Dragons and Magic II: The Hunt for DreamWeaver

[LittleSprite2]

yes i agree.. we no longer have the element of suprise on our side, we must move swiftly to reach the undeads master lest he slip threw our grasp once more. she said to both O'Bonn and Ona moving down on silent and swift feet even as she spoke, a detrmend light in her eyes that there enemy would not escape them.. She would see Rhys and the others safe.

 

[Mantra]

Eva'se

The woman started moving about the room, setting a series of candles around a large earthenware bowl set atop a small, round table. She worked in silence, making sure that everything was in its proper place before proceeding to the next step in order. Soon the scent of sagebrush and incense was floating through the room and a dozen white and black candles flickered around the table as the woman sat at one end of the table, staring into the earthenware bowl for long minutes.

It had been nearly an hour since Eva’se had first voiced his request and had been patiently waiting to one side of the cluttered hut. Even though he was beginning to doubt the woman, he perked up when she finally began to speak.

“What you seek cannot be found on this world.” She began, pausing to stir the bowl with a crystal rod. “You must negotiate with a Dealer of Souls for what you want and you must convince this Dealer to give what they possess.”

She set the rod down beside the bowl and looked up at Eva’se. Dealers exist on both the Light and the Dark sides. You must choose one to summon and barter with but beware, once you summon this Dealer, you are bound to whatever agreement is made.”

 

[Mantra]

Draken and Co.

"Is there more I should know 'fore I venture into the home of my ancient enemies? And what of the champion, I would know more of him before I set out after him as well as the old wards that protect the new queen."

The doomsayer cocked his head at Draken, his ever mocking half-smirk still prominent on his features.

“Do you see Mistress?” he said, turning his gaze towards Tiana, waving one hand back towards Draken. “An oh so powerful prince of a terrifying people. Master of all about him, a great spider amid a web of villainy, yet even now he hesitates to tread against an ancient enemy that banished his race a millennia ago.”

His head swiveled back towards the drow, the smirk faded but his eyes still held their cruel glitter. “What’s the matter Prince Draken? Do you think two might be too difficult to deliver into oblivion? Have you no skills, no powers, no confidence in your own abilities beyond mere thuggery?”

The man stepped forward, leaning in very close to Draken. “The immortal ruler of…. this world.” He said in a familiar wheezing, rasping voice. “All this…we have promised…we can provide….but it is not… for the weak.”

 

[DvsV]

Eva'se sat back at this, having considered this possibility before but not wanting to venture into those realms before all other options had been extinguished. He suspected that he was faced with a true necromancer here and not any old imitator. It could even be possible from what she said to ask her help and advice in this task... assuming the price was within an acceptable limit.

"And how much would it take for you to either teach or guide me throughout these realms? And on top of that how much for a name now that I am sure that you are not an imitator." Eva'se said as he considered who he should seek out if she did indeed offer to teach him, or even guide him...

 

[Mantra]

Far away on Red Mountain....

The ogre fell to its knees, eyes wide as the creature’s thick fingers desperately tried to stem the flow of blood from its torn neck. As the ogre finally surrendered to death a second ogre uttered a guttural war cry at it charged forward.

For three days now, the armies of the Beast Tribes under the ogre War Chief Gorbash, had assaulted the dragon stronghold atop the mountain. Each day, the multitude of orcs, ogres, gnolls, goblins and wolven had battled to dislodge the entrenched humans and dwarves and each time they were held. More important to the strength of the defenders besides their tenacity, was the undeniable power and presence of the dragons themselves. Often appearing wherever the situation was most desperate, one of the winged, dragon-men would arrive to rally the people or wade into the invaders like a whirlwind. Still, the defenders were vastly outnumbered and as such were slowly forced to give ground. Already the mountain pass had fallen as had many of the routs and paths leading to the secretive commune above. The battle had finally spread to the wooded; lower plateau about a third of the way up the mountain. If the lower plateau were to fall, then the upper plateau, where many of the farms and homes about the commune were located, would be vulnerable to attack.

The massive ogre bellowed in rage and frustration as it jabbed a huge, roughly forged spear at a smaller, ducking and weaving opponent. Nearly two feet shorter than the hulking brute, the smaller humanoid sidestepped, turned and wheeled, moving like a graceful dancer around the ogre’s increasingly wild and clumsy thrusts and blows. There was another stab by the ogre when the humanoid’s left hand came up, grabbing the spear just behind the iron tip, shoving it up and away. Turning in, his right forearm struck across the spear, snapping the thick shaft like a twig. At the same time, red-black, leathery wings flared up and out, raking the spiky wing tips across the ogre’s face. The ogre hesitated at the scratching flash across its face, allowing the other a split second of time to continue whirling around and using the momentum gained in the turn, slammed the now-severed spear tip into the ogre’s hip with such force that the crude tip punched through leathery skin and thick muscle until it lodged in the bone.

The ogre roared in pain and made a grab for the smaller being, who only leapt forward and rolled away. The ogre began to topple as its damaged hip crumpled under the ogre’s massive bulk.

The winged man rolled once and stood quickly. Turning, he sprang back towards the falling ogre. With lightning reflexes, one hand caught the outreaching arm while the other hand clamped onto the ogre’s thick neck. The heavy ogre’s fall was suddenly halted mid-tumble and the ogre’s beady eyes were suddenly even with a pair of yellow, Y-pupiled, dragon eyes.

“Filthy brute.” Phalanx growled meanicingly through fanged teeth. “You and your pathetic mob dare to challenge our power? Our stronghold? You actually dare to challenge me?? I will burn your pitiable army to ash and devour your chieftains as your insignificant whelps watch and weep at the carnage I lay before them.”
The dragon’s hand tightened at the ogre’s neck. “Your existence means nothing to me.”

Phalanx continued to squeeze, causing the ogre’s terrified eyes to bulge for a moment when the dragon detected the hint of movement and sensed the arrival of others.

“Phalanx! Cover!”

Phalanx knelt down to one knee, dragging the ogre down and between himself and his suspected new opponents. Sure enough, his instincts proved true as the twang and whistle of crossbows sounded back towards the tree line. Several arrows buzzed past him and the ogre snarled as other barbs slapped into its back, but Phalanx was not harmed. Looking over his makeshift shield, Phalanx spied a score or more of Wolven, each yipping and whimpering to one another as they desperately attempted to reload their heavy crossbows. Phalanx let loose an angry snarl and with a surprising show of strength, heaved and flung the still twitching ogre forward at the crossbowmen. The Wolven scattered, turning and fleeing back into the scrub forest.

“Cowards! Dogs! Carrion eaters!” Phalanx roared at them as they fled. “Is this all you have to challenge me?! Do you all fear me so greatly that not one of you will face me?! Pathetic worms! You only delay my wrath!”

The dragon’s rant ceased as he turned and saw who had called a warning to him. Reverend, youthful-looking as ever in his boyish guise, knelt on both knees in the muddy road with three feathered shafts protruding from his torso.

“Always with the ranting…” Reverend said weakly as Phalanx slid up to him, lowering the boy-dragon down gently.

“You were late.” Phalanx replied, studying Reverend’s injuries. “I cannot be expected to wait for you to rally our lesser charges when there is a battle to be won.”

“Heaven’s no.” Reverend mocked with a weak smile. “EarthMother knows it would not do to let the great Phalanx WarDragon actually wait before killing everything in sight.”

The silver-haired boy grimaced as a spasm shook him. Phalanx looked up and saw a company of men and dwarves from the commune running towards their position.
“The lesser have arrived, we may go now.” Phalanx said matter-of-factly. “These arrows are doing well to minimize the loss of blood. You must not try to shape shift. Your wounds will expand as you do and you will not likely survive the change.”

With a swift stroke, Reverend reached up and slapped Phalanx across one cheek. “Fool!” Reverend hissed through clenched teeth. “Was it not I who taught you medicine and healing?!Do not lecture me on healing!”

Phalanx let a half smile escape onto his stony features. “Better.” He muttered, carefully lifting the boy into his arms. “At least you still sound like a dragon.”

 

[Bladesman]

Draken’s hand lashed out in a blinding slap that knocked the doom sayer onto his face on the ground. “Fool! You honestly think I am scared of going into the realm of the moon elves? There is a difference between fear and caution. The Moon Elves have their own tricks and I’ll not go into their realm blind and without some knowledge. If your imbecilic minds can’t comprehend that then you have picked the wrong person to do your bidding.” He reached down and gripped the doom sayer with both hands pulling him close so his nose was nearly touching Draken’s nose.

His voice was harsher then the beings within the doom sayer or Tiana or Silver had heard yet.” Remember this, your people where the ones who wanted me to carry this out. The job will be done with precision; as such I need knowledge of my enemy. Since I do not have that knowledge, you’ll be coming with us and sharing every danger of the road with us.” He spun crisply, turning to face Silver and Tiana.

“Silver, grab a rope and tie his hands. We’re taking him with us and if he leads us false feel free to gut him.” He dropped the doom sayer and turned back to the horse and began adjusting the saddle on it. A moment laster he swung up into the saddle then extended a hand to Tiana. “I know of a town just shy of the borders of the Moon Elves, we’ll rest there for the night and get provisions, gear and whatever else we need.”

 

[wolfknight20]

no problem ill do better then that ill make him in to a ice sculpture if he troubles me too much and to prove his point he fired a blast of ice breath at a near by tree freezeing it in to a crestal like block of ice

 

[Dracona]

In the dark of the tunnels Ona followed Idrial and O’Bonn. The dark so thick she could feel it on her skin and it didn’t matter if her eyes were opened or closed, she could see nothing. The temptation to call forth just a small flame to light her steps was hard to resist, but she knew it was better not to give away their presence. She cast her awareness out so that she could feel the others, if not see them.

The darkness crawled along her skin and she held herself under tight control when the hissing language of the lizardmen came through the dark. The words echoed in her mind and she braced herself at Idrial’s admonition. She knew that if she called forth fire her companions would be vulnerable for a moment while their eyes adjusted. She would need to be sure they were covered during that time.

She kept silent as the spirits led them deeper through the tunnels. Using her other senses to stay close to Idrial and O'Bonn. When the undead attacked Ona couldn’t blast them without catching her companions in the flames. Instead she began to gradually build flame on her hand so the two elven fighters would not be blinded by sudden brightness. The flame's light grew as she listened to the sound of battle, adding to the glow from O’Bonn’s sword until she could finally see.

The undead lay in pieces around them and the heroic figures of her companions threw tall shadows on the rock walls. Something grew within Ona as she looked on them and she determined within herself to do all she could to see their quest fulfilled….and hopefully she would dance at their joining.

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn listened as Ona approached from the rear. He turned, and he saw her hand outstretched and wreathed with light from her flame.

"Forward guard," he whispered to her. "Your flames shall light our way, and make these vile wretches back away in fear, for I believe they can not stand the light, and especially the fire, the fire that reminds so much of that breathed by the Dragons of Red Mountain."

 

[Dracona]

Ona nodded and, lifting her flaming hand high above her head, stepped between O'Bonn and Idrial to take the lead. When the flame had grown to a significant brightness she detached it from her hand and sent it to hover before them and light the path as they proceeded. She could hear shuffling in the dark outside the light that they moved in and turned her head to glance at her companions.

"The undead seek to surround us."

Ona concentrated briefly and the ball of flame floating before them split and became two, which in turn became four and then eight. She sent four of the brightly burning globes behind them to discourage anything from getting too close to their backs. The remaining four floated ahead, pushing the undead fearfully from their path.

 

[LittleSprite2]

Idrial nodded in agreement with O'Bonns statement and let Ona take the lead her lights infront and behind them.. as they continued on.. She also heard the sounds and smiled as Ona mentioned it and said. I agree there trying to surround us and slow us down they dont want us to reach there master.. and if they slow us down enough that creature the ghosts mentioned will come for us.. we cannont face it until we've done with dreamweaver and this commander of the undead.. Let us move more quickly.. she said

 

[Wolfsister]

For a wonder, Tiana didn't say anything. For another wonder, perhaps larger, the voices inside Tiana didn't say anything. It seemed that her entire being had been struck dumb. But not deaf or blind... and somewhere in a tiny corner of her mind, she sighed a relief. When that little sigh was ignored, that tiny corner of her mind grew emboldened and sighed again, this time louder.

Tiana blinked and stared at Draken as he talked around and said things and did things that she could only half understand. That tiny corner sighed again... louder this time. And then it coughed. And then it chattered and then, finally, bold enough that it would not once again be squashed down to insignificance, it screamed.

Outside, Tiana hiccupped. Then she began to giggle - and as her mind wailed with remembered pain and renewed freedom, she giggled louder, watching as Draken swung onto his horse and extended his hand to her - then she began to laugh. And cry. And laugh some more, her great guffaws of breath only interrupted with the soft hiccups and sobs that ran through her insane nattering.

She laughed so hard her teeth clicked and her belly hurt. The single corner of her mind went from screaming in pure terror to screaming in defiance.

And then the Doomsayer looked at her and that laughter cut off. It did not fade, it did not die down. It simply stopped. She stared at him and he stared back. His manners so at odds with what he wore, with the disguise he had taken. She blinked and he blinked.... and then he began to smile.

The scream went back to terror.

Tiana lurched a step forward as her mind was suddenly blasted from the inside. Melted away, that corner in her head scuttling back to the dark recesses of memory. Her laughter gone, and only the tears remaining. The Voices back. Whispering, sniffing, wailing, calling. Always calling. Always calling for blood. Sometimes her blood, sometimes someone elses. They did not care, as long as she heard, as long as she obeyed. As long as she was safe.

Her hand outstretched she caught Draken's hand and allowed herself to be lifted from her feet firm on the ground. She wrapped her hands around his waist the first opportunity she got and sobbed into his coat. But said no more. The gibbering in her mind was all consuming.

The Doomsayer stared at them both for moments more and threw back his head and laughed. Then he turned away, ready for the journey to begin.

 

[Mantra]

Idrial and Co.

As the group had witnessed many times, the shambling undead were relentless in battle, supported by their mindless determination, but they were still slow, weak and clumsy in comparison to the living, breathing adventurers. One of the shamblers greatest advantages however, were their great numbers. Numbers that were restricted and hemmed in by the narrow cavern passages. Even though there seemed to ever be a press of maligned, animated corpses around them, no more than two or three could stand abreast to confront them. No match for the elvish warrior and his enchanted Talon or the woman warrior with her vicious long dagger or the mysterious wander and her dancing flames.

The trio pressed forward, hewing down any of the foul things before them or occasionally turning to ensure that none could take them from the darkness behind them. The three were quickly splattered with gore and left the narrow path slick with hacked and twitching shamblers, but their determination carried them forward. Then, with a final push and slash, the final few zombies before them were defeated and the tunnel suddenly exploded into a great and open cavern.

'Cavern' seemed far too puny for the room. "Underground Coliseium' might have been a more accurate description, for the trio were dwarfed by the massive structure before them. The room was oval shaped and rose possibly 200 feet above them, with eight massive stone collumns, four on each side, rising upwards from floor to celing. The cavern stretched more than 350 feet out and ended with a great hole at the far side. that hole seemed unusually bright and seering, but the group realized that it was only the brightness of the sun shining outside. A light that they had not seen without the deep screeing of swamp forests or lost within darkened caverns. The great room may have actually have once even been larger, but the hole was actually an opening left where the farthest end of the cavern had collapsed and fallen in. The realization finally dawned on them all that what they were seeing was the plateau on which sat the entrance to DreamWeaver's resting place from the inside, but if that was true, then the entire hill which rose above the swamp was in fact, the caern which once housed the remains of the ancient dragon.

The eight pillars each glowed with a soft, green-gold light, casting the entire room in a soft and equal colored hue. intricate carvings of dragons, birds, great creatures and other runes scrolled up the collumns to end with wide doric scrolls pressing against the smooth stone of the cavern roof. The walls all around were roughly and crudely hewen, but every now and then, a colored tile or splash of design spoke to lavish decorations and fine works, now hacked, broken and removed for their obvious value. high up along the walls, well out of reach of even the tallest creatures, the remains of mosaics and frescoes told half of stories, the remains of the artwork below. Gold and other things glittered high, high up in the topmost recesses of the columns and celings, whispering hints of what might have been.

In the center of the room was a wide dias made of smooth stones. The dias rose nearly ten feet in the air and was wide and long enough that it took up the entire center of the cavern, forcing the many pillars to flank the monolithic platform. Fragments of ivory tiles remained here and there allaroung the dias as well as pitted recessions and vague streaks of precious metals bespoke of kingly riches once and shattered wooden items and broken pottery, all of once fine craftmanship, lay about the dias or swept discarded out of the way in places. Even ruined, decreped, spoiled and stripped, the caern hinted of a craftmanship beyond what may have been known by man or elf or dwarf and whispered of the wealth and splendor of what once might have lain beside the remains of a dragon scholar for ages untold.

But no longer.

The caern smelled foul, like the scent of rotted and bloating flesh. The glowing light did nothing to offer comfort or peace of mind. Instead the entire caern felt....evil. Evil and perverse and angry. The greatness of the room only added to the feeling of insignificance and vunerability. Whatever this place may have once been, it was a place of villany now.

And villans were in abundence.

The wonder of the structure was soon forgotten as a dry and harsh voice echoed across the room to them.

"So at last you are here. I have felt your warmth and heard you hearbeats since you entered my citidel."

The three looked towards the voice and saw a small group of shapes moving at the top of the dias. The first six were the unmistakable shuffling, staggering forms of zombie shamblers, which continued to move stumbling down the slope of the dias towards them. Two others moved the the edge of the dias, decreped and mangled and obviously animated corpses, but these corpses, still wore rusted armor and held battered but servicable swords and bucklers in their hands. The swayed and twitched like the shamblers, but did not share their uncoordination or slowness. They flanked yet another being, a walking corpse with withered skin streched tightly over a palid face. Grey and black robes clothed this final corpse and in it's hands was held a long, thick wooden staff, carved with many skeletal animals and barbed scrollwork. A glowing orb was held at one end which served to cast an even more sickly glow upon that withered face. Empty eyesockets looked down on Idrial, Ona and O'Bonn from underneath a ornate golden crown. Empty eyesockets save for the pinpoints of light deep within, shining out clearly despite the deep folds of cloth and distance between them.

"Come now." The corpse-lord said. "Come and offer yourselves to me. I will add your bodies to my army, your souls will feed my power and your strength will grow my perfect Necropolis. All will come to me, serve me and be mine in perfect death."

The staff tapped on the stone once and with an obscure motion of the left hand, a deep green sword made of magical energy sprang into being, floating beside the corpse-king.

"Come now and die."

 

[Bladesman]

Draken glanced back at Tiana, clearly unsure as to the reason for her tears. Her crying was quite unsettling to him and the doom sayer’s cackling wasn’t helping matters any for him, he shivered at the sounds of them. He shook his head and dismounted for a moment and opened a saddlebag. Removing a long thick cloth, he looked at Silver and nodded slyly to him before stuffing the cloth into the doom sayer’s mouth and tying it securely around his face. Once the gag had been secured, he clouted the doom sayer with a gauntleted fist across the back of the head.

With that done he swung back up into the saddle and tossed a rope to Silver, before touching his horse’s flanks with his spurs. The horse or ebony as Draken had come to think of him as, set off at a slow trot that covered ground easily but didn’t tire the horse or anyone walking along side too much. He looked back over his shoulder for a moment to make sure Silver was able to keep up and that he had the Doom Sayer firmly in tow. He glanced up at the sky and cursed under his breath before lowering his visor down over his eyes and grimacing at the radiant sunlight that this realm had far too much of.

In that moment, Draken longed greatly for his own realm, the cool darkness, the swirling colors of the rock structures, the power he had there and not this follow someone else’s beck and call. Those thoughts reminded him, he would need to contact his court wizard, and he had enough power to dispel minor wards and enchantments. He would need an Archwizard’s spell of dispelling in order to dispel the more potent wards as well as an amulet that would allow him to sense the hidden wards. He would contact the wizard after they had supplied at the town, and made camp outside the town, he wasn’t about to risk things by sleeping in the town.

 

[LittleSprite2]

The smell that assulted Idrials nose caused her to gag a bit but was quickly blocked out and ignored as the raspy dry voice spoke and she along with her compangions looked out over the enemys they now faced..

The first six were the unmistakable shuffling, staggering forms of zombie shamblers, which continued to move stumbling down the slope of the dias towards them.

Two others moved the the edge of the dias, decreped and mangled and obviously animated corpses, but these corpses, still wore rusted armor and held battered but servicable swords and bucklers in their hands. The swayed and twitched like the shamblers, but did not share their uncoordination or slowness.

They flanked yet another being, a walking corpse with withered skin streched tightly over a palid face. Grey and black robes clothed this final corpse and in it's hands was held a long, thick wooden staff, carved with many skeletal animals and barbed scrollwork.

A glowing orb was held at one end which served to cast an even more sickly glow upon that withered face. Empty eyesockets looked down on Idrial, Ona and O'Bonn from underneath a ornate golden crown. Empty eyesockets save for the pinpoints of light deep within, shining out clearly despite the deep folds of cloth and distance between them.

"Come now." The corpse-lord said. "Come and offer yourselves to me. I will add your bodies to my army, your souls will feed my power and your strength will grow my perfect Necropolis. All will come to me, serve me and be mine in perfect death."

The staff tapped on the stone once and with an obscure motion of the left hand, a deep green sword made of magical energy sprang into being, floating beside the corpse-king.

"Come now and die."

Your Citidel i think not.. our souls will remain our own and twill be you who dies this day I am Idrial Two bloods and your time has come.. Idrial sheathed her dagger and drew her sword in the open area that they were in there was much more room to manover... There were 9 enemys total that they faced counting the undead leader...

To her compangions she said.. If you can get close enough to him distroy his staff. Ona use your fire but conserve your strenght this battle will not be easly won.. We needs take him out first if we are able else he'll just continue to summon more undead.. O'Bonn with me!!.. She stated as the first 6 undead came for them..and they begain fighting there way threw. She stood back to back with O'Bonn, Ona at there right..

 

[wolfknight20]

silver took the rope in his mouth and tuged the doomsayer on his back and took off after the horse

 

[Mantra]

Eva'se

The woman considered for a moment before answering.

"I can give you the components to make the circle and the words of summoning, but I will not do this myself. You will pay me my fee in advance and cast this spell beyond the city walls."

"In payment, I ask for either a flawless diamond, cut or no, the size of a marble. That or you will swear to me that you shall perform one service for me in the future. A contract that shall be binding and non-negotiable. You will come with all haste and do all within your power to complete the task set before you."

There was a moment of silence as the woman moved the bowl off of the table, setting it on the floor and instead gathered up a parchment scroll.

"The spell is similar, but not exact depending on if you wish to summon one of the Light or of the Dark. There is no name I can give, only that a Dealer will come, but again beware. A dealer of Souls will not part with their charges easilly. You must either barter for the soul or force the Dealer to yeald to you and surrender their prize. Neither will be easy."

A shallow smile flittered on her thin face.

"Now you see why you must pay me in advance."

 

[AmenRa]

The High Warrior O'Bonn

He stood back-to-back with Idrial Two-Bloods, and he watched them come.

One claimed himself to be a king.

But even still, though he was clothed in the robes of coronation, he was still nothing but an undead.

A zombie, a twisted abomination of necromancy magic hurled forth from the grave. A restless corpse whose soul had long since departed and was itself restless in the afterward.

O'Bonn had command of over a hundred thousand warriors, ten thousand of which were High Warriors like himself: the finest, most skilled fighters in all of the Great Northern Lands.

Today, however, he had none of them before him.

The vile creatures that came for them now would eat their brains.

O'Bonn looked to the pillars surrounding them. They were old, and they would fall if pushed or pulled. And there, on the far side of the great cavern, was a hole. And through that hole, O'Bonn saw sunlight.

Sunlight.

The pillars.

And a bit of magic. But not just any magic, but Old Magic. The oldest known. Shared with the Elves from the Great Dragon long before marked time. And contained, if only but a little, in a stone that O'Bonn had once wore around his neck.

But would it be enough?

If he smashed the amulet, given to him by his father so long ago, would it bring forth its power to topple the pillars, break the walls, and let the sunlight pour in upon them?

Would the sunlight, aided by the Dragonstone, become the cleansing fire that would burn the abominations into the netherworld?

And, most important of all, did Idrial still carry it as given to her to mark her before Thorn some days ago?

"Idrial," O'Bonn whispered as he readied Talon in an overhead grip, "do you still carry the amulet I gave you at Red Mountain?"

And even if she did not, he suddenly knew of another way.

Talon was speaking to him.

And Talon wished for fire.

 

[DvsV]

Eva'se sat back in the chair as he considered what this all meant for him. The diamond itself was not so hard to get, even a flawless one, but the contract had dual purposes, if done correctly, and would serve both himself, and the woman. To make a hasty judgment was what so many did wrong in this territory and to his knowledge, this was the deal breaker.

"In exchange for a contract or a diamond you offer me this spell, yet the diamond in itself is not so hard to locate, steal, and return to you when compared to the specifics of the contract. Usually I would take the easier option, and find the diamond, but the fact that you will take the contract and then give me what I need means that with the contract I have a path to return to this world. Even death is a simple matter compared to the need I have for this soul, as well as the fact that by merely giving you this contract, you yourself will become a dealer of souls, of what side I know not, and as such know more than you have let on so far." Eva'se said as he considered the implications of what she had said.

Eva'se flicked his fingers out and produced a black parchment and ink less quill, stabbing himself in his left index finger before writing the contract she requested. "A contract in blood will satisfy you to my sincerity I hope" Eva'se said as he began to scribe away at the parchment in ruby red letters, "If not sufficient, I shall track down the diamond instead, as this is the only way I will ever give a contract. Written in my blood and in my own hand, so shall all contracts with me be."

I, Eva'se, give my word to return to the bearer of this parchment when called upon, as fast as is possible and under any circumstance, to carry out one task as set by the bearer of this parchment. This parchment may only pass from my hands to one other, and should it be exchanged a second time, it shall disintegrate and be no more.
Signed, Eva'se

"There, a contract that is simple and to the point always seems to be the best. Also I added a little of my own magic to the mix and there is no way that I can not fulfill this one, Even dead I shall return from the grave to full out your unnamed task. Will this suffice for you?" Eva'se said as he handed out the contract, even as he did so the words in the contract were burning themselves into the black parchment as a pearly white. "As stated in the contract, this binding only applies to you, so hold on to it or not, I care not."

Eva'se waited for the womans response, knowing that she perhaps thought him rash for giving such a contract. "So shall we commence our second part of business?"

 

[Dracona]

Ona stood beside Idrial and O'Bonn, her eyes fastened on the eerily glowing sword that floated at the side of the corpse king. She could feel its deadly intent humming through the great cavern. Idrial was right, they needed to act quickly before more of the undead could be summoned. She glanced behind her at the tunnel they had emerged from, perhaps she could eliminate at least one way the foul creatures could creep up on them. Taking a few steps back Ona let a small stream of consciousness reach out toward her companions.

"I shall block the passage..." her soft warning whispered for their ears alone. "None shall come upon us from that direction."

Ona's arms fell to her sides, her palms facing forward. The dark blue ring of her irises grew and the silvery flecks in them began to glow. There was no struggle to draw on her talents. The door had been opened by the Dragonman's crystals and she knew what she was capable of. Her long braid came unbound and her hair rose in cloud around her head as debris from around the room began to rise from the floor and drift toward the passageway. Sparks snapped from her writhing locks and settled on chunks of wood as they floated past. The wood was dry and excellent fodder for her to build flames on.

Soon the entrance of the passage was filled with flaming debris. A formidable, if temporary, barricade. The light from the flames grew brighter, reaching into the corners and driving out the shadows.

 

[LittleSprite2]

Idrial nodded to Ona understanding her move and motive for it as she awncered O'Bonn's question. Thinking he must have something in mind to have asked after the item.. Nay i do not have it, the Item you seek lies with Thorn i have only the necklace given me by them.. Have you a plan??

Idrial brought up her sword blocking and striking back at the first of the undead who faced them as she awaited O'Bonn's reply.

 

[Mantra]

Idrial and Co.

The zombies stumbled and slipped their way ever closer. Now with dead features eeriely highlighted by the flickering light from Ona's fires, they could clearly see the once beautiful elvish features on each of the shamblers. Silvery hair and delicate features, now marred by death and perverted by black sorcery. Now only seeking to quench their hatred of the living, the zombies took the fastest and most direct rout towards the heroes, coming closer until Idrial was forced to raise her blade to ward off the first of the attackers.

O'Bonn was about to answer back to Idrial, preparing to come to her defense with Talon in hand but there was a sudden *POP* in the air before him. A great and invisible force slammed into the elf prince, driving his feet out from under him and sweeping him backwards until light danced behind his eyes as his body was driven against the cavern wall. Worse still, the wall of force did not abate, but instead pressed against his chest, continually driving him back against the unyealding stone of the tomb. Slowly the pressure mounted, threatening to crust the life from his being.

Ona too steeled herself for action. While the remaining two zombie warriors drew closer, they held back, showing some sembience of intelligence and tactics, but it was the glowing green sword that commanded Ona's attention now. Swishing and flashing through the air, as if held by some incorporial swordmaster, the weapon floated towards her, clearly intent to match its own glow against the other's fire.

And above them all, the Corpse King chanted.....




The battle was joined.

 

[LittleSprite2]

Idrial didnt waist time she could not see what knocked O'Bonn from his feet and held him to the wall there for she knew it was ether an unseen foe or more magic.. her bet was on the magic as the undead lord continued to chant.

She advanced striking at the undead who came at her as she dodged in and out of them trying to get to the leader himself..

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn drew heavy breaths as he was held by an unseen force against the cavern wall. The pressure against him grew, he could feel it pressing down against the plate armor he wore, rending against the silver and gold cuirass and pauldrons.

O'Bonn knew whatever this unseen power was, it was going to crush the life from him.

And then it dawned upon him, like someone lighting a candle in a darkened room:

It wasn't unseen.

Not at all.

It was simply magic. And magic could be felt. It could be touched.

Perhaps magic of an evil kind, but magic nonetheless.

And elves knew something of magic.

He remembered a time long ago, when he was a child sitting with his mother in the palace garden beside the small pool.

"Try and move the stone, my son," she said to him.

And O'Bonn repeated the incantation she taught him, and nothing happened. He looked upon her with a childish face of distress.

"No, no," she said quietly and simply, "don't think about moving it, feel it. Each element is connected with us," she explained. "Reach out to the stone with your heart, not your mind."

The child O'Bonn nodded and closed his eyes. He spoke softly, a whispered word said with feeling and happiness.

The stone rose from the water of the pool and splashed down again.

Smiling, despite the onslaught of what felt to be Red Mountain itself against him, O'Bonn whispered the incantation.

 

[Dracona]

The chanting of the Corpse King filled her ears as Ona circled the chamber keeping her back to the wall. The eerie glow from the disembodied sword bathed her face as it came for her and she ducked away. She had no sword to engage with but she knew how to block one.

Throwing up her right arm she called flames to her from the burning debris at the mouth of the tunnel. With a swirl of her hand she shaped the flames into a tightening spiral until she held a flaming shield in front of her made solid by the power of her mind alone. She ducked beneath the flashing blow of the sword feeling the impact to her shield shudder up her arm causing her arm to tingle and go numb for a moment. She danced back from the glowing sword taking stock of the situation. Idrial was outnumbered by shamblers but holding her own, O’Bonn was held fast to the wall by the sorcerer’s magic and she knew she herself was no match for this enchanted sword.

What was it Idrial had said? Destroy the staff?

Ona turned back and ducked away from the sword again, her focus turning to the Corpse King. His staff glowed and his chanting seemed to sap the strength from her limbs. She didn’t know if she could get close but perhaps she didn’t need to be close to distract him. Reaching for the glowing sword with her mind she struggled to seize control, to keep it from attacking long enough to give her a little time. Beads of sweat rolled down her face as she gripped her shield in both hands and molded it quickly into a solid flaming mass. She focused on Corpse King himself hurled the flaming ball at him like a shot from a cannon.