Chapter 19
From DALpedia
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday December 6th, 2008
- Shuba, Factory of Dark Science, Government Conspiracy Cover-Up Room -
"Are you MAD?!?!" Dr. Smizlworf banged his feeble hands on the table. "The NGO are NOT things to be trifled with! They are propulsion devices! Using them as... as a power source for this monstrosity is mad! MAD!!!!" He proceeded to pull his white hair out of his scalp.
"Dr. Smizleworf, please take a seat," Vincent replied tersely. He pointed to the gargantuan technical design scribbled upon the wall with his pointer-stick-thing. "In order to power the BRAIN and the advanced weaponry systems of the new sentient airship design, codenamed SAD, we need at least 100 times more energy output than the Soverign's Hammer primary attack laser. By spinning the three NGO around each other in a vacuum as shown, we effectively create an energy nexus--"
"MAD!!!"
Vincent sighed. "Mikail, smack him."
The cerulean robed adept got up from his seat and slapped the old man across the cheek. "OWWW!!!"
"*Ahem*... As I was saying... this I already figured out and installed onto the ship by myself. Our only obstacle is the BRAIN-unit, or rather, the crystal which with uplifts the automated machine to a slave-like sentience, fully capable of taking and performing orders on its own."
Mikail quietly shut the door behind him as voices raised again. He wasn't actually part of the meeting, only being an adept rank, and had duties to attend to elsewhere. Smoothing out his robe, he nodded to a group of initiates as they passed, then proceeded to walk down the hallway.
Everything was coming to an end now. Time was running out. Months of preparation lead to this. He had a mission. A single objective.
To assassinate Vincent Elridge.
Posted by: Trent on Saturday December 6th, 2008
- ????, one week ago -
Two powerful forces clashed. Two men, one wreathed in golden flame, the other in blue flame. Both of their auras had phoenix-like wings. They displayed an incredible mastery of combat, fighting with incredible speed, force, grace, and athleticism. The fight was mostly even. Suddenly, they backed away from each other.
The golden man spoke first. "Why are you so bent on this? It WAS your fault."
The blue man replied. "Because I hate you. You were the favorite. You were exactly what my parents wanted us to be."
"You could have been too!"
"Enough! It's... too late for me."
"...Fine, then."
The golden man raised his sword, and his aura started to flare madly. A yell, and fissures were sent through the ground, glowing with heavenly golden light. He charged forward, golden flame trailing behind him. Upon coming up to the blue-flamed man, he started to unleash a flurry of slashes. "May the divine fury of the Unconquered Sun... rend your body and soul... to absolute nothingness!" After four hits, he leapt up high into the air, his blade erupting with golden flame.
"Scathing Phoenix Tempest!!!"
He slashed down with all of his force, creating an upwards explosion of golden flame. The other man's aura had died down a bit, enough to reveal his features. He was wearing a long black trenchcoat, like some guy out of the Matrix. He had fair skin, and short brown hair. His eyes were a hateful blood red. He glared at the other man, whose aura was still burning strong.
"That was good, brother."
"It's my best attack."
"I can't beat you as you are now."
"No. You can't."
"What will you do? Kill me?"
"... No."
"That's what I thought." The flame died down all the way now. "I can't allow you to be in Creation anymore." He pulled a small black ball out of his pocket. "I cannot bear to be reminded of the weight of my sins, time and again. So be gone." With that, he threw the ball at the golden man. A black hole appeared where it landed, right at his feet.
"What the...?! Silverwater! What the hell is this?"
"I'm sending you away."
"What do you mean, away? Where to?"
"I have no idea where you're going. And I don't care. I just want you gone. Goodbye, William."
"Damnit~~!!!" The hole sucked him in, and he was gone.
- Kainengrad, Streets -
A normal-looking man wandered the streets now, and the expression on his face showed that he had no idea where he was. He had fair skin, blue eyes, and a brown... mullet. He looked around, trying to get a feel for what was currently up here.
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Sunday December 7th, 2008
~ Ariosis, Province of the Drannic Empire ~
Chaos is but a crude word one would use to define what befell Ariosis as its armies were on leave. The land was struck by a ferocious invasion of a near-by province in its empire, but long-since forgotten about until now... Dranniville. The Drannivolka, after having been conquored by Ariosis and having fought along side that empire, had now turned upon it, seeking revenge.
Lead by a fearless marauder named Captain Lucas Gracchus, the onslaught lasted but a mere seven days; it took the Drannivolka only one week to ravage the countryside of Ariosis. The lands were pilaged and all of the cities sacked and plundered; overthrown by the invasion. The legions of the emporer's finest were all but powerless to stop the Drannivolka, and were either slaughtered on sight or captured, imprisoned, and condemned to death.
The people, however, suffered a fate far worse than death. They were enslaved and put to work, and if they were too old, or too weak, they were killed. The women and children cooked and cleaned for them, and the men labored in the fields. Some select few were put to work in the mines; there, they prospected the crystal caves that were so prevalent on the mainland, mining them to the bare rock. They were then sold for a profit. As the armies of Dranniville prospered, the people of Ariosis suffered.
Some of the slaces were even sold across certain, old and forgotten slave trades. The majority of inhabitants upon the mainlands of Ariosis were changing drastically from human to Drannivolka, and more civilians started to migrate from Dranniville to the mainland; Ariosis. Some spare slaves to the government were sold to the new arrivals and put to work. Unfortunately, most humans who lived in Ariosis weren't much of the proper labor force, and that being the case, many died by overworking themselves.
The rest of Gaian was ignorant of the happenings in the Ario Empire, or rather, the Drannic Empire. Even if the federation decided to act and help the humans fight back, it wouldn't matter; not much could be done to save the humans in this state. Moral was horribly low, and they seemed to accept their fate as a sort of punishment from Gaia. Rebellion for them just wasn't an open option.
Death was now common in the once-peaceful empire, and more humans died from torture and overworking than from battle. Ariosis was in a sad status, and the old prejudices and racism that had been nearly lost forever returned in bloom. Hatred between the two races was common, and it would be weird if there wasn't any between them. Unfortunately for the humans, because of this, things took a turn for the worse...
An official Dictum/amendment was made to the Drannic Empire's constitution. It was the Edict of Purification, called by "Emporer Gracchus," and by humans, the Edict of Genocide. It was anounced earlier this day, infact...
EDICT OF PURIFICATION:
All humans that did not have a Drannivolka master were to be captured immediately and given a master, with which he could either sell to another master, the government, or put it to work. If there is any resistance what-so-ever, it is to be given to the government for a reasonable price or put down straight-away by its master. Any human that exceeded the age of fifyt years was to be put down. Those humans that are unable to work because of weakness and/or disability are to be put down straight-away.
"Rebellion... is not an option..."
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday December 8th, 2008
- Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room -
Abodos continued to step toward Duilin with a sinister grin.
"Go ahead." Duilin roared back. "Do your worst. Nothing you can do can hurt me."
Abodos lifted his gantleted fist and arched in back. "We'll see."
The demon lord jumped at the even more monstrous creature before him, yet before he could make his attack, he was struck in the chest with the gantlet and forced into the wall of the building, cracking it around him and making an imprint. Before the demon lord could even retaliate he was blasted by several lightning blasts from the uncovered hand and forced through the wall. Duilin fell through and began to fall toward the ground below the tower.
Nex laughed. "Excellent, very excellent masters. The merge seems to be a complete success, am I correct?"
Abodos looked at Nex and glared, actually making Nex flinch, but the demon/lich's glare faded and he simply nodded at him.
"Yes, indeed it is."
"So...Master Abodos, is it?"
"I shall grant you worthy of speaking my name, slave. Yet very few others shall I grant the permission too."
"Very good Master Abodos." Nex bowed. "So, shall I see to it that the scum Duilin is finished?" He stepped towards the hole in the wall and summoned his scythe.
"No." Abodos lifted up his hand in front of Nex. "Wait."
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Monday December 8th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room ~
Everyone in the room seemed to forget that Doriana was still there. She was hiding, however... in fear. The fear of seeing Abodos was enough to make her disappear into hiding, which she did an excellent job at. Except, even as now wasn't the time to hide, she neither cared nor complained; only hid in fear. Her mind wasn't... "on right, at the moment," for want of a better phrase.
However, something that did set her off was how Duilin was pushed through a wall. Something about it made a certain something inside her click... and she was indeed set off. Her cloak vanished and she extended her claws to her sides. A sort of heavenly aura surrounded her; it wasn't quite a visible aura... but it just seemed so majesterial...
"Hey, you'd better get THE HELL away from him right now..." She stood there, tall and proud, and confident for once. Her hands tightened upon the grips of her assassin claws, ready to evade an attack at any given time and trust the claws into her opponent's flesh.
"Or else..."
Posted by: Dude Man on Tuesday December 9th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room ~
Nex laughed manically as he saw Doriana jump out
"Don't worry I don't think I'll have an easy time touching him while he falling to his death. But if you really want to save your friend Duilin why don't you fly down and catch him before he smashes on the ground like a rancid melon."
Nex stroked the lower part of his mask.
"Master Abodos, perhaps you'd like me to dispose of this fool?" Nex scanned the room quickly and then pointed at Valos. "And perhaps that one too?"
//Gonna wait for Ein\\
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday December 9th, 2008
- Kainengrad, Streets -
He looked around a little more... and then up. He could see a tower, burning. He could hear a lot of commotion. "What the hell?" Then mumbling as he started to approach it. "Figures the first town I'd find in this world..." And then all of a sudden, he saw some dude bursting through the wall of the tower... and then falling! "What the hell?!?!"
Instinctively, he took off running toward the tower. It wasn't very fast at first, but he picked up speed. He was trying to hold back, as he wasn't sure how powerful people here were, and what their attitude was toward the super-powered. He was running as fast as a normal human would. I'm not gonna make it...!
Posted by: D. Ein on Tuesday December 9th, 2008
-=Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room=-
It was clear that while successful, the merge was still having a detrimental effect on Abodos' mind. After a severe jolt of pain, he instinctively smashed yet another wall down with his right hand, while grasping his head with his left. The pain appeared so intense that Abodos partly keeled over, the claws on his hand dredging into his skin. Shortly afterward, however, he straightened back out.
-"Nay," he growled. "Abodahon has had his turn. You will finish that one."
The clawed hand dripped blood in Duilin's direction, while Abodos himself turned his empty eyes toward Doriana.
-"This one made a hole in my old robe. I have a score to settle... personally."
Abodos, now fully turned facing Doriana, lumbered toward her with the gauntlet clenched into a fist.
-"Looks like the kitten found its claws," he jeered. "Let's see if you live long enough to provide sport."
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Tuesday December 9th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room ~
"Damn you..." At that instant, Doriana cast haste upon herself and leapt out of the building, flying down at a faster rate than Duilin. She then used a small bit of manipulative telekinesis and got under him. She then grabbed on to him and held him tightly as they both hit the ground. She took the impact of the blow, and was nearly killed upon it, coughing up blood.
"Ugh... you... alive...?" She barely managed to spit out those last words before she plopped back down in a lifeless state. Her life was at an edge; the spark that it was merely flickered as she slipped out of consciousness.
- Please don't let my sacrifice be in vain.* She sent this message into his head before she slipped out of consciouness; she was very close to death. It seemed at hand for her, and this time, she willingly embraced it.
Posted by: D. Ein on Thursday December 11th, 2008
==Kainengrad Command Center==
Stopping midway, Abodos looked down at the crashed people beneath.
-"I've had enough." His growl seemed uncharacteristically level this time. "There are more important places for me to be, likewise, more important things for me to do."
The demon lobbed his heavy frame off the Command Center's ruined building, and opened his wings midway to the ground. Like a bird of doom, Abodos' silhouette cut the sky as he flew wherever his chaotic thoughts guided him.
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday December 11th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room ~
"Nyahaha!" Nex jumped off the building and flew down after the two. He watched as Doriana sacrificed herself for Duilin and continued laughing, as he watched her die, from afar...
---
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
He landed on the ground with great force, making a loud thud and creating a cracked dent in the ground.
"My, my how noble, even when you're on a temper tantrum your friends are there to save you." Nex mocked.
Duilin slowly got up and saw Doriana's life starting to slip away from her. He could save her, just not in this form...but he can't change on will...There's nothing he can do! He just kept getting angrier and angrier about this. He stood there, bruised up, with his fist and teeth clenched as he growled at Nex.
"Well, what are you waiting for, boyo?" Nex twirled his scythe.
Duilin made a ferocious roar as he dived at Nex, managing to tackle him onto the ground and pin him down. He dug his hands into the ghostly demon and began ripping away at his endless amounts of robes covering him as he roared in his face...
---
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Captain's Room ~
Valos dug through the rubble while Abodos flew off, luckily not noticing him. Pushing over a chuck of the wall, he found his sword, it was pretty beaten up, but the blades were still sharp enough to kill.
"Damn it all to hell, now I gotta get my ass back down into the city..." Valos groaned.
Posted by: Trent on Thursday December 11th, 2008
= Kainengrad, Streets =
He continued running, even as he saw someone come out at great speed, moving underneath the falling man to save him. He then saw some huge demon fly out of the tower. This brought him to a stop for a bit. He then continued running toward the tower, and eventually arrived close enough to see what's going on. He hid behind a building and watched.
Posted by: Xorlak on Saturday December 13th, 2008
- Shuba, Factory of Dark Science -
Mikail was an easy target. A low rank and unimportant in the alchemist academy.
Traversing the loud factory and subsequent upper residence areas wasn't difficult for one of his talents levels. He slipped in his room at night and killed him.
Then he stole his form.
He'd been wearing Mikail's body for months now, and it was beginning to drive him mad. He had absorbed many of his memories too-- not all, but enough so that suspicions of the switch would be minimal. Sometimes he even thought himself as the human. But he longed to dispel the transformation and return to his true form. Such magic was new to his people and his greatest fear was that the spell would be irreversible.
But still, he had a mission.
Of all the Captains, Vincent was the weakest, yet the most important. His power wasn't overbearing like the militant types, yet his diabolical contributions to the Kandarinians' war machines proved him to have played the worst role in the mad empire's reign of terror. That is why he was the target.
They made a critical error in that assessment.
Vincent, a living being of liquid metal formed into the shape of a human, was nearly indestructible.
It had taken him months to get close to the mad alchemist. Months of studying his form, and what made him tick. Vincent's condition was the result of a potion with its effect gone awry, he learned, and then an adjustment to the very alignment of his molecules. Two effects, melded in one. Two spells that needed to be undone.
"Silver Hunter, do you read? Silver Hunter, do you read?"
"I read, Gray Master." "Mikail" said into the glowing gem. It was quiet in his dark room, and he spoke at a mere whisper.
"Something has come from the netherworlds. Something far more dangerous than the target."
"I've seen it. The target spoke with it and I watched from the shadows."
"How? What is it? It's energy signature..."
"I don't know. I left with the target immediately."
"It is the result of no mere summoning, Silver Hunter. Kronos has returned, more powerful than before. Should such a force grow wise of what we are doing here..."
"Duilin was there. I saw him."
A pause from the glowing stone. "Then the Gaians are taking care of it. Abort mission."
"I can't do that! The target is on the verge of his most horrific creation yet!"
The voice on the other end sighed. "We cannot risk our race once again by getting involved. The situation has changed with Kronos back in the picture."
"No one will know. And we owe the Gaians that much."
"Silver Hunter... we can't send backup."
"I know."
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday December 14th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
Nex laughed masochistically as Duilin ripped and teared away at Nex. Eventually hunks of flesh and boiling demonic blood starting to flail out of Nex. Duilin roared again at his foe.
"Stop laughing!!" Duilin commanded with rage, he sped up his thrashing at him yet slowed down considerable after a few seconds.
Nex's laughs started to calm down. "Duilin, Duilin...You just don't get it do you?"
Suddenly a firey explosion was summoned from Nex and Duilin was knocked away, and tumbled onto the ground, rolling several yards away.
"I hate to break your high spirits but not even Retan had the power to fully destroy me." Nex explained.
Duilin got back up and growled. "Why won't you die!? Why won't you EVER die!?"
"Because, Duilin, it's just not my style. I am beyond it. You see, I used to just be able to come back after dieing, but after my body was destroyed on Romme a few bits and pieces were gathered up by Pheonix and brought back to the Talonscar which was used to reform my body. And well, due to such a massive attacks and deaths my body has gone through, it built somewhat an immunity to all the damage. I heal much, much faster now, and even a little bit can make me come back. In fact I can rip myself up into dust and fly around and be able to put myself back together again. I'm some sort of a ghost, in that sense I suppose."
"That's...impossible. That's just not fair!" Duilin roared.
"Of course not, you think you would have learned that by now!?" Nex stated, with anger in his voice. "You think you would have learned life isn't supposed to be build of sunshine and dewdrops with all the shit you've been put through? Ignored by your father, witnessing your family's murder right in front of you? Enslaved, abused, tortured. Finding out the truth of your father? Loosing several of your best friends? Not even knowing how most of them died."
The demon lord, Duilin roared back. "I don't let that get me! I know what's right and wrong! I don't take that bullshit! I hate all you sadistic heartless jackasses, who just rape, torture and kill everything!"
Nex laughed.
"Shut up! Stop laughing! I'm gonna rip you up so badly now, you'll ****ing regret being able to regenerate!"
Duilin dove again at Nex, yet the robed demon didn't allow him to attack him. With a swift slash of his scythe he cut across Duilin's chest and pushed him away with the blade. The cut wasn't enough to cause any lethal damage to Duilin so he simply regained balance and got himself in a fighter's stance. He wasn't gonna give up this fight, he assumed either there was a way around Nex's uber-regen power, or he's over exaggerating it.
The two circled each other, yet Duilin got sick of it and summoned two demonic bone flails, one in each hand. He threw one of them at Nex, and while he motioned to block the other, he gave a curved throw with the second and it smashed right into Nex's right side and knocked him to the ground.
"It's on now, freak." Duilin taunted.
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Monday December 15th, 2008
~ Ariosis, Azzken Endor (capital) ~
And at the height of all the chaos was but a mere, mortal Drannivolkan General. He put himself on a level above everyone else, what he considered 'beyond anything petty'; he was in full control of everything the previous empire owned, along with a few new things he developed on his own... hatred from his subjects. And the funny thing about that was he enjoyed it, and bathed in its wake.
There he was, sitting on his throne; the ruler of a new empire. It was a palace built for a god, lavish with all kinds of exquisite furnishings and tapestries. He sat there and enjoyed the sweet taste of revenge combined with an aftermath of a fiercly deciding battle.
"How wonderful. Finally, it's all mine..."
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
Doriana wasn't quite done yet, however. She was in a poor state, true, but that didn't quell the fierce life within her. It was brought to a flicker, and was close to the edge, but it still remained. She wasn't ready to give it up, however...
High up into the air, beyond the clouds, soared an angelic figure. He was illuminated by an incredibly bright light that enraptured all that beheld it. He flew down upon the scene where Doriana lay and placed a hand on her chest, sending in wave after wave of healing energy. As time slowly passed, she began to draw a more audible breath than before. And soon, her eyes twitched open. She was brought back, against all odds, by this heavenly figure.
"Welcome back, old friend." With an outstretched hand, Bjendell helped Doriana to her feet and smiled as she had the strength to stand on her own; maybe even the strength to continue the fight. The angel then summoned his holy abilities to conjure up a pure energy sword that glowed a bright white. It was a two-handed blade, six feet long, and broad from hilt to tip, narrowed and sharp at the tip and the edges.
"Good to be back," she said, getting a better grip on her claws. She decided to wait before she fought again, however, not feeling fully up to fighting again. As this entered her mind, she walked over to the near-by command center and sat down against its outter wall, letting Ben have all the fun with Duilin.
"Allow me to lend a hand!" The angel then flew beside Duilin, landing perfectly on his feet, touching the ground softly. He readied his two-handed holy energy sword. "Let's finish this fiend off once and for all, eh?"
Posted by: Dude Man on Monday December 15th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
Valos made it to the courtyard and saw the commotion, as well as Doriana sitting near by. "Hmm, I'm not sure if that angel guy should be bumping into the Duilin when he's like this." Valos said to her about Bjendell. "Duilin may still have a lot of control over himself in this state, but he's overly aggressive and easy to piss off."
Valos was right. Duilin growled at Bjendell. "Get out of my way, or I'll smack you! This is my fight!"
Nex laughed as he jumped back onto his feet and then wisped through the air at Duilin pushing him away and into a near by building, smashing into the wall, cracking the entire side of the building. Nex pushed with a little more force and knocked the wall down and forced the whole building to collapse.
Valos stepped towards Bjendell. "Hey, Flyboy the second!" He said pointing at him. "Did you happen to see a giant ugly-ass demon-zombie fly out of the tower a few minutes ago?" He asked him. He then looked up into the sky. "It's probably going to be something we are going to have to worry about pretty soon. Duilin can handle Nex by himself." He then looked at the two fighting. "Despite the fact he just got his ass smashing into a building, I'm sure he'll be fine. Nex is strong, but Duilin was starting to surprise me even before he transformed."
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Tuesday December 16th, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
"Heh... just the same as you always were... fine then, he's your problem now." Ben then let the light blade disperse into the air, causing the overall charge in the area to be holy. It then, shortly after, returned to its normal status. Ben then turned around and saw Valos, walking over to him swiftly.
"No, I'm afraid I didn't see him... this demon creature... he's something we've got to worry about then?" Ben walked over to Doriana and helped her back to her feet, the pair standing before Valos.
"D'ya have any idea where he might be goin'?" Doriana began, "We might be able to cut him off. I don't know, though, that guy looked pretty damn strong."
"Do not worry yourself with battle right now... he doesn't look like he's coming back."
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday December 16th, 2008
= Kainengrad, Near Command Center, Courtyard =
Will continued to watch the spectacle from behind some building. He was still trying to be stealthy, but his eyes were wide in astonishment. Action wasn't new to him... But this kind... it was a little different from what he was used to.
Oh crap! That building being destroyed? It's kinda really close to where he is now. He shrinks back behind his building, trying to stay hidden. He's not looking to get sucked into a conflict he knows nothing about.
Posted by: D. Ein on Tuesday December 16th, 2008
==Kopenka, Somewhere on Terian==
Baron Gonseng is a genius.
There is a limit to how much abuse a person can take. It differs from person to person, I suppose - some may snap at the smallest thing, others can take a lot before it is too much to keep bottling inside. Some rage at the increased prices of bintmeat, while others rage at the sight of their loved ones slowly wavering in the wind, strewn from the steeples of the Baron's castle. As it is painfully obvious, there is a rather large discrepancy between what makes each person's mental braces bend and break under the pressure of boiling hot anger. And that, I therefore deducted, is what makes the Baron such a gifted individual.
He managed to cross that line for every single person in Kopenka nearly at the exact same time.
Without the Sovereign's watchdogs, at times hilariously pious in the execution of their duties, it is safe to say that no one truly liked living under Kronos' reign. The Lich, no matter how saint he made himself seem at times, was not loved. Truly, how can one love a half-decayed corpse? He littered the streets with the walking dead, making a sniff of an Albatrash dung pit seem like a wave of sanctified aroma sent by the divines. He created arbitrary laws, only to strike them down the next day - and without telling anyone. Indeed, a fellow may be imprisoned for life because of a law that is gone with the following dawn, only to serve as a momentary source of amusement for Kronos.
Yet despite all these, as a friend put it, shortcomings, Kronos was tolerable. His corpses did, in fact, made lives easier for many people who toiled in the fields or broke bones at construction sites. He edified the simple folk, granting many peasants education, as well as jobs, and, subsequently, payment to fit. As for his musings... well, he has claimed victims, but he was different - he was the only one.
When he expired, all Citadelic hell broke loose.
Every single scribe, every single guard, every single whore, every single nameless idiot who has ever stepped foot into the Citadel had scattered all across Terian. The Baron was one of those - lucky little people, bitter at their treatment by the Sovereign and mindless from the surge of personal power, went off to claim a city as their personal play-toy. They came and declared their lordship in the name of the new Sovereign, who didn't even know about three quarters of these incidents. Gwen was completely powerless; she was a General, not a politician. Now, perhaps in many other cities like Kopenka, there are people just like me - crowds just like us - brandishing pitchforks and torches, advancing toward the raving fakes' castles to wipe them off the face of this planet. Free from any oppression, free to start anew...
The crowd advanced, slowly but surely, like a thoridium caterpillar. The younger ones were scraping their pitchforks against the ground, likely in an attempt to seem threatening. I think the Baron's guards did not need any more demoralization after they saw the castle's only Vanguard ripped to pieces by the angry mob. Most of them were now holed up inside the dark building in the middle, peering out in the manner of chipmunks hiding in a rotten hollow log from a python. As the mob hit the impenetrable walls, they surged outward, burning surrounding buildings and trampling each other. It was then that the despicable Baron made an appearance.
-"Peasants of Kopenka!" His shrill voice pierced my eardrums, even from this distance. My place was behind the crowd - I would have to be twice as young as I am now to charge mindlessly at the castle. "Hear me, peasants! I think you have the wrong idea here: I am the one with the guns! I am the one to give orders! Now back off and into your homes, and maybe I will spare some of you later!"
A well-thrown torch, barely missing the short Baron's disproportionally large top-hat, answered for itself.
-"Very well!" the Baron shrieked. "You choose to die now! Guards, spears!!!"
The three-foot long spears barely made noise as they cut through the air, and, seconds later, through flesh. On another tangent, he who invented spear guns really did have the right idea in mind: they may use up unholy amounts of metal, but the spears were a truly demoniacally effective demoralization tool. The entire front row of the crowd froze in grotesque positions, impaled by the enormous projectiles. Only seconds later the second wave came, fired at a lower angle; these spears dug through the flesh of several before finally settling at their grim rest. The scene of the rebellion soon took the shape of a child's insect collection, immortalized by pins on wood.
Mass panic ensued. I myself felt the stings of unease strike my heart. How many more spears did the body guard unit have? How are we going to get through those walls? Were we truly destined to fail?
-"Coscades!" I heard a call from the side. I recognized a colleague of mine, working in the same library, calling my name. "Coscades, we have to run! I heard the Baron kept a stash of spears in his castle; there is no chance we'll succeed!"
His voice of reason worked, but not as well as a dark reminder of the situation that came to me in the form of a spear. As I dashed to turn toward Suran, all I saw was a glimpse of his face, frozen in a surprised grimace, and two streaks of metal extending to and from his head, down into the ground. My mind was quick to purge itself of any thoughts other than "run", turning me to the same animalistic state as every other participant in this rebellion.
Posted by: Dude Man on Sunday December 21st, 2008
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
Duilin slowly got up and dusted himself up and stood growling at Nex who laughed at him manically.
"Alright, boyo." Nex mocked. "Time to ride the LIGHTNING!"* He stuck out his fingers and shot a series of red lightning bolts at the demon lord.
Duilin roared in pain as the electricity ran through his body and pinned him in place.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Nex chanted as he pushed lightning into him. "DIE! Die!" His intensity of his speech and attack began to slow down. "Die...Die...and...Stop." He stopped his lightning and Duilin feel to the ground smoldering. He stepped toward his toasted body. "Alas..."
Then in a split second Duilin jumped up and slashed his claw of a hand at Nex's head, nearly breaking it off. The neck snapped and his head was at a 90 degree angle from where it usually is.
Nex stared at Duilin blankly for a few seconds as there was moment of no movement.
"...Ow!" Nex exclaimed. He grabbed his head and snapped it back in place. "That hurt, you jackass!"
- Modern day death-row references FTW
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday December 26th, 2008
- Factory of Dark Science -
Mikail drew the runes with utmost grace. He had to hurry. But he had to take his time, as any mistake would be fatal. The tiniest flaw could kill him. Or worse-- not kill Vincent.
The chalk lines filled the floor. They covered the walls. They reached towards the ceiling. The empty hallway became a deathtrap specifically tuned to undo the workings of a single organism. A complex symphony. A weave of alchemy and magic. No one else could trigger the trap. But the lines could be smeared, so he barred the doors.
"What's going on in there? Why won't this door open?" A muffled voice sounded at the hall's entrance.
Blast... he needed more time. But he couldn't blow his cover yet! "H-hang on. There's something in the way of the door." He absolutely could not afford the guard going to get help.
He pushed the chair aside and slowly opened the door. Adept rank alchemists like himself could order the guards around... but not the guard captain that stared into his face.
"What's the matter? Why was the door barred?"
"I... uh... don't know." He threw the guard captain off by opening the door the rest of the way with a snap. "Come on in."
The grizzled Kandarinian stumbled forward a few paces, then widened his eyes as he saw the floor ahead covered with white lines. "Heeey--"
A flash of red and the man slumped, steaming hole in his back. Mikail shook his hand and dispersed the flame as he shut the door. That one would be missed shortly. He had little time left.
Posted by: Dude Man on Friday January 2nd, 2009
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
Duilin and Nex dive at each other locking their claws and growling in each other's face. They tumbling to the ground and rolled around and smashed the small derbies away.
Valos rubbed his chin. "We should probably check on the kids outside." He looked at Bjendell. "Ben, can you go outside the city and check on Marshall and the others who are doing all the out-side shit?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Friday January 2nd, 2009
- Factory of Dark Science -
"Why are all the torches out?" Vincent grumbled as he pushed the door open. Below, the muffled thumps of production machines could be heard, pounding out various instruments of destruction.
"Hmmm... I'm not sure. Perhaps the maintenance crew has not been maintaining them?" Mikail shuffled behind in the darkness, allowing Vincent to move further ahead.
"Tell them to light the halls. And move more guards here. The project is too important to--"
Brilliant white lines filled the floor. Vincent froze as spindles of whiteness engulfed his legs. He stood in the center of the hallway, swirling bindings wrapping around him, each chalk line jumping to life. With great difficulty he turned, confusion in his eyes at first, then deep glaring anger. Mikail pressed his back against the wall, safely away from the mass of resonating energy as Vincent hissed. "You... trai...tor..."
Posted by: Trent on Tuesday January 6th, 2009
== Kainengrad, Near Command Center, Courtyard ==
Will continues to watch Duilin and Nex for a bit, but then determines that he's not going to learn anything this way. He looks over to the tower. I should go in there. He looks back at the other people, then starts to sneak toward the tower, using the buildings as cover, to keep from being seen. He sees a door, but it's closed. Damn! He looks back toward the other people, then starts to sneak toward the door as quietly as possible, and open it just as sneakily. Unforutnately, there's no cover here. Hopefully, no one has any mind to pay any attention to the door.
Posted by: Dude Man on Saturday January 10th, 2009
~ Kainengrad Command Center, Courtyard ~
"I really have no idea where he was going, or where he is now." Valos replied. "And honestly, I think I'd rather just stay the hell away from it, but it'll probably find us. I think right now we should just focus on breaking this place apart and making sure Nex gets killed."
Duilin began to get the upper hand in the fight as he gripped his hand around Nex's neck and threw him through another building, and pointed his fingers at Nex shooting a demonic seeking-energy-ball at him creating a large gaseous explosion, consuming Nex entirely.
"I'm gonna enjoy killing you, over and over and over again." The demonic Duilin growled as he walked toward Nex's fatigued body...
Posted by: Xorlak on Monday January 12th, 2009
- Factory of Dark Science -
Mikail slammed his hands into the ground, pouring all his energy into the spell. A swirling symphony of runes surrounded Vincent, clawing, tearing at his flesh with glowing fingers.
Vincent melted into the ground, his form taking on a shimmering metallic hue. He bubbled and hissed "...trai....tor...." before slurching into an undefined puddle. Just a metallic spot on the floor.
Mikail collapsed, totally spent. It's over. Finally over...
"... Trai...tor..."
He raised a brow... no... it could not be...!
A blade rose from the metallic goo, twisting through the air like a bending sword. Red hot pain tore through Mikail's chest. Dizzyness overtook him as he crumpled to the floor in a bloodied heap. Before him, an undefined shape rose from the floor as the metallic liquid re-congealed.
It's over... he failed... he failed...
No! The transformation spell! He worked the chant in his mind as his life bled onto the floor. Not... much... time... With a warm flash, his body glowed and he began to shrink to his original shape. Silver fur spread across his body and a bushy black-tiped tail sprouted as the wound closed up. With not a second to spare, the Velken shot straight into the air as a second blade cleaved the floor in two.
Renard touched the tender spot in his chest. The transformation back to his True Form had healed the otherwise fatal wound, but that was the only time it would work. The next one would be the end.
The floating gray fox cupped his tiny claw-hands to one side, a mass of crimson flame congealing about them. No way! Why didn't Vincent die?! Looking comical in torn robes much too large for him, he thrust his hands forward and filled the hallway with a searing blast of fire, his magic power unfettered now that he was no longer locked in human form.
Every single window shattered to infinite pieces and Renard was thrown clear out the nearest one. The hallway itself was located above the factory's automated production assembly lines, the windows opening up to look below on them. Renard flew some twenty feet downward before he could recover-hover, stopping just a foot above a dark conveyor belt with some giant hammer-thing smashing pieces of metal just down the line.
Similar production-line madness surrounded him, bits of molten metal flying about as dark machines created their weapons of war. He floated a few more feet upward and looked at the smoking cinder of the overpass above, ears perked in rapt attention.
Suddenly a silvery glob burst from the center window-hole, spinning in the air and landing on a conveyor belt which crumpled to dust with a shock and explosion. As it fell, the glob grew eight spidery blade-legs which stuck a foot into the ground with the earth-shattering landing. A sort of spider-head manifested, but it had no eyes. Still, Renard knew it saw him as it turned its head...
Hackles raised, Renard gritted his teeth. "Great..."
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Sunday January 18th, 2009
~ Kainengrad Command Centre, Courtyard ~
At this, Doriana merely shrugged. She let herself lean on the nearby building, letting herself rest. Ben then looked at Valos and shrugged, his great white wings giving a flap and soon forcing him up, in something of a slight hover.
"So... where are they, for starters?"
~ Ariosis, Plains Between Azzken Endor and the Palace of the Emperor ~
And in the midst of all the chaos and corruption, there he stood; the one man strong enough to bring the empire back to its feet; the one man who could do it alone. He marched with his pure silver mail as he did in Tjed long ago. His teal-green Federation cloak was torn at the bottem and his pauldrons were scarred with blade markings from previous skirmishes and battles. Even the skin up and down his left eye was scarred with a blade mark, the eye itself blind. His Crystal sword was at his side in its sheath, and he was ready for war once again, as he was three years ago. This time, it was a civil war, and it needed to be solved with his own hand, and his own men.
"It's too late to turn back now," he thought to himself. He pulled the blade from its sheath, The blade glowing and reflecting light from the shining sun that glinted in the sky. He tilted his head back to see his men; four royal guards that were among the best still alive.
Among the royal guard: Jason Tiberius, still alive from his battle with the half-Draken Valiko; Justinian Constantine, who's return to the mortal realm sparked disagreement among the gods; Jelscyn Lorronas Varrandel, who wants peace to return as it was during its golden days; Jacklyn Lorronas Varrandel, who feels the Drannivolkan General has taken things too far. A party of a mere Human, two Gepardis, and two Drannivolka, who seek to restore the old Ario Empire.
~ Ariosis, Azzken Endor (capital) ~
At the height of the land's only stone castle, Lucas Gracchus sat in his newly aquired throne. The spoils of his war were all too great; far beyond his expectations. But as he was ignorant of the happenings within his castle, one of the guards stormed into the room. He stood before the emporer, quickly catching his breath before bringing him news of the few that approached the city (the outter walls were about 5 miles from the castle on all 4 sides).
"Emporer Gracchus! A group approaches from the field that leads to the palace; we believe it to be Aaron Grey and the last of the royalists!" In the wake of all that was divine and luxurious, the sound of finally coaxing the emporer out of his hole that was his most precious fortress should have been music to the ears of the vile new emporer. However, it was not so pleasing as he expected it to be. He was to busy trying to coupe with rebellion to have to send more soldiers out to the fields. However, he knew full well that the barracks of the city was well beyond full capacity, so he thought it would do the land good to be rid of a few soldiers.
"Well, well, well... The poor fool finally crawls out of his hole at last. Let's put the man out of his misery; let him wash in his own blood! Send a full regiment to deal with them; I want his head mounted on my wall." The guard bowed and a quick "yes sir!" followed as he bolted out of the throne room, heading for the city barracks.
"If the foolish ex-emporer wants to die, who am I to not be so merciful as to grant his last wish...?"
Posted by: Xorlak on Thursday February 19th, 2009
- Factory of Dark Science -
Explosions tore the assembly lines apart. Bits of metal flew to and fro as the metal-spider-thing that was once Vincent dashed apart the machines like so much wads of paper.
Renard dashed in between the production lines, frantically weaving back and forth through thin air as he dodged the metallic blades. Soon the floor could take no more, and the very ground crumpled to dust under the spider's multiple stabs. Though the fox could fly, a stray ceiling panel smacked Renard in the head and he tumbled down towards whatever travesties awaited him in the floor below.
He landed with a soft *thud* on something wooden... an airship deck? Yes, of course-- the secret airship lab was located underground. The silver-furred fox dodged a few stray shards of metal as the ceiling rained its debris. The metallic-spider thing landed on the far side of the deck and struggled to regain its bearings-- eight shining blade-arms sprawled amongst heaps of machinery.
Renard flew backwards some thirty feet and prepared a spell, his hands crackling with crimson flame. As the giant spider stood however, much to his surprise it clunked away from him and towards the airship's control tower. Huh? What was it doing? His mouth dropped as he watched it stick its blade-legs into the ship's hull and a few more into the walls where the control room stood. They seemed to melt... merging with the ship...
Sudden realization dawned on him. This was the experimental ship! But what were they talking about in the meeting... that it needed a brain?! Renard watched in horror as the spider melted and fused into the side of the control room. The innards of the mighty airship began to rumble...
By the gods! Vincent was fusing with the airship!
Panic welled in Renard's heart. Where as he had tried to kill the Captain, all he had done was help create a horrifying monster...
No! He could stop this!
Snarling, he zipped into a hatch and began to rocket down twisting hallways, zipping and zagging at each turn. As he progressed, the ship itself became alive-- floors burst open, pipes snatched at his feet, steam erupted in his face-- all the innards of the ship tried to kill him.
Then he was there. The inner core... the NGOs...
Sighing, he extended his hands, spells swirling about. He wished he could have seen home one last time...
A blinding light emerged form the center of the Factory of Dark Science, rocketing skyward and parting the clouds. A deafening blast blew apart the walls, scattering the bricks and metal like droplets of mud as a massive mushroom-shaped crimson plume erupted from the edifice as it disintegrated heavenward.
It was bright... so bright...
Renard opened his eyes and squinted. Whiteness surrounded him. Nothing but white...
"H-huh?" His voice echoed through infinity.
He heard the shuffling of metal and turned-- there-- some towering black figure... crimson eyes, horned helm.... oh no...
"Re-Retan?!"
The figured chucked, though more benevolently than one might expect. "Heh... sorry." He removed the black-horned helm from his head, revealing the face of another Velken. "I don't do this act much anymore, anyway."
Renard watched as the Velken removed the bulky black armor, slipping out of it with ease. The black-armored chest opened and out stepped a gray fox about his size-- which was less than half the armored figure's original height. He wore a simple black cloak, extending his hand to the now wide-eyed Renard.
Renard blinked... the sliver-furred fox looked vaguely like his master, but somehow more carefree, and younger. Definitely younger. "Lord Virmir?"
"Ha ha... Yes, that is my name, but I'm different than the one you know. Now, shall we go?"
"Go where?"
"Home, of course!"
Renard looked at his hands, then the whiteness surrounding him, then the one calling himself Virmir. "Am I... dead?"
Virmir grinned. "No. Heroes never die."
Renard scratched his muzzle, then nodded. "Okay... let's go."
The End
Posted by: Drannic_Lord01 on Sunday March 1st, 2009
~ Ariosis, Azzken Endor (capital) ~
"It's time to finish the fight..." The small group continued to march toward the capital, weapons drawn. The army of Ariosis awaited them, before the entrance to the city. But to the suprise of everyone in the field, "Emporer" Gracchus stepped ahead of his army and crossed his arms. He was rather large for a Drannivolkan, but it was still nothing to the towering Aaron Grey over him.
"So... the old ex-emporer wants to take his lands back, does he? Well, I've some news for you. I will agree to give it back..." At that point, Gracchus pulled out a brilliantly shining steel longsword. He held it out towards Aaron, who was now a mere 2 some feet away, with his crystal sword drawn.
"But only if you can take it back... HYA!" The sly Drannivolkan attempted to stab the old ex-emporer; to his dismay, he was no fighter, and lunged into nothing with his blade, falling into the grass, his blade flying out of his hands. At this moment, Aaron grabbed him around the neck and held him up a whole foot or so off the ground.
"Fine," he said as he held his other hand back, aimed at Gracchus' throat, "I'm taking it back." With that, he thrust the whole blade through Gracchus' juggular and slashed it out; blood stained the surrounding grass. As the now-deceased emporer lay in the grass, the army behind him went down to one knee.
"The fighting is over... at last..."
Posted by: Ted Der on Sunday April 5th, 2009
- Unknown -
Akran looked up into the sky as the life drained from his trembling body. Where was he? How was he dying? These thoughts barely entered his mind as he exhaled for the last time, never to breath again.
... ... ...
- Somewhere at Sea -
"Oh, my, GOD!" cried Martin, "A hurricane!" Martin flung himself from the ship as the Shadowshot flew up in the air never to be seen again!
... ... ...
- Up in the Clouds -
Day ?
I guess I'm dead because no one came to save me. ****.
Sincerely,
Elisha
... ... ...
- Cloud Palace -
Kraaz: "Oh shit. I'm dying! I guess there was a link between me and Akran and he must be dead now! Noooooooo! Goodbye cruel world!"
~ The End ~
Posted by: Dude Man on Thursday April 9th, 2009
- Hell -
Everything was burning, Duilin trapped in his demon form chased Abodos into the burning pits of hell. This is where it would end.
Using the techniques his father taught him, he would give him the most ironic death ever. He lifted his hands about him and gathered energy from all the death around him, and being in hell there was a lot of it. All the blood and gore started to gather up in a giant ball of bleeding energy above his head.
Abodos noticing this charged towards Duilin, and at the last moment Duilin threw the mighty Blood Bomb at Abodos, nearly point blank, there was a massive red mushroom cloud, and everywhere it started to rain blood. And there Duilin stood, back in his normal form. His rage has been settled and now he can rest.
- Gaian -
Valos, Marshall and the team smashed up what's left of Kandarin. Duilin comes back and kicks more ass. Everyone is happy.
La Fin...