Yuria bleeds from the massive wound after the enemy's attack, letting it wash over her hands as she clasps them together once more "I will... Not stop here.... We have too much to do!"
"Keep at it - We shall prevail!" Felicia calls as she takes another hearty blow. She grits her teeth and throws her weight into another round of blows from her mighty shield.
Pengaal trades strikes and parries with the Kings Man, creating an opening for Siegschwert to strike with his mighty blade. Steel sheers steel as he cleaves through the creature. It squirms in agony, giving a groaning, inhuman cry as it falls to the ground. Immediately thereafter Siegschwert feels his skin begin to burn all over his body. The pain is immense as it washes over the knight. Moments later Pengaal is struck by the same sensation.
Ludwig and Felicia are still fighting their own Kings Man nearby, struggling the penetrate its defenses and land a telling blow. Seeing the death of its companion, the remaining Kingsman focuses all of its blows on one of the survivors. Two chops from its halberd send Felicia to the brink of unconsciousness. Fortunately, seconds later Yuria releases a second wave of healing that washes over everyone in the room.
Kings Man 1 81/136
Kings Man 2 dead
Encouraged by the success of his companions, Ludwig strikes the last Kings Man with renewed strength.
The pain crawls it's way up Pengaal's spine, shaking his bones to bits and sending his veins a-skittering - but it wasn't enough. He was Gelid-born, and the folk of the river and it's swamp weren't layed low so easily. With a guttural snarl he leaped at the back of the still-standing Kingsman and hacked away at it's shoulders.
Critical:
Oh, and actually rolling that Will Save would be useful:
Another and hopefully final lightning bolt crackles and roars in Yuria's hand as she takes a step back and hurls it after the Kingsman "I told you I could withstand you! I too am a Champion of the Sun! Inspired by Sorrel! I have seen the Sun in this dark world.... Nothing will keep me from revealing its glow!"
Felicia grunts in pain and sees darkness on the edge of her vision before the warmth of Yuria's magic washes over her. With a renewed vigor she continues her onslaught.
The survivors work together to bring down the remaining Kings Man, chopping and hacking at the reeling figure. In the end, it is barely standing, but standing nonetheless. In its death throws it lashes out at Pengaal. It is almost heroic as the creature fights on despite its wounds. Pengaal is beaten down, collapsing to the ground in a bloody mess.
Kings Man 1 4/136
Kings Man 2 dead
Ludwig sees his comrade falling and unleashes another series of strikes on the Kings Man.
Felicia steps in besides Ludwig, throwing mighty, angry blows as she remembers that cold feeling of death.
Ludwig locks blades with the Kings Man, giving Felicia the opening she needs to step in and deliver the killing blow with her heavy shield. The armored figure falls to its knees and spasms, and pain floods the survivors a second time.
The room falls silent as the survivors stand amid the two slain kingsmen. Silent, save the sound of labored breathing that comes from a pair of double doors opposite of the tunnel by which they entered the room.
Letting his machetes fall beside him, Pengaal sways, falls, and manages to curl up into a ball to try and keep his insides inside him. He's to nauseous to scream, even as the Kingsman's curse hit's him and stains his blood black.
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Siegschwert sheathes his blade after cleaning it. The Librarian Knight steps closer to Pengaal and kneels "Mmh... he will... live. But his qounds are... numerous... and grievous..." his helmeted head turns towards Yuria "Deep Speaker... may you tend to him?... We will... inspect the room... meanwhile."
Leaving wounded Pengaal in skilled hands of the Deep Speaker, Ludwig closely examines the Kings Men, pulling off their helmets.
The Curse winds it's way through Felicia.
Yuria clasps her hands together to emit a bright and sparkling white light from both of them. They shine and sparkle with the sound of wind chimes as she slowly shifts over and falls down to Pengaal "Do not worry, my Pengaal." She folds each of his hands over his chest before putting her hands on his "You are nowhere near death while in my care. Rise, Champion. Rise and wait to see the Sun."
The sparkling white light would easily span and cover all of Pengaals body, instantly replenishing his vitality while Yuria maintains her composure. She would offer to help Pengaal up as he begins to awaken.
"Do you feel alright, now, Pengaal?"
Pengaal returns to consciousness just as Felicia falls to her knees, doubled in pain. She is forced to cry out in pain as her bones shatter and rearrange themselves. Her skin on her right arm darkens as the bones around. On the verge of unconsciousness the skin finally hardens and takes on a luster not unlike that of the Kings Mans armor.
Felicia slowly stands with a small cough as her breath comes back and her mind focuses once again. "I'm fine. What's that noise?" She moves carefully over to the double doors and carefully opens the door to see what's beyond it.
Felicia opens the door and is met with the sight of a familiar man with a nodachi laid across his lap. His back is pushed against the wall of the hallway, and a slain Kings Man lays at his feet. The labored breathing comes from him, and he clutches at himself and winces in pain. He has not yet noticed Felicia or the other survivors.
Between the dirty bandages you can see the man has bronze splotches across his skin, not unlike those of Felicia. His left arm looks the worse, as it is entirely covered in armor now.
"Thank you... I believe I do." He stands, accepting any offered hand before collecting his weapons and padding into the other room. Standing well out of melee range, he asks "And who are you? One of these Sun People or Twilight Order which I keep hearing of?"
"That is..." Ludwig notices knight's wounds, the same Felicia now has. "What is that? Do you need help?"
The man opens his eyes and looks wearily to the survivors. You recognize him now as the particularly cynical fellow you met when you first came to the deep. He does not look particularly pleased to see you all, but that may be because of the circumstances.
"Neither, thankfully." he manages in response to Pengaal. He continues speaking, now to Ludwig "In a way...I've gone and gotten myself cursed" he says, emphasizing the statement by kicking the dead Kings Man "I...won't last much longer in this state, I'm afraid."
"They... can turn people into themselves? Is there no cure?"
"Aye" answers the Deserter, and he gets a distant look in his eyes. "That's why fighting them is so disastrous. When they die, they pass the curse on to those that killed them, damning them to the same fate. This poor fellow here was likely a knight at one time or another - could have even been a comrade of yours" indicating Siegschwert.
"There's a cure of sorts. Powerful magic can cleanse the curse. Failing that, there's another means but it's...well, it's not easy."
"What is easy present days? Tell us about this other cure."
"I bring forth energy from a forgotten relic in the sky, something I have only seen in dreams and illusions brought about by your tree and lantern....
Surely there is something I could find for us.... Something I could do, as a part of the People of the Sun.... As a healer of Champions?"
You can confirm that historically, the Kings Curse is passed on via death. You know that you do not have sufficient abilities to cure the curse on your own
"The King must have other agents in this mountain. Slay them, and there is a chance that I may be saved."
Searching the bodies, Siegschwert finds both of the figures to be strangely hollow, though the interiors of their armor radiates a faint warmth.
That aside, one of the armors is mostly intact and could be worn. It is of high quality and looks to be suitable for use as full-plate, though he is unsure if it has any other qualities.
The other is badly damage, but could be worn as a breastplate.
The two wielded halberds that both appear to be of masterwork quality. Lanterns hang from the top of the two halberds, though they are now unlit.
Finally, Siegschwert finds his attention drawn to a pair of gauntlets that seem to have unusual properties. They are finely engraved and made of brass, though they have been tarnished slightly with age.
"Seems simple. Tell me, do you know of the crucified giant, or his still living friends on the mountain?"
"Aye..." winces the Deserter "I remember them well. Those misbegotten creatures are whats left of the People of the Sun, forced to survive on the forsaken mountain top. That giant you saw was once their leader, Amonus. He died holding those doors shut against the Kings invasion, and got a couple of nails through the sternum for his trouble once the Prince put together that they wouldn't be getting through."
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Siegschwert walks closer to Yuria and taps her on the shoulder "Deep Speaker... I have found... interesting gear that the Kingsmen... were carrying. But I am not a... magical expert... Could you please... examine them?"
If Yuria accepts, Siegschwert promptly signal which items seem to be of above average craft.
"The Prince, I'm assuming, is their leader. I'll admit to some curiosity - you'll still be here, should we find a way to help you?"
Yuria dons the witch's mask and identifies the items, informing Siegschwert of their various qualities.
The Deserter smirks, the closest thing you've seen to an attempt at being pleasant from him.
"I won't be going anywhere for a while, I think."
As Yuria handles the witch's mask she tsk's to herself "I had such trouble putting this on all that time ago... But..." She looks around, seeing that a few of her friends now carried in involuntary curse "It seems we cannot always control the way this world will taint us."
"Giants? Curses? This world is beginning to slowly feel familiar... But we should move on. Not even my healing can aid this gentleman, or you, Felicia...."
"Let's go further inside the mountain then, and find the King and his Men," Ludwig supports Yuria's words. "We should deal with this curse as quickly as possible, lest you turn into one of them."
"Agreed."
The Deserter tucks his head into his chest and the survivors take it as their cue to move on to the next chamber. The hall they are in opens into a massive chamber with massive, carved ceilings the must be close to 40 ft high. More dead litter this chamber, the discarded bodies of twilight knights, kingsmen, and the people of the sun that were trapped in between. A few are impaled on halberds that are planted in the ground.
The survivors overlook the room from a high platform, connected to a stairway leading down into the room. Across from them is another set of double doors that are open and there is darkness beyond. Another set of stairs descends into the floor off to the left side of the room.
Stepping warily and lightly, Pengaal moves from body to body to check for life before going to look through the opposite door.
Ludwig cautiously walks among the bodies to the stairs on the left side of the room.
"Pengaal, what's behind the doors?" he asks, looking down the stairs.
Pengaal moves down the stairs and quickly searches the carnage for suvivors. He finds none, only signs of the violent death that these people had suffered.
Looking through the door Pengaal sees a smaller ante chamber. Two great doors mark the entrance to the mountain, outside a stonebridge stretches out into nothingness. His attention is drawn first to the a huge bird, the creature that he instantly recognizes from the day before. It is outside standing on the stonebridge. A man is attending to it. He wears fine clothes, but his figure is somehow obscured. It is difficult to look directly at him, almost as if the sight evades your vision as faint whisps of darkness curl around him.
Nearby there is another well dressed figure. He is armored, like the Kingsmen, but he wears a fine cape and his armor is finely engraved. He wears a saber on his side and stands idly with a hand on his hip.
There are also two Kingsmen standing guard near the center of the ante chamber.
Ludwig checks the other sets of stairs and sees they end after only a few feet in a door. The door is firmly shut with an image of a moon and sun engraved on the wooden surface.
Cursing to himself, Pengaal ducks his head back quickly and steps back to the others. "We've a problem - the bird is ahead, as is it's owner and a man who I assume is the Kingsman's Prince. This will be a very tough fight.
Yuria gives a small sigh as she looks over the others "I should have more than enough healing and power remaining in me for us to go on... I do not know what exactly is ahead, but I will not let my champions fall."
"And we don't seem to have a choice," adds Ludwig. "The door is shut."
As the survivors whisper they hear a great beating of wings. A quick check and they see the bird they had fought earlier lifting off into the air and disappearing from sight.
"Now. Before it returns."
Silent save soft footfalls, Pengaal runs out onto the bridge and slams into the Princeling. His machetes are kept close to ward off the Prince's blade, his knees and feet echo staccato thuds against the Prince's armor.
Ludwig charges after Pengaal, swinging broadly with his scythe.
Yuria slowly follows the group while hurling a lightning bolt after the enemy-
"Stall it if you can- I will need to prepare to defend myself!"
Yuria begins to compress two more bolts of lightning into her hands
"I will try to keep an eye out for the bird- who knows when it will return if it even will!"
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Following his companions, the Librarian Knight charges the suppossed Prince.
The humongous knight yells, to the top of his lungs, as the slab of sharpened metal he calls his sword seeks the Prince's side.
"For justice, wisdom and my brothers! Onwards, to victory!" he exclaims, this being the longest sentence he had spoken without pausing or mumbling.