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Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War
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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1363552" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p>The next part, titled</p><p></p><p><strong>The Leave Taking, and the March North</strong></p><p></p><p>The noises of battle died down, as rather quickly the countess’ orcs and gnolls broke off their assaults. A ragged cheer went up and down the line as a weak, bloodied Lucius insisted on riding behind the soldiers to give them cheer.</p><p></p><p><em>I wish you would stop this posing and get yourself healed,</em> Siabrey moaned silently. She never would understand that kind of bravado. After a few minutes, she decided enough was enough, and stopped Lucius’ fun by grabbing his horse’s bridle and gently, but forcefully, pulling him back towards the others. As they approached, they could see Hidalas, as well as several other figures they did not recognize.</p><p></p><p>“Hallo, m’lord!” Hidalas beamed, “It looks like you could use some healing help?” Siabrey nodded rather forcefully for Lucius, who gave her a friendly scowl. Hidalas set about fixing Luke’s wounds, as Siabrey went over to the three new people, all dressed in the armor and cloaks of paladins of Hieroneous. She realized as she got within earshot, that they knew Pellaron quite well, and all appeared to be involved in a deep conversation describing how the enemy was repelled in their sector. She also noticed that all were busily cleaning red blood off of their swords.</p><p></p><p>“Oh!” Pellaron jumped up once he noticed Siabrey, “This is Siabrey, the fighter, the one I have been telling you about! She has no fear!”</p><p></p><p><em>Boy is that an overstatement,</em> Siabrey’s mind thought as she politely says, “My friend overestimates me. Um.. what are you names?”</p><p></p><p>The first paladin introduced himself as Aristophle, and was a tall, thin man with thinning hair. The second was Pelee, who was a little shorter than Siabrey, with red hair and green eyes. The third named himself as Ikbar,,, and was of average height, and clearly the oldest by his greying hair.</p><p></p><p>“I am pleased to meet you,” Siabrey said, shaking the hand of each. </p><p></p><p>“We have been assigned by your friend, Master Hidalas, to escort you northwards towards your destination,” Ikbar offered. “Our blades shall be at your service the entire time.”</p><p></p><p><em>Three more swords to the party... veteran ones at that! Hmm... I’m quite impressed!</em></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The party that dusk split off from the main army, and began marching towards the north. As several days went by, the routine of the march became drudgery; Every morning Xanadu would send out his flying friends to look for enemies, and every midday they would return with no news. </p><p></p><p>The one consolation of all of this was that the terrain they were travelling through was some of the most gorgeous plains and woodlands in the Valley... the desert itself was still nearly a weeks ride away.</p><p></p><p>On the fourth day of being away from the army, however, the routine suddenly changed. At midday, one of Xanadu’s fliers returned, and they watched with interest and growing alarm as he leaned close to it and his face fell.</p><p></p><p>“There is a troop of yak headed people and skeletons, headed by a fallen cleric, who marches north some two miles to our east and several miles behind us. They are on path to our destination,” he said grimly.</p><p></p><p>“Cut them off,” Tess said firmly, with no hint of inflection in her voice. “We don’t want them getting anywhere close to that Temple!”</p><p></p><p>“Can your friends track them?” Shaun asked, his voice reflecting concern as well. “Perhaps we could set up an ambush for them...”</p><p></p><p>For the next day, the party moved just as a lion carefully stalks is prey. They dashed forward, quickly, quietly several miles, before stopping as Xanadu’s friends tracked the enemy’s progress. Bit by bit, they realized that the yakheads and skeletons were marching up a small gully, the dried riverbed of an ancient stream, calling themselves being sneaky by hiding themselves from view.</p><p></p><p>The party then dashed ahead, and surrounded the gully on both sides, and spent several hours constructing camoflauge. They were rewarded as near dusk, the unerring tramp of 18 sets of feet came up the gully, neither the skeletons, nor the yak folk, nor the cleric commander noticing the party until arrows were already notched, and had started to fly...</p><p></p><p>Siabrey, Shaun and Tess all loosed their first assaults against the cleric. He had been clad in red robes, and held in his hand a wand that glowed red and orange... thus they deemed him the greatest risk. Tess’ song held him in place, as Siabrey’s and Shaun’s arrows eviscerated his throat and lanced his heart respectively. Before the battle had even begun, their opponents most powerful figure was on the ground, smote to ruin.</p><p></p><p>The yak folk, following just behind the cleric, began to immediately spring up the sides of the gully in a desperate attempt to fight back, as the rest of the party let loose. Xanadu’s and Lucius’ magic missiles cut swaths in their ranks, as Tess’ song caused yet another head explosion, this one directly in the face of Siabrey and Lucius. Once again, both were covered in matted mess.</p><p></p><p>The skeletons attempted to swarm up the gully as well, but did not get far before Pelee and Aristophle held high their holy symbols of Hieroneous, and banished six of the creatures from this world. As the skeleton’s forms shattered into dust, Xanadu took to the air and became invisible yet again.</p><p></p><p>Siabrey’s sword lashed out at the yak person to her face, and her blow neatly placed its head in the growing pile of bodies that had rolled down into the ravine. Just as Shaun’s arrow shattered the skull of the last yak person, showering the paladins with gore, and enormous <em>WHUMPH!</em> caused the ground to shuddered underfoot and the four remaining skeletons crunched themselves into dust. As the rising dust cloud cleared, the astounded party saw Xanadu, sitting crosslegged and looking quite proud of himself.</p><p></p><p>Being the second time she had seen him do something like that, Tess was immensely curious. </p><p></p><p>“How the hell did you do that?” she cried. “What was that? Mage Hand? Crushing Fist? Bigby’s Crushing Fist of Smiting Doom?”</p><p></p><p>“That,” Xanadu said, standing up and dusting off his cloak, “is for me to know, and me to know only.” He smiled slightly, as Tess clambered down the gulley towards him.</p><p></p><p><em>He’s hiding something big,</em> her mind screamed.</p><p></p><p>“Xanadu,” she started, “I’ve seen many strange things in my day... but none... I say none... have been as unerringly weird as that attack you just did. C’mon... how did you do it? Magic?”</p><p></p><p>“Not quite,” Xanadu’s smile suddenly vanished, and amazing, his face and voice took on a shy tone.</p><p></p><p>“What is it then?” Tess was almost in his face. <em>I’ve been backstabbed twice by people... I’m paranoid and I want answers!</em></p><p></p><p>“Its something I can do...” he said, his voice drifting off.</p><p></p><p><em>Is that what you call it?</em> Tess’ mind wondered in slight paranoia, as Xanadu rather quickly looked up towards Lucius and Siabrey, who looked at each other rather disgustedly with the bits and pieces of yak all over them.</p><p></p><p>“It appears as you two could use a wash!” he shouted, changing the subject.</p><p></p><p>“No crap!” Siabrey shouted back. “Can your little flyboys find us a pond or something?” Xanadu smiled, and silently called his friends into his hands again.</p><p></p><p>“By all means!”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1363552, member: 15043"] The next part, titled [b]The Leave Taking, and the March North[/b] The noises of battle died down, as rather quickly the countess’ orcs and gnolls broke off their assaults. A ragged cheer went up and down the line as a weak, bloodied Lucius insisted on riding behind the soldiers to give them cheer. [i]I wish you would stop this posing and get yourself healed,[/i] Siabrey moaned silently. She never would understand that kind of bravado. After a few minutes, she decided enough was enough, and stopped Lucius’ fun by grabbing his horse’s bridle and gently, but forcefully, pulling him back towards the others. As they approached, they could see Hidalas, as well as several other figures they did not recognize. “Hallo, m’lord!” Hidalas beamed, “It looks like you could use some healing help?” Siabrey nodded rather forcefully for Lucius, who gave her a friendly scowl. Hidalas set about fixing Luke’s wounds, as Siabrey went over to the three new people, all dressed in the armor and cloaks of paladins of Hieroneous. She realized as she got within earshot, that they knew Pellaron quite well, and all appeared to be involved in a deep conversation describing how the enemy was repelled in their sector. She also noticed that all were busily cleaning red blood off of their swords. “Oh!” Pellaron jumped up once he noticed Siabrey, “This is Siabrey, the fighter, the one I have been telling you about! She has no fear!” [i]Boy is that an overstatement,[/i] Siabrey’s mind thought as she politely says, “My friend overestimates me. Um.. what are you names?” The first paladin introduced himself as Aristophle, and was a tall, thin man with thinning hair. The second was Pelee, who was a little shorter than Siabrey, with red hair and green eyes. The third named himself as Ikbar,,, and was of average height, and clearly the oldest by his greying hair. “I am pleased to meet you,” Siabrey said, shaking the hand of each. “We have been assigned by your friend, Master Hidalas, to escort you northwards towards your destination,” Ikbar offered. “Our blades shall be at your service the entire time.” [i]Three more swords to the party... veteran ones at that! Hmm... I’m quite impressed![/i] The party that dusk split off from the main army, and began marching towards the north. As several days went by, the routine of the march became drudgery; Every morning Xanadu would send out his flying friends to look for enemies, and every midday they would return with no news. The one consolation of all of this was that the terrain they were travelling through was some of the most gorgeous plains and woodlands in the Valley... the desert itself was still nearly a weeks ride away. On the fourth day of being away from the army, however, the routine suddenly changed. At midday, one of Xanadu’s fliers returned, and they watched with interest and growing alarm as he leaned close to it and his face fell. “There is a troop of yak headed people and skeletons, headed by a fallen cleric, who marches north some two miles to our east and several miles behind us. They are on path to our destination,” he said grimly. “Cut them off,” Tess said firmly, with no hint of inflection in her voice. “We don’t want them getting anywhere close to that Temple!” “Can your friends track them?” Shaun asked, his voice reflecting concern as well. “Perhaps we could set up an ambush for them...” For the next day, the party moved just as a lion carefully stalks is prey. They dashed forward, quickly, quietly several miles, before stopping as Xanadu’s friends tracked the enemy’s progress. Bit by bit, they realized that the yakheads and skeletons were marching up a small gully, the dried riverbed of an ancient stream, calling themselves being sneaky by hiding themselves from view. The party then dashed ahead, and surrounded the gully on both sides, and spent several hours constructing camoflauge. They were rewarded as near dusk, the unerring tramp of 18 sets of feet came up the gully, neither the skeletons, nor the yak folk, nor the cleric commander noticing the party until arrows were already notched, and had started to fly... Siabrey, Shaun and Tess all loosed their first assaults against the cleric. He had been clad in red robes, and held in his hand a wand that glowed red and orange... thus they deemed him the greatest risk. Tess’ song held him in place, as Siabrey’s and Shaun’s arrows eviscerated his throat and lanced his heart respectively. Before the battle had even begun, their opponents most powerful figure was on the ground, smote to ruin. The yak folk, following just behind the cleric, began to immediately spring up the sides of the gully in a desperate attempt to fight back, as the rest of the party let loose. Xanadu’s and Lucius’ magic missiles cut swaths in their ranks, as Tess’ song caused yet another head explosion, this one directly in the face of Siabrey and Lucius. Once again, both were covered in matted mess. The skeletons attempted to swarm up the gully as well, but did not get far before Pelee and Aristophle held high their holy symbols of Hieroneous, and banished six of the creatures from this world. As the skeleton’s forms shattered into dust, Xanadu took to the air and became invisible yet again. Siabrey’s sword lashed out at the yak person to her face, and her blow neatly placed its head in the growing pile of bodies that had rolled down into the ravine. Just as Shaun’s arrow shattered the skull of the last yak person, showering the paladins with gore, and enormous [i]WHUMPH![/i] caused the ground to shuddered underfoot and the four remaining skeletons crunched themselves into dust. As the rising dust cloud cleared, the astounded party saw Xanadu, sitting crosslegged and looking quite proud of himself. Being the second time she had seen him do something like that, Tess was immensely curious. “How the hell did you do that?” she cried. “What was that? Mage Hand? Crushing Fist? Bigby’s Crushing Fist of Smiting Doom?” “That,” Xanadu said, standing up and dusting off his cloak, “is for me to know, and me to know only.” He smiled slightly, as Tess clambered down the gulley towards him. [i]He’s hiding something big,[/i] her mind screamed. “Xanadu,” she started, “I’ve seen many strange things in my day... but none... I say none... have been as unerringly weird as that attack you just did. C’mon... how did you do it? Magic?” “Not quite,” Xanadu’s smile suddenly vanished, and amazing, his face and voice took on a shy tone. “What is it then?” Tess was almost in his face. [i]I’ve been backstabbed twice by people... I’m paranoid and I want answers![/i] “Its something I can do...” he said, his voice drifting off. [i]Is that what you call it?[/i] Tess’ mind wondered in slight paranoia, as Xanadu rather quickly looked up towards Lucius and Siabrey, who looked at each other rather disgustedly with the bits and pieces of yak all over them. “It appears as you two could use a wash!” he shouted, changing the subject. “No crap!” Siabrey shouted back. “Can your little flyboys find us a pond or something?” Xanadu smiled, and silently called his friends into his hands again. “By all means!” [/QUOTE]
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