Chapter 8
From DALpedia
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday January 28th, 2006
Flashes of light could be seen in the darkness between the hundreds of glowing balls of light-- reflections off the armor between the scattered torches. A "Hail Emperor Draven" resonated from the small group of men scattered around the Emperor, and then they parted. Some by flying wyverns, some by large scaly lizards with the speed of horses, and some simply by foot. They had their orders.
Quiet moments passed.
The darkness was almost impenetrable, and a torch bearer could barely see five feet in front of him.
Large columns of torches could be seen from one watching in the distance, forming two organized groups. The two legions separated, one moving northward to Alphagrad, the other southward to Retangrad. Wave two was beginning...
Then a red light tore the sky. It was Draven. He flew eastward at an altitude of 200 feet or so, away from the battle at a casual pace...
----
Ven sat up, startled at the sound of clanging armor, a steady strong marching sound somewhere behind him. He had apparently dozed off for a few minutes and sat up to peer over the rock behind him that he was leaning on. He tried to pinpoint the location of the fading noise, but there was nothing but blackness... what sort of an army can move without light?
As the sound faded, Ven took a look around for his traveling companions, but could barely even see his hand in front of his face. He crouched down and ran his gauntlet through the dusty ground. Perhaps he could find a branch or something to ignite with a flame spell...
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday January 28th, 2006
//Xorlak, the more i observe you and your characters, the more you seem like a pyromaniac to me, heh\\
Ein looked at the field filled with corpses.
-"Meh... What a waste."
He turned around facing Marshal.
-"You said we should leave soon. Where do we have to go?"
---
Steorra was walking on a road passing through a large, extremely dense forest. Soon an opening seemed to appear at the end. She hurried towards it...
...strong smell of sulfur and smoke hit her like a brick. She covered her nose with one of her sleeves, and caught sight of a large black mass. It was still smoking, but even through smoke she could make out what used to be towers, and remains of some sort of a fortress. //she is in whatever's left of Redvik right now\\
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday January 29th, 2006
Duilin tried to stay awake, he was afraid of having another nightmare. It was terribly dark, he couldn't tell weather or not he had his eyes closed or not. He still only had normal vision of a human, despite his other demonic abilities. He could hear somebody rustling around near by him; the closest person to him was that knight. "Ven? Is that you? I can barely see it's so dark..."
----
Rink, barely even noticed the dark. The dark did lower his vision yet his eyes were much stronger then those of a human. Yet he mostly didn't notice since he was in deep thought. The imp was sitting up in a tree, watching the area. Something else is here. It was still preety dang hard for him to see. He could hear marching. He could also hear Duilin's voice off in the distance, and a few soldiers talking nearby as they were walking off.
----
"Holy crap is it ever dark..." A bald tanned skinned man with a goatee, wearing the standard Crimson Empire armour, stated as he walked.
"Why thank you, for the information." Said a tough looking dark skinned middle aged man, holding a torch in his left hand, and a battle axe in his right. He was also in the standard uniform, yet he had badges indicating his rank as a Captain. "I would have never noticed the blinding darkness without you giving me this detailed information." He added mockingly. He didn't nearly have as much power as Valos or Vincent did; yet the troops still gave him respect.
"Sorry, sir...It's just really dark..."
"You ken see, that red glowin' up in tha sky thou..." A messy haired soldier, who was missing a few teeth, slurred as he pointing in the sky at Lord Draven, flying off.
"Captain Darak, you think this a good idea going out like this in the dark?" The other soldier asked
"I'm not sure, corporal. But frankly it doesn't matter. Just keep moving."
"Yes, sir..."
----
"I don't know, Ein..." Marshal said back. "It's very dark.... We should wait until Haraldur arrives. We could get killed or captured if we go out there."
He then rubbed his chin. "However, we could take the darkness to our advantage, and go back the outside of the Aspye portal."
----
"They are going towards the cities..." Abbodahon said, as he watched the soldiers march off. He was in the Grey Empire palace, viewing this from a ghostly orb. Several Grey Empire servants were near by him, yet they had the Talonscar symbol tattooed on their foreheads, like Valos does. "Let's just see how this turns out...heheh." the demon smirked, and continued viewing.
Posted by: D. Ein on Sunday January 29th, 2006
-"Killed? Captured? Laughable! You fear these maggots?"
Ein started pacing back and forth.
-"That amulet of yours, does it not aid you? I saw you using it. Looks like a powerful toy for someone who doesn't use magic itself."
He then stopped.
-"Then again... My crossbow isn't all that magic as well. It's only the bolts."
He glanced at Marshal's amulet again.
-"So, you use magic creatures to attack, and I sometimes use a magic bolt to attack."
He then looked around himself, seeing nothing through the darkness.
-"Dark, dark, dark. Very dark. Oh well, this can be helped."
Drawing a bolt from his quiver, he wondered whether this will get much attention. He then sat down on the ground and found a rock. He whacked the bolt on the rock, creating a small spark. The spark immediately went into the bolt which got about 50 shades darker.
Ein placed the bolt in his bow, aimed high and shot. As it flew into the sky, the bolt suddenly disappeared in a vortex of light, illuminating an incredibly large area beneath it.
-"The bolt should not attract attention, as there is no way to clearly see where it exploded. Also, when I fired it it was dark, so no one should've seen it."
The illuminated area was filled with corpses. No living soldiers could be seen, though.
-"Looks as though there are no more maggots to fear, anyway."
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday January 29th, 2006
Zeros' slowly opened his eyes, but, kept his arms crossed. He was sitting against the tree, using his senses to aid him.
He didn't mind the dark... It was more like an old friend that came to comfort him. He couldn't see worth shit, granted, but, he could see farther then most, because of his heritage.
He peered up at Rink in the tree.
"Can you see anything, Rink? I can hear the clanking of armor, and the feeling of hundreds of auras drawing near..." he said, moving his eyes around in the dark.
---
Allen slowly opened his eyes, and sighed, rubbing his temples, before replacing the glasses on his nose. He slowly pushed himself to his feet, and observed. Nothing had changed, but, the icky darkness that seemed to creep into the walls.
"What the hell is going on, here?" He mummbled, before streaching, and walking off in the direction of where he last saw the Elites. Maybe they knew something about this...
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday January 29th, 2006
"Yeah, over here."
Ven responed to the sound of Duilin's voice.
By now he had wrapped his hand around a small shrub, and proceeded to yank it out of the ground. Placing it before him and squatting, he placed both hands on the thick leafed shrub as a red spark emitted. The first time failed to ignite, but a second try yeiled a slowly burning makeshift torch. It would only last a few minutes, though.
As he picked up the torch the light illuminated Duilin's figure.
"The darkness approached so quickly..."
He slowly waved the torch back and forth, trying to get his bearings while seeing if he could pick up any other of his allies.
"I'm assuming that group that just marched by is our side. Did the Emperor give us any specific orders, or our we to act on our own?"
He turned and scanned the area. A few points of light here and there from torches, a random burst of light on the horizon (a battle perhaps?), and there was something else...
As he faced west, there were some more lights, although these were clearly much farther away. There were two sets, one on top of another-- reflections on water. There was a small group of ships on the ocean...
"I wonder who those are..."
----
The small boat gently slid into the dark beach. A dozen dark figures stepped out hastily.
"Sire, once again I must stress the danger of entering this battlefield... We cannot even see..."
"Then they can't see us. Quickly now, before they resume their battle."
The group trudged through the sand and into some long grass eastward, without a light guiding their way.
----
As the first legion approached Alphagrad, a flurry of blue fireballs emitted from behind the city walls. The volley was returned with red flame and a bright battle of projectiles commenced.
The second legion heading south approached a Retangrad already in disarray from Hyperion's attack. This legion was met by a group of Grey foot soldiers, and a battle commenced outside the city walls...
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday January 29th, 2006
"Yes, I can somewhat." Rink replied. "It looks like the armies are fighting at the cities...I can't make out much however. It seems a bit tricky to see."
He then scanned the area a bit more. "Hmmm, I also see a patch of light somewhere...I can see, a couple off people there, not sure who they are..." He then, stood up and rotated his arms, making a slight cracking sound, since he was in a stiff position for awhile. "Should we go find the others?" Rink asked.
----
Suddenly the squad Darak was with was attacked by Grey Empire foot soldiers outside the city walls of Retangrad.
Darak could still barely see with the torch he was carrying. He spotted a soldier run at him; he swung his axe, in a horizontal motion, slicing the soldier's gut, taking him down to the ground. Another Grey soldier swung his sword at him, he blocked it with his axe, yet he dropped his torch, and the light went out.
"Shit!" Darak cursed as the light went out. He then kicked at the soldier, and then swung his axe downward at his enemy finishing him off.
He then backed into something and following his first reflex he spun around and hacked at the it with his axe, making a wood chopping sound. He appeared to have hit a tree. He let out a breath of relief. Torchlight then cased his shadow upon the tree, and he turned around, and readied to attack the person, yet it was a friendly.
"Ah, good." Darak said, nodding, he picked up the unlit torch, and then motioned to the torch barrier. "Quick, light it." The soldier did so, and the two then split up.
----
"Hopefully that will not reveal our position." Marshal said to Ein, as he stood up. He then checked his machinegun. "Well then, maybe we should still be on the look out. I can hear a battle going on however, near by the cities. However, I'm mainly worried about the Empire's allies. Mostly that Zeros' guy. He gives me the creeps."
----
"No I didn't hear anything. I haven't seen Valos since he walked off, for some reason." He then stepped beside Ven, to get a closer look at what he was looking at.
"I don't know...They don't think those guys are with the Empire." He said softly. "But judging by the fact that they are sneaking around in pitch dark I don't think they are here on a pleasure trip..."
He then softly stepped closer. "Let's see what they're up to."
----
Suddenly a purple glowing projectile began to fall down in the centre of the battle outside of Retangrad. A few soldiers looked as the glow landed down, some people even stopped fighting.
A figure covered in a glowing purple aura could be seen. The figure stood up, the Crimson troops recognized him as Valos. He then drew out his sword, and pointed it diagonally upward. He remained silent and motionless.
Abbodahon's voice echoed in his head. Remember your place Valos, or else you'll loose your freedom, just like Nex did.
He closed his eyes, and then swung his sword around in the air. A Grey Empire soldier ran at him, yet his head was sliced off before he could even make a move. He then began to clash swords and fight with the troops attacking him.
----
"That fool..." Abodahon, groaned. He was viewing Valos fighting. "Well...I'll give him awhile, he's been in the Empire for a long time, so it should take him awhile to think things over."
He was sitting down on some sort of demonic throne. The room was glowing red, and the doorway seemed to have figures of skeletons and demons, there was an eerie looking fountain that flowed red wine. A servant scooped up some of the wine with a wine glass and handed it to Abodahon. He sipped the wine, as he watched the fight go on. He then viewed the fight at Alphagrad. "Ahhh." Abodahon grinned. "My men have arrived."
----
Suddenly five ghostly figures seemed to jump over the walls, of Alphagrad. Yet detail could not be easily noticed, they were wearing dark grey suits, and had strange red glowing eyes, and wore gauntlets, similar to Abbodahon's yet made of a more simple metal, and only rubies on them, and much smaller. They began to blast blood red lasers from their hands at the Crimson warriors.
Posted by: D. Ein on Sunday January 29th, 2006
-"Zeros', eh? Hmm... Oh, is he the guy who was with birdie last time we saw them? Seems like it..."
Ein looked around. The light was still visible. It was as if it was emitted from one location in the sky, but every time you tried to glance at it, it moved to a different spot. Clever illusion, Ein thought. That Aspye //sp\\ mage had some nifty tricks up his sleeve...
-"Hey, now that I mention it, the name Zeros' does ring a bell! I heard some people talking about him in Laus. He's the guy who kills the planet if he dies, right?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday January 30th, 2006
"Sounds like a plan to me."
The shrubbery in his hand began to burn out, but with the light of the ships visible, at least he could keep his bearings. He checked his blade in his scabbard strapped to his back and proceeded to carefully step eastward towards the ocean, tossing the last remnant of the smoldering leaves on the ground. He knew his black cloak would make him practically invisible in the darkness, so he whispered to Duilin behind him.
"This way."
----
"My lord, I am lost! I cannot see where I am going!"
"Over here!"
The voice came from a hundred feet to the man's left, and he followed it to rejoin his group.
Whispers from the men in back could be heard.
"Has our Lord truly gone mad? Such a wild goose chase this is..."
"Quiet! Our Majesty's Eye of Truth allows him to see all. Even through total darkness!"
Up ahead, a more elderly but stately voice could be heard.
"Hold on. I will check the situation."
A faint blue glow penetrated the darkness, and illuminated the one in front. An older bearded man became visible, wearing a crown and robes. The blue light seemed to emanate from his forehead. As quickly as it appeared, the light vanished.
"Yes, he's here... this way, quickly now."
----
At Alphagrad, those in the front line were quickly slaughtered by the ghostly figures. Beastly screams suddenly burst out from behind as a group of lizard men barring scimitars and shields attacked the five dark warriors from the darkness, blocking the beams with their shields as they drew closer...
Posted by: D. Ein on Monday January 30th, 2006
//Xorlak, are any of your characters near the remains of Redvik right now? I want Steorra to ally with the Crimson Empire, if you don't mind\\
Steorra walked around the rubble, not seeing much through the darkness. Somehow there was lava all over the place... Where would lava come from in this environment?
---
-"Eh, it doesn't matter. You know what? I have a pretty good place to go to. It doesn't have many people in it, though... We could teleport there. On the other hand, I'm going. If you want, you can come with me."
Ein took out yet another bolt and started drawing complex circles on the ground.
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday January 30th, 2006
//Ein, outside of Retangrad, Darak is fighting there. Maybe Steorra could make contact with him.\\
"I'll take your word for it." Marshal said, stepping closer to Ein. "There is nothing for us here." He added, he still kept a firm grip on his machinegun however.
----
Duilin fortunately was also wearing black, yet his wings may make him stand out a bit more, he folded them tightly down. He then nodded in acknowledgement to Ven and followed him.
----
The ghostly figures, then dashed towards the lizard men, jumping up in the air, behind their foes, and continued to blast beams at them.
----
"Hmmm… I hope those cold-blooded warriors, don't cause too much of a problem. I'd don't have an infinite amount of my elites."
Adodahon, being the leader, or rather the 'god' of the Talonscar cult, he personally trained a fraction of his followers, in his demonic magic. Yet not demons themselves, they have mimicked the powers Abodahon. Obviously, they were nearly as skilled as the demon lord himself, yet they could still put up quite a fight, and far surpass the basic foot troop or mage. They are titled the Talonscar Elite Warrior, but since Abodahon only sends his finest into battle, they could simply be called Talonscars.
----
Darak continued to lock weapons and take out foes as he progressed into battle. Valos however stood his ground and continued to defend himself and kill only his attackers. Enventually, the Grey Troops finally hesitated to attack him. One of the Grey Empire troops, however spotted the tattoo on Valos's forehead.
"He has the same symbol as the demon lord..." He said to one of his allies.
Darak overheard this. He then attacked the soldier who said that.
"What demon lord!?" He shouted, as he swung his axe.
The foot troop blocked the axe with his sword. "Why should I tell you?!" He snapped back, as he pushed away his attackers weapon and then swung his sword at him.
Darak blocked the swing of the blade, by hooking his axe around his opponent's weapon and he swung him to the ground, and jumped on him, and grabbed his head, by the hair, and put his axe, up to his neck. "Wrong answer!"
"He's a friend of Lord Melkoth, some demon who was around a number of years ago, they go way back. I don't know much more, honestly."
"Well, thank you. Now die." Darak sliced the man's head off. And then stood up and laughed. A Grey Empire warrior ran at him seeing a chance to take out Darak. Yet a Crimson warrior intercepted him. Fire began to catch to the trees, slightly illuminating the area, making it a bit easier to see. Valos' glowing Aura also made it easier to see.
Darak then stepped towards Valos, and saluted him. "General...is there a problem?"
Valos stood silent for a while, and kept staring into the darkness "Yes."
"May I ask what, sir?"
"No."
"Umm, very well sir..." Darak then turned around, and readied himself for more action.
Posted by: Trent on Monday January 30th, 2006
"Hey, kid! Are you flippin' ever going to pull those damn wings in?"
"No."
"Tsu, you've had them out the whole time we've been here."
"It's necessary. I must balance the light and the darkness within me."
"Psh. Whatever. No skin off my back."
Tsu looked at the streak that had shot past. "That's..."
"...Yeah." Zion finished the sentence for him. He then looked to Tsu. "Are you going to do it, or not?"
"Yeah. I'll do it." Tsu gathered a massive amount of energy. "Ready... Judgment variation... Damnation variation... Apocalypse!!!"
Tsu's wings... A white one on the left, a black one on the right... Both flashed and spreaded as wide as possible. The area before him was then bombarded with rays shooting up from the earth and down from the heaven, each one consisting of a light and dark ray spiraling together. "How was that, Zion?"
"It was good... My turn. Xenai, a rock please."
"Boulder coming right up." He lifted a decent-sized boulder and hurled it a good distance over Zion's head.
"... ... ... GO!!!" A bright white flash, and the rock is dust, Zion standing right in front of it with Eternity Weapon out to the side. Really, Zion had struck the rock with the sword... In 256 places. Zion panted very heavily. "Xenai, do yours. Then we're turning in."
"Alright, wimp." He grabbed another rock and heaved it forth. "GRAAAAHH!!!" A huge burst of energy, and that rock is dust too, and Xenai is in front of the rock, in the air, with Zero Weapon extended in front of him. He landed. All of that was just one hit.
"...Alright... Let's go to bed." With Zion's word, the three turned in.
// I used both of my updates for the day up for that lame, pointless intro post. Really, they won't be able to do these moves that quickly.
--- --- ---
Aura waited in her room for an order. She was told that she had a special mission. She waited in her room now apprehensively. What kind of special mission did they have for her? The quicker it pushes her through the ranks, the better. She needs to get stronger.
--- --- ---
Seijin waited now. It was gonna come soon. Transcender was ready. He just had to wait.
Posted by: D. Ein on Monday January 30th, 2006
Ein finished drawing the diagram. It made a feeble bleak flash.
-"Hmm... it's not supposed to do that..."
He walked around it a few times. Then a gigantic lightning hit the diagram from the skies, knocking Ein off his feet. It was shortly followed by a blinding flash. The ground then did something very odd: it evened out exactly, like glass. Ein bent down, and showed his finger into it. The ground seemed to sink in, but not as individual particles, rather as a whole mass. When he tried to pull it out, some of it stayed on his finger, then flowing back into the chart. In other words, ground became liquid.. Ein got up.
-"Ah, there we go. This one had to attract attention! But we don't care. Hop in!"
He walked into the liquid ground surrounded by glowing circles, and sank in it.
---
Steorra, realizing that there was nothing for her here, kept walking. She eventually hit a forest road like the one she exited out of prior to this. Walking through the road, she used her staff to illuminate the path in front of her. Suddenly, she heard voices and sounds of fighting in front of her. She saw a man with a battleaxe surrounded by other people. She came closer.
-"Ego nullum armam habeo. Nullum captium cogito. Quis es tu?"
(I have no weapon. I wish no harm. Who are you?)
//sorry, I take Latin in school, so I have to apply it somewhere...\\
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday January 31st, 2006
Marshal looked behind him, and then took a deep breath and then stepped into the liquid ground and sank into as well.
----
Darak pointed his weapon at Steorra. He then heard her speak words that sounded gibberish to him. "What?" Darak said, looking confused. He even readies to strike her down.
Valos then looked at Darak. "Stop."
Darak turned his head and looked at the glowing General. "What?"
"She means no harm. She wants to know who we are." Valos said to the soldier. He then stepped toward Steorra, and began to speak in similar tongues. "We are the Crimson Empire, we are currently at war with several forces, know as the Grey Empire and The Aspyes. Right now the Grey Empire has taken over two of our towns, and we are attempting to get them back. I suggest you leave, it's not safe here."
Posted by: D. Ein on Tuesday January 31st, 2006
Steorra came a bit closer to Valos.
-"Ubi sunt legiones tu dixis ab? Non video. Num tu falcidi?"
(Where are these armies you speak of? I don't see any. Surely you are not lying?)
The gem on her staff started burning a little brighter.
---
Ein was travelling through what felt like sticky honey, but amazingly he could breathe in it. After about six minutes the honey disappeared, and he was out in fresh air again. The town he landed in was familiar... It was the place where he got all his magic knowledge from. A half-torn signpost was still in place near the front enterance. You could vaguely make out the word: Lavessov....
Posted by: Zeros' on Tuesday January 31st, 2006
//Ein: If you kill Zeros' the world won't be destroyed. It's only if the world is completely destroyed by unnatural means, such as, throwing a gigantic energy blast, and destroying the core of the plant, would Zeros' die with the planet. After the war, though, Zeros' connection to the plant is going to be severed. \\
Zeros' nodded to Rink, and moved from his sitting positon, moving his stiff joins, cracking his neck and knuckles.
"We should. Strength in numbers, and all that jive. Even the most powerful warriors in the world need allies," he murmurred, refering slightly to himself. Without the others, he probably wouldn't be alive today. Nor would Draven. Haraldur, Melkoth and even the big demon he had fought earlier wouldn't either, even if they wouldn't admit it.
He started to slowly walk forwards, his hands stuffed in his pocket, and the sheath of his sword glowing slightly, giving him a five-foot radius of light around him.
---
Allen stopped near a guard, and muttered something to him. The guard saluted Allen, and pointed in a direction. He nodded to the guard, and saluted back.
Allen turned quickly in that direction, and started to walk.
Posted by: D. Ein on Tuesday January 31st, 2006
//I suppose I misunderstood you, Zeros'.\\
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday January 31st, 2006
(My apologies for the short update. Been kind of busy.)
Ven followed the direction of the lights of the ships, cautiously walking down the shallow slope of a hill (for it was still impossible to see). After a moment he paused, hearing voices ahead. He held out his left hand to signal Duilin to stop and listen.
A voice echoed from the darkness:
"Who goes there?"
A familiar voice... In near disbelief, Ven took a step forward.
"... My Lord...?"
A burst of light came from the direction of the voice, illuminating a older man holding a freshly lit torch. A fine green robe and a simple crown adorned his head. The light unveiled eleven more men clad in armor behind him, some simple of leather, some of a more intricate green metal.
Ven stared at the man for a moment... and then lowered himself to his right knee.
"My Lord..."
He turned his head slightly to explain to Duilin.
"This is my liege, King Henri of Tjed..."
Posted by: D. Ein on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
//heh, look at me, i'm such a fanatic: every other post on this page is mine\\
Steorra waited, expecting an answer. Valos was just about to say something, but then she said:
-"Tacite! Ego sonum audio. Nos solus non sumus."
(Quiet! I hear a sound. We are not alone.)
Suddenly, a huge man with an even bigger axe came out behind one of the trees behind Steorra. He pushed her aside.
Another man, a shorter one with a black hooded cape appeared left of Valos. A third one came out to the right of him holding a large odd-looking mace on his shoulder. Then, a tall man with a sheathed sword and a tall-collared cape slowly appeared out of the darkness behind him.
-"You there! With the hair! Do you serve the Greys?"
Posted by: Haraldur on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
Melkoth looked down on his new palace and smiled. He entered one of the larger chambers.
"So, Abodahon my friend, how is the battle going?"
____________________________________________________________________
Haraldur finally arrived at the palace that Salazar was staying in, completely invisible to the eye.
He chucked a large fireball down onto the palace in order to bring Salazar out.
____________________________________________________________________
As he was by his desk, Salazar heard a loud crash and felt a great heat that then turned into his room being in flames. He quickly flew out of the palace, flicking a few embers of his now damaged fatigues.
He looked around, and saw noone. So, it must have been incompetance in looking after the boilers for the baths, he thought.
Haraldur, remaining invisible, was some meters away from Franco. He lifted up a rifle that materialised in his hand (invisible) to his shoulder. He aimed it at Franco's head and fired.
Despite his quick senses, Franco had no chance, as the bullet hit him before the sound arrived.
The bullet entered through the forehead over Franco's right eye. It passed through the brain expanding and breaking up. The entire back of the skull was blown off, and fell down with the rest of Franco's lifeless body and the pink sludge which was the brain mixed with blood.
Haraldur's invisibility stopped as he started to rain fireballs on the area.
____________________________________________________________________
Quintus stared at Vincent for a few moments. "You mean to say that Draven has failed to utilise one of the oldest tricks in the book? Surely he could not be so dim as to not see the value of religion as a control mechanism for the plebians?
"Melkoth is Ragnar? Ha! No, they are quite different individuals. My Lord is a God-Emporer, who's cult even now is the state religion of Alterna, under the name of Dios, normally. Ragnar, or Haraldur, is a dangerous lunatic with no respect for established order.
"I have an offer to make to you, the alternative being death. The new Empire will be in need of nobles, generals and others of high position. Judging by your talents, I could see you easily being very important. A High General, for instance..."
____________________________________________________________________
Years had passed, and an unaged Tesla looked down on the area surrounding Laus. Laus itself had been turned into a museum, of sorts. All day to day living was in the nearby Urbanates, the large structures around the old centre. Industry was magically automated and products distributed, most factories being a way away.
The most common hobbies were exploration and mapping as the colonist found out more about their new land.
The experiment had been an amazing success, having reached a state of harmony quicker than had intially been thought possible. At last, proof that their design for society would actually work...
He was standing on a platform high in the air where the door to Gaian remained closed, below him there were many flags waving as farewell celebrations were taking place. He opened the door, and entered Gaian, locking the way behind him. Above the sea, he reduced the invisible doorway in size and place it in a box, which he locked. He put it in his pocket. It would be impossible to get to Laus until the box was opened, due to the universal border protections. It would be impossible until he at last unlocked the box after the success of the project.
He received a signal, from Haraldur (who had just sensed his return), telling him of the death of Benito Franco Salazar, and to liberate Alterna. He flew west.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
"Sir Ven Hyul... you need not bow."
The king took a few steps towards the crouching knight. Ven stood up, but still did not look his liege in the face.
"My Lord, I apologize..."
"There is no need for that, Ven. It is behind us..."
"Then..."
"Yes, your title remains. Though it was forbidden for you to leave, I cannot blame you for chasing after your brother..."
"I am most grateful..."
"I've come because we desperately need you back, Ven..."
"What is it? Another demon attack? Revolt?"
"No... much of the population has succumbed to a dark plague. Thousands are bedridden do to this strange illness... The moral of the nation has dwindled to nothing since, well you know... and your disappearance... If you were to return, I know it would restore hope to our people..."
Ven brought his gauntlet to his chin and lowered his gaze to the ground. The king continued:
"Forget Mavas. He's gone..."
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
Vincent took one step backwards, easing up the focus of his shotgun.
"Hmmm, a most interesting proposition..."
In fact, it was... He had never actually considered revolt as a means to gain rank... A High General... Yes... Still, the Crimson Empire had treated him well...
But what difference does a color make?
Vincent brought the shotgun to his shoulder, resting with the barrel pointing upwards. He grinned.
"You'd have to pay quite a bit, as well. Treachery against Draven is quite the risky business... Though I cannot see how you could possibly afford not to have an insider, if you know what I mean..."
His glasses glared with the light of a nearby torch, accenting his devilish grin...
Posted by: D. Ein on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
//Zeros': so you made the whole Zeros' - Gaian thing to stop people from using way too powerful spells during the war?\\
The man with the tall collar unsheathed his sword. It was as though it was made of ice, and it looked very vicious.
-"I will ask you again. Are you with the Greys?"
--- --- ---
Ein came into one of the larger buildings in the town. He turned over to Marshal.
-"Hey! See those logs and planks over by that house? Could you bring them over?"
Meanwhile, he went inside the building, and saw a small table, a sheet of paper and some pens lying on the table. He picked one up and started sketching what looked like a strange machine...
Posted by: Haraldur on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
"Excellent. By paying you, I assume you mean as when you are High General or similar? Well, we will probably be using this system, which is a modification of our old system in order to reflect the greater importance of powerful individuals in the this world than ever before:"
The ambient light decreases in intensity, and a screen appears in the air with light being projected onto it from an invisible source somewhere behind Vincent (basically, this is a spell). With the aid of diagrams (that I cannot be bothered to draw), Quintus explains:
"The structure of the Grey Empire is like this. At the top is the God-Emporer Melkoth. Simple enough. He personally owns a large portion of the land of the Empire and does with it as he sees fit. He also manages the overal state apparatus. Below him is the Army Council, including High Generals, any assistants they brings, and Church leaders (all at least 2nd Class Generals , religious belief discouraged), who are responsible for keeping the population spiritually compliant, and there are a number of Generals responsible for policing (i.e, keeping the people under control). In addition, there is a High General who has an additional responsibility of coordinating scientific, technological and magical research (are you interested in the position?). Of course, there is also me. These all have large areas of land, containing millions of people, to do with as they see fit. Pretty much absolute power for each region. That is not to say that you have to do any management. What are sub-ordinates for?
"All trade is conducted and controlled by and through the army and those High Generals, with, as you can see, guaranteed labour. This is where a lot of your wealth, apart from taxation, comes from. I am sure that you can understand its significance.
"As for the rest of society, at the moment it should be sufficient to say it mostly is run under military lines with dissension not much, or at all tolerated. Of course, this varies from province to province according to each General's, or otherwise, personality."
The screen disappeared.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
//I was kinda hoping someone would give Aura a mission. I'm shot right now.
Zion woke up, kicking Xenai in the ribs. "Oof! Bitch!" Next, he simply grabbed Tsu's arm and pulled him up. "Uhhh."
"Zion, those were my damn ribs!"
"Uhhh."
"Look," said Zion, "Something weird's going down. I wanna find Draven and figure out what it is."
"So I guess we're headed to the Crimson Capital?" inquired Tsu.
"Yep. Let's go." The warriors ejected their wings... But the weird darkness... Zion took out a compass. "This isn't going to help. Tsu, you're going to hate me for asking this, but... please, pinpoint Aura's location. She may still be at the capital."
"...Fine..." Tsu closed his eyes and concentrated hard. He then pointed off in the direction of the capital.
"Alright, NOW let's go!" And the three took off.
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
Valos narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man questioning him. "No, I am not." He then turns to Steorra. "As you can see in the darkness, there are warriors in Grey Armour, look around."
Darak pointed his axe towards the newcomers. "Who are you people?" He asks in demand.
----
Marshal looks around at the area, and then nods to Ein and walks over to pick up the logs. He then walks into the building were Ein seems to be drawing something; he places the wood onto the table and then looks at the paper. "What's this?" He asks curiously.
----
Duilin then looks at King Henri of Tjed, and then back at Ven. "Tjed...okay. So, you're were having problems with demons." He then steppes forward, and opens his wings. "Well, you're not alone. I have half demonic blood. But don't worry...I mean you guys no harm. But anyways, if you don't mind me asking, sir, why is that you are sneaking around in an area as dark as this?"
----
Rink jumps off the tree and then follows Zeros'. "I can sense Valos' aura near by Retangrad, it's stronger then normal. But it seems like Duilin and Ven are over that way." He points near the shore. "I believe they are looking at something that came on shore."
----
Abodahon turned his head and looked at Melkoth. "Ah, not bad. However my elites seem to have ran into some large lizard men, yet I believe they can defeat them. And Valos seems to still be thinking if he should join us or not."
The picture then changes to the location of Valos and the strangers. "What's this? We seem to have some newcomers." He then looks closer upon the four strangers; one was wearing a robe, with a symbol on the back. "No...it can't be..."
He then stands up. "It seems followers, of an old rival of mine, Iban are here." He then looks at Melkoth. "After the unexpected death of Qor, several demons, including me and Abodahon fought over the place of the throne. Iban, seemed to have been my greatest problem for gaining the throne, turning demons against me. Because of him, I was locked up. Knowing that his followers are here, gives me rage. If Valos joins us, then I can have him destroy them for me. I have to find Duilin, Valos isn't doing a fast enough job upon him. The best way to do this is for me to confront him in battle. However, with his friends around it may cause problems." He then thinks for moment. "Perhaps, you could distract his friends for me, wile I confront Duilin."
Posted by: D. Ein on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
-"Quis sunt haec homi?"
(Who are these people?)
Steorra charged up her staff which started glowing brilliantly, and slammed it into the man who pushed her. Leto (that's his name) stumbled a little, then got back up and came closer to Steorra.
-"Damn you... Didn't your parents teach you not to intervene?!"
He backhand-slapped her, after which she fell down unconcious.
Felix Leaven, observing this with a careless expression on his face, turned around facing Valos as he heard him speak.
-"These warriors? I see. I did not notice them before. Celer-- do the honours."
The short guy covered in a hood and cloak seemed to disappear into the darkness. Then, Gray Empire soldiers started falling down like wheat reaped with a scythe. After there were no more soldiers left, Celer reappeared on where he stood before, except just after reappearing, Leaven caught sight of two of his daggers. Blood dripping off them as Celer sheathed them. "Good work", he thought. Nice and quiet. He turned back to Valos.
-"I see. We are the Iron Wing subdivision of the Ni-- I mean, an organisation. My name is Baron Felix Leaven. The axeman over there is Leto the Meteor, the caped man is Celer the Gale, and that over there is Ogen the Worm. We are seeking an entity known as 'Abodahon'. Do you know where we could find him?"
--- --- ---
-"Ah, thank you. These planks should come in useful for the frame."
Ein heard Marshal's question.
-"This? This is just a small toy i'm building for myself... Perhaps you'd like to help?"
He finished drawing. The machine looked like a massive cart with six no less massive wheels, three on each side. It's middle resembled... something. Lots of mechanic devices, some blank spaces with symbols drawn on them. Next to the drawing of the machine there was another one, with what looked like a huge log with a sharp end. It too had two symbols on it - one on the side and one on it's rear ending.
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
Valos' eyes widened as he said Abodahon. "Abodahon, eh?" He was about to say more, but then he felt 'it' twist his heart again. He grabbed his chest, and then kneeled to the ground, his glowing aura, flashed a bit larger, and then went back to it's previous size and brightness. He then turned his head up and looked at Leaven. "Sorry about that...No I don't know about Abodahon." He then brushed his hair over his forehead, covering the tattoo.
Darak then stepped toward Valos. "We'll advance towards the city now, General. I suppose you can handle these people." Darak then yelled at a loudly. "Advance toward the city!" He then marches off with the other soldiers as they head there way toward Retangrad.
Valos then stands up. "Well, then, Leaven. I must warn you, there are many soldiers about the area, and they may mistake you for an enemy so I suggest you go about your way. There isn't anything that would interest you here."
Valos then places his sword back into the holster upon his back, he dims the glow on his aura, and the colour goes to a more light indigo. He looks the Iron Wing group. "So, is there anything else I can help you with? I was trying to have a conversation with this women, before you came dashing in here, like you own the damn place!"
----
"Well, it seems like quite an invention you have there." Marshal comments. "Yet it looks as if some of the things here will require more then just two men to build this. Fortunately for us, I have this." He holds up his amulet, for a second. "Perhaps, I could summon up my minotaur and a couple ogres as a build team?"
Posted by: D. Ein on Wednesday February 1st, 2006
Felix heard Valos' comment. He chuckled.
-"Ignorant masses... Why must you rush your fate? There is still little time left. I advise you to make good use of it. As for her," he turned to Steorra, "she seems a lot like an unarmoured Grey agent. Leto, you know what to do."
Leto came up to her and raised his axe. Felix looked at her again. Just lying there... Unconcious... Defenceless. Where would the the honour in just killing her like that? No, no, no. If she was a Grey agent, he would see her again. Then it would make more sense to slay her.
-"Stop. Celer, Ogen, Leto, come with me. As for your comment, stranger, we do not fear these troops. We've taken on tougher enemies before. In fact, our master often requires the extermination of groups, and there were groups MUCH larger than any armies you've ever seen." He sheathed his sword.
-"It seems you're hiding something. Normally you wouldn't have such a reaction when I said the entity's name. Then again, that could have been a mere coincidence."
He took something out of his cloak, something looking like a small stone wrapped in paper. He threw it to Valos.
-"If you happen to... remember anything, take out the stone and touch it. I have one of these stones as well. We will be able to hear each other telepathically. For now, good-bye."
--- --- ---
-"Hmm, when you're right, you're right. It would take me weeks to do make this on my own. Such a team would be greatly appreciated, but we also need something that can work fine details. Do you have anything that has lots of small grippy arms?"
Ein went over to the pile of planks and logs, and started placing them together. After he placed two pieces together, he put a few marks on them and they seemed to stick together.
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday February 2nd, 2006
A pinpoint of crimson light appeared distantly in the darkness in front of Zion, Xenia, and Tsu. It grew rapidly and the burning fireball shot over the trio's heads, stopping some ten feet behind them. It was Draven.
Wrapped in burning flame, he turned his head and placed his right glove under his chin, underneath one of his evil smirks...
"Hmmm, yes... you three will do nicely... Quickly now, this way!"
He did a hook in the air and shot down some 50 feet, then blazed northwest, in the direction of Alphagrad...
----
The king turned his head towards Duilin, handing the torch in his hand to a man who stepped to his left.
"Well, we were not exactly sneaking around. We were looking for Ven, you see, and it happened to get quite dark. And not wanting to attract attention to ourselves..."
"Our majesty can see in total darkness!" A man shouted from the back.
"That is enough, Edward." King Henri cut him off. "And don't worry, son. I understand that there are both good and bad demons. The one that destroyed our port town five years ago was a sinister one, but we haven't seen him since."
Ven folded his arms under his cloak.
"I will return, my Lord... Though I also have obligations to allies I have made here, although I can assure you it is not with the Crimson Empire... A fierce battle is underway. A battle of two evils. Some that have saved my life have sided with one, and I feel it is my duty to repay the favor..."
"Ven, I fear we may not have much time..."
----
Vincent buried his weapon in his trench coat and placed his hands in his pockets as he watched Quintus' little presentation.
"Hmmm yes, you would find I am quite qualified to coordinate your nation's scientific and technological research, and I have experience in conducting numerous magical experiments as well..."
He placed his arms behind his back.
"Though, I must caution you not to overlook the task at hand. Any resistance you have met so far has likely been Draven toying with you. No cities in this region are of any importance to the Empire. He is likely gauging your strength. I'm sure you have been watching him for the past several years, and all indications have shown that he has done little militarily. This is most undoubtedly untrue... although my rank has not permitted me to see exactly what he has been up to..."
----
There was a loud knock on Lt. Aura's door, and a message posted there. It read:
"You are to report to the Crimson Palace, floor 25 for mobile turret control. You are to be in charge of defensive turret guns 30 to 34, mounted in the southeastern wing during the Capitol's flight to the center of the continent.
- Shinryuu E. F."
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday February 2nd, 2006
//Ein: Yes, but, no one, as in character type, know about it, except maybe, Melkoth, and possibly Haraldur, unless, he had told them, or, they found out somewhere else.\\
Zeros' nodded at Rink, and he looked around. The simply kept the light coming from his sheath dim, so, he could see anyone that he came in contact with. He could of expanded it much farther, but, that would give his position away. He headed in Duilin's direction, determined to reach him before someone else. Duilin may be powerful, but, he knew the demon he had fought before had some tricks up his sleeves, as did Valos.
He sensed Ven near Duilin, as well as many others. He hurried his footsteps, and walked briskly in that direction, making sure to keep Rink within the aura of light.
---
Allen wandered, and stopped in front of Aura's door, just as the messanger delivered her new orders. He cursed to himself, and adjusted his glasses. He was tempted to drag her away, and have her ignore the orders she had just recieved, but, he shook his head, and wandered off... He had to find SOMEONE to help him with his project.
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday February 2nd, 2006
(Actually Zeros', I wouldn't mind having Allen do something with Aura, since I'm in danger of overloading here. (Heh...))
Someone quickly walked past Allen in the hallway, followed by two soldiers. He stopped and looked at the alchemist. It was James, the short elite with the blue trimmed armor.
"I take it the defensive orbs are ready? We will likely need them soon. If you require assistants, you may take your pick out of any of our troops."
Posted by: Trent on Thursday February 2nd, 2006
O_O! O_O! O_O! Draven?! Oh, how convenient.
The three whipped around and took off after him. They quickly caught up. Zion pushed ahead, next to Draven. "What's going on here?" Xenai took the other side. "Yeah, what the hell's with this trippy darkness?"
--- --- ---
Aura emerged from her room, and looked at the note. Since she was off-duty, she was in more casual clothing. "Mobile turret control? Interesting..." She saw Allen talking to one of the elites. Did he want something of her, perhaps?
Posted by: D. Ein on Thursday February 2nd, 2006
//Trent: why does everyone insist on calling Xenai "Xenia"?\\
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday February 2nd, 2006
Allen turned his head, and looked at James.
"Ah... Yes. They'll be ready soon," he said, looking around. He spotted Aura, and grinned to himself. "Yes... Any troops you say? Well, then... I'd like to at Lt. Aura with me, then," he said casually. He did say anyone...
"I've gotten the main orb back online. It will last for awhile yet, but, it would only hold for a few seconds against a major attack from Haraldur or anyone else," he said. "I have to go somewhere and find a rare material to repair the orb fully with," he said.
"Well... Aura," he said, turning to her. "Would you like to come with me?" he asked, his glasses twinkling in the light.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday February 3rd, 2006
Valos catches the stone, and looks at it and then puts in his pocket, along with the stone for talking to Draven. He then kneels down over to Steorra. "Are you okay?" He asks, attempting to wake her up.
----
Duilin rubs his chin as the king and Ven talked. "Ven has been a very good help. He helped warn off a large demon." He says. "It would be useful for him to stay with us, however if you have your own problems that you need him for, perhaps, we could help each other? I have a friend who's quite strong and wise, you may want to speak with him."
----
Rink continued with way along with Zeros'. He was also worried about Duilin. Ever since he seemed to side with Valos, he was worried if he would take his side. Yet he sensed Valos' aura much further away, and seemed to keep still mostly. He also seemed to have a bit of a concern of Melkoth and that brutish demon friend of his. He was obvious that they would prove to be big threat upon the world.
----
"Small grippy arms eh...Let's see." Marshal said thinking for a wile. "Ah ha..." He then steps outside, and then begins to summon four spectres that begin to make shape.
----
Darak makes his way closer to Retangrad. Suddenly, a group of Crimson warriors, a few holding torches, approaches Darak. "Captain S. Darak?" One of the soldiers says.
Darak then stops and looks at the group. "What is it?" He asks them
"We're having heavy opposition at Alphagrad. One of the Captain's recommended that we go off to get you, since you're know for you high kill count."
Darak grins. "Heavy opposition? Just more notches on my axe handle, lead the way boys." He says. He then dashes off towards Alphagrad.
//Yeah, I noticed I don't have much for Darak to do, so I suppose I may have him join up with Draven and the others. Just to get him more so into play. \\
Posted by: D. Ein on Friday February 3rd, 2006
Steorra got up, rubbing her cheek.
-"Ow, that guy slaps hard..."
She noticed Valos' expression when he heard her talk in English.
-"Hey, the fact that I spoke in Latin does not mean I do not know English. I thought that people speak Latin here as well as they did in where I came from. Anyway, before that rude interruption, you were saying?"
--- --- ---
The Iron Wing were walking down a familiar road that they used to travel to Valos. Trees still had marks of Leto's greataxe when he was using it to clear the way. Felix started thinking out loud.
-"You know, this is quite confusing. I don't know what to make out of this whole mess. First our Master tells us to gather all information on any Crimson associates stationed in this area, then he tells us to pick off the most recent one. Just happens to be that guy. I am SURE that he knows something... Did you see the expression on his face change when I mentioned Abodahon's name? This is all very very odd."
Leto turned facing Leaven, and said:
-"If I had to guess, the Master doesn't want that guy dead... yet."
Leaven scoffed.
-"No one's making you guess, Leto. In fact, I'd prefer you'd keep your mouth shut. Just leave the thinking to me and concentrate on doing what I tell you to."
Celer finally showed some signs of life besides walking with a dull expression on his face.
-"Why did Abodahon decide to pop up just now? Who let him out of his cage, anyway?"
Ogen, who kept quiet during the whole thing, replied:
-"Not sure, but whoever they are, they are probably not too thrilled about the idea of us going after Abodahon. Although we kept quiet during the last few years, they will learn of the Nightshade eventually. I don't think we should fear them anyway, though."
-"What DO you think, Ogen?"
Leto sighed.
-"How come he gets to think and I don't? You're not fair, Felix."
-"Life's not fair, get used to it. Anyway, you were saying?"
Ogen made up a wierd expression on his face.
-"Well... Remember when the Master was telling us of his times down there? He once mentioned that the struggle for the title of Lord of Demons included more than just him and Abodahon. I think one of them allied himself with Abodahon for some quick riches."
-"No, I don't think so... Honestly, I'm all out of ideas. I don't know WHAT to think. For now, let us just concentrate on getting back to the cave in one piece. I'll let the Master know of our opinions. As for you, I believe you have some tasks to do meanwhile?"
The other three quietly nodded.
--- --- ---
Ein looked at the shadowy outlines of creatures forming.
-"Nifty trick you have there. Must come in real useful, eh?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday February 3rd, 2006
(That was an honest typo this time! I usually get Xenai right. Heh...)
Draven continued speeding along as the lights of Alphagrad appeared on the horizon.
"The darkness is due to Ragnar's clouds covering the entire sky. Without even the stars, the night is absolute. Remind me to thank him for the tactical advantage."
Draven's aura suddenly cut, and he fell to the ground, landing on his feet.
"Suppress your magical auras. We're hitting them silently and quickly..."
He continued running on the ground at an unnaturally fast pace, making giant leaps over occasional rocks, etc. It was a slower method of movement, but it put out far less traceable energy, and no visible light...
He turned northward a bit, away from the battle raging on at the south of the city and around towards the northern wall...
----
The king turned to Duilin.
"A strong friend, huh? Yes, he may be useful. In fact, we would appreciate all the help we could get."
Ven also turned to Duilin.
"It looks like I will be in you guys' debt once more! But I don't mind returning the favor."
He turned back to his king.
"This plague you speak of. I'm assuming it stems from unnatural means?"
"That is correct, Ven. The cure is hidden from even my Eye of Truth..."
"That means..."
"Yes, some sort of curse... It doesn't seem to be contagious by any normal means, but seemingly random citizens have fallen ill..."
"Oh, dear..."
The king turned back to Duilin.
"Where is this ally you speak of so that we may ask for his assistance? We really must be off as quickly as possible. I have not even announced my departure from the courts, and my absence will be missed shortly."
----
James nodded to Allen.
"If you must leave the island. Make sure you take a communications orb with you so that you may track our position. We will be moving towards the center of the continent shortly."
He turned and continued down the hallway, the two soldiers following.
Posted by: Haraldur on Friday February 3rd, 2006
Melkoth said, "That I will do. First, show me where they are and other such things I must know."
____________________________________________________________________
Quintus nodded to Vincent. "You are part of our new strategy, based on exceptionally powerful individuals rather than regular armies. We need to know what is the most important place that you have some authority in (maybe the Crimson Palace? An airship base?), where you could destroy the defenses from the inside (obviously, you would be relying on soldiers relying on your orders as a General) as we attack from without. If you do it well, you could even plead incompetance, or bad luck or some such.
"Do you have any suggestions?"
____________________________________________________________________
After having driven the Alternan Army into hiding, Haraldur floated down to a nearby shanty town. There he met militants and told them that now, since their leaders and their occupyers were both now dead, they could easily conduct a revolution.
Within moments of Haraldur starting his flight towards Alterna, street fighting in the town started between revolutionaries and the remaining police. After a few hours of fighting (as in, in the future but is going to happen anyway) a red and black flag replace the Alternan flag in the town, and this action spread to surrounding areas and through the whole continent, as all authority had been effectively decapitated.
____________________________________________________________________
Tesla approached Alterna. It was still farway, but he could see smoke. The revolution was apparantly already underway, already informed by Haraldur. He smiled as the sound of street battles filled his ears during his descent...
____________________________________________________________________
Franco's diplomatic deputy sends a message to Draven to inform him that Benito Franco Salazar has apparantly been killed by an "invisible man".
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday February 3rd, 2006
Abodahon, nodded at Melkoth and then looked over his shoulder. "Yes, I can sense his aura, is near by the shore lines, I believe there are others with him." He then looks at Melkoth again. "I have a strong connection with Duilin, because the one time I visited Gain clocked in a human form, I raised a family. Duilin is my first-born child, and is the only one who is still alive. I wish to keep it that way, for now. A few other things, Duilin's friends, there is a knight, covered in a dark robe. He may seem weak, but don't ignore him, there are also a few, swordsmen, who also have skills in magic, such as spells and flying. Also, he has made friends with another half demon, yet I believe he has a half god form, rather then human. He appears to be stronger then most of the others. I have reasons to believe he has other friends, yet I haven't fought them. I did see a tiny little imp, but I doubt he'd be able to do anything, yet I'd like him to be left to me."
Abodahon then pauses for a bit. He then remembers something. "Ah, yes. Valos, is also allied with them at the time, as are the Crimson Warriors. Yet, of course that can be taken care of. I will get Valos, on our side, and then the three of us can take them. We have to be careful because of the darkness, yet we can use that to our advantage." He then took a deep breath. "So, in short, my plan is, obtain Valos, then go to Duilin and his friends. Perhaps capture him. It would be easier to persuade him that way."
----
Darak and his group arrive at Alphagrad. Suddenly one the ghostly figures jumps in the middle of the group, swinging its gauntlet-covered fists, at the warriors. Darak blocks the gauntlet with his axe.
"What the hell...are you...human?" Darak says in confusion
The elite seems to ignore him, and swings another punch. Darak blocks the gauntlet once more with his axe, and then kicks his opponent back. The elite then blasts a red laser from his palm. Darak slides out of the way. "Holy smokes..."
----
The blue figures, coming from Marshal's amulet, begin to make shape. Two of them, finally form into an Ogre, and one forms into a squid like creature, with a shell. The largest one is still in progress.
"I'm done three...Give this four one a second." Marshal says to Ein.
----
Valos then stood more upright. "Oh well...you seem quite powerful. If you go..." He then tries to detect Darak, he couldn't really, since he barely had any magic, in fact maybe none, he likely has the ability to use it, yet he hasn't learned any. "That way...You'll find a city. Alphagrad, the solider from earlier may need some help. If you can find him, he may reward you." He informs. "I however, cannot help you. I have matters to attend to."
----
"Well, I haven't seen him in a few hours. However, I detect he is coming this way..." Duilin tells the king. He then turns around, to check if he can see him. "Hmm, he seems to have a light around him, at least I believe that is him." He then lowers his voice. "I see, Rink with him too...I hope he's forgiven me for what I said, earlier..."
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 4th, 2006
Steorra got up.
-"Thank you, I'll do so promptly."
She began walking down the path Valos pointed to. She used her staff to illuminate the way ahead of her.
--- --- ---
The Iron Wing closed up to a large mountain range. Felix lead them through the underground tunnel they've used so many times... and then entered the cave. It was enormous. A large open area greeted them as they walked in. It was dimly lit by a few torches near the ceiling, and millions upon millions of candles on walls. These candles, each enchanted by Iban, never burned out.
The frontal area housed a large amount of round tables with four chairs around each of them. Iban's diciples sat in those chairs and did various tasks like reading a random book on world domination, a magic tome, or planned future attacks and such. Some had sheets of paper in front of them upon which they had a large number of equasions. The diciples wore long red robes with shoulder pads that had the Nightshade symbol on it. Some were also holding a book, and other, higher-ranking ones, had a staff.
In this area, the Iron Wing split up. Leto followed a passage directly to the east of the centre; Ogen went north-east. Celer crawled through a narrow passage to the west, and Leaven went straight north.
Leto entered a room full of weapons, ammunition for the said weapons, and a few levers. You could see crossbows, small cannons, axes, swords, maces, morning stars, flails, spears, javelins, knives, one or two flamethrowers, some shotguns and even a submachinegun. The levers controlled defensive measures for the whole cave. Some operated portcullises, other controlled trap doors, a few did fun stuff like rocks that came tumbling down the tunnels or launched arrows in a narrow passage. Leto was here to make sure everything was operational, and then he and the Iron Wing were to meet Leaven for some unnamed assignment.
Celer entered a place that resembled the main area, but a lot smaller and with different-looking people. These guys wore black robes and had iron shoulder pads, instead of just leather. In the middle of the whole thing there was a very big round table. Celer needed to go over some of the plans for future assaults on the Greys. He was in charge of forces promptly getting in and out. Leto was to command the forces themselves. He was there to make sure everyone did what they were supposed to - slaughter everything that moved. In short, this was a strategy refining/planning area.
Ogen followed a long tunnel leading outside, to a storage yard. All medical supplies, food and fresh water were kept here. The outside environment was cold, and cold was mandatory for the longevity of most of the items that were kept there. Sometimes, however, the water froze, and a skilled mage was needed to thaw it out. Simply putting it, imagine thawing a lake - yeah, that's how big their water reservoir was. Ogen's job was to maintain, distribute and manage all items that were kept here. He was also in charge of getting new supplies.
Leaven had to walk for a LONG while just to reach a small magically-powered elevator, and then wait for about six minutes 'till it descended. The entire way down was teeming with all sorts of traps - hidden pits, rocks in the ceiling that fell onto your head if you didn't know how to avoid the trap, and many other nasty surprises. Finally he reached an incredibly large door with eight guards around it. They all wore dark-red robes but had chainmails, and were armed with the most brutal weapons in the armory where Leto was. Some torches on the walls lit their grim faces. They had a reason to be pissed - their shifts sometimes lasted more than six days.
Felix quietly said to one of the guards:
-"Guildia ne pobedit."
The guard just stood there for a while, then pulled a leaver behind him. The doors opened.
The next area that he entered was, mildly putting it, big. It was at least eight times the size of the first area, and was even darker. Only one torch hung from the ceiling, a big one, but still, just one. It barely lit the path in the middle of the whole thing. The path itself was a thin walkway, to both sides of which was an endless chasm... They say it lead to Hell.
Felix walked over the path. After two minutes of solid walking, he finally reached a small "island", upon which was a throne. A man in blood-red robes resided upon it. He had a long white beard that could be seen from under his hood. His face was barely seen due to the lack of lighting, but the lower part of it showed. He had pale, shriveled skin, with a small scar on the right cheek. He took a deep shaky breath, and spoke:
-"Zdravstvuy, Felix. Dokladivay."
(Hello, Felix. Report.)
-"Gospodin moy, mi nashly tovo kovo ty nam naznachil iskyat."
(My Master, we found the one whom you told us to seek.)
-"Neuzhely? I chto?)
(Oh? And what?)
-"My ego doprosili ob Abodahone. On nechego ne otvetil, no mne kazhetsya on chtoto skrivayet. Ya emu dal... kamen."
(We asked him of Abodahon. He did not say anything, but it seems to me that he is hiding something. I gave him... the stone."
-"Kamen? Zachem? Ya yego tebe doval tolko dlya extrennih sutuacziy."
(The stone? What for? I gave it for you for only the most extreme situations.)
-"Gospodin my, u menya nebilo drugovo vybora. Eto bil... yedinstevvy put."
(My Master, I had no other choice. It was... the only way.)
-"Ladno. Ya na tebya raschitivayu, Felix. Ne prervi moih ozhidaniy."
(Very well. I am counting upon thee, Felix. Do not fail me.)
-"Spasibo, gospodin moy. Ya vas ne predam."
(Thank you, my Master. I will not betray you.)
//if anyone wondered, I decided to stick with my native tongue this time - Russian. After all, an evil cult's leader (heck, even the entire cult!) should have a mysterious language that no one else can understand!\\
Leaven left the temple, and retreated back to the main lobby. There, the rest of the Iron Wing were waiting for him. Ogen first saw Leaven.
-"What did the Master say?"
-"He didn't say anything. I just told him what he did and how we acted, and that's about it. Anyway, we have something special for us today, something that the Master planned and got our friends over there to build." He pointed in the general direction of the diciples.
-"Haha, I'm just cracking with exitement..."
-"Don't be so concieted, Leto. You don't know what it is yet, and you're already being an ass."
-"Oh fine... Let's just go then."
Felix walked into the armory, and came up to the wall. He started dragging his hands all over it, as if trying to find something. Finally, he found it.
Eight circles of brilliant green light appeared from the floor, surrounded the group, and then flashed brightly. After that they gently went back into the floor... but the Iron Wing was gone.
--- --- ---
Ein glanced at the Ogres and the squid.
-"Hmm, looks good. Especially that squiddly thing... Where'd you get that? Hell, I don't even know what it's called."
He looked at the pile of materials for his "machine".
-"Can you tell these things instructions? If so, then could you please tell those two ogres over there to ram down a few trees for me? I'm gonna need a hell of a lot more than what we have here..."
Ein then noticed the fourth creature forming, and what Marshal said about it.
-"Heh, must be a real beauty then, eh?"
//Whew! That was a huge post!\\
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday February 4th, 2006
"Yes, of course I can." Marshal replied. "They are under my complete control, however I can release them at any time, yet I usually can't get back my control unless it's something small or less intelligent." He explains as he continues summoning.
He then motions his hand to a tree, and the two ogres, armed with large axes, lug there way toward the tree and begin hacking at it.
"Oh yes, and this squid thing. In fact, I'm not entirely sure what it is myself. Back when I was with the Blue Minotaur, I looked this thing up in a historical summoning book. Not very many of these things are even alive in the wild today. I'm sure if one was to travel to the bottom of the sea, they would find once. However this once is covered in slime, so it can travel on land. The tools may get a little slimy because of that however, so beware of sharing tools with it."
The giant spectre then finally takes form of a large minotaur.
"My pride and glory, behold. This thing, could uproot trees, hammer things into place, without even using it's hammer." Marshal says with a grin, as the minotaur gives a large stretch.
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 4th, 2006
Ein took a few steps back and tripped on a random root that was just sitting there.
-"Damn! Holy crap! umm... DAMN!!! That's one huge minotaur! With that thing, the work should fly by. This thing can probably build the entire machine by itself!"
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday February 4th, 2006
Seeing a torch light in the distance, as well as the presence of several other auras - including Ven and Duilin's - Zeros' quickens his pace slightly, and comes upon them, greeting Duilin and Ven.
"Hello, Duilin," he says, and nods to Ven. "And hello Ven," said Zeros', as his head turns towards Ven's king. "Oh? And who might you be?" he said curiously. He could sense a strange aura around the king, but, it wasn't anything he was concerned with. Obviously, if Ven and Duilin were being civil to this person, they were no threat.
But, he kept his aura VERY surpressed. To any average senser, he would be no more powerful then a peasent.
---
Allen nodded at James, as he walked away. He indeed had his communications orb with him. He turned towards Aura, and smiled at her, the corners of his lips curling into a smile.
"Ah... It seems we're going to work together again, Lt. Aura," said Allen, as he crosses his arms. "Now... The mission I need you for is very simple. I need to collect an ore from a distant island. I need this ore to fully repair the shield generators. As you heard, right now, they can only hold for a few seconds agianst a man of Haraldur's power.
"In the description of the mission, it MAY NOT seem very dangerous... Go to an island, collect some ore, come back... But, the ore won't be that easy to get... It's guarded closely by many strange creatures. I may have my alchemy, but, I don't have any pure, raw power. In terms of power levels, I'm probably the weakest out of all the big players," he said, not at all ashamed at admitting it. He had learned humility long ago. He wouldn't delude himself. "They could kill me faster then I could blink.
"So... What do you say, Aura? Up for something to get out of this old castle?" he questioned. If he was right about Aura, she wouldn't turn down any sort of mission that involved danger. In his fourty and more years of service in the Dark Empire, he'd seen all the types: the ones who fight for honor; the ones who fight for power; the ones who fight for the thrill of battle, and so on, and so forth.
If he was right about her... She was in one of those many categories.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday February 4th, 2006
Draven sped ahead of the others, coming to the northern wall of Alphagrad. The barrier around the city illuminated the area and was very visible up close, like a translucent orange wall several feet in front of the city's real wall.
It was an excellent defense, and would require a very strong attack to destroy it.
A small hole, on the other hand...
Draven calmly walked up to the barrier's edge, stepping into the light it emitted. He brought his right hand back, and it swelled with crimson energy. He then thrust it forward, a ring shockwave resonating from the impact with the barrier, his cape blasting back. The barrier before him shattered like glass, a ten foot tall hole appearing before him with deep cracks spreading out several more feet.
Though the cracks quickly mended, the hole was much slower to disappear. Draven entered the barrier parameter, and folded his arms, waiting for the others to catch up.
----
"This is King Henri of Tjed, my Liege..." Ven answered Zeros' for the king.
The king spoke up after him.
"We hear you are quite strong and wise, and may be able to assist us in ridding our nation of a terrible plague, likely brought on by a curse or something similar. Of course, if you are occupied here, we will not trouble you. But we must leave immediately..."
----
Vincent nodded, keeping the grin.
"My presence in the Crimson Palace would arose suspicion, because I have been assigned to this area. However..."
Also, Draven might be at the Crimson Palace. He knew better than that.
He walked towards the left wall of the corridor they were in and placed his left hand on the wall. The bricks rippled and formed into solid stone, upon which etchings formed. It was a map of the Dark Continent.
"... I know of a place that, if captured, would ensure your victory in the west... As you may know, there are five major fortresses within the Dark Continent (one being the Crimson Palace)."
He pointed to the twin cities, Alphagrad and Retangrad, then moved his finger east and slightly north.
"This is Sigmund, the fortress of the west, located in the foothills of the Dark Mountain Range. A military super stronghold and an airship dock... As long as this place is functional, Draven will have a virtually unlimited supply of troops to attack you with... It is built into the side of a mountain, equipped with the standard barriers and the like. It is virtually impenetrable to both land and aerial attack..."
He turned to Quintus, folding his arms.
"I have no authority over the fortress because I am already in charge of Redvik. However, I will have no problem entering... Bring your force to the front of the palace, in plain sight, but no closer than 1,000 yards from the front gate. I will take care of the rest, you will know what to do when you see it... However, make sure the force is truly prepared for war. I will be able to level the playing field, but the fighting itself is up to you..."
----
Julian read the message addressed to Draven, for he was in charge of the capital at the moment. He looked up at the other two elites in the room with him.
"He's in Alterna."
Posted by: Trent on Saturday February 4th, 2006
//Sorry about that, you guys. :/
"Ragnar? Isn't that Haraldur?" asked Zion.
"And he's crazy ****in' powerful, ain't he?" asked Xenai.
The three warriors kept up with Draven quickly and efficiently, without using their ki. Tsu said not a word...
--- --- ---
//I so hope Haraldur or any other of the super-powerfuls tries to kill Aura. I want Seijin to kick their ass. >D
"Sounds interesting. I'll do it, Allen. I'll be right out, I need to get my armor on." She walked on into her room and commenced to get ready.
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 4th, 2006
The Iron Wing appeared on a large installation set upon a mountaintop. Iban's diciples were everywhere; some were just pointlessly wandering around, others were reading books, and some were tweaking a HUGE machine that was the aim of the mountaintop installation. One of the diciples noticed the group.
-"Hello, Iron Wing. Welcome to installation S-207. This is one of the projects the we have been working on for the past while. This particular one is an experimental instant-teleportation device. See that vortex over there?" The diciple pointed to a swirling storm emitting lightings in the middle of the mountaintop.
-"You should be aware of the project by now. After all, you got here using a smaller version of it. Anyway, in case if you forgot: We set a destination, you walk into the vortex, you appear at the destination. Pretty simple."
Leaven rubbed his chin.
-"I was not supposed to get here. We were to be arriving at S-184 where we were to conduct an experiment on opening a vortex to the space beyond our planet. From what I heard, it's uninhabitable there, so if the project will still advance, it can only be used as a weapon. Anyway, why were we rerouted her-- WHAT THE...?!"
The portal in the middle started to fluctuate. It sent lightings out beyond the shields that held it in place - one of them headed for Leaven. He barely dived out of the way as the lightning hit the exact spot where he was standing, and ripped a hole to the floor below. The diciple shouted something, and the shields became more condensed.
-"Sorry, we're having some trouble with that thing. Anyway, did you see that fluctuation? That means someone's coming."
The portal sent out another lightning, this time hitting the shield. A man came through the vortex, and harmlessly descended to the floor through the shield. He was another one of Iban's diciples, but looked more like one of the guards that guarded the temple. He had a chainmail and a large one-sided red axe that he himself could barely lift. He came over to Leaven.
-"Gospodin Leaven, an urgent message from the Master. You are to proceed to installation S-184 using the reconfigured instant teleportation portal. You will be recieve further instructions on site."
Felix looked at the portal with an obvious dislike.
-"Do we really have to go through that...? I'd rather just wa..."
-"Gospodin, it's really urgent. The Master insisted that you go through that portal... NOW."
-"Ugh... Fine..."
The diciple set the coordinates.
-"You may proceed."
The Iron wing came up to the portal. Leto went in first, followed by Ogen. Celer took some distance and hopped in, too. Felix went up to the portal.
-"I refuse to go through that. In fact, when I get back, I will tell the Master to make this installation saf--"
He didn't have time to finish, as the diciple pushed him into the vortex.
Everywhere around him was screaming.
Lightnings.
Turbulence.
Noise.
It didn't last too long, though. After about two seconds he was spit out of the other end of the tunnel. It closed soon thereafter.
-"I am DEFINATELY walking next time."
The area that he was in now was very similar to the previous one with the exception of the large device hanging from the ceiling and the vortex in the middle. It was all covered in tables which had calculation sheets on them. Diciples of Iban were studying the sheets, sometimes placing a few marks on them. There were not many devices, just a smaller one on one of the tables. Leaven came up to one of the tables.
-"I am here to recieve the instructions I was sent here for."
-"Ah yes, Gospodin Leaven! We have some new toys for you. Come take a look."
The diciple that spoke lead Leaven and the rest of the group out of the main area and lead them into a smaller room. It contained yet another table with a thick silken blanket over it. On the blanket were resting twelve objects resembling cannonballs, around the same size, but they were half-transparent and half-reflective. Leaven saw his twisted reflection on one, but also caught sight of constant lightnings inside it. He turned to the diciple.
-"What is this?"
-"We call it the Gravity Vortex. It's essentially a portal similar to the one you came here through, but it's always set to one destination - a location beyond our planet where stars are born. We discovered that it is a zone of low pressure, and used basic technology and incredibly advanced magic to make nearly pernament stable portals leading there, and encased them in these containers. The containers are made of a special material native to the mountain beneath us. Using special techniques we balanced the forces of attraction between the particles that make it up, to make them a lot stronger inside than on the outside. However, the portals are not stable, so if large amounts of air pass through it, it collapses."
Silence.
Silence.
Silence...
Leaven:
-"Could you please explain it in simplier terms?"
The diciple put his hand on his head.
-"Take the ball, throw it, it cracks, big black thing appears, sucks everything in, then disappears. Got it?"
-"Yeah, I think i do... So, do we get one?"
-"You each get three. They will be for your next assignment. Which, by the way, is to assault a Crimson fortress."
-"What are we to do?"
-"You will stay unnoticed. At least, until you disable those turrets around the whole thing, they will hinder our progress. With them there it will be harder to assault the target with our main forces."
-"Why is that "target" our target anyway? What did we do to the Crimsons?"
-"You will be flushing Valos out of there, so that he will lead us to Abodahon's hive."
-"Very well... We'll go get ready. Farewell."
The Iron Wing took the gravity portals and took off.
--- --- ---
Steorra kept running until she saw a large man with an axe fending off some sort of an attacker. She charged up her staff, and then blasted it at the creature. As it travelled to the creature, it burnt out all grass and trees in it's way.
//I'll let you guys decide what happens to the elite.\\
--- --- ---
Ein looked again at the minotaur and yelled:
-"Hey you! Can you go help me out over there? DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 4th, 2006
Sorry, double-posted
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday February 5th, 2006
The minotaur growled at Ein.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot to order them to listen to you as well." Marshal said, before he made some hand motion at the monsters.
The minotaur then looked at Ein.
"Go ahead, tell it what to do." Marshal said smiling. He could tell Ein was uncomfortable, with the monster.
----
The shaded warrior was caught off guard and struck by Steorra's attack, and fell to the ground lifeless.
"What the?" Darak said in confusion. He then turned around and noticed Steorra. "Ah, it's you...Thanks..." Darak then walked towards Steorra. "I assume Valos sent you."
----
Rink looked at Duilin.
"Hey, man. Sorry about earlier." Duilin said calmly
"Don't worry about it." Rink said.
They then shook hands; well Duilin's hand was of course much larger, but never the less they shook hands.
The two then turned their focus upon The King and Zeros'.
Posted by: D. Ein on Sunday February 5th, 2006
Ein called the minotaur over to the shed.
-"Alright, so we need to lift that, yes, like that, and then hammer this into- HEY, not that hard! We don't want to break this thing just yet! Alright, so get that, yeah, then i'll get this and attach it to this..."
He continued working on the machine.
--- --- ---
-"Yes, the gentleman with white hair told me to seek you out. I want to be allied with the Crimson Empire for now. The pay seems good."
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday February 5th, 2006
Zeros' simply shrugged.
"Lead the way," he said simply.
---
Allen nodded, as Aura went back into her room. He leaned against the wall, and waited for her.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday February 5th, 2006
Having passed through the barrier, Draven approached the northern wall of Alphagrad, rubbing his hand against his chin as if in thought. He took several steps to the left, finding the right spot, then suddenly shot up into the air in a giant bound, performing several flips as he flew over the fifteen foot high stone wall. As he began his descent towards the opposite side, a bright red flash of light emitted from his right palm-- his crimson blade, giving away his position to a group of Grey soldiers below with a loud swoosh...
He landed on his left foot and right knee, thrusting the blade into the ground before him with both hands. Five streams of flame emitted from the blade, breaking up the stone street as they raged towards five surrounding soldiers, incinerating them in a violent explosion that through their bodies backwards. The sixth soldier was left unscaved, and quite taken aghast.
Draven stood up and smirked at the man, resting the burning blade on his right shoulder.
"Tell your leader that your perimeter has been breached, and to send your finest warriors to stop the intruders that have made their way to the center of town."
At the end of his sentence he stuck his left hand out towards the man and pointed at his head.
"Quickly now..."
A bright crimson flash emanated from the tip of his finger, and a tiny vermilion orb, no bigger than a pebble, shot out towards the soldier like a bullet. The speck of light passed some two inches from his right cheek onward through a window of a wooden building some ten feet behind the Grey soldier. A second passed, before a fiery explosion burst through the building, breaking the glass and raining flame upon the man.
He took off, probably to tell his commanding officer just that...
----
The stately king nodded.
"Excellent. Thank you. Let us go..."
The entourage reformed around the king, and he began to lead the group through the darkness back towards the beach. Ven joined his king up front by his side, and the two began to chat, although at an inaudible tone except for those closest by.
But before they could get too far, they heard a voice behind them:
"ARRGH--!!"
"Huh? What was that?"
Another torch was illuminated, revealing that they were one man short.
"Edward? You okay?"
A few seconds of silence, then, "Yeah, no problem," from the darkness behind. Edward became visible in the light of the nearest torch. He was a younger man with a green cloak, and had it wrapped tightly around his body as if he were cold.
"Just tripped back there... can't see a thing."
The group continued on, reaching the small boat at the beach which they would board to return to the dimly lit ships visible off coast...
Posted by: Trent on Sunday February 5th, 2006
Aura emerged with her armor on, her scimitars at her sides, and the flying disc hairpin in her hair. "I'm ready."
--- --- --- ---
The three warriors followed Draven over the wall, watching him pwn the soldiers. "Are you sure it's a good idea to alert the enemy to our presence?" asked Zion. "Damn, you are good at this." Xenai admired the emperor's display of badass-ness.
Posted by: D. Ein on Sunday February 5th, 2006
The Iron wing, with it's new weapons, returned back to installation S-207. There, a new portal was charging up. Destination: 2 km south off the Crimson Capital. Meanwhile, Felix went over to a higher-ranking diciple to review the plans for their assault of the capital.
-"So, we teleport there, and then what?"
-"Then you are to continue south to the capital's walls. There should be a few guards or turrets there, you shouldn't worry about those too much. Just take them out using your usual methods."
-"What do we do once we're at the wall?"
-"Find a gate, bust it open. If you don't find one, or if the existing one is too tough to open, use this."
The diciple handed Leaven a small sticky brick, a crossbow, a very long and thick rope, and a sheet of paper with a sign on it.
-"Put this brick onto the wall, then just carve this sign in it using any avaliable objects. It should then burn a thin hole all the way through the wall. The hole won't be nearly wide enough for any of you to fit through. Instead, you take a bolt, tie the rope to it, and shoot it through the hole. It should go all the way through the wall and on the other side. After that, light the rope - it contains powerful explosives, and should blow a hole wide enough for you to get through, if you're lucky."
-"And if we're not lucky?"
-"Run. The wall will collapse. In the end however you will have a way through either way. Also, I believe your ride's good to go."
The man pointed to the vortex in the middle of the room, which was now blasting out lightnings every way inside it's shields. The group went through...
They landed on soft grass. Tall walls of the capital could be seen from their position. Leaven whispered to the rest of the group:
-"Okay, we should do this by the book - nice and quiet. Don't attract attention to yourselves. Stay low."
--- --- ---
Ein was now done building his machine. The ogres made a huge pile of tree trunks near the shed. Ein walked around his creation.
-"Well, the big part's done. Now... We give this thing life."
He started etching things on the machine's hull, wheels, and the mechanisms in the middle. They seemed like they were meant to propel something, like a giant crossbow.
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday February 6th, 2006
(Remember that the Crimson Capital is located on a floating island one mile above the mainland, surrounded by barriers, and is on maximum security due to the threat of a Haraldur attack. Heh...)
----
Draven began to walk towards Alphagrad's center.
"I merely wish to see what this enemy is all about, and this is the quickest way."
A group of 25 or so Grey soldiers turned the corner around a building. Draven immediately began running at them at full speed, his crimson blade outstretched to his right.
"Fools! I said your finest! Not peons!"
Not fully knowing what was going on, the soldiers turned and drew their weapons. Draven engaged the closest few, felling them singly with a quick slash each...
----
Vincent held up three fingers, moving towards a window in the corridor.
"Three hours. Have your forces there in exactly three hours, and your path will be open..."
He jumped out the window, falling some distance towards the paved ground in a courtyard of the fortress below. He pressed both of his hands before him like a prayer, then pressed them against the floor as he landed. A blue circle surrounded him, rising up from the ground, cutting off the piece of floor he stood in as it rose from the ground. It was a sort of floating disk, with a large propeller underneath. He flew up into the sky, towards the northeast, towards the Fortress Sigmund...
Posted by: Zeros' on Monday February 6th, 2006
Allen nodded at Aura.
"Good.. Let us be off, then," he said, and turned.
He walked briskly from Aura's room, to down the hallways. The torches that had been lit after the threat of Haraldur illuminated the hall, and gave it an eeriey glow, as the torches crackled, sending shadows skittering across the hallway.
He lead her down several flights of stairs, and to a door, which, was guarded by two guards. The guards stood at attention, and saluted Allen, who, saluted back. One of the guards pushed open the door, and whispered something to Allen, in which, he nodded.
He walked in the room, which, was about 10 meters by 10 meters. It had no windows, or any other exits, except for the singluar door. In the middle of the room, was a large, circular disc, spanning about half the room, with several smaller, white circles in the middle, all on a raised, stone platform. There were also a variety of gadgets and gizmos, as well as a set of stairs leading up onto the platform.
Allen walked over, and started to tinker with the machine.
"This will take a few moments to charge up, but, when it does, it will teleport us to the nearest mass of land, from which, we'll proceed to the island that has the materials I need on it," he informed her, as he tinkered with the machine. A soft, pink glow started to form around the area of the circle, as, a mixed form of magic, alchemy and technology started to power up.
---
Zeros' nodded, and follow the king and Ven. He was interested on what they were talking about, but, he didn't want to intrude, so, he simply followed behind them, his sword giving him enough light to see by, as well as the troops torch light.
He kept his senses on high alert, though. It would do no one any good if they were ambused simply because they weren't ready or expecting an attack.
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday February 6th, 2006
A Grey Empire soldier ran to the doorway of Abodahon's room. "My lords! The Emperor of the Crimson Empire himself is in Alphagrad."
"Hmm...Interesting. In fact this gives me an idea. Melkoth, I'm going to obtain Valos and bring him into Alphagrad, I'll put his 'loyalty' to the test. We'll launch the rest of my plan at a later time." Abodahon explained. He then walked off, and then headed his way out of the palace.
----
Duilin and Rink followed along with Ven.
"I've got a funny feeling like somebody is after me..." Duilin mumbled
"I'm not surprised...Maybe Valos is hunting for you." Rink said back
"Maybe...But I do wonder were he could be. He's been gone for awhile."
"Who cares? He's off fighting a war."
----
Valos sits down on a rock. His head is aching like hell. Random pictures run through his head...Images and scenes of his past...
--Flash Back--
"The attack on Romme is going to happen in a week, and I've been called." Says a large man, with six fingers on each hand, wearing a suit of dark coloured armour, and a medium helmet.
"You be careful, Darion. I don't want my only brother dieing." Says a similar looking man, with a normal amount of fingers and no helmet.
"Ah, don't worry, Maxwell. They say it's a weak kingdom. Besides, High General Draven is leading the attack."
"Hey, isn't Nex going aswell?" Maxwell asks
"Yeah. Right now he's keeping an eye on Duilin and Pophin. They've got mop duty." Darion laughs.
A fairly attractive woman with a Russian accent, wearing body armour speaks. "Pophin and I may also be called over later, if any problems happen, but it's not a sure thing."
"What use would that wimp Pophin be? Duilin's a tough guy, but Pophin?" Darion asks
"He can be of some use." The women replies
"Yeah..." Maxwell says, suddenly a rumbling sound happens. "What the...Damnit Valos!"
Maxwell gets up and open up a door, and picks up a five year younger looking Valos, and tosses him on the ground. His hair is shorter, and his tattoo is more visible. "Would you stop practicing that witch craft bullshit? It's bad enough that Nex uses it!"
"But..." Valos stutters
"Shut up, wimp! You're lucky we didn't kill you like the rest of those losers in that village! We can't trust a mage who used to be prisoner!"
----
'They took you from your home, Valos...The ones who did it may be dead, but the people who made them still live.'
'Nex, became to miss trustful, and became too loyal to the Dark Empire. So I had to destroy him. Remember; follow the Talonscar...
Posted by: Trent on Monday February 6th, 2006
Aura started off after Allen. She'd heard about the threat of the one guy, whom she'd not known anything about. Obviously, he was powerful. If a floating castle has to go into an emergency state because of one guy, he's obviously powerful. She saluted the guards and followed Allen into the room.
"This is a really interesting device," said Aura. "Teleportation, huh? That should be fun."
--- --- ---
"Xenai, Tsu, let's go!" Zion gave the command, and the three started. They were each able to take out the enemy at the same rate as Draven. This would make the process much faster.
Posted by: Kahn on Monday February 6th, 2006
"Wake up"
Hyperion opened his eyes and looked towards the voice. A shadow figure stood above him.
"Get up"
He pushed himself to his feet and came face to face with the figure.
"Who are you.. And where the hell am I?"
"You need not worry, you are near Retangrad but out of danger. As for me, I have come to make you an offer."
The figure reached behind it's back and presented a halberd(axe/spear).
"This weapon has been passed down from shape shifter to shape shifter throughout the ages, Its purpose is to protect the weak and rid the world of evil. With it you will be able to take any form you so desire."
Posted by: D. Ein on Monday February 6th, 2006
//I never get the details right... well, now i know\\
-"Ugh, look! The thing's floating! The shadows made it seem as though it stood on the ground... damn optical illusions. We're gonna have to find a way to get it down."
Leaven and the Iron Wing crawled up just below the fortress. Leaven noticed a low hum below it.
-"Damn... looks like they have shields as well. However... nothing can shield them from THIS!"
He pulled out one of the reflective balls, and threw it way down, near the fortress' middle. The "cannonball" busted, releasing a vortex. Unnoticed at first, it only made itself known by rising winds, due to the air being pulled in. Eventually it grew in power and started blasting lightnings around, which didn't do much due to the barriers installed on the fortress. However, the fortress slowly started to get pulled down...
--- --- ---
Ein finished doing the "paintjob" on the machine. He silently muttered a short chant, and all the diagrams flashed and started to glow softly, each different colour. He climbed into the machine.
-"Ooh, a beauty. Now, let's see if it works."
He drove it around a bit, constantly exclaiming about how much of a genius he was. Then, he parked it back near the shed, and walked over to the pile of logs. He turned to Marshal.
-"Hey, could you tell those oafs over there to make the ends pointy?" He pointed to the ogres. -"This will be our ammo."
--- --- ---
Steorra started to get mad as Darak was obviously ignoring her.
-"So, am I good to join or what? I know you're all high and mighty but could you at least respond?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday February 7th, 2006
Draven plunged his blade into the heart of the last Grey soldier, quickly pulling it out and pointing it to the side.
He began striding down the center square, tapping the crimson blade on his right shoulder.
"Five minutes... five minutes before I liquefy the cobblestone streets..."
Hmmm, clearly that one who ran off... that one who was working for Ragnar was responsible for capturing this city, and the peons were sent in afterward to occupy...
A volley of blue orbs appeared from the south, and began to rain down upon the invading foursome. Draven extended his left hand, creating a translucent red barrier that deflected the ones in his path left and right, sending small explosions bursting into the surrounding buildings. It was a legion that was stationed in the southern half of the city, ready to join the still ongoing battle outside, but was diverted to handle Draven and co. There was at least a hundred, a mixture of mages and warriors...
----
The men boarded the boat, which was slightly cramped due to the new passengers, and began to make way towards the dimly lit ships in the darkness. A ladder was thrown down when they reached the middle ship, and the king ascended to the deck, followed by Ven and his other men.
"Welcome aboard the Posidon X, friends."
King Henri politely spoke the gesture to Duilin and Zeros'. It was probably too dark to see, but the ship was slightly irregular in shape compared to the other two vessels.
"Feel free to look around the ship at your leisure. There are guest chambers if you wish to rest, and a gambling hall downstairs. We've quite a distance to travel, but these ships are quite fast and the trip will be over before you know it."
The king took his cape in his right hand and bowed slightly, before turning and heading up a flight of nearby stairs to a higher level deck. Most of the entourage followed.
----
"Preparations are complete. Prepare to move forward, as per our orders."
"What's with this vibration?"
"Uh, sir... We're uh... losing altitude..."
"What?"
Julian pushed the soldier aside to get a better look out the window. Dark as it was, the barely visible treetops below were getting closer...
"Is the emerald failing? Where's James?"
"He said he was checking up on the barrier orbs."
"What about that alchemist?"
"Assigned a critical repair mission."
"Blast it! Hans! Rufus!"
The burly Rufus stepped up from behind Julian. Hans appeared running at a sprint from accross the room.
"Yeah, boss?"
"What-cha need?"
Julian pointed to the window.
"We're falling. One of you go out there and see if you can see anything abnormal."
"DONE!!"
Yellow lightning crackled around Han's body, and he shot ten feet across the room through the window and out into the sky, sending shards of glass flying everywhere.
Rufus followed like a slow running football player.
"Hey! It's my turn! You got the last one!"
A green aura engulfed him as he shot through the window after Hans, and proceded to follow him down around the side of the floating palace.
Julian covered his face.
"Idiots! The door! The door!!"
Posted by: Zeros' on Tuesday February 7th, 2006
Zeros' nodded at the king, as the aura around him dimmed, and disappeared. Instead of wandering around, he simply leaned against a wall, and looked towards Rink and Duilin.
"So... What now?" he asked.
---
Allen cursed, and quickly started to readjust the teleporter as he felt the floating fortress loose altitude. It started to hum louder, and the disc on the platform started to spin slowly, as it erupted with energy, sending a shower of colors into the air, illuminating the room a translucent glow.
"HURRY! Get on the platform! We'll do no good to the empire dead, and buried into the water!" he yelled over the hum of the machine, as he waited for Aura to step on.
Posted by: D. Ein on Tuesday February 7th, 2006
The portal was growing more powerful in strength. Now, trees were ripped right out of the ground, and even lightnings themselves had trouble leaving the black hole. The palace continued descending, with increased speed. The winds were so high now that the Iron Wing were struggling to keep on the ground. Leaven struck his weapon into the ground to prevent flying off into the vortex. He yelled at the top of his lungs:
-"WHEN THE HELL IS THIS THING GOING TO DISAPPEAR?! ARGH!"
To which Ogen responded:
-"I THINK IT'S REACHING IT'S CLIMAX POINT!"
-"WHAT?!"
-"I - THINK - IT'S - REACHING - IT'S - CLIMAX - POINT!!!"
Celer shouted:
-"IT SHOULD OVERLOAD WHATEVER THEY'RE USING TO LEVITATE IN A FEW MOMENTS!"
Suddenly, Leto noticed a lightning leave the palace. Since he was the heaviest of the group, he didn't place any efforts to keeping himself stationary. He wanted to report the sighting to Leaven, but then he thought that it was just one of the lightnings from the portal - he'd look like an idiot if he did.
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday February 7th, 2006
"Oh, sorry. I was distracted by something." Darak replied. "Perhaps you could help me get into the city. I saw something get in there."
----
Rink looked around a bit. "Well that gambling hall sounds fun." Rink grinned.
"You ever gamble before?" Duilin laughed
"Well, not really. But I herd a lot about it! I've lived in hell before so I've met my fair share of gamblers." Rink replied chuckling afterwards.
"Well, I don't have much better things to do, and I've got a couple coins to waste. Zeros' you up for it?" Duilin asked
----
Marshal motioned towards ogres, and they walked there way towards the logs and began sharpening them.
"This looks like quite a dangerous machine..." Marshal said.
----
A large dark figure stepped in front of Valos.
"Abodahon..." Valos said, greeting him. He had a bit of fear in his voice.
"Have you made your choice yet? Do you wish to follow your true purpose, or waste time with these pigs?" Abodahon said, sternly. He pointed to a corpse of a dead Crimson Empire soldier as he said 'pigs'.
"I'm not sure..." Valos said.
"That is fine, Valos. But remember what I said. You can prove to me, that you are worthy of keeping your body if you come with me, now."
Abodahon didn't even wait for a response; he just flapped his wings and flue off into the darkness.
Valos stood up and then flue off following him.
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday February 7th, 2006
The fortress... it's falling! She could feel its altitude decrease underneath her. She heard Allen's command and leapt onto the platform. She can't beat Tsu if she's dead.
--- --- ---
The three warriors used their weapons to deflect the orbs coming toward them, and looked out toward the legion of warriors approaching. "Draven, take a breather," said Xenai. "The three of us will handle this. Zion, Tsu, let's do it quick-and-dirty-like. It'll take only that much to wipe them away."
Zion created a moderately large ball of light energy, while Xenai created one of the same size and concentration. Tsu created a ball of neutral energy, a little larger and a little stronger. All of the energy was concentrated to the outside... The ball was hollow. Zion and Xenai threw their balls in (STFU, kthxbi), and the energy started to crackle inside as it blended turbulently. Tsu tried with all his might to contain it while it mixed together...
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
"Hah, suit yourself..."
Draven leapt up into the air, performing a backwards flip in the process and dispensing his crimson blade. He folded his arms as he landed at the tip of a nearby chimney-- a good view of both sides.
Let's just see how much they've improved...
The Grey troops continued their charge, sending more blue orbs towards the three in their way...
----
Ven watched his majesty walk up to the higher level platform and into a captain's chamber. One of the king's entourage stayed with Ven, and spoke:
"We were lucky with him."
Ven turned and listened.
"Our king was the first to fall victim to the illness. He was bedridden for quite a while, starting just after you and Mavas left... He is so strong, though. He pulled through. The rest of the population doesn't seem capable of it... Glad to have you back, Ven."
The green armored soldier walked away, following the king.
The ships began to move. Their plan was to travel south around the southern edge of the Dark Continent, then eastward towards their homeland...
----
"What in BLAZES is-- WHAAA--!!!"
Hans immediately felt himself being sucked through the air towards the black abyss under the floating island. Rufus fell from above and grabbed his arm, and the two used their combined strength to escape, flying some distance away from the hole, their green and yellow auras burning brightly.
Hans clenched both of his fists.
"It's some kinda black hole thing!!!"
"What should we do?!?!"
"I don't know, blow it up!!"
Hans brought both of his hands before him and a strong, bright electric current began to flow between them. He brought his hands above his head as an orb began to form in between the stream of electricity.
"MORTAL ATTACK!!! ELECTRO-DEATH ORB!!!! HYAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"
An orb some ten feet in diameter quickly formed, crackling with electricity. Hans arced his body and threw the ball of lightning like one would do a huge rock, and the crackling orb flew straight towards the black hole. The orb hit, with some bright flashes, and then disappeared into the darkness. The black hole was unaffected.
Hans and Rufus floated there wide-eyed.
"Well... crap."
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
Zeros' shook his head at Duilin and Rink, as he felt the ship starting to move.
"No... I think I'll just... explore," he said, as he melded into the shadows. While inside the shadows, he moved past Ven and the guards, and heard their brief conversation. So... They're country was in the grips of a disease... Interesting.
He moved past them, and followed the green armored soldier, making sure to keep him in sight, but, not to move too close. Even if he was using his cloaking technique, making him virtually undetectable, he didn't want to take chances, so, he followed at a safe distance.
---
Allen nodded, as Aura jumped into the portal. He quickly flipped a few switches, as he felt the castle dropping even more. The machine starts to hum louder and louder, as the disk spun. It equpted with a bright flash of energy, and, Allen and Aura were gone from the room, as the machine stopped spinning.
---
On a nearby island, away from the main capital and the blackhole, Allen appeared, about five feet above the ground. He didn't have time to flip, and feel to the ground, the air being knocked out of him.
"Ugh... Rough landing..." he said, as he pushed himself up off the ground, and onto his feet, dusting himself off, while adjusting his glasses. He waited for Aura appear, to do anything else.
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
Rink and Duilin arrive at the Gambling hall. Rink examines the room.
"Wow, this looks like a lot of fun." Rink says
"Yeah, but it can get addictive, and you loose a lot of money. Back in the Empire, Darion got really into gambling. It took him years to earn back his money, but he could only afford some pretty rusty armour. He was even thinking of selling me for gambling money."
"Sell you?"
"Yeah. I was basically a slave for a large period of time. Until I gained enough trust to actually become a soldier. Now anyways, let's go gamble. Maybe I might get lucky and get forced to sell you." Duilin laughed. He then opened up a pouch in his pant pocket, and gave Rink a hand full of coins. "Don't get crazy. I recommend Blackjack. The slot machines are rigged."
"Rigged? Oh yeah, I bet you I can win first try." Rink grins as he flies toward a slot machine, and pops a coin in. He pulls the handle.
Cherry.
Slug.
Mudman.
"Shit...Um, best two out of three?!" Rink asks making a big grin.
Duilin just rolls his eyes, and walks off to the blackjack table.
----
Valos and Abodahon, make there way towards Alphagrad.
"Okay, what is it that you want!?" Valos asks demandingly
"I want to know if I can trust you. You're becoming to loyal to the Empire, yet I wish to give you chance." Abodahon replies
"Go on..."
Abodahon then points down towards the three warriors fighting the large group of Grey Soldiers. "Now, while those three are distracted by them." Abodahon begins, he then points to a man standing on a chimney. "Attack him. If you can make a strike upon your emperor, then you can be trusted by us."
"Attack Lord Draven? Me?"
'Do it Valos...you have no choice...do it...or your body and soul will be mine...'
"Yes, Valos. You." Abodahon says sternly. "I shall supervise..."
Abodahon then flies towards Draven, he stops about ten feet away and four feet higher from him. "Greetings Lord Draven. It's nice to see you again. I see you're enjoying yourself, destroying your own city you've fought so gallantly to protect."
Valos then arrives, a few feet behind Draven.
"You've met my friend Valos, haven't you? Oh yes, that's right. He's one of the General's of your army. Well, he'd like to have a few 'words' with you."
Valos then draws his sword. "Lord Draven, I don't expect you to forgive me for this..." He says.
Posted by: D. Ein on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
Leto saw the two auras in the air, and the energy ball they threw into the hole. He was perfectly healthy, so he was positive he wasn't hallucinating. He turned around facing Leaven.
-"HEY, I THINK I JUST SAW SOMETHING! LOOK UP THERE!!!"
Leaven heard him through the howling of the wind.
-"WHERE?!"
Leto pointed to the air above him. Leaven smiled.
-"Hehehe... looks like we have a few guests visiting us."
-"WHAT?!"
-"NEVER MIND! CELER, I THOUGHT YOU SAID THAT THING IS GOING TO BE DISAPPEARING SOON?!?!?!"
Celer, who was holding onto a tree to prevent himself from flying off into the wormhole, bellowed:
-"GIVE IT SOME TIME!!!"
-"WE DON'T HAVE THAT TIME! THE BLACK HOLE ISN'T GETTING ANY SMALLER!!!"
Finally, the wormhole started to fluctuate a bit. The floating fortress was still gaining speed as the hole closed up. The island, driven by inertia, slammed into the ground, sending out a considerable tremor. It knocked most of the Iron Wing down, with the exception of Leto who just stumbled a bit. Leaven got up.
-"Gentlemen... I congradulate us on a mission well done. Now, what are we going to do about those two floaters up there?" He pointed to the two auras in the air.
--- --- ---
Steorra heard Darak speak.
-"Very well... I've nothing to do right now anyway. What will this help include doing, sir...?"
--- --- ---
The ogres were finishing up with the projectiles. Ein was happily etching small series of lines on their sides. After each etching the log became rock-hard and heavier than lead. Ein turned over to Marshal.
-"YA THINK?! Why do you think I'm building this machine, other than for the purpose of being dangerous? Anyway... That kid over there", he said pointing to the minotaur, "do you think he will be able to lift these projectiles up? They're quite heavy... Ah, and also, he'll need to stay here. Although the machine itself is fully autonomous, we need someone to push these logs through a portal I've created. The other side of the portal is right there." He pointed to a floating pentagram at the rear of his machine. "See, the projectile will go into the portal over there that i just made, and exit through the one on the machine, thus loading it. Then, using some levers and a lot of magic, the bow-like device up there will be drawn back, then released at a push of a button, propelling the projetile towards the target. The projectile itself is made of a material called "blackrock". It's the hardest and heaviest thing known to me. Pretty useful for busting walls. Anyway... I have a test target in mind. Want to come with?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
"Well, find a way for both of us to get in the city." Darak replied. "It seems to be surrounded by a huge barrier however."
----
Marshal nodded. "Yes, I'd love to come." Marshal replied. He then motioned to the minotaur. The beast then picks a few logs, and then carries them over to the portal and drops them in.
Posted by: Kahn on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
The shadow figure pushed the Halberd into Hyperions hands. It didn't take long for him to feel the new power.
"There is but one rule, and this is of the utmost importance, you may only use this weapon for good."
Hyperion held up the Halberd examining it closely.
"I think.....you should have told me that before giving it to me."
Hyperion swung the halberd at the figure, but it was already gone.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday February 8th, 2006
Zion and Xenai assumed orb deflecting duty. As for Tsu's job, the ball was ready. "Hehehe..." He tossed it into the air, and leapt up after it, flipping the whole way, and rapidly.
”位な！ New Forever!”
(Kurai na! ~ Eat this!)
He slammed his foot down on the ball, and it screamed down at the legion. The explosion will not touch Zion, Xenai, Draven, or myself. He gave the ball a command, something for it to make sure that it didn't do. The explosion was large, and it was a beautiful sparkling, glittering blacklight color. It ate away at a large amount of the ominous darkness. However, it just grew back into black. The legion, however...
Posted by: Haraldur on Thursday February 9th, 2006
//Xorlak, when will "three hours" have passed?//
Tesla landed in a town that was in the middle of street fighting. On one side were uniformed officers of the Alternan Army, on the other were a ragged mob of people, most wearing either red and black neckerchiefs, red and black forage caps or both.
He landed behind the Army barricade, unnoticed in the noise. Just seconds later, the soldiers were charred corpses, while the ozone from the lightning floated away.
He was watched by some of the revolutionaries for a few moments, until someone recognised his face, and nodded. The people then started to march towards the palace of the largest landowner in the area...
Tesla followed, sending this telepathic message to Marshall and Ein: Benito Franco Salazar has just been killed by Haraldur, and the revolution has spread to Wahabbia and Alterna! I just thought you might like to know.
____________________________________________________________________
Melkoth left the palace, and flew towards Alphagrad. New tactic now: utter destruction.
He sent a signal to some of his commanders, and there was surreptitious movement amonst the Grey Army. They still appeared to be fighting their utmost, as they were since the fanatics were at the front lines, but they started to prepare to leave the two cities. Draven would notice no difference to their resistance.
Quietly, some of the soldiers entered the primitive sewers of each town and started to plant a lot of barrels and long, thin, lengths of rope that had been soaked in oil.
They would now wait for his second signal...
____________________________________________________________________
Haraldur turned North, towards a ship that was skimming the edge of the Northern part of his horizon.
He knew that, since his aura was pentrating to every place in a very strong form, that he would be indistinguishable compared to the surroundings, effectively cloaking his aura. He had his invisibility on, and even if someone could ignore that, it was dark and his dark clothing provided excellent camoflage(sp?).
He floated above the ship for a few seconds as it moved, and dropped lightly on the high back part of the deck, behind the King. He became visible, and said, "Greetings... 'King'."
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday February 9th, 2006
Draven turned to see Abodahon, that one that was giving Zeros' and the others trouble a while back...
He then spun around to see Valos land on the roof behind him and draw his sword.
"Friend? You?"
There was a few seconds of silence...
Then Draven through his head back in laughter.
"HA! So you're actually turning against me? My dear Valos..."
Draven pointed his left hand towards Valos, outstretching his finger. A bright red spark appeared at the very tip. His voice grew darker and more sinister.
"Your jest is very amusing, but clearly you wouldn't want to take this little joke of yours too far, for it would be very damaging for me to mistake your jest for truth and, say, disembowel your innards and mount your head among the other... examples..."
His eyes shifted to Abodahon.
"Quickly now, give me the head of this one, so that we may laugh together at your pathetic excuse for humor another day..."
----
King Henri and his entourage of ten men exited the captain's chamber and returned to the deck, rounding a courner of the freestanding chamber. The soldier Zeros' was following followed them, but when he turned the corner, he gasped when he saw Haraldur.
Edward, with his arms folded, smiled. The king turned, knowing the voice.
"Well now, if it isn't Haraldur... though you seem different..."
A blue aura flashed from the King's forehead. What looked like a third eye opened, then shut after a few seconds.
"I see... ten parts now, though you seem as one. Tell me, what brings you to my ship? Another country you demand an alliance against? Or perhaps you feel like causing more destruction, and killing more innocent people? You would best leave us now. You are most unwelcome."
The entourage of men grasped their swords. Ven appeared on the other side of the ship, his black cloak hiding him.
Yes, now he remembered... Haraldur was that "demon" that totally destroyed their one and only port city five years ago... This "Ragnar" that the Crimson Empire was fighting against... is the same man...
But why? Why is he an enemy of... everyone...?
----
(Recap: In chapter 2 or 3, the two Haraldurs traveled to Tjed to seek an alliance against the Dark Empire for Romme (albeit rather rudely and forcefully, heh...). In-between chapters 3 and 4, the merged Haraldurs and Ragnar went back and attacked a costal city of Tjed, so Haraldur is generally hated there.)
----
(Three hours can be up when Vincent is done with his little tricks I will post in the next few updates.)
"Who goes there?"
A figure appeared in the darkness, clutching his side and limping.
"General Vincent of the Crimson Empire. Open the gates."
"Y-yes sir!"
The humongous iron gates cracked open just enough, and Vincent walked through. A colonel rushed to meet him.
"General... Vincent? What brings you to Sigmund?"
"My airship was destroyed and my men killed. Inform your commander in chief that I've some... urgent information for him..."
"Yes, sir!"
----
The entire Crimson Capital shook as in an earthquake as the tip of this floating island grazed the ground. The island rocked, as if about to fall over, but then leveled... It began to rise back into the air slowly, a few inches at a time...
A lightning bolt shot out of the sky, striking the ground some twenty feet to the east of the Iron Wing members, reforming into an rather irate looking Hans, his hair sticking straight up and his body crackling with electricity.
"Hey, well lookie here... We've got a couple of trouble makers..."
He clenched his fist in front of his face and opened it, and orb of electricity forming in it.
A small tremor rocked the ground as Rufus fell out of the sky, slamming into the ground on the opposite side of the foursome. His feet dug deep into the ground.
"Yo! It's my turn! You're always stealin' my kills and I'm gettin' sick of it!"
A stern voice echoed from above.
"Hans, do try to consult me before attempting to address technical problems next time..."
James was floating some fifty feet in the sky above the group, a dull blue aura around him...
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday February 9th, 2006
Zeors' saw Haraldur appear, and held himself back. He smiled slightly at the king. He felt Ven in the room, and he quietly shifted himself over in that direction, and appeared behind Ven. He placed a hand on his shoulder, and leaned down toward him, and whispered something in his ear, even if he couldn't see him.
"Don't interfear... Yet. Let it play out," he said quietly, so only himself and Ven could hear it.
Posted by: D. Ein on Thursday February 9th, 2006
-"Stealing your kills? Don't be hasty, now."
Ogen went over to Rufus.
-"So... It would seem as though you came here with every intention of being a nusianse. Are you going to act as such, or shall you stand aside and let us do our job?" His grasp on the mace tightnened.
Leaven drew his sword.
-"Leto, go get the yellow one. Celer, keep your eye on the blue one."
Leto came closer to Hans, dragging his ginormous axe on his left shoulder.
-"What's that cute little ball you're holding? Surely you're not going to use that to hurt me?" He placed his axe in front of him using his left hand, and then spun it in a circle with his fingers (the axe is double-bladed, about as big as a large closet and weighs around 200 lb).
Celer simply removed his hood to see better, and started staring James down.
-"You gonna get down from there, or are you afraid of me?"
Felix, still keeping the careless exression on his face, said:
-"Well kids, you have fun. I have business to attend to."
With those words he began running towards the rising fortress.
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday February 9th, 2006
"Ah, did you hear that Ein?" Marshal asks sounding happy. "Benito Franco Salazar is infamous for his barbaric raids. It should greatly improve the world with him gone. Rejoice comrade!"
----
Duilin walks up to the blackjack table.
"Ah, what'd your bet?" The dealer asked
"Just five." Duilin replied, putting the money on the table. The dealer dealt the cards. Duilin checked what he had. "Hit me." He had twenty. "Stand."
The dealer dealt himself, and then they both revealed their cards, he had nineteen.
"Oooh, close one, good job. Like to play again?"
"Meh, all right."
Meanwhile Rink seems to be running low on coins at the slots.
----
Valos trembled, he grinded his teeth. It wasn't to late to turn back. But could he take Abodahon? Yet, could he take Draven? He was indeed, in quite a pickle.
Abodahon laughs, as he watches Valos, stare at his sword.
"Y...yeah...This...demon here...He thinks he's in control of me...So, um." Valos stuttered, still looking at his sword. "I just thought I'd.... Humour him."
Abodahon raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"
"You, think you know everything about me demon?" Valos said, still sounding scared, but trying to sound tough. He turned around and facing the demon, and stepped forward.
"Yes, yes I do Valos." Abodahon said, his voice turned softer, and he made an evil smile. "Now die."
Suddenly, Valos felt the claw grab his hart, and twist it and stick it's tips into it. Valos grabbed his chest, and dropped his sword, and began coughing.
"Don't worry Draven. His body will go to good use. I like to recycle. You'd be familiar with it. I had the same thing done to Nex."
Valos then screamed, looking up in the air. He quickly began to rise, spikes tore from his skin on his shoulders. He then tore off his robe, only leaving his pants and grey muscle shirt, with the same symbol on the chest as his tattoo. His eyes went totally blank white, and then bleed over until they were a solid red. Small horns sprouted from his forehead, and demonic pentagram between them, replacing the tattoo. He then began to speak, in a very familiar but different voice from before.
"Sorry, Draven. But you have to realize that the world is full of disloyal back stabbing jerks." Valos(?) said. "You'd know, you’re one of them... I see you've taken Retan's job. Yup, backstabber. I'm surprised you survived the blast on that island." His voice was exactly like Nex's.
Abodahon then decided to spill the beans. "A wile ago, I summoned a Spirit demon, or lost soul, whatever you like, into your army. Nex was the first to be infected, and then I believe it spread around a bit after that, until it reached Valos. It's a selective hunter, I had it target the disloyal members of my cult."
Valos then cracked his knuckles, and then brought his hand back, and then tossed a dark energy ball at Draven.
Posted by: Haraldur on Thursday February 9th, 2006
"Yes, 'King', I am different, very different. In ways you could not imagine. It does not worry me that I am unwelcome, as this is irrelevant to my visit.
"I have come here to give you an ultimatum on behalf of the Revolution. We are currently smashing the state and other tools of oppression in the areas we control, creating an equal society. You must dismantle your state, your army, your police, and distribute all weapons amongst the workers and peasants. You must abandon all of your authority and the authority of others. You must peacefully go into the situation of a stateless, classless and equal society. If you have not done so by the time we have dealt with some of the things we have to do right now, we will have to make your revolution for you. You have been warned.
"Any questions?"
____________________________________________________________________
Revolutionary spirit was everywhere, and intensifying fast...
In the capital city of Tjed, red and black flags were waving as a protest march, increasing in size as it marched, walked up the main street towards the palace. slogans were being shouted: "End privelege!" "Solidarity!" "The rich keep plague prevention for themselves!"
A few minutes later, some police and army arrived to block the way to the palace. Some rocks were thrown, and they then charged into the march, launchng a full scale riot in the old city...
____________________________________________________________________
The proletariat of that Alternan town reached the landowner's palace, with Tesla among them.
Suddenly, arrows came from the palace, with a few people slumping to the ground as the rest took cover. Tesla motioned to some other revolutionaries, and fired at the building with his plasma rifle, blasting the door away. He rushed towards and entered the building, followed by many others.
After some confused fighting, the revoliutionaries were victorious, dragging out the landowner and several priests, and the local bishop. There were calls for the oppressors to be killed.
Tesla nodded, and the prisoners were dragged to the main square, and lined up. Tesla walked up the line, blasting the plasma rifle through the face of each one, spattering burning blood onto the cobble-stones, to the cheers of the crowd, the largest cheers being for the landowner and the bishop.
They then started to walk back towards the palace.
Posted by: Trent on Thursday February 9th, 2006
Tsu, Zion, and Xenai turned to face the new arrivals. "Oh, this is ****ING great! Not that guy again!" He scowled at the sight of Abodahon. "Xenai, why do you think we went though that training?" The blue-haired asshole quickly pondered it. "To be able to inflict a huge amount of damage in a little amount of time, why w- Oh. Heh."
Tsu frowned. "If we're going to fight, don't count on me using New Forever anytime soon... I just know I won't pull it off." He looked down at his hands, which were tingling insanely.
They then observed what transpired. "Holy sh-! This ****ing demon...!" Damn, should I get that ball away from Draven? No, Draven can take care of it.
"Valos..." Just what we need... This demon is THAT merciless...
"..." ...
Posted by: D. Ein on Thursday February 9th, 2006
Ein noticed that the minotaur picked up a number of logs.
-"Hey! Throw one at a time!"
He then turned around to Marshal.
-"Yes, I heard. Although it really means nothing to me. I have never even heard of the person."
He walked around his machine.
-"Hmm... It needs a name... How about...... Zerstorungscmaschin? Means "engine of destruction" in a language I happen to know." //German\\
-"Nah, too long... Oh, I know: Leviathan! Yes, Leviathan it is."
He pushed a few levers here and there, and the machine started rolling through the woods. He then stopped it.
-"So Marshal, are you coming with or staying?"
--- --- ---
Steorra brandished her staff a bit.
-"So are we going, or what? And when I said "sir...?" i meant, what was your name?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday February 10th, 2006
Draven's eyes widened at the sound of Valos' new voice.
"... Nex...?"
Before he could react, the ball of shadow energy sped towards him. Draven moved his finger slightly, blasting the small speck of crimson energy at the orb. The two forces collided exactly between the two, sending smaller flames of fire and shadow speeding in all directions. The building they were standing on was filled with holes, and began to crumble... Draven seemed to disappear in the blast and resulting smoke...
... But his image suddenly appeared directly behind the hulking Abodahon, his figure dwarfed by the monster...
"You! How dare you manipulate my men!"
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Draven shifted his weight to his left side, falling just behind Abodahon's head...
Blast it! One soldier that actually proves his blasting worth, and you kill him!!
"Demon scum! DIE!!"
He brought his right foot up as his body ignited in flame, and sent a super powered kick in the direction of the beast's skull...
----
A chuckle riegned out from the men surrounding Haraldur. The king was not as amused.
"What sort of nonsense is this? How dare you mock us with such ridiculous demands! Be gone, foul demon."
Ven knew it was Zeros' who spoke to him, and if it wasn't for him, he would have charged...
Ven's face faulted and he clenched his teeth. He brought his right hand to his sword hilt on his back, and resisted the urge to attack...
Any quick movement, though, and he will not hesitate...
Suddenly this mysterious enemy that had fought against far away from home had become a very personal threat...
----
(Um... no, Haraldur. Just no...)
The capital of Tjed, hidden high in and surrounded by mountains, echoed with the din of the small riot that night. It occurred in the upper class neighborhood, near the castle.
An upper class woman fearlessly exited her house and faced the crowd, in response to the chants.
"How could you say we have protection from the plague? My children suffer just as yours!"
She broke down in tears. Another man appeared.
"How dare you insult the integrity of our king! After all he has done for us!"
"His free clinic has saved hundreds!"
"Yeah!" A couple more echoed.
In the torchlight it was reviled that those leading the crowd and held the flags also bore large bottles of whiskey and ale, and were in fact quite drunk. Those that threw the stones were arrested and sent to jail for the night to dry out, and at most a fine of a few copper coins. The rest were sent back to their homes with a warning but also condolences from the soldiers, who also had family members who had fallen ill.
The chancellor watched the crowd peacefully disperse from one of the castle's higher balconies. This night may have ended well, but the populace is getting more and more restless. He feared the worse if a cure for this plague was not found soon... Everything seemed to go down hill after the High Knights of Tjed disappeared...
(No revolutions in Tjed, please. Heh...)
----
Vincent entered the innards of he huge fortress. General Hector appeared at the end of the hallway, followed by some twenty crimson soldiers and a colonel. He was a tall man with pitch black armor, and a striking red cape. He spoke in a thick Australian accent.
"Well, well, if it ain't Vincent the alchemist. What brings ya ta Sigmund, mate? Did ya finally get kicked out of Redvik for doing nothin' all day long?"
"Charming, Hector. I've come to warn you of an impending attack. There is a large force approaching from the west..."
"Ha! So what? No one can touch us in 'ere! We'll just blow 'em up if they get too close. Get outta my way. Go make some gold or somthin'..."
Hector continued down the hallway, his entourage following. Vincent placed his hands behind his back and watched him turn the corner.
"Heh..."
----
"WHAT!? You want to DIE? Just keep talkin'!!!"
The orb in Hans' right fist swelled to double size, he threw his hand back and then foward like a baseball pitch, aiming the electric orb at the (probably conductive) metal axe, rather than Leto himself.
Rufus brought both of his huge arms to his sides, widening his stance.
"Hah, you ain't got a clue who we are, do ya?"
His left fist swelled, the muscles budging. Rufus slammed the fist into the ground creating a small tremor and sending a crack towards Ogen. When he pulled his fist up, a large chunk of ground came with it-- a rock some five feet in diameter.
"HRRRAAARRRGH!!!!"
He reared his hand back and punched the rock his left fist was embedded in, sending the bolder soaring towards Ogen.
James flew towards the ground very quickly, his descent slowing when he was about two feet away from the ground, a ring of dust pushing away from his feet. He landed softly, still some distance away from Celer. At the same time his eyes shifted, following Felix, before returning towards his opponent.
"Perhaps you can tell us your reasons for attacking the Crimson Capital and perhaps we can spare some unnecessary violence."
Explosions could be heard from the other two elites' attacks.
"If you are attempting to employ diversionary tactics, I can assure you they will not succeed..."
Posted by: D. Ein on Friday February 10th, 2006
Celer drew his daggers.
-"We are looking for one of your generals, namely Valos. We have reasons to believe that he is in that fortress. //don't bother correcting me - i know he's not in there, but the Nightshade doesn't.\\ And you're right - perhaps no blood shall be shed if you just make way for us into the fortress. We have reinforcements standing by in a charged portal - all they need is a signal from us, and your castle up there will be flooded with our troops. No, if that happens, you just DON'T want to be there."
Ogen watched the boulder go towards him. He made absolutely no effort to dodge it. The boulder landed on him and a really nasty crack could be heard from down under it. After a few seconds, however, the boulder moved a bit. Then it moved again. Then it simply rolled away, and Ogen got up. He was all covered in scratches and scars. His head had a fissure in it. His left arm was oddly bent. He was limping on the right leg, which had a bone sticking out of it. However, he continued coming towards Rufus.
-"No, quite frankly, I have no idea who you are. And I don't care. All I'm here to do is my mission, and get out. If it involves killing a couple of maggots like you, then so be it."
As he approached, his scars started to heal. The fissure in his head grew back and his bones evened out. He flexed his newly-healed arm. When he stopped about a meter away from Rufus, his body was as good as new. The leather armour that he had took no damage.
-"There is absolutely no way you can kill me. Not with pathetic strikes like that. In fact, even I know of nothing that can kill me. I welcome you to test that statement at your convenience."
His tone changed with the last words, as he brought back his mace and swung it aiming for Rufus' shoulder.
Leto placed his axe in front of him, which was struck by the orb. The energy, arcing in small sparks, travelled from his axe to his armour-plated gloves to the rest of the armour that he was wearing. //from the description, he doesn't have armour as such - just large evenly cut pieces of metal strapped to him.\\ However, he took no damage. The armour seemed to absorb the blast.
-"Let me ask you something, yellow one. Do you know what capacitors are? Well, I don't either, but what I do know is that they're these little things in my armour that seem to absorb all sorts of energy. Now..." He waved his axe over his head. "Now all that energy will be released... into the first thing I touch with my axe."
He came closer to Hans, ground shaking as he walked.
-"But why should you believe me? Why don't you try it YOURSELF?!"
He brought the axe to his side then swung it at Hans, hoping to cut him across the chest.
Leaven was now almost near the fortress. He made a leap... and managed to get up close enough to the bottom of the fortress. //from your comparison of the fortress to a floating island, Xorlak, I'll assume that it's bottom half looks like an upside-down mountain, sort of.\\ He struck the rough surface with his sword, keeping himself on the surface. He searched around inside his robes, finding the "blow-it-up-yourself" kit that was given to him by one of the diciples. He placed the small brick on the island, and used his pinky finger to carve the symbol on the soft surface of the brick. In the next moment the brick emitted a controlled blast into the island, burning a thin hole through it. Felix reached for the crossbow...
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday February 10th, 2006
Abodahon then moved his head back, dogging the kick; he then ghosted a couple feet in front of him.
Valos then turned his head and looked at Draven "Well, you should come to expect this sort of thing my friend. You've been betrayed by so many people: Ragnar, Scorch, Duilin...etcetera."
Abodahon then spoke. "I really don't see why you continue to trust people, you obviously don't have the correct people skills." He then motioned toward Valos to attack, still keeping an eye on the enraged man.
"Oh, it just upsets me to think how heart breaking your love life must be." The demon added mockingly.
Valos then jumped into the air, surrounding himself in a dark purple glow. He thrusted both his palms towards Draven and shot two dark lightning blasts.
----
Marshal nodded. "I'm with you." He said heroically. He then climbed aboard The Leviathan. "Onward."
----
"Oh, sorry, Captain Smith Darak." The soldier stated. "Anyways. I saw somebody get through a hole in the barrier, if you could fly us over there, hope you don't mind caring me, then we could start fighting."
----
"You're on a role here, sir." The dealer said to Duilin. "What's your next bet?"
"You know...normally I wouldn't do this. But I'm feeling lucky, I'm gonna bet all 200 of my gold coins!" Duilin replied
"Sir, are you sure?"
"Just deal the cards dock..."
They play it out for a little bit. Duilin eventually gets 20. "Stand."
They both reveal their cards. The dealer had 21. "I'm sorry sir."
"Oh ****!" Duilin yelled. Turning some heads, some people found it quite offensive; to see a demon walk in, play blackjack and start swearing. Duilin then, rubs his forehead, ignoring the people around him and then walks over to Rink. He seemed to have a lot of luck with the slots; he had an entire pile of coins next to him.
"What!? How did you do that?" Duilin asks in great confusion.
"I guess I'm just lucky." Rink smirked. "Looks like you busted out, Duilin. You should be careful, blackjack games are usually rigged." He winked to him
"No they aren't!" Duilin snapped back
"Shut up Duilin." Rink said smiling. He was quite enjoying this.
Posted by: Haraldur on Friday February 10th, 2006
The proletariat arrived at the palace, and proceeded to start a debate on whether to collectivise the land around the settlement, though it was effectively a formality.
Tesla went off towards the prisons, there was an old friend incarcerated...
____________________________________________________________________
"Mock you? You think I come here just to mock you? Also, what authority do you have to order me to leave? Why should you have authority?
"My purpose for being here is to negotiate a peaceful transition rather than violent revolution in Tjed. The reason for this is that, so far, you have been slightly less tyrannical than the those rulers of kingdoms surrounding you.
"As for foul demon, I would have thought you might be more thoughtful about your speech, as you have two half-demons on board your ship, 'King'."
Haraldur sat down on the floor, taking a map out of a pocket in his black bearskin cloak. He unfolded the map, and layed it out on the floor in front of him.
On the map was a picture of the whole world, with all the land coloured with the colours of their allegences. The Crimson Empire was a fiery red, and there was a patch of Grey on the western side of the Dark Continent. Tjed was (//whatever colour Tjed is, you choose, Xorlak.//). Wahabbia and Alterna would have been green a short time ago, but now was speckled. In the green were areas that were black (as you cannot have black and red for one country...), and they were centred on settlements, and were growing in size and number. They could be see merging as both countries went from green to black.
Haraldur pointed towards the grey patch, and said, "This is the area currently controlled by the Grey Empire, that is controlled by my father Melkoth (in whose employ I was when I attacked you five years ago, but now my mortal enemy). It aims to enslave the entire world under its iron-clad fist. It is currently fighting the Crimson Empire, which has similar aims."
He pointed towards Alterna and Wahabbia: "These areas were under the rule of Benito Franco Salazar until very recently, when I killed him. Currently the Revolution is spreading and victorious there, as you can see by the expanding areas of black."
A spot of black appeared in the middle of a pool of green, and then spread out.
"Here you have just seen a settlement vote to collectivise all the land around it, and so run it more equally and efficiently. They are not under my control, I have nothing to gain by their actions, other than the same as they gain (if I ever live there). They are carrying out their new lives in an equal society, with no rulers."
A large spot of black appeared before spreading out.
"Ah, and there goes the Alternan capital. Now, why am I telling you this? I am doing this, 'King', to show that my motives are truly open, but also to show that this is no joke, and that I am determined to bring this to its ultimate conclusion: an Anarchist world."
//Note: In case you do not already know, black is often associated with Anarchism.//
Posted by: Trent on Friday February 10th, 2006
The trio phased nearby pretty soon after Draven did. "Draven," said Zion, "Whether you like it or not, we're helping you with this one."
"This big ****in' guy was really, really, bothersome before," said Xenai. "This time, I hope that changes."
All three started to gather energy. (1/2 charging posts)
Posted by: D. Ein on Friday February 10th, 2006
-"Well then, off we go."
Ein pushed a lever forward. He then pulled another one, and the machine fired. A new projectile slid in place. Ein, seeing Marshal's confused expression, said:
-"I needed to see if the minotaur will put another log in there as soon as I fired this one. Anyway, now we can REALLY depart."
He pulled yet another lever, cranked some wierd mechanisms, and the machine slowly started building up speed. It went faster, then eventually it stopped accelerating, but it was already going very fast. In fact, a horse would not be able to outrun it.
-"Weiter, weiter ins verberden!" (Onward, onward to destruction!)
--- --- ---
-"So, are we going or what?"
Steorra was walking about, looking bored.
--- --- ---
Leaven whipped out the crossbow given to him, took out a bolt and tied the explosive rope to it. This process took quite a while (imagine tying something while you're using one hand to keep yourself on the ceiling!), but he managed it. He prepared to fire through the hole.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday February 11th, 2006
"There are good demons and there are foul demons, my friend, and we all know the difference..."
King Henri looked at the map with interest.
"The Crimson Empire is evil, and deserves your wrath. I've heard of Alterna's foul deeds as well. Anarchy would be an improvement for them. But keep your 'revolution' away from our nation."
Suddenly a bright blue light emitted from the man's forehead, and a third eye stared at Haraldur.
"I can see your work at hand, cleansing Gaian of unjust tyrants. But I have no such desires, and I will protect our people to the end from this... lawless chaos that you speak of. If you do not believe me, then you are welcome to talk to our populace yourself, and they will laugh at your ridiculous ideals just as my men have. I stand by my subjects as my subjects stand by me."
The eye grew wider, staring into Haraldur's soul.
"I can see some success. I can see freedom from oppression... I can see happiness..."
His tone grew darker...
"But then, when the populace is left alone for some time... as the generations pass... I can see much darkness... I can see a tyranny far greater than is capable by the worst tyrants today... Greed is an undefeatable enemy, and no mater how equal the citizens are, each is laced with a very uneven level of greed... I can see a war spanning the entire globe, and suffering to match...
"Haraldur, your ideals are not meant for this world..."
Ven couldn't hold it back any longer. His majesty didn't even retort Haraldur's challenging his authority. He stepped forward, his black cloak flowing with his long strides. His voice was fiery and became more angry the more he spoke:
"What about you? What authority do you have, deciding how nations are governed? Do you take us for some stupid fools who blindly follow the orders of a man just because he claimed some god gave him special privileges? Or maybe because he has a big strong army and he'll kill us if we say 'no'? Are we too stupid and weak to decide what is good for us on our own?"
Ven's arm flowed from the cloak, pointing at Henri.
"I'll have you know this 'slightly less tyrannical' man's endless sacrifice for his people knows no bounds, and his wisdom is greater than the entire mind of the people of Tjed combined. There is no common vote of the populace that could ever hope to match his benign decisions. If you utter just one more syllable of an insult towards this man or suggest that you intend to defile our great nation with your one-man 'revolution' once more, know that I will claim your head RIGHT NOW!!!!"
As he said the last word, Ven removed his blade from his scabbard and slashed it to his right side, a shockwave of wind emanating from the sword and sweeping across the deck, splintering the wood just below the blade. The sword exploded in a furious white light, bathing the dark ship in brilliant light.
Henri turned and held out his hand, angrily snapping:
"Ven!!"
The soldiers in-between Ven and Haraldur got the heck out of the way...
(Translation: Haraldur, go away and let me do one non-political side quest, okay? Heh...)
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday February 11th, 2006
(( Uhm.. Trent: Allen is waiting for Aura to land from the transporter. So, if you could... ))
Zeros' sighed, and shook his head at Ven's rashness. He stepped out of his own hiding place, and let down his cloak. The elbow of his left arm rested on the hilt of his sword, and his right hand was in his trench coat pocket. He looked towards Henri, and shrugged, as if to say 'sorry'.
"Ven... I told you to not act rashly. Now look what you did," he muttered.
Posted by: Haraldur on Saturday February 11th, 2006
"Lawless chaos? That is your view, and I think it is one based on inaccurate information, but I will not stress the point. Suffice to say that I disagree, and think ti will be a very sustainable and equal system. Keep in mind, that most aspects of human behaviour, such as greed, are results of the conditions within which they live. Maybe at some time in the future, I could show you the town of Laus? It has currently been away from Gaian for 100 years, for them, due to accelerated time. I think you would find that things are going very well, without either mine, Tesla's or indeed Durruti's involvement."
Haraldur stared impassivley at Ven during his tirade, then spoke:
"I have no authority other than the natural loyalty by those who have met me. I do not order people to do things and assume that it will be done due to my position, as I have no position higher than anyone else's. Many people just choose to carry out my suggestions. Even then, they are not many, as I do most things myself.
"No, you follow him because he was born into that position, and happened not to be massively incompetant. The fact that he is very good at what he does is a bonus.
"This 'slightly less tyrannical man' still has authority which is not the natural authority I mentioned earlier, and that is tyranny. Police, army, taxes, laws, all are parts of tyranny. Inequality of income and power is tyranny. Also, on your point on common votes, you are assuming those votes to be coercive, to have power over others. These sorts of votes would not exist in the society I envision.
"One-man revolution? Wow, I must have many more parts than I thought. Not ten, but 300 million. Wow. Just because I am a type of figurehead does not make the revolution either mine or one-man."
Haraldur brought his hands out in frontn of him, repairing the splintered deck.
"And Ven, and I do know your name from before, there is something I would request of you. I request that you cast your memory back a few days ago, back to when you were stuck with some of my comrades in a settlement that is now part of Laus. And no, there are no popular votes."
Haraldur stared at Zeros'. "Greetings, hypocrite. Have you finally stopped carrying out Draven's dirty work, or is this just a holiday?
"I will take my leave, I have other things to attend to. Good day, 'King', Ven, Zeros'."
Haraldur jumped up, and flew North into the Dark continent.
____________________________________________________________________
Tesla entered the prison, and started unlocking all the doors, finally reaching the one on the end, and opening it, smiling at a bedraggled looking man. The man looked up, and smiled, standing up and the embracing Tesla.
"Where is Haraldur?"
"He is currently moving into the Crimson Empire for an attack, shall we join him?"
"Yes, let us do that."
They flew Northeast, towards where Haraldur's signals were coming from.
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 11th, 2006
-"Ignoring me won't get you anywhere. Now, either you will let us through and allow us to search the fortress for Valos or we will both waste time and energy fighting. Then again..." Celer took out one of his own gravity vortexes. "Would you like to do this my way? I can assure you, we brought more than one of these toys. Twelve, in fact, and we still have eleven ready to go."
--- --- ---
The machine with Ein and Marshal was speeding through the woods. Eventually, a rising island in the sky could be seen...
-"What do you expect me to do? We're Aspyes, we hate the Crimsons, and Lawessov just happens to be near the Crimson Capital."
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday February 11th, 2006
"Of course." Darak said. He then headed nearer towards Alphagrad. "I can hear fighting going on." He then pointed to the barrier. "That's what is blocking us from getting in. Could you use one of those fancy spells? From what I saw, you seem to be far greater then average."
----
"Ah, yes. An excellent target." Marshal replied. He then noticed something. "It seems as if somebody has the same idea as us. It looks like that elite force that I saw a few days ago are fighting some people."
----
//I'll wait until Xorlak responds to Abbodahon and Valos before I update them\\
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday February 11th, 2006
(Abodahon wins the quote of the chapter! Heh...)
Draven's eyes widened in rage as his body turned perpendicular to the ground. He stayed floating a few inches above the street... He turned his right hand towards the dark thunder headed his way, meeting it with a blast of crimson flame and neutralizing the spell...
That's it. Everyone's gonna die...
He padded his right cape pocket... empty... Blast it! The communications orb... he dropped it when fighting that dragon...
Suddenly Zion, Xenai, and Tsu could hear Draven's voice in their heads...
"One of you go find my communications orb and return it to me... I dropped it in the forest southeast of here... it should give off a detectible aura..."
Draven then became fixiated on Abodahon, ignoring Valos-Nex entirely.
"So, all of my traitor problems stem from you... Well, then I should thank you for directing me to my proper target..."
He brought both of his clenched fists to his sides. His black hair began to wave with his increasing aura of flame.
"You worthless demon scum... always trying to meddle in the affairs of superior races... You stupid brutes are meant for nothing but servitude. Now, accept your punishment..."
Draven brought his fists downwards as his burning aura literally exploded. A shockwave of flame ripped through the delicate buildings of Alphagrad, disintegrating their very foundations like sandcastles and igniting the rest of the town in a blazing inferno.
Draven was now wrapped in an intensely burning fireball, hovering above a deep crater that the resulting surge of power created...
----
Ven sheathed his sword, and the light died down. He watched Haraldur depart.
"He's gone..."
Henri's third eye closed.
"What settlement?"
"I saw one of his societies at work. I hadn't made the connection then..."
Henri placed his arm on Ven, smiling softly and the two began to walk towards the captain's cabin.
"So you were able to see it objectively. How was it?"
"It seemed... like a utopia..."
"A utopia is unachievable, but you can clearly see that this man is not evil..."
"But... any man who seeks to usurp your reign..."
"He is a visionary, an interesting one at that... a visionary with a lot of power..."
"You're not saying..."
"No, of course not. Like all visions, his has it's flaws..."
Edward appeared from behind, his arms still folded.
"My liege, we've more pressing matters..."
"Yes, the plague..."
The three ships began to round the northern edge of the island that was once Romme. The island had returned some time after Retan's attack, but it's populace had not. It was now an uninhabited, overgrown island...
----
The metal door swung open, and the two soldiers present saluted as Vincent entered the room. He looked around at the various metal compartments, his hand on his chin, the soldiers standing at attention...
He went to the larger one, and looked out the slit in front of it to see the long barrel of the magic powered gun sticking outside. He then opened the compartment, a violet glow emanating from within. The soldiers eyed him...
Vincent removed the long slender jewel, looked at it for a moment, then turned it upside down and replaced it in it's slot. He shut the compartment door.
"Are you this gun's operator?"
"Y-yes, sir!"
"You should be careful. This turret is liable to explode..."
Vincent placed his hands in his pockets and exited the room, smirking...
----
(Ein, just because I didn't get a change to update these characters doesn't mean they're ignoring yours. Wait until they respond before updating yours.)
James smiled slightly, placing his hands behind his back.
"Hmm, you are are a few hundred miles off if you are seeking General Valos. He is stationed in the west quelling some insignificant resistance. You wouldn't know anything about this resistance, now would you?"
A portal, hmm? That would be perfect. If these are in fact members of Ragnar's army, a counter invasion through portal to discover their base of operation would be perfect. They technically didn't have the authority, but Draven would likely approve... Of course, it's probably just a blasted bluff...
(The Crimson Empire is still under the impression that the Greys are under the command of Haraldur.)
"Hmm, yes. Do bring your troops. We've several friends that are just dying for company..."
James then caught sight of the gravity vortex encased in an orb.
"So that's how it is done... I see. I wouldn't mind seeing one of those in action as well..."
"Huh?! What the--?"
Rufus took a few steps backwards as Ogen regenerated.
"That's just, really freaky man..."
He brought his left fist upwards, the mace striking his metal gauntlet with a loud clang, denting the metal. At the same time he took a small leap backwards.
"'Course, that just means I get to hit ya a whole lot more!"
His right fist slammed into the ground, fissuring the rocks beneath Ogen. Two gigantic boulders rose on each side of his enemy, and fell quickly towards him, in an effort to sandwich the man in-between....
Hans jumped straight up into the air, the axe passing under his feet. He flipped upside down and his hands met the earth. He catapulted himself away to gain some distance, and landed on his feet.
"Nice, let me show you mine..."
He removed a small metallic tube from his belt. The upper end of the tube crackled and a beam of light shot forth, forming the blade of a sword. It was similar to Draven's crimson blade, although it was composed of yellow lightning energy...
Hans flipped the blade towards the ground, which the tip of it passed through, leaving a scar on the earth.
"Check it-- LIGHTING SABER!!"
His feet left the ground and he flew towards Leto at breakneck speed, aiming a quick slash at his adversary's neck...
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 11th, 2006
//yeah, I know, sorry about that. I just needed an excuse to use a cool phrase :-) Also, when you talked about the portal, what did you mean? Because the Nightshade is not allied with the Greys in any way. In fact, they're specifically against them.\\
Celer, still keeping his daggers out, said:
-"No, we know nothing of such resistance.
"Oh? That would mean you've nothing to hide in that fortress up there. How about letting us see for ourselves? We've nothing against the Crimson Empire, it is just Valos that we're after. Perhaps if you do that, we might give you a few of these nifty toys..." He waved the reflective sphere around.
"I will not summon the reinforcements unless there will be a need. As for your friends, well, I suppose it would be an unlucky day for them. Our initiates do, in fact, posess incredibly powerful weapons."
Ogen, although posessing incredible regenerating capabilities, could still feel pain. The prospect of getting squished by two boulders did not really appeal to him. He lept out of the way, but his arm still got caught. He was now partly stuck to the two boulders...
Leto hit the ground, sending out an electric shock in all directions.
-"Damn! I missed. Credits to you for being fast."
He watched Hans activate the sword, then jump at him. He barely had time to shield his neck with his hand. The sword slid over the armoured glove. Then, something odd happened. //I'll assume that the sword generates energy, and not just have a battery of some sort that can be drained.\\ The sword got stuck in between Leto's fingers for a second. Energy started transferring to the armour from the sword...
Suddenly, there was a loud BANG! Leto felt a jolt of sharp pain from his back. He let go of the sword, and fell to the ground. The capacitor on his back overloaded, and blew up, leaving only a red shirt underneath his armour to protect his back. He slowly got up.
-"You bastard... Now, you die."
He walked away from Hans a short distance, then sharply turned around, and flung his charged axe at him (the one capacitor that blew up was not the only one, so the axe still has some charge) at an incredible speed. The axe would be difficult to dodge, and even more so to block - imagine stopping a 200 pound chunk of metal! Leto aimed right at his opponent's chest.
Posted by: Trent on Saturday February 11th, 2006
//I didn't expect that I was supposed to react to poofing away. You know where they're going. You land them. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />
"Tsu, you do it. But keep charging energy!"
"Hai!" He took off into the forest, searching around for the orb, yet taking care to still gather energy. He picked up the orb's aura and started after it.
"Zion, are you sure this will work?"
"No." They both guard against the huge flame.
"Damn, Draven! Calm the **** down!" The two continued to gather energy. They were done now, but they needed to wait for Tsu to get back. (2/2)
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday February 11th, 2006
Allen looked up, and Aura phased in. He held out his arms, and caught her, before she hit the ground. He placed her on the ground, before turning, and stroking his beard.
"Hrmm... We need to head..." he said, before closing his eyes, and pointing off in the opposite direction of where the Elites were fighting. "There," he said. He reached into his coat pocket, and pulled out a small disc. He threw it up in the air, and his hands glowed slightly, as the disc suddenly expanded, and gently floated the ground, hovering slightly above the ground.
Allen stepped up onto the disc, and looked back towards Aura.
"Follow me, if you will," he said, before he put his hands into his coat pockets, as his disc started to rise, and then move.
---
Zeros' looked at the two departing men, then, looked towards where Haraldur had flew off to.
"So... A utopia... Is that your plan now, Haraldur? A 'perfect' world?" he murmured to himself, before his feet carried him towards Rink and Duilins direction.
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday February 12th, 2006
Abodahon didn't even flinch as Draven's aura exploded. The flame just tickled off him like water.
"Demon's meddle in the affairs of superior races?" Abodahon asked raiseing on brow, he then narrowed his eyes at Draven. "Demons are the superior race. You human's don't realize that you're just small fish in a big ocean filled with hungry sharks."
Abodahon then charged power into gauntlets and they began to glow deep red.
'Valos I'll handle this one. Stop those young ones over there.'
The large brutish demon then blasted two red beams that appeared to have an image of a skull at the front of them. The mouths of the skulls open up. One blast went right towards Draven, and the other flue past him and then flue back towards him.
Valos then picked up his sword, and spun it around above him, he then swung it back words and charged dark magic into the blade and then swung it forward, tossing two energy blades that flue towards Zion and Xenai.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday February 12th, 2006
Draven brought both hands to his right side and cupped them over each other, a bright ball of crimson forming in his fingers.
"At the very least I admire your taste in attacks, cur."
He shot both hands forward, opening his palms as an intense pillar of firery light shot forth, slamming into the buring skull that was heading straight for him.
The two blasts of energy met with explosive force, tearing more chunks of the ground away, and Draven's began to push the skull back... But the second skull veered around and tore after him from behind. Draven eyed this, and at the last second removed his right hand from the beam of flame he was firing forward and directed it behind him, firing a second pillar of flame at the second skull...
Draven was now sandwiched between two attacks, firing two waves of flame to his left and right with both outstretched arms, holding them at bay... Of course, both beams were half the strength of his initial, due to him casting them with one arm each, and as a result, the skulls inched their way closer...
He stayed in this way for a moment, before thrusting his arms downward. His body shot skyward and the two skulls crashed into each other, causing yet another explosion and more buildings to collapse... A quarter of Alphagrad was entirely rubble at this point...
Still gaining altitude, Draven spun around in the air to face his hulking adversary on the ground. His cape unfurled like the wings of a dragon, surrounded by and flowing with the burning flame that engulfed the man. His eyes burned even more intensely...
He brought his right fist before his face and extended two fingers. The left hand was extended flat and brought perpendicular to it... Fine points of crimson light pierced through the impossibly thick darkness of the clouds high above...
----
Ven was still angry and muttered to himself as he walked away from the group and headed towards the lower levels of the ship.
"Tyranny... police... somebody find that loon a blasting dictionary..." *mumble* *mumble*
King Henri entered the ships bridge. Most of his entourage split up and randomly moved about the ship. The captain approached the king.
"My lord, we will be home by dawn."
"Excellent."
----
"Hmm, they should be arriving any minute now... Just enough time..."
Vincent wanted to time the last part just before the Greys should arrive, since it would be potentially the most incriminating and it would be best to minimize the amount of time available to find him out...
The fortress Sigmund was essentially built into two mountains. Several large structures were constructed in the small valley between the two, and many corridors dug deep into the mountains on the north and south side as well. The north and south walls were essentially the mountains themselves, steep, unscalable, and rising higher than even the tallest structure in the valley itself. The west and east walls, which contained the front and back gates respectively, were largely part of the slopes of the mountains as well, with additional stone walls built up to completely encase the central structures.
Vincent entered one of the corridors built into the northern mountain and followed it's winding path to a room cut from the stone located several hundred feet to the left of the front gate, and behind 25 feet of solid rock relative to the exterior of the fortress. Here the corridor was closest to the outside. Though 25 feet of solid rock is still quite impenetrable...
He exited and returned minutes later carrying two buckets filled with water, with a few strange looks from passing guards.
When the coast was clear, as it was most of the time in this lightly guarded section, he placed the buckets on the ground and soaked one of his hands in each... He then placed his hands on the stone wall. A circle of blue light immediately appeared on the wall and it changed in color slightly. The water from the buckets flew into the air and entered the wall, and that section of the wall became discolored slightly more... light cracks forming across the surface... On the opposite side, outside the fortress, an etching of circles appeared on the discolored patch of rock that looked like a target.
They should get the picture...
Vincent placed his hands in his trench coat pocket and walked away.
----
(You see, so many groups are attacking the Crimson Empire in such a short period of time-- Haraldur, the Greys, now your guys-- that they think they are all part of the same organized movement. They think your guys are with the Greys, and the Greys are with Haraldur (a.k.a. Ragnar). So yeah, they're doubly confused here. (Heh...) Also, when I do a paragraph by itself that isn't surrounded by quotes but sounds like dialogue, that's my way of doing an internal monologue for the character.)
James raised an eybrow.
"Are you serious? Firstly, this is the Crimson Capital. We do not simply allow heavily armed foreigners to simply wander around without question, especially when we are in the state of war. Secondly, I do believe you attacked us with one of those orbs and put the populace at quite a state of panic and dissarray for a few moments, which certainly makes some suggestions about your intentions... And additionally you are threatening us with the use of force, which, although I honestly don't believe a word of what you're saying about your army, places you as our enemy."
The wind rustled his short hair, but he remained motionless with his hands behind his back.
"So unless you surrender immediately and drop your weapons, I doubt any of you will be allowed access to our fine establishment..."
Rufus saw his opportunity, but took the time to gloat instead.
"GAH HA HA HA!! You like that, huh? Here, let me give ya another!"
He buried his fists in the ground and remove a colossal chunk of land-- a boulder spanning some ten feet in diameter and weighting several tonnes...
"GRRRAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"
He tossed the massive rock at the trapped Ogen as a finishing blow.
Hans saw the impending axe, and shifted all his weight to his right in an attempt to fall in that direction...
He was able to move his chest out of the path of the axe, but his twisting body placed his left metal shoulder guard in its way. The axe dug through the metal armor and grazed the top of his left shoulder. This would be a minor injury, but the axe still contained some absorbed energy in recoil from the capacitator burst, and the contact with the metal caused that section of his armor to explode...
"AAARRGHHH!!!"
Hans flew backwards, spinning in the air and dropping the energy sword, which disappeared as he let go, the metallic tube clanking on the ground. Hans hit the dirt a second later, some seven feet away...
He sat up on one knee, clutching his exposed left shoulder with his right hand.
"Not bad..."
Posted by: D. Ein on Sunday February 12th, 2006
Celer readied his daggers.
-"I'm sorry, but that is as much friendliness as I could offer. Now that I think of it, it does seem pretty strange from your side - someone almost destroys your home then wants to go inside. But, here's something you should consider: while we were here talking, one of my teammates is already inside of your fortress. So go ahead, kill us. I'm sure your soldiers will deal quite a bit of damage to ours." Celer glanced at chunks of Leto's armour. "But know this: If even one of us stops breathing, the next place you will find your palace is floating in small bits in the space existing outside of our planet. Each of us has three gravity orbs, including the one that's up there." He pointed to the castle.
"But once again, we have nothing against the Crimson Empire. It is your choice if you want to continue fighting us."
Ogen tried to get his arm out of the boulders. However, he only succeeded in dislocating his shoulder. Then he saw the rock coming towards him... That's right, fool, he thought. Go ahead, help me get out of here.
The rock smashed into the two monoliths keeping Ogen in place, and shattered to bits. A larger piece with a sharp end fell onto Ogen's arm, severing it off his body. He rolled away from the pile of rocks. Then... Whatever was left of the bigger part of his arm which was still stuck, seemed to burn up. The dust from it flew closer to Ogen, and went in place of his lost arm, turning to flesh. He now had a large blob of biomatter for his arm. He came forth to Rufus.
-"I get the impression that you're pretty determined when it comes to killing your enemies. Oh well."
He raised his "arm", and it started to turn more arm-like than it was. Slowly morphing, the limb was now more recognizible. He flexed it, making sure everything's in the right place.
-"I suppose using normal methods of combat would not work in our situation, now would it?"
He raised both of his hands, holding his mace over him. Then, he quickly sank into the ground. When he was fully submerged, he crawled to the place where he saw Rufus last. He stuck his hand out of the ground, trying to grasp Rufus' leg and trip him.
Leto smiled.
-"Not bad yourself. However, I don't want to stay here trying to fight you guys off forever. How about a bit more fun in this little game we have here?"
He sat down on the ground and closed his eyes. A pentagram appeared over and around him (like a semisphere). Anything that attempted to cross it would bounce back, but he wouldn't be able to maintain it for more than 5 strong hits. //is it still dark?\\ However, there was an odd wind rising, and clouds seemed to move differently...
Leaven was now crawling through the tunnel that his rope made. After a few minutes of solid crawling, he reached the end of the tunnel. He got out and looked around. He was inside the fortress.
--- --- ---
Ein squinted his eyes.
-"Yes... Yes, I see it. Looks like two people are talking, and four are fighting. But in our purpose, who gives a crap?"
He stationed the Leviathan behind some trees and pushed a few levers, after which the launching part of the mechanism seemed to rise up a bit. He then placed his hand on a glowing symbol that was right next to him. The projectile was launched, heading straight for the same window that Hans, James and Rufus flew out of. A new one slid into the slot from the diagram behind it.
-"Here comes the sun, bastards..."
The projectile suddenly caught on fire, but continued flying. It took no damage (obviously, because it was made of rock!).
--- --- ---
Steorra lifted up her staff, and aimed it at the sky. //assuming it's still dark...\\
-"First, we gotta clear up a bit."
A bright ray shot out of the staff, and cleared up a small patch in the sky. The sun could now be seen.
-"There we go... Now, for that barrier."
She positioned the staff so that the light from the sun would fall directly on it. The gem in the prementioned staff acted as some sort of a prism. Light amplified thousands of times passed through the barrier, tearing a hole in it large enough for Darak to fit through. The clear patch was quickly dark again, as the black clouds pulled over it.
-"There ya go. Now what?"
Posted by: Trent on Sunday February 12th, 2006
Aura pulled the hairpin out of her hair and tossed it in front of her. It changed into a disc, and she hopped onto it and took off after Allen.
--- --- ---
Tsu slowed down and came to a halt, landing among many, many trees. He felt around... That orb is here somewhere. He tried to distinguish the direction of the energy as an ear distinguishes the direction of sound. He turned to where it was and walked over to it. There it was. He snatched it up and took back off towards Alphagrad.
--- --- ---
Xenai looked toward Valos, and his energy blades. "Hey, what the **** you think yer' doin'?! Zion, move!" Zion looked in that direction. The duo split and took off in opposite directions. They were saving all that energy for Abodahon, and his gauntlets. They would have to save it for now. They stored the energy away and took out their weapons.
They went to opposite ends of Valos and shot down toward him. When they came in range, they would slash simultaneously.
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday February 12th, 2006
Allen closed his eyes, as he felt the wind whip across his face. It had been so long since he was allowed to relax. He opened his eyes, and looked behind him, seeing Aura follow him. His disc dipped alittle, and grazed the waters surface, leaving a trail of water rising in his wake. Sometimes, it was peaceful just to skim across the water, with no cares in the world...
He shook his head out of his daze, as mountains starts to form in the distance, rising into the sky. He could still feel the wind beind pulled slightly towards the Crimson Empire.
He closed his eyes again, as his disc continued to bring him forwards, going towards his destination.
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday February 13th, 2006
Finally the darkness began to give way...
In front of the three ships, a glimpse of sunlight finally peeked over the eastern horizon. Far away from the Dark Continent, the sky was not blanketed in clouds here, and beautiful reds and pinks painted the sky.
Up ahead, a small land mass became visible, and slowly rose in stature.
"Land ho!" One of the Posidon X's crewmen shouted.
The king arrived on deck to watched the approach. It was perhaps the most breathtaking way one could approach the island, and the king's favorite. The ships soon fell under the shadow of Tjed's mountains, due to the sun's lowness in the sky. Vast hills and valleys came into view, and large mountains further in, a morning fog surrounding the taller ones. As they approached Tjed, the island took up their whole field of view, and the ships slowed in their approach, nestling into a small inlet and a port town up ahead.
----
James frowned.
"Hmmm, very well. But at the very least, you could enlighten us as to what you are looking for."
Rufus took a step back.
"Man, this guy's REALLY freakin' me out."
Ogen disappeared into the ground. Rufus brought his arms to his sides and his muscles bulged, a green aura surrounding the man.
"HA! If you think yer safe down there...!"
He raised both of his arms, but before he could pummel the ground, a hand rose from the ground, grabbing his foot. He tripped falling on his back, and his left arm struck the ground. The energy stored in his arms caused a fissure around him, causing a hole some twenty feet in diameter to form around the two warriors. He fell downwards, along with much rocks and debris...
Hans stood fully up.
"Oh, so NOW who's doin' the pretty stuff?"
He released his left arm and let it hang loosely, since it was quite sore. He clenched his right fist and extended it. A bolt of lighting cracked through the sky and struck him, leaving him with a bright yellow crackling aura, which increased in intensity as he gathered energy...
----
From atop the Crimson palace, one could see the eastern horizon glowing. It was morning, but the thick clouds blocked most of the light.
Suddenly a fireball could be seen raging from the ground. It drew closer before a shot of shadow energy from on of the turrets half way up the palace intercepted it, with a small explosion above the city below.
Julian folded his arms.
"Yes, it would seem we're under attack."
"Down there, it came from the trees..."
"Release an aerial squad."
Suddenly the sky above the floating island was filled with fifty red wyvern riders brandishing long spears. They flew around the upper reaches of the palace and past the magical barriers, circling the island in search of the source of the attack...
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday February 13th, 2006
"Oh no, an air squad." Marshal groaned pointing to the sky. "Hmm, but perhaps I'll take care of them..."
Marshal, then held out his amulet and casted a blue spectre that formed into a wyvern. He casted two more, forming them into giant black birds (those black albatrash thingies). He then hopped onto the wyvern. "The birds will be some what of bait. Wyverns hunt these birds." He then looks up to see were the red wyverns were. "If some of them come down, the minotaur should be able to take them out."
The wyvern, then dashed off before taking off, Marshal kept a good grip on the creature and held his machinegun in one hand. The wyvern then soared off in the air, followed by the two birds.
"Come here..."
----
Duilin and Rink met up with Zeros'.
"It looks like we've arrived." Duilin said, looking out the windows.
----
Darak then looked at Steorra. "Now, we go in and fight. If you do well, I'll put in a recommendation for to join the Crimson Empire." He then steps into the hole in the barrier and then. Looks around.
"Okay, who what's to get sliced open!?" He called out. Several Grey Empire soldiers approached him. "We have our first volunteers." He said grinning. He then readied his axe and then dashed towards the warriors...
----
Abodahon then brought his left fist back and his right one forth, and turned to the side, making some type of fighting stance. He then open his right hand and made crushing motion.
"You ain't seen nothing yet, kid." Abodahon taunted.
He then jumped in the air, bring his left hand forward and then flue down towards Draven, an orange-red glowing demon skull like image appeared in front of his fist as he came down toward his target. The impact would result in an explosion of demonic energy shards.
Valos jumped in the air and front flipped a few yards forward, avoiding the slashing coming down toward him. "Now, I know even you two chumps could do better then that. Well, it's show time now!" He then made a maniac laugh, and then charged his sword with dark purple energy; he then spun around at a great speed. Six tornados of similar energy then spewed out and flue their way towards the two warriors.
Posted by: D. Ein on Monday February 13th, 2006
-"OI! The cheap bastards have turrets! NO FAIR!!!!!"
Ein was furious. He came over to the next loaded projectile, and took a bolt out. Although it took him a more than fair amount of struggling, he etched a symbol into the rock. The symbol softly flashed then glowed in a lukewarm colour of green. The rock started getting a bit blurry, then entirely disappearing out of view.
-"Let's see you shoot THIS one down!" //the turrets are man-operated, right?\\
He slammed his hand on the symbol, and a quiet click was heard, no louder than a twig snapping... Then a new projectile slid in place. He then noticed the wyvern riders.
-"Hah, they expect to get us with these... abominations? Fools..."
He aimed the mechanism at one of the wyverns, and fired the projectile. It pierced it's target, ripping it in half. The projectile fell down on the ground near the people fighting.
--- --- ---
-"We want to use Valos to guide us to our Master's mortal enemy, Abodahon. Some... sources told us that Valos is collaborating with the Greys. Abodahon is the leader of the Greys. We also know that Valos is one of your generals, and we heard that he is usually found hanging around in this chunk of rock." Celer pointed to the fortress. "But, what you told us was most unexpected. We will dispatch scouts to check that area immediately."
Ogen had a really surprised look on his face when the ground around him blew up. He then noticed Rufus.
-"So you're good for SOMETHING... Well, at least now I know I'm not wasting my time with you."
He climbed out of the pit, and started chucking small rocks at Rufus, vexing him.
Leto chuckled.
-"Well, I'm not the one squeezing little yellow balls and passing them off for lethal weapons. This is functional combat, my friend. Behold..."
The clouds started swirling in a spiral. A small fiery dot could be seen through the said spiral.
-"Are you ready to die, little man? They don't call me Meteor for nothing, you know..."
Leaven walked around a bit. He then took out his "copy" of the stone that he gave to Valos. It was a simple black stone, showing no signs of life.
-"He's not here. DAMNIT! Why did we waste our time on this?!"
He heard footsteps. Someone was coming. Felix pressed himself against the wall of a narrow passage, and held his breath.
The man passing by happened to be a simple soldier. He stopped near Felix' hallway, fixing something on his armour. Leaven felt a strange jolt. No, he thought. Not now. Please...
He leaped onto the man, bashing his head against the floor, knocking him out. Turning him over, "he" turned out to be a young woman. Felix bent over to her neck and sank his teeth deep into the soft skin...
--- --- ---
Steorra aimed her staff at another soldier running towards her. The soldier froze, looked at his hand, then at Steorra and yelled:
-"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
His hand started to smoke a bit, then began to burn. Soon, the rest of his body started smoking. His flesh was peeling right off, revealing charred meat and bones underneath. He fell on the ground, motionless.
Posted by: Trent on Monday February 13th, 2006
Zion quickly charged up blasts of light energy to fire at the dark twisters to neutralize them, and he let them loose. As sure as a tornado stops at the threat of a hill, they were quickly gone. Xenai boldly weaved between the tornados before Zion destroyed them. Zero Weapon disappeared, and upon coming in range, he shot a fierce upward kick at Valos's jaw.
Tsu arrived on the scene. Oh great... He flew past Draven, stealthily sliding the orb into his pocket, and then u-turning and taking back off toward his teammates.
--- --- ---
Aura descended down to follow Allen's lead... Water skimming was fun! She experimented with it a bit, tilting the disc and making various motions to alter the wake.
Posted by: Kahn on Monday February 13th, 2006
Hyperion looked off into the distance but couldn't sense where Draven was.
"Ugh I hope I'm not in trouble."
He placed the halberd under his cloak and began walking in a random direction.
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday February 14th, 2006
Draven took the orb in his left hand along with his maniacal grin.
"Why, thank you. Now, you and your friends best get some distance away..."
He turned his attention to the impending Abodahon...
"Oh, really..."
The points of red light piercing the clouds grew brighter, before bursting through...
"I hope that hulking body of yours doesn't impede your speed too much..."
He thrust his right hand forward and fanned his fingers.
"Meteo!"
Great balls of fire began to reign from the heavens-- dozens of them in upwards of 10 feet thick, directed in a circle fifty feet in diameter around Abodahon and himself. The first meteor struck the already weakened barrier around Alphagrad, decimating it, and the rest followed through to mangle the city. Draven flew backwards around the spheres of destruction as they came in, having the attack pattern memorized, towards the exterior of the target range, expecting the big demon to be too slow to dodge...
----
The Posidon X and other two ships sailed into large docks within the small port town. A ramp was unfurled, and King Henri walked onto the pier followed by his entourage of men. He turned to one of them.
"Please inform our guests that we have arrived."
The town was very small, but well kept and clean. On the other side of the bay, though, one could see the ruins of buildings overgrown with shrubs and trees... After Haraldur's attack five years ago, only the essential parts of the town were rebuilt, and many citizens encouraged to move inward to the much safer mountains.
Two older men were fishing on one of the unoccupied piers and noticed the king's ship arrive and the king step onto the platform. They talked to each other and pointed, as it wasn't something you saw everyday...
Then Ven emerged and stood next to the king. One of the old men stood up.
"Can it be? Sir Ven has returned!"
"Sir Ven has come back to save us from the curse!"
"The King really did it! He got Sir Ven to come back!"
"Horray!!"
Within a few minutes, a bell could be heard ringing and over a dozen people gathered around the edged of the pier to see the homecoming, shouting similar praises.
Ven brought his right hand to the back of his head.
"... Uhhh..."
Henri smiled.
"You see, they're very fond of you."
----
"Greys? Is this the name of the faction that is allied with Ragnar?"
James turned, hearing an explosion and spotting one of the wyverns crash into the ground.
"Oh, I see. So this conversation is meant to serve as nothing more than distraction while you attack us from the other side..."
Rufus jumped out of the hole after a rock hit him in the head.
"GRRRAAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!"
He landed on the opposite side of the hole as Ogen, the ground vibrating in his wake.
"NOW YOU DIEEE!!!"
The green aura around him swelled and entered back into his body... All of his muscles swelled this time-- his arms, leg, chest... His entire body expanded by 50%...
"GRRRAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
He jumped straight over the hole, the very force of his take off crumbling the ground he was standing on. As he descended on Ogen, he reared his right hand back, ready to deliver an earth-shattering punch to the now much smaller man...
Hans' turned to see the meteor headed his way and gasped. The only other one he knew could summon meteors was...
He snapped back around.
"Ha! I'll hit ya ten times before that thing even gets close! Check it!"
He angled his right fist upwards as the energy surrounding him disperesed.
"MORTAL ATTACK!! THUNDER RAGE!!!"
A brilliant flash of light illuminated the battlefield. Lightning bolt after lightning bolt-- several dozen in rapid succession hit the ground around the two warriors randomly, tearing huge chunks of earth out of the ground and sending them skywards...
----
"Hey, down there!"
Seeing where the attack came from, about fifteen wyverns down rushed towards the patch of trees where Ein's machine lay hidden...
Five saw Marshal and his black birds, and swooped towards him, the front two instinctively going for the birds first...
Posted by: Zeros' on Tuesday February 14th, 2006
Allen sighed, and muttered something about 'kids and their tricks'. He shook his head, and opened his eyes, seeing their destination only a couple minutes away now.
---
Zeros' smirked slightly. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked from his position, upwards and around, towards where Ven and Henri were. He walked up behind them, and loomed behind Ven slightly, smiling at the people below. // Well... Since they're on airships and everything... \\
"Interesting welcoming commity you have here, eh, Ven?" he said casually.
Posted by: D. Ein on Tuesday February 14th, 2006
//Oh! The Crimsons didn't know what Greys were?\\
-"Yes. I'm surpirsed you haven't heard about the Greys. They're a pretty big army right now. And quite frankly, I've no idea who's shooting at you. Chances are it's one of them..."
Ogen was paralyzed by the sheer size of the man.
-"Whoa..."
He just stood there, his mace over his shoulder. He did not even try to attack, defend or do anything.
//I didn't know Draven could summon meteors as well... sorry\\
Leto flinched as the lightnings struck the barrier. Pretty quickly, the barrier disappeared, but the remaining lightnings went into his chest place, charging it up. The dot was getting bigger and bigger, now seen as a small plate.
Felix, after completely exhausting his victim of blood, stood up, looked at the ceiling and sighed. He did not reveal to many people that he was like this... Only the Iron Wing knew about it, and so did Iban. He threw the girl on the floor, and rushed back through the tunnel. He slid down, and painfully landed on the barren earth beneath. He yelled:
-"HE'S NOT THERE! Execute maneuver X316!" He then spotted the fireball in the sky. "Oh... Nevermind."
--- --- ---
Ein noticed the wyverns.
-"Ahh... crap."
//Dudeman, what minotaur? The one that's loading the machine stayed in Lawessov, remember?\\
He took out his crossbow, and fired off a few bolts. He killed one wyvern, and injured six others, so that they could no longer fly. They fell down on the ground.
//Xorlak, Ein shot an invisible projectile at the castle, just letting you know...\\
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday February 14th, 2006
//Oh yeah, that's right. Whoops...\\
Marshal then aimed his machinegun and fired at one of the wyverns coming at the blackbird. The bullet struck its head, taking it out in a single blast.
Marshal attempted it, on the second one, however he missed. The wyvern clawed at the bird, taking it out and began biting it and ripping it apart.
Marshal fired several times at the wyvern wile it was distracted. He then flue off, with the other bird as the remaining three wyverns chased them.
----
Rink and Duilin followed were behind Ven and stood next to Zeros'.
"Well, well." Duilin said grinning. "It's nice to come to a place with warm welcomes."
"Wish people liked me, this much from my home place." Rink chuckled
----
Darak noticed the meters raining down. "Steorra, watch out!"
The warrior then backed away. "It seems that Lord Draven is here. He must be fighting a tough opponent."
----
"Arrgg--" Valos fell backwards as Xenai kicked him.
He then recovered holding his sword in his right hand, and wiping the blood of his face with his left. He then smiled.
"Now THAT wasn't very nice now WAS it?" Valos then charged his sword with electric energy and then slashed it on the ground; creating two lightning bolts that moved diagonally left and right, and then turned in Zion and Xenai's direction. The bolts would magnetize the two warriors and smash them against each other.
----
Abodahon smiled. "I have to admit that is impressive." The demon commented as the meters flue down upon him.
He then began flying, at a surprising speed. Probably nobody would have seen somebody of his size move at such great speed.
However, he wasn't fast enough...
"Ooff--" A meter struck the large demon as he fell down to the ground in a large crater.
As the smoke cleared up, Abodahon slowly stood up. He was covered in ashes and dust and had a few scrapes upon him, other then that he seemed fine. He then dusted himself off, as he approached Draven. "Indeed you are powerful for a mere mortal."
Abodahon then charged power into his gauntlets, and raised his arms above him. He then chanted a few demonic words and then slammed his fists down upon the ground.
A large fissure then opened right under were Draven was floating, and at several other places around him. Fire began to burst forth from them, and burning ghostly skeletons crawled out. Fireballs blasted from the fissures and flue towards Draven. The ghosts flue towards Draven, ready to kamikaze in a dark magic explosion as they grabbed on to him.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
Aura simply continued to follow after Allen. She had stopped her experimentation by now.
--- --- ---
The attack was too fast, Xenai couldn't avoid it. Zion couldn't, either. The two warrior suddenly found themselves shooting toward each other. WHAM! And they were connected. "Shit, shit, shit! How the hell do we get out of this?"
"We need to demagnetize ourselves, and quickly!" Valos isn't gonna wait for us...
Zion shot electric energy through himself... He was trying to polarize himself so that he'd be the same polarity as Xenai! He jumped away from Xenai... It worked!
"Now... You stupid bastard!" Xenai looked toward Valos, and shot all sorts of energy balls at him. They weren't intended to hit. They were intended to miss. Meteors crashed down all around them as the fight raged on.
Tsu, almost reaching his team, turned to see a meteor heading for them. He charged up a blast and let it rip, decimating the metor.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
Draven was not ready for the attack. He crossed his arms and bended his knees somewhat, and the burning aura surrounding him folded inwardly upon him, becoming thinner yet more concentrated, and more of a shield. Several of the apparitions latched on to him, an a huge explosion engulfed his body...
The smoke slowly cleared, and Draven was in the same location, though his aura was slightly dimmer. Many strands of his hair had become loose from the tie holding them together and the edges of his cape were somewhat tattered. His scowl revealed that he had taken a good deal of the force of the explosion...
"Tch! It seems you are also powerful for a mere demon..."
The last meteor slammed into a half collapsed building, finishing it off. Draven straightened himself in the air, as if he were standing on solid ground, placing his right hand on his hip and holding out the communications orb in his left.
"Say, I know a couple of guys you'd get along with real nice... See, a couple of years ago we were toying with the prospects of creating portals to new dimensions and such... when we happened to land in one of particular interest...
"This was a fiery plane, filled with millions of brutish demons of all sorts. They didn't take kindly to us and attacked. Killed a few good men too... But they also were fighting against themselves... It seemed their exalted leader, someone named Qor or something, had been killed. They were fighting over who should be their next ruler..."
Draven removed a scroll from his inner cape pocket, holding it in his right hand.
"Long story short, they didn't like their plane of existence very much. So I made a little... deal with them, demons being as unfit for self rule that they are..."
The scroll unfurled, revealing some demonic symbols...
"Freedom from their world, in exchange for loyalty... I would grant them access to this world, and allow them to enact their unholy vengeance on all creatures that were not cursed to be bonded to their plane-- excepting members of my empire of course-- and in exchange, they would serve me and hail me as their new king..."
The scroll rolled back up. Draven's smirk became more sinister and his aura brighter.
"So how does one pull off a summoning this big? Well now, allow me to show you..."
Draven's palm opened up, revealing the glass orb. A small translucent image of Julian appeared above it.
"Elite Julian, move into position and activate the black crystals. The time has come..."
----
(Not airships, just normal ships, though the Posidon X looks more advanced.)
King Henri lead the group into the town's streets, more onlookers taking note on the sides.
"I've directed everyone with the plague to be moved to sick houses we've set up in the capital, so I doubt you would find anyone in this town with it. But be wary of dark auras... it seems everyone that has been infected possesses one..."
They continued walking, now out of the town and towards a mountain pass.
"It is a strange disease. The victim is completely incapacitated, but we've had no deaths as a result... they just lie there, pale and breathing shallow, as if on the brink of death..."
They came to a single guard standing at the base of a large hill.
"Good morning, your majesty. Ah, Sir Ven! Glad to see you back!"
"Glad to be back, friend."
Upon closer inspection, the side of the hill actually contained a hidden doorway. The guard stepped back and the door opened upward like a latch, grass and all attached to it.
Henri turned to Zeros' and Duilin.
"This is a shortcut to our capital. It would take days going through the mountains, but we've created a tunnel straight through. We keep it hidden though, since I'm sure you understand the implications if this were to be discovered by our enemies..."
The group entered the dark tunnel.
----
Julian nodded at the receipt of the message.
"Yes, my Lord..."
The floating island, having regained its original altitude, now began to slowly float westward, in the direction of the center of the continent...
An invisible blast rocked the edge of the barrier surrounding the island, leaving visible red cracks, which slowly began to mend themselves...
----
James turned his head as Felix fell from the island. Huh, looks like he was telling the truth...
A voice came from the orb James was holding behind his back.
"It's starting. Better get back inside."
James put the orb back into his pocket, looking back to Celer.
"Well then, I must thank you. You've been a useful source of information, at the very least..."
His head moved up, looking past the man.
"Rufus! Hans! Let's go!"
A thin blue aura surrounded the man, and he began to levitate backwards and upwards.
Rufus barreled down on his opponent, his feet cracking the ground around Ogen. His fist stopped an inch away from the man's head.
"WWHAT?!"
Hans stopped as well.
"Are you serious, man?"
James shouted back as he flew back towards the now moving palace.
"These four are no longer a threat. Look, you do what you want but the boss says come back..."
Rufus clenched his teeth and stared at Ogen for a second, then turned his head and spat on the ground. His rage began to disappear, his muscles slowly reduced to their normal size. His scowl melted away to a warm smile.
His fist opened up and he brought his hand higher before giving Ogen a huge slap on the back-- the kind that knocks the wind out of you.
"HA HA HA!! That was great! Let's do that again sometime, buddy."
The green aura engulfed the man once more and he shot off into the sky after the island.
Hans wasn't as enthused. He gave his opponent another glance, and then shot off skyward, zipping ahead of the other two, after picking up his metallic tube of course.
As James passed the underside of the island, chunks of ice formed around the upside down cone of rock, sealing off the hole Felix used to enter...
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
Zeros' nodded at the king. Yes, he could understand what would happen. Very well, in fact. He couldn't tell much from the darkness of the tunnel, other then what he could hear reverberating off the walls of the tunnel.
He simply shrugged to himself, and followed the king.
---
Allen glanced back, to see Aura had stopped her manuvers. Not that he had minded, of course. For the disk to activate, it took a miniscule part of someones aura, and transfered it to the disk. So little, any normal person would assume it simply activated on itself. But, to an aura reader - an advanced one - they could detect even the smallest change in someones aura. A normal aura reader wouldn't be able to detect such a small change , unless they looked.
It also used up more of your aura if you worked it harder. The defalt gliding setting - which is what he was using now - could basically work for 24 hours on a normal person with no training, and, they wouldn't even notice a difference in their energy stores. But, the harder it worked - such as pushing it faster and faster, or, doing more dangerous manuvers - one would start to notice their energy being drained.
Allen shook his head out of his thoughts. He had to focus himself, or, this mission would be a failure.
Posted by: D. Ein on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
Leto lost the smile, and his eyes opened wide.
-"WHAT?! Hell no, you are NOT getting away!!!"
He flinched, and the fireball changed course, crashing right in the middle of the fortress. //please respect this attack -- i charged it up for 4-5 posts...\\
-"Leto, NO! Goddamn! This was supposed to be hit and run, and not destroy, murder, crash, annihilate and run! Ugh!" Leaven was cussing at Leto.
Leto got up.
-"Sorry..."
Ogen fell over, but quickly got up.
-"We will meet again..."
--- --- ---
-"Moving? Not so fast!"
Ein launched another projectile at the fortress.
--- --- ---
Steorra backed off.
-"Gah! Who's Lord Draven?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
"Who's Lord Draven?" Darak laughs "Oh, you're serious. Empoer Draven, he is the ruler of the Crimson Empire EVERYONE must pay him respect. Those who don't die..."
Darak then watches as the city begins to burn and crumble. "It dosen't look like much people are left."
Suddenly four Talonscar Elites seemed to jump out of nowhere. The elites charged up thier gauntlets, reading an attack.
"Uh oh..."
----
Duilin and Rink walked with the group in the dark hallway.
----
The wyverns flue faster and began to catch up with Marshal. One wyvern digged it's claws into the black bird, and began biting it. Marshal then fired several shots at the wyvern, killing it and the bird in the process. Marshal then flue his wyvern upwards and then made a turn in the air and flue back down finding himself behind the two wyverns. He fired his machinegun at the remaining creatures, taking them out.
----
Valos laughed. "Ooo, fancy effects you have." The former human then rotated his neck making a cracking sound. He then made a mad dash towards Xenai and Zion and swung a spinning swing that would spread out enough to hit them both.
----
"No need for your demonic history lesson." Abodahon snapped. "But yes I am famililar with what is going on, infact, I have great interest in it." Abodahon then raised one eye brow (I supose that his trademark action now) "So, summon demons now are we? Well, humour me with your magic tricks then, mortal."
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
Zion jumped in the path of the attack, situating Eternity Weapon in a position that would block it. "Xenai, now!" The two warriors jumped back...
"HAHAHA! Hellzone Grenade!"
Valos was surrounded by energy balls! The thing Xenai was doing was positioning the energy for the attack! They all closed in on Valos now...
--- --- ---
I feel boring, oh so boring, I feel boring, so boring, and dead... x_x
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
Valos looked around at the energy balls. 'What in the name of Qor is going on?' He thought to himself. He was unsure of what to do, so he stayed focused and prepared for the next move.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday February 15th, 2006
// My last post was supposed to be the attack, but oh well. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />
"Go! Go! GO!!!" Xenai cackled as the energy balls around Valos all shot toward him. There was no escape. Zion poised himself to attack, because when Valos defended... even if he didn't... he'd be wide open. He was gonna use THAT attack. He might as well use all that energy he'd charged up.
Posted by: Haraldur on Thursday February 16th, 2006
//Sorry for my absence, there was a sudden, compulsory family trip, with no internet access.//
Melkoth thought that now was the time, and sent a second signal to his troops.
In the cities of Alphagrad and Retangrad, the soldiers melted away, leaving into the hills and to their bases. And then...
BOOM!
Fireballs engulfed each city as explosives planted in the sewers detonated, wiping the cities and the ordinary people (non magic users) out completely.
Melkoth then smiled, and flew towards where Abodahon was in order to assist.
____________________________________________________________________
Quintus arrived at Sigmund with a couple of thousand elites, and chuckled at the large target sign he saw.
He threw a small seismic ball at it, awaiting the results...
//Have fun describing the effects, Xorlak!//
____________________________________________________________________
Tesla and Durruti caught up with Haraldur as he was nearing the Crimson Capital.
"Oh, hello. Where have you been, Durruti? Back from the dead?"
"Prison actually, Tesla released me."
"OK."
The three of them approached the moving Crimson Capital and, ignoring all other things around them, flew to it and landed, standing on top of the barrier.
They each materialised what looked like large sledgehammers, and started smashing the barrier with massive blows, a blue glow surrounding the hammerheads when they struck, discharging the barrier's energy as light.
Large cracks started to appear...
//Five Aspyes characters now, wow. Attacking the same place, too...//
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday February 16th, 2006
What was left of Alphagrad crumbled around Draven. Did his meteors set off some explosives or something? Oh, well...
Draven smiled. Abodahon clearly didn't understand the magnitude of what was about to happen... Although he had wanted to achieve the effect of utter hopelessness in his foe by outlining his diabolical plan in classic villain style, this attitude would be far more entertaining to watch crumple as hundreds of his own kind ripped him to shreds for being a traitor "Gaian dweller"...
Draven shot some fifty feet in the air, and his head turned eastward...
Ragnar had returned, and was too close to the palace... If he messes with the black crystal during the summoning... some ill effects might occur... Plus the spell was too important to leave in the hands of the Shinryuu to direct...
He turned back towards his foe, raising his right hand and one finger.
"Certainly... be right back..."
His aura exploded around him and he shot off eastward.
----
The walk through the tunnel was long and uneventful. The group took a few turns as the tunnel was actually a network, with a few dead ends for safety, and a few passageways that lead to other roads outside the mountain.
When the group finally reached the outside, they found themselves overlooking the capital city of Tjed, Tjedon, and a winding path down into the valley in which it was built. The city was much larger than the small port town, but still seamed quiet. No doubt the plague at work... The sun was just high enough to pass clear the mountain tops and illuminate the mostly white stone buildings. Thick lush shrubbery and trees surrounded the outskirts of the city, and a classic castle made of the same white stone towered above most of the other structures, far on the northern end.
As they approached the southernmost entrance, they experienced much of the same welcome as in the port town, with many cheers of joy at the return of their hero. Ven did his embarrassed wave to the citizens, glad to be home, but still unsure what the heck he was going to be able to do about some disease...
They came to a very large building near the center of town that looked like some sort of exhibition hall, the guards opened the doors for the king.
"Do not be afraid to enter, we've had no cases of people contracting the disease by contact with those striken with it... We really have no idea how it spread..."
Henri lead the way into the building, which was revealed to be a makeshift hospital. The grand hall was covered in columns of the sick lying on the floor-- thousands of them...
Ven gasped at this sight. There were men women and children of all sizes and sorts, lying on the floor as if dead, but a closer look revealed them to be breathing lightly, as if under a trance...
Henri sadly placed his hands behind his back.
"Well... any ideas?"
----
Hans turned as the fireball slammed into the fortress.
"Those blasting sons of b--"
Rufus pointed above.
"Uh, guys..."
"It's him," James commented coldly.
Julian gave the command, and the roof of the uppermost central tower of the Crimson Palace began to split, a compartment opening and revealing a huge black crystal, right underneath where the Aspyes where attacking... It began to glow with an eerie red aura...
The palace continued moving westward...
Around the world, the three similarly large black crystals planted the other day began to glow with the same red aura... These were positioned hundreds of miles away, and formed an equilateral triangle, with the center of the triangle at the center of the Dark Continent... the location the Crimson Capital was slowly moving towards...
The leader of the elites Julian emerged from the palace and joined his comrades.
"Rufus! Defense. That shield's gonna give way any second."
"Right!"
Rufus left the group and entered the barrier, which accepted his aura. He flew towards the large black crystal, preparing to defend it with his defensive spells, his specialty...
Julian turned to the others.
"The rest of you, pick a fly and commence swatting..."
The three elites phased in around the Aspyes at the top of the barrier, each fifteen feet behind one of the men, Julian behind Haraldur, Hans behind Durruti, and James behind Tesla. Each held out a hand, charging a different spell, aiming so as not to strike the fragile barrier...
Julian fired an orb of shadow energy, Hans a continuous lightning bolt, and James a half dozen shards of ice, which grew into large blades as they flew...
----
General Hector laughed at the approaching army from his vintage point in the upper reaches of the fortress.
"Hah, let 'im come. Well blow those blokes up once they get in range..."
Suddenly an explosion rocked the exterior of the fortress on the north side, but from his point of view he could not see what happened... A very large opening was now in the side of the mountain, and connected to the tunnels that lead to the inside...
As the Greys began charging the opening, four more explosions ripped across the exterior walls. The largest cannons exploded when they tried to fire...
"WHAT?!"
Vincent exited the fortress from the opposite side, his hands in his pockets and whistling, just as the sirens began wailing. He walked down the calm but dismal mountain path.
And now the battle began, the winning side would earn his future services, and the other his future treachery. Ah, what a perfect position to be in...
Posted by: D. Ein on Thursday February 16th, 2006
//my meteor dealt no damage? :-( \\
Felix called over the Iron Wing.
-"Alright, what's done is done. Let's get out of here. Celer, signal?"
Celer raised his daggers which produced a small lightning. The lightning struck the sky, and a small portal near him opened. Iron Wing walked through the portal.
Familiar faces greeted them. Diciples, distracted from their work, looked at Leto and Felix. Leto, straight away, entered one of the doors leading from the main area, to get his armour fixed. Leaven looked around.
-"So, this is installation S-207, right? Well, we've got to get back to the main domain."
He, Ogen and Celer walked over to a smaller room. Leaven pushed the wall, and again, six bright green circles surrounded them, engulfing them in a gentle green glow...
Felix idly wandered around, as a diciple with a staff came closer to him.
-"Gospodin Leaven, the Master summons you. He says it's urgent."
Tacitly nodding, Leaven headed for the north passage. He went through the whole labyrinth of walls and traps, passed by the guards and entered the temple. Not much has changed, but there was a man standing next to the throne with Iban in it.
-"Felix, eto nash luchshi razvedchik. On skazal chto Duilin znaet obo Abodahone."
(Felix, this is our best scout. He said that someone named Duilin knows of Abodahon's whereabouts.)
-"Kto takoi Duilin? Gde on? Kak razvedchik uznal ob etom?"
(Who is Duilin? Where is he? How did the scout find out about that?)
-"Ya ne znau. Ti dolzhen uznat. A kak on znaet, on skazal on slyshal ob etom."
(I do not know. You must find out. The scout heard about it from some sources.)
-"Mogut li eti ludi byt dovereni?"
(Can these sources be trusted?)
-"Da."
(Yes.)
-"Horosho, ya uznayu o nem. Do svidania."
(Very well, I will find out about him. Until the next time we meet [Russian for "good-bye"].)
Iban said nothing. Leaven exited the temple, and made his way back up into the main area.
--- --- ---
Steorra flung her staff at one of the elites, throwing him backwards.
-"Who are these people?"
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday February 16th, 2006
Zeros' eyes sweeped over the thousands of sick. His wings were still folded against his body, as his left elbow rested on the hilt of his sword, while his right hand was in his coat pocket. His sleeve shifted, and showed his heavily scarred hand, metal and all.
He let his senses open up, and winced at the onslaught of sickly black and green that assulted him.
"This disease... You said it appeared out of nowhere? Tell me more..." he murmurred, apparently interested in this strange disease.
---
Allen's disc slowed to a stop, as he reached the edge of an island. He hopped off the disc, and stepped onto the beach of the island. His disc floated onto the land, and shrunk to a carriable size, as Allen picked it up, and stuffed it into his inside coat pocket.
He turned, and looked at the island. Lush green forest was spread out infront of him, with hot sand beneath his feet, as the sun beat down on him from above. Several different kinds of flowers and herbs were spread around, as well as several types of trees, some only five feet high, while others towered to 100 feet and more. The inside of the forest was shadowed, but, there were some things you could barely make out, such as glowing eyes staring back at you, and the sounds of rustling underbrush, giving the island a mysterious atmosphere, as a strange fog also seemed to settle over the land, coating the lush green in a thin, misty dew.
"Well... This is different then I last remember it... But, nonetheless, we have to continue on with our mission," he said, as he stepped forwards, his boots crunching the sand beneath him.
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday February 16th, 2006
//Arg, Ein. Not yet, Duilin barely even knows about Abodahon. Oh well, he does know were he is anyways.\\
Marshal then spotted Haraldur and the other two. The three of the elites appearing behind them. He noticed them charging attacks. "Oh nice try..."
He flue his wyvern about 10 feet away from them. "Eat lead!" He yelled, firing his machinegun at them.
----
Abodahon turned his head, and watched Draven fly off, he grinned. "This one sure has spirit."
He then noticed Melkoth coming towards him. He then flue a bit closer, to get into better speaking distance. "Valos has joined us. I have him fighting off a few of Draven's allies. But it seems the young emperor has taken advantage of the absence of Qor, and is planning on summoning demons."
----
Valos sheilded himself, yet it barely did any good. The energy balls smashed into him, he dropped his sword, and his knees fell to the ground. He then picked himself up, and then scanned his hand across himself, his wounds then began to heal.
----
"Holy hell." Duilin gasps as he walked across the sick people.
"This looks awful..." Rink said.
"So, yes. What more do you know?" Duilin asked, also sounding interested.
Posted by: Trent on Thursday February 16th, 2006
Tsu noticed Draven flying off. Where the hell's he going?
"Now!" Zion dashed forward, Eternity Weapon in hand. He came within Valos' range... And then he did IT.
// And the first person to tell me what this is based off of gets an ubercookie.
"256 Points of Divination!"
Time then slowed down extremely. He commenced his attack. He didn't really want to kill Valos, so he decided to miss vital points and attack the tenketsu (energy flowing points) that weren't vital points, as well as various random areas on the body (within humane reason) with thrusts that were tip deep.
"2 strikes! 4 strikes! 8 strikes! 16 strikes! 32 strikes! 64 strikes! 128 strikes! 256 strikes!!!"
To Valos, this would sound like nothing more than a quick screech. And he would instantly hurt all over... Zion would appear behind him after a bright flash... How would Valos defend against this?
// I do hope that's within reason after 2 charging posts.
--- --- ---
Aura arrived at about the same time as Allen. She hopped off the disc, and it turned into a hairpin, which she stuck into her hair. The island looked pretty ominous, and the uncertainty she had gotten upon landing was crushed with a surge of determination and confidence. "Hehe... Alright, then. Let's go."
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday February 16th, 2006
Valos' eyes went wide open, as the strikes went all over him. He felt a bit dizzy, as blood began to sprinkle from him. "You sneaky little rat!" He said, his voice of a bit croaky. His cuts began to heal, and then swung a backwards punch at Zion whom was behind him. The swing of his fist had great force and insane speed into it enough to knock a person to the ground.
Posted by: Trent on Thursday February 16th, 2006
What the?! The punch was completely unexpected... He shouldn't have held back. He took it and spiraled to the ground, skidding back. Bad decision on my part. He slowly got to his feet. There wouldn't be any gathering energy during this fight.
Xenai decided to have a try at it. He jumped up in the air, above Valos, Zero Weapon raised.
"Hell Slam!"
Time slowed down again... But this time, it was one unrestrained attack. He shot down with all his force and speed, bringing his sword down on Valos. He was going his fastest, from within the slowed time. He would skid past him, and time would resume for him at normal speed.
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday February 17th, 2006
Draven removed the small black gem from his inner cape pocket. It was also glowing with an eerie red aura.
"Excellent."
He replaced it, and continued his eastward flight towards the continent's center.
----
Henri nodded.
"Now that I think of it, it was soon after the incident, though..."
The king walked up to Zeros' and spoke softly so that Ven could not hear. He didn't want to upset the man by bringing back these memories so soon...
"I'm sure he told you about his brother, Mavas. He discovered the cursed Kelvot pendant, killed his fellow High Knight, and fled the country. Ven followed him. We were vulnerable... something must have happened during that time. It was soon after that that these victims fell."
Ven knew what they were talking about, and walked closer speaking loadly, pretending not to have taken notice.
"I'm certain they all have something in common."
Ven grabbed a sheet a paper at one of the victim's feet, listing the patient's name and household.
"Perhaps we should check with their non-afflicted family members... I'm sure they came into contact with something... We'll find the source of this evil and slay it..."
Edward, the man with the green cloak, stepped forward. His arms still folded like the night before.
"Ven has an excellent idea. If we all take a few names and split up, we would be able to cover ground very quickly."
"Makes sense," One of the other men commented. The rest of King Henri's entourage nodded in general agreement.
Henri nodded.
"An excellent idea. But don't spread yourselves too thinly, lest you find the source of this evil by yourself..."
Edward looked at his king from across the room. It wasn't a particularly outstanding look, a slight raised eyebrow perhaps. The king wasn't looking at him...
But Henri's voice trailed at the last word, and his eyes became half closed. Edward spoke next.
"But of course, there is much ground to cover, and we can always regroup once this... commonality between them is found."
The king replied, his eyes still half lidded.
"Yes, a splendid idea. I've matters to attend to. I will await your results."
The two men of the group that were royal guards followed the king to the exit, and the rest of his entourage took up several papers each, and proceeded to start their investigation. Ven did the same. He passed Duilin, Rink, and Zeros'.
"I don't expect you to help with this part, but you can if you want. If not, the castle has some nice guest quarters. Be ready, though. I'm getting the feeling something's not right..."
(Bear with me. Things are going to get entertaining real quick. Heh...)
----
One of the bullets struck Hans in the armor with a loud *ding*. After performing his blast of lightning, he spun around, his hands blurring in the air in reaction to the machine gun. He stopped, opening his right palm and revealing a half dozen lead bullets. He clenched his left fist.
"Are you throwing pebbles at us?"
A couple of wyverns swooped at Marshal from above, plumes of fire spewing from their mouths. More wyverns exited the palace by the second... The first wave was fire elemental, but now they were of multiple types: fire, ice, and poison.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday February 17th, 2006
"Well, I'm game for whichever." Duilin replied
"Me too." Rink added.
Duilin turned to Zeros'. "So, you just want to go to the guest quarters?"
----
Valos was able to sense the time delay, he increased his speed, and back flipped a few feet away from Xenai's attack. As he was in the air, he aimed a backwards kick at Zion and shot a dark shade blast at Xenai.
----
"Uh oh." Marshal groaned as the wyvern blasted flame at him. He flue the wyvern back a few feet, and avoided most of the flame but still experienced a few burns.
He then held his amulet forward and blasted a large cloud that formed into a swarm of bats. The bats then began to swarm around the wyvern clawing and biting at it, until the creature finally gave in. However, another wyvern shot a blast of ice at the bats freezing many of them, a bunch more began to flock towards him.
"Not good!" Marshal cried. "Yaa!" he then flue down his wyvern, to get in range of the Leviathan, hopefully Ein would notice and fire at them..
----
"I'm not sure." Replied Darak, swinging his axe at one, striking it and then dodging a laser beam. "They must be with the Grey Empire." He then noticed the Talonscar symbol on one of them. "Now were have I seen that before.." He then swings his axe at the one he struck earlier, finishing it off.
Posted by: Trent on Friday February 17th, 2006
Whoa, he's good! Zion wasn't expecting the attack. He got hit, and staggered back, countering by tossing a simple ball of light energy at Valos.
****in' missed... Xenai saw the shade blast coming just in time to get hit by it. However, since he's almost 100% darkness, he took very little damage from it. He simply waited.
Posted by: Haraldur on Friday February 17th, 2006
Melkoth said, "Let us get him!"
He chased after Draven, and then attacked from behind. He shot a poisoned dart from a blowpipe at Draven's neck, then flew out in curved motion charging a shade ball in his hands...
____________________________________________________________________
As the soldiers under his command swept through Sigmund, Quintus flew upwards, and saw a few men surveying the battle (General Hector etc., but he does not know that). He threw a large fireball at them.
____________________________________________________________________
Haraldur saw the glow of the black chrystal just as his hammer smashed the shield into pieces.
"Destroy that thing if you can, whatever it is!"
Just then, Tesla saw that Haraldur and Durruti were about to be attacked, and shouted "Duck!", dropping down just as the other two did.
Durruti dropped an explosive chargen onto Rufus and the black Chrystal, and it exploded //you decide what happens, Xorlak//.
Haraldur ducked the bullets from Marshall (meanwhile telling the Durruti about Marshall and Ein) and shot two lightning bolts at James and Julian, while Tesla shot at Hans with his ray gun, and shot another ball of plasma towards the black chrystal.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday February 17th, 2006
Abodahon let out a quick laugh and then flue towards Draven as well. "Change of mind. Just can't risk you summoning demons." He then crafted a ball of red electricity. "Nothing personal." He then winked at him and then tossed the lightning ball at his target.
-----
As Valos landed on the ground after kicking Zion he placed his hands onto the ground and flipped over, picking up his sword as he forward summersaults towards Xenai, and then stands up and thrusts his sword toward him, aiming a stab at the fighter's torso.
Posted by: Zeros' on Friday February 17th, 2006
Zeros' shook his head and Duilin and Rink.
"No. I think I'll just explore abit," he said. He cracked his neck and knuckles, and spread his wings to their full wing span, 15 feet from the tip of the left on, to the tip of the right. He folded his wings back into their previous position, and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
He walked towards the enterance to the castle, and waved over his shoulder.
"Call me if you need me," he said, walking out of the palace with a lazy wave. If anyone had saw his eyes, they were narrowed into slits, drifting over the palace. Fast.
Posted by: D. Ein on Friday February 17th, 2006
Ein caught sight of the wyverns coming for him. He turned the Leviathan accordingly.
-"Eat blackrock, scum!"
Slamming his hand down the symbol, he sent death out to five of the wyverns, ripping them in half. However, a few more were attracted to the deaths of their comrades. Ein noticed that.
-"So you want more, eh?!"
He whipped out his crossbow, loaded with a bolt. He shot a wyvern, knocking it down at another one that was coming for him. Both wyverns were rendered "inoperational". Total kill count: Seven.
--- --- ---
-"Where have you seen what befor--?"
Suddenly, an Elite appeared out of the darkness, sneaking up behind Steorra. He kicked her in the back, knocking her down to the ground. He then placed his foot ontop of her and readied his sword, aiming it at her neck.
-"Argh!!"
--- --- ---
Leaven made his way back into the main area, from which he entered a passage. He walked through, entering a medium-sized area full of tables, resembling a caffeteria.
-"Oi! A shot of something strong, please."
A man in rather festive clothes came over to him, holding two glasses. He sat down near Leaven.
-"What be botherin' ya, brother?"
-"Ugh... The Master gave me another impossible task. You know, sometimes I wonder if it's really worth it being in the Iron Wing. All these things he tells me to do... And the "baron" title doesn't help, either. So what if I can have a mistress any time I want, and that I have unlimited clearance? Man, life is tough..."
-"Ah, don't be worryin', brother! Take a sip, it be help."
Leaven drank some of the fiery liquid from the glass.
-"I guess getting drunk once in a while helps."
He drank more, emptying the glass.
Posted by: Trent on Friday February 17th, 2006
//DM... Valos has a sphere of light energy flying toward him...
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday February 18th, 2006
//Ooops, disregard that.\\
Valos then landed on the ground and reached over to pick up his sword, but was then struck by a light energy ball. He tumbled to the ground, and then picked up his sword. He then dashed toward Zion and thrusted his sword forward, aiming a stab at the torso.
//In, short Valos got hit, and he's attacking Zion instead of Xenai.\\
----
Marshal grinned. Good ole' Ein. He then fired his machinegun at one of the wyverns. The creature then flue at him, and blasted a poisonous blast at the wyvern he was riding. He then fired several times more at it. "Oh no..."
Marshal's wyvern began to wheeze, and flying a bit slower.
"Come on, boy...You can do it." He said calmingly.
Suddenly, another enemy came at him, digging his claws into the ill stricken creature. They then began to crash into the ground. Marshal quickly jumped off into a tree on the way down. He then grimaced as he saw his wyvern get torn up, he then turned away.
"Oh now it's on..." Marshal then blasted a blue cloud that began to make shape...
----
"Okay then." Duilin said to Zeros', as he left.
"So, then..." Rink said looking around. "Were are those guest rooms at?"
Posted by: Trent on Saturday February 18th, 2006
Zion brought the sword up in a parrying motion. Assuming that Valos is thrusting with the right hand, Zion parries the thrust off to Valos's left, so that both his arms are off to the side. He follows through this motion, leaping up and spinkicking toward the side of Valos' head.
--- --- ---
Aura couldn't help but wonder why they weren't moving. A dustball rolls by.
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday February 18th, 2006
Allen blinked.
"Whoops... Got lost in my thoughts," he said sheepishly. He shook his head, and continued to walk. The reached the edge of the forested area, and looked around.
"Hm.." he murmurred, before stepping into the dark forest. The glowing eyes blinked, and disappeared.
---
Allen looked around the forest. It was... Dark. Very dark. He could barely see, actually. He looked up, at the canopy. The trees towered over him, and enterwined themsevles, with large vines hanging from the trees. The underbrush crunched beneath his feet, as he stepped forwards, and into the darkness.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday February 18th, 2006
Some sort of dart penetrated Draven's aura. It immediately caught flame and burned up before nearing his flesh. Draven turned his head as he forged forward to see both the demon and Melkoth on his tail.
Wonderful.
He arked downwards as a ball of lightning zoomed past. He could probably loose the big stupid demon, but he wasn't sure of the other's speed. No matter, even if they did follow him back, he could sick the Shinryuu on them while he took care of the crystal...
Draven's altitude dropped to the point that his aura clipped the trees below. He outstretched both arms to his sides and the forest ignited in flame as he passed over, huge flames erupting behind him and thick black smoke rising to the sky-- a massive smokescreen.
----
Ven was the only one left in the room with Duilin and Rink (apart from the victims, of course).
"Just exit this building and follow the main road north to the castle-- you can't miss it. Ask the guards there. I'm sure our majesty has already made the arrangements."
He held up the sheets of paper in his hand.
"I'll meet you there later. See ya."
He exited the hall, the door slamming echoing through the room.
At the sound of the shutting door, all of the plague victim's eyes simultaneously opened....
He walked down the steps, past the guards at the door. They were talking with an elderly woman, explaining that they were not allowing visitors at this time, and to return this evening between five and nine.
Hearing the name the woman spoke, Ven shuffled through the papers to see if he got lucky. No, but it wouldn't hurt to talk with her anyway.
"Excuse me, madam, could I have a word with you?"
He asked the old woman a number of questions about what her husband did before he became ill. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except that a few days before he got sick, he came home quite shaken and explained to her that he saw Sir Mavas being chased by royal guards and the High Knight knocked him down, laughing, during his escape through the streets.
He thanked the woman and moved on down the street. Hmmm, he didn't expect to be reminded of that day...
He continued on, until he heard his name being called from a dark alley...
"... Ven..."
He turned, the shadows revealing a pale man in peasant's clothing walking towards him.
"... Yes?"
"... Ven~..."
"What?"
"... Vennn..."
The man grabbed him by the shoulders. He was wimpy compared to Ven, who was a foot taller. The man gazed into Ven's soul and grinned. It was the same crazy look Mavas had...
"... Vennnn..."
Ven brought his right hand up and socked the man right in the face. He flew backwards, slamming into the wall. Ven outstreatched his hand.
"Whoa... Hey, are you okay...?"
The man sat up, still with the smirk and now chuckling...
"... Vehehehehnnn..."
Suddenly a different voice from his left-- lots of them actually...
"... Vennnnn..."
He turned, just in time to see the two guards at the medical hall's doorway getting pushed down the stairs by a mob of pale men women and children. The plague victims spilled out of the building, looking quite healthy apart from their paleness.
One of them stopped and pointed.
"Ven!"
The rest turned their heads, thrusting their fists into the air.
"VENNNN!!"
The mob began to run at the high knight.
Ven took a step backwards, visibly quite freaked out.
"What the--?!"
----
The barriers surrounding Sigmund gave way next. From here on it was a straight fight between the armies. The skies filled with wyverns and the ground littered with soldiers, knights, ogres and the like.
Hector was enraged. While standing on one of the upper roofs of the fortress, a fireball suddenly hit his group, sending them flying into the air. All of them died but him, who was more magically inclined. He landed on a lower roof on his knees, his armor smoking and his red cape tattered. He pointed at the figure in the sky, screaming:
"KILL HIM!! KILL HIMMM!!!!"
----
Rufus braced himself. Two explosions engulfed the platform that he was protecting, the first one stronger. The smoke cleared to reveal a greenish barrier localized to the platform, namely himself and the black crystal.
Great... He knew he could only keep this up for a few minutes, at this level of abuse...
Hans bent his body to avoid the ray blast.
"Relyin' on weapons, huh?"
He began raging at Tesla at lightning speed, taking the metallic tube from his belt with his right hand. The lighting blade flashed into existence, and he sliced at the ray gun...
James and Julian thrust their hands outwards to deflect the lightning blasts with their respective elements, flying closer to each other.
"Give me a minute."
"As you wish."
Julian brought his clenched fists to his sides as a blackness surrounded him...
James' image faded, becoming mist, and the mist gathered in front of Haraldur and Durruti, his short form appearing from the cloud.
"My my, once again you've proven yourself quite a rude fellow. Perhaps we can discuss this like civilized men..."
He placed his hands behind his back.
The red aura surrounding the crystal grew in intensity. The clouds above the palace slowly began to circle as the island continued its slow movement westward...
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday February 18th, 2006
The skies were turbulent. Celer, Ogen and Leto went outside to check it out. There were red lightnings everywhere; winds were high. No sign of the sun. Then they heard someone from the direction of the cave. Turning around, they saw Leaven helping Iban come out of the opening.
-"Is it done?", Celer whispered.
-"No, my friend. It has not even begun."
Iban then sort of pushed Felix away, and said something. Three diciples carrying a large open coffin-like structure with a staff in it showed up. Iban picked up the staff.
-"This planet has served it's purpose. We should have all died the second the portal to Hell was opened. Mankind has outlived it's alotted time to live."
The Iron Wing kneeled as Iban raised his staff. Suddenly, a red beam from the skies shone upon him. He slowly started rising in the air.
The staff, which resembled a red wooden stick with a claw-like formation holding a black gem on the top, started glowing. Iban stopped rising, and looked down. A huge red lightning struck his staff, branching off and striking Ogen, Leto and Celer.
-"Felix, my son... I've known you for far too long to just let you die. Step into the light, and be saved..."
Leaven was motionless. Iban shook his head.
-"As you wish."
He pointed the staff to the ground. It made a long humming noise, after which it shot out a red ghostlike skull. It hit the ground and went in deeper.
-"There is still time, Felix... come..."
Leaven still stayed on the spot. As much as he wanted to, he could not move. It was as though he was but a beholder from his own body. He could not control it. Could not move. Could not scream. Could not breathe.
Iban's face showed a few marks of sadness.
-"Very well... Goodbye."
In a blinding red flash, he disappeared into the skies. Suddenly, large beams started coming out of the ground, destroying everything in their path. One, two, three... Then they all combined into one gigantic one, and exploded.
From space, Iban saw the small blue dot emit a bright red flash, and blow to pieces, creating a supernova-like explosion in process.
-"Gospodin Leaven, are you all right...?"
Leaven woke up in cold sweat. He looked around; he was on the table where he last remembered enjoying his drink.
-"Damn, I must've passed out..."
--- --- ---
Ein yelled over to Marshal:
-"Hey! Kill those last ones off, and get on! The fortress is getting away, we're not letting it do that!"
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday February 18th, 2006
Marshal gave the 'okay' sign to Ein. The blue cloud then formed into a small blue dragon. He then hopped onto the dragon. "Now let's see what you can do!"
He flue the dragon towards the remaining wyverns. He fired his gun rapidly at them, killing off many of them. He then reloaded his gun, as the wyverns flue closer. The dragon then fired a blast of flame at them, killing three and the rest flue off in fright.
Marshal then flue his dragon closer to the Leviathan. "I'll stay with this. Let's just catch up with that castle."
----
Abodahon then growled as the smokescreen flue at him. He then narrowed his eyes, and blinked a few times. "He's getting away." The demon snapped. He then flapped his wings and then surrounded himself in a dark aura, to increase his speed, and then flue after Draven.
----
Duilin and Rink began to go there way towards the guest quarters, but then noticed all the sick people get up and begin walking off.
"What the shit!?" Rink exclaimed
"Were are they going?" Duilin asked
"Let's find out."
The two of them stepped outside, and found them all swarming towards Ven and calling out his name.
"Uh oh..." Duilin groaned. He then began to charge up a fireball.
"No! Don't!" Rink snapped, jumping in front of Duilin. "They're still just innocent people. They're probably under some strange trance."
"Well, what else can we do?"
"Umm..."
----
"Oohh--"
Valos swings his head to the side, as Zion's foot smacks him in the face. He then swings a horizontal slash with his sword at his adversary.
-----
//Um, Ein, the elite's use gauntlets, but okay. Maybe some can also have swords, They'll be similar to Valos' but smaller. Good work Ein!\\
Darak then ran at the elite reading to attack Steorra. He swung his axe at him, as it stuck right into the shaded warrior. He then ripped his axe out and the elite fell to the ground. He then helped Steorra up. "Looks like that was the last one..."
He then rolled the dead elite over and looked at the symbol on the chest of his uniform. "That symbol. It's like the one tattooed on Valos' forehead. Remember, that general with the purple glow from earlier?"
He then examined it for a wile. "It's looks like a bird talon making a cut..." He then rubbed his chin, and thought for a moment.
Posted by: Haraldur on Saturday February 18th, 2006
Melkoth cursed, and made a note to himself to get some clay darts in the future.
He entered the smoke, and just carried on through it. When he was on the other side, he then saw that he was quite far from Draven. He flew towards Draven and accelerated in order to catch up.
____________________________________________________________________
Quintus laughed at the little man on the roof shouting. He chucked two vibration orbs at the man: if they did not kill the man, they would at least destroy the roof he was on, making the roof tiles and beams shake themselves to pieces.
____________________________________________________________________
Tesla quickly let his mind energy flow to his plasma gun. The strike went right through the gun with no effect other than to send a psychic shock up the weapon towards Hans, which could potentially cause his brain to flow out of his ears. A trick Haraldur had taught him.
"No, weapons can just be useful sometimes."
From his hand, lightning went forth, and he thrust his hand in Hans' face, so that as many as possible of the lightning sparks would hit the man. He then shot at Julian with his plasma rifle.
Haraldur said, "Ignore him, Durruti, he is just stalling us!"
He then threw down a torus (donut) shaped space warp at the barrier. When the warp made contact, the barrier was curled around it, spinning faster and faster through the hole and around the inside, releasing a lot of light as the barrier's energy was sapped, and forming a hole in the middle of the "donut".
Haraldur's aura went through the hole in a very high concentration, forcing the chrystal's aura back into the chrystal, making the chrystal vibrate as if about to explode...
At the same time, Haraldur threw a lava ball inside the barrier.
Durruti saw the hole appear in the barrier, and smiled as he thought of what an explosion in that confined space would do, if the barrier was strong enough. He dropped two dynamite fuses onto the lava ball (when it was inside the barrier). They detonated. If the barrier was strong, then the pressure change inside would be sufficient to literally "splat" even a magically advanced human, let alone a normal person.
Posted by: Kahn on Saturday February 18th, 2006
"I found him."
Hyperion looked towards the direction he could sense Draven was in. Until recently he forgot he was still poisoned and if not healed, would soon succumb. As a first test of his new ability he transformed into hawk and flew towards Draven.
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday February 19th, 2006
From outside, Zeros' saw the mob shout and scream Ven's name. His eyes narrowed, as he phased out of view. He ghosted himself rapidly towards Ven, and reached him in seconds. He grabbed the slightly shorter man by the back of his armor, and jumped into the air, as the mob reached Ven's position. He flapped his wings, and kept them suspended in the air.
"I knew something was fishy..." he muttered, while holding Ven up higher then the mob could reach, flapping his black wings lightly, easily able to hold Ven in the air.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday February 19th, 2006
Draven saw the glow of the floating crimson palace far in the distance... Closer, he was able to sense the auras of multiple attackers...
If he were actually trying to escape, a few tricks came to mind. But by now it would be obvious that he was trying to reach the palace, so he simply continued on.
Eh, they'll just be first...
----
"Vennnn..."
The crowd grew under Zeros' and Ven futilely jumping up and down, hands reaching in the air.
"Vennn!!"
Ven hung in the air embarrassedly.
"Blast it! Mavas... They touched the pendant... They share his curse..."
"Curse?"
Edward was standing on one of the roofs, only visible now that the two were in the air.
"Ven, you put it in such a negative way..."
He unfolded his arms, revealing a glowing red pendant around his chest...
"The rule is, you touch it, you're mine..."
His body grew taller, his green cloak morphing into Mavas' black armor...
Ven clenched his teeth.
"Why!? Why must you involve them!?"
"Always with the questions, Ven. I will show you..."
His glance shot up to meet Zeros'.
"... if you would be so kind as to release him... Or if you prefer, there is an alternative..."
The villagers stopped their chanting and most of them pulled out knives and swords. They then held the blades to their necks...
"How much blood does the human body contain, anyway? With that many, I'd bet it'd be a small river... Myeh heh heh..."
Ven's eyes widened in terror.
"NOOOO!!!!"
"Gah ha ha ha!!!"
"Do it... Drop me..."
----
Hector leapt from the roof as it collapsed. His forces dwindling and blinded with rage himself, a red aura engulfed the man as he took to the sky after Quintus.
He removed a rod some three feet in length from his belt, holding in the center with his right hand as he closed in on his target. Both ends flashed red as a thin crimson blade extended from each end, some three feet each. He spun the dual-blade once and slammed one end down towards his target upon reaching his altitude...
----
"GRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
Rufus dashed forward, dispersing his barrier and forcing all of his weight in to a forward punch into the magma ball as the dynamite connected with the ball. It only took a fraction of a second for the dynamite to explode, but he punched it so hard that the mass was several feet back by the time it went off.
A flash of light and fire engulfed the platform, but the crystal seemed to be okay...
Suddenly, a wall of ice shot up on the platform separating the 1/4th that Haraldur was standing on from Rufus and the crystal on the other side.
"IDIOT!"
James flew in from Haraldur's left, his normally calm demeanor now melted to a worried expression.
"Do you have ANY IDEA what would happen if that crystal cracks NOW?!"
Moving to Haraldur's front, he extended his right hand as moisture in the air crystallized before him. Thin long streams of ice shot forth, the first ones too low, penetrating the metal platform floor like paper at Haraldur's feet, and moving upward...
Julian swore at his mistake... no time at all... But his energy was gathered, and now was the time to use it. Haraldur should have been his target due to him being the strongest... but Durruti's explosives were the largest threat to the crystal, plus he was a better target farther away from the platform...
Julian brough his right first skyward. Darkness surrounded Durruti as an enormous crackle of Dark Thunder shot at him from both above and below...
Hans faltered from the shock to both his mind and body.
"Argh!"
He zigzagged in the air, losing altitude and crashing into a tall tree below...
The hairline crack that formed in the giant black crystal was unnoticeable... It's aura continued to grow... a vortex appearing in the clouds above...
----
In a land of endless flames, a million pairs of yellow eyes turned skyward at the point of light forming...
Posted by: Trent on Sunday February 19th, 2006
Aura sighed, and followed Allen into the forest. She couldn't help but wonder what Allen was thinking about, though it was probably of little importance.
--- --- ---
Zion was in a very bad position for the slash. Eternity Weapon was way out of the way, and he had just finished the kick. He could do nothing but roll away from it, but he still got clipped, drawing blood. He rolled backwards, onto his feet, and waited for Valos to come.
Posted by: Haraldur on Monday February 20th, 2006
Melkoth went up behind Draven and threw several clay containers at Draven, to crash into him and his aura. These containers contained liquid nitrogen, and so would react violently with the hot flames of the aura.
____________________________________________________________________
Quintus dodged the red blade and threw two more vibration orbs at him to try to shake him to pieces.
Below him, his soldier started shooting arrows at the man with the red aura.
____________________________________________________________________
Haraldur said to James, "No, I have no idea. Please enlighten me as to what would happen and to what its original purpose is before I finish destroying it, if it is that important to you."
Skipping past the flying ice shards as he walked through the air, he threw two ball lightnings at the orb, wondering what intense heat would do.
Realising that the attack on him would set off his explosives, Durruti shielded himself, and then moved near to the chystal, dragging the Dark Thunder along with him. Just before the attack hit him in his new position, he used a random short range teleport, and appeared above Hans' tree. He used the opportunity to drop a small charge of dynamite on the prone man.
However, his teleport had left some of his explosives there, unshielded, quite near the chrystal. They detonated, with the chrystal receiving the full force of the shaped charge, held in its place by telekinetic force.
Tesla summoned two large winged wolves that would now harass both Julian and Rufus (who was further away). While Rufus' wolf travelled towards him (but still out of range of the explosion) Julian's jumped and lunged for the throat, its wings flapping in order to help knock the man down by proving more force.
Note: These attacks hit in the order as written, except for the one on Hans, which is just after the detonation of the explosive.
Posted by: Zeros' on Monday February 20th, 2006
Zeros' sighed, and dropped Ven from the air, knowing the man could land on his feet. Zeros' righted himself in the air, and crossed his arms, making sure his hands went behind his arms, hiding them from view.
Behind his arms, Zeros' hands moved rapidly forming seals.
---
Allen looked back at Aura, as he lead them through the forest. He wondered himself, where they were going. He dodged another tree root from the ground, which, seemed to premiate this place, as he continued into the darkness.
Posted by: Trent on Monday February 20th, 2006
"These things seem annoying. Allen, let me lead. Just tell me where to go." She walked in front, starting to cut away at the annoying roots.
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday February 20th, 2006
Valos then grinned. He spun his sword around and then dashed towards Zion, giving a mighty swing of the sword towards his opponent.
----
Abodahon still kept on the trail of Draven. "Draven seems to be moving a little to quick for my tastes." He then raised his right arm, and a light blue spiral formed around it. He then pointed his fist towards Draven and blasted the spiral at him. If it hit the target correctly his movements would be slowed down.
----
"Holy crap." Duilin exclaimed. "It's Mavas."
"Something's going on. Quick let's get over there!" Rink yelled, as he jumped into the air and flue towards the scene.
Duilin flapped his wings and then flue off, passing Rink and arriving near by Mavas and Zeros'. His position would result in making a triangle, with the tree. He took out his mace. "What's going on?!" He asked demandingly.
Posted by: Trent on Monday February 20th, 2006
Zion swung his sword to connect with Valos's, and parried it away. He quickly snapped a kick up toward Valos's face.
Posted by: D. Ein on Monday February 20th, 2006
//anyone miss me?\\Leaven walked around a bit, clearing his head.
-"Ughhh..."
The same man that was with him earlier came over.
-"Ah brother, not be doin' too good, are we? Try some readin', it be help."
-"You already suggested something that "be help". It didn't turn out very helpful, to my memory. Then again, you have a point."
He turned around, and walked out of the kitchen.
Walking through a pathway lit by torches, he reached the central area. He came to one of the walls near the area, and took out a book that was sitting on one of the panels. He opened it at a random page.
Then later became an all-knowing sage.
He form'ed a cult, called the Nightshade
Consisting of people begging his aide.
So lived the Nightshade in peace and their pleasure
'Till four youngsters came looking for treasure.
They were indeed an odd little bunch
But Iban let THEM in; he had a strange hunch.
Ogen and Celer, Leto and Leaven
All the four kids were basically even.
They each had a power deep in their hearts
And it was indeed not dealing cards.
Celer the gale, a fast little bugger
Could have any quick mugger.
However, as soon as he saw a much stronger man
He looked for a small road and he ran and he ran and he ra-
Felix threw the book down.
-"Argh, who writes this crap?!"
He then took out another book, this time actually reading what was on the cover. The book was titled, in a neat cursive writing, "Recordings of the Oracle". Ah yes, he thought, the Oracle. Everyone had a bit of trouble with their futures that were told. The problem was not of the futures themselves; it was extracting information from the mystic language the Oracle spoke in. Leaven opened the first page.
Date: Yanvar 46, 6943.
Prophecy:
"-We won't lose hate the night we walk in the light reflection."
Possible translation:</b> Love awaits you when you join the cult.
<b>Fulfilled: Yes.
=== === ===
User: Voda H.
Date: Fevral 34, 6943.
Prophecy:
"-Life hurries us in our tenth friendship."
Possible translation:</b> Your death is soon.
<b>Fulfilled: Yes.
=== === ===
User: Leto T. M.
Date: Ijun 21, 6944.
Prophecy:
"-We will lose an entity in the next's bed."
Possible translation:</b> Be on the lookout for a date.
<b>Fulfilled: No.
Leaven put down the book, and looked straight ahead of him. His head was buzzing.
-"What the hell...? Leto already went. I think I should try it out sometime, too."
--- --- ---
Steorra came closer to Darak.
-"Oh? And what would this mean...? Oh wait. Does this somehow include the gentleman with the white hair in this battle in some special way?"
--- --- ---
Ein nodded to Marshal, and rolled ahead in his machine.
-"If these fools think they can get away that easily, they are WRONG!"
Posted by: Zeros' on Tuesday February 21st, 2006
Allen looked at Aura as she stepped out infront.
"It's simple. Just keep heading straight, until you can see a light," he said, walking behind Aura as she chopped down the vines.
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday February 21st, 2006
Valos swung his left hand up and grabbed Zion's foot. "Stop trying to kick me in the face..." He then twisted his foot, either resulting in hurting his foot quite badly or causing Zion to fall over.
----
Marshal nodded in agreement. "Yeeaah." He called to his dragon, and they flue faster towards the floating palace.
----
"Perhaps..." Darak replied. "I wouldn't be surprised. He is highly into demonic worship. I heard rumours that he sometimes drinks human blood." He then thought for a moment. "A half demonic...ally of mine, wouldn't call him a friend, named Duilin, was constantly being pushed by Valos to allow his demonic side take over..."
He then rubbed his chin, as he thought more and looked at the symbol. "Talonscar...Duilin's last name was Talonscar...that symbol looks like it would mean 'Talonscar'. Quite odd, perhaps they are related or something."
Darak then looked at Steorra. "Or perhaps, this Talonscar is some sort of cult, in league with the Grey Empire. I bet Valos and Duilin are spies!"
He then looked around a bit. "Steorra, I'm familiar with how your magic abilities work, but I don't know how to use them. So I know you can detect auras. Can you detect if Valos is near by?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday February 21st, 2006
(So he just happens to be carrying around containers of liquid nitrogen...? Heh...)
Draven caught glimpse of an object falling from him from above and instinctively dodged, but the container still passed close enough by his aura to crack and bust from the rapidly heating liquid. The containers exploded violently around him, the liquid changing to gas almost instantly, and he found himself pelted by super cooled shards of clay.
"What the...?!"
He shielded his face as he looked up at the explosions around the black crystal as the Crimson Palace came into view...
"Blast!"
James thrust his left arm forward, a spear of ice bursting from his cupped hand. It elongated very rapidly, impaling the two lighting orbs and holding them in place. The electricity melted the ice as the shock traveled up the stream of water, shocking James badly.
"Because... the portal transporting whatever Lord Draven is summoning will form incorrectly, with any number of ill effects, including pulling both you and us into it..."
Rufus turned, and thrust both hands at the crystal. An instant before Durruti's blast engulfed the black stone, a green barrier encircled it, this one localized to the crystal only. The blast hit, the translucent glow of the barrier diminishing somewhat, but still remaining...
However, Rufus' side was turned to the winged wolf, and the beast pounced him, the two flying over the edge of the platform. The beast bit Rufus' armored left shoulder, and the two wrestled in the air as they fell down the side of the Crimson Palace...
Julian's teeth clenched... He remained motionless as the second winged wolf flew towards him, its size even larger than his great frame. The beast lunged at his neck, but Julian caught the wolf's first with his right hand. The beast clawed and struggled as it choked...
No time for this...
Draven rose his left hand as the wyverns hovering the palace came into view. Understanding the signal, some fifteen of them broke away and dashed at Melkoth behind Draven.
He flew diagonally upward, increasing his speed two-fold, at the platform, the crystal, Ragnar... Pressing his hands together before him and slowly pulling them apart, a pillar of flame coursed between them, lengthening until it took the shape of his crimson blade. He flipped the blade to his right side...
Now the vortex above was spinning rapidly, and following the moving palace as it went. Red lighting bolts shot around it while the hole in the sky began to emit a deafening roar...
----
Hans opened his eyes, recovering from the attack and fall. Suddenly a sizzling tube fell from the sky and caught onto the branch he was sitting on about three feet up.
"... Huh?"
*KA-BLAM!!!*
He found himself spiraling through the air and then tumbling on the ground... He opened his eyes and slowly sat up, his entire body aching...
"Oh, yer GONNA DIE!!!!"
The sky crackled with thunder as random shots of electricity danced around the blur floating in the sky...
(Be back in a few hours to update the rest of the characters.)
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday February 21st, 2006
Abodahon increased his speed greatly and finally caught up with Melkoth. He then swung his gauntlet-covered fist at one of the wyverns, shattering it's bones. The creature, then fell down to the surface below. He then looked at the palace.
"Is that...Haraldur?" He asked, mostly to himself.
He turned to Melkoth. "I'll hold of these things, you get Draven." He suggested.
He then grabbed another wyvern and tossed it downwards with great force.
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday February 21st, 2006
He went with the twist, and spiraled to the ground, catching himself with his hands. Eternity Weapon was just sandwiched between his hand and the ground. He yanked his foot free, spun on one hand, pivoted on the other, pivoted again on the first, and then swung his leg for the back of Valos' legs.
--- --- ---
"Understood." Aura then continued forth, slashing through the vines without error, watching for the light that Allen mentioned...
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday February 21st, 2006
Mavas leapt off of the building.
"None of your concern, little one. Any false moves and they might slip..." Mavas responded to Duilin, eyeing the knives the villagers held to their own necks...
Ven fell to the ground landing on his feet, his cloak flowing after him. Five controlled villagers immediately seized him...
"Leave them out of this!"
"You could free them, you know..."
More arms gripped the knight.
"What are you talking about?!"
"Use it, Ven... or they will die!!"
One of the villagers restraining Ven unflinchingly took his knife to his own arm, and the blood splattered on the knight's cape.
"NOOO!!!"
Suddenly a blue flash burned from Ven, engulfing the villagers who were holding him. Their color returned. They blinked, staring at each other blankly and confused...
"Huh, where am I?"
"Sir Ven?"
"What is going on?"
The villagers let go. Ven stared down in awe. Around his neck was a bright cerulean pendant...
"This is..."
Mavas mused at his correct assumption.
"That's right, the Kelvos..."
----
Hector batted away the two balls of energy with ease, one with each end of his weapon. They parted in opposite directions, each smashing into opposite mountains and causing a small landslide with the resulting vibration.
"You miserable wretch! Do you actually think you could win? I'll run ya through before--"
He stopped. A small hole had formed in his forehead and blood trickled out. His eyes pulled back and he dropped the weapon, the blades disappearing. He fell lifelessly some 500 feet before crashing into the ground in a garbled heap...
Vincent watched Quintus through the scope. The magnification was magnificent, even from a half mile away. Alas, if only he hadn't been directly behind Hector, he could have seen the expression on his face.
Vincent placed the long slender golden firearm down onto the grass next to him and picked his book back up, thumbing through the pages with disinterest. He leaned back on the tree he was sitting under.
"There's your gold."
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday February 22nd, 2006
// Oh, and, Trent... That 256 point attack is copied from Neji from Naruto 64 Points of Divination technique, which, he uses on Naturo during the finals of the Chunin Exam. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /> \\
Zeros' eyes narrowed, and he whispered something, as his hands formed the last seal behind his arms.
All of the infected villagers, which had swarmed out of the palace under control of the "plauge", were now bound. They couldn't move. Zeros' had complete control of them.
He had modified a technique he had learned from his master. In the original version, you could bind yourself to someone elses shadow, and they'd copy what you did exactly. In this version, he bound everyone to their own shadows.
They couldn't move, but, they could still hear and see, and, they were most certainly alive.
The sheath by his side also gave off a bright glow, adding to the effect from the shadows cast by the suns rays. The moment the people were healed by Ven, which, he assumed was the only way, he'd release them. Not until then, though.
And best of all, he could move and act, as long as he concentrated in some form on his shadow binding technique.
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday February 22nd, 2006
Valos simply jumped above Zion's swinging foot. He then spun his sword and then thrusted it downwards at Zion.
----
Duilin and Rink watched in awe as they saw the Kelvos around Ven's neck.
"What the shit just happened?!" Rink asked loudly
Duilin held his mace in more of a fighting stance. His mace then glowed in a fiery aura as he enchanted it with fire. He was still unsure of what to do and what exactly was going on.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday February 22nd, 2006
// Quoaz (Heh) gets the cookie. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />
Zion was still not in the most ideal of positions, but in this position, he could fight so that Valos isn't used to it. Eternity Weapon, still held under his hand, was grabbed. He spun on the remaining hand and parried Valos' attack away, continuing the spin so that he would come back around and send a foot toward Valos' gut.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday February 22nd, 2006
(Bah... too burned out today. Update coming tomarrow...)
Posted by: Kahn on Wednesday February 22nd, 2006
Hyperion got close enough to see what appeared to be a battle taking place, however he wasn't going to intervene yet. He decided to try and get in front of them while they was stalled. To make the trip faster he turned into a wyvern and sped off.
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday February 23rd, 2006
"Uhhgg--" Valos was pushed back a few feet as Zion's foot hit his gut. "That's it, party time!"
Valos then charged dark lightning into his sword. The dark electricity then surrounded the blade. He then smirked at Zion and then dashed towards him and swung his dark electronic sword at him.
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday February 23rd, 2006
Mavas scowled as the villagers were restrained.
"What a fool. Wasting your energy on puppets..."
Ven stood straight up, holding the blue pendant in his hand. At last... After all this searching, and it was within him the whole time... But that must mean the other one was within...
Mavas' voice broke his contemplation.
"Very good. Now give it here. I've one last puppet..."
King Henri approached from a dark alley, his face expressionless. Mavas drew his jagged sword. Taking the king by the neck with his left hand, he held the fearsome blade to the empty minded king with his right.
"You see, I was unable to withdraw the pendant from you due to the negating effects it has on my own. Luckily, your compassion for these fools did the job for me. Now, if you don't mind, I be taking it. Stay where you are. A simple toss will do..."
"My Liege! NOOO!!!"
"NOW!"
Ven removed the blue gem... He had heard that the pendant can reverse the curse... perhaps if Mavas touched it...? But he had also heard having both would be a bad thing...
But the king is in danger...
Ven quickly took the pendant in his right hand and through it at Mavas as hard as he could. Overshoot it and distract him! Save the king!
The pendant slowed down to a mere float as it approached Mavas' outstretched hand... Blast...
"Myeh heh heh heh heh..."
Mavas tossed Henri aside like a rag doll. He gripped his own red glowing pendant as the blue one slowly floated towards it, turning it around as the other did the same in the air, a violet electricity flowing between the two, interlocking backsides...
"Complete at last... no more half spells or partial copies... Myeh heh ha HA HA HA HA HA!!!!"
The two pendants joined at the backs creating one complete pendant with a red and a blue side. A deep violet aura circulated the man tearing up the streets around him as he laughed. All of those possessed seemed to snap out of it, including the king, who began to crawl away from the madman...
The red and blue stones faded, replaced with two deep violet ones. But the color of both shifted again, leaning more to the red...
Posted by: Zeros' on Friday February 24th, 2006
Zeros' released his technique, and folded his arms across his chest, and watched Mavas from his position in the air. He knew something was up... He just didn't know WHAT, yet.
These two amulets... He'd never heard of them before. They must of been made of created in his absece from Gaian, or, he'd of sensed the creation.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday February 24th, 2006
"So, the two things combine together..." Duilin said, stating what seemed to be very obvious.
"Okay, this is some crazy stuff going on..." Rink said, watching everything.
"It looks like everyone has been, 'cured' suddenly..." Duilin stated noticing change in the people. He then looked a bit impatient, and then twirled his fiery mace around. "Okay, I'm sick of just sitting around watching!" Duilin flapped his wings and then flue towards Mavas. "Time to rip flesh!"
"No, Duilin! Wait!" Rink warned. Duilin isn't realizing that Mavas is much more powerful then before and could fully copy him, as Mavas so stated before.
Duilin stopped a few feet away from Mavas and swung his mace forward. A wave of flame then spewed from the mace and flue towards him.
Posted by: Trent on Friday February 24th, 2006
"Ah... I get to have some fun, huh?" Zion sprung to his feet, and charged light energy into Eternity Weapon. The two blades met and he started to push against him.
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday February 24th, 2006
(Zeros' did give Ven a bit of info on the pendants when they first met way back in chapter 6.)
"Fool!"
Mavas leapt into the air, jumping some ten feet over Duilin. He landed with his back to him, basically surronded with Ven and Duilin on opposite sides, and Zeros' in the air.
Ven drew his sword sharply.
"The villagers... are all back to normal, but the curse on you... blast it, Mavas! Snap out of it already!"
"Ven, Ven, Ven... There is no curse... The Kelvot was merely an instrument conveniently discovered... an instrument to fulfill a dream of mine sown long ago..."
"No, that cannot be true..."
"Think what ever you want. But look who's in charge now, brother..."
The dark aura surrounding Mavas spun more quickly, and a crimson flame sparked from within...
"Now, I shall show you the true power of the pendant..."
Mavas' form began to shift once again, the armor changing shape, a cape forming, his hair growling longer and blackening... and a familiar smirk-- not quite the same, but with his own sinister twist...
"The power! THE POWER!!"
He took the likeness of Draven as he had done before... A burning crimson aura surrounded him, though laced with darkness. His jagged blade kept its shape, but began to burn with the ferocity of Draven's crimson blade...
But this time his energy signal was closer to the original's, and though not quite as potent as the mad tyrant himself, Mavas' energy was a good deal higher than his last attempt's...
"Now I no longer have to replace a victim before gaining his form. A mere whiff of your aura is all that I require! You are ALL MINE!!!"
Ven brought his blade to his front as it began to glow with faint light. A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face as his clenched his teeth...
"Great..."
Posted by: D. Ein on Friday February 24th, 2006
Ein's head suddenly decided to hurt.
-"Ow! Damn! Marshal, gimme a sec..."
--- --- ---
Steorra pointed her staff to the skies, sending out a bright ball.
-"Ah... Morning glory."
The area around illuminated and all auras in the said area emitted a bright red light.
-"Was any of them your guy?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday February 25th, 2006
"Hmmm, yes." Darak replied. "I think that one is Valos'. Let us go."
Darak then started his way towards Valos' position.
-----
"Holy..." Rink gasped. If he didn't know any better he'd say that he may have been the real Draven.
Duilin looked at Mavas. "Wow, so apparently you can change assholes." He smirked. The half demon then shook off the flame on his mace, he wouldn't need it. He got into a fighters stance, and then thrusted his right hand forward and blasted a three red lightning bolts, one shot forward, and one aimed Mavas' left and right side.
-----
Valos then charged more electric energy into the blade, and it began to circuit into the Eternity Weapon.
"Ahaha!"
The effect of this would probably cause quite a shocking effect to Zion, unless he did some fancy magic work.
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday February 25th, 2006
Zeros' narrowed his eyes, as he ghosted from his position in the air. If he had understood that right... Mavas could copy anyones powers by simply being around them. He kept his aura surpressed, and used his inhuman speed.
He reappeared three times - once for each lightning bolt - and deflected them away from Mavas. After deflecting the third bolt, he disappeared, and reappeared near Duilin, slapping him in the back of the head.
"Idiot! Didn't you hear what he just said? He just needs a WHIFF of your aura. If those lightning bolts would of hit, he could of copied you," he snapped slightly, then sighed. "That's not what we need right now..."
"The easiest way to get him is to not use any aura attacks. Aura or magic. Otherwise, he can just copy us," he said, while assessing the situation rapidly in his brain. If there were no aura attacks...
The sound of the sword being quickly drawn was heard, as Zeros' disappeared from view. He reappeared directly behind Mavas, his arms already swinging down at instane speeds, in it's God form.
---
Allen looked up from the ground, and looked around. He stopped Aura, and pondered the situation.
"Well... I'd say..." he looked around, before sighing. "We're hopelessly lost," he said.
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday February 25th, 2006
Duilin made an angry look at Zeros'.
Rink sighed. "He's right Duilin, calm down." He was surprised at how quickly Duilin got into this.
Rink then jumped in the air and then flue towards Mavas at great speed aiming a kick at Mavas' forehead.
Duilin took his mace back out, but didn't make his move just yet.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday February 25th, 2006
Draven-Mavas shuffled one step to his left as Zeros' blade whizzed two inches past him, slicing through the ground...
"Ha ha!! But how can you possibly hope to stand up to Draven without any magical enhancements?"
He brought his left arm up to shield his head, Rink's tiny foot striking it, a crimson barrier forming around it as Rink's foot bounced off.
"AH HA HA HA HA HAAA!!!!"
By this time Ven was charging at full speed, not that Mavas' back was turned. He had heard Zeros' comment and dispersed the light energy on his sword-- a pure physical hit would have to do!
"HYAAAHHH!!!"
Leaping up into the air, Ven slashed down at Mavas' back with all his might. The blade could only penetrate a mere inch into Mavas' Draven-copy aura of flame... Draven-Mavas spun around, thrusting his right hand into Ven's chest plate...
"FOOL!!"
A fireball one foot in diameter quickly formed, and he launched into his brother's chest like a cannon ball. Ven flew backwards, the burning energy pushing him back...
"ARRRGHHH!!!"
He slammed into a house, breaking the wall and landing inside before the fireball exploded, causing the rest of the structure to fall on him...
Draven-Mavas turned again, now holding both hands out at his sides at his surrounding opponents as his aura flared brighter...
"There is no way you can penetrate Draven's aura of flame without magic! Nothing! There is NOTHING YOU CAN DO!!!! AH HA HA HA HAA!!!!!"
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday February 26th, 2006
Zeros' ghosted inside of Draven-Mavas aura projection, and started to ghost in a circle, making the flaming aura swirl around in the air.
"Who said we need magic, fool?" he said, as he raised his fist into the air. All the hot, swirling aura from around Draven started to swirl faster, as a tornado errupted around Mavas, made purely of hot and cold air - the cold air around Zeros' calmness and the hot, swirling air around Draven-Mavas. This wouldn't allow Mavas to absorb his aura.
Zeros' quickly ghosted out of the tornado, as it grew larger very quickly, because of the flame auras output.
Posted by: Trent on Sunday February 26th, 2006
"Hopelessly lost... Hmm..." She took out her hairpin and turned it into the flying disk. She pulled Allen onto it and floated upward, above the trees. "See anything?"
--- --- ---
He could feel himself start to be shocked. Crap...! He pushed on the blade... Pushing forward and upward, removing contact and shaking off the circuit. He would fly over Valos' head. He freed his left hand from Eternity Weapon and pointed it at Valos, firing a rapid stream of energy blasts at him as he sailed overhead.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday February 26th, 2006
The vortex above the Crimson Palace began to roar... The skies began to fill with translucent creatures... millions of them... The number was so great that from the top of the palace, they spread to the horizon in all directions...
"Yes! It's working..."
Draven flew in close to the crystal as the wyverns and elites flew and fought around...
But suddenly red lightning began to shoot from the black crystal randomly. The hairline crack grew, now glowing itself...
"What?! Something's wrong..."
Draven circled the crystal, trying to stabilize it with an invisible spell shot from his left hand. The earth around the floating island shook and a suction began above the palace, uprooting trees and the like and thrusting them into the air...
----
"Blargh! Still yourself!"
Mavas slashed through the vortex at Zeros', missing every hit, becoming more confused as the flames' rotation increased. It was evident that he lacked the skill with which Draven commanded his powers.
"Arrgh!!"
He dispersed the aura around him, but the outer edges remained, burning him even-- something Draven would never allow. He shot out of the top of the tornado, enraged with clenched teeth and fists.
Fast! He's too fast! BLAST IT!!
Maybe, just maybe...
Draven's cape began to wave around Mavas, the armor disappearing and forming into a black trench coat. He became slightly shorter and his black hair turned platinum, a green glint in his eyes... Two black wings sprouted from his back, opening widely...
In a few seconds he was the spitting image of Zeros', minus the scars... And his jagged sword remained the same. He spoke with an eerie combination of Zeros' voice and his own.
"Well well well, looks like a mere glance will work as well. Myeh heh heh heh..."
He began to ghost around the roofs of the town, laughing manically.
"AH HA HA HA HAAA!!!"
In an instant, he appeared above Zeros', sword high above his head, and sliced it downwards in a mighty slash that broke the sound barrier...
Ven removed the block sitting on his chest and climbed out of the rubble, looking at Mavas masquerading as Zeros'.
"Argh... there's no other way..."
He removed his black tattered cloak, exposing his shimmering silver armor. Bringing his silver sword before him, it began to glow with a white light...
Posted by: Zeros' on Monday February 27th, 2006
Zeros' smirked to himself, as his back was facing Mavas. He turned around quickly, and his hand snaked out, and grabbed the blade, stopping it mid-swing. The blade cut into his hand, but, he ignored it.
"So... Trying to impersonate me?" he asked, seemingly interested. In mere moments, his God-version of his sword replacing his hand. "It won't work, fool... Your not like me. Your only an imposter. You don't have the thousands and thousands of years of training I do!" he roar out, as he deflected the blade to the side. He ghosted behind Mavas, his back facing Mavas' back.
"You can ever TRY to copy my speed... But, are you used to it...?" he asked. He turned so quickly, his trench coat ripped, as his sword broke the sound barrier more then once, repeated echoes resonating through the sky.
---
Allen peered around. His eyes spotted a cave near the very southern tip, and, he pointed towards it.
"There... That looks right," he said.
Posted by: Haraldur on Monday February 27th, 2006
//Sorry about the lateness...//
Haraldur lightly chucked a couple of very small fireballs at the chrystal. "And what is the original purpose of this chrystal?"
Tesla shot twice at Julian with his plasma rifle.
Haraldur sensed something that attracted auras, and quickly shut his down, completely clearing the sky of black and red. There is a new threat to the revolution...
________________________________________________________________________
Melkoth shot lightning at the approaching wyvyrns and carried on following Draven, shooting lightning at him also.
________________________________________________________________________
Seeing the angry man sparking lightning and rising up, Durruti shot tow red liquid balls at him. These were a substance that would poison on touch: the poison being very specific: due to the fact that anger is caused by hormones, this poison reacted to these hormones by exploding, literally blowing each and every blood vessel apart, including even the strongest arteries. The same effect was for excitement and for presence of adrenaline in sufficient amounts.
________________________________________________________________________
Quintus smiled at Hector's death, an organised the occupation of the fort, and the repair of the broken wall.
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday February 27th, 2006
Rink was shocked as Mavas formed into Zeros'. He then watched what was going on and then grinned as Zeros' told off Mavas and attacked him.
Duilin looked at Ven. "I agree. If he can copy Zeros' just like that then what's the point." He then began to charge an orb of dark magic.
----
Abodahon then grabbed another wyvern by the neck and then tossed it at another one, and then blasted a red laser blast killing both the creatures. Only one remained, and he flue up in the air and dived down in free fall, fists first, right on the wyvern breaking the bones of the creature, and then regained his flight. He smirked. "I hope he's got more, that was quite amusing."
He then began to fly off towards the palace, not to far behind from Melkoth.
----
Valos then blocked the energy blasts with his sword and then swung the blade at Zion, with great speed.
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday February 27th, 2006
Haraldur's fireballs exploded near the crystal, and the vortex seemed to increase in intensity threefold... The sky became littered with random but rapid spurts of red lighting... The figures that were appearing in the sky began to fade-- now the entire floating island itself was becoming translucent as it was slowly pulled towards the black hole...
"Imposssible! You FOOL!!"
Draven rushed to the platform as it began to fade, madly pouring his own energy into the black crystal in an attempt to stabilize its energy... But the effects were negligible, and the chain reaction continued to build...
Tesla's shots veered wildly in the wind as James fell to the platform near Draven, attempting to grab onto the edge so that he wouldn't be pulled in the vortex in the sky... Julian joined Draven in an attempt to help stabilize the energy... Rufus was oblivious to these events as he wrestled with the wolf after falling through a roof in the city below, near the base of the palace...
(Yeah, anyone who doesn't want to get sucked into the vortex of doom better move away. Heh...)
----
One of the liquid balls struck the already disoriented Hans in the leg, and he fell backwards, falling unconscious into some bushes and then down a hill into a thick ravine...
The tops of the trees began to rip apart, flying towards the vortex above...
----
Zeros'-Mavas brought his sword up just in time to feel it connect with a tremendous force. He was blasted diagonally backwards by the sheer force of the true Zeros' impact, flying cleanly through two consecutive stone buildings before tumbling in the street behind them...
He sat up, barely moving his head to see a large gash in his sword, the metal melted away from where Zeros' blade connected...
"NO!"
Power but no experience!? This cannot be!!
"NO! NO! NO!!!"
He hobbled to his feet, using the sword as a crutch. It snapped in two, causing him to lose his balance.
"NOO!!! I won't except it!! I refuse to be the powerless one any more!!"
He waved the stump of a sword around in the air angrily.
Ven held his glowing blade on guard...
"So that is what this is about..."
Henri approached him, looking quite bewildered.
"Ven..."
Ven sighed deeply...
"It's all right... He's not my brother anymore..."
A new aura swirled around Mavas, a different one than before... He began to gain the attributes of Draven once more, the trench coat turning into armor and a cloak, the hair gaining streaks of black... But the transformation stopped half way, and he was left as a hybrid of Zeros' and Draven with wings... But his eyes changed completely-- they were his own. The pendant flashed its violet-red brightly and the cut off sword began to grow, taking the likeness of Zeros' blade in it's demon form... before engulfing in crimson flame...
"DIEEEE!!!!!"
With both hands, he thrust the burning demon blade before him, blasting a huge wave of flame and shadow energy at Zeros' that tore apart the stone buildings he had passed through...
From the sidelines, Ven pushed Henri back with his right hand, before grabbing his own blade with both...
"This is it!" He shouted to Duilin, knowing Zeros' would have a counter attack prepared. Just have to wait for the right moment...
Posted by: Haraldur on Tuesday February 28th, 2006
Not liking the look of the now translucent and shaking island, Melkoth began to fly backwards, slowly, in order to see what would happen next.
________________________________________________________________________
Haraldur, before his comrades could react, could see where this would be going, having seen it happen years ago to the previous Emporer.
He covered himself and his comrades with warp balls. Due to the residual instability still existing in the planet's magical field, teleportation remained risky, as all horisontal travel would cause turbulence, greater the further you went. The only way to go was up.
The three (plus Ein and Marshall if Ein and Dude Man wish) seemingly blinked out of existance...
________________________________________________________________________
Far above the Crimson Palace, small flurries in the grey grasslike objects on the Moon indicated the sudden presence of a creature.
Haraldur stood up and surveyed the strange lunar landscape, the flatness of the lunar grasslands broken by the occasional tree-like thing. The atmosphere was similar to that of Earth, but at a lower pressure (but with a larger proportion being oxygen, so the partial pressure of oxygen was the same, allowing him to breath). A few strange but obviously not sentient grey creatures stared for a few moments before returning to their grazing. Far away, what was obviously a predator could be seen chasing a small creature that seemed to have strayed from its herd.
He could not see his comrades anywhere. Obviously there had been a small sideways displacement, so creating a little bit of scatter.
He waited for a few minutes to acclimatise so that he could sense auras.
Hmmmm... he would have to study the flora and fauna here at some time, it would be fascinating.
//Basically, all sideways teleportation creates randomisation, which increases with distance, but vertical is unaffected. Here, there was small sideways distance, so a little scatter.//
_____________________________________________________________________
Tesla landed in what seemed to be a grey swamp, splashing about before getting himself to hover above the tepid "waters".
_____________________________________________________________________
Durruti landed in a tree-like thing, not the most comfortable of arrivals, and swore. Haraldur had better have a good explanation for this.
_____________________________________________________________________
Quintus climed to the top and waited for Vincent to arrive, in order to tell him to subjugate the surroundings before another land grab.
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday February 28th, 2006
//I'll wait until Ein chooses if he wants to be teleported.\\
Duilin then crafted, an orb of flame magic, combined with dark and lightning magic. It looked like a fireball surrounded in dark lightning. He then waited along with Ven, for the time to strike.
-----
Abodahon stopped next to Melkoth, and also watched what was going on. "This seems interesting. Perhaps we won't even have to crush the place."
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday February 28th, 2006
What a disadvantageous position! Zion could only take the hit and get slammed into the ground. He bounced off and winced as he landed on his feet. He ran up to Valos, and spontaneously went into a short burst of super speed, attempting 16 strikes upon random areas on Valos' body in the short instant, not holding back this time.
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday February 28th, 2006
At the moment that Haraldur and co. disappeared, the vortex broke a threshold, and the intensity increased another order of magnitude...
With much upsetting of the earth below, the entire floating island waved out of existence... the vortex disappeared and the sky returned to normal... Soon, large boulders and trees that had been thrown up into the air began to rain down from the heavens... No trace of the Crimson Capital was to be found...
----
Vincent placed his hands on the sturdy back gate, a rectangle glowing and a door forming out of the metal. He reentered Sigmund to find it a mess.
He strode up some stairs and on to the eastern wall, where he could see strange lights in the sky. Hmmm...
He then saw Quintus behind him and on a higher ledge. He shouted to the prophet:
"Not bad, I must say. Not bad..."
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday March 1st, 2006
In one swift motion, Zeros' sheathed his sword, and ghosted directly in the middle of the blast. He pulled his hands back, as they glowed with an ethernal light.
"Haaaa..." he murmurred, before he thrust his hands forwards. The shadow and flame energy suddenly stopped, as it came in contact with a wall of pure spiritual energy. The conflicting energies tore at the ground, forming deep, scarring gashes into the roads, as buildings were litterly torn from their foundations.
Zeros' trench coat flared wildly in the breeze, his hair whipping behind his head. The flame and shadow only served to make the scars on his face more prominent. The sleeves of his trench coat flared back too, showing off all the scars and metal that had been grafted into Zeros' hands... His experience... His memories... And his scars.
"NOW!" he shouted above the roar of conflicting energies, as they tore deeper and deeper into the ground. Even if the roads and buildings were repaired, they would never be the same. Gravels started to rain from the sky, as well as other debres. He flattered for a moment, before he equalized the energies again.
"DO IT NOW, VEN!"
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday March 1st, 2006
Duilin having also charged up his attack, quite a bit tossed the fire/dark lightning orb at Mavas.
// Can we assume he does this at the same time Ven does his attack? (Assuming he strikes next post) \\
-----
The first strike hit Valos, he blocked the next two hits with his sword, and then next two hit him again. He dodged the next hit and blocked two of them after that. The next four hit, him, he blocked two more; he was hit again and dodged the final strike.
"God, this is the longest fight I've had in a wile..." Valos thought to himself.
"You know...for a pretty boy like you, you fight well." Valos grinned. "But don't take that as much of a complement. I don't want to have my victim get his hopes up before I crush him..."
Valos then began to glow in a dark purple aura, and began to float a bit in the air. Dark blue orbs began to surround his sword, increasing in speed. His hair flowed a bit, and his veins grew larger, and his skin tone began to change to a more rotten colour.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday March 1st, 2006
"DIE DIE DIE!!!!"
Mavas' blast of energy swelled, and after coming to a dead stop, began to fight its way through the opposing energy and towards Zeros' once more...
Ven tensed as he pointed his blade a Mavas, the white light surrounding it glowing brightly...
Blast it! Do it! Do it before you remember!
Remember... who he is...
Was... who he was...
Right.
"HAAAAAHHH!!!"
A brilliant flash of light pulsed from the blade, followed by an intense stream of energy. The pillar of light ripped through the air, engulfing Mavas in a burning white flame...
"ARRGH!!!!"
Mavas' beam began to slip, losing power as his body burned...
At that instant, Duilin's orb connected with a significant explosion following, knocking Mavas off balance and the beam out of aim. Zeros' attack freely flowed through and Mavas suffered the full force of the attack...
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"
A gigantic explosion ensued, a violent wind blasting in all directions, knocking over another wider circle of surrounding buildings. Mavas' silhouette broke apart in the bright light of the blast... The pendant flew up into the sky, the two parts separating, their glow dimming... They shattered into many pieces, the glistening shards flying in random directions as far as the eye can see...
Ven fell to his knees, jabbing his blade into the ground, exhausted...
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday March 2nd, 2006
Zeros' landed on the ground, and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples with his fingers, as he observed the damage he did to the town. Over half the city was destroyed... Maybe more.
Zeros' stuffed his hands in his pockets, and walked over to Ven and Duilin, as he stood over Ven, and looked in the direction Mavas was.. Or used to be.
"So... What happened to Mavas?" he asked.
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday March 2nd, 2006
Duilin sighed, and then turned his head and looked down at Ven, but didn't say anything.
Rink, who was just watching everything from a short distance, fluttered down near by Ven.
"So..." Rink began. "Is he gone?"
Posted by: D. Ein on Thursday March 2nd, 2006
//Gah! sorry for not posting. Won't happen again. =-) I need a bit of time to get back in the story, though. And yeah, Haraldur, teleport Ein as well.\\
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday March 2nd, 2006
Ven stood up. Henri approached from behind, placing a hand on Ven's shoulder. His third eye opened, glowing...
"Yeah, he's gone..."
From around the outskirts of the damaged area, from behind piles of rubble and half standing houses, the citizens began to emerge, curiously approaching the warriors.
One of the cured plague victims began to clap. Another followed. Soon the entire city joined in a cheer. It was finally over...
Henri began to clap as well, joining in the praise of the three heroes, and the imp that sort of helped. (Heh...) He rose his voice in a speech to his people.
"We've much work ahead of us, tomorrow. Much of the town will need to be rebuilt. But for now, we feast!"
"HORRAY!!" The people shouted in unison.
Ven placed his hand on the back of his head, gazing at the blue sky. He carefully resheathed his sword, lost in thought, not sure what to think...
Posted by: Kahn on Friday March 3rd, 2006
Hyperion floated towards the former site of the Crimson Capital, turning back into a human along the way.
"This had better not stand in my way of getting cured."
Posted by: Trent on Friday March 3rd, 2006
"You're good yourself, as expected." I knew he was strong, but I didn't expect he'd be THIS troublesome. He entered a ready stance and prepared for whatever may come.
--- --- ---
//Forgot about Aura for a while, sorry.
"Alright, then. Hold on." She took off toward the indicated cave. The disk was pretty fast, it wouldn't take too long to get there. She hopped off, holding onto Allen, and transformed the disc back into her hairpin. It was put into her hair once more, in a fashionable position.
Posted by: Zeros' on Friday March 3rd, 2006
Zeros' just smiled, and kept his hands stuffed in his pockets, with his head held high, and let his head pan around, and observe the people he had saved.
---
Allen nodded his thanks to Aura, as he stepped down, and observed the cave from where he stood.
There wasn't much in the cave... That you could see. It all seemed to be obscured by shadows in the caves. There was a steady drip of water, echoing off the cave walls.
Allen looked back to Aura.
"C'mon... We have to go inside," he said, while motioning into the dark cave. He stepped forwards, and soon, disappeared in the darkness of the cave.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday March 3rd, 2006
//So, I assume the Aspye crew is on a grey planet of some sort?\\
Marshal arrived at what seemed to be a rocky grey mountain. "Whoa. What's going on?" Marshal asked himself. He looked around to see if he could find his dragon. Since he was so close to it, it didn't go to far.
Marshal spotted the dragon, growling at a similar sized creature. He then fired his gun in the air, scaring the other creature and it ran off.
"Let's see if we can find the others. They should be near by." Marshal mumbled. He saddled up on the dragon and then it flue off, high into the air. Marshal watched the ground below, to see if he could spot anyone.
-----
Valos laughed as Zion commented him. He began to glow more, and he seemed to grow bulkier, and the orbs around his sword moved faster. He then seemed to stop charging power. He then slowly swung his sword back (like reading a baseball swing) and then slashed it forward, blasted a large, navy blue coloured, energy disc at Zion. The disc probably had a 20-foot diameter, and it was moving quite fast. If the disc missed it would turn around and go right back to it's target.
-----
Duilin grinned, and waved to the crowed.
Rink hovered up in the ground, and smiled at Ven, Zeros' and Duilin.
Duilin held out his fist, and Rink bashed his fist against it.
"Okay, so where’s the grub? I haven't had a decent meal in days!" Duilin said to the King, still smiling.
"What are you talking about? We had a big feast at the Crimson Capital." Rink snapped. "In fact, you ate like a pig."
"Shut up, Rink." Duilin laughed.
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday March 3rd, 2006
Without hesitation, the gates to the castle opened, and people exited carrying grand dishes of food, the scents filling the air. Tables were quickly set up right in the middle of the wide open crater dug into the city, and the food brought to them. The people of Tjed had a way with making the best out of a negative situation. Shepherds and farmers, seeing the explosive battle from hilltops far away, were greeted with the festivities as they arrived in town. It seemed the curse had passed completely...
Henri sat at one of the larger tables, and mead was poured all around. He raised his goblet to the blue sky.
"A toast. To the winged Zeros' and Duilin, and our knight Ven!"
"Hail Sir Zeros'! Hail Sir Duilin! Hail Sir Ven!!" Chants came from the crowd. There weren't enough seats for everyone, but there was plenty of food and drink to go around.
Ven took his seat to the right of the king, still contemplating what just happened. Still soaking it in. He had more questions than answers... but maybe now's not the time. Time for a rest... at last. It's good to be home.
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday March 4th, 2006
Zeros' sighed embarrasedly. It had been a long time since he'd ever been hailed a hero of any sorts. He sat down in a chair, but, he didn't grab any food. He just sat down, and leaned his head back, looking up at the sky, as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.
So... Mavas was finally dead, according to Ven. Now... They still had Haraldur and his gang. He sighed.
It seemed that the war for Gaian would never end.
Posted by: Haraldur on Saturday March 4th, 2006
//Are we to assume that Draven is out of action or dead and that the Crimson Empire is crippled?//
Melkoth looked at the disappearance of the Crimson Capital and jumped as if the air below him was solid.
"How fortunate! Abodahon, get our forces to take all the major settlements of the former Crimson Empire, especially around the fortress Sigmund, which Quintus and a friend have taken. We must now consolidate the Grey Empire!"
________________________________________________________________________
Quintus turned to Vincent.
"Indeed, High General. I have received word from Melkoth that the Crimson Capital has disappeared and is assumed destroyed. Now, I would like you to organised the subjugation of the area surrounding this place. When we have consolidated our territory on this continent and have it mostly under control, we will discuss land distribution. Do you need anything else?"
________________________________________________________________________
//Dude Man, this is not a planet, this is Gaian's Moon. If Marshall looks up, he should see Gaian's continents above him in a sea of blue on a round object.//
Haraldur sent a telepathis message to the other four when he sensed their auras: You will soon noticed a pulsing aura on this, Gaian's Moon. This would be my aura. Come to me.
He then waited as Tesla and Durruti came to him. Durruti shouted "Why have we come here? I landed in a tree, and it hurt!" //This is after everyone else has arrived.//
Haraldur then said, "The Crimson Capital was about to be sucked out of existance, so I brought you with me in order to save all of your lives. As we are here, we should have a quick discussion as to what to do now, as it seems the Grey Empire might get a lot of power if Draven has been eliminated."
Posted by: Trent on Saturday March 4th, 2006
Aura nodded and followed him in, holding her left hand out and gathering energy in the palm. A bright energy ball formed, and it illuminated the cave. She used an invisible energy thread and tied it to her finger, and proceeded forth. //Heh, I'm doing this exact same thing using Tsu in another RP. That's pretty funny, seeing as how there's a love story between the two.//
--- --- ---
Zion willed energy to his feet, and focused. He jumped up, and started to fall, and landed right on the center of the disk as it flew past. It didn't miss, but it didn't hit. What would the disk do?
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday March 4th, 2006
"Hahah" Abodahon laughed. "Yes, of course Melkoth. Right away." The demon nodded and then flue back towards the Grey Empire palace.
----
Marshal spotted Haraldur's aura and then landed the dragon near by them. "Greetings Comrads." He said, grinning.
----
"Huh?" Valos was surprised at what Zion did. "Creative..."
The disc just hovered there. Valos sighed and then blasted a dark lightning bolt at it with his free hand. The disc then exploded, likely resulting in damaging the person whom was on it.
----
Duilin sat down at one of the chairs next to Zeros'. Duilin then began eating the fruits and meats. Yet he ate a bit more respectfully, this time. Before, he was actually trying to offend Draven, since of course; he didn't like him at all. But these people seemed more kind. In fact, they may make much better allies then the Empire.
"Ahh, well it's nice to have finally accomplished something, after five years." Duilin said.
"Yeah, but something tells me that there is going to be a lot more going on. Like, those Grey Empire guys...And Haraldur seems to be progressing very strongly in his revolutions." Rink sighs.
"Yeah..." Duilin thought. "But I'm not to worried, we've crushed almost every enemy that has stood in our way." He added
"Well, I'm a bit worried. Mostly about you, Duilin. You're acting a bit to tense in battles, you’re reckless. You need to relax a bit."
"What are you talking about? Relax? When you fight, you give one hundred and ten per cent."
"Well, still. You have quite an imbalance in your power, so just try and not get to worked up."
Duilin rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He then continued eating.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday March 4th, 2006
(Yes, Draven and co. are on vacation for a while. Heh...)
----
Vincent raised an eyebrow.
"Crimson Captal... disappeared?"
Hmm, that didn't seem quite right... But at the very least, it seems the Greys have it together after all.
"Is Draven gone as well?"
If so, he could breath a lot easier...
"If he is out of the picture, our work will be much easier... New subjugation won't be necessary at all. When the Dark Emperor Retan disappeared, the continent fell apart into many smaller independent city-states ruled by warlords. But when Draven returned, they collectively pledged their loyalty with minimum conflict. These people don't know anything but subjugation-- it has been their life for generations, and will serve the strongest man... If Melkoth convinces the people that he defeated Emperor Draven in a death match for the imperial crown, they will likely change their flags with nothing more than a shrug..."
----
The atmosphere in the hastily prepared feast remained jovial, and lasted for a long time. Some city architects and engineers gathered around the king after he was finished eating and discussed how the rebuilding was going to be done, and new and improved building designs were decided upon. Ven's gloomy mood slowly lifted and he found himself adding to the conversation, pointing to one of the drawing on the scrolls and commenting on how he liked it, and the high knight's preference was graciously received by the excited young architect who designed it.
As the feast was winding down, Ven turned to Zeros', Rink, and Duilin.
"Will you be staying with us for a while? There is much work to be done... But you have helped us so much already. As for me, it looks like they'll be needing my stone cutting skills."
He brought his hand to the sword on his back and unsheathed it two inches, the blade was visibly glowing it's white light. He winked.
King Henri chimed in, turning around in his chair.
"My friends, you are always welcome here. Stay as long as you like. When you are ready to leave, I will have a ship prepared for you... In fact..."
He paused for a moment, then a warm smile spread across his face. He removed a scroll from his cape pocket and unfurled it on the table, beginning to write. When he was finished, he rolled it up and placed a royal seal on it.
"In fact... I'll give you one! Just give this to the port officer back the way we came. It's a small ship, but fast-- well suited for warriors like you. It also has some.... special features. The port officer will explain. Now, don't worry. It is but a small token of my appreciation!"
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday March 4th, 2006
Zeros' lifted his head up, and his eyes looked down at the scroll. He nodded his thanks to the king, and pocketed the scroll in his inside pocket, keeping it safe. He didn't touch the food, though.
He could feel Haraldur's crew on Gaian's Moon, but, he ignored them, for now.
"Thank you," he said to Henri, and leaned back into the chair again. "Yes... One threat down... Countless, untold others to go..." he murmurred.
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday March 5th, 2006
Duilin finished up a chicken wing, and then placed the bare bone on his empty plate. "Well..." Duilin began. "I'd like to stay, but I am unsure if we should. There is a lot going on."
----
Abodahon arrived at the Grey Empire palace. Several Grey Soldiers approached him. "The Crimson Empire is gone, take all major settlements. I'm going off to Sigmund, which Quintus and a friend have taken. Make you take the fortress around it. It is our time to rise, my children."
Grey Empire soldiers then marched there way off to the fortress, removing the Crimson Empire flags, and replacing them with flags of the Grey Empire.
Abodahon then flue his way towards Sigmund...
Posted by: D. Ein on Sunday March 5th, 2006
Ein looked around, seeing grayish earth around him. He did not recognize the place. As he looked up he saw a large planet in the sky. He did not recognize it, either. He then noticed Marshal walking towards another group of people.
-"MAARSHAAAL!!! Where are we?"
He ran towards him, effectively tripping on a rock and nearly splitting his head in half. The surface was covered in small jagged stones and craters. He got up, shook his head (which was miraculously clear of any injuries) and continued moving towards the group.
--- --- ---
-"Alright... let's go, then."
Steorra followed Darak.
--- --- ---
Leaven got up and walked around a bit. There was absolutely nothing for him to do... yet.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday March 5th, 2006
(As you can probably guess, I'm trying to cut down to a more manageable number of characters for the moment. So Zeros', Duilin, and Rink can take off as I won't be initiating anything with Tjed for a while.)
"Yes, indeed."
The king lowered his head.
"I can sense battles spread across the world, and more to come... If you ever need an ally, come back to us. The kingdom of Tjed is on your side."
Ven leaned over the table firmly.
"Right. I lost count, but I still think I owe you guys a favor or two. You've my sword whenever you need it."
He leaned back, taking the last bite of a large dinner roll.
Posted by: Trent on Sunday March 5th, 2006
Zion could do nothing but take the explosion. But this was his chance to end this fight! It was a huge risk, but it was still a chance! This was perfect! The explosion had tossed him back, but he righted himself in the air, and took off into the explosion! The explosion ate away at him, damaging him severely, but he pushed forth. He absorbed some of the energy in the explosion into Eternity Weapon's blade. He emerged from the explosion running very low to the ground, but very quickly. He had burns all over his body. He quickly came up near Valos, and pushed the blade upwards, toward Valos' neck.
Posted by: Zeros' on Monday March 6th, 2006
Zeros' nodded at the king and Ven. He stood from his chair, and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Yes... We really should be going now... I appreciate the favors, sir," he said. He took out the scroll from his pocket, and tossed it in Duilin's direction. "Here. You hold onto it," he told Duilin. Unknown to Duilin, Zeros' was subtely testing him... He wanted to see what Duilin's reaction was towards holding a deed to a ship, given to them by the king.
// I'd update Allen, but, I'm way too tired right now. \\
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday March 6th, 2006
"Oh really?" Duilin asked. "Well, alright..." He put the deed into his pant pocket.
'Wow, makes me feel, important...kinda...
"Well, we best be going now. It's been fun helping you guys out." Rink says with a smile. "So, let's see this boat, we've got."
"We should name the boat, every good boat needs a name." Duilin began "Like a woman’s name, such as Jenny or Anne...or Belle."
"Wasn't, Belle the name of that servant woman at the Crimson Palace?" Rink asked
"Oh yeah..." Duilin was wondering how she was or if she was upset because he's been gone for a while. "Speaking of which. Perhaps we should go check on there. See if any sign of Haraldur or anything. Maybe Valos or Draven may have a job."
Unknowingly to him, the Palace has been sucked into nothingness and Valos has had his body taken over by a demonic ghost. Anyways let's see how Valos is doing...
----
Abodahon then arrived at the sieged fortress of Sigmund. "Well, well. Quintus must have quite a powerful friend here."
He then found Quintus and Vincent. "Greetings, Quintus." He then turned to Vincent.
"Greetings, stranger. I assume, you're the one Melkoth said Quintus has befriended. Well, I'd like to congratulate you on a job well done. I am Abodahon Talonscar. I am one the superiors of the Grey Empire, and supposedly the leader of the Talonscar Cult. A group devoted to the worship of well, me." He chuckles a bit.
He then examines Vincent. "So, you used to be with the Crimson Empire, have you not?"
----
Valos gave an angry look as Zion survived the blast, and absorbed the energy. He then spotted him swinging his sword upward at his neck. He then readied to block to block the blade coming at him with his sword he needed to act quickly. He then lifted up his blade, however it slipped from his hand. Oh well...
"Heheh..." Valos laughed. He then watched the blade impale his neck, cutting right through his head, knocking it off his body. The detached head rolled off down the remains of the streets, out of site. His body then fell down to the ground, and then fell over, and soaked in a pool of blood.
Darak arrived at the scene. Just in time to see the death of his commanding officer. However, he didn't fully recognize Valos.
"What is going on?" Darak asked, speaking in a loud voice.
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday March 6th, 2006
Henri waved to the exiting heroes.
"Farewell then, and may the gods watch your every step. Just go back through the tunnel and visit the port where we first landed. I'll send a carrier to inform them to get it ready right now."
----
"Vincent Elridge, my good sir."
Vincent held out his right hand to Abodahon, but then realized shaking the demon's hand, er humongous gauntleted claw may not be such a great idea. He pulled his hand up.
"... Right. Still am with the Crimson Empire too, in a technical sense. I was just discussing with your associate ways for the Grey to stage a quick coup d'état and avoid unnecessary battles here on the Dark Continent. I'm looking forward to working with you."
Posted by: Haraldur on Tuesday March 7th, 2006
Haraldur said, "We must protect this place from all other outside interference, for the safety of all of Gaian. This place could house a devastating weapon that shot man-made meteorites."
He waved his arms, and all around the Moon small points of light (which would be visible from Gaian) were distributed, and they moved.
"These points of light will, when a creature arrives that is not native nor one of us, send an alarm call to me and to you people through these communications orbs. They will also be attracted to the intruder, surrounding him and lighting him up for ease of discovery."
He handed out the communications orbs.
Before we leave, are there any questions or suggestions? Should we stay here to do some thing I have not thought of?
Tesla and Durruti shook their heads. Haraldur looked to the other two.
______________________________________________________________________
Quintus said, "Welcome, Abodahon. Ah, I see the Emporer is on his way."
Melkoth arrived flying at a leisurely cruising speed, before stopping just behind Vincent.
"Ah, our new ally. Greetings, High General. You three will be pleased to know that it is my decision now for you three each to have equal power, effective immediately. I leave you now with one order, the execution of which you may discuss among yourselves: I wish to have complete control over this continent, or at least all of it that matters, as soon as possible, then we will have the meeting on land distribution. In the meantime, I will organise the surveying of all land on this continent, to facilitate the aforementioned meeting.
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday March 7th, 2006
"Ah, yes. Sounds like an excellent plan." Abodahon grinned. "Perhaps, this will give me some time to work on some personal tasks I have."
The demon then turned his head and scanned the area.
"I do believe that is some Crimson Empire pawns scrapping around, perhaps I could send my elite guards to finish the leftovers."
----
//Oh, Ein's Internet is down for around a month. But maybe I'll see if he can come over to my place so he can update time to time.\\
"Well..." Marshal began. "The creatures here do seem quite interesting. If I could perhaps, memorize the aura of perhaps the larger creatures, I could summon one. It's not important, but it wouldn't take a long time, this gem that collects most of the information." He holds up the sapphire on his amulet.
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday March 7th, 2006
Zion watched as Valos seemed to die. You fought very well. Rest in peace. He looked up to see the guy show up. Oh, great. Xenai walked over to answer the question. "This guy showed up with the really big gauntlet guy, and they attacked Draven. Zion took him out. I think he might have been one of the Crimson guys before, but he wasn't when he showed up with that big guy."
Zion's eyes widened, and he took in his surroundings after being so absorbed into the fight. "Draven! How is he?"
Tsu floated down a few feet behind Zion. "I don't imagine he's doing excellent... There's also the issue of whether he's still being good or not."
"How troublesome..." Zion sighed.
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday March 7th, 2006
Vincent saluted his new emperor.
"As you wish, my lord."
Wow. He had never been given so much power before... High General Vincent, yes, a nice ring it has indeed...
He turned to the other two.
"I will require a very large force, possibly most of the men you have brought here, Quintus, if you do not need them at the moment. Further east of here is another fortress, Bandervil, roughly the same size as this one. If I appear on their doorstep with a large army, claim them to be former Crimson Empire soldiers, and proclaim that our lord has defeated Emperor Draven for the crown and point to Sigmund as an example that resisted, I will likely be able to get them to switch sides without bloodshed, and gain a legion of men as well..."
Posted by: Haraldur on Wednesday March 8th, 2006
"Get on with it then, comrade," said Haraldur to Marshall. "By the way, these orbs will also be able to portal you directly to here with no chance of scatter, from any location in space (though not in time, that was difficult to do. It would be pointless for you to come back here in space and in time, right?)."
________________________________________________________________________
Quintus nodded, and said, "As you wish. I only need a small garrison to repair and man this fortress anyway."
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday March 8th, 2006
Zeros' nodded to the king, and waved farewell. He walked back towards the tunnel, the sound of the celebrations behind, as he looked up, and saw the lights on Gaian's Moon.
He stopped, and nudged Duilin.
"Look up there," he said, pointed towards the sky. Even thought it was daylight out, because of all the strange happenings on Gaian lately, the moon was visible, even in daytime now.
---
Allen stopped, as Aura's light reached a large cave. There was nothing here, expect, a small natural rock formation that seemed to form steps.
Allen walked forwards, and stopped, looking level with the highest point on rocks. He smirked, and pointed. Hanging in mid-air, there seemed to be some sort of... Glowing line.
"Here it is..." he murmured.
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday March 8th, 2006
Darak nodded. He recognized the people as those new allies that were with Duilin and Valos on certain occasions.
"Oh yes. I believe I know whom you are speaking of. I'm unsure of how Draven is at the moment. I saw the large gauntlet holding one, and another one chase him off, in the direction of the capital." He then rubbed his chin.
"Perhaps you could assist me, in getting there? I don't have any magic ability, such as flotation..."
----
Marshal nodded and then walked off towards one of the creatures. He studied it, and then aimed the gem on his amulet; it then glowed and began sparking. "Ooopss..." Marshal groaned. After a few minutes, he then walked towards the group. "Alright, I think I've got it. So, are we off now?"
----
"Holy smokes..." Duilin said softly in amazement. The moon had glowing all over it, he wasn't sure at all what was happening, his first thought was some sort of strange eclipse. "What's going on with the moon?"
Posted by: Haraldur on Wednesday March 8th, 2006
//Just a point of clarification: these lights, while bright, are small, and very numerous, and are moving around quite fast and quite randomly. Therefore, bright spots are where they have randomly bunched up (before then dispersing), and dark spots are where there are very few. Therefore, the moon is twinkling!//
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday March 8th, 2006
Xenai, being the comical smartass he was, would be the one to make the offer and joke about it. He bent over, as if offering a piggyback ride, held his hand to his mouth and made PA sounds. //I'm assuming this technology exists on the Crimson ships already.//
"*pssht* This is the Xenai Omega express, offering one lucky soldier a free ride. *pssht* Ah, yes, you there, you're our lucky rider! Come on down! *pssht* The smartass will depart in 2.12746 minutes. Board now, or the smartass will leave without you. *pssht* Have a nice day, and enjoy your Omega flight. *pssht*"
Zion and Tsu laugh at Xenai. The guy was naturally funny.
--- --- ---
Aura looked up at the thing. It looked kinda pretty... "Is that it there? What about traps? There has to be SOME."
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday March 8th, 2006
Vincent organized his new troops quickly and they were off, moving in tight formations and at a quick pace. It wasn't long before they were over the western horizon of the rugged, barren terrain of the central area Dark Continent.
Once they were at a steady pace he stepped to the side as the legion moved past so that he could get a chance to study the odd seemingly pulsating light emanating from the moon in the daytime sky... He removed a small collapsible telescope from his right trench coat pocket and took a gander at it.
"Hmmm..."
The magnified image revealed many tiny points of light pulsating around the heavenly body.
"Interesting."
At the very least, he felt like he should keep an eye on it...
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday March 9th, 2006
Darak rolled his eyes. For the first time in his entire life, he felt embarrassed about not being able to fly. He then got onto Xenia in the most nonsexual way he possibly could.
He watched as Zion and Tsu laughed. "Shut up..." He groaned. He then turned his head and looked forward trying not to make eye contact with Xenia. "Just go..." He sighed.
Posted by: Trent on Thursday March 9th, 2006
"Come on, man! Lighten up!" Xenai grinned and took off, Zion and Tsu following.
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday March 9th, 2006
After the feast was over, Henri retired to his chamber seeming somewhat troubled. Ven noticed this and followed him through the long stone hallways, managing to catch up to him before the older man made it to his thick oak doors. Henri seemed to be expecting Ven.
"Odd..."
"Is something the matter, my liege?"
"I can no longer detect Emperor Draven or Haraldur. They seemed in a battle earlier and I was 'watching' them before, well, you know... But they both seemed to have disappeared off of the face of Gaian now..."
"Perhaps they have destroyed each other? We should throw another feast!"
"I doubt that, Ven. I doubt that..."
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday March 10th, 2006
"Oh well." Darak mumbled. "So, how long until we get there?"
//Trent, I suppose you should choose when we get to the former location of the Crimson Capital.\\
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday March 11th, 2006
Walking along side his massive legion, Vincent happened to look over his shoulder and spot three specs just over the horizon to the southwest. Pulling out his telescope, he could see them quite clearly. Three men he did not recognize flying out of their own power, and a fourth being carried by one of them. Hmmm, the forth is wearing a Crimson Empire officer uniform. Interesting...
He held out his left hand, signaling the marching legion to stop.
Vincent, still wearing his Crimson Empire general medallions himself, wanted to find out what exactly they were doing... He pointed to a rocky hill closer to the incoming men.
"Get up there and flag them down. I want to talk to them."
Ten soldiers from the closest row ran towards the hill and began waving at Zion, Xenai, Tsu, and Darak...
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday March 11th, 2006
Darak pointed the soldiers signaling them. "Over there!" He said. "Some people over there. I belive I see one of the generals." He added. "Let's stop here."
Posted by: Trent on Saturday March 11th, 2006
"I suppose it will be 10 to 20... Oh, okay." The trio landed there where Darak specified, Xenai slowly standing upright to let Darak off.
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday March 11th, 2006
Zeros' shook his head at Duilin, in response to his question about the twinkling moon.
"I have no idea, Duilin... But, I can assure you that it can't be anything good... Probably not at this time, anyways," he failed to mention he could sense Haraldur's forces on the moon, with his connection to Gaian.
"Anyways, let's move on. Sitting here, staring at the moon isn't going to get us anywhere," he said, and continued to walk, towards the tunnel they came from.
---
Allen smirked slightly.
"There are no traps," he said, before walking around the small thin line, and up the formations of rocks. He looked down, and smiled a bit.
Instead of a small, thin, slightly glowing line, there was now a pool of translucent water, shimmering slightly, reflecting the ceiling above them.
"This, is the trap... The pool, is the trap," he murmurred.
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday March 11th, 2006
Darak then hopped off and then slowly approached the group of soldiers.
----
Duilin rubs his chin and as he looks at the moon a bit more.
Rink then nudges him, in the leg, due to his lack of height. "Come, on. Let's go."
Duilin nods and then they walk to the tunnel.
Posted by: Trent on Sunday March 12th, 2006
The trio followed Darak over to the group of soldiers, examining them each carefully. Special attention was paid to Vincent. He looked to be a very high-ranking soldier.
--- --- ---
Aura followed Allen over to see it... Oh, it was so beautiful! "Oh, wow..." Her eyes sparkled as they stared at the pool. "...So... This is the trap? What do you mean by that?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday March 12th, 2006
Vincent allowed the four to walk towards him, and the Grey soldiers slowly massed around them. Vincent recognized Darak, through only by a brief acquaintance in the past. He didn't really know the man.
"Ah, Commander... Darak? I am pleased to see that you are all right. You have heard the news, haven't you? It seems Emperor Draven has been killed, and a new Emperor has risen in his place. Yes, yet another change of colors... Emperor Melkoth wishes us to spread the news to the remaining cities to ensure their loyalty to the new... Grey Empire... Perhaps you help us out? I need a more experienced officer to help lead this massive force."
He looked past Darak to Zion and the others.
"Who are you, anyway?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday March 12th, 2006
"Greetings, General. Yes, Commander Darak." He replied. "No I have not heard the news at all." Darak said, sounding surprised, he didn't really expect any of this.
He then rubbed his chin and then nodded. "Well, this wouldn't be the first time I've gone through the change of Emperors or colors. Very well," He then scratched the back of his neck. "So leading a force? What is the forces’ task sir?"
Posted by: Zeros' on Monday March 13th, 2006
Zeros' looked behind him, at his friends, as they emerged from the tunnel. He motioned for them to follow him, as he proceeded back the way that they came.
---
Allen smiled.
"This pool... Is a magical one... It's fueled - by fear," he whispered. "It's fueled by the fears in human hearts... The fear of hunger; the fear of betreyal; the fear of love, in some cases," he said.
"Inside, you will face your greatest fear, no matter what it may be... Death, hunger... Your worst fear shall be shown inside the pool," he said, before turning back, and looking at the seemingly harmless pool of water.
"Now... No more time to waste... Let's go," he said, before jumping from his pearch, as his body disappeared beneath the water.
Posted by: Trent on Monday March 13th, 2006
//I thought I already posted...
"Zion Ultima..." "...Xenai Omega..." "...Tsu Nami."
Zion didn't like what he'd heard. "Draven's... dead?" Zion felt a bit bad, they were just starting to hit it off, even if a tiny bit. He was naive and thought that Draven was being good the whole time, but still didn't know about the demon thing that Draven was responsible for.
"Well... I guess our alliance ends here, then. We were allies to the Crimson Empire. This doesn't make us enemies, though."
Xenai thought about the name Melkoth... "Melkoth... Melkoth... Where have I heard that name?"
--- --- ---
//Quoaz, you kick ass.
Aura thought back at the last comment, the fear of love. Tsu instantly came to mind. She clenched her teeth and dove in after Allen, already knowing what she would have to face...
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday March 13th, 2006
Vincent smirked.
"That would be High General now, commander."
He placed his hands behind his back.
"We are heading to the fortress of Bandervil to ensure that their allegiance falls in with the new regime. For now I'll have you help me guide this army their. Afterwards, I'll probably have another task for you."
He turned back to Zion and the others.
"So you were allies of the Crimson Empire but not with the new regime? I'm sorry to hear that. I'm afraid I can't have you running around freely, even if you mean us no harm. Nothing personal, protocol and all..."
He waved his right hand in the air.
"Seize them."
A mass of Grey soldiers descended upon Zion, Xenai, and Tsu...
----
A small ship, was moved into the closest harbor bay, visible from the caves, gleaming and new looking. It looked similar to the oddly shaped Posidon X, that they had traveled to Tjed on. It was largely made of a bight cherry wood, with large fin like sails that extended out of the back and to each side. It looked to be big enough to carry 10 or so comfortably.
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday March 13th, 2006
"Very well, High General." Darak said grinning.
He then looked a bit surprised, as Zion, Xenai and Tsu suddenly ended the alliance and then had them surrounded by soldiers. He looked at them and narrowed his eyes.
"Perhaps, sir. If they changed their minds we could let them, live?" He suggested.
-----
Abodahon watched what was going on with Vincent, Darak, Zion and the others.
"Hmm, those are the mortals that I left the possessed Valos with..." Abodahon mumbled. He then sighed. "Not again..."
He then closed his eyes, he had a mental connection with the spirit demon he would try to locate it and see the status on it.
"Argg...apparently it still doesn't have full mobility control, its powers are still limited from what it can fully perform. No matter..."
----
'Awaken my servant...'
The headless body of Valos then slowly gets up and then walks over toward its head and picks it up.
'Perform the needed repairs, then come to my location.'
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday March 14th, 2006
"Whoa, hold on a moment!" Zion frowned at the turn of events.
"Yeah, man! Seriously... We're not enemies!" Xenai waved his hands frantically as if he were trying to cover up a mistake in what he said.
"Zion, Xenai... We're not enemies, so just start the alliance again."
"Yeah... Okay... Are you willing?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday March 14th, 2006
Vincent frowned, as if in thought.
"What is this 'alliance', anyway? Who do you represent? Do you mean to say you wish to join the Grey Empire? It would probably be the most healthy choice in the long run..."
The grasping soldiers held back, awaiting their general's command.
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday March 14th, 2006
"Well, Draven needed our help, so we figured we'd help him out for the time being." Zion commenced to explain the situation.
"Melkoth... Melkoth... Where have I heard...?" Xenai continued to ponder, and shook it off. "Anyways... Draven was an enemy before, but it had been a long time. He seemed to not be doin' evil things."
"Yeah... The alliance was going well until the guy died. Last we'd seen him was when Valos and the huge guy with gauntlets attacked. It seemed Valos was betraying the empire under the big guy's order. We fought, and I killed him. Valos, that is. Draven tried to take the big guy. Did that guy kill him?"
Tsu shook his head. "I have no idea what I want to do..." He mumbled quietly. "...Wait... Do you guys have any information about Aura Hikari?"
"Yeah," said Zion, "I would also like to know about Zeros' and Duilin... Ven Hyul as well, if possible... Can you guys give us some information?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday March 15th, 2006
Duilin made a low whistle as he saw the ship. "Whoa...what a beauty." He commented. 'And, if I'm the one holding the deed, that would make this ship mine.'
Rink examined the ship. "You think that's amazing? You should see some of the ships they've got in hell." He smirked.
----
Valos walked out of the remains of building, his head seemed to have been stitched on, the skin on his head was terribly pale. He cracked his jaw and headed off...
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday March 15th, 2006
Zeros' smirked a little, as he motioned the two on the ship. He sent a telepathic message to Rink as well: Watch Duilin.
He walked inside, and examined the ship. It was brand new, as far as he could tell. Never even been used before. He headed to the helm of the ship, and examined everything.
"Well... Everything seems to be in working order..." he muttered, as he waited for his companions to join him.
---
// Oh yeah. Trent: Don't wait for Allen to respond. They're in seperate places. \\
As Allen decended into the water, he saw a variaties of images flash all around him. One of different orgins, but, all connected by fear. Some, were the fear of dying... Of losing a loved one... Of betrayal... Of love.
Even if the air around him looked more like water, he could breath perfectly fine.
As he decended further, he just hoped the Aura was also well...
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday March 15th, 2006
//Alright.
Where am I?
This place...
I knew...
I'd end up here...
...All along...
It is a place where there is only light, and only darkness. Nothing exists here, and everything exists here. Nothing happens here, and everything happens here at the same time. Here, everything is possible, yet at the same time impossible. There is no time here, yet all the time in the world is condensed into this little bit of nowhere, into this everywhere. It is conceivable, so much that it is inconceivable, creating a paradox with the power to revive or destroy the world. This place is Paradox.
And Tsu was standing right across from her there. Her breath quickened... She started to sweat... And her fists clenched. She was ready for this. Or was she? This wasn't real anyways... But a fear she had to face.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday March 15th, 2006
Vincent shook his head.
"No, I can't say I've heard of any of--"
Wait. That girl that came to Redvik with Valos the other day had 'Hikari' etched on her badge.
"... Well, actually I believe I saw Lt. Hikari the other day in Redvik. I'm afraid the company that went to attack Laus met with an ill fate, though."
He then took a second look at Xenai.
"Oh yes, you were one of the guests on that flight too. One of the Falcon model ships that landed in Redvik. Didn't recognize you at first. No, I haven't seen her since then."
(Feel free to make interesting things happen. I'm too burned out to start anything major at the moment. Heh...)
----
A mechanic entered the ship's small bridge, coming up behind Zeros'.
"Oh, so you're the ones. She's ready to go! It's pretty easy to operate. Here's the manual."
He slammed a huge phonebook sized document down on a small table.
"It just has a lot of... features. Be careful of this, for instance."
He pointed to a large leaver underneath the classic wooden oversized ship steering wheel.
"Don't hit that when anyone's on deck. That's makes it dive underwater. And that one..."
He pointed at a red lever near the first, but paused and scratched his head.
"... Well, uh... actually I don't know what that does. That's not on our other ships... Must be some kinda prototype thing that never made it on the others. Better not mess with it..."
He took a few steps back and waved.
"Well, gotta go. Have fun!"
He hastily left, leaving the ship to Zeros', Duilin, and Rink.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday March 15th, 2006
//Thanks a lot. x_x
"Ill fate... No, she's alive. I can feel it." Tsu sighed. "She'd have a fit if I joined up with you guys. Probably would claim me to be stalking or something."
"What are you saying? Are you saying that you want to be dragged off by these soldiers?"
"I could really care less."
"Damn, kid! What's with you?"
"It's love," said Zion. "It can, at times, be the most destructive emotion in existence."
"Well... Nothing personal, but we're not joining you guys, then. Sorry. That, and you can go ahead and haul us off."
"Wait, what!?" Zion was shocked at Xenai.
"Yeah, do it! See... Fighting here is just boring, you know? If you take us in, it's a lot more fun to break out ourselves. You agree, don't you?"
"Oh, whatever!"
"I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to the grey guys!"
"Fine, okay. Drag us off."
--- --- ---
The illusionary Tsu stared Aura down... He was just like the real thing! "You don't understand how I feel about you... Not at all... Why do you fear me?"
He was creepy... Ugly... Geeky... //If there's any activity Gaian considers geeky, we'll say that Tsu does it.// ...And so damn good at fighting... She couldn't stand it! She had to beat him!
"I'll get you... Right here, and right now."
She extended her right palm, gathering light energy into it. She formed it into a ball, and willed it to swirl... She would strike it with her free palm in various places to make it swirl better. She would continue to develop the attack.
"I'm sorry it has to be like this, Aura..." Tsu charged forth, a hand going to the hilt of Shin Kuon Yaiba...
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday March 16th, 2006
Duilin and Rink arrived at the ship just in time to hear what the mechanic had to say and then quickly leave.
"He left in a hurry." Rink said
"He's probably scared of us. I don't blame him." Duilin replied. "I mean, I've known Zeros' for quite a wile and he still gives me the creeps sometimes." He then looked at Zeros' and smiled. "No offence."
"So, who's going to drive this thing?" Rink asked
"I guess I could." Duilin answered. "It's been a wile since I drove a ship. Darion and his buddies were always to drunk or just plain lazy to do it themselves, so the just taught me how to."
"Well, I dunno. Remember what happened with that fishing boat a year ago? I still don't think they found Eddie's wooden leg."
"Hey! That wasn't my fault!"
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday March 16th, 2006
Zeros' smirks slightly.
"No offense taken. And, you go ahead. I want to take a break for once," he said and sat on a ledge near the window looking out of the helm. He folded his legs underneath him in an indian style, crossed his arms across his chest, and leaned back.
"I'm starting to wonder if Gaian will ever truely be free of all it's pain and torment again..." he muttered, looking out into the sky.
---
Allen landed gracefully on his feet, in the middle of nothingness. There was nothing around him... Nothing at all. Only sickly blackness all around. He could hear screams of pain, sorrow, anguish... He could hear it all. He knew what he'd have to face... And he didn't like it.
Not one bit.
There was a shimmer behind him, and he turned quickly, and came face to face with...
Fear.
The true representation of fear...
Fear itself. He feared fear itself.
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday March 16th, 2006
Vincent shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
He pointed at the three and shouted behind him.
"Bound their hands and feet and hogtie them each to a log. Carry them to Bandervil; I'll decide what to do with them later."
Vincent turned and made his way back to the front of the mass of soldiers and out of sight as menacing hands clutched the three. Three long logs were conveniently produced by another set of soldiers along with some heavy chains...
Posted by: Trent on Thursday March 16th, 2006
The three submit quietly, Xenai snickering the entire time. Zion glared at him, and Tsu retained his apathetic expression.
--- --- ---
The illusionary Tsu drew closer. He leapt up...
”九音刃りゅ！ 九音下降！”
(Kuon Yaiba Ryu! Kuon Kakou!)
Eternity Blade Style, Eternity Drop
He brought Shin Kuon Yaiba right out from the sheath, bringing it down mercilessly toward Aura's head.
"Take this! Holy Spiral Sphere!" She brought the sphere up to meet Tsu's blade, and the two forces started to push against each other. Tsu was shocked, just like the real one would be. When did she create such an advanced move?
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday March 17th, 2006
Darak rubbed his chin as we watched the tree be carried off and then walked next to Vincent.
----
"To be honest I don't think it ever will." Rink sighed. "Sure, at times it will be at a lesser extent, but the world will always have problems."
Duilin read a few pages of the manual. "Bleh..." He then walked over towards the captain's wheel. "Okay, let's get this thing going..."
Posted by: Haraldur on Friday March 17th, 2006
//Dude Man, could you do something about Ein's characters? Get him to post from your house or post for him? Thanks.//
Posted by: Zeros' on Friday March 17th, 2006
Allen stood there, shifting on his feet with his hands resting in his pockets, as he observed Fear.
The figure was cloaking a couple feet off the ground, covered in a tattered black robe, with long, sweeping sleeves and a hood that covered his face, which was enshadowed by darkness.
Allen breathed, and saw his breath. He shivered slightly, as the room he was in dropped below freezing. He looked at the figure, and saw the figure breath - it was a hollow sound, rattling and shaky.
"So..." Allen spoke slowly, and observed the floating figure. "You are my representation of... Fear?" he asked. The figure - Fear - nodded, and took another rattling breath.
Now... How the hell was he supposed to conquer... Fear?
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday March 17th, 2006
Zion and co. were quickly tied to the logs, and four big men, two in front and two behind, carried each log horizontally as they began to resume their marching order.
Vincent made his way to the front of the resting army as three figures appeared over a rocky hill to the west. The three messengers he had sent ahead to Bandervil earlier had made it back. They were former Crimson troops, riding atop large long-leged scaly lizards, suited for quick running.
They stopped in front of Vincent and Darak, bowing to the officers as the lizards' heads bobbed up and down.
"My lord."
"Well?"
"General Ajax of Bandervil said that he will accept the rule of any new emperor, with sufficient proof. But he will not accept you as High General. He believes this to be a ploy, sir..."
The second soldier pointed to a moist spot on his left chest plate, and said in a wimpy voice:
"He... he spit on me, sir..."
Vincent ran his hand through his hair.
"I expected this. Very well, then. If it is proof he wants..."
Posted by: Trent on Friday March 17th, 2006
The trio couldn't do much but watch the events in progress.
"So..." Xenai attempted to break the awkward silence. "...Seen any good swordfight matches lately?" This directed to the entire soldier body in general.
"Shut up." Zion retaliated.
"Oh, come ON!" He was earnestly hoping for an answer. //Because everything's been too serious around here. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' />
--- --- ---
Aura let out a yell and pushed forward, even harder. The spiralling sphere... It was twisting at the blade! Tsu couldn't keep the grip, and the katana flew out of his hand, spinning off to the side. Aura pushed through to Tsu's gut with the rest of her power. "Ugh! What's...!" Tsu was sent back, spinning around the axis of the line that connected him, Aura, and the sphere. He righted himself in the air and landed on Paradox's imaginary floor. "Amazing..." He dropped to one knee.
What a tough bastard! He can still fight!?
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday March 18th, 2006
//Yeah, I'll see if I can do that. What do you need Ein to do though? He's just standing there doing nothing, he can just assume he's following Marshal.\\
Duilin began to pilot the ship back towards the area of Alphagrad and Retangrad (that's were we're going, right?).
"I have a feeling that a lot has changed since we left." Duilin mumbled
"Most likely. I wonder how Zion and the others are doing." Rink said.
-----
Valos slowly emerged from the darkness behind Abodahon, as they stood at a near by hill from the location were Vincent and Darak are.
"They've been carried off. Now our new ally is attempting to gain the trust of the rest of the Crimson Empire." Abodahon said.
"I see, master..." Valos said weakly.
"We can let him handle this." Abodahon turned and looked towards the ocean. "I can sense Duilin going back towards the direction of Alpha and Retangrad. I believe he may have his friends with him, most likely Zeros'. I want you to find them and lead Duilin to me. He will be much easier to persuade if we have him in captivity."
"Heheh, of course master. I'm not afraid of Zeros'..." He then walked off, and readied to leave, and then turned back. "Nothing can stop me. Not even death." He then laughed and flue off.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday March 18th, 2006
"Well, uh yeah, actually it was pretty cool back there in Sigmund when that one guy took out--"
"Stop conversing with the prisoners!"
"Uh, sorry..."
The order to march was given up ahead, and the three prisoners now found themselves in the middle of a marching brigade, their heads narrowly missing the occasional sharp rock on the ground as they hung from their logs...
In the front of the marching soldiers, Vincent was the first to top the rocky hill in font. He was actually getting a little worn out. He wasn't used to walking so much, with his former desk job back in Redvik and all...
Pish! I'm a High General now.
He motioned one of the riding messenger soldiers (there were only a few) to come his way, and ordered the man to get off the lizard-thing he was riding. Mounting it's back, he found the beast difficult to control, but it beat walking.
Before them was a fairly steep, but not unwalkable decent. Then a rocky plane, with Bandervil in the center...
The fortress wasn't terribly huge, but it was built upon another naturally perfect location much like Sigmund. It was built on top of a plateau in the center of the relatively flat land around, and huge walls topped the already steep cliffs on all sides.
He stopped as the troops began to clear the top of the hill, turning his ride to Darak.
"If we happen to have any Crimson Empire banners left, we better raise them along with the Greys. I'd really rather avoid a fight here, if at at all possible..."
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday March 18th, 2006
"Yes sir." Darak replied. He then took out a banner from a pocket underneath his armour. He then unfolded it and then passed it to one of the soldiers caring a banner, since their were several Grey Empire banners he replaced it with the Crimson Empire one, other soldiers also had some left and a couple others were raised.
"That should do it sir, however..." He then wielded his axe. "Just in case. This thing can be a bit slow on the draw."
Posted by: Trent on Saturday March 18th, 2006
Yeah, that fight in Sigmund was good. Wait... In Sigmund... in Sigmund... in Sigmund?! "Tsu, you had a match with Aura in Sigmund, didn't you?"
"Please don't bring her up right now, Xenai..."
"Come on, tell me!"
"Yeah, we did have a match there a while back. It was the closest she'd come to beating me. It's not really surprising since it was the last match we'd had before all of this started back up. She had me up against the ropes, but since she'd figured she had won, her guard was not all the way up. She tried to attack head on, leaping at me with a downward slash, but I rolled off to the right and hit her in the back of the neck with the flat end of my blade. I turned the match around instantly. I fought from there and won."
"I see..."
--- --- ---
"This won't be like in Sigmund... I've shown you that already! Now I'll finish you!" She leapt at Tsu, and slashed downward. When Aura was a foot from him, he looked up with cold, stony eyes, and rolled off to the right, and onto his feet. He didn't even look at Aura when he pointed his left hand at her.
"Twilight Blast!"
The sparkling blacklight beam shot forth and hit her head on. She was sent flying for about a decameter. Tsu turned around and looked at her. "Won't be like in Sigmund, huh?" He had instantly turned the match around.
Paradox commenced to change the environment. They were now there... In the stadium at Sigmund. Or at least an illusion of it, complete with dirty dirt, fresh air, solid stadium walls, and even the roaring crowds.
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday March 18th, 2006
Zeros' shook his head, as he observed the water pass by them from his position. It was the more peaceful sight he had ever observed, since he came back, five years ago...
"I'm sure their fine... Those three won't go down without a fight," he said.
---
Fear took another, rattling breath, as Allen crouched down and clutched his head with both hand in agony.
"AA-- A... AA-- AARGH!" he screamed out, as he felt memories consume him. Suddenly, Fear disappeared from sight, as the walls of Paradox shifted and changed rapidly, before Allen was landed painfully somewhere.
He lifted his head weakly and saw he was now smaller... Much, much smaller. He pushes himself to a sitting position painfully, as a voice he hadn't heard in many, many years called out to him.
"ALLEN!" screamed a feminine voice, as he was suddenly engulfed into a hug. Allen stiffed slightly and turned his head...
Only to see a tearful face...
The one of his dead mother.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday March 19th, 2006
Vincent nodded his head.
"Excellent."
He turned the lizard towards the fortress below.
"Forward!"
The beast began a slow trot down the hill, and the soldiers followed at a marching pace. Their numbers overwhelmed the steep slope as they made their way down the rocky incline.
The fortress on the plateau grew larger and larger...
Hmmm, they haven't shown any signs of resistance, or acceptance for that matter... It they were going to attack, they would probably do it by air, with wyverns. The fortress was just a bit two small to hold a airship dock.
Vincent's mind raced as he looked at the formidable fortress on a rock. What could it's weak point, be? He had never been in a situation quite like this before. Really, he hadn't had much experience in the field either... There were a few garrisons he lead when he was a colonel, but never in any strategic battles. And his job in Redvik was mostly alchemic and airship production research, and the occasional defense of the city...
The fortress grew larger and larger...
But this is what he wanted, right? To finally be out there in the field! To finally be respected! ... Maybe he should have settled for sabotage in this one too... His eyes trailed to Commander Darak to his right. No! Do NOT let him know you have no idea what you're doing!
"Forward!"
The hill was now completely covered with Grey soldiers, descending and marching towards the fortress ahead...
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday March 19th, 2006
Darak continued to advance towards the fortress. He turned his head and looked at Vincent. He seemed to look a bit tense, and acting a bit odd, mostly because of him giving the same command twice. He didn't want think too much of it and continued his way towards the fortress.
----
Duilin continued to sail the ship, they were almost there. He remained pretty quiet so far.
Rink was just pacing about, and looking around at the inside of the ship. He then looked at Duilin. He seemed to be enjoying the control over the ship.
"Um, hey Duilin, how long will it be until we get there?" Rink asked
"Not to long, Rink." Duilin replied.
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday March 20th, 2006
Vincent steadily moved the army forward... Up close, the elevated fortress was looking enormous now...
Still nothing. Ha! Ajax is all bark and no bite. They'll open the doors and submit to High General Vincent any second...
Suddenly, a shrill screech sounded from above and the sky began to darken... It wasn't one sound, but rather a vast multitude of wyvern screams... Thousands upon thousands of wyverns poured over the high walls of the fortress and over the heads of the approaching army... Worse, two smaller legions of airborne wyverns flanked each side of the army as it blanketed the low ground...
Vincent's ride bucked and kicked in the confusion.
"That fool! How dare he!!"
General Ajax appeared as one of the gates opened high above a cliff, and quite out of reach of the menacing army below. He was a huge man, bald and with minimal black armor, with a huge battle axe to boot.
"Hah hah hah haaahh!! If Draven truly is dead, then I shall be the new emperor!!"
Posted by: Haraldur on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
Haraldur made small warps surround himself and his comrades, and they teleported back downwards, straight downwards, so there would be no scatter.
____________________________________________________________________
They ended up above the rough centre of Alterna, in their exact relative positions as before. Below them, the landscape was dotted with towns and villages, and even farmsteads, with one or more black and red flags flying.
Sensitising his hearing, he could here many shouts from where the people below could see them, in several different dialects: Viva de la Revolucion! Viva el Anarchismo! Evviva il Anarchismo! Evviva Haraldur! Viva Durruti! Viva Tesla! Evviva Marshall! Viva Ein! Meurte de la Fascismo!
Durruti said, "Let us go to the Eastern Dark Continent, that furthest away from the Greys, and organise an insurgency and revolution."
Haraldur and Tesla nodded. Tesla said, to Marshall and Ein, "Do you want to come?"
____________________________________________________________________
Melkoth had completed the survey, after flying about over the land, and decided to check up on his new High General. He started to fly towards his position.
____________________________________________________________________
Meanwhile, Quintus had finished garrisoning the fortress Sigmund, and was now taking a larger army down the west coast and takin over settlements, and laying siege to all the fortresses they came accross.
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
"What the hell?" Xenai tried to see what was going on, though he could already tell.
"If you let us go," said Zion, "We'll help you fight."
"What? Then we can't do the prison escape thing!" o_o!
"If you want to so badly, you can flick the High General in the head or something." -_-;
"That's not gonna do it!" ;_;
"Psh... Whatever. We don't even know that they'll let us fight. They'll probably just put us back on the logs afterward, so you'll still get to do your prison escape thing." ¬_¬
--- --- ---
This IS just like Sigmund... I inflicted a huge blow on him, but he got one bigger on me... The Spiral Sphere... I thought it was stronger than that!
"I have a trick too," said Tsu.
He sheathed his sword. He then raised his right hand, and flung it down. Suddenly, it erupted with lightning, making the chirping of a thousand birds.
Aura started to create another Spiral Sphere... The crowd started roaring... I get the feeling this scene's been done before, somewhere...
Posted by: Zeros' on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
Allen looked up quizically to his mother, before the scene shifted again and now, he saw several people up in the air, with one man holding a huge ball of power, while the others tried to stop him, but they were unsucessful.
"But..." he murmured. He knew what scene this was and his eyes widened in shock and fear. This was the moment the MDAA was released. He saw the energy suddenly implode on itself, as the man and the island suddenly disentagrated. He heard screams... He heard his mother... His father...
His family...
Tears streamed from his eyes, as he hit the ground roughly, being deposited back in front of the ethernal figure. Allen looked up and glared at the hood of the monster, as he shakily stood on his feet.
"You..." he growled. He was silenced, as he struggled to talk, silenced by some other force. He settled for growling, as more scenes shifted before his eyes... All of different fears...
---
Zeros' nodded in agreement. He could also sense they were close.
He just wasn't quite sure what they'd find once they arrived... Death... Destruction...
He simply didn't know anything anymore...
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
Marshal grinned as the people cheered his name. "Yes I shall come." Marshal replied.
----
Darak narrowed his eyes. "High General Vincent. It seems that a peaceful takeover will not happen. Shall we charge!?" He asked, reading to charge to the fortress.
----
Abodahon then saw Melkoth moving towards Vincent's position. He thought he would go join the fray but he felt that he could handle it. He could hear the cries of the wyverns from were he stood.
He then looked back at the ever-expanding fortress Quintus was working on.
----
The ship finally arrived at the main land location. "Okay boys, we're here. Anything you need to do before we undock the ship?" He asked
Rink shook his head. "Nope." He then looked to Zeros'
----
Valos was hiding in the shadows; he had cast an invisibility spell upon himself. He saw Duilin's ship arrive.
"Heh, Young Talonscar has arrived..." Valos whispered
"Now my children, go and strike when the time is right..."
A group of translucent skeleton like creatures appeared, they were red and walked on all fours, and had spider like legs, there skulls appeared to be in the shape of a human's but had a larger lower jaw and sharp teeth. The demonic creatures crawled from behind the ghosted Valos and disappeared behind trees and rocks.
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
"Yes! Attack!! Darak, I give you two thousand men. Storm the front gate."
He pointed to a long, narrow path that lead up the side of the cliff, eventually leading to the front gate of the fortress high above. At most points the path was so narrow, that soldiers would only be able to march two per row, with a rock wall to their right and a vertical drop off to their left...
A wyvern suddenly descended upon the two from behind Darak. The flaps of Vincent's trench coat opened and he produced his silver shotgun within an instant. Holding it with his right hand, he blasted the creature down, and it barreled through the air, flying overhead and crashing behind Vincent.
"I will keep the wyverns off of you and follow once I get the situation under control here."
The wyverns began their collective attack, surrounding the grounded army almost completely. Blast of fire and ice reigned from the sky, and blue orbs flew from the grey mages in return.
One of the soldiers laughed at Zion.
"Hah! Yeah, right. Like we'll fall for that one--"
*KABLAM!!!*
The soldier was instantly vaporized by a fiery explosion, knocking the other soldiers that were holding the trio off of their feet. The logs fell to the ground along with their prisoners, and the chain binding Tsu's left hand shook lose...
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
Tsu capitalized on this opportunity, removing his left hand. "After I get you guys out, kill the wyverns! We'll do just as you said we would!"
"Now! 千鳥!!!"
(Chidori - Thousand Birds)
His hand erupted with lightning, commencing to make the sound of a thousand birds chirping. He used it to pierce through the other chains. He hopped up and and freed Zion and Xenai in the same way. The two jumped off their logs and grabbed their weapons from some nearby soldiers. Tsu looked to a nearby wyvern and charged more energy into his hand to keep the technique alive for a little longer...
--- --- ---
Aura and Tsu stared each other down... And suddenly, they charged each other! They thrusted out at each other...
"Holy Spiral Sphere!!!"
"Chidori!!!"
And the two attacks connected. They started to push at each other, each feeding all the power possible into their attacks... This would be the decisive exchange!
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday March 21st, 2006
"Yes, High General!" Darak replied.
"Charge! To the fortress! Single file, along the path!" He commanded.
Darak charged his way along the pathway. He motioned for a bunch of the soldiers to go in front of him. "Watch the path it's narrow." He warned.
One of the soldiers was shot by a fire blast from one of the wyverns, Darak ran faster and swung his axe as he ran at it, cutting it's stomach as he dashed under it.
Darak continued to advance towards the fortress. "Spread out, but stay in line!" He yelled to the warriors.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday March 22nd, 2006
The lizard Vincent was riding on bucked and reared in the confusion. Making an adjustment to a dial on his weapon, Vincent lifted the shotgun and fired on an approaching wyvern rider, knocking him off the beast. With a leap, he bounded to the flying wyven's back as it passed over head. At least this one he had some experience with.
He pointed the red wyvern to a group of others now about to storm Darek's men on the cliff side and the creature obeyed, himself now souring through the air on the wyvern's back. In transit, he removed a tall cartridge from his inner trench coat pocked, and snapped it into the slot on the top of the shotgun with a click. Flipping a switch near the base of the cartridge to the "Auto" setting, Vincent grinned as the gun began a barely audible high pitched hum...
Directing his wyvern to flyby the group of enemy wyvern riders descending upon Darek and his men, he firmly held the gun with both hands and squeezed the trigger. Explosion after explosion ripped from the tip of the barrel. The enemy wyverns screamed as he flanked them, spraying them each at least once with the explosive blasts. Ten shots in rapid succession maimed the majority of the group too badly to fly, and they fell out of the sky, the others retreating towards another wyvern group nearby...
General Ajax burst from the front gate at the top of the path.
"GRAHH HA HA HA HA HAAAH!!!!"
Hundreds of Crimson solders behind him in single file, he raced down the narrow path straight into the first of Darak's men, knocking them over the edge of the cliff like bowling pins with his huge battle axe...
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday March 22nd, 2006
Tsu pulled his hand back, and leapt up at the wyvern. "It's over! Chidori!" The lightning edge made contact, and pierced right through the winged creature.
Zion darted up a nearby tree, getting to the tip and jumping off, like a gymnast, toward another nearby wyvern. He spiraled around in the air, and ended up slashing through it at the end.
Xenai just did it raw. He quickly charged up an energy blast and winged it at another wyvern. It took the hit, and spiraled down to the ground.
"Alright," said Zion. "There should still be more!"
--- --- ---
Suspense...
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday March 22nd, 2006
Darak charged forth, only to find the monstrous General Ajax slashing away at his soldiers. He continued moving forward, a deep breath, he then came closer and made eye contact with the General. "Prepare yourself!" He shouted. His axe was smaller, but probably faster then his opponent’s. Yet Ajax looked much stronger then him, but Darak was still an experienced soldier, probably more skilled then three of the warriors combined. He then swung his battle-axe at Ajax in a diagonal motion. "Hiya!"
----
//Oh yes Ein has given me temporary control of his characters.\\
Ein nods his head. "I'll also come. I'm ready for more action." He grinned.
----
For argument's sake we will assume Steorra has followed Darak and has agreed to help them out on the attack.
She casts a white light-based magic laser at a few of the wyverns attacking, taking them out.
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday March 23rd, 2006
Zeros' shook his head, as he stood, cracking his neck and knuckles.
"Nope. I don't need anything. Let's get out of here," he said, as he walked slowly out of the ship. He had felt the creatures, but hadn't said anything yet. He wanted to see how far Duilin had progressed. Just recently, he had started to think of Duilin as a kid brother, unoffically.
He stuffed his hands in his pockets and waited for Duilin and Rink near the enterance of the ship.
---
Allen dusted himself off and glared at Fear again. The creature just took a slow, rattling breath and Allen shivered, as the temperature dropped again. He tried to ignore the fears circling in front of his eyes, trying to settle on more pleasent emotions.
He had no idea how he could defeat someone... Such as this creature.
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday March 23rd, 2006
Vincent circled the wyvern towards the fortress wall, and pointed the beast into a quick dive. Just as he cleared the top of the wall, an explosion hit the wyvern's underbelly from an unseen source, and Vincent was thrown from the flying creature, tumbling on top of the outer stone wall. He caught himself in a crouching position, holding his shotgun tightly with his right hand...
Just below Vincent, Ajax slammed his axe into a Grey soldier.
"You TRAITOR!! Now you DIE!!!"
He plunged the battle axe upwards, in an opposite diagonal motion to meet Darak's. A spark shot from the two metal axes as their blades scraped, and Ajax's weapon was pushed backwards, causing him to loose balance for an instant, surprised at Darak's strength. Without hesitation, he swung his axe a second time. Clearing well over Darak's head, the blade lodged into the rock wall to his left, causing boulders to dislodge and tumble down upon his opponent and the soldiers immediately behind...
Posted by: Trent on Friday March 24th, 2006
Tsu looked to the rocks that were starting to fall. Perfect... He could also hit that Ajax guy from here while saving Darak. He pointed his hand at Ajax... "Twilight Blast!" The sparkling blacklight shot forth, vaporizing the rocks that threatened to hit the grey soldiers, and would plow right through toward Ajax.
Zion bounced off of the mid air remains of the wyvern he just killed over to another one and killed it the same way. Another wyvern came right behind Xenai. He turned around and swung Zero Weapon down, crushing it and slashing through it at the same time.
--- --- ---
There was a bright flash...!
Posted by: Haraldur on Friday March 24th, 2006
The sign of the Poison Ring showed up again in the sky, its eagle head pointed directly downwards, at the fortress.
Melkoth swooped in, electrical sparks coming off him like a tesla coil. He grappled a wyvyrn, which soon dropped down on the field below, its heart stopped by the alternaing current going through both its arms and accross its chest. The same happened to a couple of other wyvyrns that came to attack, sending their riders down to the ground.
Once he was approximately in the middle of the wyvyrn throng, a blast of sparks went forth from his body, in a flat oviod shape, nearly a disc, killing the wyvyrns within, but there was a shell outside of the area, who were unaffected. The charred carcasses dropped down onto the fortress, causing many soldiers to rush out to be away from the smell.
____________________________________________________________________
Quintus and his horde were now nearing the soutwestern point of the continent. There was a large fortress on the horizon, and it was flying a new standard. Its own.
"So, someone fancies himself a new ruler. We will need to be careful with this one."
Some trolls were on his left, landward, flank. They had traditionally been the servants of the various empires on the Dark Continent, with the exception of the Dark Empire, with which they had had a disagreement, and hence the Crimson Empire also.
//Didn't think I would bring that back all the way from Chapter 2? <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /> //
He shouted a quick command in the language of the Southern trolls, and they started to run forward. The people at the fortress would not expect that, he thought, not expect it at all. There has not been a troll charge for centuries.
Below him, large swathes of forest (the Dark Continent, as with all other landmasses on Gaian, was predominantly forest, the human population not being large enough for agriculture to dominate the land) were smashed away from the charge.
____________________________________________________________________
Haraldur and his comrades flew towards the Eastern Dark Continent.
The sea rippled below them before becoming still as the wind dropped. The sky was cloudless, and their reflections could clearly be seen on the water, a multicoloured feast for the eyes, with a large amount of red and black.
The black, volcanic, cliffs of the Eastern shore popped up over the horizon.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday March 24th, 2006
//Oh I remember those trolls. Oh BTW Marshal and Ein cannot fly, I assume Haraldur has that flotation spell cast on them?\\
Darak watches the blast take out the rocks above him. He makes a quick laugh and swings his axe in a horizontal motion at Ajax.
----
Duilin and Rink stepped out of the ship, and walked out onto the dam. Around them was foggy, mostly dirt around them, but there were a few clumps of grass and trees about. The dock was close by Sigmund and Bandervil.
"Wait...something is here..." Duilin said lifting his right hand and pointing upwards.
"Yeah, I sense it to." Rink said. They could hear the sound of ghostly shrieks, but the sound seemed to just enter their mind. They couldn't tell were it was coming from, it felt like there were things all over the place.
"What is it?" Duilin asked
"Hell Crawlers..." Rink said, as if he's dealt with those things before.
Suddenly, one of Valos' creatures appears out of nowhere and jumps at Duilin. He blasts a lightning bolt at it, and it bones fall apart and scatter all over the place.
Rink groans. "That won't work. Hell Crawlers are used for torture in hell. Once they are blown apart they regenerate into five more."
The bones of the Hell Crawler then form into several others.
"How the hell do you kill them?" Duilin asks backing away as more of the crawlers surround the area.
"That...I don't know. I've only seen them in the Underworld. Even then, I never fought them, just witnessed other dealing with them. It seems that almost every spell causes them to explode and they can't be frozen."
Rink quickly examines the area, his perception is quite impressive as is his thinking capacity, he counted around 25 of them.
25 Hell Crawlers //God, I missed doing this. Now we have to come up with a more creative way of killing them.\\
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday March 24th, 2006
Vincent ducked as sparks flew overhead and falling corpses plummeted from the sky around him, the stench filling his nostrils. He eyed Melkoth above.
Great. Just like Draven...
He spun around, heading towards a set of stone stairs that lead down to the interior side of the wall as he tossed away the empty cartridge from his weapon. Two soldiers appeared as he approached the stairs. He made quick work of them with his gun and pressed forward...
Posted by: Haraldur on Saturday March 25th, 2006
The trolls were nearing the defiant fortress and were now running up the slope. Arrows bounced harmlessly off them as they climbed up.
After a few minutes, it was all over. The defenders, not possessing weapons that could serious damage trolls, were massacred. Quintus' horde carried on South.
________________________________________________________________________
Melkoth sent Vincent a telepathic message: The survey of the lands on this continent is complete.
He swooped down to where Darak was. "Greetings," he said as he flew past, snatching Ajax's axe out of his hands and throwing it into the face of a wyvyrn rider, sending him to his ancestors, or whatever afterlife he believed in.
He flew West of the fortress, and on the ground there a hole started to appear, a hole with long, wide steps. There was a rumble as more trolls rose out of the hole and formed ranks. The hole closed after a couple of thousand had climed up.
My gift to you, High General. They are under your command.
Melkoth flew south to see what Quintus was doing.
_____________________________________________________________________
//Fine, they float along behind.//
The Comrades landed on the shore and dusted themselves off, the dust having come from that same shore.
Haraldur said, "I would like you four to get as many people in this area as possible to support our cause, and so have a patch of freedom on this continent. I will be back soon, but I must give a gift to the people of Alterna, the same on I gave to those in Laus."
He flew away.
Tesla moved towards the nearest town, and Durruti the local village (after wishing the other two luck).
Durruti got to the village. There were many soldiers in Crimson Empire uniforms there, but the uniforms had a new symbol on them. Evidently there was now a struggle as many different former Generals, now warlords, tried to get large territories.
He smashed his way into his village, blowing the armoured guards away with a seismi ball. Many soldiers rushed towards him, but soon perished, killed by explosions coming from Durruti's own body.
The people, who had been hiding away from the explosions in their cottages, stared at him, then noticed his red and black neckerchief. They then recognised his face.
In the preceding months, some of the few villagers who could read had been given some books by some masked individuals. In those books they read a lot about the Aspyes Revolution's principles, and seen the faces of some of the importants activists and theoreticians. They had then, in secret, read them out to the other villagers in bars and suchlike.
After a short question and answer session, a long thin log was raised above the walls of the village, with some cloth wrapped around it, a bearded man on the wall grabbing hold of it as the log was attached to the wall. He then untied some string, and a red and black flag started to flap in the breeze.
Tesla travelled Northwest, defeating a few patrols, all seemingly from different factions. Once he eradicated two at once, who had already been fighting eachother.
On the horizon, Haraldur could see Alterna again.
Posted by: Trent on Saturday March 25th, 2006
Zion and co, deciding they were done messing with the wyverns, followed Vincent to wherever he was going.
--- --- ---
Aura was spit out of the lake. She flew high into the air, then hit the ground right by it, rolling away from the substance upon contact with the earth. "Wh... wh... Damn! Did I win? I don't know what happened... Just a bright flash... And now I'm here. Did I do it right?"
--- --- ---
Seijin noticed a disturbing sensation as he meditated in the clouds, waiting to go save Aura. "...Paradox... There are people in Paradox... But this isn't really Paradox... Just a weaker incarnation, an imitation... They must be at THAT lake. Oh, there goes one of them... Aura? Hmm..." The guardian thought it interesting, but in the end, paid it no mind.
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday March 26th, 2006
Vincent ran back to the edge of the wall and look over in awe as garrisons of trolls appeared. The earth based creatures began scaling the steep rocky ledge with relative ease. He pointed to a older looking tower that appeared to have some structural damage above a group of trolls within earshot.
"There!"
To his surprise, they all heard and obeyed as if it were all part of a previously drawn out plan. A few hundred made it up the steep slope and began attacking the base of the tower's wall. In a few minutes, the tower collapsed upon them, taking many out, but leaving an easier to climb pile of rubble along with a significant hole in the wall. The trolls pressed on, unfazed, along with several Grey soldiers.
Vincent turned and shouted in the direction of the scurrying Crimson soldiers on the interior side of the wall.
"You've had your chance to submit. Now you pay!"
----
Fire was everywhere.
The massive figure of the thirty foot tall demon lord dwarfed the shadowed figure of the averaged sized man...
"TRAITOR! YOU-PROMISED-USS-FREEDOM! YOU-WILL-DIE-FOR-YOUR-LIESSS!!!"
The demon lunged forward. One claw swipe would do... But he was stopped by a tremendous force to the gut, a bulge breaking through to his back. A pillar of crimson light followed, severing the demon at the torso, and the pieces fell several hundred feet into the lake of fire below...
"I swear that's the fifth time I killed him..."
Draven left his right fist extended right where it hit, the demonic blood dripping from it. His eyes were glowing slits of crimson light now. Slits filled with anger and rage...
Draven, Julian, and Rufus floated above the Crimson capital, now floating over an endless lake of flame. Their armor tattered and beaten, breathing heavily from the hours of fighting. Most of the wyvern riders and crimson solders were long gone, and the capital it self was in near ruins. And the demons kept attacking...
"James is in bad shape..." Rufus shouted to the other two. James was crouching in the middle of a ruined section of the city, looking sickly sweating heavily.
"These creatures... have no minds... How did you ever get them to listen to you in the first place?" Julian shouted to Draven.
The next one was only twenty five feet long, but it had bladed wings and four arms.
"By beating them into submission..."
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday March 26th, 2006
"Hmm... Hell crawlers... Vile creatures indeed... " he muttered. He drew his sword with a rapid motion, the demonic blade singing out from the sheath, as the large, black blade rested on his shoulder.
"If you can't blast them apart..." he turned, the sword starting to leak demonic energies. "You said they keep reforming from the parts of themselves... That's not a problem," he said and turned, bringing his sword down. A large wave of black energy flew from his sword and vaporized the Hell crawler that had been sneaking up on him.
The creature shreaked loud, as a large gash appeared in the ground, deadening all the life around it.
"Then, we have to simply vaporize them... All of them," he said, smirking.
24 Hell crawlers
---
Allen started to pace back and forth, completely ignoring the monster near him, as well as the fear circling behind his eyes.
And suddenly, he was flung out of the pool, just as Aura had been. Not being neary as agile as Aura, though, he landed rougly on the ground, rolling about fifteen feet, off the small platform and onto the ground.
He grunted in pain, but his left hand had something clutched in it...
There was a small, shimmering black rock, only about the size of an average man's fist.
It was the ore. The ore they needed to fix the Crimson Empire's defenses.
Posted by: Trent on Sunday March 26th, 2006
The trio watched in awe as the tower collapsed. They didn't know trolls had such power. They then looked to Vincent as he shouted at the crimson soldiers. o_o; o_o; o_o;
"Guess we follow him in," said Zion.
"Yep," came Xenai.
"...No."
"What?" "WHAAT!?"
"Draven's alive. I think. Can't you feel his life force?"
"Actually..." "Yeah, that feels like 'im alright."
"So what do we do?" asked Zion.
"Aiight," said Xenai, "These'r our options. We either stay and fight with the grays, stay and fight with the reds, stay and do nothing, or go towards the life force."
"Hmm..." "Hmm..." "Hmm..."
--- --- ---
Aura's beautiful eyes followed Allen as he was shot out of the lake. She saw the ore in his hand. "Allen! You got it! Yesss!"
--- --- ---
"And there goes the other guy... Why does that lake have to be so forceful?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday March 26th, 2006
Darak looks about as the trolls rampage the area. "What the--" He then runs and stops next to Vincent, he notices that victory is imminent.
----
Marshal and Ein then venture there way to a near by settlement.
Marshal then walks into a small town square. "You don't need to be enslaved by the Empire! We can have a better life then this."
This gains a lot of attention. A few people began talking.
"Are you the Aspyes?" One person asked
"Yes we are." Ein said. "The Empire has been bad mouthing us, but that's only because they know our way is better?"
Marshal then begins explaining the better ways. And the people begin nodding. One person however yells out. "Your logics are flawed!" And then runs off, and a few Crimson Warriors quickly arrive. They point at Marshal and Ein.
"You see, they know we are right!" Marshal says taking out his gun pointing at them while backing away.
"Surrender or die, rebel slime!" The guard demands
"They're just worried they'll loose your support. It's them that need you! You don't need them!" He continues
The soldiers then run at Marshal, but the crowd of people then swarm at the two guards and begin beating them, taking there weapons and striking them with it.
Quickly, Ein helps the citizen's raise a revolutionary flag.
More soldiers came, but Marshal began fending them off, and the villagers then grabbed pitchforks and torches and planks of wood or any other weapon like thing they could use, and began overthrowing the soldiers.
----
"Well, yeah that works." Rink shrugs. A hell crawler then jumps at him, pinning him to the ground he then readies to bite his head but Rink grabs the creature's jaw and pulls them apart. The teeth were pretty sharp on his hands however, and they began to bleed.
Duilin then grabbed the crawler by the spine and lifted it up. The crawler then began to bend it's neck backwards to bite Duilin's arm, yet he tossed the creature and then blasted a magnetizing lightning shock at it and then blasted dark energy and vaporized the creature.
Rink quickly blasted a series of fireballs at a few others coming towards him. "Damnit, I need different magic spells!"
Posted by: Haraldur on Monday March 27th, 2006
//Xorlak, does this mean that Retan might someday return?//
Haraldur reached Alterna, ready to change the inhabitants' lives forever. He started to fly around the land, behind him a red trail, which reached down to the bottom and extended up before curving to form what would become a hollow hemisphere, but now just a sector of one.
After flying right around it, the shield-like dome flickered with red and black mixing around in its liquid like surface.
Cloud started to gather around the dome and spin above it.
________________________________________________________________________
Durruti left to go to other villages, and some of the villages went too, but to different villages. Accross the area, villages would have pause of activity and then raise the red and black flag (or both red flags and pure black flags, plurality was not frowned upon if they were some variation on the standard, even if only one of the colours was used). Sometimes this pause was violent, sometimes not, depending on the presence, dogmatism and numbers of the guards (some of whom joined the revolution), but they were always outnumbered by the villagers and defeated.
Tesla approached the city of Dalinn, its glistening walls rising out of the clay surrounding it. This impressive facade was deceptive however. As he got closer, he heard curious sounds from within. There were screams, and sounds of charging horses and men, and lashes of metal against metal. Closer still, it could be seen that the southern section of the wall was breached, obviously through magery. The sounds were of streetfighting between two competing warlords' armies, with unfortunate inhabitants caught in the middle of a battle between between two would-be masters, both of which they despised.
Ruthlessness is necessary, thought Tesla, as he turned South.
He saw that the breach was quite empty, with just a few guards. Evidently the attackers seem to have the upper hand.
Using the most advanced techniques he had learnt from Haraldur, he began to feel in his brain a sense of the ground around him, a taste of the soil.
In a field next to the walls, there was a slight rustle before earth and rock ripped itself out of the ground and and fell back down, its trajectory towards the hole in the wall. Withing seconds, the guards were squashed below rocks and clay, and the hole was filled, trapping all inside the city, as some had also blocked up the main gate.
The sound of confusion was in the air as Tesla raised himself above the ground, flying over the wall, with a look of fury on his face. He saw many uniformed individuals running towards the blocked gap to see what had happened, then they fighted eachother again, the two sides fighting in that area again. An advance from what were obviously the defenders could be seen, and a counter advance back to the former gap by the attackers as well.
Perfect... thought Tesla. He held his right arm out, and several wireless Tesla coils came into existance, and they dropped onto the battle from above, initialising as they fell. Screams could be heard accross the city as well as the sound of evaporating steel as the bodies were burnt up in plasma. Shots were fired at him, mostly from arrows, but there were a few bullet guns as well. Obviously, the Crimson Empire had been quick to attempt to emulate Aspyes technology.
The Tesla coils disappeared as he dropped down, materialising a sword in his hand that shimmered around the edges with occasional sparks coming out of it. On close inspection, it could be seen that lightning was wrapped around it. He dropped down into the city in the middle of the throng of infighting warriors, who were also shooting at him from time to time. As he slashed at them, vapourising them and their armour, sand from Durruti's song, The Internationale:
...And if those cannibals keep trying,
To sacrifice us to their pride,
They soon shall hear the bullets flying,
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
At the sound of his booming voice filling the city, and of the screaming soldiers, the voices of the people hiding from the fighting could be heard:
No saviour from on high delivers,
No faith have we in prince or peer.
Our own right hand the chains must shiver,
Chains of hatred, greed and fear.
E'er the thieves will out with their booty,
And give to all a happier lot.
Each at the forge must do their duty,
And we'll strike while the iron is hot.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale,
Unites the human race.
From numerous places, from houses, sewers, taverns and inns, a rush of people came, behind the soldiers fighting Tesla, brandishing knives and spears, some stooping to pick up discarded guns and swords, skewering the invaders from behind. Within the next 20 minutes, the remaining soldiers in the city were dispatched.
A General Assembly was immediately started, after seeing to the wounded (killing in the case of an enemy, in revenge for the rapes and extortion, and treatment for friends) where the people started to discuss among themselves what to do. Since, there were no dissenting voices, the whole population having been radicalised by the recent hardships, a Commune was quickly established in Dalinn and the lands around it.
From each tower on Dalinn's damage walls a flag was raised either red, black or more commonly red and black.
There is now revolution in an expanding patch of the Dark Continent on the East coast.
_____________________________________________________________________
Melkoth continued flying south.
_____________________________________________________________________
Quintus and his horde turned a corner at the Southwestern point of the Dark Continent and went East along the South Coast. Next stop: Laus.
Posted by: Zeros' on Monday March 27th, 2006
Allen smiles weakly and gave a thumbs up, as he stood shakily on his feet and groaned.
"Damn... I'm not used to this kind of punishment..." he said, while prodding his bruises with a wince, but he smiled and raised the ore in his hand. "But... I got it," he grinned and shook his head, clearing out the cobwebs.
"Now... It's time to get out of here and back to the Crimson Empire," he said, as he walked back, limping slightly.
---
Zeros' turned rapidly and grabbed one of the creatures by it's neck, throwing it away. He threw the creature so hard, though, it broke the sound barrier and smashed through about ten trees before coming to a stop, shreaking loudly.
Zeros' ghosted out, as five tried to ambush him from behind. With his sword still on his shoulder, he reared his foot back and kicked one of the creatures into the air, a ball of holy magic following in it's wake.
There was a bright flash as the ball connected with the creature, but all that remained was air.
Zeros' spun again and deflected the claws and teeth of one with his demon sword. The hell crawler gnawed, chewed and scratched the sword while shreaking.
"Well... I can already tell this is going to be annoying..." he muttered as he ghosed away, as two tried to grab his legs. The one that was on his sword fell roughly on it's bottom, before getting to it's feet and shreaking, leaping at Zeros'.
Zeros' sighs. This was going to be a long day...
Posted by: Trent on Monday March 27th, 2006
"Alright." Zion had decided. "We're heading toward Draven."
"Got it." "Understood."
And the trio took off toward the life force.
--- --- ---
She grinned. "Alright, let's go." She put his arm over her shoulder, to support him, and headed for the exit of the cave with him.
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday March 27th, 2006
//Zeros' you didn't report how many were left. I believe you killed 3?\\
"Duilin!" Rink calls, jumping out of the way of a crawler jumping at him. "I can't really cast any vaporizing spells, but I can probably lure them towards yours."
"Right..." Duilin replies. He then casts a shade blast at a hell crawler, smashing it to pieces. "Shit!" He then quickly blasts another spell, vaporizing them pieces. "Phew..."
Rink has three hell crawlers surrounding him; one dashes closer but Rink blasts a plume of flame to fend it off.
Duilin then shoots two dark lightning bolts at two of the Hell Crawlers, erasing them from existence. The third one sees Duilin and then runs at him, yet Rink jumps on it and pins it down...
17 Hell Crawlers left...
----
Marshal and Ein continue their way to other villages, raising black and red flags. Marshal hums the tune to the revolutionary song as they progress.
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday March 27th, 2006
(Trent, Draven is effectively in Hell, where he was attempting to summon the demons from. Although he would greatly admire the trio's loyalty. Heh...)
Vincent ran down to the fortress' center keep, relatively unopposed due to the mass confusion in the center of the fortress and the decisive battle ensuing at the fallen wall. He replaced his weapon under his coat. And ran his fingers over the course stone work. He concentrated, and a blue circle appeared around his hand, larger in radius than his body. The circle gained intricate markings, almost like a technical diagram, and began to rotate clockwise. The fabric of the stones began to wave as the transmutation began... He would need another minute to complete it...
(Do you guys think this is a good spot to start wrapping up the chapter?)
Posted by: Zeros' on Tuesday March 28th, 2006
Allen nodded and limped with Aura to the cave enterance, still grinning, clutching the ore tightly in his hand.
---
Zeros' ghosts over and pulls the Hell Crawler out from under Rink and squeezes it's throat, crusing it's wind pipe easily and then vaporizes it with a simple blast of magic.
Zeros' turns and swipes down with his sword, it transforming in mid-air to it's holy form - surrounded by a bright white aura - as the creature is cleaved in half. Zeros' then releases the energy, causing it to detonate, exploding the creature.
With his back to Rink and Duilin, the remaning fifteen creatures form a circle around the three, lashing out with claws and spitting, shreaking.
Zeros' smirks slightly.
"Well... This will be fun..." he mutters.
15 Hell Crawlers left...
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday March 28th, 2006
//Crap. Alright, thanks. It just seemed like he was still around, what with him making reference to the capital.
"...Tsu, are you on crack?" Xenai was very agitated at his teammate's incompetency.
"What? What's crack?" Crack had only just been invented.
"Those are just traces in the air! His ****in' life force is nowhere! He's ****in' nowhere!"
"Oh, f-" "Whatever, turn around!"
With Zion's last command, the trio turned around toward the fortress. Since Draven's not around, obviously, they would fight with the grays.
"Quick and dirty!" came Zion's order. "Do it!"
Tsu created a hollow, neutral energy ball. Zion shoved light in, and Xenai shoved dark in. Tsu flung the ball toward a large gathering of reds, where no greys were. //Hopefully, the fort doesn't have a frickin' roof.
--- --- ---
The two now exited the cave. With her left hand (her right one was holding Allen's arm over her shoulder), she grabbed her hairpin and threw it. The flying disc poofed into existence. Aura got on and helped Allen up onto it. They then took off toward the capital...
Posted by: Xorlak on Tuesday March 28th, 2006
(Blast, I did it again. The whole floating island, with the capital on it, got sucked in with him as well. Heh...)
Vincent held his grasp on the wall. The stones of the entire base of the keep began to run together, as if melting into a gray slurry... The keep itself (a thick tower in the center of the fortress) began to lean to side opposite Vincent...
----
Suddenly, the stone which Allen was holding began to resonate... But not in the sense of giving off light... it was like a heartbeat... like a wave of thought that pierced the mind...
"THE ISLAND"
... and another...
"ROMME"
... and another...
"NOW"
----
(Chapter 8 ends in five days. That's Sunday, not tomorrow. Let's minimize the premature endings this time. Heh...)
Posted by: Zeros' on Wednesday March 29th, 2006
Allen blinked and looked up towards Aura.
"Did you hear that...? I heard a voice that told me to go to the Island of Romme..." he hmm'd slightly and nodded. "Aura, change course: to the Island of Romme," he said.
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday March 29th, 2006
//Oh, Zeros' I may have not made it clear, but the Hell Crawlers are skeletal, so they have no organs, ie: wind pipes. Sorry if that was unclear.\\
Duilin looks around as the Hell Crawlers surround him. "Oh yes, very fun indeed." Duilin then brings his hands close together and begins to charge energy...
Rink just tried to look tough so the Hell Crawlers wouldn't attack him, he really had no way of killing them however, but the Hell Crawlers are dumb anyway. But he could still fend them off.
A crawler then jumps towards Duilin, however Rink jumps in the air and quickly intercepts. He sees Duilin is charging something, so he thought he'd help him out. He kicks the hell crawler in the skull, and knocks it towards the ground, hitting another one. Rink growls and tosses flame at the Hell Crawlers, and they begin to back away a little bit.
Duilin then releases his energy and blasts a large wave on the ground in front of him. A sheet of gold coloured energy flows forward under the Hell Crawlers. Seven of the hell crawlers then begin to shrivel up and then vaporize into the air.
8 Hell Crawlers left...
----
Darak continued to fight the Crimson warriors who attacked him, slashing and crushing them with his axe.
Posted by: Trent on Wednesday March 29th, 2006
The trio landed in the fort and split up, each running to their own crimson soldier and eliminating him. They would continue to fight this way for a bit.
--- --- ---
"Huh? Romme? Uh... Alright..."
She then stopped, trying to remember for a moment which way it was. She then took off in the correct direction.
Posted by: Xorlak on Wednesday March 29th, 2006
The tower began to tilt more, the base now completely mush. It fell over with a gigantic crash, placing another hole in the wall opposite the ones the trolls made. The fortress was now completely overrun and the fighting began to die down... Satisfied with his work, Vincent placed his hands behind his back and took more of a surveying position.
----
The stone repeated the thoughts over and over, projecting a mental image with each word.
"THE ISLAND"
It was a view of the entire island, far above.
"ROMME"
It was a closer look, focused more on the central, southern region. A large grassy plain surrounded by forest on all sides.
"NOW"
It was a small cluster of flat rocks in the middle of the said plain...
Posted by: Dude Man on Wednesday March 29th, 2006
Marshal and Ein noticed that mostly every settlement in the area has either been revolutionized or struck with conflict.
"So, Ein." Marshal said, looking off into the distance, noticing the battle happening in Tesla's area. "What shall we do now?"
"I'm not sure. Perhaps we could join the fray?" Ein suggested
"Hmm..." Marshal checked his ammunition supplies. "I don't know. I'm running low on bullets. I'll have to ask Tesla or Haraldur for a restock."
"How do they get these things anyway?" Ein asked scratching his head.
"I don't know, really. They seem to just pull things out of thin air. They both seem to be insanely powerful."
"I'm really glad I joined with you guys." Ein mumbled
----
Darak being one of the stronger people on the battlefield seemed to have most of the enemy staying away from him. He was about ten feet away from Vincent.
Steorra found Darak and stood next to him.
"So? Is the battle almost over?" She asked
"Yes, so it seems." Darak replied, watching the rest of the fray.
Posted by: Haraldur on Thursday March 30th, 2006
Quintus and his horde reached Laus, or were it ought to have been. The whole place was capped with hardened lava, so recent that there was no visible weathering.
"Hmmm..."
Melkoth arrived from the North.
"Yes, Laus seems to have been removed. I will assume that Draven did this as a reprisal. It is the sort of thing he would do anyway, it is his style. I will assume this until we have evidence otherwise.
"Quintus, your men look exhausted, I suggest we set up camp."
And so they did.
//Hehe, Enid Blyton style... Melkoth and Quintus are now inactive.//
________________________________________________________________________
Tesla left the newly formed Dalinn commune. Outside stood Durruti, with a tent. Tesla waved it away.
"The people of Dalinn have offered us temporary accomodation, for all five of us. I will inform Haraldur when he comes back.
"Come along, you two," he says to Ein and Marshall.
Tesla and Durruti enter Dalinn and got to a large tenement building. Inside, there are five single beds, and a notice saying when breakfast was to be served.
_____________________________________________________________________
There was a bright flash from the clouds as thousands of lightening bolts hit the dome, which rippled before blowing away as burning plasma.
The people of Alterna were now all magically gifted, like those in Laus, aking them more difficult to subjugate using superior magery.
Haraldur flew back to the Dark Continent, homing in on his Comrades and reaching Dalinn. Tesla informed him of the arrangements.
//Haraldur, Tesla and Durruti are now inactive.
Posted by: Zeros' on Thursday March 30th, 2006
Zeros' smirked, as his sword glowed bright. The Hell crawlers noticed this and started to swarm Zeros', jumping and clawing at him, but he ghosted out of the way.
He reappeared near them and with a single slash of his sword, all the remaining Hell Crawlers died in one, bright flash of light.
Zeros' sighed and sheathed his sword.
"Well... That was fun," he said idly.
---
Allen blinked, as more images flashed through his mind. He relayed what he saw through the vision to Aura, telling her where to go.
He didn't know why he was being guided to Romme, but he wasn't one to ignore signs such as these.
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday March 30th, 2006
Ein and Marshal look at each other, and shrugs.
"Okay, let's go." Marshal says.
The two of them then enter the tenement building.
"Not bad..." Ein complements.
----
"Well...this shouldn't be as entertaining then..." Said a familiar voice, especially for Zeros' and Duilin.
"Who said that?" Rink called out. "Show yourself!" The imp demanded
"Hehehe...Who am I?" The voice replied. "I...am death....I am fear...I am sin."
"No..." Duilin said remembering the voice
Suddenly a translucent figure of Valos appeared.
"Valos!" Rink shouted "What is going on here!?"
The figured disappeared
"We're sorry Valos isn't hear right now!" The voice said again. "Please call again! Hahahaha!"
"Nex..." Duilin groaned. "Holy shit..."
The figured appeared again, it was Valos, but different. He had spikes on his shoulders, and a pentagram on his forehead instead of his tattoo. The Talonscar symbol was on the chest of his grey muscle shirt.
"Not quite, my friend. Nex was just my former body's name; I'm now in the body of Valos. I've been in it for quite some time, he's just had the greater control that's all, hehehe."
"What the hell do you want?!" Duilin shouts.
"I want you to come with me now...I am unstoppable so you may as well surrender yourself now..."
Duilin narrowed his eyes and gave an angry look at Valos...
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday March 30th, 2006
The fighting narrowed into a few pockets of hopelessly outnumbered soldiers. They fought on madly at the Grey troops and the troll creatures. Vincent waved his hand.
"That is enough."
Although he was angry at their resisting his new found power, he knew when enough was enough. General Ajax was nowhere to be found, anyway.
"Take them alive. If they cooperate, allow them to join our ranks. There is no sense in killing good men."
HIS men now...
----
The stone continued projecting the three thoughts, one after another, in the same order. They seemed to increase in urgency as the sun approached the western horizon...
Posted by: Trent on Friday March 31st, 2006
The trio stopped killing crimson soldiers.
"Hey," said Xenai, "Are we free to go, or do we still gotta do that prison escape dealie?" o_o;
--- --- ---
Aura was following the directions spot on... What's so urgent all of a sudden? Why Romme?
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday March 31st, 2006
Vincent turned to see Xenai and the others helping route the Crimson soldiers.
"Hmmm, well I suppose you did prove yourselves. Actually, I could use a few more good men, if you're interested..."
He placed his hands behind his back.
(Chapter 8 ends in two days.)
Posted by: Trent on Friday March 31st, 2006
"We're not really interested in joining, but I suppose we could stick around and help out with things for a bit..." Zion answered the question for them.
"...I'm not sure that's such a good idea for me." Tsu glanced to the side and frowned.
"Because of Aura, huh?" Tsu simply nodded to Zion.
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday April 1st, 2006
//omg - I'm back! And in the Brotherhood! <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /> Could someone tell me what's going on in the RP, please?\\
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday April 1st, 2006
//Teh Crimson Empire got pwned and teh Grey Empire has basically taken over and teh Aspyes just pwnd a bunch of towns and revolutionized them and now there at teh camp restoring lol. (Sorry about that I recently pwnd some noobs on C&C Renegade) Steorra is with Darak, she'd probably be the best character to control for now, since Ein is with the others, resting. Darak, Vincent, Steorra and Zion and his buddies have just fought a battle against the Crimson Empire.\\
(Hmm, I hope Zeros' posts soon.)
Posted by: Zeros' on Saturday April 1st, 2006
Zeros' smirks and steps up, directly in front of Valos.
"Ah.... Valos... Nex... Whoever you are... How are you?" he says cheerfully, a hand resting idly on the hilt of his sword. "We missed you all so much," he said sadly, is if he was truly disappointed Valos/Nex was actually gone.
"Why'd you have to be so mean?" he sniffs, looking at Valos/Nex sadly, with big, wide, puppy dog eyes, before they rapidly change.
"Oh well. That's life," he shrugs. "Now... What the hell do you want?"
---
Allen continues to give directly, also wondering why they had to go here.
Posted by: D. Ein on Saturday April 1st, 2006
//ah, the chapter ends in a few days anyway. I won't bother posting then\\
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday April 1st, 2006
Vincent brought his hand to his chin.
"Hmmm, very well, I suppose I could allow you to stick around. Just don't try anything funny..."
He turned and entered a less damaged portion of the fortress as the setting sun painted the western horizon a bright red...
----
New visions were cast into Allen's mind as the island came into view-- a spot to set the stone on, a complex alchemic circle to draw around it...
Their questions would be answered in due time...
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday April 1st, 2006
Darak holstered his axe and wiped the sweat off his forehead and then walked along with Vincent.
-------
Valos grinned, exposing his dirty teeth and bleeding gums. "Draven and the Crimson Empire are gone." Valos begins "So the Grey Empire prevails now. I have requests from one of the Grey Empire superiors for Duilin to come with me. No harm will be done to him. If you, Zeros' wish to join, I assure you, we will easily be able to destroy Haraldur. Our empire is much more powerful then Draven's and goes stronger by the minute."
"By gone..." Duilin asked, "Do you mean dead?"
"From what it appears, yes, dead."
Rink rubs his forehead; he's unsure what to think of all of this.
Posted by: Trent on Sunday April 2nd, 2006
"..." Tsu wasn't too excited about the news.
"Understood. Thank you."
"We'll be little angels, don't worry 'bout that."
--- --- ---
Aura continued to follow the directions, now coming up on the island. They were pretty much there. "Any specific spots to go to?"
Posted by: Zeros' on Sunday April 2nd, 2006
Allen told Aura about his most recent vision. Now, he wanted to badly to get there... It was interesting.
---
Zeros' shrugged.
"You know, that's our choice. Also... Why the hell would I join someone who raped my mother, genius?" he asked lightly.
Posted by: Trent on Sunday April 2nd, 2006
She arrived at the designated spot, helping Allen off the disc in case he was still injured. The disc turned back into the hairpin, and it went into its usual spot. "Allen, what is this place? And... will you be able to walk on your own now?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Sunday April 2nd, 2006
(Don't want to leave Allen and Aura's quest hanging, but they can just pick things up next chapter.)
Vincent patiently watched as the former Crimson soldier opened the lock. Hands behind his back, he entered the storeroom along with several other Grey soldiers. Coming to the end of the stairway, a single lighted torch caused the entire room to glisten in a yellow hue...
Gold...
Vincent smiled. Yes, this would do nicely as his payment...
To be continued...