Dark Age Legends

[Jenia]

//Hey Ein, you didn't forget about Kronos, right?\

~Glimmer Spire, Spire City, Phoenicia~

"Tch, new he says..."

Indher turned away, not really caring if the man lurks around or not.

"Well in case you didn't here, we have an emergency right now. I suggest you go home. Kelmarr, hurry up."

She hurried up the flights of stairs leading up and didn't really seem to get tired.

"We are going for the roof, Kelmarr. I hope you don't have a fear of heights..."

[Xorlak]

(Offense taken in a silly forum RP is, well... silly. Heh...)

- Glimmer Spire, Spire City, Phoenicia -

"Huh?  Me?  Of-of course not..." Kelmarr swatted the air, puffing out his chest.  What the heck were they going to the roof for...?  He thought she just wanted to ask him some questions. *Gulp*... this was some insanely high tower...

He followed, though the gap between him and Lerfina widened a bit.  He suddenly wasn't quite so sure of the runecaster's intentions.  Well, not suddenly, but still...  He scratched the back of his head and fingered the hilt of the ornate sword at this back, flicking his tail back and forth with each step.  Geez, what an ordeal...

[Dude Man]

- Southern-boarder town-

Sienna rubbed her arm as the amulet was removed. She then looked around and realized she passed out. "Wha-what happened?"

She picked up Puco.

"Well, thank you stranger. I better get out of here." She then ran off with Puco, using her speed spell, this time without any odd side effects.

She exited the town and kept running until she was a far enough distance from it.

[Xorlak]

- Phoenicia, Forest -

"Mmmm... delicious..."

Melface floated over the rapidly decaying body as he wedged a toothpick in between his teeth.  That was quite the tasty soul.  In fact, it was one of the tastier humans he could remember for a while.  A lot more magic-infused than average... he wondered why.  That one seemed little more than a peasant.

The child-like demon leaned over and floated parallel to the ground, his off-white robes flowing around as he studied the skull.  There in its forehead was a gleaming yellow jewel.  Interesting...  With pudgy child fingers, he plucked the stone out of the thing's head as it crumbled to dust.  The jewel still kept its yellow sheen it his hand.  He turned it over a few times before shrugging and placing it in his pocket.

With that, he vanished.

[Ted Der]

- Far, Far Away From South-Eastern Kandarinian Coast -

In a windowless, very dark room stood a black-cloaked man holding a small orb in his hand. He stood there making absolutely no noise. Then, from under the hood came a contented hissing - much like a cat would purr. The figure was watching something in the orb.

Through the eyes of one of the Malanos, Kraaz could see everything. He watched as his minions summoned up a rainless storm over the ruin of the Gilden Warship. It's dead captain was floating just a few meters away - no Majeuri Spinel in sight. A red flash of anger burst from his eyes as quickly as it faded, leaving the room back in it's darkness.

"Go to the Southern Kandarinian coast." He whispered, irritatedly into the orb.

Instantly, the Malanos obeyed, bringing their storm with them. He watched as they quickly sped North. The coast neared and suddenly Kraaz found himself looking at a battlefield where a gigantic Necrolyte controlled beast slaughtered many of those pathetic humans - the race of which he no longer belonged.

"Find Akran alive ... kill everyone else."

... ... ...

- South-Eastern Kandarinian Coast -

"Ha!" Akran yelled as he shot down a flying shadow creature. He was combining the light that came from the lightning with the Raven Bow to kill the Malanos. It looked as if he was shooting bolts of lightning back at them. Kind of odd looking, but effective.

He saw the creatures fly down and circle the beetle, but didn't attack. He didn't know if it was because they saw no profit in doing so, they thought it was too massively awesome to be destroyed, or maybe they weren't physically capable of defeating it.

Akran was starting to wonder how the two guys he met were handling the beetle, because it was kind of hard to spot them with all of the Malanos flying around. It didn't help that they were both up in the air. Wait just a second... did that mean they were safe from the lighting attacks?

Flash! Another lightning bolt hit the ground, annoyingly close to Akran. He felt it's charge crawl up his spine. Damn it!

"Die!" he yelled and shot another arrow.

[D. Ein]

//Xorlak: that was there mainly to attract attention. Then again, I really didn't believe that something that could've been done in a comment like this one had to be done through breaking character.\

- South of the Kandarinian border town -

There were scatterings of Kandarinian soldiers left and right of Sienna's path. They were setting up camps, regrouping - licking their wounds, in other words. The beam over the city finally began taking shape, and searing some buildings around the main acropolis in the middle. (45)

Sienna and Puco found themselves on a hillock just south of the city. The Sovereign's Hammer was illuminating the area with an intensity very rare for the well-named Dark Continent. The light revealed a lush forest south of the city, made up of tall trees hiding the sky with their canopies. Most of the soldiers remained in positions in the area around the now-burning settlement, although some groups left to enter the forest instead. Those were generally seen with caravans of slaves captured in the city.

- South-Eastern Kandarinian border -

The beetle fired its spikes up high into the air, completely missing Duilin, but instead falling on the retreating Gaian Federation troops. The gaping holes left in the creature's carapace began to close up to form another row of devastating spikes, but not before Ein took the situation in his own hands.

He pressed one of the symbols on his left arm with his right, forming somewhat of a small wave of light around himself, while urging the wyvern down. The summoned beast made a circle in the air and, in a dead fall move, threw itself right at one of the holes in the beetle. The glyphs on its back continued to form, even without Ein - who was right behind his wyvern, also in a freefall to the ground.

Meanwhile, the glyph seemed to form a perfect circle - just as Marshall's wyvern reached the opening in the beetle. The poor reptile exploded violently, and although it didn't deal too much damage to the attacking beetle, it caused a turmoil with the Necrolytes inside. Their concentration was momentarily broken - just long enough for Ein's spear of light to enter the small space inside, shattering as it hit an Augment's portal...

The deadly shards lodged themselves deep in the Necrolytes' flesh, and quickly got to their business. The seemingly small cuts began leaking strange glowing white liquid, forming deep cracks in the warlocks' skin. Just several seconds later, the beetle collapsed to the ground, revealing thirteen motionless, half-dissolved bodies - and their Augments, free from the oppressive grasp of Necromancy.

The silence of the scene of massacre was broken by Ein's wails. The largest glyph on his chest - the one he used to create the Necrolyte-killing spear - was producing a torrent of blood. The disabled Ein tried to crawl toward the small Federation group, but fainted before reaching even half of the way there, with the dark shadows of the Malanos circling around him.

- A completely unfair distance from the South-Eastern battle -

-"Eh, it's the family business, I suppose," Joseph replied. "We were always interested in the Sovereign's Necromantic workings. Unfortunately, he did not grant his gift to anyone before the Gros Morne era of Kandarin. When he did, my entire family became devoted to Necromancy. It was like a religion, almost - with the Sovereign as the patron god.

"Myself, I was a different case. Even though it was clear that I had neither the talent or the interest in Necromancy, they all kept urging me: do it, consecrate your soul to the Sovereign, and you will gain the power to control life and death... Eventually, I gave in for the sake of stopping the nagging. I, however, refused to be turned into a full Necrolyte - like yourself, pan Manteia, or pani Ekaterina there. Unlike you, when I am struck, I will die - die completely. I suppose it's partly because I'm slightly dubious as to why exactly we go through with such a task - killing ourselves and then being reborn through our own power. Sure, the result is near-immortality, but really - who would want to live forever?"

-"My story is not as colourful as Joseph's, pan Manteia," Ekaterina spoke, albeit after a short pause. "Four years ago - when I was thirteen - it was determined that I am a gifted abstract thinker. As everyone knows, the split-personality aspect of Necromancy needed to directly control a Mertvetz is greatly boosted by an abstract mind. Because of this ability - the ability to think for several people, so to say - the creatures I had the potential to conjure were deemed to be infinitely more complex than that of my fellow students. After completely resurrecting a person in my first month at the Standard Necrolyte Preparation course - without absolutely any loss of flesh, blood, or even memories - I was immediately sent to the second year of Advanced Necrolyte Preparation. Completing the four years that were given to me, I am now here, ready to apply the skills I was "taught" by those individuals generously awarded with the title of "teacher" by the Sovereign... It is without an exaggeration that I say I was better than them at everything."

-"But all that, of course, is what I am expected to say, I'm sure. You, pan Manteia, could probably guess all of that after I told you that I am a graduate of the Advanced Necrolyte Preparation. To be perfectly honest, without all the useless information and the icing on top - I like it. I like being able to raise someone's mother from her grave and make her dance like a marionette. The sense of control, it... it appeals to me. Being able to command hundreds with but a thought is, to someone like me, my innermost desire."

-"We're almost there," Joseph informed his companions. "Before we land, though - pan Manteia, why did you become a Necr-"

-"...idiot...", Ekaterina cut him off. "Listen to yourself, pan Joseph. The pan's last name is Manteia, why do you think he became what he is?"

(34)

[Mikado]

~ ~ Glimmer Spire, Spire City, Phoenicia ~ ~

Shuichi didn't comment, he just quietly followed. The thing he heard weren't good, apparently the skunk... well... was a little different from what he introduced himself... or maybe not.  Anyway Indher made a fuss (like always) so he just would follow, this way the skunk wouldn't be able to do anything funny, if he would of course. Why would he? Only a demon tailing him...
tailing... hehe...
wait...
demon?

...

what kind mess is this...

~ ~ South of the Kandarinian border town ~ ~

"Eeh~" Puco looked at the light.
"It's flashy... Sienny, what is that light..."
She looked like in a trance and the light was reflecting in her eyes.

~ emo ~ under ninethousand... distance from the South-Eastern battle ~ emo ~

Czernn just looked at them, with his face not showing any expression. His empty eyes didn't move during the whole story.
He just wondered... was he really like them? They dead or not... but was he alive? Was he dead? Or was he even less?
Less than dead... his existence was his curse... Manteia... he should be dead one hundred years ago.
Should.

"Yes, just as moja pani said, I'm a manteia.. it's also in my blood to control life. But Isn't it ironic? Even in the end, and I mean the ultimate end, the one who controls so many lifes... not only using spells but i power...

a necromancer nie can't bring himsiebie back."

He paused, sighted and looked down at the earth.

"A curse, or a gift?
Dependant to each other.

Our/nasz bare skin jest shown,
our/nasz bare skin jest touched,

touched by maybe soft hands,
maybe very soft,
but not so soft jest...

ten knife they are holding."

I can see it... I can smell it...

"Let us prepare ourself... how will you fight?"
Maybe an obvious question, necromancy... but the tone he said it in showed that it was a question asking for more... a deep tone, a deep though, a deep strategy... a deep eye.

~  ~Silver Root ~  ~

The two massive ships were now underwater, and inside them portals were opened to let people freely move from one ship to an another... only the gates to Pistis were guarded.

[Ted Der]

- South-Eastern Kandarinian border -

"Oh no, not the guy we just met!" shouted Martin.

Akran looked around just in time to see the man with the tattoos fall to the ground. Blood was spurting everywhere making a real mess around him. Worse yet, the Malanos were descending upon him, sensing that their victim was an easy target.

What could he do? There were too many of them to take out even if all of his crew weren't fighting for their lives and could help. Akran started to sprint towards the injured man, but then stopped himself. Something was holding him back. His arm tensed. A brief thought that he should just leave him to the Malanos flew through his mind. After all, he was so impolite ... and, well this made for a great distraction so he could save himself.

NO! What the hell was wrong with him? He couldn't leave him to die! Akran cleared his mind and rushed over to the fallen man.

"Hey! You shadow shit, come for me!" Akran yelled at the Malanos, "Free target here, come and get some of this." He started shooting arrows at the creatures.

All at once the Malanos turned towards him, their red eyes focused on his. Uh oh, bad idea. Thunder sounded in the sky above him and it darkened even further. A wispy, translucent image of a cloaked head appeared above the Malanos. It breathed in and smiled. His brother Kraaz had found him.

[Dude Man]

- South-Eastern Kandarinian border -

"Oh, up your's!" Duilin sneered at the beetle.

He then summoned up his air shield, which he intended on using on himself but he quickly flipped around and shot the bubble like shield at his troops, he was unable to protect all of them however and the shield mostly just bought the rest of the troops some time to duck for cover because the shield was broken after the first few spikes struck it.

The half demon general then faced the beetle again, just in time to see it fall apart.

"Well, what do you know. That Aspye did it." He looked around to see where Ein was. "Hmm, where is he?"

He looked down on the ground and saw a fainted Ein on the ground. He landed next to him and picked him up.

"He's officially gained my respect. My trust will be if he keeps this up." Duilin said, as he flew back to the ground.

--- ---

- South of the Kandarinian border town -

"I think that might be the same forest we were in before." Sienna said pointing.

She stepped towards the forest.

"Yeah, alright. It'll be best if we go through here. I don't want us to be spotted by anymore Kandarinians."

With that she entered the forest, still carrying Puco.

[Coriko]

“Back in your cell you pansy ass mother-fucker!”

Druid heard the cell door swing open. A thud, followed by coughing and wheezing.

“Not so tough any more Mister Grand General!” The guard laughed. “And you!” The guard stepped over Baird towards Druid. “Well, you are just pathetic!” He laughed some more as he thumped his hairy knuckles against Druid’s mask. The stench of his rotting teeth hung around Druid’s face like a relentless thunder cloud bent on destruction. The decaying food and rotting gums was an odor Druid disliked almost as much as he disliked the guard. He was almost glad the masked covered his eyes because he did not want to see this ugly brute’s face.

Druid heard the guard spit, most likely on his mask, before he turned to leave. Baird grabbed his pant leg. Not because he as pleading for the torture to end. No he grabbed his leg as a means of fighting. Baird was weak and couldn’t summon any magic and this was the best he could do. The guard kicked Baird in the face, hard. Druid heard a nasty crack, which echoed throughout the entire jail. The door swung shut and the guard walked away laughing.

“Tomorrow” The one and only word Baird said barley a whisper. He used to share all that transpired with Druid. The guards thought this was them planning their escape and they would just torture him more. So for the last year all he would say was “Tomorrow”. He meant this as in he would muster up enough strength to fight back. After this he would arduously pull himself onto the stone bed and pass out until they pulled him back into the torture room.  

Druid hung there and only thought of his tormented friend. He was stronger than Druid. He just hung there day in and day out on the wall. No sight but he could still hear. He could touch anything, but he didn’t need to. Everyday they would pull Baird into that room and drain him of energy and life. Not for information anymore, but to keep him from rebelling and breaking out.

So Druid hung on that wall and waited. He listened to the soft breathing of Baird, he didn’t even have the energy to take deep breathes. Druid slowly drifted off to sleep, to dream. Not of freedom or a daring escape plan but to relive that day three years ago. Over and over. It was killing him slowly from the inside, and there was nothing he could do about it.

[Ted Der]

- South-Eastern Kandarinian Boarder -

The image of Kraaz laughed and disappeared. He knew where Akran was now and would send more minions. Akran ran over to the two men. Hopefully no one knew that they were here because of him.

"We gotta get out of here quickly!" he said, "If the Malanos change into their solid forms..." his voice trailed off as he shuddered. "Well, trust me, we do NOT want that. Hey you, winged bloke, is there a healer we can take this injured man to?"

[D. Ein]

- South-Eastern Kandarinian border -

-"I'm... I'm fine..."

Ein's chest stopped bleeding. He wiped off the remains of his blood with his cloak, and stood up.

-"This particular glyph is interesting in that it requires so much power to use that I need to sacrifice some of my own life to use it. It is called Mond war lauern - don't ask me what it means, I don't know, I just copied it off the book."

He loaded his modified spear gun with two spears, and pushed them into the bowels of the mechanism. He used another spear to trace a glyph in the earth below, resembling a pentagram with several lines added onto it. After the image was complete, he pricked his finger with the tip of his spear, and dripped a few drops of blood on the glyph. Having done that, he lowered the spear to about 30 cm off the ground level. The droplets of blood inside the pentagram suddenly spurted several stalks of some red plant, it seemed - which wrapped themselves around the spear, sinking into the metal like it was sponge.

-"That was a technique I picked up after visiting Eris' tribal homeland. Her people practise some sort of nature-magic, which comes in very useful in certain situations. Then again, their most powerful spells require actual human sacrifices - so I decided to learn only the bare minimum."

Ein paused to look at the modified spear.

-"This is one of their stronger spells. That plant - Sanguis Veneficorum, they call it, which, I believe, translates to "The Poisonmaker's Blood" - is some sort of unearthly conscious vegetation that uses living organisms as vessels. I wonder if we could get one of those black things up there on our side..."

He aimed his contraption at the closest Malanos, firing off the two unenchanted spears first. The creature used two lightning attacks to counter the spears, but paused for a second afterward. At that point, Ein fired the hexed spear at the creature.

- Directly in front of the South-Eastern battle -

 (44)

-"Well..." Joseph sighed. "My arsenal consists of just a Khodovik and, on top of that, several Peshkas. I don't even have my own Augment yet... I suppose pan Manteia simply doesn't need one."

"I have a different way of using Necromancy in this case," Ekaterina added. "I recall pan Sovereign using it once. As for exactly what it is... well, we're already here anyway. You'll just see for yourselves."

The three wyverns landed on landed on the brown soil, just behind a hill, hiding them from the rest of the battle. The undead creatures whithered into dust as soon as they touched the ground. Ekaterina and Joseph crouched to the top of the hill, and then, lying down, spied the battle from afar.

-"Can't really see much," Joseph complained while trying to make out the battle through a spyglass. "I can see the remains of the Zhuk - I suppose bratja Necrolytes fell already. Doesn't matter, I guess, since Gandara is only a few hundred miles north of here."

-"Blood," Ekaterina whispered after sniffing the air. "A fair amount of panowe died. Good... That means there will be a lot of material to make our Mertvetzi out of."

She crawled back down to Czernn, and dusted herself after getting up.

-"Shall we make our entrance, pan Manteia?"

- Forest entrance -

The forest was, if at all possible, even gloomier than the city. The dark canopies of the trees hid what little sky there was. Even the Hammer's rays barely penetrated the thick cover of leaves and conifer, manifesting only as the occasional streaks of light pouring to the ground and vanishing among the thick trunks. The normal scent of the forest wasn't there - the air was stale with the heavy odour of mould. Upon closer inspection, the lower parts of the trees turned out to be blighted, explaining the brown carpet of leaves on the little forest road. The leaves were disturbed, as if several people had walked through them recently.

A little further down, the disturbance in the leaves pointed to the side of the road, finally vanishing in the darkness veiling the forest. There was shuffling coming from the shadows, as well as grunts, heavy voices, and the occasional whimpering.

[Xorlak]

- Glimmer Spire, Spire City, Phoenicia –

Kelmarr's mind began to wander as he followed Lerfina.  Blast, it was a long way to the top...  He took to watching the cracks comprising the block walls as they climbed staircase after staircase.  What was such a huge tower used for, anyway?

They passed a huge set of windows, and the skunk felt compelled to pause for a moment to take in the sights below.  The city sprawled below, the people moving about like ants.  He hadn't been in a structure so tall since the Tower of Heaven's Bane!  With that dreadful tower gone, he wondered if perhaps this was the new tallest building in the world...

He turned to follow Lerfina down the windowed hallway before she noticed him lagging behind.  That was all he needed, for her to start yelling at him...  She got pretty scary when she yelled at her lessers, and he didn't want to find out what it was like to be on the receiving end of her berating. Even now she walked tall with her head thrown back, some sort of big shot...  His eyes trailed to her shadow following her.  Even it was imposing.  Hips swaying, sholders held back...

Wait a second... two shadows?

He blinked a few times.  Odd... there was only one light source-- the window to their left...  In fact, the shadow directly behind her-- the imposing one-- was blacker, yet he didn't see any other light source up ahead...

He stopped dead in his tracks...  He could have sworn the shadow turned its head around and looked at him...

"Uh... Lerfina..."  he said worriedly, not quite sure if her response to his interruption or this... whatever-it-was would be scarier...  "Your shadow..."  He pointed weakly, even then not quite sure what he was seeing...

Like a cat burglar caught in the act, Lerfina's second shadow spread its arms wide and stopped, bending its knees as if ready to jump into hiding.  It looked both ways, and then with immeasurable speed, bounced across the floor like a rubber ball.

Kelmarr gasped as the thing drew close and found his back to the window.  With a sucking *pop*, the black ooze blasted out of the floor and tackled the skunkular knife mage right in the chest, sending him right through the glass window with a huge crash.

Kelmarr screamed as he fell dozens of stories towards what surely would be his death.  The ooze clutching his chest took solid form, an avian head and glimmering crimson eyes boring into his soul.

"Re . . .vIvE . . ."  The thing screamed into his mind.  A raspy whisper that blocked out all other sound. "rE . . . ViVe . . ThE . . ."

*CRASH!*

Kelmarr and the shadow-thing slammed into a luckily placed cart of hay, collapsing the wagon and sending bits of straw flying across the street.  Townspeople screamed as glass shards began to rain from above.

He had no time to ache in misery, lying on his back in the hay.  With a practiced reflex, he drew a dagger and plunged it into the thing's neck.

It shrieked so loudly that the skunk man was blown clear off the cart.  He flipped on his landing and landed square on his fluffy tail.  Ow...

Gods... what in blazes was that?!  It took flight, spreading two black wings and spraying feathers everywhere.  A crow?  A raven?  Whatever it was, it dove and tackled him again.

Pinned on his back, he wrestled with two blade-like talons, taking one in each hand.  It had four limbs!  No, not some bird... it was a griffin!

The thing snapped at his face with its beak.  "Re . . . ViVe . . . MaSt . . ."  He moved to the side and it struck the handle of his sword. Much to his surprise, it grabbed the handle and began tugging on it.  Kelmarr took the opportunity to retrieve his knife from the monster's black feathery neck.  Black blood pooled down his hand and dribbled upon the chest of his leather armor.  He raked his feet up under the beast and kicked it off of him, sending it flying back into what was left of they hay cart.

Eyes wide and utterly freaking out, he fought back the soreness and stood, drawing a second dagger.   Why did it attack him of all people?  Blast it!

The black griffin shook off the hay that it landed in, returning to its feet and spreading its wings menacingly.  It was about the size of a large dog-- scratch that.  Very large dog.  It opened its raven beak and let out a blood curdling screech.  Nearby window shattered from the soundwave, and townsfolk ran for their lives.

Kelmarr slowly stepped in reverse, tail frazzled and teeth clenched as he held his daggers battle-ready.  Only one word could escape his mouth.

"Great..."

[Coriko]

-Shaad Oenn-

   There was no such thing as time in their prison. They did not know when one day ended and the next began. Tomorrow to them was when the guards would cart off Baird and the end of the day was when he got back. There wasn’t anything do except sleep for Druid and so he lost track of the days. He knew only the changes in season because of the temperature in the cell. This allowed him to keep track of the years, and they were currently at three.

   Baird had been pulled away before Druid awoke. He wasn’t rested so it must have only been a few hours since Baird got back the first time. The door to hell was opened and Druid could hear Baird being returned to their cell. The guard was laughing as he usually does. He opened the door and threw Baird in. Baird grabbed his pant leg like he always did, however something was different. Druid could sense it.

   “You want to dance you cock loving…” The guard never finished his sentence because Baird had summoned an orb of shadow energy and punched a hole right through his stomach. The guard gasped and collapsed. Druid could hear Baird’s heavy breathing because this took a lot out of him. He slowly grabbed the door and pulled himself up. Shouts of other guards and inmates filled Druid’s ears. He struggling to free himself and help his now doomed friend.

   The guards rushed in and started to fill Baird with ten thousand volts. These guards were adept at lightning magic and were electrocuting Baird for his little revolt. Druid struggled to free himself of his binds. He knew it would do no good. Baird wasn’t going to die; they weren’t allowed to kill him. However they were going to continue to severely shock him.

   “Get that one too, he is disrupting my fun.” Druid heard as the guard came over and started to send the electricity through his body. Druid screamed in agony as the guard laughed. He knew Druid was powerful and sent double the amount into him as he sent into Baird. Druid tried to break free of his binds. The binds restricted his movements and the guard laughed in his triumph.

Druid started to yell in agony, losing his self control. He didn’t care, the pain was too fierce to contain. He summoned orbs of shadow energy but the binds which turned the energy against him only cause him more pain. Druid’s yell grew louder. The guard stopped laughing. The ones torturing Baird stopped and his body collapsed in relief. The guard shocking Druid was scarred and put all his energy into the assault. Druid’s summoned shadow energy orbs grew brighter and the binds were illuminated. A small crack appeared in his left bind. Druid felt it, the escaping shadow energy. He ignored the pain and put all his energy into the orbs. His yell turned into a laugh, this deep blood curdling laugh. The guards recoiled in fear as the crack grew and his laughter continued getting deeper and louder.

[Ted Der]

//I assume Ein tells Akran his name because, quite frankly, I'm tired of trying to find other ways of describing who Akran's talking to.\

- South-Eastern Kandarinian Boarder -

A piercing shriek came from the Malanos that got shot. Akran had to cover his ears. The creature writhed in the air and smoke started to rise from it. All of a sudden it stopped. It turned around to face the other Malanos and started to shoot lightning them. The others, realizing what was going on, fired back. In seconds, the possessed Malanos fluttered to the ground, life energy depleted.

"W-what?" Akran cried, quite bewildered. "Did you make that thing attack the others?" he asked Ein.

If he answered, Akran couldn't have heard him because then, all of the Malanos started shrieking so loud that Akran had to cover his ears again. They must have realized that the humans had a very effective weapon.

To Akran's horror, he noticed that the Malanos were changing. Black pieces of cloth were falling down from each one into little piles on the ground. When there was nothing left except the mounds of cloth on the ground, the screaming stopped, and soon, the pieces of cloth started moving. About twelve, very tall cloaked creatures rose up out of the ground, electricity and sparks zapping around them.

Akran felt his jaw drop. About two years ago he faced one of these things and only just managed to escape with his life. He looked around. Where the hell was his crew? He hung his head in despair.

"Twelve, angry all new Malanos against... how many of us?" Akran asked out of the side of his mouth to Ein.