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Phrixus -> RE: =AQ= Frostval 2012 - Freezegion of DOOM! War Stories and Poems (12/25/2012 0:59:28)
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*This will later coincide with A Simple Man's War Machine when I have time to connect the two.*
Pesmerga
Reyluis Plight
Noxus Blight
Lucas Dross
Necious Treulos
Refer to the map for geographical purposes.
Chapter One: Quite the Right Occasion
The icy wind felt familiar as he drew a long solemn breath, drinking it in. He was accustomed to this weather and it made him miss his home in the Frozen Halls up north. There would be time for that later. He had been tending to business in Greenguard and Augerthorne until now and had little time to think of home. Now he was engaged in Battleon's fight and the rest of the Vindictives were along with him.
"We can buy them time." Pesmerga didn't answer. He just stood there staring across the snow covered hills thinking of all the events that had unfolded as of late. "Hell, we might even be able to take him down." No one's ever beaten the five of us together. Unless you count...him. Though the creature does bare a bit of a resemblance to him with that third eye."
"A fluke. That's all it was."
'Yes bu- "The next time we'll be ready. I'll be ready; and he's just a copy of a copy. It was the Taladosian creature that most resembled Isen."
"Alright Pes but what about this Chillax? I hear he's headed straight for the flank. Sort of like their ace in the hole."
"He is, Reylius." He sat erect as an eye flashed black and cold in nature. In his animalistic gaze it searched blankly for a moment before returning to normal. "Right now I still have eyes on him, and a murder of almost innumerable proportions is heading our way. It took a lot of coaxing and upselling the death count but they're on their way."
"I really hope you don't just up and project like that at the dinner table. Its pretty rude you know; and not becoming of an eligible bachelor such as yourself." "You'll have to forgive me; most of my recent dining company have been either victims or the Ulgathi." "Oh its no big deal Pes, I'm just trying to give you a few pointers. Stick with me. I'll get you back in the field yet. Once this is over I'll set you up with my friend's cousin. She's a Jotun just like Ne-"
At that moment Noxus Blight barreled in "Sorry I'm late Pesmerga. I had some business of my own to attend to." His brother looked at him inquisitively while Pesmerga replied "That's quite alright Noxus. Reylius and I were just discussing a plan." he said with a smirk.
"We're going to have to step out of our comfort zone for this one. I may end up blowing my cover altogether if I'm not careful, but we'll just have to manage what we can. We'll buy them as much time as we can, and with luck we'll keep the guardians from being flanked, but just keep in mind why we need this. Chillax is a walk in the park compared to Isen I know I don't need to tell you two that."
"Okye Okye while you tenderfoots are sittin aroned enjyin spirits I'm doin all the hard wark. I got yar sord an it wasn't as easeh as you said it'd be." "Pleased to see you again too Lucas. I trust a man of your ability had no trouble all the same." "Of course not. Whatd'ya want it fore anyweh? I've seen the Caliburn used before but what are you going to be using it for now?"
"I'm gonna shove it down his throat first. See if that works."
Chapter Two:
Two days have passed since the rendezvous and Necious Treulos has joined up with the rest of the Vindictives. They move to meet Chillax and cut off his flank.
Pesmerga's eyes flashed from black to their normal color again. "He's taking the pass through Skraeling to Dragonstone. Whoever is commanding him was wise to bring him through the desert. They'll not expect him to come from there. All the same...if we meet him in the pass through the mountains we can take advantage of the terrain. We must move now to ensure our timing is right. We will take the canyon road just north or Varinsqu Keep and meet him there. I suspect the creature is aware of some danger but he has only seen my ravens. He will not know who it is that plots against him."
They left from Asma Lake, and upon reaching Varinsqu Keep, the Vindictives met up with a small party of orcs that had sworn allegiance to Pesmerga in Augerthorne. The Praetor had won their respect in his aid against the Clan of the Huntsman, and they set out to repay their debt now, no matter how much Pesmerga disliked it; for he knew there would be blood spilled before the week was out and did not wish it be theirs. At last they reached the canyon road and begain the trek through the mountains, moving as swiftly as the narrow road allowed.
The relics clinked with the rhythm of their pace. Necious had been ordered to fetch the remaining "holy" relics in the area and these now included ordinary arrows and axes that had been enchanted by someone of the conjuring persuasion. An old hex priest (hardly a priest at all) had owed Pesmerga a favor, and he chose to cash it in now. These weapons would be more devastating to the undead now, and there was plenty of rotting flesh to go around for each blade to have its fill. Chillax was now an undead heap of massive proportions.
When at last they reached the pass into Skraeling the weather had changed drastically and the Vindictives were quite irritable from the heat. The orcs, which numbered nineteen, noticed with distant amusement; they had long been accustomed to a wide range of temperatures and they cared little about the dynamics of the weather unless it affected their food supply.
I know this is Skraeling, but does it have to be this hot? Doesn't this desolate place see any winters?
This is winter. Be glad of the weather here. With the heat on the creature's body the birds are driving themselves mad, like gulls watching a whale bake on the shore.
["Aye but this whale cahn swim on lahnd. And he bites bahck." retorted Lucas.
"He may bite but so do we. If we stick to the plan we'll overcome him."
They followed a trail that climbed the mountainside until they reached the summit, apart from the eleven orcs who stayed below to make camp in the open. The remaining eight would divide amongst the Vindictives and attack from the two opposing summits. Their Pesmerga's scheme would unwrit, and the fowls of the field would have their feast before reaching battleon. This is what the free were told; for those who were not yet employed by Pesmerga searched for bodies to inhabit and the rest just had fresh meat on their minds. Whatever titles adhered to Chillax now, fresh or edible was not among them. This made no difference however. Pesmerga would wield each and every one like a great dark lance from the sky. They would serve as both cloak and dagger, because he willed it to be so. He had been feeding and reserving latent energy for months and now he jumped at the chance to unleash it. With one portion he would control both crow and raven, and with another he would wield a destructive power his Vindictives had not witnessed since the ransacking of Grachtvuhl.
The dark cloud came before the shaking of the ground. Until recently the fowls had held back their pace, to avoid alarm, but now they flew directly above the titan, and jested with their harsh and unrelenting sqwaks. The gifted amongst them took liberty in creating elaborate insults for the beast to hear. Being of quite sound intellect these made by the gifted were especially infuriating. Every now and then Chillax would swat at the condescending cloud, but all effort was in vain. What emotions were allowed the beast were used for frustration and petty spite now. There was no room for thought.
There was no real calm before the storm here. Before the battle began the senses were overcome with the signs of war. Below the orcs' warcamp was bellowing smoke that reached the party's nostrils above. Beyond the cloud was growing closer and their din growing louder, and the ground began to tremble as the agitated approach of the beast grew quicker. Perhaps he intended to climb one of the peaks so that he may rid himself of the black swarm. It didn't really matter. Whatever the rest were thinking Pesmerga was confident of their success.
With the same confidence Pesmerga addressed his group. "Remember, we stun him, then we weaken, then we poison him with the hexmaster's weapons. Our own blades will deal the death blow, but left in the flesh the artifacts and enchantments will poison the creature from the outside in and leave him distracted. It is then and only then that we strike a successful death blow."
The summits of both dvided parties began to shake and crack. For a moment they had thought the beast was upon them. "Sorry. Noxus said assuringly. "I'm just doing a little prep work while we wait. When I give word you all need to be on a lesser peak. I'm going to bring both mountain tops down on the beast. And I'll hold him still for you. Just leave a little for me. Are you sure you can wield both of them though?
I don't have to wield anything, brother. I merely have to guide where they fall. Besides, I brought my second earth orb along and its been years since we've used power anywhere near this. Grachtvuhl. Yes it has been quite some time for me. I think we all are anxious to start this. Pesmerga especially though. Back at the lake he made no mention of killing the creature; but now he seems hellbent on it."
You know as well as I do how futile it is to try and understand the way he thinks, but it is time we all realize the challenge ahead of us if the Hunstman's creation means the coming of Isengrim to this world.
All the same, brother, I think his motives for killing Isen may be too scattered. What if they are ill-placed?
And then the trembling turned to quakes. The beast was in sight. Below the orcs took aim with the hex arrows and let them fly towards the eyes of the beast. This greatly angered the titan, and he enclosed the gap between them in what seemd like an instant. He wanted to disperse his rage on the archers before him, and would have smashed them all if Reylius hadn't increased the creature's gravity on its front two legs, causing it to crash to the ground. There, the surviving orcs struggled to get up themselves but were too shaken by the great impact of the beast's fall.
Reylius held him down, steadily increasing the gravity on the creature while Necious was sending tidal wave after tidal wave to turn the sand into a mortar beneath the titan and Noxus cnotricted the mixture around Chillax's appendages as best he could. The eight orcs how drove all manner of enchanted egde on their persons into the creature's hide, and proceeded to loose more of their dwindling arrow supply to keep the creature at bay for as long as possible.
It was now Lucas and Pesmerga's turn. As Lucas lept from the cliff he removed the old seals from his war hammer and their true weight sent him soaring down at alarming speeds. The hammer hit the creature's back with a loud Crack and Lucas Dross' 2000 pound hammer lay partly submerged in Chillax's rotting flesh and fractured vertebrae. Lucas was further down on the beast reeling from the impact, and sent flying back for some ways.
With one eye a pusling bright blue, and the other an opaque shade of black, Pesmerga stood beckoning the entire cloud upward, until the wind from their wings was but a faint whisper. Coldly he looked down into the eyes of the zombified beast and with one hand, motioned a downward thrust as the whisper turned to a gust, and the gust to a gale. What was once a riotous cloud of din was now a swift and deadly cyclone of darkness pointed straight towards the creature's neck The fowls of the field had been made into a giant lance. The feather, beak and bone, were made just as formidable as the stoutest metal. The Vindictives knew this to be true. In the days of raiding they had scene this attack break through lesser castle gates and lay siege to many a fortress. Now it would lay siege to the body of Chillax.
Noxus didn't have to keep him very still. The fowl lance was massive and when it connected with the monster's flesh, it ripped a gaping hole through both the neck and shoulder. The zombification had worked against this being, and with its decomposition, the hide was much easier to penetrate. Chillax may have gained a new power, but its skin was nowhere near as resilient as it was in life.
The remaining orcs began attacking with hammers and pikes, which was not fluid with the plan. This left them too close to the path of the beast's ocular blast and in moments, they were consumed in a sickly green blast of the third eye's power. Pesmerga had not the time to mourn them. The enchanted weapons now hummed inside the creature's hide in opposition, and it was time for one more. Maintaining his gaze, the Praetor delve inside the giant hole and drove the Caliburn deep inside the lower part of Chillax's throat. This would be the chief poison and in harmony with the other weapons, would blurr the creature's senses and hopefully allow the Vindictives to deal the death blow they needed so desperately now.
Necious had been pelting the monstrosity with bolts of offensive mana when Lucas came to. It took him a moment to recall what had happened and a few bolts whizzing by him before he was up n his feet and attacking the legs as was planned. He would remember to chew Necious out later for sending those bolts so close to them. "She probably enjohyed the sport of watching me run." He thought.
The beast was no doubt in torment. All of the fowls in the lance were now inside the body of Chillax and only the gifted managed to tear their way out. The rest were but tools for use of Pesmerga's next attack.
It had to be quick. Reylius was weakening from all of the energy he was extending on the beast and Necious could not keep expending hers like this for much longer if she were to still be of use. The Praetor's skin began to darken until all was black and hard like armor. His hands were leathery and his fingers now talons. For a moment the sqawking from inside stopped. Pesmerga began to speak in an old and other worldy language, with a demented smile painted across his face. There was silence, a coarse laugh and then the words "Now for ruin."
A heavy, jet black aura bust forth, and then, all inside the beast was greased in white fire. Pesmerga shouted, "Now Noxus! Now is the time!" Taking his cue, Noxus loosed the mountaintops onto the burning titan who had just broken out of its concrete bonds from sheer primal panic and agony. The peaks of the mountain crashed down upon Chillax's upper half and were accelerated greatly toward the beast from the hightened center of gravity. The moment Reylius saw this had happened he loosened his grip and fell to the ground, laying unconscious.
What remained of Chillax writhed under the great rocks, crushed and burning. It would not be long before it was completely consumed in white flame. As for the gifted, they were headed towards Battleon for the prospect of fresh bodies and new lives.
A calm lay over the area now that was entirely peaceful in comparison to the chaos of the battle. They sat silently together but in unison they were all thinking of how unprepared they were for the real challenge to come.
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