private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, "Fuck." I cough and, I get up and run where I remember the princess being figuring that was his goal I use the trees to propel my self even jumping branch to branch. "The fucker will not get in the way of my contract." I feel my actions finally taking its toll on me as I grow tired from magical and physical exhaustion even the poison is now starting to take effect, I knew i could not use my magic or I risk the poison trying to attack my body.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Crowley arrived just at the moment Adrass drew her up from the water, with deftness hi notched an arrow and aimed for her heart. Indicus had been right, the oil was developed to attack the magic in the person first, rendering it useless. It's second use was as a dangerous poison that affected anybody.

 

He knew The Maiden would be furious at him for killing the princess himself but he could blame it on an accident, a mishap in the heat of battle. He also knew the hand who delivered the princess dead or alive, would be favored greatly by the prince. The princes favor was better than any, it almost guaranteed him a life in luxury. Roric had given him this poison first hand, it was newly developed by the prince himself; ingredients imported from countries outside of Illia and Andalasia.

 

So he aimed and let the arrow fly towards Whisper.

[Sekel 692]

@@RunsWithSquirlz

Helena stopped her slashing when the ravens dissipated into smoke. When a thick fog enveloped them, Helena thought it was safe to disappear again. 'Now. Where is the ambusher?' Helena thought to herself. Concentrating on her hearing, Helena thought she could barely make out the whistling of an arrow that was just on the outskirts of her hearing range. It appeared to be ... going towards Whisper. Acting fast, Helena sprinted towards where she last saw Whisper. 'Don't hit ... don't hit ...' Helena thought desperately as she raced the arrow to Whisper.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, I arrived right as the arrow was loosened,and already too late to help I opted to try and stab the man in the back. The bastard will die for this, he will fucking die for making me fail this contract. I thought bitterly

 

(Finally a part that my character is good with)

[Torrent505 370]

Finn gave warbling cry as the arrow passed through his wing, his flight became a little staggered his body becoming heavier as his air magic faded. Flying with barely any control he ran through a series of branches pulling at his scales, then slammed into the trees trunk. He clung to it with his claws, blurring eyesight seeking out Whisper who seemed to be struggling in something's arms; he made for her again, he would get to his friend, he needed to make up for his mistake earlier today, he wouldn't attack he'd just get to her and protect her. He slammed from tree trunk to tree trunk in short flights. He'd be a good proper dragon and prove he wasn't bad. He landed in front of her and what smelled like their Hunter Friend? He stuck his head out toward Whisper wanting to call out for Adrass to let go and for her to let him help, but he couldn't make a sound, suddenly the back of his neck hurt and something itched under his necks front scales. Whisper faded away into blackness then everything went white.

 

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

 

It had taken two shots of his scattergun before Clarke had realized that the ravens he hit weren't falling but absorbing the buckshot or fading away. He cussed fluent Illian curses that would have made seasoned soldiers cringe, the birds were a mix of distraction and hunting tool, fucking magical to boot; animals were the bane of all his existence today. Following the ravens and group he was able to spot the actual assassin readying an arrow, the armored fool was making a move to attack him. Clarke could only assume the man was a shadow mage so he grabbed a metal capsule from a couple on his chest and threw it towards the two.

 

It was obvious though that nothing was going to stop that arrow from flying, however Clarke was quite pleased to see the dragon thud down in its path. The arrow punched through its bristled and for some reason battered scales on it's back but stopped unable to pass through the layer on the otherside, at least the beastie was good for something. The metal cylinder bounced at the assassin and the guards feet, Clarke yelled, "cover your eyes!" as he flicked black lenses down on his goggles. The Flash Grenade went off, brilliant and mimicking light magic; Clarke could see the silhouette of the dragon collapse, well if this party was going to lose a meat shield at least it was one of the nasty critters.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Torrent505

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"NO!" Whisper screamed as she watched the arrow pierce Serrafinno.

 

Indicus had managed to lodge the blade firmly into Crowleys back, he had not reacted in time. When the flash went off he was blinded; the light magic biting him. He tumbled and fell into the bushes below.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,  When I tumbled, down my blade was ripped out of the assassin the mans innards now visible. The light magic hurt like hell, and the poison was almost finished with sucking my magic dry and would soon work on my vitality.  "Fuck." I tiredly said. (What happened to the arrow that was going towards Whisper?)(nevermind)

Edited August 6, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[Flying Ace 142]

(wow curse my phone for dying on me while i was at work)

@@RunsWithSquirlz, @@Shadow Dancer @@Torrent505, @@Dji, @@Sanctified Absence, @@Alex Kennedy, @,

Dresden had the worst end; his magic had no effect on the Ravens and he had no weapons to defend him self. All he could do was cover his face as the Ravens raked at his arms, he saw the arrow heading towards whisper but gasped in shock when Finn fell in the path before Dresden could react a bright flash of light blinded him, causing him to fall over; he couldn't feel his arms.

(I know this post probly sucks but I just wanted to catch up quickly before I got left behind)

[Sekel 692]

@@RunsWithSquirlz, @@Torrent505

Helena couldn't keep up with the arrow as it hit Whisper's dragon. She skidded to a halt, reappeared and turned around trying to figure out where the arrow came from. 'Save dragon or kill arrow shooter ... I'll probably regret this later.' Helena thought hurriedly and continued to the dragon. She knelt beside him and looked at the puncture wound. "I'm going to need to take the arrow out but I don't if it's come out the other side." Helena told Whisper.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

@,

 

Well, she had said something - meaning there was some breath in her. With another heave the Witch Hunter pushed the girl back under the water: spoiling the aim of any further projectiles and keeping the girl out of sight, but with the added benefit of keeping her from seeing of hearing what was happening, and shutting her up. He had never met another creature with such suicidal tendencies: no wonder the kind had been desperate enough to send a hunter alongside her.

 

'I should never have accepted this...'

 

He glanced over towards the bard - ideally he would have been perfect, if the princess could have been trusted to make her way to him and his music safely. Adrass wasn't taking that chance: his current experience with her suggesting that she was equally likely to find yet another assassin to run to. Not to mention that he wasn't letting her out of his sight while their 'companion' was still skulking around. The Assassins were a guild - a collective that their 'companion' has clearly proud to be a part of: he couldn't be trusted.

 

@@Dji,

@@Torrent505,

 

"If you pull that arrow out, it's going to cause more harm than good - it's pierced the creatures windpipe!" He called out above the commotion: trying his damnedest to ignore the music and blink the residual light from his eyes. Of course, it was only his best guess, but dragons didn't tend to be downed by a single arrow unless struck somewhere critical. As much as he appreciated the creatures sacrifice, he wasn't going to let more of them die on the slim chance that it might not have been immediately fatal. "It's dead! Check for more assassins!"

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Zaddion took a look around the group just before the Light Magick covered the area, his passive Light control managed to reduce the effects of the daze, enough so he could make out the shapes of Indicus and their would be assassin before being forced to shield his eyes. Thoughts of anger rushed through his mind in those few moments where he was unable to see, this assassin was the cause of all this pain, he was a pathetic excuse for life that could never be forgiven. There was only one appropriate punishment for such fiends.

 

"Leave this one to me, tend to whatever you have to," his voice was almost filled with malice as the brilliant white of the Mark turned into a shifting black. Gone were the restraints that he'd been introduced to over his life, even if only for a few moments he was done pretending to be some thing he wasn't. "All we need is a little Light to show us the way," how he wanted to believe Whisper back then, how wrong she was now.

 

-- Hall of Light, 11 years ago --

 

"You can do better than that, I know you can," donning a white and golden robe, the boy's teacher knew that this was no time to show restraint, the deadline was coming up after all. The brightness of the great, white hall was only met with the more intense Light originating from his pupil's hands, but it still wasn't enough.

 

"I can't keep the spell up, I just can't!" Desperately throwing all his power behind the training staff, Zaddion struggled to keep a hold of the Light sphere. Why was he chosen to train under the Lord Mages? He wondered, after all only special Mages came here and he was unable to keep up a simple spell of his own alignment!

 

"You don't have a choice, either you prove to me that you're not a waste of a Mage, or we'll be forced to kick you out!" He still didn't see the point of lying to the boy, why would the Lords tell him his alignment was Light? Then again, the boy's real alignment combined with his potential worried him almost as much as the Council.

 

-- Present day --  

 

A very faint black mist emerging from his sleeves and gaps in his robe, Zaddion pressed past Indicus and into the bushes with a cold determination. This man, this fiend would pay for his attempts on Whisper's life, as would anyone who has ever done so or ever will.

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke paused for a moment to look about, needing to flip the black shading lenses back off his goggles but he saw no new threats. "Witch Hunter if there were more assassins I think they would have shown their hand by now, they'd have lost the element of surprise we all now stand on guard, the moment of their greatest advantage has passed. We should see to the one we have felled and gleam what knowledge we can pry from his dying lips."

 

He hesitated to think what needed to be addressed, "water mage, Dresden tend to the wounded, magick some water to be pure and sterile and move it through the wounds then purify it again and repeat, if the assassin used poison the most we can do is leech away what hasn't already entered them. Chimera guard them Indicus you too and be tended to, cripple-former cripple leave the arrow, dragons are strong if it didn't kill him already then we'll have time to treat him after the humans. Miss Whisp help treat whatever you can."

 

He turned and head for the bushes as well, the indoctrined mage was ahead of him, full of rage and a voice of malice, "light mage? If he dies too quickly we'll not learn the truths that guide him." Clarke looked back, "Adrass I'm not so skilled with organic work, might you come along to assist us? I fear our ally may be somewhat over zealous."

 

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

 

Serafinno's nostrils gave little flares as he struggled to breath, blood in his lungs and throat as well as the arrow's shaft partially obstructing the airway. He was solidly unconscious as his body shut down any unnecessary activity to viciously fight against a double dose of the assassins poison; dragons were known above most creatures for their vitality but even so his system was stressed to the edge.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@Sanctified Absence,@@RunsWithSquirlz,  I looked at my dying kill in front of me, why the light mage that oddly I found possessed more shadow magick then light, entered the forest I had no clue if he was looking for the assassin the bastard was dying in front of me. The poison was slowly eating into my vitality now, I walked towards Whisper to check if she was alright. 

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

Lifting the princess from the pool once more, Adrass hefted her over his shoulder and edged cautiously around the assassin - the borrowed firearm raised and pointed at dead centre of his chest.

 

"I don't think so assassin." He spat - wading through the water until he reached shore - eyes narrowed with malice and suspicion.

 

"You appear from nowhere to 'help' us with no alibi or proof to your name: a killer, not a guardian. You lead your cult to us to do your dirty work and you twist the foulest of the accursed arts to do your bidding? I should put you down right now, if there wasn't an apocalypse waiting to happen in the woods right now."

 

There was nothing - nothing - about this man that the Witch Hunter would trust. No redemption in his eyes: a soulless killer with no purpose to be here other than to slit their throats in the night: well he wouldn't allow it!

 

"You stay away from her, abomination."

 

He couldn't stay here: the other Mage needed to be stopped: but he wasn't about to leave his charge at the mercy of this monster either. Glancing around, he spied the bard. Reliable, charismatic, and never had Adrass met one if their kind that he couldn't trust. Power like magic, but without the taint and the corruption...

 

"You, Bard!" He snapped, before starting again. "Sorry. Bard, take care if the princess: don't let her wander... and by the void, find her something to cover herself!" As an afterthought, he quickly added an awkward sounding "... please."

 

It wasn't something he said very often.

 

Turning back to the Tinker, the Hunter nodded - adjusting his hat to sit lower on his brow as he did. He held out the revolver in a respectful manner. It had served its purpose, but wasn't his to keep - as fine a piece as it might have been to add to his arsenal.

 

"I don't think I ever learned your name, master engineer.A fine weapon, you should be proud. Perhaps now I can put my own skills to good use for our benefit - let us hunt!"

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Crowley coughed , his blood coating his chin. As per the Olden rules of the Assassins, he would not give them the satisfaction of information. With great effort he withdrew a vial and gulped down the liquid inside. His secrets would die with him.

 

Whisper was in complete shock, trembling and pale. She let Adrass do what he wanted, because he did so anyway but her eyes remained locked on an unclear point in the distance. She was traumatized by the drowning, Whisper had never experienced death like that before. And all the chaos...her dragon...Tulla.

 

Where was she again...?

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@,@@RunsWithSquirlz,

 

Robert nodded and quickly moved to follow Adrass' instructions. Wordlessly, he grabbed the princess and carried her to a spot he deemed relatively safe before removing his own shirt and tossing it to her. "Put this on, princess. It's not right for us to be seeing you naked."

[Torrent505 370]

Clarke took back the weapon and grinned, "this antique? Well it does have some illogical sentimental value you me. Perhaps I will make you some proper and fine examples of my work. You are correct as well, though I overheard your name, I am Clarke Volkrieg." He inclined his head with tinkerers so dependent on their hands they really shook in greetings.

 

They hadn't had to go more than twenty feet into the brush to find where the assassin had dragged himself to. Clarke rolled him over and gave a little whistle at the pinkish red foam coming from the man blueing lips and the glazing eyes, "I've never understood that, the ending of ones self... Such a waste." He ruffled through the man's pockets, finding vials and other things but no parchment with orders. "I know none of these things by sight, do with it and him what you will."

 

He returned to the group and first went to Tulla. He had some basic understanding of human health, he checked her pulse and breathing.

[Flying Ace 142]

@@Alex Kennedy, @@RunsWithSquirlz, @@Torrent505, @,

"Sorry, my arms are too wounded for me to access my magic." Dresden said wrapping his arms around his chest, he looked over to Robert. "How is she doing Robert? I wish I could help but I'm completely useless at this point." Dresden said glancing at Adrass as he prepared for the hunt. "Adrass, when you find that son of a bitch that shot Tulla...make him suffer." Dresden said in a emotionless voice.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@Flying Ace,

 

He shrugged. "I'm no doctor, but as far as I can tell she'll be fine. If she survived her injuries from before, I doubt this will slow her down much. It's Tulla and the dragon I'm really concerned about. I don't know what those darts were, but it's safe to assume the poison is designed to kill people pretty quickly. 

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@Flying Ace, I passed by seeing the princess, Robert, and Dresden. Hearing his outburst I simply said, "The assassin is dead, I killed him myself, and if he lived any longer he committed suicide, some of the older ones do so they can't be interrogated. That tradition is not used anymore it is hard to find good candidates for assassins that is why Outcasts, Orphans, and Shadow magick users are recruited.

 

@@Alex Kennedy, "Tulla will be fine, I got the poison out of her also the poison used drains magick then attacks the body."

[Sekel 692]

Helena calmed herself and tried to think logically about this. 'If I pull the arrow out then it will do more harm than good. If I break the arrow and then push it out it will cause blood to flow, and the dragon could drown. If I leave it in, then the dragon could possibly have a better chance of surviving.' Helena groaned and stayed kneeling near the dragon, trying to figure out the best possible way for the dragon to live. She knows that both Adrass and the Tinkerer told her to leave it but she made a conscious decision to do what she could to help the dragon.

 

@@Alex Kennedy

Helena took a quick glance at Whisper to see how she was doing and it looked like the girl was in shock. "Robert, try to get her feeling better. She looks like she's in shock." Helena told him, pointing to Whisper before turning back and inspectng the wound.

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Zaddion paid little attention to the tinkerer's pleas, all he could focus on was the urge to destroy the assassin until there wasn't a single spark of life left. His prey was likely hurt pretty badly, so it wouldn't take too long to reach the fiend even if he did try to make a run for it. Unbeknownst to him the would be assassin had already sealed his own doom, unfortunately the Mage wasn't looking for information, but the satisfaction of vengeance. It was all stripped away from him when Clarke found the corpse, or at the least very soon to be corpse of his target. "Coward... Whatever comes after, I hope you get what you deserve."  

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

"You will fail." Crowley spat out before a shudder took over him and he lay still.

 

Tulla groaned and turned on her side, heaving and shaking with the remnants of poison leaving her body. Whisper just clutched Roberts shirt tightly between her hands, staring into the water like some beast was going to pop out.

 

Tugg actually listened and stood guard, growling while keeping an eye on the solitary raven flying in circles; cawing in distress.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,@@Torrent505,  Sure that everyone would be okay, I went off into the forest to find the things I would need for a cure, to the poison making sure that I would make enough for the dragon, I did not know how the poison would affect one but I figured he would be fine for a while. To my fortune the plants needed were sufficent in the forest I quickly gathered what I could and took out alchemy equipment that was made for times I needed to make something quick, it was a few minutes I was slowly getting worse and worse before I finished the potion. Once it was finished I only had enough for one I decided to give it to the dragon. 

Edited August 6, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

@@Sanctified Absence,

@@Torrent505,

 

"Suffer greatly in death, Witch. Your torment is of your own device."

 

Reaching for the rune-covered dagger, the hunter raised it above the figure of the assassin as he stepped past Zaddion - bringing it down heavily into the figures heart. It was almost respectful, until he repeated the action once, twice... three times more. Blood spattered the hunters face as he ensured that this was no illusion granted by magical or mundane means - finally cutting the assailants throat for good measure.

 

One couldn't be too careful with Witches - they had an uncanny habit of returning to finish what they started.

 

Of course, the hunt wasn't over.

 

"And you!" He declared in a savage whisper - raising the knife to point at the dark Mage as he returned to his feet. "This is why I exist - your kind have no place, no limit to lengths you go to in the name of destruction! I would rather not kill you, Witch, but I can't let you endanger us with your outbursts."

 

Truth be told, until this point, Zaddion had seemed... safe, at least by Witch standards. This only served to reinforce the hunters beliefs: magic corrupted without fail. He needed to settle this - preferably without thinning their already dwindling numbers - and hidden away while the others tended their wounds seemed like the best time to do so in secrecy.

 

"If I wanted to fight you, I would have done so long ago... but I can't allow you to endanger the princess. I can see that look in your eye: feel the unnatural darkness seeping through your aura! Tell me the truth, Witch. So that I might hold what little faith I have in your kind."

 

He glanced about.

 

"Magic isn't so full of power and hatred normally: what are you?"