Darkness and Hellfire

Healing potions were passed around and Lenna used her healing to cleanse everyone of the poison they had inhaled. Her 'healing' was better at destroying things that weren't supposed to be there, like poison and infection, than putting things back together. Once everyone was squared away, Edward brought all of them together. "Alright, time for the After Action Report." He told them. "First order of business, injury and recovery status from everyone." His armor had returned to being entirely disguised so he was not as visually imposing as his stance and commanding tone. He was not trying to be oppressive but was simply very comfortable in his role of Guild Master and had plenty of military experience leading men into battle. "I'll go first." He went on. He knew that it was better to take the lead in those kinds of situations because adventurers did not like being forced to do anything they didn't specifically take off of the Bounty Board themselves. It was a habit that had been long ingrained into him. "The poison damage wasn't severe but I had spent a lot of time in it. I am not entirely healed, even after the healing potion and Lenna's cleansing, but I am more than combat ready should we be ambushed again."

Isaac nodded and decided to go next. "I'm entirely back to normal." He confirmed.

"I am out of mana." Lenna stated simply adding: "But other than that, I am perfectly combat ready."

"Likewise." Alexander added. "I didn't spend as much time in the poison as the Guild Master or Lord Darkness so the healing potion was plenty for me."

Everyone then turned to Shamesh. Shamesh glanced around, slightly surprised to be considered his own separate entity and not just an attachment for Isaac, but stepped up when Isaac gave him an encouraging nod. "I have around a tenth of my maximum mana capacity at the ready but have been fully healed otherwise. The injury to my head was momentarily crippling, but once my master healed me, my faculties regained full functionality." Shamesh explained.

"Good to hear." Alexander told Shamesh with a smile.

"Now that that is over, can we just talk about how awful that area of effect dispel was?" Isaac wondered.

"Oh gods yes, that was awful." Alexander instantly agreed.

"Incredibly disorienting." Shamesh added.

"It felt like my power had suddenly turned into water and slipped straight through my fingers." Isaac went on.

"I thought my bones were going to fall free." Shamesh grabbed his elbows. It appeared as though the entire fight was going to haunt him for some time.

"At least it didn't break any enchantments, only disrupted them momentarily, otherwise the cost would have been astronomical. None of our gear is cheap." Edward put in his own thoughts.

"That is an understatement." Lenna told him from her position dressed from head to toe in a legendary suit of full plate armor. "What would have happened to my Bottomless Backpack if I had brought it with us?" She wondered.

"Nothing." Alexander confirmed what she had expected. "Otherwise my pockets would have exploded in my face."

"How many of your pockets are enchanted?" Isaac couldn't help but wonder.

"Three of them." Alexander easily replied. "Having more than one helps me keep everything straight in my head. Technically everything in them could have fit in one of my expanded pockets, but the organization aspect is not to be underestimated."

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Isaac nodded sagely. "I should get one of those enchantments."

"Why?" Alexander asked with a mix of confusion and curiosity on his face. He was well aware that Isaac could pull things out of thin air.

"Weight." Isaac stated. "If I could put a hundred pounds of lead in a Bottomless Pocket, and then move it from my pocket to my Inventory, then I would be able to weigh myself down more while boosted in combat. Double gravity is nice, but when I am five times faster and stronger than I was before, I still feel like I am throwing myself around when I hit things."

"That is an amazing idea and use of your different types of available storage." Alexander commended him.

"Thank you." Isaac said with a self-satisfied grin.

Edward cleared his throat. "Now back to the topic at hand, please." He nodded as if to physically punctuate his statement. "I'll explain things from my point of view, up until I met up with Alexander and Shamesh, and then we will go from there."

Everyone filled in everyone else with information about their opponents and how many enemies they had killed. The surprising parts were when Lenna informed them who the paladin that they had slain was and filled in everyone on who Lashven Lu'Lac was: "He is the most widely known mage slayer assassin. He specializes in killing mages of all kinds, especially those who think themselves safe. Magical wards and traps mean little to nothing to him and he carves through magic without breaking a sweat. His band of 'assistants' are a sort of 'trial by survival'. If any of them survive long enough, then he sells their services out as assassins for hire. He runs the only currently active freelance assassin organization. He is another old legend who is getting close to the end of his life."

"How old is he?" Isaac wondered.

"I'm not sure, no younger than five hundred and fifty though, for sure. He is a part of the same generation as Jallen and Jala." She explained.

"Beware the old man in a profession where men die young." Isaac said with a frown and a headache. The saying had come to him so many times that he was starting to get less of a headache when he heard it. That was why elven combatants were really scary. It was not that they started off better than human, dwarf, gnome, goliath, or lightfoot, it was just that they had so much more time to die that if they had managed to survive that long then it meant that they had luck, talent, and drive that exceeded the norm by miles.

"Do I count?' Edward asked with a grin. He felt older and older every time he got roped into fighting something. His training wasn't any harder than it had been in the past, but live combat made his joints feel like they were decades older than they actually were, his armor didn't help.

Isaac shook his head. "Check in again when that gold turns to silver." He joked and nodded towards Edward's pulled back golden hair. "So we killed a Contantis council member and managed to fight off the strongest assassin in the drow empire, that is something, I guess." Isaac said back on topic.

"The ranger that you fought, I'll have to check but he might be someone just as legendary. Rangers are not very well kept track of though, so I might not remember anything about him." Lenna offered him.

"In all, this was a successful battle with zero casualties." Edward confirmed. "It got a bit close there for a little while, but the wizards and I managed to not get disintegrated."

"There is no way that they are going to let this go, is there?" Isaac wondered. "As much as I would like the chance to interrogate every would-be raider, their attempts on our lives might build until they are actually just too much to handle without casualties. It is best for us if they just opt to take losses whenever Lenna or I show up so as not to risk an entire city's amount of military power if it goes sideways."

"That is a great question." Edward agreed and looked to Lenna for answers.

"I have no idea." Lenna replied honestly. "Farlen was one of the biggest and most aggressive council members, which was why Jallen left him at home during the raid on Safeharbor, so they may have switched to a more passive stance until everything stabilizes and the city's power can finish coming back. It will only be a matter of time, but every loss of a soldier will set the city back even further."

"What about Lashven?" Edward questioned her.

"I've only ever heard about his success, not of his temperament or disposition towards tying up loose ends." Lenna said with a frown. "I wish I could be of more help."

Edward waved her off. "You have been more than forthcoming and your insight has always been appreciated." He told her and then turned to Isaac. "For now, you and I should go and check everything out. The poison smoke should be settled by now. Lenna, please stay and keep watch over our empty cups and the caravan."

Isaac chuckled at Alexander and Shamesh being referred to as 'empty cups' and raised an eyebrow at Lenna who was also out of mana. Lenna narrowed her eyes at him. "Even out of mana, I am still more than capable of defending myself." She said defensively.

"I didn't say anything." Isaac replied with raised hands. "But Edward is right, if there is something that I cannot feel coming, then it would be up to Shamesh's last spell or two and the six guards if you were to come with us."

Lenna nodded in ascent to the new mission. "Do you feel any other dark creatures nearby?" She asked him.

Isaac shook his head. "I feel some weak presences a bit out but they are definitely not mortal. Probably wolves or falling-shadows. They are too far away to be a problem though so you shouldn't have to worry about them." He informed his wife and then turned to the Guild Master. "Let's get this over with so we can head home."

Edward nodded in agreement. "After you."

Isaac started walking but looked at Edward questioningly. "Aren't you in full plate armor and a higher level than me?"

"Can't you heal yourself from nearly any injury almost instantly, teleport, feel enemies coming, and wield magic beyond mortal comprehension?" Edward retorted.

"Damn… you got me there." Isaac grumbled and continued to take the lead. Even so, Edward was never more than a few steps behind him, close enough that if Isaac triggered some unseen trap, they would both most likely get caught in it.