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Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)
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<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 4388030" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p><strong>Cold Visitor: Conclusion</strong></p><p></p><p>The void around Kham lurched sickeningly, and he wondered if Ilmarė did the right thing. But then, quite clearly, he heard Corinalous’s voice chanting, and it was as if a hand had grabbed him by his throat and pulled him forward. There was a piercing pain in his chest at the sudden transition between planes. Then he felt the wound begin to heal, and he opened his eyes to the familiar, stable world he knew. </p><p></p><p>Across the clearing, Corinalous held Fleshripper high over his head, chanting hoarsely. Suddenly, he plunged the sword down into the flame of the campfire, which swelled upward as if to consume the blade. Within the fire, a vaguely manlike form took shape. </p><p></p><p>Turning, Corinalous plunged the sword beneath the waters of the bubbling spring, where its form was surrounded by another humanoid shape, this one made of water. Corinalous raised the blade on high, where a swift, cool wind sprang up from nowhere to swirl around the blade. Finally, a massive, rocky shape rose up from the earth in front of Corinalous, and the Altherian grasps Fleshripper in both hands as he prepared to smash the sword, now glowing a deep crimson color, against the creature. </p><p></p><p>Then he stopped. "I spent my life bound to this blade, and I never knew the power it held. Now…" His jaw trembled, and he looks at you for the first time since your return. "I can't…I can't—" Abruptly, his face twists into a grimace of raw hatred, and from his mouth came the cruel, vicious voice of the King in Yellow. “We are awakened now! It is too late! Your quest is for NOTHING! Now, feel the wrath of Divine Vengeance!” </p><p></p><p>Corinalous pointed the sword at Kham and began chanting again, growling the words of his spell through clenched teeth. Somewhere in his eyes, Kham could see a deep well of terror and remorse, but the rest of Corinalous’ mind and body were overcome with rage. </p><p></p><p>Kham reflexively drew his pistols, then lowered them. “Dad!” he shouted helplessly. </p><p></p><p>Vlad shook off the malaise of the planar travel. “That’s it,” he snarled. “I’m going to kill him.” The being composed of roaring flames danced toward him.</p><p></p><p>“He’s possessed!” shouted Beldin. He was stopped short before the elemental composed of rocks and dirt rumbled up to him.</p><p></p><p>“Child of Osalian, I don’t wish to harm you.” Ilmarė drew her thin blade as a dust devil swirled around her. “But I will if I must.”</p><p></p><p>Dril frantically reloaded his pistol as the elemental composed of water sloshed towards him. “What am I supposed to do to this thing, mop it up?”</p><p></p><p>With a roar, Vlad charged the fire elemental head on. It hissed and crackled in response. “My blade is called Forged in Fire,” shouted Vlad as he plunged Grungronazharr into the elemental’s torso, “for a reason!” The fire elemental sputtered and disappeared.</p><p></p><p>Beldin blocked a teeth-rattling blow from the earth elemental. He hacked back at it with his axe, but was only rewarded with a small rock fall. He hooked the axe onto his belt and drew a morning star instead. </p><p></p><p>“Let’s see how you like good old-fashioned dwarven stonemasonry!” Beldin grabbed the hilt of his morning star with both hands and slammed downwards onto what might have been the head of the elemental, if it had such things. A crack formed. Beldin slammed into it with his shield and the elemental exploded into dust around him.</p><p></p><p>Ilmarė whirled backwards as the air lifted up bits of sharp rock, slicing at her. Her thinblade smacked one of the pieces of debris out of the air. Then another. Soon the stinging attacks became a frenzied onslaught, and the sounds of stone on metal were replaced with Ilmarė hissing through her teeth in pain.</p><p></p><p>“I can’t,” said Kham. His pistols were lifeless in his hands. “I won’t…”</p><p></p><p>Dril fired. The blast opened a whole in the water elemental, but it filled in immediately. With a surge, it splashed over him, engulfing his head in water. He reached for his blades.</p><p></p><p>Vlad swung his sword towards Corinalous’ head, but the older man was filled with an unnatural vigor. Fleshripper jerked in front of Corinalous to protect him. The two were locked in a deadly embrace, snarling at each other. Then Corinalous effortlessly shoved Vlad backwards.</p><p></p><p>Beldin stepped in front of him. With a mighty swing of his morning star he batted Fleshripper from Corinalous’ hands. The blade skittered to the ground.</p><p></p><p>“No!” shrieked Corinalous.</p><p></p><p>Beldin held the spiked weapon over his head for a brief instant. Then he brought the morning star down on Fleshripper with all his might. </p><p></p><p>A dark crack appeared in the center of the blade, slowly radiating outwards like a spider web, before Fleshripper shattered into a hundred pieces. </p><p></p><p>Suddenly the sky, already dark with the gathering dusk, became pitch black. There was a sound like rushing wind, and shapes rose forth from the shattered sword: ghostly images of dwarves, hobgoblins, and men, all of them twisted, black and evil. And in the center of them all was Ophelia val’Tensen. She snarled in hatred. </p><p></p><p>“Do you think it matters?” said Ophelia. “You have freed us, but I will not go to the Judgment of Nier alone! You will be destroyed, all of you!” The shadowy forces surrounding them draw their weapons. </p><p></p><p>Then the last rays of the setting sun broke through the gathering clouds. The shadows from Fleshripper halted in mid-stride. One by one, they were sucked away, screaming as they went. </p><p></p><p>Ophelia val’Tensen looked about in bewilderment, until her eyes fixed on the sun, focusing on something invisible. “No! No! My Lord, I have served you faithfully! Illiir have mercy! Illiir, please!” </p><p></p><p>A burst of brilliant light enveloped her, and she was gone. Then the fragments of the sword glowed with light, and one by one the souls of the forces of good within the blade strode forth. Each one looked towards the sun, their expressions content as one by one they marched into oblivion. </p><p></p><p>Finally Medricas val’Assante appeared. “I thank you, my friends. The curse is broken, and all of us can finally go home to the paradise of the gods. But I sense that you have much yet to do in the land of the living. Thus, I leave you a gift. Use it to fight evil wherever you may find it.” A shimmering light flowed from Medricas and enveloped each of the companions. </p><p></p><p>Then he turned to gaze at Nubuto, who appeared at his side, blinking in the fading light. The paladin nodded to the dwarf, and the two of them faded away as the sun finally set. </p><p></p><p>Corinalous looked down at the shattered pieces of the sword. Kham, tears staining his face, wordlessly embraced him in a hug.</p><p> </p><p>When they finally separated, Corinalous addressed the others. “My friends, I cannot thank you—or apologize—enough. All of Onara owes you thanks. I have lost many years of my life to the power of that blade. But at least I shall lose no more. There is not enough in the world to repay you, but I will do what I can." </p><p></p><p>“The curse is finally broken,” said Beldin with a satisfied smile. “How do you feel, Kham?”</p><p></p><p>Kham blinked back tears as he looked up at the sky. “Whole,” he said. “Whole and clean.”</p><p></p><p>A single snowflake slowly floated to the ground. Kham put his tongue out to catch it.</p><p></p><p>“That’s strange,” said Ilmarė. “It never snows in Freeport.”</p><p></p><p>Kham took a swig of wine laced with ghoul juice.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 4388030, member: 3285"] [b]Cold Visitor: Conclusion[/b] The void around Kham lurched sickeningly, and he wondered if Ilmarė did the right thing. But then, quite clearly, he heard Corinalous’s voice chanting, and it was as if a hand had grabbed him by his throat and pulled him forward. There was a piercing pain in his chest at the sudden transition between planes. Then he felt the wound begin to heal, and he opened his eyes to the familiar, stable world he knew. Across the clearing, Corinalous held Fleshripper high over his head, chanting hoarsely. Suddenly, he plunged the sword down into the flame of the campfire, which swelled upward as if to consume the blade. Within the fire, a vaguely manlike form took shape. Turning, Corinalous plunged the sword beneath the waters of the bubbling spring, where its form was surrounded by another humanoid shape, this one made of water. Corinalous raised the blade on high, where a swift, cool wind sprang up from nowhere to swirl around the blade. Finally, a massive, rocky shape rose up from the earth in front of Corinalous, and the Altherian grasps Fleshripper in both hands as he prepared to smash the sword, now glowing a deep crimson color, against the creature. Then he stopped. "I spent my life bound to this blade, and I never knew the power it held. Now…" His jaw trembled, and he looks at you for the first time since your return. "I can't…I can't—" Abruptly, his face twists into a grimace of raw hatred, and from his mouth came the cruel, vicious voice of the King in Yellow. “We are awakened now! It is too late! Your quest is for NOTHING! Now, feel the wrath of Divine Vengeance!” Corinalous pointed the sword at Kham and began chanting again, growling the words of his spell through clenched teeth. Somewhere in his eyes, Kham could see a deep well of terror and remorse, but the rest of Corinalous’ mind and body were overcome with rage. Kham reflexively drew his pistols, then lowered them. “Dad!” he shouted helplessly. Vlad shook off the malaise of the planar travel. “That’s it,” he snarled. “I’m going to kill him.” The being composed of roaring flames danced toward him. “He’s possessed!” shouted Beldin. He was stopped short before the elemental composed of rocks and dirt rumbled up to him. “Child of Osalian, I don’t wish to harm you.” Ilmarė drew her thin blade as a dust devil swirled around her. “But I will if I must.” Dril frantically reloaded his pistol as the elemental composed of water sloshed towards him. “What am I supposed to do to this thing, mop it up?” With a roar, Vlad charged the fire elemental head on. It hissed and crackled in response. “My blade is called Forged in Fire,” shouted Vlad as he plunged Grungronazharr into the elemental’s torso, “for a reason!” The fire elemental sputtered and disappeared. Beldin blocked a teeth-rattling blow from the earth elemental. He hacked back at it with his axe, but was only rewarded with a small rock fall. He hooked the axe onto his belt and drew a morning star instead. “Let’s see how you like good old-fashioned dwarven stonemasonry!” Beldin grabbed the hilt of his morning star with both hands and slammed downwards onto what might have been the head of the elemental, if it had such things. A crack formed. Beldin slammed into it with his shield and the elemental exploded into dust around him. Ilmarė whirled backwards as the air lifted up bits of sharp rock, slicing at her. Her thinblade smacked one of the pieces of debris out of the air. Then another. Soon the stinging attacks became a frenzied onslaught, and the sounds of stone on metal were replaced with Ilmarė hissing through her teeth in pain. “I can’t,” said Kham. His pistols were lifeless in his hands. “I won’t…” Dril fired. The blast opened a whole in the water elemental, but it filled in immediately. With a surge, it splashed over him, engulfing his head in water. He reached for his blades. Vlad swung his sword towards Corinalous’ head, but the older man was filled with an unnatural vigor. Fleshripper jerked in front of Corinalous to protect him. The two were locked in a deadly embrace, snarling at each other. Then Corinalous effortlessly shoved Vlad backwards. Beldin stepped in front of him. With a mighty swing of his morning star he batted Fleshripper from Corinalous’ hands. The blade skittered to the ground. “No!” shrieked Corinalous. Beldin held the spiked weapon over his head for a brief instant. Then he brought the morning star down on Fleshripper with all his might. A dark crack appeared in the center of the blade, slowly radiating outwards like a spider web, before Fleshripper shattered into a hundred pieces. Suddenly the sky, already dark with the gathering dusk, became pitch black. There was a sound like rushing wind, and shapes rose forth from the shattered sword: ghostly images of dwarves, hobgoblins, and men, all of them twisted, black and evil. And in the center of them all was Ophelia val’Tensen. She snarled in hatred. “Do you think it matters?” said Ophelia. “You have freed us, but I will not go to the Judgment of Nier alone! You will be destroyed, all of you!” The shadowy forces surrounding them draw their weapons. Then the last rays of the setting sun broke through the gathering clouds. The shadows from Fleshripper halted in mid-stride. One by one, they were sucked away, screaming as they went. Ophelia val’Tensen looked about in bewilderment, until her eyes fixed on the sun, focusing on something invisible. “No! No! My Lord, I have served you faithfully! Illiir have mercy! Illiir, please!” A burst of brilliant light enveloped her, and she was gone. Then the fragments of the sword glowed with light, and one by one the souls of the forces of good within the blade strode forth. Each one looked towards the sun, their expressions content as one by one they marched into oblivion. Finally Medricas val’Assante appeared. “I thank you, my friends. The curse is broken, and all of us can finally go home to the paradise of the gods. But I sense that you have much yet to do in the land of the living. Thus, I leave you a gift. Use it to fight evil wherever you may find it.” A shimmering light flowed from Medricas and enveloped each of the companions. Then he turned to gaze at Nubuto, who appeared at his side, blinking in the fading light. The paladin nodded to the dwarf, and the two of them faded away as the sun finally set. Corinalous looked down at the shattered pieces of the sword. Kham, tears staining his face, wordlessly embraced him in a hug. When they finally separated, Corinalous addressed the others. “My friends, I cannot thank you—or apologize—enough. All of Onara owes you thanks. I have lost many years of my life to the power of that blade. But at least I shall lose no more. There is not enough in the world to repay you, but I will do what I can." “The curse is finally broken,” said Beldin with a satisfied smile. “How do you feel, Kham?” Kham blinked back tears as he looked up at the sky. “Whole,” he said. “Whole and clean.” A single snowflake slowly floated to the ground. Kham put his tongue out to catch it. “That’s strange,” said Ilmarė. “It never snows in Freeport.” Kham took a swig of wine laced with ghoul juice. [/QUOTE]
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