private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Robert only stopped playing when he was knocked off his feet, and then only briefly. Without any concern for the danger, and without even bothering to get up for that matter, he continued to play as loud and with as much edge as he could. As he did so, he tried to kick at the wolf and keep it off of him.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

(I am a bit confused as to whats going on)

 

Tulla stopped and ahivered. The little girls voice shook her to her core. "Did...dis you hear that?" She asked Lance.

 

Whisper silently cheered for herself and the others. Truly, thier display of powers and skills were admirable. Her arm still swirled with fire as she shook it, trying to call off the flames.

 

But they only crawled further up her body in response. "Ack! Finn! Stop! Stop burning!"

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

The hunter stepped forward to follow up on his attack: at least now he had an idea of what the silvery potions did, although it wasn't exactly what he had hoped for. Gun raised to fire upon the unhindered wolf, he suddenly winced and threw himself to the ground.

 

The bite was burning - agony stretching through his flesh with far more vigor than it had any right to do so. Was he cursed? Everyone knew how the curse spread in children's stories, and he hadn't heard any better explanation which made sense. This... wasn't ideal.

 

"Knife!" He shouted into the commotion - voice laced with a fear and panic that had not surfaced since he was a mere child as it cracked and shuddered. "Where is it? Fuck..."

 

Death was something that the hunter would accept willingly: but not like this. Not now, and not to a damnable curse like this. This was a date worse than anything he could imagine - a blood curse of the foulest magic, in the company of those who would likely try to use his accursed body for their own dark purposes. Besides, he still had unfinished business with a certain 'unstoppable' Witch, and he didn't intend to confront his own mortality until she did.

 

Where had it landed? A technique any hunter was familliar with was self nullification - impaling themselves with a rule weapon to prevent curses spreading and halting magic that they couldn't deny alone. It would have been worth a try - however unlikely it was to work against something like this - if he hadn't been so stupid as to thow the thing!

 

Fumbling through his pockets again, he pulled out one of the vials of putrid green liquid. Wolvesbane? Little more than poison and superstition... but surely any chance to avert a fate worse than death was better than none? Even death would be preferable. To whatever was going to happen him him.

 

A second bottle clicked against a rock - golden liquid this time. Had it fallen from his pocket? Lucky it hadn't broken.

 

Resigning himself, the hunter sighed heavily - pulling the stopper from the golden liquid first and - after sniffing it dubiously - swallowing a small amount as he re-sealed the rest. He quickly followed this up by wrenching the stopper from the bile-coloured bottle. Flinching doubtfully, he spilled some of its contents into his hand and pressed it onto the bite.

 

All he could do now was hope, and try with what little willpower he had left to deny the infection.

Edited November 19, 2014 by Cinder

[Torrent505 370]

@@RunsWithSquirlz @@Dji @@Alex Kennedy @@Sanctified Absence @@Flying Ace @ @@Shadow Dancer

 

(Okay, I'm back. This week and next week are a bit busy for me but I'll be sure to put in some extra effort here for you guys. Also sorry people got confused on the fight scene, when did people start to get lost? I'll try to fix it for the future somehow. For right now here's how things are: (arranged into little groups by position)

1. The group has killed the the strongest wolf (it is dead in the middle of camp in front of Adrass), Helena is also in the middle of camp near the campfire and next to Adrass. Adrass was bitten and is currently pouring what he hopes to be an antidote into the bite.

 

2. On one edge of the camp the crimson wolf has knocked Robert over and stands above him restrained by Zaddion and about to be stabbed by Indicus, Dresden stand slightly to the side of Robert and the lycan as he had just rushed over to help the bard. The crimson wolf and everyone else in the group got some potion drizzled on them when Adrass threw and shot it, unluckly it gives magical armor that stopped Zaddion's attempt to stab it.

 

3. On the opposite side of the camp Whisper has just caught fire after scaring off the weakest werewolf by blasting it with fire to the face. Tugg is nearby blocking the final black werewolf from fighting anyone.

 

4. Lance and Tulla are almost back to camp having encountered a spirit of a little girl that seems ominous and maybe even threatening.

 

Hope I didn't miss anyone and that the explanation helps.)

 

 

Indicus' knife thrust was well aimed and the Lycan was still too well held by Zaddion's binding shadows to shift and foul up the strike. His precision as an assassin held true as the silver coated dagger sunk deep into the beast's and embedded in its kidney, the werewolf went slack in Zaddion's dark magical grasp.

 

Adrass poured the poison into the open wound wound and for a brief moment had the concept of what burning in hell must feel like pass through is mind before the nerves there went numb. After that his shoulder merely tingled and strangely a sense of wellbeing and confidence seemed to be seeping over him from the very center of his being. His body surged with endorphins, and his immune system went into overdrive; all aches and pains faded as his body naturally rushed to heal itself. A thin black and green smoke lazily rose from the now gooey potion and blood filled wound, it congealed and hardened unnaturally fast before his eyes, the color not a red scab but an off colored tan close to flesh; quick to heal but it seemed certain to scar.

 

Finn jumped to help Whisper, sure he couldn't breathe fire right now because of his gums but he could still use his natural magic to try and control it. He flapped his wings and gave controlled fireless breaths meant to shift the fire away from Whisper's body and hopefully put it out.

 

The last Lycan glimpsed beyond Tugg and saw the white wolf turning back into a man and the way the crimson one slumped, it turned tail and fled into the forest.

 

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

 

Lance grabbed Tulla's shoulder and shoved her into moving, he supported her as he pushed he couldn't let her fall or stop even for a moment, whatever was happening at the camp he was certain was better then what was behind them. "By the Gods Ruff, of course I heard her! Keep moving! Don't listen and don't look back, it will try to draw you into the woods!"

 

The little girl's voice was still a whisper in their ears, "it's so lonely here and I only want more friends to play with, please come play with me." It seemed to become more menacing while somehow remaining painfully sweet, "the woods are all our backyard and we will play together soon. When you get lost and are alone, I will find you and bring you HOME!" She began to giggle and it only slowly faded as Lance pushed them towards camp.

[Flying Ace 142]

@@Alex Kennedy, @@Torrent505, @@Shadow Dancer

"Oh no you don't!" Dresden slid in between Robert and the Lycan summing water to form a dome around the two hopefully Indicus can finish off the creature before It breaks though Dresden's defense and rips both him and Robert into pieces. "Indicus kill it now!"

Edited November 21, 2014 by Flying Ace

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I sighed in relief when the dagger hit flesh and sunk in I did not dare take the knife out quite yet until I was sure that it would stay dead and not just come back. It was a minute later when I did finally take the dagger out, and twisted it while I did so.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Tulla shivered and ran with Lance. The voice made her quite sad, she wanted to find the little girl and console her.

 

Tugga shook his head and leapt on (his) wolf, pinning himdown with his girth and muscle. The beak dug into the wolfs side, gouging him as he tore out the intestines.

[Torrent505 370]

@@RunsWithSquirlz @@Dji @@Alex Kennedy @@Sanctified Absence @@Flying Ace @ @@Shadow Dancer

 

The crimson werewolf shifted a little when Indicus pulled the dagger out, it wasn't dead yet but the wound showed no signs of healing and black veins seemed to keep spreading outward from it, the lycan was so weak from the blood loss and pain it could barely lift it's arms. It just slumped there shaking and trembling, slowly its form started to change, reverting from wolf to human. The beast morphing at a turtles pace to reveal the form of a deeply tan woman in her early 30's with fiery red hair. She was coughing and gasping trying to force words from mouth that was still slightly a muzzle, it was barely understandable "sorry, sorry, sorry, *coughing* sorry, couldn't stop, sorry, sorry, no, so sorry, control... Sorry, sorry sorry, I'm *gasp* sorry." As she became more and more human in appearance the words became more and more whispered and hushed. She was bleeding black blood from her mouth and nose as well, bloodshot eyes moved sluggishly between, Robert, Dresden, Indicus and Zaddion as she kept forcing herself to apologize.

 

Next to Helena and Adrass the Werewolf statue was still growling and glancing between the dying women and the Black werewolf Tugg was pinning but it seemed to be a less fierce growl and its tail was wagging now.

 

The lycan Tugg had pinned started kicking it's back legs wildly, hoping the Chimera had a soft belly and that it would gut the creature as it was attempting or at least drive it off. It's two fore-claws lashed out seeking to leave gashes across the heavy beasts eyes and rents in its metal beak. It prepared to bolt the moment it had a chance, it didn't want this fight anymore; the only goal was to get free before one of the humans that could actually kill it acted. (All these are left open so they might do nothing or hurt Tugg all up to you Squirlz, I honestly have no idea how tough Tugg actually is yet )

 

Lance and Helena finally could see the edge of the camp and what was happening in it. The girl's voice was no longer with them, it seems she had let them go without any pursuit. When Lance saw what had happened in the camp he started cursing very colorfully and say with venom, "what have those idiots done now?!" He stopped paying Tulla any mind as he continued to camp intent on giving them a piece of his mind about killing the forest's 'wildlife'.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Almost like he was snapping out of a trance, Robert stopped playing and began to act more like his normal self again. Exhaustion, fear, shock, and any number of other things finally hit him all at once as he laid back on the ground. How many times now had he almost died in his travels with these people? It struck him as he sat there that it may never end. He could be forced to spend the rest of his life this way.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I looked at the woman unsure how to react to the woman in front of me. I let the adrineline fade and then looked at the woman, she held information that could be useful but at the same time was dying. I looked around for the princess only to see she was having issues of her own. The only thing I could think to do was go up to her and comfort her before she died.

 

The seconed I thought that, I felt as if I was compelled to do so and my body moved automatically, I tried to fight whatever was controlling me but could not muster the strength. I found myself lightly putting a hand on her back and say, "Calm down, whatever was controlling you is gone now." The words came unbidden but not forced. I fought harder to regain even a finger twitch of control.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Kingdom of Andalasia

 

They laid so peacefully together, hand in hand. Penelope gazed upon the forms of the King and Queen, clasping her hands together for a quick and silent prayer. She knew in her heart that her sister would reprimand her for this action. But what was she to do? She loved to feel thier pulse slipping away, the brightness in thier eyes glazing over. It made her feel powerfu. in a world where her kind was considered powerless. Besides, Andalasia would benifit from a new monarch and re-decoration to boot. The sparkling grandeuer and cleanliness of it all was nothing like Ka'taan. Ka'taan was beautiful chaos.

 

In the morning they would find these two and count it as suicide. It looked as much and Penelope never let any traces behind. She strode towards the window, pulling the tapestries aside and swinging her tan legs over the edge. She looked back one final time at her work and smiled before swirling into darkness and transforming into a raven; gliding out and over the city.

 

-Kingdom of Illia-

 

King Armaund slumped against his velvet chair, heavy crown tilted forward on his brow. He looked over the table. He had dinner guests. All had come to console him on losing the chance to live and marry a beautiful young princess. He had a feeling they just wished to rub it in his face; the way nobleman do with snide remarks and words laced with double-meanings. The Duke of Fenris had brought along his young daughter Gwynn, as he did with every oppurtunity. He wished to marry the young beauty to Prince Roric. Roric never even glanced at the girl, and when asked why he would simply state that she was far too innocent to look at.

 

Looking down the table; Armaund glared at the empty seat where his son should have been.

 

The prince was in his secret place, hidden within the walls of his castle. He had jars of concoctions and creatures floating in thick liquid. He was most found of his collection of snakes. Here he worked on his poisons, testing the limits and abilities of whatever he came up with. But Roric was in a rut. He had heard whispers of rumours that a strange venom existed that could shut off all magical abilities. But it was only a rumour. He could think of many people who would pay handsomely for it, such as the Hunters Guild.

 

His main focus was on the surviving princess. If she somehow made it back alive in time to save his father, all his planning would have been for not. His only option left was to take this foul ability from her and erase it for time to come. What would happen if the Life magick was sealed and died with her? Would it throw the balance of Magick into chaos? He didn't really care.

 

---

 

Ashcreek Forest

 

Finn had successfully put her out. She was unharmed, though she left some scorch marks on Clarkes wagon. "Thank you Finn..."

 

Tulla just looked around at the mess, trying to gather what had happened.

 

(Tugg has dragon scales on his belly and hindquarters)

 

The wolfs attempt to claw at his stomach only caused its claws to splinter and grate away. The beast shook his head free and headbutted, choosing to let the wolf assault him as he prepared to spray him with fire.

 

"Tugg! Hold! Keep that one pinned and alive!" Tulla commanded quickly. The others were either dead or dying, maybe they could learn something from this one.

[Sanctified Absence 126]

She was once normal, once a person with dreams and ambitions and a desire for freedom. A curse had taken all humanity within her, a Magickal curse. Was the hunter right? Was Magick really an evil thing, or was it simply far too wild for the safety of all but the most talented? The others would think him a fool, or some twisted mockery of a human being. It mattered little to Zaddion, he was too absorbed in his own mind, to release the dying woman from the grasp of the Shadow tendrils.

 

A single tear, such an insignificant thing in all but sentimentality. This wasn't the first victim of a Magick's sometimes cruel weave, and would most certainly not be the last. There was nothing more to be done than show whatever respect for the dying he could. The tendrils slowly set the woman down, ever careful not to cause whatever pain might yet become of sudden movements. "I... I am sorry," the Mage's voice was tinged in sorrow, sorrow for everyone who had ever suffered such a fate without their own consent.

 

Kneeling down and helping the stranger into the most comfortable situation possible, the Mage dismissed the Shadows and called upon his very last reserves of Magickal energy. Nobody should have to die in Darkness, if this was to be her final moment then it would be in the soft embrace of the Light. The anti-Magick knife was cast aside as the radiant warmth emanated from the blood-soaked Mark. "Tend to Adrass and the remaining Lycan, there's nothing more to be done here beyond what I can do for her."

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I regained control of my body and mind and felt the need to comfort the dying woman fade, and I backed away from the woman. The black icor staining my hands. Now fully under my own control I walked away muttering, "Rest in peace."

 

I thought to the loss of control I experenced a few minutes before and realized that my dream was literaly my buried self talking to me. As I could not feel any trace of magic when my control returned.

[Flying Ace 142]

Dresden stared to relax and the water seeped into the ground as Dresden let go of his magic; seeing that most are dead and that they would keep one alive. Dresden looked down at the woman that changed back, he didn't know these creatures were human just mindless beasts. Dresden felt heavy with guilt; maybe they could have helped them, maybe they could have helped them gain control.

[Sekel 692]

As the adrenaline of the battle left her, helena sat down heavily next to the wolf statue. She looked at it and saw its head move between the now-transformed girls and the black wolf that Tugg still had pinned. "They were human? I thought they werebjust big wolves." Helena thought out loud. Breathing out, she realised she felt a little hit sorry for the girks but it wasn't really there fault they couldn't control the transformation. They should have known better.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

Adrass felt his teeth clench and his eyes burn from the searing pain that spiked throughout his body from the wound. He closed his eyes - breathing in hard, haggard gasps for a few moments. It had been a stupid thing to do: pouring poison into a wound. He should have just shot himself... no, he should never have been here with these Witches in the first place. Now he was being punished by the void for his negligence of duty.

 

And then... It stopped?

 

He opened his eyes - staring incredulously at the 'wound' as it healed even as he watched. His luck had aparrently held out once again. Strange - it was almost as if something divine was... watching over him. That couldn't be true of course: hunters made their peace with whatever gods they believed in during the early years of their tutorials. Adrass knew perfectly well that no deity would guard one like him - it was all down to luck. Luck, and his own resourcefulness.

 

Testing his arm carefully, there didn't seem to be any permanent damage done beyond the superficial, and he already had enough scars for one more to not concern him. He blinked, shook his head and rose to his feet again. With one hand, he drew his revolver as he approached the were-girl.

 

"A fine time to discover consciences." The hunter commented dryly. It wasn't a taunt, but there was an edge to his words. A bite that hadn't shown before, despite his bravado and blustering - pragmatic, cold and logical. "This was like every other conflict we've slaughtered our way out of - and now I suppose you want to let them free now that you know they're like you - humans cursed with Witchcraft? Hypocrisy... It's them or us - let me fulfil my duty, if none of you have the stones to do what you have to."

Edited November 24, 2014 by Cinder

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@,

 

Sighing, Robert slowly got up from the ground as Adrass spoke. "Unfortunately, I think I have to agree. I don't like killing, but then, I think it's a mercy in this case. Cursed, unable to control themselves, and now horribly injured and likely in great pain. Letting them live is no longer any kindness. I hate to say it, because it goes against so much of what I believe, but I think for once the Hunter should be allowed to have his way, and end them. I doubt they're long for this world anyway." He shook his head sadly.

[Sekel 692]

@, @@Alex Kennedy

From her seated position, Helena looked at some of the transformed lycans and notched a bolt to her crossbow. Taking aim at the one closest to Robert and Adrass, she let it loose and was satisfied to hear a squelch as the bopt landed on its mark. "What? They may be human but they also attacked us. I'd say let them die." Helena said flippantly.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@Dji,@,

 

Robert nodded, face full of sadness. "Still, we need to take care that we don't become nothing more than ruthless killers." He briefly glanced over at Adrass and tried not to think about how it might be too late for some of them. "I'm going to play something. A sendoff. I think they deserve that much. The rest of you, do what you will with any that still live. I don't want any further part in it." He took up his lute and began a slow mournful melody. 

[Sanctified Absence 126]

"Hypocrisy? No..." Slowly rising, the Mage's soulless eyes never leaved the woman, even as his attention was divided elsewhere. They disgusted him, threatened to tear down the walls of control and allow rage's dark embrace to slip over his conciousness. Nonetheless he understood them, their fear of accepting the darkest truth that he alone was now forced to bear. "I only pursue Magick because it is my wish, every Mage may may that choice, these... These people did not have one to make."

 

Perhaps he was wrong, perhaps the Hunter was right, all Zaddion knew was that half measures between both opposing philosophies would gain the world nothing. The realm needed to drastically change if it was to come any closer to perfection, and just maybe Whisper could be they key to such a change. "This world is sick. Tainted not by Magick, but by the people themselves. Men, women and children bending a 'gift' from the Ancients in ways it was never meant to be..." The Mage would one day cure this sickness, he swore upon it. How? He yet knew not.   

Edited November 24, 2014 by Sanctified Absence

[Torrent505 370]

@@RunsWithSquirlz @@Dji @@Alex Kennedy @@Sanctified Absence @@Flying Ace @ @@Shadow Dancer

 

The women gave what sounded like a sigh of pleasure in response to Helena's bolt sticking out of her chest, her eyes had stopped shifting and now merely stared forward glazed and vacant. Next to Helena the wolf statue barked and turned its attention fully to the pinned black werewolf.

 

The last remaining Lycan continuously made claw swipes at Tugg's eyes still vainly hoping to push the thing off. It had started crying pathetic mournful howls, Lance rushed to where Tugg had it pinned stabbing the wolf in the throat turning the howl into a gurgling sputter.

 

He whirled on the group, "Are you out of your minds! This, this is their forest! The Pack has been in control of these woods almost as long as Ashcreek has been abandoned, we're just passing through and you kill two of them and want to keep a third captured for interrogation?! How or what could it possibly tell you?! They can barely think and they can't speak anymore," he looked down at the beast as it's throat was healing again and slashed it back open, "-we have to kill it or let it go, if it starts howling again it will bring the WHOLE pack down on us. You've already killed two they won't forgive you they're going to want two in return at least."

 

As if listening to him a mournful howl started not too far from them, it had to be the runt Whisper had scared off. It's call slowly dwindled off and then it started again, by the third howl more distant cries could be heard very distant and deep in the forest, and soon even more distant howls from another direction.

 

Lance had paled, "You started killing them AND let one get away?... How am I supposed to help a group like you! Why don't you all just go running aimlessly into the forest like she did!" He says pointing at Tulla, "It would be about as effective! In fact it would save a lot of time!"

 

The wolf's throat had healed again enough for it to give another weak whimpering howl, Lance cut it off almost instantly with another slash across it's throat. "Fuck, what are we going to do..." He ground his palm into his temple trying to think.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

I looked towards the Flowdancer, "The packs already wants our heads so they will come to kill us. So we either run or kill the rest of the pack. So pray to what ever damn gods that exist that we get out of here alive, because those are the only two choices we have right now." I replied bluntly.

 

I checked the coating on my daggers and checked my armor. To my amusement the coating was fine for now and my armor would be fine for now suffering some shallow claw marks. I then checked my magick reserves and otherwise prepared to fight

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

Robert stormed over to Lance and damn near punched him right in the mouth before he reigned himself in. "How are you supposed to help us? Maybe by actually doing something, by being there when we need you, or at least telling us something so important! What the hell good were you when we were here nearly getting killed? And you have the balls to get mad at US? Know your damn place. We didn't have to let you live at all, and we could still change our minds yet."

[Torrent505 370]

@@RunsWithSquirlz @@Dji @@Alex Kennedy @@Sanctified Absence @@Flying Ace @ @@Shadow Dancer

 

Lance sneered in Robert's face, reaching down and opening the from of his tunic to expose his chest to the bard, "You going to kill me Tiger? Go ahead, I'll give you a free shot; stab me with that deadly sharp lute of yours as hard as you can." He turned slowly leaving his chest open to the rest of the group, "Any of you? Only once free, the offer won't come again. None of you will last another two nights without me." He swung back to glare at Robert, "You want to know why Tiger? A little herald of Ashcreek knows where we are now," He pointed at Tulla, "Ruff and I just had a run in with her, if I hadn't gone to get her she's be as good to us as the Runt right now!" He pointed at Clarke.

 

"I didn't think this-" he motioned to the dead humans, "-would be a problem. Most people don't carry silver weapons! Usually we just show we're not prey, drive a hunting pack off once or twice and the Lycans leave us alone. Usually I AM here to explain things when there's an attack!"

 

Lance sighed and leaned back against a tree near the pinned werewolf, in the distance the howls went on and on. He addressed Indicus, "The pack always had hunting packs challenges anyone one they come across in the woods, it's just a test usually. And if those are the only two choices we've got left we might as well give up or maybe telling this one we're sorry or threatening it would work." He said sarcastically. "Because there is around a hundred in the main pack and they know the forest better than us. So we are screwed either way."

 

He sunk down to sit at the base of the tree, "to think I have to die with a bunch of pathetics like you."

[Sanctified Absence 126]

"Seems you'd much rather sit there and whine rather than do anything about it..." Zaddion was still observing the now dead Lycans as he spoke, something about them had peaked his interest, something he'd sensed but could never quite make any sense of. The sorrow in his heart was slowly turning to determination, a rather strange set of psychological circumstances likely due to the current lack of both Magickal and physical stamina within him. "I don't know about you but I'm not just going to sit here and die... If I fail to survive? At least I gave myself a chance."