Unease threatened to swell into true fear. William called for Ioder, but received no reply. The shapeshifter had failed in his assignment, and the two down below bore the consequences. "More chicken than buzzbird, it appears," the mage muttered darkly.

Dragon’s Folly was as close to Hell on Althanas as Atzar had ever experienced. His eyes watered and stung, no longer protected by his life-saving clean air. Williams’ brutal butchery released a gut-wrenching stench of concentrated death, yet that was only the secondary reason for the mage to hold his breath. Teeth clamped resolutely shut, lungs already starting to ache, he wondered vainly how potent the toxic mist was. The revenant had researched the valley beforehand. He had told him that exposure to the mist wasn’t immediately lethal - only prolonged inhalation would cause irreparable harm. Still, the wizard was unwilling to gamble any more than he already had.

A hideous horror emerged from around the boulder. Atzar took an involuntary step back. A human and a dark elf had been intertwined, a terrible mash of foul fungus and fetid flesh. A few limbs had been lost or devoured during assembly; it advanced with an awkward, three-legged shamble. Arms reached, fingers clawed, faces gaped soullessly.

The ice Atzar launched was not an attack so much as a reflex of revulsion. Several jagged projectiles shot from outstretched palms. Noxious mist eddied in their wake as they slammed into their target’s chest; muted notes of crystal signaled impact. The monstrosity staggered and fell, liquid decay bursting from new wounds. Slowly, mechanically it rose to its feet, showing no awareness of the damage inflicted upon it. Another zombie emerged behind the first. Human in shape from the torso down, pallid grey vines erupted from its neck, its severed head suspended above amidst gnarls and fungal blooms. Both monsters advanced.

Unsatisfied with the results of ice, the wizard turned to flames. Three sharp cracks echoed through the valley as incandescent orbs of fire blasted ghouls backward. Smoking holes marked fungus-rotted chests, and Atzar had blown one of the heads off of the double zombie for good measure.

The attack bought the wizard a slight reprieve, and he used it to momentarily recreate his pocket of fresh air. He inhaled great gulps, relishing the relief they brought to his lungs. The wizard chanced a glance back toward William, noting his companion in similar peril. He had felled some of his adversaries, and that inspired some hope in Atzar. The zombies weren't indestructible, after all. "Any tips?" he asked tersely. "I can't keep these bastards on the ground."

He turned back to see his two playmates rising again, illustrating his point. And sounds from the mist indicated that more lurked ever closer. Atzar set his teeth. He couldn't kill them, but he could keep them at bay. Inhaling deeply, he savored one more fresh breath before once again discarding air for ice and fire.