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Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)
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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 1841439" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p><strong>Bargains of Spirit and Flesh - Part 5: Out of the Frying Pan…</strong></p><p></p><p>The gate's flickering blue aura dissipated even as Kham look slack jawed upon the scene around him. </p><p></p><p>Some humans were corralled in a far corner, chained to each other. Scattered about the chamber were desiccated limbs, skulls, and ribcages, evidence of a battle where undead were defeated with extreme prejudice. The victors of the battle stood victorious at the far end of the chamber. One man, dressed in white plate armor rimmed with yellow edges, stood in front of six other warriors similarly arrayed in yellow armor. All of them wielded long, two-handed swords with edges shaped like flames.</p><p></p><p>"Nierites," Kham said under his breath. "Damn."</p><p></p><p>"Surrender or suffer the Flames of Nier!"</p><p></p><p>Kham put up his hands. "Errr. You know you sound remarkably like someone I know…"</p><p></p><p>There was another flash of blue light as the gate opened behind Kham and Quintus stepped through.</p><p></p><p>"That's him," Kham said, pointing at a confused Quintus. "Fanatical legionnaire, meet fanatical Nierite."</p><p></p><p>Quintus turned, shield and spear at the ready. "Nierites? Here? But this is Ventaka!"</p><p></p><p>"By order of Leonydes val'Virdan, the Sword of the Heavens, I demand you relinquish your weapons!"</p><p></p><p>Quintus' companions stepped through the portal. </p><p></p><p>"You go deal with them," whispered Kham. </p><p></p><p>Quintus placed his spear in front of Vlad, who had his sword and shield out. "Hold. Let them come to us." </p><p></p><p>Vlad nodded. </p><p></p><p>"Ilmarė, guard Elabac. Kham…" Quintus looked around. "Where's Kham?"</p><p></p><p>Kham was running across to the left of Quintus towards the prisoners. The utter lack of any signs of surrendering prompted the Nierites to begin walking towards them with their two-handed swords held high.</p><p></p><p>"If I know fanatics," Quintus said, "they'll-"</p><p></p><p>"Charge!" shouted the leader, breaking into a trot.</p><p></p><p>"Steady," said Quintus.</p><p></p><p>One of the Nierites split off and ran to follow Kham.</p><p></p><p>"Steady…"</p><p></p><p>Kham turned. "You idiots are actually following me?" he shouted over his shoulder. "I'm a noncombatant!" </p><p></p><p>"Steady…"</p><p></p><p>When the Nierite didn't stop, Kham whirled and drew forth his handgonnes. "Okay, I lied."</p><p></p><p>"NOW!"</p><p></p><p>At the last moment, Quintus lowered his spear. The shaft smashed through the Nierite's plate and spun him sideways. A second swung his sword hard into Quintus' shield, the blow reverberating so hard throughout his arm that it rattled his teeth. </p><p></p><p>Ilmarė ducked low underneath the swing of a massive sword and pierced the Nierite's plate armor with the tip of her blade. He slumped forward, forcing Ilmarė to kick the corpse off her sword.</p><p></p><p>Vlad chopped downwards at the thigh of the fourth Nierite while his shield blocked the fifth.</p><p></p><p>BLAM! </p><p></p><p>The handgonne fired but it was not enough to stop the charging Nierite. The blade struck sideways, knocking Kham to the ground. His handgonnes flew in different directions, out of his reach.</p><p></p><p>Quintus saw Kham go down. "Vlad! Hold them off! I'm going to help Kham!"</p><p></p><p>Vlad blocked a sword blow with his shield and struck another Nierite down. "Go!"</p><p></p><p>The Coryani dropped his shield as he charged across the chamber towards the Nierite. "LETUM INFIRMUS!" he shouted.</p><p></p><p>The Nierite raised his sword over his head. The force of the blow would be such that it would surely decapitate his victim.</p><p></p><p>Before the blow came, Vlad's spear struck the Nierite's abdomen and lifted him up. He kept running, spearing the man five feet above the ground against a nearby wall.</p><p></p><p>Ilmarė joined them a moment later. "They're all dead," she said. </p><p></p><p>Quintus helped Kham to his feet. "Ouch," Kham said, clutching at his ribs.</p><p></p><p>"Broken ribs. Hold still." Quintus puts his palms to Kham's chest. "Illiir, iuvo sana sua vulna levis."</p><p></p><p>Kham stretched and picked up his handgonnes. "Perfect. Nice to know someone else is carrying their fair share of the heroics around here."</p><p></p><p>Quintus smirked as he yanked the spear out of the wall. "You're welcome."</p><p></p><p>Kham joined Vlad, who was talking to a bald, pasty-faced man with gray eyes and dressed in expensive black leather. Most of the prisoners were freed from their chains, but a few stood dull and lifeless, their eyes unfocused. </p><p></p><p>"What's up with them?" Kham </p><p></p><p>"Dey are de living dead," the bald man said. </p><p></p><p>Kham's gray gaze flickered over to him. "And you are?"</p><p></p><p>"My name is Helac val'Mordane."</p><p></p><p>"He's something called a Black Chanter," said Vlad. "They were attacked by Nierites."</p><p></p><p>"The Nierites are led by the Sword of the Heavens," said Ilmarė. "He is the tyrant who tore down the First Imperium and precipitated the Shadow Age. Leonydes was thought to have vanished until he resurfaced in Nishanpur. The Sword of the Heavens has had his eye on Canceri ever since."</p><p></p><p>Kham scratched the back of his head. "Black Chanter, huh. You sing to corpses, right?"</p><p></p><p>"Dis is true," Helac said in his thick Coryani accent. "Most of our blessed ancestors dat have passed on and return, find dat deir ability to feel emotions and passions begin to fade. I know of special songs and melodies dat can stir some of de lost passion vidin deir vithered breasts."</p><p></p><p>"Helac says he was captured after leaving Akali's personal chambers," added Vlad.</p><p></p><p>"I had just put my Lord Vervain to peaceful rest along with de rest of his advisors vhen I was captured," said Helac. </p><p></p><p>"Lord Vervain?" asked Elabac, hobbling his way over. "That is who…we have come…to see."</p><p></p><p>Helac blanched. "De Nierites you killed vere an advance guard of a much larger army. Dey have laid siege to de city. I'm afraid dey plan to permanently seal de Akali vitin deir chambers."</p><p></p><p>"If Vervain…is sealed in…all is lost," said Elabac.</p><p></p><p>Quintus looked from Elabac to Helac. "Helac, do you know the way?"</p><p></p><p>"I do."</p><p></p><p>"Then let's get moving. Oh and Kham?"</p><p></p><p>Kham stopped short. </p><p></p><p>"You've got 17 shots left. You may not be counting, but I am."</p><p></p><p>Kham shrugged. "We'll be lucky if I have anything left by the time we're done with this insanity."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 1841439, member: 3285"] [b]Bargains of Spirit and Flesh - Part 5: Out of the Frying Pan…[/b] The gate's flickering blue aura dissipated even as Kham look slack jawed upon the scene around him. Some humans were corralled in a far corner, chained to each other. Scattered about the chamber were desiccated limbs, skulls, and ribcages, evidence of a battle where undead were defeated with extreme prejudice. The victors of the battle stood victorious at the far end of the chamber. One man, dressed in white plate armor rimmed with yellow edges, stood in front of six other warriors similarly arrayed in yellow armor. All of them wielded long, two-handed swords with edges shaped like flames. "Nierites," Kham said under his breath. "Damn." "Surrender or suffer the Flames of Nier!" Kham put up his hands. "Errr. You know you sound remarkably like someone I know…" There was another flash of blue light as the gate opened behind Kham and Quintus stepped through. "That's him," Kham said, pointing at a confused Quintus. "Fanatical legionnaire, meet fanatical Nierite." Quintus turned, shield and spear at the ready. "Nierites? Here? But this is Ventaka!" "By order of Leonydes val'Virdan, the Sword of the Heavens, I demand you relinquish your weapons!" Quintus' companions stepped through the portal. "You go deal with them," whispered Kham. Quintus placed his spear in front of Vlad, who had his sword and shield out. "Hold. Let them come to us." Vlad nodded. "Ilmarė, guard Elabac. Kham…" Quintus looked around. "Where's Kham?" Kham was running across to the left of Quintus towards the prisoners. The utter lack of any signs of surrendering prompted the Nierites to begin walking towards them with their two-handed swords held high. "If I know fanatics," Quintus said, "they'll-" "Charge!" shouted the leader, breaking into a trot. "Steady," said Quintus. One of the Nierites split off and ran to follow Kham. "Steady…" Kham turned. "You idiots are actually following me?" he shouted over his shoulder. "I'm a noncombatant!" "Steady…" When the Nierite didn't stop, Kham whirled and drew forth his handgonnes. "Okay, I lied." "NOW!" At the last moment, Quintus lowered his spear. The shaft smashed through the Nierite's plate and spun him sideways. A second swung his sword hard into Quintus' shield, the blow reverberating so hard throughout his arm that it rattled his teeth. Ilmarė ducked low underneath the swing of a massive sword and pierced the Nierite's plate armor with the tip of her blade. He slumped forward, forcing Ilmarė to kick the corpse off her sword. Vlad chopped downwards at the thigh of the fourth Nierite while his shield blocked the fifth. BLAM! The handgonne fired but it was not enough to stop the charging Nierite. The blade struck sideways, knocking Kham to the ground. His handgonnes flew in different directions, out of his reach. Quintus saw Kham go down. "Vlad! Hold them off! I'm going to help Kham!" Vlad blocked a sword blow with his shield and struck another Nierite down. "Go!" The Coryani dropped his shield as he charged across the chamber towards the Nierite. "LETUM INFIRMUS!" he shouted. The Nierite raised his sword over his head. The force of the blow would be such that it would surely decapitate his victim. Before the blow came, Vlad's spear struck the Nierite's abdomen and lifted him up. He kept running, spearing the man five feet above the ground against a nearby wall. Ilmarė joined them a moment later. "They're all dead," she said. Quintus helped Kham to his feet. "Ouch," Kham said, clutching at his ribs. "Broken ribs. Hold still." Quintus puts his palms to Kham's chest. "Illiir, iuvo sana sua vulna levis." Kham stretched and picked up his handgonnes. "Perfect. Nice to know someone else is carrying their fair share of the heroics around here." Quintus smirked as he yanked the spear out of the wall. "You're welcome." Kham joined Vlad, who was talking to a bald, pasty-faced man with gray eyes and dressed in expensive black leather. Most of the prisoners were freed from their chains, but a few stood dull and lifeless, their eyes unfocused. "What's up with them?" Kham "Dey are de living dead," the bald man said. Kham's gray gaze flickered over to him. "And you are?" "My name is Helac val'Mordane." "He's something called a Black Chanter," said Vlad. "They were attacked by Nierites." "The Nierites are led by the Sword of the Heavens," said Ilmarė. "He is the tyrant who tore down the First Imperium and precipitated the Shadow Age. Leonydes was thought to have vanished until he resurfaced in Nishanpur. The Sword of the Heavens has had his eye on Canceri ever since." Kham scratched the back of his head. "Black Chanter, huh. You sing to corpses, right?" "Dis is true," Helac said in his thick Coryani accent. "Most of our blessed ancestors dat have passed on and return, find dat deir ability to feel emotions and passions begin to fade. I know of special songs and melodies dat can stir some of de lost passion vidin deir vithered breasts." "Helac says he was captured after leaving Akali's personal chambers," added Vlad. "I had just put my Lord Vervain to peaceful rest along with de rest of his advisors vhen I was captured," said Helac. "Lord Vervain?" asked Elabac, hobbling his way over. "That is who…we have come…to see." Helac blanched. "De Nierites you killed vere an advance guard of a much larger army. Dey have laid siege to de city. I'm afraid dey plan to permanently seal de Akali vitin deir chambers." "If Vervain…is sealed in…all is lost," said Elabac. Quintus looked from Elabac to Helac. "Helac, do you know the way?" "I do." "Then let's get moving. Oh and Kham?" Kham stopped short. "You've got 17 shots left. You may not be counting, but I am." Kham shrugged. "We'll be lucky if I have anything left by the time we're done with this insanity." [/QUOTE]
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