Order of the Dark Flame: The Adventures Continue (no spam-story)

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 1:51 pm

"Once more, into the breach," Gwalchmai yelled incongruously as he charged after Thantor toward the garden. He slid his winter blade out of its sheath, revealing its soft blueish-white glow. Still running, he called pre-battle blessings down for himself and Thantor. Focused on the spell, he nearly ran into Thantor's back, who had stopped suddenly at the edge of the garden.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 2:02 pm

Three invisible stalkers engaged, the fourth tried to disturb Thantor as he bridged between Vivien and Yshania. Gwalchmai cast Alicore’s Horn, causing minimal damage to the stalker, and failing to blind it. But it was now enveloped in a bright light, making it much easier to hit. Thinking of his fallen comrade, Gwlachmai put all his effort into driving the stalker back, swinging his blade will all his might.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 3:07 pm

Desperately worried, Dragon Wench found herself wishing, not for the first time, that she possessed clerical abilities.
But then, the immediacy of battle overrode her musing; rapidly, she cast haste, quickly following it with Summon Invisible Stalkers.
Jerren, felt the andrenoline of battle coursing through his body for the first time since....."no he would not think about that now, the present was more important..." Instead, acting as if by instinct, he cast Chain Lightening, it's sharp crackle illuminating the darkness of the clearing.

Resolute in his determination to fight this new evil in their midst, Jerren then cast Greater Mallison, and watched with satisfaction as the glittering shape of an invisible stalker met the thrust of Dragon Wench's blade.

Shivering at the chill of gathering shadows, Dragon Wench turned to see an irridiscent form crouching behind her, catching her breath, she readied her sword, preparing to strike, when suddenly a piercing wail shattered the ominous still.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 3:21 pm

A wail so piercing and frightening that it sent shivers up Gwalchmai’s spine distracted him at an inopportune moment. Before he could see where the wail had come from, the icy claws of the stalker he had been battling dug into his chest. Grunting in pain, he redoubled his efforts to defeat the stalker. Two, three, and four more blows and the stalker’s body evaporated into the nether realm from which it had been summoned. Wild-eyed and clutching his chest, Gwalchmai glanced around to find the source of the horrific scream.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 4:14 pm

Nippy heard a fierce and evil wail in the garden. He ran towards preparing his bow. Now was the time to hit the mark...

He notched an arrow and drew back with all his might, a sudden release of energy and an arrow embedded itself in one of the stalkers. It wailed but snapped the arrow.

Nippy ran towards the action. There were now too many allies to effectively use his bow so he drew his katana and took up a defensive stance next to Gwalchmai, he would help his comrade in arms...

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 4:17 pm

Gwalchmai nearly dropped his sword. A wraith was approaching the group, her female form moving ghost-like and inexorably toward the party. A Banshee! The presence of that horrible messenger of death could only mean that someone’s demise was imminent. Her mouth was open in a shriek that sent shivers through his soul, causing real pain. His comrades also winced as the Banshee drew nearer, Thantor’s face a mask of pain as he sought to maintain the connection between Yshania and Vivien. Only Yshania seemed unaffected by the wail, but she appeared so still, her face sunken and with a pallor like death. Despair flooded Gwalchmai’s mind.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 4:25 pm

Nippy clutched at his head, fear and despair availed his senses and his every thought was of agony and pain for not only he, but all his friends. He managed to glimpse at his comrades and locked eyes with Gwalchmai, he looked into his eyes and into his soul and found strength and purpose in there. He struggled internally for the strength to pull out of this but it would not come easily...

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 4:36 pm

Suddenly, Nippy heard a song coming from what seemed a long way off. Growing stronger, he began to focus on the tune, then the words. The ballad spoke of bravery and strength in battle, of heros and heroines fighting justly against evil. Soon he could recognize Jenna’s voice, as her song brought calmness to his fears. Everyone felt heartened by her voice, and though the wail of the Banshee threatened to drown her out, she kept singing.

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 5:05 pm

Another wail from the wraith and the two remaining Invisible Stalkers suddenly seemed stronger as they became invisible again. “Damnit,” Jerran shouted, “I had almost killed that one! We need more Glitterdust! Now!” A look from Dragon Wench told him that she was out of the required spell, but they were obliged by Jenna just in time to reveal both stalkers bearing down on Jerran. But new problems arose, literally, from the ground at their feet. Skeleton Warriors had been called by the Banshee’s wail. Nippy’s fiery arrow exploded in the chest cavity of one skeleton, but he soon realized that bows are not ideal for close-quarter battles.

Driven by a fathomless fury, Dragon Wench lunged towards the stalker nearest to Jerren, and buried her sword into its shapeless form. Stunned by the ferocity of her attack, it stumbled, and before it had a chance to strike back, Jerren attacked it with his own deadly blade.

Swiftly they turned their attention to the second stalker, but before they could muster an assault a skeleton warrior advanced upon them, helmet and double-handed sword flashing menacingly.

Propelled by battle rage and a sudden sense of blood lust, Dragon Wench turned to face their bony foe. Wielding her weapon with dangerous speed and accuracy, she sliced into its cavernous maw, and it was with gritty pleasure that she heard the crunch of steel against cartilage.

Jerren, joining her in the attack, plunged his sword, and a rasping groan told them that this cadaverous enemy was losing strength.

But, again.....a blood-curdling scream permeated the clearing.....

[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: dragon wench ]

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 5:11 pm

The wail finally broke Thantor’s concentration. His hands to flew to clutch his head as he slumped to the ground, groaning. Vivien also screamed and collapsed. Yshania’s body seemed to sink slightly, her breath barely detectible. “The Banshee must die if Yshania is going to have any chance to live,” Gwalchmai thought.

He ran forward to meet the wraith, only to be knocked back by a powerful blow. Amazingly, the Banshee’s wail did not falter, even while she attacked him. He needed to silence her, and thought to cast the appropriate spell but found he couldn’t concentrate while the wraith continued to wail. He steeled himself to receive another blow, which sent him reeling to the ground. Kneeling on the ground and desperate, his hands grabbed fistfuls of earth that he brought to his chest. He focused on the rocks, dirt, soil, and dust, drawing from their elemental power. He felt the rock as it became his bones, muscles, and sinew. His body grew to over twice its size as he became the earth, plymorphing into an Elemental of enormous power. Now fiercely empowered, Gwalchmai turned to the Banshee, determined to snuff out the wail and end its scourge before any more harm could come to Yshania.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 5:27 pm

Close to panic, Yshania felt herself slipping away, dissolving…she called out, but she could not see them anymore, she could not hear them....

dragon wench · Post by **dragon wench** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 5:43 pm

Suddenly aware of a powerful presence, Dragon Wench intuitively glanced to the place where Gwally had been enaged in battle. Instead of the familiar druid, she saw a hulking earthen shape poised to attack the twisting wraith.
Her jaw dropped slightly, and she tried to remember when her friend had acquired the ability to shape change into an elemental. A growl from Jerren directed her attention back to the skeleton warrior, and a final thrust of her blade caused the creature to fall into a crumpled heap.

Jerren moved towards the still present stalker, and Dragon Wench, seeing his intent, let loose a volley of magic missiles from her fingertips.

Watching the floating form of Yshania in the midst of it all, Dragon Wench swallowed hard; with a furious cry she ran towards the wraith, determined to aid Gwally's new form, determined to never again allow a friend to fall in battle....

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 7:02 pm

With a roar of rage that sounded like a mountain slide, Gwalchmai slammed both of his massive fists down upon the Banshee as though he were trying to drive her into the ground like a tent peg. Briefly, the Banshee’s wail ceased, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Thantor regained his focus, reestablishing the ethereal link between Vivien and Yshania. In the silence, the undead seemed to falter, allowing Jerren and Nippy to dispatch several in fits of swordplay. But the Banshee soon recovered, and the wailing began anew.

Gwalchmai felt an icy wave hit him like icicle daggers in his head. The pain was unbearable, and made worse by the Banshee’s attack. She pummeled him in the solar plexus, chips of stone and dust flying. Lashing out blindly, his fist made contact, knocking the Banshee back, but still the wail continued. Looking back over the heads of his companions, he said in a voice that sounded like gravel, “A little help here?” Even as he said this, he saw Dragon Wench duck between his legs and hurl herself at the Banshee, her blade a silver blur.

thantor3 · Post by **thantor3** » Mon Jan 07, 2002 9:23 pm

Finishing off the stalker, Jerren glanced over to see that Jennabard was ok. She seemed intact but, oddly, was simply standing in place. Puzzled, he charged in after Dragon Wench.... but never made it. A deathly silence took hold as everything froze in place. Only Simbul moved within the confines of her Time Stop spell. Since Vivien, Thantor, and Yshania were operating outside the prime material plane, they were unaffected, allowing Thantor to give further aid and instruction to Vivien. The air around Simbul began to glow, then to burn with an intense silver-white flame, as she settled down next to Jennabard. As the last seconds of the spell faded away, reality came crashing suddenly back with a roaring din. "NOW!!" screamed Simbul. Together, Jenna and Simbul unload a massive burst of magical energy directly at the Banshee, Simbul's silver fire lethally interweaving with Jenna's spellfire.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Tue Jan 08, 2002 4:02 am

Then on the edge of her despair she felt a presence, she could not understand what it was saying though…she pushed as hard as she could. Then she felt it, the link was tenuous at first but growing in power. She felt herself drawn by the warmth, her spirit began to coalesce, her vision was returning…

In the distance she heard the echoing sounds of a battle, the crackling of magics, the metallic swish of swords and the dull clattering and cracking of bones, screams and wails permeated her increasing awareness...

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Tue Jan 08, 2002 9:05 am

Nippy felt the raw magical energy surge past him as he finished off an enemy with a lethal cross slash on the throat. The skeleton crumpled without it's head and Nippy stood and took stock of the battle. Enemies on the floor, a friend nearly dying...

"YSHANIA! NO!"

Nippy ran to her prone form and cradled her head in his arms. He murmered soothing words but nothing had an effect. The Banshee was just being hit by the energy surge and Nippy in his rage summoned one of the lethal balls of light fire he used on the shadow plane. It hammered into the banshee and the magical energy reached new levels of height...

XxRPGerxX · Post by **XxRPGerxX** » Tue Jan 08, 2002 9:27 am

Twin pinpricks of crimson peer from the shadows depths, no assistance offered..no words, only the silent observation of a new visitor. Falling deep within the embrace of darkness, form and features escape sight..only the unblinking points of red announce this strangers presence.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Tue Jan 08, 2002 9:34 am

The world had turned grey and still. At first, Gwalchmai panicked, thinking, ”Is this Death?” Then he recognized the sensation of a Time-Stop spell. He couldn’t move, as he had been frozen in mid-turn, his eyes looking at an empty part of the garden. From his higher-than-normal vantage, the withered trees in the garden stood in stark contrast to the autumn-tinged trees outside the garden. Gwalchmai hadn’t taken stock of the situation before, but now the poisoned trap of the garden could be seen clearly. This decay was some aspect of the trap that Yshania had stumbled into, a representation of a breach where Evil was leaking through. Beyond that, he couldn’t fathom it.

Since his only previous experience with Time-Stop spells were when they were directed against him, he steeled himself to be attacked as soon as the spell wore off. In a great rush of noise, color and action came back to the garden, and he was surprised not to feel an attack. Instead he saw Dragon Wench plunge her blade deep into the chest of the Banshee, just as a twined beam of golden and silver fire struck the wraith. A second later, a ball of fire hammered the Banshee from another direction. The Banshee faltered, and began to crumple to the ground. For good measure, Gwalchmai threw his stony form into the air and body-slammed the dying wraith with a tremendous thud that shook the ground.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Tue Jan 08, 2002 12:24 pm

Nippy stood still and took stock. The Banshee crashing to the floor and crumpling into fragments filled his angry vision.

He turned back to Yshania and held onto her again. Trying to whisper words in her ear to guide her sould back to her body.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Wed Jan 09, 2002 6:38 am

‘Vivien!’ her friend floated before her, glowing, her hair rising and falling softly like flames in a gentle draught…she projected the strength, and courage, and depth she had once hinted of in a half remembered conversation in the gardens…Yshania reached out towards Vivien’s extended hand…

‘Come with me’ Vivien whispered, her voice seemed to surround Yshania, to come from all directions…