knight's death magic. They burst through the door to the highest room. Soth turned, his glowing orange eyes floating in empty sockets. His armor that once held the splendor of a Knight of Solomnia was now black and burned. It was black from the curse that he would forever walk the land. He called upon skeletal warriors that materialized out of the darkness. Each wearing light armor and carrying a sword and shield. They started to advance. Xavier started weaving the spell for a fireball. Aidan charged one and took off it's arm but, it came right back to it's place. He lobbed off one's head which flew right back on the skeleton's shoulders. He turned to face Soth hoping to have better luck, but the death knight was gone. He ran to the window and saw Soth levitating out side. He heard the fireball explode behind him and then the others were at his side. Outside was the greatest thing you would ever see. Outside Neraka was a flying castle. The citadel, that used to be Dagaard Keep, home of Soth, was now hovering outside. Then hundreds of evil dragons, red, blue, green, and black, started destroying the temple of Neraka in an attempt to kill the companions. There was nowhere to run. If they went back down they risked being crushed, but if they stayed they would surly die. Then there were good dragons fighting, gold, silver, and bronze had joined the fight. The heroes were picked up and carried to the citadel. The castle was moving exceptionally fast for it's size. The good dragons were doing well in the fight, but the evil dragons were too numerous and drove off the good dragons leaving the companions alone. The three didn't notice the dragons leave and were already charging through the citadel. Then on the horizon was another flying fortress. The dragon armies had a fail safe plan. They would smash the citadels together. If the companions were killed before the wreak, then the Dragon Armies would have two citadels, if they didn't die beforehand, then they would most likely be dead in the crash. All the draconians were flying from the fortress to the town of Kernen below.

The first fortress lurched out of control and the second collided with it. Rubble fell like rain on the town below. All three companions fell with it. Xavier managed to cast one spell before he blacked out with to others. Feather Fall.

*    *    *

Aidan woke to find himself in a small room on a cot. The others were asleep around him. He had a strange dream that he had been falling in a mass of feathers. He woke the others and they began contemplating their position. They weren't captives they still had their weapons (though a few pouches of gold and a dagger were missing). Aidan tried the door which swung wide open. He stared down at a short figure with a topknot (like a pony tail).

"Hello Aidan, remember me? I've been on so many adventures. Can you believe I was walking through this town and you came floating down on some feathers? Did you see the big crash...."

"Pickpocket, how did you get here? Where did you come from?" stuttered a startled Aidan.

"I walked and I've been here for a week. You should have seen the look on those Dragon Highlord's faces when I stumbled in on their meeting. Ha! They called me a spying little thief. Hey, they've even got a death knight!" said Pickpocket while absentmindedly picking a knife out of Aidan's boot.

"What, you know where Soth is!" asked Aidan while pulling the knife out of Pickpocket's hands, "You must take us."

"OK follow me. I found a secret passage."

*    *    *

A figure dressed in armor black as night walked up the stairs to his room. It was the largest tower in Kernen Keep. He was tired from riding his dragon all day. They had purposely smashed the two citadels together in an attempt to destroy the group of warriors that had been causing his armies much trouble. They were getting to close. The blacksmiths couldn't yet duplicate the Dragonlance. No trace of them was found in the wreak. If they didn't die then it was a waste of two good citadels.

"Master, I have returned and we can find no trace that they died." said a figure materializing out of the Darkness.

"Soth, don't sneak up on me like that!" said the Dragon Highlord.

"I'm sorry master but this is urgent. The heroes are believed to be still alive."

"Then you find them and dispose of them. I have better matters to attend to."

"I have no way to track them I need something rare that only they would have. Ah! Of course the protective charms they were around their necks, I will cast a spell that will allow me to find them," and with that he was gone.

*    *    *

"It's down this way. I made a map to get through, now just around this corner. Pull on this brick and there it is," said Pickpocket opening the passage. He reached in his pouch and pulled out a map (spilling a dagger that Alie recognized as the one he'd given her as she picked it up.)

They entered the passage and went down some stairs. They pulled a torch off the wall and lit it. Inside it was damp with rats running here and there. Pickpocket led them along a narrow corridor and around a few turns. They started through an large chamber to the stairs when Soth materialized in front of them.

"Now you will die for the humiliation you have caused my master." he said, his voice hollow, echoing throughout the chamber.

"I'll hold him off you run," said Xavier, "My magic may be able to destroy him, but I'll have to destroy the chamber too." and with that he teleported the three others out the far door. "We'll see how immortal you are!"

The others ran up the stairs to the tallest tower. They burst through the top and the Dark General was waiting dressed in his armor and armed with the Dragonlance. He swung it in a wide arc and said, "So, you made it this far, but now you must face the wrath of Zemus!" At that he charged Aidan who dodged and struck the Highlords armor.

Pickpocket shot some rocks with the sling part of his hoopack. Alie stood back with her sword ready, Zemus swung the lance around and knocked Aidan's sword from his hands. Aidan jumped to the ground and rolled away. Then Alie pulled out the dagger and threw it at the Highlord. Zemus, laughing at the puny dagger, didn't notice it was coming right towards his head. It landed embedded in his face. He let out a scream an then smoke started rising from his body as it started changing shape.

*    *    *

Soth started forward as Xavier cast a lightning bolt at him. It struck the death knight's armor sending waves of electricity through it. The mage cast a wall of fire in front of the knight. Soth walked right through it. His armor started burning a little but he kept walking. Xavier was about to cast a spell that would send away the great evil and probably kill himself, when Soth was standing less than three feet away. The death knight raised his hand as if to strangle the mage. Soth gripped the stone around Xavier's neck and pulled it off. Raising his other hand Soth cried out, "Die!" as Xavier finished his spell. The young mage fell to the floor, dead, be it from Soth's spell stealing his soul or the spell he himself had cast. The death knight was gone and the chamber started to collapse.