31. To The Keep

After a pleasant walk, Richard and Isabella returned to the inn and had a nice lunch. Isabella sure did have a good hearty portion after all the walking. As they got up from the table, Richard was again getting anxious, but before they could do anything, a worker brought them a letter. Isabella opened it and it said:

If you like your friends,
Mazanlold and Caoilainn
Go in the direction of that fishing village
Or better, of my keep.

DDD

Richard could see Isabella tensing up at each word she read. She threw the letter away and Richard picked it up. She looked at him and said:
- "I don't need to say anything, do I?" - she was angry and so was him:
- "Not at all" - he replied. They got their things and left for the keep.

Isabella and Richard moved swiftly but always together through the palms and beach heading in the same direction Mazanlold and Caoilainn went. As they advanced, a few small skeletons showed up, and they were disposed of by both fighters as usual.
- "You are getting better, Richard" - said Isabella.
- "Thank you. You are as good as always" - and they kept pushing.

It took some time until they reached a secluded beach with natural stone structures and on top of one of those was a small but imposing cobblestone building. It was probably the keep. As they stepped on the beach however, skeletons showed up from many sides to attack them.

- "Follow me!" - Isabella shouted and started fighting. She advanced and sliced through two sword wielding skeletons. Richard impaled a mace wielding skeleton coming from the right and kept going. Then, Isabella started sprinting and slicing skeletons very aggressively: one, two, three four, leaving puffs of smoke. At the same time, Richard defended spear hits from both sides from a foe who followed them until he was able to avoid a thrust and strike it down. They kept fighting and running.

Then, Isabella turned around and quite a few skeletons were chasing them. Richard came, also turned around, and started to draw and defend hits as Isabella got those opportunities to take the skeletons down. After a sequence of strong defenses, Isabella leaped to defeat five skeletons and finish the battle. Now, on the once crowded battlefield, only the two of them, the keep and the sound of the waves remained.

Richard took a good look around and said:
- "Isabella, let's be careful."
- "Yes" - she replied and looked at him - "but why are you so worried?"
- "Do you remember how many skeletons we fought in Neggenegg? There were many less here today, that means" - he paused - "that they were meant to slow us down, not defeat us."
- "And that means we are walking into a trap, or a set up, right?"
- "Exactly." - Richard replied - "but I guess we have no options."
- "No we don't, but you are right, let's stay close together and be careful." - they made their way up to keep. It had quite a large gate, which was open, and they went on through.