Taliza A hole opened up in the sky right next to Taliza. She shifted out of the way just as a giant furry troll came rolling out. She was glad she had moved because by the look of his size, he would have broken her back. It landed on the ground with a huff and Taliza cringed at his smell. From her experience Trolls were usually peacefull but they smelled terrible, as this one did. She also knew that they were not nearly as smart as dragons, or even humans. They usually kept to themselves and were smart enough not to mess in the affairs of Dragons. There were rumors however that they liked to steal dragon eggs because they thought they were pretty. Those types of trolls didn't live to admire their trophy for long. The troll sat up a look of terrible confusion on his face. She understood how he felt. To be dragged through a hole in the sky and land in a world far from home. The large-smelly-troll would probably be confused for a long time. She shifted herself a little further away from the unpleasent-smelling-troll. She hoped it was friendly, because if it wasn't, she would have a hard time killing it by herself.
Bella: Portals and Prods Naiki blinked, the flames of Isel's burning pillar reflected in her eyes as she studied the stranger across the clearing. He knew she was there and didn't seem to quite believe what he was seeing. Curiosity beckoned. She caught the eyes of the stranger and prodded. "Don't think I have not seen you there, I know you see me. A stealth predator...The blood of many stains your hands, but not that of my Tribe." Her first weaves hadn't had much effect. The Nasgar still had its attention fixed on Erif. Once more she cast out her thorny Echo weave into the depth of the serpent's mind. "Again you face a foe, who banished you at the behest of your puppet master...And you know history has a way of repeating itself. The deep circles await. Threads and strings and puppet's wings..." Over and over the words resonated and spread like ripples across a pond. "Enough!" The Nasgar howled, impotent fury twisting its already horrific face. "Be silent demon ghost..." "Threads and strings and the puppet's wings..." The singsong voice continued to mock. The Nasgar bellowed in rage, lashing out savagely with his chink scaled tail. Naiki pulled the weave tighter, the voice getting higher, darker, and just a little manic. "Puppet bound on threads and strings...Poor sad creature of the severed wings." She knew she hit a nerve, a very raw nerve, as the snake twisted, flailing its head back and forth as if trying to dislodge the voice. With impish glee she hit the spot again. The Echo weave went deeper. The Nasgar's eyes bugged in its sockets, nearly choking on its own fury. The huge, clubbed tail of the serpent came up and connected solidly with its own head. Thud. Thud. Thud. Crack... The monster reeled, knocked half senseless by its own tail.
Ekard "Don't think I have not seen you there, I know you see me. A stealth predator...The blood of many stains your hands, but not that of my Tribe." The voice rang clear in his head as though it was his own thought. It sounded... authoritative. Whoever wielded this voice was likely in a position of power, or would do very well in one. A hunch told him this voice came from the dragon - no, lizard, dragons weren't real - that sat across the chaotic scene of wolves and fire. The lizard had made eye contact with him briefly; he didn't feel so hidden anymore. Fool, he thought to himself, Did you ever consider the possibility this lizard is trained in concealment as well? It's likely that it's as good at spotting others of the craft as you are. ... and why do you still call it a lizard? Surely, in a world where men stand in fire and large beasts talk to your mind, dragons can exist? Ekard quickly suppressed his own inner-voice. He wasn't in the mood to accept facts. Not that he had a choice, though; he could call the thing a lizard all he wanted, but he knew he would always think of it as a dragon from this moment forward. Looking behind him, he saw the portal back to his home was gone. Well, good riddance. Even if he had to throw out everything he knew about reality to stay sane in this world, it was certainly better than the hellhole he came from. He laughed to himself, mentally; this adventure should turn out most interesting.
Tom, Erif, Tamara “Any idea how we’re going to do that?” Tom replied, "I have a shuttle, we would be required to use that to get on board but the chances of success are slim. We need to consider other options, I don't know this world, so unless you possess a energy source capable of self-destructing -" *Crackle* Tom... Wilde.. Goddamnit answer me. We are holed up in the Widow's Hospital.. we need -cuts off - Tom's index deactivated as the transmission ceased. Tom sighed, "Tamara's still alive, then that really does change things. This is the choice we have to make. Sacrifice the survivors to end this infection, or save them." --- Erif watched with amusement as the Serpentine's tail slammed into its head. He was also aware of a troll landing nearby, and the strange thoughts of someone hiding, but that was not his concern, he drew his massive stone sword, it nearly matched him in height, and yet he wielded it like it was a feather. With the Silduinor groggy, he ran forward and with one swing cracked open the blackened armor of the Nasgar, as it recoiled he used it's tail as a springboard, landing half on it scales, clutching it with his desiccated hands he smiled, "V'sun re'cun. Death is but a whisper a way, Nasgar." --- Tamara was sitting on the operating table, as the doctor dressed her wounds, fortunately it was from debris, and not the ghouls that now owned the Black Widow. It seemed the Hivemind had been able to hack the Widow's systens and remove all opposition, his infection was relentless, his children hungry for flesh and willing to assimilate. There was however, those here who would turn in time. She frowned at that. She had come to know these people, and to execute them this way was wrong in so many ways. She thanked the Doctor and got to her feet. The door at the far end of the sector had been barricaded. This was also the only place where any of the Widow's defences were active, although she admitted to being terrified, she heard voices. In so much pain.
Bella: Chinks "V'sun re'cun. Death is but a whisper a way, Nasgar." As Erif split the armored hide of the Nasgar, Naiki knew the moment was at hand. Hindquarters bunching beneath her like a cog bound spring, she launched herself in massive vertical leap. The fern fronds shivered as she passed between them, her water weave an argent veil at her back. Ice and fire and shattered light, the fledgling was little more than a whispered song as her wings flared wide. Catching the wind and the threads of her symphonies, she circled the group twice. Music coursed through her veins, the hum of battle thrumming in time with her heart and wings. Her water veil mimicked each motion. Power gathered as she let instinct hold sway. Scenting blood, she knew the chinks had been breached. She now had a target and was gathering more speed with each circuit of the clearing she made. The weaves were holding pattern, taut and primed. The circle brought her back toward Erif and the widening chinks of the dazed Nasgar. Flowing like a twist of ribbon, she suddenly pulled up, snapping her head and tail in the direction of the warrior and the snake. Wings, neck, and tail parallel to the ground, she launched her spearhead weave at the fissure of the serpent's armor. A fluid pull of a forefoot, froze the point solid as it bore down upon its mark. Spearhead and beast met with a satisfyingly meaty thunk. The Nasgar bellowed, a dark blending of pain and rage.
That great, wall-like serpent was dying, Ekard was sure. A man, if that desiccated pile of flesh could be called such, had swung around a huge sword like it was nothing. The... dragon, as he reluctantly called it... was flying around, not doing anything Ekard was aware of. Maybe it had something to do with the sudden sound of point-meeting-flesh. He hoped the man with the sword didn't notice him. Perhaps the ability to hear thoughts was unique to dragons, but Ekard wasn't sure he should trust his own sense of reality anymore. Maybe this was a world where everyone could hear your thoughts. If I'm not safe thinking to myself, I might as well think to others. Maybe they'll hear me and explain this mess. Still, they looked busy, fighting that serpent and all. He could question them another day. Trying his best to refrain from thinking (a task that proved to be quite difficult), he set about exploring the surrounding area, melding in and out of shadows with ease. Ekard was looking for anyone else in the area to talk to. Anyone. Anyone to tell him where he was, anyone to tell him him what was happening, what that serpent and dragon and wolves were doing. He explored a few miles in all directions, leaving markers along the way.
Sykis raced through the halls of the castle of Termir, the broken chains on his wrists jingling with every step. The hair on his forehead stuck to him like after a bath. He was almost there now. This part of the castle was abandoned, as was every other floor higher than the thirtieth - every capable hand was in Termir, fending the city off from the shadows that were engulfing it. The forty-sixth floor. Terandias would be here. Sykis bound off the curving stairway and through a set of finely sanded wooden doors. The hallway before him ran nearly one hundred paces to its circular centre, where an emerald sphere of magical energy was glowing. Sykis raced towards it. Even with his vision slightly blurred, due to exhaustion, he could make out five figures around the magical entity. There were four on the floor, dead or unconscious he could not tell, and the fifth was the lean figure of his brother. "They've beached the city! It's too late!" Sykis yelled, slowing down right before Terandias. The older magi quickly turned on his heels as if startled, and immediately the orb of emerald light crackled with a thunderous sound, expanding to three times its size. Terandias looked weathered - as if he had aged twenty years. He turned back to his experiment almost as quickly as he had turned away. "What are you doing here?" "The city needs you!" "The city will hold long enough for me to finish this," Terandias pleaded, his voice filled with strain as he positioned his hands to control the element before him. "It will save everyone! It's our only hope!" "You don't even know if you can control it!" Sykis exclaimed. He looked around at the bodies of his brother's apprentices. What had happened here? The green crackled again, throwing both magi on their backs, and it once again grew in size. "Go now!" Terandias shouted, leaping up to assume control. Sykis knew his brother was right. He should be down there. But this was dangerous too, and the battle needed the both of them. He knew that they had taken their separate paths long ago, but were they not yet meant to meet? How much longer was it going to be? Sykis turned and headed back to the stairway. Just then the voice spoke inside his head - the voice he was used to yet still sent chills down his spine. There is another way. It sounded like grinding metal, always beckoning in its low, demonic tone. He waited until he was past the doorway to respond. "What do you mean?" I have seen into the other realms. There is another object alike what your brother intends to forge. "Other realms?" Sykis questioned the demon. "That is impossible. Even if such things existed, how am I meant to access them?" A portal. A portal? Surely those didn't exist either. There were studies done on portal magic eons ago that still remained inconclusive. Sykis had read about them himself. But before he could reply, another voice came into his head. He was used to voices, they had been speaking to him for years now, but never had one sounded so human, so close to that of his own people. Hear me Mage of the dark shadows - the power that you seek lies through this portal. Quickly, come to my aid and you shall find all that you seek! And just as the voice promised, a crack in the air appeared before him, expanding to the size of a small doorway. It was completely black, and as Sykis walked around it, the portal stood in its place, waiting for him to enter. Go on, the demon insisted. "How do I know this isn't some sort of trick?" You know very well I cannot lie to you, the demon spoke again, those chains, the chains around Sykis' wrists jangled magically, bind me in such a way. Sykis knew this to be true. The magic bound the demon to his soul, which could always tell when it was lying. He reached to touch the portal, and placed his hand inside. It felt like still water, calm and relaxing. He looked back toward his brother's laboratory. The essence that was being harnessed inside could very well bring an end to everything, but it could also destroy the older magi. Two last hopes were better than one. Sykis stepped through.
Power Summoned and Power Withheld The Nasgar thrashed its head and leapt into the air. The twice penetrated wound kept it from flying and slowed the beast considerably but the serpent had not given up yet. Its tail snapped like a whip and wrapped around the cursed little dragon that had attacked from the shadows. Several trees were felled as the creature fell back to the ground. With a mighty shake of its head it threw Erif from its back where his decayed form collided with the nearby Faramar. Isel watched his companions tackle the snake fearlessly and was pleased. Magnalian, however, was up to his cowardly tricks again. The wizard had vanished, teleported from sight. Isel barked to his fiery wolves who immediately put their noses to the scent. Isel pulled his clawed hands upward in front of him igniting the trees nearby and turning the battlefield into a Hell of smoke and fire. Hidden above the ground in one of those trees Magnalian coughed and choked on the smoke that billowed around him. He knew his time was limited. Quickly, he lapsed into the dreamscape and called out to a powerful creature he had reserved for just such a time: "Hear me Mage of the dark shadows - the power that you seek lies through this portal. Quickly, come to my aid and you shall find all that you seek!" Returning to from his brief meditation Magnalian conjured a portal in center of the battle field. He could have summoned Sykis directly, but experience had taught Magnalian that letting the minion believe he was under his own will often proffered better results. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Tamara's still alive, then that really does change things. This is the choice we have to make. Sacrifice the survivors to end this infection, or save them." “If only we had the Orb,” Greywind asked as he dismounted from Raef to join the others. “Its power is nearly invincible, with it we could save your people and this world. Magnalian believed it to be here, perhaps still in the hands of Pyree.” He looked at Atlas. As the only other member of the group who had been there when the Orb disappeared and Magnalian had gone after it, he hoped he would agree. “If this evil is as dangerous as you say,” Greywind added turning back to Wilde, “then we certainly cannot go armed like this.” As the words left his mouth his thoughts turned quickly to the box in his satchel. The mysterious goddess had given it to him just before coming to this world, claiming it held great power. No such a power would be too dangerous, and besides the goddess had never returned as promised. It would be too great a risk, he couldn’t open the box, at least not yet.
Taliza Taliza cocked her head as this the humans spoke of the mysterious Orb. <This is the second time I have heard of an Orb of great power. You claim you can use it to save lives, the others claimed it would only bring destruction. However your hearts seem honorable whereas the others followed a demon. If you truly mean to use this power for good, I will assist you, until I can find my way home. If, however, I sense that you intented to use it for harm; know that I will not hesitate to burn you where you stand.> She let out of puff of smoke hoping the humans would take her warning to heart.
<This is the second time I have heard of an Orb of great power. You claim you can use it to save lives, the others claimed it would only bring destruction. However your hearts seem honorable whereas the others followed a demon. If you truly mean to use this power for good, I will assist you, until I can find my way home. If, however, I sense that you intented to use it for harm; know that I will not hesitate to burn you where you stand.> Greywind stared at the dragon in shock, less from her threats and more from the revelation that she had met with other Orb seekers. “You mean you have met others who know of the Orb? Was it Magnalian the Summoner they followed? Does he yet have the Orb?” If Magnalian found the Orb before they did the consequences could be dire. Would he leave, return to his home world, and allow the infection Wilde spoke of to destroy them all? Or would he subjugate this world also? Either way there was little time to both find the Orb AND destroy this evil disease of Wilde’s.
Bella: Webs Its tail snapped like a whip and wrapped around the cursed little dragon that had attacked from the shadows. Several trees were felled as the creature fell back to the ground. The Nasgar's tail closed around Naiki like a steel trap, pulling her out of the air. She yelped in surprise. Panic beat at her senses, but she fought it down focusing on her songs. She had a foothold on the beast's innards. Her ice point had gone deep. The weave whispered across her soul as she reached for the frayed threads. Needle fine and blade sharp, the twining edges of the ice point liquified and spread, following Naiki's refrains. As a spider weaves its web, so too, did she dig the blades of water between the chinks. Once beneath the armor of the serpent, she forced the points back into ice. The razored weave tore into tender flesh as the scent of blood filled the clearing. The Nasgar howled in agony, tossing the small darkkin into the air like a toy. Off balance and disoriented, Naiki instinctively plied her wings to the air, throwing herself high. Three wing strokes and she was clear of the treeline. She hauled her weave threads with her, cutting deeply into the beast, but even her faithful water weave had its limits. The Nasgar was huge, much larger than anything she had ever gone up against. The internal body heat of the beast finally overcame the daggers of ice, rendering them harmless. The damage, however, had been done. She now had a blood track and a fire weave in reserve. Huge bruises stained her brilliant wings, angry banners of war. Keening her rage to the skies, she allowed her senses to settle and set up for the next attack run. The Fire symphonies echoed across the forest, sending small creatures racing for cover. Off in the distance, Naiki saw another group gathered around small fallen objects. She recognized Taliza and was that a...Troll? She didn't have time to dwell on the matter.
Ekard finally finds a place in this RPG “You mean you have met others who know of the Orb? Was it Magnalian the Summoner they followed? Does he yet have the Orb?” Ekard nearly jumped at the sudden sound of this voice, but he quickly crouched back down. He had just found this odd group seconds ago, and upon hearing no voices in his head, decided he would stick with this one, at least for now. They could probably answer my questions. What's this Orb, and who's Magnlian? He unconsciously riffled through the cards in his pocket. Ekard was a bit frightened, especially of the troll-looking fellow and dragon, but he had to get involved somehow. He wouldn't leave himself for the wolves to eat. Ekard stood up and walked towards the group in plain sight, trying his best to imitate someone who had just stumbled upon them. "Can any of you explain what's going on here?"
<This is the second time I have heard of an Orb of great power. You claim you can use it to save lives, the others claimed it would only bring destruction. However your hearts seem honorable whereas the others followed a demon. If you truly mean to use this power for good, I will assist you, until I can find my way home. If, however, I sense that you intended to use it for harm; know that I will not hesitate to burn you where you stand.> Tulbuk sat up from his prone position to sitting, his legs lying flat on the ground. He saw a dragon puff smoke after a long tirade. A dragon?, he thought, I thought those were all gone. Dragons take too many eggs, kill too many angry-at-troll dragons It glared at Tulbuk for a moment, and he feared the Mountain might need to come out. She turned back as a human started talking. Tulbuk didn't listen to the human, as he slowly realized that it was night where he was. It was day when I go in portal. I spent many years learning seasons...I don't like this... The night was not also filled with the fire-breathing lizard, but also humans. Tulbuk had never met peaceful humans, and felt like maybe saying 'hello' to them. Or that might be his light headed-ness, everything felt lighter around him, including himself. Strange world, strange feelings, strange humans...Tulbuk didn't like this. The humans, didn't even notice him. He realized he had time, so Tulbuk used this time to look for some shrubs. The dirt on the floor had no shrubs, just grass. He plucked a blade when no one was looking. Sweeter than the last grass he had. Tulbuk nodded. Maybe strange world not so bad. Tulbuk sighed. But still, he if he was mildly interested in this Orb thing, these humans looked concerned. Helping them sounded fine, and an Orb of Great Power sounded like something that could get him a lot of shrubs, but humans? And a dragon? What was school good for, if it tells you dragons are all dead, humans are always evil, and seasons never change? Tulbuk shook his head. Tulbuk looked over and saw a new human, looking a lot more motley, just seem to appear. Magician maybe, Tulbuk thought, as the human asked, "Can any of you explain what's going on here?" Good question. Tulbuk listened in. This was probably worth listening to.
Corporal James Farmer (Atlas) "Can any of you explain what's going on here?" It took all of Atlas’ self-control to refrain himself from aiming his rifle at the newcomers: a giant monster-like creature, even larger than the dragon that already accompanied him, and a strange, thin, almost inhuman figure which stood on stick-like legs. “What is this, a goddamn freak show?” he muttered to himself through clenched teeth. There was a pause in the conversation as everyone attempted to acknowledge each other, and their situation. Atlas swallowed his wariness and spoke up. “You all got here through some portal from your world, right?” Atlas didn’t need a reply to know it was true. There was no reason for such a variety of creatures and beings to suddenly appear and gather in one place. It was like when Atlas first dropped through a portal into Magnalian’s world; chaotic, confusing, and maddening. “Some magician, his name’s Magnalian, used some sort of orb device to cause all of this. Created a whole crap load of portals, and brought us all here. Now we’re in a giant multi-world shit-storm, with alien-parasites raining on us from space, and a crazy wizard who’s on the loose out there somewhere.” He paused for a moment, and glanced at the faces watching him. “And that’s about all I know, really. Oh and there was also –” Atlas cut off mid-sentence when he saw more strange creatures emerge from the foliage behind the troll. There were a lot of them, and something about their ghastly figure told him they weren’t here to make friends. This time, he did raise his rifle. The monsters were at least six feet tall, and were padded with some sort of shielding. But what caught his attention the most was their massive curved claws at the ends of their arms. “Stop your advance or I’ll open fire!” Atlas warned them. Instead, the ghouls raised their claws and charged at the group.
Taliza “You mean you have met others who know of the Orb? Was it Magnalian the Summoner they followed? Does he yet have the Orb?” <I do not know of this summoner but I did meet one who held the name Magnan. He was strange. Even for a human. Spoke of having a dragon essence and he held to voices rather than one in his mind.> Before more could be said one of the soldier looking humans yelled, "Stop you advance or I'll open fire!" Taliza looked behind her to see a group of dark-ghouls charging towards them. As they drew close she swept 3 off their feet with her tail and blew a torrent of flames on two them. Why would these creatures attack a dragon unprovoked. They must be very stupid creatures indeed.
Faramar As Faramar regained his senses, he heard the cries of agony. Before he had just stood by, for the four-legged creatures did not engage him, and he was reluctant to attack his former companions. He had virtually no time to dodge the incoming boulder that was Magnan's altered body. Luckily the snake, his enemy from past ventures, had attracted all the attention. He pushed the seemingly unconscious being aside and checked himself for injuries. Blood dripped from his forehead, where there was a fairly sized cut. The warrior chuckled at the irony. Apart from that, he seemed to be fully operational. He picked up Jor'Reda and searched the skies for his glowing companion. It seemed she had also gone unnoticed for the time being. The group that had come to Magnalian's encounter was now fighting the snake. The scenario was one of chaos, with flames and smoke masking the stars. The summoner, however, seemed to have disappeared. I'm on my own then... again. he thought With his deal being apparently canceled, he was free to help fight off the gigantic monster. Nasgar, he recalled. Before he jumped in though, he did a tactical assessment of the situation. The Nasgar was already in very bad shape, with his bone armor cracked and pierced along most of his body. His decision was quick, and he whistled loudly. Serene came flying to his encounter and landed in front of him, as if awaiting commands. "Alright, friend. What say you we give these people a hand?" Faramar proposed In reply, he got a cheerful squawk. "Alright, then. What you are going to do is distract him. Aim for his head, and I will go for that nasty open wound." he said as he pointed to the nasty gap. Once again, a squawk. The warrior smiled at his bright friend. "Well then, fly well my friend." And it was off, screeching intensely, although the sound was quickly muffled by the much louder screams of the Nasgar. Faramar gave the phoenix a ten second lead, after which he too, leapt in the air and advanced toward his enemy. As he approached, flying slowly to ward off any attention, he saw Serene spitting jets of flames at the beast's head in majestic dives. The plan was working. The Nasgar pursued the phoenix furiously, ignoring everyone around it. Now, it was his turn. From his slow flight he accelerated into a dash, completely parallel to the ground with Jor'Reda pointed straight at the wound. He quickly hit the mark. His sword went half-way into the Nasgar, and it immediately went into a frenzy, screaming in pain and anger.
Ekard fights, kinda It was all Ekard could do to not scream in frustration when the ghouls showed up. What was wrong with this world? He had gotten answers, at least; although the person giving them had the looks of a soldier who could and would snap Ekard in half if he even thought wrong, a hyperbole that had pretty much lost its meaning with all the mind-reading going on. When the ghouls appeared, he did what any sensible man with his sort of talents would do: melt into a nearby shadow and hope the ghastly creatures didn't have extraordinary vision. If one of the things came too close, he slashed it across the chest or back and gave it a good kick towards the rest of the group, refraining from moving any body-part out of hiding besides his arm and leg. Allow the competent to take care of this. Ekard eventually settled into a sort of rhythm, and allowed his thoughts to wander a bit. When the attack stopped, if it ever did, he decided to lead the others to the battle with that giant serpent, with the wolves and the man in the fire. Maybe this Magnalian fellow would be there. And speaking of Magnalian... That orb he made caused all this trouble? That must be a pretty powerful orb, then; Ekard could use something like that. It was then he realized what he was doing, and quickly stopped with the thinking. Who knew who else around here could read minds?
"Stop your advance or I'll open fire!" Tulbuk didn't think he was smart. No Troll had ever said so. He quietly wondered at why the six monsters that had seemed to just appear would attack something like a dragon. It's eggs were no where near here. Five creatures had been obliterated in a matter of seconds, and the sixth decided to get near Tulbuk. Tulbuk stood there watching it come closer for a moment before the Mountain decided to drive. The creature was coming too fast to bring the hammer around, so the Mountain just cocked his gauntleted fist out and slammed in into whatever made the creature's chest. Not that the creature itself could recognize it after the Mountain punched it. As the creature sailed off into the woods it came from, Tulbuk came back. His fist hurt. Stupid Mountain. What good is hammer for if he doesn't use it? Tulbuk turned around and saw, at that moment, everyone was accounted for, except for that motley one. Tulbuk started thinking about 'giant multi-world shit-storm' and 'alien parasites'. It didn't make much sense to him. Humans will tell Tulbuk what to do, he thought. Tulbuk sat down once again, pulled a handful of grass from the ground around him, and started chewing.
Tom, Erif 'Time. Infinite. In our tragedy. It defines us. Those with arrogance. And those who dared to shape the living. My cries of war against my oppression have gone unheard for too long. All must die.' --- There was chaos, in its endless symphony, he heard it all around his new found allies. Fools. Engaged the massive snake, he had dealt a fatal wound, exposing its vulnerability, and yet his sword lusted for more, tainted by the blood of the Serpent. He went to his one more time but he was thrown off, in a moment he collided with something, if he was mortal, it would have seriously hurt him. But Erif Angam was not mortal. The undead form rose his bones clicking and scraping back into place, he lifted up Provence and stamped his foot, forming a rhythm. The Nasgar was soon shrouded in dust, blinded. Like a Sandstorm. Then he noticed some new arrivals. They weren't his concern but very soon - He heard hissing behind him, a strange orange creature with long dangling arms and thick bulky legs was charging at him, it was soon joined by several other badly misshapen creatures. One of which was larger, he could tell from its shape and size it was stronger, harder, and more fearsome. The thing arms of the others, that were probably deadly in their own right paled compared to this fiend. It seemed to scent Erif and charged. The pace... what pace.... --- <This is the second time I have heard of an Orb of great power. You claim you can use it to save lives, the others claimed it would only bring destruction. However your hearts seem honorable whereas the others followed a demon. If you truly mean to use this power for good, I will assist you, until I can find my way home. If, however, I sense that you intented to use it for harm; know that I will not hesitate to burn you where you stand.> Tom said nothing instead intrigued by this strange device. The one known as Greywind replied in shock, and then revealed there were others. Then out of the foliage someone else appeared. Wait how long have you been there? There was now a lot of them. “What is this, a goddamn freak show?” muttered Atlas through clenched teeth. "Could well be." Atlas was cut off from his rant when more Ghouls appeared, although they were quickly dealt with still, he raised his own rifle and sensed - It leapt and landed on one of his troop pinning the man down and driving its teeth into his throat. With one swift the kick the creature was sent sprawling to the ground. Tom disengaged his safety and planted a several bullets into the Ghoul. "How is he?" The other soldier who was now attempting to attend the wounds just shook her head, the man's eyes were seething with range, and they were orange. "Stand back" "But sir," "That's an order private." The woman hastily got up and stepped back. Tom aimed his rifle at the man's head, he was shaking slightly, "Killing my own... I'm sorry." The shot rang out, and it was brief but Tom saw something calming in that man's eyes. Release... peace?
Magnalian/Greywind “Faramar you fool!” shouted Magnalian, appearing next to the winged warrior. With a moan of mortal pain the massive snake suddenly bagan to burrow, shaking the ground as it disappeared. “You cast the fate of your world aside so easily? I was a fool to believe better of you.” The Summoner gave an icy stare up at the eyes of Faramar. Such lies and deception were so common to his tongue that they came effortlessly. A hot glow moved in toward the wizard, disctracting him from his rebuttal. A ball of lightening from his hand sent the dire wolf flailing. Just then Magnalian noticed the incoming horde of strange creatures. Isel had certainly changed from the naïve creature he had summoned so long ago, but these creatures had a far more evil essence than even Isel would side with. “Quickly, I offer you one more chance,” he spoke sternly to Faramar, “Come now while our foes are distracted. We must find Pyree at once, if only to warn her of the evil that chases her!” Magnalian glanced toward the portal, that stood open still. Part of his energy was still tied up maintaining it. His new warrior had better arrive soon, or he would have to close the gate as he fled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Savage teeth snapped closed around a wisp of vapor where Greywind’s arm had been. In the etherverse time and space were different. Before the sound of gnashing had faded Greywind reappeared atop the creature. It clawed hands swiped, but again the wraith-man vanished. This time he reformed directly below the ghoul and drove his dagger up into its upturned throat. A second creature suddenly landed in a crumpled heap next the massive troll that had appeared during the fight. He looked up and smiled to see Raef’s dark silhouette against the star speckled sky. A sudden shot from a rifle range out across the landscape jarring Greywind’s attention, but not more than the solemn silence that followed. Wilde stood still and quiet with his rifle still poised at his deceased comrade. “By the Eltol’Ha why would you do such a thing?”
Bella: Weaver Magnalian glanced toward the portal, that stood open still. Part of his energy was still tied up maintaining it. His new warrior had better arrive soon, or he would have to close the gate as he fled. Naiki's attention was snagged by the flashes of flame and shimmering gold above the clearing. A phoenix. A feral smile quirked. This snake was well and truly toast. Yet there was something off. Shifting her senses she pulled up the song planes. The threads were distorting and fraying. Something was ripping the fabric of this world. The void being, the magician, had opened another portal out of thin air. The coward was running. Her soul screamed at the injustice, but they still had not seen her. Everyone was still to busy with the Nasgar, who was dying at its own pace. Her molten silver gaze locked on the wavering portal. She knew what she needed to do. The bruises inflicted by the Nasgar, now provided an extra bit of camouflage against the darkened sky. Her wings were utterly silent as she flew, sighting the portal. Raw elements would do her little good here. She reached for the threads of the Intangibles. Spirit and Echo. Each wing stroke, subtle flex of a muscle, or snick of a talon added power to the glowing weaves. Violet and silver, interwoven in a net of living song. Spirit healed, sealing wounds rent in hides and souls. It was a light in the darkest places. Echo was a mirror, reflecting nothing but the truth. It became a shield, amplifying the effects of a weave tenfold. The two intwined, became an incredible force to reckon with, but the young darkkin was through playing nice. The last portal he had opened had brought the Nasgar. What new hell would emerge from this one? She wasn't going to wait around to find out. Banking hard, she rolled a shoulder and set her wings with the wind. Each smooth stroke sliced through the air like a blade, propelling her forward with delicious speed. The symphonies of her weave sung to her soul, melody and counterpoint. One stroke. Two. Three. Four. Five. Nearly there. She slid through the trees, a dagger between ribs, sighting her target. Just before breaching the clearing, she misted, her draconic form dissolving in a cloak of mist and stardust. The heavy velvet of her cloak tickled her ear as she regained her mortal form. Bella's small feet hit the ground running. Petite, black clad, and dark haired, she was all but invisible as she sprinted toward the portal. Her fingers whirled through a graceful dance as she set the final threads of her dual weave. "By the Stars it will not end this way." Her eyes burned with the ancient glory of her songs and people, as she darted into the clearing, her path carrying her between the Magnalian and his portal. Bella lobed her dense weave at the rent, casting it wide like a net. Setting her song points, she anchored her weave across the opening. It wasn't perfect, a man could still slip through, but at least it would keep anything massive from emerging until she could collapse it. The edges flared and wavered as Bella pulled the weave threads tight and began forcing the tears in the songs planes back together.
Sykis It was quiet. The world Sykis knew had disappeared, and here there was only blackness. Blackness and shadow. He was floating, calm, relaxed. It was like a dream. Maybe he was sleeping. Then a figure crept past in the distance. Sykis' gaze shifted. It was the same colour as everything else, but he knew it was there. Frightened? It asked, now behind his ear. "No." The magus responded coldly. Hahaha! The monster cackled. You should be. Sykis dismissed the demon's words. "How long does this take?" As long as it needs. "I don't suppose you could be more precise than that?" I do have a name, mortal. He knew the demon's name. It was Adramelech. But he never called it that. Names were for friends, and this thing was nothing of the sort. It was his slave, but for how long? If the demon somehow managed to overwhelm Sykis, that would be the end of him. Just then it happened. Suddenly everything rushed into existence, and chaos replaced the blackness. Fire spat at him from all sides as trees burned, sending thick plumes of smoke to the heavens. Before him was the strangest group of people he had ever seen, and a creature the size of twenty floors of the castle of Terrafel. Everyone seemed to be attacking it, and it was angry. You must help the Nasgar. It's what he wants. "What is a Nasgar?" Sykis clenched his teeth, trying to get a bearing on his surroundings. He stood close to what appeared to be a little girl, her hair in ebony curls. She had the most intrinsic eyes he had ever seen. That giant creature. He took another look at the battle, completely ignoring the girl for a moment. Who did Adramelech mean... he? Who was he? The only one who looked like he had the power to conjure a portal was the grey-haired old man in robes. Magicians wore robes where Sykis came from, so that was probably the safest bet. The old man looked anxious, and truth be told, a little frightened. But if the voice belonged to him, then he was the one Sykis had to help - he could give him the power he needed. Sykis thrust his hands forward, locking his arms wrist-to-wrist, palms facing toward the serpentine creature. He would reinforce it, and then see to the attackers. The only problem was that nothing seemed to be happening. He shook his hands, visualising the spell, its effect. He had casted it a multitude of times before, but now nothing was happening.
Bella: Fire and Water The Magnalian didn't seem to notice her, his attention divided between the warrior and the portal. That brief respite, however, would end as soon as the portal failed. Her weaves were holding, actually mending the tear. Bella staggered back as the ground beneath their feet buckled as the Nasgar burrowed. The portal behind her was collapsing, but not before a man stepped through. Chains dangled from his wrists. Power whispered in his wake, but it was not wholesome. She took another step back, her silver eyes enormous, seeing far more than they should. This man was demon bound. Blast and damn. You must help the Nasgar. It's what he wants. The voice of the demon was clear as day to the young darkkin. "Oh no..." Bella hadn't realized she had uttered the words aloud until the Magnalian shot a questioning glance her way. Sprinting across the clearing she tried to make sense of the melee. Wolves. Fire. The Nasgar's hole. She had lost track of Erif and Isel, as well. It was like something out of a nightmare. But there was still time. How deep had the serpent gone? She still had a blood track on it from the water weave she had cast just moment's before. The burning halo of her fire weave drifted out of the darkness, its voice a lush waltz in her soul. It was time, time to prove she was a true Zabooku. Drawing a deep breath in, she gathered her strength. A large bruise glowed bluish black against the pale skin of her cheek, but grim determination was written across her face. Her eyes flickered, the silvery irises limned in deepest violet, a narrow band of molten gold, and the elusive indigo. Spirit found the track, water had forged the path, now fire would light the way. Her soft stride brought her to the edge of the Nasgar's hole. The songs welled in her soul, her palms tingled with anticipation. Thrice she whirled her graceful two-step to set her fire weave spinning about her like a maypole ribbon. Twining and swirling, but never touching. One final pass brought her to the edge of the hole. Her right hand whipped out and sent the weave deep, chasing the path of the snake. The fiery twist disappeared over the edge of the hole and into the darkness, reflecting off water that had collected in the tunnel. Bella's smile gleamed. Her earlier weave had pulled the water table in this area much higher. Shutting her eyes, she stretched her senses, following in the wake of her fire weave and the noxious glow of the Nasgar's pulse. Her weave was within striking distance. She snapped her right arm out and splayed her fingers. Her fire weave expanded into a storm of embered threads, each targeted at the network of gauges beneath the Nasgar's armor. A ghostly howl rose like a demon's lament as the flaming brands found their way into the monster's flesh and began to dig. Deeper and deeper and deeper. The acrid smell of burning flesh flooded the area. Her weave had found its mark. The green glow of the earthern weave threads were seething across the clearing. It looked like the snake might be coming back up, directly opposite from its entry point. As if in answer to her question, the ground bulged once more. Opening her eyes Bella rushed toward the distortion drawing her fire weave along with her. The songs were fading, it would burn itself out very soon. "Know your world, Bella. Know the planes and you know yourself and you will never be without." Ben's words echoed in her head. The indigo ring within her silver eyes flared, glowing with power as Bella reached for her greatest strength. Water. Skirts and cloak swirling about her, she twirled and cavorted, drawing the cobalt threads of her beloved element close. Water flooded out of the mouth of the Nasgar's hole and came gushing toward her. The Nasgar's tunnel was now completely submerged. Now all they had to do was wait.
Padoc In the depths of Theta Prime’s jungles, a battle was brewing. Demons burned in the form of wolves, monsters lunged at their own allies, alien beings descended from the sky, and new heroes were thrust into a chaos unlike anything they had experienced before. It was a multi-universal war, an epic conflict between good, evil, and the search for a weapon of immense power. However, Padoc wasn’t anywhere near the excitement. No, the shade had a much more discreet route through the forest. Smoke billowed hazily in the distance, and black dots lined the horizon, but his attention was fully focused on his new-and-undead identity. It wasn’t every day that he found a perfectly usable martyr with which he could commit his impish acts. Since he had acquired the body, he had learned two things: that the man had been killed by a break in his neck, and that he was a general. The first fact had been obvious; the second, a pleasant surprise. Never in his existence had the shade stumbled onto a corpse of such power. Just think of all the fools he could boss around! He could practically imagine himself shouting orders at a bunch of useless cronies. Heck, why not have some fun with it now? “All right, you lot!” Padoc barked, glaring at a group of non-existent soldiers standing by a row of trees, “Get a move on! Line up! You ain’t here ta be pluckin’ grass, now, are ya?” He straightened his undead body, inflated his chest, and retracted his arms behind him, giving himself a stereotypically general-like air. A grin attempted to force its way onto Padoc’s face, but he held it in as best he could and released another bellow. “Now, we’re in a rather tight spot, here.” Padoc paced slowly before the line of invisible soldiers, his chin held unnaturally high. “We’re in enemy territory, right here, behind enemy lines. This forest ain’t like anything you’ve been. Those trees,” he waved at the line of foliage, “are enemy trees. Those stones are enemy stones. And those black stars…” He pointed at a black dot in the sky that seemed larger than the rest, “are enemy stars. Keep an eye, out, men. The enemy could drop out of the sky, for all we know!” As if on cue, an explosive ‘thud’ pounded behind Padoc, sending shock waves that blew away Padoc’s imaginary brigade and sent the shade’s feet flying out from under him. Somehow he managed to fall flat on his face without even realizing it; glancing up in a daze from the blow, he felt the ground shivering with aftershocks. Where in the- had something just fallen out of the sky? Argh, this world was horrible! Groaning, he began to lift the corpse’s hulking form back into a stand. Burning smoke billowed behind him; charred bits of dust and dirt clung to his arms. He stretched himself out, easing himself onto two legs, and turned toward the rubble. What had fallen was something out of an inventor’s nightmare. A black, metal egg, smoking like a pipe and glowing with unnatural heat. It was of human design, or at least, something like a human, but its purpose was indistinguishable. What, was it a bomb? A house? A paperweight? Then, quite suddenly, it lifted open, blowing more smoke into the air and revealing the shadows of some strange creature. It certainly wasn’t human, that was sure; nor was it a beast that Padoc had ever seen before. Curved claws, scaly skin, and a glare that would make any small animal run for the hills made up its most basic structure. Point: there was no telling what this creature would do. Growling, it clambered out into the open, rolling its curved claws against the metal and bristling its scaly skin. Padoc, in an attempt to render himself invisible, froze himself still. If the thing was carnivorous, it might not notice the standing piece of carrion a few feet away from it. Of course, there was always the chance that it might be a scavenger… For a moment, the creature surveyed its surroundings, sniffing the air, testing the ground, and altogether ignoring Padoc’s presence. Then, suddenly, as though something had called to it, the beast spun toward Padoc. A rush of fear swelled through the shade. Perhaps, if he continued to stay still, it would lose interest. So long… as… he didn’t… move… The creature sauntered up to Padoc with a carnivorous grin, analyzing the living corpse with mild interest. It circled around it, bumped into it a few times, poked at its arms and legs. Then it roared. Unable to retain his composure, Padoc let out a rather un-general-like ‘aiiiyeee!’ and scurried away from the beast, his weapon pointed shakily towards the creature. Apparently, the squeal had been what the creature was looking for, because it nodded happily and hurried off into the woods. Padoc paused, blinking repeatedly, as though to confirm his disbelief in the previous scene. Well, that had been… odd. Not the oddest thing he’d seen, but still fairly high on the list. Stretching his tense muscles, he glanced off into the direction the beast had gone. The thing had seemed to know where it was going – at least, it knew the general direction to go in. Did that mean there were more of those freaks? It didn’t seem like a good idea to check. Still, Padoc’s curiosity got the better of him. Slowly, he followed the trail left by the creature, winding his way through the woods until he was stopped by a familiar sound. Voices. Human voices. Was he imagining them? Creeping through the underbrush, he spied the heads of several creatures, all speaking in the human tongue. No, no, he wasn’t imagining them. There were definitely humans here. There were seven of them, maybe eight, and all of them were armed. At the edges of the clearing, Padoc spied an over-sized crow, a dragon, and what appeared to be a troll. For some reason, they weren’t attacking the humans, but their own monster kin; the strange creature that Padoc had followed. Several of them had banded together, attempting to lunge at the group of humans, but had their heads blasted off instead. Out of the corner of his eye, Padoc spotted one of the humans firing at his own kind. The despicable little thing. It was bad enough that humans had used their machines to endanger every magical creature in his world, but now they were using them on each other? Well, it didn’t surprise him any. Humans were vicious, selfish creatures. Another of the strange creatures flew past Padoc and embedded itself into the treeline behind him. Well, that was it. The monster rebellion was over. The scaly creatures were scattered all over the clearing, nothing more than crumbled heaps of flesh and blood. Padoc almost felt bad for them, the poor things. They hadn’t had a chance. Not against humans. Definitely not as mortals. Glancing at the weapon in his hand, he entertained the thought of avenging their deaths. Certainly, it’d be more interesting than running around aimlessly in the woods. And, to be quite honest, he was looking forward to screwing with these humans’ heads. So he was outnumbered? He didn’t care. It wasn’t like he was trying to kill them or anything. It was all just going to be a bit of harmless fun. Really, it was. A grin formed on the shade’s face, and he dropped the firing machine on the ground. No use in trying to shoot something he didn’t know how to fire. No, he needed a different kind of weapon. Something with claws, razor sharp teeth, and a voracious appetite… Moonlight pulled shadows from their figures, casted the portals for Padoc to enter. In the half-darkness, he pulled himself from the corpse of the general, slinked to one of the dead creatures, and embedded himself into the shadow of its corpse. A twitch of the hand. A palpitation. Padoc held the beast still, waiting for his energy to circulate, waiting to leap. On the count of three, again. One, two… And strike!
Isel Redfang “Quickly you fool!” Isel's keen ears picked the voice of the Summoner out above all the commotion. His eye quickly followed to see his foe standing amongst a threesome. The beautiful Bella stood between Magnalian and a man Isel had not seen before. He smelled of magic, likely one of Magnalian's minions summoned from worlds beyond just as he had once been. So naïve he had been on that day. The Summoner told him how he hoped to heal worlds with his creation, how he had chosen Isel to aid him so that he could heal his home first of all. Isel had served Magnalian for many years, steadily growing more wary, but incapable of escaping to his own home. Until that fateful day when the Summoner made his Orb, and completed his betrayal. Isel leapt across the field and landed between Bella and Magnalian. A few barking orders and the dire wolves divided their turned their attention to the newcomer, racing after him with flame and claw. “It is the end Summoner,” he called to his former master, “tell me where the Orb is that I might crush it in your sight, or I will kill you now and my little ones will sniff it our for me. Either way you both shall parish.” At his words a rumbling in the earth could be felt as the Nasgar bore its path through the earth away from the battlefield. The serpent seemed to have deserted its master. Isel caught a whisper of a thought from the creature as it left. It seemed to have been badly injured, but was more incensed that Magnalian did not wield the Orb.
