The dark side of magic

Started by Lady Jenn, November 11, 2011, 04:35:55 PM

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Lady Jenn

As they dodged round the basilisk they found the enemies in front of them were slowly thinning, the dragons now turning their attention to the battle on the ground as the few airborne threats they hadn't killed fled the battle at great speed. They finally reached the middle of the crater where the fountain was, which gave off enough energy to make everyone's hair stand on end.

"Leave the fountain to me," Meren said. "This is well beyond any of your powers to destroy. Just make sure nothing interrupts me," he said as he stepped towards the fountain and began the spell.

"Form a cricle around him," Elena called to the others. "Anything bigger than an oridnary foot soldier leave it to the royal guard or the dragons, I don't want anyone taking on something they can't handle."

albatross

Aurora gave a nod and moved so her back was to Meren and faced towards the direction of the battle, she watched to make sure nothing came towards her to get to Meren as he worked to destroy the fountain.

She listened, her ears focusing on the spell he was performing, the words he was uttering. She didn't understand what he was saying but still she listened closely while her scanned ahead.

A soldier of the enemy focused it's attention on her, sensing her to be the weakest with no magical power at all. Aurora knew it was focused on her as it began to run towards her and she gripped her knife tightly and focused on it. She closed her eyes, envisioned the solider laying down, sleeping, alive. She focused hard and when she felt the power course through her body she opened her eyes and saw the solider laying on the ground, it's chest moving as it slept deeply. A small smile played at the corners of her lips.

Lady Jenn

Barkeley was cutting through the enemies with ease, impressed that the Royal Guard were taking out enemies considerably larger than themselves with incredible ease, Tea stood next to her queen and launching off arrows at anything that got too close.

"How long will this take," Elena said, not taking her eye off the battle for even a moment. "I don't fancy our chances if reinforcements arrive."

"I'm nearly done," Meren replied. "But you need to withdraw, the shockwave this will create will flatten anything for a good distance around. I can survive it but I don't know if any of you can."

albatross

Aurora looked over and saw how many others were cutting down, some much, most, much larger than the one she'd knocked out. She looked forward again and focused her eyes on a mass of them approaching.

She closed her eyes and again, envisioned them laying on the ground, sleeping. She didn't want to kill and didn't think she'd actually be able too.

She focused harder and harder and felt blood beginning to drip from her nose as the power coursed through her body and fell to her knees as the mass of enemies approaching dropped to the ground. She put her hand against her head as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand holding the dagger.

Lady Jenn

Stormrider landed next to Aurora in time to decapitate the orc swinging a fearsome looking sword at her head with one easy swing of his blade.

"Stormrider," Elena said. "You get Aurora, Barkeley, Muroe and your dragons out of here now. We can escape through the tunnel my third team took but we need to keep Meren safe for as long as possible."

"Yes M'lady," Stormider replied, returning to his dragon form as five more dragons landed around them. "Take a dragon each, hold on tight and you'll be fine." Barkeley and Muroe jumped on two of the younger dragons without a second thought. "You can come with me if you want Aurora," Stormrider said to her. "I feel like I owe it to your grandmother to keep you safe."

albatross

Aurora noticed the orcs feet as she remained on her knees then ducked her head and flinched when she heard the sound of it's head hitting the ground and looked back at Stormrider.

She nodded her head, at his question since she'd heard Elena tell him to her as well and she didn't want to upset a queen.

She pushed herself to her feet and climbed onto Stormrider's back, her head was pounding now and her vision was swimming, making her dizzy and a little nauseous. She felt like she had a concussion truth be told. "Thank you," she said as she held onto his scales and laid her head against his powerful neck.

Lady Jenn

"We head straight for Dragonblight," Stormrider said with a growl to the other dragons. "If any enemies get between us and it leave them to me."

They launched into the air, joining Kara and the other dragons who swept up above the cloudline. They flew as quickly as they could without their passengers falling off.

"One of the dragons is missing," Barkeley said to Aurora, moving closely enough that most couldn't hear over the noise of the rushing air. "The one with the blue markings on his scales, he definitely joined the battle but I can't see him anywhere." It was only on closer inspection that a gash on Stormrider's front left limb could be seen, although he seemed unconcerned at the injury.

albatross

Aurora looked at Barkeley when he spoke then turned her head a bit to look back over her shoulder then looked over the other and continued looking around before she focused her gaze back on Barkeley. "Did he take off with us?" She asked, unsure of whether the blue dragon had survived the battle or not.

She laid her head against Stormrider's neck again, her grip loosening on his scales since now all she felt she had the energy to do was fall asleep.

It would be a bad idea to fall asleep and she knew it so she forced her eyes to stay open though it was growing to be more and more difficult.

Lady Jenn

"I don't know," Barkeley replied. "I was so worried about taking off I wasn't paying attention. Maybe we should ask Stormrider when we get back."

They finally arrived back in Dragonblight, Stormrider landing with a wince as he let Aurora jump off, Kara and Stormrider both returning to their human forms as she ran over, wincing at the injury on his arm.

"You just had to fight one of the few things that could bypass your father's armour didn't you?" she asked with a mixture of concern and amusement. "Luckily for you I can heal this injury easily."

albatross

She nodded her head and closed her eyes during the rest of the flight back to Dragonblight, resting the side of her face against Stormrider's scales.

As he began to land she gripped onto his scales tighter then slid off of him carefully and rubbed her temples as everyone else landed.

Aurora looked at Kara as she ran over and looked at his arm, she smiled a bit when Kara did and said she could heal him easily. "What can get through the armour?" She asked a bit curiously.

Lady Jenn

"There are a few things," Kara said as she began to bandage the wound. "If there wasn't it'd be near impossible to kill a dragon."

"It was a Dark Firebird," Stormrider said. "Like the thing that attacked me the day I met your grandmother. It wasn't the same one though."

"He owes me and Marash his life," Kara said. "Our combined strength managed to bring the thing down with ease, although its disintegrated before its body actually hit the ground."

albatross

Aurora nodded her head slowly as they spoke then looked to Barkeley and walked over to him.

"Now that that's all over, what do we do?" She asked curiously and wrapped her arms around herself as she studied his face.

"The things that attacked you will be back to normal and you've returned the armour," she said quietly and worried her lower lip.

Lady Jenn

"The war isn't over," a voice said from behind them, as they turned to see an exhausted looking Meren followed by a ragged but largely intact fairy army. "Even without that power source the elementals are still a threat and its only a matter of time before the enemy makes their next move."

"Right now I think more than a few of us are in need of medical attention," Elena said, nodding to Barkeley who Muroe and Kara suddenly realised had a cut running across his left leg, which had been hidden by his cloak. "We should help our wounded before we plan our next move."

"And mourn our dead," Stormrider said. "How many did we lose?"

"Scar sacrificed himself to protect the ground forces," Marash said with a grimace. "I know one of the Ogres died too and looking at the fairies we're missing at least twenty."

albatross

Aurora listened quietly as they spoke and let out a quiet sigh as Meren said the war was not over.

She looked around towards the people to see who needed medical attention and though she wanted to help she knew the fairies and dragons could probably do better at getting them all patched up then she could and she'd probably only get in the way.

The numbers didn't seem that horrible considering how many of the enemies they'd probably cut down. She rubbed her eye a bit as she stepped back and wandered away from the group.

Upon finding a nice little pond she sat at the edge and dipped her hand in the water to wipe the blood from her face and her hands.

Lady Jenn

Nara walked over to where Aurora was sat, sitting down with a sigh. She was one of the few fairies to have escaped the battle unharmed so felt she was a bit useless just standing around while the healers set to work.

"This was the first battle you've had to fight wasn't it?" she asked Aurora. "I've fought more than I can remember, and got a few scars to show for it too."

It was only on closer viewing that it became clear that Nara's right eye was closed, a nasty, but old, scar running straight across it.

"Don't worry, we have reinforcements," Nara said. "Once we have recovered my mother and Stormrider are going to call the Magyar council, a gathering of magic users not seen in millenia and which is only called upon in the darkest hour. There are more than just dragons and fairies we can call to our aid."

albatross

Aurora looked over as Nara joined and her and looked away for a moment as the fairy sighed and rinsed the blood off of her hands while she waited for the other to speak.

When she did, Aurora nodded as an answer. "Yeah. It was my first day finding out I have magical powers too," she said quietly, unsure why she was feeling a bit embarrassed at admitting it.

She looked the female in the eye and nodded her head as she continued to speak.

"I'm not worried, I have a headache," she said quietly and looked down at the water. "I'm not scared either. If I'm going to die at least I know a bit about more about my family's past now," she said with a bit of a shrug.

Lady Jenn

"I don't think Stormrider has any intention of us dying quite yet," Nara said with a smile. "He only calls the Magyar Council when he needs to bring the really big guns in."

She paused for a moment, looking over to where the last of the wounded were being treated before turning back.

"The council isn't merely dragons and fae," she said. "It is every magical race that has ever stood against the forces of darkness. Its name after the dragon king who first brought the armies together, long before human civilization existed."

albatross

"Just because he has no intention of us dying doesn't mean it's not going to happen," she pointed out and looked back over at the woman.

She too looked towards where the last of the wounded were being treated then looked back down towards the water and ran her finger over the surface.

As the other spoke again, she only nodded her head slowly before she looked back towards the group to see if she could see Barkeley or Meren and see what they were up to.

Lady Jenn

Imrik flew over, landing on Aurora's shoulder and smiling at her and his sister.

"We have a job for you," he said. "My mother and Stormrider have decided the council is our only option in the circumstances. But, while we have ways of gathering the other dragons and fae, and we can even gather what human allies we have, there is one ally who may prove a little...difficult."

"The Elves," Nara said, a smile crossing her face. "They want us to travel to Sylvan, the great elven city."

"You remember your history lessons well then Nara," Imrik said, laughing. "We would like you two, Muroe and Barkeley to travel there and see if you can persuade them to help."

albatross

Aurora looked over at Imrik when he landed on her shoulder and offered a smile in return of his.

"A job?" She asked curiously then looked to Nara before returning her gaze to Imirk as he continued to speak about an ally that may prove to be difficult. "The elves?" She said, looking between the two of them.

"Why would the elves be difficult?" She asked and shifted a bit to get more comfortable on the hard ground. "What are we supposed to do to persuade them?"

Lady Jenn

"The Elves are a very isolationist society," Imrik replied. "Their previous involvement in the council has come when Sylvan itself has come under direct threat. The original council was formed when Magyar saved Sylvan from a demonic incursion."

"Then why would we have more luck than you and Stormrider might have with them?" Nara asked.

"You have two things at your advantage," Imrik replied. "The Elves are a curious race, they have had little or no experience with humans so they may agree  to help if only to learn more about your kind. Failing that, whatever else they may be, they are a race of honour. Tell them Sarna has asked them to help, it won't mean anything to you but the Elves should be unable to refuse the request if you tell them that. Just be careful, if the Elves believe you a threat you will not reach Sylvan alive."

albatross

Aurora listened as he spoke and looked at him. "A threat? I can see why they'd think the others were a threat but I..." she trailed off as she remembered she did have magical powers but didn't know how to use them very effectively.

"Okay, I guess it's worth a shot," she said with a nod of her head. "How are we supposed to get there?" She asked and looked to Imrik. "If we ride the dragons wouldn't they see that as a threat?" She questioned, looking towards the others before focusing on Imrik again.

"Or would they be expecting that and just ask us what our business is? Are there customs we're supposed to follow or do you think they'd let it slide since we're mostly humans and don't know anything about them?"

Lady Jenn

"There is one way non-Elves can reach Sylvan, at least reach it safely anyway," Imrik replied. "It lies at the centre of an immense forest, my mother cannot teleport you to right outside the city but she can get you into the forest. I'm afraid from there it will be up to you."

"Well I'll happily go," Nara replied. "It'll be more fun than sitting here watching the others do all the work."

"Plus if the legends of Sylvan are true," Barkeley said, walking over to them, "its beauty its unmatched by almost anything else in the world. It is said its beauty is matched only by that of the elves themselves."

albatross

"Well aren't you just poetic?" Aurora asked Barkeley, teasing him as she got to her feet slowly and brushed off her pants a bit.

"Alright, let's go then. Can't be worse then anything else we've done today," she said rubbed at her nose gingerly. "But after we get back I'm going to sleep. It's been too long of a day and I'm pooched," she mumbled.

She wrapped her arm around herself as she waited for everyone who would be joining them to do so and for them to be taken to the forest.

Lady Jenn

Elena walked over as the other messengers began to set off for their destinations, a smile crossing her face as she saw the group who'd be visiting the Elves.

"I'd do this myself but there is an old friend I must visit," she said. "Hold hands, but I should warn you this may feel a little strange."

Muroe and Barkeley took one of Aurora's hands each, closing their eyes out of fear of what they might see. When they opened them again they were no longer in Dragonblight but were now in the centre of a forest of immense trees whose tops were barely visible above them. Just visible in the distance were the gleaming white walls of a city, half hidden by the foliage between it and the observer.