He awoke screaming, the Blackfire was consuming a bit of his soul while restoring his mortal life. His bones had returned in a flash of black light, flesh on fire grew to encompass his ivory skeleton like tissue burning away in a fire but in reverse.
The black flames leapt high into the sky as he was reskinned by the fire and his eyeballs popped back into his head, perfectly formed, in a blast of agonizing dark flame.
Once his body was fully formed a final searing flash returned to him his clothes and magic items, the same he had on his body that cursed day so long, long ago.
He leapt to his feet, still screaming and shook his body wildly in an action quite similar to the reaction one has when first caught on fire.
The black flames vanish with a few last graceful flickers and Roland King, wearing a fine black suit, with a satin overcoat and a wide brimmed hat, straightens out and screams in anger;
"G** d*%mit that hurts!"
His gunbelt with its fine holsters carrying large black steel revolvers and a host of high quality ammunition hangs easy on his hips.
As he swears he run his hands over his youthful face, which looks twenty years younger than it did when he faced the Nameless Warrior, the weather beaten skin restored to the smooth, fine flesh of a man in his late teens.
"F#$#!" He cursed one last time.
"Geez, it gets worse every time! You really need to stop dying before your natural span is up, you are wasting a lot of years to live and love!" Said an sonorous angelic voice to his right.
Roland looked up then smiled, the pain melting from his face.
"Kammella! Damn it's good to see you!"
Roland King's headless body still lies dead on the ground in Al'Lamar, his heart having beat its last. There is a wide pool of blood on the ground around him, pumped from the severed stump of his neck while his heart still beat.
The sergeant begins to follow Alyssa and respond, but all that comes out of his mouth is a splatter of blood.
Looking startled, he topples to his left, dead.
"You know..." The construction worker says, cleaning his jeweled dagger of blood.
"This fortress was built long ago, by people who actually knew what they were doing, back when the Gunshuu were an epic Order, worthy of fear and respect. They built teleportation wards into the walls to stop hostile invaders. Of course, when the gates are open, and there is a magical aura enemies can lock onto..."
The construction worker said with a sinister grin, once again tapping his blade against the finger nails of his other hand.
Click, Click, Click.
There is a flash of violet light and three Shade wizards in heavy hooded black robes surrounded by a dozen horrific Devourers appear behind the construction worker.
"I admire a person with a strong and courageous heart." He says to Alyssa, then his grin turns into a scowl.
"I want to cut it out and look at it!"
As first Kei and then Nameless unleash a series of devastating of attacks on the nightcrawler, it attempts to lash out at it's attackers, but fails miserably.
After the second blow from Nameless' lamp, it shudders, and dies. All is quiet for a mere moment, and then it explodes in a massive wave of necrotic, vile energy.
All of the nearby buildings in a twenty five hundred foot radius are reduced to rubble. Those living inside surely dead.
High above Al'Lamar, deep in the heart of the dead city two figures watch the events unfold below.
One, clad in blackest armor, with a massive sword strapped to his back, and a blood red cloak that hangs limp, turns to the other. He who rules this necropolis of damned sat upon a bone throne, the red pin pricks of light that served as his eyes gazing malevolently on the scene of destruction.
"It is as I predicted. He is unfocused, without restraint, like a child smashing his blocks. When the time is right, I shall reap his soul and we will add his might to our legions." The warrior said in a hollow voice to the lord of undead.
Zaidel is rocketed through the air as the gargantuan undead explodes with necrotic energy, landing against the remains of a wall.
Looking back, the big warrior couldn't tell how long he just lay there, concentrating on his breathing as his whole body ached and drained of vitality.
Not weighing much more than the 16 year old kid he is, Kei is flung like a ball shot from a cannon by the massive blast. He manages to eventually right himself by making massive furrows in the ground with his feet to slow and then stop his momentum. Turning, he realizes he is standing in front of the castle gates.
He didn’t even flinch as the explosion of negative energy washed over his body.
Where others may be slain or sent flying by the power of the Worm’s death. He stood firm, unwavering and unfaltering, even as the negative energy would reach into his body and drain his very soul. It was somewhat annoying when that happened, but he knew that he would be able to regain his strength in time... and it wasn’t like there were many creatures who were a threat to him, even in his weakened state either. The ‘fight’ against Roland proved that.
And on the subject of Roland... “Vulture King, do you have the power of resurrection?” He would query, projecting his voice towards the god as he turned in order to face him. “As I just encountered Roland King, lover of the Seer of the Apogee Society.”
The wave of energy crashes into him. His shield of divine power stops most of it but some saps into him. The Vulture King looks at the Nameless Warrior, eyes blazing. He says in a deep voice, "I do, but why should I use my power for your ends?"
He blinked.
“It's not for me.” He answered, a slight tone of genuine confusion entering into his tone of voice as he spoke to the deity. Did Vulture King did not hear what he had just said? That had to be it, as from he had seen of the deity thus far, he wasn’t one to make such a clear and obvious misunderstanding. “He’s an Apogee Society member.” Nothing else needed to be said. There was no need for him to elaborate on the fact that information pointed towards this group as having been within a jail created by Apogee Society. Thus, being able to talk directly to someone from that society might be able to better confirm whenever or not this was actually true or not... and if so, why were their prisoners.
There was just no need for him to say it, as it was clearly obvious.
The Vulture King says, ”An exchange of power requires proper recompense or true need. My power is freely available to my followers or my Flock, and you have proven yourself neither. So I see no great need, for if he was alive then our captors must still be at large and able to be found. That, and you have offered no recompense.”
Kei skids to a stop just outside the gates and spots the situation within; twelve large devourers surrounding a trio of hooded men moving to destroy the heroes and the innocent civilians they have rescued.
The devourers begin to spread out in all directions, about to assault the rescued citizens as the sorcerers survey their surroundings, undoubtedly deciding what target to destroy first.
All that stands in their way is three heroes and a squad of incompetent Gunshuu.
As the battle rages a shining ball of blue light, crackling with power and potential, descends from the sky. It is the result of the reality altering power of one of Kammella's potent, but limited in number, epic wishes.
The Nameless Warrior is such a legendary threat that only the most extreme magic has a chance of defeating him.
The blue light strikes from the sky at the speed of light and engulfs the Nameless Warrior. Kammella knows even the mightiest magic might not slay him, so instead, in the blink of an eye, the magic transports him to distant realms unknown, far outside this multiverse.
His legend will continue to grow in fantastic worlds aplenty but the heroes will likely never see him again.
Knowing full well that Alyssa and more importantly the useless Gunshuu were in serious danger from the foes arrayed against them, the elf king summons forth a wall of shimmering rainbow light to protect them.
"See Alyssa, if only you let me talk to Mr Construction Worker, I wouldn't need to kill him now." Lir quips.
Knowing full well that Alyssa and more importantly the useless Gunshuu were in serious danger from the foes arrayed against them, the elf king summons forth a wall of shimmering rainbow light to protect them.
"See Alyssa, if only you let me talk to Mr Construction Worker, I wouldn't need to kill him now." Lir quips.
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Liriiestil's spell creates a colossal barrier across the entire yard, a shimmering rainbow of high powered magic protecting the citizens from the creatures of darkness. The construction worker is the only villain caught on the other side with the heroes. He looks back and realizes he has been isolated. His frown deepens.
"Oh s#+~."
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Alyssa starts in shock as the sergeant, who had been prepared to help, is suddenly gifted a new paint job on his cloak. She cries out as he falls.
When the man comes towards her, she asks, voice confused "Why? Why do you do this?"
When the world is rocked by a sudden explosion, she doesn't notice, nor care. When Kei shows up, she doesn't react. Even when John thrusts a giant beam of light across the field, separating the citizens from the creatures, she remains focused on the CW, intently staring at him.
"I just want to understand. This is the best place to hide. Don't you want to protect the citizens? Don't you want to protect them?" She waves a hand at the refugees.
She attempts to seize him by the arm.
"Don't you understand that this is the wrong time!" she shouts!
Alyssa copys his magically enhanced physique, granting a +4 enhancement bonus to Str, Dex, and Con each.
The worker tries to pull away, without success.
"I don't give a s&$% about any of you!" He snarls, raising his dagger. "I work for them!" He says, gesturing with his head at the floating city. "An once you are all enslaved I'll become one of them!"
He stabs at Alyssa's neck, trying to murder her.
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Alyssa's disappointment at the man's revelation lasts just long enough for the man to plunge his dagger into the side of her neck, and she immediately blacks out from the pain.
Fortunately, he misses any major arteries, and while bleeding profusely, she is in no danger of dying soon- if left alone, that is.
Seeing Alyssa, a friend, and one of the few people he cared about in this 'new' life fall from such a vicious attack causes something to snap in Liriiestil. He lets out a guttural cry of rage and shifts into a huge red dragon, snorting flame and smoke at the construction worker.
"You shouldn't have done that. Now you've gone and made me angry."
...get up...
Zaidel's consciousness shifted.
..come one..you got to get up..
The big warrior's mental haze begins to lift.
..they need you..I know it hurts..but get up..
Slowly, Zaidel uses part of the rubble around him to pick himself up and stand. He looks all around him only to be greeted with Death and Destruction.
After a few minutes, the big warrior relocates his magic longsword and shield. Zaidel smacks his dry tongue against the roof of his mouth. Sighing heavily, The god-blooded man laments, "..Boy..what I wouldn't give for a dwarven ale right about now.."
Still under the oppressive shadow of the floating city, Zaidel looks around and calls out, "V.K.! V.K., are you alright?! Where are you?!"
Even though the Prismatic wall is an opaque swirl of colors, sound travels around it just fine.
Kei hears the sound of Alyssa speaking to the Sargeant, and then his reply, and the knife going in.
What happened next, even he couldn't rightly explain. One moment, he was standing on the far side of a glowing wall, still reeling from the explosion; the next, he was catching Alyssa's body before it had even hit the ground.
Without looking up, Kei said "You should kill yourself. If you're not dead by the time I finish setting her body down, you'll wish you were." As he spoke, all niceness and politeness left his voice, leaving just the cold certainty of death.
The Vulture King flies down to Zaidel and says to him, ”I am here young one. Are you well? My most potent healing is unfortunately used but I will do what I can if you are injured.”
"I feel like something scraped off the bottom of a boot", breathed Zaidel. "Glad you're okay, though".
"So, what do you think we should do next", questioned the big warrior, looking up at the floating city above? "I don't know if we're all that left of our party. Should we head up?"
"But in all honesty, if you have healing to spare, I'll take whatever you're offering. Speaking of offerings, what do you prefer?"
The Vulture King shakes his head, ”Mighty as we are, I fear whatever is up there is stronger than we. We should try to find the others.” He pauses for a moment and shudders slightly, ”Let us hope they are alive. I need no offerings from you, my friend. Such is the bond of the pack that gifts are freely given. Here, this should stop the worst of it.” His hand glows and he places it on Zaidel’s forehead, healing light coursing through the large man.
As The Vulture King touches his forehead and sends healing energies through it, the simple gesture of placing a hand or finger on the big warrior's forehead seems..some how..familiar. His vitality renewed once more, Zaidel becomes a bit more animated.
Looking around again, Zaidel poses his plan to the avian god. "Okay. How about this? You return to bird form and fly above the destruction. With your avian sight, you can search better than what I can on the ground. If you see anyone we know, give a loud screech and I'll come running."
The killer dressed as a construction worker first recoils in horror as the Elf King transforms into a massive dragon but as he turns away he is confronted with Kei as well and snarls in fear and frustration.
Moments before he had been confident and predatory, now though, cut off from his allies and isolated with some wrathful, and powerful, foes his face becomes white as a sheet and his eyes turn bright with terror.
Saren drops from the sky next to Zaidel and the Vulture King and Babey crys out in joy when she sees them.
"Hi guys!" Both Saren and Babey say in unison.
Babey leaps over onto Zaidel's head.
"I'm glad to see you guys are ok!" She suddenly grows quiet as she realizes they are alone.
Her eyes grow wide and tear up.
"Are-are my boyfriends dead?" She inquires with a wail.
Saren meanwhile is taking a long moment to look around.
"Uh, did the Apocalypse happen while I was asleep? Was the world destroyed and most of my family and loved ones killed while I was snoozing away?" He says to himself.
He sighs heavily.
"Not again!"
Beyond the prismatic wall the three Shade wizards whisper to each other in muted, sinister tones, perhaps deciding how to handle this unexpected circumstance.
Around them the Devourers twitch and shudder in odd, unnatural movements, hungry for their promised feast.
Filled with fury, further stoked by pure dragonic rage, Liriiestil unleashes the full might of an adult red dragon, in a flurry of fangs, claws and wings.
Bite for
Claw 1 for
Claw 2 for
Wing 1 for
Wing 2 for
Tail slap for
The killer lets out a high pitched shriek of pain and terror as he is literally torn limb from limb by the giant razor sharp teeth and claws of a red dragon many times his size.
His shrieks continue for longer then seems possible; set to a queasy background chorus of tearing flesh and popping joints as he is completely disarticulated.
Saren drops from the sky next to Zaidel and the Vulture King and Babey crys out in joy when she sees them.
"Hi guys!" Both Saren and Babey say in unison.
Zaidel almost jumped out his skin. Luckily, his exclaim was more manly than it felt.
"Jesus Christ!! Don't f#<king DO that!!"Babey leaps over onto Zaidel's head.
"I'm glad to see you guys are ok!" She suddenly grows quiet as she realizes they are alone.
Her eyes grow wide and tear up.
"Are-are my boyfriends dead?" She inquires with a wail.
"We hope not", admits the big warrior. "V.K. and I were just on our way to looks for them."
A thought occurred to Zaidel. "Babey, you and Liriiestil seem very close. Can you sense him or any other fey in the area?"Saren meanwhile is taking a long moment to look around.
"Uh, did the Apocalypse happen while I was asleep? Was the world destroyed and most of my family and loved ones killed while I was snoozing away?" He says to himself.
He sighs heavily.
"Not again!"
"You only missed a gargantuan-sized undead worm and several shadows. I nearly died for the third time today, but who's counting?"
Babey perks up at Zaidel's idea and begins to furrow her brow, concentrating.
She spins in circles several times then makes a final decision.
"Over there!" She declares, pointing at Al'Lamar's colossal main keep.
"You only missed a gargantuan-sized undead worm and several shadows. I nearly died for the third time today, but who's counting?"
"Oh, that's good!" Saren declares, then stops for a moment.
"I meant it's good there was no Apocalypse, not that you almost died three times." He says with a shrug.
"Make sense", the big warrior said to the fey perched on his head. "Babey, hold on!" Addressing The Vulture King and Soren, Zaidel nods, "Let's go!"
The mostly god-blooded group runs toward Al'Lamar's main keep.
The god blooded group arrives at the open gates of the keep to see the bizarre sight of a trio of huddled figures in cloaks surrounded loosely by a full dozen tall and terrifying Devourers.
The greater part of this first courtyard is blocked off by a glittering wall of scintillating light.
Clearly something bad is happening here.
Gazing onto the strange gathering, Zaidel instinctively draws his magic longsword and shield.
"Ruh-roh, Raggy!"
The Devourers heads all snap around to face Zaidel when he calls out, as one they leave the ground and float twenty feet toward the god blooded gathering, leaving them sixty feet away.
Behind them the Shade mages seem lost in their discourse, either unaware or uncaring of the new arrivals.
Easily cutting down the construction work, the red dragon walks forward, stepping on the corpse, and pokes his head through the wall. As he does so, he unleashes a cone of flame directed at the devourers.
Kei didn't even look up as the Dragon tore into the murderer. Instead he looked down at Alyssa's form and began crying.
As the tears fall on her face, she slowly begins moving again, her spirit being drawn back into her body.
The flames engulf the entire group of Devourers.
The undead beasts hiss, moan and recoil from the searing, potent breath of the Elf King's dragon form.
Kei didn't even look up as the Dragon tore into the murderer. Instead he looked down at Alyssa's form and began crying.
As the tears fall on her face, she slowly begins moving again, her spirit being drawn back into her body.
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Matsuhiko Kei wrote:
Kei didn't even look up as the Dragon tore into the murderer. Instead he looked down at Alyssa's form and began crying.As the tears fall on her face, she slowly begins moving again, her spirit being drawn back into her body. Assuming that you want to be resurrected by a Lawful Good Aligned non-deity worshipper, that is. Also, he will be crying for a while, since it's a minute casting time =P
She actually didn't die, just stabilized at negative hp, I think.