Darkblade: Legends (Part 1) IC

[Rethel34]

Warde watched as Rael plunged his stained blade deep into the final standing Geraden warrior. As the fatal wound was made, Warde heard the General calling his men to his side. Turning to Athena, Warde offered a hand. "Come on," he said. "I'll help you up."

The assassin raised an eyebrow, curiously glancing at the man's hand. "Fine," she accepted, taking his palm into hers. "And don't you try anything!"

"How long will it take you to trust me?" Warde asked as he hoisted Athena to her feet.

"A very long time," the woman shared amusingly, gripping his shoulder for balance. She spat a glob of remaining blood off to the side, turning Warde to face in Thane's direction. "Now hurry up, will you? Slow mounts are useless, " she jested, joking with the mage.

With a sigh, Warde lifted a surprised Athena up behind him, ignoring her cry of protest and setting her straddling his back. He took a moment to regain his balance, lacking some needed strength and being highly unused to hauling others around, especially adults.

"What are you doing?"

"You said--"

"I didn't mean it literally!" Athena grumbled in response, flailing her arms out into the air.

"Have it your way, then." Warde released his grip on Athena and allowed her to slide back to the ground soundly and began to march to the General.

Dropping onto her feet, the assassin barely kept her equilibrium on the appendages, shakily standing in place. Raising her eyebrow, she surveyed the battle's finale, ending in the Edean's favor. The general, Thane, was finishing of the last remaining resistance, rallying the surviving Edeans to his cause. Athena figured that the commander would desire a report from the passing patrol; it'd be herself, most likely, considering she was the closest to him. Slowly and unstably, she slowly followed Warde to the general, stumbling across the battle plains. Yet, with each step her posture became clearer and more defined, crisp and clean in comparison to her messy shuffling prior. As she progressed her limp became less noticable, nearly reaching the point that she appeared uninjured to the naked eye. With each movement, she became increasingly composed, her expression morphing into cold blankness as she marched towards her superior officer. Soon, she'd be walking almost normally, emerging unpained on the surface. Although the injuries remained, the woman wasn't one to allow it to keep her down-- first impressions were important, and it was best to make a professional one.

Thus, Athena, sauntered forward to the general, her clear, defined steps contradicting her bloody, haphazard appearance. She smoothly greeted him with a salute, lightly bowing as a gesture of respect. "Athena Vascreyso reporting in, General."

0==[=======>

Thane smiled as he observed the battle. These recruits had proven themselves worthy. Of course the reinforcements that had joined them were a godsend. He hadn't much need to lift his sword other than his encounter with the cavalry. The battle had easily turned in Edea's favor, and as the last one of Geraden's troops fell into death's clutches, Thane called his troops to his side.

When all of them were gathered, he spoke once again. "I am impressed with all of you. You fought to the greatest of your ability. Now we may be able to rest, if you do desire such. But for now I have some questions for those of you who joined us mid-battle. Who was your commander, and wherefore did you come here? Surely so many of you did not abandon your commander against orders."

The first to speak was Athena, who responded instantly, "It was Commander Adenn, Sir. He fell against the first wave of Geradian soldiers. We ourselves only just managed to escape the onslaught. Our platoon was initially stationed along the Geraden-Edea border, but we were forced to fall back here in the face of their forces. I believe many other units have similiar stories, although I'm not sure they survived like we did."

"At least you're still alive to tell the tale," the General sighed. "Too many have already fought and died for our cause. How many of them were there?"

"At least several thousand, Sir," the assassin answered curtly. "We've only encountered the frontal assault group so far, but the last scout report we received estimated their numbers to be far more than that."

Thane cursed under his breath before he responded. "Thousands? Geraden has played a bold card indeed. There can be no doubt of their goal. We must return to Castle Edea as quickly as possible. Were the circumstances different, I would allow you all to rest, but we can waste no time. Come! We ride!"

0==[=======>

CHAPTER 1 -- Flight

The party drew nearer to Edea Castle as a pitch, formless shape became visible to them on the southern horizon, blotting out the sunlight and the sky. "Geraden's dragons..." the General murmured. "They'll not take long."

As they came upon the castle gates, they were met by a host of Edean cavalry. "Come!" commanded the General. "Waste no time. We must meet with His Majesty yesterday!"

"Right away, sire!" the lead cavalier replied, gesturing and grunting to one of his suborinates. The less experienced knight beckoned them through the castle gates and corridors with haste.

When at last they entered the throne room, Thane immediately dropped to one knee, his head bowed. "Your Majesty, I apologize for such hastened necessity of audience with your highness, but there is great danger. Geraden has amassed its forces, and they draw ever closer as we speak. I do not know if we have the arms to hold them."

"My good friend, your word I do trust, so I must ask that you tell me their numbers." The king spoke with eagerness.

"Your highness, I have yet to see them near, but they blacken the sky with many a dragon as they fly from the south, and I would guess at them having nearly as many on foot."

"Then ready our ballistae and call all available men to arms. Evan." Following the King's orders, Thane quickly ducked out of the throne room.

The prince, seated in a smaller less elaborate throne than his father, had been silent until this point, but now he stood and spoke gently and respectfully. "Yes, father?"

"We cannot pretend that Edea Castle will survive this onslaught, especially if Thane's tale holds true as I trust it shall. You must flee this place. Fly far to Aurora. Perhaps there you will be protected from the reckless threat that calls itself Geraden."

"Father, you cannot will this of me!"

"Silence, my son," the king commanded, a quiver in his voice. "You must go until it is once again safe to return. I will remain here. If my nation is to fall, then so shall I. You, however, must escape so that this nation may live on. Evan, you are our nation's future. If you die, then all is lost for this place."

"Father, please--!"

"Do not disobey me, son. Go now, and be safe. Drake, I ask that you remain here at the castle and defend this place to your best ability. Thane shall stay as well, but as for the rest of you, please accompany Evan out of this place. You must protect him from harm. Now go and escape before it is too late."


The party exited the North Gates of the castle as a wyvern soared overhead, then looped around to return to the southwest corner. Other wyverns and dragons followed suit, their riders whooping as they atttempted to report the presence of Edean reinforcements on the other side of the castle. It didn't take long for cavalry and other Geraden troops to begin coming into sight around the western corner of the fortress.

“Come on!” Evan called. “You heard my fa—I mean, His Majesty! We have to get out of here!” They began their run to the northeast, but they hadn’t gone far before a dragon spat a fireball from above, covering their path in flames. The great lizard soared over their heads, then circled around, its rider baring his poleaxe and preparing to cut down Evan.

Evan took in his surroundings in a moment, even if he avoided the beast, chances of the entire group’s survival were slim. Dragons and wyverns were blotting the sky, and their party was a bit too large to go unnoticed. The Geraden forces were numerous enough on this side of the castle that they could easily form a blockade and prevent escape. It seemed futile to resist. Perhaps they should just accept the fate that was now upon them…

[Chyoko]

Liliths boots hit the ground with a light thump each time they made contact. Her face was blank as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her, the slight frantic breath and heaving chest the only indication she was tiring. But it was required by the king that she go this fast, direct orders from him to accompany his son to Aurora, and it's not like she could refuse. She had been placed under the castles mage training program to help defend the royal family.

And apparently her expertise on Dark Magic was needed with the prince. So she went fast enough to put even The Storm to shame, or at least that's what it felt like, the burning in her lungs certainly screamed that she was. No doubt it was just a stupid thought though, she was barely above average strength. The mind was her weapon, and she could see how that might hinder her slightly now that she needed to use her body.

With a grunt Lilith pushed onward, she could see the dragons overhead, and they seemed quite bent on destroying everything in their path. Including the small party that was quickly moving up the road leading to the princes destination. She was close, and she wouldn't let up on herself until she was by the prince's side. It wasn't every day you got an order by the king to protect the heir to the throne.

As she rushed forward, finally reaching the group of soldiers, her body snakes around some, and shoved others. When she was only halfway through the thick mass of flesh and armor, a burst of bright light flashed in the sky, fire bursting from the sky. Lilith felt her mouth open before she realized words were spilling out in an incantation.

Upon hearing the words of a spell being spoken, most practically dove out of her way, giving her a straight shot to the fire blocking their path. Flinging out her hand, the magic flowed forward, the bright fire being extinguished by black shadows that ate at the bottom of the flames. Her lips curled up slightly, only to be wiped away when a roar screamed from the sky.

She flinched, head snapping up at the dragon that flew straight towards a man who stood in front of the group. Without hesitation, Lilith lunged forward, tackling him out of the way of the giant beast. Her breath caught when she glanced at his face, she'd just tackled the prince. After a moment of shock she rose to her feet, examining her surroundings. Her eyes locked on a tree whose roots made a slight cave in the ground, and without thinking she shoved the prince in it. "Please stay safe your Highness." She breathed.

Scanning the soldiers, a burst of relief filled her chest. "Warde!" She called, "I need you to defend the Prince, make sure no one gets close to him, he's our top priority!" Without waiting for his response, Lilith turned towards the enemies, her lips pursing. She wasn't going to die here.

[Veridis quo]

The dragon that had appeared was quite small compared to those told of in the tales of old. Still, it was a magnificent and terrifying sight at the same time for Rael. In the time span of three days, he had lost his family, slept behind a filthy tavern, fought in a battle, taken a knight's life, and now, witnessed a lesser dragon in the flesh. No matter how hard he would try to put things behind him in the future, this week was going to be hard to forget.

The dragon's scales were a light-grey colour, and it bore golden yellow eyes that showcased a rare mixture of wrath and elegance. The fire it had created to wall off Rael's group was already cleared by some form of dark magic, and Rael did not see where it had come from. This gave the group more room to move, but seemed to have angered the creature. The flying beast was looking for a place to land, now, swooping over the soldiers like a bird of prey. It came down with such force that the land itself seemed to shake, and little bits of rocks and dirt were sprayed outward from beneath the creature's landing spot, lifting up a light cloud of dust. With one exhale from its nostrils, the dust cleared, and the dragon located its prize. It started to make its way towards a particular tree. Upon closer examination, Rael spotted the dark haired girl from earlier, who was shoving the Prince underneath some of the roots of the ancient oak. The dragon had kept its attention on them, and Rael was located behind it. This gave him a clear advantage.

The noble ran forward, and he had already picked out the target of the attack he was preparing. The dragon's left rear-leg was the closest for him to strike, and he had already brought his sword back in the midst of his run. He pushed it forward and turned his body, adding the full force of his charge into a forward thrust. His cheap iron blade wasn't sharp or strong enough to critically wound the creature, but Rael's strength and moving force had at least assured the blow would penetrate the scales, and sink the blade a few inches into the strong flesh beneath.

The dragon noticed immediately. It jerked its leg, pushing Rael away a few feet, but he still held his balance. With its long neck peeking back over its folded wings, the eyes of the beast fixated on the noble standing behind it. Those golden eyes were fearsome and captivating at the same time, and the young noble was forced to split a part of his attention into the stare-down.

He was caught completely off-guard by the backlash from the dragon's tail. Rael was knocked back with such force that his feet had left the ground. He was sent flying through the air horizontally rather than vertically, and his crash-landing were a series of rolls on the ground that left him with scrapes and bruises. More importantly, he had taken at least one form of critical damage that stuck out to him.

I think I broke a rib. Rael thought. He tried to move up to a semi-sitting position, but the sharp pain forced him to back down.

Yeah. I did.

He tried to get up again, more slowly this time, his left hand placed over the part of his chest that he guessed to house the broken bone, judging by where the pain was coming from. Thankfully the dragon had averted its attention to someone else who was also angering it more so than hurting it. It would take combined effort to bring this creature down before the band would be able to move forward.


.
.

[Skieth]

The door to the throne room gave no warning that they'd be destroyed, but one moment, they stood intact, and the next they were a mixture of flying dust and splintered wood. Through the blast strode a slightly hunchbacked sorcerer who appeared as if he had long outlived his life expectancy. A crooked staff was clutched in his right hand, and a golden ring with a violet diamond on his middle finger. He bore a countenance that could strike fear into the heart of some of the most fearsome warriors. Thane seemed to flinch at seeing him, and the King's visage twisted to disgust.

The ancient warlock chuckled. "Ah, King Edea, how long it has been! Now I had hoped you wouldn't be so disappointed to see me again."

"SILENCE, Garved! I know you have come for that cursed sword, but you shall never find it! It is a futile effort." The King had stood from his throne, a regal blade of silver in his hand.

"I believe I have already found it, Your Majesty, and the energy it emits does not lie. It is, of the moment, upon the back of your most trusted. Thane, I would ask that you do things quietly, and hand it over."

"If you think," Thane stated, "that I will simply hand over an object that could ultimately lead to the end of the world in your hands, then you are sorely mistaken."

Garved chuckled again. "I feared it may come to this." Garved began a chant that filled the entire room with its foreign lyrics, and instantly, a sphere of evil energy surrounded him. In a matter of moments, it had rapidly expanded outward, killing all ten of the King's guards that were not Drake and Thane.

"Drake," the King commanded. "Leave this place, and protect my son. I cannot let him fall. Do not question me. Just act. Go!"

Drake didn't like the King much. As a matter of fact he hated this whole bloody war. He knew though he had orders and more importantly orders to protect a prince. He gritted his teeth and begrudgingly accepted the order and made his way out. On the way he yelled "Thane you heavy ass better be around when I get back!" he called. He ran down the corridors to rejoin his group with his usual storm like speed taking out soldiers as he went. He went around one corner finding a foe right there; which Drake simply jumped off the ground and slammed the hilt of his blade into the man's face. In his clutching desperation of pain Drake finished him with a quick slice to the throat. "Rael... Warde can anybody hear me!" he said yelling anywhere he could have a hallway or anyplace where his voice could echo. "Come on these kids have to be around here somewhere." he spoke under his breath.

[Shoryu]

Ausif, already being near the general, didn't have much walking to do to reach his 'side' when he called, though he didn't intervene with the conversation between the general and the assassin... no, he was plenty keen on letting them all forget that he'd arrived to the battle late... Of course, an audible groan slipped out of him by nature when he heard there'd be no rest "Welp... good thing I caught my wind on the cliff."

_____________

Ausif happened to nap on one of the horses as they rode, thankfully someone took a bit of pity for his having to catch up to them on foot, short nap though it was it was plenty invigorating and he returned the mount to it's owner a fair time before they reached the castle... boy it'd be a terrible sight to be seen sleeping as they approached the castle full of those who guard the king himself, but by the time they were there he was on foot again doing a bit to look properly dignified.

As he heard the generals mention of Geraden's dragons, he looked south to the approaching mass far in the sky, mumbling something even queiter along the lines of "Dragon's my foot... more likely mindless scaley pets by comparison..." Though he addressed nobody else as they entered the castle and then the throne room.


He listened in silence for the most part as the conversation went on between the king and thane, then passed to the King's son of whom he observed for a few moments, hearing the part about him being sent north... but then something much more attention getting for Ausif, the king told the group to go with the young prince... If anyone looked to Ausif at that moment they'd see a disturbingly displeased expression on his face, even if they hadn't known him for barely a day yet, which he soon covered his his hand to avoid being dis-respectful, and soon returned to looking 'his normal self' though visibly more tense, though he went with the group to escape regardless.



It wasn't too long before they got truely fleeing that Geraden forces were upon them once more and fire blocked the path in addition to one charging for the prince, and just as quickly the flames were out and the prince was shoved aside quite unceremoniously... what a tasteless situation this was... going north would bring him so terribly close to some who may want him dead, yet being here was even closer to death, some might think what he was about to say was cliche heroics, but in reality he had considerable plans to back-up his words.

He was cut off from what he'd intended to say by the thud of one of the Geraden's Dragon's landing and attempting to acost the prince, an uncharacteristic grimace spreading across his face then before he chanted very quickly, taking advantage of it's distraction with Rael.



A moment later Blinding light gathered before the dragon during it's moment of distraction, bursting before it's face and destroying it's vision, whether temporarily or by injury wasn't immediately obvious, but it sent a viciously enraged roar from the beast that began to thrash more angrily, though Ausif shouted very insistently to all of the others.

"Don't be fools! Your King's order's were to flee and ensure the Prince's Safety, We'll 'all' die if you get protective and stop to fight everything that comes our way... The dragon's Blinded and the Fire's out of your way. I'll hold them off, Trust me when I say 'I have my tricks', I'll get out of this just fine if I'm alone and give them hell in the process, then I'll catch up later after I'm sure I've lost pursuit, NOW GET MOVING! AND REMEMBER, THIS IS 'NOT' ABANDONING ME TO DEATH, I'LL CATCH UP, SO YOU CONCIENCES AND CHIVALRY CAN JUST WATCH THE PRINCES ROYAL ASS!"

Mid speech he turned and move away from the group some, by luck dodging an arrow that came from afar and missed because of the time he chose to start walking, and brought out one of his Tome's with a much more Elaborate design than those he'd used in the previous battle, pulling up both hands as the book levitated between them and he spread out his stands, beginning to chant some Long and Powerful Spell.... He sincerely hoped they'd turn and flee like he told them to, The chances of every member of the group surviving were much greater if they got moving and let him do his work... then again, even if they stayed, maybe what he was about to do would deter the enemy enough to give them an opening when it 'did' finally set in that their objective was 'flight' not 'fight'.

The chanting in the ancient language actually managed to sound Both Hypnotizingly Melodic and Hauntingly Vicious at the same time.



The tome soon distingrated, every particle turning into a ball of light that collected between his hands or began swirling around him, obstructing view of his body, sending hair and clothing flapping violently in the wind created by the heaving level of magic being released and his eyes even glowed terribly bright, and of course, creating one hell of a bloody light show that could be quite difficult to look at, much less aim at or 'past'. "GET OUT OF HERE 'NOW'!!!" His voice suddenly had an odd echo to it that was almost ethereal and easily heard over the angry dragon or the approaching hoarde, a few of the 'lesser' soldiers among the enemy even tried to flee from the display, fearing what magic of that degree could bring down upon them.

With that 'the show started.

The Light energy circled him faster and spread farther out, the ball in his hands rose up and soon began producing numerous beams of light that swept across the ranks of the approaching enemies or struck something head-on, even sweeping in the air to disrupt the flying soldiers. These beams were not entirely fatal, but left many a burn and blazing pain in their wake, further demoalizing the weaker of the Garaden soilders with the pained shouts of their allies.

Amidst this one of the orbs that was circling him suddely launched off as if by a catapualt, slamming into the blinded dragon's side with an explosion of magic strong enough to knock it on it's side and even burn through it's scales in that area, crippling it with pain, if only for a short enough time that his the other's could run past it safely.

He spoke again suddenly, though it was only in the ancient language and wasn't a spell in itself, but it seemed to enrage some of the flying beasts in the sky, disrupting their rider's commands and seemingly instilling a desire to charge at the glowing man like angry animals, though those who made themselves vulnerable or too close were suddenly struck with one of those sweeping beams, while they didn't have enough power to out-right kill even a 'mock' dragon, it had enough to burn through the membrane of their wings and force them to be grounded if not out-right crash into the enemy ranks.


Eventually the Enemy, at least the vast numbers who were zealotous enough to keep charging at all of that magic, got close enough to be a danger, so he let loose the real power of that over-bearing attack and very suddenly several of orbiting balls of energy lobbed forth, colliding with the front or in the middle of the enemy crowds. The resulting explosions sent many a man from their horses and liberated just as many unprotected body parts from their collective torso's, leaving small craters among the enemy and noticeable voids in the groups of enemies, from whom even more faltered away from the seemingly suicidal mage.

He preserved the rest now, as some of the enemy pulled back to avoid being blasted, or other's slowed their charged and waited to see what he'd do with the rest of the remaining magic.

[Rethel34]

In the first second he was staring into the gaping maws of what could have very well been death; in the second all the lapping flames before him were swallowed into some black void; and in the third he had the taste of dirt and grass in his mouth. The voice of a female told him to be safe, but when he rolled over, there was no sign of who had just saved him from the dragon's digestive system.

The dragon had flown over, and had begun its search for a landing place. Then Evan lost track of where the great creature was because it had joined many other flying beasts in the air. Then another swooped toward the group, but it was not the same. This was a wyvern. Its whole form was thinner and smaller than a dragon's. Its leathery, snake-like skin shone when the sun touched it, and two gigantic fangs that protruded from its upper jaw seemed as if they were threatening to skewer anyone who got too close. In fact, Evan almost thought it appeared like a colossal snake with a pair of wings and two feet, a slightly large gut, and a jagged arrowhead stinger at the end of its tail. It was still dangerous, but it wasn't quite as bad as the dragon.

"Is this the prince we were looking for?" the rider of the wyvern mocked once the creature had landed. "I expected someone a little taller, perhaps with a little more confidence in his stance, but not this pathetic child." To add to the insults, he finished his sentence with a well-aimed globule of spit which landed less than a foot from Evan's feet.

"Do you think you are better than me? You come here to defile our great nation, and to torture our people. Edea has done nothing to you, so why should you treat us so?"

"The answer is obvious, child. I thought you would realize this. We want your bloody Darkblade. It does not belong in the hands of your people. Now you can calmly tell us where it is hidden, or we can pry the answer from you. It's your choice."

"To tell you this would brand me a traitor. If I am to betray the position of our greatest treasure, then it must be to a worthy opponent." Evan drew his rapier as the wyvern snapped at him. "Can you prove yourself worthy of wielding such a weapon?"

"You mean I have to defeat you? You're a child! You're not worth my time!"

"To get what you're after you'll have to slay a man much stronger than I. No, this is merely because we are enemies." Evan chuckled as he watched the rider's expression contort to anger.

"Fine. I'll fight you, but you're not going to last long." The rider brandished his spear and urged his wyvern into the air again, circling Evan.

He doesn't realize I've been trained to fight by Thane. And I have had to be fast on my feet more than once. His creature may be fast, but I might be faster, and I won't tire myself as much.

The rider swooped down just low enough for his wyvern to stab its stinger at Evan, though the maneuver was one that Evan easily dodged with a hop to the side. His fencing style was good enough that he could evade simple attacks like that. It was too obvious that the rider was toying with him. Two similar attempts were made before the rider decided to actually go for the kill.

The winged creature spiraled in the air and looped back, flying lower this time. Low enough for the rider to shove his spear through Evan. The Prince only had a moment to react. He wheeled to the inside, where he ducked beneath the wyvern's shoulder. As it passed over him, Evan shoved his rapier into the thinner flesh of the wyvern's wing. The beast howled and almost stabbed Evan with its tail. Once it landed some distance away to nurse its wound for a moment, Evan realized where his mistake had been.

For one, he almost had become the creature's personal kabob. For two, he had severed flesh on the wing that was close to the armpit, where, although it would hurt, it would do little to hinder its flying. If it happened again, no matter the risk, he would have to cut the wing down the middle if he really wanted to ruin it.

The wyvern took to the skies again, almost flying with what could be taken as a limp. It was off balance, and it was trying to keep its flaps on its right wing small and tight. It circled the air for a moment, getting used to its injury, and then swooped again, this time straight at Evan. The spear wasn't lowered, but just like the dragon, it was attempting to eat him. Not willing to back down, Evan took his ready stance, and when it got close...

Evan was on the ground, on his face...again. His rapier was missing, and there was some dirt in the air around him. He stood, wiped himself off, and looked around. The wyvern had slammed into the soil behind him. Its left wing was quite obviously broken, and its head was turned backward quite awkwardly. In the creature's right eye, embedded almost to the hilt, was Evan's rapier. A sense of composure and pride came over him, and shortly after was a sickening feeling of guilt. Then he noticed, Where's its rider?

Almost as if to answer his question, his hands were clasped in the small of his back, held by another man who had had much more physical training than the Prince. The metal shaft of a spear was quickly pressed against his throat from behind, and a voice whispered in his ear, "You like to play dirty, Your Highness. The damn thing bucked me a good few yards when it landed. Might've broken my nose. But that doesn't matter. I've got myself royalty for hostage, and I think come tomorrow morning, I'll have myself some gold lining my pockets. What do you think, huh?"

Evan felt hopeless. His other sword was at his hip, and there was no way he could unsheathe it. In fact, he could do nothing with his arms. The head of the spear was too close for him to make any sort of move anyway. If he did, the blade would be pulled straight across his throat, and he would die in vain. Evan tried to think of a way out, but he was too panicked to think straight. This might be the end for him.

Then something caught his eye, and that something was a very large beam of light. Evan shut his eyes, unsure of what might happen next. He heard the man behind him begin to curse, and he felt the man trying to drag him out of the way, but even behind his eyelids, he saw everything grow brighter, and then he was released.

Stumbling forward, Evan opened his eyes and turned to see the man with numerous burn marks on his body. He was definitely in pain, but they were quite some distance from the source of the magic, so he was still able to hold his composure. The rider ran at Evan, his spear ready. In a moment, Evan drew his slim sword and dodged to the side, similarly to how he had done with the wyvern, and he shoved his blade deep into his opponent’s stomach. Horrified at what he had done, Evan stepped back and took in his deed.

A stroke of the blade is irreversible, Evan could remember one of his teachers saying. Shaking his head, Evan sheathed his weapon and ran to the wyvern, drawing his rapier from its eye and returning it to his belt as well. As his newly assigned guardians found their way to him, he guided them into the woods. He knew the way to a fort that was no longer utilized, and perhaps they could rest there.

As he retreated, Evan glanced back at the man who was still casting the enormous light display and gave a short salute. He had no idea what the man had in mind, but he very well could have offered himself up as a martyr with his actions. One thing was certain, however. Without that mage, they would not have been able to escape.

0==[=======>

The flames had been in existence for only a few moments while Warde skimmed over the pages he had ripped from the remnants of the mage’s Fire tome. When he heard chanting in the ancient language, he glanced up, as it was a female’s chanting of dark magic, which could only mean…Lilith! He was correct in his assumption. From her outstretched hand came the energy needed to stifle the flames. She commanded him to protect the prince, as that was their highest priority. He agreed, so he began to summon the energy from the dying embers, putting them out and giving him two fireballs in his hands.

However, when he turned around, the prince was gone, and Rael had attempted to assail the dragon that had been threatening them. It hadn’t gone well, and Rael now lay sprawled on his back, vulnerable. In his haste, Warde did the one thing he could. He threw the fireballs, one at the dragon and one at its rider. One moment later, the brute was blinded by a ball of light thrown by the Light Mage of their party. Taking the initiative, Warde dashed forward, summoning lightning to strike down the one Geraden cavalier that was charging towards him. The bolt hit the center of his target, and the energy sent the man into a seizure.

Then Warde stopped. He had heard the Light Mage’s chanting, and it didn’t sound to be the likes of any spell he had heard before. He turned for a moment. He can’t pull this off! A spell of that magnitude will kill him! It was too late. The tome disintegrated, and the mage was filled with a Light energy that Warde had never seen before. He can’t be human to be pulling this off! This is incredible! Where’s that energy coming from!? Warde broke himself from his trance and remembered what his intentions were in running over here.

Warde came to Rael’s side a short time later. “Good, you’re still breathing. This is beyond what a vulnerary can do, so I’m going to have to help you out of here. Even with my support, it’s going to hurt like hell, but maybe it won’t be so bad. You’ve got to get out of here, though. I’m not going to just let you die.”

0==[=======>

It was just the three of them in the throne room. Garved, Thane, and the King. Drake had left merely moments ago by order of the King. Garved was the next to speak.

“You will soon find that it may have been wise of the two of you to flee as well, but you would of course only delay the inevitable as you have with your son. He will die, Your Majesty. Running will get him nowhere.”

The King’s lip curled into a snarl. “You are a creature who should have never lived on this earth, Garved. To do what you have done is a foul move indeed, and a desperate attempt to defeat me.”

“All is fair when it comes to war. If that means raising the dead, even those that once opposed me, and using them as my own, then I shall do so. Is that not all they were to you? Puppets? Pawns? You had no care for them anyway, so why should I not put them to use. I will care for them. I will make sure they never die. It is that gift that I give them: immortality. It is something you can never give. You are powerless, and today, I show you that.”

“My King,” Thane said. “Do not fight him. Allow me to, please. This is not worth spilling your blood.”

The King nodded his approval, and Thane turned to face Garved.

“You think that hiding behind your loyal shield will save you?” Garved mocked. “Just like running, this will only delay the inevitable.”

[Vena Sera IV]

Moriko watched on with a nagging sense of helplessness as a handful of wyverns descended upon their party. She could not speak for the others, but the archer was hardly in a condition for battle right now, certainly not with such winged beasts. Having been tasked with aiding in keeping the prince safe though, she could hardly argue her purpose. There were so many of those creatures though, and insurmountable odds hardly comforted her. They'd have to try though, or they might as well just lay down and die now. The chances of actually succeeding in a counter-attack, at least one long enough to make an escape, seemed unlikely.

Odds against them, it was surprising to see that some of her comrades were putting up a sizeable fight. First, by some grace of good fortune, Ausif managed to incapacitate one of the beasts, if only temporary. With its sight taken away, the first wyvern that landed posed little more threat now. If simply blinding the beast was not enough though, the mage answered with another, far more powerful spell as he struck the beast down. The huntress was immensely relieved that such an adept mage was on their side, she'd hate to be on the receiving end of one of those spells. As cavalry and soldiers alike were struck down by the magic, Moriko took a moment to attempt and find some way to aid in the struggle Amidst the turmoil, she realized Rael had fallen from an injury, though it looked like Warde had come to the young noble's aid. Good then, they wouldn't be losing anyone just yet.

The Prince, who had apparently been in a battle that she had missed, was still safe by some good grace. There were still Geraden troops to be dealt with, but on the prince's orders, Moriko would flee with the rest of the group. Hurrying over to meet the others, her longbow in her poor arm, she couldn't help but cast a glance back at Ausif, who was still fending off the enemy alone now. It didn't seem right, to leave the mage alone in the battle, but she was hopeful he would rejoin them. With her arm in its condition, she was hardly going to be much of a help in any battle. It had healed somewhat, but was still rather sore, and pulling the bowstring back fully proved to be an issue. As the distance between the party and herself closed, she found a need for her bow once again. Another cavalier had somehow avoiding Ausif's powerful spell, and was now barreling towards the prince on horseback.

Gritting her teeth against the discomfort, Moriko notched an arrow, closing one eye to better her aim. Though there was a definite haste to what had to be done, she knew panic would throw off her shot. Taking a deep breath, she held it as she quickly figured how to best lead her target, aiming a fair deal ahead of the rider before releasing the projectile. The effort to pull back the string made her gasp audibly in pain, but there would be time to whimper over wounds later. The arrow managed to catch the horse right under the forward-left leg, toppling forward and sending the rider spilling onto the ground. The man was hardly finished, if not dazed from his fall. Making herself follow up with a second shot, the huntress readied a second arrow and managed to catch the rider in the leg, just below his protective plating. He would not die from the wound, probably not even lose the limb, but it was enough to render him harmless for their escape.

With an arrow and her bow at the ready, Moriko charged ahead to put herself at the prince's side with the others who had joined him already, remaining alert for anymore attackers. In normal circumstances, she might give them a warm greeting or a smile, but there was no time for pleasantries. Geraden troops still came, though many more would likely fall to Ausif and other Edean troops before the day was done. Some of their own compatriots would likely die too, and though it was rash to value one life over another, she was more concerned for those she had already fought with than the everyday soldier. Part of her wanted to stay and fight, to aid in protecting her homeland. They had specific duties to remain with Evan though, and she would not betray those orders. Seeing that the prince was ready to leave the area though, she tossed him an almost pleading look, they still had some friends struggling to catch up to them. "Please, a moment longer before we go. I don't want to leave the others if it can be helped."

[Rethel34]

“Rise up, you soldiers lost to the void, and aid me in the destruction your old General! The gift of immortality is now yours! Arise now, my minions, and we together shall destroy him! ” Garved chanted while Thane drew his blade. Thane watched as two of the soldiers who had been murdered a short while before rose into the air and came to their feet, as if alive again. Thane’s face betrayed his rage at Garved’s actions as the guards charged at Thane, now puppets of the necromancer. The first, he stabbed his blade through before it even got the chance to attack. The other he defended against with his shield, then used it to bash the soldier and knock it off balance before cleaving it in two across the midriff.

Once the bodies collapsed to the ground, they seemed to dissolve, forming into worms of black magic that crawled back toward Garved. The necromancer began chanting again, and the worms rose into the air, this time taking the form of three beholders. Thane sheathed his sword, and reached for the one on his back: the Darkblade. As he drew it, he felt the dark energy surge into him, but he held it at bay. His will was strong enough for that.

He lunged forward at the beholders, who immediately began casting dark magic at the General that was meant to bind him in place so they could batter away at him, but they couldn’t touch him. He slashed through the dark magic, the sword absorbing its energy. Once close enough, he easily cleaved through the floating eyeballs, who dissolved into the black worms again, this time to be absorbed by the blade.

But Garved wasn’t finished yet. This time his chanting had opened up a portal in the ground, out of which crawled a spider whose size was greater than Thane’s. He didn’t slow, though. The creature attempted to run him through with a rather sharp leg, but Thane reacted quickly, slashing through it before the limb could touch him. It seemed to release a screech of pain, and the severed portion of limb dissolved. It stabbed with another leg, this time blocked by Thane’s shield.

Then the creature attempted to bit him, which was stopped by a slash across the face. After decapitating the other leg, Thane stabbed the sword through the beast’s head, and it dissolved as everything else had.

“You insult me with your weak minions, Garved. Why don’t we fight one on one?” Thane tossed his shield to the side as he spoke, drawing his silver sword in his left hand. The shield would do him no good against dark magic.

“Very well, General. If you wish to die, then so be it.” Garved summoned a sphere of Elder Magic, which was promptly thrown at Thane and slashed in two by the Darkblade. Thane charged again and hacked at Garved, but the necromancer lifted his hand to the attack and caught the Darkblade mid-swing. Thane felt the sword’s energy grow faint, and watched the old man’s face grow darker, and his eyes glowed with the energy he had just sucked from the sword.

“You were a fool to challenge me, General!” Garved laughed, his voice seeming to contain many, almost as if all of the spirits of the men he had killed were within him, speaking and laughing with him. Garved then released a burst of dark energy from his other palm into Thane’s stomach, launching the General a number of feet back. He didn’t stop, though. Lifting his blades to the barrage of magic, Thane charged again.

Once up close, blades collided with magic in a furious, yet magnificent display. Realizing that Thane was getting the upper hand, Garved summoned around him a shield of Elder Magic, which radiated outward as he had done before to slay all of the guards. As the dome connected with Thane and pushed him away, he felt his life’s energy being sucked from him. As this was happening, Garved began a chant similar to one he had done before: the incantation to bring the guards back to life. This time, the remaining eight rose up and charged at Thane.

Hacking and slashing, Thane cut down the zombified soldiers, but he didn’t do so fast enough. Garved had begun a new spell, which was now building a pool of dark magic between his palms. Then from the void Garved held stretched out numerous black tentacles. Thane slashed through one…two…three…then one latched around his ankle. He tried to cut it with the Darkblade, but another grasped his hand. Before he could react, he was held strong by Garved’s dark magic, unable to move. From the center of Garved’s orb came a seal which flew straight into Thane’s forehead, then vanished, and Thane watched as the arms that held him pulsed like veins, sucking his life energy into Garved.

“Do you feel yourself growing weaker, mighty General?” Garved cackled. “Soon, you will die, and there is nothing you can do about it. You see, while you were preoccupied, I made sure to use my magic to bind your king in place so he couldn’t help you. You were supposed to protect him, and you have failed. Before the day is over, he will be dead, and you will be my servant.”

“I’ll never serve you,” Thane said. He could feel himself growing weaker every second. He knew it would not be long before he was taken into the void. He had no chance. The Darkblade lay at his feet, unable to serve him.

“You won’t have any choice, as I can summon you back from the dead. Then it will be me you will serve without question. After all, I need someone to wield the Darkblade while I try to extract Avana from within. You are the most capable of that, and you will become even more powerful when it is Avana who is controlling your body. Does that not sound good enough for you? Infinite power? You wanted to be the most powerful warrior on earth, and now you have that within your reach. Just give in, and you will have all of this.”

Thane struggled, trying to free himself, but couldn’t. He had no strength left. With one last attempt to break free, the mighty General Thane fell limp, taken into the void. He had died, as had all hope for Edea.

Garved cackled, and a shockwave went through the deceased General, and he stood once more and picked up the Darkblade. “Go now, my servant, and slay this King who is an obstacle to us!” Garved commanded, and Thane did so. The King, unable to make a sound through the binding dark magic, died silently, skewered by the man who he most trusted.

“And so, Edea is mine. I’ll allow you to run for the day, filthy prince, but before the month is done, you will have been ended, and you will be one less obstacle in my way.” Garved tossed the dead body from the throne and summoned his staff to his hand, cackling as he took the seat at the throne as his own. Edea had fallen.

0==[=======>

Evan’s feet were sore after travelling for so long. They had been away from the battlefield for over an hour, and he had forgotten that it was so long of a trek between the castle and this fort. He had told a couple of the others that it would not be long until they found it, but he was beginning to lose confidence in his own words. Then they marched over a hill, and he heard something. It was the sound of pounding water. They were close now, as the waterfall could be near. Another sound reached his ears, a short moment after. It was a heavy wing beat, though not the same in sound as a dragon’s. He sprinted to the next clearing, looking into the sky. It took him a moment, then he caught a glimpse of a Gryphon. As it neared, he recognized it as one of the Edean Gryphon Riders from the castle.

Evan breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe things weren’t so bad after all.