squiggle
Corporal
Gnarrrr, rawk, argh!
Posts: 26
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Post by squiggle on Jan 17, 2006 7:58:57 GMT -5
Haaken rubbed the sleep out of eyes and strode across the encampment glowering at the angelic figure he was following. He hadn’t been expecting to be dragged out of bed by Victus’s little follower and as usual he was angry, although he knew better than to show it to Layla.
Victus was standing high on the ramparts of the gutted keep that stood at the centre of the ruined city of Aesir. He turned as Layla approached and Haaken stood staring up at him for a moment. The aura of death was palpable and despite himself Haaken didn’t feel entirely comfortable.
Victus lifted Layla onto his shoulder and then stared down at Haaken. The man’s soul glowed a purplish green and Victus was not entirely sure what that meant. He would ask Layla later.
He extended an arm over the edge of the balcony, gesturing to the long river that wound up towards the distant city of Idor. “You want to take that city, you need to take the bridge. Go now, or the men will have scorched them all and the precious advantage you wish to press will be lost.”
Victus turned away and Haaken stood, biting down a retort and smarting from the slight to his tactical skills. With a snort he turned and headed back to the camp. I’ll show these Legio brutes what a real tactician can achieve and then they will respect me.
He reached the Volsung encampment and wasted no time in rousing Angantyr. “I have a bridge to capture. Make sure that the men are ready and following as soon as possible. No doubt the humans will try to counter attack and then I will need my support.” She nodded and headed away to find her own personal troops.
Around him, the Volsungs; his household troops, had already broken camp and were forming up. He turned to them, and all fell silent. “Rerir, Giuki, you are with me. I need forty of your fastest men. We leave now.”
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Post by Larke on Jan 17, 2006 8:35:42 GMT -5
Victus felt the anger seep from Haaken as he left, the smaller being was annoyed Victus had pointed out a fact all had overlooked. He could feel the slight it left on the warrior and his pride, Victus smirked at the thought. If he really wanted to anger Haaken he could have pointed the oversight out in front of dozens of Commanders, it didn't matter though to Victus. He could feel Haaken's thoughts, and new he would remain loyal to the Legio for the time being. Even if he had another agenda, it seemed as though everyone had their own now.
"I do not know of his strange Aura, it is rare any should be a different shade of Red and Blue. His kind are of an ancient race of manlings, perhaps they worship something other then true evil and pure good."
"This world has become more deeper then I could have imagined Layla." Victus grumbled.
"That is only because of your new powers Victus, soon many mortal things will hold little appeal for you. The power of your god Anguis boils within you Victus, soon new abilities will develop as his power increases the Demon you are."
"Will i remain on the Mortal plain?"
"You will, as long as something powerful ties you to it. Currently that is the Legio, if you defeat mankind and the Legio no longer has a common goal. You may pass from this plain Victus."
"To Anguis' kingdom?" Victus asked.
"Perhaps, although several powerful Demons have forged minor plains for themselves. Sustained by the few worshippers they have." Layla whispered in the side of his helm, holding onto his horn to lean further out and look over into the camps below. "Haaken already musters his forces." She answered his question before he asked it again.
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Post by dogaro on Jan 17, 2006 8:46:46 GMT -5
Dinari Rose from His kneeling position, he had remained kneeling for the purpose of full understanding. He absorbed all of the conversation, word for word, and felt the intentions of evil warlords. He needed to know, needed to keep a full understanding of his allies. He spoke no words as he stood and left, no more information would come from this.
As he walked away, the ground where he had knelt glowed as a bright glyph shone, a map of the world he knew so little of. Aesir glowed with an unholy light, marking it's destruction, so fitting that, should any human reclaim this defeated city, this rune would remain, reminding them of defeat. None but the gods could wipe this spell from the world, and it would forever shine on the stones. He would go with Haaken to assult the next city, offering the lives of the dead to his gods, and comforting the dragons that would inevitably be there.
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Post by thecampheretic on Jan 17, 2006 13:19:30 GMT -5
Lelron found his prisoners where he had left them. He doubted his tactics would be used, each general seemed to have their own agenda and each wanted to prove their own strategy. Either way it suited him. Even if the Legio failed it was of little matter, the deaths and damage would be sufficient…
Taking his captives in tow he walked towards the centre of the camp, what little grass still living withered under him. The smell of cooking meat drifted to him and he felt a spear of longing, but he could not consume his nourishment that way. Soon though, soon…
A soldier rushed past him on some errand or other and with a mere thought Lelron pulled to man to him. Fear and confusion mixed in his eyes, overlaid with anger, as he looked at Lelron. Silently the sorcerer projected his mind, Take these to the best torturer. Break them. He handed over two prisoners then turned from the blanched soldier who hastily obeyed. Lelron walked away from the camp again, his final prisoner involuntarily following.
He walked a long time and when he stopped Aesir was merely a red glow behind a low rise. This was where he would do it; there was an age about this place, a broken grandeur that still clung grimly to the spoiling land. This was to be the place of his rebirth.
He released the body from his control and instantly the man cowered looking to him though fearful eyes. Lelron threw him sprawling then reached out. Where his almost-hand brushed bare skin it blistered and boiled. The man screamed and Lelron hurt him again. He used his magic to take the nervous system and twist it. The scream was louder and this time did not stop.
The sun was past the horizon when the ululating howl ended. Lelron took a moment, doubtless a good torturer could do better, but he needed this body perfect. He towered over his captive’s arched form and allowed himself to dissipate back into his true form. A black miasma hung, unaffected by the wind, above the captive. He prodded at the man’s mind, gently at first but then more aggressively, seeking a breach.
Then he found it. To an outside observer it would have looked as if the dark cloud had merged with the man’s aura, passing into him and fusing. But within a fight raged. The mind of the prisoner was desperate, but his strength was diluted by pain and quickly he was overwhelmed and torn apart by the swirling murk.
For the fist time in almost a century Lelron felt a body about him. It was unfamiliar, his amalgamation with the demon having destroyed his own body. But he ignored the elation instead searching for the most vital part, the silver flicker of flame which burnt in all but the most blasted creatures of the ordio. He needed to replace a soul.
Now the outside observer would see a figure lying immobile, the air around it glowing faintly, the occasional muscle ticking. Nothing so much as hinted at the turmoil within.
Lelron had discovered the soul, but it gave him a problem. The man had been a wild magic user, naturally able to manipulate the winds and as such his form would be capable of channelling great powers. But the affinity to magic had also enlarged his soul. It was swollen bigger than the sorcerer had thought, but he could not simply allow his soul to consume it as he had so many others. He didn’t know what might happen if a broken soul was allowed to reside in its body, but he had no wish to test it himself.
Gently he manoeuvred his own soul, a grotesquely twisted flame which burned a sputtering yellow streaked with black filth. Concentrating he, changing the souls positions, knowing full well that one mistake would mean worse than death. Destroying a soul gave oblivion.
Then he had his in the place of the original and with a slight effort ripped a small hole in it allowing it to bind to his new host. Only then did he allow himself to feel the joy of solidity again. But that moment of bliss almost killed him for his ex-captive’s mind struck at him from within the soul. In a flash he responded, holding it at bay then rupturing it.
The flow of energy sent him reeling but he managed to channel it, a swirling mass of raw magic spinning upwards, twisting and writhing. There would be no eternal bliss for this soul for he had turned it to is most simple form. Energy.
The raw power shone with a thousand colours. It swam for the heavens but as the final trickle left his outstretched fingers Lelron cast it swirling though the air towards the kingdoms of man.
As he started his return to the camp he felt a thrill. He doubted even the gods knew where that energy would land and what, if any, its effects would be. But for the moment he didn’t care. Once again he was a corporal being. He set off back towards the camp, a stranger in a strange body.
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Post by madlarkin on Jan 17, 2006 13:34:40 GMT -5
Balphegor smiled beneath his mask as he strode towards the Bloodbane camp, escorted by three of his elite warriors. The war council had been just as he had expected; a cacophony of idiots and raging buffoons, disputing fiercely as the enemy were given more and more time to prepare for war and warn their brethren of the Legion's forces.
He had remained silent during the heated discussions, his mind already set on the plans for his bloodthirsty elites. He seeked revenge, pure and simple; revenge for the insult of the mortals against his warriors; revenge for denying them the satisfaction of the Feast for so long.
It was not enough that he and his warriors had gorged themselves on the flesh and blood of the fallen men within the crumbling city of Aesir; he wanted the mortals to siffer, and die a slow, agonising death of eternal pain.
He had been vaguely impressed with the chieftain Haaken's bold mettle against the reborn monstrosity that was now Victus. He had been somewhat surprised that the brash gamble had not resulted in Victus breaking the insolent warrior in a flash, but it seemed the Warmaster had taken Haaken's plans into consideration.
The Bloodbane warriors rose to greet their leader as Balphegor entered the camp. Stood in a rigid line, the red-armourd soldiers awaited the blood sage's instructions patiently. "We move for Idor at dawn," he said to the assembled group as his pupilless eyes took each of them in turn.
"Prepare for light travel, we must be quick and vigilant," he continued. "We will accompany Haaken's force to the city, under cover of a vanguard force. Ilkor," he said, addressing the nearby warrior.
"Round up a horde of the prisoners from today's raid," he instructed Ilkor, "choose only those capable of mobility." Ilkor nodded and rushed off to acknowledge his commander's orders. Balphegor smiled once more, before turning to the tall, lithe trooper beside him. "Rathsek, send a message to Haaken," he said to the nimble scout, "inform him that the Bloodbane warriors agree to accmpany him upon this quest."
Rathsek grunted an acknowledgement before disappearing into the darkness, heading through the myriad of campsites that made up the Ordio Legio settlement within the shattered city of Aesir.
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Post by dogaro on Jan 17, 2006 14:30:11 GMT -5
Dinari made his way slowly toward the humans who had spotted him before. Feeling his draconic instincts take over, he knew that his will would be well spent tonight, tormenting...or pleasuring (the two were sometimes one) the men. His attention was soon caught by the captive humans, those who hadn't fled. Among them were several specimens that caught his eye. As he walked to them, their eyes glazed over with passion, blinding them to their surroundings. Man and woman alike stared as he walked past the Legion guard. Though the guard tried to stop him, his draconic aura forced him into a stupor, causing him to forget about the being mingling with the humans.
Walking through the humans, Dinari found the two who would bear his mark, his plan of wild passion forgotten. He grabbed them, healing their wounds and pulling them to their feet. They followed him through the city, to one of the few remaining houses, a small house which had held no inhabitant for many years.
"Your name?" Dinari asked the woman, with a voice that could soothe any anger or rage.
"Sari, o' precious being." she replied, then bowing said, "I am not worthy to bask in the presence of the beautiful servant of Aeolus.”
“I follow no gods of this land. Aeolus has no power over me; I follow the great gods of the Dragons.” He said this in a voice that told truth, and that began to turn her faith. To the man he said, “You shall be known as Gaharn, which is the name of the dragon right arm.”
The man though hard on this before asking, “Why can’t my name remain the same?”
Dinari moved closer, his aura rushing over the man and revealing to him all of the reason why men don’t choose their names. Falling to his knees the man rested his head on Dinari’s feet. Moments later he rose again, only to be knocked back to the floor in a wave of passion. Hours passed as the three bodies wrestled and writhed with passion, magic flowing creating such a great force, that any attuned to the subtle ways, any in the world, could feel the mighty tension as it spilled over and over throughout the night.
When all had ended, and the man and woman lay warmly side by side, Dinari left the building, only to return minutes later with a small amount of food for his new companions and his unborn child. Of all of the things he had expected, this was the greatest and most surprising. He would leave a legacy in this land, something that would forever tell of him, and now he had two Dragontouched, those that could act as warriors to aid him in the upcoming battle.
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squiggle
Corporal
Gnarrrr, rawk, argh!
Posts: 26
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Post by squiggle on Jan 17, 2006 14:55:07 GMT -5
Leaving Angantyr to rouse the remaining troops and locate the siege specialists that would be required, Haaken set off across the camp with some eighty men arrayed behind him. The sun was just appearing as a thin band of light in the East and so they had little time with which to take and hold the bridge. Without it, all his plans would be ruined and the siege itself would take far longer.
Around them the camp was silent, but a swiftly moving figure caught his attention. A member of Balphegor’s Blood Banes was heading straight for him, clearly with message of some sort. Haaken slowed, signalling for the men to wait and went over to meet this messenger.
“Haaken Volsung. My Lord Balphegor bids me inform you he and the Blood Banes will accompany you to Idor and assist you in breaking the humans there. We will be ready to march at dawn.”
Haaken nodded. “That is excellent news. Send my thanks to your Lord and tell him if he is tired of sleeping, we are heading for the Idor bridge to capture it before the human curs can scorch it. His company would no doubt prove beneficial.”
Rathsek nodded. “Good hunting,” he said, turning and jogging across camp to where the Blood Banes were encamped.
Haaken watched him go, a grim smile on his lips. This could prove to be interesting he thought, before resuming the speedy march to the edge of the city and into the grey light of dawn.
[glow=purple,2,300]OOC[/glow] I will start a new thread for the battle for the bridge a little later, so if anyone wants to join in, then feel free. Hope that is ok.
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