Open Chronicles Something Wicked...

[Taayi]

The creature flew through a wall of fire created by Elle. For at least a moment, the fire obscured any view of its body.

But an inhuman screech followed as the flames had licked his body. His chitin. His black blood. It wheezed as it took each breath.

If Elle pushed forward to see the Centipede once more, she could see the Centipede with charred clothes. Black scorch marks painted his insect-like arms – one of which hovered over the brightly glowing crimson orb.

“It’s not... finished,” the masked being lamented.

One arm’s mandible and legs curled around the orb. The limbs gave a crunching sound as they moved.

A crack of lightning sparked from the orb and around the Centipede.

But I can't... waste their lives.​

It turned its hidden face back toward Elle and Arnor. Electric arcs from the orb began to wrap around his arm...

 

[Elle Selena]

Elle had started to follow the creature, unsure of its intentions or why it ran where it ran, but nonetheless the power of her Patron was flowing through her at this point, and she was loathe to stop it. She tried to get a bearing on the creature's state--perhaps it was reeling after her attack--but nonetheless she took heed when it began to spark, thin arcs of lightning surrounding its body. She was angry, but not impulsive, and settled for creating a hasty barrier of force between herself and the masked being, unsure if it would be enough to stop it. She thought the orb might be central to defeating it, but she hadn't the faintest idea how to neutralize it. For now she would try to protect herself and Arnor, waiting for a moment they could strike back.

 

[Spectral Omens]

Centipede Arnor Skuldsson Elle Selena

Through the roaring of the flame, high above the keep, ravens shrieked on the wind. Stray fire — magical fire — had fountained up from the battle. A raven fell burning, dead before it crashed in the courtyard.

 

[Arnor Skuldsson]

Shifting back, Arnor had precious few moments. He grasped his sword tightly, unsure of what to do next.

For now, the initiative and the upper hand lay with the creature.

And it seemed centered around the orb. With hate in his heart and focus in his mind, Arnor sidestepped the barrier...

And with the force of any mighty warrior, he peeled the silver imbued sword off his back and threw it like a javelin at the orb itself. The creature seemed too fast for something like that to work on his person... but a stationary object Arnor had more hope for.

The sword came barreling through the air, a silver flash of metal hurling through the air trying to gain back the upper hand.

 

[Taayi]

A raven fell dead from the sky. Burnt.

The sparks curling around the orb and creature continued. The intensity and quantity increased.

Elle Selena paused instead of attack. This creature summoned an attack in response. It extended its arm out with the orb pointing toward the two non-monsters.

BRRRTTT

Crimson arcs of lightning sprouted from the orb toward Elle and Arnor Skuldsson. However, this attack stopped just moments after it began as the creature spotted Arnor’s silver sword flying straight for the orb. It pulled the orb back…

SHNKK

And another high pitched scream from the beast followed.

It had pulled the orb back and shielded it with its second arm. Normally, its chitin would have a chance to block attacks. But, Arnor’s attack from earlier cracked the arm the creature used to shield the orb.

Now, Arnor’s sword sunk deep and through the centipede-like arm. Black blood oozed profusely from the ensuing wound.

 

[Elle Selena]

She wasn't sure if the shield she created would have deflected the lightning or not, but she watched as Arnor launched his sword into the creature's arm--clearly it was protecting the orb, but why? There must have been some greater reason for it. Magic likely fueled it, or at least energy, judging by all the lightning, but what about a sword...?

Quickly, as the creature shrieked, she redirected the energy from her shielding into a concentrated burst of force, aimed at the back end of the sword. She hoped it would push the blade through, maybe just far enough to reach the orb, and shatter it...

The effort took much of her strength and concentration, leaving her defenseless otherwise, but the strength of the force might be so much that even if the creature moved its arm in time, the raw force of her magic might shatter it anyway.

 

[Arnor Skuldsson]

With precious time left to act, Arnor darted forward, crossing the distance between himself and Centipede with fury and malice, intent on finishing the job- with the second sword, his steel one.

With a heavy overhanded strike, he sought to cut the head off of the beast. End it all before anything else. Arnor fought with purpose, each movement was designed to end the fight early and maximizing his time.

Combined with Elle's assault on the beast, he hoped he'd have enough time and surprise to catch the creature in a vice- suffering at either the removal of it's head, or at least... what he thought was a head, or Elle's magical attack.

 

[Taayi]

No.​

Elle’s magic pushed on the sword embedded in the Centipede. The creature noticed this and jerked. The tip of the sword just missed the orb but found itself pushed into one of its legs.

​

No. No.​

Another screech as a single sword now skewered two of the creature’s limbs.

​

NoNoNo.​

Arnor already rushed toward the Centipede.

I can’t fail.​

The Centipede’s face turned toward the northern warrior.

I can’t fail.​

It again swiftly shifted its body to avoid a strike to a head.

​

I can’t fail.​

It rose the arm that had been stabbed as if to block Arnor’s attack. The tip of Arnor’s first sword pulled out of its leg.

SHW-NK

Arnor’s steel sword sliced through the already wounded arm of the creature. The centipede-like appendage fell to the ground writhing.

Lord Astiax.​

Arnor’s first sword was embedded in the dismembered centipede.

My Lord…​

Black, inhuman blood poured forth from the Centipede’s wound.

I-​

The blood fell upon the orb powered by the lives of this village.

I can’t die here!​

First, lightning crackled in the clouded sky above the courtyard.

Then, the orb began to spark once again. Except this time, the electric arcs shined a dark, purplish-black light.

The Centipede then spoke some chant...

"ɯ̴͠҉͞ı̶̢҉˥҉̡̧͘"​

And casted a spell. Lightning with some magical, kinetic force shot out from the orb toward Arnor and Elle. Maybe not enough to kill instantly, but the blast could be enough to push back the two and bring great harm if any wards they could muster were ineffective.

And, the creature would sustain this blast - not intending to end it...

 

[Arnor Skuldsson]

Arnor, being closer than Elle was, was flung violently backwards. He was thrown into one of the many spikes, breaking through the wood. A force strong enough to send a man of Arnor's size flying was indeed something to behold, and it showed as he crashed through several of the spikes, sending bodies flailing down, lifeless as they were.

Arnor managed to get ahold of his sword, crawling to it. It was only when he stood did he realize that a fairly large splinter had pierced through his leather and chainmail cuirass, piercing his upper pectoral area. He grit his teeth, finding it difficult to move his left arm.

He was not yet out of the fight, however, but significantly reduced in his capability to fight.

He pushed himself up, and took a moment to gather his breath.

 

[Elle Selena]

She wasn't sure what would happen when she projected all of the force into the blade, but she was nonetheless stunned when the creature still managed to protect the orb by dodging, despite the blade's sickening entry into its leg. Then... what was it doing? Elle was still stunned when it began its incantation...

Oh no.

The force was sudden, almost too quick. She raised what little of a new shield she could, as the lightning hit with a deafening, cacophonous report that nearly burst Elle's eardrums. She was still sent flying backwards, rolling on the ground, although the shield had done its work in protecting her just in the nick of time, as she noticed the lightning partially reflect off the shield, in a split second having no idea where it would end up or what kind of damage it might cause...

 

[Taayi]

The lightning reflected by Elle's shield splashed out into some of the surrounding courtyard. One bolt struck a post, opposite side of the courtyard from Arnor, and shattered it.

Another screech of words echoed from the maw of the Centipede.

"Ǝ̴̶̧̕͝I͢͏̢̢ᗡ҉̴͏͜ ̵̧͠͞∩̢̕͟͢Ǫ̶̢͡⅄́͘͟͢ ̡̡̨̡͜⊥̴̢̀͝,̶̴͘͟͠N̵̛͢͢͠Ǫ̛͜M̵̡̨ ̷͢⅄̵̧́͟Ḩ̸̷̷͜M̵̶̢"​

And the Centipede sent a desperate second wave of electricity toward Elle and Arnor. Blood continued to ooze from its severed arm and wounded leg. The orb shook violently as the centipede-arm's jaw clutched it. The Centipede seemed intent to continue this attack until either it or its two opponents perished.

The Centipede's full attention and the power of the orb focused on Elle and Arnor. Because of that, it failed to notice the figure of the woman Arnor saved earlier limping toward it. The woman picked up a wooden stake that broke off a post during the chaos. She turned her gaze toward the monster and continued a slow approach...

 

[Arnor Skuldsson]

Desperation.

Anger. Hate.

Rage.

It fueled him. Drove him forward. Propelled his body forward. Arnor couldn't fight as well as he hoped to anymore. Any proper swordsman was reliant on two hands. And at the moment, only one appendage was effective.

But he still had body mass.

He charged through, rage gripping his body as he lunged forward, charging over the broken poles. He carried his sword in his hand-

But lead with his shoulder instead, closing his eyes to the inevitable pain that would come.

But he was hoping to push this sick son of a bitch into the spear that the woman was holding.

 

[Elle Selena]

She seemed to almost be an afterthought to the action going on around her, but Elle wasn't ready to give up yet. She watched as Arnor launched himself at the Centipede, though she also noticed the woman walking slowly towards the orb. It was too much happening all at once, but she saw that Arnor looked like he was about to sacrifice himself for the fight; she wasn't ready to let him do that if she could help it, though, and she concentrated to quickly produce a shield of force near the point of impact on his shoulder, desperately hoping it would be enough. She could treat his wounds with potions, but with magic this dangerous she wasn't sure what else she could do.

 

[Taayi]

The creature saw Arnor charging forth. It shifted the orb toward the man. Lightning spewed forth.

But Elle manifested a shield upon Arnor. Her magic interfered that of the orb’s – causing the sparks to deflect away from the charging warrior.

The Centipede hissed and visibly braced its body for Arnor’s blow.

It should have dodged instead.

Arnor’s shoulder augmented by Elle’s magic struck the creature – pushing it backward and straight into the stake held up by the woman the two had saved earlier. The wood pierced the Centipede mid-abdomen from the back and poked out through the front.

More black blood oozed forth from the Centipede – now from this new wound.

The orb fell to the ground. The Centipede looked down to see the stake piercing him.

The woman bellowed, “Where’s my son!?”

And the creature responded only with more loud hissing. It clutched the stake with its one remaining centipede-like arm.

In this moment, it was shocked and defenseless. Arnor or Elle could attempt a killing blow…

Arnor Skuldsson Elle Selena

 

[Arnor Skuldsson]

Panting, exhausted and drenched in sweat and blood, Arnor took a moment to breathe. He watched the creature writhe in pain and misery.

He had one good arm.

And that's all he needed.

He couldn't use both arms to swing.

He'd have to create momentum.

Stepping forward, Arnor brought the sword hilt close to his chest and spun on his heel, and slashed directly down Centipedes face and chest- intending on creating the biggest wound channel possible across the creature's body.

And then, he waited for the creature to die.

Centipede
Elle Selena

 

[Elle Selena]

She'd never witnessed so horrifying a sight before, even as someone practiced in the occult. She watched in terror as the swordsman struck a violent killing blow on the Centipede, unsure of what would happen next. Elle by this point had run for cover, worried that some kind of magical effect was going to happen. She could also feel the limits of her Patron starting to set in, and if the magic she drew on came from her own body, the types of powerful magics she'd been using would cause her to expire quite rapidly. If this wasn't the end... she'd have to get far more creative.