private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[Sekel 692]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, @, @@Flying Ace, @,

'Appears I'm the only one unscathed. That's good. I can help the Princess out of here quickly.' Helena thought as she dropped her arm suddenly, causing the sword to drop and she then stabbed him in the hole through the armor with another ordinary crossbow bolt. Reappearing almost immediately afterwards, she panted from he exertion of using her crossbow as a shield.

 

Walking up to the unconscious Princess, she held her with her legs over one arm and her head being supported by the other arm.Spying a hill in the distance with a figure on it, she thought that that wasn't a really good place to set down, but then again, there is only one person there.

 

"I can carry her and I believe I'm the only one fast enough to get her out of here alive." She stated. Helena wasn't boasting, it was merely that she thought she was the only one fast enough.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

With their backs to the forest and a wall of men before them; the sprint to the hill would be almost impossible. Helena would be the only one to make it; leaving the rest to either run to the refuge of the forest or die.

 

The mercenaries seemed content in just standing there; they were waiting for something or someone quite worse.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

"Take her away so that you can finish the job?" Spat Adrass, casting a hateful glance as the assassin whom had caused him to lower his guard. "She stays with me..."

 

He glanced behind him, then back at the army in front. It was all good and well standing up to the impossible when you had an actual, distinctive advantage, but trying to take on all of these would be suicide. Not to mention that the princess was...

 

"Into the woods - we'll lose them in the trees!" He decided: not particularly concerned about whether the survivors were likely to agree with him. Keep her alive, distract anything that he had to... It wasn't as if he couldn't teach the stench of the mages for miles, should then need to separate. "You're supposed to be sorcerers? Hide her!"

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, @,@,@,@@Flying Ace,

 

 

Well... crap. Apparently Robert's music wasn't enough. And he didn't exactly have any heroic ballads for running away. But there was always one more thing he was good for. He turned to the others. "I think... If I use my music right, I can distract them, lure them away from here. When that happens, I want all of you to run. But for this to work, I'm going to need the fastest mount we have with us. Otherwise they'll catch me before I can get anywhere."

[Sekel 692]

Smiling menacingly, Helena shook her head vigorously. "Nope. Sorry. She's coming with me." Helena said with a cold smile. She looked behind her at the forest and then at the army in front of her. "Seems like going to the forest would not be such a bad idea. Come ON!" Helena shouted as she ran into the forest that were at the group's backs.

Edited July 4, 2014 by XANA

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"Are you crazy?" Tulla hissed down at him.

 

It had taken her awhile but finally seeing the crest emblazoned on a dead mercenary; she figured what they could be up against.

 

"You Illian bastards! What treachery is this!?"

 

A glimmering figure; a Goddess in metal armor strode forward, two swords in each hand. Every man that attacked fell to the swift motion of her blade; the silver of her gear splattered with crimson streaks of blood. The empty eyes of a goddess stared back at them as she advanced towards them. Here; they would die. For The Iron Maiden never lost a battle.

 

(BTW XANA orignal plan was to be run into the forest.)

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Oh how he wished to enact revenge on these would-be assassins for hurting both his charge and forcing himself into this state, although it would be completely foolish to take on these mercenaries, especially with the new arrival. His already pale skin went just that little whiter as he saw the sheer power coming from the woman some distance before him, her aura of Metal was astounding!

 

Now was no the time to admire the world of Magick, however much it displeased him to recognize this he could not deny it as the truth. Closing his eyes and generating one last spell from his natural reservoirs Zaddion was enveloped in a blinding flash of light. Of course anyone else with their eyes closed, back turned or merely with a resistance to such crude things would be unaffected but at least those who were caught gazing into the flash would not regain their sight for a few seconds, easily enough time for him to make his way into the forest.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Blissful Chaos

[Torrent505 370]

(Apologies for the wait)

 

Eirikr had abandoned the Princess before the attack had started, he hated that he had done this but his first thought had been she had somehow been poisoned so he raced to find the military apothecary, he had thought time was of the essence, he had thought he was helping to save her life. Then the fighting started, and the bastards had attacked the point of the caravan closest to the princess. So he did the only thing he could do, he used his magic to form his metal balls into blades and directed them about killing any enemies he could; one of his hands still free he reached into his outfit and pulled free the scroll with the royal insignia on it. Using the rights it gave him he gathered military guards to him and they began killing their way through to princess.

 

The mercenaries were brutal, but behaved like mad dogs; when they killed anything they fell upon it cutting at it, after killing several on top of already dead civilians or warriors he realized they were collecting right ears, the barbarians... Still some were obviously highly skilled fighters, it baffled him; none of them fought like a unit, as if they were competing to kill not to win the battle. Because of their lack of unity his small troupe of soldiers backed by his metal magick cut through them with ease. He began to think despite whatever numbers they might have that they could still win this that he could still save the Princess. Then he realized the huge amount of magic he had sensed before was almost a top the princess' position. 'the bastards must have a fucking war dragon!' He thought to himself and quickened his pace.

 

His group of guards burst through the line of attackers near the princess' entourage and everything suddenly made sense, the color drained from him as it was so so much worse than a dragon. He now knew why the attackers were so unorganized and brutal, they were HER mercenaries. They were the survivors that were given the slightest mercy from her, they had thrown down their weapons and begged for their lives and they got to keep them by becoming warriors for her, barely earning enough to survive and the only way to earn more was to kill more for her, each ear or whichever piece of the body she specified for the battle earning them a coppers pay raise, they were men made beast then turned monsters by her sick design.

 

There she stood over 6 feet in height, plated in armor thick as a man's arm; the armor gleamed in the fire light polish to a near mirror like shine, beautifully crafted armor of a women's form and a helm to mimic a goddesses face. The perfection of it was shattered however by the very thing this monster was most known for, near twenty swords stuck in and out of her from a multitude of angles and places, the swords of dead warriors who had managed to plunge a sword to no avail. This thing, this impossible monster that parents used to threaten and scare children, stared silently at the princess, paying no mind to the group of guards that had just arrived.

 

Eirikr's nose began to bleed, the magik here was so thick and the mere fact her magic was also his element effected him physically. His mind reeled, the Iron Maiden was here to kill the princess, but the Iron Maiden was known to most often serve the King of Illia and the King of Illia needed the Princess to live, it made no sense. But it didn't need to, he had a job to do. He turn the the princess' motley crew and held up the Royal Insignia, "In the name of the King and Queen of Andalasia I order you to flee! We are betrayed, see the princess home safely! You are so honor bound!" With that he sent one of his metal orbs in the shape of a saw flying at the Iron Maiden, it slowed before reaching her and only clanged pathetically off her armor; still the empty eye sockets of her goddess helm turned away from the princess to stare at him. The military unit moved to support him between the Iron maiden and the others, four steel balls formed a rapier in Eirikr's hand as he readied himself to die so the princess may have moments to escape.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Torrent505

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Tulla took little time in heading his words. With surprising strength; she grabbed Robert and pulled him up behind her on Tuggs back.

 

Tugg growled and retreated into the forest; Tulla looking back at the jester one last time. They had to protect Whisper, it was thier formost duty.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@Torrent505,

 

Indicus sat up in the trees, watching the chaos below. He killed the occasional attacker that got pass their guard with his bow scoring killing shots. Once he saw the woman, he immediately pulled out and followed the party guarding the princess feeling the mystery woman's power even with his limited self taught knowledge in magic. He knew he was going to have to meet the group face to face soon but for now he stayed hidden, finding the shadows much more to his liking.

 

(Thanks for allowing me in this RP)

Edited July 4, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

 

Robert struggled for a second before resigning to letting the beast carry him. "Damn it, why? I could have saved all of you. Only I would have had to die. It's not like I can be any use now anyway." He sighed, knowing his words rang hollow. For all his courage, he doubted anything he would have done would have had any effect on...her.

[Flying Ace 142]

Dresden gave a nod of respect towards Eirikr and turned on his heels and ran to keep up with Robert and Tulla, even though his legs wanted to give out he would not let them, "Hey witch-hunter you can fight witches later! We have to get out of hear." Dresden shouted over his shoulder.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

Adrass exchanged his blade for two more of the pistols with feline grace - world moving as if in slow motion in his eyes through pure hatred of the desecration of humanity that approached. He stepped up beside the jester, seething as the dull 'crack' of blackpowder sounded.

 

Nothing.

 

He blinked. As the smoke cleared, he saw no clear effect. No evidence of a wound at all - had he missed? Surely not: it wasn't possible...a second shy rang out, leaving only a single loaded weapon strapped to his chest. Blackpowder and sweat filled his senses as the hunter peered once more through the smoke.

 

Nothing.

 

Snapping his view back towards the forest, a dilemma was found. He was oath-bound to do two things, each of which conflicted with one another. The deny this filth it's foul life, and to protect the young princess... either way, he had failed in one of his charges.

 

"I am the fire, I am the knife. The one who purges the dead and the tainted. I am the hunter..." He growled. "... and this is not over, Witch! My name will be carved into your black heart before this world ends."

 

Adrass glanced at the jester once more - a Mage? Strange, to think that this was happening alongside one.

 

He took one step backwards, then another. Eyes firmly set on the figure as it continued to approach, he commuted her image to memory... not that she would be difficult to forget. Fumbling at a vial on his belt, the hunter drew the alchemists fire into the air as he reached the boundary of the forest - hurling it between himself and the small army. As the glass shattered against the ground, a flame danced to life - spreading outwards at a rapid pace, building up to a torrential blaze in seconds. It was only a short lived flame that was created by the liquid though, so he turned his back on the scene and fled into the forest.

[Scribblegroove 565]

???

 

The crow-like figure stood patiently as the situation below worsened. He could eventually make out a dragon in the fray, and there was definately some dangerous magic going on. And then there was this dual-wielded juggernaught, slaying the unfortunate left and right. What a physique that thing had! The magic simply radiated off of her.

 

He moved a little closer to the situation. He was at the edge of a forest, but the fight seemed to come closer to him. He didn't like that at all. People were screaming and running, and that would cause a chase that could cause trouble for him as well. There were people approaching him, as well as a dragon carrying a woman. The situation had progressed to the point that he had to pick a side, or run away. Since he didn't really feel like running away, he decided picking the side of the losers to be the most decent of him.

 

He opened his cloak and grabbed a large, strange looking vial. He grinned. He almost frollicked towards the edge of the forest and laughed maniacally as he threw the vial into the alchemist's fire that one of the retreating people had produced. A cry of cackling laughter resonated through the area.

 

@@Torrent505

"Sayonara dearly soon-to-be departed, the plagues of the west send their regards!"

 

@, @@Flying Ace, @@Alex Kennedy, @@RunsWithSquirlz, @@Sanctified Absence

 

And just like that he quickly turned around and followed the group of retreating people. He wasn't exactly fast-moving, but years of travelling made him quite agile in dense forests such as these. He slowly caught up with the group.

 

At the same time, the vial he had thrown released a small bit of steam through it's cap. Slowly the stream of gas intensified, and suddendly the cap flew off releasing a large black cloud towards the battleing mercenaries. This was a concoction of a few of the most deadly parasites, diseases and gaseous poisons he found in the last few months. He liked to call it: "A nice little cloud of death."

 

Quickly moving through the forest, he snickered. "That ought to slow them down. If they don't die now, they'll die in a few days, if not a few hours." He hoped he would be quick enough to catch up with the group of harassed travellers. If a group of mercenaries that big attacked them, they must be important!

 

"And of course, it would be a nice oppertunity for business..."

Edited July 4, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

@@Alex Kennedy,

 

"Shuttit! If you hadn't noticed; were being hunted by the country we were trying to save! So you...bard, have quite a story to tell." Tulla pulled on Tuggs mane and he turned in a wide arch. Ducking his head and scooping up Dresden onto his massive neck. He continued galloping forward; leaping over boulders and crashing through dead brush.

 

Finally; there came a small clearing on the edge of a cliff. Past this edge; was a roaring river. Just on the other side, within the darkness of the thick forest; faint light flickered through the trees. A village perhaps.

 

@,

 

It was there that Helena came through with the princess; so Tugg and his passengers sauntered over. Tulla slid off his back and carefully helped the injured Dresden down. She quickly went over to Whisper, unwrapping her hands and handing the cloak back to Helena.

 

"Whisper...Whisper...wake up. Come on lazy!" she spoke to the princess.

 

 

Her mercenaries fell back, in a fit of coughing and cursing. The Iron Maiden strode through the dark cloud, undeterred. The princess had escaped and this fool was to pay for it.

 

She did not need her dogs to dispatch the remnants of the Andalasian caravan.

 

It seemed as if time slowed down for Eirikr...In a graceful motion her blade sliced through the jugular of one soldier while the other jabbed into his gut. She threw the man into another; swinging her free arm for a clean decapitation. The Maiden discarded her lodged sword and withdrew one from her back; killing three more in the process. It was only a matter of seconds before they all laid dead or dying at her feet.

 

The eyes of the Goddess turned up to Eirikr; your turn. Lifting her hand; she summoned the discarded saw he had attacked with before, with it firmly in her grip she warped the metal into knives.

 

One step forward. A blade flung into his shoulder.

Another step. Two into his thigh.

Third step. A spray across his chest.

 

By the final step, she was able to touch the tip of his rapier with her own sword, slowly dragging her steel down the length of it. The Iron Maidens cold and hollow eyes stared into the pained ones of the jester as she plunged her sword into his heart.

Edited July 4, 2014 by RunsWithSquirlz

[Sekel 692]

Helena accepted her cloak back and before she could even put it on, she fell to her knees. She had simply never run that fast or that far without tapping into her magick. Feeling slightly light-headed after carrying the princess, light as she is, Helena fell to the side and rolled over on to her back. She tried to get rid of the light-headed feeling by simply controlling and regulating her breathing.

 

'I ran all this way with the peincess and what do I have to show for it? A light-headed feeling and a safe princess.' Helena thought and smiled wryly to herself. At least the second part was to be expected.

Edited July 4, 2014 by XANA

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

@,

 

Tulla leaned over and patted the thief on the shoulder "Feels good doesn't it though? Escaping from danger, I mean!" She chuckled tiredly and looked back down at Whisper. She raised her hand and with a sound 'smack' slapped the princess.

 

Whisper shot up; knocking Tulla over and gasping. She looked around quickly before scrambling up "What happened?! Where are we?! Serrafinno? Eirikr?! Adrass?! Is she...is she dead?!" Whisper gasped looking down at Helena.

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Perhaps it may have not been the best idea to utilize his Mark after all, for one he had no idea if his efforts actually helped the princess and for another it was far more difficult to navigate a forest with wounded arms. "We all knew of the danger but they could've told us about hordes of bloody assassins."

 

At the very least his supernatural perception wasn't effected, allowing him to track the direction of the princess's powerful aura, allowing him to pursue at a regrettably slow pace. Taking a moment to lean against one of the many trees that made up his surroundings and cursing to himself silently, Zaddion realised that we was beginning to leave an extremely faint trail of red fluid.

 

Kneeling down and attempting to stop the blood from escaping his robes as effectively as possible, one would realize that he was no survivor nor completely survival savvy. In the end all he could do was block up the ends of his sleeves before pressing towards Whisper's strange signature.

 

"Oh thank the ancients you're okay." The Mage sighed as he stumbled into the clearing, dropping his staff ans grasping his left arm just a few meters away from the others.

[Sekel 692]

@@RunsWithSquirlz

"I do it all the time. Escaping from danger is what I do best." Helena replied to Tulla slowly, as she still trying to catch her breath back. Her eyes shot open when the princess started to panic and ask questions. After a question directed at her, Helena answered. "I'm not dead. Just catching my breath. I've never run that fast before while carrying a person. You may be light but you're still far heavier than what I'm used to carrying."

[Flying Ace 142]

@@RunsWithSquirlz

"I do it all the time. Escaping from danger is what I do best." Helena replied to Tulla slowly, as she still trying to catch her breath back. Her eyes shot open when the princess started to panic and ask questions. After a question directed at her, Helena answered. "I'm not dead. Just catching my breath. I've never run that fast before while carrying a person. You may be light but you're still far heavier than what I'm used to carrying."

Dresden gave a small chuckled as he limped over to Helena, "Hey you did good, nice job getting the princess." Dresden said sitting down and stretching his limbs, "Ugh that soldier was more difficult then I imagined and I have the burns to prove it." Dresden put a hand to one of his burns and jerked his hand away, "I'm gonna feel that in the morning."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus just looked at the group forced together with the goal of protecting the princess, "Well it seems I will be with interesting company, at least." he sighed "Well time to introduce myself." With that he came out of the shadow of a tree that he was hiding in, and posed himself to look as nonthreatening as possible, not wanting to be shot or stabbed by one of them.

[Scribblegroove 565]

A sound of breaking branches and stirred leaves broke the eerie silence of the woods as the crow-man revealed himself. Apparently the group of defeated travelers had retreated to this clearing. Though they were pretty far away from danger now, it still wasn't safe.

 

He was about to wonder why they didn't continue running, when he noticed a trail of red leading towards a man who had stumbled down on the ground. Clearly he was not in traveling condition.

 

@RunsWithSquirlz @Flying Ace @Sanctified Absence

"Oh by the dark unforgiving abyss of the ocean, that man is dying! Can you not notice!" He yelled at the few others who were just standing there, talking.

 

@Shadow Dancer

He shoved away someone who had come out of nowhere without saying anything and stepped onto the clearing. He didn't bear it any mind that a complete stranger, who looked like some kind of freak came out of nowhere wouldn't be very welcome, and might even be a little threatening.

 

"Someone has to treat him! I have to treat him. You could all use some patching up! I saw everything that happened back there, and it sure didn't look good." He tapped the insignia on his chest, which resembled the international sigh for 'medic' or 'healer'. Usually it also implied 'neutrality', but in this case he had definitely picked a side.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

 

Robert thought for a while. "It is a good story, isn't it? I think I'll start working on an epic verse tonight, assuming we don't have any more unexpected guests. And it's Robert, not 'bard'." He paused in thought before continuing. "You know, since you're the only reason I made it this far alive, I'll be casting you in a pretty heroic light. You just might become a folk hero one day. Along with Tugg, of course." He gave the chimaera a pat on the head.

[Flying Ace 142]

A sound of breaking branches and stirred leaves broke the eerie silence of the woods as the crow-man revealed himself. Apparently the group of defeated travelers had retreated to this clearing. Though they were pretty far away from danger now, it still wasn't safe.

 

He was about to wonder why they didn't continue running, when he noticed a trail of red leading towards a man who had stumbled down on the ground. Clearly he was not in traveling condition.

 

@RunsWithSquirlz @Flying Ace @Sanctified Absence

"Oh by the dark unforgiving abyss of the ocean, that man is dying! Can you not notice!" He yelled at the few others who were just standing there, talking.

 

@Shadow Dancer

He shoved away someone who had come out of nowhere without saying anything and stepped onto the clearing. He didn't bear it any mind that a complete stranger, who looked like some kind of freak came out of nowhere wouldn't be very welcome, and might even be a little threatening.

 

"Someone has to treat him! I have to treat him. You could all use some patching up! I saw everything that happened back there, and it sure didn't look good." He tapped the insignia on his chest, which resembled the international sigh for 'medic' or 'healer'. Usually it also implied 'neutrality', but in this case he had definitely picked a side.

 

Indicus just looked at the group forced together with the goal of protecting the princess, "Well it seems I will be with interesting company, at least." he sighed "Well time to introduce myself." With that he came out of the shadow of a tree that he was hiding in, and posed himself to look as nonthreatening as possible, not wanting to be shot or stabbed by one of them.

Dresden looked at the strange newcomer that appeared out of nowhere until he was shoved buy another complete stranger one who thought Dresden was dying, With shaky knees Dresden got up. "Don't worry about me i'm fine I've suffered worse wounds then burns and cuts, so who are you two I get that your a medic but what about Mr. Cloak and Daggers over there?"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@Scribblegroove Indicus got up and saw the sign the person was wearing and let it go knowing the person was running to help someone presumably the severely injured man that was walking towards the larger group. So he just did what he did best and stayed in the background away from the eye.