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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1384540" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p><strong>Darkness in the Desert</strong></p><p></p><p>It was early the next morning when the party mounted up and continued their ride towards the north. At first, Kelir flashed ahead of the party at high speed, disappearing in the distance for a few seconds, before in a flash he’d returned, his copper face a little redder than normal.</p><p></p><p>“I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I forgot the speed of human horses.”</p><p></p><p>Siabrey smiled at her father, “Its no problem... father.” <em>I still have to get used to calling him that!</em> her mind thought with a mixture of apprehension and excitement.</p><p></p><p>“Well... you should at least be able to fly,” Kelir nodded towards her wings, which peeked out from under her cloak. “You have my blood within you, after all.”</p><p></p><p><em>I wish I could, father</em>.</p><p></p><p>“I can’t,” her cloak moved through the air as she flapped her own uselessly. “They’re too small, and no one was able to teach me how to fly with them.” <em>I wish I could know how,</em> she thought, her eyes flitting momentarily to Lucius, and a slight grin formed on her lips as she read what was going through his mind. <em>Yes hon, they would get used that way...</em> her mind mused before she went red in the face at having thought of something like that with her <em>father</em> right beside her.</p><p></p><p>“Hmm,” Kelir’s gravelly voice rumbled. “Perhaps, after you are finished with your questing around, you can come back... and perhaps I can teach you and your friend,” he nodded to Lucius.</p><p></p><p><em>He doesn’t know about me and Lucius, really, does he?</em> Siabrey remembered as her face went a little red. “Well father... Lucius and I are... um...”</p><p></p><p>“Friends?” Kelir offered, and Siabrey shook her head. She could still read uncertainty in Lucius’ eyes when it came to broaching the topic of their relationship.</p><p></p><p>“No... um... well, if Lucius was you 25 years ago, I would be Stodiana,” she finally said, summing things up as best as she could. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Kelir’s eyes go wide.</p><p></p><p>“So you are...” he asked, motioning a big belly to the word he still couldn’t remember. Siabrey looked shocked for a second, before breaking into relieved laughter. <em>No... thank goodness for Tess’ alchemist bottles...</em></p><p></p><p>“No... I’m not pregnant,” she smiled, “but we are in love.” Kelir nodded in understanding, and she saw Lucius’ face break into a relieved smile at her father’s reaction.</p><p></p><p>“Make sure he doesn’t leave you like I had to leave Stodiana,” Kelir said wistfully, and Siabrey could feel his regret hanging in the air. She reached out from the saddle, and gave her father’s hovering shoulder a squeeze.</p><p></p><p>“Father, you did what you had to do to keep my mother safe... and for that I am grateful, as will she be when she finds out why you left.” Material to fill four more letters to Stodiana filled Siabrey’s mind as her father nodded in thanks.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The party had Kelir become their new eyes and ears after the departure of Xanadu and his little friends. During the course of the day, he’d periodically flash up to great height, and zip around the terrain for the surrounding ten miles in all directions. For the first three days of the week long trip to Kardatic and the ruins of the Temple just beyond, there was nothing that he reported back, other than the desert and its natural denizens. On the fourth, however, Tess noted with some alarm that he came back down to earth rather quickly.</p><p></p><p>“My Lord Kelir,” she said, insistently referring to him by a noble title, “what have you seen?”</p><p></p><p>“There are riders to the north and east of us... headed towards our path. 50 or more, clad in black. They are riding hard.”</p><p></p><p><em>Rogar...</em> Tess’ mind immediately shouted. “Could you see what any of them were wearing? Did any of them have an eagle in blue and yellow on them?” Kelir shook his head.</p><p></p><p>“I saw them from high up, Tesseron... I could not see them up close.”</p><p></p><p>“Dammit!” Tess swore, before jerking her mount towards the side. “We ride west, away from them! I don’t want to risk running into Rogar or 50 riders out here in the wastes!” The rest of the party agreed, and spurred their mounts off of the trail they had been following, Kelir at the lead, guiding them forward. Every few hours, he’d go airborne, and report back the enemy’s progress as their host turned towards the west as well, and was following at high speed.</p><p></p><p>The rode hard, with little stop, for two days straight. That night, their horses grew weary, and they were forced to stop and make camp. Tess and Siabrey picked a spot that was somewhat sheltered. This night, there would be no campfire, no relaxing fun or antics, as everyone was on needle’s edge. It was first watch, manned by Tess an Grumki, that saw distant movement in the darkness...</p><p></p><p>“Grumki!” Tess hissed, “wake the party! Quietly!” Grumki muttered a complaint about teh strength of Kord not needing quiet, but quickly the party was to its feet, and all eyes were trailed towards the movement that was slowly revealing itself to be shapes.</p><p></p><p><em>Riders,</em> Tess hissed in her mind as she saw the unmistakable forms of five humanoids on what looked to be horses. She squinted, as more movement was seen just behind then..</p><p></p><p><em>What is all of... oh no..</em></p><p></p><p>”Mount!” Tess shouted, alarm and horror carrying in her voice.</p><p></p><p>“What is it!? What do you see?” Siabrey shouted, her sword drawn as Tess leapt on horseback.</p><p></p><p>“Twenty people on foot, coming at us at a run! Ride hard!” she shouted again at Siabrey, who finally got on her horse and reined it up. Once she’d confirmed that Lucius and the others were on their mounts as well, she spurred her horse forward, and the entire group broke into a run. Even as they’re horses leapt forward, both Tess and Siabrey could hear the growing thunder of many hooves behind them being spurred onward as well.</p><p></p><p>“Kelir!” Tess shouted above the rising din, “I know your kind can call aid from the elemental plane! Can you do this?” The siabrie, having settled beside his daughter in the party’s retreat, zipped up to Tess’ side.</p><p></p><p>“Yes, but I’ll need ten minutes! I can perform the rituals as we ride!” Tess nodded, and Kelir, his wings beating rapidly, sank into a trance, his mind flashing words and commands that no one in the party understood.</p><p></p><p>The party rode the hardest they had in their lives, some several times almost slipping off of their horses from the speed of the gallop. Foam formed at their horses’ mouths, even as they continued to glance behind them to discover that the riders charging behind them were frighteningly close, and only getting closer.</p><p></p><p><em>We can’t outrun them... our horses will die, and we’ll be at a disadvantage,</em> Tess decided, reining up her own horse with the call, “Rein up! They’re gaining to fast, we’ll have to fight!” <em>Its only been about... eight minutes at most... Kelir needs more time!</em> “We’re going to have to hold them till Kelir can call for aid! Notch your arrows, and be careful!”</p><p></p><p>The sound of coarse wood bending echoed in the night as every party member that could notched an arrow or crossbow bolt, and drew back as the dark apparitions before them thundered closer and closer, larger and larger. Finally, the party could make out the forms of four of the large, black riders through the darkness, and a humanoid figure behind them. For a brief second, Siabrey thought she saw wisps of long, dark hair floating behind the figure’s head... all she needed to know.</p><p></p><p>Her arrow flashed through the air, catching the human in the upper leg. A howl of pain echoed in the air, one the party had heard in battle before...</p><p></p><p>Rogar.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the party launched their volley, as a small swarm of arrows skittered among the riders. Tess called for her musical powers, but held them within her lips, waiting till the charging enemy was close enough. Lucius, however, lost no time in unleashing <em>magic missiles</em> at the closest black rider. The black rider they thought was Rogar stopped 100 feet from the party, and the party could make out barely in the thin moonlight him drawing and notching an arrow. It slashed through the air, missing Siabrey by mere inches, as the nine lead riders, 4 demonic dark riders and five human, began their charges.</p><p></p><p>It was now apparent they were a mere vanguard; in teh mists behind ten more riders were appearing, along with another 30 people on the ground. The four lead riders, clad in black and wielding midnight dark blades, were to the fore, while several badly burned human riders closely followed. The humans spurred straight towards the party, while to Tess’ horror, the black riders rode hard around the sides.... one from the left, and three from the right.</p><p></p><p><em>They mean to surround us!</em> Tess thought in alarm, her Keldare tactical sense now in full swing. She turned her attention away from Rogar, and trained her nascent assault on the lead rider, waiting for him to enter her 50 ft. range.</p><p></p><p>The rest of the party trained their bows on Rogar yet again, in an effort to keep him from shooting more, and watched in awe and disgust as he dodged most of the arrows, only one grazing him in the shoulder. Siabrey was most miffed of all, her arrow seemingly headed straight for his chest when he deftly pulled himself to the right in the saddle, and the missile slashed past him into the darkness.</p><p></p><p>Tess finally launched her musical assault on the lead rider as he began his turn to come behind the party, and she watched as his armor seemed to grate and cut into him... nonetheless, he stayed in the saddle, and the brave bard found herself facing three black warriors alone...</p><p></p><p>As the first warrior charged towards her, Tess got a full view of his terrible visage... his skin was midnight black, red eyes gleamed from his otherwise frighteningly human face, his black armor clanked as he approached. As she called from within herself more strikes, she saw he did not draw his sword; indeed, he twisted his horse from her several moments before impact and swung <em>past</em> her. As she watched in alarm, intending to finish him off with her next strike, he saw her lean down, and snatch up Elenya.</p><p></p><p>“Elenya!” Tess screamed.</p><p></p><p>Tess’ cry went unheard to the front, as the human warriors came barreling into the party lines. Siabrey, Lucius, Grumki and Pellaron found themselves locked in deadly battle with these fighters; indeed, one managed to almost knock Siabrey down his blows were so vicious and hard. She fought back, managing to down him in time to see a horde of footmen, oddly shaped with <em>blades</em> seemingly coming at odd angles from their bodies, running hard at the party on the heels of the fighters.</p><p></p><p>To the left, Shaun did not hear his lover’s cries as he found himself under attack from the black rider that had charged there. He was heavily outarmed (a mere rapier versus a large, nasty looking black longsword) and it took both him and the paladin Aristophle to hold their ground against the riders assaults.</p><p></p><p>“ELENYA!” Tess screamed again, using her call to the girl as the focal point of her first musical assault. <em>Oh God! Elenya, and the baby!</em> The creature, as he lifted her up towards the back of his horse, began to vibrate atrociously, and a necklace with a charm of some kind around his neck wrapped around it furiously. As he collapsed off his horse in his death throes, he let go of Elenya, who fell to the ground with a sickening <em>crack</em> as her shoulder landed at an odd angle.</p><p></p><p><em>Oh God...</em> Tess’ mind raced as she turned towards the other two riders, a sonic attack ready for each. Her assaults ran true, and both riders reeled, but to her alarm, they merely drew their longswords and changed course directly towards <em>her</em>.</p><p></p><p>Towards the other front, Siabrey pulled off the largest bead she could find on her fireball necklace, and tossed it in the midst of the oncoming disaster. A massive explosion echoed over the battlefield, and many of the bladelings vanished, as well as one late-coming human fighter on horseback. Another horsebound fighter reeled and fell of his horse as the animal panicked and fled. </p><p></p><p>The party did not have time to notice as Rogar’s face darkened in anger at his troops inability to advance, nor did they notice him reaching into his quiver for a long time, picking a special arrow and notching it. It was Tess, out of the corner of her eye, who saw him string up his bow...</p><p></p><p>“Duck!” Tess shouted slightly too late as the arrow slashed through the party. There was a sudden gasp from Lucius, who found an arrow through the stomach. </p><p></p><p>“Lucius!” Siabrey grabbed him, remembering Rogar’s abilities displayed in the crypt of the demon. Lucius blinked hard, and his breath shuddered... but he kept breathing. His eyes lolled back for a second or two, and the phrase <em>Poison</em> ran hard through Siabrey’s mind.</p><p></p><p>“Help Luke! He’s been poisoned!” she shouted, as the shouts of the oncoming footmen echoed in her ears. Without thinking, she threw herself between Rogar and Lucius’ prone form, and drew her bow yet again. Her arrow flew true and slammed him in the stomach... yet he still remained on his horse.</p><p></p><p>The two riders behind the party meanwhile charged. One headed straight towards Tess, slashing into her viciously with his black blade. She felt something evil sucking at her very soul as the blade cut in, and narrowly avoided the hooves of the creature’s dark mount as it reared in front of her.</p><p></p><p>The other rider galloped by, leaned over, and slashed open her back. She felt the world spinning rapidly, and started to sink to the group before her mind commanded her, <em>Stay up Tess! Protect Elenya! Protect the baby! Fight!</em> She felt her strength coming back to her legs, the last desperate strength someone has when they think all is lost... yet they wish more than anything to take their victor to hell with them.</p><p></p><p>The rider that galloped past Tess halted his horse, and grabbed Elenya’s prone form. Tess is unable to help, as she ducks around the rider assaulting her directly, and Elenya is hauled into the back of a saddle once more.</p><p></p><p>Pellaron, directly to the front of Tess, is able to turn by this point, and with a flash of his blade, dispatches the rider harassing the badly hurt Tess. As Tess turns towards where Elenya was, she sees her form, limp and screaming, being carried off on the back of the rider’s black horse. Despite the blood that flecked her lips, her torn side, her slashed back, her wavering consciousness, she focused her entire being, everything she had left, on a songstrike at the rider. The sonic assault flew perfectly true, and slammed into the rider, knocking him off of his horse and into the realms of death.</p><p></p><p>Elenya, luckily, did not tumble off with him, and Tess watched with a mixture of awe and fear as hte woman, despite a broken shoulder and possible broke arm, struggled to right herself on her now panicking mount.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Grumki broke off his battle, and behind the wall of steel from Siabrey’s dancing blade, he set about counteracting the poison in Lucius’ veins. The boy within second stood up...</p><p></p><p>...and his eyes turned a fierce blue, almost white. His red hair seemed to smolder with intensity, as he extended a hand towards the rider that Shaun was being driven back by. The blackhearted demon gave a look of surprise, and then pain, and started clawing at his breastplate, as if to grab his chest. It tumbled off of his horse, spasming from the end results of a massive, fatal heart attack.</p><p></p><p>Shaun saw this, and immediately bolted towards his horse. With no question, no call, he mounted his horse and charged after his love. To his right, int he distance, he could make out ten more dark riders thundering around the party’s flank at high speed, clearly going after the same quarry he pursued. Shaun spurred his horse harder, hoping his mount could match the faster speed of the demonic horses.</p><p></p><p>Siabrey for her part, continued to almost single handedly hold the front against the mass of bladelings that swarmed her. She did not duck when they held out their hands and storms of knives flew her way... amazingly, she dodged most of them, and the ones that did hit did not deter her from her target. Her katana danced in the pale moonlight, and bladeling after bladeling fell as before a scythe on harvest day.</p><p></p><p>Lucius then turned, and from his hands came another fireball, aimed at more bladelings attempting to reach the front. Another massive explosion lit up the desert night, as 7 bladelings were turned to burnt cinders, and their remaining 3 companions in that contingent all badly burned. Siabrey noticed his frightening visage, but the incessant assaults of the bladelings to her front caused her to not be able to run over and calm him... and she feared what he might do.</p><p></p><p>Rogar, for his part, spurred his horse towards the right, following the mass of riders now engaged in a deadly race with Shaun for the prize of Elenya. Ibgar fired several arrows at him, only to have them fall short. As Rogar rode by and Siabrey kicked the last bladeling off of her sword, the party mounted up to try and help save their friend.</p><p></p><p>Shaun kept glancing to his left. The bane of his lover did the same, as the two sides closed. Up ahead, Elenya struggled with her good arm, desperately trying to pull herself up and into the oversized saddle to rein in her horse and ride towards her friends. Her strength continued to betray her, as at some points she sank dangerously close to the beasts thundering hooves.</p><p></p><p>Shaun, riding in a straight line, had a shorter distance to go than the black riders, and reached Elenya mere seconds before they did. Hurriedly, he grabbed her, and with all of his might attempted to haul her up...</p><p></p><p>...but he couldn’t. The deep slashes in his chest and shoulders from the black rider were too deep, and his tired arms gave way despite the momentous amounts of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He heaved with all of his might, the entire time screaming to Elenya, “You’ll be alright hon! Your hero is here! C’mon, dammit!” he commanded his tired arms. But they could not pull her up in time.</p><p></p><p>Quickly five black riders surrounded him, and while four pummeled him with their swords, the fifth grabbed Elenya with demonic ease, and threw her roughly over the back of his horse.</p><p></p><p>The party saw this, still over a hundred feet away and charging closer.</p><p></p><p><em>C’mon, Kelir!</em> Tess wanted to scream. She knew the siabrie could call upon creatures of air, far faster than any horse and more powerful than the foes they faced... but he was still in the air, trying to finish the summoning spell. <em>It’s got to be close to ten minutes!</em> she thought as she drew her harpbow... she was out of spells for the night, and dared not close to melee with her still wobbly health.</p><p></p><p>Grumki, Lucius, and Siabrey all charged on, desperately trying to close the distance, only to find five of the black riders stood between them and Shaun. The three bravely charged into the midst of hte riders, their swords singing through the air and clashing with armor, until suddenly all went black... for everyone.</p><p></p><p>They heard the noise of horses galloping off, but the deep darkness they suddenly found themselves was far darker than even a moonless night. It was pitch black, and one had no clue whether up was down, or left was right. The party stumbled in the muck, blindly charging onwards, as Kelir could be heard loudly complaining, “My friends can’t see! Where did the rats go with your friend!?”</p><p></p><p>After a few minutes, the party burst from the cloud of darkness left by the black riders. Their quarry was only a hundred yards ahead, and the charged after them...</p><p></p><p>...only to see the ten riders, and Rogar, seemingly ride into a rock and vanish...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1384540, member: 15043"] [b]Darkness in the Desert[/b] It was early the next morning when the party mounted up and continued their ride towards the north. At first, Kelir flashed ahead of the party at high speed, disappearing in the distance for a few seconds, before in a flash he’d returned, his copper face a little redder than normal. “I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I forgot the speed of human horses.” Siabrey smiled at her father, “Its no problem... father.” [i]I still have to get used to calling him that![/i] her mind thought with a mixture of apprehension and excitement. “Well... you should at least be able to fly,” Kelir nodded towards her wings, which peeked out from under her cloak. “You have my blood within you, after all.” [i]I wish I could, father[/i]. “I can’t,” her cloak moved through the air as she flapped her own uselessly. “They’re too small, and no one was able to teach me how to fly with them.” [i]I wish I could know how,[/i] she thought, her eyes flitting momentarily to Lucius, and a slight grin formed on her lips as she read what was going through his mind. [i]Yes hon, they would get used that way...[/i] her mind mused before she went red in the face at having thought of something like that with her [i]father[/i] right beside her. “Hmm,” Kelir’s gravelly voice rumbled. “Perhaps, after you are finished with your questing around, you can come back... and perhaps I can teach you and your friend,” he nodded to Lucius. [i]He doesn’t know about me and Lucius, really, does he?[/i] Siabrey remembered as her face went a little red. “Well father... Lucius and I are... um...” “Friends?” Kelir offered, and Siabrey shook her head. She could still read uncertainty in Lucius’ eyes when it came to broaching the topic of their relationship. “No... um... well, if Lucius was you 25 years ago, I would be Stodiana,” she finally said, summing things up as best as she could. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Kelir’s eyes go wide. “So you are...” he asked, motioning a big belly to the word he still couldn’t remember. Siabrey looked shocked for a second, before breaking into relieved laughter. [i]No... thank goodness for Tess’ alchemist bottles...[/i] “No... I’m not pregnant,” she smiled, “but we are in love.” Kelir nodded in understanding, and she saw Lucius’ face break into a relieved smile at her father’s reaction. “Make sure he doesn’t leave you like I had to leave Stodiana,” Kelir said wistfully, and Siabrey could feel his regret hanging in the air. She reached out from the saddle, and gave her father’s hovering shoulder a squeeze. “Father, you did what you had to do to keep my mother safe... and for that I am grateful, as will she be when she finds out why you left.” Material to fill four more letters to Stodiana filled Siabrey’s mind as her father nodded in thanks. The party had Kelir become their new eyes and ears after the departure of Xanadu and his little friends. During the course of the day, he’d periodically flash up to great height, and zip around the terrain for the surrounding ten miles in all directions. For the first three days of the week long trip to Kardatic and the ruins of the Temple just beyond, there was nothing that he reported back, other than the desert and its natural denizens. On the fourth, however, Tess noted with some alarm that he came back down to earth rather quickly. “My Lord Kelir,” she said, insistently referring to him by a noble title, “what have you seen?” “There are riders to the north and east of us... headed towards our path. 50 or more, clad in black. They are riding hard.” [i]Rogar...[/i] Tess’ mind immediately shouted. “Could you see what any of them were wearing? Did any of them have an eagle in blue and yellow on them?” Kelir shook his head. “I saw them from high up, Tesseron... I could not see them up close.” “Dammit!” Tess swore, before jerking her mount towards the side. “We ride west, away from them! I don’t want to risk running into Rogar or 50 riders out here in the wastes!” The rest of the party agreed, and spurred their mounts off of the trail they had been following, Kelir at the lead, guiding them forward. Every few hours, he’d go airborne, and report back the enemy’s progress as their host turned towards the west as well, and was following at high speed. The rode hard, with little stop, for two days straight. That night, their horses grew weary, and they were forced to stop and make camp. Tess and Siabrey picked a spot that was somewhat sheltered. This night, there would be no campfire, no relaxing fun or antics, as everyone was on needle’s edge. It was first watch, manned by Tess an Grumki, that saw distant movement in the darkness... “Grumki!” Tess hissed, “wake the party! Quietly!” Grumki muttered a complaint about teh strength of Kord not needing quiet, but quickly the party was to its feet, and all eyes were trailed towards the movement that was slowly revealing itself to be shapes. [i]Riders,[/i] Tess hissed in her mind as she saw the unmistakable forms of five humanoids on what looked to be horses. She squinted, as more movement was seen just behind then.. [i]What is all of... oh no..[/i] ”Mount!” Tess shouted, alarm and horror carrying in her voice. “What is it!? What do you see?” Siabrey shouted, her sword drawn as Tess leapt on horseback. “Twenty people on foot, coming at us at a run! Ride hard!” she shouted again at Siabrey, who finally got on her horse and reined it up. Once she’d confirmed that Lucius and the others were on their mounts as well, she spurred her horse forward, and the entire group broke into a run. Even as they’re horses leapt forward, both Tess and Siabrey could hear the growing thunder of many hooves behind them being spurred onward as well. “Kelir!” Tess shouted above the rising din, “I know your kind can call aid from the elemental plane! Can you do this?” The siabrie, having settled beside his daughter in the party’s retreat, zipped up to Tess’ side. “Yes, but I’ll need ten minutes! I can perform the rituals as we ride!” Tess nodded, and Kelir, his wings beating rapidly, sank into a trance, his mind flashing words and commands that no one in the party understood. The party rode the hardest they had in their lives, some several times almost slipping off of their horses from the speed of the gallop. Foam formed at their horses’ mouths, even as they continued to glance behind them to discover that the riders charging behind them were frighteningly close, and only getting closer. [i]We can’t outrun them... our horses will die, and we’ll be at a disadvantage,[/i] Tess decided, reining up her own horse with the call, “Rein up! They’re gaining to fast, we’ll have to fight!” [i]Its only been about... eight minutes at most... Kelir needs more time![/i] “We’re going to have to hold them till Kelir can call for aid! Notch your arrows, and be careful!” The sound of coarse wood bending echoed in the night as every party member that could notched an arrow or crossbow bolt, and drew back as the dark apparitions before them thundered closer and closer, larger and larger. Finally, the party could make out the forms of four of the large, black riders through the darkness, and a humanoid figure behind them. For a brief second, Siabrey thought she saw wisps of long, dark hair floating behind the figure’s head... all she needed to know. Her arrow flashed through the air, catching the human in the upper leg. A howl of pain echoed in the air, one the party had heard in battle before... Rogar. The rest of the party launched their volley, as a small swarm of arrows skittered among the riders. Tess called for her musical powers, but held them within her lips, waiting till the charging enemy was close enough. Lucius, however, lost no time in unleashing [i]magic missiles[/i] at the closest black rider. The black rider they thought was Rogar stopped 100 feet from the party, and the party could make out barely in the thin moonlight him drawing and notching an arrow. It slashed through the air, missing Siabrey by mere inches, as the nine lead riders, 4 demonic dark riders and five human, began their charges. It was now apparent they were a mere vanguard; in teh mists behind ten more riders were appearing, along with another 30 people on the ground. The four lead riders, clad in black and wielding midnight dark blades, were to the fore, while several badly burned human riders closely followed. The humans spurred straight towards the party, while to Tess’ horror, the black riders rode hard around the sides.... one from the left, and three from the right. [i]They mean to surround us![/i] Tess thought in alarm, her Keldare tactical sense now in full swing. She turned her attention away from Rogar, and trained her nascent assault on the lead rider, waiting for him to enter her 50 ft. range. The rest of the party trained their bows on Rogar yet again, in an effort to keep him from shooting more, and watched in awe and disgust as he dodged most of the arrows, only one grazing him in the shoulder. Siabrey was most miffed of all, her arrow seemingly headed straight for his chest when he deftly pulled himself to the right in the saddle, and the missile slashed past him into the darkness. Tess finally launched her musical assault on the lead rider as he began his turn to come behind the party, and she watched as his armor seemed to grate and cut into him... nonetheless, he stayed in the saddle, and the brave bard found herself facing three black warriors alone... As the first warrior charged towards her, Tess got a full view of his terrible visage... his skin was midnight black, red eyes gleamed from his otherwise frighteningly human face, his black armor clanked as he approached. As she called from within herself more strikes, she saw he did not draw his sword; indeed, he twisted his horse from her several moments before impact and swung [i]past[/i] her. As she watched in alarm, intending to finish him off with her next strike, he saw her lean down, and snatch up Elenya. “Elenya!” Tess screamed. Tess’ cry went unheard to the front, as the human warriors came barreling into the party lines. Siabrey, Lucius, Grumki and Pellaron found themselves locked in deadly battle with these fighters; indeed, one managed to almost knock Siabrey down his blows were so vicious and hard. She fought back, managing to down him in time to see a horde of footmen, oddly shaped with [i]blades[/i] seemingly coming at odd angles from their bodies, running hard at the party on the heels of the fighters. To the left, Shaun did not hear his lover’s cries as he found himself under attack from the black rider that had charged there. He was heavily outarmed (a mere rapier versus a large, nasty looking black longsword) and it took both him and the paladin Aristophle to hold their ground against the riders assaults. “ELENYA!” Tess screamed again, using her call to the girl as the focal point of her first musical assault. [i]Oh God! Elenya, and the baby![/i] The creature, as he lifted her up towards the back of his horse, began to vibrate atrociously, and a necklace with a charm of some kind around his neck wrapped around it furiously. As he collapsed off his horse in his death throes, he let go of Elenya, who fell to the ground with a sickening [i]crack[/i] as her shoulder landed at an odd angle. [i]Oh God...[/i] Tess’ mind raced as she turned towards the other two riders, a sonic attack ready for each. Her assaults ran true, and both riders reeled, but to her alarm, they merely drew their longswords and changed course directly towards [i]her[/i]. Towards the other front, Siabrey pulled off the largest bead she could find on her fireball necklace, and tossed it in the midst of the oncoming disaster. A massive explosion echoed over the battlefield, and many of the bladelings vanished, as well as one late-coming human fighter on horseback. Another horsebound fighter reeled and fell of his horse as the animal panicked and fled. The party did not have time to notice as Rogar’s face darkened in anger at his troops inability to advance, nor did they notice him reaching into his quiver for a long time, picking a special arrow and notching it. It was Tess, out of the corner of her eye, who saw him string up his bow... “Duck!” Tess shouted slightly too late as the arrow slashed through the party. There was a sudden gasp from Lucius, who found an arrow through the stomach. “Lucius!” Siabrey grabbed him, remembering Rogar’s abilities displayed in the crypt of the demon. Lucius blinked hard, and his breath shuddered... but he kept breathing. His eyes lolled back for a second or two, and the phrase [i]Poison[/i] ran hard through Siabrey’s mind. “Help Luke! He’s been poisoned!” she shouted, as the shouts of the oncoming footmen echoed in her ears. Without thinking, she threw herself between Rogar and Lucius’ prone form, and drew her bow yet again. Her arrow flew true and slammed him in the stomach... yet he still remained on his horse. The two riders behind the party meanwhile charged. One headed straight towards Tess, slashing into her viciously with his black blade. She felt something evil sucking at her very soul as the blade cut in, and narrowly avoided the hooves of the creature’s dark mount as it reared in front of her. The other rider galloped by, leaned over, and slashed open her back. She felt the world spinning rapidly, and started to sink to the group before her mind commanded her, [i]Stay up Tess! Protect Elenya! Protect the baby! Fight![/i] She felt her strength coming back to her legs, the last desperate strength someone has when they think all is lost... yet they wish more than anything to take their victor to hell with them. The rider that galloped past Tess halted his horse, and grabbed Elenya’s prone form. Tess is unable to help, as she ducks around the rider assaulting her directly, and Elenya is hauled into the back of a saddle once more. Pellaron, directly to the front of Tess, is able to turn by this point, and with a flash of his blade, dispatches the rider harassing the badly hurt Tess. As Tess turns towards where Elenya was, she sees her form, limp and screaming, being carried off on the back of the rider’s black horse. Despite the blood that flecked her lips, her torn side, her slashed back, her wavering consciousness, she focused her entire being, everything she had left, on a songstrike at the rider. The sonic assault flew perfectly true, and slammed into the rider, knocking him off of his horse and into the realms of death. Elenya, luckily, did not tumble off with him, and Tess watched with a mixture of awe and fear as hte woman, despite a broken shoulder and possible broke arm, struggled to right herself on her now panicking mount. Grumki broke off his battle, and behind the wall of steel from Siabrey’s dancing blade, he set about counteracting the poison in Lucius’ veins. The boy within second stood up... ...and his eyes turned a fierce blue, almost white. His red hair seemed to smolder with intensity, as he extended a hand towards the rider that Shaun was being driven back by. The blackhearted demon gave a look of surprise, and then pain, and started clawing at his breastplate, as if to grab his chest. It tumbled off of his horse, spasming from the end results of a massive, fatal heart attack. Shaun saw this, and immediately bolted towards his horse. With no question, no call, he mounted his horse and charged after his love. To his right, int he distance, he could make out ten more dark riders thundering around the party’s flank at high speed, clearly going after the same quarry he pursued. Shaun spurred his horse harder, hoping his mount could match the faster speed of the demonic horses. Siabrey for her part, continued to almost single handedly hold the front against the mass of bladelings that swarmed her. She did not duck when they held out their hands and storms of knives flew her way... amazingly, she dodged most of them, and the ones that did hit did not deter her from her target. Her katana danced in the pale moonlight, and bladeling after bladeling fell as before a scythe on harvest day. Lucius then turned, and from his hands came another fireball, aimed at more bladelings attempting to reach the front. Another massive explosion lit up the desert night, as 7 bladelings were turned to burnt cinders, and their remaining 3 companions in that contingent all badly burned. Siabrey noticed his frightening visage, but the incessant assaults of the bladelings to her front caused her to not be able to run over and calm him... and she feared what he might do. Rogar, for his part, spurred his horse towards the right, following the mass of riders now engaged in a deadly race with Shaun for the prize of Elenya. Ibgar fired several arrows at him, only to have them fall short. As Rogar rode by and Siabrey kicked the last bladeling off of her sword, the party mounted up to try and help save their friend. Shaun kept glancing to his left. The bane of his lover did the same, as the two sides closed. Up ahead, Elenya struggled with her good arm, desperately trying to pull herself up and into the oversized saddle to rein in her horse and ride towards her friends. Her strength continued to betray her, as at some points she sank dangerously close to the beasts thundering hooves. Shaun, riding in a straight line, had a shorter distance to go than the black riders, and reached Elenya mere seconds before they did. Hurriedly, he grabbed her, and with all of his might attempted to haul her up... ...but he couldn’t. The deep slashes in his chest and shoulders from the black rider were too deep, and his tired arms gave way despite the momentous amounts of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He heaved with all of his might, the entire time screaming to Elenya, “You’ll be alright hon! Your hero is here! C’mon, dammit!” he commanded his tired arms. But they could not pull her up in time. Quickly five black riders surrounded him, and while four pummeled him with their swords, the fifth grabbed Elenya with demonic ease, and threw her roughly over the back of his horse. The party saw this, still over a hundred feet away and charging closer. [i]C’mon, Kelir![/i] Tess wanted to scream. She knew the siabrie could call upon creatures of air, far faster than any horse and more powerful than the foes they faced... but he was still in the air, trying to finish the summoning spell. [i]It’s got to be close to ten minutes![/i] she thought as she drew her harpbow... she was out of spells for the night, and dared not close to melee with her still wobbly health. Grumki, Lucius, and Siabrey all charged on, desperately trying to close the distance, only to find five of the black riders stood between them and Shaun. The three bravely charged into the midst of hte riders, their swords singing through the air and clashing with armor, until suddenly all went black... for everyone. They heard the noise of horses galloping off, but the deep darkness they suddenly found themselves was far darker than even a moonless night. It was pitch black, and one had no clue whether up was down, or left was right. The party stumbled in the muck, blindly charging onwards, as Kelir could be heard loudly complaining, “My friends can’t see! Where did the rats go with your friend!?” After a few minutes, the party burst from the cloud of darkness left by the black riders. Their quarry was only a hundred yards ahead, and the charged after them... ...only to see the ten riders, and Rogar, seemingly ride into a rock and vanish... [/QUOTE]
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