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-----Kazel then takes out a large sack for the mercs and guards. "If one of you feels like it you can try putting this over her. She's not too much bigger than your typical street urchin. Then we can all jump up and down on her. Or if not, try to keep her from casting spells and such if she can still do that."
-----She then prepares to head back up the ladder and turning invisible. She proceeds as before, but being doubly careful this time to see if the thing is right on top of the trapdoor.
-----The Dread Pirate adds, still in a whisper and obviously thinking about whatever else might be up there, "Just be careful and keep yer eyes peeled." He then nearly snickers out loud at the thought of what he just said, in context of Ariella's eyelessness.
-----Seth's face goes white at the thought of more undead. "Let me try and batter her into the wall with my ring."
-----Kazel slides the ring back on her finger and her form fades from sight. Runik’s eyes go large and Brandel turns to Krord placing a finger to his lips so the big guard doesn’t make some sound in surprise.
-----Seth, the Dread Pirate and the four bodyguards stand quietly as they notice again a slight quiver in the ladder.
-----Kazel cautiously climbs the ladder keeping her eyes up looking for any sign of the dead wretch. She emerges once again in the ashen and decayed room. Crawling out from the trapdoor opening, she quickly glances about the room for its horrid occupant.
-----She spots the small white-faced form standing silently across from her in the darkest corner of the room. It stares Kazel’s way and slowly tilts its head to one side as if considering something. The twin black depressions where beautiful eyes once were seem to get even deeper. An angry expression comes over the dead face and its mouth opens in a snarl.
-----Drawing its right hand up, a dark twinkling commences around its arm drawn up like a striking snake. The womanly form seems to see the invisible rogue as more black magic collects in its hand. It looks like it may fire something in Kazel’s direction.
-----Down below the Dread Pirate waves his hand cheerily at the gathered mercenaries, holding his cutlass in the other hand. He looks somewhat irritatedly at the pile of pig-bladders, then goes back to waiting for the signal to rush up the ladder.
-----He whispers to Seth, "Save yer ring fer whatever it was that managed to turn Ariella into a zombie. It must be a damned sight worse than a zombie. Unless o' course Ariella can still use magic."
-----The Dread Pirate, recalling his previous encounter with a normal zombie, that almost proved his death, swallows hard at the thought of an enhanced, magic using, super zombie.
-----Seth nods at Dread and holding pig fat in one hand prepares to follow the others up the ladder.
-----Kazel quickly pulls up the trapdoor halfway and ducks behind it to avoid whatever's coming. A sudden whooshing sound is heard and some force hits the trapdoor she is behind. Kazel is able to steady herself against it, but a quick blast of freezing air seems to fill the room.
-----After it passes, Kazel quickly gets up and fires a dagger in the figure's direction. The dagger strikes the dead thing in its left shoulder. Leering down at the protruding weapon, the small figure pulls out the dagger and drops it to the floor.
-----Kazel runs at it to try engaging it in melee while screaming curses in dwarven to get the others to come up. In the right outstretched palm of the womanly form, a blue light begins to glow.
-----Just then, Kazel is aware of her friends emerging behind her from the opening in the floor.
-----The Dread Pirate appears first above the trapdoor followed by a very eager Runik. The rest of the bodyguards emerge with Seth bringing up the rear. As they stand, they see Kazel charging the small womanly form dressed in darkened robes.
-----The butcher of Hearthorn brings her sword to bear at the robed form’s chest but the thing inhumanly sidesteps her. The right palm of the small form glows with a blue light and it misses Kazel as it tries to grab for her.
-----It then becomes apparent that the robed form is aware of the others in the room. Everyone sees the once beautiful face of the dead thing with its eyeless sockets filled with an evil blackness. The mouth gapes open revealing the same darkness. The blue glow quickly fades from its palm and it begins waving its hands as if conjuring something dreadful!
-----The small wretched form, its hands glowing with an unholy light, stretches forth its arms toward the ceiling. It looks aloft, its undead lips silently intoning a spell. With a sudden move, it throws its arms down at its sides and glares angrily at the seven people in front of it. In the next second, it is as if all hell has descended within the tower.

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