Invasion of Fischler part III

Translated from the diary of Antonio Mondavi

The last few weeks have been a haze of pain and fever, but I am finally well enough to sit and eat and reflect some.

I remember dark, damp tunnels under a church. I remember bodies in alcoves, dead for many, many years. I remember children, and a girl with a beautiful face and eyes that washed over you like the warm waters of South Vodacce. And I remember shooting and killing a poor soul who had been tortured horribly till his mind was insane.

Yes I remember. We were in a dark room at the end of the underground tunnels when we heard a loud thump. It seems something heavy had been placed over our entranceway from above. This - to put it mildly - was not good. After barricading the way behind us we decided to explore the other two tunnels leading off this room. But they only lead to two smaller rooms that seem to be the remains of offices of some kind. I did find the journal of the priest I had killed and somehow felt obliged to take it, and at least read about the man he was.

Not finding any other exits we cleared the blockade and made our way back the way we came, moving carefully by the light of one sputtering lantern, and freezing at any small sound. Being surrounded by the bodies of dead knights had unnerved us all. After all we had seen in this forsaken place, none of us would have been terribly surprised if the dead did awaken to attack us. Terrified yes, but not surprised.

We reached the trapdoor we had entered from, and yes indeed it had been blocked. Not having much choice we continued past and headed for the area underneath the church where we knew another trap door existed.

We eventually found a spiral staircase leading up to a trap door in the church above. However the stairs looked as though they had seen a century or two and were not very safe. We decided to go up one at a time with the agile Don Carlos going up first. He found he could easily open the trap door and climbed up through. Everything seemed to be OK. There were no screams or sounds of battle, so Franz went up next. Again he went through without a hitch.

Eventually I climbed up and opened the trapdoor. I looked up and stared into the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. I was totally captivated by the young girl from the inn. I vaguely remember something about her saying I should sit and pray with them. At that moment I would have given up my soul to be with her and obey her every command. I went and sat next to the equally mesmerized Don Carlos, Eduarde and Franz and joined them in loud and fervent prayer. I vaguely remember a gunshot or perhaps two and Dandelion struggling with some of the boys in the room. But it seemed very far away and not as important as my praying.

How long we stayed like that I don't know, but the next thing I remember was suddenly being aware of someone striking my beloved. My first reaction was utter rage that someone would lay a finger on her. My second reaction was complete confusion as to what the hell I was doing praying in a church. But that was all the time I had because suddenly we were surrounded by a group of Morderbande out for revenge for our previous actions. Unfortunately I was still very dazed and slow to react. I was soon critically wounded and fell to the ground.

I gather my friends were not as slow as I was otherwise I would not be alive now. Perhaps they were not as deeply entranced as I, serves me right for falling in love so easily. Whatever, I must in the future be a lot more careful of the pretty young girls I meet. Next time I may not be so lucky.

I am very grateful for my friends for bringing me to this Hospice. But I do not know what I am going to do when I am feeling better. I may catch up and continue with them, or I may set out on my own again. I guess I will see.

Stay tune as Eduarde takes up this story.