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Into the Icy Darkness: The Great Demon War
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<blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1384542" data-attributes="member: 15043"><p><strong>The Party Breaks Down, and Then Reforms Stronger</strong></p><p></p><p>“DAMMIT!” Tess snarled, spurring her horse towards the rock. Desperately she and Siabrey ran their hands over the rock, kicking it, hitting it, knocking on it, only to find that it was solid rock. Siabrey noticed that in the air about them a great deal of residual magic floated, and she conveyed this fact to the party.</p><p></p><p>“What the hell could do things like that?!” an annoyed and broken Tess shouted, <em>Elenya! The baby!</em></p><p></p><p>”A <em>teleport</em> perhaps?” Kelir said resignedly, “though I know of no teleport that can take that many people too far... they could have only teleported a short distance... say 80 or 90 miles, by you human’s reckoning...”</p><p></p><p><em>80 miles? The temple ruins!</em> Tess’s mind reasoned. “They must have gone to the old Temple of Hextor!”</p><p></p><p>Kelir thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, it’s the only large structure within range of a teleport spell.”</p><p></p><p>“Its... its no use,” Siabrey said, running the last of her hands over the rock, her face wet with tears of shame, sorrow, and fear. “She’s gone.”</p><p>Shaun sat down heavily on a jutting rock and dropped his head into his hands. <em>She’s gone, and I couldn’t save her. I wasn’t strong enough…and now they’ll kill her. Kill the woman I love…</em> His broken sobs voiced the opinions of the entire party. Siabrey walked over and laid a comforting hand on Shaun’s shoulder.</p><p></p><p>“We’ll get her back, Shaun. I swear it.” The rogue lifted his tear-streaked face to Siabrey’s. The fighter’s eyes were blazing dangerously, and Shaun felt a momentary pang for whoever would be at the avenging end of her sword, before he felt his heart echo the feelings in her eyes. <em>Yes, she is right. We will find her, and then I will find Rogar, and I will slice him into little pieces too small for even the carrion birds to scavenge!</em></p><p></p><p>Tess brushed the tears of anger and frustration from her eyes. “Yes, Shaun. We will get her back.” <em>Hopefully she’ll still be alive..</em> She turned and ran her eyes over the stone that had teleported Elenya away. “One thing I don’t understand though…why did they take Elenya?” Her mind momentarily brought back stories of demons and what they did to unborn children, before she shook her head, disregarding the idea. <em>No, there’s no possible way they could have known Elenya was pregnant. </em></p><p></p><p>Kelir had been floating a few feet off the ground, apparently deep in thought when his eyes suddenly went wide and he gazed at Siabrey with a mix of fear and sorrow. “Perhaps…” his quiet voice drew all of their attentions. “Perhaps the lack of light confused them. You and Elenya are almost the same height.”</p><p></p><p>“What?” Siabrey took a step towards Kelir, fear dawning in her eyes. <em>No….</em></p><p></p><p>“It was dark out tonight. Very dark.” Kelir continued and his voice grew softer. “Perhaps, in the darkness, the riders thought Elenya was Siabrey.”</p><p></p><p>The world seemed to freeze and pivot for Siabrey. As she turned slowly, feeling as though she were trapped in molten steel, her friends faces flashed by. Tess; looking shocked and horrified, Shaun; the pain on his face replaced with sudden rage and a touch of hatred at Siabrey, and Lucius, her dear Lucius, green eyes now glowing faintly blue with anger. All of the warnings her mind had been giving her over the past few weeks erupted forth. <em>They tried to take you to get to him</em> The hissed vehemently. <em>You should have left when you had the chance…now they will hate you for causing them pain. Quinn, Dingalas, Elenya; their blood is on YOUR hands…</em></p><p></p><p>“No…” she whispered faintly, swaying on her feet. The voices continued, raging all around her as they tore her protective walls down. <em>Look at Shaun’s face, do you think he will be friends will you after you caused the death of his lover and unborn child? And Lucius! By protecting you he falls deeper into the demon’s clutches everyday…</em> The world around her began to dim and twist. </p><p></p><p>“No…” she whispered again, as she started to fall. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Tess’s lips moving, but she couldn’t hear the words. Her eyes focused on Lucius’ face, the boy so newly a man who wanted to marry her, and the inborn evil she saw buried in his eyes broke her.</p><p></p><p>She collapsed to the ground, her whole body shaking with pain and fear. This was worse than when Shaun had revealed her wings, worse than when she had almost left Lucius. Her mind jolted and suddenly felt separate from her body. She felt the others pawing at her body, heard the mumble of words that her ears couldn’t quite comprehend, but her body just curled up tighter, digging nails into her skin and screaming as though it would never stop as her mind drifted lazily somewhere above her body, gazing down in bemusement. <em>Use the sword…</em> A voice unlike any she had ever heard before came through to her muffled ears. It sounded oddly like Princess Zoe’s. <em>Use your sword…they can not use you to hurt him if you are dead…</em> “Yes…”her disjointed mind muttered. <em>End it, Siabrey, and they cannot hurt him anymore…</em> </p><p></p><p>As the mind floated, the copper-skinned body below suddenly sat up, throwing the others off of her. In slow motion, it drew a rune-marked sword, muttered a few words, and prepared to drive the shining blade deep into its own chest. A blue-eyed boy threw out a hand as his lips formed a silent ‘no’, and the pretty bard leapt to try to stop the blade. They were both too slow however, and for a second, it seemed as though the blade would find its mark deep in the woman’s heart.</p><p></p><p>Siabrey’s body lurched and crumped to the ground with a heavy body on top of hers. “No.” a rough voice commanded, and pried the sword from her nerveless fingers.</p><p></p><p>“Is she alright?” Tess yelled, running up, Lucius only a step behind her.</p><p></p><p>“Yes,” Shaun answered, holding Siabrey’s sword tight. Siabrey stared wide-eyed up at him, not comprehending. His eyes were blood-shot, and he was breathing very hard as though he had just finished running a mile. The look on his face was chisled from stone however, as he bent to grab Siabrey by the shoulder and shake her roughly.</p><p></p><p>“Don’t you DARE kill yourself Siabrey! Don’t you understand, you’re the best fighter among us! We need you if we’re going to get Elenya back! It’s not…” he gulped and blinked rapidly. “It’s not your fault that they took her, Siabrey.”</p><p></p><p>“But if it hadn’t of been for me…” she started, but Shaun shook her again. </p><p></p><p>“No! They’re trying to use your love for Lucius to destroy him. But Siabrey, love isn’t a weakness!” he released her shoulder and slumped down to the ground next to her, the weight of a thousand years on his shoulders. </p><p></p><p>“I used to think love was a weakness.” He continued on in that same broken voice, staring at his hands. “I would see people in love and just think that it was an excellent opportunity to lift their purses.” His hands clenched suddenly. “But now…knowing they have Elenya fills me with a fire that I have never felt before.” He turned and grabbed Siabrey’s shoulders again. “We’re going to get her back! I don’t know how I know but I do!” </p><p></p><p>As Siabrey stared down into the depths of Shaun’s soul, her mind gradually reviving, she felt something strange awaken within her. The screaming voices of death and pain faded before a light as soft as falling snow that beat deep within her chest. She focused on that light and drew it forth, and gasped as she suddenly knew what Shaun felt. Now she understood the look in Lucius’ eyes when he sang to her. Shaun was right, love wasn’t a weakness. It was a fire; a weapon that she could wield as easily as she wielded her katana. Her foes had been using that fire to burn her, but now…</p><p></p><p>She reached out and grasped Shaun’s shoulders, pulling him to her in a tight hug. “Thank you, Shaun,” she whispered into his ear, then stood up, pulling her sword from his grasp.</p><p></p><p>“No!” Lucius started to reach out for her, but she was in control of herself now. She sheathed the blade fluidly and grabbed the incoming boy, pulling his lips tight against hers in a crushing kiss. <em>I understand now, Lucius…</em> her mind whispered, free from any of the sacrificing voices. <em>I promised you I’d always be with you…and a promise is a promise.</em> She pulled away and smiled sadly at the tears that clung to Lucius’ eyelashes.</p><p></p><p>“It’s alright.” She said soothingly, drawing the back of her fingers gently across his cheek.</p><p></p><p>“Why did you do that, Siabrey…” he was choking back even more tears. She laid a finger on his lips in an echo of the gesture he had used so many times on her. “Later. For now,” she glanced over her shoulder to where Shaun had stood, his eyes mirroring her determination. “We have a friend to save. Let’s ride!”</p><p></p><p>A few minutes later, a group of eight horses led by a shining star vanished into the dark night. They were led by a fiery-eyed fighter and a dark-eyed rogue, both bent on the same goal; protecting their loved ones!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Emperor Valerian, post: 1384542, member: 15043"] [b]The Party Breaks Down, and Then Reforms Stronger[/b] “DAMMIT!” Tess snarled, spurring her horse towards the rock. Desperately she and Siabrey ran their hands over the rock, kicking it, hitting it, knocking on it, only to find that it was solid rock. Siabrey noticed that in the air about them a great deal of residual magic floated, and she conveyed this fact to the party. “What the hell could do things like that?!” an annoyed and broken Tess shouted, [i]Elenya! The baby![/i] ”A [i]teleport[/i] perhaps?” Kelir said resignedly, “though I know of no teleport that can take that many people too far... they could have only teleported a short distance... say 80 or 90 miles, by you human’s reckoning...” [I]80 miles? The temple ruins![/I] Tess’s mind reasoned. “They must have gone to the old Temple of Hextor!” Kelir thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, it’s the only large structure within range of a teleport spell.” “Its... its no use,” Siabrey said, running the last of her hands over the rock, her face wet with tears of shame, sorrow, and fear. “She’s gone.” Shaun sat down heavily on a jutting rock and dropped his head into his hands. [I]She’s gone, and I couldn’t save her. I wasn’t strong enough…and now they’ll kill her. Kill the woman I love…[/I] His broken sobs voiced the opinions of the entire party. Siabrey walked over and laid a comforting hand on Shaun’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back, Shaun. I swear it.” The rogue lifted his tear-streaked face to Siabrey’s. The fighter’s eyes were blazing dangerously, and Shaun felt a momentary pang for whoever would be at the avenging end of her sword, before he felt his heart echo the feelings in her eyes. [I]Yes, she is right. We will find her, and then I will find Rogar, and I will slice him into little pieces too small for even the carrion birds to scavenge![/I] Tess brushed the tears of anger and frustration from her eyes. “Yes, Shaun. We will get her back.” [I]Hopefully she’ll still be alive..[/I] She turned and ran her eyes over the stone that had teleported Elenya away. “One thing I don’t understand though…why did they take Elenya?” Her mind momentarily brought back stories of demons and what they did to unborn children, before she shook her head, disregarding the idea. [I]No, there’s no possible way they could have known Elenya was pregnant. [/I] Kelir had been floating a few feet off the ground, apparently deep in thought when his eyes suddenly went wide and he gazed at Siabrey with a mix of fear and sorrow. “Perhaps…” his quiet voice drew all of their attentions. “Perhaps the lack of light confused them. You and Elenya are almost the same height.” “What?” Siabrey took a step towards Kelir, fear dawning in her eyes. [I]No….[/I] “It was dark out tonight. Very dark.” Kelir continued and his voice grew softer. “Perhaps, in the darkness, the riders thought Elenya was Siabrey.” The world seemed to freeze and pivot for Siabrey. As she turned slowly, feeling as though she were trapped in molten steel, her friends faces flashed by. Tess; looking shocked and horrified, Shaun; the pain on his face replaced with sudden rage and a touch of hatred at Siabrey, and Lucius, her dear Lucius, green eyes now glowing faintly blue with anger. All of the warnings her mind had been giving her over the past few weeks erupted forth. [I]They tried to take you to get to him[/I] The hissed vehemently. [I]You should have left when you had the chance…now they will hate you for causing them pain. Quinn, Dingalas, Elenya; their blood is on YOUR hands…[/I] “No…” she whispered faintly, swaying on her feet. The voices continued, raging all around her as they tore her protective walls down. [I]Look at Shaun’s face, do you think he will be friends will you after you caused the death of his lover and unborn child? And Lucius! By protecting you he falls deeper into the demon’s clutches everyday…[/I] The world around her began to dim and twist. “No…” she whispered again, as she started to fall. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Tess’s lips moving, but she couldn’t hear the words. Her eyes focused on Lucius’ face, the boy so newly a man who wanted to marry her, and the inborn evil she saw buried in his eyes broke her. She collapsed to the ground, her whole body shaking with pain and fear. This was worse than when Shaun had revealed her wings, worse than when she had almost left Lucius. Her mind jolted and suddenly felt separate from her body. She felt the others pawing at her body, heard the mumble of words that her ears couldn’t quite comprehend, but her body just curled up tighter, digging nails into her skin and screaming as though it would never stop as her mind drifted lazily somewhere above her body, gazing down in bemusement. [I]Use the sword…[/I] A voice unlike any she had ever heard before came through to her muffled ears. It sounded oddly like Princess Zoe’s. [I]Use your sword…they can not use you to hurt him if you are dead…[/I] “Yes…”her disjointed mind muttered. [I]End it, Siabrey, and they cannot hurt him anymore…[/I] As the mind floated, the copper-skinned body below suddenly sat up, throwing the others off of her. In slow motion, it drew a rune-marked sword, muttered a few words, and prepared to drive the shining blade deep into its own chest. A blue-eyed boy threw out a hand as his lips formed a silent ‘no’, and the pretty bard leapt to try to stop the blade. They were both too slow however, and for a second, it seemed as though the blade would find its mark deep in the woman’s heart. Siabrey’s body lurched and crumped to the ground with a heavy body on top of hers. “No.” a rough voice commanded, and pried the sword from her nerveless fingers. “Is she alright?” Tess yelled, running up, Lucius only a step behind her. “Yes,” Shaun answered, holding Siabrey’s sword tight. Siabrey stared wide-eyed up at him, not comprehending. His eyes were blood-shot, and he was breathing very hard as though he had just finished running a mile. The look on his face was chisled from stone however, as he bent to grab Siabrey by the shoulder and shake her roughly. “Don’t you DARE kill yourself Siabrey! Don’t you understand, you’re the best fighter among us! We need you if we’re going to get Elenya back! It’s not…” he gulped and blinked rapidly. “It’s not your fault that they took her, Siabrey.” “But if it hadn’t of been for me…” she started, but Shaun shook her again. “No! They’re trying to use your love for Lucius to destroy him. But Siabrey, love isn’t a weakness!” he released her shoulder and slumped down to the ground next to her, the weight of a thousand years on his shoulders. “I used to think love was a weakness.” He continued on in that same broken voice, staring at his hands. “I would see people in love and just think that it was an excellent opportunity to lift their purses.” His hands clenched suddenly. “But now…knowing they have Elenya fills me with a fire that I have never felt before.” He turned and grabbed Siabrey’s shoulders again. “We’re going to get her back! I don’t know how I know but I do!” As Siabrey stared down into the depths of Shaun’s soul, her mind gradually reviving, she felt something strange awaken within her. The screaming voices of death and pain faded before a light as soft as falling snow that beat deep within her chest. She focused on that light and drew it forth, and gasped as she suddenly knew what Shaun felt. Now she understood the look in Lucius’ eyes when he sang to her. Shaun was right, love wasn’t a weakness. It was a fire; a weapon that she could wield as easily as she wielded her katana. Her foes had been using that fire to burn her, but now… She reached out and grasped Shaun’s shoulders, pulling him to her in a tight hug. “Thank you, Shaun,” she whispered into his ear, then stood up, pulling her sword from his grasp. “No!” Lucius started to reach out for her, but she was in control of herself now. She sheathed the blade fluidly and grabbed the incoming boy, pulling his lips tight against hers in a crushing kiss. [I]I understand now, Lucius…[/I] her mind whispered, free from any of the sacrificing voices. [I]I promised you I’d always be with you…and a promise is a promise.[/I] She pulled away and smiled sadly at the tears that clung to Lucius’ eyelashes. “It’s alright.” She said soothingly, drawing the back of her fingers gently across his cheek. “Why did you do that, Siabrey…” he was choking back even more tears. She laid a finger on his lips in an echo of the gesture he had used so many times on her. “Later. For now,” she glanced over her shoulder to where Shaun had stood, his eyes mirroring her determination. “We have a friend to save. Let’s ride!” A few minutes later, a group of eight horses led by a shining star vanished into the dark night. They were led by a fiery-eyed fighter and a dark-eyed rogue, both bent on the same goal; protecting their loved ones! [/QUOTE]
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