(Artistic license was used during editing.)
People trickle into the Annex as the time of the Binding Ceremony nears. The room is already full when Xenograg arrives with Teleperien, Amaltea, and Onyx -- the latter two talking quietly. Xenograg is wearing buff-leather armor under an engraved bronze breastplate, a gilded baldric suspending his sword and his dark blue Ostego cloak. Amaltea is wearing studded leather armor and a long dark cloak, her sword hanging at her hip. Teleperien is wearing mithril armor under gray traveling clothes. Alais coalesces from a shimmering column of silver and joins them. A sudden flash announces the arrival of Raven, dressed in black and wearing a red velvet cloak. Xenograg turns to look at the crowd.
"Thank you all for coming. May I have the last of the Baronial Rings, please?" Max makes his way to Xenograg and pulls the ring from around his neck. He grins as he hands it over.
"If it isn't returned, a certain fairy will kill me, bring me back and kill me again."
"Thank you, Max." Replies Xenograg as he takes the ring. Others are still making their way in to join the already gathered here. Among those present are Vinny, Michelle, Cassius, Karen. Other slip in during the ceremony: Deluthan, Darren and Panther. Slothie, perched in the rafters among the shadows of his old haunt, sits quietly above, watching and cradling a long club in his lap (in place of the usual pointy stick).
"Let us begin," Xenograg says to Alais and Teleperien. He then kisses his wife and whispers, "Watch my back, as always."
"Of course." Amaltea replies with a nod.
Xenograg walks over and into the centermost dueling ring. Alais nods without a word to Xeno, her robes whispering softly as she steps into the ring. Her moonsilver falchion at her hip but in her hands she holds an ebony staff with a jet black crystal. Teleperien moves forward slowly while loosening the blade in her scabbard.
Xenograg kneels down despite the discomfort and sets the Eighth Ring gently into the sand. He reaches into a pouch and takes out the remaining twelve rings, setting them into the sand in a circle pattern. He stands back up with a grunt and looks around the crowd once more. Xenograg notices the many apprehensive faces among those present. Then he turns his back on them to face Alais and Teleperien. Xenograg opens his stance, then extends an arm toward each of his companions. Teleperien extends her arms toward Alais and Xenograg. Alais rests the ebony staff against her shoulder and touches fingers with Teleperien and Xenograg, forming a triangle around the Baronial Rings.
"Now," whispers Xenograg. He takes a breath, then begins making a low vocal tone in a flat key. Teleperien follows suit and her musical voice joins in the flat tone. As the second tone is added, Alais adds a more alto harmony to the tone. The three points where the fingertips touch begin to glow softly. The glowing aura moves down all six arms to encompass their entire bodies. Meannwhile, Amaltea is explaining to Onyx what Xenograg and the others are doing. Teleperien opens her soul to the Ainur. The musical notes flood through the elven queen. Stillness envelops the trio as the glow expands around them.
Just then Shakira walks out of the shadows followed by Anubis.
The Binding Ceremony
Moderator: Xenograg
"What have we here?" Shakira stands with her hands on her hips and smirks as she spots the trio.
"This looks rather interesting. Reminds me of a group of teenaged girls playing at witchcraft, really." Is Anubis's reply.
"Xenograg trying to do magic? How amusing." Shakira quips.
This gets everybody's attention now.
Xenograg lets the magic flow, not leading the others anymore, combining their powers, complimenting each other. Concentrations of energy move from person to person, clockwise. The energy builds. The trio is oblivious to all around, but the ceremony is nowhere near completion. Shakira makes her way to Xenograg and company. Anubis kept pace evenly at Shakira's side, muscles tensed for action. A strange glint could be determined within kohl-lined eyes. Amaltea tears her attention from Onyx to notice Shakira and tenses.
"Xenograg, stop!" demands Shakira as she stops before the ring, knowing well what they are trying to do.
"Xenograg," calls Anubis, "You would be best to stop."
Xenograg senses the danger behind him but cannot think about it. Alais's only movement is the shifting of her gaze to the demoness. Teleperien is not even looking at Shakira as she is fully focused on the Valar, opening herself to be used as Their vessel. Amaltea steps between the trio and the pair, Tarillion drawn and ready.
"Stay back, Shakira, or I swear I'll use this. You know this sword too well," She says threateningly.
"I don't need to get close to it," Shakira smirks. Without a gesture a small army of cat demons shimmer through the walls, surrounding all the duelists present. Shakira smiles to Amaltea. "See? I brought my own friends."
Deluthan peers sidelong at the catdemons, still grinning, then slowly drops into a squat and rolls under a table. Amaltea reaches behind her to touch Xenograg.
"We have company." Xenograg only grunts in reply. Xenograg slowly lowers the volume of his tone, slowing down the revolving pulses of magic. Teleperien blinks as she feels the lessening of the magic. Xenograg drains the energy as quickly as possible. Then Xenograg stops his tone completely.
"Unlink!" Xenograg says to Alais and Teleperien. They break the link immediately. Amaltea narrows her eyes at the Overlady.
"Besides, I do hate getting my nails dirty." Shakira says mockingly and winks. Cassius makes his way to Karen's side, impassively noting the cat-demons.
"Wearing boots tonight?" He whispers to her.
"Aye... an' th' silver spurs." Karen curses under her breath and rises from behind the table.
"Good. Because I think the blood's going to be ankle-high on the floor," says Cassius with a chuckle. The cat demons rush in, some running on all fours as they pick their prey.
"Xeno, we have company!" Amaltea yells hoping to get his attention. Xenograg turns to face Amaltea and Shakira. Alais moves to cover Xenograg's back. Everybody reacts to the attack and draw their weapons to meet the incoming rush. Xenograg draws the Ostego blade and turns to his allies.
"Defend yourselves! Alais, pair with Amaltea! Tele, with me!"
"Attack!" Shakira yells at her army. "Destroy them all! I don't want a single one left standing!"
"This looks rather interesting. Reminds me of a group of teenaged girls playing at witchcraft, really." Is Anubis's reply.
"Xenograg trying to do magic? How amusing." Shakira quips.
This gets everybody's attention now.
Xenograg lets the magic flow, not leading the others anymore, combining their powers, complimenting each other. Concentrations of energy move from person to person, clockwise. The energy builds. The trio is oblivious to all around, but the ceremony is nowhere near completion. Shakira makes her way to Xenograg and company. Anubis kept pace evenly at Shakira's side, muscles tensed for action. A strange glint could be determined within kohl-lined eyes. Amaltea tears her attention from Onyx to notice Shakira and tenses.
"Xenograg, stop!" demands Shakira as she stops before the ring, knowing well what they are trying to do.
"Xenograg," calls Anubis, "You would be best to stop."
Xenograg senses the danger behind him but cannot think about it. Alais's only movement is the shifting of her gaze to the demoness. Teleperien is not even looking at Shakira as she is fully focused on the Valar, opening herself to be used as Their vessel. Amaltea steps between the trio and the pair, Tarillion drawn and ready.
"Stay back, Shakira, or I swear I'll use this. You know this sword too well," She says threateningly.
"I don't need to get close to it," Shakira smirks. Without a gesture a small army of cat demons shimmer through the walls, surrounding all the duelists present. Shakira smiles to Amaltea. "See? I brought my own friends."
Deluthan peers sidelong at the catdemons, still grinning, then slowly drops into a squat and rolls under a table. Amaltea reaches behind her to touch Xenograg.
"We have company." Xenograg only grunts in reply. Xenograg slowly lowers the volume of his tone, slowing down the revolving pulses of magic. Teleperien blinks as she feels the lessening of the magic. Xenograg drains the energy as quickly as possible. Then Xenograg stops his tone completely.
"Unlink!" Xenograg says to Alais and Teleperien. They break the link immediately. Amaltea narrows her eyes at the Overlady.
"Besides, I do hate getting my nails dirty." Shakira says mockingly and winks. Cassius makes his way to Karen's side, impassively noting the cat-demons.
"Wearing boots tonight?" He whispers to her.
"Aye... an' th' silver spurs." Karen curses under her breath and rises from behind the table.
"Good. Because I think the blood's going to be ankle-high on the floor," says Cassius with a chuckle. The cat demons rush in, some running on all fours as they pick their prey.
"Xeno, we have company!" Amaltea yells hoping to get his attention. Xenograg turns to face Amaltea and Shakira. Alais moves to cover Xenograg's back. Everybody reacts to the attack and draw their weapons to meet the incoming rush. Xenograg draws the Ostego blade and turns to his allies.
"Defend yourselves! Alais, pair with Amaltea! Tele, with me!"
"Attack!" Shakira yells at her army. "Destroy them all! I don't want a single one left standing!"
Michelle quickly pulls out her rapier to fight the nearest cat demon who charged at her. She ducks under the cut from the viscous claws of the catdemon, but does not recover quick enough and her shoulder is quickly cut deep. She grasps at her arm with her free hand and feels something come over her. Michelle's eyes glint with a sudden hunger that is no longer her own. Onyx rumbles a low growl, overrun with evil scents. She ducks and weaves through to a familiar face: Panther.
Panther springs away from the wall, letting loose a pair of throwing spikes to the back of the closest demon. His ears fall flat to his head as the spikes connect with their target, then he charges even as the spikes to its shoulder cause it to turn, bearing down and crashing his shoulder first into the beast. Both he and the demon tumble over a table, rolling away before it can grab him but taking a glancing slash to the leg. Panther lands in a crouch, his gaze flitting past the demon and spotting Onyx. The distracting almost costing him his head as the demon swipes at him. The blow catches Panther's shoulder as he pivots, knocking him into another table. His eyes mere slits as he gains his feet again, ducking and weaving to keep out of reach of the demon. Panther trades a few blows with the demon he's fighting, managing to rake his claws across its face a few times.
Onyx leaps onto a cat demon's back, claws digging quick succinctly into its eyes. The demon backs her into a wall, again and again slamming her till her legs drop. Onyx screeches, her claws still in the demon's face for purchase, she opens her mouth wide on the demon's neck and bites, the flesh in her mouth is suddenly ripped out. Onyx's eyes are black spots, and feral. She licks the blood off her upper lip, which just serves to smear a little. Coughing she stumbles to all fours. Her muscles tremble then she springs into a leap, arcing towards the demon closest to her. But it's not Onyx who brings down the demon with mass and speed, in Onyx's place is a large feline, vaguely resembling a lioness, that lioness happens to look like something a demented magician thought up.
Alais shifts to side with Amal, the staff raised before her. Amaltea welcomes the first cat demon with her sword. The arrival of the cat demons draw forth an oath from Alais and a small knife. Alais slashes a quick cut to her non-sword hand, drawing seven drops of bright red blood that quickly form pointed stars, with a wave of her hand she sends the seven lethal stars at the cat demons. Four strike the demons, one dangerously close to Amal's back, before they explode after landing solidly. Amaltea is unaware of the danger as she swings her sword in an arc, managing to cut a cat demon's hand off, then quickly rolls out of the way of another.
"Tea, left! Now!" Alais warns as she drops the staff to her feet and the blade Morvinyon is unsheathed, swinging at the closest cat demon. Alais's blade slices into the cat demon, the ichor staining the silver blade. Amaltea hears Alais and quickly turns left. Just in time to injure another demon. But she only manages to anger it. Raven quickly looks around and sets her eyes upon one of the cat demons closest to her. Out of nowhere a flash of lightning comes down aiming for its head.
Anubis draws twin serrated daggers with a metallic hiss and brought them chest-level as, for now, he simply prepared to defend himself, Firestar glinting wildly. Vinny taps a button and a portal opens up, two dozen robots, decked somehow in tuxedos and armed to the teeth, steps out. He addresses them.
"Ok boys, password is Uraeus. Mission, kill these friggin' cat demons and keep human casualties down!" The head bot looks at Vinny and replies.
"Password and mission accepted. We obey." With that they rush head into the fray, doing their best to protect and serve.
Xenograg is rushed by a catdemon. Teleperien stands right behind him, watching his back, she swings at a demon as it pounces, beheading it. Xenograg, with a focus of will and a grunt, sends a catdemon reeling as if it had hit an invisible wall. He rushes up to the stunned monster and delivers a powerful overhead chop. He then steps back to link up with Teleperien, who stops yet another demon from attacking Xenograg's left side. She kicks it away as it hisses and falls back.
Karen throws a doorknob with swift accuracy at Anubis. Her bad timing rears its head in the form of a cat demon's skull, intercepting the projectile. The cat demon turns to face the source of the missile.
"Incoming!" Karen says quickly to Cassius, noting the approaching beast. Cassius violently kicks at the table in front of him and Karen, placing it on its rim. "Get down!" The cat demon rushes over to Karen with deadly intent. With the table overturned, Karen's bag of doorknobs is scattered on the floor. "Bloody 'ell...."
Cassius curses violently as he sees the cat-demon rushing forward. From behind the 'shield' of the oaken table, he grips the leather sling handle of the pilum, and sent it rifling through the air at whatever it may hit. Cassius leans forward from behind the safety of the study table, aiming his drawn gladius for the abdomen of a charging demon with fury. Karen springs over the table and leg sweeps the wounded demon.
"Finish it off, Roman!" Cassius springs over the top of the table in time with Karen, the gladius decapitating the wounded demon in one quick, strong slice. The severed head is picked up and hurled at another demon, Cassius surging forward just behind the tossed head. The demon's powerful arm lunge inward just as Imperator violently penetrates the space between the beast's ribcage, the claws ripping away a strip from his cuirass, leaving him vulnerable.
Another cat demon slashes viciously at Michelle. She tries to defend herself but has lost the use of her rapier arm to a violent cut. Michelle stands up, no longer noticing the pain in her arms, and turns around with the rapier in her left hand.
Panther springs away from the wall, letting loose a pair of throwing spikes to the back of the closest demon. His ears fall flat to his head as the spikes connect with their target, then he charges even as the spikes to its shoulder cause it to turn, bearing down and crashing his shoulder first into the beast. Both he and the demon tumble over a table, rolling away before it can grab him but taking a glancing slash to the leg. Panther lands in a crouch, his gaze flitting past the demon and spotting Onyx. The distracting almost costing him his head as the demon swipes at him. The blow catches Panther's shoulder as he pivots, knocking him into another table. His eyes mere slits as he gains his feet again, ducking and weaving to keep out of reach of the demon. Panther trades a few blows with the demon he's fighting, managing to rake his claws across its face a few times.
Onyx leaps onto a cat demon's back, claws digging quick succinctly into its eyes. The demon backs her into a wall, again and again slamming her till her legs drop. Onyx screeches, her claws still in the demon's face for purchase, she opens her mouth wide on the demon's neck and bites, the flesh in her mouth is suddenly ripped out. Onyx's eyes are black spots, and feral. She licks the blood off her upper lip, which just serves to smear a little. Coughing she stumbles to all fours. Her muscles tremble then she springs into a leap, arcing towards the demon closest to her. But it's not Onyx who brings down the demon with mass and speed, in Onyx's place is a large feline, vaguely resembling a lioness, that lioness happens to look like something a demented magician thought up.
Alais shifts to side with Amal, the staff raised before her. Amaltea welcomes the first cat demon with her sword. The arrival of the cat demons draw forth an oath from Alais and a small knife. Alais slashes a quick cut to her non-sword hand, drawing seven drops of bright red blood that quickly form pointed stars, with a wave of her hand she sends the seven lethal stars at the cat demons. Four strike the demons, one dangerously close to Amal's back, before they explode after landing solidly. Amaltea is unaware of the danger as she swings her sword in an arc, managing to cut a cat demon's hand off, then quickly rolls out of the way of another.
"Tea, left! Now!" Alais warns as she drops the staff to her feet and the blade Morvinyon is unsheathed, swinging at the closest cat demon. Alais's blade slices into the cat demon, the ichor staining the silver blade. Amaltea hears Alais and quickly turns left. Just in time to injure another demon. But she only manages to anger it. Raven quickly looks around and sets her eyes upon one of the cat demons closest to her. Out of nowhere a flash of lightning comes down aiming for its head.
Anubis draws twin serrated daggers with a metallic hiss and brought them chest-level as, for now, he simply prepared to defend himself, Firestar glinting wildly. Vinny taps a button and a portal opens up, two dozen robots, decked somehow in tuxedos and armed to the teeth, steps out. He addresses them.
"Ok boys, password is Uraeus. Mission, kill these friggin' cat demons and keep human casualties down!" The head bot looks at Vinny and replies.
"Password and mission accepted. We obey." With that they rush head into the fray, doing their best to protect and serve.
Xenograg is rushed by a catdemon. Teleperien stands right behind him, watching his back, she swings at a demon as it pounces, beheading it. Xenograg, with a focus of will and a grunt, sends a catdemon reeling as if it had hit an invisible wall. He rushes up to the stunned monster and delivers a powerful overhead chop. He then steps back to link up with Teleperien, who stops yet another demon from attacking Xenograg's left side. She kicks it away as it hisses and falls back.
Karen throws a doorknob with swift accuracy at Anubis. Her bad timing rears its head in the form of a cat demon's skull, intercepting the projectile. The cat demon turns to face the source of the missile.
"Incoming!" Karen says quickly to Cassius, noting the approaching beast. Cassius violently kicks at the table in front of him and Karen, placing it on its rim. "Get down!" The cat demon rushes over to Karen with deadly intent. With the table overturned, Karen's bag of doorknobs is scattered on the floor. "Bloody 'ell...."
Cassius curses violently as he sees the cat-demon rushing forward. From behind the 'shield' of the oaken table, he grips the leather sling handle of the pilum, and sent it rifling through the air at whatever it may hit. Cassius leans forward from behind the safety of the study table, aiming his drawn gladius for the abdomen of a charging demon with fury. Karen springs over the table and leg sweeps the wounded demon.
"Finish it off, Roman!" Cassius springs over the top of the table in time with Karen, the gladius decapitating the wounded demon in one quick, strong slice. The severed head is picked up and hurled at another demon, Cassius surging forward just behind the tossed head. The demon's powerful arm lunge inward just as Imperator violently penetrates the space between the beast's ribcage, the claws ripping away a strip from his cuirass, leaving him vulnerable.
Another cat demon slashes viciously at Michelle. She tries to defend herself but has lost the use of her rapier arm to a violent cut. Michelle stands up, no longer noticing the pain in her arms, and turns around with the rapier in her left hand.
Raven is still standing in one place as she launches various lightning strikes at the cat demons. She then quickly moves closer to Xenograg.
Deluthan drums his lips as he watches the legs of individuals around him from beneath the table. He rolls out from beneath the table, stilling a squatting position. Deluthan decisively unsheathes his bastard sword from his back side, looking well sharpened, as it should -- he'd spent the evening leading up to now working on it. He then begins to run around the room.
Xenograg parries claws with the Ostego blade. "Shakira, call off your pets!" He calls.
"Why? They need the work out." She replies with a shrug.
Darren breaks into a sprint towards Vince, aiming a heavy steel-laced glove at the man's abdomen. But Vince disappears before he can connect. Darren rushes the next person he saw, that being Panther.
Karen was charging for Panther and the unfamiliar man about to attack him, her hand pulling the halves of the pool cue from its slipcase at her side. She body-tackles Darren, taking him away from Panther. Darren lands with a grunt, letting loose at Karen with a flurry of the sap gloves.
Panther feels a couple of bodies brushing past behind him. Not being able to take the time to look and see what happened, he drops and rolls under the next blow by the demon he's fighting. Panther is on his back as the demon turns, giving a fierce double kick to the front of the demon's knees, his ears twitch a bit as the cracking of bones is heard. As the demon falls, Panther gives it another hard kick to the stomach, the claws on his foot shredding into the 'flesh' of the beast, its own weight pushing his foot deeper as it falls on him. Another foot to the beast's chest pushes the limp, hulking form off him.
Onyx's paws--the size of dinner plates--pound down through gore, a flash of demon leg and saber-like teeth are in it. Her teeth crunch on bone. She roars as demon claws scrabble and dig under shoulder muscle. Again her teeth are wrenched out as she's lifted bodily by the hellish strength of the cat demon. Onyx crash lands on her side, legs kicking, the lioness beast charges again, using weight and speed. Back claws eviscerate with a few kicks.
Vinny appears off in a corner. "Bots! Form up on me, semi-circle, arms at the ready!" He calls to his robots. Just then, Michelle hurries at Vince before the bots get there and uses her rapier to strike at his leg. Vinny falls to his good leg, muttering a few curses. A force compels Michelle to use the rapier once again against Vince.
Vinny dodges the blow as best as he can, but still takes a good slice to his shoulder. He feels himself getting angry, both at the fact that he's been hit and his bots are not doing as expected. Michelle thrusts her rapier forward at Vince aiming for his mid-section. Vinny takes a deep breath as he feels the blade enter him, "Someone...anyone...a little help here...."
Michelle pulls her rapier out with a vicious laugh that no one would have expected from her. Suddenly, shots ring out from the rafters, as a catdemon intent on attacking Vince goes down in a spray of gore. She watches as the nearby catdemon was destroyed, then quickly hurries away from Vince, allowing him to suffer. Vinny's body shivers, as if suddenly cold.
Pslyder drops down from the rafters, heavy pistols in hand, "Howdy, kitties! 'Member me? Bring it on!" With that, he heads to help Vince. Vinny slowly gets back to his feet, breathing slowly. He looks at Psly as he comes over,
"I guess I should thank you for the save."
"Hey, no worries." Replies Pslyder as he keeps on taking potshots at the demons, the tracking software in his eyes keeping his shots true. Vinny taps Pslyder's shoulder and holds his hand up.
"Thanks." Then fires a stream of flame into his face.
Deluthan drums his lips as he watches the legs of individuals around him from beneath the table. He rolls out from beneath the table, stilling a squatting position. Deluthan decisively unsheathes his bastard sword from his back side, looking well sharpened, as it should -- he'd spent the evening leading up to now working on it. He then begins to run around the room.
Xenograg parries claws with the Ostego blade. "Shakira, call off your pets!" He calls.
"Why? They need the work out." She replies with a shrug.
Darren breaks into a sprint towards Vince, aiming a heavy steel-laced glove at the man's abdomen. But Vince disappears before he can connect. Darren rushes the next person he saw, that being Panther.
Karen was charging for Panther and the unfamiliar man about to attack him, her hand pulling the halves of the pool cue from its slipcase at her side. She body-tackles Darren, taking him away from Panther. Darren lands with a grunt, letting loose at Karen with a flurry of the sap gloves.
Panther feels a couple of bodies brushing past behind him. Not being able to take the time to look and see what happened, he drops and rolls under the next blow by the demon he's fighting. Panther is on his back as the demon turns, giving a fierce double kick to the front of the demon's knees, his ears twitch a bit as the cracking of bones is heard. As the demon falls, Panther gives it another hard kick to the stomach, the claws on his foot shredding into the 'flesh' of the beast, its own weight pushing his foot deeper as it falls on him. Another foot to the beast's chest pushes the limp, hulking form off him.
Onyx's paws--the size of dinner plates--pound down through gore, a flash of demon leg and saber-like teeth are in it. Her teeth crunch on bone. She roars as demon claws scrabble and dig under shoulder muscle. Again her teeth are wrenched out as she's lifted bodily by the hellish strength of the cat demon. Onyx crash lands on her side, legs kicking, the lioness beast charges again, using weight and speed. Back claws eviscerate with a few kicks.
Vinny appears off in a corner. "Bots! Form up on me, semi-circle, arms at the ready!" He calls to his robots. Just then, Michelle hurries at Vince before the bots get there and uses her rapier to strike at his leg. Vinny falls to his good leg, muttering a few curses. A force compels Michelle to use the rapier once again against Vince.
Vinny dodges the blow as best as he can, but still takes a good slice to his shoulder. He feels himself getting angry, both at the fact that he's been hit and his bots are not doing as expected. Michelle thrusts her rapier forward at Vince aiming for his mid-section. Vinny takes a deep breath as he feels the blade enter him, "Someone...anyone...a little help here...."
Michelle pulls her rapier out with a vicious laugh that no one would have expected from her. Suddenly, shots ring out from the rafters, as a catdemon intent on attacking Vince goes down in a spray of gore. She watches as the nearby catdemon was destroyed, then quickly hurries away from Vince, allowing him to suffer. Vinny's body shivers, as if suddenly cold.
Pslyder drops down from the rafters, heavy pistols in hand, "Howdy, kitties! 'Member me? Bring it on!" With that, he heads to help Vince. Vinny slowly gets back to his feet, breathing slowly. He looks at Psly as he comes over,
"I guess I should thank you for the save."
"Hey, no worries." Replies Pslyder as he keeps on taking potshots at the demons, the tracking software in his eyes keeping his shots true. Vinny taps Pslyder's shoulder and holds his hand up.
"Thanks." Then fires a stream of flame into his face.
There's a slight scent of singed hair as Pslyder falls back, kicking out for Vince's knee. Reflexes suck sometimes. Vinny dodges with ease and looks down at him. Vinny freezes the air around Psly.
"You know, I've always wondered which was better, guns or magic. Guess we'll find out now." Pslyder uses MoonBeryl to shield from the icy assault, then expands the shell outward with explosive force.
"Ah believe in adaptation, chummer." With that, a grapple snakes from his arm to whip across Vince's face. A nice cut develops there, but he seems unfazed by it. Vinny takes a deep breath as he builds up some power. But Pslyder shoots him in the knee. Vinny drops to his good knee, charging the surround few meters with a magnetic pulse sending all metal away from him. Pslyder steps back from Vince, he holsters the now empty pistols and watches his katanas fly from their sheaths.
"Nice trick, chummer." Then Pslyder sucks the oxygen from around Vince's head with the power of his key. Vinny gasps for air, trying to focus on the iron in Psly's blood and send him flying.
Onyx prowls at thigh height of most of the crowd, with a mind running of instinct and senses, the flood of blood is too much. She's beginning to snap at whatever limb nears her mouth. She stalks, until Vince feels hot whoosh of breath on his neck. The beast pulls back, confused by lack of air, she roars loudly, and huge paws land on Vince's shoulders. Onyx bowls him over with the weight of animal muscle. Vinny would have let out a cry if he had any oxygen, but combined with the blow, is enough to knock him out.
Pslyder goes airborne, but regains control and arcs back around for another strike, before pulling up short seeing the new assailant. His katanas fly back to his hands as he attacks another demon. He grunts as a set of claws dig into his torso, his armor blocking most of the damage as he turns the cat demon into cutlets.
A stray sword swing drags across Onyx's left ear, the beast howls backing up, then swipes hard at a demon leg, knocking it off balance. A sickening crunch follows the beast's ripping of a demon's throat.
"Raven! Having...fun?" Xenograg calls out. Raven reaches down quickly and removes her dagger from her sheath. She looks towards Xenograg with a grin.
"Of course!" She starts stabbing cat demons with the dagger, still striking out with lightning every so often. Xenograg hacks the back leg off of a demon.
"Tele, finish that one for me?" Xenograg immediately lunges to gut another monster. Without a word, Teleperien neatly slices its head off. She then turns to slice another demon, her face growing angry. Amaltea sees another one coming for Xenograg and immediately jumps in its way. Alais jumps after Amal, keeping her back covered at all times. Alais grabs the staff from the sand raising it at the approach of another demon. The Annaran words coming out loudly and with a striking clarity as the life bolt hits home on the demon, the black flame radiating as though very hot. Amaltea turns right to face another one, leaving her left unprotected. With a soft oath, Alais leaps to cover Amal's unprotected left side, and is raked by one of the cat demon's claws. This gives the right target for a cat demon to strike Amaltea's face, sending her rolling. She lands a few feet away and remains still.
"You know, I've always wondered which was better, guns or magic. Guess we'll find out now." Pslyder uses MoonBeryl to shield from the icy assault, then expands the shell outward with explosive force.
"Ah believe in adaptation, chummer." With that, a grapple snakes from his arm to whip across Vince's face. A nice cut develops there, but he seems unfazed by it. Vinny takes a deep breath as he builds up some power. But Pslyder shoots him in the knee. Vinny drops to his good knee, charging the surround few meters with a magnetic pulse sending all metal away from him. Pslyder steps back from Vince, he holsters the now empty pistols and watches his katanas fly from their sheaths.
"Nice trick, chummer." Then Pslyder sucks the oxygen from around Vince's head with the power of his key. Vinny gasps for air, trying to focus on the iron in Psly's blood and send him flying.
Onyx prowls at thigh height of most of the crowd, with a mind running of instinct and senses, the flood of blood is too much. She's beginning to snap at whatever limb nears her mouth. She stalks, until Vince feels hot whoosh of breath on his neck. The beast pulls back, confused by lack of air, she roars loudly, and huge paws land on Vince's shoulders. Onyx bowls him over with the weight of animal muscle. Vinny would have let out a cry if he had any oxygen, but combined with the blow, is enough to knock him out.
Pslyder goes airborne, but regains control and arcs back around for another strike, before pulling up short seeing the new assailant. His katanas fly back to his hands as he attacks another demon. He grunts as a set of claws dig into his torso, his armor blocking most of the damage as he turns the cat demon into cutlets.
A stray sword swing drags across Onyx's left ear, the beast howls backing up, then swipes hard at a demon leg, knocking it off balance. A sickening crunch follows the beast's ripping of a demon's throat.
"Raven! Having...fun?" Xenograg calls out. Raven reaches down quickly and removes her dagger from her sheath. She looks towards Xenograg with a grin.
"Of course!" She starts stabbing cat demons with the dagger, still striking out with lightning every so often. Xenograg hacks the back leg off of a demon.
"Tele, finish that one for me?" Xenograg immediately lunges to gut another monster. Without a word, Teleperien neatly slices its head off. She then turns to slice another demon, her face growing angry. Amaltea sees another one coming for Xenograg and immediately jumps in its way. Alais jumps after Amal, keeping her back covered at all times. Alais grabs the staff from the sand raising it at the approach of another demon. The Annaran words coming out loudly and with a striking clarity as the life bolt hits home on the demon, the black flame radiating as though very hot. Amaltea turns right to face another one, leaving her left unprotected. With a soft oath, Alais leaps to cover Amal's unprotected left side, and is raked by one of the cat demon's claws. This gives the right target for a cat demon to strike Amaltea's face, sending her rolling. She lands a few feet away and remains still.
"Amal!" Screams Xenograg. Slothie's face goes immobile as his eyes take on a golden glow and the presence of something MUCH larger looms over him like a dark cloak. He stands slowly, the old beams groaning under him as if under a much greater weight and drops straight down from the shadows like a bolt from heaven, landing atop Amal's foe with a sickening squish. Slothie wipes his feet on the demon like a doormat. He lets the presence loom over him, 15 feet at the shoulder and hunched. He then shakes off the covering on the club, revealing a grizzly shellacked and severed arm, also glowing fiercely.
Nick runs in and stands at the door, sword drawn and ready to strike. He looks to his left and right, trying to pick a target, but there are so many. Recklessly he charges into the fray, spinning through the forms he had spent a lifetime learning. A cat demon sees him charge in and they meet head-on. With a swift parry he knocks away the incoming claw, then spins and slashes quickly across the mid-section. Having never fought a cat demon before, Nick finds it particularly frustrating as the demon keeps coming at him. Finally with a grunted effort, he manages to strike a lethal blow, decapitating the demon.
"Shakira!" calls Xenograg.
"Attack!" Is her only reply. In a cold fury, Xenograg extends his arm at three approaching catdemons. Lightning arcs from his shoulder, down his arm, and into all three. He sends bolt after bolt into them.
Blood runs down Alais's arm, staining the silver robes as she reaches once more for the falchion. She cuts a lethal arc to gut the next assailant as the greedy sand soaks up all the blood being spilt.
Shakira smiles as everybody is distracted and makes her way closer to the ring. Anubis slowly approaches with Shakira, eyes darting wildly from side to side as he prepared for any of the flying bodies to attack.
Slothie wades into the crowd of demons, swinging the arm and growling. He keeps a semicircle clear at Amaltea's back, crushing demons with every swing, his face still totally impassive but his eyes glowing. He lets Athlstan's Arm take the retribution it will. Slothie stands over Amaltea's body, using the holy relic to keep the cat demons off. The faint shadow of a giant sloth overshadows the swinging figure. Slothie swings the arm in a wide circle to keep the demons away from her body, standing with a foot on either side of her supine form.
Perhaps unaware of the new danger, the Roman rushes into a circle of cat demons. All training seems to have left him as he swings his sword like a madman.
Michelle notices Cassius's back towards her and charges in, the wraith inside of her forcing her to swing at his legs with the rapier. Cassius releases a deep, guttural howl as the rapier's sharp point runs across the area just above his boots. He collapses to both knees instantly. Michelle makes to thrust the rapier right into the center of his back, then a slash across Cassius's back grinning in pleasure. Cassius groans again, the armor did not protect that region.
Panther rolls back to his feet, eyes quickly darting about as he pulls one of his batons from under the back of his shirt. With a flick of the wrist he sends the baton flying towards Michelle.
"Wraiths!" Panther shouts out. "The wraiths are here, too."
"I see them!" replies Teleperien as her elven eyes pick out the shadows. Blades bounce off the hidden mithril armor, her grey eyes now glowing.
Panther makes a mental note of where the baton fell, turning for another quick look about, diving under a table as something comes crashing by. He comes up in a crouch on the other side of the table, a bit of blood seeping from a gash on his leg. Panther slips a couple of throwing spikes from his gauntlet and prowls forward almost on all fours. A sudden twitch of his tail, he rolls to the side, but not quickly enough as he's attacked from behind.
Michelle quickly goes after the rapier that was knocked from her grasp and picks it up. The baton hit her head as well making a place for a nice bruise to start, but no pain is noticed. Cassius instinctively turns and lunges at Michelle with a snarl, battle lust consuming him even as his skin takes on an unhealthy pallor. Michelle feels a weapon go through her side, turns around and quickly blocks off the next attack. She lunges in again at Cassius and comes down on his arm. Oddly enough, Cassius ignores the slash, despite the fact that it leaves another serious wound. Violently brushing the smaller girl aside with a hand, he moved towards Nick as if in a daze.
Nick runs in and stands at the door, sword drawn and ready to strike. He looks to his left and right, trying to pick a target, but there are so many. Recklessly he charges into the fray, spinning through the forms he had spent a lifetime learning. A cat demon sees him charge in and they meet head-on. With a swift parry he knocks away the incoming claw, then spins and slashes quickly across the mid-section. Having never fought a cat demon before, Nick finds it particularly frustrating as the demon keeps coming at him. Finally with a grunted effort, he manages to strike a lethal blow, decapitating the demon.
"Shakira!" calls Xenograg.
"Attack!" Is her only reply. In a cold fury, Xenograg extends his arm at three approaching catdemons. Lightning arcs from his shoulder, down his arm, and into all three. He sends bolt after bolt into them.
Blood runs down Alais's arm, staining the silver robes as she reaches once more for the falchion. She cuts a lethal arc to gut the next assailant as the greedy sand soaks up all the blood being spilt.
Shakira smiles as everybody is distracted and makes her way closer to the ring. Anubis slowly approaches with Shakira, eyes darting wildly from side to side as he prepared for any of the flying bodies to attack.
Slothie wades into the crowd of demons, swinging the arm and growling. He keeps a semicircle clear at Amaltea's back, crushing demons with every swing, his face still totally impassive but his eyes glowing. He lets Athlstan's Arm take the retribution it will. Slothie stands over Amaltea's body, using the holy relic to keep the cat demons off. The faint shadow of a giant sloth overshadows the swinging figure. Slothie swings the arm in a wide circle to keep the demons away from her body, standing with a foot on either side of her supine form.
Perhaps unaware of the new danger, the Roman rushes into a circle of cat demons. All training seems to have left him as he swings his sword like a madman.
Michelle notices Cassius's back towards her and charges in, the wraith inside of her forcing her to swing at his legs with the rapier. Cassius releases a deep, guttural howl as the rapier's sharp point runs across the area just above his boots. He collapses to both knees instantly. Michelle makes to thrust the rapier right into the center of his back, then a slash across Cassius's back grinning in pleasure. Cassius groans again, the armor did not protect that region.
Panther rolls back to his feet, eyes quickly darting about as he pulls one of his batons from under the back of his shirt. With a flick of the wrist he sends the baton flying towards Michelle.
"Wraiths!" Panther shouts out. "The wraiths are here, too."
"I see them!" replies Teleperien as her elven eyes pick out the shadows. Blades bounce off the hidden mithril armor, her grey eyes now glowing.
Panther makes a mental note of where the baton fell, turning for another quick look about, diving under a table as something comes crashing by. He comes up in a crouch on the other side of the table, a bit of blood seeping from a gash on his leg. Panther slips a couple of throwing spikes from his gauntlet and prowls forward almost on all fours. A sudden twitch of his tail, he rolls to the side, but not quickly enough as he's attacked from behind.
Michelle quickly goes after the rapier that was knocked from her grasp and picks it up. The baton hit her head as well making a place for a nice bruise to start, but no pain is noticed. Cassius instinctively turns and lunges at Michelle with a snarl, battle lust consuming him even as his skin takes on an unhealthy pallor. Michelle feels a weapon go through her side, turns around and quickly blocks off the next attack. She lunges in again at Cassius and comes down on his arm. Oddly enough, Cassius ignores the slash, despite the fact that it leaves another serious wound. Violently brushing the smaller girl aside with a hand, he moved towards Nick as if in a daze.
Deluthan circles the room, keeping an eye out for prey.
Nick furrows his brow as he looks once more for battle and does not have to look very hard. He feels the cold grip of death as the wraiths appear, he shivers as he is distracted.
"It can't ever be easy," Nick mutters to himself. Feeling movement to his left, he spins and strikes quickly at a cat demon slinking up on four legs. Seeing Deluthan run, he assumes that he is fighting on the good side.
As Deluthan runs, he closes the distance between him and Nick. He raises his blade over his head as if ready to slash, instead, he near-trips over the catdemon Nick struck, but continues running. Deluthan comes to an abrupt stop, and marches determinedly toward Nick.
Paying mind to little that is going on around him, Nick concentrates on dispatching more cat demons. He finds himself in danger more often than not, nearly getting swiped across his chest he cleanly takes off the claw that came after him. A demon suddenly jumps on him and he gets taken down. As they wrestle upon the floor, he tries desperately to keep himself from getting injured.
"Deluthan, get this thing off me!" Nick holds the claws at bay as he has lost his sword in the fall. He reaches down into his boot and he manages to grab his dagger and brings it up into the demon's gut, he twists the blade furiously.
"Why, so glad you asked." Deluthan whirls his blade up and sends it through the catdemon's back into its heart, assuming it has a heart. He removes the blade from the demon, whipping it to one side to remove much of the blood. As the demon is taken from both front and back, it heaves over onto the floor. Nick climbs up off the floor, he nods his thanks to Del.
"That makes four and I only have a few scratches to show for it..." Nick looks around for his sword, he spots it and reaches for it instantly.
"So, Nicholas. You like to be the hero?" Deluthan grins from ear-to-ear as he hears Nick.
"Damn scratches burn like hell, if only the ward was fully intact...." Nick says absently then turns to peer at Del, noting the tone of his voice.
"I'm no hero. I'm damn stupid for showing up tonight." Nick tilts his head as he watches Del, noting that something is not right.
"I'm the hero! This is my time!" Deluthan assumes an angry countenance and shouts, as if something Nick said had upset him, and all of a sudden he was raising his blade, and coming at Nick.
Nick furrows his brow as he looks once more for battle and does not have to look very hard. He feels the cold grip of death as the wraiths appear, he shivers as he is distracted.
"It can't ever be easy," Nick mutters to himself. Feeling movement to his left, he spins and strikes quickly at a cat demon slinking up on four legs. Seeing Deluthan run, he assumes that he is fighting on the good side.
As Deluthan runs, he closes the distance between him and Nick. He raises his blade over his head as if ready to slash, instead, he near-trips over the catdemon Nick struck, but continues running. Deluthan comes to an abrupt stop, and marches determinedly toward Nick.
Paying mind to little that is going on around him, Nick concentrates on dispatching more cat demons. He finds himself in danger more often than not, nearly getting swiped across his chest he cleanly takes off the claw that came after him. A demon suddenly jumps on him and he gets taken down. As they wrestle upon the floor, he tries desperately to keep himself from getting injured.
"Deluthan, get this thing off me!" Nick holds the claws at bay as he has lost his sword in the fall. He reaches down into his boot and he manages to grab his dagger and brings it up into the demon's gut, he twists the blade furiously.
"Why, so glad you asked." Deluthan whirls his blade up and sends it through the catdemon's back into its heart, assuming it has a heart. He removes the blade from the demon, whipping it to one side to remove much of the blood. As the demon is taken from both front and back, it heaves over onto the floor. Nick climbs up off the floor, he nods his thanks to Del.
"That makes four and I only have a few scratches to show for it..." Nick looks around for his sword, he spots it and reaches for it instantly.
"So, Nicholas. You like to be the hero?" Deluthan grins from ear-to-ear as he hears Nick.
"Damn scratches burn like hell, if only the ward was fully intact...." Nick says absently then turns to peer at Del, noting the tone of his voice.
"I'm no hero. I'm damn stupid for showing up tonight." Nick tilts his head as he watches Del, noting that something is not right.
"I'm the hero! This is my time!" Deluthan assumes an angry countenance and shouts, as if something Nick said had upset him, and all of a sudden he was raising his blade, and coming at Nick.
Karen's training with Billy Ray had paid off well... well, that and the thick leathers she wore. She concentrated on protecting her face while looking for an opening to knock Darren out. Darren flails madly at the woman, trying his best to push away. Karen does her best to keep him on the floor, she could tell he was not fighting like a professional and it would only be a matter of time.
"Go down... I don' want tae break anythin'." Karen muttered, of course, the sentiment was not returned and she was knocked aside by a powerful swing towards her temple, leaving her dazed. Darren sure as hell will try and avoid that particular one now, taking off as soon as he spots another target. Karen shakes her head to clear it and scowls to see him running off.
Darren comes up running from behind Panther once more, ducking down as soon as he caught up to the man. He keeps moving, diving after Panther to tackle him. A deep snarl comes from Panther's throat, a knee coming up even as he's rolled by the tackle. Darren grunts as he took a knee to the stomach, rolling past the cat-man. Panther does not recognize his attacker enough to know if he's possessed or an ally to Shakira. Darren scrambles back to his feet, he charged once more, swinging a sap gloved fist wildly. Panther shifts his weight, the wild punch clips his shoulder as he flicks out another of his batons, bringing it to the back of Darren's knees.
Cassius suddenly redirects his trajectory, rolling across the floor towards Panther. He finished the motion off with a swipe to the ankle with Imperator. Panther suddenly finds himself on his back as another attack takes his leg out. Darren's leg buckles momentarily, he attempts to return the attack by aiming the steel-laced glove for Panther's knee. The iron glove rakes flesh from Panther's calf, Cassius's attack having 'saved' him by dropping him almost out of the way. Cassius rises to his feet, a vacant look in his eyes as he held the gladius over Panther, poised to strike.
Onyx's fur is spattered with blood and gore, the eight open wounds on her shoulder weep blood, and her left ear was raggedly torn in two by a dull blade. She roars over the din, bounding towards Panther and ambushes Cassius from the back. Onyx's back claws dig in, holding 250 pounds of beast to the Roman. Cassius, taken completely by surprise, is sent careening against a nearby table and effectively pinned down. A large maw of sabre teeth, breath hot with blood, looms over Cassius.
Panther's eyes dart towards Onyx as she leaps at Cassius, letting him turn his full attention back to Darren. He does so by rolling to his other hip, bringing his left foot towards Darren's head with a sweeping kick. But Panther misses Darren as he steps between Cassius and Onyx, ready with a swing. Panther follows through the motion though, spinning back to his feet. Darren forgets about Panther for the moment and turns and takes another gloved swing at Onyx. She growls and snaps at Darren, the massive right paw lashes out at the one who might take her prey.
Cassius manages to use this time to roll away from the cat-beast, searching for his discarded sword.
Darren snorts, blood seeping from his clawed cheek. Onyx hunkers down over her prey, roaring. Cassius retrieves the blade, rolls to his feet and moves with purpose towards the main melee. Onyx's blood-spattered tail whips side to side, then chases off Cassius by the flash. Panther takes a brief moment to let his gaze dart about the room.
"Shakira!" Panther yells as he springs aside of a demon charging by him. He sends a throwing spike at her despite knowing it cannot physically hurt her, but hoping it cause distraction. The spike never reaches its mark.
"Go down... I don' want tae break anythin'." Karen muttered, of course, the sentiment was not returned and she was knocked aside by a powerful swing towards her temple, leaving her dazed. Darren sure as hell will try and avoid that particular one now, taking off as soon as he spots another target. Karen shakes her head to clear it and scowls to see him running off.
Darren comes up running from behind Panther once more, ducking down as soon as he caught up to the man. He keeps moving, diving after Panther to tackle him. A deep snarl comes from Panther's throat, a knee coming up even as he's rolled by the tackle. Darren grunts as he took a knee to the stomach, rolling past the cat-man. Panther does not recognize his attacker enough to know if he's possessed or an ally to Shakira. Darren scrambles back to his feet, he charged once more, swinging a sap gloved fist wildly. Panther shifts his weight, the wild punch clips his shoulder as he flicks out another of his batons, bringing it to the back of Darren's knees.
Cassius suddenly redirects his trajectory, rolling across the floor towards Panther. He finished the motion off with a swipe to the ankle with Imperator. Panther suddenly finds himself on his back as another attack takes his leg out. Darren's leg buckles momentarily, he attempts to return the attack by aiming the steel-laced glove for Panther's knee. The iron glove rakes flesh from Panther's calf, Cassius's attack having 'saved' him by dropping him almost out of the way. Cassius rises to his feet, a vacant look in his eyes as he held the gladius over Panther, poised to strike.
Onyx's fur is spattered with blood and gore, the eight open wounds on her shoulder weep blood, and her left ear was raggedly torn in two by a dull blade. She roars over the din, bounding towards Panther and ambushes Cassius from the back. Onyx's back claws dig in, holding 250 pounds of beast to the Roman. Cassius, taken completely by surprise, is sent careening against a nearby table and effectively pinned down. A large maw of sabre teeth, breath hot with blood, looms over Cassius.
Panther's eyes dart towards Onyx as she leaps at Cassius, letting him turn his full attention back to Darren. He does so by rolling to his other hip, bringing his left foot towards Darren's head with a sweeping kick. But Panther misses Darren as he steps between Cassius and Onyx, ready with a swing. Panther follows through the motion though, spinning back to his feet. Darren forgets about Panther for the moment and turns and takes another gloved swing at Onyx. She growls and snaps at Darren, the massive right paw lashes out at the one who might take her prey.
Cassius manages to use this time to roll away from the cat-beast, searching for his discarded sword.
Darren snorts, blood seeping from his clawed cheek. Onyx hunkers down over her prey, roaring. Cassius retrieves the blade, rolls to his feet and moves with purpose towards the main melee. Onyx's blood-spattered tail whips side to side, then chases off Cassius by the flash. Panther takes a brief moment to let his gaze dart about the room.
"Shakira!" Panther yells as he springs aside of a demon charging by him. He sends a throwing spike at her despite knowing it cannot physically hurt her, but hoping it cause distraction. The spike never reaches its mark.
Karen looks around, noting the battle between Vince and Psly, but she had no idea which one might be possessed and which one not. She whirls and spots Cassius and Michelle fighting--both wounded, no less. She starts that way, only to get blind-sided by a wounded cat demon.
Michelle, having lost interest in Cassius, heads for the next target: Karen. She quickly attacks Karen as she is distracted by the cat demon. She slashes once again, this time across the neck hoping to decapitate her victim. Karen slams the pool cue with all her strength into the large wound on the cat demon's side, then feels a blade scrape along her leathers.
"Thet answers thet question." mutters Karen, dropping swiftly to the floor to avoid the strike. A booted foot snaps out to strike at Michelle's ankle. Michelle falls down collapsing on the ground, her rapier sliding away from her grasp. She responds with a quick punch to Karen's face. Karen spins the half of the pool cue in her hand, she brings it down in an attempt to stun the girl, barely noticing the blow to her own face, for the moment. Michelle is momentarily unable to move, her brain and body trying to cope with blood loss and the hit, after the stun passes she strikes at the woman's stomach and rolls over towards her rapier.
"Snap out o' it, girl!" Karen manages to say before she's kicked away. Michelle grabs her rapier and throws it at Karen like a javelin. Karen's right arm went up and took the blade hit.
"Same bloody arm again." Muttered Karen, the rapier sticking in to her arm, but not coming out the other side. Michelle quickly runs towards Karen and pulls out the rapier, giving it a viscous twist at the same time. Karen moves her arm swiftly back with a grunt of pain, transferring the motion into a swift spin-kick to the girl's head. Michelle spits out blood weakly trying to say something and finally collapses, the rapier dropping from her hand. Oblivious now to everything going on as she is unconscious.
Alais trips over a downed cat demon, landing hard in the sand. Teleperien extends a hand to help Alais up. Alais grabs at the offered hand, but releases it quickly.
"Mine thanks, lady." Teleperien nods and returns to Xenograg's side, sending a worried glance at Amaltea. Yelling in Elvish, she swings at two demons who attack from the left rear. Alais moves to fend off the cat demons moving in toward the downed Amaltea. She cuts with intent to get to her a quickly as possible.
Alais drops to her knees beside Amaltea, Morvinyon's point driven into the sand as she uses the staff. The Annaran words animate the spell into an apparent life, shimmering briefly, before disappearing into Amaltea's body where the sorceress touches her. Slothie snarls, hearing bones crack and cat demons howl as the holy arm crunches into them. The color leaves Alais's face as she catches sight of the arm of an old and lost friend, but knowing it cannot touch her. Alais struggles to her feet after sharing part of her essence, and yanks the falchion free from the sand. She stands over Amaltea's limp body, protecting her from the army of cat demons.
Slothie repeatedly misses Alais with the arm. It moves almost independently if it gets too close to her. Slothie moves to stand back to back with Alais, barely noticing when a cat demon latches onto his arm. He shakes it like a rag doll as he swings the shellacked arm in a wide arc. Alais gives a quick nod of appreciation at Slothie.
"Dae be verra careful wi' that, eh?"
Michelle, having lost interest in Cassius, heads for the next target: Karen. She quickly attacks Karen as she is distracted by the cat demon. She slashes once again, this time across the neck hoping to decapitate her victim. Karen slams the pool cue with all her strength into the large wound on the cat demon's side, then feels a blade scrape along her leathers.
"Thet answers thet question." mutters Karen, dropping swiftly to the floor to avoid the strike. A booted foot snaps out to strike at Michelle's ankle. Michelle falls down collapsing on the ground, her rapier sliding away from her grasp. She responds with a quick punch to Karen's face. Karen spins the half of the pool cue in her hand, she brings it down in an attempt to stun the girl, barely noticing the blow to her own face, for the moment. Michelle is momentarily unable to move, her brain and body trying to cope with blood loss and the hit, after the stun passes she strikes at the woman's stomach and rolls over towards her rapier.
"Snap out o' it, girl!" Karen manages to say before she's kicked away. Michelle grabs her rapier and throws it at Karen like a javelin. Karen's right arm went up and took the blade hit.
"Same bloody arm again." Muttered Karen, the rapier sticking in to her arm, but not coming out the other side. Michelle quickly runs towards Karen and pulls out the rapier, giving it a viscous twist at the same time. Karen moves her arm swiftly back with a grunt of pain, transferring the motion into a swift spin-kick to the girl's head. Michelle spits out blood weakly trying to say something and finally collapses, the rapier dropping from her hand. Oblivious now to everything going on as she is unconscious.
Alais trips over a downed cat demon, landing hard in the sand. Teleperien extends a hand to help Alais up. Alais grabs at the offered hand, but releases it quickly.
"Mine thanks, lady." Teleperien nods and returns to Xenograg's side, sending a worried glance at Amaltea. Yelling in Elvish, she swings at two demons who attack from the left rear. Alais moves to fend off the cat demons moving in toward the downed Amaltea. She cuts with intent to get to her a quickly as possible.
Alais drops to her knees beside Amaltea, Morvinyon's point driven into the sand as she uses the staff. The Annaran words animate the spell into an apparent life, shimmering briefly, before disappearing into Amaltea's body where the sorceress touches her. Slothie snarls, hearing bones crack and cat demons howl as the holy arm crunches into them. The color leaves Alais's face as she catches sight of the arm of an old and lost friend, but knowing it cannot touch her. Alais struggles to her feet after sharing part of her essence, and yanks the falchion free from the sand. She stands over Amaltea's limp body, protecting her from the army of cat demons.
Slothie repeatedly misses Alais with the arm. It moves almost independently if it gets too close to her. Slothie moves to stand back to back with Alais, barely noticing when a cat demon latches onto his arm. He shakes it like a rag doll as he swings the shellacked arm in a wide arc. Alais gives a quick nod of appreciation at Slothie.
"Dae be verra careful wi' that, eh?"
Clearing a path with his lightning, Xenograg advances towards Shakira. Raven, still stabbing out, glances around the room and sees Xenograg moving towards Shakira. She quickly follows. With no more demons to his front, Xenograg ends the lightning and grips the Ostego blade with two hands again. Raven positions herself beside him. Without hesitation, Anubis moves in front of Shakira with rapid speed and feinting with a thrust. Xenograg moves to dodge Anubis's attack.
"So we finally meet?" says Xenograg to Anubis.
"Slightly overdue, don't you think?" replies Anubis with a feral grin contorting his face.
"Oh, yeah! Have you met my friend Anubis, Xeno?" asks Shakira with a smug smile. Xenograg swings his sword in a tight arc to keep Anubis back.
"My business is with Shakira. You choose to stop me. Your mistake." With a practiced, smooth half-step, the Egyptian evades the lethal arc of the Ostego blade, his smile became more mocking.
"No. Your mistake." Anubis rushes in with the fury of a viper after a field mouse. His sandaled foot kicks savagely at the side of the knee he had seen the sorcerer limp on before. He knew that if he remained close, the long sword's reach was useless. Xenograg cries out in pain as his scarred knee buckles from Anubis's kick, slamming into the sandy floor. Anubis's spins around behind Xenograg's back before the sorcerer can recover. Anubis's foot rises upward in a smooth, circular motion; the ball of the foot strike Xenograg's hands. The Darelir drops the Ostego blade in pain. Smoothly spinning upon the flat surface of his other sandal, Anubis attempts to bring the leg upwards to strike Xenograg across the bridge of the nose. He miscalculates a bit, though, and the kick goes over the sorcerer's head, leaving Anubis badly vulnerable. Xenograg tries to both rise and defend himself at the same time. He pushes Anubis under his raised leg, but has little leverage. Anubis stumbles but instinctively kicks back as a mule would, more in an effort to get away than to injure.
"So we finally meet?" says Xenograg to Anubis.
"Slightly overdue, don't you think?" replies Anubis with a feral grin contorting his face.
"Oh, yeah! Have you met my friend Anubis, Xeno?" asks Shakira with a smug smile. Xenograg swings his sword in a tight arc to keep Anubis back.
"My business is with Shakira. You choose to stop me. Your mistake." With a practiced, smooth half-step, the Egyptian evades the lethal arc of the Ostego blade, his smile became more mocking.
"No. Your mistake." Anubis rushes in with the fury of a viper after a field mouse. His sandaled foot kicks savagely at the side of the knee he had seen the sorcerer limp on before. He knew that if he remained close, the long sword's reach was useless. Xenograg cries out in pain as his scarred knee buckles from Anubis's kick, slamming into the sandy floor. Anubis's spins around behind Xenograg's back before the sorcerer can recover. Anubis's foot rises upward in a smooth, circular motion; the ball of the foot strike Xenograg's hands. The Darelir drops the Ostego blade in pain. Smoothly spinning upon the flat surface of his other sandal, Anubis attempts to bring the leg upwards to strike Xenograg across the bridge of the nose. He miscalculates a bit, though, and the kick goes over the sorcerer's head, leaving Anubis badly vulnerable. Xenograg tries to both rise and defend himself at the same time. He pushes Anubis under his raised leg, but has little leverage. Anubis stumbles but instinctively kicks back as a mule would, more in an effort to get away than to injure.
Raven glances towards Shakira.
"I didn't expect to see you here, dear." Shakira smiles and winks.
"What's the matter, Shakira? Do you have to have other people do your dirty work for you?" Raven asks.
"Why do it yourself when someone else can and so well. Don't you think?" She smiles.
"Only meaning that you can't do it as well." Raven's powers build up some as silver sparks are now surrounding her.
"Unlike you, dear. I don't need to do things myself." She said mockingly.
"At least you admit that you're lazy." Raven said with a raised eyebrow. Knowing that she is bound to pay for her remarks, she refuses to stop as long as Shakira's attention is focused on her.
"No, dear. I'm better. Unlike you--a little, pathetic excuse for a sorceress." Replies Shakira who is now standing in the same ring where the Baron's rings are.
"Oh, no, Shakira, I think you have it wrong there. You're the pathetic one that cannot even fight your own battles." With that she unleashes her powers as a streak of silver flares from her eyes heading for Shakira. Shakira laughs at Raven as she lifts her hand, which is holding a rare gem. The gem absorbs Raven's attack and Raven cannot seem to stop.
"See this here, Raven?" Shakira yells. "It's called Mordrahan's Mirror! Do you know what it does?" A look of surprise came across Raven's face as she cannot stop the flares, she looks at Shakira.
"What are you doing to me?!" The gem absorbs Raven's powers. Raven uses all her energy to try and stop her powers from unleashing she looks again at Shakira. "Stop!" Shakira laughs as the gem does its dirty work and looks straight at Raven.
"You were right, Raven. I do like to have others do my work. In this case you are, dear."
"I didn't expect to see you here, dear." Shakira smiles and winks.
"What's the matter, Shakira? Do you have to have other people do your dirty work for you?" Raven asks.
"Why do it yourself when someone else can and so well. Don't you think?" She smiles.
"Only meaning that you can't do it as well." Raven's powers build up some as silver sparks are now surrounding her.
"Unlike you, dear. I don't need to do things myself." She said mockingly.
"At least you admit that you're lazy." Raven said with a raised eyebrow. Knowing that she is bound to pay for her remarks, she refuses to stop as long as Shakira's attention is focused on her.
"No, dear. I'm better. Unlike you--a little, pathetic excuse for a sorceress." Replies Shakira who is now standing in the same ring where the Baron's rings are.
"Oh, no, Shakira, I think you have it wrong there. You're the pathetic one that cannot even fight your own battles." With that she unleashes her powers as a streak of silver flares from her eyes heading for Shakira. Shakira laughs at Raven as she lifts her hand, which is holding a rare gem. The gem absorbs Raven's attack and Raven cannot seem to stop.
"See this here, Raven?" Shakira yells. "It's called Mordrahan's Mirror! Do you know what it does?" A look of surprise came across Raven's face as she cannot stop the flares, she looks at Shakira.
"What are you doing to me?!" The gem absorbs Raven's powers. Raven uses all her energy to try and stop her powers from unleashing she looks again at Shakira. "Stop!" Shakira laughs as the gem does its dirty work and looks straight at Raven.
"You were right, Raven. I do like to have others do my work. In this case you are, dear."
"Xeno! She's taking my powers!" Calls Raven, still trying to stop herself, she can feel herself slowly losing power.
Xenograg gets to his feet, still facing Anubis and glances at Shakira.
"Raven!" Alais catches a glimpse of the mirror held in the daemoness's hand. "No!" Her voice not heard over the melee.
Teleperien's face is scratched, blood drips onto her grey hunter's garb. She holding the blade tighter and looks at Raven and Shakira, wondering what that gem is. She swings to knock the blade from a demon's grasp, then knocks two more demons to the ground.
Xenograg moves to rush Shakira, but Anubis is still there blocking him. Anubis rolls to his feet in time with Xeno, keen serrated edges of twin daggers drawn against each other in a menacing manner. He fluidly dropped low into the rushing Xeno, aiming an elbow point for the gut. Xenograg's blocks Anubis's elbow and follow-on knife attack, taking but a scratch.
"Damn you, Anubis!" Anubis spins in time with the block, swinging a dagger for the back of Xenograg's thigh. Xenograg grapples with Anubis, trying to keep the knives away from him. Xenograg performs a spinning fall on purpose. Anubis lands hard, the impact of Xenograg's spinning body falling upon his calf, sending him crumpling to the floor. Xenograg rolls off of Anubis, just wanting to disengage. Xenograg looks around for the nearest ally. Anubis slowly rises to his feet. Xenograg has put distance between himself and Anubis, at the price of being without sword. Xenograg cries for help.
Slothie bashes a demon as it tries to hamstring Alais.
"Badd......kitty.........." Slothie grates.
Pslyder notes a group of movement, he rolls in front of Alais, swords at the ready to defend. Slothie snarls, a cat demon still hanging from his arm as he fends the demons away from Alais' back. Pslyder keeps most of the demons off of Alais with swift strikes and kicks, he fails to notice the demons on the other side of her. Alais nods gratefully at Pslyder but still does not dare to leave Amaltea unprotected.
"Protect her!" she says to Pslyder, motioning to the unmoving Amaltea. Alais sheathes Morvinyon and makes her way toward Xenograg, the staff raised as Annaran words raise a lich like armor around her.
Eyes flashing as electricity plays along the blades, Pslyder jumps to defend Amal from attack. He rolls quickly to his feet, dispatching two demons to either side of him.
Slothie hurls the demon from his bleeding arm directly at Cassius's feet. Slothie stumbles to a knee, still straddling Amaltea. Cassius steps over the fallen body, rushes towards Sloth with a thrusting attack, aimed for the sternum. Slothie meets the charging blade with the palm of the arm he holds, brushing it aside with a grunt. Pslyder spins a kick to Cassius's head just as Slothie lashes out hard and brings the glowing Arm down on Cassius's head with a resounding crunch.
Cassius is caught him off guard by the kick, sending him spinning in a slow manner and into the strike of Slothie. He is out.
Pslyder just grins to Sloth and turns to keep up the defense. Slothie lets the Cleric's fist do all the work. On his feet again, but unwilling to leave Amal's body to the prowling demons.
Xenograg gets to his feet, still facing Anubis and glances at Shakira.
"Raven!" Alais catches a glimpse of the mirror held in the daemoness's hand. "No!" Her voice not heard over the melee.
Teleperien's face is scratched, blood drips onto her grey hunter's garb. She holding the blade tighter and looks at Raven and Shakira, wondering what that gem is. She swings to knock the blade from a demon's grasp, then knocks two more demons to the ground.
Xenograg moves to rush Shakira, but Anubis is still there blocking him. Anubis rolls to his feet in time with Xeno, keen serrated edges of twin daggers drawn against each other in a menacing manner. He fluidly dropped low into the rushing Xeno, aiming an elbow point for the gut. Xenograg's blocks Anubis's elbow and follow-on knife attack, taking but a scratch.
"Damn you, Anubis!" Anubis spins in time with the block, swinging a dagger for the back of Xenograg's thigh. Xenograg grapples with Anubis, trying to keep the knives away from him. Xenograg performs a spinning fall on purpose. Anubis lands hard, the impact of Xenograg's spinning body falling upon his calf, sending him crumpling to the floor. Xenograg rolls off of Anubis, just wanting to disengage. Xenograg looks around for the nearest ally. Anubis slowly rises to his feet. Xenograg has put distance between himself and Anubis, at the price of being without sword. Xenograg cries for help.
Slothie bashes a demon as it tries to hamstring Alais.
"Badd......kitty.........." Slothie grates.
Pslyder notes a group of movement, he rolls in front of Alais, swords at the ready to defend. Slothie snarls, a cat demon still hanging from his arm as he fends the demons away from Alais' back. Pslyder keeps most of the demons off of Alais with swift strikes and kicks, he fails to notice the demons on the other side of her. Alais nods gratefully at Pslyder but still does not dare to leave Amaltea unprotected.
"Protect her!" she says to Pslyder, motioning to the unmoving Amaltea. Alais sheathes Morvinyon and makes her way toward Xenograg, the staff raised as Annaran words raise a lich like armor around her.
Eyes flashing as electricity plays along the blades, Pslyder jumps to defend Amal from attack. He rolls quickly to his feet, dispatching two demons to either side of him.
Slothie hurls the demon from his bleeding arm directly at Cassius's feet. Slothie stumbles to a knee, still straddling Amaltea. Cassius steps over the fallen body, rushes towards Sloth with a thrusting attack, aimed for the sternum. Slothie meets the charging blade with the palm of the arm he holds, brushing it aside with a grunt. Pslyder spins a kick to Cassius's head just as Slothie lashes out hard and brings the glowing Arm down on Cassius's head with a resounding crunch.
Cassius is caught him off guard by the kick, sending him spinning in a slow manner and into the strike of Slothie. He is out.
Pslyder just grins to Sloth and turns to keep up the defense. Slothie lets the Cleric's fist do all the work. On his feet again, but unwilling to leave Amal's body to the prowling demons.
Darren moves away from the crowd, eyes searching the room. He starts across it, heading towards the door. Onyx stalks Darren, head low between her shoulders, the most likely prey that strays from the herd. Darren changes his course towards Nick, still being chased down by Onyx. The two flaps of Onyx's torn ear flop as she bounds, running into Darren to stun him to the ground. Darren gets knocked off his feet, hitting the ground hard. In her beastly state, Onyx cannot help a bite at the shoulder and a head shake. Darren was dazed, and bleeding even worse now. Onyx stands fully on Darren, sides heaving with breath and stress. Onyx swats Darren's head with a huge paw, knocking the breath right out of him.
Karen looks for another enemy, spotting first the lion-creature fighting Darren. She runs that way and slides into a base-ball like slide next to Onyx and Darren, startling Onyx. Onyx roars at Karen, ending the roar with a wide lave of a broad tongue across stiffened whiskers.
"Get the demons!" Karen looked firmly into the lion's face, undaunted due to sheer adrenaline. She hopes the intensity of her gaze might somehow reach the lion, not knowing who or what it might really be. Onyx hops off the passed out Darren, weight swaying side to side going to the smell of the enemy. A ragged breath escapes Karen, glad she'd managed to save the man.
"Jest knock 'em out!" Karen yells at the top of her voice as she gets to her feet.
"Xeno!" Teleperien turns at his cry. She sees Anubis, but is distracted as yet more demons throw themselves at her. She protects Xenograg's back as best she can. She slowly turns, blade at ready daring any demon to come close.
"They really do multiply like cats." Teleperien mutters to herself.
Alais drives the falchion deep into the sand, her free hand moving in concert with the raising of her staff. The crystal humming with the vibrations of energy unleased around her. Her argentine gaze locks on the crystal held in Shakira's hand, the spell nearly ready to unleash. The Mirror is something she studied with Morrin but never thought to see. The black crystal focuses the energies needed to shatter the mirror, and hums with a life of its own. Shakira senses the attack, she looks at Alais, pointing at her with her free hand she commands the wraith possessed and her demons,
"Protect me!"
"Damn!" curses Alais upon seeing the new rush of demons. A snap of power ricochets off the walls as the energy releases from the black crystal, aimed straight for the Mirror. Alais drops to her knees as a cat demon digs its claws into her back. She grabs the falchion and springs on her knees to cut the head off the demon. The energy bolt Alais had sent toward the Mirror having missed its mark. Anubis rushes towards Alais with a loud roar after noting the beam she fired towards the mirror. Alais reaches the space between Xenograg and Anubis, only to be startled by the charge. Alais casts, calling forth a life stealing spell that she never wanted to use, but is the first thing to her mind. She raises the staff at Anubis.
Karen looks for another enemy, spotting first the lion-creature fighting Darren. She runs that way and slides into a base-ball like slide next to Onyx and Darren, startling Onyx. Onyx roars at Karen, ending the roar with a wide lave of a broad tongue across stiffened whiskers.
"Get the demons!" Karen looked firmly into the lion's face, undaunted due to sheer adrenaline. She hopes the intensity of her gaze might somehow reach the lion, not knowing who or what it might really be. Onyx hops off the passed out Darren, weight swaying side to side going to the smell of the enemy. A ragged breath escapes Karen, glad she'd managed to save the man.
"Jest knock 'em out!" Karen yells at the top of her voice as she gets to her feet.
"Xeno!" Teleperien turns at his cry. She sees Anubis, but is distracted as yet more demons throw themselves at her. She protects Xenograg's back as best she can. She slowly turns, blade at ready daring any demon to come close.
"They really do multiply like cats." Teleperien mutters to herself.
Alais drives the falchion deep into the sand, her free hand moving in concert with the raising of her staff. The crystal humming with the vibrations of energy unleased around her. Her argentine gaze locks on the crystal held in Shakira's hand, the spell nearly ready to unleash. The Mirror is something she studied with Morrin but never thought to see. The black crystal focuses the energies needed to shatter the mirror, and hums with a life of its own. Shakira senses the attack, she looks at Alais, pointing at her with her free hand she commands the wraith possessed and her demons,
"Protect me!"
"Damn!" curses Alais upon seeing the new rush of demons. A snap of power ricochets off the walls as the energy releases from the black crystal, aimed straight for the Mirror. Alais drops to her knees as a cat demon digs its claws into her back. She grabs the falchion and springs on her knees to cut the head off the demon. The energy bolt Alais had sent toward the Mirror having missed its mark. Anubis rushes towards Alais with a loud roar after noting the beam she fired towards the mirror. Alais reaches the space between Xenograg and Anubis, only to be startled by the charge. Alais casts, calling forth a life stealing spell that she never wanted to use, but is the first thing to her mind. She raises the staff at Anubis.
Raven falls to her knees, she still can't seem to stop her energies from leaving. She falls directly onto the floor and feels herself slipping away.
"Damn you Shakira!" The gemstone doesn't stop at just taking Raven's powers, it is taking her life.
"No Raven. Damn you!" As she stands over Raven, points the gem straight at her. The flares coming from Raven are now dull and she's laying completely on the floor.
Vinny slowly begins to regain conciousness, feeling quite confused and wondering why he hurts so much. He tires to focus in on Raven's voice, but can't find the strength to stand. He stumbles up to his feet, eyes on Raven and Shakira. Vinny grits his teeth, his only thoughts on helping Raven. He takes a few steps towards them and falls again. He closes his eyes, willing himself to move towards them.
"I've got to do this....." Mutters Vinny as he gets back to a knee, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Mazahs!" Vinny screams to the sky. Having said that, a bolt of lightling strikes him, filling him with renewed vigor, if not necessarily healing his wounds. He charges at Shakira, trying to knock the gem away from her but a cat demon blocks his way. He starts to severely lose it as the cat demon knocks him off course. Vinny literally punches through the demon, his fists charged with all the emotion he's feeling, a few more punches, and the demon falls off of him.
"Feisty little thing aren't you? All that power to yourself?" Shakira says reproachfully to Raven. Raven tries to move her head up a bit to look at Shakira again, her breathing becoming shallow, she doesn't have the energy to speak.
"And this, Raven. Is where you die." Shakira snarls.
Raven gathers what energy and will she has and breathes out one last word.
"VINCE!" With that she takes her last breath. Xenograg hears Shakira's words and stares.
"Shakira!" And gets pounced on by a demon for his troubles. Teleperien turns and throws herself on the demon, rolling it off Xeno.
"Tele?" Xenograg blinks and shakes his head. Teleperien fights with the demon and throws it aside.
"Off!"
The mirror glows with all the power it took from Raven. Shakira chants in an arcane language, raising the mirror up high, then she throws Mordrahan's Mirror into the sands, causing a loud explosion. The room shakes with the power of the explosion, almost bringing everybody down, including some cat demons. When the dust settles, she is still standing looking down at Raven's body.
The explosion rolls Michelle's body over. Soaking in her own blood at the place she last encountered Karen, unconscious and oblivious to all. Panther gets knocked back and over another table. He drops down into a low crouch and stalks towards the rings again.
"Damn you Shakira!" The gemstone doesn't stop at just taking Raven's powers, it is taking her life.
"No Raven. Damn you!" As she stands over Raven, points the gem straight at her. The flares coming from Raven are now dull and she's laying completely on the floor.
Vinny slowly begins to regain conciousness, feeling quite confused and wondering why he hurts so much. He tires to focus in on Raven's voice, but can't find the strength to stand. He stumbles up to his feet, eyes on Raven and Shakira. Vinny grits his teeth, his only thoughts on helping Raven. He takes a few steps towards them and falls again. He closes his eyes, willing himself to move towards them.
"I've got to do this....." Mutters Vinny as he gets back to a knee, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Mazahs!" Vinny screams to the sky. Having said that, a bolt of lightling strikes him, filling him with renewed vigor, if not necessarily healing his wounds. He charges at Shakira, trying to knock the gem away from her but a cat demon blocks his way. He starts to severely lose it as the cat demon knocks him off course. Vinny literally punches through the demon, his fists charged with all the emotion he's feeling, a few more punches, and the demon falls off of him.
"Feisty little thing aren't you? All that power to yourself?" Shakira says reproachfully to Raven. Raven tries to move her head up a bit to look at Shakira again, her breathing becoming shallow, she doesn't have the energy to speak.
"And this, Raven. Is where you die." Shakira snarls.
Raven gathers what energy and will she has and breathes out one last word.
"VINCE!" With that she takes her last breath. Xenograg hears Shakira's words and stares.
"Shakira!" And gets pounced on by a demon for his troubles. Teleperien turns and throws herself on the demon, rolling it off Xeno.
"Tele?" Xenograg blinks and shakes his head. Teleperien fights with the demon and throws it aside.
"Off!"
The mirror glows with all the power it took from Raven. Shakira chants in an arcane language, raising the mirror up high, then she throws Mordrahan's Mirror into the sands, causing a loud explosion. The room shakes with the power of the explosion, almost bringing everybody down, including some cat demons. When the dust settles, she is still standing looking down at Raven's body.
The explosion rolls Michelle's body over. Soaking in her own blood at the place she last encountered Karen, unconscious and oblivious to all. Panther gets knocked back and over another table. He drops down into a low crouch and stalks towards the rings again.
The explosion nearly deafens Alais, but the staff never wavers as Anubis approaches. The malignant energy began to seep into Anubis's body. Aided by the distraction caused by the explosion, his concentration is shattered. He drops slowly to his knees. Alais holds the life steal spell upon Anubis, her hands shaking slightly as she continues her approach toward Anubis. For a moment, Anubis seems to be rather passively succumbing to the spell, almost as if he was accepting it. Then he starts to slowly regain his footing, the dark energy visibly leaving his body as quickly as it enters. Alais realizes the spell is not doing its work, and she begins another. The black crystal hums once again with the magic energies of the room. Anubis then suddenly redirects the energies directly at Alais, more in an attempt to strike her with the impact than reverse the spell. Her focus is locked on Anubis and with no time to deflect the redirection, her own spell strikes hard--driving her down to her knees in dark pain.
"I'm..not...the one..you wish to direct such magics against," Anubis says to her, his voice displaying his fatigue. Alais's dull silver eyes lift at his words. Annaran words forming almost soundlessly to draw the last of her energy into another attack on Anubis. Morrin taught her how to master undead. The spell comes with difficulty, but it comes. Alais, still on her knees, sees Anubis rush her. The spell has to work; it has to. Unaware whether or not the magics that the Sidhe is using are necromantic or not, Anubis is not taking the chance. Firestar suddenly releases a tongue of flame that is aimed to stop just before Alais--aimed at distracting her and shattering her concentration. The blinding light flashes out of nowhere.
In a sudden fit of selflessness, Pslyder throws his body in front of the spell aimed at Alais, Moonberyl shields him, but not by much. Having missed the block, he whips out the grapple to snake a strike across Anubis' face. Anubis instinctively ducks beneath the grapple's arc, shoving Psylder into some nearby demons. He then rushed directly at Alais, both daggers aimed for damage. Pslyder is caught off guard by the move, he lays into the demons with renewed vigor. His blades move with blinding speed, pieces of kittydemon flying every which way.
Slothie sees the space around him clear for a moment. The Shaman and his shadow stoop, scoop up the fallen form of Amaltea, and spring to the rafters away from the melee. He lays her out in his perch and crouches over her, watching the floor. The spot where her body had been standing out as the only clean patch on the floor of the melee.
Max slips through the door quickly, shuffling down the stairs and attacks the nearest demon; two fast slices and the thing drops to the ground. Careful of where he steps, he heads for the center of the room, slashing twice at an approaching demon.
"I'm..not...the one..you wish to direct such magics against," Anubis says to her, his voice displaying his fatigue. Alais's dull silver eyes lift at his words. Annaran words forming almost soundlessly to draw the last of her energy into another attack on Anubis. Morrin taught her how to master undead. The spell comes with difficulty, but it comes. Alais, still on her knees, sees Anubis rush her. The spell has to work; it has to. Unaware whether or not the magics that the Sidhe is using are necromantic or not, Anubis is not taking the chance. Firestar suddenly releases a tongue of flame that is aimed to stop just before Alais--aimed at distracting her and shattering her concentration. The blinding light flashes out of nowhere.
In a sudden fit of selflessness, Pslyder throws his body in front of the spell aimed at Alais, Moonberyl shields him, but not by much. Having missed the block, he whips out the grapple to snake a strike across Anubis' face. Anubis instinctively ducks beneath the grapple's arc, shoving Psylder into some nearby demons. He then rushed directly at Alais, both daggers aimed for damage. Pslyder is caught off guard by the move, he lays into the demons with renewed vigor. His blades move with blinding speed, pieces of kittydemon flying every which way.
Slothie sees the space around him clear for a moment. The Shaman and his shadow stoop, scoop up the fallen form of Amaltea, and spring to the rafters away from the melee. He lays her out in his perch and crouches over her, watching the floor. The spot where her body had been standing out as the only clean patch on the floor of the melee.
Max slips through the door quickly, shuffling down the stairs and attacks the nearest demon; two fast slices and the thing drops to the ground. Careful of where he steps, he heads for the center of the room, slashing twice at an approaching demon.
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