"Amilynn's Entrance" Compiled from events in the Golden Unicorn Tavern Written by Richard Ryley Most situations and dialog originally by Angela Black ---------- Balor smiled to himself, as he looked out over the bar, at the adventurers gathered in his Tavern. Idly cleaning a mug, being careful not to seem to eager, or too anxious about the events unfolding around him, the demon watched, and waited. Niall O'Cullaine sat at a table nearby, lost in conversation with a young priestess named Yavanna. The incorrigible rogue was putting his best moves on Yavanna, teasing and flattering her. The priestess leaned toward Niall, whispering. She looked the part of the young innocent, but she was wrapping Niall around her little finger. The demonic bartender grinned. The fool had no idea what he was up against. At the bar, Miranda, an Amazonian warrioress, glared with hatred at Niall. An elven fighter calling herself Argent sat nearby, huddled over her ale. The only other person at the bar was also a woman, a dark elf named Dagon. The Drow sat wrapped in a full length cloak, staring intently at a table in a darkened corner of the Tavern. In that corner of the room sat Rav'oth. Wrapped in shadows, from which only the red of his eyes glowed, the mysterious elf stared at the activity around him. He sat in silence, keeping watch, while the Tavern's waitresses wandered the floor, keeping Balor's guests content and happy. The demon smiled again. Everything was going perfectly. Jasmine scooped up a shallow cup off of the table next to the bar. Yes. Everything was going perfectly. The Tavern's bustle and noise was interrupted, as a flare of light erupted from the floor. In the center of the room, a pair of figures materialized, one male, one female, the female holding the limp form of a dead girl. Gently, the woman laid the body on the floor, and stepped back. The male healer took her place. Muttering the staccato nonsense of an incantation, the healer spread his arms, summoning a field of light, which wrapped itself around the girl's prone form. The dead woman twitched, and then gasped for breath, as life returned to her body. The two figures then stepped back, vanishing in a second flare of light, and an audible pop. The girl stirred, sitting up, and put a hand to her head. "Oh. Where am I? The Tavern? How???" Niall, standing up from his table, looked the girl up and down. "Amy? Amy Lighttouch? Is that you?" Amy blinked, staring at Niall blearily. Niall patted Yavanna on the shoulder. "Hold that thought." He said. "I've got to check on something." "What are you doing here?" Niall asked, as he helped the lady up off of the floor. Behind him, Yavanna glanced at Niall, frowning, then looked the girl over. This 'Amy' was clearly a priestess. Her mail had split open, so it seemed that a serious wound had felled her. The two beings who brought her in, however, had performed a perfect healing. Not even a scar had been left. Amy looked around herself at the Tavern. "I don't know. I don't know how I got here. The last thing I remember..." She put a hand to her forehead. "I was helping Barbie, and Angel. We were fighting demons, on the plains of Hell. One of them... got past my guard..." Niall grinned. "Then that's something you don't want to remember. I hate getting killed. It ruins my whole day." Amy grinned back, and Yavanna's frown increased. "You haven't changed, Niall. Who is this?" Niall put an arm around the elf's shoulder. "Her name's Yavanna. She's a priestess of Sheisf... Seidhf... A priestess of a Goddess of Love!" "Oh." Amy shook her head. "No, you haven't changed." She turned to step over to the bar, drawing up a seat for herself. "Funny you should mention Barbie and Angel. They just got back." "What!" Amy's eyes widened as she stood up. "They're HERE! Did they do it? Did they get Amie back???" Niall nodded. "They went upstairs a few minutes ago. The girl freaked out, and attacked Barbie, and Katarina went upstairs with them, to heal Barbie's leg." "Huh? Why would Amilynn attack Barbie?" "I don't know. She woke up, ran downstairs -- naked -- attacked Barbie, and then just turned around and... went back upstairs with her. I don't know, they're probably 'kissing and making up' right now." Amy stared at him for a moment. "Does that bother you?" she asked Niall. The warrior looked at her, as if appalled. "Of course not! What, do you think I'm mooning over Barbie?! Do you think I'm jealous?! Not me!" Grabbing Yavanna firmly by the arm, he stomped back toward his table. The elf priestess shot Amy an amused grin, as Niall dragged her away. In the center of the Tavern, the air once again burst into brilliant light, as a glowing ball of yellow appeared. It split upward and downward, with a peculiar tearing sound, casting its yellow glow over the entire room. For a moment, it paused, as if straining to continue. With a snap, and a loud rip, the line opened out into a square of glowing yellow. It seemed made of fine threads, a curtain of light, hanging in the air. The strands parted, and a man stepped from it. Brandon Dragoncove stepped into the Tavern, looking around the room with recognition. He then turned to help a rotund, overweight cleric through the curtain. Behind him, a small, slender elf girl in blue stepped into the room. Even as she turned away from the gate, Foryncia began to look around the Tavern, searching the faces around her. Her gaze locked with everyone there, her huge, midnight blue eyes searching every face. The wizardess shivered a little, as she continued her search. Finally, the gate parted one last time, and Morgwaine entered the Tavern. She was a tall, statuesque woman, with a thick mane of white hair. Her skin and hair seemed suffused with a yellow light, and in her hand, a sword of crystal, as transparent as glass, also glowed with that same light. As she turned back to the gate, it snapped shut, and the woman swayed, unsteadily, on her feet. As Morgwaine fell, Brandon caught her, bracing himself as the huge woman fell into his arms. Brandon was as tall as Morgwaine, well over six feet, but it is no light thing to catch an armoured warrioress in chain mail. "Somebody help me!" he called out, looking around himself. "Where is everybody? I don't recognize anyone here!" Yavanna and Argent darted forward to help Brandon. With their help he was able to carry Morgwaine over to the bar. Looking around, Brandon noticed Niall, still occupied with Yavanna. "Ah, Niall..." he said. "I see some things never change around here." Morgwaine stirred, sighing, as she pulled herself upright in her chair. The yellow glow of her body flickered unsteadily. "Oh. That was a lot harder that I thought it would be." "What happened?" Brandon asked her. It was not Morgwaine who answered, however, but a soft, female voice. The sword at her side throbbed in time with the words. "There was another gate, just before we entered, in the same place I formed ours. The fabric of this universe was... toughened. It was... very hard." "Are you all right, Crystal?" Brandon spoke to the sword. "Yes," Morgwaine said, nodding. "It took most of my energy to open the gate, but I think I'll be okay." Morgwaine lifted her head, looking down the bar. "You," she said to Amy. "It was you who entered before us." "Me?" Amy stared at her, startled. "Yes." Morgwaine's eyes unfocused. "You were dead." "Quite a coincidence," Brandon said, as Amy continued to stare. "No," Morgwaine said. "There is no such thing as coincidence. I know." "By the gods!" muttered Yavanna. Morgwaine looked up at her. "Gods? No." Her head sagged again, tiredly. "I am no god. I am very, very mortal." "Let me get you a drink..." Brandon said, but then paused. The space behind the bar was empty. "Where's Belor?" The two elf women looked around, but the demon had vanished. Meanwhile, the cleric had wandered over to Rav'oth's table. "Brandon's told me all about you," he said. "My name's Kalgon, the Fumble Fingered." The shadowy elf smiled. "Quite the appelation, healer." "Don't let him fool you," cut in Foryncia, joining them. "Kalgon is not nearly as useless as he will try and make you think." As she sat down, however, the elf girl continued to stare around her at the Tavern. She wrapped her arms around her, as if cold. "I hope my shadows are not disturbing you," put in Rav'oth. "Hmmm?" Foryncia looked up. "No. There is something here..." There was a pause as she stared off toward the bar. "Are you sensing something?" Rav'oth asked. Foryncia nodded, turning back to him. "There is a thought, floating on the surface of this Tavern. It is a hatred, an evil. I can't put my finger on it, but something is going on here. I am seeing... a drink." "There are many drinking here," Rav'oth said. Foryncia nodded, her brow furrowing. Suddenly, she locked eyes with Argent, near the bar, studying her intently. "That was neat," said Niall. Argent was staring at him, angrily, a strained expression on her face. "I didn't even see your lips move." Argent gritted her teeth as she glared at the man. Beads of sweat marked her forehead, revealing the difficulty of what she'd just done. "Leave me alone," she hissed, "or next time I'll send more than just words into your empty head." "I'm not afraid of you," Niall said. "Oh, Niall, please stop. She's not the one who's scaring me." "Then it's the wizardess over there," Niall said, glancing back at Foryncia, and those enourmous eyes. "No..." Yavanna shuddered. "There's something evil here... I can feel it. I've felt it ever since I came in here. I think... I think that someone's going to die!" Niall put a hand on her shoulder, as Yavanna's eyes flitted around the room. She was growing more tense and frightened by the second. "Hey. Calm down. There's nothing here that can hurt you. The Tavern is a safe place. No one can hurt you." The priestess stood up. "I have to talk to Jasmine. Maybe she knows something." As Yavanna approached the waitress, Foryncia's gaze was still locked on her. For a long moment, the tiny elf studied the two women, as they talked near the bar. Jasmine turned, and set the cup down on the bar... "Coffee!" Foryncia stood up. "That's what I saw. Not a wine glass at all!" Yavanna's eyes widened. Maybe she heard Foryncia's words, with her elven hearing. Or maybe there was a deeper connection. "Barbie! That was her coffee cup! SHE'S the one that's been poisoned!" Rav'oth leaped to his feet, as the darkness of his corner seemed to wrap itself around him. By the time Foryncia stood up, the mysterious elf was gone, vanished in the blackness. "Kalgon, come on," the elf girl said, dragging the cleric up by an arm. "We have to hurry." She darted across the room, calling out to Brandon as she passed him. "One of the women upstairs has been poisoned!" Yavanna was already upstairs, however, knocking at the many doors in the hallway. "Barbie! Amie! Where are you?" Foryncia walked straight to the first door in the hall, and tested the latch. "It's locked. I'll never get it open." She looked up as Argent cleared the top of the stairs in a bound, followed closely by the Amazon, Miranda. Argent threw herself at the door, but the elf wasn't quite strong enough to burst it open. Miranda laid a hand on her shoulder. "Watch yourself, warrior," she said, to Argent. "These two are Amazons. We're likely to have to dodge an attack as we break the door down." Sure enough, as Argent and Miranda together forced the door open, they found a handful of daggers flying at their faces. The elf and the human dodged the missles expertly. "Hold, sister," Miranda yelled. "We're here to help." "Help with what?" growled Amilynn. The Amazon stood between the intruders and the bed, where Barbie lay, still and unmoving. Katarina, the paladin, stood next to her, looking up at the commotion, as if she'd been interrupted. "Your friend has been poisoned," Foryncia said, stepping through the door. "I caught... an image... of her attacker putting poison in her coffee." "Poison?" Katarina shrugged. "No. She is only sleeping. She needs rest, after that misunderstanding with Amie." The elf glanced at Barbie. She did seem to be sleeping. "It may be a slow acting poison... but someone wants her dead." Katarina smiled. "You have misunderstood. *I* gave Barbie a potion, to help her sleep. She has not been poisoned. Surely, I would know if she had." Foryncia crossed her arms, petulantly, over her chest. "I know what I saw." Yavanna, meanwhile, had shoved past Katarina, and was beginning a chant. Rav'oth also materialized, from the shadows, and joined the group at the bed. His brow furrowed with unaccustomed worry, the dark creature studied Barbie carefully. "That's it!" Katarina shouted, as Amie burst into tears. "All of you out!" She began shoving Yavanna away from the bed. Kalgon had been watching the scene from the door. As Yavanna struggled with the paladin, he stepped between them. "It can't hurt to look, can it?" he said. "All these people are worried about your friend." He turned to look back at Amie. She shied away as the man reached out a hand to her. "No one here wants to see anyone hurt," said Kalgon, drawing his hand back. "We're just concerned, that's all." "You're TOO concerned, I say!" countered Katarina. In a corner of the room, Barbie's warhorse had begun to snort and paw the ground. "This is turning into a madhouse." Kalgon glanced down at Barbie, and then down at the floor next to the bed. Moving suddenly, he grabbed Yavanna, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, as he guided her toward the door. "She's right. There's far too many people in here. This was all some misunderstanding." Now it was Yavanna who was in tears. "But I saw... death... just like... I always see death..." "It's okay." He handed her off to Argent, who studied the priestess's face closely, as she led her out into the hall. Yavanna was shaking uncontrollably. "The visions... of death..." Yavanna's voice was choked with tears, only barely audible. "They always come true..." Argent glanced at Miranda, and the Amazon joined her, trying to reassure Yavanna, as they led her back down the stairs. Back in the room, Amilynn plopped down onto the bed, putting a hand to her forehead. Foryncia stood near Barbie's horse, calming the creature. It still snorted, and pawed at the floor, its eyes white with fright. Katarina turned around, to face the dark figure behind her. "All right, Rav'oth. Barbie is just fine." "I see no evidence of that." "Don't you trust me?" The dark elf eyed her levelly. "I don't even trust myself." "It's all right, Rav'oth," said Kalgon, quietly. "Katarina cured the poison." Katarina turned to look at the cleric, startled. "For the last time, Barbie has not..." The cleric just smiled at her. "You better tell the landlord he's going to have to clean up in here. Whatever was in Barbie's stomach left an awful stain on the carpet." The paladin looked away from him. "So much for the myth that paladins never lie," muttered Rav'oth. "She must suspect someone in the Tavern did it," Kalgon said. "She wanted him to think his plan worked." "It did." Katarina grimaced. "I didn't lie. There WAS no poison. Whoever put that drug in her cup, he only wanted to knock her out. It's not fatal -- it just put her to sleep." The shadows grew tighter around Rav'oth, as the glow of his eyes intensified. "Then if Barbie is not the target... who is?" Down on the Tavern floor, Niall chuckled as Argent and Minerva helped Yavanna down the stairs. "Told you it was a false alarm," he said, to Amy Lighttouch. "Even I know better than to barge in on Barbie unannounced. I'm suprised that Barbie didn't kill 'em." "Well, *I* was worried," Amy said. "I mean, we just rescued Amilynn from the depths of Hell. Demons don't give up that easy." "Oh, give me a break. The Tavern would have warned us if anything was wrong. Frankly, the way Barbie and Amie were going at it when we came in, those guys probably got to see more than they bargained for..." Amy frowned, but said nothing. Niall got up from his chair and walked around to the other side of the bar. "The only demon in this Tavern is Balor," he said, "and he seems to have wandered off. So there you are." Brandon stopped halfway down the stairwall, supporting Morgwaine against his shoulder. The white haired woman leaned against him, tiredly. "I don't like this," Brandon said. "Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself, opening that gate?" Morgwaine shook her head. "No. There is something here, keeping me weak." "Well, you're not recovering your strength as fast as you usually do." Morgwaine stared off into the distance, her eyes unfocused, as she looked out beyond the walls of the tavern. "There are forces, gathering. They were gathered around Barbie, trying to weaken her... but their hold has been broken. I sense a Guardian at work." Brandon grimaced. "Wonderful. That would explain all the coincidences." "Coincidences... yes. Amy, the woman who entered before us -- Amy, Amilynn -- it's a clue." Her eyes widened. "We must get downstairs quickly! They are attacking!" The lights went out. The doors of the Tavern blew open with a crash, and the wards lit up, casting an eerie blue glow over everyone. With a moaning, rushing sound, several large, man-shaped fireballs burst through the doors, racing towards the adventurers gathered in the Tavern. "Demons! Yeah!" Niall leaped over the bar, drawing his sword, and taking out the nearest fireball with a single blow. Amy threw up her arms defensively, muttering arcanely, until her hands began to glow with light, driving the roiling figures away from her. Nearer the door, Argent snapped her wrists in a throwing gesture, daggers materializing in her hands as she moved. Six blades lanced the nearest creature within the span a few seconds, and it exploded with a horrific report. Minerva charged into the fray, attacking with sword and fearlessness, the priestess Yavanna at her side. Dagon held her position near the bar, blocking access to the stairwell with her katana. Two more demons fell before the three women, as the others swirled around the room, lit by the blue light which danced between the wards in the center of each wall, trapping the intruders in a net of energy. One of the demons slipped past the defenders, however, and tore up the stairway, the blue lightning of the Tavern's wards clinging to it as it fled. There it met Brandon, who shoved Morgwaine aside, as he drew his gigantic battle axe. "There's no room to swing me here," the six-foot weapon warned, in its soft, silvery voice. "Damn," Brandon hissed. "Grab him, Glimithar." A blue light, not quite the same shade as the Tavern's wards, leaped forth from the axe's enourmous head. Just as the demon reached Brandon, the energy leaped forth, wrapping itself around the creature. The field of blue held the demon firm, as it twisted and contorted, roaring in agony. The Tavern's lighting ripped at it, tearing across the mass of flame and darkness, until it finally exploded. Behind, Katarina flew, as if thrown, out through the door to Barbie's room. She hit the wall, and then the floor, groaning as she pulled herself to her feet. Inside, Rav'oth circled a single, dark figure, ripping and slashing with a pair of black katana. In the darkness, neither demon nor dark elf could be seen, as they circled each other. Foryncia's high, elven voice lifted above the fray, and then the room was lit by a flash of light, as electricity arced from her to the demon. For a moment, she could be seen, a silhouette against the brilliance, but then the light was gone. There was a crash, and the cries of elven voices, as the demon threw Rav'oth into Foryncia. Then there was silence. The lights came back on. Barbie lay on the bed, still sleeping, peacefully, blissfully unaware that Amie was gone. * * * * * Amilynn thrashed and kicked, punching the demon on the shoulder as he carried her into the room. Unlike his fellows, this demon had a physical form, and it was a rather solid form, at that. For a moment, Amie studied her bloodied fists, and wondered if she should stop beating on the creature. She then let out a angry scream, and redoubled her efforts. "By the Hells, girl," said the demon. "You're as bad as Barbie." He swung her down off of his shoulder, dropping her on the wooden floor. Amie scurried away from him, huddling further into the corner. "Where are we? What are you going to do with me?" "I'm going to hold you here until your friends are able to take out the demons," he said, matter of factly. The demon wandered over to a huge, ornate desk in the room, and gazed at himself in a mirror. He ran a clawed hand over a burn mark on his shoulder, where Foryncia's lightning bolt had struck him. "You would have to beat on me on THIS shoulder," the demon told Amie. "That's one of the things I hate about you Amazons. You never seem to know who's friend and who's foe." "Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me you're on my side?" The demon turned around. He stepped closer, bringing his face down, close to Amie's. "Yes. I RESCUED you." Amie blinked in confusion, as the creature returned to the desk, and began rummaging through the drawers. She looked stunned for a few moments, but then her eyes narrowed, and her lips set in a thin line. She knew better than to trust a demon. "Frankly," he was saying, "it's a good thing I drugged Barbie. If I'd had to fight you both to get you up here, we'd be up to our necks in demons by now." Amie released a handful of daggers at her captor, and leaped for the door. Her attack just bounced off the demon's thick hide. He glanced back at her. "Even if you could get that door open -- which you can't -- Where do you think you're going?" Amilynn tried the door. It was locked. "I don't know. I'll find out when I get on the other side of the door. I don't even know where we are." "We're still in the Tavern, of course. This is one of the back rooms. If you set one foot out that door, those demons will be all over you. If you escape them, there will be more. And then there will be more, and more." "In this room, though, you are safe. Once that door is locked, it stays locked. It's part of the Tavern's defences. I'm the only one who knows the command word that will open it." Amie frowned at him. "How do you know so much about the Tavern's defences?" The demon turned around again, looking Amie in the eye. "Because I'm its manager. I'm Belor, the bartender." He stepped forward, handing Amie a sheet of parchment. "Take a look at this, and tell me what you think." Amie just gaped at him, but she scanned the first few lines on the page. "What... You want to give me the Tavern?" Belor nodded. "I've been planning this for some time. I'd like to take a little vacation, go back to my home in the Hells, catch up on some old debts -- what is it you humans say? 'Hang out with some friends...'" Amie shook her head, slowly. "But... why me?" "You're the perfect choice. We both know that demons never give up their own. Barbie and her friends may have rescued you from Hell, but they'll never be able to make the demons give you up. They'll keep coming, and even this Tavern won't be able to protect you from them. They'll destroy this place, and everyone inside it, just to get to you." Belor pointed to the paper. "But if you sign a contract with me, that takes precedence. It is part of our code. By working for me, as the manager of this Tavern, you will be protected from attack. The demons will not dare attack you, because that would be an attack on my business." Amie still stared at the contract, dazed. "But I don't know anything about..." "That doesn't matter." Belor waved his hand in dismissal. "You'll learn quickly enough. This will be a place where you can be safe, where you can learn to live a normal life. This will be a new experience for you." "You may not know this, since for you, no time passed while you were held captive in the Hells. But from Barbie's point of view, she's been without you -- without anyone -- for two years. She's lived her life from battle to battle, from city to city, never caring if she woke up the next day." "Barbie will do anything to keep from losing you again. If I hadn't drugged her, earlier, those demons would have killed her trying to get to you. And they'll be back. Even if you run from here, they'll be right begin you. They'll attack again and again, and the next time, Barbie might not be so lucky." "But you two have a chance to build a life, now. You have a place here where you can be accepted, where you can live out your lives without threat of attack -- either from outside, or from your own people. You can spend the rest of your lives together, in peace." Belor held out a quill to her. "Don't think of yourself, Amilynn. Think of Barbie. Do it for Barbie." Grudgingly, Amie took the pen. She walked over to the desk, and scrawled her name on the bottom of the contract. "Good." Belor took the paper. "I'll take this and have it filed with the proper people. Your friends have probably taken care of this attack. I'll go downstairs and check, and if all's clear, you can come down in about ten minutes." Amie sat down at the desk, hiding her face in her hands, as Belor closed the door behind him. The Amazon sighed. "What have I gotten myself into?" * * * * * Lord Sysop riffled through a stack of papers. "We've been having trouble with Phantasia's library," he said, to one of his aides. "Oh, and adventurers keep getting trapped in the realm of Exilitus. The gate'll let them in, but it won't let them out. Have that checked out, and check on the link to City of the Ancients, as well. I'm still expecting trouble from that gateway." The aide left the room, and Lord Sysop scribbled on a couple of documents. He gestured at the door, without even looking up. "Come in, Belor." Belor approached his employer's desk, a satisfied smile on his face. The powerful wizard continued to work, busily, for a few more moments. Then he set the papers in a box labeled "OUT" on the top of his desk. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, Belor? I keep hearing things about demons attacking my Tavern, and visitors being poisoned, and kidnapped. Do you think you can tell me what's going on?" Belor ignored the condescending tone. "Amie is safe. I took her out of the battle before she could get hurt." "Oh." Lord Sysop thought for a moment. "Very... heroic of you." "Actually, I had an ulterior motive." He handed Lord Sysop the contract. "What. Is this a joke? You know I can't read demonic fine print. No human can." "Is it too small for you?" Now it was Belor who was being condescending. "Just enlarge the document..." Lord Sysop made a disgusted noise, and stared at the paper. It sprouted upwards and outwards, until it was five feet square. "What?... This is the standard contract! Seven years of service, followed by forfeiture of the signer's soul! Does Amilynn know about this?" Belor chuckled. "I believe she's beginning to suspect, yes." The wizard stared at him, anger in his eyes. "You planned this whole thing! The attack on the Tavern, the poisoning of Barbie... You set all this up!" "Rather well done, don't you think?" "No, I DON'T! What could you possibly have to gain from all this?" "Simple." Belor's expression turned serious. "I have a contract you want, and you have a contract I want. I want you to release me from my contract with you -- free me from having to... to SERVE these WORMS, in that Tavern of yours! Give me my contract, to destroy, and I will let you have this one." "I suppose I don't have any choice." Lord Sysop reached into his desk, pulling out a similar document. He handed it to Belor. The document was engulfed, in a tongue of flame, as the demon touched it. Then Lord Sysop shrunk Amie's contract back down, and tore it in half. "What about Amie?" he asked Belor. "Those demons are going to keep coming after her. That contract of yours was never any protection." "No, it wasn't." The demon grinned. "Frankly, I don't care what happens to her. I got what I wanted. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have places that I have to be." Belor turned, and walked out the door, leaving Lord Sysop alone to ponder the future.