They kidnapped several youths, putting them in a cage over a spiked pit, all to force Wraithvine and Bibrid to come to their lair in an antimagic zone. They didn't realize, this duo knew how to work miracles even in regions where magic was not accessible. -- Anon Guest
They knew it was a trap. How could it not be? A distant fortress past a pile of traps, in an area known for its unreliable leyflow and terrible storms... it had 'trap' written all over it.
So they went prepared.
The key factor was a special crystal that Bibrid wore around his neck. It was made of solid, crystalised magic. It would not last long in the null-magic zone, but the point was for it to last long enough.
As for Wraithvine? Ze had a series of purely mechanical devices made by some of the best artificers in Alfarell, and in all of history. Some of them were toys with specific purposes, but would prove handy in combination with the bladders and vials of specific fluids.
It's not often when a Wizard walks into battle with a backpack, panniers, and bandoliers, but it is a sight to behold. Bibrid, by comparison, left his pack by Wraithvine's feet and walked calmly towards the pit.
For their part in the game, Ebregus had what appeared to be a pipe organ. It was, of course, connected to vast arrays of mechanical and organic threats. And of course they played their menacing overture of death as Toccata and Fuge in D Minor.
Some traditions traverse realities.
The idea of the mechanisms was to keep Wraithvine out of throwing range. Too bad for Ebregus that Wraithvine had a small catapult to help hir throw things.
It was all stalling on Wraithvine's part. Keep them distracted while ze waited for Bibrid's crystal to run out of magic.
Shapeshifting is also a form of magic.
When Bibrid's crystal ran out, he returned to his natural form. A gigantic silver Dragon. Easily capable of rescuing the children with one claw, and smashing Ebregus' central mechanism with the other.
The sorest point of it all was that the abducted children were all Unwelcome People. Not missed, as Ebregus insisted, if they did die in the battle. As the Dragon Bibrid hauled them all out of the area, the chief matter of debate was about the brand of justice they would serve to Ebregus when they got to a court of law.
All the kids were in favour of Bibrid eating them.
Bibrid said, "What did I do to deserve such punishment?"
[Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash]
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