Silvan Haven

The War of the Three

@KoL@Banana@Lmpkio

Saef Harken
Surface-Who Knows Anymore?

Withdrawing troops to save their lives made a lot less sense in the Nexus. For men and woman like those in Saef's company death simply meant spending a fey days as spirits before being sent back to rejoin the fight. Their commander still wasn't comfortable with that fact. Death was supposed to be The End. The final journey. Not an inconvenience. Here it was more effective to hold an enemy captive than to kill them. It was nice not to have to write Condolence letters after every engagement though.

"Sir, I'm getting some odd readings from some of the suit diagnostics." It was First Lieutenant Stillwater. His second in command contacting him directly over the comms. "It might be Demonic corruption or it might be nothing. I don't want to take that chance though sir. We should take the company back to base and run full scans."

Saef could understand the Lieutenant's caution. The runes carved into the suits were a recent addition. So recent that this mission had been something of a field test. And despite the supposed protection offered by the angelic script it was hard to shake the paranoia from thirteen months of conflict with the forces of Hell.

The captain agreed with his subordinate. The smart thing would be to withdraw and run all the suits and equipment through a full battery of tests. A little earlier than planned but nobody would be accusing them of cowardice for leaving a place like this. He wasn't done here though. The two Demons from before were still out there and his company had barely engaged the enemy before being forced back. No, he wasn't done killing Demons yet.

"I'm giving you temporary command." Saef replied to his executive officer. "Withdraw the company and run those scans. I will stay and assist Farris however I can." There was silence for several seconds before a simple "Yes, sir." Came back. They both knew he would be getting in trouble for this. The General might even get involved.

Saef took to the air as his company retreated through the glowing portal. He caught up to Farris quickly, the suited Thaumaturge falling in behind the senior warrior. The pair didn't have to search for long before locating their prey. It appeared that the two Demons had stopped to rest after making their way out of the twisting and turning tunnels. A trip that must have taken much more time and energy than simply flying over everything had.

Farris did her thing, announcing the oncoming smite with all the righteous fury of a longtime holy warrior of the Nexus. And unleashing a storm of very nasty looking holy crystals when she was done. For his part Saef simply raised his weapon, once again a glowing scepter. Arcane symbols and runes flashed through his mind and a large magical circle formed in front of the rain of crystals. The prisms of the deadly hail shone with a new inner glow as they soared downwards.

Upon impact that glow would spring outward, blades of light slicing through nearby objects for half a second before their carrier crystals shattered or buried themselves.

The War of the Three

@KoL@Banana@Lmpkio

Saef Harken
Catacombs-Angel Area

They were getting away

The urge to chase after the fleeing pair was strong. Strong enough that Saef stared down the tunnel the pair had vanished into for several seconds. His eyes glowed faintly through the tinted visor, unused magical power begging to be unleashed. To smite the demons that had invaded his home. He didn't though. The red mist seeping in through the ceiling prevented that. Eventually he bowed his head and swallowed his bloodlust. The unused energy draining back into his wellspring of power. The vengeful paladin was gone, the Captain in his place.

"Let's double time it people, back to the staging area. This looks like the work of that #### vampire. And grab the bodies of the dead as well. They may revive naturally but I don't want to leave any of our gear behind for someone to find."

The slightly battered company moved quickly. They had sixteen outright dead and slightly more wounded. Well, they had been wounded. Farris's warcry had healed most of them right up. Nanite patches were slapped onto those that were left or had received wounds afterwards. While the medics were busy others gathered the fallen bodies of their comrades. If any bees had been left behind no one paid them any attention. They were harmless without others to open suit breaches.

In less than a minute they were moving back to the portal that had brought them to the graveyard. Only this time they were moving through the tunnels that filled the lower reaches of the battlefield. The rush of quantum particles and the occasional clank of metal on metal was all that could be heard for several minutes as the group made its way through the twisting tunnels. It took longer than the straight dash aboveground but not massively so.

Eventually Saef called for a stop. The corrosive vampire mist was floating down from the exit ahead. Namely a large mausoleum that lay very close to the portal. It's presence here meant that the vast majority of the aboveground battlefield was likely covered.

"Farris." He said turning to the senior warrior. "I would have your advice if you would give it. I can purify and secure the area around the portal before my men and I fly above the mists and continue the fight from the air. Assuming that most if not all of the battlefield is covered in blood roses, do you believe this fight is worth continuing?"

The War of the Three

@KoL@Banana@Lmpkio

Saef Harken
Catacombs-Angel Area

Curses rattled around inside of the Saef's helmet as what he assumed was the demon commander leapt away. The pale demon landed near some of the soldiers firing at Apia, cutting them down with a single swing of his battle axe. More curses spilled out of his mouth as the sliding Captain saw the ease with which the better part of a squad had been wiped out.

Gritting his teeth he flipped over and gunned his jetpack again. Shooting back across the open section of the tunnels towards the Ice Demon. His position low to the ground allowed him to slip by another attack by the humanoid bee person. She really seemed to have it in for him. The beegirl certainly hadn't targeted Farris at all so far and the Herald certainly had a bigger reputation than him.

A wall of sleet and ice rushed to block his vision. Wireframe representations of the battlefield immediately leaping to his HUD courtesy of the passive sensors in his suit. Even so the extra annoyance was enough to cause his temper to flare up. And that was before some kind of magical power started creeping its way through the whiteout.

This ####ing Demon with his ####ing snow and his ####ing ice and he is ####ing killing my men!

"NO"

The word echoed out of the external speakers of his helmet. With it swept a wave of warm golden light. Unholy cold vanished before it and demonic ice melted into so many drops of water. Before the ####ing Demon could try anything else Saef was skidding to a halt next to him. Slush spraying out from the now semi-liquid layer of ice on the ground.

With murder in his eyes Saef swept the now three foot long blade in an upward arc at the current target of his hatred.

Elsewhere on the battlefield the soldiers were feeling the boosting effects of Farris's battlecry. Defenses were increased and wounds closed up under the healing effects of the resounding cry. That was more helpful in some cases than others. The place was still swarming with stinging insects and anyone too frozen to dodge or block an attack was also too frozen to cover their suit breaches. Even the extra defensive boost from the cry would be temporary.

SAWs were being being brought to bear on the larger creatures. Ordinance usage down here was a risky thing. A rocket or grenade in the wrong place could collapse a section of tunnel. Even the large bolts of the SAWs were a calculated risk. Given enough time they could melt a hole into the open air above.

A few bolts did in fact slam into the ceiling beside one of the Ice Snakes as the whiteout swept through the tunnels. The gunner had been momentarily disoriented at the sudden change in vision. Luckily it didn't last long. The armored men may have been able to fight but it just wasn't the same when they couldn't actually see the opponent. Ghelgath's Breath didn't manage to get far before the blizzard carrying it was swept away. The two remaining members of the squad he had all but wiped out shivered and strained against icy bonds as their suits' climate control systems attempted to keep them alive.

The War of the Three

@KoL@Banana@Lmpkio

Saef Harken
Catacombs-Angel Area

Shields were starting to fizzle out now. Golden sparks floating through the air as shield buffers depleted. Frozen claws screeched across metallic/composite armor plates when the golems were able to score a hit. Here and there the softer under suit was breached, most often on a soldier that had been frozen into immobility. Being hit by a summoned ice mage wasn't instant death. Duban armor was designed to operate in space with minimal augmentation. Being frozen in a block of ice still made it hard to dodge though

Even so it wasn't what one would call an even fight. The Demons were outnumbered more than three to one and were frankly outclassed. The Dinasian solders were pouring hundreds of blessed laser bolts into a foe that primarily needed to close to melee range to deal damage. When they did get close enough they faced holy blades capable of removing limbs with a single stroke wielded by people stronger and/or faster than them.

Not even the ranged ice golems were safe. With light being poured in from every side there weren't many safe places to take cover. Certainly none that would hold up under sustained fire. It was unlikely that this battle would last long even with the recent reinforcements. The addition of a few larger monsters just made for easier targets.

Saef wasn't worried about his troops failing to whipe out their foes. No, he was more concerned with the Demon who had just lept atop a large ice golem. That one was the most dangerous of the group. His magical aura was much stronger than the other ice Demons. If Saef wanted to minimize losses he need to take that one out.

With superhuman speed and a rush of quantum particles the armored Thaumaturge flashed forward. Neatly dodging the large stinger tossed at him in doing so. It slammed into a nearby wall. Cracking a stone and drawing the attention of the soldiers in that tunnel. Half a dozen laser rifles switched target to the new threat and let loose a flurry of holy light from no more than fifteen meters.

The speeding commander took two bounding steps and dropped. A thought to his scepter caused it to change as he slip on the frozen floor. The weapon shifting forms and the ultra sharp blade extending as he slid between the large legs of the ice golem. As he did so Saef held the blade up, the holy light extending till it reached the top of the tunnel. At the speed he was sliding there was very little chance for the golem to avoids being bisected. Ghelgath would have to doing a very quick job of unentangling himself from his mount and jumping away if he wanted to avoid the same fate.

Soldiers lept or flew out of the way of the line of raising ice spikes. They were for the most part successful. One man had been busy dealing with a Warrior however and was shoved aside with a grunt as a spike erupted from the ground and scoured a deep gash across his cuirass.

The War of the Three

So that was the question, huh? The answer is simple. They are plants, magical undead plants, in fact. Plants grow as long as there's space for them to grow. The roses never ever used magic power to grow.

They used to require blood and, in fact, still do.

The blood to power them comes from the armies that everyone ignores. As said in the very first battle of the RP, Victoire usually sacrifices lesser demons to kick start her roses and, after that, anyone who who dies powers than up.

People keep forgetting about the mooks, I just don't see why this was ever an issue. In places where there's native life, like Arcadia, , anything in their path bites the bullet too.

@KoL

Huh, you're right. I don't think anyone has mentioned them since the entire battle started. It's been making the place feel a little empty to be honest.

We need more General characters.

Edit: My original question has been answered. I'll avoid bringing this up again.

The War of the Three

The question was more one of where it gets the resources to grow like that. My bad for wording it incorrectly. I've asked it before but normally it gets buried under the avalanche of people with problems about Victoire.

Are the beds essentially giant mana vacuums that draw in the surrounding ambient magical energy or is it more of a biological thing?

Edit: Gaaaaaaaash dan it BC. I'm trying to go for non-hostile learning here.

The War of the Three

@KoL

You say that but when I look at that many numbers gathered in one place my eyes just kind of slide off.

My question with the rose field had more to do with why it grows faster the bigger it gets. The DnD spell has a set radius of destruction so it's not particularly helpful in that regard.

Sorry if this is annoying you. I'm trying to puzzle through the mechanics of the move not find problems with it.

The War of the Three

Agh numbers. So many numbers.

But thank you for going to all this trouble to explain the move.

@KoL

The War of the Three

Vague sense of disapproval.

The War of the Three

@KoL@The 42nd Gecko@Banana@Lmpkio@Lucius Cypher

Saef Harken
Catacombs-Angel Area

Shields flashed into being as bees swarmed into them. The high intensity bursts of photons, electromagnetic energy and magic frying insects as they got too close. Unfortunately for the soldiers this was also draining their first layer of defense. High intensity lasers sliced out through the swarms, hardlight blades sliced and open hands swept at superhuman speeds. Unfortunately none of those weapons had been intended to fight swarms of tiny enemies.

The bees weren't doing any harm aside from draining the shields and even if the energy buffers were completely depleted there was no way for the swarms to get through the Falias designed armor. The pests would be dealt with eventually, it would just take longer than anyone wanted. They worked as wonderful distractions though. The front ranks of the ice golems were able to move in quite close before automated proximity alarms blared in helmets.

The augmented solders did their best to ignore the buzzing annoyances and turned towards the real threats. The small Goblins were fast but so were the men they were facing. Holy blades of unnatural sharpness sliced out at Demonic ice. Any that got past the first few were met by a hail of blessed laser fire, each bolt of which could melt through a solid foot of high carbon steel.

Saef meanwhile was directing the rest of his men to converge on the attackers from multiple directions. The new troops appearing from the surrounding tunnels and taking the Mages and Warriors from rear and side passages. IF/F beacons and careful positioning preventing any friendly fire.

Ice now covered the floor of the tunnels a short distance around the portal. A few men slipped, others decided to hover just off the ground with their jetpacks. Most simply stomped firmly through the thin layer of frozen water and continued on with solid footing. Holy light suddenly shot through the earthen walls. The paladins locked in combat were abruptly fighting just a little bit better and the bees were somewhat less annoying.

That's when the Captain himself arrived on the scene. He had been moving while giving orders to his men and now stood with some of the troops in a side passage. Thaumaturge eyes ran over the Vampiric portal. His rather unique mind tracking the twists and turns of the magical energy that made it up. Given enough time he was sure he could close it. He did have prior experience at such feats after all.

But right now there was a Demonic figure standing before it. One that looked much different from the others. Perhaps the commander of this small force. Saef pointed his scepter at Ghelgath and let loose a bolt of Divine energy. He opted for speed over power but seeing as the target was a Demon the strike would still hurt.