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Cursebreaker By: Lyrissa Ardath narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the edge of the drab, foreboding swampland. Gnarled, moss-encrusted trees leaned precariously out over dark pools of still water and the air was dank and cold and smelled heavily of rotting vegetation. Ardath seemed out of place in this dreary landscape, his well-polished armor and weapons making him appear as if he was a celestial being who had just taken his first step down onto the dark world of mortals. The young knight was very much human, however, and though he felt uncomfortable in these surroundings he was no stranger to him. He had grown up a simple farmer's son and often helped his father fetch wood in the ancient forest at the edge of the village before that fateful day when a paladin of the Order of the Radiant Heart had seen something special within him and offered him to become a squire. His father was gone now, but as he completed his strenuous squire training to become a full knight of the Order, Ardath was now able to provide for his mother and sister back home, and he did so by performing good deeds as well. And yet now, standing on a muddy bank next to a wide, sluggish river lined with reeds and infested with swarms of stinging insects who incessantly sought a way into Ardath's armor, the young knight found himself wishing he was somewhere else. The other side of the river was a dark gloom shrouded in drifting mists. Ardath looked up at the sun which looked like a pale disc through the thick grey fog swirling above the marshlands. He had been told there was a ferry taking the rare traveler across the river into the Snakewood, but he had seen no sign of it and was growing tired of waiting. The mud at his feet did show signs of being disturbed, though whether the soft ground had been trod by beasts or men Ardath could not say. He was about to turn back from the river and head south to try to find a place where he could safely ford the turgid waters when he heard the soft splashing of an oar. As Ardath watched a wide, flat-bottomed raft drifted lazily out of the mists towards him with a tall, slender youth steering it deftly across the river. The knight raised his hand to call the attention of the youth, who waved back and increased the rate of his paddling to get to the riverbank. Soon the ferryman deftly navigated up to where Ardath waited and let his boat rest on the shallow end of the river. "Greetings sire," the ferryman said in a surprisingly deep voice. "What brings a knight to the least welcoming forest in all of Faerun?" "Greetings my friend," Ardath responded. "I seek passage into the Snakewood, may I make use of your services?" The ferryman regarded Ardath quietly for a moment, and the knight thought he saw a cunning glint in the young man's eyes. "You're here for him, aren't you?" he said, gesturing for Ardath to board the small craft. "That other knight who lives at the heart of the swamp?" Ardath nodded. "I am. It is a matter of honor and justice for my Order." The boatman pushed them free of the bank with a firm thrust of his long oar, and steered them out across the river. Due to the sluggish flow of the water it felt almost like they were gliding across a flat surface, Ardath mused. "That other knight has been there for years now, living somewhere deep in the marsh. He doesn't come out much except to kill someone who got careless and wandered to close to his lair, or sometimes just to kidnap some traveler. Who knows what happens to those who get taken by him?" "He is a fallen knight," Ardath said carefully. "He has betrayed all the ideals we stand for and now works only in his own interest, and those of his dark master." Ardath was unwilling to tell the youth the full story. The ferryman would likely be even more terrified if he knew that the renegade knight fallen to worship the foul deity Ghaunadaur for sheer power and murdered a fellow knight of the Order who had been sent to investigate the rogue knight's disappearance. The fate of those who vanished into the swamp of Snakewood most likely involved a blood-stained altar. "Well I'm glad someone's come for him, finally," the boatman said with a thin smile. "Life here is tough enough as it is without his kind around. Not many still live in Brackenvale, but maybe you can find a guide there who can take you further. " "Is Brackenvale far off?" Ardath asked. He vaguely remembered the small village marked on the map which was safely stowed in his bag. "Not at all, just stay on the path from where we land, the road there is as safe as it can be." Soon the boat slid up to a sandy stretch of the opposite shore and Ardath could easily disembark. He reached into his coin purse to pay for his passage, only to find the youth shaking his head vehemently. "No. I won't take any money from someone who's come to rid this land of that monster in human flesh." Ardath looked into the thin face of the young ferryman and realized they were both probably of about the same age. He nodded and gave the lanky youth a respectful salute. "I swear, I will do my best," the knight said as he turned to walk up the small path leading away from the beach. "Gods preserve you, sir knight!" the ferryman shouted after him. Ardath hoped they would. *** Dusk was already settling over the already gloomy forest as Ardath came to the marsh village of Brackenvale. The knight crested a small ridge and suddenly found himself overlooking a huddle of ramshackle, run-down houses surrounding a small inlet. Brackenvale must have been a fishing village at one time, for many dilapidated jetties and piers surrounded the inlet, and Ardath could pick out a few rotting boats which were halfway sunk into the tepid water. The young knight suspected that the lake which bordered Brackenvale on his right was where the river that he had crossed with the ferry emptied, whereas the dark forest on the other side of the village probably led into the dark depths of the swamp. From a distance Brackenvale seemed to be a ghost town, long since abandoned to the ravages of the encroaching marsh. Ardath took a whiff of the air, thick with the smell of rot and decay, but he already knew he had no choice. He began treading down the packed dirt of the path towards the village, hoping he would discover someone who was willing to help in his quest. As he approached the rickety wooden houses of the village, the knight spotted lights in some of the windows. The main road was deserted, and judging by how hard the dirty beneath his boots was it had not been used by many people lately either. Ardath could see or hear no sign of livestock or horses, only a ragged cat which darted between two buildings out of sight when the knight passed. Despite the lights burning in the windows, nobody responded when Ardath tried knocking on some of the doors. Judging by the resistance to his fist, he guessed the doors were firmly barred from the inside. Here and there he spotted oddly designed runes, spidery, jagged designs which were carven into doorposts or walls, or painted onto rock or clay. There was a faint glow surrounding some of these runes which seemed unusual to Ardath, but the designs did not seem malicious to him. "Hello? Is anyone home? I am a traveler, in need of some lodging for the night," Ardath called, but behind the door there was only silence. "There aren't many people left, and even fewer who would harbor a stranger," said a voice behind the knight, and he spun around, pulling his sword from its scabbard. A young woman, probably no more than twenty winters old stood watching him from across the narrow road. She held a small lamp up which illuminated her surprisingly fine features in the encroaching gloom, and Ardath was surprised to find such a lovely girl in such a depressing place. She had pretty face with fine features framed by straight pale blonde hair which fell down to the middle of her back, and blue eyes which sparkled in the soft, warm light of her lantern. She wore a simple pale red dress which provided her ample protection from the damp, and a pair of flat leather boots underneath, stained in caked mud. She carried a bundle wrapped under the other arm, and seemed to regard Ardath with some suspicion but no fear. "My apologies, lady," the knight said, sheathing his sword. "I am a bit on edge in this unfamiliar place. I am Ardath of the Order of the Radiant Heart. I am only looking for a place to stay the night such as an inn or hostel. Can you show me such a place?" "There is no inn in Brackenvale," the girl said sadly, shaking her head. "There wasn't one even before all the troubles began. Not enough people pass through these parts." "Then I shall make camp at the edge of the forest until the morning," Ardath said. He had been prepared for such an eventuality and although the cold damp of the swamp made the prospects of camping outside unpleasant he had endured worse. "No, please!" the girl said with a sudden, unexpected urgency. "You can stay at our house instead. If you try to sleep out there the cursed knight might ambush you in the night and kill you." Ardath walked closer to the girl and saw that she was shivering from fear. "If you so wish, lady. However I am more than a match for this cursed knight, I assure you. In fact I have come here to end his menace and liberate your village." The girl cocked her head and studied the knight closer. "I should have guessed that a knight in shining armor wouldn't come to Brackenvale without reason," she said thoughtfully. Then her pretty face broke into a smile which made Ardath's heart flutter. "Come, you must come with me. Father is still sick, but it is not contagious and he sleeps most of the time anyway." Ardath gave the young woman a reassuring smile and nodded. "If it is not an inconvenience for you." "Not at all, I would love to help such a dashing visitor," she said as Ardath noticed a faint blush spread across her cheeks. The girl turned and led the knight down the road, past even more run-down houses. Some were clearly abandoned, and moss and weeds had begun to reclaim them. Others still showed faint signs of habitation, but Ardath could see no faces peering through the windows and heard no signs of life. It was unsettling, and the young man found himself reciting several of the mantras to keep a clear mind which he had been taught in the Order. The bobbing light of the woman's lantern ahead shone like a star in the dusk, and finally she turned and approached a building which was indistinguishable from all the rest to the knight. A couple of lights burned in the windows, and his guide fumbled with a large, rusty key as she unlocked the door and showed him inside. As Ardath tried his best not to knock over anything inside, his new host barred and locked the door behind them and began going around lighting lamps until the small house was suffused in a warm glow. After quick consideration Ardath began unbuckling his armor to let his weary body relax a bit. "Are you hungry?" the young woman asked as she returned to the cramped hallway. "Perhaps a little, but I have rations in my bags," Ardath replied, already feeling guilty for the free ferry ride and shelter he had been given. "Nonsense. I will get you some cheese and bread, and we still have some good wine if you want." "I don't drink, thank you. Some water is fine," he said with a smile. "Of course," she said. "Oh and my name is Nelina." "I'm very grateful for your hospitality, Nelina," Ardath said as he carefully rested the pieces of his suit of armor on the floor where it would be out of the way. He followed Nelina into the large main room of the bottom floor of the house which was now slowly being warmed up and dried out by a cozy fire in the large stone fireplace dominating one wall. There was a large, rough-hewn table in a corner which seemed devoted to cooking, and Nelina gestured for him to have a seat as she scurried about gathering things from cupboards and preparing three plates of food. Ardath peered out through the windows which were almost opaque from the accumulated dirt of the swamp but he could only discern the buildings on the other side of the road through the dim lights flickering in their windows. Nelina's home was warm and clean enough and he was suddenly very grateful that he wouldn't have to spend the night outside. "Here, you get started, sir Ardath," the young woman said as she gave him a plate of food. "I have to attend to father, then I'll join you." Carrying another plate and a jug of wine, Nelina vanished up the creaking, narrow staircase to the second floor of the house, and Ardath could hear her footsteps on the floorboards above. There was knock, and a gruff male voice said something that Ardath couldn't quite make out. "It's me, I'm home now, and I brought you food," Nelina's voice said, and then there was the creak of a door opening. Ardath realized he was being very rude in eavesdropping, and tried to occupy his mind with other, more important things than Nelina and her sick father. From a pouch on his belt the knight produced a carefully rolled-up scroll which he opened to reveal a simple map of the region. Locating the village of Brackenvale on the edge of the lake, Ardath tried to judge roughly how far away the center of the Snakewood marsh was. It would probably take him the better part of a day to get there on his own, if he could even find it. He had been warned by the elders of his order that the reason no casual adventurer had yet gone after the cursed knight in his lair was the difficulty in navigating the marsh and also the more mundane reason that the locals of the Snakewood were poor and unlikely to offer a mercenary a good reward. That sort of thinking made Ardath sigh in resignation. He would have gladly taken on this task even had he not been a knight. The sight of the village of Brackenvale in ruins, its inhabitants fearfully hiding behind barred doors was enough to make the young knight angry. "There," said Nelina's voice, making Ardath start from his close scrutiny of the map, "father is probably going to be asleep again after eating. His fever is down, thankfully." The young woman chuckled a bit nervously as she gathered her own plate of food and joined Ardath at the table, peeking at his map. "You really are going into the swamp to slay the madman?" she asked carefully. Ardath nodded. "There's a legend told around here," Nelina began, nervously turning a piece of bread over in her slender hands. "Somewhere deep in the swamp lives a witch who is very skilled in sorcery. Many centuries ago there was a temple dedicated to a dark and evil god nearby, and the swamp witch had been guarding its dark secrets from anyone who might stumble onto them. One day, however, the man who would become the cursed knight came to the swamp in search of the temple. He had fallen to worship this dark god and been guided here by a vision, and the swamp witch tried to stop him from entering the ruins. He was too powerful for her and retrieved a cursed helmet from the temple which made him even more powerful, and more insane." Ardath listened carefully, never having heard more than loose rumors of what had happened after his fallen brother had fled from their Order. "The swamp witch fled to her hut and used powerful divination magic to find the cursed knight's weakness, but it turned out to do her no good. She learned that only one of truly pure heart, could strike the knight down and shatter the cursed helmet. As good as her intentions were, the witch knew that she was not that pure and selfless, and could never break the curse herself. So she began searching for a champion in the nearby villages, but could find nothing. In time, the curse of the knight began spreading over the entire countryside, polluting fresh water, killing animals and twisting some life into dangerous monsters. Farmlands dried up and fish died out, making many leave the region and those that remained to have to toil even harder. And through it all, the cursed knight would haunt those who lived here, kidnapping people who lived in our village or beyond for his dark rituals." Nelina finished her story with a shudder, and Ardath gently placed his strong hand over hers. She looked up at him, her large blue eyes burning with a quiet determination. "I am not a swordswoman, sir Ardath. I cannot lift the curse from this forest. But maybe you can." "I will do my best, lady," the knight responded, only slightly awed by the responsibility now on his shoulders. "Tell me, where can I find this swamp witch? It sounds like she could show me the way to the cursed knight's lair." "You cannot find her," Nelina said remorsefully. "She's never seen unless she wants to be seen, and they say her hut mysteriously changes location all the time to ensure the cursed knight doesn't find her." "Then I must go alone, and hope I can find my enemy on my own," Ardath said, unsure of how he would actually manage this. "Wait!" Nelina said suddenly as she seemed to realize something. "There's a dwarf who lives nearby, Brona. She's a ranger who tries to keep the forest from succumbing fully to the curse. She must know the way into the swamp! Maybe you can ask her?" Ardath chewed thoughtfully on a piece of cheese, rubbing his clean-shaven jaw. "Will she aid me against the cursed knight?" he asked. "I do not know. But surely it is worth asking?" Nelina said, smiling hopefully. "Of course. Do you know where I can find Brona?" Ardath inquired as he finished his meal. "I don't know where she lives, but she usually comes into the village to refill her water in the mornings. There aren't many pure water streams or wells left out in the wild anymore." Ardath leaned back in his chair and peered out into the darkness. There was no movement or sound except from a few screeching birds. Not even Nelina's father upstairs made any noise judging by the lack of creaks from the floorboards. "Then in the morning I shall go to meet this Brona and see if we together can locate where the miscreant makes his lair. Thank you Nelina. Your help is invaluable," Ardath said, smiling warmly at her. The young woman blushed again, more visible in the orange glow of the fire, but instead of replying she rushed to her feet and busied herself with cleaning the plates and then set about dusting off things around the room. Ardath got the feeling that Nelina was a bit taken by him just as he was by her, but right now the knight felt he needed to focus on the quest at hand. Besides, there was no time for dalliances in the life of a knight. Ardath helped Nelina a little with the housework, and then Ardath entertained Nelina with some stories of his adventures as part of the Order. She seemed very impressed by the stories of faraway lands, monsters and magic, and listened voraciously. Eventually she excused herself, saying she would have to rise early as well. She had prepared a simple cot in the main room where he could sleep, and then she bade him good night and vanished up the stairs. As Ardath lay down, staring at the ceiling, he heard her steps creak across the floorboards again, then the rapping of a door and an exchange of muffled voices. She's such a sweet girl to care so for her father, Ardath thought as he began drifting off to sleep in the warm, dry air of the small house. Maybe once this adventure was over he could return and offer Nelina and her father a better place to live, somewhere near one of the keeps of the Order. Soon he was asleep, his longsword held firmly across his chest despite the apparent safety of his lodging. *** Ardath rose at the break of dawn, woken by pale rays of sunlight trickling in through the grimy windows. He quickly gathered his belongings and began donning his plate armor, wanting to get a head start on finding the dwarf ranger Nelina had mentioned. At the thought of the young woman Ardath's heart fluttered a little, and he briefly considered going upstairs to say goodbye to her before he left. He had every intention of returning, of course, but one could never know what would happen on a perilous adventure like this. But no, Ardath decided. Nelina needed her rest, and he didn't want to disturb her resting father either. Instead he left a small pouch of coins on the dining table as a small modicum of thanks, hoping that even if he didn't return it would allow Nelina and her father some comfort. Ardath briefly worried about leaving and being unable to lock the door behind him, but hopefully Nelina would be rising soon anyway and so would be on the lookout for anything dangerous. He stepped out into the road and closed the heavy door as quietly as he could behind him. The village of Brackenvale was just as gloomy in the early morning light as it had been during the evening before. Ardath saw no signs of anyone going about their morning business, and the only sounds were the creaking of old wood and the distant calls of birds. The fog which cloaked the entire region was still there, obscuring the sun, but at least it provided some light and warmth. The knight slung his bag over one shoulder and walked towards the edge of the village where Nelina had said that the ranger often stopped to provision. Since Brackenvale was very small he was soon nearing the outskirts of the village, and saw the moss- covered stones of a stumpy well ahead of him. As he walked near it, peering around for any signs of life, suddenly a voice spoke to him. "That's far enough, laddie. Turn around and show me that yer not one 'o his lackies." Ardath did not go for his sword this time, aware that whoever had surprised him probably had a weapon trained on him. He turned around slowly with his hands held open above his head. "I am Ardath of the Order of the Radiant Heart. I am nobody's lackey," he said with calm conviction. "Well, aren't we fancy then," said the voice. A short figure jumped down from perching on top of an old crate next to a building. Easily recognizable as a female dwarf, she was somewhat leaner than most of her race with a strong-jawed face and hair woven into tight rust-red braids. She wore a dark brown and green suit of armor designed for ease of movement and camouflage with a hooded cloak on her back and quiver filled with arrows visible underneath it. As Ardath waited she walked up to him, keeping her composite bow aimed squarely at his unarmored head as she studied him. "Well by me ancestors, ye really don't look like a foul cursed thing, boy," the dwarf said, lowering her bow with a grin. "What brings ye here?" "You are Brona, are you not?" Ardath asked and was satisfied when the dwarf woman nodded in response. "I have come here to end the menace of the cursed knight who dwells in the swamp, and I would ask your help to find him. I do not know the area, but if you will not help me I shall continue on regardless. I will help this land or die trying." Brona rubbed her chin as she gracefully slung her bow under one arm. The penetrating dark green eyes of the dwarf studied Ardath as if he was a display in a museum and then her face broke into a smile. "Aye, and a blessed sight ye be as well. I'm not near strong enough to take that monster down alone, and I've been waiting for someone else to come along for ages. I'm gonna guess that stubborn lass Nelina told ye where to find me?" Ardath nodded, and Brona chuckled in response. "Told 'er and 'er da' to get out of town like most everyone else did, but they're stubborn as an old tree stump an' twice as tough. Anyway the lass was right to send ye to me. I'll show ye the way past the dangerous parts of the swamp." "Then let us be off," Ardath said, his spirits bolstered. Brona nodded and led the way up the small path into the forest at the edge of town, and soon they were gone in the gloom of the Snakewood. *** "He always comes back that old temple o' his near the center o' the marsh," Brona said as she carefully stepped along a nearly invisible path through the soggy parts of the swamp. "I don't know what's there, but for some reason he just loves it. Every time he catches a victim he drags them back there an'... well." Ardath knew enough about the foul rites of Ghaunadhaur to ask Brona to finish the sentence. "I rescued a few. Those that I could. I was honestly thankful when most o' the farmers and villagers fled," the ranger said with a terse undertone to her voice. Brona swept aside some vines with her short sword and Ardath followed her. He had lost track of how long they had been trekking through the fetid marshland with only the faint changes in light of the obscured sun high above to signify the passing of time. This deep into the Snakewood the forest canopy stretched out to almost cover the ground, and the thick mists and vapors from the soggy pools and churning mud further clouded the sky. Ardath had to squint to discern things at a distance, and was thankful that his dwarf companion seemed so confident and sure-footed. "It's something to do with that helmet," Ardath said. "It's probably a relic of his dark god, tied to his power." Brona nodded ahead of him. "Has he ever found the swamp witch?" Ardath asked after some time of silent walking. "Nae, never. She hides in the most clever ways, that minx. Not even I can find 'er even if I want to... but maybe that's for the best. She dabbles in dark arts herself, though it's said she's never done nobody any wrong who didn't deserve it." The two didn't speak much for another period, focusing on making their way through this section of the marsh. Brona had said that once one crossed passed a wide stretch of quicksand pools and treacherous mires the land became more solid and easy to navigate, and Ardath believed her. After about an hour more of walking they reached an area made up of firm dirt covered by bushy undergrowth and even the occasional tuft of hardy grass, and here Brona signaled that they would stop to eat. Ardath sat down on a tuft of grass and began eating one of his dry rations while Brona simply sat down cross-legged on the ground and began searching for some food in her backpack. "Aye, Nelina was clever to send ye to me," Brona said with a grin as she munched down on some bread. "And such a pretty lass too, don't you think?" Ardath made a non-committal grunt and shrugged, trying to hide the fact that his heart stirred at the mention of the pretty peasant girl. "Oh I think I see. Yer one o' them pure and noble paladins, aren't ya Ardath?" the dwarf continued, undeterred. "I'm not a full paladin yet, but I am a knight of the Order, yes." "And ye have some sort o' code against love?" Brona said, finishing her food. "Not at all. We do not engage in affairs, however. When we get together with someone it must be borne out of love," Ardath said peering at the dwarf ranger out of the corner of her eye. Brona got to her feet and walked a bit closer to the seated knight. As she did, Ardath was suddenly aware of how nice the ranger's body was, fit and yet with nicely shaped hips and a well-formed chest. Her thick red braids wobbled gently from side to side as she approached him. "And what's to say if it's love or not, hmmm?" Brona said as she leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek. "We might die fighting that cursed fiend. Why not make sure we don't go into the afterlife... unsatisfied?" she whispered into his ear as one of her hands traced along his jawline. The pleasant smell of the dwarf woman's hair and her hot breath on his neck made Ardath twitch. He looked over at her and he felt a powerful urge to accept her offer, to tear his clothes off and pleasure her right there and then. He imagined her strong-featured face wracked by the throes of orgasm, imagined himself coming between her firm thighs... "I can't, my lady," he said, forcing the mental images away. "I must see this quest through to the end first, there must be no distractions." Brona's expression showed her disappointment, but she simply shrugged and turned to go back and pick up her things. "Yer choice, lad. Yer choice." There was an awkward silence between the dwarf and the knight after that, and they broke camp quietly and efficiently. Soon they were continuing north into the mists of the marsh, and Ardath was thankful that the ground was more solid now. The further they pressed on the darker the Snakewood became until finally they were surrounded by mist on all sides. Ardath looked up to try and judge the time of day by the position of the sun, but couldn't even make out the pale disc through the thick fog. When he looked back down he realized Brona was no longer in front of him and his heart skipped a beat. "Brona? Brona where are you?" Ardath called as loudly as he dared, slowly making his way ahead on the path. "Ardath, I'm here. I can't see ye through this fog," came the voice of the dwarf ranger from somewhere ahead of him. The knight sped up his pace, following the small dirt path but not seeing his guide anywhere. "I can't find you. This cursed fog is everywhere!" Ardath shouted. "Stay calm lad," came Brona's reassuring voice. "We can't be far apart. If ye just stick to the path yer on and go north we'll meet up once the fog clears. It'll lead ye straight to the ruined temple." "Alright," Ardath responded. "Be careful!" He received no reply but knew that if anyone knew the paths and secret trails of this inhospitable swamp it was Brona. He continued on by himself, constantly hoping he would spot the fluttering dark green cloak of the ranger ahead of him. He was very careful to follow the path, often stopping and making sure he hadn't stepped off it into the trackless marshy forest by accident. Then the fog began to clear to the north and Ardath quickened his pace, tired of wandering through the white haze. He emerged from the fog in a part of the Snakewood which seemed even darker and more gloomy than where he had entered, if such a thing was possible. Something seemed wrong about how the light played against the bluish- black bark of the twisted trees, and the sickly fluorescent mushrooms which dotted the ground seemed unnatural to him. There was an aura of almost palpable evil in the air, and the knight quickly looked around for signs of Brona. When he couldn't find his dwarf guide anywhere, he decided to follow her advice and continue north, hoping she would catch up with him or he catch up with her further on. He had no idea how long they had been separated or where she might be now, but he kept going nevertheless. Seeing no trace of the ranger, Ardath felt an increasing chill in the air and pulled his cloak a bit closer around himself. Ahead he saw a dark rise in the swampland where a low hill dominated the surroundings topped with some form of structure. And then he heard the chanting. The words were dark and guttural, echoing across the desolate landscape and causing a chill to run down Ardath's spine. He slipped down the visor of his helmet and grabbed his sword tight, moving as quietly as he could up the path towards the hill. As he came closer he saw an ancient, crumbled ruin loom above him like the skeleton of some ancient beast and Ardath slipped behind the gnarled trunk of a tree as the chanting was now louder. There were a few ancient standing stones poking up through the dark soil like rotten fingernails all around the edge of the hill, and beyond them was the ruin itself. It may once have been a large, opulent structure but now it was little more than a collapsed pile of rubble, with the broken ceiling yawning wide towards the sky like a maw. Dark trees dotted the ruins on the hill, but some seemed to have been recently cleared away, leaving relatively fresh stumps. Ardath now darted from tree to tree, and when he reached the edge of the low slope leading up to the ruins he dashed behind one of the taller monoliths to hide. Now that he was so close he saw some faint, dancing flames flickering across the ruins and pinpointed the ugly, evil-sounding chant as coming from a small copse of trees just below the main ruins. Each tree looked like it was composed of blackened human bones, with no trace of life. A set of torches thrust into the ground around the circumference of the trees provided the lights. And in the center was a large slab of cracked stone which resembled an altar. Suddenly Ardath knew that he had not only found the place where his nemesis hid, but also the spot where he performed his perverted rites. Then he saw a tall, black-clad figure pass between the stones, and knew that the time for the confrontation was at hand. He didn't have time to wait for Brona any longer. This would have to be settled between the two of them, right now. Ardath stepped out from behind the stone and walked purposefully towards the ring of trees, sword held firm and his shield bearing the crest of the Radiant Heart slung across his other arm. As he approached he saw the tall figure of his enemy, standing behind the altar, holding a long, viciously-bladed dagger in one mailed hand. The cursed knight was larger than Ardath was, and his once-beautiful armor had been supernaturally twisted to be black and horrifying, bearing icons of staring, inhuman eyes as ornamentation. The helmet of the knight was equally terrifying with only a large single eye in place of a face, endlessly staring forward. A ragged dark cloak fluttered behind the cursed knight as he kept chanting, and then Ardath saw a glimpse of a slender, pale figure dressed in a red dress sprawled on the ground behind the knight. "Nelina!" Ardath shouted, throwing all caution to the wind. Ardath's blood boiled at the thought of the fallen knight having injured or slain the kind, brave peasant girl as part of his debased ritual. As he charged in, his once-shining armor covered in grime and mud from his long trek through the swamp, his opponent roared in anger and dropped the dagger, lifting an enormous two-handed sword from its resting place next to the altar. Ardath knew that there was no reasoning with this creature that had once been a faithful member of the order. The knight's movements were jerky and violent, and he made no sound except for his keening, gurgling chanting. The younger knight dodged to the side as the massive black sword struck the ground where he had been a moment earlier, then lashed out at his cursed enemy's arm. Ardath's sword bit into the black armor and opened a gash, but his monstrous opponent didn't seem to notice. The cursed knight aimed a vicious slash at Ardath's midsection, and only by almost throwing himself off his feet did the young knight avoid being gutted. Ardath leaned in and slashed at his enemy's legs in return, but his blade merely glanced off the armor with a metallic clang. As they continued their deadly dance, Ardath maneuvered around the massive altar to where he could actually see Nelina better. He only needed the quickest glance to confirm that she was alive. She was still breathing, and seemed to merely be unconscious. Before his relief could be the death of him, the young knight then avoided another furious slash aimed at his head. The black sword struck one of the trees with such force that splinters flew, and Ardath knew that he was outmatched. His enemy was large, strong and fast, and skilled with the blade to boot. Whenever Ardath struck him it seemed as if it didn't even slow the monstrous knight down, whereas even the glancing blows that landed on Ardath winded him and made him slower. He began to feel that he would die on this day, and wondered why he had ever thought he might have a chance against such a foe. A lone, novice knight against a cursed enemy who had slain many before? Seeing an opening, Ardath plunged his sword in between the black plates of the side of his enemy and thrust his sword deep. Finally feeling as if he was victorious, Ardath was horrified to see that the cursed knight neither staggered or fell. Instead he laughed, a horrifying, throaty laugh. With one gloved hand he slowly pulled Ardath's blade out of his side and forcefully flung the young knight to the side. Landing against the roots of one of the trees, Ardath realized that his foe was invincible, and that he would become just another of many victims of this foul place. Then suddenly a thought struck Ardath. Nelina had mentioned a prophecy that only someone pure of heart could defeat this enemy, and she had also mentioned the cursed helmet which the evil knight had discovered in the ruins. What if the two were connected? It was a vague hope, but it was the best Ardath could muster at the moment. It would be a risky move, but it was better than let the apparently invulnerable foe wear him down. Waiting until the cursed knight was looming over him, Ardath held his nerve until his enemy raised his blade to finish him off. As the great black blade swept down, Ardath rolled aside and back to his feet. As the black-clad knight recovered his balance and uttered a bloodcurdling roar at Ardath's defiance, the young knight backed towards the altar. Soon the cursed knight charged at him, lashing out wildly with his great blade. Ardath backed away, waiting for an opening. Then he saw it. His enemy aimed at his shins to break his legs, and Ardath responded by heaving himself up onto the cracked stone surface of the altar. Before the cursed knight could recover this time, Ardath's sword struck down in a curving arc like a thunderbolt. The cursed knight's helmet, and the head within, split open like a melon. Ardath discovered that he was screaming himself as he pulled his sword free and watched his towering enemy stagger backwards. The great eye that adorned the front of the black helmet was cleft in two, with some disgusting ichor very unlike human blood pouring out of the tear and soiling the rest of the knight's armor. The cursed knight dropped his sword as he flailed helplessly, the cursed helmet destroyed beyond repair. His keening chanting became merely a throaty gurgle, and then he fell to the ground and lay still. As Ardath walked up and examined the exposed head of his enemy. He wrinkled his nose as the head of his opponent was like that of a corpse, with ragged grey skin pulled tight over a skull. It seemed as if the helmet had not merely supplied the knight with power. It had also kept him alive, or at least given him some semblance of life. "A-Ardath? Is that you?" a female voice said behind him, and the young knight suddenly remembered Nelina. "Nelina!" The knight dropped his sword and shield and dashed over to where the young woman lay, and knelt down to help her. She didn't seem injured, only a bit frightened and Ardath quickly cut through the makeshift bonds that held her hands and feet. "What happened? How did you get here?" Ardath asked as Nelina embraced him, ignoring the discolored splotches of dark blood and the mud which caked his armor. "The knight. He was lurking at the edge of town somewhere and when I went out to gather some fruit he ambushed me. When I woke up he had me tied up on the ground here and was probably going to... oh Ardath, you saved my life. Thank you!" Nelina threw her hands around the knight's neck and pushed the visor up from his helmet to shower his face with kisses. At first the knight tried to resist, but he then realized he didn't want to. He had done what had he had sworn to do. The curse was broken and the traitor knight had been liberated in death. Embracing Nelina's slender form he returned one of her kisses. She seemed overjoyed that he responded and whatever caution she had had before about showing her affection had been thrown out the window. Perhaps the desperate thrill of sharing a life-threatening peril was enough to cement the bond between the two. Nelina stood up and began undoing the buttons to her dress, and Ardath stared at her silently for a few moments before he began unstrapping his armor. Nelina was soon naked, her young slender body seeming more perfect than the statues of goddesses at the great temples of Waterdeep to Ardath. She walked over and gently helped him remove his armor, each piece falling to the ground with a dull clang. Together the two removed the last of Ardath's clothing, and then embraced. "Are you sure your order allows this?" Nelina whispered in his ear. "They do. I love you, Nelina," he replied. Ardath's manhood was already stiff before Nelina's slender and surprisingly smooth hands began stroking it. Nothing else existed in Ardath's world right then but Nelina, and he leaned in to kiss her again and again and rub her soft, modestly sized bust. She cooed in anticipation and slowly pushed him down towards the ground, letting his bruised and weary body stretch out as comfortably as he could. With Ardath's hands massaging her nipples, Nelina climbed on top of him and let the tip of his erect shaft brush against the outer folds of her sex. Ardath could barely contain his anticipation. The scent of Nelina, the feeling of her soft skin, the gleam of her blonde hair in the dim torchlight, all combined into a heady drug which made his head spin. "Do you want this, Ardath?" she asked. "I want nothing more in the world," he replied without thinking. She smiled and placed her hands on his shoulders, and then slowly lowered herself down onto him. As Ardath felt his shaft penetrating her moist womanhood he grunted. Having never been with a woman before he had no idea if this dizzying arousal was normal or the result of his straining adventure, but it did not matter. As he was soon deep inside Nelina and began pumping slowly up and down, their lips met again and he felt the thrill of triumph rush through him again. His hand reached up for Nelina's breast and caressed it, causing her to moan more as he thrust deeply into her. Her long hair fell across her shoulders and tickled his muscular chest as she leaned down deep to kiss his forehead, then returned to riding him. Everything was right with the world right then, and Ardath felt himself almost out of breath. He felt close to release already and was struggling to hold back for Nelina's sake, his right hand grabbing hold of the edge of his breastplate and squeezing down hard to control himself. "Oh Nelina... by the gods... yes..." he groaned. "A-Ardath I... I'm sorry..." she replied, not slowing down one bit. "S-sorry? What for?" he said with a gasp. The knight opened his eyes fully to see Nelina on top of him, her soft flesh rubbing against his as she rode him. Then she released her grip on his shoulders and reached up to her neck, brushing her long blonde hair aside. Ardath was confused, especially with the intense arousal surging through his aching body, but he kept watching. Nelina suddenly had a very odd grin on her lips, and then her fingers fiddled with something unseen behind her back. Nelina's pretty face deflated. Ardath screamed out in shock as the average, pretty features of the peasant girl crumbled forward like an empty, lifeless mask. Her mass of sweat-matted blonde hair flopped forward to dangle across her small but well-formed breasts as a totally different face emerged from within the empty husk that was Nelina's head. The woman inside Nelina was completely bald, with spiraling tattoos snaking up from her neck onto her head. Her skin was so pale that it was almost alabaster, and her facial features had nothing of Nelina's average yet pretty simplicity. Instead she seethed with raw sexual aggression, with pouty lips and a button nose and dark eyes. "What in the name of Tyr!" Ardath screamed. The woman chuckled but kept riding him up and down, and Ardath could not stop himself. They were locked in ecstasy now, he and the woman he had known as Nelina. The long blonde hair of the mask tickled his broad chest and suddenly he felt the build-up in his loins become uncontrollable. With another scream Ardath came inside his partner, pumping surge after surge of seething hot cum into Nelina's snatch. The bald head on top of Nelina's shoulder also cried out in ecstasy and Ardath felt her convulse and release hot sticky juices all over his shaft which mixed with his and poured down over his hips. The young knight had no idea what was happening anymore. He had been tricked, or maybe it was some lingering illusion or foul magic. But as the two reached climax together, all that was secondary to the rosy haze that settled over his mind. He was barely aware as 'Nelina' pulled herself free of his slackening member with a wet 'plop' and stood up, stretching her body. "Sorry for the manipulation, lover. I just had to make sure you were the right man for the job. I couldn't break the curse myself, but now that you did it this land will be safe again." She chuckled and walked around the altar to where the body of the cursed knight lay. Leaning down, she grabbed hold of the ruined helmet of Ghaunadaur and tugged it free of the dead villain's corpse-like skull. "I couldn't beat this monster on my own, but with the right motivation you could. And don't feel bad, you were a great lay, especially since it was your first time." The woman laughed as she slung the messy helmet under one arm, and suddenly everything came together in Ardath's hazy mind. "T-the swamp w-witch. You..." he moaned. "That's right, lover. Don't worry, though. I have no plans to mother your children. Not this time anyway. The cursed fog should clearly in a little bit so you can get out of here. Don't bother coming looking for me though." "B-but..." Ardath stammered. As his eyes swam back into focus the swamp witch spoke the arcane words of a spell and vanished in a flash of light, leaving only a peal of laughter behind. The young knight tried to collect his feelings of being used and lied to as he slowly got back to his feet and began getting dressed. "I hope my entire quest wasn't just a lie," he muttered as he wistfully stared at Nelina's discarded red dress, carelessly left behind on a patch of dark dirt. Epilogue: The swamp witch materialized back in Brackenvale, still laughing to herself. Walking brazenly through the road of the village she seemed not to care that she was still naked, her own tattooed face on top of Nelina's body. Spinning a little on her feet, the swamp witch spread her legs a little more to let the combined juices of herself and Ardath flow freely down her legs. She really had no intention to be a mother, not even to perform this dangerous of a mission. She danced over to one of the ramshackle houses opposite of the house where Ardath had lodged with Nelina, and opened the door with a quietly whispered arcane word. The inside of the house was utterly dark as all the windows were covered by bolted-down shutters, but with a few simple words uttered by the swamp witch a number of lamps flickered to life with a bright glow which quickly chased the shadows of the main room away. "Oh Ardath, if only I could have told you the truth," the swamp witch said to herself as she strolled inside and flipped the ruined cursed helmet onto the rug. "But then you would never have helped me, and that horrible creature did need to be destroyed." Reaching up with Nelina's slender hands the witch began easing the seam on her back even further open, and soon Nelina's whole skin was wide open. The swamp witch stepped out, her tattooed pale-skinned body much curvier than Nelina's form, suggesting she new many carnal pleasures and techniques. As she stepped out of Nelina's empty skin and laid it out across the back of a chair, the swamp witch grinned, tapping her chin. "No, you really wouldn't have helped me, dear Ardath. But I think things worked out for the best anyway. This land will soon be back to normal and the people can return, and I can give the Whispering Children another cursed artifact that has been removed from the world." The witch chuckled and walked over to the large, roof-length cupboard which dominated one wall of the cottage and opened it. Inside were several empty, floppy forms on hangers, each one resembling the skin of a living being. The swamp witch's hands trailed over the empty skin of the young ferryman who had helped Ardath cross the river and the short, busty skin of the dwarf ranger Brona. It had taken careful manipulation and lots of quick costume switches to figure out Ardath's motives and put him on the right path, but in the end it had all been worth it. Reaching up to her neck the swamp witch grinned wide as her black-nailed fingers found an almost invisible bump beneath her skin. Grabbing hold of it and tugging it down, the alabaster skin of the witch also split open neatly just like Nelina's had, revealing a toned, black-skinned body beneath. "Yes, Ardath, I dare say you performed well with some guidance," Solkah said as the drow man shed the skin of the swamp witch, flinging it over to rest on top of Nelina's. "I wish I could truly thank you for the wonderful time, but..." As he spoke the drow grabbed his already erect manhood with both hands and squeezed, the massive pent-up masculine arousal he had experienced for two days finally having a chance at release. With a howl of triumph Solkah came, spraying the walls of the cottage and the empty suits on their hangers with thick, ropy cum. "...you really wouldn't understand," the drow said panting as he finished ejaculating. Solkah grunted in satisfaction as he sank to the floor, grinning. Another good deed done, and it only needed a little nudge here and there. End.