VG Rumble II

(Sorry for the absence again. I really am getting settled now, promise! Adam took a dagger.)

Adam

There was a lot of gold in the pockets of Sir Ilum Ro but Adam was only momentarily distracted and the thought of stealing any of it barely crossed his mind. To steal from such a great man would be a crime indeed and one Adam wasn't capable of committing. He watched the battle field with sharp eyes. These guys were good. They fought better than some experts he'd seen, all of them imbued with a raw, natural talent or a carefully crafted and trained ability such as Adrian's. Adam knew he wasn't any match for the horrific beasts; he was no hero.

Ilum Ro was fighting with one of the skamps. His skill had not decreased with age and he handled the monster in an almost casual way. Too casual. Could he not hear the other skamp behind him? Even as the first imp-like creature fell, the second's tail whipped toward Sir Ro and was deflected and sliced by a raised dagger. Adam's hand didn't shake; he wasn't willing to admit that he was scared.

"I've got your back," Adam said. He lunged at the skamp with his dagger and ripped at the fur. The creature cried out and snarled. It backed off a little and then rushed forward again. Ilum stood looking stunned. He stared at Adam open mouthed.

"Your voice-" Ilum started to say as the skamp charged again. Adam blocked one clawed hand with his dagger but the other scratched deep gouges into his side. Suddenly Ilum was alert and a frosty ice encased the skamp. It froze, it cracked and the creature fell apart. Adam shivered, taking a step back from the cold.

"Thanks," he said with a quick grin. "It is an honour to be saved by one such as yourself." He gave a flourishing bow, only half in jest.

--Current Enemy Count-- (After the next post)

Active:
- x1 Skamps
- x1 Frost Atronach
- x1 Deadroth
- x1 Flame Atronach
- x1 Storm Atronach

Deceased:
- x3 Skamps
- x1 Frost Atronach

Balaes

Balaes' spell smashed into the golem's chest. The force of the attack blasted the rocks in all different directions. He was surprised that such a large creature had been this easy to defeat. Before he could enjoy his victory, the rocks that had shaped the Storm Atronach's body floated back together. Soon, the creature stood tall once again.

He heard footsteps coming up behind him. He glance over his shoulder to see the second Frost Atronach approaching. Once demon was bad enough, Balaes knew he didn't stand a chance against two on his own.

A bolt of lightning struck the ice creature in the side, making it stumble. Roen ran over to Balaes, standing so their backs were facing each other. "I'll handle the Frost Atronach while you take care of the Storm one," he told Balaes.

Balaes nodded, turning to face his opponent again. At least now the odds were stacked a little more in their favour.
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Edgar

Edgar pushed against the Deadroth as hard as he could, but it was a losing battle. His strength was slowly depleting, and the creature's jaws kept getting closer. Just as it seemed the shapeshifter was about to lose, the Deadroth's head shot up away from his face. The creature howled in pain.Edgar didn't have time to wonder what happened, he used this chance to break free by kneeing the creature in the stomach and rolling out from under its body.

Salvian Matius had been standing behind the Deadroth, his sword impaling the creature's tail. He pulled the blade out and moved away just in time to dodge the demon's claws as it swung at him. He took a stance beside Edgar as they squared off against the creature together.

"Thanks for the help," Edgar said in his husky wolfish voice.

"It's not over until none of them are left standing," the captain told him.
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Adrian

Adrian stilled his breathing as he waited for the Skamp to attack. His father had taught him that in battle the first strike was always the most important. The skittish creature growled its displeasure, staring angrily at Adrian. It moved, and so did Adrian.

The Skamp reared its arm back to strike as it rushed forward. Big mistake, Adrian thought. By swinging its arm that far it left its vitals wide open. He lunged forward, piercing his sword through the creature's shoulder. His aim had been slightly off, he had wanted to pierce the center of its chest. Adrian didn't give the Skamp a chance to recover. He pulled his blade out out its shoulder and swung at its neck. With one swift motion, he took the demon's head right off.

He turned back to Enya to check if she was okay. She was frightened, but didn't seem to be injured or anything. "Let's get you somewhere safer," he told her.

Adrian was caught off guard, though. The fourth Skamp that had come through the portal hopped onto the log and tackled Adrian. He and the demon both rolled down the hill in a tangle of limbs.

Ivellios noticed Kai hesitate and started to run. He blew passed him and yelled, "Snap out of it and help him, I'll take this one!" See Kai leave he turned to focus on his own opponent. he tossed his spear to the side, it was only going to weigh him down. The Fire Atronach bellowed and the fight was on.

They traded blows and it seemed even, but Ivellios knew he was loosing. the heat was getting unbearable and one false move would mean his death. He need to come up with a plan quick. Looking back he saw the dead Frost Atronach and got an idea, "Over here ugly!"

He ran back towards the dead body. but he lost his maneuverability and was grazed on the right shoulder by a fire ball. Clenching his shoulder and knelt down. he secretly picked up the Frost Atronach's head, "Is that the best you got?!"

Bellowing in rage it sent a funnel of flames from it's mouth at Ivellios. Lifting the head like a shield he ran straight into the flames and blocked them. The shield dissipated just as he reached the creature and he impaled it through the mouth. The flames went out and it was dead.

Kneeling down he fought back a scream. His whole body was burned, "That's it, I'm done. All I can do his defend." He walked back to the rear where he found Enya, "Any way you think you could help me?" He asked with a half smile so she wouldn't worry too much.

(My stupid Computer.)

Balaes

The Storm Atronach exploded apart again as Balaes sent another pulse of darkness at it, only to float back together. Damnit! Balaes though, How am I supposed to destroy this creature when it just comes back together every time I think I've beaten it?

He thought carefully as he blasted it again, only trying to delay it. He was starting to become tired, the rigours of the use of dark magic starting to get to him. How did the others beat that one? he thought spotting the broken body of one of a Frost Atronach to one side. They attacked the joints, didn't they?"

The golem's stones had finished floating back together by now, and it started forward once agian. [i]This thing doesn't have real joints!

He directed a particularly strong bolt of dark power at its head, feeling his strength starting to ebb away now. He didn't know how much he had left in him, and he merely prayed that this attack would bring it down once and for all. Or that if it didn't, Reon would have finished with his Atronach and would be able to aid him.

Enya panted, watching as Adrian was swept away down hill, tangled with the skamp. He soon disappeared from view, vanishing within the chaos of the fight. She half rose, looking over the log, hoping to see him rise victorious and run back to her...

"Any way, you think you can help me?" a voice made her start. She gasped, looking up to see Ivellios, covered in burns.

She swallowed a lump in her throat as she nodded shakily. "Yeah...come here, and I'll see what I can do."

Ivellios approached and stiffly sat down next to her, sheltered by the old log, and Enya began assessing the damage.

Meanwhile, Kai rushed toward his comrads' sides, facing off against the Deadroth. Maybe with the three of them, they could fell the beast...

(I'd like to post, but I'm afraid I don't have the energy for it at the moment. Last night I spent almost eight hours straight working on one of my college assignments. Then, I had to wake up at 7:00 this morning just so I could have enough time to finish up the final touches, which took another three hours. So, I'm pretty much burnt out. I'll see if I can post something tonight, if I have enough energy that is.)

***I probably won't post until tomorrow night...well...make that LATE tomorrow night., because of play practice and then choir practice...

According to as much as my doctor could figure out, I have a superficial amount of fluid on one knee and bad cartilage damage from a bad dislocation/bust last year in the other, which is aggravated with a nasty fall I took yesterday. The doctor twisting and hyper-bending my knees didn't help with the pain, either...ugh... Both of my knees are in braces, and I'm drugged up on Motrin IB.

Goodnight...***

Adam

It was hard to shake the feeling of being stared at as Adam hurried down the battle field, his earlier fear almost forgotten as he reached Balaes in time to see the head of some electrical boulder like creature severed by a blast of dark magic. Adam slowed to a walk, one hand clutching his side where blood had ruined the almost new cloth tunic. It had been patched in only two places and had been a good steal for anyone of Adam's class who had often dreamed of fine clothes.

"Looks like you don't need my help afterall," Adam said with a grin, casting an eye across to where Reon was still caught in battle.

"Oh yeah?" Balaes snorted, wobbling on his feet in exhaustion. Adam raised a brow in amusement and then stared as the head landed back on the body and the creature lurched toward them, a little more stiffly than before but without any real sign of injury. Oh great and what use will daggers be against that beast?

It was clear that Balaes was near worn out, his eyes peeled open and his breathing haggard, slow and deep like the echo of rust. Adam steadied himself. Then he would die. Now was a good a time as any and already once he had been saved from the fate that awaited him by another man's hand. He could at least steal time for this boy who deserved another chance at life. A chance to be more than a lackey for the underground bosses, a chance to be a hero. A chance that had never really been Adam's anyway.

"The joints," Balaes gasped.

It lunged. Adam ducked below the limb that was thrust forward, feeling his hair stand on end as the current passed over him and he hacked at what might have been a shoulder but at any rate was certainly a joint. All the while, one arm stayed clutched to his side as if he feared what might spill out of that wound should he let it go. He did not depend on being saved by Sir Ro, though that would have been real nice, but he knew his usual tactic of talking and bargaining would not see him safely out of this fight. This was a demon.

"I have to say something before I die, Balaes," Adam spluttered, rolling out of the Atronach's way and rushing at it again. "My birth name's Tyson. If anything should ever be said about me, I want it to be about Tyson the Honourable, not Adam the Thief."

(That sucks. I hope you feel better soon.

Sorry it took so long for me to post. But hey, school and personal health come first.)

Edgar

Edgae and the captain faced the large demon. Its eyes burned with rage as it lurched forward to attack. They both rolled to one side, evading the attack. Matius plunged his blade into the Deadroth's side as Edgar jumped onto its back again. Before the creature could pull him off again, he used his claws to rip open its neck. The Deadroth fell to the ground, dead.

Edgar took a look around the battlefield to assess the situation. Everyone was fighting their hardest, except... Adrian was nowhere to be seen. He ran over to Enya who was tending to Ivellios' wounds. The girl let out a surprised shriek when she saw him. Obviously she had never seen a transformed shapeshifter before.

"Enya, it's me, Edgar," he told her. She seemed to calm down a little bit. "Where is Adrian?"

She pointed down the hill. "One of those imp creatures tackled him. They both rolled down the hill."

Edgar rushed down the hill on all fours, hoping that he was not too late.
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Reon

Reon cast another lightning spell at the Frost Atronach, but it didn't appear to be working. The only other spell he knew was an ice spell, but that wouldn't be of much help against a creature made entirely out of ice. If only he could use a fire spell...

Just then, a fireball slammed against the creature's side, then another. Three more shots blasted the creature, melting its entire right side. It lost its balance and fell over. Sir Ro came into the fight, delivering the final blow with his sword. He had been the one casting the fire magic.

"Thank you, Sir Ro," Reon said.

"We can't relax just yet," he told him, pointing at Balaes and Adam. They were both struggling against the Storm Atronach, and it appeared they were losing.

(In case you want to know what element is strong against another, you can check the site in the spells section. It has a list of all the magic spells in the storybook, as well as their effects.)

Kai looked around; the chaos was dying down, but there were still a few creatures left standing...the Storm atronach, a Frost atronach...Adrian was nowhere to be seen, and Kai was sure there had been one more skamp...

He looked up when he heard groaning and straining; Adam and Balaes were struggling against the Storm atronach. Kai ran toward them, sword in hand, ready to leap in to help. He wasn't sure how much good he would do, but maybe...

He ran up from behind the creature, swinging his sword at the back of its leg. Kai cringed when his hand was suddenly numb from an electric shock. He withdrew and ducked beneath a back-hand aimed at his head.

Adam

A narrowing of sight and the lash of electricity through his brain alarmed Adam more and more, even more than the stale wound in his side that no longer drew his attention and was left to fester as he attempted to fight the beast off with both hands. One held his dagger, the useless electrical conductor that did him more harm than good but at least served to keep the Atronach at bay. The other now scrabbled at any purchase on the ground it could find, propelling the body back, under, over; away! Any direction that was away and then his legs dragged him forwards again before the Atronach could redirect its attention elsewhere.

Heavy weights seemed to have settled on his flesh, forcing Adam toward the ground. His breathing was heavy and haggard and there was so much dreadful pain. He was losing awareness. And then there were others there, vague faces flitting in and out of his vision, making his head swivel, his mind counting enemies while some deep flicker of recognition insisted they were friends. At last it didn't matter either way, whoever they were, they were there and he could rest.

Adam fell back, quite literally. He smiled vaguely at Baleas and decided he was glad of the company of others; he would die surrounded by people who had seen he could be worth something.

"Tyson," Adam whispered. "Remember it." He wavered back and forth between consciousness and oblivion.

Balaes

Panic was surging through Balaes, he had no idea how to deal with this kind of threat. The Atronach seemed virtually impervious, it was taking damage, yes, but it looked like it still had a long way to go. And Adam's - Tyson's - knife had done nothing but act as a conduit between the demon's electricity and the thief's body. Balaes was virtually paralysed with a mixture of helpless terror and exhaustion.

Adam collapsed on the ground a few feet in front of him, between where Balaes stood and where the Atronach literally bristled with electricity. "Tyson..." whispered the thief, "Remember it."

Balaes stared down at him, Damnit! He's about to give his life to try to protect the rest of us, and I'm standing here, not doing anything because I think I'm all used up! He glanced at his hands, then at Adam, He's used up, not me.

He stepped between Adam and the demon, glaring at it. He tried to lace his voice with power as it stared down at him, the way he'd seen his father do. "You stop here. You will come no further."

The demon seemed to laugh in response. The sound was low, akin to thunder, but softer. Balaes didn't doubt it could easily become a proper, body-shaking thunderclap, but the demon seemed to restrain itself for now, only coming forward again, its fists raised as if to crush the dark mage.

Taking advantage of the moment, Balaes leapt forward, wand outstretched, just as Adam's knife had been. His hair stood on end as he passed through the creature's emissions of static electricity, then he felt jolts racing through him as he came too close to the golem. Focusing as best as he could, he jammed the wand into the lightning that seemed to hold its midsection together, unleashing all his remaining energy into a single, massive attack.

He screamed as electricity was discharged into his body, and then the atronach seemed to explode in much the same way that it had every other time he'd attacked it. Rocks flew everywhere, and one caught Balaes in the ribcage as he was hurled backwards by the force of conflicting magic. He landed on his shoulder, feeling it dislocate as he rolled, coming to rest face-down on the grass.

He didn't think he could move any more, and could only hope that the Atronach was damaged enough for someone else to finish it off. He didn't believe it was dead, why should things have been any different to all the other times he'd attacked it? I've failed Adam, as well...he could be dead now, and I was the only other person who knew he was Tyson. If the demon gets up from that, then I'm dead too.

Kai coughed as the dust and rubble settled; Balaes had been thrown a good distance and was now laying, probably unconscious, in the grass. Adam had already collapsed only a few feet away...

And the Atronach was weakening. Half of its lower body was gone, scattered about as rubble after that attack. It looked around it, possibly contemplating what action to take next, who to go after, or whether or not to run. Kai growled when he finally realized how badly injured the other two men were; he wouldn't let it do that to anyone else.

"Father!" he called, running toward the Atronach. "Let's finish this!"

Side by side, the father and son duo rushed the Atronach, both of their swords raised and plunging into the demon's shoulder and neck. They shared the groans as electricity rushed into their bodies, numbing their arms. But that would not stop them; while Ilum ripped his sword through the Atronach's neck, Kai cleaved open its left shoulder. The beast gave a final, guttural cry, and crumbled in a pile of rocks.

Kai and Ilum stepped back, dropping their swords - well, Kai dropped his, Ilum sheathed his; the older man began to call orders left and right - "Find any others", "Make sure everyone's safe", "Get me some help down here", so on and so forth - while Kai massaged his arm, hoping to get the feeling back into it. He looked up to where Enya was sitting and saw her look up from tending to Ivellios. Kai nodded to her. "Enya! Come down here as soon as possible! We have two badly wounded!"

Enya nodded and finished applying ointment to a burn on Ivellios' face, then stood and rushed down hill. She could smell the blood and see the destruction around them. Adam and Balaes were both down, at most semi-conscious, and Kai was massaging his sword arm; she couldn't help but notice that both his and Ilum's fingers twitched slightly...

But there was one thought she shared with her brother: where was Adrian?