The End of the Crone: Part 3

"SCREEEECH!"
Shadow enshrouded bats rise from the pit of garbage, the primary source of income of this small little town. Their high pitched screeches call to me, I respond by covering my ears and crying.

"I think I know why the villagers have been having trouble sleeping..." I call to Ukin, the nearest of my current group.

Ukin is a Shadar-Kai, he has dark black skin, black hair, and blacker leather armor. I know of the tendency for Shadar-Kai to betray and distrust others, but our group needs someone who can pick a lock and disarm a trap. Ukin assures me he can.

I'm Ballad Blue, a human bard and adventurer. I wear enchanted chainmail procured from the corpse of our latest enemy, the leader of a band of orcs. My hair is blonde, my eyes are blue, and my skin is a pale white. My ears are also currently ringing.

"What?" Ukin's voice sounds far off and muffled.

"I said...UKIN DUCK!"

"Wha-?"

THUMP. A shadow bat slams into the back of Ukin's head, Knocking him forward. Ukin catches himself, turns, and with a flourish of his Katar, he sunders the Beast in half. He spies more bats rising from the hole, and a smile crosses his lips. He sprints up a nearby tree and propels himself towards a bat. He catches it in mid air and...Falls asleep?

He and the bat plummet to the earth. Unfortunately for the bat, its body is not meant to support a extra 120 pounds, so Ukin crushes it. Unfortunately for us, Ukin just passed out.

Valekor waves his dagger in front of his face and exhales, spraying the air over the pit with flames, igniting the remaining bats in a screeching inferno.
Valekor is a 7 foot tall dragon borne sorcerer, with bronze scales and a stoic attitude.

"Finally. Come here Gooba." Azreal says maliciously as he sheaths his sword.

He's standing beside the pit smiling and holding a rope with a poorly made halter tied to the end. Azreal is a extraordinarily pale human, with gray hair, and canines that are slightly pronounced... I really should ask him about those...

"Uhhh...Ballad?" A squeaky voiced goblin pleas with me. "I don't really wanna go down the hole again..."

Gooba is a friend of the thunderous fury, and Azreal has went out of the way to make his life uncomfortable. Gooba has Greenish skin, and stands little over 4 feet tall. He wears enchanted leather armor and wields a dagger that feels risky. Azreal just recently punted Gooba down the hole to "Scout". I think Azreal just did it for fun.

"Gooba, I need you to ride back to town with Ukin. He seems to have passed out."

"Right Boss!"

"Ballad," Azreal whines, obviously upset, "its better to send the goblin down the hole rather than us."

"SCREEEEECH!"

Four more bats rise from the hole as Gooba speeds off towards town. Azreal and Valekor both prepare for the coming onslaught, while I sling the box on my hip down the hole, nearly hitting a bat.

Next time, another flash back to explain the power of the box I just threw.