Open Chronicles The Capitulation of Coraliv

[Harry]

"Hm," He nodded, "And this time not get found."

Their gazes met, and both thought the same.

It came as no surprise that the first knife found its mark. She rarely missed when her target did not anticipate her strike. Before she released the second knife, Hal already broke into a sprint. In a style befitting of him, he rushed head-on into the closest Cataphract. In one hand, magic swirled. In the other, fingers tightly gripped his warhammer.

A wave of his hand caused ice to rise at the feet of the closest soldier. A spike of ice shot up at his chest and ineffectively splintered against his armor. The Cataphract cackled and stomped towards Hal, who cursed under his breath. He became immediately aware that the heavily armored Cataphracts would have enhanced armor.

Hal faced down the Cataphract, who was soon joined by a second. Glacial blues shifted between the two. His body tensed, ready to explode into action. With his free hand behind his back, he made hurried signals to Sierra.

Distract. One.

He engaged the closest of the two armored soldiers, narrowly sidestepping a sharp thrust. As he went to swing with the warhammer, the soldier's sword quickly came back, slashing at Hal's throat. The apprentice halted his swing and brought the arm up to guard.

The sword clashed against plate, glancing it and bouncing off. Hal stumbled back, waiting for Sierra to act.

 

[Rob Yew]

The Walls
​

Lightning struck from the heavens above with a tremendous CRACK and torched Harrier's thrall. The force of the thunderbolt sent Don Arkaitz to his knees, screaming as the brilliance of it blinded him and the clap deafened him. It blew Ondina off the wall and she fell back into the city.

She landed roughly and rolled, fetching up against several barrels. A sharp pain shot up her leg. Standing was difficult. A sprain, perhaps.

The Ox and Cathair both rushed over and helped her to her feet. She bit out a terse thanks to the dwarf and the elf.

"A cane. A staff. Anything, now."

Cavern Exit
​

Led by Galen's senses, the troupe sprinted swiftly through the streets and entered a series of catacombs through which Galen could detect powerful magical presences. The ran down a flight of stairs and heard the sounds of clashing steel below.

They emerged on a scene of carnage, slaughtered Coraliv soldiers lay prostrate, blood pooling around their bodies, as two figures weaved in and out of a group of guards, cutting them down with ease.

"Galen, distract them!" shouted Titian as he drew his sword and axe and headed straight for the female attacker.

The young mage closed his eyes, held up a hand and uttered a spell from his book. His palm became luminous and increased rapidly in brightness until it became as searing as the light of the sun itself. He held his glowing hand out before him like a weapon, intending to temporarily blind and daze the attackers so that Duvain, Kestral, and Titian could close on them.

 

[Talus]

The Red Ashes

The water exploded out as Daria used her magics to mark the location of the undead creatures soaring through the water. In the air Naja spotted someone flying from one of her ships, her neck craning slightly to follow Venanin Sen Shiir trajectory.

A brief frown flashed across the Archon's feature, confusion flickering through her gaze as she shook her head and spoke beneath her breath. "Fool Apprentices."

It was the only words Naja spoke as she slowly stood from her chair and straightened her back. Fingers cracked one by one as magic entered her core. A breath filled her lungs, and she tossed a glance towards her admiral.

"It's time." The Admiral Nodded. "Leave the Adrema, Burnt Sky, and Black Cutlass to maintain the blockade, everyone else is to head for the harbor and broken section of the walls."

There was a curt nod, and a shouting of orders. Then Naja took a step forward.

A sudden burst of magic reached out from the Archon as her hand shot up. Suddenly the waters around the fleet twisted. Waves stopped, the ocean stilled, and then suddenly water fell away in front of the whale. The sea itself seemed to twist and change.

It dipped low, solid walls of water forming that the whale would not be able to breach. A tunnel was crafted for the beast, guiding it and hopefully steering the creature between the ships of the fleet.

At the same time the Armada shifted, ten of the great vessels pressing forward as they slowly advanced on Coraliv.

The Docks

Talus fought like a demon from hell. He flashed and flickered between soldiers, flowing through the guards and cutting them to ribbons. The untrained Militia members fell before him like cut wheat, tumbling to the ground.

Each time they pressed him a bit too far another one of the Dreadlords would act. One of Barrin's beasts would appear and shred his attacker. The Guard would find his armor crushed. A man who held his sword too high would find the blade twisting and turning on him.

The docks became a slaughter, Six Dreadlords showing what their masters had made them.

"APPRENTICE"​

Talus' head snapped back as his sword bit into another one of the militiamen, blood splattering across his face as he stared at the first level.

"THE CHAIN! Break it."​

Barrin pointed towards a building near the mouth of the docks, his hand curling as one of his beasts pounced from behind him and ripped at the throat of a soldier who had intended to strike him down. Talus nodded, his body twisting as he ran towards the building.

As he neared the door he caught the glint of something inside, black armor and a cape sweeping forward as a Cataphract stepped into his way.

 

[Sierra]

She and Hal were formidable partners before they'd become...closer. Now they were beyond well-oiled machines of war. She knew his looks and cues. They didn't need words to fight alongside one another.

Magic swirled around the apprentice and she directed it toward the royals who stood cowering behind the cataphracts.

Beg him to take off his armor. Order him to. Command him. You'll surely die if you don't. Swarm him. Beat him. Make hi--

She faltered and lost her power on the royals as a blinding light filled the cave. Stormy-greys closed and blinked. The empath felt the mage's hope, bravery, and energy. As well as those she sensed closing in on her and Hal. Sierra would try to feed on it, taking it from them so they were left feeling hopeless, scared, and exhausted.

 

[Harrier]

If this had been Harrier's first time riding an outsize skeleton, the muddy and barnacle-crusted bones would have shaken her loose with ease. Her hands were already going numb -- a blessing, because those barnacles were sharp -- so she worked the crooks of her elbows and knees between enormous ribs. The skeletal whale flexed and surged through the water with a total lack of care for the necromancer on its back. But all necromancers had an innate command of the undead, and that potential for control doubled here as she'd created this particular example. The limiting factor was her attention, which right now lay elsewhere.

Waves stopped, the ocean stilled, and then suddenly water fell away in front of the whale. The sea itself seemed to twist and change. It dipped low, solid walls of water forming that the whale would not be able to breach. A tunnel was crafted for the beast, guiding it and hopefully steering the creature between the ships of the fleet.​

The whale thrashed as it tipped forward. Harrier had terrible visions of losing limbs between ribs, but she'd chosen her anchor-points to avoid just that, and no personal mangling resulted. No mangling at all, in fact. A very powerful magician, or group of magicians, was altering the sea. Harrier sensed deep frustration in the cetacean ghosts that possessed the skeleton. It could perceive, but could not reach, the nearby hulls and keels. It bashed itself against the walls of magically-reinforced water once, twice-

Any more of this and it would scrape her off. Harrier dug deep and exerted actual control over the whale for the first time. She urged it along the tunnel.

And out it went, clear on the other side of the fleet. It wanted to turn, try again, but she held its minds in as tight a grip as she applied to the bones. She didn't like her odds of survival if she let the whale turn for another attack run.

On the plus side, she was now outside the blockade aboard an escape vehicle of sorts, empowered by a decently powerful ritual, a dozen ancient ghosts, and two necromancers' worth of strength. Prudence demanded that she do what she'd wanted to do from the beginning, and leave.

The whale accelerated away. Harrier exited the scene.

 

[Venanin Sen Shiir]

Soaring through the air the apprentice couldn't help but think perhaps the whale had been the lesser of two evils. The wind whipped by with a roar that could only be described as deafening as it tore at the Dreadlord armor like the hungry tentacles of some eldritch horror. There was little time to react, and only a few spells known to Venanin that would arrest the descent.

The warmage curled up in the air and removed an owl feather from beneath a black bracer. Feather held close as the rushing torrent of air tried to rip it away, the apprentice dreadlord whispered the incantation to slow the fall. Nothing happened. The wind had ripped the words from the youth's lips as surely as it continued to grapple for the feather.

"INVICTO. AERO, KARIUM!" The young dreadlord to be shouted as the feather brushed the too pretty face.

Immediately the feather turned to dust and the speed of the fall slowed, however it was far too late to land in anyway that could be called ideal. Thatch and shingle met armor and flesh with a crash as they punched through the ceiling of a tall building. The apprentice rolled across the floor on the top level bedroom of the building and slammed into the far wall. Groaning like some mindless undead thing the apprentice made to stand and found nearly everything hurt.

Venanin quickly pulled the silvered bastard sword from the scabbard on Ven's belt with one hand and three gems from a component poich3with the other. Bursting through the door Ven went as the first gem, a ruby the size of a small pearl, was tossed behind into the bed chamber where they had entered so dramatically.

"Ignis Karium." Ven said in a voice that seemed to echo across the plane and the room burst into flames. Ven was heading down and toward the noble districts, which unbeknown to the young dreadlord, he was already in, and quite alone.

 

[Ademar Acero]

Patience truly was a virtue, and it was a wonder how Ademar went this long doing nothing. It almost made him mad, almost at the verge of impaling someone with his spear. Hell everyone else seemed to be in a similar mood, a desperate mood to do something. Seeing someone retch, due to sea traveling, every now and then was a pleasant sight to see rather than the ships bombarding Coraliv with their catapults. Even the hostile, charging undead whale was a sight to behold despite it being a danger to them; however, the Archon would handle that situation.

So when orders came to their attention and that they were to mobilize, all Ademar could say was, “Holy hell, finally,” with an annoyed look while gathering his equipment. Someone else he saw shed a tear in how grateful they were now changing the pace.

The Apprentice gathered a unit of corsairs and acquired a longboat for their raid at Coraliv. It did piss him off that Talus and his special unit of Dreadlords already had spilled first blood on the besieged. He hoped there was enough victims to desist at his pleasure.

“Fellow Apprentice, join me if you will...unless you want to clean the decks,” the hulking Dreadlord said before Daria in a curt manner, though he acknowledged her as an equal and would show respect. Disciplined he was, especially from...cruel training methods.

Daria

 

[Daria]

That earned Ademar a rare, sharp look. Daria did not clean decks. Not unless ordered to, that was. ...Then she would clean it meticulously.

But enough of that-- her father had greater expectations for her on this assignment than to polish boards. Ademar's words rolled off her back, the girl inclining her chin in an unspoken agreement. She separated herself from the organizing mass of apprentices, following Ademar to his procured longboat. A lithe jump deposited her onto a bench amongst the corsairs and other apprentices that opted to join in.

Daria watched wordlessly as the oars were manned, her attention trained on the break in the city wall as they approached it.

"We will push through to the city's center. My father wants the governor in our control," she stated evenly.

They boat scrapped the sea bed. She jumped out, splashing cold water thoughtlessly as she trudged the rest of the way to the shore. She pulled herself over the rocky ruins of the wall, the boulders spilling out into the sea and allowing them a place to climb through.

She dropped lightly off the wall she crested, falling five feet and landing inside a chaotic street. The clamour of voices hushed, steel ringing through the air as the attention of passing militia swung around to face her.

 

[Ademar Acero]

His thoughts exactly mirrored those of Daria when she spoke of concentrating their forces on the city center of Coraliv. It would be a crucial area to take control for either side and no doubt heavily fortified by whatever defense is left of city. That’s what his heart desired, fight in the thickest scenario this battle offered to him.

Their forces climbed up the shattered, broken wall of Coraliv and then descended in a fall onto a street once they reached over, Daria being the first one before them to breach the compromised wall.

Before his eyes lay a ruin of a district. He could see stones of the wall littered across, even on top of bodies that their weight crushed on, killing some and leaving others wounded. Buildings were desolated and hosted fires in them, smoke arising in the sky with others that were in different areas of Coraliv. But what made it chaotic was the running of frightened civilians; families gathering their kin and fleeing to whatever was temporary safe, children abandoned and panicking, and people stampeding those that were helpless. The only thing with any sense of uniformity were the militia that marched to counter the encroaching infantry of Anirians now inside their city.

“Hmmph,” the apprentice grunted at the sight of enemy soldiers endearing his eyes as they’d be his cattle and him their slaughterer. He tapped in an ounce of his magic, supernatural forces enhancing the strength density of his legs and his left arm, though that limb would be a surprise to the enemy.

“SLAUGHTER THEM!”

And then javelin threw one of his spears at the ranks of the militia, the weapon going through the guts of a soldier and falling backwards from its lethal momentum. Anirian warriors charged at the unit of militia with Ademar passing his comrades, his spare spear pointed at the ranks of Coraliv soldiers. Naturally the enemy’s spears and pikes were aimed at the oncoming wave, most of them focused on the giant of Ademar. Confident they’d take down his figure, but were caught in a quick surprise as their weapons shattered when it came in contact with Ademar’s left hemisphere and bodies trucked over from his momentum. Skin like iron from his magic. A tactic that would weaken their foes’ ranks and demoralized them with a seemingly impenetrable warrior at close quarters.

Daria

 

[Rob Yew]

The Breach
​

The force of repeated strikes from the powerful catapults had finally crumbled a section of the wall and the two hundred strong company of Thronebreakers surged to defend it.

Ondina hobbled along. Her gaze had grown hollow and empty when Cathair had told her of Harrier's flight. She watched without emotion as crossbowmen standing on either section of the walls overlooking the breach shot down at the tide of incoming Anirian troops, filling the air with hissing bolts. She watched as the Ox and another mercenary worked together to dump a bucket of boiling pitch onto the attackers thronging below.

The female elf called Vivien tossed a torch down after the bucket, setting the pitch alight.

"More pitch!" She could hear the Ox's roar even from where she stood behind the ranks of spear-armed militia from the city trying to hold back the Anirian onslaught at the breach.

Dina just stared. Numb. Tired. Her ankle hurt. She could still her the buzzing sound in her ears of the lightning when it had gathered. To her left, Fausto was trying to help the blinded Arkaitz.

A commander who could not see. Useless. Just like that mage, Galen. He was probably dead now too.

They all would be soon.

Besides the militia, she could spot a handful of Cataphracts in their gleaming armor here and there in the midst of the fray at the breach.

She leaned on the crutch Cathair had found her, staring blankly into the mess of men, then she closed her eyes and reached out with her mind. She found one lonely whale spirit, not as strong as the others, but awakened by her and Harrier's necromancy. She harnessed its power, directing it.

The enormous shade burst forth from the ocean, translucent and glowing softly. It swam through the air as if it were water, then spun and with a massive slap of its spectral tail sent Anirian soldiers packed into the back of the breach flying.

 

[Harry]

When the soldiers in front of Hal showed no signs of backing down, the apprentice’s head whipped back to check on his partner. At a glance, he could see that something had preoccupied her, though he was unable to see what had come from the cave to distract her.

The two cataphracts edged forward, their pressure forcing Hal to concede ground.

He was backed all the way to the entrance of the cave.

 

[Talus]

The Red Ashes

Naja watched from a distance as the tunnel of water continued on past the fleet and out to see, observing as something passed them by. The odd wave of magic left a wake, and whatever it was did not turn back. A small smile touched her lips.

"Interesting." She made note of it within her mind before slowly turning back towards Coraliv. It did not matter who escaped from here today, nor what they said.

The Archon stiffened her back, watching as several longboats departed the great Warships and made their way towards the walls. Her gaze flickered towards the breach before moving slowly to where the entrance of the Harbor lay.

There she could see it, the great Chain that was still laying within the waters. Nine ships headed towards it, the Blackfort at their head.

The Docks

A heavy clatter of armor resounded as the Cataphract fell to the ground, his head clattering onto the ground just a second later.

Talus' head half cocked to the side as he stared at the man, a frown touching his features as he gazed at the corpse. The man had been good, his sword work quick, but the armor on his shoulders had slowed him too much. Talus had managed to cut into him, his magic never even necessary.

He turned his head back for a brief moment, looking towards the battle still occurring on the docks. He spotted another Cataphract fighting one of the Dreadlords, confusion dawning on Talus' ally as a pulse of magic seemingly wisped away as it touched the armored man.

There was shock, and then a blade ran through the Dreadlord's chest.

Talus gaped, and then was suddenly snapped back into reality. There was no time to watch, he had a mission and it needed to be completed.

He moved into the gatehouse, stepping around a corner to discover half a dozen men all standing around a great wheel of stone and wood. They carried pitchforks and axes, their clothes more rags than armor. Some of them stared, others took a half step back.

"Stay back! W-we don't want to fight you! We're only trying to protect our families!"​

Talus glanced at them, and then to the great wheel. He could see the rope lead from it, the tangles of thick cord that held the sea-chain. His gaze fell back onto the men, and then he stepped forward.

The Harbor

A great clattering rang out from the left Gatehouse of the harbor. A shattering of wood and stone that resounded outward with a burst of dust and debris.

Then the sea-chain fell.

From it's position just over the entrance of the harbor the great links of steel broke. One end of them was shattered, and the heavy mass tumbled into the sea bellow. Waves surged and pushed outwards towards the ocean and into the harbor itself.

Ships rocked, smaller boats sank, and the great chain that had protected Coraliv's harbor sank to the bottom of the sea.

 

[Daria]

Daria took a step back from the burning heat of the pitch, a quick step up onto a rock protecting her from any pitch that had lit underneath her.

Behind her she felt a collision and heard the scream of bodies tossed off their feet. She did not respond, attention forward as she extended her hand towards a solider that dragged over another barrel of pitch. A moment later, their armor plating collapsed in on itself, crunching like a leaf under a boot. Blood spurted from the man's mouth as he collapsed, his gargles lost to the chaos of the fight.

The pitch tipped over, spilling across the ground... meandering outwards under the feet of the soldiers. A small sliver seemed to reach towards the fire, loosing volume quickly as it crawled.

Daria's attention pulled through crowd, sharply moving from face to face as she searched for the source of magic nearby.

Something had to be calling the chaos on her men behind her.

The face of a woman stood out-- eyes closed. Unmoving. Concentrating. Daria's posture pulled straighter, her shoulders tight as she narrowed her eyes.

A small pressure began to form in Dina's head. A simple headache, growing swiftly as the pressure built.

 

[Ademar Acero]

His initial barrage was enough for the Anirian troops to overcome whatever defenses this unit of militia could possibly offer. The Dreadlord stood much taller than the average human, around six feet and five inches. With morale broken and a behemoth warrior swatting away militia with a mace, then it was most certainly hard to offer a response. More so when Coraliv was almost defeated with a breach in the wall, the sea chain destroyed, and the remaining Anirian forces now closing in what fighting spirit could they have?

Only to fight down in glory and kill as many as they possibly could.

Ademar’s mace swung downwards on a militiaman with his mace, the weapon making contact with the man’s head and falling down on the cobblestone floor swiftly with death claiming him. He had heard the great shock behind that sent many soldiers of his flying from its force and the pitch consumed in fire that ate at those stepping in it. His eyes caught Daria’s figure that was still, not being to confused as to why she was noticing she was concentrating on something or someone. Whatever it was she was focusing on she needed some kind of shield in order ensure success in the magic she dabbled in.

The Dreadlord rushed to her side parrying off a hostile soldier’s sword before a strength enhanced fist kissed the attacker’s face with a punch. A punch enough to knock him out and fracture their jawline.

Daria
Thronebreaker

 

[Venanin Sen Shiir]

The apprentice was alone. cut off from support and deep behind enemy lines was no place for even a Dreadlord in training to be. The too pretty features carefully protected during the weekly sessions of...hardening gazed about as those carefully polished boots, now marred by dust and sea salt, left the conflagration of the building behind Venanin.

The silvered bastard sword that was the only true possession allotted the apprentice whispered from its scabbard like a thief in the night as its owner scanned about for any combatants. he didn't have to scan long as a quartet of guards, likely reinforcements rounded a corner to seek out the cause of the burning building.

Venanin gave a mock salute as confident steps drew the dreadlord forward. A small red ruby the size of a small pearl was plucked from the meticulously arranged armor that acted as component pouch for the youth.

"VITO MORTIS INFERNUM." Ven called out as the gem turned to a small mote of crimson light and flew at the guards.

The bead of red light erupted into a ball of roiling fire twenty feet in diameter as its caster continued to walk toward the screaming, burning, enemies. A quick thrust and slash and the screams were halted. Venanin continued alone deeper into the city.

 

[Rob Yew]

The Breach
​

There were too many of them. They couldn't hold out for long.

The whale spirit let out a mournful song as it smacked more soldiers with its tail. They flew through the air, screaming, before landing with sickening thuds.

A sudden pressure began to build in Dina's sinuses. She blinked rapidly, swaying on her crutch. Through the chaos of the breach battle, she saw the face of a warrior staring straight back at her. Hidden currents of energy flowed from the woman toward Ondina.

The militia attempting to hold back the tide began to break, only the Thronebreakers and the Cataphracts stood, but their numbers dwindled swiftly.

Don Arkaitz rubbed his eyes, vision slowly returning, and glared at what he beheld. "We can't win this fight. Ondina, distract them. Fausto, stop rubbing your spectacles and get word to the Ox and Cathair. Pull the men back from the walls, ditch our equipment. We'll fade in with the townsfolk. Do it now."

Ondina held up a hand, then curled her fingers into a fist.

The whale spirit rode up, high above the battle into the air, circled once, then dove down into the center of the breach in a sudden rush. The spirit exploded. Ectoplasm sprayed in every direction. Soldiers were crushed as if a real whale had fallen on them. Then, from where it had collided with the ground, a sudden fog rose up and spread swiftly. Soon, it engulfed the entirety of the breach.

The pressure on her sinuses faded.

Thronebreakers streamed past her, tossing aside their weapons and armor and running into the city, for shelter. They could hide out among the populace.

Ondina hobbled with them, occasionally glancing back through the fog.

Damn that Harrier.

Cavern Exit
​

Galen's knees trembled. Cold sweat poured down his back. He could feel her. She was manipulating him. There'd been a class on empathic knowledge at the college. A sub-study of illusion work. Make the mind feel something that did not really exist. If only he could remember how to dispel it. Something about memories and antithesis. But how could he feel anything but this dread?

Desperate, Galen reached for a memory.

"I can't do this spell, Master Telemachus. I'm not strong enough."

"You are blind, neophyte. Magic is not only self. Magic is."

Magic is.

Magic is thought. Magic is feel. Magic is memory.

What is the opposite of dread?

Hope.

The emotion blossomed within him, an overflowing cup that she could not fully drain. He reached out, sending the currents of his hope into Titian and Kestral, who grew bolder.

But he could not feed his hope into the one called Duvain, for he could not even feel the man. He simply loomed, encased in plate armor, face shrouded by his torn helmet.

Suddenly, Duvain clanked forward. There was a sharp inrush of air and a humming noise, then Duvain held up a hand and loosed a pulse of energy that raced down the stairs toward the two dreadlords below, ripping apart chunks from the walls and ceiling as it went.

 

[Daria]

The Breech

The sound of impact repeated behind Daria, suggesting her attempts at disrupting the mage were practically ineffective. Bodies went flying past her, thrown off by a stem of magic she felt building behind her.

Her eyes narrowed, the pressure increasing tenfold as-- Something roared and smashed into the ground behind her. Bones crunched, men screamed. Daria knew in a moment that their numbers had been seriously hindered.

How many men can you fit in a long boat after all.

Not many.

Her concentration snapped as the boulder under her shook at the impact. Her arms flailed as she kept her balance on top her perch, but before she could react any further, a fog enveloped her. The last thing she saw was Ademar's blade catching a sword before it could meet her midriff.

And then nothing.

Daria made a noise of frustration, reaching out to find Ademar's shoulder. She gripped it firmly, unwilling to lose sight of more than one comrade in a moment of severe vulnerability. Several attempts were made to clear the fog, leaving those around her feeling inexplicably heavy and then light ... and heavy again, as if their air around them grew dense and then sparse in turn.

This had no affect on the fog, which cleared on its own after a few moments of planning.

The spilled pitch from the second vat erupted into a flame, the trail that had been dragging along meeting the already lit patch.

The soldiers that remained, left behind in the sticky tar and clearing fog, quickly found themselves on fire.

Daria jumped down from the boulder with a scowl, her head whipping both directions as she tried to discern which street the mage escaped down.

 

[Harry]

Hal quickly removed the glove from his free hand. A thick vapor rose from the exposed skin. Quickly and without any consideration in restraining himself, he swung his hand at the ground in front of the approaching Cataphracts. From his splayed fingers, a stream of ice and snow shot outwards and upon making contact with the earth, a massive wall of ice rose and expanded forward, encasing the two soldiers immediately.

He turned his attention to the four at the entrance. He sensed the immense power from the armored one. The knight's tabard stood out to Hal. Despite being dirtied and singed, the Apprentice had read too much on a specific order of Knights to not recognize the pattern.

Hal felt the earth rumble beneath his feet. In response, he stomped down, sending a wave of ice to meet the pulse that Duvain sent. The two forces clashed. Where his trail of ice met the pulse of energy, the two colliding magics exploded.

Power and magic swirled through Hal. He eyed the three behind the knight.

"Fuck."

 

[Sierra]

The cataphracts were at her back, their hands full with the royals who were still reeling from Sierra's previous emotional attack. Lips twitched as the other one up the stairs pushed back against her magical touch.

This one had an abundance of hope. And training.

She stumbled as the armored man came charging down, sending that wave of power ahead of him. Her back hit lightly against a cavern wall behind her. Eyes found Hal's and she offered a silent nod. He could handle that one. She'd have to focus on the mage up the stairs and the others.

Pushing off the wall, she un-shouldered her bow and knocked some arrows to the string with speed that would rival the best archer in the land. Sighting up the stairs she let loose one. And then another. Arrows replaced one after the next as though she was a machine.

 

[Ademar Acero]

Their unit’s numbers were decimated after the quake coming from the smash of the undead whale near the vicinity of the breach. Reinforcements would arrive eventually, so the lack of troops they didn’t need to worry about. The battle neared to its conclusion, just a few obstacles that lengthen the time of battle. Inevitable the conquest was over Coraliv, however.

Shortly after a fog consumed them, one so thick that their magic couldn’t dampen it. He felt Daria’s hand come up to his shoulder and held onto it as the fog began to fade away on its own.

The scene was a massacre once the fog lifted itself. Moans from the wounded and the ground littered with the dead. Daria has jumped down from the boulder she stood on and was about to move on, her head looking for the enemy.

“Wait,” Ademar said, his hand reaching for her wrist. Hopefully she wouldn’t protest about it. “Look,” and gestured towards the littered armor and weapons, armor that didn’t belong to them. “I don’t know what they’re planning, but they’re unarmed and only in their garments. We can try to take the city square or hunt them down. Your call.”

He realized his hand was still holding on to her. He retreated it back from her. No apology given, maybe a slight bit of embarrassment or awkwardness.

 

[Talus]

The Red Ashes - Harbor

It was time. Truly time.

Naja stood up from her chair just as The Red Ashes crossed the expanse of the harbors entrance. A smile formed on her face as two other ships followed on it's port and starboard. Half a dozen vessels still lay within the Harbor, but they showed no signs of resisting.

The Archon half turned towards her Admiral, offering a congenial smile. She knew that the battle was all but won. Coraliv did not have the arms to resist her, and it seemed that the Cataphracts were hardly fighting. It seemed the Apprentices had done well.

They would be rewarded.

"Seize the city." She ordered simply as the nine Anirian Vessels all began to move towards the various stone piers. Thousands of well trained and armored soldiers would pour into Coraliv, and with them the city would fall.

Docks - Gatehouse

Talus stepped from the gatehouse, a rag in one hand and his blade in another. He swept the steel of blood, looking around him slowly and spotting the ships already in the harbor.

His eyebrows raised in surprise at the speed of the ships, but then he remembered Archon Naja's own magics. Lips thinned for a moment and he glanced around the docks, spotting dead militia and Cataphracts laying about.

He also saw the fallen Dreadlord now dead, though Anirian Soldiers were quickly sweeping through the remaining militia.

"You have done well."

The voice came from his left, Dreadlord Barrin speaking with amused authority as he stepped up to where Talus was standing.

"The battle is not yet over, but it soon will be."

Talus nodded slowly, not speaking.

"Take a contingent of soldiers, join your fellow apprentices and see the royals do not escape."

Another quick nod and Talus sheathed his sword. His gaze swept the docks until he found a dozen Imperial Knights, and then he quickly ran over to them.

 

[Angharad]

Coraliv Docks

Blood flowed from a cut on Angharad's scalp. She'd been too slow in the melee but the return strike had near took off her opponent's arm. She reeled back towards the gangplank, her voice clarion clear, "Cast off!"

The marines on the dock made their withdrawal as best they could. Bodies littered the quays, a mix of Vel Anir and Coraliv livery, cataphract and shock troops lying side by side. A ragged charge was checked by a volley of accurate arrowfire. Coraliv burned around them but the archers on Iolar's decks still fought on.

The harbour chain was down, the last obstacle to the Anirian fleet was now down. Coraliv was lost. Defeat had a bitter taste but dying was worse. Angharad was not going to condemn more Firstborn lives to this quagmire.

She took the last few steps at a run, leaping from the quayside to land on the deck. "Cut us loose" she commanded, her voice cold. Iolar drifted when the lines were cut, deckhands using poles to push off. The massacre on the piers and jetties continued.

The first cutters and transports were coming through the harbour entrance, packed to the gunwale with assault troops. Angharad thanked the gods that she'd a mage aboard. A two master wouldn't have had a hope of making it out of this morass on its own. The rowers pulled, enjoying the boost from the water.

Seonaid was by the helmsman, eyes closed and muttering words too soft to hear. The ship seemed to pick up speed despite the calm this side of the seawall. The Anirian vessels ahead of them grew in size. A ballista bolt flew by, missing the starboard side by a few feet. The elven artillerists responded a moment later, a flaming bolt striking the nearest cutter's rigging.

"Two points port" Angharad ordered, angling them away from it. Its sailors seemed more concerned with fighting the flames now rather than the elves but it didn't stop the elven marines from keeping up harassing shots. A sailor pitched overboard as she watched, struck right between the shoulderblades.

Panic seemed to erupt on the lead transport as its cargo realised they were the target. "One point starboard" Angharad said, her eyes fixed on her quarry. The vessel was lumbering and fat, built to transport troops, not engage in naval combat. It was turning to avoid her but slow, far too slow.

"Brace" she said, her command echoed by the watch commanders. The drumming from the hortator picked up, everyone putting their backs in it for the final push. The transport loomed large in front of them.

CRASH.

Iolar lay low in the water, her ram struck the transport below the waterline. Everyone was jolted by the impact, unprepared Anirians tumbled over the side. Another command was roared and Iolar slid back smoothly, leaving water to gush into the stricken ship. The transport was already sitting drunkenly, rolling to one side while archers sent futile arrows at Iolar. An oarsman collapsed over his oar, a marine sank to the deck with a cry.

Futile as the elven gesture had been. Coraliv was lost. One transport wouldn't make a difference. Anirians always expected losses, they always brought more than they needed. Still it gave the savage part of her soul some grim satisfaction to see the transport sink.

Iolar made for the break in the seawall, leaving Coraliv to its fate.

 

[Venanin Sen Shiir]

NOBLE QUARTER: CUT OFF FROM THE MAIN ADVANCE.

The apprentice had used a fair number of spells including a dread flame spell that had created a 20 meter ball of magical fire here in whatever quarter of the city this was. It had set several buildings ablaze, but it attracted attention. Guards rushed toward his location, halbards and swords drawn, as they closed on the pale haired apprentice.

Venanin fell into his stance and opened with Parting the Silk. With silvered bastard sword held in two hands, tip back and down, as the first guard rushed in with a forward thrust of his halberd. The dreadlord apprentice waited for the last moment and darted to the side and slashed up and across with the blade. The silvered steel sliced up and into the guard's arm just passed the elbow and left the lower part of the arm still gripping the halberd as the guard fell screaming to the stone streets.

The next guard, weilding a longsword, came next as Venanin finished his first cut. The guard slashed across at waist height and forced the apprentice back. Venanin fell into Boar Rushes Down the Mountain and advanced again battering at the guard in an attempt to get the next kill before they could surround the young battle mage. The dreadlord scored a strike on the guard's forearm and then quickly cleaved through the guard's clavicle.

As the guard fell and the others slowed to form a line, the first crossbow bolt sprouted from Venanin's chest. Another bolt buried itself in Ven's gut a moment after. Lavendar eyes wide from shock the apprentice grabbed an in rushing thrust and shoved the blade into another guard's throat before removing the head of the first. Another bolt bore into his shoulder and Ven dropped to a knee. The young apprentice's head swam as Venanin stood and drove the bastard sword's pommel into a guard's face then tore a small tuning fork from the belt on their waist.

The tuning fork struck the sword and Venanin shouted an incantation through the fork's prongs. The fork vibrated madly as the sound of the shout reverberated through the air. The enemy soldier's weapons and armor began to shake. The glass windows of the rich homes burst into the street as Ven's lungs began to exhaust themselves. The armor amd swords of the guard soldiers shattered sending shards of steel through them. Screams echoed from the buildings as people ran tattered and screaming from now broken windows and doors.

The apprentice lay down on the stone street as blood slowly pooled around their form. As Ven bled, the apprentice started whispering a chant.

 

[Daria]

Daria yanked her hand back, her nostrils flaring as she considered his words.

Chase after the mage that defied her... or follow orders and take the square. The illusion of a choice had her huffing in frustration.

She turned right, towards the square.

Signs of war littered the streets they turned onto. Bodies laid bloody in clashing piles, both Anirian and Coralivian. Death had come for them without bias. Carts burned, products laid scattered-- crushed and broken. A curtain flickered closed on a second story window. Daria glanced up as she walked, cognitive of the families that were likely pressed fearfully inside.

She ignored them and turned her attention back towards the sounds of battle in the distance. They weren't what she was here for.

She stepped into the square, what men they still had on them spilling past her to join the bloody chaos of bodies around them. The colors of Anir overwhelmed the battle, the emerging victor clear as day to the girl as she stood at the edge of it all and watched on.

Vibrations caught her attention, the buildings over them bolstering with magic. Windows shattered and rained down her. Daria ducked and sheltered her face from the fallout. The tinkle of falling glass died out. She glanced up through her arm and hair, catching the undeniable sight of a Dreadlord on the ground, surrounded.

"Ademar," she called, raising her hand to a solider that charge them. Five steps before he could reach them, he inexplicably exploded. Blood rained out, coating them both.

"Clear a way." Her gaze fell back to the militia that surrounded the fallen Dreadlord. She raised her empty hand again.

 

[Rob Yew]

Arrows zipped up the corridor. Titian slumped against the wall, a fletched shaft through his shoulder. Kestral took one in the leg and stumbled to a knee, gasping in pain.

Galen knew the third would be coming for him.

He held up his hands, trying to remember a ward.

The third shaft hummed through the air like a hornet, then suddenly exploded in a spray of splinters.

Duvain had one hand held up, gauntleted fingers clenched in a fist. The plate armored knight returned his attention to the two apprentice dreadlords. He stretched out his other hand and the cavern shuddered as if from an earthquake. Rocks fell, clattering to the ground, then lifted off the ground as if floating clouds. They swirled for a moment, then shot out at impossible speeds toward Hal and Sierra in a pounding hailstorm of stone that even an ice shield would shatter beneath.