The small shadow on the wall nearby hisses laughter
That will be a sweet song of chaos you sing priestess! Well played!
"It could cause suspicion, though. I believe that the Emperor is probably too risky, he has been around for a long time, and the trees are wise."
"It could cause suspicion, though. I believe that the Emperor is probably too risky, he has been around for a long time, and the trees are wise."
Death has been around longer.
The voice sounds exactly like E7, and continues...
'Begone foul trickster', HT mimes. He summons 4 trees, which begin
to move towards the Mask. Chuckling, he dismisses them.
"It could cause suspicion, though. I believe that the Emperor is probably too risky, he has been around for a long time, and the trees are wise."Death has been around longer.
The voice sounds exactly like E7, and continues...
'Begone foul trickster', HT mimes. He summons 4 trees, which begin
to move towards the Mask. Chuckling, he dismisses them.
The Mask shrugs.
"If you think so, but be careful. The trees are probably most likely to realize what is going on, involving them could be very risky."
Oh, I almost forgot.
She strokes HoD's earthbreaker and it turns to liquid metal, reforming as a duplicate of JH's.
Worry not. We don't have to get too close for 'our' plans. And we have 'friends' to help us.
She juggles two orbs now. One holds the tumbling form of El-Lina, the other is filled with swirling green mist.
As the little deception play organizes, there is a sudden commotion at the entrance to the throne room. The ancient stone doors explode outward, peppering the crowd of undead with shards of rock.
A female form emerges from the dust cloud, dressed in a chainmail bikini. A large whip snaps and pops in her hand. Her eyes are a solid black color.
As she advances swarms of undead mob her. She screeches and the undead vaporize into dust.
The woman stands alone, a swirling gout of corpse dust settling about her. She turns to the Mask.
The priestess mulls this over - do they flee, stay and watch, or stay and help? If help, which one? I hate it when someone opens the oven door before the souffle is done.
As the little deception play organizes, there is a sudden commotion at the entrance to the throne room. The ancient stone doors explode outward, peppering the crowd of undead with shards of rock.
A female form emerges from the dust cloud, dressed in a chainmail bikini. A large whip snaps and pops in her hand. Her eyes are a solid black color.
As she advances swarms of undead mob her. She screeches and the undead vaporize into dust.
The woman stands alone, a swirling gout of corpse dust settling about her. She turns to the Mask.
The raven doesn't seem afraid in the least. Rather, he laughs.
"Me."All the undead followers from the Club suddenly advance, laughing.
"Miss your friends? You're about to join them. Although, you might be better served attacking the ones who ordered your friends' deaths."
He laughs again.
"But suit yourself."
The ground she is walking in turns to lava.
"Fool. You may be powerful, but here? Your spells are impeded by this place. Might make you live longer."
"But probably not."
Alaina rises above the running lava, her eyes wreathed in an unholy glow. She gestures, and the many undead approaching her are blown to dust.
FOOL! You think you are safe because you didn't order their deaths? I FELT my charge's flesh rise to your jackal howl!
Alaina gestures and the zombies of the Club Calistria patrons ignite in a searing fire, burning to ash in seconds.
You are a skulker, a coward, a feaster on dead flesh! I shall make you regret ever crossing the Wasp Goddess ...
Alaina snaps her yellow-and-black chitinous whip at the raven, the barb sinking into his flesh. Arcane energy crackles along its length, wrapping the Mask in its power.
Alaina rises above the running lava, her eyes wreathed in an unholy glow. She gestures, and the many undead approaching her are blown to dust.
FOOL! You think you are safe because you didn't order their deaths? I FELT my charge's flesh rise to your jackal howl!
Alaina gestures and the zombies of the Club Calistria patrons ignite in a searing fire, burning to ash in seconds.
You are a skulker, a coward, a feaster on dead flesh! I shall make you regret ever crossing the Wasp Goddess ...
Alaina snaps her yellow-and-black chitinous whip at the raven, the barb sinking into his flesh. Arcane energy crackles along its length, wrapping the Mask in its power.
The Hammer of Death begins to move towards Alaina, and the Hangman's Tree prepares a summoning. Both are stopped at a gesture from the priestess.
The Tree Emperor has revealed this to our enemies, and they marshall their forces here. Another location will be undefended when they come.
Let us strike there.
HoD looks to be struggling against the command, but before he can succeed all three forms become shadow and fade.
The Hangman's Tree finishes his spell, and commands the 4 huge water elemetals before he is whisked away -
Kill all in this place.
4 huge water elementals apear in each corner of the room. Two move towards the various undead, one towards the Mask, and the last one moves to Alaina. They bludgeon their foes with fists as hard as ice, stretching to avoid the lava.
One hit grazes Alaina hissing as it does.
Two fists of water strike at the Mask.
Lesser undead are torn asunder by the assault. Incorporeal spirits are safe.
LJ, JH, Devlyn, and anyone else who decided to tag along for the ride, arrive in this accursed place. Seeing the lava and the elementals, LJ quickly works to form shields around the good guys to keep them protected from the environment as well as their enemies.
as soon as LJ sets JH down he can feel that there is something not right with the ground in this place. It is more than a lack of life, it is as if that lack has been replaced by something else. Something ancient, and evil. He dare not tap the earth power here.
Pushing the feelings aside, he rushes to do battle with any threat he can reach. The holy hammer begins its work.
LJ, JH, Devlyn, and anyone else who decided to tag along for the ride, arrive in this accursed place. Seeing the lava and the elementals, LJ quickly works to form shields around the good guys to keep them protected from the environment as well as their enemies.
Devlyn came in Hiding in Plain Sight, and waits for LJ's spells (if cast fast enough) before taking stock on the threats and intercepting accordingly.
One of the elementals turns to fight the newcomers, and lands a punch in JH's back sending him spralling across the floor. A swarm of undead spirits descend upon the prone hero. It is eerily reminiscient of his recent battle with the wraiths.
LJ draws her bow and fires positive energy arrows into the wraiths again and again. The arrows are stronger than the ones she had the last time.
LJ draws her bow and fires positive energy arrows into the wraiths again and again. The arrows are stronger than the ones she had the last time.
The ground beneath LJ's feet rebels against the positive energy, and begins to roil.
LJ draws her bow and fires positive energy arrows into the wraiths again and again. The arrows are stronger than the ones she had the last time.The ground beneath LJ's feet rebels against the positive energy, and begins to roil.
LJ draws her bow and fires positive energy arrows into the wraiths again and again. The arrows are stronger than the ones she had the last time.
The arrows from his love give JH the chance to get to his feet. Any longer on that evil ground and he would have wretched.
With a look of appreciation towards LJ he begins blasting the wraiths with holy hammerstokes.
LJ draws her bow and fires positive energy arrows into the wraiths again and again. The arrows are stronger than the ones she had the last time.The ground beneath LJ's feet rebels against the positive energy, and begins to roil.
The ground erupts as numerous graves expel their occupants. Even under the lava sections. Those undead are quickly consumed by the molten rock. (Terminator 2 visual for AoV.) Undead of all types join the fray.
LJ begins to feel her lungs fill with rank water, for just a moment, before she resists the spell. She notices that she has attracted the attention of one of the elementals. These elementals are made of unpure water, drawn from some unholy source.
Coughing and spluttering just a bit, she summons three air elementals to help her against this foul water creature. The wind swirls around her in a protective barrier while she calls her allies.
Coughing and spluttering just a bit, she summons three air elementals to help her against this foul water creature. The wind swirls around her in a protective barrier while she calls her allies.
LJ's bracer hisses as it expels the evil water, as if it was in its lungs as well. From her arm the large ghostly lioness of Laeana springs. Snarling loudly, it leaps the lava field easily and pounces upon the evil water elemental. Clouds of steam arise as the positive energy collides with the negative.
The ground erupts as numerous graves expel their occupants. Even under the lava sections. Those undead are quickly consumed by the molten rock. (Terminator 2 visual for AoV.) Undead of all types join the fray.
Seeing that LJ and JH seem to have a lot more capabilities than he ever will, Devlyn pulls his blade and proceeds to cut a swath through the undead, striking and fading, never staying still or perceptible for more than an instant.
He sees the spectacle of Alaina in combat with the trickster raven, and does his best to get into a position where he can help her, if need be.
*The bard moves to engage one of the unpure elementals in battle, moving so fast he blurs. As his staff strikes it, pure ice flows from it's crystal point. He does not notice the zombie about to smash his head... until an arrow peirces it's skull. Ice enshrouds the zombie as it pitches foward shattering on the floor. Beams of blue light and lightning flash, geysers of water ripping the undead apart. Rio has arrived, and he is furious. Arrows fly toward the raven.*
Alaina ignores the roiling chaos that has erupted around her, focusing on the Mask. She sends pulse after pulse of Divine energy arcing through her whip to the raven. The power wraps her body in a fierce nimbus, standing her strawberry-blonde hair on end, the red locks twisting like snakes striking.
The raven has not moved the whole time. He has not even tried to avoid the blows, which bounce off him.
"Bored now."
The raven's eyes glow red. Suddenly, 100 gun-wielding undead of various power appear and fire at the heroes.
"Fools."
His eyes glow red again. Wherever a bullet misses, the ground it touches turns into lava, which spreads. Soon, the entire area will be completely full of magma.
*Frustrated that Mask got away, Rio turns his attention to the undead gunners. Jumping off Aurora, he gives the command to cool the molten rock before it spreads to much, staying out of bullet range while doing so. Maving too fast for bullets to matter to him, Rio almost flies through the undead hoard, daggers flashing. Undead stay standing for a moment before they split and crumble.*
The sea of undead is endless, but JH keeps swinging. He won't draw on the Earth powers, so it's back to basics. He spots a zombie peasant and punts it across the room with a kick.
Alaina! Do we withdraw?
LJ leaves her summoned air elementals to keep the water elementals busy while she continues to rain down arrows of positive energy on the undead. It's only a matter of time before the foul water elemental gets through her guard and she is having an increasingly difficult time concentrating on making enough shields of wind to deflect the bullets and protect from the lava.
We need to leave soon! There are too many of them!
Alaina screeches when the Mask disappears. She pulses a wave of energy and vaporizes every undead in the room.
The occupants of the room can almost feel the crushing force of whatever power possesses Alaina's body. She spins and disappears in a burst of blue-white energy. The pyramid begins to shake as if caught in a hurricaine. Large slabs of stone begin to fall from the throne room's ceiling.
It's only a matter of time before the foul water elemental gets through her guard and she is having an increasingly difficult time concentrating on making enough shields of wind to deflect the bullets and protect from the lava.
*A roar echoes through the Palace, and it begins to... rain?
Lightning strikes a water elemental about to slam LJ's shields,obliterating it, and Leviathan curls protectively around LJ, lightning streaming from the horn on his head. The rain causes the lava to hiss and cool.*
LJ was grateful for the assistance and waved a thank you. With such overwhelming odds against them, it was good to have Water back in the fight. Still, she eyed the crumbling pyramid distrustfully.
"We've lost Alaina again! Fall back! It's time to leave. Everyone gather near me."
She will wait until everyone has gathered and the lioness has returned to her bracer before she once more calls upon the speed of the wind to sweep everyone back to the Oasis.
JH fights his way to Lyn's side. He has lost some of his sheen, as more than one wraith got thru.
Plantjack appears.
"It is time to go."
Plantjack appears.
"It is time to go."
Working on it!
As the lioness leaps back into her bracer and the others get regroup near her, LJ calls on the winds to speed them all back to the Oasis.
Plantjack appears.
"It is time to go."Working on it!
As the lioness leaps back into her bracer and the others get regroup near her, LJ calls on the winds to speed them all back to the Oasis.
"Be careful. There is danger everywhere, now. One who was friend is now enemy. Beware."
Plant vanishes.
The pyramid crumbles and collapses, sinking into the fetid swamp. Nothing is left but a small shadow
Thus even the heroes serve the forces of dissolution...
The shadow flits into the deeper swamp
The pyramid crumbles and collapses, sinking into the fetid swamp. Nothing is left but a small shadow
Thus even the heroes serve the forces of dissolution...
The shadow flits into the deeper swamp
The Yugoloths yawn, having sat watching the entire time.
"Whatever. As you would say, O Cryptic, Cliched and Annoying One, all will eventually be destroyed."
A pale figure flits among the massive mangrove and cypress that line the narrow bayous of the swamp. As she walks bodies erupt out of the mire and begin shambling behind her. Corpses of all shapes and sizes, some quite immense, gather in a larger and larger army.
Ahhh.... It's a wonderful night for a stroll She croons, her dark leather boots floating a foot above the swamp.
The ground beneath her wavers as if it was going out of focus momentarily. Any tree she passes begins to decay. She leaves a trail of rot and fungus in her wake. Fish surface after she passes belly up, only to be pulped by the hordes of undead in her train.
Innocent Blood sees a ghostly image before her, a Sending from KC.
"Watch your step, 'Pale One'. You killed a lot of girls, and now you're in grave danger. I'll be keeping an eye on you. Just look over your shoulder, honey, I'll be there."
It vanishes.
The pale girl grins
I look forward to our next meeting with antici ..... pation.
The wolf seems to chuckle.
"And one by one, they--"