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Post by Bloodbane on Aug 27, 2020 23:42:06 GMT -5
The joint attack had been successful, at least it seemed that way at first...
The enemy had been knocked back, leaving him open for Rion to throw the crystallized light formation at him. Unfortunately, he had misjudged just how much the recent fighting had taken out of him, having intended to throw the projectile through the mage's body, but when it landed at the enemy's feet and erupted in a giant pillar of light, he sighed in relief. Surely one who had been tainted by the darkness would have been heavily damaged by such an attack at close range. However, Rion's eyes widened as the man was revealed to be unscathed as the light dispersed.
"H-how did he--" Rion would attempt to form another blade of light, but the building energy faded in wisps of light as quickly as they appeared, as he had been sent to the ground by the impact of the mage's wand. As he struggled to get to his feet, he was forced back to the ground as the dark energy wracked his body. As he twisted and grunted in pain, Rion could only watch as the mage turned toward Silver, releasing dark energy from his eyes to damage the dragon's wings. "N-No! Silver!" Rion would clench his teeth, his body glowing with a white aura as he tried to focus on pushing out the dark energy. He would not get far, however, as he was suddenly lifted by his throat, gasping as he was brought to stare into the tainted visage of the mage.
Unusual...? Rion's eyes stared at the staff as it moved in front of him. "W-what--" Although he did not feel the staff the same way as he did when he had been struck with it, the crystal reacted rather suddenly as the staff made contact with it, releasing an intense glow that seemed to match the glow of the patterns on the staff. As the mage finally pulled the staff away, however, the glowing of both the staff and Rion's arm would fade. The damage, however, had been done; as Rion tried to push himself back up once more, his armored arm was immediately left with that sense of numbness he had only felt when dealing with the recoil of blight magic, causing the arm to hang limp at his side as he stared at the mage, his breathing labored as he got back up, but only to a knee.
"What... do you people... want from me!?"
The question would likely seem strange to the mage, but to Rion the situation felt like he was reliving the nightmare he had already lived through once before, right down to the look in the mage's eyes, though in the past he had seen those eyes from beneath an armored helm. If the mage was not directly affiliated with the ones who had attacked the Shining Swordsmen, then the coincidence was quite profound. "I don't know... what you're after... but I won't... let you have it!" he seethed, as an aura of light began to build up wildly around him. It would quickly become clear as light began to pool and crystallize beneath him that he appeared to be pushing himself as far as his powers would let him go...
... At least, until the sound of a gunshot rang out. The damage would be minimal due to where the shot was aimed, but the impact of the shell that had bounced off of Rion's armor caused him to lose what little balance he had and fall sideways once more, his concentration broken entirely as a figure approached the scene, pointing what looked to be a large revolver pistol in the direction of the mage.
"Whew, that was a close one! Any longer and this whole block might've gone up..."
"W-who...?" Rion stared up, finding it difficult to make out the features of the individual from his prone position. The stranger did not turn his head however, his gaze and aim fixed on the mage. "Looks like things are pretty intense, where's the fire?" The figure paused, then with a chuckle flashed a grin at the mage. "... Ah, right, I guess that's where I come in!"
With his free hand, Luke would put his fingers to his mouth and whistle, at which time Ember would make her presence known from above as she took a deep breath. Though she maintained a human form, the sudden rush of flames that escaped in a powerful stream at the mage was a sure sign that she was a dragon of considerable strength. She would land near Silver, looking her over quickly. "... Can you walk?"
Of course, given that the pillar of light had not been enough, so too had the flames been cleared with ease. When Ember looked back toward the mage, however, her eyes narrowed into slits as she growled. "Look out, he has one of them!"
"One of what?" Luke would look ahead, and suddenly the confident look he had turned to one of concern. "Oooh, that's a problem... I've gotta say though, things just got more interesting. Think it's time for Plan B?" His free hand would move along the leather coat he was wearing, revealing a second holstered firearm; this one, however, had a far more ornate appearance, to a point where it certainly did not resemble anything Magitek.
"No you idiot, it's too risky here!" Ember quickly chided Luke, seeming to indicate that whatever he was planning was perhaps too intense for the circumstances. It was enough to get his eyes darting around however, at which point he shook his head and sighed.
"Tch... fine, cover me for a sec will ya?" Luke would fire off another shot from the revolver at the mage, using it as a means to allow Ember to approach, slicing in the direction of the mage with two daggers that appeared to be entirely red in color, each one giving off a warm presence as they began to glow, before each aggressive movement would send fireballs at the mage, attempting to keep him on the defensive.
"All right pal, we're getting you out of here..." Luke said, draping Rion's armored arm over his shoulder and keeping him steady. Though there was little Rion could do with the armored arm in its current state, he took hold of Luke's shirt, glaring at him. "Not... without Silver..."
"... Who, your friend there? Trust me, we've got her covered." Luke said as he reached into his coat with his free hand and pulled out what looked to be a small object with a fuse. "Alley-oop!" He called out, throwing the bomb in Ember's direction as she doubled back, sending another fireball that ignited the short fuse and caused the object to release a thick cloud of smoke.
"Gotta make this quick, you ready?" Luke looked to Ember, who quickly nodded as her green eyes began to glow brightly. "... Off we go, then!"
It was at this point that Rion could get a better look as Luke brought a hand outward, his eyes widening as he caught sight of what he thought was a glove at first, only to catch sight of the crystal that covered the man's fingertips as he brought them together before snapping his fingers. Much like what tends to happen when flint is struck, the friction between the crystallized fingers released a brief spark that shot forward, igniting the cloud and releasing a thunderous explosion that sent some people in the slightly more populated area nearby running for the hills. However, this would only serve as a means to cover the groups escape, as they would no longer be around when the smoke cleared...
However, perhaps more so than the sudden explosion, what likely had people running from the south and past The Steel Rose would become clear fairly quickly as a shadow was cast overhead; a giant red dragon, flying towards the northwest with a smaller silver dragon in tow. By the looks of things, it looked like it wasn't going far, as it appeared to make its descent once it approached the forest outside Nyharllothor Manor.
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Post by Arashi on Aug 28, 2020 2:03:23 GMT -5
Silver would soon be stopped dead in her slow tracks by a woman who was definitely not human. A dragon? Here? And it looks like she brought a friend, who was interfering with the fight, and with the dark mage's actions.
Silver stood there, holding her injured leg up off the ground, looking a little shocked for a second. She was much faster to trust fellow dragons, and would not for a moment doubt that this was an ally, or at least someone that meant no harm. Now was not the time for questions though.
"U-uh, I can walk. Well...Sort of," She spoke in reply, though she seemed a bit distracted. She was frustrated that in her weakened state she could do nothing, not even fly, to help Rion.
"...But please. Get him out."
That seemed to already be the plan though. It looked as if they were preparing to run, after the man mentioned a 'Plan B' which the dragon did not seem to agree with. She would await anxiously to see what would happen, but before she really knew what was going on, the dragon swooped her up and flew off with her. Which wasn't all that surprising; Silver was a silver dragon, the smallest of all dragons, and she was particularly small even for her species due to her being a halfling. It would not be much effort for a true dragon, especially a red, to haul her off.
She would not struggle or attempt to flee. She would instead look down at the ground as the dragon flew off with her, wondering what was to become of Rion. From her position, she couldn't really tell. The dark mages took everything from her, and they threatened to do it again.
This was not what she wanted on this journey. She did not intend to form relationships that she would be once again losing in the end, because they always take everything.
Part of her wished she had done it alone.
Soon enough though, the dragon would be approaching what looked like a nicely forested area right next to that big mansion. Silver would find herself gently placed back on the ground, where she would stay in her dragon form, since she knew she would not be able to walk in her human form. She was sore again, and now her wings would be out of the picture for at least a few days. She didn't even know what to do with her leg.
Silver would look to the dragon for answers, her face full of discontent. She would fail to notice the human's arm for now, being preoccupied with something else. She wasted no time.
"Did you get him in time? Is he alive? Please."
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Post by Sorrum on Aug 28, 2020 13:44:21 GMT -5
Boom! Bang! Fire and explosions came down on them like rain. His ears rang with each wave, filled between by the screams of his falling allies. He was suddenly grasped and ripped from the blankets. As he gasped for air, he locked eyes with terror itself, as a figure in black armor clutched his throat, eyes ablaze like smoldering coals. It was over, he knew. We were too confident..
Vile roused from his slumber and stared at the ceiling of Tyven’s home. The beastman had left some time before for his work, leaving the traveler to recover from his hangover. Vile ran a hand through his pink hair before sitting up slowly, and heading for the door. He reached for the handle, but then stopped and turned to grab a brown cloak from the hangars. Draping himself, he headed out the door and into the Meribian streets.
He’d pass through the streets quietly and without notice. He walked past a large institution of some kind where it seemed droves of pupil mages and citizens were gathering to see some duel. He saw signs of ice magic and fire magic from the distance before turning and heading another way. He then found himself outside a bar that was lively with music. His frown deepened slightly, wishing how his own home could be as cheerful as this town was. Though that wasn’t to say he saw the disparity between the races, it was still better than being in Vane.
It wasn’t until he noticed a pillar of light like an explosion to the south that he snapped to attention. Citizens spooked by the explosion were running inside and heading for the farther districts. Whatever happened, he had to find out. He began to make his way before hearing a crowd of footsteps, more thunderous than the fleeing citizens. “Out of our way!!” Shouted Sam, flanked by a platoon of sentinels all armed. The beastman made his way through the district toward the blast, slowed down by the citizens who panicked and blocked the way.
“Won’t get there any time fast taking the street…” Vile muttered, before turning and climbing the wall of a nearby building. Once he reached the roof, he took a deep breath, and concentrated. The violet runes that appeared on his body aboard Calico’s ship appeared again, as he crouched low. He ran to the edge of the roof and leapt, flying rapidly across the street as his lightning pushed him forward. He landed and kept going, jumping from roof top to roof top toward the explosion.
When he was but a block away his sixth sense kicked in. Something was off. He leapt below into a dark alley and watched the skies, in time to see an enormous red dragon fly overhead. “What in the..?” He blinked. He wasn’t the only one interested it seemed, but what were their intentions? He’d follow soon after, keeping low and hidden, and observed the battle from under cover. He recognized Rion as the light mage from the transport mission, but the others he had know idea.
One thing was unmistakable though; they were outclassed by that dark mage. “A dark mage…” he muttered. “So they really are here in The Frontier.. then,“ he said as he reached into his bag and felt a metallic cylinder with a broken chain attached to it’s top. “I must be getting closer..”
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Post by Sorrum on Aug 28, 2020 14:23:32 GMT -5
Greys stared blankly at Rion as he squirmed and shouted. "So, you don't know," he muttered in disappointment, though his eyes did widen a bit as Rion flashed and flooded with a violent aura. Was he going to risk his own life to take him out? This was quite the dedicated warrior, but he didn't respect martyr-ism when it could cause his own demise, if not serious injury. Worse yet, the dragon was making a last desperate charge now too. Maybe he could just teleport out of here and let the light mage blow both of themselves to hell?
His train of thought was interrupted when Rion was suddenly knocked down. Backup had arrived. Greys' eyes narrowed at the gunman. He did not have much experience against such weaponry, so he reached again for the rod piece. As he prepared to block the bullets, another threate appeared, a large dragon spewing flames. The flames came in close, but Greys was much faster with the rod. Black vines shot forth and smashed against the flames, pulling them within toward holes that formed on the vines, which sucked the flames in and ate the attack, before the vines fell to the ground, shattering like ash and disintegrating.
He remained quiet as the two conversed, discussing their strategy allowed. He was not worried about these two despite their obvious strength, but rather how to proceed now that his assassination attempt failed. He could perhaps kill them as well, but.. there seemed to be another option yet. Yes.. that one.
He smirked. He flicked the rod to and fro to deflect the bullets, then woman's fireballs, and floated back as she came in closer, maintaining their distance. He fancied those daggers to be magitek, but did not want to see what she could do with them up close. He glanced at the object thrown at him from the man, but allowed it to come close, choosing to observe this tactic. Once it had exploded into a cloud, he knew it was no ordinary smoke. He was however obscured by this fog. Time to disappear.
He fell below into a dark void, just as the cloud had ignited into an epic explosion. That surely would have left an injury. His cloak of darkness protection spell had been impaired by Rion's attack earlier. He reappeared now, far away, atop the city's main attraction, standing in The Savior's open palm, staring down on the city. He saw them clearly, a large red dragon with a silver dragon behind it, flying hastily toward the west end.
Greys stroked his chin and watched as they landed in the forest outside Nyharllothor Manor. He thought about their location, then immediately teleported again, this time to another location, a dark tunnel made of stone lit by torch flame and uninhabited, save for him, the child, and his newly thralled nature mage, Greta Burch. When he entered the scene, she had just finished locking the child within a large open mouth plant, it's mouth closing with a waxy seal. "There. You'll not come to hinder our plans in there."
"Greta." Greys spoke, the nature mage turning away from the plant and quickly to her master. "Quickly, I must have ears in the forest outside the Nyharllothor manor."
"Yes, master.." she said with the most docile tone. Her hands glowed with a soft green light, as a purple and white lily rose slowly from her wrist and bloomed within seconds. Simultaneously, these flowers perked up and grew in small numbers around the trees and in the gardens of the manor. A voice squeaked out from the lily in Greta's hand, then another, then louder and clearer, until the words being exchanged by Rion and his company could be heard clear to both Greys and Greta.
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Post by Bloodbane on Aug 28, 2020 22:51:05 GMT -5
"We're up here, y'know!" Luke called down to Silver, still hanging on to Rion as he made his way down to the ground from atop Ember's back. He looked to Rion with a frown. "He's not dead, but... whatever he got hit with is still keeping him in rough shape." Indeed, the dark energy from the mage's staff was still visible as they jumped in arcs across Rion's body, leaving him in a pained and weakened state. Luke looked around, seeing the large manor in the distance.
"He's definitely a light mage, so I'm sure he'll be fine... but we need to get both of you some medical attention. Any idea who that guy was?"
"With the townspeople talking about the Princess returning, perhaps she can help us? I'm sure it would be good to inform her of the encounter with the dark mage, regardless." Ember stated as she returned to her human form. Of course, neither of them knew that Rion and Silver had arrived with Aqua and a crew all their own.
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Post by Arashi on Aug 28, 2020 23:22:53 GMT -5
"...Oh." Silver would quietly reply as Luke called for her attention; she was spacing out a bit as memories came back to her. Obviously this guy was used to being around dragons, he didn't even question Silver and just talked to her as if she was a normal sight. That was a bit of a relief for her.
She would approach Luke and Rion as quickly as she could as the man climbed down the much bigger dragon. She would look Rion over and sigh as the man spoke of Rion's shape. It wasn't the best answer, but at least he was still alive. Silver had never seen him get taken down quite like that though. He seemed pretty tough, and it was a bit shocking for her to witness that. She would not be satisfied until she saw him at least somewhat back to normal.
She was having a rough time figuring out her emotions about all of this. She thought she was ready to face dark mages again, but it was harder than she expected this time. Maybe if Rion had made it out in better shape, all of those memories would not have come back. Or maybe if she had not been in such a weakened state, she could have actually done something.
"I am fine, I have survived worse." She replied to Luke, her voice quiet and a bit shaky. She would revert back to her habit of trying to tough things out. "No, I don't know who that was...I wish I did."
Ember would then mention the townspeople talking about the Princess returning. They must have been talking about Aqua. She would look to Ember.
"...The princess? You mean Aqua? She is um, our friend. I will certainly tell her...but perhaps you could join me in that? Unless you are preoccupied...and if that is the case, at least give me your names. You saved us and I would like to know who you are."
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Post by Bloodbane on Aug 28, 2020 23:52:45 GMT -5
Luke crossed his arms as he looked at the dragon. "Well, in the shape you two are in, we can't really leave... not until your friend shows up at least. After that, though, we ought to get going."
"So soon? But what if they can help?" Ember tilted her head curiously.
"Well, first we need to figure out if there's even anything left for them to help us with..." Luke looked to Ember, then back to Silver. "Oh, right, sorry... uh... the name's Luke. My partner over there, her name's Ember. We're treasure hunters..." Luke then crossed his arms and sighed. "Can't say I know anything about the guy we were fighting earlier, but I know this much; he's carrying part of a very dangerous artifact. If he was able to deal with us that way with just the piece he had... well, you can imagine that the less of those he manages to get a hold of, the better."
Ember put a hand to her chin for a moment, before speaking up again. "Something's odd though. I agree, we should get back and make sure nothing happened to the folks checking out the ruins, but... from what we've gathered, my understanding is the Rod is primarily attuned to dark energy. Powerful dark mage or not, if the barrier held up to our power I'd imagine it'd be able to withstand an element it's likely better suited against."
"Well, to be fair..." "Luke, we've talked about this..." "But we didn't even try." Ember pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're so dense... knowing the risks involved with using that weapon you want to try and blow through a barrier with it? To say nothing of the fact that if it did work you'd probably melt whatever's inside..." "Err... Ember?"
It was at that point that Luke, followed by Ember, had looked back over to Silver, who was understandably confused. "... Um... so yeah, dangerous artifacts. The one that guy's got a piece of isn't the only one. That's, um, probably all I should say."
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Post by Arashi on Aug 29, 2020 1:00:02 GMT -5
Silver listened to the two as they spoke. Luke and Ember, huh.
"Nice to meet you...I'm Silver, and my friend there is Rion." She would reply.
Luke would then go on to explain the artifact...this was new. It was something she had certainly never heard of, and it sounded dangerous. From what Luke was implying, this artifact seemed to increase magical strength. So if an archmage got ahold of that...
Before she could really reply though, the two would go back and forth about a barrier, and blowing things up. Silver would tilt her head, not really sure what was going on at this point, but she found their banter a bit funny. Regardless though, the important part was this; there was something that could give the dark mages even more power. She did not like that. However, talking with these two managed to calm her down a bit.
"...I see. Perhaps I should tell you this then. My friend and I here, we are travelling to try to put a stop to all of...whatever this is. Whatever they have going on right now. That sort of artifact seems like a hindrance to our plans. I'm not sure if you trust me enough to tell me more, but are you seeking this artifact as well? I would trust it more in the hands of a dragon and her human than a dark mage any d-"
Silver would cut herself off mid-sentence as she noticed something. Luke's arm. The first few times she glanced over it, she wasn't paying much attention and it just looked like a glove. That was not a glove though, it was glowing for goodness sake. She would look at Rion, then back to Luke.
"S-sorry, but Luke... your arm. It's like my friend's. Do you...know why it's like that? If you don't mind me asking of course."
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Post by Bloodbane on Aug 29, 2020 2:07:54 GMT -5
Luke smiled. "Nice to meet ya, Silver..." he looked to Rion briefly and his smile faded. "... Maybe we'll get better acquainted with Rion here another time." The entire time that the three had been talking, Rion had not responded. It seemed he was in a state of half-consciousness, likely dazed from the effects and pain of the dark energy.
"So these artifacts... not just anyone can handle them, you see. And not all of them can be handled by dark mages, at least not without some nasty side effect most likely. If possible, we do want to keep things like what that guy was swinging around from being used, but beyond that..." he looked to Ember briefly, before shrugging. "Well, beyond that, I'd say you and I are on the same page. If you guys are out to stop the dark mages for good, then it's only going to help you guys if our work turns out well. That being said, I think we'll have to keep our respective jobs separated. Best to keep focus on multiple fronts, you know?"
However, when Silver mentioned his hand, Luke blinked a couple of times. "Oh, my hand huh?" he looked to where he was still keeping his arm around Rion's midsection to keep him standing. "Well how about that--"
"Luke, that's... not all that's glowing."
Indeed, not only was the crystal on Luke's hand glowing, but as Ember was pointing out, the tear in Rion's armor had become visible, revealing the glowing crystal beneath. "So he really is one of us..." he looked to Ember with a nod. "I think we've found our guy. But, uh... this is a little more... advanced than I thought."
"Jeez, Luke, you're gonna scare his friend with that talk..." Ember sighed, before looking to Silver with a smile. "It would seem that your friend has a... similar condition to Luke, here. There aren't too many like them out there in the world, and even fewer who ever have this trait awaken in their lifetime. The 'why' is a much longer story, and one I don't truly understand all that well myself, but we know someone who might be able to explain. In fact they're waiting to hear back from us in--" Ember looked back to Luke, her fists balling up as she glared at him. "Luke what the hell?!"
"Easier to show than tell, right? Besides... if it is who we're looking for, then maybe we can help him kick this dark energy, but to do that he's gotta snap out of whatever funk he's stuck in." By this point, Luke had set Rion down on the ground, and in Luke's hand was a small orb that glowed with the same fiery color his fingers did. "Hey, pal... if you can hear me, then say something..." After a few seconds, Luke shrugged. "See? Don't worry, probably won't even feel a thing. If it gets bad I'll just suppress the magic, it'll be fiiiine..."
With that, Luke placed the fiery orb in the open palm of Rion's left hand. Almost immediately, the orb caught fire, releasing smoke as the fabric of Rion's gauntlet burned beneath it. When it burned through the fabric and touched the crystal beneath, the orb continued to burn, and soon the crystal would begin to heat up.
"Okay Luke, I think you'd better stop..." "Little more." "What are you gonna do, let it melt through his hand?! Even if he doesn't feel it somehow, if that crystal starts melting it's going to release whatever's held up in there, and not in any controlled manner..." "Couple more seconds." "Dammit, Luke you idiot!"
As Ember started to approach in order to retrieve the flaming orb herself, she stopped mid-step as Rion suddenly sat up and clenched the orb tightly in his hand. "OW, what the hell is... this?" He had indeed started to feel the intense heat from beneath the orb, but as his fingers wrapped around it the markings on his body flashed with a brief pulse of light. Rion's hand relaxed, opening up once he no longer felt heat, but left in the palm of his hand was the orb, and not only was it no longer burning, but it appeared to be encased in a layer of translucent crystal.
"W-what the... hey, buddy, how you feeling?" Luke asked, seeming to be dumbstruck, though he wasn't the only one as Ember stared, somewhat slack-jawed.
"Did... did you do that, Luke?" Ember looked to Luke, who looked back and shook his head. Ember approached quietly, taking the sphere from Rion's hand and gazing at it. "... the Lasting Flame, returned to a dormant state by this Light. I'd heard stories about this power, but to see it firsthand..."
Rion, on the other hand, looked confused. He looked to his hand, then to Silver, then Ember, and finally to Luke, who waved with his own crystallized hand. "Yoo-hoo, still with us, Rion?"
"Y-You... the crystal, I... Wha...?" Rion's arm drooped and he fell back, now fully losing consciousness. It seemed that whatever he had accomplished just then had used what energy he had left, as the glowing of his crystals died down, but the dark energy appeared to have also been dispersed by the use of this power as well.
"... Well we definitely can't take him up the mountain like that. But hey, he kicked out the bad stuff didn't he? And now we know he's the guy!"
Ember simply slapped her forehead, sighing and shaking her head before looking to Silver. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but... perhaps we'd be better off waiting until your friends get back. I think Rion's going to be fine, though."
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Aug 29, 2020 20:18:42 GMT -5
Alriik would blink, shuddering a bit as the pillar of light erupted where the crowd ran from. He'd grit his teeth, and would immediately rush from the bar, pushing against the crowd. His swords would shake as he made his progress, shoulders striking him, yet he refused to fall or be pushed back. This was his calling… And he had missed it.
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Axala Altiim stepped from the entrance of the Altiim School of Higher Thought, dressed in all her finery. A brilliant scarlet dress, adorned with gilded lines and symbols, alongside a bright white cape held on by gilded shoulder pads. Bright red hair was tied in a long ponytail, shining verdant eyes pointed forward, plump red lips formed into a smirk. From her position, she could see the different boroughs of Exxos over the shining lake in the center of the civilization. The Village, where the educators and emissaries lived, filled with strong, well made stone homes. The Public Houses, where the workers lived. The Market, where business was held. The Pen. But the she wasn't out for any of them… She came for the lake itself.
She would gently kneel beside the mercury spring, and stared into it's silver waters. The lake was calm and unmoving, sparkling in the sunlight. She would gently place her hand against it, before submerging it completely. The edges of the lake would begin to darken, light beginning to form in the center. The waters would begin to shift and sputter. The ground would begin to lightly shake. Axala would remove her hand. The waters would calm and return to a singular gray color, the ground calming. Axala would smile widely as she looked to the silver coating on her hand. She would smile, and turn from the lake.
She would make her way through the village, briskly stepping past the other red haired elves that would stop and allow her to pass without a word. Those who noticed her would bow as she stepped past. Those who didn't went along their day, children playing, parents cleaning or ordering their silver haired workers on needed maintenance. As she stepped past the Public Houses, she smelt the sweat and squalor as she stepped past. Inside was loud and unruly, filled with lesser mages, barely fit for menial labor. She moved past, toward the Market, where larger stores run by richer elves and staffed by silver hairs stood against smaller shops and stalls manned by the red-haired elves in dirty clothes. The streets around her were chaos, but she was not once stopped or held up.
She eventually approached the large stone-and-metal behemoth of a building that was known as the Pen. The elven woman would approach the large iron doors of the complex, the silver-haired guards silently opening the doors for her. She would step through the cells on the first floor, filled with silver-hairs, who would silently watch her, as did the guards, who shared that same silver hair. Approaching the back of the complex, she would descend a stairway to a basement level, the stones darkening as she delved deeper into the Pen. Once she reached the bottom, she would step past multiple large metal doors, some chained closed, until she reached a final door. She would wave her dry hand idly toward the door, as a bright light formed by the hinges of the metal slab, and the portal was swung open.
Axala's smile would twist into a devilish grin as she stepped into the cavernous, dimly lit room. Her boots would create echoes as she stepped deeper, approaching the cargo this room held. “Ah, hello. I know it's rather odd for me to come down here, but you must understand how personal this all is. For too long, I have relied on others to deal with my problems for me. It may have worked for some time… But now, as we reach the end… I need to resolve my remaining accounts.” Axala would sigh, raising her hand, still coated in silver. "At least, I will have a hand in them myself." She would slowly look over the metallic-looking coating on her hand. “I am sorry it had to happen this way. Really, I am. And I hate that it had to be you. But it is time for you to wake up, now.” Axala would proceed to thrust her hand into the darkness.
And the other awoke.
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Post by Sorrum on Sept 3, 2020 12:39:56 GMT -5
Some time had passed. Vile watched closely as the battle played out, taking note of everything that happened. The dark mage had some kind of trump card, but he couldn't tell what it was exactly. Some sort of magical device? It was enough however that it made the reinforcements flee quickly after a desperate attack that left no trace of the mage. He was either vaporized in the blast or escaped, though the latter felt more likely.
He left his cover to jump down and investigate the battlefield more closely to see if any clues could be found as to whom the mage was, but there was little evidence. His attacks left no corruption on the field, thus he could surmise he was in full control of the dark magics, however long that would last. No sooner did he complete his investigation that a group of soldiers broke onto the scene, led by a tall lion beastia, all looking for a fight. Vile also spotted the drunkard swordsman from the boat ride as a part of the unit. His name was Alriik, if he remembered right. Hard to forget an elf that was so pale.
"You there!" Sam called out to Vile. "What transpired here?" Despite the lack of corruption, the grounds were still a wreck from Rion's and Luke's attacks. Vile merely turned to face them, before shrugging.
"I'm not sure. I heard a commotion, saw the big light, but there was nobody here when I got here." Vile defended, which put a scowl on Sam's face. "I was just on my way to the market, so-"
"I'm afraid that's hard to believe. I'd like to ask you some more questions at the station while we sort this out, so if-" Sam said, before Vile drew his sword and plunged it into the ground, blasting lightning into the debris and creating a dust cloud. Sam and the sentries would cover their eyes from the sudden attack, before one sentry held his hand aloft and blew a gust of wind into the cloud to clear it, revealing.. nothing. Vile had made his escape.
Sam growled angrily, before turning to his sentries. He towered over them and shouted commands angrily. "Find that pink haired man! And whatever that was that made that pillar!" The sentries scattered, some stopping to investigate the field while others flagged down nearby citizens and onlookers as potential witnesses.
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Post by Sorrum on Sept 3, 2020 13:20:10 GMT -5
Greys listened intently to the conversation between Rion and his allies, holding a hand to pause as Greta informed him. "It seems they're waiting for the Princess-"
"I have ears." Greys said quickly, cutting her off. She bowed her head low in fear of her master's punishment, but it was not to come. He turned, heading down the hallway further into the darkness. "Continue to monitor them, Greta. When I return, you will report on any other mention of this 'Rod' or crystal business, along with The Princess's moves and other orders. Keep our friends informed as well. I will be departing for Mt. Remorse for a short time to check on those two. Stay hidden, for I cannot protect you from the law if they discover you here." Greys said, taking his leave through another portal of darkness, and disappearing from the city.
Greta reminisced on that day, when the Tokun warrior visited her shop and laid her low, chopping through an entire tree trunk to do so. Even worse, he looked down on her and left her to be arrested rather than dealing the finishing blow himself. Damn that man!
She would have been scheduled for the executioner's block that day if not for her rescue. Just as the sentinels came to pick apart the building for the nature mage she felt herself pulled by a cold hand into the darkness they found themselves in now. He was her client at first, she recalled, asking about her plants and telling her he knew about their 'special' properties, and that he'd like to make a deal with her. However, their terms changed that day.
~
"The warrior who fell you.. he is not from this land." Greys said to a still injured Greta, who covered the revealing cuts in her armor. She backed away from the mage cautiously, unsure what his motives were now. "Do not be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you like he did, or those Sentinels will.."
"What do you want from me?" Greta spat. "I've been outed, my shop destroyed, I'm of no more use to you. Word will spread about my plants and they'll be burned and tossed out with the trash by the end of the day. My only hope now is to start somewhere else."
"There's nowhere for you to go, my dear." Greys said, just as her back touched the wall. "The safest place for you in this world is now at my side. You may stand," he said, lifting an open, inviting hand to her. "Or you may kneel."
Whatever he wanted from her she did not care. She wasn't his property, and the mage needed a reality check. Greta quickly lashed out, pulling moisture from the nearby stream and calling on the nautical plant life to seize and pull the mage away. No sooner did she make her move did he make his, as he wrapped his hand around her throat, his hands pulsing with a dark energy. Her plants lost all life and fell helplessly as her magic was shorted out by Greys' overwhelming force. Greys looked down on her with a crazed chuckle and evil grin as he choked her, then pulled the woman up from the ground and smashed her into the wall, causing it to break under pressure and form a crater around his hand. She somehow lived through this, but her consciousness was fading.
Greys leaned in close, his face only a few inches from hers. "Reconsider." Was all he said, before dropping her heavily on the ground. Blood fell from her lips as she stared up at the man, who's eyes shined like flames in the darkness. For the briefest moment, she remembered her ex-lover, the first time they fought, and how she struggled to stay with him after the fact but eventually fled to the life she lived now. But there would be no running away from this man, she knew; she would be his slave or she would die in this next moment. But, something in his eyes.. a sort of lurking madness told her he was not looking for anyone to stand by him. Stand, or kneel.. it was his way of torturing the will out of her. But to be a servant or die.. the choice was clear.
Greta slowly shifted herself to a kneeling position before Greys, and looking up to him slowly. "I will kneel.. before you, my master." Greta said submissively before lowering her head. Greys ran his fingers through her hair gently, before bidding her to rise.
"Continue your work. Find a way. You will be compensated with your freedom when I am done with you." Greys said. "Do not fail me." He warned. Greta merely nodded.
"As you wish."
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Post by Sorrum on Sept 4, 2020 6:11:36 GMT -5
Aqua sulked about her defeat at Arelyn's hands by her lonesome. She could feel the eyes of the people who'd gathered to watch her bout still looking at her, chattering about the event. She had no doubt that they weren't impressed; she wasn't proud of her performance either. Had she taken Arelyn more seriously she may have pulled a victory out, but she wasn't sure she actually could have since it seemed Arelyn also held back until the end. Aqua took her helmet off and held it up, looking it over. It's wing decorations were blackened and cracked, as was the rest of the helmet. She wiped a line back from the center, clearing a line of soot from the helm, before sighing. She carefully wiped her own face clear of the soot that had set there in absence of her helm's visor, something she had neglected to get repaired since coming to the city. She was going to go to the naval base anyway, but now she'd definitely be stopping at the armory for a visit with the quartermaster. Aqua got up before long as she noticed the crowd splitting up with some following Terra and Arelyn away, to another arena most likely. She followed behind the crowd and found a quiet place to watch the fight from, staying away from the public eye.
The nature mage was quite skilled, she had to admit she was impressed. Terra was a great fighter with an advantage against his element, but it wasn't working for her. When Terra dove into the ground Aqua leaned forward to get a better look. She remembered the sumo wrestler Yung Fueg doing that at the Ring of Doom, but she didn't think Terra was capable of the same. Moments later, Terra reappeared and defeated Vafiel in glorious fashion, exploding from the ground and into the sky, and shooting enough heat down on Vafiel to combust his plants. Aqua started cheering for her friend before running over. Aqua herself might be upset, but she'd put it aside to celebrate Terra's victory. "You did it! Great job!" Aqua exclaimed.
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Post by Vic Alriikerson on Sept 4, 2020 23:49:57 GMT -5
The darkness of the Pen was pierced by the light as the large frontal doors opened once more, Axala marching out, hands now clean. She would walk back through the Market, past the Common Houses, and over the streets of the Village. She returned back to the School, past the door guards, through the chaos of her students, up a stairways and to the back, to her quarters. The doors, held by some mystical light, slammed shut after her.
The echo from the slam would move through the school, eventually being cut by the sound of boots on the hard wood floor. An older looking elf, haired tied back and bespectacled, approached her quarters, book in hand. He would rap his knuckles against her door, before speaking, raising his voice to be able to get through the door. “High Educator, preparations are beginning for your speech. Within 2 hours, all will be prepared for your speech, and all of Exxos will be there to listen. Master Exalor is being fitted for his Ascension Robes as I speak. Is there anything I can do to assist before your address, or should I go and help with preparations?”
Axala's doors would swing open, and she would have changed from her fine dress to something much more ceremonial: a brilliant scarlet robe that matched her own hair, adorned with many different symbols made in gold, the most recurring being a pair of crosses, one standing straight, one diagonal. As she stepped forward, a warm smile would cross her face. “Ah, Alel. Thank you for keeping everything in order. You've done well tonight. How is Exalor?” Alel would smile in return, the bespectacled elf appreciating the compliment… But concern crept as he thought on it. “Worried, M'lady. Ascension only takes place when the current High Educator feels their life is coming to an end, but you show naught but vigor and life. No other High Educator has done this at such a young age. The people are worried, both for you… And of Exalor's inexperience.”
Axala would chuckle. “Please, I would not be doing this if I thought Exalor wasn't ready. But we have come so far in just my lifetime… And I am so tired.” She would turn, and walk back into her room. “Alel, my dearest assistant. Your family has served mine for generations, you have prepared your son as a worthy successor, but I do feel like never will the Altiim line have help as pure as your's.” She would reach her bed, turning, and lightly resting on the edge. “So, my dear assistant… my dear friend, Alel… I only ask you this one last thing…” She would lightly pull on the collar of her robe, the area around her chest loosening, flustering Alel. “M-M'lady, anything…” Axala would look up to Alel, desire in her eyes.
“I ask for your time.”
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Alriik would lead Saito down to the source of the chaos, finally pushing through waves of fleeing townsfolk… Yet the closer they got, they thinner the crowd became. Eventually they came across a battlefield, scorch marks, shattered crystals and destruction lining what was once a bustling city block. “… This was a big one.” Scanning the area, his eyes would catch Sam and his guard… And soon after, that damned Arch Mage. “H-HEY, VILE!” Sam would begin to interrogate the pink haired man, causing him to become uncomfortable. As soon as he made a move, Alriik began a mad dash towards him. He would make three full steps before Vile vanished in a bolt of lightning.
As Sam made sense of things and commanded his men, Alriik would approach the lion man. “That… Was an Archmage. And one I thought was on our side. Thought, at least…” He'd sigh, and look around. “But hey, I'm an old pro. Lemme see what I can make of this.”’ He'd walk around, scanning the streets around him. Burn marks, all around. Lightning? Fire? Some of it seemed to act like normal flame, but the rest carried that sickly rotting smell that came from blight. Some shattered crystals lay around the area, which Alriik would stop by, picking one up. Drawing Shirosame, he'd tap the crystal with the blade, the sword lighting up subtly where it was struck. Sheathing the sword and tossing the crystal, he'd take a few more steps, looking… Before finding a dented bullet on the ground.
He'd turn to Sam. “Alright, so… This shows all the signs of a blight mage attack. And it looks like my friends were his targets. So can you do me a solid and get your guards to gather my friends so we can figure out what happened? Cuz I think that's your best call.” He'd look over his shoulder, back to Saito. “I see burns, blight, bullets and some light crystals. You see anything I miss?”
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Post by Sorrum on Sept 8, 2020 0:26:45 GMT -5
Sam eased up slightly when he recognized the Altiim elf, though he did not recognize this new face. "Did you know who that was, Alriik?" After Alriik explained to him that he believed Vile to be an arch mage, his eyes widdened a bit. "That's.. concerning. Gonna need help from the Navy for that one." After Alriik began his investigation, Sam stood back and let the elf do his work. Alriik was his current best resource at the moment.
Sam's brow furrowed upon Alriik's results. "A blight mage you say? Like the one they've mentioned living in the old mountain?" He bit his tongue before holding his closed fist to his chin, looking down and contemplating. "This is bad. If the mage has made their way here to the city and is hiding in the slums, we are all in grave danger. And that man, Vile, is an arch mage and the two may be working together for reasons unknown. But why would they attack your friends, and not Lord Nyharllothor or Lord Barr? As well.. I do not see signs of ice conjuration, thus they did not attempt on Captain Aqua's life either. Then were the ones who did battle here the halfling and the paladin? Where are they now?"
As Alriik recommended a gathering effort, a sentinel quickly approached the two. "Chief Sam, sir!" The sentinel saluted and addressed Sam. "We've received report that a large red dragon was seen flying over the city to and from this area, and was later accompanied by a silver dragon. They were last seen flying westward over the Western Sector."
"That's toward Nyharllathor Manor. I don't know why these individuals gathered in this remote area of the city but I intend to find out. Sentinel, form groups of 4 to locate and gather Captain Aqua and the members of her entourage and rendezvous at Nyharllothor Manor. Level 4 protection, Code Black." Sam said. The sentinel looked shaken upon the orders given to him, but saluted and took off, heading back into the populated areas of the city. Sam turned back to Alriik and Saito. "Alriik of Altiim, I request you divulge any information about the lightning mage, as well as accompany my unit to the west end. The sooner we know our foe, the better."
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