09-15-2012, 03:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-15-2012, 03:24 PM by McKnighter.)
(( Warning! Crude language inbound! ))
Spoiler:
No. Nonono. No. This isn't happening.
Krian's fatigued gaze settle upon the dozen or so of hooded figures and the rotting corpses that took position in front of them. Around his feet and the area about him, more of the undead and several armored elves lay on the ground, dead or dying. One other elf stood beside him, a trembling Blood Knight Adapt who's grip on her weapon caused the entire sword to shake. She could not be even a century old.
Light damn it.
Thirty minutes earlier...
The undermanned squad of six Blood Knights followed the robed elven woman in a brisk run, despite being fully armored and geared for a day's trek into the Ghostlands. Master Krian Duskbinder led the group, Blood Knights Brightsword and Dawnthorn followed in his heels. Brightsword and Dawnthorn were rank in file soldiers, countless years of combat worn down their bodies to a muscular and fit form. They had no trouble keeping up, unlike the adepts.
The trio of adepts were Silverspark, Duskstrider, and Dawnthorn. They were all fairly fresh recruits and the latter was Knight Dawnthorn's younger sister. Silverspark and Duskstrider were both nobles and friends, very eager to undermine their superior's at every respectable chance they could get. They were there for fun, after all, and the glory of being a Blood Knight. Adept Dawnthorn was simply following in her elder sister's footsteps, noted to be one of the weaker recruits. She wouldn't make it past Adept.
The robed figure that followed was a woman that introduced herself as Velile Swiftpaw, and that her lover was being attacked by undead while they were strolling through the forest. She begged and pleaded for their aid, in which Krian was forced to oblige. It was their duty, after all.
"Keep up, Adept Dawnthorn!" shouted Knight Dawnthorn, displeased that her sister was beginning to distance herself from the pack of knights. She looked winded, struggling with keeping up. The young Adept only nodded, a murmur coming out through her dry lips came inaudible. Knight Dawnthorn snorted, focusing ahead.
"Think we're going to bag a Death Knight?" Adept Silverspark whispered, directed at Duskstrider.
"Nah, it'll just be little ghouls I bet. The girl wouldn't even be alive if one of those was around."
Krian wasn't worried about what happened behind him, his mind was set on whatever they were going to meet when they reach the lover's location. His stomach was twisted in a knot, but from what he could not tell. Most likely, this elf was going to be dead or worse and he had a bad feeling about what they were going to find there. Still, he could not bare himself to tell the woman that all hope was lost for her lover. He had to try.
It takes them a couple of minutes of running to reach a clearing in the forest. A lone mangled body was set in the middle of it. "N-No!" Velile cried out, rushing forward to the corpse as Krian ordered a stop. A sinking feeling came over Krian as he gazed upon what was no doubt the remains of the lover, but something else tugged at his gut. His cautious eyes trailed over the tree line on the far side, roughly one hundred yards away and he could have sworn he saw figures in the distance. Knight Dawnthorn, however, kept running. The knight chased after Velile, grabbing her as she reached the body. "Get back, he's gone! The undea-" She didn't have time to finish her command as Velile turned around, expertly shoving a hidden shiv directly into Knight Dawnthorn's throat.
Shit.
The treeline emerged with rushing undead and hooded figures, differing in all sizes and weapons. A few dozen at the least, far superior to the Blood Knight's numbers. Velile ripped her dagger out of Dawnthorn's throat, grinning at the remaining knights. "Brightsword, Silverspark! Get Knight Dawnthorn out of here! Everyone else, buy some time!"
Adept Sunstrider was already turning to run from the horde of undead, "Fel this, I'm out of here!" Krian lets out a curse as he watches the Adept go, but strangely enough Silverspark stayed. Though both him and Adept Dawnthorn were frozen in fear. Dawnthorn was sobbing, fel green eyes fixed upon the body of her dying sister.
"Damn it, Silverspark! Get Adept Dawnthorn out of here, we will hold them off!"
Not for very long. Am I going to survive this?
Regardless of the Adepts' actions, the undead minions were about to close the distance to the first pair of Blood Knights. Krian grips his truesilver-edged sword firmly, body hid behind his raised shield. Dawnstrider favored a large mallet, poised to strike the first ghoul that gets in range. "Right beside you, sir." Brightsword muttered, tone grim.
Krian Duskbinder grits his teeth together, sparks of light forming around his armor and weapons. It soon forms into a divine blaze of holy flames around his sword and shield as well as vital weakpoints in his armor. It would keep him alive for now, but already he felt his endurance sapping from the taxing spell. He would have to make this quick or he'll burn out of steam.
As the first ghoul barrels towards Krian, the Master leans low to simply shove himself into, and through the undead corpse. It burns up in a vile shriek, limbs and body falling apart from the blazing shield's charge. The sword follows up into an uppercut swing, tearing one of the hooded attack's chest wide open, flames searing the exposed organs. Duskstrider kept up the rear guard, delivering devastating blows with his metal hammer and sending out scorching balls of Light to those that went out of his reach. Impressed by such a courageous display against the tides of evil, Silverspark charged in with his shield and sword at the ready, leaving the weeping younger Dawnthorn to herself. "I got your back, Master!" He grins with pride as he cleaves through one of the undead, letting out a victorious cry! "Ha! We can do this!"
In his moment of glory, Silverspark fails to realize that there are several more attacks all around them, their numbers soon allowing them to flank and press into the Blood Knight's weak points. As Duskstrider saves Silverspark by crushing a hooded figure that was ready to slice at the Adept's head, he left himself open to attack. A pack of ghouls launch themselves onto the Knight, shortly after exploding in emerald energies. Silverspark is sent flying to his back, while the Knight was riddled with bones and his flesh was decayed by the death magic. He barely clings to life, until one of the cultists ends his suffering with a death coil.
What would Ithildess say?
Krian still fought, so far he was left mostly undamaged save for the few death coils that breached through his light barrier, but there was still at least two dozen of the attackers left. A quick burst of stunning Light allowed him to backtrack to where Dawnthorn stood. Silverspark managed to get back to his feet, straight out running for his life with a few hooded figures and their minions chasing after him.
No. Nonono. No. This isn't happening.
The attackers gathered together, raising up some of the fallen ghouls to serve as a meat shield for their final attack. There was only a short moment of respite.
I could run, not all of them could keep up with me if I kept fending them off with ranged spells. At least I would have a better chance than the girl, anyways. Not to mention rank. Just leave her and...
He looked over at Dawnthorn again, her face was wracked with anguish and torment. It was his fault, wasn't it? To blindly follow this woman here in an attempt to do something good?
Damn it. I'm sorry, I hope you understand.
Krian took a few steps closer to the girl, his blazing enchantment fading as he cuts it off. "Dawnthorn, run. Run now and head for Tranquillen. If you don't go, we both die here and it will be weeks before command finds what's left of us. Get there, save yourself, and bring the entire Order to wipe these bastards out. Do you understand?"
The girl finally breaks her stare, blinking once at Krian, then nods weakly. She turns about to finally move, her legs obeying her mind as she breaks off into the fastest sprint she could muster. Not fast enough.
Krian turned his attention to the attackers, four of them had started off after the girl. The Blood Knight Master heaves himself in their direct path, slamming his shield into the undead minion to stop the chase. He sends out a bolt of Light to engulf the next hooded figure in golden flames.
Krian stumbles back as the entire group converges onto him. Tired, so tired. Must keep it up... His body forces itself to ward off the majority of the death coil barrage that was sent after him, but the ones that did make it robbed him of his strength. The ghouls howled with glee as they charged forward, licking their chops on the thought of devouring the elf before them. In a last act of defiance, the Blood Knight cries out in agony as he forces the rest of his energy into a tidal wave of the smiting fire, turning the first line of minions into crisped corpses. The second barrels into him, tearing and shredding and biting and-
"Agh! Stop stop stop! You're ruining him!"
The undead minions cease their feast, disappointed and soft whines could emit from their maws. Moderate damage still fell on the knight, blood dripping from several gashes that breached his armor. A short, runt of a man walks directly over Krian. A human by posture, lack of pointed ears, and a full beard of facial hair gazed down into the elf's eyes. His greasy unkept black hair was mismatched with his fine appeal, a suit and a hat perched onto his head. A blue doll was hanging by a noose from his belt, the carving of what appears to be a grin formed into its featureless head.
"Oh, he's perfect!.. He is important, right? Yes? Gooooood."
Krian could not help but let a soft groan emit from his lips, eyes rolling back as his lids shut. Whatever this human had planned, it could not bode well for him. Consciousness fades away before he could witness any more.
Not like this.
Krian's fatigued gaze settle upon the dozen or so of hooded figures and the rotting corpses that took position in front of them. Around his feet and the area about him, more of the undead and several armored elves lay on the ground, dead or dying. One other elf stood beside him, a trembling Blood Knight Adapt who's grip on her weapon caused the entire sword to shake. She could not be even a century old.
Light damn it.
Thirty minutes earlier...
The undermanned squad of six Blood Knights followed the robed elven woman in a brisk run, despite being fully armored and geared for a day's trek into the Ghostlands. Master Krian Duskbinder led the group, Blood Knights Brightsword and Dawnthorn followed in his heels. Brightsword and Dawnthorn were rank in file soldiers, countless years of combat worn down their bodies to a muscular and fit form. They had no trouble keeping up, unlike the adepts.
The trio of adepts were Silverspark, Duskstrider, and Dawnthorn. They were all fairly fresh recruits and the latter was Knight Dawnthorn's younger sister. Silverspark and Duskstrider were both nobles and friends, very eager to undermine their superior's at every respectable chance they could get. They were there for fun, after all, and the glory of being a Blood Knight. Adept Dawnthorn was simply following in her elder sister's footsteps, noted to be one of the weaker recruits. She wouldn't make it past Adept.
The robed figure that followed was a woman that introduced herself as Velile Swiftpaw, and that her lover was being attacked by undead while they were strolling through the forest. She begged and pleaded for their aid, in which Krian was forced to oblige. It was their duty, after all.
"Keep up, Adept Dawnthorn!" shouted Knight Dawnthorn, displeased that her sister was beginning to distance herself from the pack of knights. She looked winded, struggling with keeping up. The young Adept only nodded, a murmur coming out through her dry lips came inaudible. Knight Dawnthorn snorted, focusing ahead.
"Think we're going to bag a Death Knight?" Adept Silverspark whispered, directed at Duskstrider.
"Nah, it'll just be little ghouls I bet. The girl wouldn't even be alive if one of those was around."
Krian wasn't worried about what happened behind him, his mind was set on whatever they were going to meet when they reach the lover's location. His stomach was twisted in a knot, but from what he could not tell. Most likely, this elf was going to be dead or worse and he had a bad feeling about what they were going to find there. Still, he could not bare himself to tell the woman that all hope was lost for her lover. He had to try.
It takes them a couple of minutes of running to reach a clearing in the forest. A lone mangled body was set in the middle of it. "N-No!" Velile cried out, rushing forward to the corpse as Krian ordered a stop. A sinking feeling came over Krian as he gazed upon what was no doubt the remains of the lover, but something else tugged at his gut. His cautious eyes trailed over the tree line on the far side, roughly one hundred yards away and he could have sworn he saw figures in the distance. Knight Dawnthorn, however, kept running. The knight chased after Velile, grabbing her as she reached the body. "Get back, he's gone! The undea-" She didn't have time to finish her command as Velile turned around, expertly shoving a hidden shiv directly into Knight Dawnthorn's throat.
Shit.
The treeline emerged with rushing undead and hooded figures, differing in all sizes and weapons. A few dozen at the least, far superior to the Blood Knight's numbers. Velile ripped her dagger out of Dawnthorn's throat, grinning at the remaining knights. "Brightsword, Silverspark! Get Knight Dawnthorn out of here! Everyone else, buy some time!"
Adept Sunstrider was already turning to run from the horde of undead, "Fel this, I'm out of here!" Krian lets out a curse as he watches the Adept go, but strangely enough Silverspark stayed. Though both him and Adept Dawnthorn were frozen in fear. Dawnthorn was sobbing, fel green eyes fixed upon the body of her dying sister.
"Damn it, Silverspark! Get Adept Dawnthorn out of here, we will hold them off!"
Not for very long. Am I going to survive this?
Regardless of the Adepts' actions, the undead minions were about to close the distance to the first pair of Blood Knights. Krian grips his truesilver-edged sword firmly, body hid behind his raised shield. Dawnstrider favored a large mallet, poised to strike the first ghoul that gets in range. "Right beside you, sir." Brightsword muttered, tone grim.
Krian Duskbinder grits his teeth together, sparks of light forming around his armor and weapons. It soon forms into a divine blaze of holy flames around his sword and shield as well as vital weakpoints in his armor. It would keep him alive for now, but already he felt his endurance sapping from the taxing spell. He would have to make this quick or he'll burn out of steam.
As the first ghoul barrels towards Krian, the Master leans low to simply shove himself into, and through the undead corpse. It burns up in a vile shriek, limbs and body falling apart from the blazing shield's charge. The sword follows up into an uppercut swing, tearing one of the hooded attack's chest wide open, flames searing the exposed organs. Duskstrider kept up the rear guard, delivering devastating blows with his metal hammer and sending out scorching balls of Light to those that went out of his reach. Impressed by such a courageous display against the tides of evil, Silverspark charged in with his shield and sword at the ready, leaving the weeping younger Dawnthorn to herself. "I got your back, Master!" He grins with pride as he cleaves through one of the undead, letting out a victorious cry! "Ha! We can do this!"
In his moment of glory, Silverspark fails to realize that there are several more attacks all around them, their numbers soon allowing them to flank and press into the Blood Knight's weak points. As Duskstrider saves Silverspark by crushing a hooded figure that was ready to slice at the Adept's head, he left himself open to attack. A pack of ghouls launch themselves onto the Knight, shortly after exploding in emerald energies. Silverspark is sent flying to his back, while the Knight was riddled with bones and his flesh was decayed by the death magic. He barely clings to life, until one of the cultists ends his suffering with a death coil.
What would Ithildess say?
Krian still fought, so far he was left mostly undamaged save for the few death coils that breached through his light barrier, but there was still at least two dozen of the attackers left. A quick burst of stunning Light allowed him to backtrack to where Dawnthorn stood. Silverspark managed to get back to his feet, straight out running for his life with a few hooded figures and their minions chasing after him.
No. Nonono. No. This isn't happening.
The attackers gathered together, raising up some of the fallen ghouls to serve as a meat shield for their final attack. There was only a short moment of respite.
I could run, not all of them could keep up with me if I kept fending them off with ranged spells. At least I would have a better chance than the girl, anyways. Not to mention rank. Just leave her and...
He looked over at Dawnthorn again, her face was wracked with anguish and torment. It was his fault, wasn't it? To blindly follow this woman here in an attempt to do something good?
Damn it. I'm sorry, I hope you understand.
Krian took a few steps closer to the girl, his blazing enchantment fading as he cuts it off. "Dawnthorn, run. Run now and head for Tranquillen. If you don't go, we both die here and it will be weeks before command finds what's left of us. Get there, save yourself, and bring the entire Order to wipe these bastards out. Do you understand?"
The girl finally breaks her stare, blinking once at Krian, then nods weakly. She turns about to finally move, her legs obeying her mind as she breaks off into the fastest sprint she could muster. Not fast enough.
Krian turned his attention to the attackers, four of them had started off after the girl. The Blood Knight Master heaves himself in their direct path, slamming his shield into the undead minion to stop the chase. He sends out a bolt of Light to engulf the next hooded figure in golden flames.
Krian stumbles back as the entire group converges onto him. Tired, so tired. Must keep it up... His body forces itself to ward off the majority of the death coil barrage that was sent after him, but the ones that did make it robbed him of his strength. The ghouls howled with glee as they charged forward, licking their chops on the thought of devouring the elf before them. In a last act of defiance, the Blood Knight cries out in agony as he forces the rest of his energy into a tidal wave of the smiting fire, turning the first line of minions into crisped corpses. The second barrels into him, tearing and shredding and biting and-
"Agh! Stop stop stop! You're ruining him!"
The undead minions cease their feast, disappointed and soft whines could emit from their maws. Moderate damage still fell on the knight, blood dripping from several gashes that breached his armor. A short, runt of a man walks directly over Krian. A human by posture, lack of pointed ears, and a full beard of facial hair gazed down into the elf's eyes. His greasy unkept black hair was mismatched with his fine appeal, a suit and a hat perched onto his head. A blue doll was hanging by a noose from his belt, the carving of what appears to be a grin formed into its featureless head.
"Oh, he's perfect!.. He is important, right? Yes? Gooooood."
Krian could not help but let a soft groan emit from his lips, eyes rolling back as his lids shut. Whatever this human had planned, it could not bode well for him. Consciousness fades away before he could witness any more.
Not like this.