Ronin Session 43

• Defeated the gorgons in a trial by combat, Izaki divided the first into quarters with three deft strikes and Matthias, bolstered by many sources of strength, wrestled the other and dropped it face-first into the other's horn.

• Amused, the Keeper ultimately offered to allow three nights with the Brand, granted each night he be allowed to "sample" one of the group. His aspirations originally included producing an avian heir of the Phoenix Forge (looking hungrily at Finduilas), but telling from the two male Salamanders in bondage at his feet, he wouldn't mind time with Izaki or Matthias either.

• Much to Finduilas's dismay, the boys agreed, making all haste with the Brand back to the Ice Plane whilst she was left alone with the four-armed efreeti, slave to his every perverse whim...

• Matthias and Izaki leaped through the portal and found themselves at the bottom of the ice steps up to Angel Mountain, that is up to the Black Saint's abode. Racing upward, they were assaulted by a storm of one hundred ice mephits. Matthias held the Brand aloft and suddenly an explosion of heat erupted, one so intense it melted the stairs, the entire cliff face they were hewed upon, and reduced the ice mephits to a plume of steam.

• Matthias struggled to open the door into Angel Mountain, glaring at Izaki for the lack of help, and together they entered the entrance hall. The Lady of Black Ice eagerly awaited them, though despite the skald's pleas for some sort of boon against the Keeper, they fell on deaf ears. She hadn't an ounce of pity or concern, and only wished death. As she made a casual attack, Matthias was forced to use the Brand, thrusting it into her chest.

• Angel Mountain evaporated into a melted hill . All around, Vrauktom began to similarly melt into the mercury sea or be swallowed as steam in the planar storms. Those denizens who could fled, including the Frostfolk in their canoes and whatever mephits, hags and icy fliers existed across the realm.

• With the Black Saint gone, Matthias and Izaki realized they had no way back to the Phoenix Forge. They grimly flew up beyond the seismic destruction, watching as the planet-sized storms swooped in, and the isle was swallowed by an oceanic vortex. Death was all but certain...

• Or perhaps not, as a small portal opened in existence and out popped Arin the Planeswalker, asking rather cheerfully, and rather obliviously, if they needed a hand. The men quickly took his offer, leaping through and back into the fire plane.