OoC:
The invasion is done by a cult named Yyndrad. They are mainly a human guild who specialise in dark and necromancer magics. The main goal of the order is to make humans immortal/ Gods/ strongest race etc.
They do torture, death, experiments on basicly any kind of creature. Some of the main information about them can be found here: http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=18306.new#new
There are a lot of human mages in this cult and they are also strong. So join in on the fun :)
Due to the possible contends of this thread though, it is ranged M for mature. Which basicly means 18+ only. Sorry about that. If you are a minor and like to join in anyway, there could always be a subthread of course ;)
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What started at an average day, quickly turned omtp something nobody could ever imagine. Dark cloads and thick fog made their way towards most of the coastline. Wind blew hard carrying a foul scent with it. One, of death and decay.
Disemboddied cries were heard in the clouds and hard to tell by the thick fog, ships came from beneath the water. These ships however were not made of wood but bone and sinew.
The cries from the sky were soon identified too; Undead dragons and other creatures made of bone, flesh and parts of other animals.
Some boneships launched catapults with flaming objects into the buildings while other ships headed to the docks. This was not just a normal attack. This, was an invasion of what seemed to be an army of undead. Until from the sky a few dragons descended carrying people who were very much alive. They descended and landed on the beach where the foul turned water now washed on.
''Time for a little carnage.'' A woman spoke with a smile on her lips. Do not kill everyone though. Nothing beats living test subjects.''
A young man beside her agreed. ''It is time that humans rule this world.''
A few more stood with them but it was the young man who got off the dragon first.
Today was the day they turned the sea and sky red with the blood of the worthless and the land would become black as the shadows of the superior and the cold bodies of the dead stood to reign. Cadogan was not one to become poetic, but when the day you've been waiting for for over three decades as finally come into fruition, you could not help but take a step back to admire... The beauty of such circumstances.
Only for a second however.
"You will not kill all!You may maim and torture, I do not care, I will perfect a way extract magic from limbs if I have to, but I have taught you to sense magic and that which are great in energy will be brought to me. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Master Abraxas!"
His subordinates scattered like leaves on the chilling wind that was howling through Serendipity. Cadogan didn't get flustered. The scowl on his lips and his furrowed brow were.. Of determination. He walked, writing furiously in a chart. He chanced a gaze at the dragons in the air, so big they darkened the skies with the shadow of their wings alone, "Those things will make a mess." he grimaced, going back to his work, his hand a blur.
"But I suppose when the Super Humans are still a work in progress, they'll have to do. The magic from here will serve as an awfully delicious recourse for the creations though." he murmured, still frowning. Even when the days you were so expectant of come, there is always still so much to do. Honestly, Cadogan had no idea what purpose he had here other than to find perfect subjects and observe the invasion. This was not a clean environment. Ugh. There was going to be blood... Everywhere
They had waited for this day for so long. Turning the sea and sky red with blood, making the day look as dark as the night....
She stood and waited while listening to the orders. Her hand seeking the silver dagger inside her cloak. She was ready to kill and torture for the orders, but the greatest danger from her was her knowledge of the forgotten Runes. When she cast a spell, strange things would happen.
Woe the souls who crossed her paths tonight....
Lower ranked members from the Order quickly spreaded. Some taking people captive, and others on a killing spree. Most had a selective eye regarding of people they could use for experiments.
Gradius despite being a high ranked member stepped forth as well. Using his magic to make those killed get on their feet and take on those who were armed. Some after all, fought back.
''Gradius. Raise the bones. We will seal off Coastal Serendipity from the rest. Flavia, Gradius will be vunerable as he casts this. Help me cover him.'' Anise spoke and ordered a few other squads to take care of those who opposed them.
One of the undead dragons had taken a medium sized fishers ship. Pulling it out of the water and raising it up to the sky. Only to make it rain blood and limbs later as it tore it apart.
The scent of magic hung in the air, bitter and sweet perfumes that Cadogan could practically taste on his tongue as the blood spilled on the ground. Illusion, light, earth, fire, ice. All flavors he could recognize, even more that he couldn't. He could savour it for only moment before his unnaturally wide, jovial grin melted into a disgusted snarl as blood showered down to the ground. The contamination. Disgusting. Once this worthless place was turned to shadow and ash, the whole continent would be next and Cadogan would gladly take the reigns of purifying from all things rotten. Blood, grime, worthless humans. A dream for Cadogan if he could dream. But he didn't... Because as today would show history, he and the whole of the Ynydrad Order made their work a reality.
Taking a syringe from his belt with "PY.R" written on a label around it in strong, thick black ink. He injected it into his arm in one slick movement. In his line of vision he could see the border of sorts, where Coastal Serendipity began to end. Lifting his hand and focusing on his point, he felt the alien feeling of the rush of magical power flow through his veins. Fire began to rise from the ground near that border, a line of pure dark flame that no human could power through, but the undead? Not a problem. He pulled his hand away, grinning, focusing on sustaining the energy. Perfection. The Army coming to the aid of these people would be easy pickings for whoever Anise would send to dispatch them, most likely Gradius.
Cadogan ran a hand through his air and breathed in the thick air of war. He watched the trash die, watched them get captured and tortured, watched them become terrified. A world in which physical pain exists. Cadogan thought it best not to even think about the torture such weakness was.
Flavia nodded briefly when Anise told her to help her cover Gradius while he cast his spell. She moved closer to Gradius, prepared to protect him at any cost.
In the flickering light of the flames raising from the ground, Sophie joined the ranks pillaging the city. Her job was to search for ancient runes and spells, things that could be used to help the order.
She made sure to not be seen by the humans as she made her way towards the dying and fallen enemies. her fingers working fast to find the things of worth to the order. Her lips curled in a smile as she found a forgotten treasure among the burning ruins. A tome written in a long forgotten language - a tome of hidden runes!
The book clutched to her chest, she quickly made her way back to her allies, taking her place among them and waiting for her next orders.
The Character (http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/smf/index.php?topic=19851.0)
From the peak of a nearby hill, an elderly man overlooked the nearby city through thick, round shades. The magic hung in the air as thick as the fog that had rolled in from the sea. His first clue that something was amiss was the sudden change of the sky from this area. Now, he could see that things were much worse than he had anticipated. He could almost feel the pain and suffering of the townspeople below. There was no question about it, he had to do what he could to help.
He started down the hillside at a brisk pace, cloak flowing in the noxious breeze as he did so. It was then that the vision of a giant monstrous cat appeared beside him. He had seen this apparition often, but never had it had such a fearful expression on its face. It was not often so afraid. It began speaking to the old man.
"WHAT are you DOING idiot?! Can you not feel it? All that dark energy? Why are you heading TOWARDS it?!"
The man did not break a step. The vision spoke with a worried tone that was uncharacteristic for it. This was unsettling for the man, who was also fearful of what forces lurked down in the city. Still, his pace went unaltered as he neared the besieged city.
"The people here need help." he solemnly responded to his own vision.
"WHAT?! Why would you risk our life for these... HUMANS?! They are like worms! Let them die! Their meager existences are not worth us DYING for!"
The elderly man was silent to the apparition's nagging. He knew that if he could save even a few people, it would be worth the risk. The monster eventually vanished, and he made it to the outskirts of the city. All around him were panicking people fleeing for their lives. The man navigated through the crowd, ignoring the pleas of a few townspeople for him to turn back.
As he entered the city, the man paused. Everything seemed... familiar. He remembered such sights from his distant memories. The familiar smell of smoke and blood was sickening. The thought that he used to be used to be the cause of such calamity was simply abhorrent. He continued on down the main street, seeing the desolation that had been wrought by some unknown enemy. It was then that the cat re-appeared, seen only by the old man. It seemed more calm now, looking around with a toothy grin on its face.
"Ahh... This takes me back! Why do you not smile? We used to RELISH in such carnage! Remember?"
The man ignored the beastly vision, eyes fixed directly ahead. It let out a sigh and vanished again. Ahead, three armed men in matching uniforms were harassing a group of frightened civilians. They pushed the group along, physically punishing any who strayed but a few feet away from the others.
"They are taking captives..." the man thought quietly.
He moved in on the group. One uniformed man turned to notice him.
"Look! Another one! What do you say about taking one more guys?"
The other two faced him now. The farthest man spoke with authority, obviously the leader amongst their tiny group.
"No good. That old timer wouldn't last a minute! Better take him down."
The first man agreed, and approached the elderly man, axe in hand. He gave a wide swing, targeting the area where the neck met the shoulder. In a flash of movement unbefitting his feeble appearance, the man raised his arm, stopping the axe as the handle made contact with his forearm. The three uniformed men could not believe what had happened.
"How rude. You really should treat your elders with some respect!"
The man with the axe was frozen in place, giving his intended target an opportunity, and... an opening. Another quick motion, and the old man's fist found the axe bearer's stomach with enough force to both disarm him and knock him to the ground. He was subdued, at least for a while. His attention turned to the two others, who were still trying to analyze what exactly had just happened. The man slowly moved in closer. The leader, snapping out of his stupor, raised his broadsword over his head and called out,
"I WAS going to let these ones live, but if you take one more step, I swear I'll slaughter them all!"
The hostages were absolutely terrified. Some cried, while others begged for their lives. The old man had no choice but to stop in his tracks.
"Fine, I will not move one more step." he said with his stern tone.
The leader was smirking, feeling he had one up on his adversary. His comrade, too, had a look of confidence. The old man crouched to the ground, and picked up a piece of rubble the size of his palm. His feet did not budge an inch.
"What are you DOING?!" the commander cried out as the man stood back up.
He knew perfectly well what the rubble was for, and he readied his sword, waiting to punish that action. Before he knew what had happened, the old man sent the rubble rocketing at him. With a loud CRACK, the rubble made impact with his forehead, knocking him unconscious (hopefully). The weight of the sword over his head assisted his fall backwards, and the leader landed flat on his back. One left...
That one in question decided it was better to make a "tactical retreat". He ran in the opposite direction, off to tell his superiors about this new fighter. The captives were filled with newfound hope. They cried tears of joy, offering the stranger thanks for his help.
"Go now! Quickly before more come."
Those were his only words he gave those he just saved from their unknown fate. They obeyed, and fled towards the exit. The old man showed no emotion, but inside, he was overjoyed that he could save anyone at all. The vision of the cat monster reappeared again.
"There! You did your good deed for the day! Now, GET OUT of here BEFORE something bad happens to us! I do not like the feeling of this place..."
"We are not finished yet. There may be more people in danger. I am scared too, but I must do what I can to help. It is only right..."
"I cannot STAND for this! If you get yourself killed doing something stupid, I DIE TOO!"
The man, after what seemed like a conversation with the foul-smelling air around him, waved off his vision, forcing it to vanish.
"And this world would be better for it..." he said with a sigh.
He continued on deeper into the besieged city, in the same direction as the one uniformed man had run. The old man left his comrades where they were. They were no longer a threat, and probably would not be until later.
Gradius together with Anise and Flavia headed towards the exit as well and Gradius started to create the bone wall. It was a timeconsuming spell but when it stood, it would provide a good defense. Coastal Serendipity was a rather easy place to attack. But they needed to be able to defend and fortify it. And while he focussed on doing this he would not be able to do anything else.
Most people were fleeing in panic. Or at the least attempting too. Those who remembered they could actually fight, were doing so.
The sandy beaches were coated in blood and entrails as hordes of undead moved through it killing everything in their path making their way into the various fishertowns at the shore. Homes were burning and several whom had just fallen in battle were reanimated and joined the ranks as various necromancers positioned themselves ordering the creatures to do their bidding.
Cries of pain and dying were one of the few noises that filled the air. There was laughing as well from the Order members whom had long been waiting for this day. The day the world would know and remember their existence. This, was a payback for their last eradication centuries ago and they would spare nothing. Well. In their kind of way. Many would die but those who were interesting would soon enjoy the hospitality of their ways.
--
In the middle of the streets was a girl no older then five crying for her mother whom she had lost in the chaos.
''Ahw how cute... it's so small. I always wanted a human pet.'' a young woman spoke with one half of her face carrying various tattoos and one eye was covered with a patch. ''Be careful sis you will need to feed it. Something you tend to forget.'' Another girl said who seemed to be the mirror image of the other girl.
Along with a few others they dragged the kid where the captives were.
As the elderly man moved deeper into the city, everything became worse. There was violence everywhere. All around, panicked people desperately scrambled for their lives. Some were making it, but most were being stopped and cut down by the undead.
"Necromancy... Who would attack such an innocent city such as this? and why?" the old man pondered aloud.
Now closer to the fray, he became the target of some of these aggressive undead. He defended himself, using only his brute force against the cursed creatures. He held back in his abilities, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself yet. At least he did not have to worry about leaving any alive, for they were not really alive anymore in the first place. Every attack the man made was meant to quickly put down his opponent, and he did so with great efficiency.
Ahead, there was a handful of fighters, doing their best to protect a small group of civilians from the undead onslaught.
"Bless their brave souls..." He thought.
He moved in, putting down any undead that got in his way. The defenders were brave, and possessed some skill with their respective weapons, but it was obvious that they would be doomed should they carry on like this for much longer. As the elderly man drew near, it almost seemed as if the undead engaging the group lost the will to fight. They lowered their weapons, allowing themselves to be slain easily by the armed men. In reality, this was the old man's doing. He inconspicuously halted their bloodied bodies using a profane power of his. Normally, the old man preferred to refrain from using this ability. However, he felt the situation warranted it.
He joined the fighters, impressing them with his skill in martial combat. Whenever a fighter lost his advantage, or whenever an undead warrior got to close to a civilian, he would use the power once again to stop the corpse in its tracks, allowing it to be killed immediately. He had to be careful. The last thing the man wanted was for one of these fighters to know of this ability he possessed. Soon there was a lull in the attack. The leader of the brave fighters rallied his men.
"You fight well, old man... Come now men! With this one's help, we can RETAKE our fair city!"
The rest raised their weapons and began to cheer, but the excitement was cut off by the words of their newfound ally.
"No. This city is lost... Now is your chance. Evacuate the people to safety!"
The leader wanted to protest, but a serious glare from the elderly man set him straight. Ordering his men away, the whole group moved for the exit. The man hoped they would successfully get everyone away from this mess. He could not follow to make sure however, for there were still more work to be done.
Remembering the hostages from before, the elderly man knew others must have been captured elsewhere in the city. If he could find other groups like that, he could liberate them. Scanning the carnage around him, he regretted not being able to save more than he already had.
"There is no use in dwelling on it. Those that are gone are gone... I must save those that yet live."
Among the sounds of raging fires, screaming and crying, and clanging of steel, the man was able to discern one distinct sound. It was faint and distant, but it took priority over everything else around him. It was: The crying of a little girl. That sound had always been his weakness. It sent the old man racing off towards it.
Cadogan gasped and choked, almost falling to the ground. His heart pounded against his ribcage and his eyes widened. That Magic.. Here?! Such strength. A mix of genuine terror and an almost exictable hunger raced through Cadogan's veins as he grinned, composing himself and running into the heart of the town. The screams and fallen blood for once, did not bother him, it was all muffled out as all he focused on was the magic.
He stopped, pressing his back against the wall of a half fallen building as he heart pumped faster. He was close. He could hear the sounds of battle and also.. The sounds of awe. Gasps, the clatter of falling weapons. Rifling through his syringes in a fluster, Cadogan beamed when he found the one labelled INV and without a second thought, stabbed it into himself. The golden tendrils seeped through his veins and slowly, he watched his skin fade, leaving his muscle struture.. Then that began to fade as he began to see his skeleton.. And then nothing at all. Invisibility. A very physical draining power for most.
Stepping out, Cadogan watched the scene in front of him. That old man? He wasn't all that surprised, just curious. He wasn't human, he could tell that much. So what was he? Cadogan had less time to ponder when the old man began to dash away. Cadogan followed him and when they were further away from any prying eyes, he blocked his path with the little fire magic he had left. Cadogan could smell a whiff of pyromancy, but without a taste of blood, he could only speculate, but he'd make it quick before he moved the flames.
"A curious specimen to see one who bears Necromancy actually caring about living things such as humans." Cadogan called out, his form unseen, but perhaps, the man could sense him vaguely..
The old man stopped in his tracks when the flames spread in front of him. This was not natural. Someone had done this with magic. If he wanted, the man could have easily removed the fire from his path. However, he left it how it was for now. There was a stronger presence here than the lackeys and mindless undead he had previously encountered. There was an opportunity here to gain some information about what was going on.
The man turned around to see that there was no one around. The old man's ability to sense magic, although very keen, was failing him. With all the dark energy lingering in the air, the hidden foe's magic was hard to pinpoint. Worse yet, the foe's magical energy was also dark in nature, allowing him to blend in even better. The man kept his composure, but stayed on his guard. A enemy was far more dangerous when they were hidden. It was then that the foe called out to him. With his advanced sense of hearing, the man was finally able to pinpoint the enemy. His eyes snapped to the location from which the voice originated, but he saw nothing. It was evident that this one was cloaking himself, perhaps with some invisibility magic. If this enemy was in fact invisible, that would only make things more difficult should they come to blows.
The seemingly elderly man spoke out in his usual stern and polite tone.
"So you caught that, then? I assume by what you say, that you are not human. It is rude to hide oneself while speaking to others. Why not come out, so we may talk face to face?"
Sweat dropped from Gradius' brow as he worked on raising the barrier of bones and those who fought back were not stupid; seeing someone being protected and not allowing anything or anyone close to the male sorcerer meant that whatever he was doing, was nothing good.
Already there were over a dozin of bodies around Gradius. Mercilessly killed by Anise who ripped their heart out with her hand which had turned into a claw.
Not to far away from Anise stood a little girl with long hair. Lose from the back but one elegant tale on each side.
She soon found herself being dragged off by a civilian. ''To the hideout let's go...'' a man spoke who had picked her up.
''Hideout?'' the girl asked. ''But I promised to wait there''
''If you wait you are going to be captured or die. What is your name little one.''
''My name?'' the girl asked. ''My name is Demonia.''
the sounds after that however was the man screaming in agony as Demonia used his blood to dye the alley red.
Quote from: Kalak on November 22, 2015, 05:55:28 PM
The old man stopped in his tracks when the flames spread in front of him. This was not natural. Someone had done this with magic. If he wanted, the man could have easily removed the fire from his path. However, he left it how it was for now. There was a stronger presence here than the lackeys and mindless undead he had previously encountered. There was an opportunity here to gain some information about what was going on.
The man turned around to see that there was no one around. The old man's ability to sense magic, although very keen, was failing him. With all the dark energy lingering in the air, the hidden foe's magic was hard to pinpoint. Worse yet, the foe's magical energy was also dark in nature, allowing him to blend in even better. The man kept his composure, but stayed on his guard. A enemy was far more dangerous when they were hidden. It was then that the foe called out to him. With his advanced sense of hearing, the man was finally able to pinpoint the enemy. His eyes snapped to the location from which the voice originated, but he saw nothing. It was evident that this one was cloaking himself, perhaps with some invisibility magic. If this enemy was in fact invisible, that would only make things more difficult should they come to blows.
The seemingly elderly man spoke out in his usual stern and polite tone.
"So you caught that, then? I assume by what you say, that you are not human. It is rude to hide oneself while speaking to others. Why not come out, so we may talk face to face?"
Cadogan arched his eyebrow as he lowered the flames very slightly, but get them moving in a circle very slowly around the hold man, increasing the heat radiating off the flames. Subtle, yet... Intimidating. Was he really not going to absorb these? He could easily, that fire magic was strong... As was the other scents that danced on Cagodan's tongue when he inhaled.
He paced around the old man, his pace slow and the soft soles of his shoes hardly making a sound not a scuff in the ground. His eyes flicked up and down the old man, analyzing, sizing up the opponent that the incompetents in the Order had severely underestimated. Ah.. Cloaking. A type of cloaking, he supposed. This was not his true form.. But unfortunately, Cadogan had not been prepared t have to take magic with him that nullified the affects of such a glamour and a strong one at that.
A low, chuckle came from Cadogan's throat as he grinned, back in his original position, "Rude? Not in war my good man, or whatever you may be. In war, tis simply a tactic. A precaution. I'll reveal myself when I feel ready, I do ask for your patience." Oh he had to have this. This magic.. New magic.. He would have salivated, but he was almost too excited for even something so undignified.
The invisible enemy was on the move, and the man once again lost his position. The flames, having moved in a ring around him, were becoming a genuine distraction. The enemy's chuckling gave away his position again, even through the crackling of the flames. The old man's gaze once again turned to face him.
"You know where he is. Do not stall... Use his own fire! KILL HIM!" buzzed the voice in his subconscious. Even under such stress, he kept his calm composure, easily resisting what little urge there was to strike.
There was no hiding from this enemy. He could obviously sense magic. He saw past the man's disguise, although how much he knew was unclear. It was safe to remove the distracting flames, for those powers were probably not a secret.
"Enough of this..." he muttered.
With a flick of the wrist, the flames around him died down to embers. The man focused on his adversary, discerning his position from his speech alone. He responded in his usual stern tone.
"Now, now... Proper etiquette is everything, even on the battlefield. We cannot behave like common animals simply because we are on conflicting sides. We should be civil about this, instead of sneaking about like a stalking beast."
The man stayed where he was, holding himself up in a confident, dignified manner. He looked into where he assumed his enemy's eyes were. He had to be cautious, for his enemy was rather strong. Now was a good time to try getting some answers. He continued:
"There is a heavy - and dark - magic in the air. I sense yours is also dark in nature, but it is not enough to do this. There are stronger forces in play here. Your master, I presume?"
Quote from: Kalak on November 27, 2015, 01:50:27 PM
The invisible enemy was on the move, and the man once again lost his position. The flames, having moved in a ring around him, were becoming a genuine distraction. The enemy's chuckling gave away his position again, even through the crackling of the flames. The old man's gaze once again turned to face him.
"You know where he is. Do not stall... Use his own fire! KILL HIM!" buzzed the voice in his subconscious. Even under such stress, he kept his calm composure, easily resisting what little urge there was to strike.
There was no hiding from this enemy. He could obviously sense magic. He saw past the man's disguise, although how much he knew was unclear. It was safe to remove the distracting flames, for those powers were probably not a secret.
"Enough of this..." he muttered.
With a flick of the wrist, the flames around him died down to embers. The man focused on his adversary, discerning his position from his speech alone. He responded in his usual stern tone.
"Now, now... Proper etiquette is everything, even on the battlefield. We cannot behave like common animals simply because we are on conflicting sides. We should be civil about this, instead of sneaking about like a stalking beast."
The man stayed where he was, holding himself up in a confident, dignified manner. He looked into where he assumed his enemy's eyes were. He had to be cautious, for his enemy was rather strong. Now was a good time to try getting some answers. He continued:
"There is a heavy - and dark - magic in the air. I sense yours is also dark in nature, but it is not enough to do this. There are stronger forces in play here. Your master, I presume?"
Cadogan grinned as he watched the flames disappear. There was strong magic behind those flames and he had reduced them to mere embers floating on the chilling breeze like it was nothing. If this was his pyro magic, how strong was the flavorless magic dancing on the tip of Cadogan's tongue, that excited and infuriated him because he had no idea what it could be.
Cadogan scoffed, "But beasts are all that humans are! Etiquette to me is a lie, albeit a very charming one, we created for ourselves to create another channel of superiority. Philosophy, love. That's why I do so relish in war. It leaves nothing but the base truth of humans remaining." His voice was low, snake-like as he saw the old man's eyes on him and his eye twitched. Being compared to a common beast by a beast? Laughable.
But the next comment really throw him. Scowling, left eye tight with irritation. Sighing, Cadogan exhaled and let the magic wash out of him at a much quicker rate. He would have an hour or so more time with it, but now, he had a minute.
"We are The Ynydrad. We have no Masters. We are the Masters of this world now, creating the strongest race that shall ever be seen. As you can see Death is no barrier, no obstacle.." Cadogan's image began to come back into reality, a grin on his lips, but his eyes as dark and cold as this day of bloodshed, "You'd be surprised what my magic would be enough to do."
"Ooh! Never mind!"
The vision was back. It stood beside the elderly man, the only one who could see or hear it. It seemed... excited...
"I LIKE this one! You know, if we did not have to COMPLETELY MURDER him, perhaps we could have been friends!"
It was a little disconcerting that the manifestation of everything that was bad about himself was siding so passionately with his own enemy.
"I am not killing him..." The man hushed under his breath, much to the cat monster's disgust.
"Don't be RIDICULOUS! I know you can see it. He will ATTACK us soon! Do NOT underestimate this one... Once that happens, its him or us. Remember that...
The elderly man ignored it again, listening to the last bit of what his adversary had to say. It let out a sigh, and disengaged. However, it failed to disappear like it normally did. This did not bode well.
The apparition of the monster cat represented the man's true nature, which he kept suppressed in his subconscious. The fact that it lingered so long meant that true nature was gaining strength somehow. Perhaps it was the devastation around him, or the heat of the fire, or the dark energy that hung in the air that allowed for this. This was the only thing that worried the man now. He had to keep that part of himself in control, lest he revert back into that... beast...
He allowed his opponent to speak his mind. By now, he had given nearly all the information that was necessary. At the same time, his veil of invisibility was slowly unraveling, revealing his whereabouts and appearance. By any means, he appeared human, but the magical signature he gave off suggested otherwise (much like the old man). He remained cautious, knowing that this enemy was far from using his full potential. There was no telling what this one was capable of. Still, the elderly man kept his composure, his voice only slightly increasing in intensity.
"It has already been established that neither of us are human, despite our appearances. If they are as beasts, why stoop to their level?"
The man's gaze grew more intense behind his thick shades. This was revealed by his thick eyebrows.
"Tell me, do you think yourself any better than they are? Hmm? Humanity can be violent and cruel at times, that much is true. However, it can also be beautiful. You, my good sir, seem to forget that there is as much good in the world as there is evil. So the ultimate goal is world domination, yes? You and your "race" accomplish this; What then? Is this what awaits La'ranna in that future? All this death? All this... destruction? That is worse than ANYTHING humans have done..."
"You make me sick..." said the monstrous specter.
His voice began to calm again. Never once did it lose any of its eloquence that the man prided himself in. The final piece of the puzzle needed to be put into place.
"The study of necromancy has always amused me... Mere mortals breaking one of nature's most sacred rules, as if children breaking the rule of a parent for the first time. Your... cult is it? ...seems to specialize in this craft. I must say that it is rare for necromancers to take live subjects, when such magic focuses primarily on the DEAD. Yet, your men take so many of the living. Indulge me: Do you plan on torturing them? Experimentation pehaps? Sacrificing them to some GOD of yours? Or is it that your cult is that desperate for members?"
Perhaps calling the loyalty his opponent's brethren into question was taking it a bit too far. The elderly man did not want to admit it, but the vision was right. This encounter was very likely to come to blows. Should that happen, it was better if the enemy was riled up. Time and experience have shown that enraged opponents were actually easier to beat than clear-headed ones. They did not think as clearly, and were quick to overexert themselves, leaving opportunity after opportunity to strike. With a foe this powerful, the man knew he would need any advantage he could get.
Quote from: Kalak on December 01, 2015, 07:38:37 PM
"Ooh! Never mind!"
The vision was back. It stood beside the elderly man, the only one who could see or hear it. It seemed... excited...
"I LIKE this one! You know, if we did not have to COMPLETELY MURDER him, perhaps we could have been friends!"
It was a little disconcerting that the manifestation of everything that was bad about himself was siding so passionately with his own enemy.
"I am not killing him..." The man hushed under his breath, much to the cat monster's disgust.
"Don't be RIDICULOUS! I know you can see it. He will ATTACK us soon! Do NOT underestimate this one... Once that happens, its him or us. Remember that...
The elderly man ignored it again, listening to the last bit of what his adversary had to say. It let out a sigh, and disengaged. However, it failed to disappear like it normally did. This did not bode well.
The apparition of the monster cat represented the man's true nature, which he kept suppressed in his subconscious. The fact that it lingered so long meant that true nature was gaining strength somehow. Perhaps it was the devastation around him, or the heat of the fire, or the dark energy that hung in the air that allowed for this. This was the only thing that worried the man now. He had to keep that part of himself in control, lest he revert back into that... beast...
He allowed his opponent to speak his mind. By now, he had given nearly all the information that was necessary. At the same time, his veil of invisibility was slowly unraveling, revealing his whereabouts and appearance. By any means, he appeared human, but the magical signature he gave off suggested otherwise (much like the old man). He remained cautious, knowing that this enemy was far from using his full potential. There was no telling what this one was capable of. Still, the elderly man kept his composure, his voice only slightly increasing in intensity.
"It has already been established that neither of us are human, despite our appearances. If they are as beasts, why stoop to their level?"
The man's gaze grew more intense behind his thick shades. This was revealed by his thick eyebrows.
"Tell me, do you think yourself any better than they are? Hmm? Humanity can be violent and cruel at times, that much is true. However, it can also be beautiful. You, my good sir, seem to forget that there is as much good in the world as there is evil. So the ultimate goal is world domination, yes? You and your "race" accomplish this; What then? Is this what awaits La'ranna in that future? All this death? All this... destruction? That is worse than ANYTHING humans have done..."
"You make me sick..." said the monstrous specter.
His voice began to calm again. Never once did it lose any of its eloquence that the man prided himself in. The final piece of the puzzle needed to be put into place.
"The study of necromancy has always amused me... Mere mortals breaking one of nature's most sacred rules, as if children breaking the rule of a parent for the first time. Your... cult is it? ...seems to specialize in this craft. I must say that it is rare for necromancers to take live subjects, when such magic focuses primarily on the DEAD. Yet, your men take so many of the living. Indulge me: Do you plan on torturing them? Experimentation pehaps? Sacrificing them to some GOD of yours? Or is it that your cult is that desperate for members?"
Perhaps calling the loyalty his opponent's brethren into question was taking it a bit too far. The elderly man did not want to admit it, but the vision was right. This encounter was very likely to come to blows. Should that happen, it was better if the enemy was riled up. Time and experience have shown that enraged opponents were actually easier to beat than clear-headed ones. They did not think as clearly, and were quick to overexert themselves, leaving opportunity after opportunity to strike. With a foe this powerful, the man knew he would need any advantage he could get.
Cadogan cocked his head, watching the man in intrigue. The magic was stronger now and he seemed.. Preoccupied. Now would certainly be the absolute best time to run to him, incapacitate him and take his fill of samples of his blood, but knew how to control his excitement. He then raised an eyebrow, a deep chuckle escaping him. He hated admitting it but... There was something about this creature that was very likable, "I do appreciate you recognizing that I am more than human."
As the man rambled, he slowly found his earlier opinion corroding away as his frown grew deeper. Beauty? Good? There was almost bile rising in his throat. If Cadogan had stronger magic on his own, he would have done something in a moment's notice to silence the old man, but alas, the pyromancy was fading and he couldn't afford to reveal the source of his powers. Cadogan did nothing to reveal the sliver of doubt that slipped into his mind. Perhaps a confrontation without having taken a higher dose of various magical energies had
not been the best idea.
Cadogan lifted up his head to omit a very rare sound for him. Laughter. The fact it was rare was evidenced by the fact it was so hoarse, like dry ice cracking. A very unsettling sound, as unsettling as the grin on his lips when he looked down " God? Desperate for members? You're making this day so much more fun!" Suddenly, his face fell and he snarled, "Destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin. We have to destroy to make this continent better. To create a better place! Soon all the death will be celebrated! Necromancy proves it is no thing to be afraid of! The sky and sea must be red today so that it never has to be red again! Soon all that inhabitants of this world will be what I less despise."
He ran his tongue over his teeth, regaining his composure. Without much magic, he'd have to take control of his situation with minimal physical combat. It was not his strong suit, but his opponent didn't know that..
@Ever This strange adversary's words began to aggravate the elderly man. It was nearly enough to enrage him. The enemy's magic was starting to wane, he could sense it. Deep down, he wanted nothing more than to take him down. However, he maintained his composure, knowing that his feelings of rage and anger were gaining strength from the darkness in the air. He had to leave this opponent before his monstrous self came to light.
"To bring back the dead does not make men better. That process takes away their minds. The mind of humans... that is what makes them so wonderful. That creativity, that logic, that ingenuity..."Now, the man's tone changed, showing his anger. The light of the fire reflected off his thick shades.
"You and your comrades... Do not fool yourselves in thinking you are doing good work! You seek only control! Through necromancy, you seek to eliminate the will of those that do not meet YOUR standards! A selfish quest, masked as a "glorious mission", no doubt, "to better the world". Yet, you have the sheer... AUDACITY... to think yourself better than humans? How dare you..."He composed himself again. After such an outburst, he was back to his calm, and collected tone. He began to move now, but not towards his enemy. The old man turned his shoulder on him, and started to walk at a slow and cautious pace.
"Do as you wish here, I cannot stop you. The city is already yours... Since you have not answered my question, I will just have to assume the captives are still being kept alive somewhere. I will find them, and I will free them."His back was now facing his enemy. His steps paused then. He spoke again, in a slightly altered version of his voice. It sounded more guttural, and beast-like.
"If you try to stop me a second time, I will be forced to strike you down..."He was unable to see his adversary, but his other senses were working overtime to detect any kind of movement or attack. As he took his first steps away, he remained cautious. Surely, this foe would not allow him to leave so easily...
((Sorry for the wait. Depression and holidays followed one another up. Hopefully everone still wants to go on ^^ ))
---
''Hello Sophie. I would safeguard those books before you join your friends. I do not recommend casting that star spell but you know enough of offensive magic.'' Jasorus said with a grin appearing out of nowhere beside her. ''Not to worry nobody else can see me or hear me. Any news regarding my brother love?''
---
Whatever spell Gradius cast, the ground was slightly shaking and blood started to slowly come out of his nose and eyes. His body trembled but he did not stop casting. He could not stop what he now had started. Anise was kept busy with those who managed to get close. Engaging in combat with them using her claws to tear out their hearts or breaking their necks if she could.
---
''No leave me alone!'' A man called whom had a child in his hands. Ending up at the location where Cadogan and the old man were. ''Sir you need to run these monsters come from everywhere...'' he called before looking behind him. He had been running from one of the Order's magisters.
''Run all you want. The moment the bone wall is up nobody will leave. Not even you and the nearly dead kid.'' the magister said with a devilish smirk on his lips summoning a black orb in his hands. ''Lovely day for a cleaning is it not Master Cadogan. ''Now what will I do... with you. I promised that those who stayed in the area would get to live. Can not break that promise. At the least I will get to practise with this.'' the orb divided in several small ones making their way to the man and child fast. Melting into his body the moment they touched.
''Now what will I explode first... oh I know.'' the magister spoke and snapped his fingers. Within the blink of an eye the shoulder of the man exploded in a mess of skin, blood and bone combined with a painful scream. It being the arm the man used to hold the child, the latter fell on the ground covered in blood and certainly in shock of fear.
Cadogan was no stranger to such frankly amusing anger and bitterness as well as the pitiful prowess that all beings seemed to think they conjured up for themselves by talking "impassioned" speech like the one this old creature had launched in too. But because of that, Cadogan found himself brought to boredom when he realized this close minded fool would never understand the Order's true purpose. He had started to think of ways to best do away with him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he would be useful to study...
As Cadogan finished his thoughts and the man finished what was presumably meant to be some sort of threat to him, a mortal scream rang out through the narrow street and Cadogan blinked. He turned his attention to the man and the child running, magister right on their heels. Even in the midst of this war, he let himself fall into a slight fantasy of pondering what it must feel like to know you are going to die and be powerless to it. A ghastly concept, truly, much like man itself.
Cadogan drifted back to the dark, burning, reality, almost good as fantasy for the Leader and this magister would behold the rare sight of one of his smiles, "Indeed. You seem to do well for yourself and the Order. I wish you well done." And Cadogan's praise? A moment most separate from reality as one would know it.
He watched in total apathy as the dark magic ripped the man's arm off, bar a wince and a twitch of his lips as the blood splattered around him and the child like a monsoon of rain. Then. It struck him. Hostages.. That man.. And now, although, reluctant to admit it.. There was advantageous backup. He fumbled through his syringes on his belt. Dark, dark, he had to have dark.. or..! Immediately taking a vial marked SHDW. for Shadow from his belt, he thrust it into his arm and pressed down, grinning madly in excitement.
Raising his hand, the young boy's shadow became animated. swirling around his body and clutching his throat. Lodudly and but of course, a little proudly, he declared, "We may have to take this one back to the rest and kill him in front of them! I'm worried that a wall of pure bone will not be enough to spoil morale!" He laughed manically, trying to stifle it down to nothing but a chuckle. He looked to the magister and snarled very quietly, yet intently, "When that old man bounds back, detain him. I want him alive."
Not better than human, eh? As he hoped that creature would turn his sorry back, he licked his lips and tightened the shadow's grip on the young boy's chest and throat, causing him to cry out in pain. He was taunting him. Come prove me wrong.
"Bone wall? An old spell... but powerful." thought the elderly man in his subconscious. He felt the ground shaking, most likely from the spell being cast. Such a wall will make exiting much more difficult. He either needed to stop it, or get out before it was raised.
A new development caught the man's attention. He could do naught but watch in horror as dark magic tore apart the human. The whole thing happened way too quickly for him to do anything about it, yet he blamed himself for letting such a gruesome attack be carried out. Now, there was a second mage to worry about, and a somewhat powerful one at that. The elderly man knew he had to be more careful here. The main adversary had the surviving child literally by the throat, using him as bait to get the man riled up. He decided that the dismembered human was not going to survive this, but the child still could. Though blood-soaked and terrified, he was more or less unscathed.
"No. NO! Don't tell me you are going to FALL for such an obvious TRAP!" the beastly cat vision protested. It was more concerned now, and rightfully so. Still, the old man could not ignore a child in pain.
"Cowardly... he muttered under his breath. "So be it!"
The elderly man rose an arm straight in the air above his head, commanding a dome of flames to swirl around the boy. It was a strong spell, and required quite a bit of magical energy, but it was necessary. Darkness was a hard element to beat, but there were a few tricks the wise caster had learned throughout his many years. His goal was to cut off his foe's line of sight to the child, a method that worked against most (but not all) magics. He also hoped that the light of the fire coming from all directions would eliminate any shadows within the dome. The last step was to target both enemies, hopefully taking them both out at once. One at a time, the old man pointed to each foe. As he did so, fireballs were shot from the walls of the domes, sailing towards their intended marks.
The boys screams and whimpers of fear and pain meant nothing to Cadogan bar the very effective lure they cast to the old being. Cadogan's manic smile had settled into a switch of the lips, for if he truly acted out his true excitement, the boy's ribs and windpipe would have already been crushed beyond any kind of repair. He could see him watching. Perfect. Perfect. There was no need to add pressure since the attention had been caught, but suddenly, as he tightened the shadowy coils around the boys legs and arms, Cadogan found something that did interest about the screams.
They were very amusing.
Grinning and almost growling as well as soon as the hot flames surrounded him and the boy, Cadogan though quickly, actually breaking a sweat as he ripped the shadows of himself and the boy and of surrounding objects as if from their very roots, having them manifest around him, but away from the fire. Now shadow's actually cast on the ground would be gone with the source of light, not manifested shadows were like any other kind of magic, that needed to be destroyed by another magical source. He did not care if the other magister was burned, he should be skilled enough to subdue the man at least.. And he cared very little if the boy suffered burns. So he extended his hand sharply upwards to fling the boy through fire and up into the air, even though, he had to admit, he could not see very well given the fire.
Jumping back, Cadogan grinned, hoping he'd provided a long enough time for a distraction. He wanted it.. He needed this new magic.
''Here is one who does not know that from the brightest light the darkest shadows are born. I do not manipulate shadow alone. I create it from light. Withdraw your magic or the second limb will go from that man and everyone else who has those orbs. I will tell you too that if I die they will all explode. I will give you to the count of five.'' the magister spoke as drew symbols in the air by taking the light, turning it into dark. Forming a protective shield.
''One... two... '' he started and got ready to snap his fingers again. ''Oh what the heck. Five.'' he snapped his fingers after looking at the bleeding man. For a moment the skin started to bubble and his whole body exploded spraying skin, blood, guts and bone everywhere.
The old man scowled as the second enemy impatiently took the liberty of further maiming the injured man. As much as he hated to admit it, there was nothing that could be done for him. His injuries were too great for the man to heal, even if they were not in the middle of an invasion. His concern was now with the young child.
As he expected, the twin fireballs failed to make contact against either target. If the elder truly wanted to defeat these two, he would need to use more complex attacks. Next, something happened he did not expect. The boy went flying into the air through the flames. The trenchcoat-clad enemy's shadow magic was stronger than he anticipated, being able to control it from the opposite side of a wall of flame. There was no doubt the boy suffered some burns going through the fire, and the man cursed his adversary for using his own fire against the one he tried to protect.
The now-emptied dome of fire dissipated, and the man ran to the spot best situated to catch the young boy. It was as pretty a distraction as he had seen, but one he had no choice but to fall for. He was expectant of an attack by one or both of his enemies, but worried that he may not be able to defend against a big enough one.
Beautiful. Exquiste. Even the sight of blood didn't at all bother Cadogan in this moment of excited ecstasy. In fact, he simply laughed as the man hollered in, what Cadogan could only dare to imagine was, unbearable pain.
Now this was the crucial moment. Even in a moment of such heightened.. Bliss, he knew he couldn't make the utterly stupid mistake of under estimating his opponent. Despite his appearance, this old creature was strong and Cadogan had to walk a very fine line of mental strain. I had done a good job of pressuring and manipulating him so far, but he had to regain some composure so that he didn't enjoy this all too much and do something that caused the creature lost his and showed his true strength. Now.. Was the time for words. Cadogan let the shadows swirl at shin length around the ground, almost like the faded silhouette of sharks. A back up measure. He raised his hand to still the actions of the brash magister.
"The boy can still live. Come with us and I will let you take the boy with you unharmed. And while you're there, who knows, you can still make an attempt to save them all. All hostages stay alive unless they oppose us so there's.. Well not nothing to fear, but it's a much better situation than the one you're in my friend." Cadogan's words were as slick and strong as the shadow magic that slithered around the man and the boy, his expression almost business like. They do live, he wasn't lying.. He just wasn't saying how long they'd actually live for. Even he didn't know. They'd live for however long it took for the Order's invasion to be considered a complete success.
"I can sense your magic old man and can't you see for yourself? Your magic isn't at all for protecting. If you care to prove me wrong.. Let yourself be taken to the hostages and keep them alive to your hearts content."
The child landed in the old man's arms just in time for him to hear the first enemy's proposal. The poor boy was unconscious, probably from pain or shock or both. There was one chance to save him, something he could not do for the man laying bleeding on the earth. The apparition appeared, positioning itself between both the old man and the enemy making the deal.
"DON'T. YOU. DARE!" it growled.
The elder looked it right in the face, but to his twin adversaries, he was looking at his deal maker. He knew he was being manipulated, and should they take him, there were bad things in store. At this point, he had saved so many that would not have survived on their own. If this one could live, it would be enough.
"I will go with you... but the boy goes free. He leaves this city unharmed, right here, right now."
''I suppose one kid more or less will not make to much difference.'' the magister said with a shrug. ''I do recommend not to make to much of a scene. Most are far from as patient as we are. Would be a shame if you miss a limb or two. One of the mages can escort him out.''
Whatever cold, black organ possibly resembling what Cadogan had left of a heart was pounding out of pure excitement, pure awe at his own genius. Hubris? Not at all. Not when you are in the right and consequently achieve perfection.
He frowned only slightly, the old man's was looking through him. Cadogan was very good at telling such seemingly unimportant things about all creatures. Like understanding the science behind magic to know how to manipulate it, one too had to understand even the most basic psychology that showed itself through the little twitches, ticks and tocks of a human body in order to manipulate it. The magic Cadogan craved, he could sense it in the air... What was he? Perhaps, much like Cadogan himself, he owed his magic to more than just an internal source? No matter now, the plan had worked.
Cadogan straightened himself up and began to walk away, but not before gently biting orders to the Magister, "I have work to take care of. Take that old man and call the mages for that..." His nose scrunched and he didn't even glance at the direction of the collapsed boy, "Take the necessary precautions with him and keep. Him. Alive." Cadogan stressed each last word like they were oath and with a smirk flashed towards the old man, he continued on his way.
"If he's dead, you won't be far behind."
Cadogan called back simply, running a casual hand through his hair, not betraying his triumphant thoughts. Even if he scoured the whole soon-to-be-ruined city, he was sure he wouldn't again come across such a magnificent find.
"I go with the boy." said the old man in a sharp stern tone. "At least unto the outskirts. I want to make sure he gets past this "Bone Wall" in one piece. Then I will go without incident."
The old man knew that this cult could not be trusted, and he showed it in his tone. If any of these mages were half as sadistic and cruel as the white-clad man, they would worsen his wounds without a second thought. He had to make sure personally that this innocent child was able to walk away from this whole mess.
"You will all survive as long as he is left alone."
Groaning at the old man's sharp tone taken away from his stroll of victory, Cadogan upset his rhythm n to turn around sharply, glaring at him and trying to compose himself so that the obvious sneer on his lips was a little less prominant.
"Fine, fine!" Cadogan snapped back, growling at the Magister, "Take them both and keep an eye on them. Your head if anything goes wrong. My task is complete."
Taken a deep breath, Cadogan turned, ignoring the old man's feeble warning. In the back of his mind, he wondered if allowing that condition had been for the best, but right now, his impatience was getting the better of him.
All he needed was the magic. All of it. Then they'd take the world. Then The Order would be unstoppable.
The man walked briskly with the child in his arms. It was not his intention to walk faster than his escort, but he was not going to be slowed down by any dawdling on their part. As he walked on, he did his best to wake the unconscious child. Although he was battered and no doubt traumatized, he would have to find the strength to walk on his own. The man would not be there to carry him once they reached the edge of the city. Beside him walked the bestial apparition.
"So that is your plan! HA! Get these mages to take you to the edge of the city, KILL them, and escape! You really had me going there, heh heh... I have to admit, it was a nice job using the kid as an excuse!"
The monster spoke nervously. It wanted the man to agree with his theory, to tell him that this was all a clever ruse to get away from the would-be captors. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
"We... I do not plan to escape here. Not yet..." he replied quietly.
This time, instead of its usual rage, the vision wore a sad expression. It slowly faded, until it was no longer visible. The elderly man was true to his word. He would not leave until he could ensure the survival of at least a fraction of the prisoners. In his arms, the boy began to open his eyes.
((OoC: A little note. Despite I have been wanting to post here I was basicly waiting a little on Morrigan. At the moment Morrigan is occupied with real life stuff and will not be able to post yet. Since she has a character who is a fellow order leader I've been wanting to wait. Hopefully everyone participating would like to resume when Morrigan is back. Sorry for the delay though. But real life simply does come first.))