Fable - Ask Firestorm

[Zael Castomir]

(20150626 Landscape by psdeluxe)​

"HOLD!" Zael yelled out. "STAY TOGETHER!"

It was too late for one poor girl of the caravan. One of the students from Elbion College. She'd panicked and ran too far from the wagons. The swarm of Kraits got her. They didn't kill her instantly, not like they had with the Proctor from the Academy and the Professor from the College. The fucking Kraits dragged her over the ridge on the eastern side of the road. Zael and everybody else heard her screams for a while. And then they stopped.

What had just been a cordial meeting on the road, an Anirian caravan heading north, an Elbionese caravan heading south, quickly turned into a nightmare. They'd met on an elevated part of the road, the Anirians on one side of a small arched bridge, the Elbionese on the other. After some initial iciness, they fraternized together. The Dreadlord Initiates and College Students shared school stories, shared differing foods, exchanged small baubles and trinkets. This continued well into the early evening, when the sun started to cast upon the land its descending ochre glow through the scattered clouds.

The Kraits caught everyone by surprise. All at once they came rushing at the halted band of Anirians and Elbionese, down from the eastern ridge and up from the western lowlands. They skittered along the sides of the elevated road, from underneath the bridge, their spindly, gaunt arms swiping and reaching to seize anyone and everyone they could. In their initial rush they'd killed the leadership of both parties, leaving the Initiates and Students on their own.

Two groups of young magic users. Against a horde of anti-magic monsters.

Who, unlike the feral beasts they were supposed to be, were acting in an unnaturally coordinated fashion. After all, these monsters weren't native to Liadain. Someone brought them here. A fact not lost on Zael. But one he couldn't afford to engage with right now.

Presently, the Initiates and Students all stood with their backs defensively to the wagons on the elevated road, non-magical weapons brandished. The Kraits didn't spook the horses pulling the wagons, but they sure as hell had a good number of the Initiates and Students frightened.

The Kraits, meanwhile, were all circling around the combined wagon train. Some prowling on all fours, some briefly standing on two legs and stalking. Pack hunters, they were communicating with each other with differing calls: clicking, chirping, dry rasping noises. They vastly outnumbered the Initiates and Students, but they stuck with their harassing instincts, waiting to pick off anyone who got separated or wasn't paying attention.

Zael clenched his teeth. Tightened his grip on his sword. He spoke aloud, "Fuck. We have to think of somethin soon."

Full night was less than an hour away.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

Matthias stood back to back with a Dreadlord, something he had never imagined himself doing in a million years, he brandished his staff at the ready but was unsure how useful such a tool of magic would be against these creatures.
Like any good magic user who valued being prepared for any situation, he had taken classes on such mage hunting creatures and performed some of his own research in the college libraries... Of course book learning couldn't compare with the actual thing, these creatures were vile and the screams of terror they invoked from his classmates expounded the fact that this was the real deal and not just another nightmare.

He watched a student dragged off the road, helpless for the moment as he struggled to gather his wits after the initial attack... And then her screams stopped.
Clutching his staff in one hand and adjusting his glasses with the other he forced himself to take a deep breath and focus.

"Fuck. We have to think of somethin soon."

The Dreadlord at his back was expletive, but he was right. Matthias thought furiously as he struck a Krait with his staff, knocking it off the bridge to send it chittering to the ground momentarily.
Kraits were resistant to magic, so their attack spells won't be very effective, the Dreadlords were better equipped to deal with this in that regard, they were especially trained for combat and the use of weapons... But Matthias was magic user, he didn't waste his time trying to pickup a sword and use it well, he valued the training of his mind... And even that seemed to be failing him as he frantically tried to come up with ideas before anymore of them were carried off.

He had to admit, he wasn't overly fond of his classmates, but he had never wished death on any but a few of them who had gone out of their way to make his life hell.
But, like his comrade, he had little time to contemplate such things as he struggled to keep monstrous claws away from himself and those who took shelter in the middle of the bridge.
Soft noble children such as himself who were unused to such hardships and terror.

"You Dreadlords are better suited for combat, should we not take cover behind you and use our skills to provide support?"
It was all that came to mind, no doubt none of them wanted to be on the front lines with these beasts, but there was no doubt that those who actually trained with weapons should be positioned in the best spots to use them.
And attack spells weren't the only strength of the Elbion students, while Kraits could resist magic, that didn't stop the mages from using magic on themselves and their allies.

Matthias planted his staff in the ground and stretched out his hand. A quill appeared in his hand and he began writing magical script in the air...
A quick glance though, revealed a Krait coming over the side of the bridge, attracted by his spell, and before he could react the beast was lunging for him...

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"Pay attention."

A blur moved in front of Matthias and sliced the Krait in have with a quick slash. Alistair's dueling saber was already wet with Krait blood, and his dueling dagger pointed outward in his other hand. The speed rune on his boots had been activated, but he quickly turned it off wanting to conserve his stamina.

"We need to push through them. No offense, but the longer we sit here trying to protect the Elbion kids then the more people are going to die."

He watched as one of the Kraits managed to snatch up one of the dreadlords who had gotten a bit too bold in his attack. Alistair had just been over there. He would have been able to save him had he not come over here to stop Matthias from getting taken.

"What about a wedge? Elbions on the inside supporting us. Dreadlords on the outside and we just push through. Simple."

 

[Zael Castomir]

Matthias, whose name Zael had picked up during the fraternizing, was to his back. He had a point. Strange as it was for Zael to have heard that the Students from the College didn't have mandatory martial combat sessions or physical training classes (let alone how their punishments were far different), Matthias summed it up. The Dreadlord Initiates had better skills in melee, the College Students better versatility with their magic.

Then came Alistair. He was a good guy. Some of the noble Initiates in the Academy liked to lord (heh heh) their station over the others, but Alistair didn't seem that way. And they'd gotten blackout drunk together on that mission to Vel'Yuna, and if you could get blackout drunk with somebody, they were a friend--that was the rule.

Zael flicked Alistair a quick glance. "You know what I like? Simple. A wedge it is!"

Fuck, Zael felt sorry the most for the College Students who actually were kids. The Dreadlord caravan had been all upper-classmen, all Alistair's and Zael's age. The College caravan had a range of Students. There was a boy and a girl, maybe brother and sister, neither of whom looked a day over eleven. After the death of the Professor, Matthias was probably the oldest among them now if Zael had to guess.

"We're going to need a destination!" Zael said. He had to raise his voice to be heard over the chittering and chirping and rasping of the Krait swarm prowling all around them.

"Hey, Matthias." He slashed at a Krait who poked too close, the creature skittering back in a flash after nearly being struck. "What was it like the way you came? To the north? Any towns? Any favorable terrain?"

Matthias Peligrade Alistair Krixus

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"Pay attention."

In an instant the Krait was dead at the sword of another Dreadlord, but it bought him the time he needed to finish his spell.
"My thanks."
He mumbled as he finished writing in the air and spoke the command word in elvish.
The glowing script flashed and disappeared, but small runes appeared on the wrist of each student and Dreadlord, a simple hardening spell to make their flesh less prone to cutting or piercing by these magic eating monstrosities. Transmutation magic was different from enchantment, the magic didn't cover the students but temporarily changed the structural integrity of the flesh it was cast on, the Kraits would have a hard time with each of them until they drain the spell, which would once again allow them to cut into them to drain the magic from their bodies.

He kept a circle of the spell he just cast hovering around his staff so he could monitor the integrity of the magic. From there he could also watch for whenever anyone was being attacked by how each rune glowed under the stress.

"We need to push through them. No offense, but the longer we sit here trying to protect the Elbion kids then the more people are going to die."

He watched as one of the Kraits managed to snatch up one of the dreadlords who had gotten a bit too bold in his attack. Alistair had just been over there. He would have been able to save him had he not come over here to stop Matthias from getting taken.

"What about a wedge? Elbions on the inside supporting us. Dreadlords on the outside and we just push through. Simple."

"You know what I like? Simple. A wedge it is!"

Fuck, Zael felt sorry the most for the College Students who actually were kids. The Dreadlord caravan had been all upper-classmen, all Alistair's and Zael's age. The College caravan had a range of Students. There was a boy and a girl, maybe brother and sister, neither of whom looked a day over eleven. After the death of the Professor, Matthias was probably the oldest among them now if Zael had to guess.

"We're going to need a destination!" Zael said. He had to raise his voice to be heard over the chittering and chirping and rasping of the Krait swarm prowling all around them.

"Hey, Matthias." He slashed at a Krait who poked too close, the creature skittering back in a flash after nearly being struck. "What was it like the way you came? To the north? Any towns? Any favorable terrain?"

Matthias was already in the process of casting another spell, writing in the air with his quill as he spoke.
"I am no expert on battle tactics, but isn't a wedge a one-sided formation? We're thoroughly surrounded, won't they take advantage of our flanks? In any case there was an old ruin a way's back the way we came. Its walls were mostly intact if we can just get to it!"

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"The ruins will work then. And yes, the wedge is one-sided, that is why we have to move fast. If you slow down then you are a goner."

He looked around and started registering that several of the Elbions were children. They complicated things. Even with support magic, several of the kids would likely lag behind.

While he was looking around trying to get a headcount, a krait tried to sneak up behind him, but without even looking toward the creature, he plunged his dueling dagger into its side and pulled downward spilling its guts.

"What if we form a wedge around the wagon? We can put the kids in there. The dreadlords supported by speed enhancements should be able to keep up. Right?"

He would admit that the plan seemed less stable the more complicated he made it, but they needed to move the kids quickly.

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael felt Matthias's enhancement spell going into effect across his flesh. A strange feeling, for sure, like having a layer of dried mud all over his body. But he also felt tougher. Like his skin was a third layer of armor beneath his plate and arming garments. It wouldn't be viable, not with the Kraits, but Zael had to wonder how Matthias's enhancement would interact with his own slew of fire enhancements which also altered the nature of his skin.

Matthias mentioned the old ruin to the north, and hell, it had to be closer (and certainly more defensible) than the little hamlet to the south. Alistair was agreement.

And he also had a good idea for their formation.

Zael snapped a finger in his direction, pointing at him with praise. "I like that! Good. Good! We're gettin somewhere."

Zael felt a tiny tug on his cloak. He whipped around and plunged his sword into a probing Krait, right through that freakishly elongated skull. Disgusting. With a hard kick, Zael shoved the monster's body off of the small bridge.

"Alright, come on. We get the kids loaded up, we tell everyone else the plan, and then we get the hell outta here. Let's move."

Zael gave the other two young men a nod each. They'd have to move in tandem, watch each other's backs, head towards the northernmost wagon and collect up the youngest College Students as they went, watching over the youngsters as well.

All the while, the swarm of Kraits kept circling, circling, probing and feinting, looking with the cunning of pack predators for anyone in a vulnerable position. The cacophony of their clicking and chirping and rasping calls to one another grating on the nerves of many of the Students and Initiates.

Matthias Peligrade Alistair Krixus

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"The ruins will work then. And yes, the wedge is one-sided, that is why we have to move fast. If you slow down then you are a goner."

He looked around and started registering that several of the Elbions were children. They complicated things. Even with support magic, several of the kids would likely lag behind.

While he was looking around trying to get a headcount, a krait tried to sneak up behind him, but without even looking toward the creature, he plunged his dueling dagger into its side and pulled downward spilling its guts.

"What if we form a wedge around the wagon? We can put the kids in there. The dreadlords supported by speed enhancements should be able to keep up. Right?"

"I like that! Good. Good! We're gettin somewhere."

Zael felt a tiny tug on his cloak. He whipped around and plunged his sword into a probing Krait, right through that freakishly elongated skull. Disgusting. With a hard kick, Zael shoved the monster's body off of the small bridge.

"Alright, come on. We get the kids loaded up, we tell everyone else the plan, and then we get the hell outta here. Let's move."

That sounded like a viable plan, they could easily fit the remaining students in one wagon, and he could enchant the dreadlords with speed.
Another idea occurred to him. Even though Kraits were highly resistant to magic, they were vulnerable to mundane attacks and elements. A normal fire, however it was produced, was still fire. Just like hard flesh, however it was produced, was still hard flesh.

Most flame-based attack magics used magical flames, of course those wouldn't be very effective. Similar to magical water or ice... But just like transmutation was a workaround for enchantment, conjuration could easily be a workaround for evocation. A conjured flame is fire pulled from elsewhere, theoretically the elemental plane of fire. While it was debatable as to whether or not that was a magical flame, it was certainly worth a shot... And he relished the opportunity to test his theory.

"Looks like that's the best plan we've got right now. Let's move it!"
As soon as there was an opening he started sprinting for the last wagon, "Everyone, head to the wagon, we're leaving now!" His voice boomed with a voice amplifying cantrip to reach the ears of everyone no matter how loud the sounds of combat were.
He was glad he wasn't trying any spells requiring concentration, this constant chittering was racking his nerves and making such spells almost impossible.

As he ran, he started writing the speed enchantment.
_ On Create: Speed x2
| |__ "Lintië"
| Enchantment - Air
| |__ Dreadlords - Horse
| |__ Hours - 2
|_______

 

[Alistair Krixus]

With the plan decided, Alistair sprung into action. He went back to slicing up every Krait he could get his hands on. He was trying to gather the remaining dreadlord initiates to create a perimeter around the wagon, but progress was slow.

He kept having to extend himself further than he wanted to. The younger children would trip or get grabbed. Alistair managed to save several, but it was the ones that he did not reach in time that would sit with him for longer.

"Hurry the hell up!" He barked at a dreadlord initiate that was helping one of his injured companions to the wagon.

He was going to shut this incessant chittering up for good if he had it his way. He noticed that a majority of the group was now at least around the wagons, so the perimeter was shrinking. As he began to back up with everyone else, a lucky krait scratched at his leg and he cursed before skewering the creature through. He had not had his eyes activated. He had to save as much energy for the exit.

 

[Zael Castomir]

Zael ran across the small bridge, over to the College's side and their halted wagons. His eyes were in overdrive, scanning over the Students, glancing around himself to see if any Kraits would try and snatch at him, scanning over the Students again.

But when he saw the youngest of them, the apparent brother and sister of eleven-ish years, he didn't need to make any guesses. They were perched atop one of the flatbed, no-canvas wagons, standing back-to-back, each looking out with wide, terrified eyes. Zael jumped up onto the wagon.

"Hey, you two. Listen," he said, trying as hard to be as reassuring as possible. "We're goin over to the northernmost wagon. You and all the other kids. Then we're goin somewhere safe."

Terror still had them in its grasp, and they regarded Zael with dread, each still frozen in place and quaking.

Zael leaned in closer. "You get scared, you yell for me. Alright? My name is Zael. Just yell for me. Okay?" He gave each of their shoulders a small shake. "Everythin's gonna be fine. Nothin's gonna happen to you. Ready?"

After a moment, they relented, the brother and sister nodding, tears of terror running down their faces. Zael helped them off of the wagon, and he retreated with them to the northernmost wagon.

Alistair and Matthias were already there, them and the rest of the Students, the last of the Dreadlord Initiates trickling in and forming a perimeter. One of the older Students was aboard the back of the wagon, helping the younger Students up and inside one at a time.

"Matthias!" Zael called over the incessant cacophony of Kraits. He pointed toward him, adrenaline-fueled excitement plain in his voice, "We're counting on you, man. Show us what the College can do!"

His sword brandished out in front of himself, Zael was as well one of the Initiates of the perimeter. Kraits scampered all around them, stalking around like circling scavengers awaiting the right moment to pounce upon a freshly felled corpse.

"Almost time," Zael said as he came beside Alistair. To the young nobleman he said, "You ready?"

Matthias Peligrade Alistair Krixus

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"Matthias!" Zael called over the incessant cacophony of Kraits. He pointed toward him, adrenaline-fueled excitement plain in his voice, "We're counting on you, man. Show us what the College can do!"

His sword brandished out in front of himself, Zael was as well one of the Initiates of the perimeter. Kraits scampered all around them, stalking around like circling scavengers awaiting the right moment to pounce upon a freshly felled corpse.

"Almost time," Zael said as he came beside Alistair. To the young nobleman he said, "You ready?"

He scoffed at that.
... Oh, I'll show you what a wizard is capable of...

While the driver worked to get the wagon turned around, Matthias cast his speed spell. The Dreadlords and the horses glowed green for a brief moment, now they could easily outpace these creatures for the next two hours... Enough time to reach the ruins.

He then aimed his staff at the mass of Kraits and fired off another spell. Not only would it have been useless against the Kraits themselves, but the flashing bolt of energy MISSED!
Striking the bridge and his actual target.
The spell landed on the bridge and, after they had moved off the bridge themselves, detonated underneath the feet of the beasts. The bridge crumbled and collapsed, bringing the Kraits down along with the remaining wagons and horses still on the bridge. Tons of weight crushed a bulk of the Kraits.

There was still an innumerable swarm after them, but it was lesser than it would have been.

Now here's to hoping the wagon could survive the speed they were moving.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair saw the green light wash over him and the other dreadlords and then he felt the familiar thrum of a speed enhancement spell. It did not feel exactly like his own, but it was good enough. If this was what Matthias could do when he was using it on several individuals, then Alistair could only imagine what this would feel like if the spell was focused. Still, that did not matter right now. It was Alistair who needed to focus.

Since he no longer needed to power his own speed spell, he could turn his attention to other spells. He activated the rune along with his sword and smiled as his movements caused after images. This was a combo he had thought about plenty of times and he could finally test it.

The illusion rune on his sword created after images and those after images would make their own fake attacks all at the same time. It not only allowed for Alistair to slip in his own attacks, but it made him nearly impossible to hit. That was all designed for Alistair moving at normal speed. Now that he was moving with Mathias' spell...well he would be impressed if a Krait could actually hit him.

Knowing that this spell had a limited amount of time, Alistair took the initiative and placed himself at the front of the wedge for now. When they started to move, his flurry of attacks pierced through the swarm. The swarm was also hesitant to bunch up in front of the wagon, out of fear of getting hit by one of Alistair's attacks or his many fake strikes.

He looked back to Zael and grinned, "Try to keep up."

 

[Zael Castomir]

The kids were all loaded up, the Students rode likewise in the wagon bed or hung onto the sides, and the wagon finally got turned the fuck around.

"That's it!" the driver shouted. "We're good!"

"Go, go!" Zael called back. Then he pointed to three other Initiates, "You, you, and you, watch the rear. They'll be gnawin at our ass in a minute."

Matthias's second boon coursed through him. Man, it was a lot like his own boosts to speed, save only that his veins weren't coursing with the heat of literal fire. And Zael gave a hearty, triumphant laugh when the bridge collapsed from Matthias's bolt--ah ha, Kraits could be super resistant to magic all they wanted, but they weren't immune to the physical consequences, so a chunk of them ate that bridge as their last meal.

Alistair went up to the front, and Zael went with him. And he was getting shit done--unlike the other noble Initiates at the Academy. Was it because they were noble girls? Seriously, what was with them? Liliana was worthless on her own, Trix was always too busy huffing her own farts, and Kristen was scared of her own damn shadow. At least Alistair was picking up the slack.

Try to keep up.

"You're on. Remember your score," Zael said. Hot damn, he loved a challenge.

They started to plow through the swarm. Alistair swinging, Zael swinging, Kraits screeching and chirping and rasping and dying. The Kraits were tenacious fuckers though. The magic in the air from Matthias, from Alistair, from the Students on support and the Initiates with little tricks, seemed to be driving them into a frenzy. They were galloping alongside the rushing wagon and the wedge of Initiates, some becoming bolder.

One Krait leapt up from the pack to gain purchase on the side of the wagon, its feeder tendrils slithering out of its mouth and snaking toward Matthias.

Matthias Peligrade Alistair Krixus

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

Matthias kept both the hardening spell and the speed spell monitored on his staff. Using his pen like a madman he kept scribbling magical script in the air at a rapid pace.
The wagon was moving and they were already well away from the now destroyed bridge, the Dreadlords were very effective as warriors, the way they used magic to enhance themselves was quite useful... He took note of this and stored it away... If ambition were a sin, he was guilty of it.

He cast another spell to effect the area behind the wagon even as it moved. Using the back horse hitch as an origin point he set the distance to effect the ground thirty feet behind that point.
He had to move to the back of the wagon and touch the spot, marking a rune with his pen, and then he cast it.

In a thirty foot cone behind the wagon, the ground would surge upwards, tossing Kraits violently upwards into the air with the potential for a fatal landing. And as the wagon sped it's way forward the ground would continue to erupt upwards, following them like a wake.

However, now at the back of the wagon he was an open target to the Krait that managed to latch on to the canvas cover.

its feeder tendrils slithering out of its mouth and snaking toward Matthias.

Occupied as he was he didn't notice the creature immediately on his left until he felt the tentacles wrapping around his face and shoulders.
Further spellcasting by him was immediately halted as he fought to keep the tentacles from piercing his skin. He had no magic in his body for them to drain, but he also didn't have a very high pain tolerance.
"Gah! Help! Get this thing off me!"
He tried to bring around his staff to strike the monster, but this thing was binding up his arms and hampering his movements, in a panicked realization he felt himself being pulled out of the wagon.
He dropped his staff to the floor of the wagon and managed to grab hold of the side, preventing the creature momentarily from succeeding in dragging him away.

The feel of wood helped to center himself and he brought one foot up to plant against the railing and provide extra leverage against the monster. It also brought his boot closer to his right hand so he could reach in and pull out the knife he kept hidden there.

It was an enchanted blade, against a normal person it would instantly paralyze them instantly on a single cut.
Against a Krait? Well... Resistance wasn't full immunity, right?
He began hacking desperately at the tentacles.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair had been so focused on his attacking and defending against Kraits that he had not noticed the danger to Matthias. The call for help barely reached his eyes, but the runic eye on the back of his neck glowed and he saw the situation.

"Fuck, I'm going to lose because of this...Zael, take the lead."

Alistair stabbed one last Krait to give him room to move. His enhanced speed carried him back towards the wagon. It didn't look like he was going to make it in time. He pulled out his dueling dagger, which was not ideal for throwing, but he could make it work.

He cast a small spell that slowed his perception of everything and allowed him to more accurately aim. He sent the dagger flying and it landed nicely in the side of the krait, giving him the time he needed.

When he finally made it to the Krait, he was able to make quick work of the creature thanks to it being focused on Matthias. Alistair took in a deep breath to steady himself.

"You know, if life is priceless, then I would be pretty rich by now...You owe me a new dueling dagger." He said these two statements in between breaths.

 

[Zael Castomir]

"No you won't, I'll pause the count," Zael said to Alistair.

Maybe Ever would've been awfully disappointed in him for that, not using every advantage, not cheating if he had the chance, but, you know...it went a little something like this. There was only so many times you could beat Kristen Pirian in the sparring arena before it just became dull--and kind of sad. A fight, a challenge, a competition, these were only really as good as your opponent. That's why he fucking loved Vance. Edric, Noel, plenty others, they were too goddamn efficient, they just cared about winning and not the spirit of the thing.

So it was like that here with Alistair. Yeah, Zael wanted to win, of course, but it was about the spirit of the thing.

And besides, their buddy Matthias needed a solid favor, and Alistair was the kind of guy to help him out.

Zael, meanwhile, took point. He and the other few Initiates at the tip of the wedge kept the Kraits at bay, swinging and thrusting their weapons at them. The Kraits were pretty good sprinters, went hand-in-hand with their ambush tactics, but they sure weren't that great at long distances. The wagon was beginning to pull ahead, with just Kraits on either side and behind now.

"Almost clear!" Zael shouted. "Looks like they're gettin tuckered out!"

* * * * *
​

Watching the wagon depart, the swarm of Kraits after it.

Someone grew frustrated.

And began calculating a different plan.

Matthias Peligrade Alistair Krixus