Betrayal at Dawn

     The great axe bore down hard upon the redguard, nearly breaking his 
broad sword, though it be forged of the very toughest ebony. The axe came 
down again and again, each time the man barely able to keep it from 
ending his life. His arms felt like water, weak and slow.
     "Blast you wizard! Cast the spell!"
     Shomshar was hopping about, trying to get a clear shot at K'tarin. 
With a wrenching twist, the redguard managed to place K'tarin between 
himself and the mage. The breton had had his spell readied, and  let loose a
blistering fireball. It exploded on K'tarin's back, but he took no  notice
of it. His Orcish plate became blackened and his clothes smoldered, but
otherwise there was no sign that he had been injured. The defender, however,
was thrown back from the blast, landing in a crumpled heap. The breton's
mouth went dry. He cast another ball of fire, and another, but K'tarin's
attention was entirely trained on S'talin, who lay at his feet.
     The fallen warrior wailed in terror. "Stop him! By Oblivion Shomshar,
stop him!"
     K'tarin raised up his axe for a killing blow. The breton cast a 
combination spell, a spell of paralysis and agony. It would nearly drain 
him but S'talin didn't seem able to kill troublesome K'tarin. A globe of
white light engulfed K'tarin, and he stayed his attack. Within the globe,
white fire and lightning coursed through the redguard, tearing at his armor.
Shomshar smiled in satisfaction.
     His smile slipped.
     K'tarin was turning, now striding with terrible speed at the wizard.
The the globe came with him. Shomshar nearly fell on his face in fear. The
other redguard was getting up, but making no move to help. Blood flowed
freely from his hands and arms and head. In desperation, Shomshar cast a
teleport spell on his comrad, then himself.
     A moment later, S'talin and Shomshar were lying on cold stone. The
teleport had worked. They were alive. S'talin was breathing heavily, taking
in air in ragged gasps. The dark room was silent but for that.
     "K'tarin. My spells..." the breton's voice quavered.
     "I told you he was a Werre."
     Shomshar began to calm down. "Nonesense! They're a myth. He had some
sort of powerful protection. Even so, he should have died."
     Shomshar picked himself up from the floor, stood unsteadily. He saw that
S'talin was still bleeding profusely. He cast a rude healing spell with his
last reserve of magic, but the redguard's wounds did not close. His life
kept flowing onto the floor. There was an edge of panic to the man's voice.
     "I tell you, he was Werre."
     The breton frowned. "Shut up! You must see a healer."

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Alduin dor Lammoth