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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JollyDoc" data-source="post: 6669855" data-attributes="member: 9546">From The Ashes1 Rova, 4715 - 6 Rova, 4715Camp again.The caravan was five days out of Ordu-Aganhei, and still five days from the Forest of Spirits. Haroldo and Lucian had volunteered to ride a day or so behind the main group to look for any signs of pursuit. So far there had been none. Each night, Zula erected her tiny hut and most of the drivers and cooks would sleep inside, along with any of the companions who were not on guard duty. As it so happened, on this particular night, it was Gnome-Brr Phive and Miyaro who had the second watch from midnight to 2 am.The svirneblin's eyes were made for darkness, and so it was he that first saw movement in the starlit darkness of the savannah. He spied a lone figure walking slowly towards the encampment, still several dozen yards away. No...not walking exactly...at least not on the ground. The figure's feet actually walked above the tall grass of the plain. Phive quickly glanced around, and saw another individual approaching from the opposite side of the camp. There was no doubt about it...that one was definitely flying!"Psst," he hissed, elbowing the Tien woman in the ribs.Miyaro grunted. "What is it?""We got company," he whispered. "Probably ought ta wake the others."Miyaro nodded, cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "Intruders!!"Piotr lurched to his feet from where he'd been sitting inside the hut, mediating. Nearby, Zula roused herself as well, and then one by one, the others began to awaken. "You hear that?" Mazael asked, his voice still slurred from sleep."What?" Boris asked."Sounds like wind, a lot of it," the war-priest said. "Coming this way."Piotr peered out into the darkness beyond the walls of the hut and saw the stranger walking on air and drawing ever closer."Halt and identify yourself!" he called. "You will only receive one warning!"There was no response. The stranger just came inexorably on."Time's up!" the sorcerer shouted, then he pulled back the sleeves of his robes and hurled a bead of fire out into the darkness.The fireball exploded with brilliant light, setting the dry grass ablaze around the trespasser, but as the initial blast faded, he simply walked out of it, unmarked and unfazed. "Hmmm," Zula said, her eyes on the flying individual coming from the direction. "I think I recognize this one. Unless I miss my guess, it's Tyrek Glodfer, the Ruby Phoenix clan's resident wizard. Why am I not surprised?"The shoanti woman drew in a breath, focused, then loosed her thundercall upon the necromancer. He paused in mid-flight, reeling from the concussion. "On behalf of our employers, I would like to offer you our gratitude," called the air-walking individual. With the flames behind and around him now illuminating his features, it became obvious that he was none-other-than Aleksion Coric. "If not for your repeated opening of Amatatsu Seal's warding box to return your fallen comrades from the dead, we might never have found you.""That's not entirely true," came a booming voice from the north side of the camp.The companions spun that direction and saw a giant form lumbering out of the darkness. It's skin was pale white, and its hair and beard ice-blue. A great-sword of solid ice was gripped in its massive hands. "After all, it was I Liao Kuo, who found them by mere happenstance at the North Pole," the frost giant's voice changed in pitch and timber, to that of an old woman speaking with a Tien accent. "Or did you think you had really seen the last of me?" came the voice of the crone who had pretended to be Miriya in the ruins of the forbidden spires.The giant/oni stretched out on arm and a vortex of frost and ice blasted forward, enveloping the entirety of the hut. As was his habit, Mazael had asked Suishen to provide protection from extreme cold for the Scions, but Spivey, Shalelu and Koya were not so defended, and their skin blistered in the frost. Sandru, Ameiko and Miyaro all managed to dodge aside. When the freezing miasma cleared, however, only then was the true extent of the damage revealed: every one of the cooks and drivers for the caravan lay dead on the ground, frozen in their bedrolls."Hah!" Aleksion laughed. "You've tasted the power of the ice, now face the fire!"He plucked a glowing bead from a necklace around his neck and tossed it into the hut. An instant later, flames erupted inside with a great explosion, and the heroes felt their flesh began to sear.Mazael stumbled out of the hut, knowing that to stay there would just make them sitting ducks. As he stopped to wipe the heat tears streaming from his eyes, he saw a rush of movement heading towards him. It was Graun Quor, the big half-orc, and his eyes were filled with rage as he charged towards the war-priest, his double-headed axe upraised. He brought it down, and when it connected with Mazael's shoulder, it sawed viciously through the flesh. At the same time, a jagged wound opened in Graun Quor's own skin, but it only seemed to spur him to greater savagery. Piotr saw that Tyrek Glodfer was recovering from Zula's assault. The sorcerer spoke a spell and touched his throat. When he opened his mouth to speak, an ear-piercing scream split the night air. Tyrek grabbed his head in pain and sank to his knees, dazed and disoriented. "Well done," a soft voice whispered in Piotr's ear, "but that necromancer should be the last person to concern you!"Piotr felt a numbing pain go through his spine as the elf, Mollarn, appeared out of thin air behind him. The assassin had plunged a black, liquid-coated blade into the sorcerer's back, and now he twisted it wickedly. Pain wracked Piotr's body, and he could not catch his breath. He felt his legs weaken and begin to give out beneath him. Mollarn withdrew the dagger, then raised it to strike again, but a concussive shout from behind him rocked him sideways and his slice went wide."Care to try me?" Zula hissed.Mazael and Graun Quor danced a brutal performance, hacking and slashing at one another with no regard for their own defense. The war-priest gave as good as he got, but he knew that he would not survive a battle of attrition with the half-orc. Graun's fangs had actually grown longer, and he bit like a rabid wolf. After a particularly bloody attack, Mazael thrust the barbarian away from him, trying to gain a slight breather. It was not to be. He heard chanting coming from his left and turned to see Aleksion Coric brandishing his flaming holy symbol, hands upraised. Suddenly, a wall of whirling, glittering razor-like blades erupted all around the war-priest, slicing and piercing him with a thousand cuts. A moment later, a putrid green ray of light struck Mazael from the right side as Tyrek Glodfer once more regained his composure. Mazael felt his skin literally begin to disintegrate. He was the only one outside of the opaque hut, and as such, he had become target number one.Boris, still safely within the hut, drew his bow and sighted on the frost giant that towered over the camp. He loosed and the arrow struck, quivering in the giant's meaty thigh. Liao Kuo bellowed and then strode forward until his bulk was half inside the confines of the hut, and glared down at the goblin. "You are a terrible nuisance, little rat," he rumbled. "Why don't you rest for awhile?"The giant oni passed his hand through the air, and Boris felt his eyelids grow heavy. He swooned, and fell to the hard ground, snoring loudly. Mollarn whirled on Zula and stalked towards her, his black dagger in one hand, and a slim rapier in the other. Before he could reach her, however, Sandru stepped into his path, a grin on his face as he gripped his scimitar. "Shall we?" has asked the elf, inclining his head.Mollarn lunged towards him, but the caravan master moved like a dancer, keeping just out of reach of the elf's blades, then leaping and slashing with his own. Before long, Mollarn was bleeding steadily from several telling wounds.Spivey saw the frost giant looming over the sleeping form of Boris and knew that she had to act quickly. With a quick prayer, she threw a burst of sonic energy towards the two of them, knowing the concussion would wound the goblin, but knowing as well that it would also awaken him. Boris startled awake, gripping his throbbing head, only to realize that the giant was still standing over him. Then, a strong hand gripped his arm, and he saw Zula behind him. She gave him a wink, then sang a brief tune. The two of them vanished with a flash of light, and reappeared a moment later on the far side of the hut, safely out of reach of the giant...for the moment. Fire exploded inside the tiny hut once more as Aleksion Coric lobbed another bead into it. The caravan wagons were ablaze, and the heroes had suffered grievous burns. Mollarn had managed to roll aside from the blast, and the frost giant oni was just outside of its radius. Boris regained his feet next to Zula, and only then realized that he had dropped his bow back in front of the giant. Cursing to himself, he drew his wakizashis, and darted back across the hut until he reached Mollarn. He slashed at the elf as he passed, then made a serpentine path back towards the giant.Mazael leaped clear of the blade barrier, but unfortunately, Graun Quor was waiting for him. His axe looped around and buried itself into the war-priest's chest. Mazael coughed up a gout of blood, and slumped to the ground.As Boris closed in on the giant, the brute brought his icy axe down like a guillotine, clipping the goblin as he dodged aside at the last second. Then, another fireball exploded, but this time it completely engulfed the giant oni, who roared in agony."Now!" Piotr shouted, his fingers still smoking. Zula sent her thundercall hurtling into the giant, and he rocked back on his heels. Then Boris was upon him. The goblin's blades were a flashing blur as he sank them into various vital areas. With a final groan of agony, the giant fell like a mighty oak, his body transforming as he collapsed. By the time he hit the ground, his form was that of a purple-skinned ogre, with small white horns protruding from his forehead. Miyaro dove through the blade barrier, her moves so nimble and timed so perfectly that not a single one of the shards so much as pricked her skin. Graun Quor, standing above Mazael ready to deal a coup de grace, turned towards the slight Tien woman, and a wicked grin spread across his tusked face."Come to play, little girl?" he growled, and then lunged towards her.Miyaro somersaulted out of the way at the last moment, and came up behind the half-orc. From her sleeve, she drew an ornate fan, flicking it open with a snap. As Graun Quor started to turn, she waved the fan and spoke a word, and suddenly, the large, disembodied hand appeared between them. She thrust her own hand forward, and the larger one mimicked the movement, shoving the half-orc forcefully, and propelling him backwards, straight through the blade barrier. He howled in rage as the blades sliced him viciously. Miyaro saw movement from the corner of her eye, and glimpsed Spivey flitting around above Mazael. The little azata passed her hands over the fallen war-priest, and after a moment, he opened his eyes and inhaled deeply."This is getting real old," he growled as he climbed stiffly to his feet, hefting Suishen. Tyrek and Aleksion were closing in on the hut from both sides. Will the fire priest set off another fireball inside, the necromancer sent in a palpable wave of force that left the defenders all feeling bone weary and fatigued as it passed. A moment later, Mollarn, who had somehow managed to disappear in the chaos, abruptly reappeared as he shoved his dagger into Zula's back. Gasping in pain, she spun away from him, projecting her voice at him as she went, and knocking him backwards several feet...straight towards Boris. Before the elf could regain his balance, the goblin thrust one of his wakizashi's through his gut, and with a bubbling, bloody gurgle, the assassin fell. Calling on Suishen's power, Mazael walked into the air, up and over the blade barrier, and closed the distance to Graun Quor. The half-orc was waiting, though bloodied and swaying on his feet. He whipped his axe at the war-priest, catching him with both blades. Mazael staggered back, nowhere near fully healed. Still, he was determined that he would not give up another inch. Gripping Suishen in both hands, he roared forward, hammering past Graun Quor's defenses, and buried the kantana in the juncture between the half-orc's neck and shoulder. Graun's eyes rolled back into his head, and he went down, his head lolling loosely to one side.Piotr was almost out on his feet, but he managed to send another ear-piercing scream at Tyrek, though this time, it didn't stop the necromancer. Just before he reached the edge of the hut, however, Sandru fired an arrow through the wizard's shoulder. Tyrek grunted, but still stepped inside the shelter, where he had a clear view of all his enemies. He focused his dead-eyed gaze on Zula, and smiled evilly. "Try your parlor tricks with no voice," he said, gesturing towards her.Zula felt her throat tighten, and she could not draw in a breath. She felt like she was suffocating. She clawed at her neck, but she managed to keep her wits about her. What the fool necromancer didn't know was that her thundercall was not dependent on her voice, she merely used that as a means to focus it. The power was innate, and she called upon it now, sending a pair of blasts into Tyrek, crushing his chest with their power. His face turned blue as he sagged to his knees, unable to even gasp a last breath. Zula closed her eyes, steadying her will and pushing down her rising panic. She concentrated on trying to breath until, ever so slowly and painfully, she managed to draw in a ragged wheeze.By that time, Aleksion Coric had reached the hut as well, but that would prove not to be to his benefit. Shalelu shot him as he stepped through, and as the force of the arrow turned him, Boris was there. The goblin's blades moved quicker than the eye could follow, the first wound mortal, and killing the priest, but his momentum disemboweling and beheading the man before he hit the ground.  The companions stared around them, as they all caught their breath. The champions of the Ruby Phoenix had been defeated, but the caravan lay in smoking ruins.</blockquote>

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