private The Fall of Andalasia ~Book 1~

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus reached into a pocket on his leather armor and pulled out a collapsible blade, he opened it up with the flick of a wrist, and stayed on guard waiting for one of the wolves not already busy to attack him. 'Should have just stuck to the shadows and followed, keep things in my favor and this hunter off my ass.' he thought to himself, before he could continue a wolf lunged at him, he side stepped to the left and then circled the wolf. Both he and the wolf looking for a opening that could decided this little battle quite fast.

[Flying Ace 142]

Dresden got in front of Whisper with a dagger drawn, he was looking at each wolf to make sure it wasn't going to attack Whisper. "Wolfs, why did it have to be wolfs?" Dresden said, he would have helped in the fight but someone has to guard Whisper, Dresden looked around to see if there was a way out.

[Torrent505 370]

The young dragon spun in circles at the center of his landing site, he sent streaming gouts of fire at anything that moved. The barest hint of sound penetrated his clouded mind, Whisper calling him, telling him to stop and come to her. But he had thought she was dead... DEAD, that word stuck in his mind; he froze mid-turn as his eye went wide and a yelp of surprise. He had been killing humans, that was bad, very bad; if he killed humans then all humans would hate and try to kill him, he'd lose any of the human friends he had left!

 

These thoughts didn't last long though, as the haze cleared his mind the pain settled in. He started to whimper and thrash about; it was the curse of his mixed breed nature, his air and fire magic let his flames burn hotter and more fiercely than a dragon his size had any right to but that same mixed nature meant he had been born without the heat resistance to withstand his own flames. He couldn't control his own temperature, the air surrounding him ignited covering him in fire. He was cooking inside his scales. He could the only think he think of one thing through the pain, run and find Whisper; he took to the air flying fast toward the direction of her voice as if trying to outrun his pain.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Torrent505

[Sanctified Absence 126]

Snapping himself out of the fatigue induced docile state, Zaddion finally reached over to his staff and got himself up to his feet. Both the Magickal and physical realms of sense were difficult to get a hold of in his current state to say the very least, but it would've taken something more than a heavy case of fatigue to mask the fact that they were being attacked. Sure, there was likely danger involved in such a mission and sure he signed up for it, but he was starting to regret tagging along.

 

Closing his eyes and pressing his hand into a sign but a few centimetres from his forehead, the Mage began to do what he did best, using his Magick to help himself (and occasionally other people) out of a troubling situation. He couldn't rely on the Mark for an extra boost this time, not only was he unwilling to go through that whole ordeal again but who knows what would happen if he used it while his flesh was still weak?

Edited July 7, 2014 by Sanctified Absence

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus found the opening in the wolfs guard, but it would be one hell of a hard thing to exploit only having seconds to take advantage of it, knowing he would be dead if something didn't happen he pretended to drop his guard the wolf fell for the trick and lunged towards him, Indicus rolled out of the way and placed a image of himself in his place. The wolf lost its balance not prepared to just phase through its prey. In the wolf confusion he recovered and stabbed the wolf in the side. pulling his blade out Indicus cursed as he saw the wolf still alive, turned towards Indicus and lunged again giving the assassin barely enough time to dodge.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

The arrow stopped short and The Maiden looked up at Helena before turning the arrpw and flinging it back; shooting it into the thiefs arm. She grabbed her two coughing mercs by the hair; twisting and snapping their necks before she advanced onward.

 

Whisper was in her sights, she could care less about these people. Silly mage, she thought of the young boy. Advancing across the field, faster than one her size expected to run she tore a shoulder gaurd off; hurtling it towards Dresden. It exploded into shrapnel; embedding itself into both of his shoulders.

 

The wolf dug his armored claws into Indicus' side before turning on his original prey and leaping at Adrass. The other grabbed Roberts walking stick firmly in its jaws; ripping them from the man. Tugg reached over Robert; clamping down on the wolf. With one swift motion, he ripped the spine out; chucking it into the ravine below.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus grunted in pain the adrenaline causing the pain to be dulled to a point where he was still conscious but bleeding heavily. He decided to find the princess in this chaos not caring about the hunters threat to kill him, he was assigned a task and he planned to carry it through.

[Sekel 685]

White-hot pain exploded behind her eyes as Helena felt the bolt go through her arm and stick there. She nearly lost her balance but managed to stay on the limb. She completely forgot that The Iron Maiden could control metal. She brought her left hand up and touched the wound in her right arm. She hissed as she touched the wound. 'Damn. This isn't good.' Helena thought to herself. She was extremely careful as to how she turned her arm around.

 

She was lucky that the metal inside the metal chamber didn't cause any sparks. Swiftly grabbing a bag made of fleece, she opened the chamber and turned her arm, with the chamber facing downwards. The metal shrapnel poured into the bag and once she completely sure that all of it was in the bag, Helena placed the bag away. 'I'll have to take care of this now, otherwise I'll be in for a lot of pain later.' Helena thought to herself. Shrugging her cloak off one handedly, she stuffed it into her mouth as a makeshift gag.

 

Breathing heavily, she grabbed the bolt by the metal chamber and pulled it out, fast. Clenching her eyes shut and shouting into the gag in pain, she pulled the bolt out and immediately placed it into her quiver. It didn't feel as if it was broken or splintered in any way. Grabbing her cloak, Helena used her speed magick to wrap her cloak around her arm as a makeshift tourniquet, stopping the blood flow almost immediately.

 

'Damn. Can't use this arm until the wound's healed. Even then I'm not sure if I can use it.' Helena thought to herself through the pain of basically having done her own operation. Breathing heavily, she opened her eyes slowly and turned her head around, watching the destruction from her perch in the tree through tears.

[Alex Kennedy 1,228]

@@RunsWithSquirlz,

 

Robert retrieved his walking stick and gave Tugg an appreciative pat on the head. That was twice the chimera had saved his life today. "Man, you're the best! If we get out of this alive, I'll have your name sung across the world!" He then returned back to reality as he saw that...thing - for it certainly couldn't be human- that lead the mercenaries approaching the princess. He knew from taking one quick look at her that nothing he could do would be able to stop her, or even slow her down. Whatever happened now was out of his hands, as much as he hated to admit it.

[Flying Ace 142]

The arrow stopped short and The Maiden looked up at Helena before turning the arrpw and flinging it back; shooting it into the thiefs arm. She grabbed her two coughing mercs by the hair; twisting and snapping their necks before she advanced onward.

 

Whisper was in her sights, she could care less about these people. Silly mage, she thought of the young boy. Advancing across the field, faster than one her size expected to run she tore a shoulder gaurd off; hurtling it towards Dresden. It exploded into shrapnel; embedding itself into both of his shoulders.

 

The wolf dug his armored claws into Indicus' side before turning on his original prey and leaping at Adrass. The other grabbed Roberts walking stick firmly in its jaws; ripping them from the man. Tugg reached over Robert; clamping down on the wolf. With one swift motion, he ripped the spine out; chucking it into the ravine below.

"GAH!" Dresden fell to one knee as both pieces of shrapnel stabbed Dresden in both his shoulders; Dresden tried to raise his arms but couldn't due to his shoulders. No wonder shes called The Iron Maiden, shes like a damn boulder none of our weapons work! Dresden looked back at Whisper then to the Iron Maiden charging at them. Dresden raised his arms as best as he could every time he made a movement the shrapnel diged into his skin more, with great effort Dresden unsheathed his daggers and tossed as into the woods away from the fight then turned to Whisper, "I think now's the time to run."

[Sanctified Absence 126]

They couldn't beat her, whether through some artificial improvement, many decades of training or simply a natural talent that he hadn't even heard of, this woman was powerful enough to defeat the entire group herself. She was a one woman army, no one woman legion. Light would be absolutely pointless as a distraction this time, the only powers he had in his reservoir that would even be of use were of Shadow.

 

Up until this point he had been keeping his powers over Shadow hidden, despite being a somewhat "neutral," element it was still the closest one could go to Black Magick without resorting to true Darkness, not only would his own reputation be tarnished in the presence of his companions who were untrusting of Magcik in whole, but to the untrained eye it may just seem all too familiar to the Black arts. Now was not the time to fear for reputation, now was the time to act with any means necessary.

 

Dashing towards Whisper and aiming the tip of his staff towards the juggernaut before him, Zaddion uttered a few words of incantation that some would seem, risky to use at best and for bidden at worst. The crystals in his robes, in his staff and on his skin began to adopt a far darker hue than they had previously adopted as an unnaturally thick black mist propelled its way outwards in the direction of the Iron Maiden.

 

The initial release may have been akin to a dense fog, but he knew this would not be enough to stop her. So he continued to project the stream of mist, turning it into a more inky consistency the more Shadow energy he focused into the spell, this would not last long, he knew that, but every second he could keep the stream up was another second that Whisper had a chance to do something, anything! "Princess listen to me. You have to get out of here no matter what, we were charged by the Jester to keep you alive and that's what we're going to do. Our lives are meaningless here, run!"

Edited July 7, 2014 by Sanctified Absence

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus sees the princess in distress but fine so he decide to take care of his own wounds, taking out some enchanted bandages he quickly wrapped them around himself and got back up to check on the others, he saw two people near that woman with the strong magic both seemed to need. Indicus quickly started to look for a way to help them out

Edited July 7, 2014 by Shadow Dancer

[Torrent505 370]

Serafinno's body was wracked with convulsions and his sight was failing. Still he had picked up the Whisper's scent and was following it blindly, while he fought to stay airborne. He was giving off a constant pitiful cry of pain. It was in this state that he cleared the last of the tree line before the party and the cliff ahead.

 

Blind and wobbling the dragon turned fireball continued to follow the scent with no idea of what was ahead. That was how he collided directly with the princess and drove them both in a tangled fiery mess over the edge of the cliff.

[Sekel 685]

Helena's tears were burned away as she watched an incoming fireball head straight for the princess! If they collided- Both the fireball and the princess collided and both objects fell over the edge of the cliff. "Princess!" Helena couldn't stop herself from shouting. She gripped her arm though as it flared up in pain when she went to move it. 'Hngh. Stupid arm. Why did I have to fire that bolt anyway?' Helena thought to herself in anger. She knew it wouldn't work but she can't she can't think of that right now. Helena pulled out a sharpened bolt and simply hurled with whatever strength she had in her left arm at the wolf that was fighting Adrass out of pure anger of her own stupidity. Se saw the target hit, but barely. The bolt was barely sticking into the wolf's shoulder.

[Flying Ace 142]

Serafinno's body was wracked with convulsions and his sight was failing. Still he had picked up the Whisper's scent and was following it blindly, while he fought to stay airborne. He was giving off a constant pitiful cry of pain. It was in this state that he cleared the last of the tree line before the party and the cliff ahead.

 

Blind and wobbling the dragon turned fireball continued to follow the scent with no idea of what was ahead. That was how he collided directly with the princess and drove them both in a tangled fiery mess over the edge of the cliff.

Dresden was nearly blinded by the fireball that hurtled past him, but when he turned around he saw both it and Whisper go over the cliff. "Princess!" Dresden didn't know what possessed him but he found him self jumping off after them despite having no plan on what to do it he caught up to them.

[Scribblegroove 565]

Chaos ensued around Flinch as the situation started to become desperate. The enemy and the diseases they were carrying had caught up with them. The people bitten by those dogs would need a cure within hours or succumb to the deadly parasites that had infested them. He was worried. Very worried. This metal juggernaut that was charging at them was unstoppable by all means.

 

Then the Mage named Zaddion summoner a smoke screen, adding to the fog that the archer had created earlier. Vision started to become more and more irrelevant as the smoke thickened. He realized that 'now would be a good time to leg it...'

 

But he decided against it. If this was truly the princess everyone was trying to save, he should attempt to help them as well. It could mean the end to the dreadful disease that had already take so many. And besides, what fun is there in running off like a coward when you can start some fireworks!?

 

He heard the voices of his new companions. Distressed, panicked, and some of them were probably wounded. More infections he had to treat. But that was not of concern now. He stepped towards the man wielding guns. The only one who seemed to know what he was doing.

 

"I'm afraid retreating is the best option to defend your princess sir, but if you really want to fight, hand me over those guns and some bullets so I can reload them for you." He said witha voice as innocent as possible. He had a plan, and not a very strong plan. No, a completely insane plan that would probably get then killed... Just the way he liked it!

 

He yelled through the smoke. "All of you, RUN! I might be able to treat your wounds later if you retreat now!" His voice resonated through the wounds, loud, clear and cracked. He then faced the assassin again. If he wouldn't be wearing his mask, the assassin would see him grinning. "Let's create a distraction shall we?" He said softly, his voice obviously revealing his excitement.

 

Then an enormous fireball charged into the fight. "Oh look, half our job has been done for us. Now let's finish it. Hand me those guns!" He said, holding his hand out in front of him, quickly looking around to see if there was any threat coming directly at them.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Whisper felt all the air leave her as she crashed into her; no doubt shattering a rib or two while burning away at her flesh. It felt like an eternity before she plunged into the dark water below; swept away by the vicious current.

 

The smog had stuck to her like glue but The Maiden trudged forward; flexing her limbs as she fought through the darkness. She threw Zaddion to the side and had been an arms length away from grabbing the princess. But then a fireball had passed her; taking her prize away and off the cliff. The Maiden stood; momentarily confused. There was no way anyone could survive an impact like that; especially not so after falling off a cliff. she had succeeded.

 

So she thought.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass.

 

Catching the beast against his blade, Adrass grunted as he bore down on it - one hand on the handle and the other braced firmly against the read edge near the tip. Pressing down into the ground, he allowed his considerable weight to do the rest of the work. He paid for his lack of attention when the fangs closed around his left arm.

 

Gasping, he responded not with more weaponry, but something more savage - releasing his grip on the handle of the sword and instead rearing back, before bringing an elbow down with bestial fury upon the canines face.

 

It connected with the creatures eye socked with a sickening crunching sound.

 

Seizing the sword from the ground, he pushed the blade across the fallen creatures windpipe in an act of mercy before staggering to his feet.

 

"Princess?"

 

...

 

It was as if the world moved in slow motion. The fire, the dragon... 

 

It was far too late to do anything - even with reflexes honed to a razors edge. He simply stared as the princess vanished from sight, jaw hanging slight agape as his true failure sunk in. He had forsaken his duties for this girl... and allowed her to fall while he brawled with some creature? 

 

The doctor approached him - he barely acknowledged the words that were spoken. Time meant nothing, he had failed twice, there was nothing left...

 

... nothing but the witch.

 

His eyes flashed with steely hatred as time returned to normal - seizing a trio pistols and trusting them onto the doctor, along with the pouch of blackpowder and shot. Thumbing up the cloth over his face and pulling the hood back into position, the hunter nodded.

 

He speared the bastard sword into the ground and grabbed for the second vial which had been secured beside the alchemists fire, reaching for the second shorter blade with his right hand as he did.

[Flying Ace 142]

Dresden hit the water head first and the impact nearly knocked him out cold though he may pass out due to blood lost; Dresden could barley see where he was going as the vicious current carried him down. "Whisper!" Dresden yelled before his head sunk underwater again.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Tulla ran and leapt off the cliff face; pointing her body downwards and diving into the river alone. Out of everyone; she knew Whisper the best. Maybe it was her own stone heart or maybe a belief that told Tulla the princess was not dead. Should she stay, she knew they would be slaughtered. So Tulla chose the princess.

 

Tugg cried out pitifully; lurking at the edge of the cliff.

 

The Iron Maiden turned; looking at the others. Should she kill them herself?

 

Surely, they would be hanged for failing their mission otherwise.

[Scribblegroove 565]

Disaster everywhere. How did all this happen. He stood there for a moment, confused. His entire plan turned to ash in a fiery blaze of dragon. Adrass' face twisted into one of madness as he saw the princess get knocked of her feet.

 

Not a moment did he hesitate. There was a duty to be fulfilled here. He was a medic! It was his job to keep these people alive on the battlefield. And right now, his only chance were the guns that Adrass had given him.

 

He stepped back, letting Adrass distract and threats as he got to work with lightning speed. He already noticed that a few others had decided to jump off the cliff to follow the princess, but Adrass was trusting him to help, so that was what he was going to do.

 

He let his backpack slide off his back and opened his metal mask slightly, he placed one of the metal bullets in his mouth and let it float around there as he continued. He grabbed several vials and his injection needle. The needle infused with the power of fire, stolen from a powerful pyromancer's last breath. He poured a few liquids into the needle, spit in it, threw in a few herbs and then closed his needle's reservoir. He shook the mixture heavily, and the dropped the needle on the ground.

 

With fingers as fast as lightning he proficiently reloaded two of the guns with normal gunpowder and bullets, and tucked them in his belt. The last gun however, he held in his hand, poured in the gunpowder and then injected the drab mixture from his needle into I as well. It glowed softly orange. The inside of the gun was now glowing, dirty and a little wet, but he knew his plan was going to work.

 

He removed the bullet from his mouth, poured a different alchemical mixture over it and let it slide down the barrel. He then threw everything back in his bag and heaved it back on his back. All this done in a measily 40 seconds.

 

He turned to face Adrass again, who was standing a few meters away from him. Seeing him was already difficult in this fog, so he stepped a little closer. He whispered into his ear.

 

"If you give me one opportunity, one opening I her defense and I will disintegrate her." He said in complete seriousness. He then carefully placed back the two normally loaded guns into their respective holsters.

 

Then he waited for a fight to commence.

Edited July 7, 2014 by Scribblegroove

[Sekel 685]

Helena rested her back against the trunk of the tree and simply gazed at where she last saw the princess. Getting strength from somewhere unknown to her, she lifted her right arm up and shakily stood against the tree limb. Deciding against going after her, Helena went for apparent suicide. She gingerly walked across the branch and jumped to the next tree once she got to the end.

 

Slowly, gathering speed, she kept jumping from tree to tree until she came to the cliff edge. Taking a deep breath, she jumped off of the branch and fell in a steep dive towards the river's edge. Being used to jumping off of great heights didn't phase her on bit but jumping from great heights into water of uncertain depth? She hopefully didn't have to get used to it. Dropping like a stone into the water, she got swept away with the current and it was all she could do to keep her head above water.

[RunsWithSquirlz 274]

Whisper was doing her best to keep Finn's head above water; she flailed weakly but couldn't call out. Even though he hated water; he followed suit. Plummeting down like a cannonball.

 

The water increased in speed and they could hear a deafening roar fast approaching. A waterfall.

 

The Iron Maiden observed the three remaining men. One intent on fighting her it seemed. She could leave the mage to rot in the wilderness...but maybe not. She picked up Zaddion and threw him into the ravine without a second thought. She studied Adrass for a short while; keeping her arms crossed. Better yet, she committed his image to memory.

 

Someone would need to be blamed for the attack on the princess. Who better than a Witch Hunter?

 

She turned, uninterested in the remaining party. Her job was over.

[Shadow Dancer 111]

Indicus look at the cliff and walked away not really caring just very pissed that he let her die and failed his contract and now has to deal with shit from the others. He gave one last look at the powerful woman and walked back into the woods and darkness the place he felt at home.

[The Elusive Cinder 1,328]

Adrass Mardrak - Hunter of Witches.

 

@@RunsWithSquirlz, 

 

Adrass nodded slowly - if the doctor wanted to make his last stand here as well... well, far be it for a mere mortal fighting gods to stop him.

 

He took a breath as he inspected the ornate bottle of sparkling blue liquid in his hand. Liquid silver, as it was known among the hunters. The mark of a hopeless battle - of giving ones life to the cause.

 

He pulled the cork from he bottle and spat is out - pouring the liquid into his cupped hand before rubbing it against the blade. Grasping the larger sword, he did the same again. Tiny shards of silver coated the weapons like glitter, causing them to shine in the moonlight.

 

"Don't you turn your back on me, Witch!" He growled, beginning with a slow step which quickly escalated into a march. "The order dictates - face your demise with dignity!"

 

Swinging the short blade, it clashed with the larger sword. Sparks caught, and the oil began to burn. Rather than red though, the blades burst into blue flames. With reverence, he glared at the hated Witch, mind dulling as the word dulled around him - seeing nothing but his target. Words of the order flowed into his mind as the smell of perfumed oils burned around him filled his head with heady, misguided optimism and fury.

 

"I am the fire, the knife that cuts the infection from this world. I am the cure to the disease, the cleansing light that purges the darkness... Fear me, for I am pure!"

Edited July 8, 2014 by Cinderscribe