Pegulis, Chapter 4

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The Battle of Tavark
Warmth and light surrounded him. A familiar taunting voice of one that he respected was the only thing the young wolf could hear. The prospect of death was so real that he could almost taste the lime on his tongue. How could all of this be happening? Why were the children, the young kids of Tavark bound by the monster; by Suvius? Even more, he couldn't bring himself to hurt them, he could only run and that hadn't even been a very successful effort.

"Hold on Raige!"

Gentle, almost holy if such a thing existed; Darin's voice was the serene that Raige needed in that moment. His body wanted to convulse, to give in to fear and scream out. He bled, his body was hardly useful and he wanted nothing more than to welcome death, but he was too afraid for that. Darin placed a hand over him, hovering just above as light shrouded him in a shell of comfort.

"Darin..."

An apology would have been appropriate but he didn't even deserve to be sorry for his mistake. The more appropriate option was to sit in his guilt, to realize he was being saved now by the one man that lived; whom still believed in him. The light started to fade, and his body relaxed, it was as if euphoria had taken him and he could feel nothing, like an alchemist oil to prevent the sting of a burn or cut, this was much more potent. "Thank you.."

Darin nodded and left his men to look after Raige for the time. The light faded with him, and the visage of kindness, of light that surrounded him stood as a beacon when he entered the darkness of the great Hall. "Darin... " It was all he could really say in that moment, but he worried. He worried that his fears would return, that only darkness would emerge from that building, and the light he suddenly believed in would fail him. He worried that faith would not be enough to keep the paladin... His.. friend alive.

Raige grunted to himself and pushed up from the ground. The soldiers were far too preoccupied to stop him now, they were subduing the children. His body resented his ambition, and he stumbled enough times. One of the guards caught sight of the wolf and called to him but it was lost as Raige walked in darkness.

The door shut behind him and Raige looked upon the Great Hall. No torches were lit, no life that still retained passion, it was a cesspool of darkness and death. In the middle of the Hall only a single light remained, a beacon, just as before but it was much brighter. Waves of darkness swirled around the orb of light, and at its center a glowing knight in mix matched armor stood strong, and boldly held his shield as he faced the darkness with all of his vigor.

Light~

The darkness swirled in angry phantoms before it faded to nothing, and light emerged the victor. It was beautiful. Darin stood now his breath unsteady and he watched on as the sorcerer conjured in his hand a sphere of darkness. Darin knelt and held his hand to his lips, his eyes were closed, he looked like a statue, a hero statue that stood as a reminder of good versus evil. Darin raised his eyes to the sky above them, and Suvius mirrored that motion. Light filled the entire room and darkness was gone. Suvius lay on the ground and Darin stood over top of him.

Raige nearly fell back from the surprise of what he'd just witnessed. Orden's light, a bolt of power that claimed the Sorcerer Suvius. he started to step forward but stopped when the dying voice of the Sorcerer was heard. "God will have vengeance, Sir Darin, your death is assured by the creature you hosted," He cackled wildly. Suvius taunted him with knowledge to counter Darin's sermon of justice. Then he mentioned the one woman that Darin loved. Light once more crashed down as if from no where.. and the Sorceror vanished from the room along with the terror that filled the place.

Raige looked up to meet the Paladin's eyes, unsure of what he'd just witnessed. Somehow There had never been a more genuine feeling for the wolf. Darin was a Paladin of Orden, and Raige was his squire... He had failed him... That could not be forgotten but for the first time since they'd met. Raige truly believed in Darin.
 
Tavark - Square
Amara blinked through the choking tears at the last thing she'd ever see.



Feathers. Falling from the sky.

"I got ya."

A sharp intake of breath as she was embraced, tawny wings wrapping around her from behind, enveloping most of her form. The sword was swung and Ture tugged backwards, the blade hissing past Amara's neck as the huntress and the avian fell onto their backs. Rolling to the side Ture was up on his feet the Sparrow knives attached to his boots and making small scratches across the stones of the paving.

Ture sprang at Eimund before the raider chief could process what had happened. In a flurry of feathers Ture raised his legs, kicking the small blades into Eimund's armour and forcing him back and away from the prone figure of Amara. The avian kept himself airborne as he kicked at the man with his bladed boots. He managed to get a couple of good slashes across the man's face before he gave out a roar and swung his shield at the young sparrow.

Grunting in pain Ture flapped back a short way. The shield had collided with his leg. "Shit" He pushed himself to the side as the sword came towards him. He send himself, feet first at the warrior but met only the scales of the shield, sparks flying as metal met the dragon hide. The shield was pushed back and he lost his balance, pivotting awkwardly in the air before the butt of the sword was slammed into his face with a sickening crunch and he fell to the ground in a heap, struggling to pull himself up off his knees.

"Pathetic!" Eimund roared, swinging the shield again. A horrifying crunch echoed across the square they were in, followed quickly by a desperate scream.

Ture choked back the tears as he cradled his wing, the feathers stained deep crimson. A shard of bone protruded from the flesh and the limb twisted at a very definitely wrong angle. The dark man raised his sword. Grimacing up at raider Ture gulped back some blood "You're a fucking coward Eimund."
 
Barvelle, #1048cb

Ilsa closed her hand over the hilt of her sword that pointed toward the rising aspirations, bracing herself for battle as the phantoms strode closer toward her, hungry for her energy.

Surrounded, the Captain watched the ethereals draw closer as an iron fear gripped at her; there was no way out. Nobody to save her one against half a dozen and this time she was on her own. Standing her ground, Ilsa waited for the opportune moment to strike when the apparitions suddenly stopped in their tracks, something had caught their attention.

From the middle of the courtyard a vast blue shining light spread across the garden, illuminating and reflecting off the crystal ice. Cast by a silhouette of man whose power pulled the ghosts to him one by one and evaporated them into sparks of lightning, followed cries of pain. The voice sounded familiar when she finally realized, the silhouette was not a great mage, nor their saviour. It was Vrein Baelithar, the smith from Aldus doing what he could to protect his friends and the other citizens of Barvelle.

“Idiot!” she cried rushing toward him, Pax circling up above. An expression of horror passed across her face as she watched the man she adored absorb the power of the storm into a pendant that’s crystal began to spread down his arm. “Vrein…” she whispered under breath with tears falling from her eyes – she couldn’t lose the man she… loved.

Not again.

Before Ilsa could attempt to do anything, one of the three sages stepped in, shattering the contact between Vrein and the ghosts that dispersed into thousands of cackling particles. The crystal’s light dulled down as Vrein collapsed onto Helena who threw him over her shoulder.

“We go into the mountains, now.”

Stirring from unconsciousness Vrein watched over Helena’s shoulder as the sages ran from the storm, Ilsa behind them. Vrein’s eyes drearily scanned over what remained of the chaos, looking to see that people still remained starring into the face of terror with nobody to help them.

“I canne do nuthin tha keep on comin’! Help!” the voice of Castargarian boomed over the howls of the whaling poltergeists, frantically trying to fend them off arrow after arrow. Vrein had confidence in Castagarian's ability to survive, but even the gentle giant in all his glory would not survive long on his own.


Looking down toward his crystallized hand then back at Castagarian, an idea sprung to his head. The storm had fused the crystal with his hand and appeared to have protected him from the lightning, maybe it could do so again.

Bracing himself for the pain, Vrein pushed his weight against Helena’s shoulder forcing himself from her grip. Falling to the floor with a thud the smith groaned as he rose from the floor, running past Ilsa and toward Castagarian.

“Not a chance!” he called back to the sage who glared after him.


At the sound of Castagarian’s voice, Ilsa quickly understood Vrein’s motivation to run back out to help, but the idiot was about to get himself killed “Get the others inside, I’ll deal with Vrein.” she reassured the sage as she turned to run after him.


Although at first the sage was skeptical, the Captain of the Aldus watch Ilsa Lisbon handle her men in the pass and somehow survive, maybe she could do so once again. Rushing toward the safety of the house, Helena ushered the general Coul into the manor.

“Where are Captain Lisbon and the idiot who saved me?” the general inquired, gasping for breath from the injury he received.



“Saving the other citizens,” Helena answered grudgingly, laying Coul against a pillar and turning to Eirenne “We need to figure out a way to prevent the Ghosts from entering the mountain while they get the others.”


A blank expression encompassed Eirenne's face as her eyes bore thoughtfully to the ground. The Archon feared for her new friends and she feared for her people.

“Hold up a barrier,” there was nothing she could do for them now.


“What of the others? they won’t be able to get though!” Coul protested.


“We’ll lower the barrier upon their return, we have to close the doors eventually” the Archon ordered, with the dim hope that the convoy would survive.


“I don’t like this. Do you know how much energy that will require?” the other sage cut in.


“They might not even come back,” Helena added.

“The Archon has given you an order. Do it!” Coul yelled toward them.


Reluctantly, the sages agreed as they began casting ritual circles around the entrances of the room.

Back in the gardens chaos ensued as Vrein took a leap of faith, driving his hand through the phantoms bodies that surged through his hand, torturing his body. Breaking out into a sweat Vrein eventually reached Castagarian. “I’ve got your back buddy” Behind him Ilsa ran in plate armour trying to catch up.


“Yer a damned fool, Vrein.” Castagarian scorned. “A damned wreckless fool! Wha’ ‘appened t’ yer arm?”


“Too right, I’ll explain later.”


“Thar’s a couple o’ lass o’er thar, I dunnae think tha they’re gunna last fer too long.” Castagarian pointed toward two figures not too far away from them.

Looking over toward the figures Vrein recognised one of them as Eydis . The other he did not recognise. Awed by the girl’s outwardly intricate appearance of spikes the sprung out from her shoulder, although deadly looking Vrein thought there was also a sense of grace about the Anthro that made her look beautiful. The thought of letting such a beautiful creature die made Vrein’s heart sink into his chest. No, not today, if anybody would be left behind it was him; he would not sit idly and let others die, not again after what happened in Fissura pass.

“Vrein!” Ilsa had caught up, fuming with anger as she slapped Vrein around the face.

“Probably deserved that,” he replied, looking wide-eyed toward her armour, metal conducted lightning. “Ilsa! Take off your armour.”

“W-wh-What!?” she shot him a cold icy stare.

“You’re like a beacon for these things! Stop being fucking proud and toss away your armour!” Vrein growled, watching the phantoms that closed in around them. “Or do you want to die!”



At the mention of her pride, Ilsa grew furious, eyes changing into an unearthly yellow. In the sky her Aux, Pax shifted into a bird of pure light, flying higher and higher until it finally released a shining dome of energy encompassed the area like a sanctuary blessed from the heavens.

Ilsa slapped him again “You’re coming with me.”


“Probably deserved that as well, alright.” That was his girl, saving the day one again.

Briefly averting his attention toward the two Anthros he called over to them “RUN! Head toward the manor!”


Eydis, who looked like she was about to protest said nothing when Vrein shot her a stone hard glare and nodded, signalling the other Anthro to join her.

Running for their lives, the group dashed toward the doors of the manor to be met by the shield cast by the sages.

From the inside of the manor walls the sages cast the ritual of protection.

”They're coming."


“Lower the barrier.”


On the other side of the barrier, the convoy panicked for a moment, knocking against it; their gazes were nervous upon Ilsa's fading dome.

“Ilsa, If I die, I’m sorry. I love you.”


“Don’t ever say that,” the captain’s eyes looked up at him, hurt.

“Say what?”


“That you’ll die.”

“I doubt it; I’ve yet to see you naked.” Vrein teased under his breath in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Caught between a relentless turmoil of feelings Ilsa stood gaping like a gold-fish, unsure of how to react. Much to the relief of what could have been an awkward conversation to have, under the pressure of their impending doom; the barrier finally gave way as the small group of stragglers ran through the large doors to join the rest of the remaining party.

“So you’re alive,” the sage Helena commented, giving Ilsa an appreciative nod.


“Are any of you hurt?”


Shaking off her feelings, Ilsa took a deep breath and reported to the Archon. “Vrein Baelithar has taken the worst of the injuries, the rest of us are fine. We also managed to pick up two others.” She signalled to the two anthros.


Welcoming their return, the Archon smiled softly toward them “I’m glad you’re all safe.”


“For now,”

As the night went on the city of Barvelle waited in the depths of the mountains, till the storm subsided.
 
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Eimund offered no reply. His breathing was ragged, and blood seeped through his leather breastplate. The injury from the dragon and the fight with Jarrik were finally beginning to show the effects.

Ture pushed back on his good arm, placing himself between Eimund and Amara. When Eimund swung his sword from behind the enchanted dragon scale shield, it would most likely cleave them both in two. But at least he would be able to shield her from the horror of seeing her execution, so that she could have hoped, hoped beyond hope, up until the moment the blade bit into her neck, that she might be saved --

Eimund gurgled. Ture raised his eyes from the ground and found a spear point blossoming from his chest. Then two, then three, then four, until Eimund was raised upon a forest of spears. He gasped, and grasped at the points even as he slid down upon them, black blood flowing from his back and down the spear shafts.

"There is no bravery or cowardice on the battlefield, Ture." Jarriksdotter stood behind a contingent of the Tavark standing army. Battle cries still sounded in the distance. A few barrels of whale fat began to smolder, lit by a wet fuse from the remnants of Eimund's returned expeditionary force.

"Only your enemy's death."

She picked up the dragon scale shield. Her grim face was reflected in it, distorted by the iridescence.






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The dose makes the poison.

Chaos descended upon Aldus.

Aldus was ravaged by the storm, the swirling vortex of arcane energies awakening the six towers along the wall. As the Aldus watch struggled to move towards the hostages that the avian refugees had taken, the Ghoul Sage put the towers to permanent sleep from the other end. How strange, that he moved to save Aldus, when he threatened to end Pegulis just prior.

What started out as chaos, turned to foul portents.

Barvelle witnessed a sign of stranger things to come. Still shuddering from the Ghoul Sage's visit, they saw Aldus ravaged in the distance by the same storm that carried grim warnings to their doorstep.

What started out as chaos, then foul portents, turned to blessing.

east_city_by_tenshikii-d59dfvd.jpg

The sparking on the fuse crawled towards the barrels of whale fat. As the arcane storm weaved its way over Pegulis, the cities and lands in its way absorbed the brunt of the storm, grounding the energies stirred from the Aviary when the Alate was taken and unceremoniously replaced. Dark anvil clouds hovered over Tavark, drenching the city in rain. The torrential downpour blended soapy fat, damp wood, powder-fuse, and rope together. The city was saved.

Eimund's memories and motive forever blended into obscurity along with Jarrik's death, running with the blood from their bodies into the melting snow outside. No one would be able to pass down the tales of Eimund and Jarrik's exploits, their camaraderie, the two giants of Tavark. An old generation, good and bad, forever lost.

Tavark was recaptured, but their victory was grim and without cause for celebration. Brother killed brother, friend killed friend, citizen killed citizen. The soldiers loitered around the city, defeated. The rain would not wash the sins away.

With the rain came a relief force from Barvelle. Twenty soaked battle mages, with a caravan of first aid supplies and food, arrived to find the city once again under the Blue Republic's control. Under the shadow of the rain, the best they could do was assist in the helping Tavark back on its feet.

What was there left to do, but pick up what was left and forge onwards?

The dose makes the poison.

- - -

They tried to save the children. As they held the first one down, anyone near the squid saw it, the briefest flash in their mind's-eye, but the threat was unmistakable.​

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run





run so we can catch you

Their jaws opened wide, dozens of black tentacles extending towards them.

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They had little time to comprehend.

Pressing on, as Darin carefully cut the tentacles off, sucker by sucker, something ghostly flickered underneath. Their horror grew, inch by inch as the octopus was pealed away to reveal an insubstantial facsimile of itself.

The child's aux had taken on the shape of the parasite, and it was fixed to his neck in the exact same position.

Light still poured from the child's eyes and mouth.​

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End of Chapter 4
 
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