Pandemonium Those Beyond

[Scarlet]

THE THIRD PLACE, NOTICE ME SENPAI

All of a sudden the air grew thick around Verys. Heavy magic spread across her skin, leaving a oddly familiar tinge across her taste buds. The mist thickened in an instant, impossible to see through. The sounds of Rohian and the dead creature grew muffled, then left her all together.

And then... it cleared, disappearing out around her to an invisible wind.

In the foggy distance, humoniod bodies approached. Behind her laid the ORCS FROM THE BLIGHTLAND, tending to themselves. Further to her right were the members of THE SPINE, regathering themselves in the confusion.

But closest to the creatures ... to the monsters, was Verys-- a solo, unarmed female carrying nothing but a book.

Their attention shifted to her in unison. The first one stepped forward. The rest began to follow.

Blightlands_pandemonium Spine_pandemonium Eretejva_pandemonium Verys Synsere

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Raigryn Vayd Xoknath

The land had changed as she felt the snake grabbed by the neck and her by the tail as she used this distraction to wriggle from the naga's tackle fluidly dislocating her joints to help her slide out.
Her tail shot its toxic spine into the orc's shoulder as it snapped off still writhing like a lizards.
Rebecca shrieked as involuntary tears sprung to her eyes like she had been slapped in the face.
Blackish fluid and bone seemed to grow back as a new tail sprung to life as she sprinted away on all fours leaving a trail of black blood for a few feet before the new tail was healed and slowly growing back to its original length. And her form shimmered leaving her form to seemingly vanish.

She was following one scent.
The first scent she had smelled when she awakened.
She felt so many intruders all around them. Invaders..filthy humans rejecting the gift of ascension in favor of identical flesh piles waiting to rot away.
A species unable to come together. A species whose minor differences were cause for conflict and division not celebrated or cared for...It made her sick.
She needed to find this scent, Her brain demanded it. The words tickling her brain beckoned for her and she felt compelled to obey. So off she went leaping and lunging across terrain so foreign and yet so familiar to her.
Other beasts roaming the land paid her little mind as she landed in front of the scent holder silently kneeling and emitting her own respectful growls and scents which came to her seemingly on instinct.
"P-Prethessia."
She said with a gentle purr one would only hear her use when around this particular demon and no other time.

 

[Verys Synsere]

NOTICE ME SENPAI THIRD LOCATION
Verys reached out for the piece of parchment, her finger just barely brushing it… and then suddenly it wasn’t even visible anymore, thick mists clinging to her and swirling around her with every gesture she made. Her eyes widened, looking around herself, taking it all in…

Then as swiftly as the mist swelled up, it faded, and Verys found herself in a completely different area than before. She flopped her journal open once more, nib in hand as she dipped it in the inkwell in her cleavage. She was certainly not someone one would expect to find in a demon-infested land, clad in a pretty blue dress with worn travelling boot and a large coat that was obviously not meant for her since the sleeves were rolled up several times and still hung past her wrists. The soft scratching of the iron nib on the parchment in the bound book was accented by her muttering to herself as she transcribed what had happened to her, the sensations she felt in the mist, the creatures in front of her in her new location…

She paused, looking up over the top of her journal once more at the demons in front of her. They… were looking right back at her. She looked down at her page, then back up at the demons, then back down…

Then let out a squeak of alarm, slamming her journal shut as she turned and scrambled in the other direction -- towards the orcs. Orcs, she at least recognized, as opposed to whatever nonsense these giant demons were. She'd seen how much force it'd taken Rohiron to down the one he'd killed, after all. She had no delusions about stopping one on her own...

"Oh hello!" she called, waving her nib in hand. "Um, there's demons! Not me, obviously. I hope obviously anyway!"

Blightlands_pandemonium Spine_pandemonium

 

[Madame Valkery]

The demons burst up out of the ground. One came up at her feet grabbing at her ankles but before it could get a hold she brought her sword down on its vulnerable undefended skull. From what she had seen with Furzok these things have brains or some sort, at the very least the head was a vital point. There was a crack as her blade penetrated and black blood gushed out, with the blade securely lodged in its skull she gave it a twist and a yank, and there was a snap as the neck snapped. The demon lay limp half emerged from the ground, black blood pouring from the gaping head wound and spattered across Valkery's boots.

Two more demons had emerged around her and were now fighting the two mercenaries she had chosen to defend the inner circle. Behind her, the demon leaned heavily on the redheads shield trying to push him back into his comrades and brake the line. The man hit at the demons thighs and shoulders from around the shield but was not able to reach any vital areas.

Without even turning around Valkery switched to a back grip and stabbed the demon in the back between the ribs, the blade going deep and blood splattering. She let go of the blade for a second spun around and drew it from the creaturs back before bringing it up and stabbing the base of the skull. This one too fell limp and the mercenary shoved it off his sheld.

Valkery turned around again just in time to see the other mercenary fell his demon. "Good work men," She nodded. She felt Azian's life force leave and looked up as the others felled it. When their leader fell the rest of the demons fell. They must have been linked to their leader. Then the mist began to fade.

Valkery looked around, this was not Elbion, in fact, it didn't even feel like Arethil. She felt the sparks of fear and panic begin to well up in the others. The truth was she felt a little of it herself, but she needed to be a beacon to the others.

"Good work everyone! We have risen victorious. But the trials are not over. We find ourselves in a strange place. Most likely the home of those vile creatures that dared attack our home. If we wish to prevent them from ever returning we must strike at their heart. The thing that caused all of this is in that castle." She pointed with her blade at the structure in the distance "And most likely the way home is there as well. If we band together we can accomplish anything. Look at what we have already accomplished. Band of Idiots? More like a band of heroes, and that is what you will all be when we return home. Now tend to your wounds. Then we march for the castle."

After finishing her speech she moved toward Trajan "Sorry for taking charge of your men, but I felt they needed encouragement and guidance. It was a great thing we accomplished here and I didn't want that sense of achievement to be lost in fear."

She sensed something on the outskirts. There was a rustle in the distance and a snap. She spun around something was approaching from behind. She couldn't tell what it was at this distance. "Attention men, something approaches from the rear," She alerted.

 

[Hath Charosh]

Spine_pandemonium Eretejva_pandemonium Blightlands_pandemonium Falwood_pandemonium

»Nevermind, Dormak, he and his men are capable, but we have some more pressing matters. This doesen't seem like Arethil, or what do you say, Hath Charosh? « The chieftainess spoke before gazing over the orc who's been farther than any of the Ashlanders.

»And what about the girl?« Uttered Ubabe, whom was with the other group.

Hath placed his boot on the corpse of one of the demons. He grunted as he yanked his axe free. There was a crack as it came from from bone. The axe was an ancient dwarven weapon and had been forged to kill orcs. It's blade cut through magical barriers, which the shamans of the time had been casting over their greatest warriors. If it had any use against the demons he had not found it.

He turned towards Mabess and gave a slow shake of his head. This was like no place he had been before. Her turned a full circle. In the distance he could see jagged mountains, but it was clear they were no longer in the spine of the world. Hath instead took a cloth from his belt and gave the haft of an axe a wipe. There was no magic in the world beyond the ancient portal stones that could move people across the world like that.

Hunting was his life. Yet there was a big difference between the killing that had been a part of his life before and that which he was becoming increasingly competent at. Fighting orcs and mages and demons in battle was not the same as tracking quarry to feed the tribe.

"Oh hello!" she called, waving her nib in hand. "Um, there's demons! Not me, obviously. I hope obviously anyway!"

Turning sharply, he raised his axe. A human woman or girl. It was hard to tell. It took him a second to mentally switch gears into the common human language. Demons was not a word he had ever heard in their tongue so that was lost in translation.

"You...live...here?" he asked.

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

Rebecca Fourtuna

Prethessia had retreated out of sight of the creates from Alliria_pandemonium . Pale white fingers stretched out and gently caressed the back of Rebecca's cheek. The demon did not speak. Their language was a more complex mix of telepathy and chemical scents. Rebecca would still hear her 'voice'.

They do not understand. They march in their little lines. Identical creatures doing as they were told. They will learn as they cannot survive here for long without Ascending. They will see.

 

[Baise]

Eretejva_pandemonium Blightlands_pandemonium Blightlands_pandemonium

Creatures threw themselves at the line of Norden shields. Valthat was barely aware of what happened from one moment to the next. He held his place in the fragile line, keeping his shield up. He hacked with his axe when he could, feeling it striking home. He was surrounded by the sound of battle, the sound of death. The noise of the demons was no more alien to his ears.

It ended abruptly. Dark shapes darted away from them and vanished into...

"What?"

They vanished into terrain that was not from the tundra. The bite of the cold was gone, a humid heat closing in around them. Sweat immediately started to bead across his brow.

"Is this your doing witch!?" he called out, turning towards Luna Slateforge. Valthar was so quick to level accusations that he didn't even see the host of undead gathering in the direction of the sun.

 

[Rebecca Fourtuna]

Raigryn Vayd

Her tail gave a small wiggle as it gently wrapped around the demons hand pressing it harder against her as she rubbed her cheek against it her purr growing louder as her eyes lost focus for a moment.
"I missed you...Longed for you...I heard you the entire time i was away..Your voice guided me away from those disgusting creatures..I killed 3 already."
She said desperately, like the demon was all she thought about, and she was desperate for any love, contact or approval she could receive.

They do not understand. They march in their little lines. Identical creatures doing as they were told. They will learn as they cannot survive here for long without Ascending. They will see.

"I know. I feel so many..Smell so many..They must all ascend or have their flesh taken from them.."

Her spines shot out like blades as she spoke with her mind letting her respectful scent remain while adding a more aggressive scent, one that said she was ready for combat.
However, rather than roaring off on her own she squatted obediently next to the pale demon. Her arm and tail spines retracting as she placed her head under Prethessia's right hand and pressed her cheek against her thigh allowing her hand to rest on top of it. her new ears far better for hearing prey were already beginning to grow. Her old human ears seemed to be melting back into her skull as feline like ears seemed to be growing in size as hair began to cover them as well. Her left ear twitched in annoyance.

"They itch.."

She complained before realizing she said that out loud with her mind. She apologized respectfully for her outburst. Her tail was now wrapped up the demons leg protectively and tightened as the sound of far off marching and fighting reached her new ears.
Rebecca still sat, waiting for her to be sicced on whomever the demon saw as the biggest threat.
She had no doubt she would go to the ends of the earth to find or kill anything Prethessia asked.
No question.

 

[Luna Slateforge]

Eretejva_pandemonium

"If I look like Im in any condition to be teleporting people then I look far better than I feel."
She said with a cough as black tar like blood mixed with red passed her lips. as she lay on the ground.
"I would expect either the queens dog or the undead legion marching close may have more answers than I. I am of the void my child I serve a master of another realm to be sure. But this is not that realm. For while we may be injured for all intents and purposes we do not appear all dead quite yet."
She said straining to breathe for a moment.

She spoke a plainly with her expression never changing matching her level tone.
Many found it unnerving, however she had found many of the tundra found her plain level speaking something to her credit. She rarely allowed emotion to rule her words and spoke directly. Something many in the area respected even if she was still an outsider and not to be trusted it had kept her from beng turned away from campfires on cold nights at the very least...sometimes...
"I have no idea where we are at any rate.."
She said softly as her book sat holstered to her side devoid of energy. Her black steel sword was still plunged into the mound of flesh that had been the bear. She struggled to stand as her eyes locked on its handle.
She didnt seem to rise however as she sunk back down onto the boggy floor.

 

[Mabess]

Eretejva_pandemonium Spine_pandemonium
Falwood_pandemonium
Blightlands_pandemonium

Mabess listned before shaking her head and sighing as the shake. Though her head snapped up as she saw the woman aproach.


»Hey, is that your mother?« Ubabe pointed at the stranger woman, somehow putting the 1 and 1 together about the speech of demons te humabs spoke of, though her orcish logic was not tat flawless.


Sheeha aventually returned to the group, she quietly rasped:
»Mahhor cannot walk anymore, and three of his hunters are unable to fight.«

 

[Rice]

THIRD LOCATION

"Hey is that your mother?" Rice heard one of the orcs say through the haze of the voices arguing in her head. She struggled to ignore the chaos in her mind and looked up to were a redheaded woman was rushing towards them. She looked at her confused. It was not her mother, she had never seen the woman before. A part of her felt safer at the sight of another human, but another part of her shrunk back, what if she hurt her? She didn't want to think about that.

Without answering the question Rice slid from the mount, her small boots squelching in the mud as she landed with surprising nimbleness and accuracy. She started walking towards the redheaded woman in the big coat. She seemed the least likely to shoot her or eat her than anyone else here. She stopped short several yards from the woman flinching and clutching her head as Eoliaf's shrill screams rang in her head yelling strings or insults and profanity not fit for a child's ears. Rice hated when she got like this. Both of them yelling abuses at each other and neither of them caring that she was caught in the middle. She couldn't take it anymore "Shut up, shut up," She cried, hands clutching her ears as she doubled over sobbing.

 

[Sannoru]

THE THIRD PLACE

»Teleportation of this extent is not magic of mortals, « suddenly scoffed the wolf out of the blue. before trotting towards the middle of the happening.

»Sigrith, you will manage?«
The wolf turned his head back, gazing at their companion, speaking more softly and privately, even though there was not much he can do before the magic of their spell fades naturally. Soon after glancing around the location and running up a tree and perching on it, the gray dire wolf gave little attention to the nordenfiir band

Upon the gnarly tree their eyes gazed all over the terrain, catching a large colossi, fat like a whale and drifting across the sky solemnly.
»Aside from the looming ones, we are not alone here,« the wolf turned their head back, speaking about the others that came to this location.


The gray wolf was easily spotted from their high location.

 

[Lillian Dog]

Even before the mists had cleared, Lillian was not at ease and rather pent up anxiety. The petting session would not make her relax.

She jumped off Magnan's shoulder and ran up ahead the crowd in full sprint before comming to a full stop and freezing like a statue.


»GRRRRRR«
»HROWF «
»HROWF «

 

[Am'Thet]

Preempting an attack, Am'Thet dodged out of the way of the monster's attack. Raising her spear for a counter attack, Am'Thet charged towards the monster, only to feel a rough hand grab her neck. Within seconds, her mass fell to the ground, kicking up dust and mud. Wiping her brow, Am'Thet watched with horror as the monster's tail shot some sort of spine into the orc's shoulder, before detaching from the beast. Without a moment's hesitation, Am'Thet got back up and pulled the spine out of the orc's shoulder. She could smell the venom in the spine, hopefully there wasn't enough to kill the orc. Regardless, she wasn't taking any chances. Slithering up to the orc, she began to apply pressure to the area. "Hold still you imbecile!" She hissed in common tongue, hoping the orc will understand her.

 

[Ynsidia]

The blood she'd lost to Blaight was starting to tell.

Ynsidia felt depleted physically, emotionally even. What that damnable monster had done to her on two fronts lingered like a pall on body and soul. Still, she zeroed in on her supernatural 'scent' she'd caught, and was going to follow it to the source. At this point she wasn't sure why. She didn't know where she was. She had no companions. No food. No water. And Blaight had made rends of her garments (apparently) in getting them off her.

He'd also halved all her sigils and charms that had symbols of divinity on them, likely with his pincers.

Dizzy, and exhausted, she teetered up against one of the visually grotesque trees. Its surface 'bark' squished slightly under her weight, and Ynsidia had the strangest feeling that trees here were somehow more alive than anywhere else in spite of them looking like they were rotting with canker.

She banished this thought immediately.

Ynsidia didn't have it in her at that moment to ponder, because her thoughts went back to the Demon Blaight, and the vision it had crafted in her head. She exhaled, and focused on just breathing. The most basic of things, and so very vital. It let her know she was still alive. Gripping her Rapier tightly let her know that she still had defenses to keep her alive, but oh what she wouldn't give for a pot of ink right then...

"I wish Mischa was here, she'd burn this forest to the ground...." she trailed off at the sound of a trickle. Then she caught sight of something to good to be true. Impossible in fact.

An ink pot.

Specifically HER ink pot.

It hadn't been there before. It was open, spilling ink from the brim as if a spring were inside it. Ynsidia looked up, and spoke to the twisted copses.

"I don't know who you are, but I know you're there somewhere. You could just kill me now, I'm sure, but instead you give me something I could not possible have, but wish I could have...why?"

No reply.

But the silence Ynsidia took as both an invitation, and something of a challenge.

"Very well..."

And she started walking towards the overflowing jar.

"...let us see if you fair any better than Blaight did."

 

[Lia]

Alliria_pandemonium

"I'm here." Lia called out to the Giant, stepping up behind the huge man as she surveyed the scene.

The Orc was still nearby, as was...a naga? Her lips thinned for a moment, and her stomach fell into a pit as she thought about some of the things she'd seen the creatures do. After a moment though she caught sight of the unearthly beasts that had been assaulting them, and quickly realized that perhaps the greater good was at stake here.

Best not to start another argument.

Lia was all about pragmatism, and right now was the best time for it. She raised a hand and pushed a Ranger's bow down, not wanting the man to aim at the Naga.

Not right now at least. "There is something...wrong about this."

It felt off, foreign. They were no longer in the Reach.

"We need to come together, get the others." The beasts were no longer swarming them, they had a reprieve, but for how long? Where the hell were they? Fingers shifted on her blade, and a nervous energy seemed to dance around her.

 

[Jair]

Jair was glad that Lia was still alive, and worried that his orc buddy was injured by that feline-ish demon creature. But he saw that a mighty hansom lady naga was tending to him. He never did hear from Rebecca. But now there was a bigger problem at the moment, he was a stranger in a strange land, and if his experience in the red mist was anything to indicate his immediate future, he would be woefully under equipped metaphysically speaking. But he could feel power permeating the area, and that made him wonder something.

The giant took his backpack off, and rummaged through it, he took out his grimoire, a giant more or less note book/diary which he has written down magical observations, spells, and quasi-physic equations used to help cast his spells, he then took out a few loose leaves of papyrus, and pen, and a bottle of red ink. Looking over his quasi-physics notes he furrowed a brow, and on the edge of his papyrus he started inscribing a large for a magical tap, something to draw magical energy from its surroundings,
within the tap rune, he dictated it where to go. He didn't have many options, so he plucked a stone from near by one that could comfortably fit into his hand. With in the tap rune, he drew a sending, and a filtering rune something to keep magical energy from overwhelming the rock, on the rock he inscribed a receiving rune. Cutting his thumb on an arrow head, he then activated the runes, and began observing the effects.

Alliria_pandemonium

 

[Ynsidia]

"The flowing fog and morning sun rays emanating from behind the pot are a cute touch to make it more enticing, but it begs the question of why, and how, they could be there..." Ynsidia remarked, kneeling down before the impossible object of desire, then looking up into the canopy of tree limbs overhead. She was pleasantly surprised to get an answer.

"It's before you that way because that's what you were thinking, no? How you glorify it in your head?"

The voice seemed to issue from beneath the pot of effervescing ink. Slowly, the image of the pot faded, and as it did, a creature of thin, ropy, feminine physique emerged from the dirt. the dirt covering it started to crumble off, revealing that it had no skin, just bare bone and sinew. Two human-like arms and legs...a mess of lithe, writhing tentacles anchored into its back.

It had lidless, pupil-less, milky white eyes and no mouth. It was speaking, apparently, mind to mind with Ynsidia, who, resisted retching and started to reach for her Rapier.

"Please don't draw the implement you killed Blaight with! I am not like him!" it pleaded

"Clearly! But I am not inclined to indulge you; you lured me here with a mirage." Ynsidia accused.

"Yes, but you knew that as you came to it. So it wasn't like I tricked you. I just wanted your attention, and you seemed willing to suffer the illusion; will you not suffer my company for but a moment?" the creature asked.

A beat of silence, and finally, Ynsidia released her grip on the handle of the only defense left to her.

"Why?"

"I don't understa-"

Ynsidia cut her off.

"Why do you want to talk? Why do you want my attention?"

Another beat of silence.

"Because you want something...well many things..."

The illusions appeared again. An image of Mischa unleashing her flames. A brief flash of the dream world Blaight had woven. An image of Ynsidia dispatching Blaight more brutally than she actually had. Her travel pack crammed with rations and a water skin so full as to burst. An image of Aldren, tunic-less, sweeping her off her feet with his powerful arms and carrying her into a red sunset on his mighty stallion. Ynsidia blushed redder than Elbion beets, and went wide eyed at this last materialized image, trying to disperse it with a flurrying of her hands through it.

"Knock it off!" she cried loudly.

Then the image formed into the illuminated, spilling pot of ink that had drawn Ynsidia in before.

"Of all the things in your busy mind, this was what you really wished for; what you really wanted. Something I can actually give you." the creature explained.

"That's great! How, and what in return do you ask in payment?" Ynsidia grumbled.

"My magic works in a way that allows me to read the desires of beings, and communicate with them by projecting my words into their mind, and creating mirages of what they want, but when an accord is reached, a deal, I can transfigure things, make things. The better the deal, the better the magic I possess." it explained. "The hanging skin of colors you have, it would make for me a fine flesh. The dirt and bark, and leaves, have been my skin. The moss and twigs my hair. Rough and filthy. For too long these have been my features, and they never last! I want the comfort of this shell you shed, and put back on at will...give it to me. Your black mane twisted into vines, one vine will give me tresses that will be the envy of all the other hags." the apparent hag continued. "The diamonds in the handle of the Blaight slayer at your hip, those could be my teeth so I can at last have a mouth of which I can speak from; to devour with!"

Ynsidia watched the creature dip and gesture wildly, longingly, and felt pity for it, but most importantly, found a way to test it.

"Make the pot, and fill it with ink. Only then can you have my finery."

"You don't trust me?" it remarked sadly.

"You know I don't." Ynsidia replied flatly.

"Your mind is dark, full of desires; how can I trust you?" the hag retorted.

"You can't. There is no good between us to deal in faith with...but we can deal in halfways." Ynsidia returned.

"Halfways? I don't understand."

Leaning in Ynsidia made eye contact with the hag.

"I'll pile my clothes before you, then you make the pot. Then I'll sever a braid off for you, then you fill the pot with ink. I will exchange my sword for the pot of ink, we'll do it at once so there is no chance of betrayal. Fair?" Ynsidia explained.

"That sounds fair, yes! We have an accord!" the hag proclaimed eagerly.

Ynsidia removed every stitch of finery.

"What is that which remains upon you? The white veil on your shoulders?"

"That is a camisia, and I cannot part with it or I will die of exposure."

"Ah, I see, and those billowy things about your legs, just above knee?"

"Bloomers. You cannot have them, they are vital." Ynsidia quickly answered as she got her boots off and tossed them on top of her piled clothes.

"Those chains about your waist?" the hag then asked.

Silence.

"Now make the pot." Ynsidia demanded of the hag with a bit of steel to her words.

The hag nodded emphatically and its hands and tendrils formed a crude pot out of the grim soil in seconds. It refined and smoothed somewhat with a sudden flash, steaming where it landed. The hag pointed a crooked finger at Ynsidia's hair. Ynsidia nodded, and took up her Rapier. It was awkward to try and get the long, slender blade to one of her braids, it was very natural that-

"Ow!" and Ynsidia cursed.

"Oh! You cut your hand! Please do be careful, my business partner!" the hag pleaded rather sweetly.

Ynsidia groaned.

"Here's the braid, none of my blood got on it."

"I'm just glad you didn't injure yourself severely." the hag replied, sounding quite sincere.

"Naturally. Now, the ink, please."

"Of course!"

The hag reached into the earth and withdrew a sizable black stone, and in a blink her magic went to work breaking it down into a liquid which increased in size then spilled into the pot, filling it to the top. The hag formed a lid next, and dropped it down on top of the pot, teased down clumps of twisted vines and moss that she fashioned into a harness that could be used to carry the pot around one's back.

"This is a bonus; I like to give extra values to my patrons! Especially since you're bleeding so much, you may not be able to hold the pot with your hand like that."

Merely nodding with a curt 'Thank you', Ynsidia held up her Rapier, sheathed in its scabbard. The hag nodded again, and scooted the ink to Ynsidia with one hand, taking the Rapier with the other. Ynsidia took the top off the ink pot and let four drops fall in, speaking her incantation quickly, and quietly over it while the hag transformed before her.

Incantation complete, and a form to conjure brooding in her mind's eye, Ynsidia looked up to find the hag had done exactly what she said. Her clothes had been stretched and reformed into a tapestry skin that was uniquely beautiful on the hags thin body. Ynsidia's black hair was an onyx train reaching far behind the creature. Diamond teeth shined in a shadowy mouth that curled upwards at each edge. The hag had become something strangely gorgeous, as well as unsettling as her tendrils were the only thing that remained the same. The had coiled, and crossed them like a lattice about the trees, trapping Ynsidia in a living fence. Then the hag drew the Rapier from the sheath, and raised her arm high.

"Our business is now concluded. It has been a pleasure."

The hag lunged at Ynsidia, but so did a forming mass of ink from the pot at the hag. At first it appeared to be a horse, but the horn corkscrewed forth suddenly before it rammed into the hag, protruding out her back. The hags body, and tendrils went limp.

She was dead.

The Ink Unicorn shrugged the hag from off its head, and then flicked the blood off its horn before cantering up to Ynsidia, who, Rapier retrieved and with her pot of ink in harness, climbed on, sitting side saddle style.

"The pleasure was all mine."

*****

The sound of felled trees crashing was unusual, and Ynsidia, feeling confident in spite of also feeling expended, went to investigate. Leading her Conjure in a careful trot about trees and shrubs, she heard words exchanged, orders bellowed, and replies of compliance that sounded less demonic and more "Arethil friendly". Bringing her mount through a hedge, she was met with what appeared to be various undead hard at work clearing the forest.

The Eternum. Denizens of the Blightlands she was warned about by the Nobles of Zel Anir, perhaps, but she concluded that with all the chances she had taken, perhaps it was time for a leap of faith.

"Hail! I surrender myself to you mercy!"

Amankh Kaltar
Eilasandree Ival
TTamark

 

[Abriax]

While he still hungered, the battle was won. The boss of the group had been defeated, and like with many tribes, when the leader had been broken, the rest followed in short order... But, something was off. He was no longer in an area where there should have been fields ready to be seeded by people, instead he was in something akin to a bog. This was more familiar territory, at least in terms of overall environment. Beyond that, this place was alien to him.

Dropped the remains of the final two that he had killed. Abriax would cast back his cloak. It was really time to be serious, and thankfully, he was still in good health. He would look to Rainie, the woman who had offered him a meal when all this was said and done... He needed to protect her, because if she died, she couldn't give him a meal. And that would not be good for him at all. No no, he needed to protect the meal he was offered... Maybe she could get him a WHOLE BEEF! That would be awesome.

Walking towards her, he would lower himself down to look her in the eyes. "Abriax owed meal from you. Abriax protect pretty human girl. Abriax carry girl." He said, reaching up and patting his shoulder. "Girl get on. Shoot sticks at Abriax's enemies. Abriax protect while we walk." He said, his eyes cast upon the pale figure that was currently blocking the pathway. With his other hand, he would reach into the back of the cloak, and while before it looked like he had a hunch back, he would remove something from under there, and in his other hand, he carried a massive club weapon. It was made of bone, leather, and wood, topped with the skull of a tiger like beast with very long teeth as the head of the club.

Holding it in his other hand, he seemed ready to battle, and if she did climb up onto his shoulder, he would rise up to his full height, allowing Rainie a good view of everything around them. If not, he would simply remain by her side. "Abriax likes the beef creatures. A beef creature would be good for meal."

 

[Felix Armon]

Alleria_Pandemonium

Felix fought off the demons, but they began to fall back, and with them the mists as well... Once it was cleared he could tell that they were no longer in the Reaches of Alleria. He looked out across the wasteland and that was all he could see, wasteland. But he could sense something as well, it was magic and it was coming from where the mists must have originated.

He also saw the demons all around them, they weren't pressing the attack again and he was rather glad that they weren't. Looking around he could see the other people that were in the mists with them. He also saw Vahki and he motioned towards the group to signify that that is where he is going. He sheathed his sword, all but ignoring the demons that wandered about or marched in groups. Something would happen soon, and he would rather not leave the humans to face it alone even with their giant friend whom he was actually beginning to recognize from a description given to him in a report by an old friend, and probably a common friend now.

He began walking towards the rangers with his gloved hands clearly visible and signifying peace. He didn't show any sign of giving the demons any notice, but he was keeping track of them as best he could, especially ones that came too close. He was also looking out for the girl who had been corrupted, he couldn't sense her, but he really wanted to help her overcome what she had become.

 

[Trajan Meng]

ELBION GROUP LOCATION​

And here, see the ruin of the sinister fiend!

The loud man clad in plate, regardless of the fiend's ground-corrupting magic, finished the demon before Rainie could even line up a proper shot. Such were the swift and furious blows from himself, Mitsy, the black-haired mage, and the plate-clad man that the hellspawn was plainly denied any time to enact its insidious plot. And their combined assault upon the infernal monster would not have been possible without the woman in the hat, Rainie, Faurosk, Kalliana, the band of mercenaries, and--yes--even the damned troll holding the rear against the fiend's minions.

What a surge of adrenaline! The spoils of victory, to grasp and hold his youth once more, to feel as if he were back at his physical prime yet again. Oh. Wrong. A knowing nod from the woman in the hat. This was no effect of elation, but a boon from her--one of her many talents. A nod of gratitude to her in reply. It was Trajan who had led the way into the foul mists, but it very much was the woman in the hat who held everyone together once inside and battle had commenced. If she had served in the Anirian Guard, she would have made for a fine Line Sergeant, and no mistake.

But something changed after the wretched fiend collapsed.

The mists disappeared. In the blink of an eye. And they were not where they should have been.

"What manner of...?"

A cursory glance about the new surroundings. Drab and dreary plains stretching out beyond, littered with mockeries of normal trees and shrubbery. A path. A figure in the distance down the road, seemingly unmoving. Yet the ground remained the same as before, a worm-infested muck and perversion of the fertile soil of the farmland the mists had once overrun.

Trajan met eyes with Dio. And Dio just shrugged in utter puzzlement. How, now, if the worst should yet manage to come to pass, would he ever be able to release Kilo to go and warn all the others to prepare for the imminent threat? There had to be a way out of this damnable cesspool that they could find. Surely.

All of the mercenaries, the ones who had been fighting and the ones who had not alike, all looked about in bewilderment.

But the woman in the hat, bless in the boundless strength and conviction in her heart, rallied and focused the men once more. The looks of creeping confusion and festering disquiet gave way to renewed purpose. They may have each come for coin, but the woman's words drove home the greater cause to which they were now all indisputably party to. Trajan could not possibly be more proud to have fought alongside her.

And he shook his head after she approached and spoke to him. Placed a friendly hand upon her shoulder. "No. You've nothing you for which you need to apologize. All assembled here owe you a debt of gratitude." A smile and a throaty hmph. "I'd say that I would gladly follow your lead into hell itself, but it seems we are already here."

A rustle from the corrupted foliage. Before he could say more. Before he could ask the woman's name. It was as if the demons knew and were toying with him. Bah. He should have done so when he had the chance. Their brief reprieve over, now was the time for focus yet again.

The mercenaries snapped to attention at the sound and the alert from the woman in the hat. The four fresh mercenaries who had maintained the circle while the others fought and hadn't helped with the burrowers stepped forward eagerly and made a line of shields. The most wounded and tired of the mercenaries stepped furthest to the back.

Trajan scowled and gripped the Emblazoned Sun in both hands again, talking firmly as he walked up beside the small line of fresh mercenaries. "Ready weapons. Dio, keep eyes on that thing standing in the path in the other direction."

"Got it, bossman," Dio said, and did just that. Kilo bobbed his head and said, Humans. Four. Dio whispered to the bird that it was just one, and it probably wasn't human. Kilo squawked.

Trajan's eyes shifted to Faurosk and Kalliana. One of them would know who he was truly talking to. In Trajan's estimation, it was between the two of them that one was responsible for the illusions from before. "And we could use more men in the line. Understand?"

He stopped once in line with the mercenaries. A momentary glance back. Hmm, what a clever idea on Rainie's part. To use the troll for an unorthodox tactical advantage, the creature's towering height providing an excellent vantage point. Had she charmed the beast somehow? It had made reference to a deal in its deep and guttural voice. Regardless, the beast would continue its service to Mankind. For now.

"Rainie, do you see anything?" Trajan said.

Elbion_pandemonium

 

[TTamark]

Third Place (Notice me senpai!)

Blightlands_pandemonium

After Steve had formed a connection, even if it was from a wild outburst, he began to calm down. He was no longer alone, he was surrounded by friends again. He was able to sense the presence of almost every being within a large area of him, unfortunately they could also sense him. Shortly after the wave of the spell that connected him with everything there came roar after roar. Figures, still hidden from sight by the strange trees, could be heard scurrying around, drawing nearer.

Soon the first strange creature revealed itself, it stood on two feet like a man, but it had arms that were too long sometimes dragging on the ground, and legs that were too short, instead of hands there were just three extended and sharp digits. The creature was quickly put down by the rusty axe of a nearby skeleton, but soon more beasts came charging, if enraged by Steves magic, or the slaughter of their kin remained unknown.

These new beasts were almost stranger than the first. From the woods came charging quadrupedle monsters, they had stilt like legs that ended in hooves, their necks were long like snakes attached to their bodies, their heads were adorned with two thick horns, and the beast was decorated with spots like a panther. The beasts began charging through the army, ignoring for the most part the skeletons. The beasts just ran through occasionally kicking, or ramming through a group. The skeletons in front could do little to halt the beasts with their swords and axes, and those with spears could only stab at them in passing. When one lucky skeleton managed to cut through one of the beasts legs with a well timed and placed chop of the axe, that beast went tumbling down crushing some less lucky bones below it. Fighting these beast was appearing extremely difficult, especially with more of both kinds pouring though each second, but just then it became clear why these beasts were charging through.

There was the loud crash of a tree falling, no, being knocked over, then another, and another. The first thing anyone saw of the creature was several of its long tendrils snaking through the underbrush to then suddenly fling to the side flinging brush, dirt, and root as a loud crack rang out as the creatures main body crashed through the trunk of a tree, sending chunks of wood flying. The creature was mostly tendrils, but what really defined it was its size, it was huge. It was the size of the trees, with almost two dozen tendrils. The creature was beyond explanation, it was unlike anything Steve had ever seen before.

The creature must have had some form of sight, even if its eyes could not be made out of its form, because as soon as it came within sight of Steve its mouth, a side ways opening, let out a loud roar that could be heard for miles around, while its tendrils flung about wildly snapping, and breaking bone, and tree alike.

 

[Eilasandree Ival]

Senpai’s notice land
As things usually go, everything went wrong almost simultaneously. It occurred first when a person seemingly approached and surrendered to one of the scouting parties of skeletons, who in turn had relayed the situation back to Eilasandree, conflicted as to what to do as the human didn't seem overtly hostile to the sight of the darkened and dirty bone of the skeleton. Before she was able to give an order however, more things began occurring. She hadn't initally bothered to address Steve's little.. outburst, as while the mortal had the potential to attract something dangerous, the sounds of the felled trees and movements of the army were most likely doing that already. Now however, she debated whether she should have said something as the strange beings charged through their lines, not fighting, but instead fleeing. And for good reason. The colossus was titanic, each tendril as wide and thick as a human male, and even larger the closer it got to the main body. Each swing of its tendrils sent bone and flesh flying, and the white haired banshee was quickly forced to duck as a skeleton was sent flying directly over her, rib cage shattered before its existence was ended again, crashing into a tree and shattered what was left of its ruined body.

How exciting.

"Magnan." She stated, not needing to say anything more as she noted the titan had already left, the burnished metal of his armour glinting in the low light as he ran directly towards the beast. She supposed he knew his role here. "Steve, i'm giving you control over the rear half of the army. Focus on killing and raising as many of the running beasts as you can, and reinforcing me where I tell you to." There was no time to question if that was wise. They needed to act, quickly. "Amankh, i'm detaching a contingent of the Crimson Madonna's personal guard to you. Do what you need to, but work on something that will allow us to escape if I decide we need to." A quartet of identically clad skeletons approached the sand mage, rusted gold armour wreathed in fanciful ways as skeletal eyes glowed the purple-pink of their mistress' magic. They were large, for humans, but she had to admit she wasn't sure how well they would hold up against such a beast. Speaking of...

Now that she had left her orders, the Banshee Queen turned again to focus upon the horror before her. Her delicate features frowned as she took in the situation. It was... dire. The majority of her troops were barely able to scratch the being, tendrils moving too quickly to properly attack it and powerful enough to shatter all of the more delicate bodies with just a single swipe. Even an Undead's durability had its limits, and this monster outclassed that by a significant amount. However, that didn't mean there was nothing the elf could do. Spreading her arms wide, a small nexus of necromantic energy formed in front of her chest as she began to relay orders to the mass amount of troops around her. being as firm as she felt she needed. Almost immediately the chaos of the battlefield stilled as the panicking soldiers found their wills overridden by hers, their bodies forced to march into a rank and file and retreat in an orderly manner, even as their minds screamed in terror at what they were witnessing. Around her, more ranks began to form, this one filled with those quipped with ranged weapons. Bows, slings, pila and javelins were readied and aimed, and simultaneously thrown in the direction of the encroaching beast with enough quantity to darken the area for a moment, before coming down in a wave of metal and wood.

The majority of the ranged weapons simply bounced off of the colossus' thick hide, but enough pierced to give it pause, for a single moment. It was all the Banshee needed as she reached into the very core of her being, inhaling as deeply as she could, before releasing an ear rending, brain stunningly loud scream. The forest shook and trees rattled as the waves of sound washed over them, the Banshee scream cracking and splitting the ancient bones of those soldiers caught within the range of the scream as it slammed into the beast like a wall, eliciting a roar of pain that rivalled the volume of her own. Soon, however, the scream came to an end, and Eilasandree found herself tilting within her seat as the drain upon her mana became apparent. Shaking her head, she ordered her soldiers forward, to swarm the still recovering beast. The wave of undead surged forward, letting out a roar of their own that seemed pathetic in comparison as they began to wash over the beast, stabbing and biting and clawing.

 

[Magnan Smithson]

Magnan was barely able to grab Lillian in time before the tendril came crashing down, the Lich Knight cradling the small white dog behind his shield with one arm, as he brought his sword down into the fleshy pillar, cutting deep and releasing a foul, rotting smell that assaulted his magical senses as it quickly retreated from where he was, the tip hanging limply. Stomping his way through the woodland, Magnan ran for only a few seconds, long enough to leave the range of the ever encroaching beast at least, as he crouched down. Peering behind him for a moment, when he caught a glimpse of the Eternum beginning to fight back, he set Lillian down. "Sit. Stay." He patted her on the head, trying to give a comforting scratch. "I'll be back in a bi-" He was drowned out as a sound that shook him to his very soul cut through him, high pitched and screeching, and instinctively made him think of every horrible moment in his life. Death, of all kinds, flashed before his mind's eye before he was once again returned to the present, and the sight of a whimpering dog. "Stay." He repeated, not sure if she could even hear him as he turned on his heel and ran back towards the direction of the beast.

The smaller ones that had appeared first ran by him, the Lich only bothering to put one down when it tried to attack him. The long necked monster scrabbled against his plate, and its head was quickly detached from its body. It seemed they bled, at least. An advantage he had. Flicking the blood from his blade, he exited the tree line and looked towards the monster as it began to move again, the zombies and skeletons covering it being sent flying above the treeline and out of sight as its tendrils began to flick them off, bleeding blackened ichor from the thousands of tiny cuts running along them. As if sensing Magnan out of the vast horde of undead, a close tendril was sent towards the lone knight, the air whistling around it. Bringing his shield up, Magnan met the flesh that was as large as him with enough force for the air around the point of contact to ripple, the shield glowing momentarily with eldritch and necromantic light as the tendril was bent in half, whipping around to strike at the side of the skeletal formation, shattering those struck with the sheer force behind the movement, and toppling the unit as bodies collided together, sending each other into the musty earth.

Continuing his march forward, Magnan stormed his way through the increasingly large mass of writing tentacles as the wounded beast overcame whatever had happened to it, the undead soldiers that didn't evacuate in time (if they had even tried) breaking against earth, tree and flesh alike. His sword flashed, and a squeal of pain came from the beast as a part of a tendril dropped to the ground, gushing ichor and writhing in agony. His shield came up, and the knight skidded back with the force behind the blow, even as more began to focus upon the encroaching threat. From the all sides, the tendrils twisted and turned, hoping to crush the tiny menace that was so close to the main body. Each time, that shield or sword came up, and each time the beast was repelled as Magnan slowly, unerringly, made his way forward.

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

Blightlands_pandemonium

Dynasthia was a colossus, but the creature was no beast. None of the enormous creatures that could be seen roaming the landscape or floating through the mists were. They had all gained their size and power through Ascension. Dynasthia stood over a hundred meters tall and had lived for over four thousand years. As a being of the Seventh Ascension here will was comprised of many beings that had come before. It was incomparable to the pitiful beings that assailed her.

Change was the power of her kind. They changed the flesh to match the soul. They changed the raw power of magic to suit their needs. Metals remained one of the few elements of their domain that they had no knowledge to shape and change to suit their needs.

Dynasthia felt the magic that moved around the creatures that charged at her mindlessly. This was her domain. Magic was bent to her will alone. She changed it.

Those undead warriors skill clinging to her form fell apart, the magic that bound them undone in a heartbeat. What a curious way to use dead flesh. She twisted them into new forms. This held her attention for barely a moment. Without any further ceremony the demon moved away from the undead host, faster than any man on foot could follow. They had lost her attention. Fragile creatures that would not last in her domain for long. Why G'thallan had brought them here was of interest. It was something she would get answers to now. She left her new creations for them to play with.