34. Staff

Richard and Isabella stormed the seemingly empty keep searching for Mazanlold. It was not long before they found a corridor with many cages. From one of them, left Mazanlold with his morning star. He said:
- "My comrades, great to see you!" - he spread his arms and approached Richard. Isabella held Richard's shoulder and put her sword between them. She said:
- "How can we be sure you really are Mazanlold? The Duke is as master of illusion." - Isabella was very stern. Mazanlold thought for a moment before saying:
- "I know I can trust you, my dear peucos." - Isabella sheathed her sword with a most sincere smile. Richard would swear he saw a tear on her left eye.
- "I am glad you are safe Mazanlold." - she said - "and quite glad you called Richard peuco."
- "It was about time, wasn't it?"
- "Yes, indeed" - Richard said:
- "Well, I am glad we are all right. Now it's time to find Caoilainn! What happened, Mazanlold?"
- "I will cut to the chase" - Mazanlold answered - "we were attracted to a trap and arrested by the Demon Duke Donisemon, the true identity of the Duke Moninose we knew before. Me and Caoilainn were in a single cell, before he separated us. He offered me to serve him, but I will never serve a demon, and I will never fall for theirs lies" - they paid attention and Richard asked:
- "So, it's been how long since you were separated?"
- "A few hours, I can't be sure."
- "I bet he will try to fool Caoilainn too" - Isabella said - "let us not lose any more time, let's find her." - and with that, they continued to navigate the keep.

It took a few minutes navigating the odd labyrinth like keep, to arrive at another corridor with lots of empty cells. Looking fast but attentively, Richard noticed in one of the cells a girl in a flowery dress, sitting on the corner.
- "Caoilainn!" - he shouted and the others came to him. The girl on the cell said nothing.
- "Caoilainn, are you alright?" - asked Isabella. All she could hear was a sharp voice:
- "And would you care if I'm not?!" - it was Caoilainn. Richard and Mazanlold noticed Isabella's bewilderment. Mazanlold stepped up and said:
- "Caoilainn, are you alright? We are worried about you!"
- "Mazanlold, you abandoned us to go with Donisemon! How do you want me to believe you?" - Mazanlold replied:
- "But I'm here with Richard and Isabella! They came here to rescue us and we are together!" - she replied:
- "The Duke told me everything" - she looked down - "please leave me alone, now I know you don't really care about me." - Richard slapped his face and said:
- "Come on Caoilainn, cut it out, we came here to help!" - she replied:
- "Don't you have people you want to take care of?" - she looked at Richard and Isabella. Confused, Isabella tried to reach out:
- "Can't you see he is just a lobster?!" - Caoilainn seemed shaken, but after a moment she crossed her arms, turned her head and said nothing. Richard and Isabella were frustrated. Mazanlold, however, noticed her staff was on the cage next to them. He fetched it and showed to Caoilainn saying:
- "Here, we have your staff! You can open the cage with it" - she did not move and replied:
- "You are just trying to fool me!" - Mazanlold sighed. Before they had any other idea on how to solve this issue, a rumbling sound filled the corridor.

They looked at both ends of the corridor. There was one skeleton on one side and two on the other, they were two meters tall, sporting sword and shield, boots, helmets and animal fur covering their bodies. Mazanlold, Richard and Isabella went into a fighting stance as the skeletons approached.

On one side, two skeletons engaged Mazanlold and Richard. Mazanlold went to strike first, unleashing a flurry of hits with his morning star, but all stopped on the skeletons shield. The skeleton tried a few sword strikes, but Mazanlold avoided them and repositioned. At the same time, the other skeleton tried to strike Richard, but he defended each hit. After each attack, Richard tried to poke back, but the shield protected his foe at every hit. He also repositioned and his eyes met Mazanlold, who saluted him.

On the other side, Isabella was attacking another skeleton. It was a show of sparks that flew from the clashing swords. Isabella was more well versed and able to parry hits and strike back. However, just like with her comrades, her foe defended all with its shield.

Caoilainn watched all of that, impassible. Her mind, however, was chaotic with opposing thoughts and ideas, all clouded by fear and pain.

Richard and Mazanlold then went together at the same skeleton. Richard defended a few hits and poked back, forcing the skeleton to defend. Then, Mazanlold stroke its right ribs with all his might. Much to their dismay, the hit stopped on the fur, causing just a small stagger. With this, the other skeleton went to attack Mazanlold. Richard was able to put himself between then, and parry the attack. They were running out of options.

- "Caoilainn, I don't know what the Duke said" - Isabella shouted - "but they are lies!" - she defended from an attack - "please help us, we need you!" - she parried another hit and the skeleton defended her counter strike - "I beg you!" - Caoilainn kept quiet. Richard said:
- "Isabella is saying the truth, we want to save you!" - he defended a strike - "and we need help!" - Caoilainn saw how they were giving it all and were unable to defeat the skeletons. She replied:
- "If what you are saying is true, prove it to me now." - Caoilainn saw Richard and Isabella frustrated and kept unbelieving. Mazanlold however said:
- "Richard, Isabella, stand your ground and cover me! I have and idea!" - with that, Isabella and Richard got closer to hold the three skeletons.

At the same time, Mazanlold let go of his morning star and got Caoilainn's staff. He went to the iron bars of the cell, knelt and put his hands holding the staff inside the cell. The staff was pointing at his head. He said:
- "Look Caoilainn. I am kneeling, unarmed and giving you your staff. You can kill me in an instant if you want to" - he looked down and up again - "but I trust you. Not with my mind or my instincts but with all of my heart. Please, help us!" - Caoilainn was puzzled.

At the same time, Isabella tried to hold of two of the skeletons, moving from side to side, striking and forcing them into the defensive. Richard kept mostly one on one, but also used a few pokes to slow down the other skeleton, giving Mazanlold time. They worked together well, but were on the edge.

Caoilainn looked at her hands which were shaking. Doubt and fear clouded her mind, but Mazanlold's act was compelling. She slowly approached him, breathing deeply and shaking. She stopped and hesitated. Her mind was filled with images of her painful youth, of Richard and Isabella not caring about her death, about Mazanlold selling her. She held her own arms and pressed them. She looked up and saw Mazanlold closed his eyes. Her eyes widened and she approached again. She came to him and touched the staff.

As Mazanlold closed his eyes, his heart raced. His heart might be trusting, but his survival instincts were kicking at full strength. He gulped as Caoilainn held the staff. He heard a sound of spear struck by a sword.
- "Mazanlold!" - Isabella shouted. Mazanlold could hear a skeleton approached and understood that Richard had to avoid it. It was coming for him. There would be no escape. He controlled his breathing and body, and felt like he would explode. He felt the heat in Caoilainn's staff, and knew she was casting. At the same time, he heard the skeleton branding his sword. He kept his eyes closed and waited for the bitter end. He felt the staff moving and heard an explosion. He let go of the staff and fell. He felt the heat behind him.

It seemed like an eternity, but it was just a matter of seconds. Mazanlold got up sweating with his heart racing and saw the skeleton wailing with his fur clothing burning. In front of him was Caoilainn standing up with tears in her eyes and her staff still lit. She panted and stared at him. She said:

- "You are crazy, you know that, don't you?" - panting, he looked in her eyes and replied:
- "I guess I am" - he had a shy smile. Isabella jumped at the wailing skeleton and impaled its head from its rib cage. As she was going to call out them, Caoilainn simply said:
- "Let's go." - with that she used a fireball to destroy the lock of the cell. With a jump, she entered the corridor and sent two streams of fire on the skeletons. They wailed and burned giving the opening for Richard and Isabella to finish them. Mazanlold got up and in a matter of seconds, the four were reunited and the skeletons defeated.