The Time of Dragons, an Magic.. *All welcome*

[LadyFairy]

"As you wish." Reverend said, letting Idrial follow him through the corridors.

The stone halls were cooler as they neared the large opened gatehouse, and the reddish torch light gave way to the more natural golden light of day. There were a few onthers about, mostly dwarves again, but the odd human moved about as well. All bowed respectfully when they encountered Reverend and Idrial.

"Your friends all elected to remain in town, mostly at the inn. I am not so sure they are still there however. Since you all arrived, there have been five murders in town, two at the inn." He fixed Idrial with a rather stern gaze, his eyes still intent regardless of the youthful face.

"I do hope this is not a sign of things to come."

Idrial raised her own brow as she listened to Reverend speak and shook her head. As we have yet to form our party Reverened i do not control their actions..if indeed they were the culprets as you indicate with your words.

Smiling at the look on Reverends face she continued to follow him noting the dwarves and the odd looking human as they passed.

 

[Keldun_Rae]

Still not answearing the question, he continues to study the keep itself.

 

[Mantra]

"True." Reverend admitted, "But you were all traveling together when you arrived and you are undeniably linked together in some fashion, but I do note the series of odd coincidences since the lot of you all arrived."

"In any case, although I cannot say for sure that they are even involved in the incidents, I am hoping you can exert a bit of...restraint and control over them."

The two entered into another room with a pair of long tables in them. At the end of one sat Drakkon who was obviously fininshing up a meal. He nodded at Reverend and Idrial.
"Good morning to you both." he said, cheerilly.

 

[Mantra]

Phalanx stood, motionless and silent, save for his eyes which continued to follow Thelron.

 

[Mystical Avalon]

Again Morrigann stared into the eyes of the Old Warrior. She felt herself renewed by this fierce energy that coursed through her veins.

"Old Warrior, your days have been long on this earth. Let us see if you have it for at least one more"

She screamed a blood thirsty scream and charged the Old Warrior. O'Bonn would see that his mockery of her would be justly dealt with.

 

[Keldun_Rae]

After quite sometime of merely studying the structure of the keep, Thelron pulls his hood down to cover his eyes and face, leans againts the wall comfortably, and appears to fall asleep. A closer inspection of him will reveal that he is in a state of meditation.

 

[LadyFairy]

Idrial smiled at them both as she entered the room with him and replyed. i shall do my best Reverend. Then looking to Drakkon bowed slightly her long braid slipping over her sholder as she said. Greetings

 

[AmenRa]

The Battle With The Undead

O'Bonn had waited for this. He had relaxed into the willow posture, and when Morrigann charged him, his strike was swift and precise.

A master of his had told him, "thou shalt never charge headlong into battle without thine wit, Fighter O'Bonn. Anger will cloud thine eyes...thine eyes...without these, sealed your fate is."

And so it was this night. As he had reckoned, Morrigann's headlong charge against him was with malice and anger, and as she reached him, he ducked low, and gracefully spun in a circle away from her. As her strike descended into air, O'Bonn's sweeping backhanded slice with his scimitar caught her across the back of her knees. He heard her undead flesh sizzle as the magical blade cut deep.

The High Warrior stood and resumed his relaxed posture. His blade, tinged now with vampiric blood, glowed still in the moon light.

His cut had dropped her to her knees. He should step in and finish this.

But, instead, he spoke, "Stand and fight, Vampire. Meet thy doom on your feet, not groveling like some rat for scraps of food!"

An insult surely enough to anger her more. And, now, he knew she was afraid. Her anger and fear made her weak. And him it made more powerful.

 

[Mystical Avalon]

Morrigann felt the scimitar slice the delicate skin behind her knees and the burning pain. She howled in anger.

Reaching to touch the open wound she found it had not healed nor was it beginning to. This worried her. What magic was this?

"You Old Warrior have some life left in you" she laughed. Rising to her feet she wheeled to see the laxness with which he stood waiting.

Raising her arms, she lifted her head and began to speak.

FROM THE NIGHT I CALL UPON THE POWERS OF DARKNESS. FATHER GIVE ME STRENGTH. FATHER GIVE ME POWER. BRINGER OF ALL EVILS I SUMMON YOU FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL TO YOUR DAUGHTER TO YOUR MOTHER NOW

As Morrigann spoke these words she felt vibrations from the ground under her feet. Suddenly, pulsating through her body the tingle of lightening. She rose to strike the Old Warrior down and once again, raised her sword above her head.

I aim not with my sword but with my heart, let my blow be true she thought.

She swung the hilt of the sword around in such a manner that one would thing she were going to drop it. But the blow rang out none the less. She had made a hit. Where she did not know, she only heard the uummph! as the sword hit O'Bonn. It was to be a long battle and darkness would stay until it finished and one was dead.

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn rolled with the strike from Morrigann's blade. The blade had cut into his leather hauberk, down against the shirt of Elven mail that he wore. Surely he would carry a bruise from it's mark, as he felt his collarbone had nearly given way.

The High Warrior came to his feet, spinning his scimitar around and bringing it to grip in two hands by his side.

"Art thou a witch as well? A summoner? A sorceress?" O'Bonn spat at her. O'Bonn turned slightly, his Elven eyes watching the slithering, inky-black coils that entwined themselves around the trees. A hundred eyes watched them, slivers of dim light in the fabric of the forest that now manifest itself before them. The Fay were enjoying this battle as well.

"See them, Vampire?" He asked. "They are waiting for you!"

The scimitar glowed with blue, and the runes engraved upon it shown with red. This blade, given to him by a master smith that had escaped the Underdark so many years ago, was called N'al fashada - the undead's bane. It was poison to a vampire or any other that feared the sun and the light. Morrigann had felt it's power. Now she would feel it again.

And he struck. Stepping quickly, O'Bonn brought his blade across, sparks flying as his struck hers. Their eyes locked for an instant, and then he brought his right foot up in a powerful thrust kick. He knocked her back, striking her in the chest even as lightening arced from her to him. Ignoring the burning pain of the electric jolt, O'Bonn spun, executing a spinning back kick and striking her again in the chest.

The spinning kick had set him up for his next strike, and his timing was perfect. The rhythym of the battle was with him now as he brought his glowing scimitar around in a sweeping horizontal strike. He caught her eyes as the strike came to her and saw her mouth open in a look of unbelieving as the blade opened up her side. The only thought O'Bonn could manage as he looked into her eyes, even with the fading ache of electric fire, was how beautiful .....

 

[LadyFairy]

Idrial finnished her meal with Reverend, Drakkon and the others and begain to wonder how O'Bonn and the other's faired for they had yet to arrive. Getting to her feet she crossed to one of the windows before turning back and bowing to those at the table and taking her leave to serch for her companions to be.

Idrial made her way back down the hall going back the way Drakkon had shown her when he had walked her to her chamber. Stepping outside she could see that the snow had stopped falling and begain walking in the direction of the village.

Hearing the sounds of battle she picked up speed and made her way silently in that direction.. remaining hidden she was shocked to find the vampire whom had been their companion in battle with the high warrior O'Bonn. The centar standing off to the side. It didnt take her long to reolize the vampire had turned against them.

As she watched the battle Idrial was impressed with O'Bonn's fighting skills, but their was something different in his eyes when the sparks from the vampires sword and his own crossed.

Idrial knew that the centar sensed her presance and so she stepped forward her own sword drawn ready to help defend the centar should O'Bonn by chance fail to kill the vampire.

She knew the centar recognized her and both nodded their greetings no words were spoken as both watched the battle between the two, as well as their surroundings incase the wolven desided to attact.

 

[Mystical Avalon]

The blade cut deep into her side as she stood utterly dumbfounded. The burning that replaced the awe was unbearable and Morrigann fell to the ground. Sensing a new arrival to the battleground, Morrigann looked towards them.

"Idrial, you walk under the cover of night but your sense of uncertainty gives you away. You may put away your sword for I have no quarrel with you" she spoke words that seemed to defy her. Turning her gaze to O'Bonn, her green eyes burned with a passionate fire. She would soon be defeated. The wound in her side was beginning to burn and grow larger with each move she made. She would soon be useless as her powers were starting to fade. Suddenly, pain gripped her and she fell to the ground crying out. She looked around in confusion. Where was she? What was happening? Suddenly she saw O'Bonn approaching with his scimitar ready to strike.

All she could do was gaze up at him with her eyes.

 

[LadyFairy]

Hearing Morrigann's words Idrial nodded but still kept her sword in hand. You say you have no fight with me and yet you attack thos whom we travled with in trust. Why? she asked watching as O'Bonn apporched her his blade at ready.

 

[Screech]

This was proving to get very interesting! Gar silently sat and observed. It appeared the dark one now had two opponents to deal with, and was not exactly in a condition to defend herself. If he were a defender of the innocent, Gar would have stepped forward and demanded the dark one stop her combat with the highborn. But, of course, he wasn't. He was a defender of himself, and whomever else he felt deserved it.

Gar emerged from his shadowy hiding place, feeling that the dark one, whom he had called Morrigan, probably should not be destroyed this day. Maybe in two days time, sure, just not today. He stood, glowing mace in hand, eyeing both O'Bonn and Iridal, ready to leap to Morrigan's defence...

...If he felt like it

 

[LadyFairy]

Idrial noted out of the corner of her eye movement in the shadows, and a wepon that glowed. She was ready should the stranger decide to join the play, but as long as he made no move, and only observed he or she was safe from her wrath.

Idrial wondered where the Dragons were and why they had not come to investagate as this battle lay not far from the keep. Where was Phalanx, twas strange that he was not there, and Thelron had been on his way to the keep as well. Damn.... things were not looking good and they had yet to face the task ahead of them.

 

[AmenRa]

O'Bonn stepped quickly, gracefully. His scimitar raised itself in a high, sweeping move over his head, and then descended with all the graceful fury of the signature strike of the High Warriors. Others called this strike the death strike, and a well-deserved name it was. In battle, the Elven infantry would line up in a skirmish line, and as their attackers came into range, the end warrior began the cut, and then every Elf in the line struck in turn. It was an awesome sight to behold as a thousand or more scimitars struck down, one after another, each finding their marks.

This night, though, there was only one Elven warrior. The cut, however, was just as deadly. Cutting into Morrigann's collar bone, through her chest, and deep into her upper ribcage, the strike indeed found its mark.

O'Bonn locked eyes with her as the blade descended. He could not turn away. He knew the inevibility of the final strike as his blade descended. So did she. He saw that she did. Yet, something passed between them. Somehow, he did not feel as though he was killing her. It felt as if he had freed her.

Her pain is no more, Warrior. Now she has the chance to begin.

The Fay spoke to him. What it meant, he was not sure. Would she return as her true self? The self O'Bonn had pleaded with her before to be set free?

Weary from battle, O'Bonn knelt down, reached to her and closed her eyes.

Shar'da'th efdi na, he said. Find peace.

His scimitar, now no-longer glowing, was re-sheathed. He then turned to Idrial, bowed, and held out his hand. "Is the man-child safe?"

And then he was aware of someone lurking in the shadows. He shook his head. He noticed the Fay hound had caught a scent. Perhaps the majai-hi would want to hunt a bit this night?

 

[Screech]

Gar witnessed the dark woman fall, and the other two turn their attention in his direction. Reluctantly, he stepped out of the shadows, trying to look as powerful as he could. Of course, that was not too hard. He was an armed and armoured warewolf! The two seemed somewhat wary of him, but the hound that the high warrior had nearby was snarling in his direction. A good threat would probably suffice here...

"Best keep the pooch on it's lead, high one" he growled. "Wouldn't want to spill it's guts just yet."

 

[LadyFairy]

Idrial nodded to O'Bonn Aye he is safe... there is much we must discuss when we are able. she said and shifted her attention along with him to the wherewolf who steped forward from the shadow's. Causing the fay hound's hackles to rise.

Idrial waited for the shifter to speak.. he nether indicated that he was friend or foe, he simply made a statement. Idrial stepped forward. Their has been enough blood shead this night.. Who are you stranger and what is it you seek?

 

[Screech]

Gar looked at the woman. Somehow she seemed less threatening that the high warrior. That was good because, despite all his magical protection, he didn't really relish the thaught of a fight right now. Even if he had stood ready to join in. Of course that would be a different thing entirely.

"I? I am Garfield Thelonius Remmington the Third I'll have you know! I am currently... travelling. My hometown has become a little dull (Yes, that should do)"

He stood ready still, not trusting the high warrior. Mostly because of the blasted hound, who'se cranium he would gladly cave in if just to shut it up...

 

[Mystical Avalon]

Morrigann felt the blow. She lay on the ground as the words spoken by O'Bonn worked into her head. She sighed a great a deep sigh as she was drawn upwards. She appeared as a shadow. Speaking in her most delicate of all voices, she said:

I speak not with malice O'Bonn but with love and compassion. It is now my choice as to whether I return or stay. The damage has been done and the quest you are about to embark on is not of my own. I will wish to watch over you and give guidance to your party if it wills. I regret that we were so ill met Idrial for you are a great warrior yourself. Traveling in your company has made us well met yet ill also. Your quest will take you far and long away from everything you know. May you find that which you seek and may the boy you keep be well kept and safe. I am now to enter the realm of the mysts. If you so seek me you shall find me.

Her shadow floated and disappeared. She was gone. Her body began to melt to the ground. She returned from which she came.

 

[AmenRa]

The Fay hound rushed to where Morrigann's body had turned to the ground and sniffed. The dog then lifted his silvery-white muzzle and let loose a piercing, wailing, mournful howl. He then turned to O'Bonn, and nuzzled against the High Elf's leg.

O'Bonn nodded his head. "And so, it is thus," he said.

Turning to the newcomer, O'Bonn spoke. "This fellowship includes all who would seek to join," he told him. "Your unique abilities would serve well against what we may soon face. Would you come with us?" The Fay hound turned to look at Garfield, and cocked his head to one side as if waiting for an answer as well.

To Idrial, he said, "My lady, there was an attack upon me two nights ago in the inn, and such an assassin was one of the walking dead. I must speak to Thorn of this, and quickly."

 

[Screech]

The highborn warrior spoke up. "This fellowship includes all who would seek to join. Your unique abilities would serve well against what we may soon face. Would you come with us?"

What they may soon face? Unique abilities? Surely he was referring to some sort of imminant danger or cataclysm! This shook Gar slightly, although he tried hard not to show it. It's not that danger was anyting new to him. Heck, he'd lived through a somewhat hushed down daemonic invasion in his lands, and didn't really fear godly reprisals for his lack of faith to the two (or was it three now?) gods that he had abandoned in favor of another. It was just that, well, he didn't really know what going into combat would result in each time, and that kinda scared him. Plus, his personal bad luck helped....

"Very well high borne! I shall lend my aid to your fellowship, but on one condition - I would be allowed to appraise any and all spoils first for potential value"

Yes... Value to me.....

 

[LadyFairy]

Idrial looked at Gar questioningly but kept her silence, his request was reasonable. Looking back to O'Bonn she said. Aye we should go to the Keep Thorn awaits, and perhaps Thelron has already arrived.. there is much we all must discuss and decide.

Idrail looked at the group in front of her and thought of those already at the keep that had gatherd thus far, should they decide to accept the task. A drow, an elf, a half elf, a shifter, a centar, and at least one or two dragon's. Things were bound to get interesting, and there were still others to gather along the way.

 

[Keldun_Rae]

Thelron looks around once more as he stretches his shoulders and cracks his knuckles. He decides it might be best to stay near the keep, so to kill some time he scouts the surrounding terrain. At all times he makes sure to stay within sight of the main entrance, or to not have it out of sight for long.

 

[Dracona]

Ona sat back on her heels taking deep calming breaths as she brought her focus back to her current surroundings. The battle between the warrior and the undead had been intense and in a way sad.....but there was joy to yet come of it.

She glanced around the small clearing that she had come to consider her own and sighed. She had thought to wait here until the party passed nearby but she could sense the evil emanating from the South growing. Perhaps she should go out to meet them, what assistance she could offer was uncertain but she felt drawn to join them. It had been so long since she had traveled, since she had more than brief cursory meetings with others and it would be difficult for her. She had to trust that her control had grown strong enough that it would be safe....for all of them.

Heaving another long sigh Ona rose to her feet and walked around to the back of her cabin. Here was a small three sided shanty surrounded by a small corral. A light gray donkey munched lazily on grain she had given him earlier. He tossed his head and made a welcoming sound as he caught her scent. Ona had traded a passing tinker a fine haunch of venison for the donkey. Not because she needed him, but because the tinker had been thinking it would be easier to slit the poor old creatures throat than to rely on him to pack his wares any longer. Ona couldn't bear the thought when she had looked into the donkey's liquid brown eyes. So now he was hers, and now he would once again serve as a beast of burden....although his burden would be much lighter.

"Bardo, my sweet....fancy a journey?"

It didn't take long to pack and prepare. Before long Bardo stood loaded with her bedroll, supplies and the few essentials she needed. Then, pulling a long hooded cloak of gray around her body, she took one final look around and suddenly wondered if she would ever see the place again. Patting the donkey on the neck she turned and walked down the path into the forest knowing he would follow.