He gave a low laugh, "Why don't you try again, sir?" He struck at Ian again, this time putting no energy into the attack. Thorn blocked him easily, holding their swords in place for a moment. Masset smirked, "Is that all you've got, old man? I should've known - it's been a while since you served with any real warriors." He spun out of the hold, sword ducking down below Thorn's guard and slashing back upwards for his stomach.
The wave of magic that collided with him took him somewhat by surprise, and his was lifted off his feet again and sent sprawling across the broken dais of the throne room. He pushed himself back to his feet, chuckling. A second wave smashed him back to the ground, pinning him there. Masset laughed a little harder, "You've forgotten how my power works, haven't you?"
Nerad
He growled as Ian charged him, raising his sword for what he thought would be an easy parry. He gave a yell as the magic in Ian's blade discharged into his, throwing his arm back. The sword flew from his grasp, and Nerad barely had a moment to recover before Ian pressed the attack. He threw himself backwards, grabbing his sword off the floor as he dove. He tried again to use his power, but found that some key activation thought or other was missing from his mind, he couldn't focus on it well enough. He leapt back to his feet instead, giving Ian a bit of ground as he recovered, panting, then rejoined the battle with a stronger block, pushing the former general back a few steps. Kaniy'd better recover soon...I can't win this one alone without my power.
Ciru
Footsteps, and a suppressed giggle to his right. Swinging his sword that way, Ciru swept his left hand out before him, causing a few minor, but incredibly sharp gravity shifts in that direction. There was a yelp, followed by the sound of someone hitting the cobblestones and the clang of steel skittering across the courtyard. Cliares was pushing herself back to her feet, dusting herself off. She glared up at him, pouting a little, "That wasn't fair."
He smirked, scars twisting a little, "You used your power on me."
"But you weren't meant to know where I was!" She stomped her foot, swinging her hands down to her sides.
His sword flashed up again, blocking a throwing knife. His smile broadened, "And you accused me of cheating. Making a knife invisible so you can kill me while we're talking."
She grinned, "Kill you? I'd never dream of such a thing. The king's changed his mind about you, Ciru. My orders are to bring you in alive." Her smile broadened, a twinge of the psychosis that characterised Hanik's favourites showing, "He's going to let Nerad and Glimmer practice their games on you. On you, on Ianeil, on Thorn and on Maradomin. All the rogues."
He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt. - Yossarian, Catch-22
Wide-eyed stupid.
If you're gonna rule the world, you've gotta get up early! - Joel S. Dickens
Maradomin had heard what Cliares had said and he got somewhat more force to his attack.
Garen.. Are the other clans here yet? Maradomin asked
YES!! Garen yelled in triumph.
"Men close the barrier... NOW!" The shadow mages closed the barrier so that maradomin was able to see just in time when a herd of dragons came to the battle that took place in the air.
Maradomin turned around.
"Gregorius!" He yelled
A big and tall man that had a white beard and sat on a white horse, carrying a great war axe looked at Maradomin. The man rode to him shlasihng enemies on the way.
"Maradomin. Are we late?" Gregorius asked
"Not at all. Your just in time. Are the others here?"
"Yes. Their just behind us." After saying that a swarm of arrows came from their backs and a flock of dark knights (and a few of their own) fell to the ground.
"I see that Flan has not changed." Maradomin stated
"Truly not. She is the same as always." Chuckled Gregorius "How about we show the dark knights a thing or two." Asked he
"Remember just a few weeks ago you still were one of them."
"Maybe. But that doesn't mean that I liked. it." He smiled and Maradomin smiled.
To copy reality is good... But to create reality is much, much better. -Giuseppe Verdi-
Ariadne! Gautier's roar was like a sharp jolt, waking Ari up from her next wave of pain.
G...Gautier.... She breathed.Ari screamed, trying to drown out the searing pain against her arm. Sddenly, the torture room shook, and a dragon roared. Hanik and Glimmer looked at the ceiling, shocked, as rocks fell from the ceiling. Part of the ceiling gave out, revealing Gautier above the rubble. He growled and roared, daring anyone to come any closer. Hanik was shocked and Glimmer shook herself out of her daze. She fired ice at the dragon and he blew fire right back at her, creating lots of steam. Gautier stormed over to Ari, taking her in his front claw, chair and all. He covered her body with his other claw and shot out of the room, flying away from the castle.
Ian....Ian is still in there.... Ari gasped.
You're in no shape to fight! You are not going back in there!
Get him....please....
Hell no! I'm not leaving you alone.
Gautier set Ari down a few feet from the castle, quickly and carefully breaking off the ropes of the chair. Ari stood, her legs about to give out from under her. Gautier held up his claw to her to steady her.
Gautier, please....!
Gautier sighed. Stay here! he roared, letting out his frustration as he flew speedily back to the castle.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
Ian cried out when the tower suddenly shook, the walls creaking and crumbling. Only two rooms down, the stone was destroyed, spraying rubble in every direction. He took a step back, shielding his face and shoulder with his sword.
Nerad moved to take advantage of the moment, but something distracted him. Ian gasped as he recognized the giant, white beast that blasted flame upon Glimmer and Hanik, driving them backwards. Gautier. And he had Ari.
Thank God.
He flinched when a fist collided with his head, knocking him on his back. He scrambled to his feet and raised his sword against another attack, barely blocking Nerad.
The man sneered. "You love her, don't you?"
Ian couldn't answer. He didn't even know; did he love her? Was it even possible?
"I can see it in your eyes. You...love...Ariadne. How cute."
Ian roared, throwing Nerad back with another blast of magic as Glimmer joined the fight.
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." Timothy 4:14 KJV
Maradomin looked at the other clan leaders: Flan, Gregorius and Velna. They had just broken through the enemies first and thinest line.
Cirú was still fighting against a virtually invisible enemy.
"Now fellow clan leaders hear this. We have only broken throught their weakest line, we have to still go trough their center lines to get to the ruins. This time Flan; because we don't want to get killed by your arrows, you go first." The girl nodded; Flan was of half elf kin just like Maradomin and Velna, where as Gregorius was tottaly human. Both Flan's and Velna's hair were fair unlike Maradomins and Gregorius's.
Gregorius's hair was dark grey and he had a matching beard, Where as maradomin had black hair.
Flan was a slim girl in her late twenties, she loved her bow over all other of her possessions, She (like Maradomin) wore a hooded cloack but her's was dark green, Gregorius wore a armor of heavy weight.
Velna was not as slim as Flan but that never stopped her, She wore a blu tunic and used as a weapon: a staff, She was specialised in healing magic and some other deligated matters (Torture, and some other practical things that had something to do with anatomy, alchemism and magic)
"Velna your troops are to stay behind, you must be ready to heal. After Flan has shot her arrows she is to wait till Gregorius has attacked, before she changes her target troop. After Gregorius's troops have clashed with the enemy, the shadow clan closes up." Is this OK? The other leaders nodded and went to their positions.
*Was this clear enough?????**** *I'm not sure. If not just tell me XD*
To copy reality is good... But to create reality is much, much better. -Giuseppe Verdi-
Garrel Garrel picked himself up of the debri-ridden cobblestones, where Bella's magic had just thrown him.
Dozens of soldiers were streaming through the broken gate behind her, but her eyes were only for the Saviour's Swordsmaster.
Blade and magic she wove against him, and with blade alone did he hold her back. THe magic he used, his birthright, was to hold in check the earth-spirit held within him.
As Garrel parried one of her minion's blows, Bella lunged at him cutting him deeply across the forearm. The wound healed instantly, to be replaced by a deep earthly brown flesh.
Garrel kicked Bella in the face.
"Traitor."
She hauled herself up, throwing raw elemental magic at him; forcing him to the ground.
"Weakling," was her scathing response.
He could feel his bones shifting beneath his flesh. His resistance was wavering.
Garrel, Roslyn says they're nearly here, and that we need to lead everyone to safety came Alexander's sudden message.
We're in the middle of a battle! How th heck am I meant to get everyone to safety? Use the boy. Roslyn's voice was distant, as if from a great distance.
Garrel could see Azrayel standing in a circle of dead bodies; his paired scimitar's dancing like lightning. His twin dragons brought down a much larger beast, and the three crashed to the ground nearby. Fighting alongside Azrayel, the sprite wove her own delicate stance, meteing out death just as vicously as any of them.
"Azrayel," Garrel shouted between blows he exchanged with Bella, "we need to find the others and get out! We've no time for this. When we find them, use your compulsion to get a forced retreat."
He could feel himself gaining height and breadth as his bones cracked beneath the twin forces of Bella's magic and his own. Something was about to break through.
On the horizon, the sky darkened.
Viedna
This is a poor plan. "Shhhh. Did you get through to Alexander, did you warn the others?"
Yes, they will leave as soon as they can extricate themselves.
Viedna strapped himself firmly into Roslyn's saddle. There would be no effort wasted on keeping seated, nor on fighting; he had bigger fish to fry.
Through force of will he extended his anti-magic aura so that it covered both he and his pursuers.
A few Dark knight strgglers, situated on the battlements; loosed arrows or magic at the dark cloud, but the former were easily dodged by Roslyn; and the latter dissipitated harmlessly.
Behind Viedna; furious that their home beneath the river had been attacked, flocked six hundred Al'aran; including a full twenty males. In their indiscriminate fury; they tore apart the Athanasians that crossed their path; leaving a trail of desolation in their wake.
And they were immune to magic.
Azrayel had better order a retreat soon.
*Heh. I gave you an opening sylverdawn, cos I thought you might be having trouble.*
So you're going to kill a god. Sure. But what happens next?
Ari steaded herself, gaining some of the strength she had lost. She heard many footsteps quickly coming closer to her. She turned and saw that there was a whole pack of Al'aran charging their way towards her. Ari reached for her sword that was supposed to be safely tucked inside her sheath, but looking down found that she was only grabbing air.
Fuck! My swords at Kaitta! Ari looked back up and crouched just as a female Al'aran lunged for her.
Ariunted as her back collided with the ground, her arm firmly tucked against the Al'aran's neck as it furiously snapped its jaws at her. She tucked her legs underneath its belly, placing the tip of her feet on its stomach. With a strained effort, Ari kicked up, sending the female soaring in the air upside down. Ari rolled over onto her stomach and stood shakily, seeing that the Al'aran landed on its side. It struggled to stand, also, but faced her and snarled, lip curled up visciously.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
Ian struggled against the combined forces, blocking one while he attacked the other. He panted as he cast spells back and forth and tried to parry and thrust with his "new" sword.
He grunted when Nerad hit him from the side, his fist colliding with his jaw, as Glimmer released a wave of ice. Ian stumbled and rolled across the ground, temporarily stunned.
Azrayel...get us out of here! he groaned, getting to his feet only to have Glimmer blast him again.
Shyen! Help me!
In the courtyard, the dragoness screamed, but something else arrived. Gautier roared as he swooped down, unleashing fire from his open jaws as he wrapped one claw protectively around Ian.
Ian shouted, arms still free. He watched, hopeless and angry, as Nerad and Glimmer tried with everything they had to reach him and the retreating dragon. Ian thought, wanting desperately to make them suffer for what they did to Ari, even though he hadn't seen her yet.
"Coward! Get your ass back here!" Nerad hissed once they were out of range.
Ian took control of the sword, guiding it and commanding it with his telekinesis. Think. Who tortured Ari? Who had Ari? His eyes settled on Glimmer. She had to have been the one, because Nerad had been in the hallway... Yes, it was Glimmer. He propelled the sword forward, blade first, and let it rocket into one of Glimmer's shoulders.
******************
Thorn watched passively as Shyen broke away from the aerial battle and rocketed to one of the fields. Al'aran.
Shit! Not them again!
"Don't forget about me, bastard!" Masset shouted, swinging wildly at Thorn. The elf knew better than to use magic; he'd already been thrown around like a rag doll, and by his own reflected force!
Thorn met Masset's blows again and again, strength waning as time drug on and the sun began to set again.
Twenty four hours. This has been going on for over twenty four hours.
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." Timothy 4:14 KJV
Soon they could see the faces of the dark knights inner defencive troops arching towards them.
"They are weak." Maradomin whispered "Their leaders seem to be in the ruins."
We need to take the core troops out."
Flan's troops fired a wave of arrows, a few dark knights fell to the ground. They fired again before the troops started to defend.
When the troops had got their shields up it was Gregorius's turn.
Gregorius's troops attacked with brute force upon the enemy lines, their attack came out of the blue and gave them the edge of surprise.
Fan moved to devastate another troop coming this way, as the shadow clan moved to the first core troops flank and attacked at their back.
Maradomin watched this from a small hill. He had gathered a small troop of elite soldiers to make a mission within the ruins. The small troop started to move, fast but silent.
MARADOMIN. The child, the child is in danger. The sword sayed
Maradomin picked up space.
They were closing up with the ruins.
To copy reality is good... But to create reality is much, much better. -Giuseppe Verdi-
She screamed, dropping to her knees as Ian's sword plunged into her shoulder, buried up to the hilt, the better part of the blade protruding from her back. "Bastard!" Krich! Deal with that son of a bitch!
Will you live?
I don't fucking care! Just as long as I live to see him and that bitch of a Saviour die!
Her dragon broke from the battle with the others in the sky, setting off after Gautier, letting a blast of ice loose at him.
Vanis
The massive dragon wheeled above the battling dragons, seeing a pair of them drive Shyen into the ground. Those of the dark knights had a distinct advantage - there were more than two or three times as many as there were on the other side, and they were pressing the Saviours and their allies hard.
His eyes flashed as he saw Maradomin and his followers making for the ruins. With a low, rumbling growl, he turned and dove for them, spreading his wings out as he neared the ground. With one massive beat of his wings, he sent several of them sprawling, then breathed fire across them.
He changed shape again as he allowed himself to drop, his scales shrinking back to the plates of his armour in his human form, his helmet growing around his head, concealing his face again. He drew his two handed sword as he reached the ground and planted it in front of him, standing before Maradomin and his officers, "Searching for the child, are you, Maradomin?"
Maradomin looked shocked, "How did you-?"
Vanis held up one hand, "Please. I remind you that I'm far older than even Gorton, and he refers to the other dragons as young. I notice things, sergeant, that others don't. Unlike most of the Dark Knights, I am still sane."
One of the half-elves, bow half drawn, raised her voice, "If you're so powerful, then why're you letting the king boss you around?"
He spread his hands wide, "Why, I'm like all of you. An opportunist. For now, aiding the Dark Knights suits me."
The heavily armoured man hefted his axe, stepping between his master and the shape-shifted dragon, "Enough talk. Let me deal with this one, sir."
He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt. - Yossarian, Catch-22
Wide-eyed stupid.
If you're gonna rule the world, you've gotta get up early! - Joel S. Dickens
*Gregorius doesen't coun maradomin as a sir, but as a very good friend.*
Gregorius lifted his axe, Flan, Velna and Laviant watched as Gregorius hit with it at the shape-shifter.
The hsape shifter leaped foward at gregorius, He hit Gregorius on his armor... hard. Gregorius stumbled backwards but soon recoverred. His armor had not suffered much damage, but gregorius seemed angry.
The Big man leaped with an amazing speed for someone his weight and the axe came swinging down on Vanis.
Vanis shierkd and leaped bacwards... bleeding, he turned his shape back to a dragon.....
To copy reality is good... But to create reality is much, much better. -Giuseppe Verdi-
He reared back as he changed into his dragon form, bleeding from his side. He let out a roar and swooped forward towards Gregorius. The big man readied his axe, too angry about having been hit to bother trying to duck. At the last minute, Vanis' claw shot out, closing around him. The dragon lifted him off the ground and tossed him almost casually into the ruins. The collision probably wouldn't kill him, given the amount of armour he was wearing. He might have broken a bone or two, but it wasn't something the dragon was concerned with. After all, he was just another human, he wouldn't make a large difference in the great scheme of things.
He swung back to the others, shifting back to his human form. He touched down just as his wings vanished into his back, dusting off one of his gauntlets. The rest of Maradomin's group looked ready to kill him now. He looked up, his voice echoing a little within the helmet, "Now really. Look at me - the only reason I'm bleeding is because he was strong enough to get through. You," he pointed at the archer, "Are useless against me. Those arrows couldn't get through this." He turned his gaze to the healer, "The same for you. I saw you fighting, you might have some skill with a staff, but you can't match me in combat. And your magic isn't of an offensive nature." He looked at Maradomin, "Which leaves you. And I'm not done talking to you, yet."
Maradomin took a step forward, raising his sword, "What could you possibly have to say to me?"
Vanis didn't move, drawing his own blade, "Just tell me what you want with the child, and I'll decide if it suits my plans. If there is no conflict between our intentions, I'll leave you to your own devices. If our plans can help each other, well, I'd be happy to aid you. So tell me what you're doing, because it's the fastest way you've got to the child. Going through me would be a lot more difficult, and you know it."
He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt. - Yossarian, Catch-22
Wide-eyed stupid.
If you're gonna rule the world, you've gotta get up early! - Joel S. Dickens
He looked at Vanis. Was he about to tell this creature his plans?
What did he have to loose?
"I still need his blood." He said
"And I need Hanik dead." He continued.
Vanis seemed to be thinking through what he had just heared.
Maradomin could see Gregorius rising from the ruins, ´the man was furious but not furious enough to use reason. He looked at Maradomin, waiting for a sign.
To copy reality is good... But to create reality is much, much better. -Giuseppe Verdi-
Ian couldn't stop looking for Ari, all the while thinking about what Nerad had said. "I can see it in your eyes. You...love...Ariadne." Was it even possible? Could he really be in love with Ari and not realize it?
There's only one way to find out...
Even as he thought it, something collided heavily against Gautier, making the dragon roar as he was knocked to the side.
"What the hell?" Ian looked up to see Krich in a rage, trying to get through Gautier and to him. "Shit! Drop me, Gautier!"
The dragon seemed shocked by the command. Ian repeated it, more sternly. "I'll get Ari! Now, put me down! You can't fight with me in your claws!"
Gautier finally snorted and did as I'd requested, letting me fall into the safety of the trees. It was not so pleasant a landing; I passed through several limbs, the branches scratching me up even more. At least I could get away while Gautier held Krich off...
Shyen! Can you get out of there?!
Ugh! I'm trying! They have me pinned!
Ian halted. What? Shyen was pinned? But Ari was in trouble. But...yet... He groaned, his head hurting as his body gave a shudder. He wasn't doing too well either.
What the hell can I do?!
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." Timothy 4:14 KJV
