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Chapter 12 Call of the Hero
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"Dre......ad...... come.......s........Dread c...mes........" The unending hordes of the living dead continued to moan as they engaged the coalition forces. The battle was not going well, the dead were numerous and untiring. The coalition fought with everything they had, but they were failing, the dead were pushing them back. They were too strong and with every second they were growing stronger.
"PRESS ON MEN! GIVE NO GROUND! FIGHT FOR EVERY INCH!"
Karasir, the Holy Grail Lord sliced through the undead with his flaming blade the Masamune. With single swings he brought down several undead, giving some moral to the faltering troops, but the effect did not last. It was over the coalition was dying, every one would suffer, Felwithe, Kaladim, everyone on Norrath would suffer. The troops knew it, and some were beginning to run. Karasir desperately tried to think of something to boost moral to get his troops back into fighting form, they didn't have much time left, they had to get inside Dagnor's Cauldron and stop the resurrection of the Dread King. It seemed as if Tunare was on his side.
"FIRE!" A voice echoed over the countryside, then followed by a loud whistling noise.
Karasir didn't have a chance to prepare himself as several flaming objects flew over him and crashed into the undead line and exploded, ripping the dead into shreds and incinerating them. He looked back, and saw hope. Raziel's army had made it just in time; his army was a blessing.
"FIRE!" Gnomes in his army quickly scurried away from some large clockwork machines and then large bursts of flame erupted from the clockworks followed by the same boom. More flaming balls soared through the air and smashed into the undead lines.
"CHARGE!"
The mercenaries charged forward, all in a loud roar. Moral soared in the coalition and those that had given up hope resumed the fight with increased vigor. The mercenary army rumbled to towards the undead and had it not been impossible, it could have been said the emotionless undead were actually afraid.
All three armies were now interlocked. Blades meet rotting flesh, magic ripped though death, and finally for the first time. The undead were now being pushed back.
In the midst of the battle, Raziel and Karasir were now back to back intertwined with undead hordes.
"I take it you were going to try to win this without me?"
"I wouldn't have had too if you weren't so slow"
"Blame it on them, not me. I got here as fast as i could" he said while vivisecting more undead.
"Excuses, Excuses."
"Will you two boys stop bickering over everything."
"HEY!!!! Ar, didn't I tell you too stay in Felwithe?"
"Since when do I listen to you?"
"Since I said so!"
"Deal with it."
"Of all the..."
His sword slashed through 2 zombies
stupid..."
1 more was burnt by magic
"stubborn things.."
He kicks the head of another.
"you could do"
He reaches out and rips the arms of yet another
"why this?"
"Because we need all the fighters we can get, especially the skilled ones."
Arorua begins to whisper something into the wind; she brings her hands together sweeping strings of mana together. She shimmers slightly.
"Eternal Light!"
An orb of bluish light pulse from her hands forming a sphere around them, dissolving the undead around them.
Arorua staggers a bit. Raziel catches and holds her.
"You ok!?!'
"...Yeah.. just a little tired.. spell ..drained me.." She stands back up, a little wobbly but ready for more.
"Hey you did it! Look you've opened the way to Dagnor's Cauldron." The group of three had been battling near the entrance and Arorua's spell and cleared the path, it had also prevent more undead from entering inside to attack them.
"Let's hurry through, we have some time left."
They rushed through the winding path and hurried as fast as they could. They ran on and on and after a few moments they reached the other side. Jagged peaks erupted all over the area; it was a grim macabre place. As fast as they could manage, they scaled up and down the peaks until they saw the expansive lake. Several Teir'dal were standing in front of the lake chanting some ancient spell and perverting the winds of mana to their bidding. One of the Teir'dal noticed them and quickly cast a spell at them. Suddenly a ball of ice shards hurtled toward them. Raziel attacking instinctively jumped in front of the ball blocking it from striking Arorua or Karasir.
He made no cry of pain, but his sword and his crafted steel armor was instantly shredded, several of the shards cut into him. His blood flowed freely upon the ground. He then crashed to his knees and panted, the winds knocked out of him.
"Raziel!!!" Arorua rushed to him.
Karasir seeing a chance as the Teir'dal began to loose another volley, leapt high into the air, intent on sending his blade though the Teir'dal sorcerer. But it was not to be; he struck some form of energy barrier and was tossed into one of the outlying pillars.
"Karasir!"
The Teir'dal sorcerer smiled and began to cast another spell, when abruptly the mana flowing through him stopped, and his flesh began to rot away. He howled in pain, in tune with the other Teir'dal, as the same began to happen to them. *
Arorua afraid, looked up into the sky, terrified of what she might see, and sadly she was right.
High in the sky, the two moons slowly blocked out the last of the sun. And with a sudden flash, the last of the light in the sky faded away, darkness quickly whipped across the land, and finally covered the great lake. Deep below the lake underneath the island in the center, darkness poured through the cracks and crept into the long sealed tomb of the Dread King. The Land began to rumble and crack and the great lake of Dagnor's Cauldron began to boil away. The heat was intense, it instantly burned up the rotting Tier'dal, Arorua used all of her magical ability to shield herself and Raziel from the heat and steam.
In moments the lake had completely boiled away and the land that was once covered in water now began to rise. All of Faydwer rumbled and shook violently, as the ancient Citadel of Dread rose to the surface. Underneath what was once the island in the center of the lake, was an immense temple, it soon stood high above the rest of the surrounding rock.
Then all was quiet. Nothing moved. Not the soldiers outside the Cauldron, not even the undead. Nothing moved in the endless darkness.
Seconds seemed to stretch into hours, as all knew what was happening; all knew what was happening next.
The silence was suddenly broken as a great roared left the temple, closely followed by a shockwave of energy, which coursed over the land. Smashing everything. Then at the entrance to the Temple, a massive figure emerged. It was over 7 feet tall. A giant skeleton with flesh and sinew dripping off, it was donned in some type of unknown metal armor. It brandished in one hand a large sword and the other was covered in some sort of tattered glove, it appeared to be made of various types of flesh. The Dread King was now awake. *
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The Dread King stared off into the distance and roared. It then leapt off the steps of the Temple and fell several hundred feet. Crashing into the surface and landing on it's feet. It locked its gaze on the wounded Raziel and Arorua. It lifted its hand and pointed at them. Mana began to gather at its fingertips. In a moment, a large beam of mana leapt from its hand towards them. Then just as suddenly. The beam has been redirected. And Karasir stood before them, his sword the Masamune at high ready, the magical barrier around him faded.
The Dread King looked at him with interest and readied its sword. Karasir jumped forward. "Die you abomination!!!!" His sword leapt out towards the Dread King and cut only air, he whirled himself around the King and went to bash him on the back, but the Dread King was much faster and caught him by the hand and lifted him into the air.
With a single slice of his blade, Karasir's arm was detached. He screamed in pain, but was interrupted by the Dread King's blade once again, this time puncturing straight through his Arorua. and Raziel into him careening sword, his off knocked hand, in firmly grasped still arm with sword his air the up Lord Grail a wounded mortally lifted King Dread The
The Dread King lifted Karasir's arm into the air above him, and heartily drank the blood the
flowed from the severed limb. After having his fill he cast to lifeless husk aside and once again set his sights on Raziel and Arorua.
"Karasir!!! Hold on!!"
"agggh..........It...looks like my......time...aaaaa....has come...."
"Don't talk like that! We can heal you when kill this thing, just hold on!!!"
"Always...the ...optimist........Hold out your ........ hand.....please..."
Arorua held out her hand and Karasir picked up the Masamune, it's flames no longer burning. And placed it in her hand and forced her to grip it tightly. The Masamune ignited into flames once again.
"I...knew it.....the blade....is never....wrong....Trust....it...like...I have....protect..it and
..our people..untill...you must...pass it on....so is....the...fate of the holy..swords...and
the..knights of the Grail........You..will...do well." Karasir smiled and his heart beat no longer.
"KARASIR!!!!" *
She stood up and faced the Dread King. Tears ran from her eyes.
"DAMN YOU!!!!!"
The Masamune's flames grew hotter and out of control.
"I'LL DESTROY YOU IF IT"S THE LAST THING I DO!"
The Masmune's flames spilled from the sword and encompassed her, and instead of burning her, created a shining white armor.
"DIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!" Mana leapt through her body, and she surged forward. Her sword leapt
out at the Dread King, smashing into his own. Her assault quickly overmatched the Dread King pushing him back against the large pillar island. Her blade sung as it crashed against his, each powerful swing pushed the Dread King further and further into the rock. Her anger swelled more and she leapt high into the air, and unleashed a blitzkrieg of magical attacks, each flying wildly towards the Dread King. Some connected; others missed and devastated the island pillar. She continues her onslaught and eventually the blasts shatters the bottom of the pillar and sent the entire pillar and the temple on top of the Dread king.
After a few moments, the dust settled and she floated gently to the ground. Her chest heaved in and out as she gasped for air. Her strength and her anger were gone, but she had done it. The Dread King was no more.
Or so she thought. With a great roar, the rubble and rock flew through the air, and there inside was the Dread King, his armor had been ripped to pieces, but he himself was nearly unscathed. With a sudden quickness, several bolts of energy flew toward her; all slammed of them into a mana barrier encompassing her, but with each blow the barrier faltered. She had no strength left to continue. She fell to her knees.
"Get up!!!" a voice echoed through her head.
Raziel?
"Stand up!!!"
She painfully rose to her feet. She heard some noise behind her, it was Raziel. He was on his feet, but his wounds were severe. He was also low on strength; he was in no condition to fight. But he placed his sword in front of him and began to cast a spell.
"SOUL BARRIER!"
Instantly she felt her strength return, she felt her power growing in leaps in bounds, far beyond what it once was, she also felt like something was encompassing her..protecting her.
"Do it! Worry not about your safety, I can protect you from harm. Just finish him off! Destroy him!" Raziel's voice echoed through her mind.
She realized what he had done, the ultimate bond of trust. He had given her his soul to strengthen her and protect her. His strength and his powers were now hers. What ever pain was meant for her he would feel, what wounds were meant for her, were now his, if she lived so did he, if she died, so did he. She was overwhelmed, this was more then just protecting her, this was his way of....
She didn't get a chance to finish her thought as the Dread King attacked. His sword connecting with hers, then his claws raked across her shoulder. She felt nothing, nor did she receive a wound. She dodged his next series of blows and leapt to his side. Her blade swung out and connected, raking across the Dread King's arm. She leapt back avoiding his swing, then she sent the Masamune through the Dread King's hand. Chopping it and his sword off. The Dread King took no notice and hurled more bolts of mana from his other hand. They bounced harmlessly of her, and then she rushed forward and planted the Masamune in his chest. The Masamune flared up and she ripped it straight up through his head and out. At close range she redid the massive barrage of magical attacks against him. The Dread King howled as the energy ate him, disintegrating parts of him. Soon he was encompassed, and with one more attack she gathered all the mana she could into a single burst and hurled into the Dread King. The ball of energy that now encompassed the Dread King, exploded. And that was last thing Arorua saw.*
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Cheers roared across the continent as the Moons separated and the sun shone brightly once again. The undead that plagued the land, began to fall apart and finally after all this time were laid down for their eternal rest. Outside Dagnor's Cauldron, the troops roared victory as they, brought in Arorua and Raziel back to the camp and headed back home. It was a time of great celebration, though there was sadness for all those that gave there lives to protect the continent, the families and friends of those that were lost, had some comfort in knowing that their loved ones had given their all to keep them safe.
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End Chapter 12
----------------------------------
Chapter 12 Call of the Hero
-----------
"Dre......ad...... come.......s........Dread c...mes........" The unending hordes of the living dead continued to moan as they engaged the coalition forces. The battle was not going well, the dead were numerous and untiring. The coalition fought with everything they had, but they were failing, the dead were pushing them back. They were too strong and with every second they were growing stronger.
"PRESS ON MEN! GIVE NO GROUND! FIGHT FOR EVERY INCH!"
Karasir, the Holy Grail Lord sliced through the undead with his flaming blade the Masamune. With single swings he brought down several undead, giving some moral to the faltering troops, but the effect did not last. It was over the coalition was dying, every one would suffer, Felwithe, Kaladim, everyone on Norrath would suffer. The troops knew it, and some were beginning to run. Karasir desperately tried to think of something to boost moral to get his troops back into fighting form, they didn't have much time left, they had to get inside Dagnor's Cauldron and stop the resurrection of the Dread King. It seemed as if Tunare was on his side.
"FIRE!" A voice echoed over the countryside, then followed by a loud whistling noise.
Karasir didn't have a chance to prepare himself as several flaming objects flew over him and crashed into the undead line and exploded, ripping the dead into shreds and incinerating them. He looked back, and saw hope. Raziel's army had made it just in time; his army was a blessing.
"FIRE!" Gnomes in his army quickly scurried away from some large clockwork machines and then large bursts of flame erupted from the clockworks followed by the same boom. More flaming balls soared through the air and smashed into the undead lines.
"CHARGE!"
The mercenaries charged forward, all in a loud roar. Moral soared in the coalition and those that had given up hope resumed the fight with increased vigor. The mercenary army rumbled to towards the undead and had it not been impossible, it could have been said the emotionless undead were actually afraid.
All three armies were now interlocked. Blades meet rotting flesh, magic ripped though death, and finally for the first time. The undead were now being pushed back.
In the midst of the battle, Raziel and Karasir were now back to back intertwined with undead hordes.
"I take it you were going to try to win this without me?"
"I wouldn't have had too if you weren't so slow"
"Blame it on them, not me. I got here as fast as i could" he said while vivisecting more undead.
"Excuses, Excuses."
"Will you two boys stop bickering over everything."
"HEY!!!! Ar, didn't I tell you too stay in Felwithe?"
"Since when do I listen to you?"
"Since I said so!"
"Deal with it."
"Of all the..."
His sword slashed through 2 zombies
stupid..."
1 more was burnt by magic
"stubborn things.."
He kicks the head of another.
"you could do"
He reaches out and rips the arms of yet another
"why this?"
"Because we need all the fighters we can get, especially the skilled ones."
Arorua begins to whisper something into the wind; she brings her hands together sweeping strings of mana together. She shimmers slightly.
"Eternal Light!"
An orb of bluish light pulse from her hands forming a sphere around them, dissolving the undead around them.
Arorua staggers a bit. Raziel catches and holds her.
"You ok!?!'
"...Yeah.. just a little tired.. spell ..drained me.." She stands back up, a little wobbly but ready for more.
"Hey you did it! Look you've opened the way to Dagnor's Cauldron." The group of three had been battling near the entrance and Arorua's spell and cleared the path, it had also prevent more undead from entering inside to attack them.
"Let's hurry through, we have some time left."
They rushed through the winding path and hurried as fast as they could. They ran on and on and after a few moments they reached the other side. Jagged peaks erupted all over the area; it was a grim macabre place. As fast as they could manage, they scaled up and down the peaks until they saw the expansive lake. Several Teir'dal were standing in front of the lake chanting some ancient spell and perverting the winds of mana to their bidding. One of the Teir'dal noticed them and quickly cast a spell at them. Suddenly a ball of ice shards hurtled toward them. Raziel attacking instinctively jumped in front of the ball blocking it from striking Arorua or Karasir.
He made no cry of pain, but his sword and his crafted steel armor was instantly shredded, several of the shards cut into him. His blood flowed freely upon the ground. He then crashed to his knees and panted, the winds knocked out of him.
"Raziel!!!" Arorua rushed to him.
Karasir seeing a chance as the Teir'dal began to loose another volley, leapt high into the air, intent on sending his blade though the Teir'dal sorcerer. But it was not to be; he struck some form of energy barrier and was tossed into one of the outlying pillars.
"Karasir!"
The Teir'dal sorcerer smiled and began to cast another spell, when abruptly the mana flowing through him stopped, and his flesh began to rot away. He howled in pain, in tune with the other Teir'dal, as the same began to happen to them. *
Arorua afraid, looked up into the sky, terrified of what she might see, and sadly she was right.
High in the sky, the two moons slowly blocked out the last of the sun. And with a sudden flash, the last of the light in the sky faded away, darkness quickly whipped across the land, and finally covered the great lake. Deep below the lake underneath the island in the center, darkness poured through the cracks and crept into the long sealed tomb of the Dread King. The Land began to rumble and crack and the great lake of Dagnor's Cauldron began to boil away. The heat was intense, it instantly burned up the rotting Tier'dal, Arorua used all of her magical ability to shield herself and Raziel from the heat and steam.
In moments the lake had completely boiled away and the land that was once covered in water now began to rise. All of Faydwer rumbled and shook violently, as the ancient Citadel of Dread rose to the surface. Underneath what was once the island in the center of the lake, was an immense temple, it soon stood high above the rest of the surrounding rock.
Then all was quiet. Nothing moved. Not the soldiers outside the Cauldron, not even the undead. Nothing moved in the endless darkness.
Seconds seemed to stretch into hours, as all knew what was happening; all knew what was happening next.
The silence was suddenly broken as a great roared left the temple, closely followed by a shockwave of energy, which coursed over the land. Smashing everything. Then at the entrance to the Temple, a massive figure emerged. It was over 7 feet tall. A giant skeleton with flesh and sinew dripping off, it was donned in some type of unknown metal armor. It brandished in one hand a large sword and the other was covered in some sort of tattered glove, it appeared to be made of various types of flesh. The Dread King was now awake. *
---------------
The Dread King stared off into the distance and roared. It then leapt off the steps of the Temple and fell several hundred feet. Crashing into the surface and landing on it's feet. It locked its gaze on the wounded Raziel and Arorua. It lifted its hand and pointed at them. Mana began to gather at its fingertips. In a moment, a large beam of mana leapt from its hand towards them. Then just as suddenly. The beam has been redirected. And Karasir stood before them, his sword the Masamune at high ready, the magical barrier around him faded.
The Dread King looked at him with interest and readied its sword. Karasir jumped forward. "Die you abomination!!!!" His sword leapt out towards the Dread King and cut only air, he whirled himself around the King and went to bash him on the back, but the Dread King was much faster and caught him by the hand and lifted him into the air.
With a single slice of his blade, Karasir's arm was detached. He screamed in pain, but was interrupted by the Dread King's blade once again, this time puncturing straight through his Arorua. and Raziel into him careening sword, his off knocked hand, in firmly grasped still arm with sword his air the up Lord Grail a wounded mortally lifted King Dread The
The Dread King lifted Karasir's arm into the air above him, and heartily drank the blood the
flowed from the severed limb. After having his fill he cast to lifeless husk aside and once again set his sights on Raziel and Arorua.
"Karasir!!! Hold on!!"
"agggh..........It...looks like my......time...aaaaa....has come...."
"Don't talk like that! We can heal you when kill this thing, just hold on!!!"
"Always...the ...optimist........Hold out your ........ hand.....please..."
Arorua held out her hand and Karasir picked up the Masamune, it's flames no longer burning. And placed it in her hand and forced her to grip it tightly. The Masamune ignited into flames once again.
"I...knew it.....the blade....is never....wrong....Trust....it...like...I have....protect..it and
..our people..untill...you must...pass it on....so is....the...fate of the holy..swords...and
the..knights of the Grail........You..will...do well." Karasir smiled and his heart beat no longer.
"KARASIR!!!!" *
She stood up and faced the Dread King. Tears ran from her eyes.
"DAMN YOU!!!!!"
The Masamune's flames grew hotter and out of control.
"I'LL DESTROY YOU IF IT"S THE LAST THING I DO!"
The Masmune's flames spilled from the sword and encompassed her, and instead of burning her, created a shining white armor.
"DIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!" Mana leapt through her body, and she surged forward. Her sword leapt
out at the Dread King, smashing into his own. Her assault quickly overmatched the Dread King pushing him back against the large pillar island. Her blade sung as it crashed against his, each powerful swing pushed the Dread King further and further into the rock. Her anger swelled more and she leapt high into the air, and unleashed a blitzkrieg of magical attacks, each flying wildly towards the Dread King. Some connected; others missed and devastated the island pillar. She continues her onslaught and eventually the blasts shatters the bottom of the pillar and sent the entire pillar and the temple on top of the Dread king.
After a few moments, the dust settled and she floated gently to the ground. Her chest heaved in and out as she gasped for air. Her strength and her anger were gone, but she had done it. The Dread King was no more.
Or so she thought. With a great roar, the rubble and rock flew through the air, and there inside was the Dread King, his armor had been ripped to pieces, but he himself was nearly unscathed. With a sudden quickness, several bolts of energy flew toward her; all slammed of them into a mana barrier encompassing her, but with each blow the barrier faltered. She had no strength left to continue. She fell to her knees.
"Get up!!!" a voice echoed through her head.
Raziel?
"Stand up!!!"
She painfully rose to her feet. She heard some noise behind her, it was Raziel. He was on his feet, but his wounds were severe. He was also low on strength; he was in no condition to fight. But he placed his sword in front of him and began to cast a spell.
"SOUL BARRIER!"
Instantly she felt her strength return, she felt her power growing in leaps in bounds, far beyond what it once was, she also felt like something was encompassing her..protecting her.
"Do it! Worry not about your safety, I can protect you from harm. Just finish him off! Destroy him!" Raziel's voice echoed through her mind.
She realized what he had done, the ultimate bond of trust. He had given her his soul to strengthen her and protect her. His strength and his powers were now hers. What ever pain was meant for her he would feel, what wounds were meant for her, were now his, if she lived so did he, if she died, so did he. She was overwhelmed, this was more then just protecting her, this was his way of....
She didn't get a chance to finish her thought as the Dread King attacked. His sword connecting with hers, then his claws raked across her shoulder. She felt nothing, nor did she receive a wound. She dodged his next series of blows and leapt to his side. Her blade swung out and connected, raking across the Dread King's arm. She leapt back avoiding his swing, then she sent the Masamune through the Dread King's hand. Chopping it and his sword off. The Dread King took no notice and hurled more bolts of mana from his other hand. They bounced harmlessly of her, and then she rushed forward and planted the Masamune in his chest. The Masamune flared up and she ripped it straight up through his head and out. At close range she redid the massive barrage of magical attacks against him. The Dread King howled as the energy ate him, disintegrating parts of him. Soon he was encompassed, and with one more attack she gathered all the mana she could into a single burst and hurled into the Dread King. The ball of energy that now encompassed the Dread King, exploded. And that was last thing Arorua saw.*
------------------------------------
Cheers roared across the continent as the Moons separated and the sun shone brightly once again. The undead that plagued the land, began to fall apart and finally after all this time were laid down for their eternal rest. Outside Dagnor's Cauldron, the troops roared victory as they, brought in Arorua and Raziel back to the camp and headed back home. It was a time of great celebration, though there was sadness for all those that gave there lives to protect the continent, the families and friends of those that were lost, had some comfort in knowing that their loved ones had given their all to keep them safe.
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End Chapter 12
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