Group 22

[Kinslayer]

OOC - Sorry guys been away this weekend for my girlfriends birthday. Let's get things moving again...

IC -

The group left the tower with a new plan forming in their minds, Phalx and Elysian moving quickly down the street towards the gate as Vryala and Karonath held back and kept a look out for more of the arcane familiars. It was only a few minutes before the scouts reached the end of the street, where is came out onto the northern road, a left turn taking them straight to the gate. They paused and considered their next move, for with no alleyways or other roads cutting north through paths unseen they had little choice. They could either move onto the road and approach the gate head on, no doubt walking into Kronus' guards before they reached it, or they could try to find a way through or over the few buildings that ran parallel to the road without being seen. Phalx was confident enough in his own ability to move across the rooftops almost unseen, and was even sure that Elysian could keep up despite not being able to use his magical shrouding powers. The girls however, Phalx was not too sure about.

Vryala and Karonath were still a little way behind, keeping close to the shadow of the buildings on their left as they advanced cautiously behind the scouts. They could see that the pair had stopped by the corner of the road, but had no idea if they had seen an enemy or were simply deciding the best way to proceed. They stayed back and waited for a signal or any sign of an attack, but the Shade and the Mage were still facing away. Phalx moved to the corner first and peered around without showing his hooded head. The northern road continued for another hundred yards before it ended in a small courtyard square just inside the gate. There he could see guards milling about in the open ground, making themselves easy targets for his trained eye and lethal crossbow.

Yet the Shade had to restrain the urge to fire. There were at least a dozen guards, formed in pairs and trios and apparently standing idle behind the gate. He could see the open door that led to the gatehouse, where the great wheel would be found that could open the iron gate. Beside it was a stone stairway leading up onto the battlements of the wall, where another three guards were pacing up and down. Their attention was on the outside, only occasionally throwing a glance back inwards at what was going on in the square down below. For a regiment of so called guards supposed to be defending the gate from the armies outside, Phalx could tell that traitors or not the guards were slacking and if the Drach were to hear of it they would all have their backs flayed and the raw flesh beneath flogged for days as punishment.



He cast his gaze up to the rooftops, and there he saw two single guards stood on separate balconies, one closer to the gate and the other closer to the group. The Shade contemplated the ease with which he could shoot those two down, as long as he timed his shots well so that the second fell before he had time to react if he saw the first suddenly collapse. What he couldn't see was if any such balconies were occupied on the same side of the road as where they were hiding, and if they were those guards would most definitely see their opposite numbers fall to his bolts. If he was to slay them he would first have to infiltrate the buildings his side of the road and take the place of the guards that might be up there. This he knew was a task he and Elysian could perform, and one they would have to do so alone.

Phalx leaned back, pressing his body flat against the wall of the building and turning to Elysian. He indicated that they should swap places so the Mage could have a look, and then looked back down the street to where Vryala and Karonath were lurking in the shadows. He gave them the hand signal to advance, knowing he would have to fill them in no matter what he decided to do. There were too many guards to simply walk up the road, and subtlety was certainly not either of the ladies' strong points. As the Warrior and Khainite quietly moved up the road to his position, Phalx stepped aside and let Elysian approach the corner and look around. The Mage took in much the same scene as the Shade had, seeing the two guards on the balconies opposite and the small groups of guards in the courtyard. What he saw that the Shade did not however, was the wind of Hysh being quickly expelled from the area. Something dark was approaching.



As if in answer to his thoughts, a new group of figures walked into the square from somewhere off to the side. That it was Lord Kronus, Elysian had no doubt. The traitor-highborn held himself with an air of authority, and walked flanked by iron clad guards with his Sorceress Kirathi on heel. In their wake came two of the skulking ratmen, one perhaps marked out as a chieftain by the triangular banner of wood it clutched in its tail, the other clad entirely in concealing black robes. As the six of them entered the square, the whole scene suddenly erupted into motion. The guards on the balconies raised crossbows and fired at the four on the wall, confirming Phalxs' suspicion that as well as the two guards on the balconies opposite there were two almost directly above them just around the corner. The four loyal members of the City Guard manning the wall fell outwards, their iron breastplates punctured by black fletched bolts.

In the courtyard, those guards loyal to Kronus suddenly drew blades and rammed them into the spines of those still loyal to the Drach. It was clear Kronus' men had positioned themselves well, for those that were standing in threes suddenly became pairs as two turned on one and Druchii blood was spilled within the walls of Vikarh in the name of Kronus and his Chaos Gods. Elysian watched as the noble walked into the middle of the courtyard and his guards formed up around him, the two heavily clad ones never straying from his side. He was talking to them, perhaps already ordering them to open the gates and let in whatever darkness was coming for them from outside. He saw Kirathi tap her staff on the ground, a leering skull of black magic smoke wisping from its tip as she did so. Then he felt her eyes turn his way, and pulled himself back around the corner quicker than she could turn her head.

The Mage turned to face the others just as Vryala and Karonath reached their position, and told them what he had just seen. They were running out of time.

[Layne]

K rolled the situations as described by Elysian over in her head, and her demented mind spat out its answer with her customary speed, if not exactly agility -

The magic lady is the one we need. Phalx should shoot her

[Raneth]

Elysian whispered his findings, urgency evident in his voice. K was quick to suggest a course of action, but Vryala felt no confidence in the group's current position. Not yet, perhaps, she hissed, maybe we can cut through this building and reach a balcony. We can't risk being flanked anyway; we're outnumbered as it is...

For this plan to work, some lockpicking was needed. Bracing herself for Phalx' imminent gloating, V sheathed her sword and drew her crossbow.

Should the Shade cooperate, Vryala will take point SWAT-style; shield and crossbow, throwing smokes when needed. The aim is of course to reach a balcony and obtain a dominant field position.

[Dauricha]

Phalx looked back at the two furious women. Maybe you should be be quiet so I can work, he said with a whispering hiss. This situation was bloody, grim as it always was. The balcony would be useful, but they needed people down there.

I'm going for the balcony with Elysian. We'll be unseen. Wait for us to have it cleared, then head down into the courtyard we can cover you. With that he began to move again, cloak wrapped tightly as he kept to the shadows. Deathspitter was out of his grip, as he flexed the hand of his punching dagger.

Phalx will move to the balcony, sneaky quiet and like. He will take out the two guard there without causing a commotion. This done he will wait for his heavily armored comrades to head into the fray.

[Drainial]

Things looked grim, there only hope of aid for some time was cut down in an efficient blood bath, if they had any doubt that Kronos and his goons were formidable it was gone now. Phalx proposed a reasonable plan but one that could well get the girls overwhelmed. Vryala’s plan though was a little too dependent on instantaneous overwhelming force within the building for his liking. If it was just him and Phalx they had options besides barrelling in swords swinging, still having the girls attack the courtyard even with cover from above seemed close to suicide.

"Perhaps a compromise; Phalx and I go into the building first and clear the way, if we come across anything that can't be dealt with quietly we can call for back up or reconsider the plan as appropriate. You two can follow a little way back. Even with cover from above no two elves can take that courtyard."

[Raneth]

Both Phalx and Elysian had something to say in the matter, and of their two proposals, the Mage's seemed least susceptible to blowing right up in their faces. V nodded her consent.

[Kinslayer]

The group waited in the shadow of the tall building on the corner of the two streets, peering around at the commotion in the courtyard as they discussed their next move. Phalx was intent on taking the balcony above and securing a good firing position, and while Elysian had no objection to this he did not fancy the girls chances if they approached the gate alone. Now every guard in the vicinity was loyal to Kronus, and they were outnumbered by them two to one. Not only that but Kronus himself and his Sorceress Kirathi were no doubt formidable enough opponents on their own, let alone backed up by their guards. Whatever they did, they needed to separate the two before they could act.

As Elysian and Vryala whispered back and forth, Karonath keeping a silent vigil down the street behind them since her initial contribution to the plan, Phalx continued to watch the courtyard. Those guards that had been shot off the wall had fallen out without a sound, and now four of Kronus' men moved up the stairs to the battlements to take their place. He wondered if they would fall as silently as their victims had should he shoot them off the wall. There were still four guards on the balconies though, two on the other side of the North Road and two in the buildings above them to their left. In the courtyard, the other eight guards loyal to Kronus formed up around him as they received their next set of orders. The two ironclad brutes that accompanied him then followed him to the door that led into the gate house, leaving Kirathi in the courtyard with the guards.

The witch snapped at one of the guards, spurring them into performing their new duties with more haste. Two of them moved to stand inside the gate, as another pair moved off to watch the east and another the west. The final pair started walking down the road towards the groups' position, heading out to watch the southern approach. They kept walking until they stood further out than the guards on the balconies, only a few yards down the road from where the Shade spied on them from the shadows. Phalx carefully tucked his hooded head back around the corner and told the others of their opponents movements, Vryala and Karonath now faced with an even harder task should they want to move down the street. Two of the guards were waiting for them just around the corner.



OOC - Map to help you understand who is where. Kronus' guards are the red dots with lines showing their facing / line of sight. Kirathi is in the courtyard, Kronus and his two henchmen just went through the door by the stairs into the gate house. You are in the alleyway as shown by green dots, further back east is the watchtower you were in previously. You can access the buildings which are positioned as shown, by breaking in or climbing up the outside onto the roofs. Assume all buildings are 3 levels high, with the balcony on the highest just below the roof. The wall is taller still, but from the rooftops you could just about see over it.

[Dauricha]

They bickered. Of course Phalx knew he was in the right, but they bickered anyway. He looked around the corner to see guards were moving up the road. Piss and bloody darkness! He muttered some darker curses as he moved back from the alleys corner.

Two of the bastards have moved up, he spat to the rest of them. He looked about for an idea, and hit upon something. The buildings were tall to be sure, but he had dealt with worse. He took the grappling hook and rope from his belt. The grizzled Shade made sure the length wasn't frayed at all, and the hook was good and sharp. He hoped his plan was obvious enough for the others.

Phalx plans to grapple the ledge of the roof of the building to his left. He will then scale it, and once on top take stock of his situations. The others of course can follow.

[Raneth]

As the Shade readied his grapple, Vryala looked upwards with slight trepidation. Quite the climb, to be sure. But then again, she herself had just about run out of ideas.

V follows suit

[Drainial]

A climb, why not?

Fine lets to that then.

[Kinslayer]

It was soon clear that Phalx wasn't going to change his mind, and they knew the more time they spent talking and not acting the more chance their was that their mission would fail. Vryala conceded and nodded for Phalx to go ahead and grapple the side of the building, the Shade throwing the iron hook up with practiced skill and minimal sound. He was climbing the rope almost at once, with Elysian right behind him. Vryala and Karonath watched the guards in the street until they were sure they had not heard the grapple going up, and then followed the others up the rope. It was only a short climb to the rooftop, where Phalx and Elysian already lay prone upon the tiles. The Shade reeled his rope back in behind them, and they then set about edging closer to the road until they could see the area from above.

Looking down, they were higher even than those guards who stood on balconies, whose attention was on the street down below. The four guards manning the wall would be oblivious to them unless they stood up or made any loud noises. Those on the balcony below them and just off to their left would be easy targets, but killing them without alerting any of the others was the hard part. Avoiding being seen by the guards on the balconies opposite was going to be the hardest thing to achieve however, and they couldn't shoot those two down without the ones under them noticing. To take the balconies, all four guards had to die simultaneously, and even then they relied on the hope that nobody in the street below noticed. There was also now a clear line of sight to the Sorceress in the square, but they had no way of knowing if a mundane bolt would slay her until they tried it and gave their position away.

Laying concealed on the rooftop, the group contemplated their next move.

[Raneth]

Once up the roof, V quickly deduced all four of the balcony-stationed guards would have to die simultaneously for the group to stand a chance. Phalx and Elysian possessed the finesse to take out the two furthest away, while K and herself would be best off targeting the two directly below their own position. However, even when successful, they'd still have to deal with several angry traitors and a very dangerous witch. A diversion would be needed; V reached for a smoke bomb and held it out for Phalx and Elysian to see. You guys okay with this? she asked in a whisper.

Vryala plans to hurl her smoke bomb near the North Gate to confuse and disorient the guards stationed there, and also act as a cue for her friends to open fire. Ideally she'll join them in shooting her repeater before the bomb even explodes.

After this the two guards stationed on the road should be easy prey for Deathspitter or the Mage's handbow. As for the witch, she might be disoriented as well, but... one threat at a time!

[Dauricha]

Phalx began to climb his rope, feeling Elysian's weight just after him. The other two were smart enough to wait for him to get to the top. The wind whipped at his cloak as he took in the area. The four roof topped guards would be easy targets from here. The others were crouched down besides him shortly.

He went over ideas of what to do next as he pulled up his rope and ungrappled the hook. His sharp ears caught Vryala's idea, and it wasn't to bad. I'll deal with the two on the far side. Elysian keep your fingers ready to waggle. Phalx crept forward, the wind rustling his hair ever so slightly. He ignored the guatds below him, focusing on those on the other side. Throw when I've fired my first shot. He called back to the others in a distant voice.

He would compensate for the wind, that was easy. The slight dip of his bolt falling, that was easy too. The bolts themselves were sound well crafted and tested, as was Deathspitter. Getting two deadly shots off on two separate targets in such a short space of time, well, that's what made it interesting.

His breathing was calm, his eyes sharp, Deathspitter ready. All he had to do was pull the trigger. The wind tugged at his cloak but he ignored it. All that was, all that would ever be in this moment, was himself and the two targets.

Phalx pulled the trigger.

Phalx is taking his time, aiming at the two guards on the rooftops across the street. One bolt for each of them, both in the neck. This done he will deal with the two other rooftop guards if necessary. If not he will unleash a hail of death on the guards far below.

[Drainial]

Looking down alongside the others Elysian didn't much like their chances of taking down all of the upper guards with bow fire, at least not as quickly as they needed to. Still that was the plan and he didn't have a better one. He would have liked to give the bolts some help with the golden wind but with the sorceress down below it was not worth the risk. Getting out his handbow Elysian briefly regretted his decision to take the more compact weapon over the larger repeater crossbow but that was the trade he had made. Aiming carefully at the nearest guard Elysian readied a counter spell to anything Kronos' pet might try and waited for Phalx' signal.

Not much to add really. Elysian will go with the plan and aim at his designated targets. He will also get ready to defend himself and the others if little miss magic tries anything.

[Kinslayer]

The four mercenaries lay on the slightly sloped roof of the tall building and watched as the guards on the balconies beneath them continued their vigil over the street down below. None of them had sensed the group moving into position, but if even one of them saw another fall they would sound the alarm and everything would change in an instant. Those guards that could see each other had to die together. That meant the four guards on the balconies, each facing across at one another despite looking down. Even if they all died in the same moment, there was a chance the Sorceress might look up and see them.

Not only that, but they were running out of time. Whatever great army they had briefly seen descending the foothills of the Spiteful Peaks would be on the snow plains between there and the North Gate by now. The noose around Vikarh was starting to tighten. This high up on the rooftops, the group could also hear the first telltale sounds of reaper fire coming from the east, the shriek of six feet long bolts of iron being launched from the great batteries mounted on the watchtowers on the walls of Vikarh. There was one such weapon visible to the group on the Northern Wall, not much further along from the gatehouse into which Kronus had gone. They guessed the guards manning it had been dispatched long before they had arrived.



Vryala and Phalx readied their crossbows, as Elysian loaded his handbow and Karonath moved until she was poised over one of the guards below, ready to strike. Phalx made the first move, giving the signal for the others to fire and open the attack. Deathspitter sent a black fletched bolt into the neck of the leftmost guard on the building opposite, who dropped his own crossbow and brought his hands to his neck as blood erupted over his face. No sooner had he started to die, Vryala and Elysian leaned out over the edge of the rooftop and fired on the two guards beneath. Vryala made quick work of her chosen victim, her powerful repeater crossbow punching a single bolt through the top of his helmet and driving him to his knees. The Mage put three bolts from his handbow into the other, ensuring he would not be getting back to his feet either.

Vryala had already hurled a smoke bomb in the direction of the gate, aiming to distract and disorientate those guards before they could react to the sudden sound of crossbow fire. As her bomb sailed over the head of the Sorceress and dipped towards the gate, Phalx made his second shot at the other guard opposite them. In the seconds that had passed, the guard had instinctively reacted by raising his own loaded weapon, and upon spying movement on the rooftop opposite he let fly at the group. He only had time to get one small burst off before Phalx put a bolt through his throat, but he was well trained and his aim was true. Vryala still leaned out on the rooftop, Karonath crouching beside her. They could but watch as a handful of bolts hurtled towards them. With a muffled curse, Vryala brought her shield up and ducked behind it, trying to cover Karonath in it as well, but knew that she would not move quick enough. Both of them gritted their teeth and waited for the bolts to hit home, expecting a burst of pain at any moment.

Yet nothing hit them.



With a grunt of effort, Elysian caught the bolts in his arcane grip as they instantly closed on the group and threw them off course. They dipped until they pattered harmlessly off the side of the building below the mercenaries on the roof. Despite not being physically drained from such a small if quickly conjured spell, Elysian instantly knew that in saving his friends he had drawn unwanted attention their way. Fortunately it was at that moment that the smoke bomb Vryala had hurled impacted with the floor just inside the gate, where two of Kronus' guards were still standing idle behind Kirathi. With a loud hiss of escaping air, the gate was almost instantly shrouded in a thick grey fog, the guards standing there lost from sight a moment before the smoke reached out and took the Sorceress under its dark cloak as well.

There were still four guards on the wall, who span around at the commotion and almost instantly noticed the group upon the roof nearby. Their crossbows were already coming up to fire.

There were two guards out on the road below who only now turned around to see smoke piling up around the gate, with no idea that the guards on the balconies above were dead. They did not look up.

There were six guards in the courtyard, two by the gate now concealed by the smoke, and two at each corner of the small square who turned inwards and ran into the smoke to come to their seers' aid.

Something told the group she didn't need their help. She was a match enough for the combined might of the four mercenaries on her own. Inside the cloud of smoke, the winds started to rise.

[Raneth]

Even as her smoke bomb sailed towards its intended goal, Vryala drew her crossbow and took aim at her designated target. The group acted in such unison any tactician would relish and soon enough the four balcony-stationed guards lay bleeding to their deaths.
Then the smoke grenade detonated. The traitors close to the witch were left blinded, oblivious to the threat above. Those stationed further up the road also seemed to be focusing on the smoke more than anything else. Those on the walls had taken notice though, as V reckoned the Sorceress would have - surely she would not have any trouble seeing through the smoke - so, V set about pressuring the foe while she could.

She moved towards the wall shield-first, to decrease the traitors' line of sight, and reached out for some grenades of the lethal kind. In her years serving Blackthorn she'd grown quite intimate with the use of these flammable vials, and felt confident in predicting their effects. A prayer of retribution on her lips, Vryala let rip.

V throws a few flame grenades at the wall-stationed guards under cover of her shield. Even if this doesn't cause any casualties, the fiery oil should spread out enough to fall down the wall and cause even more confusion on ground level.

[Dauricha]

His two shots were perfect. Two blossoms of blood from each of there throats. A light shower of bolts sailed their way, but Elysian's power kept them at bay. The guards were aware of their position now. They needed to move, and to send more of the bastards to the darkness beyond. Phalx gripped Deathspitter in one hand, and readied his horn punching dagger in the others.

The witch, sorceress, or whatever would not be standing idly by, and the rest of the guards were onto them. We have to move, Phalx barked over the rising sounds of battle the clatter of armour the hiss of smoke.

Phalx will jump down to the lower balcony hoping to kill one of the guards in his fall (Assassins Creed style). Then he will use Deathspitter to blast the other one away. At this new angle, he will take stock of the situation.

[Drainial]

With the element of surprise on their side the mercenaries crossbow bolts took their targets with little drama, or so he thought. At the last moment Elysian noticed the flash of bolts through the air and reacted instinctively weaving the air into steel for but a second, enough to halt them. A moment later though he realised what he had done, the sorceress would have felt that and although last time they had met she had been forced to flee injured he knew she would not underestimate him again. Though he tried not to let it show one thing terrified Elysian more than any other and that was coming up against a convent trained sorceress. He did not know if this Kirathi was such but she wielded Dhar and so it seemed all too likely. He was not unskilled in the magical arts but his training had been haphazard, a collection of half understood teachings by an elf trained no better. The least of the convents were said to have libraries piled with magical scrolls by the thousand and novices were taught by supreme sorceresses with millennia of experience, in a fair fight he knew that he was outmatched.

The Druchii do not fight fair however and Elysian would not back down now, the wind was stirring in the courtyard below, those magical as well as mundane. Swiftly Elysian fished out a power stone from a pouch at his waist. He did not know what she was about to do but he would be ready for her. No shields this time, to match her strength to strength would be inefficient and very likely a battle he could not win. No he would take the offensive, the mind was his forte and he would spear into hers.

Elysian will use one power stone to fuel a counter attack to whatever spell the sorceress throws out, waiting until just as she casts so that she will be concentrating on that rather than watching for threats. He will attack her mind directly seeking to get inside and do as much damage as he can killing her if possible, at the very least trying to keep her occupied so that someone can put a bolt in her. Think mind war from 40k Eldar.

[Layne]

K watched nonplussed as guards fell and bombs exploded. Fire here, smoke there, people running in all directions and here she was up on a rooftop, about thirty diagonal feet from the nearest unfriendly, with one giant sword and four small knives. Acutally, no, there was something of an opportunity -

K will try to get to a sort of on one knee position and throw all four knives in two pairs into the smoke.

The knives still had rat blood on them, so K felt pretty sure that anyone who got the slightest nick from those blades would end up dead fairly soon -

And then Phalx slid and fell off the side of the roof to where there was a balcony below. It looked crazy retarded but she could see he had meant to do it, and so she could see she had better go after him. It would be fun to try and take a building from the top down anyhow.

With an inaudible ho-hum, K slides down the roof after Phalx to try and save him from himself and hopefully find a chance to do what she does best.

[Kinslayer]

The guards were quick to react to the sudden threat, but fortunately the group were even quicker. Vryala saw the attention of the guards on the wall turn their way and almost instantly had a fire bomb in her hand, which she hurled at them before ducking behind her shield to draw another. Behind her, Phalx slid down the slope of the roof and let himself drop to the balcony below, his magical crossbow already firing at the guards in the street. Karonath decided it best to follow him, knowing full well she needed to reach the ground again before she could put her skills to best use. She dropped onto the balcony beside him just as one of the two guards on the road fell to one of his bolts, and by the time she had crouched and drawn her throwing knives Phalx had peppered the other with bolts too and was reloading.

The first vial of explosive liquid Vryala had hurled at the wall struck just as the four guards opened fire, smashing on the battlements right in front of the closest guard and spilling its contents down the side of the wall. Even as the liquid dripped onto the guards inside the gate it combusted, fireballs searing down at them and causing them to duck for cover. On the wall, the flames engulfed the nearest guard straight away, and spread out to threaten the others. The smoke that started to billow up from the flames would block their line of sight, but for now their crossbows had already been fired. Vryala hid under her shield as she heard the second and third bombs strike the wall, unable to watch for fear of taking an iron bolt in the face. Sure enough, her shield saved her once again as two of the deadly bolts struck her shield, numerous others clattering off the tiled roof nearby.

Karonath watched from the balcony beside Phalx as the Shade shot down the two guards on the road, and Vryala hurled fire at the wall until two of the guards were blown off into the empty lands beyond. The two that remained were forced to back away, fire spreading along the wall and smoke curling up into the air. No longer could they shoot at the rooftop where Vryala and Elysian were still crouching, but as soon as they stopped running from the flames Karonath knew they would start shooting at her and Phalx instead. Of the guards left on the ground nothing could be seen, but she knew six of them still surrounded the Sorceress down there, who was even now conjuring up some dark spell amidst the smoke. Deciding there was no point waiting for those energies to detonate first, K hurled a pair of knives into the smoke, followed by another. She had no idea if they struck flesh or stone.



Above the balcony, Elysian was still focusing on the magic the Sorceress was drawing to herself, and he gripped a power stone ready and prepared to counter whatever she was about to unleash. He felt the swirling maelstrom of energy that had appeared inside the smoke reach its limit, and tried his best to hold his mind against the Sorceress as she unleashed her spell. In an instant, there was a sudden explosion of violet wind and the smoke was hurled outwards, revealing Kirathi with her black staff pointing straight at the group. Beside her, two of the guards that had run into the smoke to aid her lay dead. One had a knife stuck in his neck, a lucky shot from K, the other had had his throat slit. In the Sorceress' other hand, a dagger still dripped with his blood.

The eldritch wind that expelled the smoke suddenly hit them, and in that same moment the air about them seemed to come alive with flashes of silver. The group realized with a start that it was no mere wind which had hit them, the air was suddenly filled with dancing blades, which seemed to move as though wielded by some invisible swordsman. They materialized just in front of the members of the group, and before they could react the blades were already striking. Phalx snarled as the first blade to appear cut a deep scratch on his arm, another cutting his face before he had a chance to drop Deathspitter and draw his own sword to fend them off. Karonath too was taken by surprise, her hands left empty after throwing her knives, now suddenly reaching for her Draich as magical blades rang off her armour, one trying to decapitate her which she just blocked in time, pulling her sword up into its path.

Vryala was still crouching behind her shield when a sudden sword stroke from above and behind took her by surprise. The blade glanced across her helmet and neck, forcing her to spin and throw up her shield. The attack was so unexpected that she momentarily thought it was Phalx, the only people she knew to be behind her being her comrades. Instead she was faced with a dozen floating blades, each lunging at her and stabbing for her exposed flesh, more appearing even as she blocked those that she could. A dagger stabbed into her side as she swept her shield out and send half a dozen swords spinning off the roof to fall to the ground below, and as she hissed in pain and tried to remove it another sword suddenly plummeted down from directly above, trying to impale her to the roof. She rolled aside, all but throwing herself off the roof as she did so. She tumbled through the air and crashed onto the second balcony, the one closest to the wall and a few yards across from the one where Karonath and Phalx now crouched, fending off magical blades of their own.



Up on the roof, Elysian watched as Vryala was sent spinning over the edge and momentarily thought that the Warrior was about to fall to her death. The arcane blades that Kirathi had summoned from the winds to attack them effected him too, but with his mastery over the wind of Chamon he managed to keep them at bay with simple force of will. Here and there a blade still nicked his flesh and caused his concentration on a counter spell to falter, which is what had slowed him down to the point where his three comrades were now surrounded by weapons they could barely avoid. Now he saw the opportunity to retaliate though, and he grasped his power stone tightly and held it up, pointing at the Sorceress with his other outstretched hand and calling upon the wind of Ulgu to infect her mind and destroy her sanity. Much like he could use the Shadow wind to make an enemy believe they were weak so that they put less power into their sword strokes, the illusions brought about by Shadowmancy were as real as he made the victim believe.

Elysian tried with all his mental strength to tell the Sorceress she was no more than a mortal woman, and he felt the bolts of magic he had cast plunge deep into her mind. The power of the blue stone he was using was added to the spell effect, even as the stone crumbled to dust in his hand. He felt the Sorceress below suddenly recoil from the unexpected attack, her own magical assault failing as she withdrew her concentration and used it to put up a barrier inside her mind. Instantly the blades that danced in the air about the group dissipated, the strong wind washing over them as though it had never been anything but a gust of air. Elysian felt his power inside the Sorceress' mind still, and he lay about with mental attacks as quickly as he could, trying to do as much damage before he was repelled. His attack did not last long, the Mage suddenly smashed onto his back stop the roof by a magical backlash as Kirathi cast him out.

Elysian slid down the roof and dropped onto the balcony beside Vryala, who grasped the wound in her side where a dagger had stabbed into her ribs, before vanishing with the sudden end of the spell. He looked across at the other balcony, where Phalx and Karonath had been forced inside by the swords. Only now that the spell was ended did Phalx stick his head back out of the doorway, Deathspitter reloaded and ready. Karonath was no doubt behind him, or even now heading down to the ground level to unleash her revenge upon the witch. Elysian looked back down at the Sorceress, and saw her backing away towards the gate, clutching the side of her head as she screamed at her guards. The four that remained ran in to cover her, forming an iron shield which she stopped behind and turned to face the group once again. She seemed to look straight up into Elysians' eyes, an almost invisible challenge passing between the two of them.

The winds of magic started to rise again, the Sorceress drawing upon the darkness to fuel her next spell.


Phalx, -1 crossbow clip
Vryala, -1 smoke bomb, -3 fire bombs
Elysian, -1 power stone

[Layne]

K changed her mind about trying something when she saw the speed of Phalx slide - she had time to get after him and that was all. She upended herself and slippy-slid down the roof and gave herself a neat push and twist over the gutter. She hit the balcony and was instantly relieved, if perhaps a trifle disappointed to find only Phalx with her. She spun back to face the trouble and threw a two knives into the gathering smoke. Her hands moved down to her waist in the direction of two more knives but something in the cloud made her feel she should not. Her hands hesitated, and then the smoke flew apart not unlike a torn curtain, and with a similar if rather louder sound, and there stood the Sorceress.

K could swear she was standing just where the knives had gone, but there again she could see two bleeding and dying troopers on the ground. So she had hit with both knives, which would be cause for celebration if she had but hit once the one she had aimed for. Her hands yet hovered by her belt, twitching as they waited for their next command.

The air between herself and the sorceress suddenly exploded with light, reflected from many points of steel, moving fast, coming right for her sweet Khaine she bade her hands get hold of her blade pronto and out it came - and she began to knock flying blades out of the air, some glanced from her armour, and none, great luck and good management, from her dear old skin.

As she knocked the blades down the stayed down, so she knew she had but to keep up her resistance for longer than this lady could keep throwing it. The air began to clear, and to thin again as it were, after the pressure that the lady below had squeezed into it. K did not understand magic by any means but she could sure feel it. And it was drawing back over her shoulders and down into the courtyard. It felt to K much like before, and intake as it were of magic breath, and K was no more disposed to hear this lady's words now, after she knew they full of steel and Khaine knew what else. She had two more knives and no bombs today.

So she will throw her last two knives at the Sorceress now she has a clear shot, and then run downstairs to take the census.

[Raneth]

V's shield served her well, halting several arrows as explosions lit up the sky; she allowed herself a small smile as, judging by the screams, her disposables once again dutifully caused chaos and destruction among the enemy. Then, merely thanks to her instincts, she sensed a blade strike from behind. She lashed out in a wild spin, half expecting to cleave through the flesh and bone of the jackal Shade, the one she'd last seen at her back. To her surprise and horror, however, the sword threatening to take her life did not appear to have a wielder - even worse, it'd brought friends. The Sorceress must've made her move, Vryala thought, before having to focus all her wits defending against the multitude of attacks that followed.

Despite her best efforts, a single dagger slid twixt her armor plates, embedding itself between her ribs even as she desperately fended off the dozen or so remaining weapons. V's panicked reactions led her body too fast for the mind to correctly register her position, and she soon found herself tumbling off the rooftop, landing on a balcony with an ungraceful THUD.

She shook clear her head; the assailing blades were gone. She reasoned Elysian must've had something to do with that. Looking down she saw the b*tch Kirathi unharmed, now moving back to the gatehouse accompanied by several cronies. K and the Shade, nowhere to be seen - knowing them, probably inside the building, making their way to ground level... Vryala knew she had to ignore the agony and blood loss for now, her friends were counting on her. Only now did she notice Elysian beside her, having dropped down quiet as a mouse; his skills would be invaluable in the fight ahead. Thanks for the save, Mage, she managed, before tightening up her Sea Dragon Cloak and assuming guard position. Get ready. I got your back.

V bites away the pain, standing tall to shield Elysian from mundane attacks. Still possessing a good vantage point, she'll use disciplined crossbow bursts to cover Karonath and Phalx as they move through the street.

[Dauricha]

Fire, blood and death lay all about Phalx, as he headed down into the frey. Guards fell to his bolts, as he slid down the roof, followed by the gore frenzied Karonath. A truly deadly warrior, and quite the equal to Phalx.

The smoke was blown away, by an unnatural wind, that slip through the Shades hair, like treacle and grease. Before he could ponder this further, blades appeared out of nowhere! Piss and bloody darkness, he dodged back, Deathspitter forgotten as he drew his short sword, blocking one of the strange blades with his dagger. To him they seemed half glass and metal, and completely unnatural. This feeling of unease was only increased by the fact that the sword were thrusting and slashing themselves, controlled by some magical invisible force.

He had to step back as they demonish things came on, blocking and dodging furiously. Even K besides him was pushed back, through a door way, Phalx a short roll behind. Another breath of strange wind, this one with the scent of rotting blood, wafted from an unknown source. The blades vanished. He would have to remember to thank the finger wiggler when this was done.

He exitted the room, Deathspitter ahead of him. The Shade quickly reloaded when he saw the immediate coast was clear. There she was the queen biatch herself. Lets see if we can take the whore alive! Phalx gave a mad cry as he charged.

Phalx's aim is to dodge and dive, distracting the Sorceress. He will aim Deathspitter at her hands and knees.

[Kinslayer]

OOC - I'm guessing you are all aware of the dark lore I'm drawing these spells from, and of the concept of Storm of Magic?

IC -

The mercenaries had blown there cover by opening fire, throwing those in the square into confusion and disarray just as they themselves threw caution to the wind. Those guards that did not die in the first few moments of their attack were quick to recover, and flocked to their Sorceress to protect her. The two that remained on the wall had retreated from the fire and smoke, and now crouched down besides the stairs in a new firing position. If the Sorceress had been dazed by the smoke and sudden commotion she gave no sign, her initial counter attack almost devastating save for Elysians' timely intervention. The Mages' spell had clearly wounded her though, mentally if not physically, and had caused her to retreat clutching her head.

Now she stood behind four of her guards, her back near the wall by the gatehouse, two more of her lackeys above aiming crossbows their way. Karonath hurled her last two knives and fled the balcony, just as Phalx and the opposing guards simultaneously opened fire with their crossbows again. Her knives were aimed well, but the guards now shielding the witch saw them coming and used their shields to deflect them. It seemed the luck she had found with her first throw had run dry. On the opposite balcony, Elysian once more prepared to suffer and counter Kirathis' arcane might, Vryala stepping in front of him to shield his lightly armoured form. The bolts fired from the wall bounced off the wall, the balcony edge, her shield and in one case her shoulder pauldron, before scattering off in the direction of the other balcony.

Phalx saw the guards open up on the closer of the two balconies first, giving him the opportunity to take aim at the Sorceress despite the shield wall that was now formed in front of her. He took a well aimed shot, going for her knees, but hit only the iron shield of one of her men. As soon as they realized he was firing at her, they tightened their ring around her and watched his every shot, putting their shields in the way. Snarling with anger, Phalx changed his tactic and put a black fletched bolt into one of their faces instead. The guard momentarily stayed upright, before his arms went limp and let go of his sword and shield, and he fell to his knees in front of his charge. Phalx had no time for another shot, the crossbow bolts coming from the wall now tracing a line of fire to his position, and suddenly showering the balcony with iron death. The Shade backed into the building, and realized Karonath had already vanished down the stairs. With no other option left, he let out a mad howl and followed her out.



Elysian was still summoning the winds of magic to him when Phalx dropped one of the guards, finding the mental task unusually difficult as if they were becoming more wild and harder to control. The Sorceress however seemed once more focused and in control, and as if she had been waiting for them to slay one of her guards she threw out her arms as he collapsed on the ground. As the guard died, the Sorceress curled her extended fingers in the air above him and seemed to pull something into her staff. To Elysian the dark magic was clearly visible, but even to the others they saw the air shift as something moved. The end of her iron staff suddenly seemed charged with arcane power, her guards' sacrifice fueling her dark magic which she channeled into another spell. Only this time, Elysian was not quite ready to counter the quick minded witch, and realized a second too late he and Vryala were about to take the full force of the arcane assault.

Karonath and Phalx were still moving down the three storey building to the square when Kirathi struck, her crossbow armed guards on the wall stopping to reload in the wake of their flight from the balcony. Vryala had put aside her sword once more after the bladewind had been dispelled, and drew her crossbow as if to take aim and fire to cover her comrades when the pair emerged below. She only paused to reconsider a moment before Elysian half blurted out a warning and grabbed her shoulder, trying to pull her inside as Kirathi extended her staff and uttered a single, dark syllable. Khelthrai! The word was laced with venom and caused a dark shudder to pass through the air, and instantly both Vryala and Elysian felt its effect.

Pain, like no pain either of them had ever felt before, suddenly gripped their bodies and threw both of them into a fit of agony. Vryala felt her legs give out, sharp pain racing up her nerves and into her brain just as her muscles cramped and her fists balled tight with pain. She felt as though her skin was suddenly stung by a thousand needles, the muscle beneath felt as though it were being turned inside out. She opened her mouth to scream but her throat would not make a sound, her brain overloaded with pain like never before. Beside her, Elysian was mildly aware of what had happened to them, knowing of the dark lore the coven trained Seers' could unleash. He too was wracked with an agonizing spasm though, his fingers letting go of his staff as he collapsed into a shuddering fetal position.


Karonath burst out of a small doorway and into the square beneath the balcony, expecting Vryala to be firing from above as Elysian let fly with his magical attacks. The balcony above was strangely silent however, and before she could look up the crossbows on the wall opened up again, dark bolts peppering the ground at her feet. She had to either jump back inside the doorway and wait for Phalx to catch her up, or keep her momentum by hurling herself into a sprinting charge to avoid being hit. Behind her three remaining guards, the Sorceress looked up at her comrades and seemed not to notice her. The guards however, had already fixed their attention on her and were bracing to meet her head on. None of that gave her pause however, determination alone filling her mind alongside the willingness to unleash the wrath of Khaine upon these traitors.

It was the sudden screech of the iron gate starting to trundle upwards that made her think however. She suddenly remembered Kronus and his two ironclad guards in the gatehouse, and the massive army of Chaos closing in on them from outside.

[Layne]

K flew down the stairs and out the door, not waiting to see even if her knives had struck home. As she came out, she felt something which made her think that if she had hit someone, it was the wrong someone. Nothing came to her from it ; but she could feel it was stronger than before, and could guess it was most likely directed at Elysian and Vryala above. There was no longer anything much she could do about that, except for run over there and see if her trickety tricks could stop Bloodfeather and Khaine's own rage.

She took the first few steps and saw black bolts come past. She heard them hit things. She did not feel anything hit her. Still, she could only go on, as fast as possible, and pray for poor shooting. She began to charge upon the Sorceress and her guards, and they turned to face her, three with iron pants and iron shields, but not one of them with much hope beyond this afternoon, K knew. Then she heard the gate rattle.

That was where she had to be. In there. Preventing that. One Sorceress, a noble, perhaps highborn, and six or seven guards - well, maybe, probably not but maybe. But three half dozen or so armies she had seen from the tower, no, that wouldn't do. Her soul for one was going to Khaine, not to ... those things.

With a silent prayer she charged forward.

K will go for the gatehouse with all possible speed, and go set Khaine's own fury on Kronus.