Chapter Three - Return to the Mournland

Torhak and 37 feel the fog begin to close in on them. Torhak sees the flicking of the cart’s lightning brighten. 37 feels the mists fill the carriage. For a moment, they hear the sound of rolling thunder, but they both shake it off.

Torhak sees Tryne staring blankly ahead, appearing oblivious to the fast approaching spectre, closing in from the right.

Inside the cart, 37 sees the same blank stares take over his riding companions.

Tryne finds himself at the controls of a massive lightning rail, speeding down the tracks. The rumbling thunder of the mighty machine at his finger tips. He can’t remember how he got there, but he knows he late to arrive in Kalazart.

Vice, Meepo and Laulalith find themselves elegantly dressed, in a luxurious passenger car aboard the famous Cyre Lightning rail. Also unaware of how they got there. The rail is bound for Metrol with a few stops along the way. Drinks and appetizers are being served as you cross the boarders in the beautiful countryside of the nation of Cyre.

Back in the engine, Tryne sees a massive wall of smoke moving swiftly toward them from the east. Curiously spanning horizon to horizon. Even more troubling, another lightning rail is heading directly toward him on the same track. Its lightning is nearly blinding as it pulls its rail along. The engineer recognizes it’s running full speed. He knows it would be impossible to reverse the rail in time, but sees a siding ahead to the right.

Torhak watches as Tryne throttles up the cart and begins steering toward the gaping mouth of the massive spirit.

37 catches a glimpse of the being through the window to the cart’s right side.

Tryne does he best to speed up the rail. The lightning flashes brightly. He can see the switch controller running to divert the track for the thunderous train. Without more speed, he may only save the front few cars of his precious passengers.

Tryne begins speeding up, while turning directly toward the open mouth of the enormous ghost

The server nods without a word, giving permission to those taking the appetizers. All four feel the train shudder and quake as the lightning g rail accelerates.

Those on the left side see an oncoming rail barreling toward them. Those on the right see the rail siding with the switch controller. The passengers sense their impending doom, unless the train can make the turn.

Torhak may not know much about technology, but he recognizes mundane items when he sees it. While there is magic within the cart, the control wheel looks ordinary and he should be able to turn it without magic.

Meanwhile, he sees a mound of earth sprout in front of the cart, but Tryne’s turning avoids it. As they pass it, the Minotaur sees a glimmer of light through the mist to the left. If they keep turning they will enter the maw of the spectre in a few seconds.

Meepo’s mound of earth passes their rail car to the left. The reach of his spell being too short and the train moving too fast to reach past the rail. Fortunate, as it would have derailed their own train.

Tryne sees the light from the oncoming rail is nearly blinding. Then a mound of earth sweeps past him within feet of the engine. He can feel the massive engine straining to keep this speed. He’s almost to the switch. The controller waving him in to the siding. A few more seconds and they’ll all be safe.