Horace quietly made his way back to the party. He whispered quietly, "I see the Northmen I was pursuing before, one is carrying a small silver bell, I am not sure if it is for signaling or something, there are orcs and two other humans. They are as Mr Hamrin's brother, their hearts removed! There is no way around them but my mum never raised no fool, she often said the Apple Pie left unguarded on the window sill, is never free for the taking! I suspect some of those horrible minions are out there waiting for the alarm to be raised. I think our best bet is to be quiet as Sally the Shrew or we will rapidly become fodder for the Owl!"

As Feral examined the scene before Horace through his mind window he smiled briefly, the grip on the hilts of his Falchions tightening. Horace then shattered that by telling them they would need to be quiet.

"I am not a sneak nor a thief," stated Feral in a harsh, but hush tone. "There is no way I can get past them quietly. I suggest you take out the one with the bell. Then swarm the others. That way we can avoid the alarm being rung and remove these enemy from our back."

Feral glanced around looking for support.

Horace regarded Feral with what passed for a Hobbit version of a withering stare.

"That’s what I meant Mr Feral. This looks like the only way through. I think we need to eliminate these guards quietly but you saw how difficult these
'zombies' are to kill. I have a way of approaching unseen perhaps I can 'borrow' the bell and then the rest of you big people can rush and dispatch them?"

Feral nodded as Horace outlined the plan. "Do it little one. I will be mere seconds behind you"Tawl drew his sword 'and I'll be right next to you
Feral for this battle'. He then paused and said 'hmmmm...against my better judgment perhaps, but can our magic users here do something to give us an advantage, so far I'm beginning to think magic isn't all that bad'

“I was just thinking this myself” replied Merlothrien, “Give me a moment please I may be able to avoid violence all together!” And all of a sudden
Merlothrien disappeared.

"Oh golly gosh and darn him!" murmured a visibly annoyed Horace, "I think we best prepare to assist Mr Merly should he get in trouble." then he muttered, barely audibly, "Stupid, hasty big people! When will they learn!"

Horace closed his eyes mumbling something incomprehensible, while closing his right hand over his left and with that he too disappeared. "Its okay I am invisible, I will stay to the extreme right of the cavern and will make my way forward. If there is violence I will use my bow and aim at the one
with the silver bell. I think it best that you all move close but as quietly and as stealthy as you can!" came a dislocated 'stage' whisper.

Hammrin looked at the heartless men and dwarves with pity, "These may have been good people once, like my brother!" he said with a hint of anger. Anyone looking at Hammrin noticed a dormant anger pushing its way through his body. Pressure was building like lava rising in a volcano, looking for places to release itself in small vents of steam. The thought if his heartless, headless brother triggered the beginning of an emotional eruption deep in his soul. "These heartless creatures are not my enemy, but they must be dealt with nonetheless" he rumbled.

"So these creatures feel no pain, wont stop till they are chopped to little bits, and that Northman in the middle is going to warn the rest of the minions of our presence with that silver bell," said Hammrin. After a short pause and a few head nods he continued, "When do we start!"

"Aye if we could "borrow" that little bell we would be in business," whispered Hammrin to the darkness ahead of him which concealed Horace.

Hammrin pondered in his own mind how they might defeat this group of zombified men and dwarves. In the corridor they might get 3 abreast and in a head to head battle fight 3 on 3. Perhaps if we drew them back to the last ward room, we could get a 5 on 3 advantage at the entrance if we were able to hold our line.

Ishtar, who had stayed as close to Hammrin as she could, turned her self inward to Horace's mind window. She had not spotted the bell but when being alerted to its presence had been pensive. When Merlothrien had disappeared from sight she had come to a sudden decision, forced, rather than thought through. "Friends Merlothrien and Horace, tarry a moment so that I might get close enough to aid in the silence of that bell!" She tried her best to creep close enough so that she could bring her will to bear upon the Northman. As she crept down the dark corridor she asked, "Merlothrien, please do not be so guarded as to your intentions. Surely you must seek council as we all do?" Keeping close to the side of the wall she carried on, "I have a gift to be able to silence any noise that wouldst come from around that bell? I will attempt to do thus if you wouldst hold a moment?" She
etched closer, apprehensive for any change in attitude from the undead in front of her.

Merlothrien replied, “Sorry Ishtar I thought it would be best to act quick rather then let the warrior types charge in raising merry hell in there! Go ahead, do what you need to do.”

Horace and Merlothrien’s mind windows were open for those who wished to look into them. As they were both invisible they could see each other quite clearly. The strange indistinctness of the non living surroundings contrasted with the brightness of their living bodies.

They could see the undead as white auras with tendrils of black wrapped about them binding the souls to the translucent dead flesh.

Ishtar was very quiet as she kept close to the wall and got closer until she was just over 100 feet away. The rotting guards had not moved. As she got within 100 feet suddenly the undead straightened to face her. Alarmed, she stepped back which resulted in them assuming their idle positions again.

Horace and Merlothrien tip toed past her but as they got within 100 feet the zombies once again stood to attention looking in the directions of the unseen party members. When they withdrew back the all seeing sentries resumed their placated state.

Horace expressed his thoughts to the others through his mind window...."It seems these abominations sense our life force or see without their eyes. Come concentrate on my mind window as I look for a way by these things. As my dear old mum used to say, 'Many hands make food better and more cooks the merrier!" Horace observed walls, floors, ceiling, the denizens, concentrated on the bell in the hand of the 'dead' northman, even took the shrew from his jacket and had her look as well.

Horace was annoyed and exasperated, "Well Miss Ishtar, Mister Merly, it is up to you. Make the bell silent so they cannot warn those scary minions or try some other magical, fantastical way of getting us past them. There seems to be no way past, without them seeing us!"

Urthgar's good mood seemed oddly to be continuing. "I for one am looking forward to relieving these abominations of their grip on this plane - their
spirits have departed, these are no longer anyone they may appear to be, and we will be doing their memory a favour if we destroy them"

"Let me know when you intend to do battle, and I will do my best to enhance your efforts!!"

Karl panted beside his master, almost seeming to smile in response.

“Well Master hobbit, I'm sure there is a way to get round this, give me a moment and I shall see what I can come up with, there is no need to sound so
defeated little one,” Merlothrien said.

”As much as I agree Urthgar with your suggestion" he continued "there are a few more of them than there are us and even more so who are built for battle so I think a more subtle approach is needed. As I said bear with me I need to have a think about what I need to do, if anyone has any suggestions other than charging in by all means feel free to speak up.”

Ishtar had been thinking about what to do. Her voice came through the mind link, "Friends, those that have such skill with bow may perchance be able to knock the bell from its grasp at the same time as I cause no sound to be heard from it? If Merlothrien could do as he did with the fallen stone outside and pluck it from the wielder’s hand as the shaft struck or stop it from striking the ground then the bell may not ring? That would allow those of martial skill to put these imprisoned souls to rest."

"My word I think she's got it" Merlothrien said "yes yes thats it, Horace, you're handy with a bow aren't you, I'd say Ishtar you go first and do what you do to make that bell silent, I'll stop it from falling and making a noise then Horace you see if you can hit that bell out of it's hand and I'll bring it back to me once it's free from those undead everyone else do what you have to do to put these poor souls to rest permanently"

The corridor was 10 foot wide. It allowed all three to stand abreast. Ishtar and Merlothrien spoke quietly to themselves as they brought their wills to bear. Once they had got ready their incantations ready all three stepped forward as one.

Ishtar waved her hands in a gentle circle, gesturing at the bell carrier as all the undead snapped back to attention. Merlothrien pointed at the bell, opened out his fingers then closed them. A twang sounded out as Horace released his arrow.

It flew true and struck the handle of the bell spinning it out from the decaying hand. Although it should have made a noise no sound was heard. At the same time Merlothrien raised his arm so that the bell was lifted up towards the white stone ceiling. The former bell carrier began pumping its arm up and down, apparently oblivious there was no longer any bell to ring.