A shadow began creeping over the eastern gate of Blade along with the morning sun. A towering figure created from ancient stone stood tall at the edge of the city, gazing down as the people who had seen it began to run. On its shoulder stood a man cloaked in deep purple holding a golden staff and a smirk on his face. "Rats... all of them..." The massive golem stepped forward tearing his hands into the wind barrier surrounding the city. The wind chipping at the stone but not enough before the golem broke through and stomped into the city, a stone foot crushing down a guardpost. Soldiers quickly surrounded the feet attempting to protect their homes but only to meet the same fate as the buildings... * * * Ethan D'oralid, a highly respected knight of Flaim stared into an unlit fireplace in his small apartment. He had been placerd under house arrest ever since he returned from his month long search for Kai, which was taken without Kashue's permission. He found it hard to imagine that only eight weeks ago they were best friends and everything was fine, long assignments of hunting undead and remaining Marmo resistence aside. He hated the fact that Kai was hurt, but he didn't regret falling in love with Celia. He got up to splash water on his face and cought his reflection in an old mirror on the wall. Heh, he got me good. he thought to himself while looking at the black eye he recieved from Kai. It was just then he heard a loud crash outside. He looked out the window to see the wind barrier gone, a monstrosity of rock entered the city and for a moment Ethan was paralized with awe. "How do we fight that? Looks like my house arrest just ended." No time for armor, Ethan simply grabed his sword and shield and headed towards the destruction. One would think that charging a golem alone would be suicide, but it was his duty to fight, as a knight he could nothing less. * * * As the assault on Blade began, a shadow fell over the city coming from the west, a dragon came into sight of the solders on the wall but it did not attack them, it went straight for the golem which was being charged by somebody at the time. Ariakan stopped several feet away from the man in robes and spoke in a loud voice. "Leave this city now or I shall show you why you should fear me..." He then came in and swiped at the golem with his claws, going to take an arm if he could. As if the first dragon wasn't surprise enough a second swooped overhead, following closely behind the first dragon. Blaze stopped and floated growling loudly down at the golem. Where did that golem come from...it's not natural. "Let's keep it tight and power struck until wecan figure out a solid tactic my friend." The claw chipped into the stone leaving a scratch as a trophy against the ancient monloth. The size of the golem even dwarfed that of the two dragons, looking like a man manhandling two lizards. The golem lifted its left arm and attempted to backhand the dark one but missing by feet, knocking the dragon from its course of flight by the wind created by the swing. "Lizards and rats..." Xion cackled. "Come come! Fight the earth!" * * * Zira, Parn and Deedlit rode at the head of the group along a rarely used coastal rode. They were at the edge of the Storm and Fire Desert, to far to see the chaos in Blade, but the elves could sense it. "Deed...what do you think? All I can feel is that it is a disturbance of Earth." Zira said. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon as if any moment the dunes would flatten and she could see miles to Blade. "We shouldn't take the horses into the city, lets leave them in somewhere down the road and continue on foot. We can retrieve them later. They are tired and I dont want to lose any." She stroked Thunder's neck affectionately. He seemed to have cooled down from the run. "One more time baby," she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, then spurred his ribs and slapped the reins. Thunder bolted ahead and the rest of the party followed. Deedlit shook her head. "No, we need a fast escape route, keep the horses. Alwyn? Could you do a healing spell to give them strength again?" Deedlit called to the priest behind her, unable to look in his eyes. Their new companion would have a horse to herself soon. Deedlit sighed a little. Did he have to tell us that? Down the road with Blade on the horizon, those with the best eyesight could make out two dragons fighting an earthen golem. Deedlit and Parn took the lead, two familiar heroes of Lodoss, leading new heroes would give people hope. The guards opened the North Gate without hesitation when the recognized Parn and Deedlit. Even if there were dark elves in the group, if they accompanied Deedlit and Parn, they must not be so bad after all... They galloped along at a furious pace until they came into view of the city. Berry's butt was sore, her belly was empty and she was generally in a cranky mood. Parn and Deedlit, leading the group, called them all to a steady trot as they neared the gates. Berry took the opportunity to fish through her bag and discovered a forgotten apple, bruised and somewhat wrinkled, but an apple none the less. The gates swung open as the heros lead the party through into the city at a dignified and uncompromising pace, leaving the guardsmen to gape at the spectacle of heros leading such a sinister looking entourage of dark elves with a half-elf in tow, sharing a saddle and munching on an apple while marvelling at the stonework of the city gates. She smiled and waved in passing. * * * King Kashue, Duke Spark, and the young mage Cecil rode out of Castle Akriod at the head of a large force of mounted elite Knights of Flaim, and towards the eastern gates of Blade. People ran into their shops and houses as the war trumpets sounded from the King's Knights. Quickly the troops of Knights reached the scene of battling between a towering figure created from ancient stone with a man cloaked in deep purple holding a golden staff standing on it's shoulder and two dragons in the air. "I summon thee spirits of Water and Air! Inflict thy might on these enemies of Flaim. Bring forth Storm and Lightning to strike these our enemies!" Cecil cried out to the elemental forces and aimed his golden serpent staff at the monsterous creature before him. Lightning crackled a thundering strike directly at the Stone behemoth and the purple cloaked figure on it's shoulder! Xion cackled further as the lightning ran its course over the golem. "Humans!" he laughed. "Know nothing... The Sky is meaningless before the Earth." With a wave of his staff a ripple of earth began from the foot of the golem and formed into a wave of spike screaming towards the King and the mage. Blaze swooped down at the volley of spikes raising and unleashed a blast of energy ripping a valley like hole in the ground that stopped the advance of the spikes. He began to charge his power for a devastating blast that might help them out. "Your highness, I am Blaze Redricks, decendant of the Dragon Kaiser. Spark, you know me already. RUN! I can provide you with cover. Spark, your former general, Altaris is already here and ready to help get you out of here." Blaze landed on the ground putting himself between the golem and the King, Spark and the knights. His eyes narrowed as his wings stretched out, fully open, they started to glow brightly and reflecting light into Xion's eyes. This would break Xion's concentration if he was doing so. The well of energy Blaze had be gathering was fully ready. Opening his mouth, he looked at Xion then jerked his head to let loose the energy at the Golem's torso. It flew free from Blaze and struck the Golem, the light was blinding, the dark clouds in the sky actually parted from the power and sun light gleamed down for the first time in days. "Thank you Great Dragon Blaze Redricks, decendant of the Dragon Kaiser, for your help! Yet, I King Kashue, and these my noble knights, will never retreat before the enemies of Fliam and it's captial city Blade!" All the knights drew out their swords, even as their King drew his. Cecil whirled his staff yet again! "Spirits of the Earth loyal to the ancient ones that once stode this land in power, I bind you to restore this ground!" And it was the earth itself, that closed the wound in the ground, that disrupted the spike wave sent by Xion. "You are not the only one to command the spirits of Earth, oh Evil Mage!" Cecil laughed as the storm also grew in strength rain and wind blowing the young mage's blond hair, even as the light appeared in the parted clouds skies above and refected in the dragon eyes below. Then King Kashue gave the signal and he with his knights rode around the dragon, attacking the huge elemental's legs. Ariakan buzzed above the soldiers attacking the golem, himself taking shots at the golem too. He shouted down ot the royal party. "I don't think any of you want to be caught in my flames, King Kashue, I am not an assassin I came here with Parn and Deedlit to help save your city! The Nightwing family will never be defeated!!!" He then dove into the golem releasing a huge swath of black fire at its torso, parts of the flame spilling down to where the solders were, but not touching them, an attack with perfect aim. He then shouted down. "I am Ariakan Nightwing, descendent of the great Skull Dragon Nighwing your highness, I will not let Lodoss or any city in it fall without a fight!" A young priest entered into the battle as he started to cast protection spells on Kashue and Spark, and all of the knights. "Thanks to you as well Ariakan Nightwing, descendent of the great Skull Dragon, for your aid to the City of Blade! Fear not the backlash from your flame breaths, Oh great dragons. Young Cecil has already cast wards of protection from the elements, on all these brave Knights of Flaim. We do not ride out to battle with an enemy mage, without protection spells from Our best mages. Young priest, turn your protections on the commmon people of Blade, for they truely need your assistance! My citizens lives are the most important of us all! "Oh great dragons, I ask you to help drive away this evil, with the least damage to Blade, and it's people! We regret the devestating loss of Roid and have no wish for such a fate to befall Flaim's great Capital." King Kashue, his enchanted blade moving like the lightning, added to those of the Knights was indeed doing incredible damage to the Earth golem's legs! Even now the young priest and Cecil the mage, used their protection spells in concert, to errect walls of force around the closest dwellings and shops! Smoke surrounded the golem after the beam struck. A crater had formed int eh massive creature's ches tbut it still stood. And slowly earth ran up its leg and molded back into the chest. Xion still stood on his shoulder triumphantly. Carefulyl he waved his staff in the air, commanding the earht with hsi thoughts. The stone houses began to shake and twist. They began turning into golems, stoen creatures takign the form of dragons and monsters. * * * Zira slowed Thunder to finally speak to her companion. "How are you doing back there?" Zira spoke hurried as she glanced at Berry behind her. She had almost forgotten Berry, even with her clinging to her waist. "Do you think you're up to this? If not, you can go back down the road. And if you're hungry I have some food in my pack." She pulled Thunder to the side and let the rest of the group pass. " Hm? I'm good. Wow. Big gates! Are they for keeping people out or keeping them in?" Berry threw the apple core and watched it bounce in the dust on the road. She had stopped infront of an inn, empty now, and she remember staying here just a few weeks ago. When she met Alni. The girl had become something like a daughter to her and she missed her. But this was for the best. She should be in the forests of Moss now with that other half-elf from the Mirror Forest. Hopefully safe. Zira was reminded of how she had drawn on Alni to help summon Phoenix to defend them and Blaze from the hordes of newly risen undead. Zira pulled her horse aside to a halt in front of a building and stared at it whistfully lost in memories. Berry wiped her fingers off on her sleeve and took in the first large city she'd ever been in. The buildings, the cobbled streets... they went on and on. Smells of urban living hung in the air: people, dust, manure, baking bread, sweat, smoke... all held inside by the walls. Berry sniffed and scrunched up her nose. The elf broke from her reverie, "Berry, have you used your shamanist powers much? Being half-elf, you may not be as powerful as full blooded elves, but you have the ability." "That stuff? Why would I ever want to do that? It's not a good idea to ask too many favors from them. They have their own things to do. Besides, there's always consequences and they aren't worth it." Berry tugged at her own ear and remebered Zira's other question. "Am I up to what?" she innocently asked. Berry looked Zira in the eyes with a soulful expression that told not of a silly little lost half-elf girl but of a hardened, solitary ranger... someone who's fought wolf packs and bears by herself... and lived. Winters, near-starvation, sickness and droughts had been the tools that cut the facets of the diamond hard resolve in her gaze. Seasons in the wilds had shown her more brutality than nearly any human soldier had seen in battle. Her gaze held the freedom of accepting one's own death, of having lived for decades in the face of a power so immense that the threat of being snuffed out like a candle was constant. What do these games of kings and dragons matter to a tree? a stone? a hungry bear? the wind? Her will was strong enough to survive nature. Her eyes held no fear of anything less. Berry scratched her ear and asked again, "Am I up to what?" The ride was long and hard. Moryssa continued past Zira and Berry, although she did slow down her horse. She could feel the earth being manipulated, and it hurt. Looking off into the distance she could see the fight between Ariakan and the golem. "It seems as if we're up against a very powerful foe. Yet it feels almost like Cray." The comment was directed at no one. Moryssa slowed her horse down to a trot and continued to watch the distant battle. "Is it irony or poetic justice, when the house you live in tramples you?" Toan looked at his twin sister quizzically. After a few moments he followed her line of site and realised what she was talking about. His eyes widened and all thoughts seemed to leave as he watched the distant slaughter. Looking at his sister, who was staring at the scene as if in a trance, his mouth dropped. "Oh gods." * * * Kitain/Solitaire flicked between various shattered streets around the city of Blade still trying to locate the magic user who had drawn him to this collapsing, malforming city. He heard a scream and looked up, two children, falling as there home tore loose and moulded shape. He closed his eyes against the fatigue he felt, and Dark Formed catching both, and setting them on the ground. The children shied away from his black cloaked form and turned to race up the street. Kitain saw the falling wooden spar, before they did. And was there a split second later to chop it in two. The halves fell away from the fleeing children. He ignored the sweat, and the stabbing pains from using his Dark Form too much, he had the horrid feeling he'd have to use it more as the city seemed to collapse around him. He considered. Children. Are they more important than finding that magic user? Why am I asking? He took off up the road, where the children had fled, occasionally being distracted by a road changing around him, into stone approximations of creatures long dead. * * * Ariakan continued his assault on the golem as he saw the buildings turn into the golems, he then shouted warnings down. "The buildings are now becoming his pawns, Alwyn watch your back!" He sent a flame at the golem about to attack Alwyn, destroying it. A fist came swooping down. The black dragon came too close the the largest of them all. The fist caught Ariakan square in the jaw, throwing his neck back and burying his knuckles into his chest and throwing the dragon back down into the ground through a golem then a house. Ariakan felt the blow land as he could not regain altitude, upon hitting the ground he felt pain explode throughout his body and when he stopped his could barely move, it felt like every bone in his body had broken although only several bones had been shattered. Alwyn saw this but had to focus his work on shielding the buildings. Parn looked over at Deedlit and then back to the scene as they all saw Ariakan fall out of the sky and land several feet away from where he was hit. "It would seem this foe is tougher than even he anticipated, but then I know he will live through this, he always seems to recover from the most grievous of wounds in good time." He then looked over to Deedlit for an answer to his statement almost as if he figured she had something to add. Berry scratched her ear and asked again, "Am I up to what?" Zira seemed to search for a word but lost it. Then the elf opened her mouth but before she could respond the city... A dragon fell from the sky with a deafening impact sending a wave of debris and dust flowing down the city alleys. Screams and the shattering of buildings began the true cacophony as the cobbles of the street began to flow with a rough grinding tone. Then the true creshendo erupted as the carved statues, the bricks of houses, even the stonework of the mighty gates trembled and rose into grotesque parodies of animals, demons, dragons... any and all sorts of twisted and mocking apparitions. Thunderous scraping, painful to hear, filled the air. Berry clutched her hands over her ears but let them drop back to her sides. Her face hardened into a scowl. The wilds, the mountian was offended. She let her russack fall to the dust and gripped her spear. A wave of stones ebbed and flowed beneath them and Zira's steed shrieked, trying not to fall into the now-fluid masonry. Berry dropped into a crouch, unphased and cold. Her eyes held an ancient forest and a proud wilderness. They were angry at such arrogence. Once, a certain hunting party found their way into the wilderness. They laughed and caroused and killed. They defiled because they thought to conquer the forest, to tame the wilds. They proclaimed the forest their own. Berry rewarded their hubris by hunting them down and cutting their throats. Gruesome work, but the duty of an avatar, even one as small as her. Cold eyes. Berry sprang off and disappeared into the sinister and writhing maze of city streets. Time to hunt. Berry's look caused a chill to go up Zira's spine. This was no girl, Zira had misjudged her. Slowly, a smile crept across her face. "Do what you must sister. Hopefully we'll meet later." Zira let the half-elf go her own way after being thrown from Thunder. Zira rode into the city toward the main golem, using Undine for protection. She should have never underestimated Berry, she wasn't another Alni. A split second's notice was all she had. Moryssa moved her horse just in time to avoid a huge rock that came flying towards her. While the ground began shaking and moving, Moryssa watched in horror as she saw a house consume its inhabitants and take the form of a bear. She looked to her left as Toan was unhorsed by another rock. Glancing towards the alley she saw Berry heading deep into the now living city. Foolish half-breed! You'll get yourself killed. Although the thought amused her, to be destroyed the forces of Chaos was the worst disoner. Cursing her conscience she road after her. Moryssa watched as Berry dodged, the stone and brick claws of a large tiger and smiled. So the girl's not as useless as I thought. Just then a large slab from the roof of what was now a frog fell above the half elf. "Spirits of the air, I ask that you yourselves as a rope around that naive fool. Bring her to me safely!" Moryssa watched as Berry was jerked back by a strong gale right before the slab of brick hit her. Unfortunately she wasn't prepared for the impact of her spell. The young merchant was slammed off of her horse and landed on the now moving ground. Pushing Berry, off of her she looked back to see Kiran and Toan riding to the rescue. However her relief was short lived. The road itself became a ginat cobra and it tossed Berry and Moryssa even further into the walking city. The pair slid, flew and rolled through the streets of Blade until they finally landed, bruised and exhausted, near the battle between Kashue and the golem. Toan's reflexes were fast enough to keep the rock from bashing his head in but not to dodge the rock. Landing on his already sore but, he rolled out the way of another earthen projectile. Remounting his horse, he noticed that both Moryssa and Berry were missing. Then he felt the tug of wind spirits and knew his sister was in trouble. Gesturing to Kiran, who nodded and followed, he rode into the alley. Right before he reached his sister, the rode she was lying on transformed into a giant cobra. Kiran and Toan gasped in horror as Moryssa and Berry, were moved out of sight. The cobra struck at the two men, who made a hasty retreat. They reached the others just as Deedlit was casting a spell, and they looked back at the alley as it was removed from their site by a wall of water. Deedlit had no time to respond to Parn's comment. As she opened her mouth, the city came to life. She used her rapier to swat the flying rocks. The group was soon surrounded by the animated buildings looking at remained of a nearby fountain, who's dragonic sculpture was now mashing it's teeth and snarling, and called out to the water. "Great undines, I ask that you grant us a barrier of water that will protect us as we enter the city to avenge your brethren." The water shot up in gysers and soon drew the very moisture from the air to create an unpenatrable barrier of water. Looking around she saw the disgruntled looks on Toan and Kiran's face. Noticing that Moryssa and Berry were missing, she frowned. Parn kept beside Deedlit as they pressed on into the city. He looked around and didn't see Alwyn either and he pointed that out to Deedlit. "It appears our healer is gone on ahead too, I guess he is going to meet his fate now, shouldn't someone go and assist Ariakan in recovering so he can fight again? He appears to still be down, this is not like him." * * * As Ariakan lay on the ground in pain from his wounds he lifted his head and looked to the sky. "From now on I shall abandon the ways of a warrior and devote my powers to that of sorcery, where my true focus should be... May the gods grant me this one boon and i shall be forever grateful..." After speaking that he became surrounded by a black sphere of chaos energy and it slowly became grey and turned into a neutral shadow of law and chaos combined. Alwyn saw this and focused on Ariakan, sending out a dazzling white beam that turned the shadow a lighter shade of grey and negated all but a little bit of the chaos energies, he then leaned on his staff as he was out of energy. The sphere vanished a few seconds later and Ariakan was there on the ground fully healed, but very frail looking and his pupils were diamonds. He pulled himself up on a staff of pure dragon bone with a blood red jewel and then looked around from under the hood of what used to be armor but now were light ash grey robes. He saw Deedlits water wall and covered himself in a crimson field which as it washed over him he was untouched, he then looked to them and smiled weakly. "Get me out of here, please, I have need to regather my strength." The largest golem stomped forward crushing through buildings as he ventured towards the city. A smirk spread across Xion's face as he came onto a pair of sorcerers working magic to save lives. The golem swept his fist down smashing it into the fist where the magician was standing, both men dodged to the side in time. However the older one did not see a second hand swooping down and tore him off the ground. "Infidel..." Xion growled softly. "An insect infesting Eden..." The fist began to tighten and sent a surge of pain through his body before he could work a spell. A satisfying snap entered into his ears as Alwyn's bones were crushed under the pressure. And a moment later he let his body drop. It was as Ariakan had seen, the young priests body fell to the ground and lay there, still and unmoving. This alerted Ariakan as he found Alwyn's horse and got into the saddle. Catching up to the others he looked at them and bowed his head. "Alwyn has met his fate, he is dead. I believe this battle is all but a hopeless fight." He rode on in the rear hanging onto the the staff that Shatterstar had become and his wings folded like a black cape. He seemed to mourn greatly for Alwyn's passing even though it had to happen. Zira saw from a distance Alwyn's death. She bit her lip and forced back emotion. Later she could grieve, though she couldn't help but ponder that knowing before hand would make the loss greater. With the help of undine, she retreated from the golems. There was nothing this small party could do, but she was drawn to the battle. She wheeled Thunder away from three new golems; a wolf, a boar, and a lion. Thunder took the bit in his mouth and headed down an alley, Zira didn't bother to try and control him, only crouched closer to his neck as they dodged a falling debris. The grey gelding surprised her however, she expected him to dodge the golems and run for saftey, but when he led her into battle, he didn't faulter. Thunder came out of the alley and nearly smashed into a bear golem, but he nimbly danced aside. Zira had drawn her sword, more out of habit than anything, and slashed at the earthen made beast. Her elven crafted blade rang against the brick and showered sparks. The strong steel had hacked a chunk out of the golem. Zira called upon undine again, weaving the spirits around her blade and driving them into her cuts. She rode off from a muddy clay mess moments latter and realized how wonderfully her horse had worked with her. She chuckled to herself and rubbed his neck as they rode. This one was something else. Ariakan rode behind them as he looked up at a golem that looked like a large dragon as he called upong the power of air and water and blasted it to muddy pieces with a blast of water which he scattered across the area, he seemed to be calling up twisters of water to attack the golems followed up by high winds, the loss of Alwyn giving him an iron resolve to fight harder, despite being severely weakened. After blasting a few golems he had to stop and let the others go on, he needed to rest, he was pushing himself too hard in his vengeance. Deedlit hung her head down as Alwyn's young life was snatched away from him. Although she knew it was going to happen, the elf was not ready for the loss. She followed Parn as he began riding out towards the village. She continued to hold up the shield, occasionally widening it so that it would smash the golems. * * * Fenix/Anubus stood, focusing his mind on the battle of Blade before teleporting there and confronting Xion himself. Anubus realized this was his chance to be free, he knew for a fact that Fenix was going to bind him back to the chamber as soon as this was over. So he asked in the ancient tongue, [Free me and I'll assist you.] Note: We had to restart the Blade battle due to the first one getting out of control while I was away. So, we deleted all the previous posts and started over. Fenix and Anubus were supposed to be split by Xion, but when Tom reposted this, Wolf didn't reply for Xion and Tom moved on with Anubus. Assume Xion split them. Fenix intended to fight Xion with the power he now had bound with the demon Anubus, but Anubus had other ideas. Anubus laughed as he was freed, he teleported Fenix's unconsious form before heading deeper into town. * * * Dashing through the streets was like trying to skip across a pond. Nothing was steady, it was all shifting and roiling into shapes, depressions, holes, animals... all trying to bring an end to whatever they encountered. Dodging as best as she could, Berry tried to make her way down the alleys but great stone beasts blocked her way. Dancing, leaping and twisting she managed to avoid their blows but didn't notice the falling slab until it's shadow fell over her and was about to come crushing down. A brutal wind tore Berry off her feet and threw her several yards away, crashing into Moryssa. It wasn't long before Anubus saw Moryssa yelling at Berry, who seemed to have a weird look on her face. Anubus chuckled as he launched foward, bringing the back of his sword to Berry's head and looking at Moryssa with lust. "Care for a fun time?" He chuckled as he advanced on her, grasping a handful of ivory hair and pulling her to him. Moryssa yelled as Anubus pulled her hair. She swung her fists wildly at Anubus, an indignant rage taking over. She finally managed to connect a punch and the stunned, Anubus let go of her. Moryssa grabbed Berry, who was just getting back on her feat and practically dragged her along. "Don't think I like you. But no woman should be left with a man like that." Looking back at Anubus she growled. Shoving Berry to the ground, Moryssa pulled out her rapier. "I don't know what your problem is Fenix, but I'll rectify it for you. I'll skin you myself." Even though she wasn't very good with a rapier, she attacked Anubus. "Don't you EVER touch me again!!!" Disoriented but alive, Berry began to make sense of the events but was lifted along with Moryssa along a wave of cobbles and was tumbled along the snaking streets until they were unceremoniously dumped near a plaza. Dizzy and bruised, Berry desperatly tried to regain her balance and stand up. She saw Moryssa nearby and was going to call out to her but... Boots in dust behinds her, a sharp blow to the back of her head, the metallic smell of blood in her nostrils... Berry fell forward. Her ears were ringing, her body felt like a ragdoll. Berry couldn't find anything stable to hold on to or stand on. She was lifted by her collar and rolled away. Berry heard the shrill scrap of steel sliding across steel as Moryssa drew her rapier and lept at the man. Berry closed her eyes but to no avail, the world was swimming. She could feel the knot on the back of her head swelling. Pebbles rained down like hail. She'd lost her spear along the alleyways but she still had her knife in her belt. Rolling onto her belly and creeping low on all fours, Berry crawled forward looking for an opening through the black spots in her vision. The ground swelled and heaved under her. She felt the apple she'd eaten earlier demand freedom. The ground, the buildings and the sky were all spinning and her meager breakfast came spilling back up just before Berry was launched into the air by a flagstone and came tumbling down into the man. Kiran stalked through the streets, trying to find a hint of where the girls were. Distantly, he registered Blaze's call, it didn't matter to him. Moryssa was missing. He heard Toan's footsteps behind him, somewhat reassuring in a far-off part of his mind. But he was focused on the road ahead. "Moryssa!" Moryssa'a rapier clashed against Anubus's sword with shower of sparks. Face to face, the two struggled to force the other's blade away. Anubus looked at Moryssa and winked. Startled, Moryssa jumped back from the man. And just in time it seemed for as soon as she moved Anubus was flattened by the half elven woman, Berry. Anubus pushed the woman off of him, rolling away before entering his fighting stance. "Well what do ya' know? Two beautiful woman for the price of one. Hehe, let's get to know each other better." Anubus began to dash towards Berry when he was intercepted by Moryssa. The elven merchant did her best to parry Anubus's sword but after several thrusts, she was disarmed. Grabbing her by her hair, he twisted Moryssa's arm back. "Aah! Get off of me! You're already a dead man for thi..aaah!" Anubus's grip tightened nearly making Moryssa pass out in pain. At that moment, the ground began to ripple and Anubus lost his footing. Using this chance, Moryssa, stumbled towards her rapier but was snatched back by Anubus. "Oooh, I like them fiesty!" Still struggling, Moryssa looked away from Berry, too proud to ask for help. Pulling back her head, Anubus kissed his captive. Even though it was muffled, Berry could hear her scream. Berry fell heavily against the armored man and the impact sent them both sprawling to the ground. He roughly shoved her off and sprang to his feet, seemingly laughing and boasting. Berry wasn't sure, her ears were ringing and she could only catch bits of what was said. Berry tried to stand but flinched back and staggered as the man started towards her. He was intercepted by an enraged Moryssa and they exchanged swordthrusts until Mory's slender weapon was sent in a shimmering arc that landed several meters away. The man perversly lunged at her and grabbed Moryssa's arm, pulling her to him. Berry's ears began to clear though her head was still throbbing from the blows. She managed to steady herself in a crouch in time to hear Moryssa's shrieks and the man grotesquely forcing his affections onto her. Berry looked over the compound. No one else around. Mory's sword was out of reach and her own little dagger was unlikely to do any good. Her hand found a brick leftover from that last wave of debris. The man broke from the kiss and laughed before obscenely licking his lips and staring into Moryssa's mortified face. With a leap, Berry brought the brick smashing down against the side of his knee with a sickening impact. Anubus let out a yelp of pain as there was a cracking noise and he fell to the ground clutching his knee. "You wretched elf!!!! "He screamed, but he screamed as he pushed himself back to his feet, though he was only standing on his good leg and pointed his hand at the pair. The man let out a cry and crumpled onto the ground, vile curses poured from his mouth towards Berry. Still crouched, Berry grabbed Moryssa by the wrist and tugged, desperatly hoping the dark elf would heed sense and just run instead of staying to fight on for the sake of her rock-hard pride. Ominously, the armored man rose back up to his feet and, hobbling, glared at the pair in a way that froze Berry where she was. In a black and evil tone he cried out "I've wasted enough time with this...prepare to die! Thy mortal coil shall be broken...let the worms feast on thy flesh!" then in gutteral and broken sounds, began to chant. Berry stared up at Moryssa with a pained expression that could only be translated as, 'Oh, crap. this is going to get complicated, isn't it?' Moryssa allowed Berry to move her. Her head was swimming. Then she felt the man use magic. She looked at Berry with an expression that answered her question. Thinking as quickly as possible she grabbed the half elf by the arm and began running the opposite way. "I don't know what he's about to do but we need to put some distance between us." It was clear Anubus couldn't run after them, though for anyone watching it was clear that while he casted magic his weight was shifted back on the leg until he was standing like he had. "Fools, there is no escape!" He called out after them, chanting the final remnents of his spell before it blasted out, several energy blasts came out, each arcing toward Mory and Berry, several of the blasts missed entirely, though two of them took out the ground Berry and Moryssa were running on sending them tripping foward, the energy beams came up and surrounded them, like a cage. Anubus simply walked up to it. "Don't think I'll let you off that easy. The things I'm going to do to both of you..." He gave an evil smile. "And your also you can take great joy that I'm going to lure your little friends to where I want them to go." He knew someone was approaching. "Ohh, that seems to be them now." Berry saw Moryssa heistate for a sliver of a moment and then the pair of them were running down the ruined streets, trying to get as far from the madman as possible. Lightening and fire flew out and shattered the ground before them, leaving blackened pockets scarring the path. A bolt reduced the ground under Berry's feet to ash and vapor and dropped her legs out from under her. Etheric, serpentine tendriles rose up around the rim of the shallow hole and caged Berry. The air smelled like cinders in a field right after a lightining strike: sharp, tingling and full of rage. Berry's hand neary reached out to clutch the writhing bars but thought better of it. She looked over and saw the the dark elf was faring no better. Anxiety spread across Berry's face as she fought the urge to hurl herself bodily against the prison. The man stood and gloated over them, taunting them to strike back, to dare anything. The half-elf hugged herself and struggled against a wave of panic in the face of the flickering bars. She'd never had anything like this happen to her before. Trapped in a cave during a thunderstorm is tight confinment but the way out is always there. She clenched her eyes against it and all thrust her fingers down, grinding them past the gravel and scorched mortor, seeking, reaching for soil. Frantically, she began to tear up the stones and throw away handfuls of sand needing to find black soil and escape the smell of burning air and city dust. Somewhere far away she heard the man laughing at her, cajoling, encouraging, teasing... Berry wasn't in a state to listen. She thought she heard Moryssa screaming or yelling. Berry realized it was her own voice that was howling and stopped. With glazed eyes, she saw her own bloodied fingers and the panic eased away. The wild half-elf sat back on her haunches, slumped over and shaking. Wide-eyed, she cast a mortified look to the dark elf scarcely an arms length away. "Moryssa!" Kiran was yelling as he scrambled around a corner, Toan following him. He was halted when he saw Mory and Berry caged in magic and their captor. "Fenix...?" Kiran asked, though it came out more as a growl. His scimitar was still held rigid and ready to use. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Anubus cocked his head slightly to the right, with a smirk he answered. "That should be obvious, even to a fool like you." He positioned himself behind the cage, taking the bars in hand and seemingly reveling in the pain they caused. "I'm kidnapping them...if you want them back, go to the fallen temple of Kardis in Marmo. If not, well, I'll think of something to do with them." He smirked as he, along with Berry and Moryssa, dissapeared. Berry saw Kiran and Toan turning the corner at a maddening pace. The man everyone was calling Fenix stepped up to the bars and drew them together to form a single cage. With the panic finally bleeding out of her eyes, Berry looked up at Moryssa, seeing the two of them wreathed in a circle of eldritch flames that flickered between silver and scarlet and nearly black. The men threw impotent curses and drew their blades, preparing to throw themselves into the most valiant and selfless sort of battle frenzy. The man, Fenix, scoffed and dismissed their impassioned curses. Stepping behind the cage, he clasped the flickering bars. Berry threw her head around, trying to follow what was happening when she saw the world outside evaporate. The last sight she caught was the anguished expressions of the two men before they faded and were replaced with... "Falaris curse you Fenix!" Kiran howled and slammed his blade into the wall next to him. The elven steel shattered the already weak bricks and sent a hail of dust and stones ontop of the dark elven men. Toan cursed loudly. Watching his sister, and Berry, being kidnapped by Fenix made him angry. I knew I shouldn't have trusted him! He'll pay for this. Toan gripped his sword ahrd enough for him to wince in pain. Looking at Kiran, who was obviously taking it as hard as he was, Toan pointed towards the way they came with his sword. "We need to find the others, then we can go to Marmo. No one kidnaps my sister and gets away with it." He turned to leave and notice Berry's spear laying on the street. Picking it up, he looked towards the spot wear the two women were held captive and growled. {Don't worry Ber..Mory. I'll save you.} Kiran and Toan rode after the group hard. The rain stung Kiran's eyes, but he barely acknowledged it. Nobody dares touch the woman I love. I will destroy him. I dont care what it takes. He will die. * * * Ariakan watched Berry and Moryssa as he then quietly headed back to Zira and the others. As he approached the battle he stopped and focused inward, he then moved in front of Xion as black bands of power swirled around him, he then fell over, appearing dead. After a few minutes a large black sphere engulfed the battle and from it a large black form shot into the sky and then came down in front of Xion. Ariakan's eyes blazed with fury as he reared his head back and then released a stream of black fire at the golems torso, flames licking all over it as it dispersed in a circular pattern upon impact. After a few minutes of the fire Ariakan stopped and then looked Xion in the eyes, the reptilian violet orbs sparkling mysteriously. He then spoke, "Fear me creature of chaos, for I shall be your doom. Heed my words for you know not what I know..." The golem raised a massive arm and physically threw the molten fire off his own chest to the ground. "Impossible lizard! We are IMMORTAL!!" The Golem began to resonate along with Xion's rage. The Earth followed and began to rumble with power. The golem's fingers and toes began to extend and sharpen into claws. With great strenth one of the claws came swooping towards Ariakan... "Your fate is sealed, your immortality fleeting... Fear me creature of chaos..." Ariakan replied with as he flew over the claw and then breathed more of the dark flames, this time at where the shoulder attaches to the arm that he attacked. A high pitched crackled ran through the air. The golem began to shift and melt, quickly it returned to its original form, a great pyramid dedicated to Djinn. Xion stood atop of the monolith with a golden staff waving in the air. The earth began to shake and tear up man's accomplishments. The earth's anger unleashed... Mud splattered and a little ragged, Zira was a sharp contrast to clean Deedlit who had been protected by a shield most of the battle. With rapiers drawn and shields of air protecting them, the two elves came into the battlefield to see Ariakan's attack. Zira couldn't hold back whooping when she heard the dragon's taunt. That gift of his is good for something. With a determined grin, she turned to Deedlit, "Come on, let's get started. Focus with all our strength with Undine on the golem's legs, we should turn it to mush, knock out it's support." Ariakan looked at Zira and the others as he landed and lowered his neck. "I'll take you all as far as outside the walls like this then we must use horses again. I will be watching you all from the sky on our way to Raiden." Parn seeing what was happening in the city and had to fight himself from returning there. He saw the city start to shake and crumble as he shouted back to Kashue. "I'm going back, I can't stand here and watch this!" He then took off towards Blade, hoping he could reach them in time. As the city shook violently Ariakan took to the sky alone, he was not going to risk sticking around any longer. He then headed away from the city, on the party's original path, landing just outside the walls before becoming himself again. Sitting on a rock he looked back to the crumbling city and lifted his eyes to the sky. "Must fate be so cruel to Lodoss, must fate work against all that her races have built..." His thoughts were on the now ruined Mirror Forest and how he failed to stop his uncle from destroying it. The Earth grit his teeth as he attempted to break free from its frozen prison. Several of the lesser golems used too much force and shattered under their own strength. Xion snarled softly and threw balls of fire all around the city in attempt to melt the earth back into its regular form. "What infidel did this!?" He howled loudly, shaking the foundation of the city below him. Ariakan already had gone to help with the evacuation of the city, he was helping Cecil to cover the civilians escape with a crimson shield of his own, the situation was getting better now, but they had to move fast as the spell would wear off soon. Blaze was still floating in the air, having gone strangely silent for most of the battle. His eyes were shut tight, as if he was searching for something. They snapped open, what he was searching for was found. "Light, Dark, Earth, Fire, Air, Water, head the calling of the innocent aid us in our time of need." The very land itself seemed to stur. With all the dark power it wasn't a very big sturring, but it was enough. Barriers that blocked easier excape routes from the frightened people seemed to move and other elemental forces seems to errect new barriers to protect the peoples' excape. Blaze shifted to his human form and landed, heading towards Zira. It was time to join the battle now that he'd secured a "Gathering" of elements to help. "It seems battle is inevitable. I must fight it seems." Ariakan returned to the battle and looked to Blaze, avoiding eye contact and then he turned his attention to Xion. "It was I who froze your army, you thought you had knocked me out of the battle, you just gave me the power to continue. Now face the wrath of true sorcery!" Ariakan then held his staff in front of him and started to cast a spell. "Lord of water and ice come to my call, make this foe suffer your wrath and fall to winters chill." All of the sudden a cone of ice shards and snow flew at Xion up on his golem and battered him with winters icy breath. Xion simply did not move before this attack and allowed shard of ice shoot into his left shoulder. Not a single drop of blood fell even as he pulled the object out of his flesh. "Idiot..." The magician smirked triumphantly as the remainder of the attack came onto himself and the giant just as ineffectively. Xion circled his staff above his head and thrust it forward as the sorcerer, a diamond spear forming from the giant's chest before it launched itself at the target... To Xion's surprise Ariakan moved out of the spears way with the greatest of ease, he looked back up to Xion and smirked. "This is not over, I will kill you..." He then made his way back to his horse where he had attached Alwyn's body to and got onto it, riding off to find the others. Blaze's nature wards were holding. It was protecting the people escaping from Blade. He sighed as he saw Ariakan heading back towards them. He smiled and drew both his swords from their sheaths, calling out to the others around. "I'll finish off the straggling enemy. Get to safety. You've all been fighting while I have not. It's time I earn my reputation as an Honorable Warrior." He took to the air and flew towards where Ariakan was coming from. He felt it stirring within him again. It hadn't changed...it was still the same feeling. But how to control it. It didn't really matter. He had to go, he had to fight. That was all that mattered at the moment. "Lizard..." Xion hissed under hsi breath. "Come! Come to your oblivion!!" The earth began to tear away from the ground and float towards Xion forming into dozens upon dozens of needles made from stone. Zira looked down at Blaze from Thunder's back. Her face was smudged with mud, but she was grinning. "Indeed," she replied. "This is what I live for!" she grinned even broader and spurred Thunder forward, leaving Blaze behind. "That doesn't look like a straggling enemy to me," Zira muttered looking up at Xion and his giant golem. She hesitated, uncertain if she should fight or flee. Fleeing was something she rarely did. Only when she was with someone who needed her protection. Nobody did now. She turned Thunder and rode down the road to Deedlit. She reined in the grey in front of Deedlit and spoke, "Are you ever one to run from a fight you know you can finish? Add your strength to mine and we can bring down this Xion." Zira dismounted as she waited for Deedlit's reply and threw Thunder's reins at Parn. "Take him out of here. I dont need him now." Parn looked to Zira and took the reins, he then headed out wordlessly, he knew this fight was lost, and the fact remained, discretion is the better part of valor. * * * Solitaire dodged another landslide of rubble, but a huge brick clipped his shoulder and smashed him to the earth, not being able to use his dark form was more limiting than he imagined. He felt so sluggish. He heaved himself up, even as his arm protested. Must've broken something. He saw something invitingly black ahaed of him through the dust, and he made a sprint for it, eyes blurring. He fell into the cool darkness, and skidded down the stairs into a basement pub. It was a...sense of...something that drew his eyes open again, and slowly, he turned his head to scan the room, far in the back there seemed to be someone, sitting at an eerily unbroken table, in fact the only table. "Excuse me." He pulled himself to his feet. "The city's not safe, you should leave." The woman calmly looked down at him, her black hair moving as if in a strong breeze. "I am Karla and I have awaited you for too long! The destruction of this city is almost complete. Are you willing to combat the Darkness that yet holds sway here? Or, shall you stand by as this city parrishes, and watch as this world falls into Chaos?" "A long time huh, you try getting here on foot." Kitain, the solitaire closed his eyes briefly and calmed himself. "I had a question to ask you, but I think it can wait, under the circumstances. Karla??...RRRight. Well I won't say I want this city destroyed, but I'm surprised you hadn't stepped in previously. What do you think the decision's already been made, the Shadow Troupe is going to fight." "I HAVE indeed stepped in previously, as you say it! And before this world ends, I will do so again, and again, as long as it takes." She said with a wistful faraway look on her face. "There are forces here now in Blade that can bring about it's true downfall, not the least of which are selfrightous would-be-heroes that have destroyed much of Blade already, combatting a mere elemental mage! What help can the Shadow Troupe offer the innocent citizens of Blade? If you have another question of me, ask it now. For I do not intent to stay here for very long." Karla added as she stood up, the wind flapping at her cloak and hair. Kitain's eyes narrowed. "Very little. Most of it's on Marmo at the moment. And I got here too late to make a difference. Besides, what do you care for innocents, the last I heard of you, you would have destroyed them all anyway. As for my question. You know my name, what do you intend to do with it?" Karla laughed. "You got here too late? You know nothing about the eons of time I've spent on Lodoss keeping a balance between the forces of Light and those of Darkness! But you shall learn of time's meaning!" Karla waved a hand at Kitain and he was held in place. "You dare to question me? About my regard for the innocents of this land? Karla has worked for the betterment of all the people of Lodoss, long before you were even a gleem in your father's eye! I know your name and with it I bind you in time! When next you awaken, Blade will be not but a ruin! I will be long gone, yet I shall leave a Ancient Shadow Blade behind in this earth for you Kitain, I only hope you learn to respect it's sharp edges, better then the trifling bit respect you've shown me!" Karla laughs as she touches Kitain's still shoulder. Her dark hair and cloak blow in the wind one more time before fading away. All that is left, is Kitain standing, trapped in her time spell, and a great black dark sword stuck in the soil by his feet. As time passes by. If not for the time spell, Kitain would have screamed. He was held in stasis even as the the roof fell and the stairs collapsed in he didn't know how long he had stood there, unmoving. That was stupid. Never ever bait a sorceress. But he knew that if the situation had replayed itself, he would have reacted the same way. As he stood, he remembered his friends and prayed they were succeeding, knowing he could not rally to them. And then...No, I am the Solitaire, I am. Why then do I chase Karla across half a continent, because I thought she was lonely, and she knows who I am. Gradually, he felt Karla's holding spell drain away, and he shifted his tired muscles. He looked at the black sword. A strange colour for a shadow blade. He turned to go up the stairs and felt a straining on his wrist. He looked back towards the sword. What I want to do next we meet Karla is commend you to nothingness. He trudged back and dragged the blade clear of the ground The whole weapon seemed to twist and writhe in his grasp, at one time being solid, and the next hardly there at all. What a terrible weapon this is. Then he addressed the sword. "Well then, if we're going to be working together, you'd best tell me your name. That way I'm not yelling, 'hey sword' all the time. We need to find the Lord Parn and the others or failing that, my Shadow Troupe on Marmo." Then he began the long struggle out of the ruin.