CXXII. Battle for the Eldinghart

General Summary

"This is the last cell I find myself in, I swear.”
-Regen Wakerock

Laughing, Jäger drew Regen into a hug. The two of them conversed about the fall of Egar, and the state of their home.

“Everyone’s dead.”
-Jäger Ironbeard

"I felt it. There are only two of us left. Two of us, we’ve got a shot. Have you been home? There might still be people left to save."
-Regen Wakerock

"They’re probably dead, or tortured, or in a jail cell like you. But we will take it back.”
-Jäger Ironbeard

Wynna and Regen healed the party together, though Regen did not have much power to spare after having been kept in such uncomfortable conditions. They all decided to visit the armory to try and stock up on equipment before making their exit. On the way there, Jäger sent a message to his brother:

"Where are you, brother? The heart shall be mine soon."
-Jäger Ironbeard

He got no response. The group met with no resistance through the halls of the Storm Cells. It seemed as though the prison had been left lightly guarded. As they entered the armory, their hearts sank to see that it had been picked almost entirely clean, though what they did find proved to be useful enough: two Eldingite nullification potions, and a buckler shield made of pure Eldingite which had the power to absorb and redirect lightning from the target back at the assailant. Wynna and Amari took the potions, and Jäger took the shield, giving the one he had been using to Regen along with The Sunderer. At the entrance of the Storm Cells, General Svetlyra told the party that she would be joining join her men in the battle against the Dhoren in the city, and told them to take the Quintessent to the Eldinghart. Before they left to join the General, Regen spoke to Ordate Zofia.

"My lady, today, I will stand by your side, guard you. But I ask that after today, you release me from your service. My people need me."
-Regen Wakerock

Ordate Zofia granted his request and thanked him for his service. As the two of them parted with the party, Regen gave Jäger one last reassurance:

"The tide is with us now, Jäger."
-Regen Wakerock

The Ring & Wren entered the inner ring of Durssundrr and made their way to the Eldinghart. They came upon the grand promenade, upon which sat a domed structure made of pure eldingite--austere and sturdy-- with a huge, gaping arch that led into darkness beyond. Amari and Wynna took the chance to drink their potions, which had a bitter, sour taste and left them with an electric thrum in their chests. At last, Amari called the Quintessent down. Rota Sturmdottir, she materialized among a cyclone of water and streaks of purple lightning.

“The currents are under my control.”
-Rota Sturmdottir

With the currents pushing at their backs, the party swam into the Eldinghart, a rotunda with a grand, towering carved Eldingite throne. Channels in the floor like veins pulsed with blue lightning. Sitting upon the Eldingite throne was the Lord Paramount Fyodirr Karkorum, though what sat there could only be described as a monstrosity of the deep. A storm giant frame with head intact, long beard braided with platinum bands of his station, and wearing a jagged Eldingite crown. Heft upon the stone, connected to pure eldingite hermit crab shell, appendages coming out like hermit crab…like a centaur. One arm plate Mail is ripped open and has crab claw. Anenome tentacles near the shell, shark teeth. Blind eyes…breathing heavy.

"Sturmdottir, you return now at the end of our people.”
-Fyodir Karkorum

"It is the end of you, Karkorum, but our people will live on. Those who have not given into the dark, to the deep."
-Rota Sturmdottir

"There is no fighting against it. It is fathomless. I have seen what lies beyond the trench: this is the only salvation for us. It was this or the abyss."
-Fyodir Karkorum

Amari interjected.

"In searching for your salvation, It seems you’ve met your condemnation. You do not belong here, and we’re here to ensure you leave."
-Amari of the Ring & Wren

"I will not hear this from an outsider!"
-Fyodir Karkorum

"It is time, Fyodir, to remove your stain from my throne."
-Rota Sturmdottir

"Then let me end your legend now, Rota, and you will never trouble us again."
-Fyodir Karkorum

The room rumbled as two currents--one from Rota, and one controlled by Fyodir, collided. And the battle began. Soora and Roger got in two big hits, but Fyodir’s giant shell proved to be a big obstacle for King. Rota had no such trouble as she threw two unerring Javelins of Wind, though she reminded the party that she would not be able to do much against the tyrant until they could literally dethrone him, as in the Eldingite throne he could control the entire city. Amari created a whirlpool above Fyodir, crushing him with the pressure of it. Jäger tried attacking him with lightning only to have it shot right back at him and absorbed into his shield. Fyodir channeled a lightning bolt at the Quintessent, Wynna, and Amari, the latter two of whom took massive damage from it. Roger was soon knocked unconscious from the lightning energy surging throughout the room, which had begun striking the pillars surrounding the throne.

"The seas are under my control!"
-Fyodir Karkorum

“The seas cannot belong to you, this is not your throne!”
-Amari of the Ring & Wren

Amari Slowed their great foe as Wynna healed Roger, and brought him back up, but Fyodir had no plans of letting up.

"May the cold freeze you!"
-Fyodir Karkorum

Raising his claw toward King, a dome of ice formed around the halfling at the pillar, trapping him inside. He then threw another lightning bolt at Amari, which knocked him unconscious, and finally, pulled Roger into his mouth and swallowed him. Roger used his claws to clamber out of Fyodir's throat and ran into a corner, trying to get as far away as possible. This time two pillars lit up with lightning, shocking King, though Soora's fast reflexes allowed her to dodge it. King shot a blink bolt to teleport near Soora and away from danger. Jäger still stood engaged with Fyodir, who shot him with more lightning. Jäger used the shield to reflect the lightning back and cracked his massive shell and filling the water with blood. After Jäger's lightning redirection, Rota managed to push Fyodir out of his throne, but King got hit with a lightning bolt and went unconcious in his icy prison. Wynna healed Amari, bringing him back into the fight--though not for long. Having been forcibly evicted from his seat, Fyodir scuttled over to Soora and restrained her. Three of the four pillars, still under Fyodir's control, lit up with lightning, knocking everyone unconscious except Soora and Jäger. Roger actually died instantly from the damage, but his Nine Lives Jack activated and he came back to consciousness barely clinging to life. Rota summoned great sword made of lightning, finally able to do real damage to the usurper. Jäger shattered Fyodir's shell with lightning redirected from his shield, unbinding a bunch of tentacles that had been stored inside. The giant teleported over to Jäger, bringing Soora, who was still restrained by his tentacles.

“You will pay for this!”
-Fyodir Karkorum

Seeing the attack coming for him, Jäger knew that any more lighting damage would kill King, who was lying unconscious at his feet. He chose to throw his shield down onto King's body, joining it afterwards with his own.

“Ragnar...?”
-Drayton King

Jäger's body shook from the blast of lightning that rained down on him, but the Death Ward he had cast on himself activated and he lived through the attack. Roger healed King, narrowly saving him from death as Soora and Rota distracted Fyodir. King, now wielding the Eldingite shield, was able to nullify the lightning that surged from all four pillars. Jäger went down, but Soora, Roger and King managed to stay up. The shield exploded, having been overcharged with energy. King climbed over Jäger and shot at Fyodir, just before Rota dueled him with her lightning sword, the both of them bloodied. Roger finally roused Wynna to a dire scene: lightning surged through the room, sending King back into unconsciousness and killing Amari. Rota was literally on her last leg as Fyodir hits knocked her to her knees.

“I am the Paramount, now and forever."
-Fyodir Karkorum

In the midst of the darkness encompassing his consciousness, Jäger suddenly woke up. Rising to the occasion, he stood and smashed Fyodir over the head with his axe--killing him.

"I am the Storm Caller!”
-Jäger Ironbeard

At last the battle was over. Wynna took the moment to Revivify Amari. He woke, downcasting his eyes at her scolding.

"I told you not to die again!"
-Wynna Cannari

"I’m sorry, I just…I have to get stronger. I have something I’ve been messing around with…I didn’t have it quite prepared today, but I won’t let you down again. Ive been working, it’s actually quite a powerful spell--you have to take the weave and infuse if with your own life force….Invulnerability. It should be ready for next time."
-Amari of the Ring & Wren

Wynna smiled at him as he pulled out his spellbook to show her. In the meantime, Roger had pulled out the iron crown he had taken off the hydra they had fought many weeks before, placed it on his head, and sat on the Eldingite throne as Rota spoke to Jäger.

"Thank you Ironbeard, I would not have been able to defeat Fyodir without you. Let this be the first day in a new age between my people and yours. The says of bloodshed are over. Let if be know that an Ironbeard and smallfolk from the mainland saved the Paramount Sturmdottir. It’s been too long since I’ve been home...excuse me."
-Rota Sturmdottir

This last she directed at Roger, who sheepishly left her seat.

"Now that I have returned, may all our enemies be cast out now and forever. The breach, the tear--Durssundrr stands again! Now, Dhor will find a match if he comes here again. The promise that you made with our people, I will carry it forward. We will seek you in your rightful place as you have done for us. May the tides turn against Dhor here, at the heart of the deep that he would claim as his own."
-Rota Sturmdottir

As the Quintessent took her seat, streaks of purple lightning flowed from her through channels in the floor, like blood pumping from the heart through veins. Giant beams of it disintegrated the tentacles that had plagued the city for months, and both her wounds and those of Durssundrr itself healed as she took her rightful place.