The [Supposed] Entrance to Aesir

[Reno]

((did you get some sleep? or did something bite you in the rear? nonetheless, good to have you back.))

Reno had finally made it to the top of the wall and was coiling his rope when he realized that two things weren't right. the first thing; The armies weren't alone. he saw the shapes, flitting about. Slivers... Then he realized that the bodies and the shining light that was the portal were gone. "An illusion?" looking around, he saw the younger man, the one with the magical sword, fighting. not made by him... Then his attention turned to the man who had actually caused the whole scene. Muryllis... the master Mage that shadow has been on about recently... did he really do all of that? deciding to keep a low profile, he slunk around on top of the wall, until he was directly above where Muryllis was talking with the General. Pulling out a throwing star, he smiled. "hmmm.... I'm sure this wont actually hit him, but it's worth a try." taking careful aim, he loosed the star in his hand aiming for the general's right arm. he immediately pulled another from his pouch and threw it at one of the other soldier's, aiming for the chest region.

[Vidar]

Just when complete victory had seemed so close, everything seemed to begin to simply fall apart at the seams.

Anger tore at Commander Morland, as his growing rage at having been duped battled within himself in a mighty struggle with his newfound doubt. If a single mage could pull this elaborate of a ruse, what else could he do? They had been expecting some minor pyrotechnics, yes, and perhaps some petty spells to slow his troops and slay a few, yet these spells were beyond any individual warrior.

Still, he was but a single man. The original contingent, only the merest fraction of the rest of the force, had been enough to combat his illusions, with sheer numbers they might easily defeat this mage and at least have his head to take back to King Elyan upon a platter.

From somewhere close by, shouts were heard; as some new attack wreaked havoc upon Morland's troops. Before he could answer the mage's arrogant claims of power, he turned his head at the approaching sound of horse hooves upon the cobbled stone floors. It was Captain Cullen who came tearing toward him on a borrowed horse, shouting something indistinct about an attack and having lost most of his current men.

Whirling upon Muryllis, Morland pointed his sword at the mage once again; "This is your doing, isn't it! Well, we won't stand for any more of your black trickery. Men, slay the mage, as he refuses to submit to the justice of Avaren." He commanded, several nearby archers firing at Muryllis even as Reno attacked him from behind.

Meanwhile, the problems on the front itself were lessening. Although taken completely by surprise initially, the warriors quickly adapted to their situation. As a single contingent of the force could outnumber the creatures, the army as a whole vastly outnumbered the slivers. Thus the warriors formed tight ranks, with archers unleashing controlled volleys into the slivers, guarded by pike and lance-armed warriors who could out-reach the slivers attacks and thus protect the more vulnerable archers. Swordsmen, the army's bread and butter unit, only swooped in after the slivers were downed, hacking at them repeatedly so they could not regenerate themselves.

A scout had even returned, reporting a creature that hung back from combat, which was thus assumed to be their leader. As such, a small wing of cavalry was dispatched, riding down upon the creature, with half the cavalry launching arrows at it and drawing swords while the other half lowered lances to spear the creature.


(Yeah.......let's say that the archers all bear the traditional ability to "use their action" to "deal damage to attacking creatures", thus hitting them before they can be touched. Pike men would "strike before the opponent can damage them", with the presence of two 'lord' figures, Cullen and Morland, each "increasing their power and toughness, while the cavalry have "the strange ability to attack in a way that weakens their opponent" and the slivers keep getting dealt lethal damage so that you'd have exhausted the crypt's ability to "regenerate with actions" Of course, neither of us would ever try to take abilities from a card game an improperly turn them into role playing rules, now would we? Reminds me of a guy from another old site who used to claim he had a deck of magical Yu-gi-oh cards he could summon.)

[David Augustine]

It would seem that David was in a tight situation himself. As the Captain of Avaren had fled and left the warrior with two creatures that had appeared. As one sliver launched an attack from behind though it wasn't unheard, he was able to make a dodge though not to the best of effects as the talon had still managed to cut through his clothing and skin. He backed away before the other sliver that had killed on of the captain's remaining men to end up facing both of them. His one magical sword drawn out, though he wasn't the best at weilding swords, he figured that he would be fine unless more showed up.

David then began to recount the odds. It didn't seem that very possible that there would only be two of these creatures lurking about and even with the magical properties of his sword, his best chance was probably either with a spear or to flee. Without letting his guard down he slowly backed towards where his spear was still impaling the one warrior that had charged him. He carefully and slowly took the body off by using one hand to pull and his foot to hold the dead warrior off.

He then slowly sheathed his sword and fled from the fight of those creatures to try and find the captain that had ran for it. Holding his spear tightly, he didn't dare take a glance back to see if he was being followed. Instead, he made his way through the series of paths and gravestones hoping to find any signs of where Cullen had went to. It was then that he saw a large group of archers that had launched a volley into one direction and that a man was sitting on a horse. David quickly took the quickest route in that direction sprinting as fast as his legs would carry him.

[Slivers]

The slivers continued their attack on the soldiers until sometime after the warriors had gotten over the initial reaction. They withdrew and performed a very similiar position as the warriors did. The slivers alligned themselves accordingly though they had no projectiles to volley towards them. They would attack with their lengthed talons at any warrior that would attempt to charge them. The slivers would tend to any that were severly wounded and regenerate them. They were not mindless creatures as some would suppose. Though their intellect over all was rather low, their instinct made them superior in the sense of adaption.

Their attention was turned, however, as a group of warriors went to go and storm either the Crypt Sliver or the Brood Sliver. Since it was both of those slivers played a major role in their growing force and the longevity of this battle. The slivers remained in their tight fitting position as they charged towards where the call was coming from and to attempt to intercept those that attacked those that were left behind.

As to where the Sedge Sliver and the common sliver were left, they did not continue the pursuit after Captain Cullen or David. Instead, following the call that was emitted from the two slivers that were set behind the rest so that they would be at less danger. They made haste in that direction to annilihate those that did attack their members of the hive.

As the warriors went to storm the slivers that had stayed some distance behind, the two had closed their distance for greater support and kept moving. Their senses keen to what was approaching as there were a few common slivers them from the few kills that where managed as of late. If the warriors were ever to engage the small troop of creatures, the lesser ones would attempt to ward them off for as long as they could, possibly taking at least one warrior down with them and possibly injuring another as well. Overall, the slivers were going to attempt to regroup though they made it seem that they were merely retreating.

[Muryllis]

The situation turned out quite interestingly. Commander Morland, obviously a commander of low mental ability, took it upon himself to order a battlefield execution of the old mage. Unfortunately for him, this old mage had the magical capacity to outlast even the most trained armies. As a volley came flying directly at him, Muryllis merely breathed a sigh of impatience. With minimal effort, the entire volley, as well as the throwing star from above, were turned into a very soft powder that blew away with a light breeze before they even came close to him.

The Spellweaver was not in the mood for waiting; turning to a score of swordsmen who were charging at regenerating slivers, he tapped into their minds, taking complete control of their actions. With these soldiers now under his command, he ordered - mentally - an attack on Morland and his group of archers. With this going in, he then turned to a group of slivers making their way to the hive leaders. These he took control of as well, though he did not turn them away from their original destination; instead, he had them continue, intent on using the colony's own power against itself. To add to the counterattack, the mage targetted the various corpses dotting the courtyard; with magic too intricate to be common, he conjured enzymes within the bodies that were programmed to create destructive toxins; all but the most resistant slivers would survive, and the rest would be suffocated by lack of nutrients and oxygen.

"Commander," Muryllis shouted, turning back to Morland - who was currently being attacked by his own soldiers - "you would be wise not to anger me. Where the Grand Magi of Aesir may have heart and compassion, I have a tendency to lack such romantic habits. When these pests are destroyed, we shall hold a council; either way, my next destination is the slums which you so lovingly call Avaren."


((Ack ))

[Vidar]

While they apparently had completely ignored or been oblivious to the face that they had just been peppered with arrows, perhaps having some unseen and unknown "mystical" force which allowed a volley of arrows to magically be negated, the brood and crypt slivers, although the warriors did not know that's what they were called, were attempting to regroup with the rest of the mass, it seemed, as the two were moving towards one another.

Still, they had been left without apparent support and were not nearly as fast as the mounted cavalry, which wheeled only slightly in it's charge so that they would come from a slight angle, cutting the pair of "commanders" off from the rest of the swarm and riding them down at the same time, lances to bear to prevent the slivers pair to strike out at them first.

Meanwhile, Morland jerked backwards in shock as the mage randomly deflected every last attack that was aimed at him with powers no other mage apparently possessed. Clearly, he must have been their leader. Thus, Morland gave a sharp gesture for his archers to fire another volley, attempting to exhaust the mage's finite supply of energy.

Fortunately, the mage must have over-exerted himself; controlling too many creatures at one time. Either that or the warriors under Morland's command had a terribly strong will to do their commanders bidding; perhaps even a combination of the two. As such, while lurching towards Morland and his company of archers for a few steps, they halted, seemingly twitching as they fought with all their might to keep their actions in check.

Meanwhile, David, who had been sprinting in the direction of Morland, was intercepted by Captain Cullen, who drew his horse in front of him, blocking his path. "If you want to cause more trouble," he said slowly, cold fury in his voice now that it was back to him being alone facing David, "Then you'll have to get through....." he halted, not finishing his sentence as he noticed where the sliver had stabbed through both clothing and skin. "Hmph," he said, not sheathing his sword yet no longer looking as prepared for battle as he had been before, "It's pierced your skin, has it? None of my men touched you so it only could have been from one of those creatures. You'll be dead soon, we've already seen their venom and what it can do with the slightest of pricks; cause us no more trouble, and die in whatever fashion you prefer, as your death is not long in the coming."

[Cain Ellatar]

At the same moment the battle was occurring, they were being carefully observed. Cain, from a nearby peak, shrouded from sight and senses of even Muryllis by his powerful magic, watches the ongoing clash. It was a strange turn of events, how this one clearly bore three separate sides; that of these strange new beasts, the "slivers"; those of Avaren's finest warriors; and finally the mage, Muryllis, whom Cain had sent personally. It was drastically different from how the battle had originated; with warriors fighting supposed Aesir regulars.

Although Muryllis seemed to be doing a perfectly well job at holding his own, something about his actions deeply bothered Cain. When Muryllis destroyed every last arrow fired at him from the scores upon scores of Avaren archers, then without so much as breaking a sweat placed control over large portions of two of the separate armies, he showed a power that was much more than ever should have been possible for the elder wizard.

Though Cain could not ever fear of the Master Spellweaver, he realized with a jolt that Muryllis posed a potential threat to Cain and perhaps even the entirety of the city of Aesir, with unchecked power such as this.

Perhaps, Cain reasoned to himself, the arrival of such unnatural creatures could be attributed to Muryllis' disproportionate passion for this power he let loose so freely now.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Such a place was forsakened long ago, though it still held attraction. Did did it not? It would for one as his daughter, Insidia. Noctis searched his home city and found nothing of her, only a little a girl with a small hint, this citadel he knew, she had been to before. He had as well, though it did not have such a taste of death when the air around it was taken in. Within few steps, the apparent sounds of weapons and agony were to be heard. He came from from a far route, one which led him to an overlooking ledge, and to find a figure standing at it's edge, with long, youthful black hair, and rare garments.

"You are the King, are you not?" His harsh voice asked, nearly mocking, as he took the final steps next to this man.

A gruesome battle, strange serpent like creatures, armies of men turning against each other, and an elder looking man...Surley, his daughter would not have passed through that alive, he may only wish she had passed through before it arose. Hope he had, though many other traps lie further, for a moment he doubted her life.

"King, my daughter has left me for many dies, it is unlike her. She is not in your city, I've searched well. Where she is, I know not of, though she is past your cities walls." He paused, only to bow his head in the scorn he held.

Noctis allowed his eyes to continue looking onto the battle, his arms loosely folded at his chest. His greying black, long hair, moved lightly with the wind, the strands aging as he did, thinning and becoming weak. Such black eyes as his had not withered, they watched well.

"You are distressed...your...reinforcement...is succeeding. Why do you seem this?" Noctis asked, turning his face to the grand magus beside him.

[David Augustine]

David dropped his spear as the Cullen had cut him off. He came to a stop and heard his words. The creature had injected a toxin into his body. His eyes widened as this individual from the warrior city treated him as if he still wasn't formidable. However, David was starting to feel the effects of the toxin spreading through his body. Cold sweat was forming on his brow and he finding it more difficult to breathe. There was only one other thing that he could do to avoid such a death.

"You are anticipating my death too soon." David spoke looking at the man who sat on his horse, "I am not some common soldier that will lay down and die. My cause is not yet fulfill and I will remove this posion and fight to my death. Even if it's against you and the rest of this infernal army of Avaren!"

David grasped the hilts of both of his swords and drew them out and launched an attack towards the captain. Though the attack wasn't meant to hit the captain, but his horse instead. The sword of fire and ice was in his right hand and would allow him to use a spell to purge his body of the toxins and deal extra damage. The sword of light and shadow would restore the overall health of his body and ressurect something that was dead. He only hoped that the strikes would hit or at least one of them.

[Slivers]

The two slivers that were attempting to regroup were seemingly bound to face their own doom, despite the abilities that they possessed from the other slivers. The group of warriors that were cutting them off were stopping them from completely accomplishing what they wanted to be done. However, a psionic blast knocked over one of the warriors that were blocking the way with their horse. The blast was created from a Psionic Sliver. Normally the blasts would end up killing themselves, but due to the presense of the Watcher Sliver and Might Sliver the side affects of the blast where all but a small recoil.

Though the blast would not kill it's target a Shifting Sliver appeared and slayed the mount of the warrior. Producing another sliver growing off of the near by Brood Sliver. The warrior was now on his own without his mount and surrounded by the small group of creatures. They performed similar tactics as before but it was the other slivers that had done it. And the Shifting Sliver's ability allowed slivers to avoid the attacks and counter attacks of their targets.

The small group that Muryllis had affected with the use of his magic only proved fruitless as they didn't use their minds as much as their instinct. With their own instinct overriding any common mental processes. They eventually all regrouped and formed tight rankings. The stronger slivers and the ones that were in the battle longer than the rest remained upfront. The newer ones that joined remained behind the stronger ones. Though there was also another sliver that joined their ranks, the Telekinetic Sliver. This sliver alone would allow the hive to manipulate their opponents actions.

The slivers then made their way against the warriors that had decided to attempt and kill the slivers that were kept strategicly behind. The slivers in the back either used the telekinetic abilities or gave off psionic blasts at the band of warriors. The slivers that were in front of them would then attack and finish off the weakened warriors and one by one would finish the group.

[Cain Ellatar]

“I am king.” Cain replied simply at first, ignoring the irksome tone in this new arrivals voice, intent instead on the battle below. Where the strange army of creatures, while menacing at first glance, were vastly outnumbered; their ragged group seemed close to collapse when faced by the army of Avaren.

“I know naught of your daughters whereabouts. Nor is it much of my concern. There are much more pressing issues at hand,” he replied harshly, beckoning for a moment back to the battlefield. Muryllis had not yet acted again, but Cain knew it was only a matter of time and wished to see for himself what the mad old wizard would conjure up next.

“Distressed?” Cain asked, finally seeming to shift his attention to the strange man who spoke to him, “No, I am not distressed. A small bit troubled, perhaps.” With a shrug, he turned back to the battle, “If your daughter is here, there is little that could be done, not at least until this combat is over; although I highly doubt anyone would be here. It was thoroughly abandoned to the best of my knowledge, before this skirmish began.”

[Reno]

Reno growled. Not only had the stars missed, but they were ignored! if anything, one of the people would have noticed the disturbance and the sound of the star hitting the ground, they arent deaf. Reno stood up, and pulled out another star. As he was about to throw it, he stopped. If i do get caught, they will fire arrows, and that isnt good.... I wonder...how can I help out? Gah... I wish I had one of Shadow's flashbangs... sighing, he shook his head. picking up his coiled rope, he stowed it in his pack and began making his way towards the stairs that would bring him to the level where all the action was.

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Noctis' eyes widened, and a strong, heavy inhale was taken instantly after the king spoke that Insidia was not of his concern. A distasteful statement from anyone, disappointing for a king, or so Noctis felt, seeing a king should care of all his people. The repression of rage took far more than all his effort, a will power he never brought forth, even he knew the king was not one to begin a fight with, a loosing situation no matter what would take place. His face returned to the battle, watching it along, observing all the figures motions, a lust for a battle growing more strong ran through his veins.

"I was night-born, under a waning crescent, just as the one in the recent night's sky, burns my blood it does, an unquenched thirst for other's to be shed among my hands." Noctis said smirking.

The frail smile fell from his face as he imagined that of his daughter. The smiling face he once knew being twisted into a fearful stare into death. Here, he watched strangers, men of no meaning, slaughtered, engulfed by fear, wallowing in panic. It soothed him well to see their suffering.

"Have you ever witnessed the...fright emitting from a young woman's face, one whom is just barley a woman, King?" Noctis asked, his voice dragging with drone and inquiry, his words failing to show praise for the city's ruler.

[Cain Ellatar]

"If you so lovingly desire to shed the blood of others, then there is a perfect battlefield for you to enjoy," Cain said simply, giving a sweeping gesture to the battle taking place at that moment below them.

This person was clearly something more than he appeared, Cain could feel it within him; that strange power he felt emanating from all mages of great power. Yet the question always was: why? Why did he randomly stand here upon this hilltop speaking with Cain? What was he trying to accomplish? He remained even after Cain had expressed no desire to aid him in the least.

Then again, this person could be useful, Cain thought, pondering exactly how Noctis might best be used to achieve his own ends. "You know," he said, slowly and thoughtfully, "If your daughter is so precious to you, why did you let her go in the first place? I would think it would be wiser to keep her 'locked away', so to speak, if you seem this unwilling trust her enough to make her own way in life."

[Noctis Sepulcral]

Noctis' raised his brows as the king gestured that he may allow death to be placed on the ground below him. Creatures and men alike, such types may make pretty corpses. His body felt warmer, perhaps it was the blood rushing with lust to kill, to invoke screams from the throats of men and inhuman. The king seemed so easy to let them all die, even the mage at his right hand. Noctis did not see the gesture as taking a side, merely ending the fights in massacre. The aura of death was strong, filtering through the air he gently breathed. He began to wonder, if he found his daughter's body, if this aura pollute the air around here, if he would find her dead, and even the wind would reassure it.

The king spoke "You know," drawing Noctis' attention. He turned his face, listening intently, watching his mouth...This king had questioned how much he cared for Insidia, all so ignorantly. "Ugh!" Noctis grunted in disgust, taking a step closer, in front of the king. His hand twitched, just barley resisting the devil on his shoulder whom wished to crush the king's throat.

"I am a father, Never would I make my own daughter my slave. She is one who enjoys seeking the earth, and reading many books. She always comes back, she has aged nineteen years, she has always returned. She would not leave me." Noctis spoke, his phrases came rough and he stared with hate in his eyes. Though his last sentence was lighter, he feared that she may have left this time, to never return...

"She is beautiful. She is smart also, King. I trust her, that is why I worry, this is most unlike her. Travels outside this city can be deathly. She does feel anger with me, I lectured her about those places, she was nearly fearless. If I died tomorrow, I would be at peace, but only if I know that she is alive and she is of well health. I know strong souls do not diminish. If I died I may always watch her, yet I have no illness. She deserves freedom, to do as she wishes, and love the best. She is no prisoner, nor slave." Noctis closed his eyes after speaking this, pausing to disallow the desire to harm the king.

"I know you are not a father."