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Post by Culmir on Apr 23, 2010 14:47:55 GMT 1
Katriana and Kael had to stop for the night pretty early, darkness fell swiftly nowadays and dawn in Erumara during summer meant the sun would come up soon and start shining hot and bright down on everyone outside. Having set up their tent Katriana had set around putting wards around their encampment, anchoring them to their tents and into the very ground so no one could disturb them and wander into their little resting place. Some of the more ambitious people had set off without camping gear, thinking they'd make it back over the mountains before nightfall and they were now suffering Erumara's nightly cold. During the night they could hear some of the men and women stumbling around in the dark, searching for someone willing to share their food and resting place. The other Katriana had warned Katriana not to let anyone near.
'Surely you understand we can't just let them into our camp' she had yelled at Katriana who cringed 'you're an idiot, whose to say they won't steal your provisions during the night and leave you out here to rot' she continued relentlessly 'you can't trust these people, some of them might still wish bad things onto you and they won't hesitate to murder you as you sleep, even if it were just to root out the competition' the black haired Katriana had yelled. Taking it all in stride Katriana sat and stared ahead of her, she had set the wards Katriana had instructed her with, knowing that they'd do the job in keeping their whereabouts hidden from anyone but she didn't agree with Katriana's reasoning. 'We're all fighting for the same cause here, we don't want evil in this land, even if it's not my homeland at all, I wouldn't wish it upon these people' she tried to reason with the black haired version of herself who huffed silently 'we're all on the same side and showing compassion might get us further than being selfish and not helping others in need' Katriana tried to explain. Laughing the black haired Katriana gave Katriana the mental notion of a head shake 'You're so naive, you are like a child when you reason like that, wake up! it's war out there, or it sure as hell is coming to that soon, and you can't sit around and baby everyone that just might need help, you'll die in the effort of helping and saving everyone, something I cannot and will not allow' she screeched at Katriana who shrunk into her cloak. Conceding in the end Katriana had bade Kael a good night and rolled up into her cloak and fell off into a light slumber
When she woke up she noticed the sun was only just beginning to brighten the horizon. Wrapping herself into her cloak Katriana sat down by the fire Kael had made while she was still asleep, she was happy Kael hadn't wandered off, she had warned him about the wards of course but she didn't know if he had faith in her handiwork. Earlier in the previous day Katriana had picked some edible berries to add to their provisions which consisted of dried meat strips, smoked fish, a loaf of bread, some nuts and a water bag. Chewing on a piece of the bread Katriana passed some of the berries to Kael "They make the bread less dry, trust me" she smiled encouragingly at him as she ate the rest "We should probably head out soon" she said when she finished her breakfast, staring over at Kael who was sitting on a log to her left.
Marya had made some progress, having overtaken some of the men and women that had passed her earlier that day she had gotten ahead of everyone else, her eyes constantly scanning her surroundings as she absently snatched some edible berries and plants from her surroundings as she walked. Just before darkness fell upon them all like a shroud she came across what she had been hoping for, a hollow tree, it was a little out of her way but not too far from the path so she could easily find it in the morning. Settling herself into the hollow tree Marya ate her berries and plants, leaning her feet out in front of her as she picked at her powder purse, sprinkling some of the pearly dust out around her as she set herself into a circle, eyeing her work she nodded to herself. Beginning to mutter an incantation Marya watched how a patchwork of dead branches began to form a makeshift rooftop over her circle, resting its base against the hollow tree. Her father had taught her the spell, it was fairly basic but the only tree it would work with was a hollow one so Marya had been keeping her eyes open for one. Finishing the incantation Marya wiped the remaining dust of her fingers before curling up and falling into a light sleep.
Waking somewhat early in the day as sunlight began to creep in through her wooden roof Marya discharged the branches that slunk back into the earth reluctantly. Getting back up Marya hoisted her pack back onto her back and set off once more, deciding she would look for breakfast while walking the remaining way to the base of the mountain where she would hunt for a better meal before heading to the summit.
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Post by xaen on May 16, 2010 17:59:03 GMT 1
With a thought the melon sized ball of crystal shifted images back to the castle. The young looking man that stood near the table with the crystal upon it, intently watched the dazzling display of swordsmanship performed by the Kaelyrian elf currently magically disguised as a human. Another thought and the images swirled once more to a fiendish being that hid with a flame haired woman in a small house. The young man let the images fade, making the crystal dim and appear a harmless lump of crystal. He strode quietly over to a beautifully hand carved chair of solid mahogany. As he lowered himself into the chair a bottle of red liquor floated seemingly out of nowhere. A crystal wine glass bobbed through the air right behind the bottle, both stopped within easy arm reach of his seat. With a mental command the bottle unstoppered itself and poured some of the smooth blood red liquid into the glass. The young looking wizard took up the glass and sipped thoughtfully, while he contemplated on the unfolding events of recent days. This will be his twenty thousandth year in Erumara and he was still a meddler in the events of this world, he mused to himself as the red wine burned a path down his throat. It surprised him that the human cursed with immortality was involved, for the human was not overly involved with anything important for some four thousand years. Atlymaer remembered reading one of the self-writing tomes that recorded historical events in distant worlds that he was not currently residing in. The tome had told him of the curse and Vyse's heroic act.
“An honorable act indeed!” The old but young wizard muttered to himself on the subject with a silent undertone of respect. Sipping the red wine silently as he revisited the past twenty thousand years of his life, memories from being involved in events that took place many years after the Great Vampire War. The whole time not a soul in the world knew of his ancient existence, while he lived in a stone tower in an isolated valley miles from Erumara Castle. When he finished reminiscing on past days, he rose from his chair abandoning his wine glass and its remaining contents. The glass floated briefly where it was released before it vanished with the wine bottle. Atlymaer paced about the vast chamber wondering if he should offer his assistance in the unfolding events between Dracafrey Consio and Vyse Arson. Though he could blast both of them out of existence at a whim, he had long ago forbade himself to so boldly involve himself in any world’s unfolding history. He thought on the significance of the others involved with this unfolding tale, Kyrris Syul’Deil, Kael Wilhaven, Marya Curorac, Culmir Delu, and Katriana Sulime.
“Curse this unending desire to experience things first hand,” Atlymaer Draynzar grumbled to the empty air around him, as he strode over to the crystal ball again. The images of seven different people swirled deep within the crystalline facets. On his right hand a slight rubbing between his index and middle finger over the crystal brought into being several small unblinking eyes. These eyes hovered around the several beings which Atlymaer watched through his crystal, they hide carefully out of sight as they followed their chosen targets miles away from Atlymaer’s tower. With a thought the images faded once more from the crystal.
“Now I will await this assassination to occur, before I offer my assistance,” Atlymaer told the tower walls as he walked to the chamber door. “The eyes will inform me when it is time,” Atlymaer Draynzar said as he went to more current issues within his tower. Each individual eye periodically conveyed the status of the individual it followed to the most powerful wizard in existence. Atlymaer sighed knowing that it might be hours before Vyse was “Assassinated”.
“Why is it always so unbearable to wait?” Atlymaer asked the heaven’s when he returned to his massive magical grove of exotic plants.
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Post by Dracafrey on May 28, 2010 19:03:59 GMT 1
Kael finished his breakfast and packed the gear he had taken out the night before preparing for the long journey ahead of them. Turning to see Katriana still packing her gear and having a bit of difficulty, smiled at her and walked over to her.
"Would you like some help with that, or would you like to keep trying?"
Vyse woke and stood at his window and looked out in the distance, using his magic to keep track on all the trainee's movements in the forest. Vyse shifted as he took note that most of the group had reached it half way through the forest and are approaching the mountains. He turned around and headed for his door as a guard knocked and entered and made him aware of a guest that entered the castle the night before.
"Well bring him to me, so I can introduce myself and see what his intentions are."
The guard nodded and quickly left the room to go get the new comer for Lord Vyse.
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Post by xaen on May 29, 2010 3:36:39 GMT 1
Kyrris smiled fiendishly, his magical disguise mimicing the action about four inches higher than where his lips actually were. His breath taking sword work had drawn over a hundred viewers, they had gathered like flies to a corpse. Some of these watchers stood along the walls and more than half had a weapon close at hand. To Kyrris' disappointment these were the trained professional soldiers, they are nothing to fear not even the jumpy one on the wall with a crossbow trained on Kyrris' back out of nervous fear. Kyrris performed a dazzling half-turn reverse thrust that held the audience in complete thrall, not one noticed a small rose hilted knife bury itself in the crossbowman's throat. A knife that appeared and disappeared from Kyrris' free hand in a blink of an eye. The corpse slumped out of veiw on the wall, and then other guards on the walls slowly followed in similar fashion as rose hilted knives flew out of the whirling storm of metal. Kyrris magical disguise could not hide a brief glimmer of silver that was his pupil as a dark amusement flooded into his senses. The momentarily revealling of his natural eye displayed him clearly as an Angel Elf or Kaelyrian Elf, a race of elves not known to this world. The Angel Elf smiled the whole while as he picked off the remaining out of reach guards and entertaining his soon to be victems.
Atlymaer shared a grin with the distant Angel Elf, though Kyrris was not aware of it. Altymaer calmly tended his various roses, tulips, and other assortments of flowers as he mentally watched the Lord Vyse walk confidently and unknowningly into the gaping jaws of death.....that would find him. Atlymaer casually discarded the others for the time being for nothing overly exciting was underway. Though deep inside his tower an enchanted quill scratched every last detail into a great leather bond tome that would someday sit upon a shelf like many others that too held the unfolding history of many a world. Atlymaer Draynzar waited anxiously, like a child waiting for sweets, for his turn to help in these world shattering events.
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Post by Culmir on May 29, 2010 13:57:31 GMT 1
Katriana smiled up at Kael when he offered her help, she had been stumbling around trying to get all her overnight gear back into the impossibly small bag it had come from. She was half tempted to simply shrink it all and then shove it into the bag but she wasn't sure that she wouldn't be reprimanded for that seeing as no magic was allowed concerning the contents of their packs and she wasn't sure whether the gear was included in that. She nodded gratefully at Kael and watched him expertly beginning to roll up and pack away the camping gear. Feeling remarkably useless Katriana decided she could at the very least clear away any sign of their resting place so she set about dismantling the ring of rocks they had laid around their fire and simply brushing fallen leaves over crushed spots of earth. When she was done with the simple yet effective clearing she looked up from her handiwork, dropping her wards with an excessive flourish of her hand that made the other Katriana snort mentally. She cringed momentarily and then shook it off, raising her chin a little as if daring the other Katriana to make a comment about her ways of doing things. When no comment came she beamed, staring at Kael as if she had just won some miraculous competition. "Ready then?" she asked as she slung her pack over her shoulder, fastening the smaller camping gear to the larger backpack.
Marya had set off at the crack of dawn, having pilfered someones supplies in the morning while they were still sleeping she had acquired a piece of bread with some strips of meat to put on it. She had gobbled it all down rapidly after her sparse meal the evening before and felt remarkably better when she set out to scale the mountain. The first part was a slow incline and she set off following some path that had long since caved into time and nature claiming it back. Sighing she began to climb the mountain, hoping it only seemed so high and that she would soon reach the summit
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Post by xaen on May 30, 2010 19:47:12 GMT 1
Atlymaer could no longer restrain his restless nature, but he still did not want to deprive Vyse of an advantage if he interfered the assassination. He decided instead to interfere by assisting in Katriana's, Kael's and Marya's training. Wiping the thin layer of soil from his hand, Atlymaer mentally summoned three almost transparent spheres of energy into existence that floated at eye level. In those spheres the images of Kael, Katriana and Marya swirled as they moved along through the forest. Atlymaer softly whispered the word to a spell that made his right hand glow an ice blue. The glow slowly faded as he touched each sphere sending the spells effects into the three companions. Atlymaer watched thoughtfully as familar light blue glow outlined the soles of the three soldier's boots. The magic giving the three an endless amount energy and making them move faster than they could on their own. Another soft arcane word that stuffed their packs with whatever food that they personally craved. Satisfied with his work Atlymaer let the images desipate and fade along with the transparent spheres. Atlymaer turned back to his gardening and focused on planting a rather rare blue and pink flower from a distant world he had not visited in eons. Now all he could do is wait for the Vyse's assassination and garden.
A shout drew Kyrris' attention to a guard who stood a the fringes of the crowd. Kyrris lowered his blade and sheathed it, and turned to the guard.
"Master Carvel, Lord Vyse wishes your presence," The guard called as he pushed his way through the crowd. The guard moved to stand at Carvel's side.
Kyrris nodded his understanding and waved his hand indecating the audience. "May they come to witness pledge of loyalty?" Carvel asked the guard, his face forming a fake human smile.
The guard peered about at thoses gathered and growled, "All of you back to work!" The crowd burst into frustrated groans and angry disappointed murmurs, but dispersed and returned to the various things they were doing before. Once the crowd was no more the guard guided Carvel into the keep and lead him to Vyse. The guard didn't even see Carvel's false face form a rather fiendish grin.
It meant little to Kyrris that he would have no audience. It just meant that he would have some fun escaping. Kyrris smiled cruelly as he followed the guard. After a few moments and a couple corridors later he was entering a large meeting chamber. At the far end Vyse stood talking to several men, in tones to low for Kyrris to hear. Seeing Carvel Vyse dismissed those men, who quickly left the room. When Kyrris was but an arm's reach from Vyse the guard ordered him to stop. Vyse than waved the guard from the room. Several other guards stood watch with hands on hilts. "Good day Lord Vyse, It's great to meet you and my I pledge my services?" Kyrris lied through his false form.
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Post by Dracafrey on Jun 25, 2010 15:52:58 GMT 1
Kael looked over at Katriana as she asked him if he was ready. Giving her a quick smile and lifting his gear and pulling the straps over his shoulders and nodding to her.
"Yep, any time your ready to go." giving her another soft smile as he walked over to her and stood beside her.
Vyse stood tall as the gues introduced himself as Kyrris and pledging his services to his cause. Eyeing his guards as they held their hands on their hilts ready to strike if this man made any false move as he then returned his gaze onto Kyrris.
"Good day to you too Kyrris. I am glad to hear that you want to pledge your services here. But I must inform you, that you will not be treated with any more respect or gratitude then the other recruits. It is not fair to show favourtism to a few, even if they are highly skilled then the others. But with that being said and you still would like to stand and fight with us I would be glad to show you around the grounds. Since the recruits wont be back for another couple of days." As Vyse stood there strong and firm staring into Kyrris's face, knowing full well he was hiding something from him as he awaited a responce from him.
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Post by Culmir on Jun 25, 2010 16:27:23 GMT 1
Katriana's ice blue eyes sparkled with some fleck of delight as she drank in the sweet forest air, her pack secured safely on her back and with renewed vigor in her steps she found the forest slipping past her with ease. Every now and then she would catch glimpses of hastily set up encampments further down the forest but never straying far from the flags that dotted the path set out by Vyse's men. So far they had managed to cross a lot of the forests vast expanse and the mountain doomed before the pair faster than they could of anticipated. Surprised at how fast they had sped along Katriana glanced around more warily, a small shiver running its course down her spine as she paused. Kael slowed down to a pace that matched hers as she walked, they had traveled without much conversation so as to keep focused on their breathing and own footsteps. "Aren't you surprised at how fast we managed to reach the mountain?" she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper in the forest. Her eyes scanning the place around her still as if she was expecting an ambush or extra bit of training to their trek over the mountains. "We haven't even encountered anyone else yet, it's unnerving, lots of people were ahead of me and they should be far up the mountain already but you don't see anyone" Katriana said as she squinted up at the mountain. No tumbling rocks or puffs of dust from dragging feet came from the mountain and the air around her felt as if she was flying through it rather than simply walking. It didn't take them long to break through the forest and find themselves staring up at the large mountain "well..." Katriana paused "Do you think we should scale it now or wait till morning?" she continued doubtfully, an eye on the sun still high in the sky, it seemed and felt like such a waste not to use the remainder of the sunlight to traverse the mountain as high as they could before finding a suitable place to rest. Glancing at Kael she awaited his answer as the dark haired Katriana inside her head tapped her foot impatiently, eager to get back to the castle but remaining wary of everything surrounding them.
Marya had wasted no time on getting up on the towering mountain, at first her feet had simply followed a small but forgotten hunters trail that led up the mountain in a casual slope. At first the mountain seemed to drain the energy out of every cell in her body but soon she found her steps revitalized and quickening. She blamed it on the fresh mountain air that put the energy back into her Marya allowed a small smile of jubilation to appear on her lips as she continued her upward path that hopefully would take her all the way to the top and there, gods willing, she would find a path leading down. Her feelings of glee were soon wiped off her spirit as she rounded a small boulder that resided in the middle of her path and came face to face with a vertical wall. A large path of the mountain had washed away with the snow melt during the summer and had taken half of her path away, now it came to an end at this wall. Peering up the mountainside she could see the small winding path continue further up, if she hadn't been obstructed by this massive sheet of vertical stone she could of simply carried on and most likely be one of the first to reach the top. Placing her hand against the wall Marya sent out a small probing thought with her abilities, finding roots rotted and dry cut off from long withered trees still residing inside this large tombstone. Grabbing a pinch of dust from the pouch hanging from her wrist she splayed her fingers against the rock, the dust pressed between her flesh and the stone. Tendrils of her necromantic power sparked down the length of her arm in black lightning until encountering the rock, slipping over the surface the black snares found purchase in the stone, slipping into cracks unseen by the naked eye. Closing her eyes Marya send her thoughts along with the power, seeking the most sturdy roots and enfolding them in her power, bending them to her iron will. Slowly but surely the stone began to crack and fall apart, small edges of dead branches and roots peeking out of the rock, cracking holes in it as thick as Marya's upper arm. Soon a small ladder was in front of Marya consisting of dead branches and roots. Smiling again Marya placed her feet onto the root and began her climb upward, it took a while but eventually she got there. Glancing back down over the edge of the mountainside she wiped the remaining dust off her fingers, the spell dying with the last of the pearlescent dust as it fell on the ground. The branches that had supported Marya earlier now blackened and crumbled even looking at them made them almost fall apart from old age. Smirking slightly to herself Marya was assured no one was going to follow this path and the likeliness of her being the first on back was becoming larger by the minute.
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Post by xaen on Jun 27, 2010 1:29:03 GMT 1
The migdet of a guard that was supposed to be watching the gate pressed his ear close to hear the words being shared between the new recruit Carvel Krayven, and Lord Vyse. The guard's interested face twisted into a panicked look when Carvel introduced himself as Kyrris. The guard froze in terrified shock as his mind whirled through the grim possiblities of who this Carvel..Kyrris...Krayven...this person really was. Unable to descide what to do and whether his fears were well placed, for he would be in be discharged from service if he falsely accused someone of attempting to assassinate a lord. So he stayed were he was and listened more.
Kyrris mockingly bowed to Lord Vyse and slowly, but fearlessly confidently strode towards the lord. "I understand fully Lord Vyse of what you speak, and I am more than pleased to be a loyal blade of fair Erumara!," Kyrris lied as he stopped his quick walk not more than an arm's length away from the lord's chest. "Though my I ask that you respect me as I respect you, as I guide the God of Death into other men's hearts?" He cryptically inquired of the Lord Vyse. The guards around the chamber shifted nervously and uneasily gripped their sword hilts, one even partially drew his blade. But Vyse's halting gesture held them in their places, making them shuffle from foot to foot in fearful anticipation. "A jumpy lot these fellows seem, dear Vyse," Kyrris chuckled before Vyse could answer and as he indicated the nervous guards, Kyrris still wore his false illusionary human appearance as he spoke. He rose his empty hands in an innocent, I mean no harm sort of way. This action made the guards visibly relax, though slightly. Lowering his arms to his sides once more and sent a disarmingly cheery smile to each guard, belying his true intentions. "Now my I shake the glorious hand of my new lord?" Kyrris asked respectifully as he raised his hand for Vyse to take, his illusion briefly fell revealing his silver pupils before returing to the normal black of all other races. Kyrris silently wished Vyse would move faster before the enchantment on the gold ring would die permanently.
Atlymaer chuckled merrily at Katriana's surprised reaction to the clearly unfamiliar spell and at Kael's clear unawareness of the spell. Atlymaer couldn't wait for them to realize that their food packs were bottemless and would supply anything they craved to satiate their hunger. Atlymaer would have laughed at Marya's reaction, but her use of magic made him nod in approval instead. "Those two young ladies will be great mages someday, I have been lacking a pair of good apprentices lately," He told the flowers before him. The flowers kindly did not rebuke his claim of Katriana's and Marya's future grandeur. He brushed the soil from his hands and rose from his crouched position, to stare with a satisfied look on his face at his finished garden. Done with his surveying, he summoned the images being sent by the watching eyeball that was witnessing the confrontation between Kyrris and Vyse. And waited patiently for his cue.
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Post by Culmir on Aug 10, 2010 14:13:48 GMT 1
Far away from the bustling life of Erumara’s town and castle, across the vast lush forests that surround the small isolated town and even beyond the great mountains whose tops are ever enveloped in pristine white snow, onto the barren wastelands of the Vorshtar plains, the great beast stirs. Buried deep beneath the smoldering and burning plains in a cave long forgotten, the large creature takes a lumbering breath, his dreams disturbed by the collected magical powers assembled in Erumara. It had been many centuries since the great monster had felt such a vast font of power and it would gladly feed on those energies and claiming their powers as his own to sustain his eternal sleep and increase his own powers with those of whose bones he’d gnaw for pleasure. A rumbling sound came from his massive chest as he tried to shake the remnants of sleep from his mind, a gust of air puffed from his slitted nostrils as he exhaled the last of his shallow breaths. His massive chest expanded as he inhaled his first conscious breath of air after several millennia had passed him by unnoticed. Making a conscious effort he pried one of his large yellow eyes open, the dust accumulated on his scales sifted off slowly as he blinked in the darkness of his cave. Surrounding him lay what remained of his mates, still captured in eternal sleep until his call echoed them awake. Lifting his head he watched mesmerized as the ash and dust covering his large spiked head fell to the floor surrounding him, swiveling his snake like neck, covered in deep black scales he notices his body is mostly obscured by many layers of undisturbed soot. A low grumble issues forth from his chest and through his nose, as he shifts his clawed paws, the little used muscles of his limbs protesting in agony as he rights himself, the grumble still rolling from him, shaking the dust from all the crevices and nooks between his scales. The tendons in his large leathery wings popping as he extends them in his cave he has long called home, smart yellow eyes wandering over the smaller females laying around him, all varying in colours and sizes, each coming with their own sets of powers and invulnerabilities. His mind shifting back to times where he sat in the highest peaks of mountains, his massive wings spread in a gesture of grandeur and power as all the females in the land were waiting for his seed to impregnate their millions of eggs. The dragonriders had all been slain many centuries ago and any blood that had survived would be weak and futile against his new breed of dragons, and no one could overthrow his power anymore, no one could enslave him against his will and he would reap the world from the magics they had so foolishly gathered to oppose him as he slept. Him, king of the dragons, the last remaining true black dragon, powerful in many magics and virtually indestructible. He remembers his name Rorchark And he will have his fun decimating the lands of Erumara as he has before.
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Post by xaen on Aug 10, 2010 17:17:50 GMT 1
Atlymaer broke connection with his magical watcher and bolted into his tower, running towards something that was making a horrible shrieking sound similar to metal dragging across metal. The old, but young looking wizard sprinted down corridors so long that they could not have possibly fit in the tower. Finding the chamber from which the sound originated, and almost tearing the chamber door from its hinges in his haste. "I can't believe it!" He shouted with glee to the dusty room as he approached the red pulsing light coming from a crystal sphere that rested on a filthy table. "The mass of magical energy I had sensed when I first arrived twenty thousand years ago, is finally stirring!" Atlymaer excitedly explained to the empty room as he reached the glowing and shrieking orb. Atlymaer hastily spoke the incantation that would calm the orb and make it show him the location of the distant magic source. The orb went silent and Atlymaer closed his eyes. He felt like a bird flying over the world as images of the landscape flashed before his closed eyes. This went on for a while before the spell fixed itself on a mountain with a massive cavern. Atlymaer could see something in the darkness of the cave, a pair of yellow eyes and...... With a cry of pure agony, Atlymaer opened his eyes. Tears streaming from them as he blindly groped for the crystal and mumbled arcane words. Finding the crystal and finishing his muttering, Atlymaer scooped up the ball and threw it with all his might at the chamber wall. The blast was deafening and blinding as shards of crystal tore the wizard's robe to shreads and cut him in multiple places. Grogily he rose from the blacked floor with his head ringing like bell. "Do I ever feel like a fool," Atlymaer chastised himself as he slowly moved his right hand in a downward cutting motion infront of his face and then down to his ankles. As his hand went his robes and cuts mended themselves, his hand releasing a blue pulsing light. "I've lived for millions of years, and I forget to put up the proper protection spells before using such a device," Atlymaer Draynzar sighed in disappointment at himself as he brushed himself off before continuing, "Why did I not expect some kind of protective magic that would try to melt my brain and blow up the scrying crystal?" Then stopped his rambling and looked grimly at the remains of the crystal. "What I saw disturbs me," He told the dust quietly as he approached the chamber door and prepared to reconnect with the watcher. Atlymaer shuddered as he recalled the evil sentience's prescence behind the magical attack and thought of those yellow slitted eyes. The evil yellow eyed being seemed to have enough power to actually be a threat to a certain ancient wizard. "This being is clearly as old as this world or older if it came from another. I must search the library! It might be in one of the many self recording history books of this world," Atlymaer clarified for the walls he walked past. "Though this will have to wait until after this assassination business is finished." He smiled to himself when he told the tower, "I'll never have time to read half of those damn books in that library!" With a sigh that echoed around the massive magical tower, Atlymaer Draynzar complained to the heavens who gave him his life mission, "If I must be the universal historian of all the planes in the multiverse, why can't I be in more than one place at once to witness everything? Instead of being in one world at a time while those magic books record the history in worlds I'm not in?" Atlymaer knew the answer of course, though the walls seemed to be shouting it at him. "Because you are only a man."
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Post by xaen on Aug 18, 2010 20:19:19 GMT 1
Sahtsienriel Creistvyen tore his blood blackened sword out of the dying Archdemon's chest with enough force to drench his three foot soldiers in the demon's black ichor like blood. Sahtsienriel had long ago lost track of how many times he had led a small force of Angels into the depths of hell, he also had lost track of how many demons he had slain over the millenniums. With a powerful flick of an angelic wrist, Sin slew a pit fiend that dueled with one of his foot soldiers. The Sin Squadron, the band was called to mock Sahtsienriel because of his unheavenly nickname. Though none in heaven denied the strength and skill of his elite soldiers. Seven more lesser demons fell before the might of his soldiers, but hell never seemed to run out of lesser demons or powerful ones for that matter. Another Archdemon rose charged from the ranks of hell to challenge Sin. The demon barred its teeth as it swung its blade of hellfire at the Archangel of Sin, who with a single powerful beat of his wings rose above the blade. With his angelic sword held before him, Sin dove like an arrow at the Archdemon’s horned head. The blade of hellfire deflected the angelic blade off to the side; a demonic hand released the hilt of its blade and angled its long grisly talons for the Archangels helmeted head. Sahtsienriel mirrored the actions of his demon counterpart; the only difference was that he locked his smaller and more human like hand around a scaled wrist. Using all of his angelic might, Sin tore the entire limb from the Archdemon’s body. The beast howled in rage and began to mercilessly swing its hell blade at the nimbly dodging angel, who slashed viciously at the Archdemon’s scaled hide as he dodged and flew around the grounded demon. In its native tongue of harsh sounding syllables the demon attempt to cast a spell, but it was foiled by a snapped angelic counter spell. Sahtsienriel grew tired of teasing the foul smelling beast and raised his blade over his head for a great two handed downward chop. The Archdemon’s blade connected with Sin’s and the battle became a battle of strength. Both beings growled softly under the strain and hellfire sputtered along the length of the deadlocked blades. The one armed Archdemon began to slide on the brimstone ground and it roared in angry denial, not that a roar could have possible saved it. The demon’s arm snapped audible under the pressure and the beast’s arm went limp leaving it totally defenseless, Sin didn’t hesitate. A single swift horizontal slash took the Archdemon’s head from its ugly shoulders. Sin looked about for his soldiers, seeing them he gave the signal to return to heaven. The three soldiers nodded in turn before fading one by one in a bright white light as they teleported away. Only when all of his soldiers were gone did Sin teleport as it was a custom amongst the generals of heaven.
As usually for the past seven weeks, The Sin Squadron arrived safely in the main barracks in heaven without a single casualty and was the first to complete their objective. The only difference this time was that the barracks wasn’t empty. A certain official council member stood tapping an angelic foot awaiting their return.
“Erystriel, tis’ always an honor to see you,” Sin lied as he flicked the blood from his blade before slinging it across his winged back. Erystriel was wearing his human guise and out of decency Sin assumed his own human guise. The light in the chamber made Sin’s silver breast plate and matching helmet shimmer making even his humble human form seem unearthly. Erystriel human form had short cropped red hair, rather sharp and hawkish facial features with thin pointed red beard, a tall and thin body dressed in a rather bright white robe. Erystriel smiled stupidly like he always did whenever the ancient and powerful Archangel greeted his superior, who was a tenth of Sahtsienriel’s age.
“A pleasure as usually my friend. I’m here on behalf of the ruling council. We understand that you are a close friend of the great historian of heaven, correct?” Erystriel droned in his “sagely” tone and for whatever reason felt the need to ask that rhetorical question. Not waiting for answer, Erystriel continued, “Atlymaer is over stepping his bounds, he has been told that for the next two thousand years he can’t meddle with the unfolding historical events in the multiverse. Atlymaer has ignored our warning and plans on meddling in the world of Erumara. Being such an old and powerful Archmage, he has managed to shield himself from the council. So we want you and your squadron to find him and take him to the great library where he will be imprisoned for the next three thousand years. Do this with out hesitation, kill Atlymaer if he resists if this happens the council will resurrect him. We know you’ll be able to find him because of your friendship, so don’t try to lie about not finding him.” Sahtsienriel sighed deeply and said as he had many times before, “I live to serve.” With that answer the council member teleported away, leaving Sin and his men alone. “Men, we leave for Erumara in five days. Feel free to do what you please in the meantime,” Sin told his men and nodded in satisfaction at their cries of “Yes, Sir!”. Once all his men left the chamber, Sin sighed again in disappointment at his long time friend’s actions against heaven. Well on the bright side he gets a chance to see an old friend.
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Post by Culmir on Aug 19, 2010 17:12:51 GMT 1
Rorchark growled, his ribs vibrating as he became aware of the unnerving sensation of being watched, his yellow eyes turned to the location from which it came His large head swiveled slowly on his long snake like neck his yellow eyes sparkling with anger as he locked his gaze onto the treacherous little mage that attempted to scry him, safely hidden away in his perfect little tower, far from harms way, or so he would think. Following the connection home Rorchark found his awareness flying over the lands that had once looked familiar to him but now after several decades seemed as new to him as if he had just hatched from his egg. Suddenly he found himself in a large but circular room, the remains of a scrying glass spread on the floor as the mage that had dared spy on his great awakening left the room muttering to himself. It had been too long since he had allowed his spirit to soar from his body, thus spying on his enemies unnoticed as his large body containing his magical energies remained safe, guarded by his many mates who were slowly awakening because of his presence. With spectral eyes he beheld the small but significant thread of silver that kept him connected to his beating hearts, 3 in total and all beating as strong as they had the day he reached adulthood. Each heart encased by their own protection from harm, one of many things that kept dragons from dying easily, he had witnessed many a warrior that had attempted to slay his family by decapitating them, thinking with their little human brains that cutting off their head would cut off the brain from the rest of the body, rendering it brain dead. Little did humans know that growing heads was a skill dragons mastered while they were still in their nests, fed by their mother until they had grown enough to hunt and see to their own food supply. Shaking his spectral head Rorchark turned his focus back onto why he had sent himself out of body in the first place. Focusing he found himself propelled forward by his spectral wings, the only indicator that he was in the room was the small displacement of powdered glass on the floor from the destroyed scrying crystal. Soaring down he followed the vague remains of power that trailed behind the mage as he meandered through his own vestibule, he found the mage as he was pouring over another set of crystals. His spoken words sounded strange to his bodiless ears but he grasped the meaning of them none the less "This being is clearly as old as this world or older if it came from another. I must search the library! It might be in one of the many self recording history books of this world, though this will have to wait until after this assassination business is finished." Upon hearing these words Rorchark trembled, sending a shiver down his bodies spine as he triggered the necessary tug on his spirit to reel it back into his corporeal form. Assassination?
Someone or something that was more important than him? Something or someone that defied his great awakening? Someone or something that made even that twitchy little mage cast him aside as something to be picked up later? This was something he could not allow!
Without the mage ever knowing what he had started Rorchark found himself in his cave, his spirit safely returned to his scale protected self, his yellow eyes burning with a fury that had not been seen in many millennia. He raised his spiked head, black as night, as he let out a great bellow, flames lapping from his tongue, poison dripping down his large fangs as tremors raked the cave. It wasn’t until the tremors stopped that the fire in his eyes changed from anger to pride, his yellow eyes drinking in the spectacular scene that unfolded before him. The ground of the cave was as if it were alive, everywhere around him his mates began to stir, each one of them groggily shaking their large scaled heads to wipe the remainder of their long sleep from their minds. The great beasts all assembled around him, what little sunlight penetrated into the cave glittered off scaly hides as the awakening dragons turned their gazes onto their king, protectively keeping their spiked tails wrapped around the assortment of eggs, all waiting for the kings blessing so they could hatch and join his massive army.
The dragons came in many shades of colors and many different sizes, some were as small as mosquitoes, often mistaken for them too, and perfect for infiltrating unheard and unseen, some were as large as barns and their wings armored to protect all those that would find themselves in its shadows. Despite the fact they were all family Rorchark marveled over the fact the colours chose to remain by their own species, so that their dreams could weave over from one to the other and not intentionally harm one of another shade.
The blue dragons were largest in number, rulers of the sea; their adapted breathing system allowed them to both breathe in water as out of it, their great wings propelled them forward in both the sky as the water, allowing them to sneak onto ships unawares. Their dreams were mostly dominated by water in all its forms, a wild raging river, vast oceans of salt water, the small drizzle of rain or the monsoons that plagued jungles. The lighter species, those mixed with the white spirit dragon dreamt of ice, devouring glaciers and small flakes of snow.
The yellow scaled dragons had almost all perished in the last Great War that had raged between the dragons and their masters that had vainly named themselves dragonriders. All that remained of the yellows were a select few that remained true yellow, others varied in different shades of mottled yellow or murky brown. Only a successful union between a green and an orange dragon could ever result in a shade close enough to rival the last remaining true yellows. Unfortunately the shades in green and orange were so large in number the correct one had yet to be found to produce the ultimate earth caller. They dreamed of canyons, slicing deep into the earth down to the core where the softest form of earth resided, warm and ready to be molded and bent to their will, or the vast but ruthless plains of soft sand, boiling hot under the sun and unforgiving to the occasional foolish traveler.
The temperamental reds were almost as large in numbers as the blue dragons, they were the fierce fighters, and the ones whose bloodlust could not be slaked no matter how many humans were killed. They were as far from the rest as the cave would allow them to be, their burning red eyes eager as Rorchark surveyed them, they were his pride and glory, his elite forces that had not once lost one of their kind. The only thing they seemed to fear were their own brethren, the blue hided dragons, the shied from them as the reds worshipped that which water slays, fire. They yearned for the smoldering coals of the volcanoes they used to inhabit; they longed for the searing heat that issue forth from their own mouths to burn all their enemies to ash.
Though occasionally a union between the mortal enemies blue and red would produce the magnificent purple creatures that could call themselves masters of many powers, blessed with 3 areas to excel in they were Rorcharks main force, though limited in numbers they made up for it in skill and abundant powers, water, earth and air were their domain, they could call upon thunderstorms, peppered with ice shard as sharp as a fishwife’s tongue, bolts of lightning that could sear the very flesh from bone, winds that could smash houses down into ruins, a fog so thick you couldn’t see where you were going, not even if you lit a beacon the size of a barn, rain that would lash mercilessly at their enemies, cutting into the skin like paper cuts and fiery meteors that could decimate an entire forest with its impact.
In their desire to create the perfect yellow they mated with blues, creating a dragon race in shades of green, poisonous to the touch and commander of the trees and all growing things. Their dreams were dominated by lush green forests, deadly with their poisons and flesh eating plants, as well as large open meadows of sweeping blades of grass that would slice flesh when commanded.
The orange dragons were but few in numbers, but extraordinarily strong in magicks they were the shielders of the dragons, when focused their brilliant display of colours could render the other dragon species completely invisible to all unfriendly eyes as they mesmerized their opponents with hallucinations so splendorous there were none that resisted its siren call.
The grey dragons were counted the best but never to be used in battle, the mixing of white and black dragons led to this race of healers, with arcane magicks they could heal the most grievous of wounds, aid in re-growing limbs and with their noble blood cure all that was ill within a dragons body.
And the rarest among their kind, the black and white dragons, and true masters of all powers that their race could posses, as black and white are truly all colours combined, owners of darkness and the spirit realm. Only one of these remained, Rorchark, the last true black dragon after the last white had fallen after the battle with the riders. The wounds in her side had been too great that not even their noble grey scaled healers could do anything for her, one of her 3 hearts had been pierced with a spear, one of them stabbed through with a mighty axe and one of them had been set on fire with a torch all created by those who dared call themselves masters of dragons.
Long ago they had turned to their precious mages, their sorcerers and their warlocks, even dared to ask for divine consultations with heaven and had been granted the power to create such weapons that they would slay the great beasts. Though it pained Rorchark to see his mighty counterpart fall down in ruins her death had not been in vain. As the dragon riders had thought themselves invincible with their newly forged weapons Rorcharks and Vianne’s spies had slipped among them, they were dragons in the miniature, coming in all colours and useful for infiltrating the enemies lairs. Oh humans would slap at them and think of them as annoying mosquitoes that plagued them no matter where they went but in truth they were listening intently to every word that was spoken and relayed that information to Vianne and Rorchark who orchestrated their counterattack with their knowledge. They carefully herded all the humans and angelical creatures that possessed the knowledge to create such weapons as well as any and all written evidence of such weapons into their meticulously planned ambush. Vianne had been the one to lead the attack while Rorchark distracted the actual attack force of the humans with their newly forged weapons, Vianne proved successful; finding the one flaw in the weapons the humans had hoped they would not. Though she had sustained many injuries she still continued with her strike, and with her last dying breath the great white issued forth her spirit from her body, severing all ties that kept her imprisoned in her dying body, the threads that allowed her to come back into her form were severed. She then set out to destroy all the mages and humans and celestial creatures that possessed the knowledge with her spirits breath, the strength of her breath forcing the spirits of her enemies to leave their bodies where she would devour them. Leaving their soulless bodies to fall to the ground and rot, those under her command still sensed their mistress and continued to burn their little secluded area to the ground, along with all shred of evidence that such weapons had ever existed. When their task was completed they returned to the massacre Rorchark was leading, Viannes spirit joined his and with their combined power, his of darkness and hers of light they destroyed all dragonreaper weaponry and all the ore it had been forged from. Though her body was gone Vianne remained with Rorchark in spirit, unseen by all except for those with their powers, on occasion Vianne would occupy another dragons body, taking over control entirely until a new suitable vessel could be found for her.
After that battle Rorchark had made it his personal quest to eradicate the human race, and while doing that, removing any and all remaining information the humans and other races possessed about his superior race. It had been many years and Rorchark had been very successful in his pursuit to kill all those who opposed him that when it seemed as if they were about to be exterminated for good he decided it was time for them to go to sleep. Allowing the humans a short moment of respite from his blood thirst and let them repopulate the lands he had so successfully destroyed. They should have known that someday he would return with his forces to continue what had started so many centuries ago? But still, after what that mage had said, those belittling words so condescending and dismissive, as if there could be anything or anyone that was more important than the resurrection of the dragon race. The idea alone was preposterous but the way that mage had gazed intently into his crystal, it made him wonder if there really was something or someone that could rival him and his surviving armies in power.
After reminiscing about their shared past Rorchark turned his large head back onto his kin, most of his mates gazing expectantly at him, they had all awakened, they had all listened to his call and eagerly awaiting his next move. Vianne’s words came to him in whispers ”We must relocate, tell them what has happened and let us move closer to our target, I shall scout ahead, be swift my beloved” he watched her soar out of the cave on her grand spectral wings. All eggs he had sired he had done while Vianne occupied the females body, he knew it wasn’t her technically but it made him feel better to think that it was. Rorchark looked around in the dwelling he had called home for many centuries, his yellow eyes fierce with pride as their numbers were still impressively large and their awaiting eggs would make up for those he had lost during sleep. “The human race has been given enough time to reproduce and repopulate their lands” Rorchark spoke in the native tongue of the dragons, though they could reproduce the human language Rorchark chose to have this conversation in his own and more comfortable tongue. His large head swiveled slowly as he let this message sink in, the roars of the red scaled dragons already rumbling through the cave systems “One of these humans is a mage of little talent that has noted my awakening, but in stead of cowering in fear and raising the alarm he has cast us aside like we are nothing to be worried of” Rorchark spoke animatedly about how the mage had seemed preoccupied with something that appeared to be more important than them, though they had decimated the lands many centuries ago and were not to be ignored lightly. It made Rorchark wonder along with many others what exactly it was that had kept that mage so busy rather than to accept the fact that the dragons had awoken and were ready to kill their race once more. When he voiced his concerns that the dragons might no longer be the greatest threat Erumara had ever seen great roars of dismay raised from the crowd of dragons. “The puny little mage spoke of an assassination, possibly of the one or thing that he deems stronger than us, I will not allow it or them to be killed until it has indeed proven to be a greater menace than us” Rorchark spoke simply. “We will fly to Erumara to the dormant volcano that lies just beyond its borders and I will then make our great presence known” he finished with glee. His tongue lolling from his sharp teethed mouth, dripping poison onto the floor as he barked a deep laughter, spreading his bat like wings he raised himself onto his strong hide legs, kicking off he swerved down the chute that lead down into their cave. His kin following him as he led them to their next location…Erumara.
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Post by xaen on Aug 23, 2010 16:40:27 GMT 1
Kyrris smiled savagely as Vyse took his offered hand and shook it in a respectful manner. When Vyse tried to break contact with his newest recruit, he found that Kyrris held him firmly at the wrist. Kyrris muttered the name of his poniard, enacting it powerful enchantment that would bring the blade instantly to his free hand. For effect Kyrris dropped his magic illusion and became his normal self.
“A gift from Lord Dracafrey to you, M‘lord!” Kyrris roared in malicious glee as he stabbed the dagger repeatedly into Vyse‘s exposed chest. After ten lightening fast stabs, Kyrris stopped to briefly watch in amusement as the guards shouted in shock and drew their weapons. Seeing new prey, Kyrris released Vyse‘s wrist and let his body fall unceremoniously to the floor. The first guard reached him a split moment after he drew his rapier. The swordsmen gasped as rapier and longsword dragged across each other, making a horrid shrieking sound. Kyrris easily held the guard at bay in this contest of strength, and Kyrris didn‘t feel like waiting for the man to disengage. He drove his poniard savagely into the guard‘s stomach and when the man crumpled over he slit the man‘s throat in a single swift motion. The second guard finished his sprint sword raised to decapitate the assassin, the third and fourth guards had finally gotten over their fear and were drawing their swords. Kyrris easily sidestepped under the second guard‘s horizontal swing. The guard stumbled after his swing, leaving his back open to the assassin. Kyrris ignored the guard that crashed to the ground, and instead he deftly threw his poniard into the third guard‘s throat. The fourth guard cried out in alarm as his companion fell flat on his face, and soon joined him as a rose-hilted dagger dug into his neck. As the others fell dead, the second guard managed to get to his feet and turn to face the assassin, who smiled fiendishly as he stabbed the guard repeatedly in a blur of motion with his rapier. With all of the guards dead, Kyrris sprinted out of the castle, slaying any who happened to get in his way.
Once Kyrris left the chamber, Atlymaer teleported into the chamber a few paces away from Vyse‘s lifeless body. Atlymaer kneeled next to Vyse‘s body, reaching into a pocket as he went. From that pocket he drew a small silver vial. He unstopped the vial and forced the honey smelling liquid down Vyse‘s dead throat. Healing potions don‘t normally bring people back from the dead, but in this instance it made the effects of Vyse‘s curse to occur much sooner. A few silent moments after Kyrris escaped from the castle, Vyse‘s eyes fluttered open.
“Greeting‘s Lord Vyse, my name in Atlymaer Draynzar. I would like to offer you my assistance,” The old historian said as he rose from the floor and walked around the room to survey the damage and awaited a reply.
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Post by Dracafrey on Sept 5, 2010 14:43:57 GMT 1
Vyse shook hands with Kyrris watching as Kyrris's demeanor changed and his grip held firmer. What most people in this instance would show fear on there faces, Vyse did not. He no longer feared death, he had died only one to many times before. The expression that crossed his face was curiousity, as he wondered what Kyrris's intentions were, as he was soon to find out. As he watched Kyrris intently as he summoned his weapon to his hand, as the mirage that protected his real identity wore off.
"So that's what you really are!" As a smile crossed over Vyse's face for a mere second as he realised who had sent this man before Kyrris had annouced who this 'gift' was from as Kyrris then stabbed him repeatedly in his chest.
Falling to his knees as Kyrris stood over his dying body, while Vyse now laying on the floor watched helplessly as Kyrris killed off his guards one by one. As his last breathe exhailed past his lips Kyrris disappeared out of the room. Moments passed as he awoke startled, wondering how he had managed to return to life quicker then usual.
"wha..." as he then felt a liquid in his mouth other then his own saliva. He turned and saw a new man in the room unknown to him, but from what he saw this man was wearing Vyse's only guess would be a sorcerer. Vyse pushed himself up off the floor weak in every part of his body, weaker then normal after being revived from dying he noticed, must have been he was revived quicker then normal he suspected. Getting to his feet and standing as he clutched his desk for some support as he stared at this new comer.
"And why should I allow you to offer your assistance to me? I do not know your name, and how can I trust you?" As Vyse stared at the man while Vyse's strength returned to him each passing second.
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