1)
The doors burst open with a room-shaking crash. The monks spun around, to behold grim men and women with drawn swords. The tallest, at the fore, advanced menacingly. “Where is the Gauntlet of Doom?” he demanded. “Surrender it or die!”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
2)
The monks all turned to regard the eldest amongst them. He struggled to his feet, leaning on a staff, and pointed at a door half-hidden in the shadows. It promptly began to glow.
The intruders stalked towards it.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
3)
All save one, a woman with wild hair and wilder eyes. She reached out to clamp long, cruel fingers around the old monk’s arm. “YOU open it,” she spat. “So if a trap awaits, YOU die.”
The old man nodded sadly as she dragged him to the door.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
4)
He opened it, stood aside, and waved them on.
“No,” the tallest brigand snapped. “YOU.”
Even more sadly, the old monk nodded again and shuffled through the doorway. Only to emerge again, into the tense waiting silence, holding a glowing but battered old war-gage.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
5)
He was still shakily proffering it when the woman snatched it from him, drew it on, and laughed wildly as its glow intensified. Then she leveled it at the assembled monks and spat a word.
Nothing happened.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
6
“It needs attunement to ye, lass,” said the old monk. “Ye must wear it for three days and three nights ere ye can trust in its powers to answer thy call.”
She glared at him, then nodded curtly, turned, and strode out of the monastery. Her fellow brigands followed.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
7)
The monks all stared at the eldest in dismay.
“But, Most Holy,” a young monk quavered, “you let them take the sacred Gauntlet! Will not the God Too Awful To Name not be angered, and strike us all down?”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
8
The explosion that followed shook the monastery around them, bringing dust cascading down. Only when the last rolling echoes of the blast had died away did the Most Holy make reply.
“No,” he said, “for the Gauntlet is but a myth.”The young monk went white as bone.#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018
9)
“What?” he sobbed.
“We guard but a succession of old metal gloves I enspell. To glow, and to explode when they’re removed from our holy wards. Now go you and gather pieces of brigands; the cook will be glad of some variety. Praise be to the Most Awful God.”#epic fantasy— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) June 9, 2018