Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Rune Aeterna 19
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Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 07-15-2002 05:49 PM:
Asheri Chapter 19
We've got some new people on board. Let's hear it!
__________________
Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 07-15-2002 05:49 PM:
Gran Adageros Chapter 19
Let's see what you've got!
__________________
Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Freija Lumis on 07-16-2002 03:36 AM:
Yet another NPC: Shadowspawn
OOC: Got the point of view of the 'good guys' so why not the enemy?
The shadowspawn's toungue licked a bleeding wound on his nose. He was met up with an inexperienced young fighter and took on but a small battle wound. This would be insignifigant compared to the larger, more significant ones that mottled his thick skin.
Breathing in the Shadowspawn could smell the odor of his enemies, the scent of their bloody causing the adrenaline to flow. He was a seasoned fighter and knew the weak spots of a human, or an elf.
Blast the elves. They are the hardest. thought the shadowspawn. He stood still for a moment and contemplated his victim. His ruby eyes scanned from side to side and cought sight of movement on a small hill that overlooked the vast battlefieled. He reared up and smelled the air. They were downwind, he could not smell them.
Frustrated he decided it was worth the risk. He left the horde and sprinted up the back end of the hill. He was met up by a small band of elven, armed to the teeth. Surprised only momentarily, the shadowspawn lept forward and felt nothing but air. They had jumped out of the way to the side, causing him to roll on the ground once he hit nothing. He took to his feet and growled low, the sound causing the blood of the four elven to run cold.
The shadowspawn faked left and dove right, hearing the satisfying sound of shattering bone. The elven collapsed and gripped his wounded leg, staring fearfully at the face of a shadowspawn.
Grinning ruthlessly the shadowspawn licked the blood from his lips, keeping his ears keen for the approach of the elf's collegue's. They spread out and surrounded the shadowspawn, each taking their blades and plunging them into the skin of the creature...
The shadowspawn felt the pain as the three blades split his skin and gritted his teeth against the colors that danced in front of his eyes. He staggered backward and felt his own blood flow freely to his mouth, then to the ground...his life, was over.
OOC: Pretty poorly written, I know, but I'm not used to doing fighting scenes with 4-legged creatures, plus its midnight and I'm bored :P
__________________
Today is 1 out of 365. In a year, you won't remember what you did today so just smile and get on with life
Posted by Shadowspawn on 07-16-2002 03:32 PM:
We are many, they are few. Their impurities disgust me. Pious one moment, sinning the next. We are perfect in our darkness, no taint lies within us, no light befouls our sacred darkness.
So why are we being destroyed so easily?
We should be feasting on their flesh, overrunning their pitiful army! And yet, feasting on the flesh of our own brings some pleasure. We desire destruction, bloodshed, and terror...
One particular shadowspawn raced along the outer edges of the conflict. Freshly born of the darkness, yet experiencing the collective mind of its brethren, it sought the weaker humans, the ones without years of combat. The ones fighting with all they had, exhausting themselves to save their families.
Spittle dripped from its jagged teeth. Its skin constantly emitted a thin black gel that made the creature look almost ethereal. Smooth black skin stretched over ropy muscle and tendons, soft egg-shell still on its razor sharp claws.
There was a flash of light, and the sensation of being torn apart. Aware of only three remaining legs, it lunged towards the spellcaster, latching teeth around his human throat and tearing it out.
Blood spattered on the shadowspawn's body, and it limped awkwardly towards the closest combatant. A sword came from overhead. A few hours old, another shadowspawn returned to the dust. And yet, even as it died, more arose from disgusting eggs deep in the hatchery of evil.
We are many, they are few...
Posted by Sayomara on 07-16-2002 08:35 PM:
a turning point and a reunion
Sayomara Moved quickly evaluate the situation, the Veri were gone and with them all of the Flying Shadowspawn as well as many of Vexi as well. The Demon had been driven back to the plans of hell but several of the Ki and Terran Mages had died in the enough, also the great Salamander Dragon was gone now too. “Our magic is running thin but if we attack now I think we can destroy the Shadow in this city.” Sayomara move quickly to find Bara, “My friend now is the time for our finally push. I think we should call in the Calvary.”
Bara look very reluctant, “You’re right of course, I was just hoping we would not have to use the Capallan until later in the battle.” Then he took a second look at Sayomara. “What happen to you, you look younger and I have never seen that armor before.”
“That because its a magic armor, and I look younger because I used my body magic to make my body strong enough to support his armor.” Then Sayomara pause for a moment, “Need to find someone quickly. Bara I know you can hand leading our forces for a little while. I will make sure the mages Know that you are in charge. Also I have gotten word that the Ki Dedicated are being lead by a man named Nascent I would suggest that you try to find him before the Capallan get here.” Bara nodded and the two men when on there business.
Sayomara, moved quickly to try to find Volsung. Sayomara had been wanted to talk to Volsung for so longest time, he just could not wait anymore, and if Volsung was in any trouble Sayomara knew, he had to help. As Sayomara walked around, he saw Eloise running back into the battle. Sayomara Yelled at the women hoping that she might know were Volsung was. “Eloise I could use your help I’m looking for a man named Volsung.” Eloise eyes widen and then she began to laugh.
“I just met a man named Volsung, about 300 yards southwest of here under a tree.” Eloise said happy to help the old mage.
“Thank you very much.” Sayomara quickly moved southwest and just as Eloise said he’d be watching over a man that had been wounded in the battle. “Volsung!” He yelled as loud as he could.
Looked up, and Smiled, “Sayomara, what brings you here? Shouldn’t you be in the heart of the battle fighting the hordes of evil?”
“The battle is what brings be here, I want you to fight by my side as my body guard and friend.” Sayomara said.
Volsung looked down as his sword, but the thought of using his sword again so soon made him shiver, “Sayomara, I would love to but I fear that I can’t use Ki magic again for fear of what it might do to me. I do not trust his sword ether. But if I can find a different sword then I will go…”
Before he could finish a sword landed on the ground in front of him. It was simple Long Sword but it has the Farai symbol for Friendship. “This is Verplaca, which means only one thing Veritas.” Volsung turned around to see his sister. “Veritas, you have better timing than the creator herself.”
Then the two hugged, “You always say that, but we have a more pressing matter.” Then Veritas let go of Volsung and turned to Sayomara. “Master Sayomara, I wish to go with you and Volsung into Battle as your bodyguard.”
“So be it, but time is short and we most go now.” Then Volsung picked up Verplaca and the three mages started jogging towards the Battle.
After a few moments Sayomara found Bara and Nascent talking, “Greetings are we ready for our final push.” Both men nodded, “Good then let do this.” With that Horses came charging onto the battle field, while the tribe which had regroups started push the shadow back towards the tower, even the Terrain and Ki mages were ready to put their last of efforts into the battle, all the while, the spawn, Vexi, and any other evil thing getting ready to kill anything that moved.
Cue: This battle is coming to close people if you have anything you want to do I suggest you do it soon.
__________________
I have seen much in my day, but nothing as bad as this.
Posted by Gryphon Kaiser on 07-17-2002 03:19 PM:
People in the town of Fayre almost scurried into a certain tavern in town. They all saw the sign hanging in the window:
Gryphon Kaiser Performing Today!
The townspeople knew Gryphon as a wonderful story-teller, and an even better Lute-player. The echoes of his current weaving could be heard just outside the tavern:
"... So there he stood, in front of the evil beast which he had been hunting down for years... the beast which slayed his entire family line, all except for him. His body was battered and bruised, his own blood mixed with the blood of countless monsters stained his clothing and his sword. But he didn't care; all he was thinking about was revenge... revenge for what the demon had done to his loved ones..."
One of the reasons Gryphon's stories were enjoyed was because he would play music that fit the scene as he spoke. Currently, it was a song of bravery, of justice, and of revenge all mixed into one:
"... he gripped his sword tightly, beginning to walk slowly towards the towering monstrosity which growled at his presence, blood and saliva dripping from it's fang-infested maw. With each step, Kiro moved a little faster, and a little faster, and faster yet, until he was in a dead sprint towards the thing he had hated for so long. He lept at the demon, swinging his sword wildly with hatred, slashing into flesh and muscle. The monster fought back, smashing it's paw into Kiro, biting Kiro's torso... but Kiro wasn't paying attention to the pain he was receiving. He was concentrating all of his years of hate and despair into one final outburst of rage. Soon the two combatants were covered in fresh blood from their own mortal wounds, but neither were showing signs of stopping. Kiro lept backwards, still with a deathgrip upon the handle of his family sword, focusing all of his energy into one final strike. The sword began to glow with a golden light, making the monster realize that this was going to hurt. The monster lept at Kiro to interrupt the immense power in the sword, but in mid-jump realized that Kiro was leaping at it; the sword was at maximum power! The monster tried to dodge, but it couldn't move in mid-air... Kiro swung his sword one final time, a huge slash of energy emitting from the swing, slicing completely into and through the demon. Both combatants fell to the ground; Kiro a bloody mess, and the demon split in two. Kiro had succeeded! But he knew he couldn't make it to town in time... he was going to die. He shoved his sword into the ground, using it to hold his beaten form upright. He stared into the sky above him, tears streaming down his blood-soaked face. He had finally killed the monster. He had finally avenged his family... his vision began to blur, his body becoming weak... he couldn't see anymore; it was as if someone pulled black curtains over his vision... he fell to the ground in a powerless heap of flesh and bone, unable to take the pain any longer..."
Gryphon paused, leaving those in attendance in awe of the power of the story.
"... he would finally be able to see his family once again..."
The people cheered at the conclusion, most of the people in the room freely crying, while the rest were obviously trying to hold it back.
"Thank you! Thank you! You people are too kind. Now, if you could be so kind as to help a poor, old, and generous man as myself to make a living in this wonderful town, it would be greatly appreciated!"
Gryphon pulled out a large empty pouch and held it out, getting money from just about everyone.
Wow... this is more than I usually get... Gryphon thought, impressed with how much more generous the people were getting. He tied up the pouch, placing it into his long blue cloak, then walked up to the bar, ordering a drink.
"Man, Gryphon," the bartender commented, "That was some story! It was better than any other I heard you tell!"
"Well, Tom," he replied, "I really do try." When the drink arrived, Gryphon began pulling out the payment, but Tom grabbed Gryphon's arm.
"Please, Gryph... this one's on the house."
Posted by Ryudo Wolfe on 07-17-2002 05:03 PM:
Ryudo took notice of the old man from the battle coming and talking to Volsung, then a lady showed up, then all of them left together. He looked around and found that he was here with only the younger boy, “How’s it going?”
“Like shit, you?” Keigo said sarcastically.
“Same,” Ryudo grinned, “Names Ryudo Wolfe.”
“I’m Keigo. You should have seen yourself, you took a nasty beating.”
“I can imagine, I was getting thrown around the whole fight by some crazy man in white robes,” Ryudo laughed. Ryudo looked down at his scratched and dented armor, he gave a slightly annoyed look then started taking the armor off.
“What ya doing?”
“Just going to repair my armor with the little magic I have left,” he took off the left vambracer then began taking off the armor, as he pulled the breastplate up over his head he noticed a chain around his neck. He took off the breastplate then looked down at the necklace, it was a silver tree with a green gem embedded in the middle. He let out a sigh, he had expected as much so it didn’t have a large impact on him, as well he was skilled at accepting the truth, it’s how he had stuffed away his emotions for so long. He put his hands on his armor.
Meld my earth, shape back to what you once were.
The scratches filled in and the dent bent back to shape, in only a matter of seconds the armor looked as good as new, however Ryudo was feeling a bit light headed, “No more terra magic for me for a bit.”
Ryudo looked around, he could see the battle still raging on, however he wasn’t sure if he was fit to go back into more fighting. He looked back to the rear of good forces and saw tents setup, likely the medical and healing area, “I’m going to head over to the tents, you want to join me?”
“Nah I’m good, I may go back into the battle.”
Ryudo nodded, “Well goodluck to you then.” Ryudo picked up his armor and began walking towards the tents. He took notice that the spawn were starting to get pushed back, “Good we’re winning, I can’t wait to get back to my simple life of being a man for hire.
As he neared the tents a lady came out to meet him, noticing that he had wounds she led him into a tent, “Took yourself a beating eh?”
“You could say that, it was worse, but luckily there was a healer on the field,” Ryudo sat down on one of the beds in the tent and looked to the lady. She had dark long hair and appeared to be of one of the tribes, like most of these people were.
“You know that battle is intense out there, I’ve never seen so much magic in my life. The demon, the flying beast of fire, and I even saw a storm of raining boulders.”
Ryudo grinned, “The raining boulders as you call it, was my fault. I guess it was a bit much.”
“That was you? I’m impressed, I took you for a simple hack and slash warrior.”
“Well I did my share of that as well.”
She laughed, then turned her head slightly while looking at him, “You know you remind me of someone.”
“Is that so? I have traveled around, but never really got into the tribal areas. Names Ryudo Wolfe. You?” he held out his hand.
The smile on her face faded and her eyes widened slightly, “Shaylin Wolfe.”
__________________
The oceans, the lakes, the seas. The waves, the surf, the dolphins. The sword, the armor, the battle. The strength, the earth, the energy. I am a sailor, I am a warrior, I am a mage.
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 07-17-2002 05:40 PM:
Having become seperated from all of his allies, and lost in a black sea of Sha'vanel, Alexandros was quickly growing weary. The earth was all but exhausted of Mana, and his own magic was beginning to fail him. He hefted the Redeemer up on high, the blade shining like blue ice in the last lights of the dusk, before smiting yet another spawn with it's blade. Looking about him, he noted that the Sha'vanel were not directly attacking him, but using some sort of pack tactics. Leaping far into the air, he rose above the creatures, sailing over the ring that encircled him, and landing on the blood soaked earth with a thud.
Taking a moment to look himself over, Alex laughed at the amount of sangiune liquid that covered his clothing. His once white cloak was now black and red, covered with the ichor that was the blood of friend and foe alike. His own blood stained his clothing in many places, and five small trails of blood still flowed from the claw-prick wounds that Mellin had inflicted upon his forehead. raising his sword to the sky, andcalling upon his own inner energy, he summoned his great shield to him. It took form over his left hand, and he was grateful for it's weightlessness, for the arm had been wounded earlier in the battle, and was beginning to go numb below the elbow. The magical force took it's final shape, with an ovular top and a pointed bottom, glowing bright white about the edges and within the Meshai symbol encrested within, but showing clear throughout the rest.
Alex began a defensive retreat back towards the Tribesmen. He could see the dedicated in their ranks still using their magics, but it seemed far off from where he was, almost as if it were in a different world. His shield, borne before him, defended against many attacks as the Sha'vanel tore at him. He was tired, and weary, his sweaty hand barely able to keep hold of the Redeemer as it swooped about in broad arcs before him, keeping the spawn at bay. Soon, however, he noticed a growing density of tribesmen, attacking at the spawn, and as they saw his battered form retreating, they closed rank ahead of him, as to block off the spawn. Alexandros dismissed his shield, and mouthed a silent prayer to the Creator at this, and he turned about to find a place within the army to sit and rest.
Cue: any or all present, plus my apprentice...
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 07-17-2002 08:36 PM:
OOC Note: The plural form of Vex is Vexes, and the plural form of Veri is Veri... But I am going to make Vexi the term used to refer to both Vexes and Veri when grouped together.
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Freija Lumis on 07-18-2002 10:13 PM:
NPC: Tordak
Tordak was a huge man, to say the least. His stature befitted a giant, standing nearly 6' 5" and thick around the middle. He wore furs and thick leather armor that covered his tanned, weather-worn skin. His face was weathered and his eyes where cheery. His mouth was hidden behind a mass of beard that fell from his chin like a muddy waterfall. He bore a hand-crafted bow that was made specifically for himself. He was strong, having lived by himself in the mountains for most of his adult life.
Tordak stood still on the outskirts of the makeshift town and gazed over the heads of those around him, who couldn't help but stare at such a rugged, middle-aged man standing in the middle of the streets.
When the scouts said war, they weren't kiddin'! This is a WAR!
Tordak moved to a position as he could see the turmoil that lay before him. The plumes of smoke rose steadily into the once glorious sky. The darkness threw away all sense of time and direction and caused his head to spin.
Tordak sighed heavily and walked a few feet into the war ravaged field, feeling the dried blood and broken bodies that littered the vast expanse of grass that was once green beneath his booted feet. Tordak's eyes lingered there on the field as he soaked it all up.
He was in the mountains when he was told of the war that was taking place. He was just outside his modest cabin chopping wood and looking curiously at the smoke that blackened the sky. His home was perched high enough on the mountain that he still had sunlight, but even his light was fading at the time. While he was chopping the wood a pair of scouts who were told of his living up on the peak rushed up to him, out of breath and sweating profusely. Tordak would have laughed at the sight of them but he knew that they bore bad news.
"My...Lord...War....Shadowspawn." Panted the scout, gasping for air. Once he regained equal breath patterns the speaking scout continued, his friend urging him on, a frightened look on his face. "The great war has repeated itself! Near parvini, hordes of shadowspawn are attacking! You will never believe your eyes!"
Thordak furrowed his brow and nodded, turning and striding back to his cabin. Throwing open the door he rumaged through his stuff and took out his bow and his array of hunting knives.
Now Thordak stood where he was told to go, shocked at what he saw...
OOC: I think I'll leave the shadowspawn posting to whoever opperates that account. ^_^
__________________
Today is 1 out of 365. In a year, you won't remember what you did today so just smile and get on with life
Posted by Emperor Aramus VanVehementi on 07-19-2002 12:30 AM:
OOC: Co authored by AW
Claudia Stromguard sat within her chambers. Sipping at a glass of fine Nylian wine, she looked across the small table within her chambers at her long time friend, and fellow Professor at the Removed School of Asherian Magic, Lady Saraphim Al’Teyr.
Saraphim looked across her own glass of the fine Nylian Cabernet, and smiled as she spoke, “So you’ve been summoned to meet the emperor?”
Claudia giggled a bit at the remark and brushed her hair away from her face, “Yes, but I have no idea why he would wish to see me.”
“Oh come child, surely you’re aware that Lord Aramus has found himself smitten with your very image; your part in healing him has only helped to guarantee his interest in you.” Sara blushed a bit, having just touched the tip of the ice burg.
Claudia flushed at her friends comment and quickly piped up. “Forever the flatterer are you, Sara. I just don’t believe the leader of our empire is just going to meet me once, pass out, and find himself enamored of me. Besides, don’t you think that he might be interested in my ties to the old throne?”
Sara shook her head slowly, smirking as she did so, “Always the pessimist, Izzy, creators sake, allow some sunlight to befall you my dear!”
Claudia laughed at her childhood moniker of Izzy. She hadn’t been named so since her apprenticeship, years ago, and never by anyone but Sara. “Nonetheless, it makes me glad that I brought with me, from the estates, something I might offer him as a gift.”
Aramus found himself sinking quickly and quietly into routines not practiced since his time with Mirreille, his late wife. He paced nervously about his personal study within the New Dargent Imperial Manor. He attempted to trace his thoughts, as though pursuing them on foot, while he pressed his boots into the worn pattern of his repetitive motions into the dark lavender rug that lined the chamber. Who is this woman, why will she not leave my head, what in creation’s name am I going to say to her?? VanVehementi would have, in all likelihood, continued his feverish pattern that is, unless, he hadn’t been interrupted by Gregorynn.
“Aramus, why is it, old friend, and I do say this of the kindest terms, that I find you constantly in a state of panic or seething contemplation whenever I am sent to summon you for meals, audiences, or any other social function for that matter? Now, stand up like the man you are and try to have not too bad of a time with that lovely young woman who sits shy and nervous outside of the throne room awaiting your presence!”
Aramus smirked an entertained grin as he glanced away from Gregorynn, about to heed his words. “Good friend, you’ve always had the innate ability to bring me back from whatever world my mind sends me to. Before I leave you, however, are their any other orders to the Emperor for the remainder of the evening?”
Gregorynn found himself mimicking Aramus as he turned his smile towards the floor, humbly laughing unto himself. “Yes, as a matter of fact. By my imperial decree,” at this Aramus knelt to bow in a mocking reverence as Gregorynn continued, “I order you to restrain your charms less you leave this beautiful, innocent young miss a blubbering idiot, helpless in the wake of your overwhelming….. people skills.” Gregorynn had found the word he was looking for and forced both men into full laughter.
Aramus faltered for a brief while but eventually recaptured his lost composure, wiping the tears from his eyes. Aramus, in all of his seriousness, was known to erupt into uncontrollable giddiness should the humor of the moment strike him just right. He casually patted Gregorynn upon the back as he passed to make his way to the thrown room. Later he would thank the creator for Gregorynn's shenanigans, as he was now in a proper demeanor to entertain a young courtly lady.
Aramus entered the throne room from the Imperial entrance to be seated before his guest was allowed to enter. After taking a long breath to finalize his nerves, he motioned to the guard to open the chamber doors and to announce introductions.
The soldier was swift to obey her orders and escorted the young woman into the room. “Lord and Emperor Aramus VanVehementi, may I introduce to you, Her Royal Highness, Claudia Isabelle Stromguard, Heiress of the Stromguard Royal Dynasty.”
With that, the guard retreated from the chamber to close the doors behind her, leaving the two alone. Aramus was immediately dumbfounded as he looked on to Claudia’s small and alluring form. Her strawberry blonde hair fell around her face, framing it as though it were a targeting retinal that the emperor was himself aiming, only to find its ends dancing atop her slim and delicate shoulders. Aramus attempted to look away to once more regain his wits, alas, was held by the radiance of her ever gleaming, soft brown eyes. Any attempt to speak was in vain as his heart raced and his hands grew clammy.
It was Claudia who broke the silence following a regal curtsy that showed off her elegant court dress, though it was obvious she would have rather been wearing her Summoner’s robes. This was evident in the color scheme of the dress, which rather than using a stately white, rouge, or black fabric, was constructed of a multi-hued purple, blue, and green blend of fabrics. Only the color was unusual for the dress served well in representing her long forgotten title.
“Emperor Aramus, it is good to see you have recovered. I trust that your leg has healed quickly and truly?” Her voice was light as she rose from her curtsy.
“I have been longing to thank you for the courtesy you had shone me in Militus, Highness. Indeed, my leg is as though it had never suffered such an injury. I and my Empire thank you for your service in such matters.” Aramus’ voice fluttered, still unsure of what he was going to say.
“It is true that your Empire has thanked me many times already.”
”Not nearly enough I do assure you Highness!” Aramus was quick to notice an opportunity for flattery.
“Please, Emperor, call me Claudia or Professor; at least I am used to that. May I call you Aramus?”
“Claudia, you may call me as you desire. For it is I that is in your debt. Please, allow me to forgo all of these foolish formalities.” Aramus was gaining confidence now, seeing that Claudia was just as confused as he, “I have requested your presence here purely out of personal interests. May I be blunt with you?”
“Of course Emp…. Aramus. But first may I present you with a gift held by my line for as long as we can remember. I believe you will find it to your liking.” With that she produced a silvery metallic object, similar in shape to a Balan hand cannon. To Aramus it was of nothing he had ever imagined seeing before.
Seeing that the Emperor was paused in observation, Claudia took initiative to continue the conversation, “It is very old and it is used like a hand cannon. My grandfather Edrick managed to unlock a few of its secrets in his tinkering. It is a magical construct combined with some form of technology which no one living has ever seen before, “ once more noting the Emperors silence, Claudia prompted him with inquiry, “Would you perhaps enjoy a demonstration?”
Aramus managed after great struggle to free himself from the confines of her enchanting stare. Shaking his head as though to physically clear his thoughts he promptly answered “Certainly Claudia. I eagerly await such a sight.”
“Well you see, it works like this.” She raised the object parallel to the ground and gripped the handle, placing her finger upon the trigger. The relic bore an incredible resemblance to a handgun, “You pull the trigger,” as she did so a large shard of ice materialized from the tip of the relic, “point it at your target… and what would Aramus designate as a target this evening?”
Aramus glance about the chamber and looked on to a dusty display of old armor. The armor had no real value as it was previously owned by a mere foot soldier. “Perhaps that will do,” He pointed to the display.
“…And you release the trigger like so.” The shard, with blinding speed and a flash of blue light sped forward across the room and collided with the display effectively piercing the thick Nylian steel of the armor. There was another blue flash and the shard itself was gone, but the plate had become covered in frost, “The projectile will pierce the target and then emit a pulse of cold magic. The relic is good for five shots before it needs to be recharged. To imbue this relic with a new charge is quite challenging, however.”
Claudia then offered the weapon to Aramus, who slowly withdrew it from her hands. As he turned the relic, observing its features Claudia added “Do be sure to note the safety switch near the top of the grip.”
Aramus turned the weapon, looking to find the function that Claudia had mentioned; after duly noting the presence of the switch, he activated it with a subtle flick of his thumb, “This is a truly extraordinary piece of weaponry. I do so humbly thank you, for I am greatly impressed with this gift. Is there anything I might offer you in return?”
Claudia brushed her hair, readjusting it across the left side of her forehead, covering the scar that she had giver herself as an apprentice, “No, consider it a gift from one legacy to the next. But, my curiosity does get the best of me. What is it you wished to be blunt about?”
Aramus paused, unprepared for the abrupt change in the course of the conversation; his preparations to reveal his feelings having dissipated during Claudia’s demonstration of the archaic relic, “Claudia… Claudia, I ask that you forgive the awkwardness for what I am about to say, and I ask that you reserve judgment of me until I finish… Ever since I first encountered you in Militus, the eve that you healed my wounds, you have maintained a constant presence in my ponderings. You are the first thing I think of as I rise in the morn, and you are my last thoughts as I retire to my bed in the night. I ask not any commitment of you, all that I do ask is for the opportunity to become better acquainted with you, for I am consumed by your mere presence,”
Claudia blushed fiercely for a moment, and looked at Aramus to find a similar reaction. His raven hair almost shimmered in the light of the dusk that permeated the windows of the chamber, and his eyes were a dark, ruddy brown, that seemed to glisten with his inner fury and intellect. She walked towards him slowly, and he stood almost as if petrified by the death gaze of one of the Veri. She reached out to him and took his left hand in her right, and kissed it lightly.
“I would be honored to be able to get to know you better, Aramus. I think that there is much that we can learn from each other,” Claudia smiled a bit, her cheeks losing the rosy hue that had been there but moments before.
“Not even after the infinite years of the Creator will you understand the joy that I now feel. Think now then, the Imperial Manor of New Dargent to be your home. If anything, that you should require is wished for, simply speak, and my attendants will do all that is necessary to bring it to your hands,” Aramus held onto her hand firmly, but also gently, as if it were a precious crystal, fragile, yet necessitating protection.
“I would be glad to move to here, though it is not far from my current residence within Dargent Keep. Not only are you here, but your library is more extensive as well,” She laughed a bit as Aramus laughed at her comment as well.
“I do hope that I can make your stay as enjoyable, and as enticing as possible, I wish not to lose your company, especially to a library,” Aramus grinned fiercely, then continued, “Alas, though I wish not to, I must depart your company, for there are matters of state that I must attend to at present. Would you join me for a late dinner?”
“Of course…” Claudia replied…
Cue: Scarlet Rosenblade, my honored pris, er… guest…
__________________
Unlike my fool of a father, I don't just talk of ambition... I realize it.
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 07-19-2002 01:34 AM:
Chapter 2: The Fall of Southdale
OOC: Hello again folks. I'm writing in OOC just to inform you that several chapters have been cut from Palin's plotline. Um...... Also, a few story elements have been cut due to poor planning on my part. I'll make up for it, though. Until then, stay tuned for new developments.
Palin gasped as his feet were ripped out from under him and he was flung free of the reaches of the ether, landing in a rool on the cobblestones outside Castle Rosenblade. Riena, Carla, and Tygan followed close behind him, feeling the abject power of teleportation as they were tossed like rag dolls onto the street. Only the soldiers, whose power was enough to provide greater control in limbo, were able to walk unscathed from the portal.
Tygan grunted and sat up, rubbing his head and grumbling. Palin hopped to his feet, the adrenaline of his dedication still flowing through his veins. The party gathered themselves and entered the castle, heading straight for the King's chambers.
King Rosenblade was startled to see them and quickly threw on his royal garments to attend the meeting. Inside, Palin explained the journey to the temple, the recovery of the Sword, and his current concerns for the safety of Southdale.
"Hmm. Curious visions indeed. I have heard no news of Southdale, though. I do not have many men left, what with the search parties for my daughter. So, I'm afraid Palin, that you'll have to go scout the area yourself and report back what you see." Palin nodded.
"I'll need a fast method of transportation, your Highness. Do you have anything available?" The King pondered for a moment, then called over one of the stewards.
"Yes, your Highness?"
"Fetch our young Master Palin the finest steed we own." The Steward's brow furrowed and he gasped.
"You don't mean...... You're going to give him.....?"
"Yes. Bring him Helios. And for the rest, latch together a cart with a few supplies. Helios will get there faster, so you'll need to have horses that can follow quickly. Now go." The Steward shuffled off quickly, heading in the direction of the stables.
"Thank you, your highness. We appreciate this." The King smiled.
"I cannot thank you enough already, Palin Freeborn. You're helping my kingdom immensely, believe it or not. Now rest up! It's a long journey to Southdale." The nursemaids in the room shuffled out, pushing the group into their respective rooms. After a bit of discussion about their plans, Palin bid goodnight to Tygan, Carla, and Riena and went to sleep.
*********************************************
It was an uneasy rest.
Palin awoke sweating, the visions playing over in his head. The dedication had affected his mind somehow, allowing him to remember his testing although stories usually told of people who were dedicated and forgot immediately the details of their tests.
The vision this time not only included Southdale, but also his friends, Ash and Dierdre. They were fighting, but the flames were consuming them. Shadowspawn swarmed over the peasants and utterly massacred them.
Palin looked out the small window and realized that daylight was approaching fast. Quietly, the Rogue gathered his belongings and left the castle, heading for the royal stables. Inside, he found a sleeping Helios.
The creature was magnificent.
Even sleeping, the steed radiated an overpowering presence, as if being near it was merely enough to make your heart race and explode. Helios awoke as Palin stepped near him and it reared itself up to full height, it's deep, black eyes staring straight into Palin's. Within the the obsidian pools of the creature's eyes, Palin saw a challenge, the will of the horse to dominate it's rider or be dominated.
Palin stared back, mentally focusing his will, for all the good it would do him. The horse huffed at him and lowered it's head in submission: Palin would be a worthy master. With that, the Rogue climbed atop the creature and nudged. The horse followed his command swiftly and they shot out of the stables, galloping for the edge of town.
********************************************
Palin rode hard for two days, the horse tiring only when it's rider did. Sun rose and set over them, leaving them lost to all time and travel: just two creatures riding swiftly across the plains to nowhere in particular. But before sunrise on the third day, they arrived.
At the bottom of their hill sat Southdale.
Whole and unharmed.
The visions were false.
Cue: I'll finish, but you can post the cart travel with Carla, Riena, and Tygan, if you like, Nate. Otherwise, Palin will wait. Sorry, by the way, for the lack of true dialogue. I'm very tired and only in a descriptive mood.
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Freija Lumis on 07-20-2002 02:05 PM:
NPC: Thordak
Thordak's brown-grey eyes ventured up on the hill where white knights poured down from a hidden spot. His brows lifted in a mixture of hope and confusion. The clamor they made was tremendous with warcries that filled the thick air. Thordak felt his spirits lifted at the coming of reinforcements, who looked healthy and ready for battle.
"Yin and Yang..." Mumbled Thordak who remembered back to what his father had said about the battle of good and evil. Narrowing his eyes he plunged into the thrall and managed a clear shot to a large shadowspawn, ready and willing to attack. The arrow shot true and planted itself in the eye of the shadowspawn, who fell quickly to the ground with a dull thump.
The new warriors seemed excited to finally witness a battle and fought with wide grins on their faces. Now the shadowspawn was being attacked on the east and southbound side.
Zephron himself was surrounded by the horde, his pure silver and white armor quickly becoming tainted with the blood of his enemies. His eyes scanned what was around him and plunged his blade into the body of a retreating shadowspawn. The spawn, noticing that what they currently had was outnumbered, retreated, only to come back in full force, two-fold what they had originally.
During the brief peace Thordak had a chance to get information on the newcomers.
"The white guys? Oh, they're Narasil. I, personally don't know much about them but I know that the leader is named Zephron. A great warrior, is what the rumor is."
Thordak thanked the man who told him this and sat on a rock, counting his arrows. Gazing up on a hill he noted the ranks of archers.
Suddenly a great folly of arrows, some flaming, flew into the air in a great arch, landing somewhere in the darkness. The flaming arrows lit the darkness enough for the combatants to notice the oncoming attack arm themselves and prepare for the next wave. Thordak only reached half of his inventory and cursed under his breath.
"The coming of the second wave! Hail Creator, I had no idea these monsters were as intelligent as they are!"
The onslaught was horrible and many fell, including a few of the ranks of the Narasil..
OOC: OK I'm willing to change anything that is incorrect, Zephron. I felt like interwining my NPC with your story and what not
__________________
Today is 1 out of 365. In a year, you won't remember what you did today so just smile and get on with life
Posted by Zephron on 07-20-2002 02:58 PM:
The Narasil's continuing onslaught
((OOC - Hey, everything seems alright so far! 
-OOC))
Zephron leaped off of Shadowfax and ploughed his blade deep into the skull of a Shadowspawn. He turned round suddenly and jerked the blade round which hewed another shadowspawn.
A huge seemingly endless cloud of arrows hurtled into the secod wave of Shadowspawn. The first few rows dropped like flies.
Zephron spun his blade into it's sheath and also pulled out his bow. He pulled an arrow from it' quivver and launched it a an impending enemy. The arrow travelled at such velocity that it ripped through the skull and into another shadowspawn.
He then turned his head left of the battlefield and then right.
'There are many a warrior here but dost any have arrows in there quivvers?' He shouted over the noise of battle. Some complied.
'Aim your bows up a the sun...They will land and smite the enemy. They are in greater number...,'
The arrows hurtled at the sun and came dropping like gannets on a fish. The arrows pierced many a shadowspawn.
'Good,' Zephron said 'We may win this battle yet!'
He then leaped onto the Shadowfax and raced through the battlefield.
Posted by Zephron on 07-20-2002 04:09 PM:
The Desperate Search
((OOC - I have ben asked by Keiru Jade to delete the army post. so feel free to beat me with the Stupid stick. -OOC))
Zephron ploughed through the battlefield like a juggernaught on
the warpath. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a soldier lying injured on the ground with a Shadowspawn looming over him. Zephron turned Shadowfax round and whispered something in it's ear. It gave a short neigh.
The Shadowspawn was hungry for blood...It seemed to have found it's first meal of the day. But in the blink of an eye, the pathetic being had disappeared! A stabbing pain surged through it's spine as it thumped down onto the gound a with blood curdling squelch.
Shadowfax was unafraid as it swooped up the solider from the near clutches of the shadowspawn.
'Fallen soldier,' Zephron began 'The horde of Shadowspawn will not stop if you plead for mercy. Be more careful,' He placed the soldier down and continued to ride through the battlefield, his sword glinting in the sunlight.
Posted by Regit Seye on 07-21-2002 01:20 AM:
Regit was still flailing about with the newly-made scythe when he felt his energy level jolt and fall. He gasped and dropped to his knees, an ill-timed claw swipe passing overhead. Regit forced himself back up, swinging the blade with the single-minded intensity of one who believes himself about to die. The needle-thin blade shredded the Vexi shoulder to waist, cleaving torso in two. He then checked his still-diminishing 'vision' for the nearest edge of the combat.
"A bit to th... the right... and forward..."
Regit's tired, clouded mind realized what had happened. The shockwave from earlier had caught up with him... He cursed himself for his foolishness and pushed outward from the battle, the scythe gleaming dully, coated in Vexi blood. His strength, he could tell, was ebbing fast. Ki Magic took its toll blow for blow as had the Vexi, only he took it as exhaustion, not physical force. The tarnished silver blade began to swing slower, and Regit despaired, knowing his end was at hand. A Vexi hatchet shattered the blade of the scythe, and Regit 'looked' upon the visage of his slayer. The twisted features of the creature gloat with frenzied elation as the hatchet raised again, and...
it never descended. Not as intended, anyways. A bolt of silver light passed through the creature, dissolving it into dull purple sparks. Startled into alertness, Regit tried to locate the source of the blow, but none was found, despite what little vision he had remaining to him. It was then he 'saw' it... a gap in the wall of Shadowspawn! He leaped through it, unimpeded by the Vexi, and tumbled to the ground. He noticed, incoherently, the Fayre encampment just to his left. He started towards it, but collapsed just outside the edge of the tents. Mooscue crawled from his shirt and began to chirp, loudly and annoyingly. Regit noted it with fading discomfort, then slipped into darkness...
((OOC- NOT DEAD! Not yet! He's wiped out and, if woken up and fed, might be able to return to the fray. But he'd need someone still in the encampment to get him somewhere that's possible. I think Freija was controlling a few NPC's, so if you'd like to help, I'd appreciate it, my not-really-a-friend-but-someone-who-seems-to-be-cool person...
CUE:...anyone? -OOC))
__________________
The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Bara Chinder on 07-21-2002 10:44 AM:
(OOC: I have made my position pretty clear on the recent posts on the battle. I will not acknowledge anyone whose posts I feel have had a detrimental effect on the battle.)
IC:
The Cappallan crashed into the shadow horde. They had come from the same direction as the sleebhfir where they had been waiting for the order to charge. The sleebhfir had become bogged down somewhere in the middle of the hordes after carving a frenzied path straight into the spawn. Now the path had more or less closed up behind them.
A blast from a huge horn signalled the Cappallans arrival. The riders crashed into the backs of the spawn, which now encroached on the sleebhfir force. With brutal elegance the horses bounded and galloped through the spawn. Some fell to the hooves, others to the long blades and spears of the Cappallan. Most suffered at both. In two waves the Cappallan drove the spawn, vexes and sevrons alike from the west.
The sight of the charge roused the sleebhfir.
In the middle of the sea of horrors the Morrigan could see her men growing tired. Her own arms burned and ached as she cleft the head of an approaching spawn. Many dead and wounded men and women lay prone around her. More injured stood with their last ounces of energy swinging relentlessly. But now, the howl of a horn filled her ears. The morrigan saw a bright spear laden with streamers. With renewed courage she screamed her battle cry and all around her rallied.
To the north too there was a life again. At the sight of the horses crashing through the flank of the spawn Nascent sprung into action. He quickly made his way over to his group of Ki-mages. His orders were simple; because what Bara knew about magic you could write on a matchbook. In big writing.
Nascent and his mages had a simple job. Drive the shadow back from the north. Burn and break them. They would drive the spawn back to where the rest of the tribal force was attacking. Trapping the furthest north and carrying on through towards Endroth. When he passed the order on to the Mages they began weaving and casting spells. Waves of fire and lightning, wind and ice, Crashed into the spawn. Many perished in the first minute of the assault.
Bara himself had now regrouped. Conchuir rode up to him. An ugly gash in his arm, bound with a rag. “Well Bara? Where to now?” A grim smile flashed onto Baras face.
“I reckon I should be heading to the frontline. A leader should be with his troops.” Bara said.
“Agreed, I’ll have your side.” Conchuir replied.
“Any sign of Keigo? I haven’t seen him since we fought the generals.”
Conchuir shrugged. The two sleebhfir were also gone. Bara knew the fate of one. He turned to Sayomara “I will ride to the front now. There is little I can do from here.”
Sayomara nodded. “You have a sorry looking bodyguard you will need more than that.”
Before Bara could respond Ascher and Cainas appeared. Bara looked at the two. They were both covered in blood and dirt, but neither of them seemed hurt at all. Their horses had been tethered before the battle and they had come to respite and find Bara.
“We ride to the frontline now.” The two simply mounted up.
After a short discussion about Sayomara and his plan of action the four galloped off to the front line.
Cue: Alexandros , Eloise, Keigo , Volsung, Zander, Tyr. Especially Sayomara.
Lets get this thing finished before it gets out of hand. Id like to get one more post in before we wrap it up though.
__________________
Were gonna break ya, its gone on for too long.
Gonna punish you for the things that youve done- Capdown
Posted by Apollo Vigil on 07-21-2002 12:24 PM:
doing it right.
Apollo saw some coins land on ground. The glint of the sun bouncing off them into his ocean blue eyes. He glanced around his blue orbs swaying across the path. He saw no one in the local area. Glancing about he bent down a bit to look at the coins. His billowing robes blew with the wind. His feet scuffled as he picked up the coins in palm of his hand.
He turned to the racoon in his pack,
Did you drop these?
He laughed at the racoon. A merrily little chuckle to his buddy. He put a gentle hand in pack and petted the little racoon. He smiled then something feel on his head. It was soft and gentle. Gently he looked at it. It was smooth and silk. He looked up the tree and seeing nothing called out,
"Hello is anyone there?"
Kaitlyn slowly slinked quietly to her previous perch.
Her eyes slyly tracked down the young mans face, it shocked her for he was not crule looking, but instead, inviting
"I am...." she seemed to sing from her bitterly sweet voice which was rarely used because she rarely ran into another being
**********************************************
Quietly she waiting Apollo smiled up at the girl in the tree. His warm ocean blue eyes were inviting and kind. She was goregous yet seemed afraid. Apollo put the small silk in his racoon and gave it a little whisper,
"Go on little one she could use a friend"
The litte critter scurried up the tree climbed up her and sat on her shoulder handing the silk out to her from her dress. The boy apollo scuffled closer to the tree,
"It's okay miss you can come down if you like” waited for a response as she looked at him..
Kaitlyn held out her hand kindly to the small racoon and smiled as she recived the silk that was torn away like another ounce of blood from her heart that seemed to skip a beat slowly as she looked down at the young man
**************************************************
*
with her hands, as pale as the moon, she gently bound back her hair with the peice of silk, bringing it once again to the over come of her apperence as it once was
Kaitlyn reached out her hand and petted the kindly raccon's head with one finger and let him sit where he had perched
"Might I have that back?" she asked gently as she looked down at the young man, she gestured towards her bag which had fallen
He picked up the small sack and climbed up to the branch where she sat. He handed it to her smiling.
"There you go miss. Do you have a name? What are you doing in a tree?"
Apollo sat as he just smiled at his racoon on her shoulder he nodded it to stay. It seemed to make the girl comfortable. Apollo had never seen someone like her before.
Kaitlyn smiled as she pulled her beloved sack over her shoulder once again,
**************************************************
****
"the boy of many questions" she muttered to herself as she looked up at him, as she let her hand lay on her lap, motioing for the racoon to sit there where she could pet him better
"my name is Kaitlyn, sir" she answered kindly, her voice still hidden and sweet "and I am here looking for a way in... as it seems, so were you" she said, nodding towards him
"Might I ask you name sir?" she said patiantly
*************************************
Apollo smiled to her with his warm blue eyes like a ocean of kindness. “I am Apollo. May I ask why a beautiful girl like you would want into the city?” He was always honest when he could be. It was one of his flaws. He sat on the branch as his balance was not as good as hers. He wondered how she succeeded when she had a dress. The dress did make her look pretty but it seemed kind of over excessive.
*************************************************
Kaitlyn seemed to laugh, though she did not very well know this response.
"Beautiful?" she asked curiously but continued with her words which sprang lightly off her lips,
though she had been wandering so much, her face was as sweet and gentle as a new born childs,
for that was all in the innocence that was in her heart "A home, a warm place" she muttered gently "that is why I want in there" she continued as she nodded towards the large walls, as her eyes graced across the beautiful gate way and landed on the guards she shuddered.. the were so evil looking.
their bitter sweet armer looked more to harm others then to protect themselves
She looked once more up at this boy and watched his eyes as it seemed that the oceans rolled in and out, washing away any pain that he knew, any sorrow was never to come to shore..
Amazed by this she could not think of a word, it was as though all her thoughts had been washed away with it.
OOC: I met a new friend 
__________________
You look but do not see. You hear but do not listen.
Posted by Freija Lumis on 07-21-2002 04:25 PM:
The daring rescue?
Freija was scared. Frightened to say the least. She was in the middle of the Fayre encampment, confused and unsure of her next move. She was new to her fire magic skills and was uneasy about using them at the moment. Sighing heavily she edged behind a tent to get as much peace as she could find.
OK. Now what?
Freija leaned against a large post used to tie horses and closed her eyes, letting her mind's eye wander using her ability of heat sensing.
At first the images were blotted and shapeless, but soon refined and Freija could see images of people moving about in a hurried manner. She followed her mind's eye to the battle that raged behind her and saw the heated battle. Shifting her attention from it she moved around the outside of the encampment, to find a lump of red oranges and firey colors just to her right.
Confused, Freija opened her eyes and strained to see what she saw through her mind's eye. Instead of seeing what she desired she saw only weathered canvas.
I wonder...
Freija pushed herself off the post and walked towards the direction she saw the colorful lump in the middle of the plains. Walking around a dormant tent she saw what looked like a man collapsed on the ground.
Ack! Is that a....man?
Taking a cautious step forward Freija approached the still form on the rocky soil that crunched loudly beneath her shoes. Gently she reached her foot out and tapped Regit on his back, only to see nothing. He was soaked in blood, blood that appeared not to be fully his own. Feeling her stomach twist into an uncomfortable knot she leaned over and rolled him onto his back. Looking down at a young man, his body bloodied, Freija felt like she was going to give up her lunch.
Breathing deeply Freija placed her fingers on his pluse to find a slow but steady heartbeat.
Yay! he's alive! OK...where...where is the doctor's tent? is there such a place?
Gathering up her courage Freija leaned over again and put her hands under his arms and dragged him towards the town of tents. People barely gave her a second look as Freija hauled an unconcious man through the streets to what appeared to be a healing tent, because of a large red cross another symbol on the door flap.
"MOVE OUT! GOT AN UNCONCIOUS ONE!" Yelled Freija as she went backward through the flap. A young woman rushed to Regit and lifted him onto a cot. Feeling finished with her rescuing job Freija walked out of the tent, nodding to a younger girl with vibrant purple hair, who looked as frightened and confused as she.
Freija walked back to her post and leaned against it once more, staring blankly at the canvas that billowed in a light breeze that carried the stench of death upon its wake.
I don't belong here...I'm useless! I can't fight! Oh creator...What do I do?
OOC: OK Regit, your good for now...PM me if you see anything wrong
__________________
Today is 1 out of 365. In a year, you won't remember what you did today so just smile and get on with life
Posted by Regit Seye on 07-21-2002 06:35 PM:
Dark... blackness... it's too dark... why can't I see...? I'm blind? Oh... yes, I'm blind... always have been... got too used to the Vision... where am I...? Doesn't feel like the ground... more like a hard bed... I'm all we... it's... blood... the evil ones... those things of darkness... their blood is covering me... some of my own, too... I need out... need... out!
Regit sat up quickly, launching the napping Mooscue off his neck and into the tent wall. A violent squeak was the only protest the vibrant pink fluffball gave as it toddled back into Regit's lap. He petted it slowly, thinking hard.
There was... I jumped into the battle...? I'm crazy! Well... I made it out, somehow. I seem to have been bandaged, but I guess whoever fixed me up was a girl. Too shy to take my clothes off to clean me properly. Thank her anyways... oh, I'm tired... I need a rest. I just need to... sleep... no. I need food. Water. Then I can sleep.
"Ex... argh... ~cough~... excuse me? Is there anyone there? I need something to eat... I'm drained. Anything. Bread, fruit, potatoes... anyone?"
"Squeak!"
"Yea, and my fuzzy friend needs lunch... dinner?... too! And-"
Regit felt a delicate hand push him back onto the bed, reinforcing his opinion of how weak he was. A feminine voice spoke from above him.
"Sir, you've just been brought back from the front. A girl.. Freija..? left you here. You needn't call so loudly, though. Can't you see I was right over there?"
Regit grinned rakishly. "I wouldn't have seen you there if you were naked!... sorry. Forgive my rudeness. I'm quite blind. Been so for my whole life. Hasn't hurt much, so I figured, being Dedicated and all, I could help out with the Tide of Shadows... you know, the evil stuff. Didn't do me much good. All I managed to do was give a few monsters a nice push and make a scythe from the tip of my staff... not a very stronge blade, though. Got rid of that Mellin person, though I think he was injured already. Anyway... about that food, miss...?"
__________________
The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Tygan deParte on 07-21-2002 11:57 PM:
Death of an Old Friend/New Foe...
The wheels of the cart rolled on as the horses pulled it along, they bounced ever so slightly as they traveled over the stony dirt path. They were making there way to Southdale, which they knew Palin was most likely already at.
Riena turned her head to face Tygan, “Do you think everything is ok? He’s been really lost in thought ever since his test in the temple.”
Tygan had been thinking the same thing, but didn’t want to give her any worries, “Ya I’m sure he’s fine, he has a way of always coming out on top.”
“Unless of course Lyght is around,” Carla giggled.
Tygan smirked, “Yes of course, Lyght could bring a king down to place with that stare of his.”
Riena smiled, “Wish I could have been there with your group, Palin talked about you all from time to time.”
“Yes well there’s plenty of adventure to come, and perhaps you will get to meet Lyght sometime.”
The cart came to a sudden halt, Tygan began to call out, “Driver what is it……” then he saw the problem, up a head a short ways was a black steed. Upon the steed was a dark armored warrior, his features could only be partially seen since his face was half hidden behind a steel mask. Something flashed in Tygan’s mind, it was the room with the nine black figures lined up, however this time along with being able to see himself, he now saw another figure. A tall black-haired man in dark armor, though he had no mask in this memory. His features were fairly handsome though his black eyes made him almost creepy. Another imaged flashed by and sword struck down along the dark-haired man’s face, leaving a long line of blood, it was the half of his face which was now covered.
The man stepped down from his horse and Tygan hopped off the cart, “You all wait here, I know this man….from somewhere.” Tygan walked towards the figure, stopping about ten feet away.
“Greetings Tygan, or should I say Sythrel,” the man’s head bent down slightly as he smiled.
“Who are you?”
“I’m hurt you don’t remember me, I am Dargath, second of the nine.”
“The nine?” Tygan remembered there being nine figures in the line of his memory.
“So it’s true, you really don’t remember a thing about your past and so much fun it was. I was told to bring you back, but I think I will just kill you,” Dargath drew his sword.
Tygan drew Lun’delneth and E’vnshaldar, “If it is a fight you want,” Tygan saluted with his rapier, “Then it is a fight you will get.”
Dargath charged forward swinging his large blade down at Tygan’s head. Tygan brought up both weapons and crossed them, catching the large sword in between. Dargath brought up his foot and struck Tygan in the stomach, dropping Tygan to his knees. He brought his sword around for a side swipe but Tygan parried the attack with Lun’delneth then cut Dargath’s thigh with E’vnshaldar.
“Graah!” Dargath kicked Tygan again, this time knocking him fully to the gound. He swung his sword down once more, Tygan rolled out of the way in the knick of time, the blade struck the ground digging deep into the dirt and a small dust cloud spread from the earth’s wound. Dargath’s vision moved from the tip of his blade to Tygan’s face. His lip curled up in a sneer, “Quick as always I see, it’s just a pity you don’t have your memory, then you might actually be a match for me.”
My memory? How would that help…. Tygan smiled, then quickly rolled to the side again as the sword almost struck him in the face…. Ok less thinking, more winning….. Tygan jumped to his feet quickly he took the offensive, charging in and attacking with both blades in a fluent harmony, attacking multiple areas of Dargath while weaving a spell in his mind.
Amazingly enough Dargath succeeded in deflecting the attacks from both weapons, however he was unprepared for what Tygan did next. Tygan leaned in and blew in his face, the air coming out as a cloud of darkness. Dargath took a step back, “You weren’t supposed to remember anything! How do you have magic??”
Tygan charged forward, his first attack went through as planned, his took the tip of his rapier into Dargath’s shoulder, however his next attack was parried, and then Dargath punched him in the face. Tygan put his hand to his lip and when he brought it off his finger had blood on it. He looked to Dargath only to see him standing perfectly still, his sword in ready position. He must be blind or he’d be attacking me….
Tygan charged forward again, he thrust his rapier forward but Dargath spun out of the way, bringing the hilt of his sword into the back of Tygan’s head. Tygan stumbled forward then turned around to face Dargath once more, “You are blind, how did you do that?”
“Do you not remember? No, of course you don’t. We are soldiers of darkness and therefore we were trained to fight magi, blindness is such a common spell against warriors. I can hear you as clearly as one might hear a stampede.”
“Well in that case,” Tygan held out his hand and released a black orb, it stopped between the two warriors, then burst out, becoming a large orb that surrounded the two, banishing all sound from the area, “How about now?” Tygan said, though no sound could be heard. He saw Dargath’s lips move, and then saw the look on his face when he realized what spell was used. Dargath began to swing his sword wildly, Tygan walked forward slowly, singing a battle song the whole time.
“March on ye soldier,
To the heart of war,
‘To arms my men!’
Shouts the General
With his sword.”
He stopped right outside of the area in which Dargath was swinging his sword and when an opening appeared Tygan charged forward, knocking aside Dargath’s blade with his rapier and thrusting E’vnshaldar into his throat. It was an odd situation, to stab a man, to see him fall to the ground choking on blood, and the whole time to not hear a thing. Tygan stood over the body for a moment then walked through the wall of the barrier, the sound suddenly struck him, he could hear the wind, the birds, the footsteps of Carla and Riena running towards him, “It makes you appreciate your senses.”
“Who was that?” Riena asked.
“His name was Dargath, though who he is exactly, I am not sure,” he looked down the road past the body, “But Palin is waiting, we must go.”
************************************
They rode for another few hours before arriving at Southdale…….
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/tyg.jpg [/img]
Can't say you'll lose if you never try.
Can't say you've won, if you happen to die.
---------------------------------
Gaudeamus igitur, iuvenes dum sumus.
Let us rejoice then, while we are young.
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To die is to sleep, only you forgot to turn on your alarm.
Posted by Eloise Rane on 07-22-2002 02:47 AM:
Returning to the wake of the battle proved as much a challenge as fighting their way out if it - not only had Sekirah's strength diminished significantly, but the aftermath was now becoming increasingly distinct, slowly dwarfing the action as the battle began to depreciate. They walked over what was once the fresh, virginal plains of Farai, now a silent depictor of the massacre of late, sodden with mixed blood and ichor, and littered with the remains of the decimation.
She followed her senses to a small, secluded clearing, out of harm's way, and discovered her mentor Alexandros, reclined, reposed, with eyes closed. His skin and clothing were heavily soiled, and five deep gashes across his forehead were visible. She was angry with herself for not having returned sooner.
Sekirah left to find Zander and Tiffarah, and Eloise stepped over to Alexandros and kneeled by his side, unsure of whether he was sleeping or not. She lightly swept some strands of matted hair off his face, and wiped the blood from his brow. He opened his eyes slowly then, and sat up.
"Sorry to wake you," She said softly. "Have you been resting long?"
"For far too long, and not long enough," Alexandros' voice was horace as he rose to a crouching position, crusted blood cracking and falling from his clothes. The wounds upon his brow had still not healed, and his blood flowed freely down his face. He attempted to rise more, and only succeeded in stumbling to his right, barely catching himself as he fell towards the ground. Returning to a crouch, he looked to his apprentice, Eloise, and examined her own wounds as he spoke, "How fares the battle? I could not have been out for long, for there is still precious little light in the sky,"
"It's dying down. It's too soon, I think though to know the outcome." She looked out across the plain then, and saw Sekirah arriving from a short distance with Zander and Tiffarah at his side. Both seemed to be in fair shape as they approached.
Alexandros extended a hand out to Eloise, and she assisted him to his feet, where they stood and watched their friends approach. Alex made a small sign of a meshai as they came within a short distance, and Zander mimicked the action. Alex was leaning heavily on Eloise, and becasue she was just a hair taller than he, it made for an interesting spectacle.
Zander strode forward, Tiffarah and Sekirah flanking him. He favored his right leg slightly and had several cuts and gashes, but was otherwise fine. Tiffarah was in similar condition. He was dissappointed to see that his friend hadn't fared so well. "Will you be alright?" Zander asked Alex, the concern apparrent on his face.
"This is my burden to bear, my friend. I will live or die by her will," He smiled at Zander, shaking his head a bit as if to clear his thoughts, "But I think I will survive. I have not yet served my greater purpose."
Before Zander could respond, Marcus landed gracefully beside him and folded his wings. The look on his face was grim and he looked toward Sekirah, then down at the ground. "I bring ill news," he began, not able to look Sekirah in the eye. "Ewen has been slain. Struck by a bolt of dark lightning. I found him not long ago."
Alexandros shook his head yet again, this time out of respect for the man he did not even know, "All that fall battling against these creatures will be treasured in the heavens. Fear not for your companion, for he is is good hands,"
'What about Amanda and Cedric? Are they alright? Have you seen them?" Sekirah asked, appeciating Alex's words, but more concerned about his friends.
"They fare relatively well, I saw them getting bandaged up when I flew over here," Marcus replied.
As grim as the day had been, Eloise was focused on the fact that it wasn't over yet. Alexandros had yet to do what he had come to do, but she rested assured knowing that their cause was righteous. She turned to Alexandros. "I think we should soon find somewhere to stay for the evening. Once away from here, I'm sure you and Zander have much to discuss."
Alexandros' eyes had a look of great determination in them as he looked towards Zander. He stood on his own, and power seemed to radiate from him like a tangible, yet invisible aura. Marcus grew noticibly uncomfortable, and even Eloise took a step away from him as he seemed to almost stare at zander as he considered his words. His eyes, grey with their dancing gold flecks, were eerily hypnotic to Zander. Finally Alex spoke, all hoarceness gone from his voice, "Revered Sir Zander Kohen, would you follow me into the hells, If I were to ask you to do so?"
"You know I would, friend," Zander said, not fully understanding what Alex meant. "What do you have in mind?"
Alexandros's aura of power faded, and he stumbled foreward, only to be caught by Zander. He looked up at his friend, who almost seemed to dwarf him now, in his wounded state, "There is some great evil within the dark tower that resides within the center of Laker Asheri. It is greater than any of those that we have faced this day, and it is my destiny to make battle upon it. However, it is not nessecary that you come with me, and if you do so, it must be of your own free will. My apprentice has already decided to accompany me, and I am grateful for her support," Alexandros looked over his shoulder to Eloise, who stood listening intently to her master, "But you, Zander, have many things that you might wish to consider before you dedicate yourself to our path."
Zander looked over to Tiffarah and back to Alex. What the man said was true; there was a great evil at the center of lake Asheri and he had sensed it for as long as he had the ability.
"This is something I will have to think on," Zander said finally. "One thing is for certain, whatever it is in that tower, we cannot allow it to continue sending it's shadow hoards into our cities."
Alexandros nodded towards Zander, who still supported the elder Knight, "Perhaps we might find someplace we might sit down and rest, and have a bite to eat. I must admit, I have not eaten since early this morning. We may discuss this further then. Make your contemplation, Zander, for I believe I will leave in the morning to the south, and make for Dargent before I head to the tower," Alexandros' voice was heavy as he spoke those words, for they made him think of Orocia. sadness welled up inside of his heart as he wished he only could know where she was, and how she fared.
"Yes, let's find a more suitable place to rest," Zander said and turned to Sekirah, supporting Alex with one arm. "What say you? Will you further accompany us?"
"If I can get in tough with Amanda and Cedric, perhaps," the Silver haired Lunari said. "I will go and find them and return to you."
"No," Marcus interrupted. "You are exhausted, rest with them and I will bring your friends to you."
Without waiting for Sekirah's response, Marcus leapt into the air and spread his great wings. Sekirah shook his head and looked back to Zander, "I guess I don't have much choice."
Within a short time, the group came to a tent that Sayomara and General Chinder had had set up for the Holy knights as a sort of chapel. Once inside, the group sat upon the small, but sturdy benches that made up the three rows before the small altar. Eloise reached out to take Alex from Zander, and as they sat upon one of the benches, Alex laid down, seemingly attempting to rest as much of his body as possible.
Zander bowed his head in a short and silent prayer for his friends and the many corageous men and women that fought valantly, before turning to his reclined companion. This was not the first time he had seen Alex so bloody and worn out, but it didn't make the sight any more bearable. He knew that Sekirah was too weak to do anything for him now, and even if he could, there was not enough mana left in the surrounding land to do any good. He realized he would have to surrender himself to just talking with the man.
"How do you plan to take on the black tower with so few?" He asked.
Alexandros turned to Eloise, looking up at his apprentice from the bench, "it is not the tower which we must confront. We must infiltrate the tower, yes, but it is not our objective to destroy all of it's denizens. That, my friend, is impossible. We seek only the greatest darkness within the structure, and She will guide us to it."
Eloise smiled at her mentor's courage, then excused herself from the serious discussion at hand to attempt to find noursishment for the drained and exhausted group. She bowed at a small altar at the forefront of the tent, and made her way out, as Marcus entered the tent with Amanda and Cedric. Both had somber faces for the loss of Ewen as they took seats next to the two Holy Knights and Sekirah.
"Take your time, my friend, to think this out. You have more to lose than Eloise or I do," Alexandros' gaze shifted from Zander to Tiffarah, to Marcus, and back unto Zander.
"Father," Zander began, looking up at Marcus. "What would you do?"
Looking like a fallen angel with a few cuts trickling blood down his face, Marcus shook his head. "This is not my decision to make. I will soon be an old man, and you have your whole life ahead of you. Think of Tiffarah," He said, taking the girl's shoulder in his hand. "You're newlyweds, would you make her already a widow?"
Zander looked to the altar, staring for quite some time, then finally he broke the silence. "No, Tiffarah, I would not make you a widow, but I also have a duty to you and to the Creator. I must protect you from whatever it is in that tower or risk losing you to one of it's minions in the future. And to Her, I have a duty to protect Aeterna from the shadow... Alexandros, I've made my choice. I'll join you."
Alex nodded slowly, shaking the gold flecks inside his eyes about as if they were flakes within a pair of grey snow globes, "Well then, it's decided. Three of us, against all of the darkness of the world. May She shine Her light upon us, for we shall need her fortune."
Tiffarah seemed to tense as she realized it would only be the three Holy Knights going. Marcus, his hand still on her shoulder, felt the change and spoke up.
"If it wouldn't trouble you too terribly much, I would like to come too. As I said before, I don't have nearly as much to lose as Zander."
"But Father..." Zander began and was cut off by Sekirah.
"I'll come too," the determination showing in Sekirah's eyes.
Zander knew it was pointless to argue with either of them, so he looked up to Cedric. "I have not known you long, but you are the only one I can trust to look after Tiffarah while I'm away. Would you accompany us to Dargeant where we will leave Amanda and Tiffarah in your protection?"
"It would be my pleasure," the priest piped up, but Amanda looked insulted.
"I cannot come along too?" She whined.
"No," Sekirah and Zander said in union and turned back to Alex as Eloise came back with some food. "Shall we rest here and leave in the morning then?"
Eloise yawned and leaned back against Alexandros's shoulder. "I think it's time we all got a good's night's rest. She lightly nudged Alexandros with her elbow. "Especially you."
Alexandros nodded in silent agreement, wrapping his cloak about him, cracking more blood from it's slowly revealing white form. Within moments, he was fast asleep upon the makeshift pew.
Zander retired to a corner with Marcus and Tiffarah, where they quietly discussed the important decisions ahead of them. It seemed that Sekirah, Cedric and Amanda did the same, as Cedric learned the news of Ewen's death.
Eloise leaned back and closed her eyes, the days events playing over in her mind, and thinking upon what tomorrow would bring.
OOC: Co-authored by Alex and Zander, actually, they wrote most of it
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Posted by Freija Lumis on 07-22-2002 02:53 AM:
restless thoughts
Freija remained planted on the ground, leaning on the beaten post protruding from the hard-packed earth beneath her feet. Closing her eyes she let her mind's eye wander again, but her own thoughts crept back to the unconcious man in the wind-beaten field outside of the encampment. She knew that around here were the vile creatures that wrought havoc on the nation.
I wonder if he's alright...?
Opening her dual colored eyes, Freija stared blankly at the khaky canvas in front of her. Her thoughts meandered to the pink fuzzy thing that seemed to be alive.
Hmm...I wonder what that thing is?
Restless, Freija removed herself from her place and walked towards the tent. Her hand wandered to the long forgotten relic that had probably saved her life several times. She pulled out the metal object and admired its dull sheen, the magical properties seemingly ebbed from it. Pocketing it once more Freija pulled away the flap to the healer's tent and looked at the man she saved. He stared in front of him with no expression in his clouded eyes. He had a glass of water in one hand and a beaten fork laden with food in the other.
Regit blinked and closed his eyes to revert to his vision, to see a emerald-haired girl standing in front of him, staring at him curiously. He smiled and gave a little wave, returning to his food, Mooscue squeaking from his shoulder.
"Your...your the man I took from the field out back. Are you OK?"
Regit lifted his blinded eyes to the woman speaking to him and nodded.
"I'm weak, but...I'll be OK. I'm Regit, by the way. I take it your Freija?"
Freija was stunned. She had never seen Regit before, and she didn't suspect he had ever seen her, yet he knew her name. He was friendly enough, but she had her doubts; she always had her doubts.
"Thats right. What...praytell...is that pink furry thing on your shoulder?" Asked Freija tentitively, pointed to it then retreating her finger, remembering his lack of sight.
"Oh! you mean Mooscue?"
"Uh...I..."
Regit smiled, his hand searchingly imploring the location of Mooscue, who nudged his cheek to give him directions.
Freija smiled sheepishly and noticed the girl with the odd hair of the most shocking purple hue. She looked up at Freija and blushed, ducking behind the table and pretended to fix up the bottles. Freija smiled kindly to the younger girl and averted her attention back to Regit, who munched on his food in silence.
"Well. I'll possibly check up on you later, Regit." Freija said rather awkwardly. Unsure of what to do next, she left the tent after hearing his farewell.
Regit finished his meal and felt his dishes being lifted from his hands, probably by the woman who tended to him earlier. Leaning back on the cot, he felt his cares slip away as he floated into sleep...
OOC: *yawn* OK, time for some sleep. I hope everything is OK. Freija saw your eyes without the blind fold because it was removed by the healer woman, by the way. And what, exactly, is Mooscue, anyway? Pink furball?
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Today is 1 out of 365. In a year, you won't remember what you did today so just smile and get on with life
Posted by Zephron on 07-22-2002 10:02 AM:
Stricken
Zephron continued his journey through the battlefield, he swung his blade round and connecting it with a shadowspawn. In anger, the creature drew a claw like appendage and knocked Zephron off Shadowfax. He landed hard. Before he knew what happened, he found the Shadowspawn looming over him...Thirsty for the sweet taste of human blood. Zephron gazed up at the hideous creature. Suddenly in his mind, something clicked. He reached over for his blade but he was knocked aside again.
Blood oozed out of a wound on his arm. With all his strength, he reached up and grabbed his blade. The shadowspawn, sensing that the blade would bring more pain, leaped onto Zephron. It's eyes widened as he felt something not a part of it push it's way deep into it's chest. He released a shrilled cry of pain and anger as it drew it's terminal breath.
'Begone!' Zephron shouted as the creature gave up and collapsed with the blade still inside it.
Zephron pulled himself to his feet and ripped off some clothing from his leg. He then tied it round his wound as a temporary bandage.
A Shadowspawn nearby, sensing its brethern's pain, ran at Zephron.
Zephron managed to turn round to see it coming but it wasn't quick enough. A claw hacked his stomach. Zephron lurched over, his eyes widened. He brought the blade down upon the shadowspawn and sliced it's head clean off. He then hacked at the claw which broke. Blood trickled from his mouth as his eyes began to grow pale. He blew his horn for assistance as he dropped to his knees.
He could feel blackness coming to his eyes and his body going cold. From his knees, he slumped down onto his back as he tried to breathe. More blood escaped from his mouth.
'I have failed Asheri...I have failed everyone..' He murmered as he tried to stay awake...
((OOC - Is this the end of Zephron??? - OOC))
[IMG]C:\My Documents\Ed's Stuff\Zephron.bmp[/IMG]
Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 07-22-2002 04:09 PM:
Salamander Armada watched the battle rage from the heavens. Neither side seemed to be winning. The Asherian armies seemed to be gaining ground, but the regenerative qualities and limitless hatchery quickly compensated for any deaths among the shadow's side.
"Gaxx... Is there nothing we can do?"
"We are not the creator, my friend. Even our... considerable powers are limited. Dolensirion has served his purpose, but stripping him of his power will not return it to you. Your contact with the princess and your manifestation on the mortal plane have left you weary."
"It's true... I wonder how long it will be before I can assist them."
"Salamander... I know you wish to help them, but perhaps... you should let them fight on their own. Do you believe that the Creator would hide her light from Asheri?"
"No, I do not. But are you suggesting ascension?"
"No, not really. I would not want you or I to lose our ability to follow the mortal world. Ignorance is not bliss. I just think that we should let the Creator do what she will."
Salamander sighed. It was true, the Creator had already decided the outcome of the battle. Even his power as an avatar wasn't limitless.
"Have faith, my friend. This battle will end favorably."
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Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Sayomara on 07-23-2002 07:38 PM:
to the front Lines
Sayomara, Ordered the Terra mages to fall back. With the earth being drained as it was, they could not do anything more anyways. As the Sayomara was giving the order to the mages the shadows lines were crumbling. The magi were driving the Spawn and Vexes into The Cappallan, the Sleebhfir, and the other tribes which in turn were mowing them down like an overgrow grass. The shadow spawn and Vexes which had numbered in the hundreds of thousands were down to only a few thousand and with no mana left in the earth the Dark Master could no longer create more. “All is going well for us if all goes feel we should have the city just after night fall.”
Sayomara need that if anything was going to work him and Bara need to be at the front line together to motivate them to fight in spite of there own pain and the deaths of there friends and tribesmen. When Sayomara showed up Bara was in the middle of giving orders and getting ready to go up to the front lines himself. When he seen Sayomara come he turned and addressed him, “I will ride to the front lines now. My place is there.”
Sayomara nodded. “You have a sorry looking bodyguard you will need more than that.”
Before Bara could respond, Ascher and Cainas two men that Sayomara had seen with Bara before came from the battle. Bara looked at the two. They were both covered in blood and dirt, but neither of them seemed hurt at all. Their horses had been tethered before the battle and they had come to respite and find Bara. “We ride to the frontline now.” The two simply mounted up.
Sayomara spoke up, “Bara, we need to finish this battle quickly we now have the upper hand since the land has been drained of all it mana so if we strike now we can wipe the shadow from Farai.” Then paused for a moment, “I will send Volsung and Veritas here (pointing to the brother and sister) to deliver some instructions to Nascent on what the Magi need to do so that we can end this battle quickly.” Sayomara quickly gave Volsung the message and while Volsung didn’t want to go he know that it was for the best. “We, need to be off at once and strike we have everything left. I have already sent the Oakrunners and the Free Knights to fight along side the other tribes all that is need now is us.” Sayomara jumped on a horse his Ice armor glinting in the late day sun. Then the four men rode off the front lines.
When the four came the front lines and prepared for battle. Sayomara drew his sword and prepared to fight. He knew that he couldn’t cast any more but his armor spell would protect him from anther hour or so. “Bara are you ready to finish this?”
“Yes, I am.” Then he let out a load Yell. “For Farai!” And he rushed into battle with into battle with Sayomara, Ascher and Cainas at this heals
OOC: I know this doesn’t advance the story much but you seem to have own thoughts on that Bara so I thought I would just let you do, as you will. Feel Free to end the battle just remember that Linerin will escape before we take the city.
Cue: Bara, Eric, and Linerin
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I have seen much in my day, but nothing as bad as this.
Posted by Regit Seye on 07-23-2002 09:44 PM:
Regit awoke slowly in the tent. He nearly panicked as he realized he couldn't see, then relaxed as he remembered Moosuce had to touch his skin for it to work. He petted the snoozing fuzzball and lifted it carefully onto the cot as he got up.
He nearly collapsed as he stood, but his staff kept him upright. The very faint residue of energy still permeating the shaft let him sense it, but he wouldn't be able to do anything useful with the power. He decided to wander about the camp until he found a way to make himself useful.
He slipped quietly out of the tent, leaving Mooscue and the shy nurse to their quiet snoring. He tried to cast his senses out alone, but couldn't manage the strain. Regit began to use his old methods of location: Sounds and touch. His staff randomly swinging out in small circles along his path during the steps, when he didn't need the shaft for support, he managed not to bodily collide with anyone else.
After a moment, he needed to sit. He sat down heavily and tried not to listen to the not-so-distant screams and howls of the battle. He tried to close his mind to the horrors the sounds brought back.
He failed.
I'm alone again... not even in a town... I can feel the grass and dirt. It must be night, because it's cold. I can hear things moving... feel their presence... they're not natural... something's... wrong...? I feel... a cold... being... like metal... but.. a core... it's... what is it...? Coming closer...? No! Go... away...! GO AWAY!
Regit shook his head violently to clear it, then laid back where he was on the ground. He could still feel the overwhelming force of the Dark Tide... he hoped this ended soon... he didn't think he could take much more...
There, on the ground, Regit fell asleep again... right smack in the middle of the camp.
__________________
The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Avatar Worldmaker on 07-23-2002 11:30 PM:
Rublicant, Linerin and Reika stood upon the walls of the city of Endroth, looking out towards the battle. The mana exhausted earth had nessicitated the closing of the portal that the spawn had been called through from the hatcheries several hours ago, and the force of Sha'van had been depleted severely since that point. Rublicant turned to Linerin, laughing a bit at how well their plans had worked out. Reika smiled a bit, toying with her hair as she did, her other hand fingering the blade of the katana at her side. Linerin looked to his two assistants momentairly, before raising a hand out towards the battle.
"These minions have served their purpose, let us leave this empty graveyard of a city to these barbarians," Linerin tirned to go, and Rublicant and reika flanked him as they decended the stairs that led from the walls of the city.
They made their way through the ruins of the city, wrecked as it was. Corpses lined the empty streets, and here and there, undead creatures could be seen chewing at the bones of the deceased. As they approached the Keep of the city, Linerin drew upon the dark powers, and the portal that had been created for their retreat opened where the doors of the keep had once been hinged. Linerin laughed as he considered the helplessness of any Terra Mages that might be about the area, his own dark power being drawn from the shadow itself.
The three of them walked through the portal, and into the main hall of the Black Tower, expecting to meet up with the other Veri there. Little did they know that a few of their comrades had fallen in the battle, and would rise again in the thousand and one days. Three great darknesses thus passed from Endroth, and left it to the fell Sha'vanel and unded that remained, to be claimed by the Farai barbarians, in an empty victory.
__________________
I Am Alpha and Omega.....
The Beginning and the End.....
The First and the Last...
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 07-25-2002 01:50 PM:
Chapter 2: The Fall of Southdale
OOC: This takes place BEFORE Dolensirion's destruction of the shadowspawn on Gran Adageros, so keep an open mind to my timeline and the fact that I'm now catching up.
Palin waited outside the town until mid-day before Tygan and the rest of the party arrived. Palin solemnly stood, greeting them with open arms. Tygan was the last to approach, his eyes still searching across the plains for a sign of something Palin was not sure of.
"Tygan! It's good to see you all made it here in one piece. Was your journey okay?" Palin asked. Riena shook her head.
"Not really. We ran into this large, black-armored.....thing. His name was Dargath and he attacked us." Palin raised an eyebrow. His eyes wandered over to Tygan, who stood behind the girls, his wounds healed over.
"I take it Tygan was able to fend him off?"
"Killed him actually. And it was wierd. The guy was almost human, but when he was defeated, the armor fell apart and there was no one inside." Palin nodded.
Interesting. Walking armors and visions of destruction........ is the world falling apart around me?
The party rested until dusk and Tygan explained the full of the story, his descriptions of Dargath and his hidden meanings sending a chill down Palin's spine. Something about the (construct?) man and his secrets he held about Tygan made him uneasy..... and already a dread suspicion was setting in.
What if Tygan is not what he appears to be? He says he knew this man before he even spoke...... but he's never met him before. Perhaps he has a hidden agenda..... no. NO! Tygan is my friend and I will not see that friendship laid to waste over stupid thoughts. I'll just have to have a little faith and trust him...... I hope he'll prove me right......
Screams interrupted his thoughts. Palin and Tygan jumped to their feet, staring down the mile to Southdale as shadowspawn infested it. Fires began burning as the townsfolk stirred from their slumber, trying to rally a defense against the attacks.
Oh.........no.........the visions were true..........
Palin grabbed the Sword of Earth, which he had given the name Balderk (as it's true name was lost) and leapt upon Helios. He kicked his heels into Helios' haunches and the horse responded immediately, taking off towards the town. Riena grabbed hold of him and leapt on the saddle as he rode past, holding him tight about the middle. Behind them, Tygan and Carla were un-hooking the cart horses, and using them to follow.
Palin arrived in the midst of the attack within minutes, and already bodies littered the pavement. Shadowspawn were all over the place, and wherever they tread, death and destruction followed. Palin leapt off Helios and drew Balderk, carving right into the shoulder of the nearest monster. Riena followed behind him, her rapier flickering like a candle flame in the combined moonlight.
Tygan arrived shortly after and literally leapt off the saddle into a group of shadowspawn, tackling them with his body. He rolled over the collapsing creatures and landed on his feet nearby, drawing Lun'delneth and E'vnshaldar. Carla continued by at full gallop, but was yanked off the saddle after her parasol opened. A shadowspawn leapt at the horse and almost tore it in half, nearly missing Carla's legs.
Palin fought expertly, parrying off attacks from the creatures and dismembering them with a fluid grace. Dark blood splattered around him as the creatures fell lifeless (if the word had any meaning for these creatures) to the ground. Something slammed into his back and Palin pinwheeled to the pavement, a swipe from a shadowspawn's claw missing a killing blow to his neck. Palin looked up and saw Carla lying at his feet, a child's jumprope twisted about her ankles.
"Thanks!" Palin said, then rolled sideways as the creatures claw smashed into the ground. Palin rolled to his feet and swung upward at a wide arc, using the momentum of his movement to cut the creature in half.
"This way, Ash! They're coming from the South!" Palin finished off the last shadowspawn near him, then turned towards the sound of the voice. Behind him, a rabble of townspeople, followed by Ash and Dierdre, were running north. Palin took a moment to read through his spellbook and found what he was looking for. The street behind them, sandwiched between two buildings, echoed with the approach of shadowspawn.
Palin gathered the mana around him, feeling it's cascading warmth building in his chest. Quite unsure of what to do next, Palin uttered the spell's words in his mind and focused on the street, allowing the mana to flow from his palms onto the space in between the two buildings. The cobblestone rumbled in response and arose, a wall twenty feet high emerging from the earth and blocking off the passage.
Ash and Dierdre looked behind them, then turned to look at Palin. Their eyes opened in surprise and they both gasped in surprise. Dierdre spoke first.
"Did you....? How'd you get here? Do you know what these things are? How....." Palin grabbed them and pulled, running towards the nearest exit from town.
"Time for explanations later. I've bought us about five minutes. We have to get these people out of here. Where are the rest?" Ash looked at him, his words breaking between heavy breaths.
"They... they've scattered to the..... four winds.... these decided to come our way..... the town's empty now....." Palin pushed them foward, encouraging them to keep running, then stopped himself. Behind him, Tygan finished off the rest of the dark creatures, and broke off to join the rest of the group, while Riena and Carla hurried past him, Carla tripping all the while.
They barely escaped the town when the shadowspawn broke through Palin's barrier and, seeing nothing more to kill, resumed to destroy the buildings. Palin stoppedwhen they reached their camp. The remaining townsfolk that had followed with Ash and Dierdre sat, waiting for some sign that something was going to happen, something possibly good.
I don't think they'll get their wish....... damn these beasts! When I find out who's controlling these things, they'll pay!
**********************************************
A large band of gypsies arrived over an hour later, and happened upon the encampment. Palin negotiated with them to take the survivors back to Gania or Xellos, so that they could be safe and warm. The gypsies agreed reluctantly and within the hour the remainder of Southdale's population was gone. Palin watched suspiciously as the last cart left his sight, and he was quite sure he saw the old gypsy woman that he'd met in the Evisis woods. She laughed at him and nodded in recognition, giving him a sign that she had seen it coming too.
Helios appeared with the cart horses a while later, cuts on his flanks. Palin fed them and shouldered their packs, getting the rest of the party ready to leave. His thoughts were jumbled and his mind raced with questions. One question stood out most of all.
If this vision proved to be true..... what does that mean in regards to Riena? Will the vision of her death prove true? No...... I won't let it happen.
The party turned and left, their two new companions, Ash and Dierdre, in tow and they headed back to Castle Rosenblade.
In the distance, Southdale burned.
*********************************************
Mouser rustled in his bed, the dreams of his imprisonment attacking his psyche. He awoke screaming and sweating, even in the cold night air. Mouser looked about and performed a double take at his surroundings. He did not remember a thing since his encounter in the inn with that rogue Palin Freeborn and he felt as if he'd been confined for weeks.
Mouser dressed and snuck out of his room, realization finally dawning on him.
Castle Rosenblade....... I've waited for a chance like this for so long...... but why would they just let me in? Something here is definately wierd...... perhaps I can go visit the King's chambers.....
Mouser waited at the front doors to the King's chambers, until one of the guards was looking the other way, then he rushed one and slit his throat, followed by a viscious backstab through the other guard's lung. The man choked out a small yelp, then went silent. Mouser wiped his blade clean and dragged the guards off into a darker corridor.
Inside the chambers, the King slept on a resplendant four-post bed, his snoring drowning out Mouser regular footsteps on the stone floor. Mouser got close enough to the King and drew his dagger, but stopped when he heard voices in the corridor.
More guards! Damn! I can't kill him now or they'll find me. Well...... here's a present, King Rosenblade........
Mouser poured a dark liquid from a small vial in his pouch down the King's gullet and the man's snoring became significantly less. His breathing became shallow and his skin went pale.
Just a little something to keep you there until I get back from talking to the leader of my guild, the Poisoned Dagger's guildmaster.....
Mouser laughed quietly and crept out the window, leaving a comatose King and his wife sleeping silently.
Cue: Tygan. If you would please take the honor of our trip back and the King's comatose state, I'd appreciate it. The length of this post has worn me out.
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Tyr Aulnay on 07-25-2002 04:06 PM:
She opened her eyes to the gray sky above her. She felt a slight pain on the side of he head. Without getting up she moved her head to look at her surroundings. To her top left there was Ryudo’s old sword and to her top right was her cutlass. Looking up at the sky again she notice that the tree she had stood upon was now above her. This could only mean that she had fallen and lost consciousness instead of escaping the battle. A medium sized branch had broken but instead of moving from it, she lies there and didn’t move at all.
****
She was back in Sugan standing at the fountain by the orphanage. This time however the strange man wasn’t there. She was at her normal age and looked around to see if anyone else was there. From the other side of the garden, walked a woman in total black. She looked like she was in her early twenties. She walked from the back of the fountain to its side. She then placed her hand in the water and held a small sample of water in his hang. She then changed it into an icicle and held it high above his head. Releasing it from her hand in floated from the top of her head to in front of him. With a wave of her hand she forced the icicle to fly in Tyr’s direction.
She didn’t need to think or blink or breath. She just let what was natural happen, and let the icicle fall to the ground.
****
By the time the illusion was over, the branch was a few feet away from her body. It was as if she transferred unknown knowledge to her brain and used it to practice nothing she had never tried before. The sound of the same branch snap is what brings her back to reality however, and she paid attention to the hideous feet not far away. To be not noticed as alive she closed her eyes and tried not to breath, only listening to thump of heavy feet near her. Its pace soon sped up and her eyes opened wide to she spawns body over her. It quickly prepared to grab her and her hands moved to the swords above her head. Holding them tightly she swung that at the spawns neck, cutting its head off. She quickly rose to stab the rest of the body to the tree, just in case it had more surprises than she wanted. As the rest of the creatures body fell. She rested her hand on the tree for support. She was on the verge of fainting.
Below her chin the golden compass hung over her breasts. A small fragment of golden light seemed to have come from the center. Tyr ignored this and slowly let her eyes close again. The light spread quickly to consume the entire piece, and it rose to from her chest to make the chain extend outward in to the air. It still was on her neck however and slightly pulled on her as if pointing her in some direction. It was pulling her southeast and though she could control where she stood, it slowly gained power and extra force. The opening plate with the unknown marking flew open but didn’t fall off. Her eyes stared at the spinning golden arrow inside. Suddenly the arrow stopped and pointed in the direction it pulled her in. Something deep inside made her take a mental note of which direction it pointed in. The new life of the compass soon faded and she stood staring at the wonderful discovery she had seen.
She had to know what exactly the compass came from and what the direction meant. Hoping for some answers she ran back, hoping she wouldn’t run into Ryudo along the way. She would need an explanation if she did, and right now she didn’t have one. Using both swords now to protect her she fought her way back, this time heading for a man she hoped would understand what all this could lead.
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Come friends who plough the sea, truce to navigation take another station, lets vary piracee with a lil birglary!
Posted by Volsung on 07-26-2002 07:39 PM:
Fire
Sayomara’s orders were fairly simple, Sayomara wanted the Dedicated to Link together as one big group and cast on big area effect spell of Sky, Fire, Water, and Earth. Reducing the spawn to almost nothing, the only thing they needed to be careful of was to try not to kill any of the Tribesmen. Nascent spoke his scratched his head, “It’s going to be tricky, and it might kill a few of the magi that haven’t rested since the beginning of the battle.”
Volsung wasn’t happy about it himself but he knew Sayomara wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t think it was necessary. “Nascent, I know this is the right thing to do, and you do too. But what kind of a leader would I be if I asked these men and women to put there lives on the line while I myself sit on the sideline myself because I’m afraid what my Ki Magic might do if I use it again.” Then Volsung handed Verplaca Back to Veritas.
When Volsung did, this Veritas cringed a little bit. “Volsung I don’t think you should do this.” Veritas said with a bit of fear and sisterly protection in her voice.
“That makes two of us, but I this isn’t the kind of this I can’t do otherwise my conscience will be dogging till the end of my days.” Then Veritas sheathed her sword, and Volsung turned so he could talk to both Nascent and Veritas. “Well let’s get this done with… Order everyone one to stop casting and explain what we are going to do then when everyone is in place I will give the order to start.” Nascent, Veritas nodded, and Three all when off there own way to spread the word.
The plan passed quickly from one group to anther as many breathed a sigh of relief as they were give a break only to hear that they still had one more job to do.
It took a few moments for all the magi to gather since many a broken off in the course of the battle to help Tribesmen. Those had been pined down or were greatly out numbered by the force of shadow. But when everyone finally joined hands Volsung ordered that they all start weaving a spell far more powerful than any one with the help of any object could hope to do on there own. Linking was one of the first things that the Magi were taught and now as the spell reached, it’s climax. Volsung found that he was very thankful that Nascent had helped him Bring such a skilled force to fight in this battle.
With that a massive Bolt of energy came down from the heavens striking in the heart of the remaining Shadow Spawn and Vexi kill almost all of then, leaving the Tribesmen a fairly simple clean up job. While on the other side many of the Magi including Volsung passed out or died when the bolt hit the ground.
Cue: Bara and Eric
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/vol.jpg[/img]
"Listen! I've traveled every road in this here land!"
Posted by Tygan deParte on 07-26-2002 10:31 PM:
The battle at Southdale---------
Palin rode down into the city, Tygan quickly cut the ropes to one of the horses tied to the cart and swung himself up into the saddle. He pulled Carla up onto the horse so that she was sitting behind him and then rode down to catch up to Palin. As they neared the town he saw that Palin was already fighting these creatures of darkness, he had heard much about these over the past weeks, how they had destroyed Sungan and were making war in Asheri. Though he hadn’t just heard about them, he had seen them before.
Putting his hands upon the horse’s shoulders, he pushed and brought his feet up onto its back then leapt off into a crowd of shadowspawn. He tackled one and rolled off, nimbly ending out on his feet. Drawing his weapons Tygan charged into the crowd of beasts and thrust his blades at multiple targets. Here and there he pierced into their flesh and removed their limbs. At first, oddly enough, they seemed to hold back from attacking him, as if he was someone they weren’t supposed to hurt, but when they accepted the fact that he was killing them the spawn decided to fight back.
Tygan ducked under a swing of ones claws, then rolled under its legs, coming to his feet behind it and stabbing both of his weapons into its back. It screeched in pain, but soon fell dead as he stabbed it again with both weapons. With his rapier his cut another across the throat, but was suddenly thrown to the ground as a claw cut across his back, causing him to spin and land on his back. Almost as if it were a reaction he raised his hands to the creature and unleashed a shadowy inferno, turning the beast into a charred corpse.
These powers come so natural, but I know not their limits or why I have them, I should refrain from using them for a while.
He got up and ran to catch up to the others, he found Palin and saw that two others were with him, as well Palin had blocked off the majority of the shadowspawn by creating a wall of stone, “Looks like we’re all starting to get a little magical around here.” Tygan grinned then jumped onto a spawn’s back, wrapping his arms around its neck and then quickly pulling them apart, cutting its throat with both weapons. It fell dead to the ground and he rolled off the front of it going right back into a run.
“Tygan come on, we’re getting out of here, there’s too many and we need to get the townsfolk to safety!” shouted Palin.
“Ok, I’ll hold them off while you all head to the camp!” Tygan turned to face the oncoming spawn and charged in, dodging, ducking, parrying, thrusting, and slashing. Reina and Carla ran past along with the rest of the townsfolk. As they got a reasonable distance away Tygan finished off one last spawn then made his own run for it.
******************************
When the Gypsies came through Tygan started a conversation with a few while Palin worked out plans to get the townsfolk passage along with the caravan.
“And so I leapt off my horse into a crowd of the beasts, tackling one of the spawn….” Tygan was telling his story about the battle, most of the gypsies looked at him as if he was full of it, but they listened nonetheless.
An older gypsy woman came along and ended Tygan’s tale, “That’s enough talking now, you’re wounded, let me take care of it.”
“Aww, but I was just getting to the good part!”
“I’m sure you were, next thing you’d probably say is that you were shooting flames and burning them to a crisp,” she shook her head in amusement at how the young get so caught up by such adventure stories.
“Well actually…..”
“I don’t even want to hear it,” she smiled then put a hand on Tygan’s back and began to softly chant some words, in a few seconds Tygan’s wound was gone.
“Wow thanks, didn’t think you’d have magic.”
“Yep, water dedicated.”
Tygan’s eyes lit up, “In that case……think you could remove the blood stain from my shirt?”
She laughed, “I can do more than that, I’ll even sew it back together for you.”
***********************
Not much later the gypsies left with the townsfolk that survived and the group of adventurers made their way back to Gania. The trip being fairly uneventful. Tygan however got a chance to learn more about Palin’s past from Dierdre and Ash, as well getting to learn about the two themselves.
**********************
They passed through the gates of Castle Rosenblade, while the rest stayed behind to get the horses to the stables and to make sure their equipment made it to their rooms, Tygan and Palin went ahead on course for the throne room. As they neared the door to the throne room a pair of guards lowered their polearms to block the way, “Sorry but the king is holding no audiences today.”
“We must talk to him!” said Palin in an impatient tone.
“I said he is seeing no one, come back another day.”
“This won’t wait for another day,” Palin pushed the polearms away and walked through the door, but to his surprise the throne room was empty, he turned back to the guards, “Where is the king?”
“That is none of your business. Now if you would please leave.”
At that moment one of the Ganian soldiers that had been to the temple passed by and noticed the two, “Tygan, Palin, have you heard the news?”
“No, what is going on? Where is the king?”
One of the guards to the throne room turned to the soldier, “Do you know these two?”
“Yes they are the two that dared the dangers of the Evisis temple, they are as well in good standing with the king and the elwain.”
“Oh….” The guards shut their mouths and looked away, embarrassed by how they had treated the two.
“So what has happened?” asked Tygan.
“Someone poisoned the king, he sleeps a dreamless sleep, just staring off into space.”
“Who did it?” demanded Palin.
“We don’t know yet, but if you two figure anything out let us know,” he started to walk off then stopped and turned to Palin, “Also your friend has gone missing.”
*******************
Tygan was unpacking his bags while Palin sat on a chair tapping his fingers in thought, “So the king is poisoned and Mouser is missing. I’ll bet money that Mouser poisoned him, but why would a simple street bum poison the king?”
Tygan began to pull the dark armor out of his bag, he had taken it along in hope to find some hint to his past.
“What’s all that?”
“It’s the armor that Dargath wore, I brought it along because I was hoping to find some clue to my past.”
Palin walked over to the bed and picked up the helmet, “This guy must have been a freak, I mean look at this thing,” Palin put the mask over his face, in a deep voice saying, “Tygan, I am Dargath, I have come for you!”
Tygan grabbed the helmet and took it away while Palin laughed at his own genius and humor, “I’m still trying to figure out what this means, any ideas?” Tygan held up the right vambracer, on the upper arm of it was a symbol of a dagger with liquid going down the blade.
“That’s it!”
“What’s it? You know what this means?”
“The Poisoned Dagger! I should have known!”
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[img] http://host27.hrwebservices.net/~runeaet/images/tyg.jpg [/img]
Can't say you'll lose if you never try.
Can't say you've won, if you happen to die.
---------------------------------
Gaudeamus igitur, iuvenes dum sumus.
Let us rejoice then, while we are young.
---------------------------------
To die is to sleep, only you forgot to turn on your alarm.
Posted by Bara Chinder on 07-26-2002 11:01 PM:
Entering Endroth
The battle was now all but over.
The regrouped nomad army simply cut down the last of the spawn. At the front of the group Bara and his group slashed and cut at the remenants of the Shadow horde. Ahead Ascher and Cainas could be seen springing around killing where they landed.
Soon Before dusk the battle finally burned out. Quick to think. Bara dispached Hunting parties to find any leftovers and the remainders he led into the city.
What Greeted the nomads was a sight of destruction unlike he had seen before. Filth and dead littered the streets. Where once there was buildings charred ruins remained. The main square led on to the market square. This was littered with decomposing waste and rubble. Some of the central Towers stood intact. But these had been used for roosts for the wingid Spawn.
On further lay the entrances to the great mines. However It was quite obvious what these had been used for. Bones and waste from the Spawn lay strewn around the mouths of the pits. Peices of their feotal eggs here human remains there.
The city was sorry to see. Sorrier too; was that little trace but the remains of the once proud and settled mining community of Endroth lay inside the city. There was little to be done but abandon the city to the four winds.
The emptiness of the victory Became more apparent when Bara left the city to return to the Battle field.
Having left some of the fresher men to form patrols around where the camps stood he and Conchuir rode across the Battle field.
"We lost many...I lost many. I wonder would they have made any diffrence without the geasa of those mages. The ground looks as dead as some of the men." Bara spoke at length.
Here and there he saw limbs protruding from under a spawns body. The corpse of a sleebhfir woman fist still clenched around a spear. Even the cleft body of a capallan half trapped under his fallen horse.
"You did well Bara. It is not over. We lost many. But we gained many powerful allies." replied Conchuir.
Bara was quick to reply.
"Did we really? I mean who are these people who turned up? Friends of Sayomaras? Who can say they will stay with us?"
Conchuir had no answer.
As the returned to the camp. Bara orderd that some sort of pyres be made and any bodies that could be recoverd be done so for burial. As he crossed the area where they had fought the balck generals, Baras Eyes came to rest on the body of Enda. Curled up extremly small. Eyes still open. A look of Agony frozen on his face.
OOC: Ok folks. Ruck over. Will post again before Bara leaves.
CUE: Sayomara, any one who was involved/getting ready to leave Bara is on his way to camp. Regit Seye-you want someone to pull you out of the dirt?
__________________
Were gonna break ya, its gone on for too long.
Gonna punish you for the things that youve done- Capdown
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 07-27-2002 02:17 PM:
Chapter 2: A King's Ransom
Mouser laughed at his own ingenuity. His situation had been most fortunate, giving him a good reason to be accepted back into the Poisoned Dagger's guild hall. With the King incapacitated, crime could run rampant throughout Gania, meaning more riches for the Dagger's thieves and opening a way for the guild's assassins to knock off a few enemies without repercussions.
Guildmaster Harlin was not pleased to see Mouser.
"Will someone tell me what the hell this little ingrate is doing in my hall?" Mouser began to speak, but a group of thieves over-powered him and gagged his mouth. Mouser non-chalantly accepted the gag and, when the thieves had let him go, he reached into his pocket and pulled forth a note. The guildmaster, curious as to Mouser's strange behavior, accepted the note and read it. His eyes widened in surprise as he finished and he looked up at Mouser.
"Is this true?" Mouser nodded. "Then I'll hear you out. If he starts to talk and you see me effected by his words, kill him." The collective guild thieves nodded in response, drawing their different implements of death.
Mouser untied the gag and told Harlin about the circumstances which had allowed him to get so close to the King. He finished with the King's comatose condition and Harlin laughed.
"Are you serious? This is great news! With the guards occupied and the city of Gania without a ruler, we can reign supreme! Boys, it's time to finally take arms against the Sightless Eye! Guild war, gentlemen!" The thieves roared in reply and Harlin turned to Mouser. "And you, my fiendish little friend, are cleared of any debts here. Also, I want you leading these men into battle."
"Yes, sir." And when I'm done destroying The Sightless Eye, I'll kill you and take your spot as head guildmaster. Then I can ransom the antidote for the King and be set for the rest of my life........
The Poisoned Dagger's members dressed for battle and took to the streets of Gania.
*********************************************
Palin grabbed Tygan and ran from the castle, leaving the girls behind. Tygan kept up fine, despite the fact that the two of them had stayed up all night getting back to Gania. With dawn's breaking and this new revelation, Palin was beginning to tire. Tygan finally spoke up after a few minutes, just as they were reaching Gania proper.
"Do you even know where the Poisoned Dagger's guild is?" Palin shook his head.
"No idea...... the guilds are very secretive in regards to each other, especially if they have as much rivalry as the two here in Gania. Spies, of course, are sent back and forth. The Daggers know where the Eye is, but the guild spies have failed to ever come back alive from Guildmaster Harlin. But I suspect, if Mouser has already reached Harlin, then Gania is going to be in a very big amount of trouble." He was right.
Along the street, thieves were rushing, screaming chants of war. Horns sounded and Palin saw a member of the Sightless Eye standing atop a building, relaying the scene to the Guildmaster below. The Sightless Eye's member's charged forth from their lair and met the thieves in an open square.
What came next was utter bloodshed.
Cue: No one. I'll finish the rest of the conflict when I get back from work. Until then, think Harrison Ford........
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Avatar Scriptkeeper on 07-27-2002 05:31 PM:
Edited by Scriptkeeper due to my own stupidity.
__________________
Dreams are funny things... We record people, places, events, but at night, our minds don't always play them back in the right order, or with the right roles...
There is no band. It is all a recording.
Posted by Orocia Agua on 07-27-2002 08:29 PM:
A Lesson.
OOC: ...woo... I post. Don't worry about time conflicts, I've got that covered with an ingenious solution.
The story so far... since I haven't posted in God knows how long: Orocia is getting chewed out! Someplace between Militus and Karakai and death and life by --the horror!-- The Dark Wood. Fave hangout of shadowspawn, especially after attacks... The beasties treat themselves to a drumstick and a wing (yummy!), and Orocia decides to step out and have an out of body experience... where she sees her little kid in the spirit/dream world and is playing off the fact that she's his mom, but helping him out sorta. Yeah. This is how smoking kills!!
Basically this post is filler but I wanted to post it so.. you don't have to read unless you're having a craving for symbolism.
IC:
"Orocia, if you know so much, then tell me what's so special about this locket."
Shock stabbed deeply into her throat and stole her breath for a moment.
But that's all she allowed it to do. She quickly regained her composure and immediately began to tell the boy about the locket, while thinking of an explanation as to why she knew so much.
"Alright." Orocia saw the image of Death look back at her on the locket, and turned it around to see the Fool. Perhaps a sign of the present future, she mused, but she continued, flipping the locket back to show Death. "Look at this image, Raven. What do you see?"
"It's scary.. There's a... well, a skeleton. He wears armour, and he rides atop a pale horse."
Orocia smiled reassuringly, "Yes.. 'I saw a pale horse and its rider's name was Death..'. But what else do you see?"
"--mn, ...I see a high priest kneeling before Death in prayer. There's a poor woman kneeling before him too, she looks like she's about to die, and a kid next to her.. and a King. He's underneath the horse and he's dead."
"Yes. It means everyone must kneel and fall before Death, and that Death gives no respect to one's position in the world. What else do you see?"
"The fields... they're fruitless."
" '..and Hades followed him, and they were given power to kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and by wild beasts of the earth.' But what else do you see?"
"...it looks like the sun.. gates, with a city behind it that I can't really see.. it looks better over there in that tiny spot."
"Yes. That's Heaven. That's where most people hope to go when they die. It's a good place." Orocia smiled, enjoying being able to teach her son the symbolism in the locket that would hopefully bring them together again.
"So what does it all mean?" Raven had a frightened, yet curious look on his face. "Am I gonna die?"
"Yes. But not right now!" Orocia chuckled,"the Death card hardly ever means actual physical Death. It means that something is ending, that you'll go through a transition, that you'll shed off old baggage or get back to the bare bones of things, and that you can't avoid such a strong force as Change and Fate, and especially not Death."
"...whoa." Raven had a blank expression on his face.
"Think of it this way. The leaves change colors in the fall, right? They die in winter. But they come back reborn in the spring. What your mother means by this card is that a part of her old self died because of your birth, and she in turn was reborn and able to start over again from scratch. And she couldn't avoid your birth, along with some other things.. But overall it's been for the better."
The blank look grew suspicious on little Raven's face. "...you knew my mother?"
Uh-oh. Here we go... What'd you think up, 'Rocia? She paused to take a look at two precious jewels, one bright and the other dark. A light mist settled upon them and they now looked like two faraway stars, twinkling their hope through distances unimaginable in a valiant effort to make wishes come true. I'm sorry I ever made you cry, little one.
"...........Yes." Thiiiink think think think think..
"You DID?! ....!!!" a long gasp escaped the boy's mouth, "OH MY GODDESS YOU'RE THAT GYPSY GIRL BELLA TOLD ME ABOUT!!!!" Raven clenched his fists tightly and trembled, his eyes wide in a mix of shock, hope, and happiness.
"Whoa, kid!" Orocia reached her hands out to steady the boy. She noticed the mist had welled into tears, verging on the edge. "..um.. Yeah. I'm the gypsy girl..."
He blinked the tears away and rubbed the rest off with a rough swipe of the arm. Despite his best efforts Orocia noticed a few tears quickly run away. He looked up at her, eyes asking for answers: "Why did she leave me?"
A sweet smile that hid the pain beneath looked down on him,"...the Fool can answer that." She flipped the locket over, "Tell me what you see here, Raven."
Raven looked down at the image, his curiosity serving his wish to know his mother, albeit the underpinnings of which were reflective as well. "It's some young guy.. and he's walking right over a cliff!"
Orocia laughed. "Yep. He's taking a blind leap of faith."
"Does this mean I'm supposed to be stupid?"
"No, no, no... The guy you see is just naive. But it's nice to be ignorant sometimes. You're innocent, you're optimistic, you have strong faith in the good, you're more willing to take chances, you don't hear the cynics or the pessimists calling you crazy 'cause you're free in your foolery. Nothing is holding you back."
Raven looked at the image intently. "But I'm afraid to take chances now.."
"But don't you have faith? Isn't there something you're hoping for?"
"Yeah... my Mom."
"Then take those chances," Orocia smiled gently down at Raven,"Look here again. He's got a gunnysack tied to a staff he's carrying over his shoulder. He's on a journey. There's even a dog barking at him to come back but the sun is shining and he's letting his seemingly crazy impulses drive him along. He's not worrried at all about that cliff. So find your faith again, boy, and you'll do just fine. That's what your mother hoped for you."
The little boy kept his eyes on the Fool. Orocia continued, "See the number at the top? It's zero. It's a weird number. It means you're empty-- the true beginning. A fresh start." She tousled the boy's hair and smiled. "Are you getting all this?"
"I guess so. But what about my name? Bella said it was some animal spirit guide thingamajigger.."
"Yes. The meaning behind your name goes along with the cards, but its from a different ideaology. Spirit guides help and protect you. As for the Raven, he's one of the more powerful guides. He is always observant. He can see the three fates of past, present, and future; he can merge light and darkness, he can see both the inner and outer reality at once, and he can be in two places at the same time." Orocia smiled,"One of the reasons your mother thought of the Raven was because of your eyes, but I'll get to that later." She continued,"Raven knows the unknowable and is the keeper of secrets. He is not someone to be figured out. But most importantly, when you see the Raven, he is an omen of change that is about to take place. He teaches that when things change you must let your personal integrity be your guide: walk your talk, speak your truth, and know what your life's mission is." A shade of melancholy seemed to creep upon Orocia's face. "When you see him, he's telling you to balance the past, present, and future in the now."
Raven looked on at Orocia silently, seeming to absorb everything he heard. Her voice seemed to drop to a more somber tone. "Now your eyes. One is black and the other is blank. Black is the color of introspection and the place within. You alone know your mother's secrets, even if you don't think you do. White is truth, wisdom, and strength. If you look towards the north, your black eye is west. West is the direction to your personal truth, inner answers, and goals. Your white eye is east, which shows the way to your greatest spiritual challenges but also illumination." Orocia paused to look at him, and began to chuckle,"..I don't think you're really getting all of this.. It meant so much to your mother. You meant so much to your mother.. you practically stopped time for her and made her look at her life. She wanted to start all over and be something, do something good and worthy..but who am I to figure out what goes on behind those eyes?" She reached out to caress his cheek, but shrinked back in horror.
Her left arm began to tear slowly at the elbow and bleed...
OOC: I'll try to post a follow-up soon to get it out of the way. My plan, it's ingenious, I tell you!
And Brownie Contest #2!!: There's quotes in here, in Orocia's dialogue, towards the beginning. Anyone recognize where they're from? You get brownies if ya do!
Posted by Cybele Ariadne on 07-27-2002 09:02 PM:
She sat in the tree, watching a group of drunk sing and dance poorly around a small fire. She had just about enough of these men and was ready to leave. Unfortunately she had to wait till they were fast asleep, and from there get back to the task of searching for clues. She had gone off track today and she paid for it by being a day behind. Of course there was no real time span, but she had given herself a couple of weeks before she would give up this case. She knew it was a little out of her league. From staying up this late at night however she soon began to grow very tired, and shut her eyes for a small nap.
****
When she awoke the group of men had already gone to sleep. Immediately she jumped from the tree to the ground. She stumbled and landed on her knees before grabbing her sword and cloak, leaned up against the tree. She quickly placed on her cloak and held her sword tight in her hand. In the case there would be more silly gullible men around, she would try to remember all that she could about her childhood training. She ran quickly from the very small camp and into the deep dark forest ahead. Realizing she had no way of seeing in the dark, she stopped and squinted her eyes to see anything up ahead. A small light was seen from a good away distance. It was clear and white and it seemed to have spread from that one point to throughout the forest. It suddenly came in her direction and blinded her. She fell to her knees trying not to look up again. When the light had stopped about a few minuets later, she stood to see a wonderful forest of light. The trees were glowing and it was as if it were day again. Magical flying birds of all colors sprayed their magic all over with their long tails. Any type of animal could be seen here, each having its own magical capability to survive. From this she knew she was getting close, and hoped she would find a good enough clue from this place to point her in the right direction.
It soon began to get kind of hot. She wiped small amounts of sweat from her forehead as she started through what was left of this forest of light. She took off her cloak and laid it on a rock. She looked around a spotted a small lake where animals were drinking. Hoping the water would be cooler than the air; she took off her dress and slowly walked up to it. The animals didn’t seem bothered by her presence and didn’t look up at her. She took a small bath in the lake and got out, only to find her dress missing. She ran by the rock before to find her cloak. Instead there were new clothes; gray pants a white long sleeve shirt and a gray bodice. It seemed ok to her since she has been wearing the same clothes for years. On the right shoulder of the bodice was the initials CAA in some kind or fancy writing. Knowing this had something to do with her, she tried to ignore it and started back on the very small path again. It seemed to be the only one leading to an even brighter light than before.
A strong warm wind pushed her back. She held her arms over her face. To guard against the small debris that flew against her. When she was close enough to the site to not see from the light, she stopped and got on her knees once again from the light. When it finally stopped she was amazed at what she saw.
A pillar?? A freaking pillar caused all of this??
She was disappointed in what she had found. Not only was this going to be hard, but nine times out of ten this would end up to be a dead case. From her kneeling position she sat down Indian style. She looked down at her feet, and then at the ground on her right. Noticing small letters embedded in the ground, she dusted off the small leaves and shreds of grass.
The reflection of white is..
From there the depths of earth crawls this color
Do not be gullible about your safety here
For about this place the end of the earth is near
Ok so… I need protection from now on.
“We’ll that’s what the money’s for. Wait a second… Where is the money!?”
__________________
"I want to know everything about everything!!"
Posted by Master Saotome on 07-27-2002 10:47 PM:
Looking Back..
OOC-'Rocia- Revelations Chapter Six, Verse Eight. Note that I'm using my old cheap plot device to cover the time I've missed.
IC:
Sitting in the office of Balanum's central factory, Master Arthur Saotome let out a small chuckle. It was provoked of his thoughts: What would I do if I gained the world? Why, I would make peace. Eternal peace. No war, no famine. Two continents united under a single man. Or rather, a single man and a single woman. The Legacy of King Arthur will be written in blood, and tell of eternal peace. Yes. That will do.
Master Saotome reached for his precious journal and flipped its pages open onto the desk. He flipped backward afew pages, to his first entry since taking the city.
_____________
Success is mine. Balanum has been taken. Mother's death will be avenged. However, there stands a problem. My target stnads on the other side of the continent. I do not trust my bordermates to grant me safe passage. To my right stands Farai. Being nomadic, they seem to present little military resistance. But doubtless they will resent occupation. I forsee my numbers being picked from my flanks and backside just for marching through their land. To my left hand stands the Nylian empire, whose standing army surpasses the population of my most prized of gems.
To that end I propose a solution; I will assemble an army. I do not mean enlisting my city's population to run at Miltus and be slaughtered, but to physically assemble an army from raw materials. A screeching, mechanical army that will serve my will and mine alone. There will be no uprising within my ranks nor complaints about conditions. They can travel faster than a human walking and move all night without a single break of camp. But I will need assistance from my city to this end. A number of them have been rounded up already.
Originally I had thought to assign one person to build an entire soldier by himself, but I have discovered through my own experience (building the prototypes and copies of them), that even a strong and virile man that knows what he is doing requires atlest twenty four hours time to assemble a single soldier. Upon further investigation, I have discovered that the most effective factories in my city employ a line of workers that each specialize in assembling a certain part of the product. This specialization can speed the progress to perhaps one hundred soldiers from a line of twenty in a working day.
There are still problems, however. Resources would be a major conflict. The bounty of Balanum's mountain range and mineral veins is not infinite. I'd have scrapped the plan entirely if it were not for Raven's father, the Senator, reminding me Gania had sold my nation a wealth of small, mineral-rich islands. I need only have them mined and transported here. Man power will be another thing. I should hate to resort to slavery of my people and turn their factories into sweat shops. So for now, I have restricted the rounding up to men from ages eighteen to thirt. They will be treated civilly, provided room and board for them and their families, and even given a certain "incentive." Strangely, I thought of such a reward when I recalled my removal of two men in my ranks that had so ruthlessly demolished a whore house. Emphasis here should be on the whore house. Those that go voluntarily and make little trouble will be given special consideration for conflicts, incentives, and promotions. Those that prove excellent mechanical aptitude (and what true Balanian doesn't?) will be given consideration for promotion into positions of greater power or those that utilize their skills, creating better and more complex mechanical armies. My ultimate goal is one that will surpass that of my last mechanical acheivement: a building-sized mechanical arachnid.
On to my-
_____________
"My King, you spend more time in your past conquests than you do in your present ones, " was what woke the Master from his journal. Normally he'd have been upset. Normally he'd have thrown something solid and blunt at the intruder. But when the Master looked up from his writings, he was rather pleased to see the shapely form of his Mistress in the doorway.
"Just looking back. Much like a soldier keeps a log of his and his army's progress to look back upon," the Master gave a dark smile, then, "And I will have you know Balanum's Mechanical Military is shaping up just fine. Come. Let me show you what the hands of a True Genius can mold."
__________________
Not a man to be lightly crossed.
There was never a genius without a tincture of insanity. -- Aristotle
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. -- Arthur C. Clarke
Posted by Orocia Agua on 07-27-2002 11:49 PM:
Dreams into Nightmares
OOC: Brownies for Ben!! *applause, "Price is Right" theme*
IC:
She quickly moved her arm away and covered it, turning a bit to hide it from Raven. She lifted her hand gingerly, turning the underside upwards to see.... nothing. What?
Am I going crazy?
"What's wrong?!" yelled Raven, worried.
Orocia turned back around slowly. "...Nothing. I guess it's just me.." She paused for a minute or so, feeling about her for anything odd, and felt the same grey mist that swirled about her and her son.
Raven hesistated. "But something is wrong, ....I kinda feel it."
Flashes of blood spurting from her wounds and staining gleaming rows of teeth flashed in Orocia's mind. "Look, for now, let's just focus on now." She tried her best to not think about it but it seemed to keep pushing back in. Another unsteady pause.
"Odd.." Orocia's face could not hide her anxiety. But she decided to focus again on her son, who looked back up at her with concern. She managed to concentrate on him and found herself smiling.
"But... Orocia? You never really told me why my mom left me."
She felt the urge to reach out and touch him, but what she saw just moments ago scared her from doing so. Her hand had stayed near her arm and she began to subconsciously put pressure on her elbow, as if what she saw was real. Her gaze dropped to the locket. "There's a letter in that locket."
"Yeah, you wrote it! Bella told me!" Another pause stood between them. "...will you read it to me?"
"No," Orocia looked at him dead on with an unwavering stare,"your mother wrote that. The only person meant to read that is you. I cannot read it for you." After a short silence,"..it's that special."
A bit of disappointment could be seen on the boy's face as he looked down at the locket. But he understood. "Okay.. but... if I never find my mom... will you be my Mom?"
Orocia was taken aback by this, but answered definitively, smiling,"Yes." Perhaps things will work out afterall, no matter what..
"uh-- ..." Orocia looked down at her elbow to find blood trickling down, oozing from between her fingers. But when she shifted her gaze to her leg..
"---Oh Goddess." Blood flowed from her hip on downward from wounds that appeared by slowly tearing themselves open. A pool had already formed around her leg and was quickly spreading.
"Orocia?! What's happening to you?!" Raven stood up but stayed frozen in fright, unsure of what to do. Suddenly an unseen force pushed Orocia's head down to the ground. Raven screamed in fright, but Orocia knew exactly what has happening. Once again, her neck was in such a position that if she even tried to struggle, it would break. She didn't feel like struggling this time, but Raven was seeing all of this. He shouldn't be seeing this, she thought.
Raven rushed over to Orocia. His hands moved around in the space surrounding Orocia but he felt nothing, in fact he even touched Orocia's hair and was about to try and move her head into a more normal position when he heard a loud snap.
He looked up to see a shower of blood stain the both of them, coming from a large piece of torn muscle that disappeared into the mist. No other sound after the snap was heard-- the silence was roaring.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
Raven heard a gurgling sound come from Orocia and looked down to see her eyes roll back into her sockets and blood oozing out of her mouth. A giant blue-black bruise began to swarm slowly across her neck and her lips gained a bluish tint. He tried moving an arm, but with all his might he couldn't. Some unseen force held her down with an untouchable weight. She began to convulse, and he started to cry in fear of everything he was seeing. Suddenly the arm he was holding was ripped off and out of his hands, making him scream out with all the fear in his body.
...He woke up.
His eyes were wide in the somewhat dark room, his breathing was deep and ragged, and he was hot and sweating. He kept himself pressed tightly to whatever was next to him, but feared it as well, until he clutched something tightly in his hand: it was soft.. Leo's shirt?
With courage he moved his head upwards and saw Leo sleeping, his eyes still bandaged. He took a deep sigh of relief but immediately started to cry quietly as he rested his head again on Leo's chest and hugged him tight.
OOC: Yep, there's more, on Orocia's side, of course. Leo, you're free to do whatever now. Like, wake up. ^_^ I'll try my best to post another follow-up soon. At least there's blood in it. That's always a motivating factor.
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 07-28-2002 07:15 PM:
Chapter 3: A King's Ransom
Palin leapt into the outskirts of the conflict, Balderk flickering in the light of the dawning sun. The blade's green glow illuminated his strikes, flashing bright white as he sliced open the belly of a Dagger and lopped off the hand of his companion. One of the men nearby turned to face him and smiled, even though he was under attack.
"Hey, everybody! Palin........." The man threw a dagger at his opponent, catching him in the throat. "....... Palin Freeborn is back!" The Eyes among the crowd cheered and fought back harder, apparently strengthened by his presence and the bright green blade he was wielding. Behind him, Palin could hear Tygan roar a battle cry and parry off a deathblow. The man's momentum carried him and his sword sideways, piercing the breast of another Dagger. Tygan turned and grinned at Palin, who grinned back in response.
"What says we start keeping count again, Palin?"
"You got it. Starting now!" They both turned and began to strike down the crowds of Daggers around them.
"Seven!"
"Eight!"
"Thirteen!"
"Forty-two!" Palin turned, his eyes wide with surprise. Tygan laughed. "Just kidding." Palin rolled his eyes and turned around, finding himself face-to-face with Mouser. The smaller man grimaced and swung his twin silver daggers at Palin's head. Palin swung under the attack and threw his full weight into Mouser, his shoulder driving up into the man's rib cage.
Mouser exhaled painfully and fell back, rolling backwards onto his hands and knees. Palin charged with his sword, but Mouser jumped up and ran, coughing, into the heart of the melee. Where he had been croughing, though, was a small vial of glowing blue liquid. Palin dove for it, but someone shuffled backwards and accidentally kicked it across the street.
"Tygan! Get the that blue vial!" Tygan turned and spotted the object, then dove for it. Someone stooped to pick it up and leapt over Tygan, landing behind him. It was Guildmaster Harlin.
"I told Mouser to be more careful with his possessions.....you two could have ruined a good thing....." One of his own men bumped into Harlin and the vial flew out of his hand. Above the crowd, the vial spun. Time slowed to a snail's pace. Palin grabbed the nearest Eye and made him cup his hands. Palin seated his foot in the man's grasp and leapt, the Eye's force behind it. Palin flew over the heads of the rabble and caught the vial, landing hard on his shoulder as he came down.
Palin stood and immediately brought up his sword to guard. Harlin swung at his head and missed by an inch, his sword clanging hard onto Balderk. Palin parried off the blow and returned the attack, slicing open a patch of skin on Harlin's shoulder. The man roared in fury and attacked again.
"Die, you righteous bastard!" Palin side-stepped the blow and pulled another thief into him. Harlin exhaled sharply as the larger rogue landed on top of him. The man rolled off and Harlin stood again.
"DIIIIEEEE!!!!!" Harlin charged. Palin brought up Balderk at the last second and Harlin choked. The sword had driven all the way through the man's back, the hilt cradling his belly.
"I'm sorry, Harlin........" Harlin's eyes rolled back and he slumped, throwing his hand up. The vial flew from Palin's grasp.
Mouser caught it.
"Ha! Take that, you rotten bastard!" His cry of victory was shortened. Tygan swung and Mouser doubled over, his screams loud enough to be heard over the crowd. The vial flew through the air yet again, Mouser's hand following right behind it.
No one was going to catch it this time.
Palin ran full tilt after the galss object and dove, but he came up short. The glass vial flew beyond his reach and landed.
Palin's eyes closed in anticipation of the breaking glass.
But no sound came but the dying of men around them. Palin opened his eyes and laughed hysterically.
"What the hell.....?" Palin continued laughing.
"What? You were expecting your blonde-haired pig friend? You think we would want to stay in the dank, shit castle? Of course not, you idiot! We wanted to watch you make fools of yourselves, stupid daikini!" The brownies stood ahead of him, the vial in their arms. Tygan ran into the area and screwed up his face in confusion.
"What the hell.....?" Tygan said.
"My sentiments exactly." Palin cut him off. He reached for the brownies and placed them in his pouch, where they complained loud enough to be heard above the rabble. Within moments, the Daggers had fled the scene and the Sightless Eye thieves stood triumphant, proclaiming their victory for all to hear.
Palin charged back into the castle, the vial with the antidote in his hand. He entered the King's chambers and fed the bright blue liquid to the comatose man. For moments, nothing happened.
Then the King stirred and woke, to the delight of all.
"That was the best damn sleep I've had in ages!" King Rosenblade looked around at the various people standing in his room. His face tightened up in confused suspicion.
"Did something happen while I was out?" Everyone grinned, and Palin slowly began the story.
**********************************************
The Daggers arrived back at their guild not long after abandoning the battle. They were weak, injured and quite annoyed with their defeat. Mouser entered minutes later, his hand wrapped up in spare clothing. The thieves looked at him and hefted their swords, but Mouser held up his remaining hand to halt them.
"Now boys....... violence isn't necessary...... besides, you wouldn't attack your new guildmaster, would you?"
The thieves' eyes glazed over as they fell under the magical influence of the Silver Tongue, Mouser.
And when I find that Palin Freeborn and his bastard friend who took my hand, vengence will be mine............
Cue: Tygan! It's off to Asheri we go! Time that the King sent us to go investigate reports of the Black Tower...... and time to meet up with Jack and Carlanus at Linerin's front doorstep...
And so begins Chapter 4: Atlas' Progeny.
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Freija Lumis on 07-28-2002 11:25 PM:
Freija had been walking down the road between the rows of tents when she witnessed the brilliant flash of light and the clap of thunder that seemed to create an earthquake. Shaken by this Freija, along with many of the other bystanders, rushed to a placed to see. A long row of mages assaulted the shadowspawn with the sudden burst of energy. Freija was horrified to see the majority of them fall to the ground, dead or passed out. Only a few were left standing, but they stumbled around and leaned on their staves or anything tall enough to support them.
Trotting out into the carnage that lay out in the fields, she was both amazed and disgusted at what the mages had accomplished. The horde of spawn were flattened in a matter of seconds.
"Oh my Go-"Muttered Freija, her sentance drowned out in the battlecries of the clans who rushed to finish off all the spawn that remained. It was a simple job and was finished quickly.
During that split second, Freija could feel herself being lifted up by the shoulders and being set back several feet. Turning rapidly she was face-to-chest with a huge man, dressed in furs and leather. Looking up he smiled behind his beard and tipped his fur cap, heading out into the battlefield.
Furrowing her brow Freija hesitated, turning around to return to the nearly empty streets. Many of the weary people were too numbed to cheer at their accomplishment. The battle was over. Or was it?
OOC: Just filler.
__________________
Today is 1 out of 365. In a year, you won't remember what you did today so just smile and get on with life
Posted by Regit Seye on 07-29-2002 09:54 PM:
((OOC- Hehe... dang. I just thought of a disability to the whole, 'sense magic' thing with Regit... 
-OOC))
The INSTANT before the mages let loose the war-ending spell, Regit awoke with two words on his lips.
"Oh, He-"
The second word didn't get quite out before the spell released. Regit's mind, body and soul were wracked by the pure and simple magical NOISE the cataclysm of pure energy produced. His brain felt as if on fire, his neural pathways froze, and, in short, he had a temporary magical seizure. The Earth Rune on his hand blazed up, the skin around it actually blackening with the force of the resonance. The sheer physical torture overloaded whatever self-control may have prevented him from screaming. He let loose a screech fit to kill any of the Shadowspawn remaining... well, if they'd shoved their ears REALLY close to his mouth, anyway.
Regit's body convulsed into a fetal position, his right hand held up and away from his body, spitting sparks of light into the air. Mooscue, on the other hand, slept peacefully.
((OOC-
...
Heh.
-OOC))
__________________
The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Jack Gildern on 07-31-2002 11:58 PM:
The Big Push......
Jack awoke to the cold, bitter mornings that often haunted Carlanus Silverfinger's cavernous abode. He'd gotten a little used to them and even begun to form a strong preference for the Balanian mountain air, but Jack knew that the next few days would be critical.
Carlanus was awake in his study, as he was every morning at the coming dawn. He greeted Jack with open arms, a cheerful good morning, and a very strong cup of coffee with a liberal dose of Balanian rum.
"Good morning, Jack! Are you prepared for today's journey? I expect we've fallen a little behind Sayomara's deadline, but you can't force perfection, eh my boy?" Jack grinned as well he could, but the smile turned into a frown as a wave of fatigue swept over him once again.
"No. I'm going back to sleep....." Jack turned to leave the room. Carlanus laughed and lightly touched Jack on the shoulder, guiding him to face into the study once again.
"Nope. I'm afraid the time for sleep has ended. We have to move the machine today....... and I think I have just the thing to do it...." Jack raised an eyebrow. Carlanus smiled.
"Follow me."
*********************************************
After Jack had consumed the entire pot of coffee and donned his work clothes, he joined Carlanus outside.
"Carl, this better be damn good. I appreciate you letting me stay here, but this whole earthquake scheme was only fun as long as I was building something........ I didn't know I was going to have to..." Carlanus opened his work shed.
"move.... the.....damn.......thing....." Jack finished, his jaw dropping and the cigar falling to smolder in the snow underfoot.
In front of him sat one of the largest engines he'd ever seen. It was a modified version of his own steam engine for the Aircraft. Jack was at first bewildered, surprised, and ecstatic. Then he was pissed.
"What the hell did you do to it!?" Carlanus held up his hands, a gesture of pacifism. Jack continued to look over the engine, and Carlanus finally spoke when Jack began t investigate the inner workings.
"It's a modified version of your own plane engine....." Jack looked up.
"It's an Aircraft, dammit........" Carlanus shrugged.
"Aircraft engine, then. It utilizes the same firepowder you used before, except this time I've added the possible fuel of some of the minerals I've found within these mountains. With a lot of coal, you can go farther and faster than you did with the water engines. Since I didn't want to take off all the tanks, though, the water tanks are used to keep the engine from overheating." Jack was peering into the coal chamber, his eyes narrowing.
"Sounds feasible. But does it work?" Carlanus shrugged.
"That's what testing is for, my boy!" Within the hour, Carlanus and Jack had loaded the engine into the Aircraft's frame. And, with a few adjustments and the pre-flight checks, Jack turned the engine over. The thing started right away, but Jack slammed his fists on the dashboard out of habit anyway. Virgil joined them outside moments later and watched as Jack took off faster than he'd ever done with his steam engine.
Jack landed after a brief flight and stepped off the contraption, walking towards Carlanus.
"Okay, what's next?"
***********************************************
It took them another two hours to load the machine, using Carlanus' Moving Tank, an incredibly strong yet tiny device that was able to pull the Earthquake machine over some metal bars onto a moving platform. Jack then flew his Aircraft over the platform low and caught on to the metal hook with a strong trailer device on the belly of the Aircraft, causing the moving platform to catch up to the speed of the machine. Within the confines of a minute and a couple hundred feet of flat land, the Earthquake Machine left the platform and Jack flew, his destination the Black Tower that sat in the middle of Lake Asheri.
Carlanus watched as the machine left, it's load in tow, before he gathered his supplies, closed the moving platform (compacting it to the size of a cart wagon), and hooked the Moving Tank onto it, leaving Virgil and himself free to ride the contraption at top land speed (which was surprisingly fast) to Lake Asheri's shore.
**********************************************
Jack arrived at the Lake edge by the end of the day, the majority of his time taken up by navigating through heavy clouds and watching the end of a war play out far off in the distance. It appeared that a force of a rather odd looking black.....line.... was attacking what appeared to be a rabble of humans, but what the black line was, Jack could not account for. Fortunately, Carlanus' improvements to his engine and his curioustiy about the battle kept him airborne all day long, giving Sayomara and Virgil time to catch up with the Moving tank.
Jack watched as Carlanus coordinated the unpacking of the moving platform. Apparently, he intended to use the tank to move the platform parallel to Jack's flight, so that the Earthquake machine would be able to land softly.
It took them over an hour and two failed fly-bys to get it right. Carlanus finally kept the speed of the Moving tank constant enough to allow Jack to lay down the machine. Jack pressed a button and the full weight of the machine pulled free of the Aircraft and sat on the platform. Jack landed shortly after, just beyond the tree line, and Carlanus lead them and the machine back to the lake's shore, where they hid it from casual observation and prepared to destroy the giant obsidian pillar that was the Black Tower.
Cue: Sayomara. Jack still needs time to finish the final preparations, while I still need to get Palin there. I assume, from what I heard, that a team of adventurers are going to penetrate inside the Black Tower beforehand and attempt to kill Linerin before they topple the tower......if that is the case, please, someone and/or everyone involved, msg or send PMs to Palin. I finally worked on this post! Woo hoo!
__________________
"If it's mechanical, it's my field of expertise. And if it flies, you're looking at the best damn pilot you'll ever see."
Posted by Michael Sheredor on 08-01-2002 03:03 AM:
"Staying long, Mic'?" a large grinning priest asked Michael from just outside the doors of the small chapel.
"Naw, I'm hoping to head on to Fayre soon," he replied. "I may just try out that way gate they've got up there now." He strummed on his guitar and tinkered with the strings, trying to get the quality of sound just right. Tuning his guitar had always been one of his favorite times.
The priest laughed. "You're never in one place for long, are you? It's been over a year since you last sat on these stepps here in Nevyel. Don't let it be so long this time."
Mic' just nodded and closed his eyes smiling as his guitar emitted the chord he wanted. His dark hair moved back and forth, the locks brushing gently against his cheeks.
"Sure you have enough to pay your way through to Gania?" The priest asked, motioning toward the coins laying at Mic's feet. Earlier that day, the man had a small crowd standing, listening to his worship songs and throwing him money.
Michael stopped playing a moment to look down and count the mels laying about in the steps below him, then nodded again. "Should be."
"Well then, have a safe journey and may the Creator bless your path." Mic' smiled at the young priest's words and continued to strum on his guitar, beginning to hum along with it.
__________________
Music can heal the hardest of hearts. Creator, bless my strings that I may compose so beautiful a rhyme.
Posted by Merelania Hitoshinen on 08-01-2002 02:18 PM:
Merelania stood in the doorway of the inn, watching the two boys talk. She wondered what they were saying then suddenly felt as if she were Sen, when Kane and herself went upstairs. It saddened her, to think she had left him alone like that. But she tried to ignore the thought and stepped back inside, walking to her room. She thought leaving them alone would be a good idea. They needed to say their goodbyes privately. She fell onto her bed and sprawled out, thinking about what Sen had said and why he was leaving.
**********
"Sen...why?" she whispered out the sill of the window to the shivering wind as it blew across her cheeks, lightly coloring them. The darkened sky barely had any light, if not for the beautiful moon that glazed it's light across the horizon. A single tear was seen by the watching moon, sliding down her cheek as she thought of the boy, walking alone down a road. But suddenly she thought of him succeeding in his path to becoming a mage, and figured he would be okay by himself. A sigh escaped from her mouth as she then thought of Kane, who had been gone for quite some time now.
"Where could he be?" she thought nervously.
Then there was a scratch at her door. She walked towards the door cautiously. She opened the door slowly but smiled as she saw Fang, sitting silently beside the door with an envelope in his mouth.
"Is this for me, Fang?" she said as she lowered her hand to pat his head. He tossed the envelope into the air obediently and watched as she caught it swiftly. She looked at it curiously and opened it, wondering what it might hold and from whom.
She read it aloud to herself.
"Dear Merelania,
It seems that the time has come for me to leave you as a companion. I am no good at this feeling called love... I am truly sorry, but I feel this is the best for me to do, and that it will in turn be good for you too.
Sincerely, Kane Tallon
P.S. I have left Fang with you, to at least keep you decently protected."
"Decently protected....?!?!?!" she shouted as she threw the note to the ground.
"This has got to be a dream...all of this...all planned...a dream...not real...Why is everyone leaving me again...?!"
She threw herself against her door, then slid her slender back down it's wooden surface, pulling her knees to her chest, and cried out loud. Tears streamed down her face as the emotions that she had held so deep inside for him vanished through her tears. Suddenly, Fang crawled up beside her and nudged her gently with his nose, whimpering softly. It seems he was very sad that Kane had left him too. She smiled softly, feeling as if she were not alone in misery and embraced the wolf lightly. The wolf made no sound, but sat obediently beside her, allowing himself to be hugged.
**********
The innkeeper stood silently, nodding his head to the young lady who stood before him, her pack over her shoulder, and her companion by her side.
"Goodbye, kind sir. I wish you good luck in the future." the girl before him spoke softly and bowed to him, before prancing out the door with the wolf at her heels.
She ran out into the fresh air and into the lurking crowds of people. People stared and gawked at the girl, for she now had a wolf beside her, and some even ran away with fright. She wondered why someone would be so scared of Fang, he was a nice wolf as long as he was not provoked.
"It's as if they never saw a wolf before, huh Fang?" she kneeled to the ground before him and smiled, scratching underneath his chin, much to the wolf's liking.
**********
Merelania wandered around for most of the afternoon, picking up some new clothes, a brand new dark indigo cloak, and some food for the trip off of Noit. She also grabbed some maps, one of Noit, another of Gran Adageros, which was where she had decided to head back to. She hadn't searched the whole continent yet for any evidence of her father and was willing to challenge anything in her path, if it meant finding some information about him.
And she was willing to risk it all...with her new companion, Fang.
OOC: Hey! So I got Fang now! Yippee! You'll be seeing a lot of these two wandering around, so stay tuned! *Sounds sorta like a tv show, huh?*
__________________
~When we do things out of great love, rather than great expectation, more comes back to us than we could have ever imagined.~
~The desire to know is not necessarily wrong but remember that if you're not careful one mistake and you'll create monsters worse than imaginable.~
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 08-02-2002 03:45 PM:
Chapter 4: Atlas' Progeny
Palin tossed himself in bed and relished the feeling of comfort, true comfort, something that he had not felt in over a week and a half, when this whole Balderk and shadowspawn thing began.
Finally..... a good opportunity to rest. It feel like I've got the weight of the whole world on my shoulders and I can't seem to shake it....... well, at least I can rest for a while and then get back to my normal life......and maybe even propose to Riena....
Palin smiled at the thought. He truly loved Riena, and the thought of spending the rest of his life with her was a incredibly dizzying prospect. Perhaps he could do it after.....his....coming.....birthday...
Palin fell into a dreamless sleep before he could finish the thought.
**********************************************
Palin awoke late after the sun had risen and stretched lazily. His muscles ached, but he had just had the most satisfying night of sleep that he'd ever experienced. Palin dressed in some newly cleaned clothes and stepped outside his room, where Riena was waiting for him.
"Late sleeper...... Early bird catches the worm, you know." She hugged him close. Palin could smell a sweet scent coming from her, indicating that she too had appreciated the brief respite that last night had given them. Palin smiled and kissed her.
"I'm so lucky that you found me and we got to dance on that ship..."
"If you consider lucky getting to dance with me, then getting chased around by my old boyfriend and his minions in a swordfight, then yeah, you're lucky." She kissed him quickly and turned, walking towards the dining hall in the most sultry manner possible. Palin followed, his thoughts of marriage strengthening......
**********************************************
They arrived at the dining hall, where a splendid feast awaited them. At the head of the table, King Eremon Rosenblade sat, already enjoying his morning feast. On either side of him sat Tygan and Carla, among a few other Castle inhabitants, while the queen sat on her grandiose chair on the far end of the table.
Palin pulled up a seat next to Riena, who promptly squeezed his thigh under the table and made him jump. They ate slowly, the conversations of recent happenings taking place the entire while. King Eremon was quite pleased with the guild war, as it was, due to it's effectiveness in ridding the city of most of the thieves. Tygan's eyes darted over to Palin quickly, who nonchalantly pulled his left hand from view, hiding the tattooed eye under the table.
Queen Tiamat agreed, although she was quite displeased by having to look out her window this morning and seeing the bodies of fallen thieves littering one of the city squares. Tygan remarked, though, that whatecer was left of the guilds ran back to their hideaways and had not been seen since. If it weren't for the brownies.......
Queen Tiamat burst into a rant about hating brownies after that and little more was said about Southdale's fate or the guild war. King Eremon, however, did wait until the end of breakfast to speak with Tygan and Palin about something that was concerning him.
" Gentlemen....." Palin scoffed, but managed to cover it with a timely coughing fit. Tygan fought down a smile, while King Eremon continued. "Some very disturbing news has reached me and I was wondering if you two would be kind enough to investigate it for me." Palin raised an eyebrow.
"What kind of news?" He replied.
"Well, it seems that there is a large battle on Asheri in a place called Endroth....... and it seems that the battle is against the very same creatures you encountered in Southdale. Now, my messenger tells me that the attacks have come from what seems to be a large, black tower in the middle of Lake Asheri, at the center of the continent itself." The King stopped, rubbing his hands together.
"Go on, your Highness." Tygan said, finishing his water.
"Well, I was wondering if you two, since your latest excursions have proved very useful to me, would travel through the portal to Fayre and investigate these claims regarding Endroth and the Black Tower." Palin thought about it for a moment.
" I don't have a lot of money to be going through the portal. How are we supposed to get there and back?" King Eremon pulled a rolled up parchment out of his robes and held it out for Palin to view. Palin read it. It was a Declaration of free passage through the waygate for Palin Freeborn, Tygan deParte, Riena Alatea, and Carla Blanche. Palin looked up once again, placing the parchment into his satchel.
"Alright. One more question. What do we do when we get to this 'Black Tower'? Are we supposed to go inside?"
"That's the general idea. If you need any further assistance, just send to me and I'll try to accomodate you." Palin looked at King Eremon, then at Tygan. Tygan stared right back.
By the end of lunchtime the small adventuring party was once again packed and ready to leave.
Cue: I don't know what's going on with you Tygan, but I was going to split my next post into two smaller ones........one here in GA and one in Asheri. What say you?
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 08-02-2002 07:10 PM:
Chapter 4: Atlas' Progeny
OOC: Go straight to Asheri thread after this post and read the supplement.
Palin shouldered his pack again, re-adjusting it to fit more comfortably on his shoulder. He'd had a pretty peaceful night, in terms of finally getting some rest, but this sudden new request from the King had left him a bit jumbled. Tygan walked up next to him and spoke, both of them watching as Riena was helping Carla pick out some new clothes that were more fit for adventuring than her dresses.
"I've been wondering this for a while, Palin. You have no official ties to the King, you're not one of his subservients, and you don't take your orders from him. You're a member of a thieves guild and an adventurer, yet you do what he asks of you? Why is that? And don't give me that 'because it's what any man with a heart of gold would do' excuse." Tygan's voice finished mimicking his own and Palin stared back, unsure himself why he was doing it.
"I'm not sure, Tygan. I think it's because he's helping me get to where I need to fight these creatures. I mean, they destroyed Sungan, my birthplace......... they tore down Southdale, my home for most of my life, and now they threaten to drown out our existence on this planet for seemingly no reason at all. They're like marionettes, albeit with really sharp claws and nasty, pointy teeth, but puppets nonetheless. I guess the reason I keep following the King is because I hope that somehow, through him, I can learn who's doing this and what the hell is going on." Tygan nodded in approval, his satisfaction met by the answer.
Riena and Carla returned from merchant's display, a few new, more durable clothes in Carla's hands. Tygan wrapped his arm around her and looked through the selection as they walked towards the gate, proclaiming his his liking for the different garments.
********************************************
It took a while, but Palin and company reached the foreman of the waygate, who waved them away and supervised the entrance of some shipyard lumber to Fayre. Palin tapped the man on the shoulder again, but he waved them away, threatening to call the guards. Palin pulled out the parchment and showed them the King's proclaimation to the foreman, who promptly tore the hat of his head and bit it in his nervousness.
"I'm........ I'm so sorry! Please, go through! And don't tell the King I told you to screw off......" Palin raised an eyebrow at the last comment.
"You told me......?" But Riena interrupted him and pushed him up to the gate. Tygan and Carla lined up abreast of them and Tygan tested the gate, passing his hand through it.
"Woah.......it feels like wind....... It looks like water and looks like you can touch it, but all it feels like is a warm breeze across your fingers...... I say we jump as a group..... on the count of three."
They all nodded in agreement, clasped hands and closed their eyes.
"One."
"Two."
"THREE!"
They jumped in........
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 08-03-2002 12:12 PM:
Chapter 4: Atlas' Progeny
.......and they stepped out gently onto Asherian soil, the hustle and bustle of Fayre around them.
Palin shook his head and blinked several times before he realized what had happen. They had been transported several thousand miles in less than a second and the feeling was a bit disorienting. The foreman of the Fayre gate pulled them along and off to the side, saving them from being trampled by the lumber shipment that had come through from Gania. Tygan shook his head like a wet dog, grinned and slapped Palin on the back.
"Hey! That was fun! And quite a rush!" Riena's eyes were closed and she was massaging her temples.
"I don't remember a thing." She said, and Carla echoed her sentiment.
"Neither do I. Sorry, bud. Looks like you got to have all the fun this time." Tygan worked his jaw, but said nothing and looked away, his eyes betraying his bewilderment.
The group moved onward to secure a place to sleep for the night and get some more information about the Black Tower in a local tavern. They split apart to cover the place, and Carla asked an old woman about the tower.
"Excuse me, ma'am?" She curtsied. The woman smiled.
"Yes, dearie?"
"Do you know where we can find the Black Tower and the city of Endroth.....?" The old woman's eyes opened in recognition and she shuffled away in fear. Carla screwed up her face.
"Hmm. Wonder what that was all about...." She moved on to a band of adventurers. They looked at her with a disgusting interest and Carla thought briefly about just leaving before they decided to take advantage of her, but it was a crowded tavern and she felt justified in staying.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, ladies......." They all turned their full attention to her, one of the men peering at her with one beady eye and a black patch. They smelled profusely like dung and the men hadn't taken the time to shave in weeks. Carla held her breath silently. "Would you happen to know anything about a 'Black Tower'?" They drew their swords.
"What would you be wanting with that place? You're not from there, are you? Otherwise, I've got a dead comrade in Endroth who would love for me to tattoo your belly end to end with my sharp little friend here...." He flicked the broadsword theatrically.
"Um.......no. I was just wondering where we could find it, but since you seem to be a little less than receptive today, I think I'll ask someone else......" But the man lunged at her. Tygan came in, his rapier and dagger sliding out of their sheaths. He brought the sword's pommel up hard and the man's jaw clacked shut. He stumbled backwards, blood gushing between his dirty, black and newly-cracked teeth.
"Yew rut busturd! Yew bruke muy jaw! Kill him!" Tygan grabbed Carla by her sash and pulled hard. Carla toppled over backward, her arms flailing as two sword strokes pierced the air above her, where her chest would have been. Tygan deflected the two blows and caught a third between the flat of his two blades. His elbow came up and smashed into the woman's nose, who promptly let go of the pinned sword.
"Palin! Catch!" Tygan screamed as Palin came up quickly behind him. Tygan flicked his wrist and flung the now-ownerless rapier across the room, where Palin caught it and jumped into battle, not taking the time to draw Balderk. The drunks around them cleared the area, allowing them a little more room to maneuver.
"This is no good, Tygan! We've got to take this outside!" Palin yelled, parrying off an attack, then grabbed his opponent's head and slamming it through a nearby table. He swung down in one fluid motion and grabbed a nearby stool, flinging it at Tygan. Tygan ducked immediately, avoiding an attack from behind as the stool flew overhead and slammed into an attacker that was right behind him.
"Thanks Palin!" He parried off the sword swing from behind and killed the opponent with a swift stroke across the belly. The woman in front of him fought hard, preventing Tygan from standing. Tygan grabbed his dagger and stabbed down hard into the woman's foot, anchoring her to the floor. She screamed and reeled back in pain, but could not leave the spot. Tygan planted his foot on her thigh and leapt, slamming his knee into her face. She moaned and fell back unconscious, the pain to much for her to bear. Palin and Tygan fell back, Carla somewhere behind them and Riena at a shop across the street.
Four adventurers remained, three minions and the man with the broken jaw. Palin turned and ran out the door, Tygan and Carla right behind him. The men followed, the bartender looking relieved as the fight left his tavern.
Outside, the group was waiting for them. Palin had dropped the rapier and drawn Balderk, which glowed an eerie green in the fading sunlight. The gruff men charged at them and the group responded. Palin came in low and cut at the first man's ankles, but missed when the man leapt over the attack and brought the hilt of his sword down on the small of Palin's back. Palin fell to the floor and rolled, the attacker's sword hitting dust.
But Palin's luck was not holding. His roll to avoid one attack had brought him into the range of another, the man with the broken jaw. The man swung down and Palin prepared himself for pain, as he would not have enough time to bring up Balderk. But his attacker's sword met with resistance and fell away. Riena stood over Palin's head, her usual rapier now accompanied by another. Palin smiled, muttered thanks, and rolled to his feet, preparing to battle the last two attackers.
"How you doing, Tygan?" Tygan grunted not far off. His opponent was not only attacking him, but Carla as well and he was hard-pressed to defend two people.
"Not too bad......." Another grunt. His opponent had begun flinging things at Carla, then swinging at Tygan when he went to catch them or push her out of the way and retreating to a safe distance. A bucket flew past his head as he saw his opponent push a long wooden ladder in their direction, it's descent set to land on him. An idea popped into his head.
Wait for it...... wait for it...... NOW!!
Tygan dropped his weapons and grabbed the ladder ends, kicking the center up with his foot. The ladder's momentum carried through and the ladder swung up, bashing into his unsuspecting attacker's head. The man fell back, blood oozing from his mouth and nostrils.
Palin, meanwhile, was fighting off Broken Jaw, who was an excellent fighter. Riena was attacking the man's counterpart, her rapiers flashing in quick, rythmic patterns. The woman, her opponent, fell before the fury of her attack, screaming as she realized she was dying. Palin spun and swung, but his attack bounced off Broken Jaw's blade. The man swung low, then high in quick succesion and Palin was forced to parry, then riposte. The attack scored on Broken Jaw's shoulder and the man reeled back in pain. Palin leapt in and brought Balderk down in a gleaming arc, slicing right through the man's collarbone and cleaving his heart.
The last person fell dead and the group breathed a sigh of relief. Palin, as he'd always done with barfights, used his dead opponent's leftover gold to pay the bartender for any damages and the group left for the inn, the realization that no one would discuss the Black Tower with them setting in. Palin told everyone that they'd wake early and head for the center of the continent, if they could, towards Lake Asheri.
And Palin was beginning to feel the weight of the world on his shoulders again.
*********************************************
Brand Mashelda watched as the group had entered the portal, cutting ahead of the rest of everyone ready to transport to Asheri. He grimaced. Palin was beginning to find everything he could possibly want at his disposal and Brand hated him for it. He made to follow through with his party, but the Foreman at the gate told him he'd have to wait in line like the rest of the people and pay the fee first. Brand grumbled and paid the fee, and his party followed suit. They then proceeded to wait as fifteen other shipments and a couple of wealthy families slowly entered the gate.
He'd have Palin's head on a platter soon, even if he had to kill everyone on Asheri to get it.
Now only if the line would move faster........
Cue: Tygan. I'm so sorry. I've been posting like mad to get rid of this damn Darkening saga and bring down the tower so we can all get to the fun that Ivernes promises. And I'm sorry, but I really needed to do a barfight. I haven't had one in a while and I needed to do one. So, tomorrow we head to Lake Asheri, where Jack, Carlanus, and Virgil awaits. Then it's all fun and games in the Black Tower after that.......^_^
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Regit Seye on 08-03-2002 10:09 PM:
((OOC- Hey, anyone around here mind some company to wherever they're going now? Regit can wake up at any time, so anybody that WAS in the battle and could use help or company, please let me know so I can wake him up!! -OOC))
__________________
The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Michael Sheredor on 08-04-2002 01:12 AM:
The landscape slowly rolled by as Michael sat in the back of a horse-drawn kart, dust billowing out from the wheels that bucked and jumped allong the road. As usual, Mic' had hitched a ride from a small caravan of merchants.
These particular merchats were bound for the way gate and had agreed to accomodate him through to Gania, as long as he agreed t play for them each night around the fire. These men weren't exactly the type of group, but he enjoyed their company regardless. Most of them were loud and heavy drinkers. Some had slave-girls with them and one even offered a girl for him to bed with that night, but he politely refused.
All in all, they thought him to be uptight and antisocial, but Michael didn't mind. They enjoyed his music, though they didn't take heed of the obvious religious lyrics, and he enjoyed seeing smiling faces.
He almost felt sorry for them; held captive by their own selfish desires. Then again, they probably would think him to be the prisoner, to his own standards. If only they knew how freeing following those standards was...
__________________
Music can heal the hardest of hearts. Creator, bless my strings that I may compose so beautiful a rhyme.
Posted by Cybele Ariadne on 08-06-2002 07:30 PM:
She made it back to Fayre by sundown the next day. She had found her weapons, but not her money in the forest, and quickly went her way back to Fayre in order to find her employer again. She had now walked the city streets looking around for any man that looked native. She had found no such being, and decided she needed to live in the wilderness anyway. She needed the training and to become more self aware then before. She hoped that in the future it would help out in return. Looking a little close up ahead she noticed a bar fight taking place. She laughed realizing it would something Tygan and Palin surely would do. Her eyelids widened as she realized it was Tygan and Palin who was doing this.
We’ll as long as you’re here.. You might as well enjoy the show.
She shrugged and leaned against the store beside her. Watching the small fight she noticed a green light come from outside the inn. She soon grown a small curiosity for it, and walked fast paced to it. There was a point where she realized how much it would hurt her still to see them again. She needed to avoid these people, at least for now. Looking away she noticed a road leading away from town. She would head down this until she felt she was where she needed to be, and if it wasn’t she’d trace her steps back here and start in another direction. The fight had soon ended and while they small group headed back inside, Palin looked behind him to meet a seconds glance at Cybele. From that they moved in opposite directions, Palin, East, inside to meet his bed, and Cybele, West, out in the wilderness to meet her tree or grassy plain.
Cybele figured she would just walk until she grew tired enough to fall asleep. The moon gave her just enough illumination to walk with. Her pace was slow for her average self, and she looked around for any signs of danger. After a while she grew a good enough distance from Fayre. She thought about stopping for the night here, since the place seemed peaceful and safe. Nearby was a bridge anyway; she decided she would wash under it the next morning. She walked off the road to a large tree. She climbed up it until she reaches the base of the branches. Leaning on one of the larger branches she sat at the base. As she closed her eyes she thought of possible meanings for her clue. She also wondered why it was so easy to find it. Although she found it by accident, it was still to easy for that also. It was as if someone wanted it to be found.
But who would a sword of that power to be found? No one on this planet would want that to be found. Its way to risky.. But there are those who want to find it.
She sighed and nodded at this. There were to many people in the world wanting money or revenge. She being included, and they would do anything for it, including putting the lives of millions in danger. She hoped that her employer wasn’t one of these people. If he were, she would try her best to protect that sword from any evil that would come its way.
Ok… Now for the clue the mirror or white is… Hm… Sounds like white but that fact is its not the right answer at all. The rest of the clue resembles something dark… evil… I guess we should go with that then. An evil dark forest.
__________________
"I want to know everything about everything!!"
Posted by Michael Sheredor on 08-08-2002 04:06 PM:
It was early morning when Michael awoke, still in the back of a horse-drawn kart, to find himself on the Gania side of the way gate. He smiled and felt next to him for his guitar but was surprised to see that it was not there.
Mic' leaped out of the kart, almost in a panic. The instrument was the only posession that he truly valued. His head wpipped from one direction to another, looking to see where his guitar could have gone, as though it could have grown legs of it's own.
He barely realized that he was in the middle of a small village that had been set up since the way gate had been built. Merchants hollered to travelers, trying to coax them into buying their wares. There was a small, makeshift stable nearby, housing a few steeds, including the young mare that had been pulling them allong the way since Nevyel.
Nearby, there was what looked like a meeting place or council area with several benches set up in a semicircle around a small podium. Perhaps it was all they had, as of yet, in the way of a church. There were only four rows of benches and on the third row back, there was a young boy, awkwardly trying to play Mic's guitar. The lad couldn't have been more than eight or nine and as soon as Michael saw him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Noticing for the first time that nearly every muscle in his body had been tense, he let them relax and walked slowly toward the boy with a smile. He listened as the boy finally found a way to grasp the instrument that was a bit more comfortable.
To his astonishment, the lad knew how to play the oversized instrument quite well. The next surprise came when Mic' realized that he knew the song. It was A Serenade to the Dawn, thanking the Creator for the new day and the chance to start things anew. He opened his mouth and began to sing along.
The boy looked up and grinned, starting to play a little louder with a new confidence. As they played and sang, some merchants and travelers began to gather around and listen. Some sat, some even prayed but all had a smile and that's what pleased Michael the most.
When the song was over, Mic' squatted down to look the boy in the eyes. "Don't feel bad about taking the guitar, I enjoyed that very much."
No reply came, except for a smile and a nod.
"You don't have to be shy you know," Mic' said.
"He's not shy," came a femanine voice from behind the boy. Mic looked up to see a woman approaching and she put her hand on the lad's shoulder. "He can't speak, he's mute."
"Well, he can play, that's for sure."
"I'm sorry he stole your guitar" She said, taking it from the boy and handing it over to Mic'. "He has always been a trouble maker. Last week it was a flute."
"How many instruments can he play?" Michael asked, very interested.
"He can play anything you hand him, and he rarely stops. It's a curse when he plays drums with the pots and pans in the kitchen."
"I would count it a blessing," commented Mic'.
"Not when you're trying to sleep."
Michael laughed heartily and looked down at the boy. "You sound like me when I was a bit older than you are now. I tell ya' what, I've got a bit of extra cash since I didn't have to pay my own way through the way gate, and I've been fed pretty well, too. If you can show me to somewhere that sells instruments, I'll buy you anything you like, if you promise to only play quietly when yor parents are sleeping."
The boy nodded eagerly and before Mic had left both the outpost and the merchants he'd been traveling with behind, the youngster had a fine new flute that he happily played, bringing a smile to anyone near enough to hear him. 'There is great power in music,' Mic thought and turned north to visit the city of Gania.
__________________
Music can heal the hardest of hearts. Creator, bless my strings that I may compose so beautiful a rhyme.
Posted by Damion on 08-10-2002 06:50 PM:
((OOC-...........this is SO not good. Being grounded for the whole damned summer really sucked, and now I don't know what the hell happened. Oh, well. I'm guessin my guy surived the Draken incident and parted from Regit. I f not, then anyone can say so. Michael, if you don't mind, I think I'll join your campaign for the moment. -OOC))
Damion looked down from his perch in the tree at the caravan of merchants. They seemed to have quite an abundance of supplies, enough to "share" with him, maybe some gold, food, even women. Leaping from one tree to another, keeping out of sight and hearing, Damion followed the caravan until it came to a halt. They seemed to have taken a rest stop.
Well, now's as good a time as ever.
Damion quietly sneaked up upon the caravan, making sure not to make any loud or sudden movements to alert the merchants of his present. As he neared the horse drawn cart, he tokk out a large sized sack from under his blood-stained, ripped tunic. He inched towards a door and pulled a small metal wire out of his left pocket. He slowly picked the lock, not wanting to give away the element of suprise. As the knob turned, Damion took a quick look around from the small crack he allowed the door to move to. No one seemed to be inside.
Perfect. No one's around. Time to help myself to some of this treasure.
((I may not be able to reply right away, so be fair. Cue=Michael))
__________________
There is no such thing as an innocent person, only naive ones.
What would you give to know the truth? http://brokensaints.com/
Posted by Seth Tsaihati on 08-12-2002 10:06 AM:
After the tremendous act of driving away a sandworm, Seth and Terrin were taken to a large rock by the hRitter. The hRitter sat there for a moment and then made a big smile.
"C'mon, over here." He joyfully said whilst walking to the other side of the large rock. The brothers followed after looking at him rather disturbed. "Stick away the weapons please, they might be thinking you force me to show you underground, you know?"
"They?" Seth questioned poking his sword away and buckling his crossbow to his back again, at the same time Terrin tucked his weapons back.
"Oh, sorry for not explaining." The Hritter chuckled as he descended into the rock, "The other hRitter's".
After they all reached the inside of the, now to be seen, hollowed out rock the hRitter started stomping on the ground, then a hole appeared and the hRitter shot down into the ground, his voice wailing to them. "Quickly, it musn't close on youuuu-" With that said the brothers jumped down one after the other. Terrin first, then Seth. They slid down a long tube like passage, but it wasn't as rough as they had expected. The surrounding walls were smooth due to constant use. With a loud thud, Seth shot into Terrin as he came out of the tube passage, causing them to fall over and sprawl out in front of the hRitter who chuckled slightly. Quickly they got up, seeming slightly embarrassed.
"But if this is the only entrance....how do you get out?" Seth questioned, his brother nodding in agreement of the question, though still patting the dirt off his clothes.
The hRitter smiled and then pointed to an arch which led to some stairs, "There, you know?"
Terrin let out a sigh, "Couldn't we have used them right away?" He stared at the hRitter.
"The tunnel is faster, no? And you look thirsty." The hRitter said in an innocent way and started walking towards a gate. He knocked in an uncommon pattern, one, pause, then two quickly, pause, and then 5 quickly...at least so it seemed. The Gate opened and the hRitter walked through, the brothers followed. Instantly two hRitters shot towards the one who led them there.
"Who are they, what do they want, did you bring them here, did the force yo-" They were cut off in their quick blabbering of questions.
"They saved me, they did." The hRitter announced, "From a ferociously big sandworm, they did!"
Suddenly the two other hRitters awed at them in astonishment. The scampered towards them, and grabbed them by the arms and pulled them through the gate, and what revealed was revealed to their eyes they could barely believe. A humoungus cave, but not in any way ordinary. It was a flourishing oasis. Plants everywhere, beneath their feet was bright green fresh grass. A small stream passed beside their feet, as their eyes followed it they found it leading into a large lake. Their jaws dropped and their eyes widened at the site of this expanding oasis. Even vines and leafy bushes clustered some of the areas. The houses seemed to be built into the walls of the cave, stone stairs led up to some of them, wooden ladders to others. Those weren't the only houses though. Some rounded boulders were set here and there, they seemed to be some sorts of store installation. The next thing they saw, was a large encampment like site, but very luxurious, placed at the far end of the underground cave settlement. Then, they were led into one of the cave houses. Up the cold stone stairs. The cool climate underground made them realize exactly how ferociously hot the desert was.
After being seated and given a cup-like carved stone filled with cool water, Seth leaned back in his chair and sighed in relief. “Hey Terrin, isn’t this place awesome, I never knew something like this actually existed!”
Terrin looked towards the hRitter, “How is this possible? A desert above yet an Oasis below?”
“Well, to be honest, yes. When we first came here, this was all existing already, you know? So we have no clue how such a place could be, but we liked it here so we stayed, you see?”
“You don’t even know how this wonder of nature occured?” Seth asked penetrantly.
“No, it seems to have been here when we first came, yes.” The hRitter answered calmly, “But now you should get some rest, you know. You’ve been in the heat long I suppose? The mekk is outside in the middle at the east end of the cave, you know?” The hRitter stated.
“what do you mean with, mekk?” Terrin asked, his brother already standing up.
“Oh, it is an inn. Sorry about that, yes?” the hRitter replied leading them to the entrance of his home.
“Hah! I knew it had to be something like that.” Seth said proudly and full of energy as they walked towards their destination.
Cue: Terrin
Posted by Rossia Falcon on 08-13-2002 12:12 AM:
It was a dull evening. Strong winds are blowing roughly in the town of Gania. But still, the town is always busy. The town never sleeps. Peoples are still walking around, talking... kids are running around and shouting at the top of their voice. At the entrance of the town, Rossia stood still, gazing at the sky.
"This town is more cheerful, than those in Asheri..", Rossia sighed with a frowning face.
"First time here, lad?" a hoarse voice came from behind. Rossia turns around and saw a middle-aged civilian with a worn out staff in his hand. "Wanna quick tour in here, lad? Ay nor nil?"
"Yes, sir. My first time here. First of all, I'm not a-"
"..Lad, it is not very cold in here, aren't ye tired with that thick cloak covering on yerself?" the middle-aged man cut in Rossia's word.
"Come to thinking about it..... no, sir." Rossia replied with a loud sigh and started to walk away.
"That's a rude way to talk with an old man, lad!" shout the middle-aged man from behind before running after Rossia again.
The middle-aged man run passed Rossia after knocking her down into the mud beside the road. "Quiet a strength, eh... old man", Rossia pick herself up from the dirty mud and start to clean herself up. The civilians started to group around her start to laugh at her.. a weak lad. Then, only she realised she have missed something.. her purse. She starts to bend down and dip her hand into the mud to search for it but, alas.. it's gone. This even make the people roar louder. Rossia, again clean her hand with her dirty cloak and her face were red of anger. She stares at the people and naturally, the people start to dismiss as if nothing has happened. At the edge of her eyes, she saw the middle-aged man again, standing in group with their own groupie, laughing sarcastically at Rossia. "That will be an enough..." Rossia says to herself and start to walk to the gate of the town.
"Wait, lad!" comes the middle-aged voice again. "Wait!". Rossia spun around and to her surprise, the middle-aged man shaking a purse in his hand.
"Hey, that's my purse. Where did you found it?" Rossia shout with delight after the middle-aged man throw the purse back to her.
"Nay. I found it in a lad's cloak. It's Mels... Asheri's currency. Now he is standing in front of me" the middle-aged man replied with a grin.
For a momment, Rossia stood still.
This is it. This is more than ENOUGH! I'm fooled by this ol' thief.
"Say, next time... beggar, if you need some money.. just ask, I'll give", Rossia says after throw the purse back to the old thief.
"Huh? What did ye call me? A beggar! Damn ye, lad. I'll-" the old man didn't finish his word.
"And one more thing, don't call me lad", says Rossia before throwing a punch directly into the old thief's face, breaking his two front tooth. The old thief fell down and shouting in pain, signaling his groupie to help him. "And the money, it's for your treatment" Rossia points out the purse before pacing away.
"Catch him!" shouts the old thief's gang before persuiting with their weapon after Rossia.
Oh no... too many of them... what should I do? They thought that I'm a lad, my foot! Rossia says to herself before running away...
__________________
I always kept all my emotions,
Under my control...
And kept my composure,
Covered in my lonely soul...
And all that I'm lacking,
Is thrown to my face...
I always feel so useless,
Is my life just a waste...?
Posted by Orocia Agua on 08-13-2002 08:37 PM:
Whispers into Screams
She was back. She knew it by the dull sensation in her head behind her eyes, and the excruciating pain everywhere else, and the crushing feeling that pushed on her heart and clogged her breathing, and the painful stretching and pulling on her neck that was on the verge of breaking. Along with the taste of salt from her tears she tasted the blood welling in her mouth. She wondered where it came from. She felt tired again, and almost gave in, when she saw a little white leather mary-jane shoe step up close to her face.
A little girl, around nine, got down on her hands and knees. Ruffles of red from her sundress billowed about delicately with an endearing light bursting from the girl's presence.
In the sweetest whisper she asked: "Why are you giving up?"
Orocia felt a knot grow in her throat at the sight of this little doll. So innocent.. A barrage of choking coughs caught a stranglehold in her throat, making her swallow and choke more on thick, clotting blood.
Gentle as a breeze her faint voice asked again, "Why are you giving up?"
Orocia was crying from the pain, both physical and now emotional. It was all torture; the gasping sobs simply became more bloody chokes. She could hardly breathe, she couldn't answer the girl back save for the screams from the crying soul in her mind.
I don't want to deal with this pain anymore... just let me give up....
"You forgot already? Don't you remember what happened to me?"
NO! I want to forget!! Let me forget about it all, I don't want to think about it, I don't want to feel this and have to fight it anymore, I want to give up, just let me go, ...please... I've had enough.
"Won't I get your justice?"
The question cut like a knife to her heart and hurt more than all the hell she was going through. A small, sobbing whimper came from deep within Orocia's heart. Her whole body trembled as her nails dug further into the blood-soaked muddy ground to withstand the pain of these feelings...
A third spawn that grew envious of the one already upon Orocia pushed its rival away, and plunged its maw deep in her back. The force of the hit jerked Orocia's head up, eyes bulging.
"AAAAUGh~~!" Her scream was choked off with a spurt of fresh blood. Her nails had pushed so far down that her arm was nearly submerged up to her elbow. Time seemed to slow down to allow her to feel every bit of pain. She felt the teeth piercing through the skin, drive roughly against her tense muscle, sinking slowly in.. She sputtered and choked the blood out of her mouth in fury through clenched, stained teeth. The look in her eyes was frightening. Something had awoken. Something in her was reborn.
"ngghrrrrraaAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" The muscles in her neck strained against her ear-piercing roar. Her eyes shut tight and she screamed again in rebellion. She saw a man she knew too well in her mind's eye, who that little girl knew too well. You're not ever getting away with taking me, you bastard. The spawn tugged against the fighting muscles in her back and she roared again, the fury and the will and the desire rising in her like a riptide with the force of a hurricane.
Her eyes opened again with a flash of hatred against the beast that tore off her left arm. A power rumbled from deep within as a tear fell from one of her wild eyes --the tear crashed into a puddle of blood, causing a ripple, and the growing energy from within was released.
The water in the spawn's body was used against it: every cell in its body swelled with water until it burst, the spawn experiencing instantaneous combustion, exploding into nothing.
To the spawn that had feasted on her thigh, she withdrew all the water in its body until it shriveled to a dead heap half its size. She felt this power continue to rise as it pulsed through her veins. The spawn on her back payed no heed and continued to rip into her back with its jaws; to this stubborn beast she concentrated the water from its formal rival and combined it from the water she forced from its lower body into an attack from within and without to its head: the water from without was pushed into its mouth and whatever other orifices it had on its head as the pressure from the water within burst the head apart into a grotesque shower of water, blood, and membrane, the rest of the body left to shrivel up dry.
The Tiger let out a defiant roar, but victory was still out of reach. Orocia, the muscles of her back now torn and bleeding, crawled with her one arm and useful leg towards her estranged left arm. "Oh Goddess..." she grabbed the mauled limb, nearly unrecognizable save for bone and flapping muscles and shredded skin, intact only on her hand, and not knowing what else to do, tried to fit it back into its joint at the elbow. "Oh Goddess... Goddess, please.. If I was going to die why didn't you let me die quickly with the spawn? Goddess... ...heh," Orocia managed to clean the wounds gently with water she drew from the grass and ground around her, "..you're funny." She layed there, holding the arm to the joint, managing to look back at the bloodfeast she escaped from and finding the muscle to her thigh ripped, the glare of white bone bringing her gaze back to her decimated leg. She was about to start the crawl towards the muscle, moving her forearm away from the joint, when she was startled to feel that it pulled back. She looked down to see her arm reconstructing itself slowly, having rejoined the ligaments, now working on the tendons. She saw old blood bleed out of the damaged limb and new blood form, waiting to flow. She felt sharp pains from the reconstruction but she was grateful for it, despite her nerves being nearly numb to any feeling after all the pain they had just endured.
Suddenly Orocia felt extremely fatigued, which scared her into immediately crawling towards her thigh muscle. The skin on her arm was all that was left to rebuild, fresh blood bleeding through wounds soon to be closed; but the entire arm was extremely tender to the touch. Nevertheless she needed the use of two hands to grab hold of the slippery muscle and figure out how to place it back. Orocia managed to slide the muscle partway inside her leg, her body somehow pulling itself together, and she felt the same pain that accompanied the reconstruction of her arm, yet duller, and the reconstruction was much more slower. Orocia felt herself swoon, collapsing on her back, happily surprised that it too was mostly healed, save for a few open yet less deep wounds. Before losing it, she looked up at the sky: it was now dawn, the clouds had formed into a light shower overhead, and light sparkled through the drops, giving an ethereal quality to the scene that lay below it.
A sly grin dawned as well on Orocia's face. "What's that supposed to mean, Creator? Huh? ..heh. You crazy bitch." She paused, "..I'll take that back if you won't let the ants and all the other forest creatures eat me alive," and couldn't help but chuckle at her situation. "How the hell... am I... supposed to get out of... this..." The fatigue finally caught her in its trap, lulling her into sleep -- the counterfeit of death.
OOC: Okey dokeys. That's taken care of. If you wanna help ol' 'Rocia out, hit me up sometime before Friday, since Friday is when I get to pack my computer up and ship it. And my ingenious plan, you ask? Ho ho! An undetermined amount of time will have passed between this event and my next post, getting Orocia back in all the hoo-hah of Aeterna. Oh God I'm brilliant. Again if you want to help, it's cool, it'll give me something to write, if you're just wondering what the hell I'm gonna do next while watching like a vulture, that's cool too. Mua ha.
**Note** Since I most likely won't be able to answer any possible questions for awhile, here are some answers:
No, she's not totally healed. Her back still has wounds and her leg is still grody, but at least not in pieces.
Her present condition will deteriorate (mua ha!) since I've decided that she has been left for dead on the road in a coma slipping in and out of consciousness due to serious mana burn.
"Mana burn?" you ask? Why yes. She experienced quite a violent Awakening there, experiencing all three spheres (Water, Body, and.. eh, I guess that little shower at the end could count as Air.) She will NOT be able to regain her magic abilities for quite some time, and perhaps won't even remember she gained them until they pop up somewhere. (Aww.. *pout* I'm giving away my story...) **End of Note**
And by the way... will this chapter be closed soon? Looks long enough. Have mercy for us who haven't been able to keep up -- I plan to start doing some backreading while I figure out what the hell to do next.
Oh! And background music for the killing in this post shall be provided by Dir en Grey's song "The Domestic Fucker Family," *happy bun bun grin* followed by another song of theirs "Ain't Afraid to Die" to be played when the shower falls and she calls the Goddess a bitch. And maybe Gackt's "Blue" instrumental at the beginning. Good shtuff.
Posted by Regit Seye on 08-14-2002 10:15 AM:
"Holy... mother of.... dammit..."
Regit sat up slowly, cradling his head in his hands. He was still massively groggy, what with the massive backlash from the final blow dealt to the shadow spawn and all, but he WAS intact, brain cells, soul and all.
But Mooscue had not been so lucky. Regit could feel it's dead weight resting on his chest. The crushing force of the Mages had been too much for the tiny thing...
He stood, holding the pink fuzzball to himself. He was back to the normal lack of light-based vision he'd had all his life. Strangely enough though, as long as the impact zone for the cataclysmic wave of magic was within normal sight range, everything seemed to hold a 'shadow'. The crater, as far as he was concerned, may as well be a dying bonfire the size of a small town.
He wandered a bit, then chose a spot. He prodded the dirt with his staff, and the dirt hollowed a hole for his friend and companion. He lowered Mooscue into the dent, then covered it back up with his own hands. Once he had resigned Mooscue to the care of the soil, he rose and leaned heavily on his staff. He felt decades older, exhausted, and every nerve aching. He sighed, and began walking eastwards...
A few days later, he reached the shore of a huge lake or inlet... he wasn't sure which, because he could see neither the opposing bank nor the facet from which the body was fed. All he could see was the soft blue glow of the life-harboring water. A moment of pondering, and he decided to just forget about it and look for a way across. He knew where he was meant to go, in terms of relative location. IT was somewhere across the lake... he needed to go there. Something was drawing him there.
It took him about an hour to locate the hut of the fisherman. It took another ten minutes to convince the man he was NOT after his money, and five after to agree on an exorbitant fee to cross the lake in the man's boat. But he was across the lake in another 40 minutes, so he considered it a fair exchange.
An hour later found Regit just past the boundaries of the Dark Wood. He was still tired from the backlash, even nearly a week later. He eventually slumped against a tree and sighed, slipping towards sleep. He didn't quite make it before something caught his 'eye'. Three faded masses of blackess rested around one wild fusion of elemental energies. The power swirling about the body confused the shape and essence of the one within, but Regit was too tired to care. It had been a long time since he'd seen another person worth speaking to.
"Hello? Is anyone there...? Are you alright?"
__________________
The strength of darkness and power of light
Mean naught to he who's lost his sight.
Though men's hearts quake in dark of night
The blind still seeks what he finds right.
Posted by Indigo Grei on 08-14-2002 04:02 PM:
Indigo and the King of Gania sat across from each other. The king had recovered from the poison, and his appetite had returned. The servants brought platters filled with delicious cuts of meat to the table, and Indigo pushed the vegetables around on his plate anxiously.
"Well, Indigo, these have been eventful days, have they not?" King Eremon said, not really asking a question.
Indigo nodded gravely. "I appreciate you taking time to meet with me alone. I know you're a busy man."
The King nodded. "I will be forward. The country is falling apart. I can barely keep the capital under control. Your help with the Shadowspawn has aided me greatly, and I cannot begin to think of how to repay you."
"Your majesty-"
"Eremon will do."
"If you wish. Eremon, I did a foolish thing, and now the power has left me. I simply wish I could be of more help. I would go to Southdale and help with the rebuilding efforts, but I cannot do anything without my thoughts wandering to Scarlet."
"Scarlet is an independant young woman. She has gone to meet with... an Asherian regent. I cannot tell you more, and I apologize. I do not know what she plans, but she insisted upon leaving that... I not tell you where she went."
Indigo sighed deeply. "I know. I know..."
"Indigo, my daughter loves you. Don't worry too much. If you love her, let her be free, and if she truly loves you, she'll return when she's ready."
"You are a wise king, and I thank you, Eremon."
"Nonsense, Indigo. I'm merely an insignificant ruler in the long run. I've done nothing brilliant to bring peace or war to the land. I will be forgotten with the ages. You, however, will be a famous king, I guarantee it."
Indigo gasped. "Me? A king? But... I don't know the first thing about-"
"Indigo, my boy, calm down and think. Surely you must have realized that if you married Scarlet, you would be king. Has it truly not crossed your mind?"
Indigo stared at his plate. "It has... but I always assumed that someone would be there to help me through it all."
"There will be. Scarlet knows. And you know, as well. Running a country is like having a garden. Different plants need different things, and you have to keep everything arranged right. But in the end, it takes a big mistake to screw things up. An entire plot of tomatoes won't go bad if you plant a carrot nearby. ...Have I lost you? My point is, if you need someone to explain the vagaries of ruling a country, perhaps you should consider learning a few things from one who knows them."
"Would you?"
"Not me, my boy. I have my hands full. But there is someone who you seem to have forgotten, here in the castle. Adamas Tribune has been wearing a rut into the ground pacing in his room. Travel with him, to Asheri, and search for my daughter."
"I will then. You are certain you cannot tell me where she is?"
"I could. But I think you'll learn more about her, yourself, and your future if you search. Remember that she wants to be found. She's not hiding from you. She loves you."
"Thank you, your highness."
__________________
Tempered in fire, strengthened by hardship, love is forever.
Posted by Palin Freeborn on 08-15-2002 11:40 PM:
Chapter 5: World's End
Palin awoke slowly, stretching his muscles for a long day's worth of riding. With the past few days of hard travel, he was becoming quite saddlesore. He dressed slowly and shouldered Balderk in it's leather-hide sheath, then picked up his spellbook, studying it's various inscriptions as he traipsed down the stairs and into the dining hall of the inn.
He grabbed a table and sat down, studying through the incantations and thoroughly enjoying his scrambled eggs. Carla appeared an hour later, followed shortly after by Riena and Tygan. They bid him a good morning and Palin replied joyfully, closing his book, the seven new spells he had learned burned into his mind. They ate slowly as Palin talked with them and they began to tell jokes and stories after a while. They all had a good laugh, though, when they spoke of the time that they had used Lyght's cow Betsy as a shield in a fight. Riena, having not been there at the time, settled for laughing along and cuddling up underneath Palin's arm.
They left shortly after finishing the meal, the bartender smiling brightly at them as they paid a large tip for an excellent meal. However, when Palin stepped outside, his jaw dropped. Before him, exiting the Gania waygate was Helios, the golden mare from Eremon's stables. Atop him rode a young man, playing a few notes on an ocarina. He was dressed lavishly and seemed to be the shining example of spoiled nobility. Palin approached him and spoke.
"Hi. Uh..... you wouldn't happen to be bringing that horse over here for us, would you?" Four other horses followed through the gate behind him, but the youth gave off the distinct air that he wanted nothing to do with them.
"And who, may I ask, are you?" Sarcasm was bitter in his voice and the aura of nobility became more pungent.
"I could ask the same. But in any case, I am Palin Freeborn and these are my companions and THAT is my horse, Helios. Or so I was last told." The young man's eyes betrayed him for a second, but he recovered quickly.
"He is not! He's mine and his name is..... Gorenthal. Gorenthal, my noble steed. We've been together since I started adventuring, see? And I....." The young man palled and glared at Palin, who was busy reading a piece of parchment. A quick check of his satchel revealed that Palin had quite expertly pick pocketed him without his notice. "Hey! That's mine, you thief!" Palin slapped him lightly on the hand and continued reading. The young man rubbed his hands and grimaced.
"This is a King's notice that you are to accompany us since you have to recieve self-training as a bardling and that you are required to accompany these horses to us. What were you thinking?" The young man shrugged.
"I wanted to keep them for myself, but if I've been caught, there's no use in lying. I'm Erik. Erik Lyningshire, at your service." Palin eyed him, then turned to the rest of the group to grab their opinions.
Cue: Tygan! Write something! I'm tired of posting every minute of our adventure! And will the rest of you who are going inside the Black Tower hurry up? It's painfully long waiting for the right moment to post with my characters.....
__________________
Being a hero is not some title to obtain or a term to be used lightly. It is a matter of essence and is reserved for those with only heart and soul guiding their actions.
Posted by Keigo Mallard on 08-16-2002 08:57 AM:
OOC: I really want to get rid of this character, so this'll just be the vanishing of him.
Keigo sat there, his back resting on the rock behind him. Silently he sat there, thinking about what to do. Slowly, he started to get up. The battle has ended, he thought. So now? For a moment he just stood there and thought again. Then started walking into the woods behind him. Wearily, he set his feet one in front of the other. He pulled his sword and marched on into the forest. The eary, orange light of the evening sky barely managed to shine through the thick leaves of the trees. His clothes were bloodied, but his wounds, partially healed. His head ached, but he wanted to walk away from this place, so his legs worked hard to carry him into the forest as fas as possible...
OOC: Sorry its very amazingly short...
but I really want to get rid of this character now.
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