TVC - Chapter 29 - Siege

[snakezenn]

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From where he was perched he could see that the female vampiress(Lesa) was being taken care of and so Nelson decided that he should probably leave considering that Nagash's had just added a huge contingent to the battle.

Nelson decided that the best way to go would be towards the new troops to relieve a little preassure, helping while still exiting the battle.

Nelson was cutting a path through the Nagashi and other undead soldiers when he ran into a vampire that had shot up a flare gun...

 

[Get of W'soran]

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V'azrin was silent for a moment looking at Lesa's injured form
"Of course Handmaiden" he murmered in his ancient tounge.
Then grasping her with both hands he whispered an incantation, dark necromantic power flowed from his withered body into Lesa closing her injuries and rejuvinating her.
Everything will be fine.... he thought to himself
______________________________________________________

Sentence laughed coldly
"You think you can best me little one? In the days of Lahmia the King's own children where nothing next to the Disciples of W'soran...and you think you...your house of watered down runtlings can beat me?" sneered the Dark Lord with a faint shake of his head
Raising a hand to point at Simon he spoke once more
"No No No...it is you who shall die!"
With that a volley of dark bolts flew towards the count.
At the same time his left hand's fingers swished through the air in a strange gesture after a few moments a dark mist rose around the Dark Lord, shimmering faintly as it formed a dark yet transparent shield around him.

 

[Simon von Carstein]

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Simon raised his hand and the bolts coming towards him shattered. "Impudent scholar! Do none of you harbour any loyalty to your king." asked Simon glowering "Vashanesh is descended from Nagash by blood and that blood. THE BLOOD OF KINGS flows through my veins which makes me and my brethren the heir of Nagash and Vashanesh and we want our inheritance!" Arms folded with Animessor clutched in his right hand Simon stood tall and proud.

 

[TMS]

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From high up above, two faintly visible figures spied down upon the field of battle.

-"Mistress, the situation is looking dire.", said one of them.

-"Indeed it does..", replied the other.

Having been forced to return to her home in order to regain the strength lost from her last encounter with the Dread Lords, Helena had opted to bring with her only a small cadre of soldiers. Now she saw that she had acted rightly, for this battle was already lost. The forces of the Dread Lords were destroying all opposition while slowly isolating the various present members of The Vampire Council. Had she brought with her a more sizeable force, it would have been but a waste of resources.

Nevertheless, she was determined to help her allies in whatever way she could and started to look around the scene, searching for the spot where her intervention was needed the most.

 

[Trevy the Great]

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Vekarin strode forward, the Dark Blade swinging again and again at the robed form of the Executioner. Above the clamor of the combat around them, Vekarin's deep cackle could be heard, a laugh that chilled the bones of all who heard it. Only a portion of Vekarin's strikes were deflected by the Executioner's axe, the rest cutting his pallid, withered flesh as a myriad of places as he fell backwards under the onslaught. The Dread Lord of Nagash had utterly believed that the fight was his, never had the Executioner seen an artifact that could change the course of a combat so totally, and it had taken him by complete surprise. He managed to deflect Vekarin's dark sword away and strike out with a low of his own, the axe he held blurring with the velocity he swung with. The blow, as mighty as it was, however, rebounded off Vekarin's brightly glowing armor, and the massive vampire seemed not to notice as he swung the Dark Blade with wild abandon once again.

Victarias watched the duel with furrowed brow oblivious to the battle as it whirled around her. She hadn't seen Vekarin fight much after her reincarnation, and what she had seen was slightly more furious that the calm and calculating style that he had used before her death. Now, however, he seemed filled with rage, striking with singular purpose in his ferocity. No longer for him a feigned parry or a quick strike to an opponent's weak point. He simply charged forward, attacking with reckless abandon. Something had changed, but she was not one to see it.

 

[Arion]

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Draithon winced slightly as Beleeras head was torn off and then turned his gaze to the battle raging about him. Nimbly leaping down from the rubble he relayed orders to the Crossbow men's leader,

"Set up ambushes, traps, or whatever you can think of along the road out of here. Our prospects look grim and I want those undead," he indicated the army with a sweeping gesture, " slowed down and damaged."

Turning back to the battle he leapt back into the fray, quickly making his way up to the citadel.

* * *

Above him the high walls loomed, seemingly inpentrable, at least to others. With a small grunt of exertion he began scaling the wall, horribly exposed to the battle below, or at least that was how he felt, in truth his cloak melded perfectly with the stones and he was all but invisible.

A creeping gloved hand patted the crenellations of the tower where Lesa and V'zarin were standing, with a small disturbance of mortar the elf clambered over the edge.

Gazing warily at the Dreadlords below he questioned the two vampires,

"Have you two got any ideas? The situation down there looks quite bleak, perhaps we should retreat into the citadel? There our smaller numbers will be balenced by the narrow passages."

 

[Get of W'soran]

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V'azrin glanced at Draithon and shook his head faintly
"I am in favour of a retreat...this battle is unimportant but the survival of the Council is paramount" he said
With a sigh he glanced at the Lahmian, his magic was rejuvinating her
"It would be better to get away...and our only avenue of retreat may be into the citadel...I have the power to transport myself and another...perhaps two other vampires away from this place but that is all"
With another shake of his head he looked at Lesa once more, his withered face looking concerned
"What do you think would be best Great Mistress?"

____________________________________

Sentence laughed coldly
"From that point of view your Royal blood is inferior to that of the Queen is it not? Perhaps your should seek out the Lahmians and bow your head to their obvious superiority?" he asked mockingly.
With another laugh he waved his hand around the battlefield
"Look around you childe! Vashanesh and Neferata where failures! It is because of their foolishness that Lahmia fell! If it was not for the stupidity of your King and the vainity of the Queen perhaps we would of never served Nagash! Perhaps a Kingdom of the Dead would already exist under the rule of your precious bloodline!" he said with a faint amused rasp.
Suddenly he jabbed a finger in Simon's direction
"What loyalty do those fools deserve! If you where there you would know! How many died during the fall of Lahmia because of their Cowardice? The Queen and her idiot brother Ran! Vashanesh did little better! In the end Abhorash stood! W'soran remained! Others stayed and died because their Monarchs fled!" the Necrarchs voice was no longer amused.
The Dark Lord shook his head as if to clear it and then he laughed once more, a mixture of cold hatred and insanity.
The Sentence placed his right hand into his robes and withdrew his wicked looking dagger, at the same time dark lightning danced around his left hand, the shadowy shield still surrounding him.
"Come then Noble one! Show me the potency of the Kings blood you hold!" he taunted.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

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Desperately but futilely, like drowning men scrabbling for a grip on a piece of flotsam before the tide took them once and for all, Todd, Geralt and Toby fought furiously to hold back the inexorable advance of the Dread Lords' armies. Inch by inch the trio and the small force of wight paratroopers were forced to fall back towards the uncertain safety of the inner citadel.

It was then that Todd's path crossed with an unknown vampire who came bursting through the ranks of the Nagashi. Todd turned to face the newcomer and instinctively Toby turned to watch him with a strange child-like curiosity on his face, leaving Geralt to fend off the enemy with sweeping strokes of his vorpal runeblade.

"Halt, sir. Who are you and what is your purpose here?" He stared at his unexpected ally(of sorts) like a Brettonian epicure inspecting his next meal.

 

[Count Erick]

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"Our time is up, we must fall back."
Erick turned the Varghulf around again, this time pointing it back towards the citadel and gave the beast its head. Laura's nightmare galloped behind, but the undead steed was soon caught by the Undead horde that the Varghulf plowed through effortlessly.
Erick reached out and plucked Laura from her Nightmare with ease, setting her in front of him on the Varghulf.
The vampiric monster rapidly reached the walls of the citadel, suddenly the monster leaped into the air, hooking its talons into the seams between the stones. Erick urged the beast on, and it began to climb the walls, slowly at first but with gathering speed.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

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Rising slowly to her feet Lesa leant heavily against V'azrin, still weak from the beating she had taken. Whilst the spells had healed her, she needed blood to fully recover. She looked at the elf she had briefly seen at Drakenhof before shaking her head.
"If that was a normal army, then fighting in the narrow passages would work, but against a foe that will rise and rise again, it is an unwise decision." Moving over to the edge she looked down at the vast army that surrounded the Council's dwindling forces.
"The only plan I can think of is undermining their summons. That Dread Lord controlling them is too strong for me to steal his warriors, however I should be able maybe confuse them." Turning back to them she looked at the vampires seriously,
"But it will bring their attention to me. I do not have the strength to fight them as well as undermine their forces. You both will have to protect me. If this succeeds, it should give the other Council member's the chance to go after the Dread Lords instead of being surrounded by their undead lackeys."

Kneeling down on the stone tower top Lesa closed her eyes, trusting her fate to the two vampires nearby. In her minds eye she could see the tendrils of magic that connected the Sentence to the forces below, and it was through them that she struck. The Dread Lord's power was immense, and for a moment she thought that breaking past the barriers would be all but impossible. However after a moment she felt her own tendrils of power slip in, her thoughts feeding through to the dead warriors below. She couldn't entirely counteract them, but she could confuse them with multiple commands, giving them instructions that clashed with the Dread Lords.

Down on the field suddenly the attacking dead forces controlled by the Sentence faltered. Those nearest to their master started walking in moments but those further away milled in confusion, attacking anything nearby, friend or foe. A score of wights destroyed themselves as they charged the Guilt, only to find their attacks coming back at them tenfold. It was not all over for the Dread Lords though, many of the undead creations were controlled by other lords, plus the Nagashi were not affected. But for the time being it was enough to stall the advance.

A blast of wind was the first warning Lesa, V'azrin and Draithon got as the Innocence whirled round the tower top at a breakneck speed. In his mist form the Dread Lord could not be made out yet his voice could still be heard.
"Clever whore. Next time I'll make sure the job is finished the first time round. Funneling upwards into the sky suddenly the mist thundered towards the three, intent on plunging them to their doom.

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

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The Executioner stepped back warily, hand over a wound he had been dealt by the Dark Blade, his arm almost destroyed by the sheer volume of attacks. The Blood Dragon came on thrusting, slicing, chopping in abandonment as he tried to destroy the Blood Dragon. Vekarin seemed consumed by blood lust and as he charged once more the Dread Lord sprung his trap.
The powerful blow from Vekarin came towards the weakened side of the Executioner but at the last moment the Dread Lord stood up strong, his apparently damaged arm grasping hold of Vekarin's wrist. Before the vampire could pull his wrist away the Executioner twisted it sharply, a snap of bone sounding out. The Dark Blade fell from the maimed hand, before a powerful from the Dread Lord sent it spiraling down the mountainside.
"If I was any of the others, you would have won today Blood Dragon," the Executioner mocked as a blow from his axe sent Vekarin reeling, "you still could have won, had you but controlled yourself as our Lord Abhorash taught us." Vekarin's eyes opened wide at this comment, causing the Dread Lord to laugh in his face,
"Oh yes. I am not one of your stinking kind, but I was taught by him. Many years ago when he was still human. You have shamed him today Blood Dragon, showing no more control than a Strigoi."

As the axe struck once more the ancient blade did its job. It was not magical but thousands of years of use had forged it into something more than a weapon. It's razor sharp edge ripped open the front of Vekarin's fabled armour, leaving the vampire's chest exposed. As it carried on upwards its edge caught hold of the helmet, ripping it upwards and off.

Vekarin the Dark Bladed, Lord of the Violet Rose, stood there defenseless as the black eyes of the Executioner bored into him.
"Don't worry. Your wife will be joining you shortly," he said with a nasty smile before his axe swung once more for the final time.

 

[Count Erick]

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Laura and Erick climbed up the stairs to the top of the tower, leaving the Varghulf behind. The two reached the top and emerged to find the Elf and Necrarch with another, unknown female vampire. A black mist was rapidly descending towards the trio from above.

 

[Dark Lord Nihilus]

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Cerberus hissed in frustration as the vampiric duo retreated towards the citadel. Using his fury as a focus he lashed out at the surrounding Nagashi, channeling the winds of magic so that their blood froze, lancing through arterial walls and puncturing organs. The effort of the task left him winded.

Such weakness. Such futility.

“What would you have me do?!”, he roared in outrage, pulverizing the remains of a Nagashi that were beginning to rise once more.

You will be destroyed if you do not heed my words.

The Nagashi, both those full of the vigor of life, and those risen in a parody of life encroached upon the lone enemy in their midst.

“Name your price beast.”

I require no payment. I am not some filthy daemon spawn. All I wish is for you to accept your situation, for self-doubt will hinder you from accomplishing even a fraction of what you must.

“Very well bea…”, Cerberus howled in pain as the dragon lent him a mere slither of its power. His blood raced through his body, the pressure threatening to cause his heart to burst. Skin warped to scales, flesh parted as bone ripped through assuming draconic wings, muscles grew and wrapped itself like tendrils over newly formed wings. He screamed in pain and exultation, his senses seemed to be sharpened, his movements captured a greater poise and grace. Yet just as he felt invigorated, he was attuned to the stress his body was taking, the deterioration which would reduce him to a desiccated husk should the dragon lend his power for far too long a period of time.

With a powerful beat of his wings, Cerberus launched into the air, and angled himself towards the Citadel main. Even as he soared through the air he felt his borrowed strength dwindling. He noticed the two vampires he had previously encountered approach a descending swirling mass of dust. Aiming for the outcropping upon which the vampires had congregated, Cerberus crashed into the mountain side. As he rose Cerberus began chanting, using the last vestiges of the dragon’s strength which coursed through his veins to channel the winds of magic, focusing the winds of magic to freeze the ambient water vapor within the tornado, and with any luck halt it in its tracks.

 

[Trevy the Great]

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Vekarin fell to his knees before the Dread Lord, his mouth slack and gushing crimson blood, raven hair falling about his shoulders like a mane matted with blood. He looked up at the Executioner standing over him with rage in his eyes, masking the pain he felt. The wound in his chest had reopened, the his ribs crushed and broken, the ragged hole pouring ichor onto the trampled battlefield.
He mouthed something to the black figure looming above him, a whisper, a shadow of a word, but the ears of the Executioner heard this utterance though none other could.
"I'll meet you and Abhorash in hell."
The Executioner hissed, skinless lips retracting about his fang-like mouth. It was either the grin of a predator before it's helpless prey, or the grimace of one horribly wronged.
Behind the Executioner's blowing robe, a flash of violet caught Vekarin's fading eye. He looked past his adversary, into the staring eyes of Victarias, her face betraying the pain he felt within him. She mouthed something to him, but his fading senses catching not a word of that sprung from her mouth, but the pain in her eyes, pain at his own failure, stirred within him, churning him to motion.
Vekarin threw his head back, bellowing a last cry of defiance at his enemy, his own executioner.
The axe fell, and the cry was ended abruptly.

Victarias screamed as Vekarin's headless corpse fell to the packed ground. Time seemed to slow, the combat around her slowing to a crawl as with a thud the body impacted the soil. The Executioner bent for a moment, the grasping by the hair the severed head of her lord, his last cry still etched upon his features. The Executioner's mouth slid back into a hellish grin, his black eyes burning with victory as he held aloft his trophy.
"The greatest of you falls to the power of Nagash, look upon this as a sign that he will prevail!" The Executioner screamed to the winds, his powerful voice achoing about the dark, broken walls of the Citadel, reverberating off the curved tower at it's center and reaching high into the air so that all heard him.
"YOU HAVE LOST!"

 

[snakezenn]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

Nelson stared at the vampire that had fired the flare," I am Nelson Van Note, I am here to hunt the forces of Nagash. As a the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend no?"

After this little chat Nelson went back to cleaving his way out from the Nagashi and the other enemies.

 

[Arion]

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Draithon peered down at the rapidly approaching cloud of mist,
"You again! I'll enjoy this..." He looked at his burnt away arm. With a swift movement he drew the remaining vial of Obsidion powder mixed with a volatile acid, carefully moving it towards the edge he eyed innocence get closer, closer, and closer. Suddenly he poured it all out, Innocence was too close to avoid it and was hit by the caustic liquid, a severe depression appeared in the mist.

"I wonder what that burned away..."

 

[Simon von Carstein]

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Simon glanced over at the Executioner before turning back to face the Sentence "Greatest of us all!" he sniggered "I think your friend over there is going to have a very unpleasant surprise. Vekarin whilst he has proven useful to our cause was nearing the end of his usefulness. I had intended to let him retire to this place. Oh well!" he said shrugging his shoulders and suddenly charging towards Sentence bringing up his palm and smashing it into the Sentence's face. Sentence felt his nose breaking as he was flung through the air though he managed to land safely on all fours.

 

[Trevy the Great]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

Tears streamed down Victarias face as she burst into motion. A feral scream on her lips, she launched herself at the grinning Executioner, blades in hand. Her first blow hit home, slicing through his unprotected torso, but the Dread Lord seemed not to notice the gash as he reacted, quickly blocking the next blow. With a backhand swing, his might axe crashed into Victarias' body, tearing at her armor and rending the flesh beneath. Something within her snapped, and she felt an excrutiating pain as the power of the blow hurled her through the air. She landed hard, one of her swords slipping from her grasp and her broken bones grinding painfully on one another. She pushed herself to her feet shakily as the Executioner approached her, a ghastly chuckle escaping his lips.
"I slew your lord, little bloodsucker, did you really think I could be beaten by you?"

 

[Gree]

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Mircea looked at the Executioner and laughed. ''That fool Vekarin? Greatest of us all?'' he sneered, pushing his way through the battle to the dread lord. ''All those years must have rotted your brain then, a whining fool that refuses to drink blood is hardly the greatest'' he mocked the servant of Nagash.

''Go ahead, kill her'' he jerked his thumb towards Executioner. ''I'll just have another thing to thank you for before I kill you''

 

[Simon von Carstein]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

Simon jerked his head round to look at Mircea "Don't be a fool Mircea! I want her alive. Go and rescue her Now!

 

[Gree]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

''Why? I cannot see what any use you would have for her'' the lord questioned, and then shurgged, drawing his blade. ''I will do so then, although do not expect her back too quickly'' he said.

 

[Get of W'soran]

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V'azrin hissed angrily at the sound of Innocence's voice
"You are nothing more then the mindless slave of a delusional Necromancer!" he spat
With a twist of his hand he sent a bolt of dark energy into the mist, after the volley he knelt down and pulled a vial of crimson liquid from his robes to set beside Lesa's prone form
"Its not as good as true blood but....perhaps the rejuvination will help." he whispered
The Necrarch moved to stand up but stopped before he fully stood
"And...becareful...Rahotep is more powerful than he has any right to be" he muttered sounding annoyed.

As he stood he murmered a few words causing a wall of shadow to appear behind him, blocking the Lahmian from view
"Come Dark Lord...show us the power of the new Nagashi!" he mocked
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Sentence stood smoothly and seeing the Von Carstein turn to speak with another vampire he sent a blast of power at the younger bloodsucker, his ghostly servants however blocked the blast but a follow up magical barrage of Dark Darts tore through his magical defenses and ripped Simon's flesh in several places but he quickly regenerated due to his ring.
The Necrarch made another gesture and once again without any incantation sent a volley of Dark Darts, but this time Simon managed to block the blasts with his spiritual slaves.
The Dark Lord glanced up at the tower to where he could feel someone interfering with his magic, from the arcane signiture he was sure it was the Lahmian whore, likely he could burn her ability from her with a backlash attack but then again his Dark Lord brother might not appreciate that.
With a sigh he muttered
"Kill the slut quickly Innocence!"
Turning back to stare at Simon he couldn't help but feel a wave of distaste
The Executioner gets the ancient Blood Dragon...Innocence gets an a Disciple of W'soran older than I and the old Lahmian...both of whom served the Great Lord...and all I get is a watered down noble from the king! he thought angrily.
Suddenly to dots of balefire burned from beneath the shadow of the cowl.

Hissing out a few words he reinforced the Shadowy shield so that Simon wouldn't beable to strike him so easily and raising hands he allowed them to become surrounded in the dark lightning that he enjoyed using, at the same time he devoted power to countering the Lahmian's attack.
"Time to die Royal one!"
With that he threw out both of his hands to send two bolts of the Black Lightning towards the Count, whilst spitting out a continuous incantation to summon the Dark Power required to enforce his attack.

 

[Trevy the Great]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

Victarias leaped again at the Executioner, all thought gone from her head save the need to exact revenge on the Dread Lord. Her blade was inches from his head when the Executioner's massive axe slammed into her again. Bones snapped and Victarias was once again thrown back by the blow.
With tear streaked eyes she looked up at the tall Dread Lord, lashing out at him feebly from the ground with her sword, but the Executioner kicked it away contemptuously. His axe descended again, and it's massive head cut deeply into Victarias' back, pulling out in a spray of gore. Victarias tried to puch herself to her feet again, but another blow from the weapon kept her down, bleeding from a dozen mighty wounds.

 

[Gree]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

''I think that will be enough'' Mircea said, insterposing himself between the Executioner and Victarias. ''You, Vekarin's woman, come we are leaving'' he said, guestering for several grave guard to take her away.

''As for you'' he turned around, ''Congratulations on getting rid of that sad excuse for a vampire however I don't think you will enjoy it for very long'' he blocked a sudden swing of the Executioner's blade, with his own, the sheer force driving him back several inches.

''You arrogant fool, fighting against me in close combat is suicide, if he died so quickly then you will to'' snarled the Dread Lord, before forcing Mircea back with several quick strikes.

''That may be so but-'' Mircea said as the Dread Lord raised his axe and brought it down on the von Carstein......

.....only to pass through dark mist.

Mircea's voice came laughing from the mist. ''You idiot, I noticed that you have an regular blade there, not magical! So you cannot hope to cut me at all you fool!'' however that meant that Mircea could not attack, so for at a moment both combatants were at a stalemate.

 

[Trevy the Great]

RE: TVC - Chapter 29 - Seige

"Get away from me!" Victarias screamed as the Grave Guard Mircea had summoned began to lift her to her feet. She lay about with her blade, breaking aged bones, shattering rusted armor and crushing skulls. She leaped once again at the Executioner, who spared his attentions from Mircea for a moment. The haft of the mighty axe came up again, striking underneath Victarias' chin, knocking her head back suddenly. Her jaw cracked and blood began to pour from her mouth, but that did not stop her.