Chapter 11

Chains

A chill went through the body of the young woman as she stared at the crypt with her name inscribed upon it.

"No.", Ireena whispered silently as fear built within her. Then she could take no more. She turned and ran towards the stairwell, stopping just short of the first stair. She stared into the darkness above, fearing what might be waiting for her above.

"Irene?", Rebecca called out after her.

Kevin frowned in concern and followed quickly after her with Ismark not far behind.

"It just shows that he's overconfident.", Kevin softly whispered. "We won't let him hurt you any more."

Ireena started to shiver. She was being overcome by fear and she just wanted to leave. She wanted to get as far from her tomb as she could.

"Ireena, Ireena.", Ismark said, trying to comfort his sister. "It's just a slab of rock, nothing more."

"The only thing that's going to end up dead around here is Strahd.", Rebecca said firmly.

"That depends on who's running the game.", Richard sneered.

Ryan gave Richard a look as if to say, "This isn't the time."

"We're running the game.", Rebecca replied holding her rifle. "We've got almost all the stuff we need to kill him."

Ireena turned around and sought comfort, not from Ismark, surprisingly, but in Kevin's arms. Kevin stood stock still for a moment. He then wrapped his free arm around her tightly and kissed the top of her head Ireena stopped shivering as she felt Kevin's warmth.

"You remind me of someone.", Ireena said softly.

Ismark seemed a little miffed about what was going on between Ireena and Kevin but he said nothing. Kevin's voice caught in his throat. He was just thinking about how much holding her felt like old times. Travis flashed a grin at Rebecca, nodding at the scene, and Kevin's discomfort.

"Who do I remind you of?", Kevin asked hesitantly.

"I don't know.", Ireena replied. "Sometimes I remember things. Things that couldn't be memories. I can't explain it."

Kevin looked at Ireena and smiled a little. "God works in mysterious ways.", he said soothingly. "Sometimes very mysterious."

Richard rolled his eyes and snorted. Then he hoped that his snort hadn't been loud enough to be heard.

Anthony wandered aimlessly about the stairwell, looking at walls and things in the flickering light of his torch. He noticed that the core of the stairwell wasn't solid, but hollow. From the bottom he could look straight up into total darkness high above. He looked up for thirty seconds or so, looking for movement, but stopped when he began to feel dizzy.

Ryan couldn't contain his jealousy. The look on his face betrayed him. As he looked at Kevin holding Ireena and comforting her the only thing that he could think about was being in Kevin's place. Quietly he cursed his friend, and himself, wondering if he would always be the one watching while others were the ones doing.

Rebecca was itching to go exploring the catacombs. She silently tapped her foot and fiddled with her rifle. As all eyes focused on the sobbing Ireena a figure moved behind them in the darkness unnoticed. Ireena was the first to see it and the cold, damp air of the catacombs was shattered by her piercing scream. Her eyes opened wide as she watched two desiccated hands wrap a rusty chain around Ryan's throat and drag him backwards out of the stairwell, gasping and kicking.

"Fuck!", Rebecca shouted as she turned to see Ryan dragged away. She loaded her rifle as quickly as she had ever loaded one before.

Anthony turned around quickly and saw Ryan's feet being dragged into the darkness. For a moment he was speechless, then he drew his machete.

"Where...?", Richard began. Then he grew very quiet. He wondered how far he could get if he started running right then.

Travis and Rebecca followed the zombie, Travis being cautious, looking around for other creatures who might attack them from the shadows, Rebecca boldly walking out into the catacombs and steadying herself to get a good shot at the thing. Kevin held Ireena even tighter, wanting to help Ryan but not willing to give what ever was out there a chance to get to her. He held his torch high. Ireena struggled in Kevin's arms. She didn't want to be the helpless maiden. She wanted to do something to help. Kevin released her, knowing that it was the right thing to do but hating it. He gripped the holy symbol hanging at his chest and stepped toward the darkness of the catacombs. Ismark followed behind, giving the group more torch light to see by.

The figure, a horrid and rotted corpse, continued to drag Ryan deeper into the darkness of the catacombs. The chain, fastened to the corpse by two metal bracelets, was wrapped tightly around the young man's throat, choking the life out of him. Ryan was speechless as he struggled futilely against his captor. His face was turning blue. He was not long for this world. Kevin's normally gentle demeanor slipped away and he rushed toward the fiend, brandishing his torch. The holy symbol around his neck swung back and forth as he ran, glinting in the torchlight.

"Kevin, get down!", Rebecca shouted, aiming her rifle at the creature. But her line of fire was blocked again as Anthony charged down the hallway after Ryan.

"How are you going to kill something that's already dead?", Richard gasped as he peered around the corner of the stairwell.

"It's not dead if it's moving!", Rebecca shouted back.

"Use you damn er...wand thing, dummy!", Richard shot back.

Travis leveled his shotgun at the corpse, who was jerking Ryan's helpless body to and fro. He wanted to squeeze the trigger but he knew that he wasn't a good enough marksman to make sure that he hit his target and not Ryan, Kevin, or Anthony. He pulled the shotgun down off his shoulder and cursed himself.

"I can't do it.", Travis said dejectedly. "I can't make the shot."

"You're not following events very well.", Richard whined at Rebecca. "Magic can animate dead things without giving them life!"

"I'm going to blow it's fucking head off.", Rebecca cursed at Richard. "Now shut up and let me concentrate."

"Use...the fucking...wand!", Richard moaned, then muttered something unmentionable about non-gamers.

Rebecca didn't share Travis' lack of confidence. As Anthony and Kevin closed in on the walking corpse a shot rang out. The bullet caught the corpse an inch above his left eye and was close enough to Ryan's head to catch a few stray hairs at it went past. The zombie's head rocked and jerked around as a cloud of dust erupted behind it. A chunk of the thing's skull came loose and fell towards the ground.

A thought entered Kevin's mind. He vividly remembered a scene from a vampire movie where a priest held his holy symbol boldly before a vampire and made it recoil. Kevin whispered a prayer that that would work for him too. He gripped the medallion around his neck and held it toward the rotting beast.

"In the name of God and Jesus Christ I condemn you back to Hell!", Kevin shouted. "Let him go!"

For a moment the thing stopped, but Rebecca's shot had startled the bats who immediately took flight en masse. In an instant all light was blotted out by the flapping of thousands of black wings. Everyone was driven back by the swarm, covering their faces to protect themselves from the onslaught. Rebecca, Travis, Richard, Ismark, and Ireena retreated inside the stairwell once again to escape the swarm. Anthony waved his torch about above his head, desperately trying to keep the bats away while Kevin struggled to keep his ground, still holding forth the medallion and screaming his command.

The bats were flying about in a swarm, constantly bumping into everyone and making tiny but harmless scratches with their claws. After about a minute the swarm calmed down. Once again the cold, dark catacombs stretched out before the group just as it was before, but there was no sign of Ryan or the zombie.

Kevin looked around the room frantically, turning this way and that. "No!", he screamed, hoping that he hadn't lost his friend forever.

Rebecca rushed out of the stairwell, reloading as she went. The others followed behind and they were soon all together again, all except for Ryan. Anthony held his torch near the floor where he last saw Ryan and the zombie. The entire floor of the catacombs was covered in a layer of dust and bat unmentionables. In the mess Anthony could see that the zombie had left a trail.

"This way.", Anthony said, pointing down the hall after the tracks. The hunt was on.

Cautiously they walked through the catacombs, looking all about them nervously. They turned a corner and found Ryan's body lying on the ground, but the zombie was nowhere to be seen. Anthony rushed to Ryan's side and checked his neck for a pulse. He found one.

"He's alive!", Anthony gasped.

Kevin knelt at his friend's side and saw a number of ugly bruises all about Ryan's neck. Travis and Rebecca took up guard positions as the others gathered around Ryan. The next thing that Anthony and Kevin noticed was that all of Ryan's pockets had been torn out, leaving his shirt and pants in shreds.

"He's been mugged!", Richard said with a start.

Anthony looked at the pockets and scratched his head. It didn't make sense.

"Rebecca.", Travis said gasping. "You could have...", he didn't finish his thought.

"I hit the fucker didn't I.", Rebecca said without turning around.

"Told you to use the wand.", Richard sneered.

"I had the shot and I took it.", Rebecca explained to Travis, looking around the catacombs anxiously, hoping the she could get another shot at the thing and finish it. Travis said nothing.

As Kevin leaned closer to Ryan, he saw that the holy relic around his neck had begun to glow. Kevin passed his torch off to Richard and clasped one of Ryan's hands in both of his. He glanced down at the relic and muttered, "...mysterious ways..." Then he lifted the amulet from around his neck and touched it to Ryan's chest, not sure what to do but hoping that his words would be enough. As Kevin bowed his head and prayed. A shimmering light came forth from the relic and bathed Ryan in a holy glow.

Ireena gasped as she saw Ryan's wounds healing. His neck turned a more normal color and then the glow faded. Ryan opened his eyes.

Kevin sighed with relief. "It worked. I can't believe it worked.", he said in all honesty.

"What happened?", Ryan mumbled weakly.

Rebecca turned to see what was going on. "Holy shit.", she exclaimed.

Kevin looked up at Rebecca and laughed, a glaringly out of place sound in the dank catacomb. Richard was impressed, and wondered how Kevin pulled off the trick.

"You can control the power of the Icon of Ravenloft.", Ismark said to Kevin in a low voice. "You are a holy man."

Kevin let Ismark's words sink in, realizing for the first time that he was an instrument of God. Or at least, and instrument of some god.

"You can use it to keep that thing at bay.", Ismark added. "Use your faith, and present the Icon with conviction."

Kevin glanced up at Ismark and then back to Ryan. A shadow of doubt still clouded his expression.

"Was I dead?", Ryan asked.

"Just resting.", Richard replied.

"Too close, man. Too close.", Travis said, looking very relieved.

Ryan tried to get up but groaned and sat back down. He looked at his wallet, keys, and other things lying all around him. "What the?", he said, and gathered them up. "Nothing seems to be missing.", he added. Then he noticed that his pockets would no longer hold anything.

"Could someone like, hold these for me?", Ryan asked, his hands full.

Kevin took what he could, loading it into his pockets, and Richard volunteered to carry the rest.

"It's probably going to try to pick us off one by one.", Travis quietly said to Anthony.

Anthony scratched his head. Then it dawned on him. "It was looking for something.", he suggested.

"For what?", Ireena asked.

"Not the book.", Ismark noted. "It left the Tome of Strahd."

"So maybe it's going to pick our pockets one-by-one.", Anthony wondered out loud.

"Can you stand?", Kevin asked his fallen friend.

"I think so.", Ryan replied. He needed help, but with Kevin's shoulder to lean on he wobbled to his feet. He coughed for a moment and steadied himself. He seemed to be okay to walk on his own, but only slowly.

Richard pulled out the bottle of Robustum that he'd been fiddling with since he found it. He looked at the others and cleared his throat.

"Times like this in a game. I'd have my character drink this stuff and he'd drop dead because the bottle was labeled wrong.", Richard said, looking curiously at the bottle. "But after seeing that thing…can anyone think why I shouldn't risk it?"

Kevin retrieved his torch from Richard. "I don't know.", he replied. "Do you have any idea what it might do?"

"Going by the name, Robustum., it sounds like it could be a strength potion.", Richard guessed. "Or maybe it's their version of Miracle Grow. Maybe this was what the witches used to make those cats into cougars."

"Strength.", Ryan mumbled, remembering his Latin. "It's a potion of strength."

"Great. Richard on steroids.", Rebecca moaned. "That's all we need."

Once Ryan could stand on his own Kevin hesitated a bit but let him go and approached Ireena. "Are you going to be okay?", he asked.

Ryan nodded, but he knew that he wasn't going to be able to do any running soon. "Just don't let it get me again.", he replied.

"So what's the plan?", Travis asked.

"You want some?", Richard asked, holding the potion towards Rebecca. "If it gets you again and you're stronger, you can whip it."

"We could use Richard as bait.", Rebecca replied to Travis.

"We find it and kill it. Simple as that.", Kevin spoke up. "We don't need it sneaking up and grabbing someone else."

Kevin couldn't help his glance flicking toward Ireena. Ireena looked at Kevin with more than a hint of admiration in her eyes.

"I blew half it's head off.", Rebecca said. "If I can get one more shot, it's dead."

"It's already dead!", Richard moaned.

"Deader then!", Rebecca replied.

Kevin turned to Rebecca and spoke sternly. "You could have hit Ryan. You could have hit me or Anthony.", he said, speaking like one of his mentors at Notre Dame. "You have to be more careful, Rebecca. We're in enough danger from what's already in this godforsaken place. We need don't need friendly fire."

"I had the shot.", Rebecca insisted, but not as firmly as before.

Travis had seen just how close Rebecca had come to finishing off Ryan, but said nothing.

Kevin let it drop. "Where did it go?", he asked.

Anthony looked at the tracks and pointed around the corner. "Over this way", he said.

"Okay everyone, be alert.", Rebecca said. Soon they were off.

"Well, dead or strong, right or wrong.", Richard mumbled to himself.

Richard popped to top off of the vial and took a swallow. He gulped once and then almost spit it out. It tasted terrible. He put the cap back on and shook his head.

Anthony led the way, watching the trail as Kevin held the Icon boldly in front of him, feeling overconfident. The others followed behind with Rebecca in the rear, walking backwards. She had her wand in one hand and the rifle in the other. Richard began to feel a little stronger. Every movement he made seemed easier. There was a spring in his step. The group followed the trail through the catacombs, passing by several tombs. Ismark read some of the inscriptions as they went by.

"Pidlwik, Fool of Dorfniya.", Ismark said. "Prince Aerial Du Plumette. Sir Leanne Triksky. Serena Raye: Wife. Tasha Petrovna, Healer of Kings. Light unto the West. Servant. Companion."

Then Ismark turned back to Travis and was stunned as he watched the large man suddenly get yanked violently behind one of the crypts. Kevin and Anthony turned to see Travis being dragged off by the zombie, his arm wrapped up by the chain. The zombie seemed inhumanly strong, dragging the big man easily behind it. Reacting more quickly this time, Kevin rushed after Travis with Anthony hot on his heels.

"It's got me! It's got me!", Travis shouted and dropped his shotgun as the pain in his wrist became too much to bear.

"By all that is holy, I command you to release him!", Kevin shouted at the zombie, grasping the icon and presenting strongly before him.

The thing unwrapped the chain from around Travis' arm and held it up to block as Anthony attacked it with his machete. Kevin wondered if what he said had worked or whether the zombie had just been defending himself.

Anthony's machete crashed into the zombie's chain. With one quick motion the zombie wrapped the chain around the blade and then yanked it out of Anthony's hand, sending it flying across the catacombs. Kevin stared at the horrid creature, swearing that he was looking at Satan himself. Then he saw that the thing's head had been restored, and only a small scar above the thing's eye revealed the damage that Rebecca's rifle shot had done in their last encounter.

Rebecca noticed it as well. She had gone around one of the tombs and had come up behind the thing. Now she was pointing her rifle at the zombie's back. But as much as she wanted to take another shot at the zombie, she realized that with Anthony and Kevin so close to it that it was too dangerous. Kevin jumped into the fray to defend Anthony, using his torch as a weapon. Anthony backed away, and looked around for something else to attack the creature with.

"This time use the damn wand! Get in close to it and zap the fucker!", Richard shouted at Rebecca, who'd disappeared around a corner. Then he muttered to himself, "If she doesn't listen to me I'm going to drink the rest of this stuff and take that fucking rifle away from her."

Richard looked down at the bottle and remembered what one of his characters was able to do in one of his games after drinking a potion of giant strength. He was tired of standing around doing nothing, so he popped the top off the bottle and drained half of it. Then the aftertaste hit him. He felt like he was going to throw up.

Ismark moved to protect Ireena who drew her bow. Travis crawled over to his shotgun and tried to pick it up, then he winced in pain and dropped it again, clutching at his wrist. Anthony picked up the shotgun instead and pointed the business end of it at the creature's head.

Seeing the shining symbol about Kevin's neck, the thing backed away and Kevin was able to land a glancing blow against the creature. Rebecca took a step back to avoid having it back into her. She slung her rifle and pulled out her wand, but it was too dark for her to see the symbols on it. So Rebecca just pressed one at random and pointed it at the thing.

"White boys like metal and black boys like rap.", Rebecca chanted. "Why aren't you dead you ugly piece of crap."

But the zombie was not so easily dispatched. The creature suddenly dodged to the side, letting Anthony and Rebecca fire directly at each other. Anthony's eyes opened wide as he saw himself firing at Rebecca. Then he felt a blast of water hit him square in the face, driving him back with the power of a fire hose.

Richard felt a lot stronger now. He felt like he could play football, and score a touchdown against Travis. He pulled out his machete and marveled at how light it was in his hands.

Remembering his glory days on the gridiron, Travis placed his shield in front of him and charged forward into the thing. But like a star running back, the zombie dodged Travis' charge and the linebacker went running down the hall, disappearing into a swarm of bats that had been aroused by the shotgun blast. Once more everything was obscured and the youths could do nothing but cover their faces and weather the storm.

After what seemed like an eternity later the swarm of bats cleared and Kevin looked all around. He saw Anthony on the floor, holding the shotgun and pointing it uncomfortable close to where he was standing. He saw Ismark next to Ireena and Ryan beside them, wishing that he could have done something. He saw Richard flexing his muscles and chopping bats out of the air like flies with his machete. And he saw Rebecca kneeling on the floor holding both her rifle and wand and looking around frantically. Travis and the zombie were nowhere to be seen.

"Travis!", Kevin called out.

He heard the groan of a large man not far away. Anthony found a fresh trail leading away from them and once again they were on the hunt. Along the way Anthony found his machete, and quickly retrieved it. They found Travis not far from it, sitting on the floor, holding his arm, and grimacing.

"I think it's broke.", Travis said from experience. Over the course of his life he'd broken several of his bones doing one thing or another.

Just like they'd found Ryan before, Travis' pockets had been ripped out and the contents emptied.

Kevin knelt down next to Travis. He said to the others, "Circle up, backs to one another and eyes open."

The did so, quickly. Then Kevin turned to Travis. "I don't know how much juice this thing has but maybe it can help.", he said as he touched the amulet to Travis' arm, whispering a prayer.

Once again there was a holy glow. The Icon shot forth a ray of light which struck Travis' arm and enveloped it. Travis gasped as he felt his bones knit, and soon he clenched his hands and made a fist.

"Thank you Dr. Feelgood.", Travis said with a slight smile.

Kevin grinned and patted Travis on the arm. "I think I need a helmet with one of those medic crosses on it.", he replied.

"Okay, we need to work on the crossfire thing.", Rebecca said, looking a little frazzled.

She'd seen the shotgun go off pointed straight at her and realized that the only thing that had saved her life was the jet of water that the wand had made. It must have absorbed the shot.

Anthony looked away while Kevin nodded. "I don't think the guns will be of much use.", Kevin pointed out. "The hole you made in its head before had healed over."

Rebecca frowned, mainly because Richard had been proven right.

Kevin looked at Travis' torn pockets. "It's still looking for something but what?", he wondered out loud.

"It could have taken my shield, but it didn't.", Travis replied. "Man, that thing is strong."

"What does it want?", Ismark asked. "And how do we fight this thing if we don't have it?"

Kevin's brow furrowed in thought and he stepped outside the circle of his friends, listening for any sound.

Anthony fished the key from a pocket. "Maybe this.", he said, holding it up.

"Yeah, he wants to use it to get out of here.", Rebecca replied.

"Or maybe get in somewhere.", Kevin added.

"Or take it to whatever animated it?", Anthony hazarded.

"That's what usually happens in games.", Richard pointed out.

"The chain.", Ireena spoke up.

Kevin looked at Ireena, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Maybe it just wants to be free?", Ireena continued, smiling back at Kevin.

Once again, Ismark was put off by the signs of mutual affection between Kevin and Ireena.

Kevin called out into the darkness. "Is that it?", he asked. "You want to be free?"

Kevin's voice echoed around the catacombs, but there was no answer.

"We could bait it with the key, but the way we've been going we'd lose the key in the process." , Anthony said dejectedly.

"Maybe it's not going to let us out until we give it to him.", Ryan pointed out. "I don't know if we have a choice."

Kevin frowned, walking a bit further from the group. "Keep the faith, Ryan...", he said softly.

"Faith in whom?", Ryan asked. "The church never had anything like that.", he said pointing at the Icon.

"Maybe Hamlet was right.", Kevin intoned. "'More things in heaven and earth...'"

"I swear that I blew half of its head off.", Rebecca moaned quietly. "What is that thing?"

"Starts with a Z", Richard replied. "Rhymes with Zombie."

"I saw Night of the Living Dead.", Rebecca said pointlessly. "That's not what that was."

Ireena walked behind Kevin. "We want to set you free!", she called out.

No one answered as Rebecca kept them covered with her wand and rifle.

"We're with the Federal Government.", Richard called out mockingly. "We're here to help you."

Kevin moved closer to Ireena and smiled. "Oh well, it was good idea.", he said, seeking comfort in her eyes.

Then Anthony heard the clink of a chain nearby. He moved forward and stood near Kevin and Ireena.

"And I'm the one with the key.", Anthony called out, holding the key up in front of him.

As the three stared into the darkness they saw a hideous mottled head peering at them from behind a nearby tomb.

"If you want the chain unlocked, come out slowly.", Anthony added, looking at the creature.

When the thing saw the key it approached rapidly, startling them. Then it stopped just a few feet away from Anthony. Ireena took cover behind Kevin.

Rebecca leveled her rifle and wand at it. "Which symbol?", she asked Ryan.

"Do the gold one again.", Ryan said to Rebecca, and described the symbol.

"Richard, hold this.", Anthony said, holding his torch out for Richard who stepped forward and took it.

Then Anthony stepped towards the zombie, holding the key up in one hand with the other open and palm outward. The zombie reached one hand towards the key.

"No, I'll do it.", Anthony said to the thing, moving the key further from its reach.

"If it runs away, duck.", Rebecca said, lowering her rifle and pointing the wand at the zombie.

The zombie took half a step forward and reached for the key again. Anthony could see a lock on the bracelet around the zombie's hand.

"Hold out your arms.", Anthony ordered.

The zombie thrust out one of its arms towards Anthony. The other it kept back, is if ready to hit Anthony if he tried to trick it. Anthony moved forward slowly, making no sudden moves, and attempted to fit the key to the manacle's lock. All the while he kept an eye on the zombie's other hand. He couldn't stop his hand from shaking as he moved the key into the lock. Once again the key changed and slid in easily. Anthony turned the key and the lock clicked. The bracelet opened up and fell off the zombie's hand. The zombie fell to its knees.

"And the other one?", Anthony said.

The zombie reached its other hand up towards Anthony. The look in its eyes was about as close to appreciation as something long dead could show. Anthony unlocked the other manacle. The bracelet opened and fell to the floor as did the zombie. In a cloud of dust the zombie's body decomposed rapidly, leaving behind little more than a pile of tattered clothes. The spell was broken. The zombie's servitude to Strahd was over.

Rebecca lowered her wand. "Fuckin-A.", she said in disbelief.

Anthony used one of his feet to drag the chain out from the rags. "Something to throw into the moat, I think", he said.

Richard picked up the chain and took a good look at it. It was ages old and rusted, but it was still surprisingly strong.

Kevin reached behind his back and took Ireena's hand, squeezing it gently.

"We did it.", Ireena said smiling at Kevin.

Travis got to his feet. "Way to go Tony.", he said happily.

Anthony smiled at Travis, "Lucky is all."

"Nah. Ya got brass.", Travis replied.

"Now, let's see if we can't find that prince.", Kevin said, looking into Ireena's eyes.

Ismark walked up behind Ireena and Kevin and separated them.

"Ireena.", Ismark said, giving her a glare. "We only met this man this morning."

Ireena frowned and nodded. Kevin scowled at Ismark, wondering what his problem was. He decided not to say anything and turned to see how Travis was doing.

"How's the arm, T?", Kevin asked.

"I could use some Ben Gay.", Travis replied. "But hey, put me in coach. I'm ready to play."

"Centerfield?", Kevin answered, getting a chuckle out of the big man.

Ryan pulled the map out and turned to the page with the catacombs.

"Here's what I'm thinking.", Ryan began. "The prince was an important figure. So he's probably buried in one of these three large tombs around the outside of the catacombs."

"Strahd's probably in another one.", Kevin continued. "The third one, the king, maybe?"

"That sounds reasonable.", Kevin said supportively.

Rebecca peered at the map, then felt nervous and turned to stand guard again.

"I don't want to mess around with these other tombs if more of those things are going to come out of them.", Travis advised.

Rebecca caught his drift and moved away from the nearest tomb.

Ryan pointed at one of the three large tombs on the map. "We're closest to this one.", he said.

"Let's go.", Rebecca said, a little less spirited than before.

Before long they were standing before it. A peaceful stillness, like a calm before the storm, could be felt coming from the tomb. In the center, a white marble slab bore the coffin of a great prince. Behind the intricately inlaid coffin, there were three alcoves. Beautifully carved statues stood in each alcove, just as perfect as the day they were placed there. The left wall was painted with a beautiful mural, depicting a young man playing a lute on a grassy knoll. Forest creatures, including unicorns and fairy folk, sat at the base of the knoll, enraptured. The right wall bore an inscription in the native tongue of Barovia. At the entrance to the tomb was a rusted iron gate.

Kevin tried to open the gate and was surprised to find that it was unlocked.

"Sergei Von Zarovich, prince and beloved son of King Barov and Queen Ravenovia.", Ismark said, reading the inscription on the wall.

"This is it.", Ryan said.

"Rhino nails it in one guess.", Travis said mirthfully.

Kevin pushed the gate open slowly and looked to the others. "Shall we?", he asked.

"Go get your sword, Ricky.", Rebecca said to Richard.

Richard felt incredibly strong and didn't feel like taking any crap from Rebecca. He stared at her like Clint Eastwood would. "The name, Becky, is Richard.", he said slowly and firmly.

"Jeez.", Rebecca replied. Taken aback by Richard's sudden display of manliness.

They entered the room. Travis went over to the tomb and tested his strength against the weight of the heavy stone cover but he couldn't budge it. Kevin came up next to Travis and gave him a hand, but even with their combined strength, the cover still refused to budge.

"Lil' help!", Kevin asked, looking at Richard who was just hanging back, watching.

Ismark joined Kevin and Travis as well as Anthony. They all grabbed one side of the cover and with great effort they moved it, but only an inch before needing to rest. Richard stepped up and theatrically rubbed his hands together.

"Gentlemen?", Richard said confidently.

Kevin motioned toward the tomb. "By all means.", he said.

Richard grabbed the cover and made a show of putting everything he had into pulling at it, but without actually pulling at it. The stone slab didn't budge. Kevin rolled his eyes. Then Richard popped his knuckles, grabbed it, and pulled on it for real. With Richard's help the tomb slid open easily. The others stared at him, incredulous at his display of strength.

"Groovy.", Richard said, smiling.

Inside the coffin was Sergei's corpse. He was wearing a suit of shining plate mail and was holding a broken lute, but much to Richard's dismay, there was no sword inside.

"This is him, right?", Travis said blankly.

"The fallen prince of old.", Kevin recited.

Ismark looked around him. "It could be no other. Legend tells of his armor and lute.", he answered.

Ryan checked the map. Rebecca was torn between laughing at Richard's plight and being down about not finding the sword. She said nothing. Kevin wondered what the music of the prince's lute might have sounded like and how it had been broken.

"Maybe it was a figurative sword.", Richard guessed.

"The lute?", Ryan guessed.

"I can't play even if it's in one piece.", Richard replied.

Kevin turned to Ryan. "There was a passage in the Tome...umm.", he said. "Something about the sword."

"Strahd wanted to dispose of it.", Ryan answered.

"Maybe he did.", Travis wondered out loud.

"Maybe he just threw it over the edge of the cliff.", Rebecca suggested.

"I wouldn't.", Ryan said. "If I were Strahd I wouldn't want it to fall into anyone's hands. I'd keep it somewhere where no one could get to it."

"Perhaps a dungeon or a treasure vault of some kind?", Kevin pondered out loud.

"One of the other tombs in the catacombs?", Travis said nervously.

"I was hoping against that one.", Kevin replied.

"It could be anywhere in this stupid funhouse castle.", Rebecca moaned. Then she looked at her watch. "Shit!", she shouted.

"Late for an appointment or something?", Richard sneered.

"When does the sun set around here?", Rebecca asked.

"It is late summer.", Ismark replied. "The days are long but growing shorter."

"Like, eight o'clock?", Rebecca asked.

Ismark gave her a curious look.

"Eight hours after midday.", Kevin clarified. "We need to find that sword and we're probably running out of time."

"Back home, it's dark already.", Rebecca added.

Ismark exhaled and lowered his head. "Eight hours after midday.", he mused. "I didn't realize how long we've been here." Then he raised his head and looked the others in the eye.

"Our only protections are sunlight and the sword.", Ismark said gravely. "And now, we have neither."