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-----Raven says, "I'm fine, thanks. I'll be better when we are out of this darkness." Raven glances at the darkness, "I don't know about you, but I want to get a move on while this globe is working."
-----The five males surround the young sorceress as they begin to move forward. The undead slink back from their progress as the party slowly moves toward the glowing violet light. The dark dead forms still stretch their arms forward but remain on the opposite side of the barrier cast by the scroll in Sarah’s hands.
-----The Darkness around them seems to deepen as they walk toward the center. All the while, the violet glows brighter, beckoning them as if moths to a dark flame. They pass crumbling and fallen trees and still the undead follow them from behind and on their flanks.
-----Within a few moments, the trees thin and the party and their undead escorts walk into a small clearing. Before them, about twenty feet, they see the source of the Dark Light. Positioned on a tree stump is a small carved spindle of sorts. Rotating and levitating between the arms of the spindle is a large black diamond, which is the size of a man’s two fists. From between its black facets, the deep purple glow radiates sending hundreds of violet beams into the Dark. The effect is breathtaking and strangely beautiful in its chilling night light.
-----"I'm feeling good, too." Sol replies, "Just good to be back on my feet. And don't worry about those skulkers out there. They're pathetic."
-----As the group nears the black gem, Sol speaks over his shoulder to Sarah, "Guide us to yonder glowing rock, o' provider of protection." He flashes her a grin before returning his attention to the light show.
-----Raven says, "Okay, now what? Do any of you spell weavers have any ideas? Or should I take up a new job as a gem cutter and give this thing a whack?"
-----Sarah grins back at Sol and response, "This way, please we shall be reaching yonder glowing evil black diamond in 5...4...3...2...1, we are now here. Please remain within the circle of magical protection until I say you can leave." She keeps talking until they reach the diamond. Then she looks at it and shakes her head worriedly. "I wouldn't touch that thing with a giant frog’s tongue, but if you wanna try'n hack it, Raven, be my guest. It worked with the animal totem thingy." All the time Sarah has been glancing at the shadowy creatures around her, still worried about them.
-----As Raven raises his sword..."No! Wait!" Sarah yells. She stops Raven’s hand and looks back towards the gem. "Glow Wing told me that its touch was death. We have to get rid of it magically...." Sarah scratches her head. "I don't know how we're s’posed to do that! Thalog?"
-----"It's not like he's going to embrace it...just hack it to pieces." Sol quips, "Does that make a difference?"
-----Raven lowers his sword. Raven slowly turns to face Sarah, "Now you tell me that touching the gem will kill ya?" Raven just shakes his head and says, "Better late than never I guess..."
-----As Raven and Sol stand just in front of the spinning black diamond, it suddenly slows and stops. The dark violet light within it begins to fade. Just as it does, the adventurers notice that the darkness around them starts to lighten. The undead sentinels standing around the edge of their protection circle collapse to the ground.
-----The diamond levitating between the arms of the spindle falls and hits the ground with a solid thud. With that the darkness quickly lifts revealing the cloudy gray sky above them. The trees and undergrowth around them where the darkness once was have a dead gray cast to them as if the life were pulled out of them. They can see that the darkness covered a circular area with a sixty-foot radius and they are currently standing in the middle of it. Beyond where the limit of the darkness had been, they can see where the affected gray trees end and the untouched green of the forest begins.
-----In a circle around the six people lay the corpses of the once undead bodies. Just in front of Raven’s feet is the large diamond, its black color gone and replaced by a dazzling crystal clear appearance.
-----Sol looks around in surprise. With a cheerful voice he says, "Well...How about that then? Is that it? Those wacky evil-doers seem to be all talk..." Sol begins to wander around the area, looking around at nothing in particular.
-----Raven watches Sol for a moment and then says, "Hold it Sol. Get back here. I want to test something." Raven reaches down and picks up the diamond. Raven pauses to look at the gem and then throws the gem about 15 feet into a clearing.
-----Sol stops his wandering and begins to turn around, "Hmm...?" He murmurs. Without comprehension, Sol watches Raven hurl the diamond across the clearing.
-----"I wouldn't....do that...." Sarah says, too late this time as she sees the diamond flying off. "Something just isn't right about this." The young sorceress says, resisting the urge to bite her nails from being so nervous. "It can't be that easy. What in Destine’s name is going on?" Sarah is becoming more and more frustrated looking all around trying to find some clue.
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