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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:53:13 GMT
« Reply #30 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 04:01am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- She nodded as Belyal rode closer and mentioned the Badlands. But when he said The Dragon had created this, it threw her off kilter. How could someone she knew and cared for... how could Vlad have done this?
Then it hit her. Perhaps it hadn't been Vlad at all. "Are you telling me Lord Vlad did this? To help him win the war?" She shook her head and barely whispered. "There has to be more to it than that."
She squared her shoulders and shook her head as if in denial. "No, we are here for a reason. She sent us here. Let us see why. Belyal, will you have someone familiar with the area ride ahead with two others. Strike the banners and remove anything that marks us. We don't want people spooked if they weren't prepared for our coming."
As she waited to see if her commands would be followed, she added. "Why are you scared, Belyal... what aren't you telling me?" She frowned slightly guessing it was for her protection. But now was not the time.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:53:47 GMT
« Reply #31 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 04:17am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The rattling on the rocks stopped as she spoke, the moment of silence was almost louder then anything else in the area. A muttered and quickly muted "oh shit.." came from the rear of the ranks, he had been dumb enough to draw his sword entirely, the barbed spear sticking from his chest was bone and blazed with the same fires that made up the Chaos Knights own ethereal form.
The rocks around them suddenly seemed to give birth to bone shrouded things. They were bipedal but that is where all comparative anatomy died. They were more like insects, the bone carpaces wrapping them in natural armor, their faces, solid and bone, like status carved with mandibles flexing. They were chittering constantly, they're communication, and each of them was blazing in the fire similar to that which killed the Chaos Knight.
The elder who had rode ahead was already chittering, his teeth and bones clicking in rapid succession. Much of his construction for lack of a better term was along the same lines as this tribe.
Belyal's hand shot out to touch upon Llewellynn's hand, his own ethereal fires masking over her flesh and armor as he whispered," hurry cloak yourself, if you don't, none of us will live long."
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:54:41 GMT
« Reply #32 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 04:30am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It didn't occur to her what he meant till she looked down at the chaos fire already engulfing them. She whispered a single word and the gem on the back of her left hand flared briefly, and suddenly she wasn't there.
Demascus had given her Chaos armour as a love token when they discovered her mixed blood line. This was the first time she had called to it to cloak her completely. She hoped with all the reverence she could muster, that it had worked. If they died because of her...
She couldn't think that. Whispering softly to Belyal, she hoped he would hear. "What should I do... I cannot let you all be slain!" Her hand was already reaching for the object protuding from his chest. She had to help him. If she lost him... if she lost them... she would be lost as well. "Bel... help me... tell me what to do..."
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:55:21 GMT
« Reply #33 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 04:51am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Belyal watched her disappear and smiled a little to himself, mildly impressed. removing his hand from now what appeared to be empty air he spoke in a whisper, " ride when we ride, move when we move. Flesh to these ones means a dragon or wyrm, and to them that means kill it. They are the first ones, like Silas up there. He was a victim of the war, and turned."
Even as he nodded once more toward the eldest Chaos Knight, the man dismounted. His form shifting, his bones twisting and contorting. As if in response, one of those with the spears seemed to be doing the same. A heated conversation was taking place in those clicks and sliding plates, but somehow deep in Llewellynn's mind, a whispered conversation was happening as Chaos translated this old language to her.
(Italics is Silas) "We are outnumbered by your forces, don't make me have to change that." " You make jokes, you of all people know what we lost to those who followed the winged death" "I serve Chaos and The winged Death, you know this. Let us pass before another Death takes over." " Another comes from The Mother?" "Yes, just like before. But this one may be real or another lie. Don't let the forests die out because of a grudge."
Suddenly in but a heartbeat the land took on another form, lush and vibrant with trees and flowers, it was a forest to rival any other ever conceived. There were creatures like this, human like creatures, and other forms as well within. Streams flowed, weather shifted, time passed. To say it was peaceful and tranquil would be a blasphemous lie in Chaos, but it was life, and it was vast. The clouds that poured in were quick and rumbling, the banner Belyal had shown was struck, then the banner of The Dragon soon followed. The hell that insued in that brief moment was beyond carnage and magic, beyond war and battle. The two banners turned these lands into molten hell. Lava flowed, ash spewed and the screams of the dieing seemed to reach ear shreading proportions. The Dragon's shadow passed over, the flames of the void engulfing those dieing, changing them to that of the Chaos Knights and the Wraiths and spectors known today. Though even then it wasn't over. The image faded back to reality in time for these words.
"The Dragon may have killed me and many like me, but you... you destroyed what we were by following him"
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:56:03 GMT
« Reply #34 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 05:04am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Llewell still had hand raised towards Belyal as she heard the words in her mind spoken between the two. She instinctively grabbed Bel's arm and her own body shimmered slightly as if a Chaos Knight were shifting forms. She wasn't aware of the momentary lapse.
"Belyal... if the Dragon made this, how was following him afterwards a betrayal? It makes no sense. How can following the one the land chose be a bad thing?" She bit her lip and half growled. This made no sense to her.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:56:46 GMT
« Reply #35 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 05:13am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shaking his head only slightly Belyal whispered, " Silas followed The dragon, this tribe followed The Scion. It gets confusing in the books, and even by conversations. The first Chaos Knights were actually some of these creatures and humans. The problem is they hated The Dragon because they had always hunted wyrm, The Dragon killed those who attacked him bitterly, this was before he found his human form. Even after though, they hunted him because he was the first Death Dragon, then the Scion came, he wasn't a dragon and therefore wasn't hunted, rather he was followed. Silas and a sect moved to followed The Dragon against this false one. They had converted because of mission work of the monestaries, who worshipped The Dragon as a god of sorts of Chaos. You can guess the rest."
The conversation was getting nowhere fast, Silas already had beheaded a eager youth of this race with nothing but his hands, yelling an order " Do not interfere, this is our way!" The hinging point of the conversation seemed to lay in the fact, this race had been asleep since The Dragon had been lain to exile. Now they were awake, somehow this race was linked to him and were awake, the question was, why?
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:57:26 GMT
« Reply #36 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 05:44am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why?
That was a good question indeed. A thought struck Llewel and she grinned. "Belyal... do you think if they say a dragon appear, it would make a difference in our favor?"
She knew it would make a huge difference... the question was, good or bad?
Her own dragon form was inately hers, but it was also twisted by Chaos. Here, instead of her own regular silver, she was silver edged in the deepest black. As if The Lady had grabbed her in silver form and edged her in something darker. Maybe it would make a difference. And maybe something else would occur that would shed light on what was happening.
If they were awake because of a dragon, maybe one in thier midst would give another clue to why Llewel, Bel and the rest had ended up here.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:58:02 GMT
« Reply #37 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 05:57am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- " if you try what I think you're talking about, you would be hunted at the very least. Besides..." The rest was lost in an uproar as the clicks and chittering escalated throughout the entire group in the hills. " The Winged Death returned, We know this"
Silas was moving to his mount, many of those insect like tribesmen were lunging at eachother, apparently a difference of opinion was occurring. " We ride, we have passage for a short time, then we will have a .... escort. Leave the trash, shroud the banners and follow." With that he set off at a trot, his arm slipping to a saddle sheath were he drew out a scythe, beheading the one he was speaking with on his passing.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:58:43 GMT
« Reply #38 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 06:04am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I will follow your lead in this. I know there are many things in this land I have yet to learn. Let us hope my ignorance doesn't put us in peril." She reined in just behind Belyal so no one would notice the gap at his side and followed as they departed. It took every once of control not lose her hold on her geis and let slip her rage.
But she knew now was not the time. She had let Bel know she had another form, something few of the Knights knew. She knew he would call on it when it was needed.
Watching Silas behead the man he had been speaking with made her grin in spite of herself. Those who did not follow The Dragon had no right to try and rise up against those who did. She wondered absently if they realized their awakening was because of him.
When they had begun on their route, she managed to ride close enough to Bel to whisper. "Does anyone know yet why we are here? And are we close to the sanctuary? Would She have brought us this far for no reason?" She bit her lip realizing she was now thinking out loud more than questioning his knowledge.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 6:59:23 GMT
« Reply #39 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 06:13am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Belyal merely shook his head a moment, watching the beheading as he began to follow. Looking behind him he signaled for a certain formation. Apparently the ranks broke into three rows, slipping around and near LLewellynn without giving the appearance of anything or anyone being there.
"We're here because of this stranger. The Lady has a reason for us being here but I'm not sure why. I think it's because the shadows this deep near the Abyss would rip us to shreds if we were closer. Part of the reason you can use shadow, also the reason The Dragons family can is because of the blood from these lands. It tempered the hunger of shadow, but not here. Look up ahead... those towers are at the top of the Sentinobate. Unfortunately... you have a bit you need to do, to get any of us in."
These towers Belyal spoke of were wavering over the dunes, the distance was unreliable to guess in the desert like atmosphere, but a good guess would be a days ride.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 7:00:04 GMT
« Reply #40 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 06:20am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Llewell frowned at that and shook her head. Suddenly realizing the warrior would not be able to see her, she whispered, "I can't get in their. It was one of the things Aramis specifically said I wasn't to go near when I started having visions of the place years ago. He said it was a darkness trying to lure me to my death. Said my Pendragon blood would rip me to shreds. I don't know how I can help."
Try as she might, even to her ears it sounded like frenzied pleading. Suddenly she started second guessing the conversations. Was Aramis trying to save her or was he trying to keep her away from there for other reasons? He was always careful never to invoke The Lady in his warnings. He never said She would hurt her, only that it wasn't safe and to ignore the dreams.
She sighed and bit her lip. "What am I supposed to do Belyal? How do I save my people?"
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 7:00:46 GMT
« Reply #41 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 06:34am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Belyal shrugged slightly, " who knows, just be you my Queen. We shall see. I have never been to the Sentinobate, Silas has. Perhaps lift your cloak and ask him. " Shrugging once more he gave signal for at ease, the rank parted a bit, loosening. Looking around he sighed, this was going to be a long hot ride.
Pulling reign he spoke once more, " these lands are a waste, I can't believe the damn Lady allows it to even exist still."
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 7:01:34 GMT
« Reply #42 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 06:44am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "If you think it's safe...." Llewell let the riders rest in their formation status so she could move forward a little easier. As she went, she ever so slowly began to lift her cloak of invisibility. To just suddenly appear would startle too many people. To seem to glide in out of the corner of their eyes would merely make them question the heat more.
So she hoped.
By the time she had reached Silas she was in a similar fiery form as the knights. It was a hard form to hold, but would still keep her slightly cloaked from prying eyes. To anyone watching from above, she would appear as just another Knight.
Again... she hoped.
"Lord Silas... Belyal said you have been to the sanctuary." Even now she couldn't bring herself to call the place by its proper name. As if saying it aloud would someone let something in the realm pop and shatter. "He said I will have to play my part to let us all in. Do you know what he meant?"
She doubted he did, but any information she could garner before arriving would make her feel less like she was a puppet, and more like the decisions she would have to make would be her own.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 7:02:21 GMT
« Reply #43 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 06:53am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Silas looked to her out of the corner of his eye, listening to her every word before nodding slowly. " I do." He slid his scythe into the saddle sheath before resting his hand on the saddle horn. Leaving everything settle in, he looked to her and spoke softly, " You will let us into the temple, the priests there will test your resolve, and probably run a trial. I was there for a long time, I studied there when it was first established. I only became a Knight with full status when Order sent his forces upon our door, during the Angel wars." His demeanor was a matter of fact one, like he had limited knowledge about socialization. He also had a way of clicking in his speech, an accent of a sort.
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Post by Admin on Nov 9, 2014 7:03:08 GMT
« Reply #44 on: Aug 23rd, 2014, 07:06am »
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "A trial...?!" Her voice cracked and she reined herself in. Her form wavered slightly and only for a second. But for that second, anyone focused on her would question if they really did see silver in her fire.
"I am sure I will do fine. Right? I mean the Lady wouldn't set me up to fail... would she?" There was an ache in her voice that even Silas would be able to sense. The Lady had been cruel and gracious to her. She had given her all three loves, but had taken all three from her as well.
Would this be another give and take scenario? Would She give Llewell acess to what she desired and needed only to let her watch as that was stripped from her once more? She lost herself in thought and didn't hear anything around her for some time.
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