Lord aelorn stiffens. I could have had you and your sword friend killed, ogier. It is because i am generous that i let you live. grunting to himself, he relaxes But your lady speaks true. an army does approach, it appears, and you must find shelter from them. I know of a cave not to far from here. the path is difficult to traverse, as one of my men said, we are all part mountain goat to be able to maneuver on this thread of rock. the cave is well maintained, with beds and chairs and a stocked pantry. My men use it to keep us safe when some of us go into the world to learn of current events. Let me tell you, 2,000 years is a long time to talk to the same people. he laughs at his own joke, in the same manner as ryland has done in the past.
Howling in rage at seeing the large blade cut a massive gouge into this womans neck causing a lot of blood to issue from the gaping neck wound, kodokura focuses upon Chen, letting go of alathea.
The crack that has formed below and behind kodokura widens, engulfing a large tree. its effects spread wider, encompasing a greater area.
With a roar, kodokura leaps at chen, spittle and blood beginning to flow out of his mouth.
Although her tenuous hold on Kodokura's shield keeps him from channeling, Alathea's heart sinks upon seeing that it does not prevent his other capacity. Between the horrid wound from the Ogier's sword and the...fraying...as her lover unravels the pattern around her, she feels her consciousness slipping away. But before the world falls away, she struggles for one last whisper, hoping that it is enough for Kodokura to hear. "Good bye, my Heart..."
Lord Aerlon, we will be glad to retreat for now, however we must take our friends with us. If you and your people would sheath your swords and bows, so will we. You said that you would need our assistance, what is it that you seek?
Chen pauses for a moment, She was with child he thought heavy heartedly for a moment. He shook it off and refocused on the dangerous male channeler in front of him. Duty is first he would not shed undue tears for a marath'damane child or no.
He swung again, fighting through the madness of the unraveling around him.
Rhoekk steps silently from the bushes , readying himself for killing as he goes. He veils himself as he pulls his bow into his hand, setting an arrow onto his string with another two in his bow hand, with another two ready to go, held in his teeth. He stops well behind the archers, before coming into their field of view. Of course, to anyone regarding the archers, such as his own allies, he is in plain view.
He pulls his bow to full draw, aimed directly at Lord Aelorn. He quirks an eyebrow at Litheene, the only possible question he could pose obvious in the silence, "More talk, or should I start killing?"
Vala slowly sheathed her blades and awaited litheenes lead. She was still not sure how effective she could be with such a belly but if she needed to she would fight with all she had.
i seek a means to an end. to end this torment from our eternal curse. lord aelorn replies, lowering his blade, but not sheathing it.
the large blade cuts savagely against kodokuras side, leaving a very large gash along his ribs and abdomen. a large chunk of flesh hangs from the cut, dripping blood upon the ground while showing white from exposed bone.
Reaching out wide, kodokura howls loudly and swings his hand fiercly from right to left. Responding to his movement, a semi-large tree, partially leaning out of the ground, shudders, groans, and then a series of snaps reverberate through the ground as the tree suddenly frees itself from its earthly anchor and hurtles through the air towards Chen...
..missing the mighty ogier. the tree slams hard into another tree, before dropping to the ground, a large leafy obstacle between kodokura and chen. hidden below the leafy boughs lies Alathea, drowning in her own blood, hidden now from sight.
The scene was one of chaos and horror when the Aiel pushed through the underbrush. Her quick gaze had just enough time to spy Alathea lying in a bloody heap before the Ogier lay into Kodo with a blow that would have felled a lesser man.
Somehow her friend was still on his feet though, and with the tree now between him and the ogier, seemingly had bought enough time for the others following her to arrive to aid him.
Time her sister might not have.
"Kill that flaming flea-ridden murderous goat!!" she screamed to those following her, pointing at the Seanchan Ogier as she dove into the leafy branches. Sister, I am coming. Hang on! Desperately she searched, tearing through the branches of the felled tree near where she last saw Alathea...
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Kodokura is bleeding, there is no sign of Alathea, who is a channeler, and the strange Seanchan Ogier has a blooded blade. Keelix makes a snap assesment and charges the huge figure. He makes no cry of challenge, he simply attacks.
Ryland growels as he charges along side Keelix.
Charge:
Damage:
"Seanchan SCUM!" Ryvin growls as she reaches out to the Power and weaves flows of Air and Fire, hurling a small Fireball. The sphere of flame expands up high, enveloping only the Ogier's head, not its lower body - and thus spares the charging warriors from its flames.
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Keelix and ryland run into the group. Both see the bloody sword of the ogier, and attack, knowing that they are doing the correct thing in their snap decision. Rylands attack is wide and short, but keelix hits true. His sword connects with a solid hit to the thigh.
Ryvin, her hatred for the Seanchan and those who represent it running deep, hurls a fireball at the Ogier.
the ogier, already wounded and exhausted, stifles a gasp, and falls slowly to his back as he looses consciousness.
kodokura yells loudly, his head turning this way and that. From the sheer amount of blood and meat hanging off of his body, he should be on his back dead. instead he looks about with an unfocused look upon his face.
he laughs loudly.
squaring his feet towards all of you, he holds his hands close to his chest as if he is going to push something. He snaps his hands out forward, and the area around all of you is suddenly hurled backwards with a tremendous force and a loud explosion.
Large trees and shrubs, roots and branches, leaves and stones and rocks are all hurled away from him.
a lone voice rings loudly in the clearing.
a woman sprints from amongst the opposite side where trees are splintered and burning.
running Halfway across the field, she suddenly drops into the tall grass, out of sight, a startled scream of pain lifting from her mouth.
--------------------
You speek the truth. we must make allowances for each other if trust is to be made. but i must warn you, make no attempts to enter the city lest i say so. It is surely a death sentence, and you would prefer a sword to the stomach than to die within that city. lord aelorn proclaims loudly, turning to his men. He jumps noticably at seeing rhoekk standing calmly amongst his men, but holds himself from pointing out the savage warrior in an effort to keep his men alive this day.
Just then a loud snap is heard faintly from the forest in the direction that the others went. Soon it is followed by a loud thunderclap, and several trees are seen being hurled into the skyline.
Keelix grunts with pain as bits of tree and rock strike him, but he remains standing. He turns to face Kodokura, a look of alarm fighting to make itself known on his face as stories of mad male channelers spring into his mind.
Ryvin is knocked off her feet and sent flying. She throws up her hands to shield her face from the flying debris -- and her heart turns to ice even as she slams into the ground.
'He is gone. He is gone. Gone. Oh Alathea, I am so sorry.'
Ryvin's eyes blaze as she gazes between her fingers, and saidar surges. Flows of Spirit snake out through the flying debris, tagging Kodokura. Air whirls around him next, followed by howling Fire. Water is squeezed out of the rumbling Earth, and the sum of it spins itself into a dome that surrounds the maddened Asha'man -- and no one else.
The opaque, reddish dome comes into being with a dull thump.
"Find Alathea," Ryvin says through clenched teeth. "We... need to get out of here. NOW!"
Come to think of it, would Fia have had time before this happens to ascertain whether Alathea is alive?
1)yes.
2)alathea is not, fia, make a check dc20 since your right up front.
3)if you make the dc20 check, you can shield alathea.
4)you dont have enough time to figure out if alathea is alive.
Ryland screams as he is thrown backwards by the mad man.
He lands with a thud hitting the ground hard before raising his head to look at what is left of the clearing.
Although it sounds like it might not matter, nonetheless this is what Fia would do.
Fiallain's heart skipped a beat when she saw Alathea laying beneath the branches with dark blood spilling from her neck. She scrambled on hands and knees, making her way through the tangle of limbs and branches to the fallen woman. A voice rang out behind her, making her pause. It was Kodo. Yet the voice... something about him was wrong.
Looking back over shoulder through the leaves, her eyes widened slightly as he drew his arms up, gesturing. No! Oh..no..no, no
She dashed forward on some instinct, ignoring the scrapes and cuts she received from the clawing branches as she threw herself atop Alathea, shielding her sister as the world seemed to explode around them.
Indeed we must Says Litheene, allowing a faint smile at Aerlon seeing Rhoekk. We are not without capable fighters, but if you seek to lift your curse, and can help guide us to the stone without entering the city, it seems reasonable to cooperate. For now, that flag up there is of the Seanchan empire. I highly recommend that we disengage from them, take the rest of ours and be gone.
As the sounds of the thunderclap, and the obvious signs of battle, Litheene turns to face the direction, keeping Aerlon in her eye sight. I think it is about time we got them out of there. I am thinking of opening a Gateway above them, and flinging them back here she looks at Vala and Amorial for comments or suggestions.
Lord Aerlon, I suggest you step aside, we do not know what might fly back through. I will At that, Litheene channels a wall of air in front of her, which is also conveniently located between them and the archers, preparing to weave a gateway behind it.
"I Litheene, have no problem with the plan.Once we Get them here, I suggest we make haste to the cave and rest, I doubt those trees fell because they were all dying at once" Vala says as she smiles, noticing Rhoekk. It was good to have Aiel on your side.
"Hey Amorial, you want me to teach you some blade maneuvers, It might help with your axe skills" Vala says as she laughs a bit.The mere image of an Ogier in one of many sword forms. It would be almost as bad as an Aiel, and she began to laugh even harder.
"Yes Litheene Sedai, a retreat from this chaos would be an excellent idea".
Amorial grins at Vala, "Perhaps, we can try".
THe force of kodokuras attack is lifted by the orange dome coming into effect around him.
We need to get out of here. NOW Ryvin says loudly.
Suddenly a massive explosion, louder than what had just occurred blasts the area. The force of it is strong enough to topple the tallest and oldest of trees, sending them hurling in the air as a child would with wooden blocks. Dirt and stone are reduced to ash, wood to cinders, even the very air seems to loose its life giving force.
Keelix, Fia, and alathea, having survived the force of kodokuras maniac attack, are at ground zero of the explosion. Though the manage to hang on from the first shockwave by grasping at a life line like a tree or heavy boulder, these items are sent flying, and them along with it.
-----------------
as you wish, but make haste. my offer holds for only so long.
Lord aelorn bows to everyone, turns and heads back towards his men.
He raises his hand and makes a circular motion. Immediately the 10 men leap forward and form a tight group around him, yet still looking around at the surrounding country side. Some of the men, seeing Rhoekk standing by the treeline seem surprised, others are not, as if uncaring who or what is near them.
three men go sprinting off towards the north into the woods where the banner flies in the sky, and where the explosions come from.
2 more head back the way they came, passing rhoekk by a wide margin before disappearing into the thick overgrowth.
Lord aelorn and the other 5 move out, spaced around the field. Lord aelord sets himself up on the other side of the wall of air, pausing briefly to tap on it.
if only one had time to prep the field of battle with these walls, a man with 100 could funnel an army of 10,000 into an area of his choosing. he says to himself, almost whistfully.
A massive explosion, louder than the first, rips through the area, forcing everyone to the ground in fear and amazement.
-----------------
a massive explosion forces you awake. Bleary eyed and hungry like a newborn, you begin to shake off the dirt and leaves that cover your body. As you do so, the sound of two nearby voices screaming in shock and surprise excite your ears.
BLOOD AND ASHES WHAT WAS THAT????
I DONT KNOW! GET TO COVER!!!
"Great..." she mumbles and tries to get deeper and out of sight
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heh.
With the air wall set, Litheene makes haste. Nodding to Lord Aerlon in thanks and acknowledgment, she opens herself to more power form the Angreal, filling herself. Taking care to invert her flows, she concentrates on the weaving, and then looks again at the air above the area where the explosions set off, slightly closer to her, so she could gaze upon the epicenter. Then, Litheene streams a pattern of all 5 elements to match the pattern itself between the area behind her wall and the location up there. As the pattern folds together, a silver line appears, crossing space, widening, and then rotating, and finally the Gateway opens.
Litheene then turns to look into it.
looking down upon the scene of the explosion, you see a massive crater in an area where there once was forest. yet, running like lightning across the nighttime sky are these black streaks of something from the epicenter of the explosion. Your eyes drift slowly across the wreckage, locking onto minute details. Sand and dirt sifting down to the bottom, a tree limb rolling across a black streak and degrading into nothingness. A woman with an arrow in her knee rolling down the steep decline to the center trying desperately to keep from sliding.
at the center of the crater, a massive void hangs in place. It doesnt touch the ground beneath it, yet it is close enough that it is the cause of these strange black lightning streaks. errant strands of Saidar whip about, coiling like the tentacles of a large octopus or squid. The darkness inside swirls around in a chaotic mix of nothingness.
With grim determination, Fia grasps onto alathea with all of her might and manages to flip herself around to land upon her back with alathea landing ontop of her. A large fountain of blood bursts out of alathea's mouth and neck, splashing fias face and blouse. A final breath escapes her mouth as her lungs heave fitfully in a failing attempt to bring the neccessary air into her body.
where kodokura once stood, now stands a massive black hole, or a rift. strangely similar in size and shape to a large gateway, oval in shape, it swirls and moves on the inside in an animated fashion whilest staying stationary. the crater descends below the point of view, but hovering in the middle of the air is this rift.
------
squirming deeper into the dirt and leaves, zira hears the two men near her rush up to her and jump to one side of her. holding her breath and praying to the Creator, she realizes that she is literally hiding in plain sight and hoping that these men do not notice her.
what was that? one whispers
I dont know. but it was big. I hope lord aelorn and the rest are ok. the other replies softly
For several heartbeats, Fia could only lay there, fighting for her own breath after her body absorbed the full impact of the explosion and the fall.
Then, as Alathea began to choke, she forced herself to action, rolling out from beneath the other woman and frantically ripping strips from her own skirt to use in trying to staunch the flow of blood. Holding the cloth to the stricken woman's neck, she screamed for help between breaths and tried to force air into Alathea's lungs by breathing into her mouth.