Ecamirg had used the last scroll and control collar and was contacting Emperor Bejik using a special trinket he had been given for that purpose. Bejik was not pleased to be disturbed, "Ecamirg, just get someone who can read to make more. Use the residuum I left for that purpose in the tower."
In the background the guild flew into view. One of the dragonborn snipers stationed at the tower pointed them out to Ecamirg. Bejik cut off communication after telling him to deal with it. The Emperor then summoned the ghost guardian, Vrak, to him. The ghost appeared reluctantly, "You called your excellency?" When asked why she had not warned them of the intruders Vrak replied that she had not been told to watch the skies as well as the valley floor. Bejik chastised her for her impudence and commanded her to go make sure Ecamirg dealt with the intruders. She replied, "If you so desire, your excellency" before fading away.
Meanwhile, the guild had been approaching the tower. A group of dragonborn soldiers on warwing drakes came out of the fog, chasing the party. Fearing that they may be dismounted by the soldiers, the guild landed on a sizable chunk of floating debris. Their free mounts took off in an attempt to distract the mounted soldiers. Only two mounted soldiers remained to chase the party.
Ecamirg mounted up on his massive beast as snipers removed the chains binding it and he launched into the air. Ecamirg and his mount barreled directly into the party. The wyvern-drake breathed a cloud of poison over them all. Jym and Mongo closed in while Macros, Marvos, Lethe, Scion, Starbuck, Dawn, and Rudiger stayed back and shot at the mount from a distance. Three snipers hid behind the ramparts of the broken tower and fired upon the party. One of them used an arcane ballista to fire concussive bolts of magic at them. Ecamirg saw Mongo, "You should have had the good sense to die, bastard. Now I'll feed you and your friends to my new pet." He struck out at his half-brother with a long-hafted spear. Mongo dodged the stab, but got a look at his brother's arm, and was surprised to see he was not wearing the dragon bone bracelet.
Despite the wyvern-drake's menacing appearance, the guild was able to slay it with their combined attacks. Ecamirg rolled safely away and then leaped away onto another piece of floating rubble. The two mounted soldiers landed on nearby chucks and came to support their leader. The snipers continued to fire their bows and the arcane ballista at the party members. Marvos was set upon by a drake and a solider, but he held his own for awhile. Rudiger was proving to have learned his lessons with Mr. Lethe well. He stayed hidden in a clump of trees attached to the floating island while firing his hand crossbow at their enemies.
Jym, Mongo, Macros and Lethe began a dynamic battle with Ecamirg. They jumped from chunk of debris to floating rubble, fighting, pushing, and shoving each other. Ecamirg used his fiery breath weapon and powerful bite attacks, combined with his greatspear to keep his foes from him. At one point Mongo pinned his half-brother with his axe, but Ecamirg shoved him off the platform they shared. Mongo fell several feet through open space before striking another floating piece of masonry. One of the drakes landed near him and began to attack the prone goliath.
Dawn helped Marvos deal with one of the soldiers and drakes while Scion and Starbuck focused on the snipers. She was able to kill the one operating the ballista, but more came to take its place. Scion took refuge behind a piece of masonry as she was pinned down by sniper and ballista fire. While Jym and Macros focused on Ecamirg, Lethe ran to Scion's aid. He rushed onto the tower, killing snipers and taking control of the ballista, turning it on Ecamirg.
Mongo escaped from the drake bothering him and then climbing vines and roots up to the platform above where Jym and Macros were fighting with the last soldier and Ecamirg. Dawn and Marvos had dealt with the other drake and solider and had moved to help their allies. Ecamirg attempted to disentangle himself from the fight and jumped onto the piece of rubble that Dawn was on and ran past her. She struck him with her dagger, but his armor protected him. He laughed at her, until Mongo caught up with him and knocked him prone, keeping him from escaping.
Before Ecamirg could stand up Marvos struck him with a thunderous blast, forcing him over the end of the rubble. He clutched wildly at the edge but failed to get a grip before he plunged into the fog below and out of sight. Mongo cursed his luck for not being able to get in the last hit on his half-brother.
The guild mates gathered on the top of the broken tower to heal their wounds and take a short rest. As they rested Vrak appeared beside them. She congratulated them on defeating Ecamirg and his flunkies. Vrak felt no particular reason to help Ecamirg now that he was dead. She hadn't liked him much anyway and had begun to suspect that neither Ecamirg or Bejik had any claim to the lineage of the old Arkhosian empire. She couldn't confirm it though, although she had seen Ecamirg try on the dragon bone bracelet and then take it off with disgust when nothing happened. Vrak told the guild that the bracelet was stored in the tower below them along with some supplies and other items belonging to Bejik. The items had been warded against her type, the undead, and she could not take a look to prove her suspicions about them however.
Vrak told them that if they could discover the truth for her, then she would not return and tell the Emperor of Ecamirg's failure. If they could prove that her hunch about them was correct, then she might be able to do more for them.
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