From Peasant's to Kings

[Jacobo_Curious]

OOC Yeah, that's pretty good, thanks.


/IC


Dzz'sndl galloped over the crest of a hill, and its visage was finally revealed to the two hiding in the tree. Only a few ragged scraps of flesh remained on the face, and the skull was twisted into an unnatural grimace. The hoofs of its demonic horse wilted the grass, and the droplets of blood from its long cleaver turned the grass a toxic red.

Closing in its prey, it seemed to sniff the air, and slowly, maliciously, slung its cleaver into a ready position. It then rushed forward, its horse spewing the heady scent of terror in its wake, the trees rebelling against this abomination of nature...

<<--->>

Balron glanced up at the sky as the shouts of the citizenry of Altec died down and the people began to accept their fate, helping to build the fort with fear and hatred in their minds. Sighing, the Dark King stared up at what was commonly known as Heaven. He shook his head.

"Gods and Goddesses," he muttered. "What foolishness. Powerful people, perhaps, but no control over the basic forces of nature -- the essence of creation, Consciousness. I hate these Gods and Goddesses, for selfishly allowing this worship on this useless material plane, and perpetuating the lies of port-humous gifts for worship. Selfish, yes!" he snarled, resisting the urge to send a blast from his hands up to the sky. He would not waste his magic, but he still had a hard time repressing his rage. "Next life, indeed," he muttered. "Decomposition and returning to the planet, that is all. No more of these lies. The truth is beautiful, if one can only lose their fear of death..."

He felt his thoughts turn to the masked LuRoe, and he shook his head worriedly. "What is that man thinking?" he thought aloud, though quietly, even though nobody bothered him. "The fools of Holy Malhambria engulf themselves with theology and philosophy, and never realize the foolishness of their basic premises. I'll crush that country too, once I'm finished here, and take Magincia for my own. My plan shall work, if I keep an eye on things..." He sighed. "But what is he planning? I don't trust that man, and yet I have this strange urge to have him on my side..."

As Balron mused quietly, Altec was disfigured beyond recognition as the building of the fort continued...

 

[Mistress]

Iris smoothed a wrinkle out of the red velvet gown she wore and then returned her gaze to the mass garden of the estate. It was an elaborate setting really, the hundreds of flowers and plants and trees. She sighed and leaned back against the tree she sat under, watching the breeze rock the blades of grass. Without realizing it she began to sway with them, closing her eyes and feeling a peace cascade over her. She dreamt in her mind of the freedom she once had, though a poor home she came from it was still free. A three room shack outside of her city, raised the only daughter out of six sons, she was the seventh born. The divine number, it was said she was special being the first born daughter as well as the seventh born.

When she opened her eyes again she noticed the sun had changed, she must have been sitting there for quite awhile. She wondered why Sara had not come to get her yet, but then decided the woman was probably busy attending to things in the castle. She stood and stretched yawning then smiled, it was a peaceful feeling day strangely. Iris turned and noticed someone watching her from one of the terraces; she shielded her eyes from the sun but still could not see who it was. Slightly frowning she gathered her skirts in her hands and hurried back into the castle out of view of the watcher....

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

The thief sighed as he watched the girl move away.

"Oh, stop it," he muttered. "I don't want to have to exert myself today."

Sighing, he drew a circle around himself with his foot, leaving a trail of glowing moonlight where it passed. He drew a few rough runes with his foot, and then closed his eyes, and whispered:

"Night Chameleon..."

He faded into the background, and moved on, silent as a cat...

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

LuRoe had just finished his rounds about the castle when he felt it, the slightest tingle of magic that bore not Balron's distinctive aura.

"So that subtle minion does possess some understanding after all. Nothing quite as brilliant as True Enlightenment but what more would a spy need?"

LuRoe, had sensed eyes on him before but had cared not, not even bothering to find out who it was. This inkling of magic however was mask of a different cut, as they say. The matter of the spy would be left for a later day though. He snapped his fingers towards a servant and requested that his coach be brought to the courtyard.

"Leaving Ambassador LuRoe?"

"..."

The servant bowed and had the coach moved to the courtyard as the masked man asked. LuRoe went to the courtyard and was assisted into the coach by one of his valets; a man dressed in a black and white uniform with a white bandits mask over his eyes.

"Praise be to Savout, Father LuRoe. Where is it you wish to go?"

"Where is Balron...Altec? Yes, take me to this place."

The valet bowed his head and told the driver of the destination, "It is said that Altec had been under the control of the prince's alliance until the most recent battle. He is likely consolidating his forces there."

"You are well on your way to becoming the perfect valet, Son DeVries do not burden yourself with the concerns of the strategist and tactician."

The valet, beamed at the compliment, "You are most kind to think so Father LuRoe. In my humble opinion, you have always been amongst my favorite of the Marquis."

LuRoe nodded once at the statement and continued, "I have maintained communion with the Council of the Marquis but I have had little news from home. Tell me what is about in Holy Malhambria?"

"Much is at hand Father LuRoe. You know well of the Pontifex's orders: the citizens to their work communities, the soldiers to their armies. Spirits are high, the citizenry believe that it has been too long since Holy Malhambria went to war, that the rest of the world thinks of us as impotent, unable to fend for ourselves."

"They may not have a chance to learn otherwise, I have not yet told the Pontifex or the Council to enter this war. I have not yet seen the True King of Ocllo, not in the Princes or Balron. I am waiting until I see the spirit of the True King amongst them."

"True King?"

"Many years ago Ocllo was at war with Magincia, again. Magincia however had an overwhelming advantage, it seemed as if they would completly crush Ocllo and deny the entire nation it's chance to fufill it's destiny. Pontifex LuManse sent the Army of the Grey Mask to push back Magincia's army. The King of Ocllo died in the war however and his eldest son assumed the throne. LuManse went to meet the new king and promptly slew him with his own hands. LuManse said that the True King of Ocllo had been the second son. Sure as Savout's Perfection, the second son lead Ocllo to glory."

"What does that mean Father LuRoe?"

"We of Holy Malhambria have always watched over the lands around us and have told them who their True King was. Of course Magincia does not allow us into their nation, and not all listen to our advice. LeManse could see a True King as surely as I see you. I however lack his sight and it may take time before the spirit of the True King is made manifest. There is a chance that it could be Balron, but he...well let us say that Balron cuts his nose to spite his face. I must try to steer him on the right path or I must admit error and find the True King in someone else."

The coach went onward, towards the village of Altec.

 

[Emotionless]

Dolson trudged wearily behind the pompus merchant's wagon. It was Merrin's waggon, Dolson's owner. Dolson had always been a slave, it was the only job a man of his descent could hope to obtian, for he was half-elfin. His kind was an distained by both races of his ancsetry and Dolson had never known a family.

A cool wind was blowing from the north as the caravan meandered down the dusty road and Dolson pulled his dull cloak tighter about his frame. No sense revealing the various knives strapped about him to his knew owner, Dolson prefered to keep his real tallents hidden.

Up ahead one of the pack horses began to nicker and toss its head. The drover quickly brought his whip to bear and the horse settled down. Dolson narrowed his eyes at the drover's back, if looks could kill....A yell up ahead ended this thought and the half elf looked up to see the lead team rear and bolt off to the left through a field, dragging a terrified drover with them.

Confusion reigned in the caravan, as horses began screaming and bucking wildly. A fat bald head poked out of the carrage ahead of Dolson. "What befalls?" Merrin shouted, "Get those animals under control!" The merchent looked back, "Dolson, get the rocks out of your boots and lend a hand!" The shouts fell on deaf ears however, for Dolson's keen eyes had picked out the cause of the horses' terror. A single rider made its way towards the caravan. Not a normal rider, however, for its face was a mask of mangled flesh.

The rider bore down on the caravan with terrifying speed. The guards sprung to the fore with spears brandished, but they were quickly headless. Merrin gave a yelp and popped his head back in his hole. Dolson dove under the carrage just as the grusome knight passed, but not before sliding his massive bloody sword into an open window and a wet gurggling sound came out.

The rider was gone as fast as he appeared, charging down the dusty road. Dolson slid out from his cover and surved the carnage. They were all dead, all of them. Whipped out in one fell swoop, so to speak. "Gods above," he wispered and looked down the road. "Such a thing should not be allowed to wander the realm." But what could he do? He was a very good fighter, but this foe had dispatched an entire caravan in minutes. Still....reluctantly the now free half-elfin slave set off after the grusome knight.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

/OOC

Hey, welcome, Emotionless. This thread is really picking up, and hopefully we can bring it together soon. I'm looking forward for an encounter with Balron... ^_^

Ambassador LuRoe will probably reach Altec in three hours or so (unless he's bored enough to use some sort of magic spell), so that would probably give Bristol and Trianna enough time to hopefully defeat or drive off the Phell Knight and give Dolson enough time to... well, do his best... ;;

And then, assuming the Phell Knights try to group, Dolson might encounter Bristol and Trianna, and head to Altec with them... heh!

Ehh, sorry to write all this, but there isn't an OOC thread, so... ^_^


/IC

Dnk'talli rode heedlessly through the scattered flesh of the caravan. Its otherworld sense could tell that these traders had dealt with the Princes, and while this was technically legal, it made them enemies of the crown of Balron -- and thus Dnk'talli had recognized them as enemies.

Most that are recognized as enemies don't last long enough to refute the claim.

There was one survivor, but a half-elfin. Dnk'talli spared it. No compassion was felt, however -- the survivor was "innocent". Balron had built his creations with a sense of justice -- albeit one skewed in his favor...

Dnk'talli felt its closest neighbor encounter two creatures. Its comrade sent the signals of hunted throughout all the Phell Knights, though most were far away or busy with dispatching scattered soldiers. The Princes themselves had not been found, though time would tell...

Dnk'talli began to ride toward its comrade who prepared for battle, but suddenly it felt the half-elfin following it. This confused the Phell Knight. Who would be so foolish? What could they want?

Confused indeed, the Phell Knight spun on its horse several times, unsure where to go...

 

[SecretDesires]

OOC: Will post after Roughneck's next post. Want to wait for his reaction to this before I do anything.

 

[Emotionless]

Dolson quickly hame to a halt as he crested a hill in the road, he sensed the rider up ahead had also come to a halt. He droped to his belly and crawled the few remaining feet to the top of the rise and peered down the road. There he saw the Knight, a ways up ahead, but the half-elf's keen eyes had little trouble discerning that it was infact the same monster that whiped out the caravan.
The kinght was wheeling his horse back and forth, as if confused as to what to do. "Well, i guess it knows im on its tail," the former slave mused. "Perhaps a change of strategy."

He spotted a group of trees off in the distance. "Maybe an ambush?" His mind made up, Dolson sprang up and sprinted towards the trees in the distance. "Hope it thinks im running away," he thought.

 

[Roughneck]

Bristol

Bristol held the daggers in his hands, such fine knives. . . . .to bad he didn't know how to use them. Bristol looked at Trianna and smiled, " Thanks, I shall use them to the best of my abilty."

They waited in the tree, both waiting to see what would happen, Bristols heart beating like a drum. All was quiet, not a sound could be heard, complete silance. Bristol strained his ears, listening for any sound. Without warning the hoof beats of a horse could be heard, the animal seemed to be smelling the ground.

The mounted ridder brought fear to Bristol, he seemed like a collection of evil formed together for the sole pourpose of killing. Bristol looked at the knives in his hand, then shruging his shoulder threw the first knife.

" THUNK"

Went the knife as it's handle bounced off the Phell Knight. As the Phell Knight looked up into the direction of the mis thrown knife, Bristol threw another.

" Thunk"

Went the knife as it bounced off the helm of the Phell Knight. Bristol quickly turned to Tianna, giving her a sheepish grin. She held a look of disbelief.

" Hey I said i would use them to the best of my abilty, the problem is. . . I have no real ability with knifes.

Trianna shruged her shoulders, somewhat amused at what she just saw, and pulled back her bow, releasing an arrow. The Phell Knight let out a blood curdling scream as the arrow hit its mark. The Knight pulled the arrow out, tossing it to the ground, pure evil poured from its eyes as it looked at the two of them.

Trianna glanced over to Bristol, a look of concern on her face.

" Ummm, I do hope you can use that sword I gave you. . . . if not, we might literly be up a tree."

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

Balron was in thought when he heard someone behind him, "Anger, disquiet...A chink in your omnipotence Balron?"

Marquis Gui LuRoe had arrived just a few moments before, his coach had already parked outside the town. His valets had remained behind as not to be obtrusive to those milling about. LuRoe looked at the fortress being constructed, no doubt it would station those foolish souls that tied themselves to their dead flesh, or perhaps simply living warriors. It hardly mattered, the two princes couldn't have much fight left in them.

"Your Magincian allies are uneasy Balron, they may abandon you. This is not why I have come however."

Balron. Always just "Balron" he never addressed him as "Your Grace" or "King Balron", always a reminder that as far as Holy Malhambria was concerned Ocllo had no king on it's throne. Oh, they knew he was in charge, that was certain. But no king, not yet.

"We are very much different people Balron. Besides our positions of power and mastery over the arcane, we have very little in common. We are both curious however, we both have questions. I sense things are about to take a strange turn and there are things I would ask you prior to this change, this seeming. In the spirit of good faith, I would satisfy your curiosity as well. The first question is yours."

This in itself was a "strange turn", save when the ambassador spoke with his own people he said very little. Now he had uttered more words in three breaths than he had in the years he spent in Ocllo as Philip's then Balron's guest.

 

[SecretDesires]

Trianna shook her head at his attempt to pierce the armor of the Phell Knight. "I told you to ask my goddess to guide the weapon," She said as she strung another arrow and aimed, not at the knight but at his steed. "Marrassa. guide my arrow and forgive me for harming a creature of the earth. Send it's tortured soul to peace."

Letting fly the arrow and then two others in quick succesion, the mount reared as the first one hit it's eye, the second it's foreleg and the third sunk into it's chest. The horse would not be easy to kill but it could not remove the magical arrows as it's rider could and the pain flaring from the pure magic would cause it's rider to lose control of it long enough to inturrupt any attack.

The horse reared and almost threw it's rider, it's hooves pawing at the air and it's tortured neighing renting the air. "If you get in close enough to use the sword, plant a dagger between it's ribs and let my goddess' magic do the rest," She called to him as another arrow flew from her bow to find a chink in the evil knights armor between the plates that covered his shoulder.

 

[Roughneck]

Bristol

Bristol looked at her, giving her a questionable look.

" Are you serious? Maybe you haven't noticed but that guy isn't exactly human, not to mention friendly !"

Bristol shook his head, " Oh well, figures it would come to this."

Bristol jumped from the tree, landing onto the Phell Knight, both of them falling off the mount. Bristol scrambled up from the gound just in time to avoid a blow from the Phell Knight. Bristol quickly pulled out the sword, trying despertly to keep his foe at bay.

 

[SecretDesires]

Trianna scrambled from the tree herself and followed Bristol, slinging her bow across her shoulders. Now she reached for her flask that held the healing potion. Healing magic was known to affect the undead when other magic failed.

Uncorking the flask, she waited for an opening when the Phell Knight was busy trying to kill of Bristol and she saw a flash of 'flesh' underneath the helm. In a flash she was close to him and the healing potion splattered about his armor, the majority of it hitting his neck. The smell of decaying flesh filled the air as did a roar of rage and pain as the Phell Knight whirled from Bristol to confront this new attacker.

Using her natural agility she ducked as his sword was swung at her. "Don't let his sword hit you," She called to Bristol as she jumped back from another swing,"The poison on it will cause your flesh to decay."

Seeing the look he gave her as she scrambled back away from the knights frenzied slashing she knew he was not pleased with this last bit of information.

 

[Emotionless]

Apparently the knight had fallen for it, as Dolson saw nor felt no sign on persuit as he made the copse of trees and leaned against a trunk, panting.

Just as the half-elf was regaining his breath, the air was split by a piercing scream. "Gods, what was that?," he asked aloud. "Another dark rider?" Taking off his beaten and worn cloak, Dolson revealed to all those watching his second identity. Clad in hardened leather armour and with a small forest of daggers strapped to him, he was not such a slave but a skilled fighter.

With a the stealth lent to him by his elfin anscestry, he made his way towards the source of the scream. What he saw when he got there almost made him slink away back to where he came. Almost.

Another of the grotesque knights was making its way towards a fearful eyed human wielding what appeared to be an elfin sword. "At least he appears to know what he's doing with that thing," Dolson thought. But after witnessing the slaughter at the caravan, he held little hope this knight would be defeated alone.

An arrow streaked out of a tree with a audible prayer to the elfin goddess marrassa and smacked deep into the knights chest which gained another piercing scream. He was not alone then. Maybe they'll have a chance.

A flash of steel caught Dolson's eye right down by his feet. As he bent over and picked up its source, the half-elf's eyes widened. A magic dagger! Looking up, Dolson saw the knight was still ignoring him, so with a sigh Dolson gripped the dagger by the point and whispered to Marrassa "guide this blade true" and flung the blade end over end to slam hilt deep between the knights shoulder blades

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

/OOC
Man! Y'all don't give me a break, huh? Where's my counterattack round?! ^_^

<<--->>

/IC

Dzz'sndl roared, as the blade pierced between its shoulder blades, its armor having already been cut from its ragged straps. Its bloody cleaver swung swathes around it, and it still seemed to ignore the wounds, even as it snarled in pain and its flesh burned away.

A demon? Undead? Who could tell?

But Balron's rejection of the gods gave his creations strength, though he did not know. Though the elfin goddess Marrassa channeled her force through her faithful, the Phell Knight was not blasted to bits. It may be that Balron's dark cynicism (if one could call it that), rather than his dark magic, makes him powerful.

The Phell Knight suddenly shoved forward, and Bristol felt a cone of force make him stumble back. The Phell Knight sniffed, glanced at Dolson... and ignored him. Instead it galloped toward the trees, its steed snorting flame, and took one hack at the tree it knew the elf girl had been hiding in.

And its cleaver of death split the trunk across. The tree quickly began to crash down from the incredible, unconceivable force of the Phell Knight's attack. Trianna had escaped, but the falling tree knocked down a few more trees as it went, damaging the grove.

The Phell Knight's sense of justice, once again. Blame the tree.

Dolson couldn't imagine why the Phell Knight had ignored him after he had dealt such incredible damage, until his keen ears heard the sound of one horse galloping towards him, very close...

Dnk'talli smiled the rictus grin of death as it rode into the clearing, charging at the half-elf.

<<--->>

Balron simply stared up at the sky.

It was about time.

Balron was curious as to many things. Did Gui LuRoe know who he was? What he had done? What his powers were? And why was Gui LuRoe here? Was Gui LuRoe on his side? Did Gui LuRoe understand?

But there was one question far more important than everything. One no one had ever been able to answer well. Which is why, to this day, Balron did not believe there was anyone quite as wise as him. More witty, perhaps -- more skilled, certainly, in certain areas -- and all far more deluded, especially all those others who considered themselves wise. He didn't expect much, as he never had from this question, but he wanted to try.

"Do you know," said Balron slowly, "what I think?"

The Ambassador waited for a few moments, but it became clear that this question was not rhetorical, nor was it a lead. It was the actual question.

Let's judge this man on his perception of me...

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

LuRoe chuckled. It was an unnerving sound, raw and unpracticed. "No, I do not know what you think. "

That was it, a simple answer to a simple question. Balron could likely sense that LuRoe had much more to say but perhaps he had not asked the right question.

"Now I shall ask you my question. If you defeated the Princes, would you work towards the glory of Yourself, Ocllo, or Mankind?"

LuRoe was certain that Balron's question had been a test, even more certain that his answer was not "satisfactory". It didn't matter, Balron's opinions were unimportant. LuRoe awaited the answer to his question, catching the scent of the Phell Knight on the wind.

I will answer any question Balron, he thought, perhaps we may both learn something here.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Balron laughed. He laughed long, and hard, and wiped a tear from his eye.

He liked that answer.

"Thank you, Ambassador Gui LuRoe," said the king. "I feel now that I can trust you."

He turned to look at the ambassador from Holy Malhambria, a smile on his face that almost appeared genuine. "Mankind," he responded. "I know what mankind really needs, and only I. I have never met anyone, as of yet, who can see the pettiness in their own lives. I strive for something greater."

"Me?" He smirked. "I really don't care. If I lost my chance to rule... I would kill myself. I have no other purpose than to break illusions. If that is denied me... than so is the only way that I can truly help anybody. And I have no reason to continue."

"As for Occlo?" He shrugged. "I have more love for the land than the people in it, but Occlo herself? I care little for countries or boundaries or beliefs. No, Occlo is not that important to me. I am no patriot... at worst, I am a... philosopher." He spat the word with great distaste.

He paused for a few moments... and he finally admitted to himself why Gui LuRoe was so important.

"Ambassador LuRoe," said King Balron softly, "I know the history of Occlo. I know of Holy Malhambria's intervention, long ago, though it is hidden in the tomes of history and preferrably forgotten about in Occlo."

"Ambassador LuRoe..."

Balron sighed, as if letting a great weight off his shoulders.

"Am I the True King of Occlo?"

He glanced back, and all emotion was gone. His eyes were flinty now, and hard, and filled with nothing but pure willpower.

"I have told you why I must know, because if I am not..."

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

LuRoe had hoped that Balron would not have broached the subject, but he would not cushion his answer any.

"No, at this time you are not the True King; there are interfering factors."

Just like that, he wondered how Balron would react to the negative answer, but then again he might decide not to take the word of Holy Malhambria seriously; who was to say that they alone knew such secrets?

His mind wandered for a moment or two before asking a predictable but important question, "Do you have designs for Magincia, the Elven Nation, and Holy Malhambria when you are done here?"

He was working under the assumption that Balron would indeed defeat the Princes, he had little faith in their ability to combat the forces Balron could raise.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Not at this moment? Factors?

"As long as there is a chance, there is hope," he breathed softly, and turned to look at Gui LuRoe. He had to be honest, it was the only way.

"Yes," he said quietly. "If I am right, and my Destined Son is born to... fufill his purpose... then I must introduce my concepts to the world, and prove I am correct. I must engulf the world, in order to save it. Only by destroying the ignorance that is Gods and Goddesses..." He gave Gui LuRoe a sidelong glance. "...or Perfection... can the world be saved from itself."

His glance turn to a glare. "Now let me ask you something. Do you really believe that if you can achieve this Perfection, once you do, will it have any meaning whatsoever? You may be a God, but you will still be caged..."

 

[Roughneck]

Bristol tried desperately to keep a distance between him and his foe, his options at the moment were limited to just that. Then from the corner of his eye he saw a figure pounce onto his foe, driving a dagger into it.
The creature seemed to be irritated more then hurt by the action, throwing his assailant to the ground, then with the force of a hundred men chopped down the tree Trianna had been using for cover. As Bristol watched the Phell Knight gloat over his actions, a raged formed up in him. Putting aside his fear and doubt Bristol rose up and charged the Knight. Screaming at the top of his lungs Bristol raised the enchanted sword, bringing it to bear upon the Phell Knight.

As Dzz'sndl stood their gloating over the situation at hand, Bristol's scream drew him back to the matter at hand. He quickly turned to the oncoming foe, only to see his fate as Bristol brought the enchanted sword down upon him, chopping off his head in one blow. The body fell to the ground, its head rolling to Bristol's feet, but his moment of glory was short lived, as another Phell Knight approached the besieged group.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Despite the creature not being a natural, living being, the spinal cord is always imperative to magic. Like a Tree of Life, the spine carries special magical nodes that grow to reach the mystical Third Eye in the forehead. When a spine is severed, magic is cancelled.

Dzz'sndl was, to put it simply, dead.

Its poleaxe-like cleaver fell to the ground, and blood stopped dripping from it. It remained, however -- but now merely a wicked-looking axe, apparently.

Dnk'talli felt its brethren pass from the mortal coil, and knew it would be needed. Judgment would be passed on the unworthy mortals that dared to face a Phell Knight...

Galloping forth, Dnk'talli drew a long, serrated, silver sword and passed by Dolson, swinging his sword aggressively. And then...

...it spoke.

"Human, Elf, and Breed," it hissed, sounding like the rasping of sandpaper against snakeskin and old bone, "how dare you resist?" Its horse pawed the ground with its infernal hoofs, preparing to charge. "Do you not know the meaninglessness of your lives?"

Then it attacked.

 

[SecretDesires]

Trianna saw the danger moments before the Phell Knight's sword slashed into and took down the tree she had scrambled up again to safety. Slinging her bow back around her shoulders, she lept with the sure footedness of one who has lived in the trees all her life onto branches of the tree next to the one that was falling.

Knowing that the first tree would take down several more in such a close vicinity because of the force of the blow it was felled with, she did not pause but ran across the branches and lept to the next tree and then the next, moving from the one seconds before it was taken down until she could leap to the side and a steady enough tree to hold her weight that was out of the way of the crashing foallage.

Breathing hard, she watched Bristol take down the Phell Knight but had no chance to rejoice for another was on the horizon. Calling out in Elvin to apparantly no one, she was answered with a whinney close by. The Grey had stayed as promised and now he came galloping out of hidding to pass under the branch she was standing on. With the skill of one who has done this before, Trianna dropped from the branch onto a lower one and then hung from that as the Grey passed so that she landed not on the ground but upon his back, her slight weight not hurting the stallion at all.

Grasping the mane in one hand, she called out to her mount to ride toward the Phell Knight who had just attacked after a speech intended to quell it's potential victums. Though reluctant, the steed did as asked and Trianna again dipped into her many pouches and brought out a green powder the color of crushed emeralds clutched in her hand. Bringing it up to her face, she spoke some words above it, a glow immediately springing from it just as she approached her enemy.

Ducking a swing from the knight, she threw the powder at him, encasing rider and horse in the green glow. Riding past and then urging the Grey to spin around, she saw that the glow had muted as it touched the knight as if absorbed into him. She was not alarmed though and rode past him again at a safer distance back toward Bristol and a new arrival, a half-elf who were looking at her as if they wondered if she had taken leave of her senses in endangering her life on some fool mission.

Smiling at them, she pointed to the knight again whose mount had paused and was pawing the air as if in pain. Growing from both Phell Knight and horse were barbed vines that sprang up and encased them both tightly in green ropes of barbs that slashed and dug in wherever they touched their captives.

Leaning over and patting the Grey's twitching nose, she said,"I was trained in my healing magic by a druid. He taught me a little more than how to cure the sick."

Sitting up on her mount her smile faded. "It will not hold forever, though, and we must decide to fight or run now."

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

And Earth met Hell.

The Phell Knight and the Phell Mount each screeched in terrible agony, burned by the pure forces of Nature, just as the vines wilted and died from the pure aura of decay that emanated from these creates.

Smoking and hissing, the vines began to drop off, one by one...

 

[Emotionless]

He'd heard the knight's charge just in time, and Dolson was able to leap out of the way just in time. As he regained his footing, he saw the up-to-now hidden elf circling the knight on a grey horse. The half-drew a dagger in each hand, but paused to watch the elf. An incredulous look crossed his face as she released some sort of powder at the foul creature. That look vanished, however, when vines burst forth and began encircling the knight.

The elf now seemed to be addressing him as well as her companion. "run or fight," was all he heard however, as he was a distance away.

Dolson cocked one arm back and sent a dagger spinning to plunge into the knight's skull. The rider just snarled and continued fighting the vines. "Umm, I think I'll be moving along now." Dolson said. He was a skilled fighter, but this knight was far out of his league, and he was all but useless with a sword, but theis two had dispatched the other knight with relative ease...
"That is, unless i you're thinking of fighting this one....."

 

[Roughneck]

Bristol's Stand

Bristol turned to Trianna, giving her a serious look.

" Running is not an option, for wherever we run this creature will pursue us."

Slowly he turn back to to the Phell Knight, planting his feet firmly to the ground, slightly raising and cocking his sword back.

" I will run no further, this will end right here! This is between the two of us Trianna, leave while you still have a chance."

Bristol watched as the creature hacked his way through the vines, in a matter of seconds he would be free, this was going to be the deciding moment.

As Dnk'talli hacked away at the few remaining vines, he saw the human draw his sword, the same human who moments earlier had struck down Dzz'sndl. He saw the human prepare himself, no fear showed in his eyes, this sight caused Dnk'talli to go into total rage. He would slay this human and feast on his bones, he would avenge his fallen comrade.

As the last vine was hacked away, Dnk'talli charged his mount towards Bristol, screaming in a devilish rage, he raised his sword, ready to strike.

Bristol saw the Phell Knight Hack away the last of the vines, he could see the creatures rage. As the creature charged his mount towards him, he calmly took a breath. As the Phell Knight neared him, ready to strike him, Bristol rolled to his right. Bristol rose up, swinging his sword across, hacking into the knights mount.

The mount let out a scream of pain as it tumbled forward, sending its rider crashing to the ground. Before Dnk'talli could get his bearings, Bristol was standing over him. As he looked up into Bristol's eyes, he knew his fate was sealed.

" Go back to your Hellish pits foul creature!" said Bristol, as he brought his sword down upon Dnk'talli .

As the last bit of life escaped from Dnk'talli , Bristol sank to his knees. The reality of what had just transpired finally sunk in. He felt the weakness of his body, the pain of his wounds. Bristol slumped forward, exhausted from the fight.