Duendewood vs. Povos: The Size of a Man's Blade

 Ruin shifted his weight slightly as he approached the manor, trying to compensate for the extra blade across his back. He was well used to wearing his own falchion; it was the addition of Tavros' larger one that kept trying to throw him off. Why does he need such a ridiculously large blade anyway? He thought irritably. Does he feel such a lack elsewhere in his life?

He didn't voice any of those complaints aloud, of course; he and Martini were currently approaching a manor for werewolves and dire werewolves, scouting it under the protection of Invisibility to hide their forms, Pass Without Trace to hide their scents, and their own stealthy movements to hide any sounds. This was not the time to speak up. Also, Martini would only point out that he'd accepted the secondhand blade and decided to bring it along all on his own, and he didn't have a good reply for that because there wasn't one.

They paused, hearing voices from behind the door to the manor's conference room. Yes, that was Count Wallington... and his sons... and the sons of his two Barons... and they seemed to be holding a council of war. This should be interesting. 

* * *

"They plan to attack the queen," said Martini. 

"Do you think so, Sister?" asked Azrael. "Because I learned that they plan to attack... the... queen."

"Good," said Ruin firmly. "Then we're all agreed on that. And we're all agreed that they don't intend to wait, either." 

Azrael and Martini both nodded. "We should take them now," said Azrael. 

"You want to just teleport in there and attack?" asked Martini, eyeing her younger brother. 

"Why not?" he asked. "I can handle a few werewolves. And I suppose you could help." 

Ruin considered, but... they could shift to Greater Invisibility, and remain unseen and scentless as they attacked. And if they arrived unnoticed, they could take a moment or three to prepare before they struck. Martini could make much of that time. "I'd prefer to pick them off one by one," he said, "but it seems a shame to let them escape when they're all right there." 

Martini shrugged. "I just want to kill them."

* * *

They arrived, by pure luck, in the unoccupied end of the conference room. Even so, Count Fenrir Wallington noticed something: he looked up, sniffing at the air, until his son laid a hand on his arm and pulled him back into the conversation. It should have been easy to wait after that, letting Martini study her target, but the werewolves were both sensitive and wary. Count Fenrir has just looked up, halting all conversation with a growled, "Can you not hear that?" when Azrael called forth the horrible black tentacles from the walls and floor, trapping all but the barbarian dire werewolf Amaroc. 

Ruin considered his two blades. His was the more ferocious of the two, but the blade he'd received from Tavros... was silver. He drew that one instead. Already protected against the tentacles, he moved in as the killing began. 

* * *

In the end, only Count Wallington, injured and unconscious, remained alive. The courtyard outside the conference room was cloud of fire, and the edges of the manor were starting to smolder: Azrael's work, of course. Azrael, still invisible, surveyed the scene. "I've changed my mind about killing everyone," he said. 

"I haven't," replied Martini.

"I mean," Azrael continued, "that I think it might be better if we took Count Wallington and the remains of his and his allies' heirs back to the queen, rather than remain here and attempt to slay everyone all at once." 

Ruin gaped at him, but Martini caught on immediately: "My thoughts exactly," she replied easily. 

Ruin nodded slowly, then moved to start gathering the bodies. It couldn't possibly be this simple, could it? Still, the plan was sound...

He paused a moment, distracted by the extra weight of Tavros' sword in his hands. It had served well, with its silver blade, and Tavros had mentioned that it could strike ghostly things as well. The next time we pay for new weapons, I'll have to commission something like this. Something good against ghosts and other undead. A silver blade wouldn't go amiss, either.