Neji, janus, Venetia and Destroyerman left to go right?
Destroyerman continues to slash away at the enemy. Even with Arv distracting the undead cyclops, he fails to land a single hit. The Eidolon grunts with frustration and begins to think over his next approach.
Too tired to join the melee, Janus instead throws a Channel at Vordakai and moves over to just behind Destroyerman.
Neji follows Janus and stops right behind Destroyerman.
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Mulray scans the area. "Ah!" He sprints toward Vordakai then aims.
He yells out "Ooover here!" so the others see the direction in which his arrow is about to fly.
Arv's gaze snaps to follow the arrow's flight. He tears up a gravedigger's shovel worth of dirt propelling his massive bulk forward. Once Vordakai comes within sight, Arv summons what remains of his untapped power and continues his charge.
He slams Vordakai in the side with the fat trunk of his tentacle, and whips the remainder coiling around the undead lich.
Arv breathes heavy in Vordakai's face... "Oooooh... I could just bite your eyeball right now, you smug pale raisin."
"After him!" Neji exclaims as she scurries after the cyclops. Despite being quite tired, the Haste makes up for it.
After seeing how poorly the slashing weapon did against Vordakai, Janus and Destroyerman exchange weapons. The Eidolon and Half-Elf then chases after Neji. Jay's longer legs and Destroyerman's flight allow them to catch up with her quickly enough.
Following after Arv and the others Seraph prodded the fatigued swift forward, using her mounts ability to glide over rough terrain as if he were floating on air to get around to Vordakai's backside and flank the undead creature once more.
She raised Heira and despite her fatigue, brought the weapon down with staggering force once more. Cutting off chunks of undead flesh as she grunted. "Where are you going one eye?"
Janus delays doing anything as Destroyerman flies at Vordekai with the Oracle's morningstar in hand. His attack is more careful than usual, trading damage for accuracy. However, using the unfamiliar weapon causes Destroyerman's swing to go wide.
Seraph watches as Arv falls away, a look of rage crosses her face as she raises her legendary blade once more. Every muscle strained as adrenaline burned through her tired veins. She would break this undead menace like snapping the neck on a bird!
Her blows burn with mythical strength as she slashed at the cyclopean evil before her. Intent on its total and utter destruction.
The first blow carved away more of its dead flesh as her legendary blade sliced through it with ease.
Her second blow...
Her third strike pulsed with the strength of her mythical might, she raised it high. Her flame red hair glowing as if it were on fire. A cruel smile played across her lips as she whispered. "Die like your empire." Delivering such a powerful blow that it crashed though his magical resistances against her previous attempts to damage it...
"And why would I?" The last blow was still upraised. Despite his stepping back Swift edged forward. Her threat was very real and very intent by the burning look in her eyes. Keeping him firmly pinned between her, Neji, Janus, Mulray and Destroyerman.
Still withing reach of her foe she continued to speak, hard and darkly. "Why would I let you exist? You attacked and threatened us remember? What reason do you have that will end my challenge?"
With Neji at his heels, Janus advances on Vordekai and hurls another wave of positive energy at the zombie cyclops.
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The Cyclops starts talking at Seraph's words:
"I am but a guardian! I am here to prevent... Arggggg!!!!!"
Janus channeling caughts the Zombie Cyclops in Full, making his remains blow away from him, in pieces.
In the place he was standing a dark shadow remains... a shadow of cold and cloud.
"I am Vordekai, master of empires, betrayed and almost destroyed. But you have helped me, and now I have a little fraction of my powers back. I am grateful, and let me repay your kindness, my heroes."
You feel replenished, and Arv feels how life returns to his body.
You are fully healed.
"You have made me a great service, I am forever in your debt."
You recognize the shadow's voice as the one that told you about the enemies you would face in these lands.
She narrowed her eyes in a dangerous way as the one Vordakei died and the shadow appeared once more. However it was the dead ones words that made her feel conflicted momentarily. Seeing they were healed was a relief but she felt the exhaustion in her trembling muscles. With a sigh she looks to the others. "Lets retreat for now, make marks on our maps and plan our next foray. The halflings farm is probably the safest place for us to be right now..."
She regards the shadow then, her eyes narrowed once more. "What was it babbling about. Guardian of what?"
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"Guardian of the souls that are imprisioned here..." - the shadow answers - "... Souls that can't move on to their final destination until the guardians are defeated. Souls like mine. Souls like yours. As you won't be able to escape unless you defeat all the guardians. But fear not. You are not alone, as I can help you now!"
"Oh well... how thrilling." Arv rolls over and props himself comfortably into lounging position.
"I can see it now... Us interrupting each other as we re-tell the tale to our friends and families - of how we became inseparable allies."
"Me and my one eyed shadow...."
He gets up and dusts himself off... then shrugs while mending a loose stitch in his embroidered waistcoat.
"I'm up for thumping some more evil. Whether it gives this guy the jollies or not."
"I think I can handle another fight," says Janus as he and Destroyerman exchange their weapons back. "Afterward, we should consider locating a safe spot to rest. Even if we don't need it then, I doubt that we'll be able to fight all these guys in one day."
Seraph was tired but felt rejuvenated by whatever the spirited had done for them. However she was wary, though the shock of being trapped in these lands was much worse though...
"You aren't seriously debating whether to rest after the effort of making a paragon of necrotic power your middenskipper, are you?"
"I can never tell if you are serious or not."
"I'm gonna sack out."
"Rest if you must, but I do not like this place, even with that creature gone."
Seraph takes first watch, not quite comfortable but someone needed to search the fallen for any usable gear.
Janus will take the second watch.
Seraph takes the lead again, repeating their previous array like before which would allow her to charge first against any threats to the wagon.
Neji summons her Eidolon, equips him with his gear, and then casts Mage Armor on the golem.
"All things considered, I think our travel arrangements worked well last time; I say we continue with them," the gnome says.
"Be a good lad, Mulray and try to keep her steady."
Arv settles in for the ride to the next sure-to-be grisly locale, and returns to his sewing.
"So... Vordekai... how did you sleep?"
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The shadow answers Arv.
"I didn't, and I will never sleep again. You must know you will face Lictor Shokneir, Hellknight Gravenight, and his minions! He arose as an undead because he is disgraced hero - a villain too merciless to submit to the shackles of death itself. He bear the same Dire Flail and regalia he did in life, though warped and empowered by their profane resurrection. The legions they once held also flock to him in death, ready to serve their wicked ambitions once more. His essence is fundamentally tied to his armor, the bloodstained trappings of its battle lust. His armor is an icon of his perverse natures, transforming into a monstrous second skin over the husk of desiccated flesh and scarred bone locked within. With his phantom mount and devastating blast of cold you will find him a formidable foe!"
"Sounds like my Wall of Fire spell could be useful," Neji says to Janus. "I just hope we can get a chance for me to use it."
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You start to feel a big chill entering your bodies, permeating you bones, and even in the freezing air you detect the faint aroma of decay and rotten meat.
Destroyerman is the first to see them.
"300 yards west-north-west, mounted warriors, around a dozen humanoids."
Mulray stops the carriage, and peers into the fog, he also is able to distinguish the figures in the fog.
The bigger one looks like THIS.
They appear not to have seen you.