Tales of Faerun

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine kept Touch of Death close as she and her comrades crept through the final chamber of the tomb. She looked around for anything out of place, but nothing seemed amiss, save for the spot where the back wall had been blasted away. Judging from the size of the opening and the tattered remains of banners near the cave entrance, the Cult of the Dragon had indeed been here at one time, but they were present no longer. The Doomguide gestured to where the cave extended into the darkness, "I do believe that is where the Cult took their phylactery. But it is difficult for me to believe that they would leave this entrance so...obvious. It is not like them."

 

"It is possible it was a secret entrance before these damned Sharrans got here," Conall added, voice low as he hunkered near a tomb with Ariel in hand, "And they tore apart the Cult's hideout...for whatever reason."

 

Rhaine had a sinking feeling in her gut that the Sharrans, too, had been here for Valthanarax's phylactery, just as Argyros suggested, and that their journey to and through this trap-filled tomb had been for nothing. But they would not know until they found where the phylactery was supposed to have been, and thus, they had to continue on. Zorica also had a bad feeling about the whole situation, and the half-drow's amber gaze darted from shadow to shadow, anticipating more of the foul vampiric monks. Imhiros was silent, a grim look on his face that bespoke obvious displeasure at the desecration of this burial site. Meanwhile, Argyros, now able to fully stand due to the increased height of the ceiling, brought up the rear of the party, his massive silvery bulk keeping anything from coming up behind them.

 

The cave beyond was simply a winding tunnel that eventually opened into a dimly-lit, gigantic natural chamber, at the center of which was a pedestal bearing a cage, which had been forcefully twisted open and left mangled on the cold marble surface. Rhaine's mouth opened slightly as she approached the remains of the phylactery's protective housing, and her heart fell; her instinct had been right. The phylactery had long been taken away to gods-knew-where. And this, the dragon's treasure chamber, had been completely decimated - all of its loot was gone.

 

As everyone, including Argyros, gathered into the chamber, Rhaine slowly turned around and shook her head, disappointment etched on her visible features, "We are too late."

 

Then, suddenly, a startlingly-large portion of the floor behind them, in the cavern's tunnel that led back to the tomb, fell away into a massive and imperceptibly-deep abyss, effectively blocking their return into the crypt.

 

"Looking for something?" A hissing voice asked.

 

From around all the stalagmites and shadows of the cavern emerged a dozen monks of the Dark Moon, and judging from their glittering smiles, they were all vampires as well. Their red-glowing eyes pulsed in the darkness, nothing but evil hunger writ on their faces. Men and women both, elves and humans, even a halfling. One of the elves grinned wider, "Let all know the domination of Shar!"

 

Imhiros let out a yelp as a monk struck from the shadows directly behind him and, before he could react, sank its fangs deep into his neck. Within seconds, the undead monster had drained almost all of his lifeblood. As Rhaine and Conall surged forward to try and get the beast off of the Osirian, the two struggling combatants stumbled past Argyros and to the edge of the abyss....

 

....and tumbled over the side.

 

Then, without hesitation, the other vampires released a collective eager hiss, their eyes gleaming with hunger, and pounced upon the entrapped companions.

[Deleted6317247User]

Shalena, feeling rather displeased that nobody paid any attention to what she said followed the others deeper into the tomb. Since it was pretty obvious that Argyros had no intention to even try to get the collapsed rubble from entrance out of the way, the piratess had no other choice but to tag along. Despite her wish to complain, she remained quiet, worried that her voice might attract more vampires. Only after they discovered that the phylactery was gone, and when they were attacked by the vampires again, she finally spoke again.

 

"Not like anyone's going to pay attention to what I say," Shalena scoffed as she drew her weapon, "but what did I tell you?!"

 

Nawen walked quietly, carefully watching their surroundings. When the vampires attacked them again she had her bow at the ready. When an undead monk attacked Imhiros, she shot an arrow, trying to get it off the Osirian but one arrow wasn't enough.

 

Orion got inside the tomb just as vampires trapped the adventurers. He wasn't too late after all. Good. Not being able to join the group back at Menarses' estate, he had followed the group to the tomb but before he could follow them inside the entrance collapsed behind them. The sorcerer spent longer than he would have liked until he found another way inside. He paused for a moment as he felt something was wrong. It didn't take him long to realize what was wrong. "Wonderful," he thought as he tightened his grip on his staff, "hitting bloodsuckers with a stick," and started attacking the undead monks from whatever safe corners he could find. Introductions will have to wait.

[Llhunara]

"Oh how disappointing that would be." Was the short response to the piratess before the group set off again.

 

Lingering near Shalena as the party went deeper, the half-elf found her eyes growing wider with each passing chamber. The wealth hidden her was far beyond what she had expected for such a place, countless gems and beautiful jewelry glittering along the tombs walls and patrons. Yet, for all her desire to pluck some of the trinkets from their resting places Llhunarra found her hands more concerned with holding her blades. Treasure and riches were always in the back of her mind, but living was paramount. No amount of gold would comfort her if her soul passed on to another realm...unless she could somehow buy her way back. Well aware of deities that so many worshiped, the redhead had never found comfort in them. Perhaps that was why Rhaine unsettled her, even more so now that her Chosen status was known.

 

When they arrived at the final chamber it was as disappointing as it was confusing to the rogue, housing nothing but a ruined cage. Clicking her tongue as her potion enhanced eyes scanned the room she soon confirmed it was devoid of treasure, but not of inhabitants. No sooner had their pathway back been obliterated, again by the dragon that seemed to be no friend to enclosed spaces, a voice spoke from the darkness. Figures emerged around them, ones that were all too familiar and double in number compared to their first encounter. How was it she had been with this group for such a short time and had already crossed more vampires in the last hour than in the rest of her life? (Of course if one were to know more about her they would know that previous number was 0, but still!) These guys were definitely an unlucky lot.

 

Hearing Shalena pipe up Llhunarra smirks. "I listen." The words followed by a quick flick of her tongue. Only trying to lighten their dire situation, her attempt is obliterated as a scream rips through the cavern. Off to the side Imhiros disappears over the edge. He had joined up with the group as she had...and just like that he was gone. The fact was a sobering one as the rest of the vampires pounced.

 

Still near the piratess, Llhunarra decides it best to use what numbers they had to their advantage. With so many foes in the enclosed space it was not a surprise one emerged near them, the creatures having spread out to better encircle the group. Having no real choice she moves to engage, more comfortable as she had a better gauge of the creatures speed and strength.

 

Moving slightly past Shalena, the vampires attention was fully draw, it's vicious smile widening as it swung towards her with a clawed hand. Not having the strength to adequately block such blows Llhunarra shifts to the side, letting the swipe miss. Having planned to send in her own counter she isn't afforded the luxury as the creature uses its momentum to drop down and snap a leg out towards her feet. Forced to hop over the kick her right hand sends in a return strike, blade dragging across the undead elf's shoulder.

 

Unphased by such a slash it does not retreat in the slightest, instead completing it's spin and lunging a second time. Again twisting to the side of the strike Llhunarra lifts her blade to bring it down on the vampires head, but that was exactly what it had intended. The second clawed hand snaps up to catch the elf's as the elbow, holding it aloft before sending in a punch to the rogues stomach. Feeling the air forced from her lungs she cannot help but stagger a step, the moment of weakness costing her as the fist that had connected with her stomach slides up to clutch her slender throat.

 

With ease the vampire lifts the half-elf off her feet. Gagging as the hand gripping her neck tightens she struggles to break free of the monster's clutches. Not able to draw breath and with one arm immobilized she strikes with the other, blade stabbing down into the vampires shoulder. It barely seemed to notice.

[Flipout6]

"Stlarn. There goes our local guide." Arland winced as Imhiros plunged over the edge of the abyss and took the final plunge before he had time to formulate any kind of effective reaction. "He took one with him, though. He's got sand." Then he paused. ".....I guess it comes with living here. Sand all over the Tluining place."

 

Then eleven vampires tried to eat him and his friends.

 

"You sure it's magic that's got you sucking blood and sleepin' with the dead?" Arland shouted, eyes glinting. "Or did your wench mothers pick up a crotch-rot from whoever in the hells they bunked with to make you lot?" It worked; he was quickly engaged by a hissing monk wielding a pair of kamas. They made quite a show in their duel, complete with spins, rolls, dives and various dirty tricks.

 

Weyland kept his shield and sword close to him as the abominations advanced. He was surprised when a quad of shuriken bounced harmlessly off the skin of solid mithral he wore, mostly the shield. He was lucky he kept his head low because the damned things had been aimed right for his neck. The thrower of the little metallic stars followed behind the projectiles with near-blinding speed, easily dodging a quick swipe from Weyland's blade only to meet a wall of force that knocked it flat to the ground as Weyland took advantage of the opening, flooring it with his shield and putting a wicked shoulder into it. The monk was up and fighting again before Weyland could deliver a coup de grace that would have impaled it through the chest.

 

Annette found herself in a situation where there was far too little breathing room for her to be of any use, especially with the dead-magic zone. Warning the silver head of time so he didn't turn upon her by mistaking her for a vampire, she clambered up onto the dragon's back, showing some of the natural litheness that came to her sister (though only a fraction of it) and securing herself as firmly as she could. Sybille intercepted a vampire woman that went after the girl, swinging her warhammer at waist height. Unlike the last battle where she only clipped her foe with her weapon, this was an incredibly difficult-to-dodge blow that caught the vampiress at an awkward angle, shattered several bones in her lower torso and thighs and sending her spinning to the ground. With lightning-fast reflexes, the creature rolled away from a killing blow that would have crushed its head and stood up despite the broken bones in her middle and launched herself as Sybille, fangs bared. She kept it at bay with the tip of her weapon, holding it over a full arm's length away and breaking a vampiric rib or two. When it stumbled and collided with her, disoriented, Sybille grabbed her opponent with one arm and pitched it over her head and over the edge of the abyss, where the wounded creature tumbled shrieking into seemingly-infinite blackness.

 

One thing was for sure: Sybille was definitely appreciating her upper-body strength today.

 

Amendale stayed close to Zorica, brandishing his blade and trying to find an opening with which to inflict some damage and aid her in the battle. Many of his blows were dodged or otherwise avoided, much to his frustration. In one attempt to go for a low blow that would sever a monk's hamstrings, the abomination countered by jumping into the air and delivering a powerful kick right to Amendale's head. He hit the ground hard and rolled before coming to a halt, frighteningly still.

 

Marie stuck to the shadows, delivering the arrow where she saw an opening but failing to get in a proper hit that would immobilize or destroy any of her foes....until one of them immobilized Llhunara in the air by the throat, leaving its underarm exposed. Marie positioned herself at just the right angle, crouching down on one knee, aiming, pulling the string back as far as she could....and then loosed the shot. The vampire never saw it coming and the arrow sailed right beneath the monk's arm and into its chest, spearing the heart much in the same way that had been done in their first engagement near the entrance to the catacombs. Suddenly immobilized, the creature's grip on Llhunara loosened as every muscle in its body ceased to function.

 

"Finish it, Llhunara!" Marie shouted. "Behead it, destroy its brain, whatever kills it!" She nocked another arrow as she spoke, preparing to do so herself should Llhunara become occupied again.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hazel's first dagger had Silithus on the side of the head, just below the temple.....but it was the blunt end instead of the blade, and so the deformed wretch survived it. The second dagger, however, met its mark and plunged right into his collar-bone. He flinched, and the third missed entirely, skittering into the dirt several feet behind him. Both growling and grinning, Silithus yanked the dagger out of himself (sideways, widening the wound...not that he cared) and tossed it into the water of the oasis, where it sank to the bottom.

 

"....Or perhaps one of them can try." He corrected himself to Heidi, even as the crushing hand squeezed ever-tighter.

 

The black-robed masochist turned upon the brave dryad before him with a sneer and a curl of his dessicated lip. "Thank you, dryad. Truly. I do so enjoy it when my victims have spirit. It makes for so much more rewarding an....experience, when I'm done prolonging their untimely demise."

 

Hazel's response was to punish him for talking instead of taking action. The ground beneath his feet was mud, a result of the oasis, and she blasted him off of his feet with a gust of wind which slipped right through the powerful spell barrier that shielded him and slammed him into a tree. She summoned a dire badger very quickly, and the little beast was swarming Silithus in an instant, rending flesh with tooth and claw. It even tore a chunk of flesh out of his throat, barely missing his windpipe, before he dispelled it, winking the badger out of existence. When three lightning bolts flashed out of the heavens to strike him, Silithus was completely unaffected; his spell shield took every volt of electricity in its entirety and absorbed it. He slipped back up to his feet and grinned wickedly at her.

 

"As I said," He spoke, voice laced with malevolence. "Spirit."

 

Hazel had no way to dispel the hand that crushed Heidi in its adamantine grip. The gnome's mouth as open, gasping for air, even the slightest wisp....but she couldn't force in a single breath, even as the wind tauntingly tickled her face cruelly, toying with her. She felt her bones splinter, crack beneath the force that held her, but she had no air with which to gasp in pain. Hazel could only frantically glimpse in alarm as Heidi's face turned blue. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe, shecouldn't-

 

Heidi went limp.

Edited March 1, 2015 by Flipout6

[AurianaValoria1]

"Amendale!" Zorica shrieked when, out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the moon elf fall to the floor as if dead. Her voice erupted from her lungs in a scream of simultaneous astonishment, horror, and fury. Filled with a rage she had never known - not even back near Eartheart where Amendale's nomadic kin were brutally slain by the Devourers - she spun her blades in her hands and lit like a whirlwind into the vampire monk who had sent her love sprawling to the floor. "You tluining sons of maggot-infested whores! Taste my steel and burn in the Hells!"

 

The monk sent a lightning-swift kick for her torso, but the half-drow dodged it, counterattacking with a diagonal slash across its abdomen and a low strike to its thigh. Unfortunately, its other knee came up blindingly fast and connected with her chin, sending Zorica flipping backwards into Argyros's shoulder. The silver dragon slid across the floor in front of the abyss, trying desperately to prevent any more of their comrades from falling over the side. He roared angrily at the vampire and slapped a mighty paw at it; the monk flew all the way across the chamber and landed into the back wall with a sickening crunch, but it was not enough to destroy it. It took only a few seconds to recover before rejoining the fray with its nearest opponent - Dri.

 

Two of the other vampires had engaged Conall nearby. The werewolf had no time to use Starbright, instead having to take on both of his attackers with the powerless Ariel. He was quickly losing the battle, unable to counter fast enough to stop the barrage of punches and kicks from his opponents. His armor stopped much of the damage, but he was still slowly being pounded to a pulp by the monks, who took great pleasure in their task, their fang-filled grins and scarlet eyes sparkling with glee.

 

Rhaine was in a similar conundrum, fighting two of the vampires together and not faring much better than Conall. She was forced to use Touch of Death with both hands, one on the hilt and the other on the blade, in order to block the incoming flurry of blows from the impossibly-swift monks. Then, from across the room, three shuriken came at her in swift succession, burying themselves in the mail between the plates on her biceps, her shoulder, and the space just above her belt. The Doomguide hissed as she took in her breath sharply, blood slowly seeping from the puncture wounds; she was too busily engaged to pull the weapons out, and so she kept fighting, the movement irritating the wounds and causing her to grunt in pain with every strike. Out of the corner of her eye, the half-elf noticed someone else attacking the vampires from the shadows, and she briefly wondered who this person was who was seemingly no friend of these monks, but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She would have to trust that he was an ally, for now.

 

Two more of the vampires were closing in on Azuris and Lucas, sizing up their prey with gleaming gazes, whilst another drew kamas to assail Nawen, shrugging off the annoying attacks of the lone stranger. The whole room was a flurry of chaotic activity that was so fast, it was difficult to keep up with - for even though the vampires chose opponents, if they were knocked down or away, they merely engaged the next nearest target - it mattered not who exactly they fought, so long as they destroyed everyone in their way.

 

Suddenly, Conall thought he heard a voice speaking in low whispers. Ariel. The blade was talking as he was fighting, which was nothing new, of course, but the tone in which she spoke was strange...unfamiliar. Unlike her. It was a plea, a prayer...

 

"Lathander, please, turn your holy sight our way and shine your light into the shadows of this tomb. Abolish the oppressive curse that the followers of Darkness have bestowed upon this place. Save these good people from the fate that shall surely swallow them if you do not intervene. I gladly offer up my own life in order to pay the price."

 

The Solar was praying for a miracle and offering her own life force to be the catalyst for it.

 

As if in answer, time abruptly seemed to slow...golden rays emanated from the hilt of the Holy Avenger, and the light rippled atop the blade, crisscrossing its surface and erupting from honey-colored cracks and fissures in the steel. All at once, in a violent burst, the light exploded, shattering the sword in Conall's hands and rending it to dust. The warm light filled the room like that of the sun, the vampires hissing at the brilliance of it, and the magnificent feeling of a weight being lifted permeated the comrades...

 

...the dead magic zone had been repaired...the shadow magic used to create it was dispelled...

 

...and as time returned to normal, Rhaine felt her power come back to her in a rush that was twice as strong as her adrenaline, pouring through her veins with such a feeling of ecstasy that it took her breath away. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her eyes grew hot with a smoldering white light that glowed behind her mask. Green flames sprung to life upon Touch of Death's edge, licking her hands with lazy tendrils of holy fire, and a renewed strength flooded her being.

 

"Feel your impending doom, foul creatures!" The Doomguide cried, releasing a blast of pent-up energy in the form of a Mass Heal spell. The magic emanated from her in a white shockwave and washed over her companions, sealing all of their wounds and restoring all of them to uninjured states. The shuriken that had stuck in her armor suddenly popped out and clattered to the floor, and Rhaine stepped forward to rush the momentarily stunned vampires who had cornered her against the wall. The very same Heal spell that had helped her comrades had burned the monks with agonizing divine energy, and they smoked like embers from where they had, quite literally, been seared by her magic.

 

It was time to finish this.

[tokyobiohazard]

Aera found herself to not be an initial target for these vampires, she was anxiously waiting for one of the wretches to turn its focus on her. She watched as one of the newest members of the party fell into an abyss and her fur stood on end. She secretly was hoping her companions could take on these creatures on their own, as she didn't wish to take a beating like last time.

Watching Conall's blade turn to nothing in his hand, however, Aera rushed to aid him without a second thought, but was stopped short when she felt a torrent of primal energy. The sheer rush of power bowed her over for a moment, and she noticed Rhaine similarly affected, her sword suddenly engulfed in green flames. Aera righted herself, confused, before she'd realized what happened. Rhaine had casted a healing spell.

"Oh, hells yes," Aera said, feeling even more powerful with Rhaine's spell affecting her health. The weretigress wasted no time.

She cracked her neck to each side with a grin, and stretched her joints as she willed her body to transform. Her arms and legs popped out at painful angles, thickened, and gained musclemass. Her head widened and elongated, her features becoming more feline. Razor-sharp claws protruded from where her fingertips used to be, now replaced by massive, powerful paws the size of a man's head that could knock the head off a mortal being's shoulders. Her teeth grew three times their normal size. Her torso lengthened, her ribcage deepened. Finally, she dropped to all fours and as she shook her entire body, the transformation completed. She took in a deep breath and roared, announcing her presence, as the vampires refused to acknowledge her newer, more deadly form.

Aera's tigress form was much more egotistical than she was willing to admit, and sprinted to Arland's aid, swiping a giant paw at his assailant and rending flesh from bone with as much ease as one might slice through cheese or butter. The creature's arm was skinned to the bone from the shoulder to the elbow, and with one more swipe, Aera's paw sent the arm flying off the monstrosity's body and to the ground with a wet thump, and she'd just done that to show off.

She made her way to Conall's opponents and pounced into one, tackling it to the ground. The vampire put up a fight, bucking up and down with strength that almost threw Aera off, a kama in one hand slicing at Aera's neck, only to be deterred by thick white fur. She was loathe to admit that she was having slight trouble holding the monk down, and she knew it was a matter of time before even this form would be overpowered by the monk. She wasted no more time, and tore at the creature's neck, foul clear and orange fluids dripping into her mouth and onto the floor below, all the while being stabbed in her side over and over by the persistent monk.

Aera gave a gurgled snarl as she realized her lungs were punctured, and the monk's legs scrambled to find purchase on the ground. The great tiger then laid her body atop the monk, and ripped at his throat until his neck was no more. She licked her lips, tasting death and rot as she stood on all fours once again, blood and ash matting the fur on her underbelly and legs.

=================

Silithus clicked his tongue as Heidi fainted. It was simply no fun to leave her there, in peace, unable to feel her own death. Pitiful being. He pursed his lips and furrowed his brow, willing the black hand to tighten its grip on Heidi's fragile neck, crushing her windpipe. The hand dissipated, and Heidi's twisted, crushed neck thrilled Silithus to no end, and he suppressed a chuckle.

Hazel immediately growled, "What in the HELLS did you just do?!"

Silithus was absolutely tickled as the dryad entrapped him, roots sprouting from the ground and constricting his ankles. The sensation was more... enjoyable to him than the dryad had meant for it to be, and he couldn't suppress that chuckle this time. "Is this the best you can do, dryad? Where's your spirit? Did it wink out along with the life of your friend?" He taunted as the roots entrapped more of his body, by now up to his waist, and growing rapidly.

"Shut it," Hazel simply replied as she balled both her hands into fists, sprinting toward the madman at full speed. Swiftly, she brought her fist toward the laughing Silithus' temple, and he closed his mouth as he dodged her blow with a simple bow of his head.

"Enough," he said, as he set the roots below him ablaze, grabbing his staff and readying himself for melee combat. "If this is the way you wish to fight... Then I shall indulge you."

Hazel took one last jab at Silithus where he least expected it: his groin. The blow landed squarely, and she jumped back and away from the flames, panting as her strength ebbed away. Magic could only help her so much right now in her weakened state. She fled as quickly as she could, and hid behind a bush, her leafy foliage blending her in with it perfectly.

Silithus doubled over in pain at Hazel's successful attempt to fight dirty. However, he grinned as flames began to lick at his robes. He had been set ablaze, and the dryad was made of wood. But where was she?

[Llhunara]

Darkness overtaking the edges of her vision Llhunarra jerked in the hold as the vampire held her aloft with tireless strength. A lean girl, the half-elf had plenty of fight in her muscles and was normally not so easy target to restrain, but the supernatural strength of her foe didn’t waver in the slightest as its grip remained tight. Mouth open in a useless attempt to draw air into her lungs she knew she was in trouble, her kicking starting to slow as the lack of oxygen began to take more of a toll on her. Attacking head on had been foolish, she should have known better and hung back until an opportunity presented itself. These fools were rubbing off on her, the way others had come to her aid so willingly in the first skirmish making her feel indebted to act the same. The life saving assistance was not lacking in this encounter either.

 

Not having a bow of her own the rogue was still familiar with such a weapon, the sickening thud she heard the tell tale sound of an arrow digging into flesh and muscle. Glancing down she saw the projectile sticking from her foe as its strength all but disappeared. Wiggling in its grasp she manages to drop free, landing on shaking legs. Maintaining her balance she glances over to see Marie nocking another arrow. Blinking as if unsure what the female was saying she looks back to the vampire before her. Remembering how others disposed of them the last time she swings with both her arms, blades crossing at the vampire’s neck.

 

The crossing weapons removed its head with more ease than she expected, her adrenaline no doubt having poured extra strength into her strikes. A smile began to form on her face…until the gore from beheading the monster splashed across it. Eyes widening in disgust, the red head staggers backwards, sputtering and shaking her head as she does. Dark blood had splattered across her face and in her hair, some even down across her chest. Having taken few lives in her time, none in such gruesome fashion, the half-elf hoped she never had to do so again mainly for the filth that now covered her. Spitting, for some had even gotten in past her lips, she curses.

 

Even with how nasty the splattered blood across her face was she knew there were more important issues to focus on. Glancing up she saw so many others engaged around her, the numerous vampires having the party pressed. How would they get out of this?

 

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind did the cavern explode with light and sound Two sources of bright light filled the cavern, Llhunarra forced to squint her eyes as the sudden intense rays did not mix well with the vision enhancing potion she had taken earlier. With light filling her eyes a roar soon fills her ears as it echoes off the cave walls, the red head having no idea what beast it might have emanated from. Thankfully it would turn out to be an ally, but for the moment Llhunarra staggered backwards until her back hit a stalagmite, leaning it against it until her vision cleared.

[Flipout6]

As Rhaine's healing spell washed over Amendale, bathing him in a holy golden light, the fractures in his skull repaired themselves, the bruises on his torso disappeared, and his consciousness returned all at once. He started, opening his eyes and pushing himself up. He was absolutely buzzing with energy, to the point where his nerves felt almost like they were aflame. Something within him had changed, a void quenched and filled....and then it hit him.

 

The dead-magic zone had been abolished.

 

He looked around, senses sharp. The first thing he spotted was a wounded Aera, her side bloody, breathing ragged. He ran over to her, sliding through the dirt to her side. He laid a hand on her and, muttering the words to a powerful healing spell under his breath, closed her wounds and restored her to fighting condition. The puncture wounds closed themselves, the blood leaking into her lung seeping back into a vein which promptly closed itself.

 

"Alright, you're alright. Fit to figh-"

He leaped backwards when Aera roared and pounced through the air at him, massive fangs bared....but she wasn't going for him. One of the vampires had been smart enough to move to intercept Amendale mid-spell, and having run out of shurikens, it opted to charge. Its glowing crimson eyes barely had time to widen before the massive weretigress slammed into it and brought it crashing to the ground. Aera had its neck secured firmly between her jaws and she thrashed it violently, side to side, spraying congealed blood out of the wounds. A regular tiger would have snapped the vampire's neck like a twig and turned it to mist, forcing it back to its coffin...but Aera was no normal tiger. Under the incredible force of her unbreakable grip, she tore the vampire's head from its shoulders before its body had time to transform into the fog that would ferry it to safety. The severed head went flying across the room, sailing straight over Argyros, before plunging into the abyss.

 

Amendale gulped and stammered out a thanks.

 

Annette had wasted no time once her magic had been restored. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt more alive, and spurred on by this new development, the first thing she casted from atop Argyros's scaled back was a spell that stretched her magical abilities to the limits: a Greater Haste. She was just barely powerful enough to grant its effects to all of her friends and allies, even as it strained her prowess to do so. She followed it up by fortifying the natural agility and reflexes of the party with Mass Cat's Grace to counter the Monks' speed advantage, and a Mass Bear's Endurance to help mitigate injuries and keep her friends from falling.

 

She slid down to the ground off of Argyros's back and shouted for her sister. Marie looked her way, alarmed and terrified she was hurt, but her fears were quickly relieved when she saw her younger sister unhurt and.....even energetic. Annette bunched together all of the arrows in Marie's quiver, even grabbing the one she had strung to her bow, and the cast her spell, enchanting them with magical fire, which would give them a significant boost in killing power against their undead foes. She dashed, head low, across the room to deliver the same benefit to Nawen.

 

With the help of Aera and Rhaine in quick succession, Arland instantaneously gained the upper hand over the kama-wielding bloodsucker he was duelling. It shrieked as Aera tore its arm off and fell to its knees as Rhaine's holy magic blackened its pale skin, scorching it with third-degree burns all over its body. Arland crowed with triumph as the Anarchist's Blades once again sparked and were lit with swirling flames once again as the anti-magic field was destroyed. It was a simple matter to violently impale the vampire's chest on one blade and behead it with the other.

 

Dri danced and ducked and rolled around her attacker, suffering not a single blow. Even when the monk was certain he would hit her and charged his palm with ki energy that made it tremble at unnatural speeds, she dodged the lethal blow entirely. With the speed with which both of them moved, it was a quick process for Dri to lure the vampire across the chamber until the rogue found herself almost back-to-back with Rhaine. Dri's hand darted to a pocket on the Doomguide's belt and withdrew a flask, filled with liquid. Eyes flashing as her plan successfully came to a head, she threw it into her opponent's face as he sensed an opening and rushed her. The water within, blessed by Rhaine, hissed and smoked as it connected with unholy necrotic flesh. The blessing of the Chosen of Kelemvor was powerful indeed; the water was like acid to the undead. The vampire let out a disturbing wail as its entire head and shoulders burst into smoke, hissing loudly. In seconds the rest of it followed, vanishing in a puff of smoke that twisted through the air, clearly drawn to a single target....and disappeared behind a seemingly-innocuous spot on the wall.

 

"Something behind the wall?" She wondered to herself, before dashing off to investigate, jittery with excitement, mind sparking with ideas. "Their coffins, if we're lucky!" She broadcasted the thoughts through her now-functioing amulet to Rhaine and Amendale, deciding it prudent to let the Chosen and the Cleric know about her discovery.

 

With the benefits of all the spells from Annette washing over him, including being granted supernatural reflexes and speed, the tides quickly changed for Weyland, from being stuck in a stalemate of a battle to him getting in hits, doing damage, his already nigh-impenetrable defense becoming truly unstoppable. Just as he was gaining momentum with his striking and parrying, Weyland a blur of movement screaming straight towards Nawen. A few steps to the side and Weyland slammed the narrow edge of his shield into her attacker's chest, shattering bones beneath the force of the strike and stopping it in its tracks, even throwing it to the ground. His previous opponent's fist, a blur of kinetic vibrations, slammed squarely into Weyland's shield as he moved to parry the blow, breaking a few of the monk's knuckles even despite the thick callouses toughening them. His shield shuddered as the energy of the blow transferred itself to the mithral bulwark, but it did not progress further and Weyland was swift to counter. He countered quickly and pivoted, rocking on the balls of his feet, prepared to take on two foes simultaneously.

 

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Searing hot arcane fire licked at his body, flaring up and lashing at him with heat and energy, catching on and consuming his robes as they went. But Silithus himself was unharmed for now; his protection from forces magical was still active, having been depleted by no more than half of its full power. He gazed sharply around the oasis, searching with a predatory gaze, searching for the dryad. The gnome was dead, now; the trauma of broken bones, internal bleeding, and the debilitating effects of asphyxiation having been too much for her. As much giddy joy as her death brought him, oblivious to her "friends" inside the tomb, he longed for the opportunity to savor it, to make it last. But alas for what the murder lacked in length it made up for in agony. He was satisfied.

 

He raised his hand towards Heidi's broken body, hissing a rapid incantation. A blue spark of light was torn from her chest as if forced against its will to do so. It flared wildly for a moment before disappearing into one of the sapphires engrained into the wretch's robes, the soft blue light it provided vanishing and giving way to the harsh glow of the fire under the desert sun, shadows dancing like wraiths along the sand.

 

"I do hope you weren't holding out hope for your beloved Chosen-" He gloated, taunting the dryad wherever she was hiding. "-to arrive in time to save your friend. Her greatest efforts, her most powerful magics will amount to nothing. the gnome's soul is mine now, trapped. No afterlife awaits her."

 

And with that, an enraged shriek.

 

Silithus grinned and turned towards its source, expecting to find the sickened creature that put up so determined a defense against him. He found it amusing that she thought she held some chance of survival. If he unleashed his full power against her, he could kill her before she had a chance to scream....but such a death would be lacking. In everything. Duration, pain, art-

 

It wasn't the dryad. It was a pseudodragon.

 

Aodh was naturally a timid creature, affectionate but shy. This ordeal- the bad man in black, the ethereal fist that killed Heidi - had terrified him to his very core. But gradually, Aodh's fear gave way to anger. Grief wracked the little creature as Heidi died, as Hazel the-lady-made-of-tree, still sick, tried to protect him, herself, and Heidi from it, the one in black. Aodh couldn't hide and watch any longer, no matter how scared he was: he launched himself through the air and dug his teeth into the evil one's ear, throwing all of his momentum into hurting the evil one and protecting Hazel.

 

The sound of Silithus's ear being ripped off was horrific and organic. The sight of the blood spraying was gruesome and messy.

 

The feeling? Exquisite.

 

It was as if he'd been graced with the wonderfully terrible touch of one of the Pains of Loviatar. It felt like the tails of the whip, flaying the flesh from his back, burning, getting his pulse racing in the most exhilarating way. Silithus wailed, voice cracking, but then shouting out with joyous energy. His liquid calm and affable veneer disintegrated in an instant, replaced with a lucid fog that played to his impulses: no planning, no patience, no pleasantries...just action.

 

His dilapidated hand darted out and snatched the little dragon out of the air, white-knuckled as it clenched down. His arm snapped like a whip and propelled Aodh violently to the ground, where it landed with a barely-audible yelp of pain. He placed his boot on the creature's neck and added pressure, slowly, slowly. It didn't even have the strength to squirm in agony.

 

"Eep!"

 

Snap.

 

"Even your pets die in vain!" He shrieked, eyes huge. His magical protection began to wear off...he could feel the heat, felt the beginning of the burns. "You can't hide from me!" He knew she was in the bushes somewhere, hiding, scared, grieving. Maybe furious. She was cornered, beaten. He just had to flush her out of her cover and then he would let this hellfire do the rest.

 

Hazel watched the next few seconds from her hiding place in the bushes with horror. She should be enraged, furious with grief, but the full impact of the last minute or two had yet to hit her. She was still in shock. She didn't know how to react, only that she was stuck in the iron grip of adrenaline, fighting for her life. Now her window for stealth was literally going up in smoke as the maniacal psychopath crashed through the bushes, still aflame from his own spell. It took absolutely everything she had to stay out of sight and away from the flames, which struck dread into her heart, a special primal fear dug out from the deepest, darkest depths of her. Every dryad feared fire. It could spread to their tree, and they would burn along with it, a horrible death. And they were just as susceptible.

 

Whether intended or not, Silithus managed to box Hazel in beside the pond. Left with no other option as he continued his rampage, Hazel dove into the water, praying that she wasn't seen. She was just in time.

 

"Watch as anywhere you can hide is reduced to ash!" She heard him shout just as she hit the water, and then the world above exploded with colour.

 

Hazel watched, eyes huge, as the world above the waterline was blasted with a kaleidoscope of different hues with equally diverse effects. Bright red seemed to wash out any other colour in the world, then orange, yellow, green.....the water above her was blasted with the full effect of whatever force Silithus unleashed. For a moment, it boiled closer to the center, with the water growing so hot as to blind the dryad with pain for several seconds. Something green and twisted and toxic slithered through the waters of the oasis, clouds of death that withered and killed whatever they touched. Then another moment, lightning arced across the top of the water, dispersing harmlessly. The poison got too close to Hazel for comfort and she kicked off the sand of the shore and sent herself rocketing further upstream, using her remaining nature magic to help protect and speed her along her way.

 

The world darkened as green faded to blue and then shifted again until it seemed to blanket the whole world into incomprehensible, twisting darkness. Entire sections of sand hardened into granite. Boulders made of what previously had been water sank to the bottom. Then, entire pieces of the world began to vanish. Hazel the dryad kept her eyes pointed determinedly away from the source, focusing only on escape. At least being underwater was enough to protect her from the ungodly chaos that reigned above.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Flipout6

[josh900]

Azuris let out a low growl as the two vampires approached. "If we're gonna be fighting blood suckers now, I'm gonna need a better sword."

 

The vampires rushed in, though moment before getting within Azuris's reach, they stumbled backwards as if repelled by something.

 

"Oh wow that actually worked!" Lucas said excitedly behind Azuris.

 

"Well keep it up then." Said Azuris, surprised to see that the squire could repel undead as powerful as Vampires, though their quick recovery didn't surprise him in the slightest.

 

"R..right." Lucas stuttered before he started the prayer again, stunning the vampires yet again, giving Azuris the advantage that he needed to deal with them in a brutal fashion.

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine heard Dri's voice echo in her mind, and she grinned. There was no safe haven for these vampires...not anymore. With the help of Annette's magic, the Doomguide dodged an incoming blow from one of her opponents and landed an answering strike from Touch of Death, charge with the powerful Bond. The green magic exploded around the monk's form and consumed it like tinder, the vampire shrieking as it turned to dust. Its comrade managed to brutally kick Rhaine in the shoulder, and the joint popped loudly as she staggered backwards, but being Hasted, she was able to successfully swing her blade round and slice off its head in response.

 

Conall, meanwhile, focused on his remaining attacker. Momentarily weaponless, he was thankful for Annette's buffing spells and Aera's timely distraction; the two offered him enough time to draw his backup shortsword and dagger from his belt. Through sheer luck, he managed to deal enough damage to the vampire to reduce it to fleeing mist, but not before it bloodied his mouth and cracked a rib or two with its relentless flurry of blows. The mist vanished at the same point the other had, on the wall near where Dri stood.

 

Nearby, Zorica noticed Weyland had pinned down Nawen's assailant, and she wasted no time in putting her now re-enchanted blades to good use. The half-drow moved up behind the vampire in one smooth step and, with a scissor-like motion, she removed its head from its shoulders.

 

Once Azuris dealt with his opponent in a similar fashion to the one he had slain earlier in the tomb, the room at last fell still. There were a few moments of audible breathing and glittering eyes flicking frantically around the room to make sure no more enemies awaited them, and then a wave of calm slowly but surely replaced the mass chaos that had reigned only seconds previous. It was only then that Zorica noticed Amendale now standing again, and she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck and murmuring over and over, "You're all right...it's done...they're finished...you're all right..."

 

Conall popped the cork off of a healing potion and downed it to repair his ribs and busted lip, then met Rhaine's eyes across the room as she cast her own healing spell upon herself. The Doomguide then shifted from one foot to the other as she mused aloud, "The dead magic zone...it was lifted. But by what?"

 

The werewolf shook his head, "Ariel. She prayed for a miracle to reverse the Sharran's magic...and she got it. But she's gone, now. Completely. I assume it took all of her essence to make it happen."

 

"A noble sacrifice," Argyros rumbled solemnly behind them, "One that will not be forgotten. Nor will that of Imhiros." The dragon's magic now restored, he shifted back into his elven form so as to better be able to move around the cavern. He seemed to sigh in relief as he did so, thankful for the increased room.

 

"Agreed," Rhaine nodded. She whispered the Passing for Imhiros and for Ariel, cast her eyes over the group to ensure they were all well and good, and turned to Dri, "But it seems we are not yet done, here. Have you made any progress, Audri?" Then, moving over to where Lucas stood, she smiled gently at him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "By the way, well done, squire." She had noticed his earlier Turnings, and she was impressed.