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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 1910324" data-attributes="member: 99">The Light grew rapidly and pushed back the edges of the Damning Darkness.  She was among them now and they felt her presence in their hearts.  Marcus dropped Albius to the floor and smashed his mace into the nearest of the Shadowmen, now stark amid the light emanating from the Shining Lady.  The Shadowmen returned the attacks and most of the party were struck but they could feel the weakness starting to ebb from their bones and flesh already.  The Shadowmage let loose another blast of darkness into Cathal who still lay on the floor.The Brigante felt the darkness pound into his remaining Strength but somehow found it within himself to rise to his feet.  He cried out above the noise of combat, “I AM NOT DEAD YET!!”  He brought his crackling blade down upon the Shadowmage and felt it sink into the inky substance of its being.  Then the air filled with more electricity as Lazarius loosed one of his Lightning Bolts into the cluster of Shadowmen at Cathal’s back.Speaks’ club felt like it was made of lead but he hefted it at his nearest foe anyway.  It seemed only to strike lightly but drove the creature backward to pin it against Marius who drove his own blade through the creature sending its shreds of darkness drifting away on the beams of light that shot from the Shining Lady.  Marius raised his hand to shield his eyes from the Holy Light as it surged from the woman.  The blast of brightness overcame the Shadowmen and the Shadowmage and their darkness was dispelled as sunshine melts away a morning mist.As the brightness washed over the group they could feel the effects they had suffered at the hands of the Shadowmen begin to fade and their strength return.  They all stood panting in the hallway, some barely able to stand but growing stronger as they basked in the waves of light that rolled off of the Shining Lady.  Marcus sank to his knees and leaned in close to Albius.  The boy still breathed despite the toll the darkness had taken upon him.  Marcus thanked his lord for that at least.”Listen to me, for time is short” spoke the Shining Lady.  They listened.”The worshipers of The Imprisoned One have nearly finished gathering the souls they need.  And the minions of Hell will soon free him from his prison there.  If you are to stop his return then you must make your way into the dark heart of this place and prevent them from sending him the power they have collected.”  Her voice was otherworldly and somehow both terrible and beautiful at the same time.“Souls from where?” asked Marius, already afraid of the answer he would get.Her piercing, glowing eyes of silver rounded on him.  “Your countrymen have died by the thousands upon their altars.  That reservoir of energy will be channeled to Bane if you do not stop their ritual.”Marcus knelt at her feet in supplication, “My Lady, can you come with us and guide us?  Lend your strength to our cause in this desperate hour?!””I can,” as she spoke, a breath of hope leapt into their throats.  ”But I must then abandon the others who struggle here in the city.  Magdar and his men seek another way into the sanctum of the Banelar.”“Does Ilrath yet live?” asked Cathal.”He did when I left them last,” she answered.Cathal looked at the others and they all silently exchanged glances.  They all knew that it probably meant the death of Ilrath and the Orcs if they were left to struggle against the unending evils of the City of Endless Summer without the protection of their Celestial Maiden.  To have come all this way, seeking the return of their friend, and to rob his best chance of survival in this place…It was Marcus who spoke for the group, “Tell Ilrath, when you return to him and the others, that we look forward to meeting him in the conquered sanctum.”The Shining Lady nodded solemnly, ”I will tell him.”.  Streams of light flowed outward from her into each of them and they felt their wounds heal, their fears quelled, and, for most of them, their souls restored.  Then the light faded and she was gone.The silence that followed persisted for only a moment.  “What happened?” asked Albius as he climbed to his feet, looking around in confusion.</blockquote>

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