Dark Age Legends

[Trent]

//Finally!

Oh, hell. Alright, let's go. "You will not!"

Seijin slashed through the air with Transcender in a matter of microseconds, creating a tear in space. He crossed through and appeared directly between Aura and Jayce, snapping up a kick toward the Draken's forehead in an attempt to stop him.

Aura's eyes widened. "Wh- Wh-... Who are YOU, now?!"
"...I'm a planet-saving-order guardian."
"What now?"
"In time, child."

Seijin raised Transcender in a ready stance...

The trio stopped right there and then as they saw the huge displacement of air and energy where Seijin appeared.

"I remember now," said Zion, looking to Tsu. "You asked Seijin to take care of Aura."
"..."

"There is no 'in time!' All of this stuff has been happing all so suddenly, and I want to understand something, NOW!" A pissy foot stamp was issued by the female Lieutenant.
Seijin gave a sigh. "Wake up, Aura. Your heart is not moved? At all? You have no idea what he'd do for you. At least not until now. He would move mountains for you, he'd part oceans for you. He'd help save the planet, and ask a favor of its guardian... For you."
"You don't mean..."
"Yes, I do. You know exactly who I'm talking about."
"NO!!!" Aura's hands came to her head as if her mind couldn't take it... And it couldn't.
Seijin gave a heavy sigh and brought his eyes back to Jayce. He should be up by now, and ready to make another charge.

"I also asked him to help wake her up. To help make her realize. But that girl..." Tsu sighs. "I don't know if anything can erase the black mark she has on my name."

[Dude Man]

//Ein, no storyline mistakes at all. Roland and the Elder had no defined personalities considering they are only minor characters. That was a good post Ein!\\

Marshal then had this quick shiver down his back, as he continued flying towards Romme.

He then turned his head and looked at the giant moth flying next to him.

"Ein...I just had this strange feeling that something terrible has happened..."

----

Darak began marching forward and shouted. "You heard the General! Now move!"

He thought this may have been necessary seeing as he is actually much physically stronger then Vincent, so perhaps he'd be more intimidating to a few of the others.

He then turned around and looked at Steorra. "My lady, you since you are the most magically skilled of us all, I may have to tell you that if Ragnar is there you may have to confront him. Mages seem to have a much better chance of surviving against this 'person' then melee warriors such as me."

[Trent]

//Ah, just to remind you guys, Seijin had been charging up for the teleportation since last chapter... Just to make sure you know I'm not breaking the no unbounded instant teleportation rule. Mkay?

[Zeros']

// Not completely. The instant transmutation thing is, though. \\

Allen blinked, as he had been waiting for the right moment to save Aura. Strong, he may not be, but a skilled alchemist... He was.

He was glad, though, that he didn't have to show his 'trick' yet. He needed to save it for the right moment... He would only have one chance.

He eyes shifted between the newcomers... Zeros', Tsu, Xenai, Zion, Seijin, Duilin and Rink... He sincerly hoped his allies would be able to win this for them...

He knew the frightening powers of Retan and Jayce... He also knew that these people, except Rink, helped in the downfall of the two terrible Draken.

He hoped, beyond hope that they would fall and never come back...

---

Zeros' landed, just as Tsu and his two companions did and looked between Seijin and smiles.

"Ah... Seijin.. It's been quite a long time since I've seen you... How many thousands of years has it been?" he chuckles, but his face than turns serious and his eyes look to Jayce.

"It seems it is true... You and your daddy are back... I can tell you now... It's useless. Everytime you come back, we'll just smack you down again... You're only wasting your time..."

[Xorlak]

The kick connected with Jayce squarely in the forehead, throwing his head back and to the right some six inches.  His feet remained planted...

He held this pose until Seijin was halfway though his dissertation.  His eyes opened, and he slowly brought his head back in place, cracking his neck in the process.

His attention shifted to Zeros'.

"You...  Heh, typical.  A fluke occupies our time for a while and you claim credit... This should prove... entertaining..."

He gaze moved back to Seijin.

"Food is more satisfying if it requires effort..."

He crouched slightly, his feet diging into the black planked wood of the deck, sending splinters in to the air.  In an instant he was skimming over the deck towards Seijin in a dash, his claw-like black gauntlets held outwards to his sides menacingly.

The first strike was horizontal chop-like slash towards the guardian's torso, a trail of blackness following the gauntlet as it cut the misty air...

----

Doors to the underground complex were opened and soldiers scurried about.  Vincent lead the ground downstairs, which was relitively undamaged.  The stone walls were replaced with sorts of black metal ones, and there were many tourches about.

Vincent spoke with the captain, who was now walking alongside.

"Are the rumors true, sir?"

"You only need to know that we are now the Grey Empire, and I am now a High General."

"Huh?  Y-yes sir..."

"How many able bodied men have we?"

"About 950.  Some 600 are fighting class, the rest are engineers and alchemists.  We have three battle class airships ready to fly, as well as some damaged ones that still need--"

"That is good.  Load the men eavenly on the three ships and prepare for immediate departure."

The low count of men wouldn't help much, but he had plenty to crew the airships, and they would be much more useful than a land army...

[Dude Man]

Duilin landed and he let go of Rink. The imp jumped in the air and began flapping his wings hoving in the air.

"Hmmm, I somewhat recall this guy..." Duilin says eyeing Jayce.

"Somewhat?" Rink asked

"Yeah, I didn't see to much of him, I think his name is Jayce. He was at Romme but I didn't see to much of him, I also remember seeing a bit of him when I was in the Dark Empire..."

"Right...So who's the other guy?" Rink asks pointing to Seijin.

"No clue. Looks like Zeros' know him." Duilin then dashes forward a bit. "Might as well reintroduce myself then!" Duilin takes his mace out, he then begins to augment the mace in flame, it begins to glow a fiery orange-red, with waves of flame surrounding it....

----

"Hehehe..." Valos laughs to himself. "Let the show begin..."

The invisible Valos floats around 25 feet away from the group. He senses that a few others are coming.

//I hope Haraldur will remember to post.\\

[D. Ein]

The army has finished rearming. Kronos was now busy raising any of the corpses that he happened to overlook. Roland, who was lying behind the destroyed temple, slowly opened his glossy eyes, and got up. Meanwhile, Kronos heard an unusually clear voice in his head:
-"Ready to serve you, my master."
Even on the outside, Kronos visibly smiled. What a fortunate turn of events...
He got some of his undead troopers to salvage a nice unripped set of Blue Minotaur clothing for Roland. He put it on - it no longer seemed as though he was ever even hurt by anything. He summoned a wyvern, and began flying towards Marshal's current position.

--- --- ---

Steorra was walking along with Vincent, carefully listening to his words.
-"Airships? What are those?"

--- --- ---

"Kronos, Ijun 25, 3253. Now that I had a better control of the army, I had enough of my mind free to remember everything I did. I quickly summoned a Winged Messenger from the capital, who already had a prepared scroll. The scroll contained details of my victory over the Blue Minotaur, and the message that we are now avaliable for the conquest of Urgan. The winged messenger made its way towards Vincent, while my army began marching towards our next target."

[TK Game Boy]

Magnot continue to run and Quadricentennial followed behind. Peking suddenly flew next to Quadricentennial.

"Best to embrace yourself peking. Who knows were we go."

[Burton_projects]

Nick and Calavous were catching up to the General and they agreed to join in the fight.

---

"I shall fight." Said Nick" But i will need time to get ready is that alright sir?" Nick was already adding some daggers and swords to his body. He took another sword and 4 daggers.

---

"As will I." Said Calavous." I will also need time to charge my energy." Calavous energy was already growing by 2 fold. "If you need i can teach your alchemists to summon?"

[Trent]

Aura, through her hysteria, glared at Tsu.

"Why do you glare at him?!" asked Seijin. He jumped upward, flipping to the side over the incoming chop. As he landed, he leapt backwards away from Jayce, tossing an energy ball as he did so that he could lecture the ignorant girl.

"He's... He's... He's so... ugh!!!"
"You're fighting your feelings! Wake up!"
"But he's not... Not nearly the guy I want!"
"What overcomes you, girl? I know what you were like back then... Back when the planet was saved so long ago. You were so idealistic..."

Aura's hands came to her head again...

Laus, 5 years ago...

Aura walked the streets, carefreely. She wasn't interested in sword fighting at the time. She was just a girl. Just a normal girl. A snobby-looking... And his looks do confirm his manner... This guy approached her. Aura gave a sigh.

"So, my fair lady... What say you? Will you court with me?"
"No, Zane. How many times do I have to tell you? You're not the kind of guy I want."
"Then what guy? What guy do you want? I have so much money. I could give you anything you want! Why will you not court with me?"
"Do you think I'm so brainless? So heartless? Love is not about whichever guy gets me the most stuff. It's about devotion! Something YOU can't do! You'd do whatever you'd do with me and toss me aside. I would be nothing but a fling to you! But I want something more! I want a knight, be he in rusty or shining armor, who would do anything he could for me. I want someone sincere, honest, good-hearted... Unlike you, you lying, snivelous, evil... So very hot... UGH! No! You're not the one for me, and that's all there is to it!"

She turned away from Zane and walked away from him.

"I wish I'd picked Zane..."
"Do you, now? Why is that?"
"Because I soon found out the guy I wanted doesn't exist! I found who I thought was the guy I wanted so long, and he betrayed me!"
"And that broke your trust."
"I figured that no guy could give me what I wanted, so I decided that a guy like Zane was good for me. In fact, he was perfect for me! I never found him, though! Instead, I have this... This... This ugly little nerd-bomber after me!"
Tsu clenched his fists... A faint red aura started to appear around him.

"When your trust was betrayed, you were infected with a demon, one that people in the Astral Plane have been fighting against for a very long time. You gave in to the evil in you, and it was permitted entry."
"What kind of crap are you talking about?" As she angered, the same type of aura started to appear.

"This demon is called Anti. It flows through the Astral Plane, finding the strongest, most good-hearted people on Gaian to conquer. Its selection is somewhat random... At least we haven't figured out how it picks who it picks. It waits for the right time, when any of those people start to weaken, and it enters. It is most attuned to three negative emotions: Hate, Misery, and Despair. When all three activate in the target simultaneously, it enters. And as these individual emotions rise inside someone, Anti's presence does as well. Like right now. I can see it." Seijin's eyes narrow. "You were infected at that moment your trust was betrayed. Hatred toward all men, Misery because of your betrayal, and Despair for never being able to find anything like that again. Tsu was infected too, when he found out your hatred for him. Hatred toward himself for what he was, Misery because of how you hate him, and Despair for never being able to be with you. However, unlike you, Anti has not changed Tsu's personality. He never gave into his evil. He fought. Unlike YOU."

Aura and Tsu were both starting to become beside themselves, as a second energy merged with them both. Tsu was locked onto Aura, and Aura locked onto Tsu. Tsu was the first to speak. "You don't see it now? You can't cut through your own-"
"Shut up! I'll not hear anything from you!"
"Aura, I-"
"SHUT UP!!!"

//And cue "Bat Country" by Avenged Sevenfold. Razz

Aura leapt at Tsu, slashing at him with her scimitar. Tsu's katana came out just in time to block the slash, but he would be pushed back, her pushing at him all the way, and both of them... Would go off the ship.

"Tsu!" "Tsu!" Zion and Xenai called after him. "Tsu! Aura!" Seijin, very discontented with the turn of events, called with them. He started to go, but froze before he got anywhere, looking back toward Jayce. "Oh yeah, I have an opponent. Say, I wonder... Since both of you died once, I wonder if I can fight your father after we crush you."

[Dark Spartan]

//Heh, sorry I haven't been so active...a lot's going on in the real world right now.\\

Alex was strolling with his bag slung over his shoulder, and his scimitar hilted on the belt around his waist. The snow crunched softly under his feet as he made his way to the edge of town, which was through the main marketplace. As Alex kept walking, he looked left and right at all of the stalls set up by traveling merchants. The merchandise sold here was as diverse as the snowflakes which hung in the air. The goods ranged from cakes to seafood to magic runes to swords and battleaxes.

Alex made his way to the gates of Glacia City, the last thing separating civilization from wilderness. On his way out, one of the guards stopped him.

"Alex, heading out again, are ya?" called Seth, a local who Alex had befriended.

"Yeah...going to Asgarnia," Alex replied, his breath instantly misting in the freezing cold.

"Well, be careful, man. A pack of wyverns moved into the region not long ago, so I'd steer clear of those things if I were you," Seth said, motioning his comrades to allow Alex by.

"Relax, I've got it covered. Besides, none of the shortcuts lead towards typical predator gathering spots. That's what they were meant for. I'll be back in a few weeks. Try not to burn all of the firewood again, Glacia only recieves 100 cords of firewood monthly," said Alex as he walked past the enormous iron gates which kept unwanted outsiders out.

"Good luck, Alex. I hope you find what you're looking for." Seth hollered as he waved goodbye.

Alex had left the warm embrace of Glacia behind, to head to a much more promising land. It almost never snowed in Asgarnia, and when it did, it was so little that it usually melted by midday.

It was still dark when Alex set out, the only light being a full moon, which was more than adequate to navigate by. Most residents of Glacia say that the nights in this region were more beautiful than the days, and for the most part, they were right. By day, Glacia looks no different than the other hundreds of snow-capped peaks which made up the mountain range, which stretched north and south for almost fifty miles. By night, however, Glacia was one of the most beautiful landscapes one could ever lay eyes on. For reasons no one can seem to explain, on some occasions the sky is ablaze with swirling ribbons of light, spanning all of the colors of the rainbow. In addition to that, the air is sometimes so dense with hanging snowflakes that you could take your hand and wave it through the air, and the snow crystals would dance.

Unfortunately, Asgarnia lacked such beauties, but made up for it in terms of prosperity. Almost anyone who moved there wound up becoming successful at one trade or another. Asgarnia was also abundant with natural resources, including one of the largest mines in the region, solely run by dwarves. Swarthy and bearded, these hard-working folk are surprisingly hospitable, allowing anyone to come into the mines for ore. All that they ask in return is to keep the workspace in good order, stay out of trouble, and occasionally a pint of beer here or there.

Alex had been traveling for some time, and he soon saw the first in a series of daunting shortcuts that allowed quick ascent and descent of the mountain. In this case, it was some rocks that could be used as handholds to climb past an impossibly steep slope. Of course, one could simply slide down the slope, which was faster, but  far more dangerous. Alex, deciding that he was in no hurry, freed his hands up and prepared to climb across the handholds.

[Dude Man]

"Let's see how long that'll take, to crush him..." Duilin added...

He then dashed towards Jayce and swung his mace forward and it shot a narrow wave of quickly moving fire.

Rink sighed as Tsu and Aura began fighting. "They're wasting so much time." He then held both his hands out to the side, glowing orbs fire began to glow in his hands and become brighter and stronger...

[D. Ein]

The undead army continued marching, consuming all the resistance along the way. By the time it reached Urgan, its magnitude was around 22,000.

[Xorlak]

Jayce caught Seijin's energy ball with his right hand, crushing it into a muffled puff of steam.

"Humans and your petty squabbles!"

He sidestepped to the right, bringing up his left gauntlet as a wave of flame licked it and Duilin's mace missed him by a mere inch.

"You are a disease, the lot of you.  Continously bickering over the most insignificant of things.  Waging war at the drop of a hat and killing each other at every turn..."

He leapt in the air, flipping over the entire group.

"And your tone, as if any of you actually had anything to do with our little disappearance five years ago..."

He landed facing them some twenty feet away on the eastern side of the ship.  He folded his arms and stood there.  He still hadn't touched the hulking sword on his back...

"However, seeing your expressions of anger and pain is most amusing to me... I'll bet they'll be a thousand times more delightful, though... say, if you were to experience real loss, and not some petty argument..."

He extended his finger and stroked his chin, his grin widening.

"Since I'm in such a good mood, we're going to play a little game...  The name of the game is Save the Worthless Dregs.  If you would like to hear the rules, then you'll have to keep up..."

A black sphere burst from the man's body, swelling around him.  The mist directly above parted like an inverted twister.  Jayce shot skyward through the funnel and out over the Great Black Vessel in an instant, stopping some 500 feet above the wave.  The darkness swelled further, engulfing the man as his upward motion stopped and he shot northeast right over the island of Romme, trees below lying down from the force of his flight...

----

Vincent turned to Nick and Calavous.

"It will be a little while before the airships are loaded and ready for launch, so you still have time to prepare.  Not more than twenty minutes, though.  As for your question, the alchemists here are in charge of airship maintenance and development, and not really suited for summoning."

He turned back to Steorra.

"You've never seen an airship, my dear?"

The doors opened at the end of the hallway as the reached them, revealing a massive open space underground.  Long platform extendend into blackness, for the far end of the room wasn't even visible.  At the ends of the platforms stood several black ships.  They were huge, complete with cannons and sort of small fin like wings.  

"These are airships..."

Three of the larger ones had a faint yellow glow penetrating through small partitions in the black metal in spots.  The others had no glow and seemed to be damaged in various spots.  

The functional ones were being hurriedly loaded with supplies and troops...

A soldier approached from behind.

"A message from... uh, Kronos, sir."

"Yes?"

"His army is available to attack Ugran, sir.  Or so a sort of zombie monster with wings told us outside..."

"Excellent...  Tell him to watch for airships from the south."

"Yes sir."

The soldier ran back outside to relay the message to Kronos' undead messenger.

[Burton_projects]

Calavous Started to charge his energy the massive power was lifting him from his feet. His eyes turned red and the demon inside him was coming alive. His hair was blowing like leaves in the wind.

---

Nick went into a room not far away from the airships. He put on dark red clothes, put two swords across his back and daggers across his waist. He walked up to vincent and said "Im ready I shall help with you preperations sir." Nicks demonic energy was brewing inside of him ready to come out just like that. Energy growing and growing between Nick and Calavous' energy the the whole place felt like it was blowing up.