Open Chronicles Burning of The Blight

[Ashieron]

The night was a crisp and cold night. So cold infact the clouds ceased to exist to cover the stars and the beautiful blood moon above The Spine. Snow covered the earth in a thick blanket, al ost up to an average sized human’s knees. The trees were not spared either, as their trunks were covered with ice crystals, and the branches were covered in icicles. Nothing but the breeze and harsh winds broke the silence for Ash as he ran through the trees following the tracks in the snow.

He had received word from a few raven friends he had enlisted with some magic that blight land orcs and servants were moving. Toppling trees and going to villages, taking them over. Their scent was everywhere as he followed the foot prints. He has been following thier trail for the last few hours, following the ravens until they gotten too cold and tired to continue. Sending them back home he would continue on.

Finally, he spotted them. Walking along, carrying some logs along with them. Having them dragged by some monstrosity from the blight lands. They have gotten too close to his family, to his little hatchling and dragon eggs. Safely sleeping high in the mountains in an old temple. They would never get this close to his family again.

Holding his hands to his mouth, ice cold fire will lick along the orcs paths. Their beasts started to panic but it was too late as a large amount of them were caught as a a column of fire erupted from the snow and ice under their feet. It’s white flames melting the flesh off of bone in a few quick seconds. The other orcs were yelling and with their blades drawn looking around for what could’ve caused the death of their comrades. Fire started to lick at their feet as well, Ash’s eyes were just as cold and as unfeeling as the Spine itself. He was toying with them.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The Spine was riddled with hellions this night. Traitors. Conspirators. The Thousand Eyed Angel was feasting yet again. Orcs had come to ravage. Orcs had come to take. It hated them. It hated them all. The night was frigid. Its power was not what it should be. The cold weighed on The Angel as an anchor does a frigate. But they couldn't be allowed to escape. Traitors. Conspirators.

It hunted them despite its weakened state. Most of the orcs stood no chance against this walking heap of wrath. But they had creatures of enormous stature with them. Challengers. Hardened flesh. One approached The Angel with a look of rage. A hulking orc, somehow taller than it was. And three times the muscle. It couldn't be of normal orc birth. Whatever this thing was a monster. The beast swung upon The Angel and even blocking it with its sword it was still being pushed back.

"SUN FEEDER. OBLIVIOUS PAWN. YOU ARE NOT MY EQUAL." It bellowed as it finally deflected the enormous fist thrust into it. The Thousand Eyed Angel reached for the orcs wagon and tossed it with fury at the gargantuan orc. The wagon and the orc flew into Ashieron's view and near the flames that he'd conjured. The Angel moseyed into view as well, pointing at the orc.

"MAGGOT FLESH. DRONE. PUPPET. YOU ARE NOT MY EQUAL."

 

[Ashieron]

Ash felt a flash of fear and worry grip his heart, I can’t let that thing anywhere near the temple. Ash thinks quietly, jumping up into a tree, not letting any of the ice and snow fall to the ground. He remembered his last encounter with the creature, it broke a few of his ribs and killed many people, including a few guards.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm his racing heart. The elf looks around at the remaining orcs, the large creature was slower, so he should be able to fight them as well as avoid its attacks. If he was lucky. Saying a few curses Ash was tempted just to try to incinerate all of them but now that was not going to be easy to take them out in one blow. Since he knew for a fact that the maniac was resistant to flames. Water seemed to work but only for s certain amount of time and it would freeze quickly in these cold temperatures.

Gods, this is going to be fun. Ash sighs tracing a rune in the air, spearing the remaining orcs with ice spears that came from the ground. Ash jumps from the tree and lands on the angel’s head, using it as a sort of pad for him to jump off of also, using his hands. Landing on his feet he turns around, “We both agree with the orcs being abominations.” He holds out his hand and a beautiful ice glaive appears in his hand. He waited for the creature to attack. He knew it would, as it knew him.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The head of The Angel turned at frightening speed when Ashieron spoke. This elf. This conspirator. Ice bringer. Its anger indeed rose. There was no sunlight tonight. Nothing could calm the beast now. Ash would receive what he wanted. The creature roared a terrible roar and swung its blade towards Ash's head. It was a wild swing. No tact and much less speed due to the cold. Even some of the orcs were beginning to take notice to its weakness.

The attack went straight over Ash's head and clanged heavy on the ground next to him, causing a stumble from the enormous monster. It's breaths were very weak sounding. Its head turned back to the orcs, who were now reforming and beginning to charge The Thousand Eyed Angel. It looked slowly towards its elvish enemy.

"They want my head... Use their focus, mountain-born..." It spoke to Ash as it turned its back to the elf and roared again, intimidating some of the lesser orcs.

 

[Ashieron]

Ash shakes his head, this creature was just making him more confused. Last time they crossed paths he was thrown into a burning building. But now it was maybe a temporary ally? The world is getting weirder and weirder as time went on it seemed.

Lifting his hand, the elf and ice spikes impale the remaining orcs who did not run, "So are you friend or foe?" He asks the giant sounding confused. "Either way thanks for the help." He smiles some, keeping on edge in the case it does attack him again. "I guess I owe you something." The elf shrugs not knowing what he might give Angel if he did owe him. After all he had no idea what it might like if it liked anything at all.

Looking up at Angel, "I take it you are not here as a friend."

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The creature slammed its sword in a barely breathing orc that crawled towards it. The horrid thing, was it still didn't die. The beast seemed to do this out of nothing but the desire to do so. It slowly turned. Very slowly. The cold could be seen affecting The Thousand Eyed Angel in its stature and movements. It peered at Ash though it was difficult to tell what holes in its helmet it was seeing through.

"The only friend I know is sunshine." It spoke plainly. It's finger raising to point at the elf but even its hand motions were staggered. It attempted to claw at Ashieron but missed completely. Its body even fell forward. The Angel's breath was heavy and harsh. It was not handling this weather well at all.

"The wind is too sharp... but you must... die..."

 

[Ashieron]

Ash tilts his head at the creature's stalling movements. It has seen better days, simply taking a few steps back the elf tilts his head. "Cold bugging you?" He asks it with a smirk on his face. "It used to bug me also when I first came here many centuries ago." He chuckles, "This world was much different than as I am sure you are aware. Either for better or worse."

Ash raises an eyebrow at Angel, shrugging, "I am not going to fight you while you are like this. Mostly because it is unfair and not honorable to fight you while in this state. So I implore you, please cease this and go down the mountain, to somewhere warmer where you can thrive." He tells the hunk of armor, resting his hands on the back of his head and whistles a little bit. "But you can adapt as well! I mean I hardly wear anything to keep me warm anymore, this is plenty warm for me."

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

"SILENCE!" The beast screeched. A horrible high pitched noise from it erupted. It fell on one knee as the sword and held itself as upward as much as it possibly could. Though its weakness seemed to be everlasting and growing worse. Its breath could be seen now. The amount of air it expunged from its mouth was ludicrous.

"You... Like the rest..." It had exasperated itself from its initial scream. "Insulting... Bastard flesh..." It gripped its blade with its other hand and pushed itself up. The Angel's knees were refusing to let it stand now. The cold was taking a toll at a rate that was immeasurable.

It looked at the Ashieron intently and let out a weak gasp. It stared at Ash's ears. "You... You are like me... Are you from the Mountain..?"

 

[Ashieron]

Tilting his head Ash thinks for a second, "As for the flesh I have no choice about it man." He smiles, "But as for the mountain, I suppose I am." He responds putting up his scarf around his head once he realized that the creature was looking at his ears. Once again it was the ears, at this point he might as well cast them and mass produce them for everyone to enjoy looking at.

"What about it? I got nothing else really other than my little home, which is everywhere here." He says hiding the fact he had a true home far up in the mountains with many dragons. He wanted to keep the conversation going in hopes of kindling a peace of sorts with the creature.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

"I too am... No... Was." The tyrant in grey was trying to push through its harsh breaths to continue speaking to Ashieron. It was so close now. So close to an answer. This was the person closest to telling them of its past. It could only hope.

"I was born... An elf..." It said sharply passed its frozen breathing. It clearly wanted to convey something. "An elf... Of the mountain... He... Necro... Mancer..." It couldn't bring full sentences to fruition anymore. It looked as if this monster was about to pass out. The demon that had fought Ash beforehand was brought down by chill. It dropped its sword to the ground and fell on its hands and knees.

It began to choke. Hacking and cough up crystals of eyes onto the spikes that protruded from its helmet.

 

[Ashieron]

Trying to think back as far as he could remember, Ash could not remember hearing of any necromancer on the mountain. Steam might as well be coming from his ears if that was physically possible.

"So it was a necromancer that did this to you?" He asks trying to wrap his head around what few words the creature was able to get out before it eventually it coughed up crystals. He sighed and lifted his hand and the area around Angel warmed up to around a spring temperature. The snow and air warmed up around it.

"You practiced dark arts like me?" He'd ask still looking confused. But he was prepared to make it cold as all hell again if it decided to attack him again.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

"I PRACTICED NOTHING LIKE YOU, DEVIL BRANDED." It screamed through its own agony. Forcing itself to stand again despite its own weakness weighing down on it like an anvil. "HATRED HATH BEEN FORCED UPON ME. I WILL NEVER KNOW A LIFE LIKE YOURS." It let out a large cough, causing a tremendous amount of blood to pour from its holed helmet. It reeled back into a kneeling state unable to continue through its rage.

"Not this... Mountain...." It lifted its weary arm and pointed behind it. "Beyond... The sea..." After these words it collapsed completely. Its face hitting the ground. As the spikes were pushed in from the ground to where its skull would be, a pool of blood formed around its head. Its breathing stopped.

 

[Ashieron]

Tilting his head Ash cautiously walks over to the still and bloodied creature. "To be fair, I do not have a choice either. I never wanted to practice nor get branded." He admits with a smile kneeling down and patting it's back. "Guessing the fates have all delt us the short straw in the end." He laughs before getting up, "Its a long way till summertime. I am willing to help you down off this mountain and it's cold so long as you do not attack me." The elf proposes as he sits down a few feet away from Angel.

"If you do not accept the offer I will just leave you here until then. Since I have better things to do in this unforgiving place." Ash says coldly, seeing one of the orcs still twitching. He'd end its suffering with a snap of his fingers and it disintegrated into a pile of ashes.

 

[Ledhros Caur]

Wrong account

 

[Harrier]

This many deaths prompted a spell, an intricate weave of logic and intention that hewed strictly to the First Law. Harrier gave a part of her own energies and felt fatigue's grip. That gained her enough power to draw in the ghosts of the massacred orcs and issue a gentle binding. Many answered by clinging to her touch as a lifeline. That made them biddable, not slaves but within her influence. Next she identified, oh, two thirds of them and sacrificed that valuable connection to which they'd both contributed - each orc and her, a tenuous covenant. Those orc souls faded away into sleep or whatever afterlife claimed them. With the power she'd gained from her sacrifice, she bound the remaining one third more strongly. They surged to her, wisping around her, a little visible and nearly corporeal. The energy, the usefulness, that they brought to the table made them valuable servants beyond what she'd personally invested in them. Again, she cut two thirds loose and used that sacrifice to power a stronger bond with the few who remained. The leftovers restored her personal energies and wiped away fatigue. In the end, she was left much as she'd been before, having carefully and permanently harvested a portion of the bounty available.

Every orc soul was quiet. Every ghost was gone. To most eyes, nothing had happened at all.

Harrier did all this as she walked around icy crags toward Ashieron and The Thousand Eyed Angel, who was down and bleeding. Bitter cold rimed her cloak and walking stick with frost. "Is he dying?" she called.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

"I do not... need your help... devil branded." It spat with disdain and fatigue. The blood on its helmet now freezing over and hardening against its helmet. "You cannot help... Even if you... Truly tried..." Its next cough was not blood, but pure ice. As if the veins and organs of this being were now the blizzard itself. Its words were weak. It didn't even attack Ashieron during him patting it on the back. It wanted to. Oh, how it wanted to kill the elf right then and there. As was the nature of its accursed existence. It just could not muster the strength.

Then, Harrier spoke. He? Was it talking to the elf? She couldn't be. The elf was in no condition to be considered injure. She spoke of it. The Thousand Eyed Angel who lay in near stasis by the elf. Its head turned to face the necromancer at lightning speeds, despite its obvious weakness. "YOU." It bellowed. Some of its fury returning to its voice. "VOID KEEPER. CURSE GIVER. YOU ARE OF PUTRID MAKE." It seemed unnaturally infuriated with Harrier despite never having met her prior. Even for this creature alone, it hated this newcomer. "SPEAK TO ME OF YALGORI'S WHEREABOUTS. YOU ARE OF HIS CLOTH. I SMELL IT ON YOU. GRAVE DEFILER. SOUL STEALER. YOU ARE JUST LIKE HIM. HEARTLESS. UNWORTHY OF YOUR ABHORRENT LIFE."

 

[Ashieron]

Looking at Harrier and pointing at Angel with a smile, "I take it his rambling answers your question miss." He says laughing some. "Since you two seem to know each other well and since he cannot even lift an eyelid right now. I take my leave." He gives them both a courteous bow before heading off to disappear back into the forest, "Miss, if you need assistance with the creature, just cast a simple spell and I will know immediately." He informs her before disappearing behind the thick trees, leaving no footprints behind him.

 

[Harrier]

Ashieron The Thousand Eyed Angel

"Miss indeed," Harrier huffed to herself as the elf departed. She swiped snow off a low boulder with a wave of her hand and warmed it too. It made a reasonable seat about ten yards from the fallen monster. Giant? Undead? Well, certainly that - but of what variety?

She raised her voice. "Of putrid make - I like that, though I doubt my parents would have. I don't know any necromancer named Yalgori, but based on you, he's probably worth knowing. Tell me about him," she suggested matter-of-factly. "Maybe I know him by another name. Necromancers do tend to mingle when the mood strikes."

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The Thousand Eyed Angel watched Ashieron as he fled. That elf was becoming an irritant in The Angel's life. He needed to die at some point. His tone bothered it.

Not as much as Harrier's did.

The beast trembled before the necromancer. Its neck reaching back to look at her as it forced itself back to its feet. It was unable to move but towered over her as a beacon of slapped together and horrible magic. "WHAT IS THERE TO TELL YOU, MAGGOT FLESH?" It screamed in a sort of hysterical distortion. Its voice clearly being altered by whatever magic had created it to begin with.

"YALGORI, THE ZEALOT OF FLESH. HE MADE ME. HE MADE THEM. YOU ARE LIKE HIM, REFUSING TO LEAVE THE DEAD TO THEIR REST. HE HATH TAKEN ALL FROM ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS. YOU WILL TELL ME WHERE YOUR FILTHY KIND CONGREGATES. THEN I WILL RECUPERATE FROM THIS HORRID FROZEN BLIGHT AND TURN YOU TO ASH."

It was beginning to falter. Its knees quivering. It was forcing itself to face Harrier. Out of rage. Out of hatred.

 

[Harrier]

So many options. So, so many. Harrier thought about it for ten whole seconds.

"I give you a prophecy. You will come to the Eternal City of necromancers, Sanctuary in the Eretejva Tundra. You will serve the Eternum forever."

Maybe this disturbed being would find peace there. Or, more likely, he'd raise significant amounts of hell. Both outcomes were entirely acceptable.

The Thousand Eyed Angel

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

"Prophecy..?" The Thousand Eyed Angel stated questioningly. It looked at Harrier for far longer than anyone should ever just look at someone. It's frozen breath pouring from its helmet and freezing over on the already frozen blood that it was slathered in. Yet, it still managed to find strength from somewhere.

The creature lifted and swung its sword to point directly at Harrier, causing the wind to shift directions against her face. "YOU SPEAK HERESY IN THE FACE OF THE AFFLICTED, AND WEAR A LOOK OF INTRIGUE ON YOUR HIDEOUS FACE. I WILL FIND THIS CITY AND RAZE IT WITH THE WRATH OF AS MANY HELLS AS I CAN CALL UPON."

It swung its blade back to the ground and marched straight up to Harrier, leaving almost no distance between them. "I WILL NO LONGER GRANT MY WILL TO ANOTHER, I SPIT UPON YOUR DECREE OF SERVITUDE." And uncannily, The Angel coughed blood upon Harrier. How this being was still standing could be considered nothing short of an enigma.

 

[Harrier]

The Thousand Eyed Angel

Mingled fear and defiance, all of it pretended, crossed Harrier's face. She backed up, wary of the rocky slope. "Never! The Eternum are unconquerable, and undead like you are meant to serve, slave! The city of necromancers will endure forever!"

Of course, she had no connection with the Eternum and waa radically misrepresenting them. But the city of necromancers in the Eretejva was real enough.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

Rage. Unyielded now. The weather no longer weighing heavier than the hatred emanating from this behemoth of iron and blood. How dare she. Her tongue must be silenced. Her head thrown into fire. All necromancers acted the same. Thinking they are above life and death itself. Yalgori, this new intruder. Whoever this Eternum was, they would all feel The Angel's wrath.

The creature gripped the hilt of its blade with fiery intent. In its blind rage, it swung it with extreme ferocity towards the stomach of his newfound enemy. "SILENCE HERETIC. I AM NO UNDEAD. I AM NO SLAVE. ALL OF YOU WILL KNOW THE SUFFERING OF THE MOUNTAIN."

 

[Harrier]

The Thousand Eyed Angel

Harrier jumped back, barely in time. The huge sword caught her walking stick and sheared it in half with barely a tug.

Later, she would consult the huge, decrepit, and esoteric library at Crossroad Mire. She would ask al-Kaateb what he knew, and the scholar's soul would write, bound to a jade pen. She would learn what could be learned about a necromancer named Yalgori and a huge undead knight with eyes on his armor.

That all came later. Right now she needed to escape.

She'd kept an eye on the slope to her left. The steep expanse of snow-covered scree looked treacherous. Lethal, even, but safer than remaining anywhere near the Angel. She mumbled a College Magic levitation cantrip, but only half of it, and threw herself off the ledge.

 

[The Thousand Eyed Angel]

The sword swung effortlessly through the necromancer's cane but she was able to avoid her torso being torn in two. The slab of metal flew to the right of and behind The Angel as it finished its enormous attack, causing it to stumble a bit as the fatigue returned. The behemoth reached a basically limp clawed gauntlet towards Harrier to no avail as she made haste to flee the scene.

The creature stood and took deep, agonizing breaths as it watched his enemy depart. Angry now that she still lived as well as angry about the idea of an entire group of these heathens. They had to pay, all of them.

"Yalgori... You have taken hope from too many... You and this Eternum will know Hell like nothing you've ever seen..."