private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

"It would indeed: had you been genuinely trying to harm the princess earlier and unwilling to surrender, things would have been... difficult."

 

Pulling one of the pistols free of its holster that criss-crossed his torso, Adrass held it up to inspect it. Primitive... they were well worn and had a few years behind them, but it was the first time he had heard of such weapons referred to as much. When most insisted on sharpened sticks or gambling their very souls as weapons, the pistols seemed the cutting edge of technology.

 

Perhaps it was a sign of the times: the order hadn't really taken huge strides to evolve in recent years.., relying on archaic principles that had worked for many years simply because they did. Even these, which had once been practically works of art with their deep red wood and gold decoration were now faded and greyed with age.

 

"If they offend you so much, feel free to replace them with something better fitting a companion of yours." He grunted, corners of his mouth twitching upwards in a rare moment of humour. "Regardless, the powder will help. These have been mine for some years - I would prefer they serve more of a purpose than somewhat elegant clubs."

 

The Witch Hunter turned to chastise the Mages, or to warn the Princess against sneaking off alone... but paused. He sniffed at the air: uselessly of course, surrounded by so many putrid warlocks all he achieved was making himself nauseous. All if this magic... it unnerved him. Not only because of the possibility of the Iron Maiden tracking them, but of something closer to home. If any other hunters were even remotely nearby then they would sense the sheer concentration if magic from leagues away...

Edited August 4, 2014 by Cinderscribe

[Flying Ace 142]

@@Sanctified Absence,

Dresden nodded and formed another ball in his hands and took aim at the light again. Dresden closed his eyes and tried to focus on the water in his hands. He opened them and threw it with all his might; he waited until it neared the ball before clenching his hand causing the ball to expand and open up swallowing it whole. 

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"No silly, a bath.comeon lets go wash our clothes." Tulla grabbed Helena by the arm and Whisper followed quietly; watching the ball of light.

 

When all was situated, Whisper sat in the pool if water up to her collarbone, working the dye into a lather. Tulla sat off to the side, rinsing herself and the clothes of all the blood. The princess glanced up, momentarily stuck in a stare with a large raven perched on a branch. She didn't know why but it creeped her out.

 

Tugg feigned indifference as he swat at the bundle of sticks. The first stars began to spot the sky, shadows reaching out like fingers from the trees.

[Sekel 692]

@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena sighed and let Tulla lead her away. "Close enough." Helena muttered and washed herself as well as her clothes when she saw Tulla and Whisper doing the same. 'This feels weird. Never washed with other girls before or anyone for that matter.' Helena thought confusingly. She noticed Whisper stare at a raven. "You okay there? You seem weirded out by that raven." Helena stated.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"Well...its just one bird. Where are the others? Why aren't the crickets singing...?" Whisper answered, washing the dye off her hands.

 

Tulla chuckled "What? You'd rather be naked in front of Robert? I'm sure he has a song for that." She had noticed the lull in critter sounds around them, like they were waiting for something. Or afraid.

 

Out of nowhere a black blur whizzed past them, startling Whisper. Tulla started in surprise until she felt a sticky substance run down her chest; upon closer inspection it was her blood. It was mixed with a deep purple oil. Another whizzed past Helena, just grazing her cheek. It left a vicious burning. Tullas eyes rolled backward and she collapsed, face first into the water.

 

Whisper screamed.

Edited August 5, 2014 by RunsWithSquirlz

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,@@Dji,

 

Robert had given up practicing his magic a few minutes prior, the idea of the three lovely ladies sharing a bath together proving too much of a distraction. When he heard screaming, he leapt up and sprinted over towards them, lute still slung across his back. Trying his best not to think perverted thoughts, he came bursting onto the scene. "What's going on?!"

Edited August 5, 2014 by Alex Kennedy

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

 

Whisper flailed in the water, trying to keep Tulla from sinking. "She's dead!"the young princess cried hysterically.

 

Maybe it was the trick of the shadows, but hundreds more shapes were now perched on the branches. When Robert had stepped out, by lucky chance he had caught an array of darts in his lute.

 

The barrage of birds flew up, dangling like a black cloud before descending on the rest of the party.

Edited August 5, 2014 by RunsWithSquirlz

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, I heard a scream and in that instant my blade was out and extended, and I ran to them, I was aware of their nakedness but did not care, I have learned to suppress my baser self. My eyes asked the same question when i spotted the figures I quickly switched to my bow and notched and arrow ready to fire.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[Flying Ace 142]

@@Sanctified Absence, @@Alex Kennedy, @@RunsWithSquirlz,

Dresden had been continuing his training control the water even after he threw it when he heard the scream breaking his concentration. "Training's over!" Dresden yelled to his 'teacher' and sprinted shortly after robert.

"She's dead!" Dresden Came to a stop next to Robert. "What-WHOA!" Dresden nearly avoided the blur as it whiffed his eyes. "Shit, ambush!"

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,@@Flying Ace, @@Alex Kennedy,  I heard whisper shout "Shes, Dead." I grabbed Tulla by the shoulder and drug her partly out water still covering her stomach and lower, relaxing on my bow but still keeping it and an arrow in on hand, I saw the wound on her chest and the poison mixed with her blood. "Damn it, anyone here know poisons? I don't know this one."

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Robert hurriedly tried to think of something he could do. More by instinct than anything else, he grabbed his lute and prepared to play... something. He wasn't even sure himself. "Everyone cover your ears! I don't know what's going to happen!" He began playing, channeling every ounce of rage, aggression, and hatred he could muster into the music. He didn't know what it was the old masters did to make their magic so powerful, but this was a good a shot as any.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,  I ignored the music and focused on remembering the poison, and what I needed to cure it, that is if it is not fast acting if it is then she is dead already, "Fuck, Damn it I look at whisper, then realize the bard was using his magic so she covered her ears, (please tell me if your offing the character or not) I remembered an old shadow spell I read up on it was forbidden because it could transfer any afflictions to another including poison and near death. Without thinking I charged the spell. (Tell me if this succeeds or fails)

Edited August 5, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[Sekel 692]

Helena was about to retort when she hissed in pain at a burning sensation as something whizzed past her cheek. She went to put a hand to it but forgot all about it when Whisper screamed.

 

Helena didn't have time to react except vanishing on the spot when everyone came rushing in. Helena witnessed Indicus try to heal Tulla and covered her ears when Robert said so. Qhile doing all this, Helena kept thinking about what kind of ambush this was and how it happened.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Dji

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

Crashing into the clearing with sword held high, Adrass faltered. Assassins? Typical - it had seemed too good to be true when the first had shown up under a guise of 'friendship'.

 

Without his guns he didn't have a hope of taking them out from the ground, and poison (as foul as it was) was rarely magical in nature so denying it was out of the question... and why was the Bard the only one concerned about them?!

 

He blinked - shaking his head. Mood soured and mind struggling against itself under the strain of the music, he closed his eyes for a moment to focus. No, there was no denying it - bardsong just wasn't like conventional magic and denying it, well, wasn't going to work. Thinking wasn't going to help, but then again it rarely did.

 

"Damn those minstrels..."

 

Returning his sword to its resting place, the dazed figure lurched forwards - leaping forwards into the water as survival instinct took over.

 

"Fight or run you fools - this isn't the time to sit idle!"

 

With himself between the princess and danger, he lunged forwards, left arm hooking around whispers midriff and driving her back, down and beneath the water - out of sight. This wasn't a fight that he could partake in - a sword hardly being a fitting ranged weapon after all - but he could at least get his charge away safely.

 

He had already given his life: every day of his schooling he had been taught that he was expendable if it meant thinning the number if Witches that plagued this world. He didn't know if this counted - in fact he distinctly believed that it didn't - but it did make actions like this much easier to perform without thinking.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@, I finished, the spell a few minutes later and felt the poison flow in me, realizing what it was I sighed it was it was not immediately deadly, a magick poison and useful for taking down magical targets, it then hit me, "Fuck" I looked at Adrass near me. I got my bow out and started targeting the attackers.

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke wasn't particularly concerned when the princess screamed about the death of her friend, they were a bit of a distance away so he wasn't most likely in immediate danger and the princess had proven her healing abilities power so she would survive. By no means did he move slowly either; he pushed a small brass button on the cart and a very crude revolver sprang out, one of the first he had ever made usually a hidden last resort. He then readied his scatter gun and rushed himself over to the site of the ambush.

 

(The old crude revolver)

 

He arrived in take in an unkindness of Ravens assaulting the party, he called out to Adrass, "Witch Hunter catch!" And without hesitating to see if the man would respond threw the simple revolver at him, he could most likely grasp its concept. Clarke however had other things to take care off, the first was himself as he put ear plugs in to block out the bard's horrible sounds and to muffle what was coming. He lifted his scatter gun and lit up the area with the bang as he sent a cloud of buck shot into the mass of birds. This was a perfect enemy for his weapon.

 

********************

 

When Serafinno heard Whisper's scream he instantly took wing, he sailed up to get a view of what had happened. Seeing the ravens diving to assault the princess he dove to intercept them. He could have unleashed fire all across the swirl of dark birds but his only thought was to protect Whisper and Tulla.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Torrent505

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

As soon as Serrafinno had taken flight; an arrow tore through the membrane of his wing. It was tipped with the same oily substance as the dart.

 

Ser Crowley trudged up the path quietly, his plan had worked. While they were distracted by the ravens, he would take out the beasts. He was an old assassin who had left the guild for working under The Maiden. He notched another arrow and let it fly, the chimera managed to leap away at the last moment.

 

The birds couldn't stand the sound and kept away from Robert, instead concentrating on the others. It was a flurry Un of beaks and talons, wings thumping and thier echoing screeches. They went for the eyes, ears and lips viciously.

 

Whisper tried shoving his hand off, but the strength of Adrass kept her very firmly planted in the water. All she could she where shadows above the water.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, I was attacking the birds and decided to switch to just magic and save my arrows, I let out arcs of concentrated shadow magic drawing energy from the world around me  instead of my reserves withering the more magical plants. During the chaos I saw a man with a bow shooting arrows at the sky, birds continued to assault me so I killed them and quietly moved towards the man that so happened to be dressed in a similar fashion to me.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

The arrows had no effect on the birds and they absorbed the shadow magic. Mose of them were jet black except for one, he has a slight gleam in his feathers and he flew above the rest. So a flock flew after Indicus, alerting Crowley to his position. Ser Crowley sprinted away towards Tugg with surprising speed for a man his age. Rather than taking on the beast, he apun out of the way of Tuggs fireball and rolled obscurelyon into the shadows.

[Sekel 692]

@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena ran around the lake, avoiding her companions and the ravens in an attempt to get her dagger. Not caring if they saw her naked, Helena reappeared because the invisibility was giving her a headache. She saw the ravens attack Tulla as well, so Helena crouched over and protected her by slashing at the ravens as they got near them.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Dji

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,  I resorted to my blade seeing the other thing were ineffective, and slashed at the birds while looking for the man, now hidden in the shadow. "The hunt is on it seems." I mumbled my eyes adjusting to the darkness faster then normal for most, I figured that the other assassin was keeping an eye on me, but I kept my blade in hand the crows losing sight of me.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

Thrusting a hand into the air at the sound if his name, Adrass snatched the gun from its motion through the air: keeping it safely from the water as he pushed the Princess further out from the land until he stood with the water up to his chest. Wrenching the body of the girl upwards, he drew her head back above the water to take a breath - only half paying attention to her as he fumbled with the unusual gun.

 

"Take a breath!" Ordered the towering guardian as the thunderous 'Crack!' sounded from the heavy pistol. Some curious mechanism twisted at its center which he could only guess was an autoloader like what he had seen on crossbows from time to time. A second pull of the trigger followed by a second satisfying 'Crack!' confirmed his suspicions as he felt his arm tense with the recoil.

 

The music was spoiling his aim, but at least now he could defend the two of them...to a degree.

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Zaddion was the last to come to the defence of the others, although his delay was not without its uses. He felt how these almost unnatural birds absorbed the Shadow Magick that someone who's identity was unknown threw at them. Perhaps in a less stressful situation he would've taken longer to come up with a better idea, but if these things thrived off Shadow, Light was the best bet he could quickly come to.

 

Quickly met with the relatively strange sound of Robert's music, he could almost feel the hate and aggression put into the sound but for now he had to block out the effects they had, even if only enough to perform what he intended. Stepping out the cover of some nearby natural formations the Mage raised his hands towards the flock of what seemed to be birds, however he suspected that they were in fact something else. 

 

The Mark sprang to life as the Light stored in his body quickly made its way to the surface and around his arms. But a second after taking a breath, tendrils of a shining, white Light shot from his fingers and towards the largest group of the birds he could see. Of course these tendrils were not solid and would likely have no effect other than a daze on normal animals, but Zaddion had come to a theory that these were no more than advanced Magickal illusions, designed more to distract than attack.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Sanctified Absence

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@, @@RunsWithSquirlz,

 

Robert saw Adrass holding Whisper above the water and called out. "You, Hunter! Get Whisper over here and cover your damn ears. I think I can keep the birds off of anyone who stays close enough." Trying his best to direct his magic towards the birds and not his own comrades, he began to play louder, hoping to push them back further and create a safe zone around him. 

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

@@Sanctified Absence, 

The shadow birds screeched and dissipated into puffs of smoke; the Light burning holes through them. The real one broke off quickly and flew through the shadows of the trees, cawing in alarm and alerting his master.

 

@@Alex Kennedy,

The birds drew back farther, diving to attack Adrass and Whisper while swerving out of the Light magics power. It left Robert a dome of clear air.

 

@,

 

She choked and clawed at his arm, she wasn't used to being handled so roughly and a brief thought passed that he was trying to drown her.

 

@@Shadow Dancer,

 

An arrow whizzed past him from the branches above. It landed a few inches away. But Crowley hadn't missed on purpose. A fuse sparked on the arrow and a small cartridge exploded; covering them in a thick black fog. Crowley heard his raven and began jumping through the branches towards the princess.