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[The Illuminati]

Nightmare

Must play well with others.

 

It was nearing the witching hour of the first day, yet sleep did not come easy to the young sorceress. Nearly a full day aboard the flying vessel - with several more to come, and she had not seen a single body she was familiar with. By all appearances, Renly had disembarked and returned to the capital - his little dance with the Prince now complete. Iblis was in hiding. Supposedly he and his new partner had accosted a noble and killed several of the guardsmen. Maiev knew of his dislike for the royals, and admired that fact about him. Far too many of her warlock companions seemed eager to please. Like hounds, they begged at the feet of the empire for scraps. If the Dusk drove men mad, why should the Six be dubbed 'Warlocks' and hated? One did not kill a child for soiling itself, did they? '...perhaps a few disturbed men and women would.' Regardless, it was all propaganda.

 

​Still, from her time spent with Iblis, she also knew he was a tad unstable. But to start trouble like this? Then he would have been better served simply marching into a firing squad. Where could he go, or hide in a steel cage suspended in the air? Sighing heavily, Maiev rolled onto her back and stared at the hard ceiling. With having no one she knew to converse with-, and nothing but a book to do in her room, she had to admit that she was beginning to feel lonely. And despite herself, wished there was someone to share her bed with. For conversation, naturally. Smiling at her own little joke, she rolled over yet again and stared at her plant, Heka. She had boiled two of the green leaves in water for dinner. With some sugar, it had become quite the delicious beverage. She was grateful for that at least. ​Rolling over once more, she surrendered to the fact that she would have to socialise tomorrow. Lest she go mad prematurely.

 

​Face down in her pillow, Maiev closed her eyes tighly as her hands began to wander her body. Slowly her legs yielded to her touch began to spread apart when there was an inappropriate amount of light filtering into her room from the far window. For a moment she contemplated ignoring it when she felt her room rock with the sound of an explosion. With haste, she threw off the covers and raced towards the window - bare feet slapping the cold floor. She barely caught sight of the nearest airship slipping beneath a carpet of clouds as screams echoed faintly through out the blazing warmachine. Then, all was silent. In that dreadful sort of way when all your deepest fears are manifested before you. Almost immediately thereafter was more screams, however this time they originated from beyond her door.

 

​Heart pounding, she moved without hesitation and undid the lock as quickly as she could. There were shadows dancing across her floor in the light outside her room, but she didn't stop to question them as she yanked the metal door from it's roost. Just outside her door were three guardsmen. One standing to her left holding a shield and sword, and two to her right - one of whom appeared injured. The other hovered over their comrade protectively, waving her sword at something beyond Maiev-Dalal's sight. Stepping bravely into the corridor to assess the situation, her face went white at the sight of an approaching horde of dead men coming from both ends of the hallway. 'Iblis?!' she thought. 'What have you done, you fool!'

 

​Without a second thought, she cleared the doorway and raised an arm in each direction. With practiced ease, she quickly drew purple, magical circles in the air, aiming them at the nearest foe. With a whispered "VENTILABIS" once the circles were complete, the ghouls were sent flying back into the arms of those nearest them. Like dominoes, the first few rows collapsed under their own weight, temporarily halting their undead march. The guards looked over at her in confused astonishment and open relief, but there would be time for happy feelings later. Quickly pointing her forefingers at the three guards, she drew two more circles - the second of which being larger for the two huddled together. With another word the three of them rose into the air, and clung to the ceiling like bats.

 

​Back on their feet again, the monsters rushed forward as if angry by her little display of power. Undeterred, Maive drew two more purple circles in the air. These were larger, encompassing the entire width and lenght of the hallway. The dead, unimpressed, uncaring, and hungry, raced forward as fast as they could considering the size of the space and their individual injuries. But Maiev focused only her magic, pulling it out from deep inside her to create a spider's web of dazzling light and runes that dance just beyond the reach of her fingertips. Just when they were almost upon her, and she could feel their hot rotted-breath about to close on her outstretched fingers...

 

"VENTILABIS MAXIMA!"

Edited by Naifu, 18 August 2013 - 12:22 PM.

[Maia]

They had talked for hours, catching up, recalling old and treasured memories, having long since lost track of time, yet neither had cared. When the airships had taken off it had been such an odd feeling, but they had watched it all through the window, marveling at the the wonder of it all. Sashya couldn't remember a time in the last several years that she had been so happy, even with the danger they were facing looming in the distance. After a time they had flopped onto the large bed, both tucked under the thick fur blankets until they had drifted off.

 

She had been warm and sleeping peacefully for the first time in ages, snugly curled up in Tyr's arms beneath the blankets, when the sound of the explosion had jarred her from her slumber. They had both bolted out of the bed and rushed to the window in time to see the ball of flames that had, only moments before, been one of the fleet's airships fall towards its doom, a firey red tail in its wake. As the sounds of screaming and the pounding of feet began to echo outside of the room they spared only a quick glance at one another before they grabbed up their weapons and gear, rushed out the door.... and into utter chaos.

 

The first thing to assault her was the scent; putrid and rancid was the smell that brought a swift wave of nausea rushing over her, yet she seemed the only one it affected. Was it magic then? A magic so tainted as to make her almost violently ill? She had never come across any magic that had smelled like this before, and that brought on the problem of not being able to identify it. That moment was also when she caught sight of what appeared to be reanimated corpses making their way towards the panicked guards, nobles, and what few of the Holy Knight's children happened to be in the quarters area. What in Light's name was going on?

 

Acting quickly, both Sashya and Tyr joined the effort of barricading themselves and everyone else in the inner rooms, though the sound of low moans and the pounding of rotting fists still persisted as the zombies were attempting to force their way past the doors to get at the terrified survivors, one of them, thankfully, being Aera, whom she grabbed and pulled to her side. Now surrounded by so many people, Sashya let her golden gaze wander around the room; searching for another way out. She found that way when her eyes caught sight of a large ventilation shaft near the ceiling.

 

"I have a plan," she murmered as she grabbed Tyr's and Aera's hands, leading them through the throng of people towards the vent. "Its large enough that we will be able to fit through, we just have to get to it."

 

Once again she looked around until she found something large enough for them to stand on and easily reach the vent, dragged it over and positioned it just below their escape vent. Moving quickly she climbed up and yanked at the large grating covering the shaft, set it to the side, then hauled herself up into the access way. With a satisfied nod that the three of them would be able to make it through she turned around and poked her head back out and grinned at her two companions.

 

"Come on, I don't know how much time we have before they break through!" She had carefully raised her voice so that the two of them would be able to hear her over the the pounding and the screams. "We'll just have to be careful. I want to know what the hell is going on..."

 

It was only then that she realized Tyr, in fact, would not be able to fit, his body too wide and muscular. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, then, as she reached out to touch his cheek, her eyes locked with his. "Be safe, Tyr..." was all she said before moving back to allow Aera into the vent.

Edited by Maia, 18 August 2013 - 11:40 PM.

[Diabolical Rhapsody]

'The First Fight - Makings of a Behemoth'

 

With ominous air lingering around the staircase Magnar began walking quickly, Mjolnir over his shoulder, his short blade on his belt, he descended downwards. Strange wails intermixed with war-cries were coming from the direction of the engine room, he recognized his lieutenants voices as he heard it more carefully, breaking into a run he rounded a corner to see a gruesome scene. Angus and Alina were fighting with all their might with other guards who seemed to be reanimated corpses, although slow but very tough to kill. They both had managed to kill a few of the undead, Magnar had read books about tackling the magic of Necromancers but he never thought that he would have to face such a large force and those he have to strike down will be his own men.

 

Enraged by the degree of the abominable act, he charged towards the group shouting 'Haaaaaaaaaaaaarrrr' feeling reinforcement arrive his companions doubled up their attacks now fighting back to back giving Magnar space to maneuver his mighty hammer. Down came the strike of moving Mjolnir in a great arc with its top just scraping the roof, on the unfortunate cadaver cleaving him straight in two down the line. Magnar kicked two more while connecting a huge left with a third sending them flying back to the back. Making distance between himself and the duo he said 'Don't slacken just yet, finish off anyone I might leave' swinging Mjolnir again in a semi-circle to hit three more of the undead, the force of his blows were staggering, the host which seemed to have been pushing his lieutenants a while back was now being blown apart from close-range, their laggard pace not helping their cause.'Cut their heads to be sure' he said once again to the duo without looking at them 'That'll buy us some time, then we'll burn them' he added after a while.

 

Magnar had noticed that Camus had sent support, he realised when he was about to be attacked from a blind spot. A ray of water shot at his attacker cleaving the torso clean in half. He didn't know what to make of it, 'It seems we have Mage support' he said back to his lieutenants.

 

'Well it's a strange fox like creature and it seems intent on protecting you' Alina replied. She had glanced a look at the arriving support. Since Magnar had joined both Angus and Alina haven't had to lift a finger, he was like a massive bear annihilating everything in his path. 'You seem to be enjoying it' She said back to Magnar, who had cleaved another one clean of his waist.

 

'Well nothing like  a good workout to get blood running' He said with a deep laugh, ducking under the swing of a cadaver while swinging from low to up to him another on the chin, he didn't seem to be hindered by the fact that they were his own men, he had a clear mission and he wasn't going to jeopardise it for anything.Amazingly the giant fox like creature was syncronising his attacks beautifully with Magnar, sending out sharp piercing jets of water one instant, a blade of gust another, its attack cut into the lines of the horde as if passing knife through butter.

 

'I have been dormant so long that I forgot the ringing pleasure that a good old massacre brings.................................... remember Gryphon pass?' he said

 

'It's not much different, they are enemies of the crown now, even if they served it when they were alive..........hold to no sympathy for them Al, they are not our brothers anymore' He replied before swinging his mighty hammer in a big arc, its blow stronger than a ballista.

 

'Once you are rested, join the fun, I don't want you both being jaded now, we are the only ones of The 100 onboard' He said to both of them, finishing of the last of the cadavers as his assist cut through another.

 

'The area is secure for now, but expect attacks from anywhere and from anyone, be ready to behead me and burn my remains if I fall to them' he said with a grin.

 

'I'll bring out more weapons from inside and a sharpening stone, hopefully a medic will here so we can treat your scars Angus' he said looking at his friend, before going into the room. 

Edited by Diabolical Rhapsodii, 19 August 2013 - 05:35 AM.

[El Phantom]

Valerius Lyon

 

"Hmm?", wiping his eyes and stretching a bit, yawning as he got up on his two feet... Honestly when they lifted off he wasn't sure if he was able to sleep, but then again everyone always said he was a bit of a deep sleeper... The only thing that would prevent him from sleeping really was disturbances, being leagues in the sky or on a boat never seemed to get to him it seems... He heard some frantic knocking on his door and a bit of yelling and low moans that he could recognize...

 

"Aahhhh... Really had to open my big mouth about those goddamn Dusk boarding us huh?", he complained with a tone of regret in his voice, Maria was strapped to his belt like always and his bastard sword was drawn. Without even touching the door he plunged the blade through the wood, on the other side he could feel his blade piercing flush, not normal flesh though... It was softer... Rotting flesh. The guys on the other side had already become mindless minions. With a hard yank, Valerius pulled his sword out, only for him to kick the door down, shattering it and blasting whatever was on the other side flat onto the ground. The first thing to greet him was the rancid stench that he's known before... Dusk really were here. It wasn't difficult fighting these corpses, moves were erratic, wasteful, oftentimes just a very minimal parry was enough, some of the people who were still alive when he came out were already being devoured by the Dusk, only for him to cut them down, and even behead them before they turned.

 

He sighed and did a few stretches after clearing this little hallway, since he did literally just wake up, although his attention was grabbed when some corpses were sent flying through the hallway... Well, not just a few, quite a few were sent flying, and at such a great force that they splattered across the walls, barely able to get up since the body they were in was wrecked beyond normal functioning capability...

 

"VENTILABIS MAXIMA!"

 

"A mage? Wonder if they're still okay...", he muttered, still rubbing some crust out of his eyes. As he turned the corner, he spotted her, beset in black, he didn't recognize her, not at all... So she must be a mercenary or something, or someone who just wondered down to this rat hole of an accommodation floor... She seemed to be fine, for now, some walking corpses lay properly dead around her.

 

"Looks like you're still a normal functioning human... Well, as you can see it's chaos here, can you go up to the upper decks and see if it's any better? I'm gonna see if I can scrounge one or two more survivors from down here", it was... Well, for lack of better word, an order. Casual, but he made a good point, and was already taking command of the situation, if you could call it that... Without a word he sprinted off...

 

----------------------------------------------------

 

"Bleugh... Nothing but corpses... Hmm?", the first sign of something different after running the lower deck quarters... Though it wasn't what he had hoped. The screams of men being cut down, different to the agonizing bite of a zombie. Someone was down here cutting everyone up? Who? A traitor or...

 

For the Reunion

 

"A traitor...", as he said these words his tone scathed menacingly, and his own face changed into one of vindication... Something about this man really, really ticked him off... Though those eyes are dead, and skin no longer human... It was him, definitely him. That face had the same glare as his own, and it was uncanny that the way they held their dual blades was the same... Valerius' sprint slowed to a walk, picking up another sword just jutting out of the ground giving him his double swords. There were no walking corpses here, and everyone who was alive was now dead, cut down... Some freshly defeated scum slowly got up, and charged at Valerius only to be ruthlessly put down, just as this traitor ruthlessly put them down when they lived. It was clear that this figure had left a path of carnage behind him... Blood painted the halls behind him in a shimmering abstract job. It was actually impressive to be honest, that blood could be spilled in such a way.

 

"So this is where you were... Servant of some damn monsters... You know you didn't have to come pick me up from this airship, I'm not a kid anymore...", his lines didn't seem to make any kind of reaction, but not that it mattered, he knew it wouldn't have a reaction. Even as a zombie of sorts, it was clear that the skills of the body did not disappear, he saw that for himself. Twirling both the blades in his hands, he took a stance...

 

"You appeared in my life twenty six years too late, father".

Edited by ~L~, 18 August 2013 - 01:09 PM.

[Faye]

Marquis of Hell

 

The situation is a lot worse than what he had expected. The corridor is littered with walking dead, and it seems that the twenty soldiers Magnar assigned to him is struggling against the horde. Fear and doubt can be seen from their eyes, as they are pitted against abominations that were once their friends and the lords they serve. A few has fallen and is now attacking their former allies. The formation is in shambles, and the party will soon be wiped out if nothing is done.

 

"Pull back the line!" shouted Camus. He has no experience leading people to battle, but he can at least tell that their defense is too spread out. "Shields to the front! Tighten your formation! Whatever is in front of you, they are no longer a part of this world, do not show any mercy!" he continued his stern and composed orders. "Do not swing your swords! Push them to the ground, and crush their heads beneath your feet! Do not think of honoring the dead for now. Remember, your duty is to save those who are still alive." Having received orders, the soldiers snapped out of their panicked state, and reformed the rank. With no leeway for the zombies to attack, the party is slowly but steadily advancing against the seemingly endless wave of zombies. Camus's orders might sound cold and uncaring for the dead, but it has saved them from total annihilation.. For now at the very least.

 

"These hordes are summoned with dark magic.." He thought to himself. "The necromancer from before? No, the energy pattern is different.." As much as he wanted to pin the blame on the wretched necromancer, this calamity is not his bidding. Something more evil, and more powerful, is behind this attack. And because of the magic contamination in the air, he cannot use his summons. Even conventional magic is risky at the moment.. His only weapon, then, is his charisma as a Marquis of Leviathos, and an army of thirteen that is left in his care.

 

"Lily, whatever you do, please be safe.."

Edited by fayrbrant, 18 August 2013 - 02:06 PM.

[Geo]

Gale's restlessness had him at the edge of his bed. He felt like something is wrong. But soon, there was a feeling of unpleasantness that came forth to him. Pressure built up on his ears and he felt lighter. Not very comfortable for him, but at least the view outside the window proved to be simply magnificent. The view was simply breath taking and was truly beautiful. But it all came with a cost from popping your eyes from the pressure that built up from the rise. 

"I guess are flying now," he said as he looked outside. "We can finally get ready to venture forth to the dawn… I could rest now."

 

Hours past when Gale fell asleep. His dreams was chaotic. Flickering pictures of his mother appeared and it continued until it showed clips of memories of her leaving him behind in the house. "No… please," Gale murmured, "Don't leave me again." 

Brutal memories from his travels has rose again that Gale hid deep down. But there was something that eased him a little. It was a woman that helped him during his travels. She was just a commoner, but her smiles raised him up. Surely he will meet her again once this was over.

 

His nightmare became gentle memories until a loud BANG had boomed across the whole airship. "Wait, what!?" Gale yelled in surprise. "What was that explosion?" 

 

He came out of the room and saw many nobles and other people a like that are running in panic. The explosion has alarmed them, and the worse thing that could happen is that it would lead them to crash back down into the ground. Gale could smell death in the airship, his necromancy was in-tuned with death.  

​"Goddamn… I smell zombies. Who could've done this? Certainly my brother wouldn't do something extreme…" he noted as he pinched his nose to cover the smell.

Something was definitely happening, and it is the bad. Gale ran around the place trying to see what is going on. He never had a companion, so he wasn't safe that someone got his back. He had to call for one of his summons. He muttered words and the void appeared once again. The same dual wielding skeleton walked out. 

 

"Sorry to call you, Razoriel." Gale apologized, ​"But something is going on in this ship… don't you feel the presence of zombies as well?" 

 

Razoriel howled and pounded his chest armor. He nodded at Gale and he was ready to fight with his master.

"You were always so kind to me, thanks for that. Anyways, let's go, we need to see what's going on." Gale said. 

He took out his scythe and prepared himself as they walked more forward. He imagined what would've happened if things went more smoothly and this did not happened at all. 

Edited by Geo, 18 August 2013 - 02:02 PM.

[Viscoun]

Ko was a boy who had seen more than what most people would have seen at twice his age. Before he had reached the ripe old age of five, he had already seen the power of the sea, had learned to never underestimate it, and ultimately had learned to overcome the many trials the sea threw at him, allowing him and his mother to reach the Great West Reaches without much injury or complaint. He had then traversed the perilous mountains that hid more than the angry, jutting crags that glared imposingly from high above. Bandits, thieves, even supposedly innocent travelers who perhaps became just a touch too greedy along their way home - all had tried to take what they could from the ailing mother-and-son pair. But his mother - bless her - had been a fighting woman, and though many times the bandits had succeeded in their attacks, many more times they had found their ends at the jagged, toothed blade of the longsword his mother had never been seen without. And thus Ko simultaneously enjoyed all the freedom of a boy of the mountains and all the safety of a sheltered city boy, and his mother took pride in seeing her son grow from being a meek, quiet child to a strong, youthful lad, more mature and more quick-witted than he could ever have been had his mother brought him up a different way.

Even following his mother's unfortunate and unfitting death mere miles from Empyrean's city gates, Ko had not let up in his attempts to learn more about the world around him. Ko's adoptive father, a renowned silk trader who, as all people knew, traded much more than silk and often traveled far beyond where his trade required him to go, had been as well-versed in his native language as any person from the land itself, and Ko, combining both a quick aptitude for learning and an eagerness to experience new things, had mastered the language of Empyrean in little more than a year, and had already begun writing and reading essays and scriptures related to the most obscure and complicated of subjects by three. He had also traveled with his father and his adoptive brother, with whom he had formed a close bond, and together they had explored the land beyond the Northern Marches, navigating swamps, rivers, mountain passes, and with every step away from Empyrean, Ko had felt another step freer. Exploration had been, and still was, in his blood - it had had to be, or he would never have made it to Empyrean alive.

In short, it can be said that Ko had seen much, possibly too much to fully recount even if he had the time and patience to try. But even the vast range of what he had experienced had limits and boundaries. And the sight he now beheld before him was one that stretched such boundaries beyond what he could handle.

The man's features were largely normal for a man descending into death. The eyes were dark brown and losing color fast, but normal. The nose was slightly crooked and a bit fat near the base, but normal. The lips were full, purple, and trapped in a permanent frown, but normal. No, it wasn't the features of the face themselves that shocked him.

It was the skin.

The skin was a vile mass, pulsating, pale green and turning greener with every passing second. Blisters oozed bright yellow rivers of pus, a nasty, foul-smelling ichor that ran over the mountains and valleys of his rotting face. The bone beneath was the only thing holding the face together - without it, it seemed, the face would have fallen apart in a heartbeat, melting into the eye sockets, the mouth, and anywhere else it could go to escape the frontal section of the man's head. Some of it - whatever "it" was, for it sure as hell wasn't human skin - had already begun leaking into the eyes, filling the whites with liquid, pus pooling around the eyelids, turning the dark brown pupils a grotesque olive.

For a moment, Ko simply knelt there, knees stiffened with shock, eyes watering as the stench assaulted his nostrils. Then, regaining his senses, he quickly pulled the loose fold of the robes surrounding the man's neck over his head and bundled up the other loose parts of the robe so that it looked as if the man was inside a large body bag. Nobody could know about this, with the possible exception of the prince. And even then, the prince wouldn't believe him anyway - that is, until he saw the body. But what could the prince do after that? Cancel the expedition altogether?

Ko's hand brushed against the man's own, and some of the glutinous substance - it was on his hands too?! - became stuck to Ko's right hand's little finger. As Ko watched, the substance began to sizzle, and a sharp, numbing pain shot up his entire right hand. It was excruciating, an agony like no other, as if his hand was being split open and pulled inside out from a tiny opening somewhere in his little finger. Every nerve and every tendon screamed for release. Every bone and every joint ceased to function.

With his left hand, Ko grappled blindly for the nearest loose bit of carpet next to him, and frantically wiped off the green liquid with the carpet. The pain lessened as some of the substance came off, but where the liquid had been, there were now large, red, throbbing burns on his finger.

He waited for the pain to disappear completely, then spent the next five minutes reorganizing the entire scene so that no traces of their fight remained. He laid the carpet out and lined both cut ends alongside each other, then he took the "body bag" gingerly and rolled it into a corner behind a giant armchair sitting daintily alongside the wall. He had changed his mind. No one could know about this, not even the prince. There were some things that even the known world's most powerful people could not fight against, as he had learned many times before. He would have to watch this corridor and see for himself how things unfolded from here. It would be for the best for everyone on board the airship - ignorance was bliss, after all.

His gaze turned to the sword the man had left behind. Surprisingly, the blueish blade remained untouched by the rot that had spread all over the man's body, with the hilt gleaming a dazzling azure even in what little light remained in the corridor, candles flickering madly as if trying to call for help.

He took the sword and lifted it to his eyes, admiring the meticulous and intricate way in which the runes swallowing the base of the blade had been carved. There was a forest of thorny petals taken from the most exotic of flowers, consuming, eating away at the blade, and yet at the same time granting it nourishment, granting it an inner glimmer of power that no other sword could hope to replicate. And along the side of the blade, in hard, block script, were carved eleven letters:

H • A • R • B • A • Z • W • E • I • S • S

Harbazweiss? Ko frowned. It wasn't a language he had come across before. The "zweiss" seemed to hint at possible influences from some distant, northeastern tongue, but of the first part of the word - or name, as it appeared to be - Ko had no idea. Harbor, perhaps? Har... Harpoon? Heart? Hard?

His father would have known. His father knew everything. Or so Ko would've liked to believe.

As he took a closer look at the sword, he could barely see small wisps of black smoke emanating from the sharp end of the blade. He put a finger to the blade, and was surprised to find that it was ice cold. So cold, in fact, that it was condensing the air around it: the black smoke he was seeing was actually steam. But why was it black? Carbon or coal, perhaps? Soot? Dirt?

Or something else?

Footsteps came marching down the corridor, and Ko hurriedly tucked the sword into the sheath he had hastily taken from under the man's robes. He had caught a glimpse of the armor, which had been covered in the same runes as the sword, but it had been several sizes too big for him, and it would've been a dead weight to Ko's light frame, anyway. So Ko had left it alone, and had taken all that he could from the corpse, or in other words, nothing except sword and the sheath. He buckled the sheath to his belt, stood, brushed the dust from the hem of his robes, and waited for the source of the footsteps to appear.

No sooner had he regained his footing that a familiar-looking boy in blue, trailing uniform came striding around the corner. Garm stopped in his tracks, and looked quizzically at Ko, innocent, placid eyes glancing out from beneath a roughened mat of hair.

"Ko?"

Ko nodded in greeting.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Ah," Ko began. But before he could say another word, Garm lifted a finger, as if asking him to leave it till later.

"Wait. Let's talk in my room. The airship's about to take off, it's not safe for us to be in a corridor like this."

"Fair point." Ko smiled, and followed as Garm turned and led the way back. He would take Garm's questions, answer them accordingly, and hope that Garm's curiosity would be sated by his responses.

Then, when he was alone... he'd have a good look at Harbazweiss. The second weapon in his arsenal, and a perfect complement to the ornate throwing dagger he already possessed.

Ko's smile grew wider.

Things are looking up already for me, it seems.

"Think not that with this, the story is but done,
Listen closely, reader, for mine tale has just begun."

Edited by Viscoun Kosaka, 18 August 2013 - 03:38 PM.

[Sir Flash™]

"Impending Danger"

 

 

~There was a lingering smell in the air that the mysterious man had knew all too well. He thought it to be impossible but he knew it was the smell of death. He slowly crept to find the location of the smell hoping to stay hidden, so he leaves the engine room and roams. Out of nowhere he see's a person and ask, "Who are you? Why are you walking towards me slowly!?", with no answer it kept walking forward. Suddenly he sensed he was in immediate danger, so he dashed to a door only to find a hallway full of corpses on the low level. Not fearful but shocked, he had found the smell.

 

Turning around he had seen the face of the walking figure, he then knew it was dead. He was skeptical that it could be a zombie but what other explanation could this come to. Out of the blue, more of them appear, thinking fast he takes out his coiled wire and wraps it around the necks of the zombies in the area of it reach then tightens the grip hoping to plop the heads of but too many were walking to him for him to concentrate. He kicks his way to the door and runs for it. "Dammit if only there was a priest!", he thinks out loudly, he makes his way to the mid level but senses something worse than zombies.

 

He hears voices and uses his ninja techniques to hide himself in the shadows waiting to see if he could pounce the enemy he knew was coming. What would this mysterious figure do, the time to fight was arriving sooner than he had thought. Glad he brought along his short sword he gets battle ready. He knew he was in for a fight that could leave him hurt but not dead, but maybe, just maybe he could pull a slight trick on the enemies coming his way.~

Edited by Sir Flash™, 20 August 2013 - 04:13 AM.

[I-Am-X]

Awaken by a flurry of screams, explosions and the smell of rotten flesh, Rayne wakes to find herself inside a cell with her head pounding. "Ahh Fuck... I knew it was a bad idea...Must've passed out after all..." Rayne grumbled as she looked around to see what's going on. Surprisingly, her gauntlets and blades were not missing. You'd think they'd want to get these away from me....Something is up...I know those feeble minded guards wouldn't have hesistated in taking them, as with the others....Whoever must see it as some sort of game....The only one that comes to mind in that aspect is....Remembering his smug face... Is Caius or better yet....Lysander. Either one is capable...But Caius....he doesn't seem like the type to make some a gamble....Either way, They both irritate me....

 

Looking down at her blades, she throws her cloak to the ground and raises her blades. "If the prince wants to play a game, then let's play. Looks like my thirst will be fully satisfied after all....What Luck. -kekek-" As her trademark grin flashes upon her face, she takes her aim at the bars and slashes relentlessly at them. After a flurry of swings, she kicks in the lock and steps out of the cell only to see corpses walking around devouring whoever tried to run away. "Is this Iblis's doing? Or even that brother of his?" Rayne wondered out loud. "Iblis I could see but the other one"...maybe not. He did bitch Iblis out for having fun earlier. "Such a headache...." She muttered as she walked back into the corridor as a passenger came screaming and grabbed her, begging for her to help him. Staring down on him..."You...Dare... touch...Me?" she lifted up her blade and cut down the man. "Filth... And So loud..." she muttered again.

 

Lysander......Caius......Iblis.........Gale.......Whoever doesn't matter to me anyway. I have a game to finish....Kekek. Licking her blade, she walks walks down the corridor slashing whoever happened to run by her screaming. "Back to what I was doing earlier..There's a score I must finish with Caius....that lap dog." Rayne muttered again as her playful tone grew more serious as her eyes dimmed. Then after that, It'll be the Prince's turn. Maybe his sister as well...After I had my fun of course. Heh. "Now....If memory serves...the brig is on the middle level...Which means I've back tracked..." Just great...Rayne said as he gritted her teeth. I should probably head back to the upper level....I wonder how Iblis' is faring. Knowing him, he surely wouldn't be able to sit still through this. Can't have him having more fun than me, no way. Getting back on track, she started heading towards the staircase.

[The Illuminati]

Nightmare II

Hold the middle.

 

Because of the sheer breadth of the spells and the sizeable amount of magic infused within them, the magic circles could not simply vanish into thin air like with the previous set of circles. Instead, they literally had to be shattered. Like a glass mosaic, each circle broke opposite Maiev and into the hordes of undead. In that one instant all the stored magical energy was released with the force of a hurricane, sending a wave of power outwards pushing everything out the opposite ends of the small corridor.

 

It had all occurred within less than a second, but from Maiev's adrenaline-fueled perspective it seemed to take longer. As if time itself had simply slowed, while the air grew silent. The spell began taking effect by moving the smallest-, and lightest pieces of clothing and dust. Thereafter it was the decayed flesh on the creatures' faces as it rippled like waves in a high wind. Finally the pressure had become so great that bodies closest to her slid silently backward, up over those behind them as if a giant invisible hand were sliding puzzle pieces into place. 'Or meat against the outside of a grinder.' 

 

The uneven design of the walls and roof meant corpses were being forced to scrape against sharp edges and deep grooves in the walls, floor, ceiling, and against each other as they smeered their already rotting flesh everywhere. The creature that once was a man and had come closest to ripping her left arm apart in it's jaws and teeth, was just a skeleton in armor now. The flesh had come completely free of it's body and compressed beneath it like a bed of red rose petals.  By the time the spell had worn off, there was nothing but shattered bits and pieces of bone and steel left in the corridor.

 

Maiev had never seen anything like it. If she had been white before, she was deathly-pale now. All around them blood and bits of people dripped from the now red ceiling onto the floors like red syrup. Outside the hallway, legless torsos began sitting up while arms and legs twitched in two large heaps. For the first time in her life, Maiev-Dalal was going to faint. This was just too much.

 

"Looks like you're still a normal, functioning human... Well, as you can see, it's chaos here." Maiev had started rocking on her rubber-soft feet when she heard a strong, powerful voice boom calmy into the silent entryway. Blinky stupidly, Maiev could only muster a turn and stare. "Can you go up to the upper decks and see if it's any better? I'm gonna see if I can scrounge one or two more survivors from down here."

 

​Without another word the strange man turned and sprinted away, swinging his sword idly at any heads still connected to a moving body. Just before he was out of sight, a legless corpse sprang up to reach for him. As casual as Sunday brunch, the man leapt over the body while swinging down with his large blade, splitting the monster's head perfectly in two before landing on sure legs and rounding the corner.

 

​Staring dumbly at his retreating form, a loud "Ahem!" finally broke her out of her shock. It was the young guard with the shield. Springing into action, Maiev lowered them to the floor and ushered them quickly into her cabin. Once all three were safely inside, she closed and locked the door behind them before collapsing heavily against it. Turning to her right, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She was pale and looked terrified beyond all reason. She also noticed she was only wearing her black, short nightgown and panties. The straps of the formed cups were over her shoulders while the loose-fitting skirt, which flowed from the cups, fell somewhere just below her hips.

 

​Trying to make herself seem a bit more presentable, she quickly swept her short hair behind her ears and pulled the straps back into place. The guardsmen were huddled around there fallen friend. As she was not a medic or healer, all Maiev could suggest was that they keep pressure on the man's wound while she reached for her rapier. She needed to move quickly before the ship fell from the sky like it's brother before it. Since these guards knew nothing of how this had happened, she told them to tend to their brother before joining her in the engine room. She hadn't actually meant for them to join her, so she left an out for them to take if their courage was found lacking. With no time to dress, she peered into the hall through the reopened door before travelling opposite the direction of the warrior from before.

[Kōtei]

Never in their wildest dreams that things would go south quickly, from a lively banquet to a nightmare fully realized.......

 

Ren in his cozy, deep slumber was awoken by a deafening explosion that was heard throughout the ship. He opened his eyes and the room was basked in bright orange light, even a simpleton would know what that light means. He quickly got up from the bed and rushed to the window to see the shocking sight before him. One of the airships was now destroyed and came down in blazing fire to the earth.

 

Renmutsu hurriedly put on his armor as the crew of this expedition weren't incompetent to make any mistakes, meaning it was most likely an attack or sabotage. As he was about to put on his helm, a putrid and pungent smell wafted in the room. It was nauseating that it made Ren want to puke in disgust. He quickly tore off a part of the bed sheets and covered it on his lower part of the face to lessen out the smell and wore his helmet. He strapped his katana at his right side. He opened the door a bit and peeked through the opening. He couldn't believe what he saw. A zombie feeding off on a dying woman who's neck was bitten by the zombie.

 

What's a zombie you ask?

 

In different parts of the world, many cultures and civilizations have different interpretations of Zombies. But in general a zombie is a corpse of a once living person revived through means of dark rituals/magic. The distinctive features of zombies are their skin is composed of rotting flesh, they give off pungent odor, slow witted, and usually very corrosive.

 

Going back to Ren. Given the dire situation in all this..... the expedition was losing it's members, fast. It wasn't the time for Ren to be baffled by every unexpected situations. He rushed out of room and cut up the zombie's arm and legs with 4 consecutive slashes to render it immobile before cutting of its head. There were 5 in the far behind part of the hall while on his front were a dozen more in number and was adjacent to the stairs. seeing as he didn't have any choice as it would be crucial to find more people and to be in numbers now. Ren quickly disposed of the 5 in the back and then dashed off from to the others. Luckily the zombies were slow witted so Ren could read their movements and can evade & retreat. After a while he disposed all of the zombies in the hall so he began searching the other rooms for survivors in the middle residential area. Only luckily to find Garm and a young man of oriental descent. 

Edited by Kōtei, 19 August 2013 - 01:14 AM.

[The Illuminati]

Nightmare III

Just to have a look around the corner.

 

Glancing to her left and right, Maiev-Dalal closed her cabin door as quietly as she could before making for the far corner. Unsure of what to do next, she was suddenly assaulted by the sheer smell of decay. It was terrible, but paled in comparison to what she'd seen before. Taking two more steps, her right foot sank deeply into something soft and wet. Feeling the bile rising in the back of her throat, she fought it back down as she kicked her leg to free it of whatever clung to it now. She didn't dare look down. After listening to the wet sound it made as it came free of her toes, she decided that at least it could have been worse. She could have just ruined a great pair of leather boots.

 

​Looking around, she realised that there were other cabins besides her own that probably needed to be inspected. Likewise, the lights at the end of the hall flickered but showed roaming shadows. Rushing ahead without securing an escape first, could be deadly. Then again, how much time did she have before the airship lost control and sank beneath the clouds? She'd assumed at first that Iblis was to blame, and perhaps he still was, but why had that other airship failed earlier? Was this the work of Dusk? Impossible! They should have been days away from the edges of the country, and it's great walls. None of this made any sense to her. She needed to decide. She needed to hurry. But exposing her back like this... The cabins would come first. She wasn't some warrior that could just wade into the unknown, she had to be smart!

 

"Well your beauty seems to better itself with age, dear." A familiar voice whisper in her ear while sounding far off at the same time. Once more, her poor heart began racing in her chest, as Maiev realised he had her back. Gripping her rapier with white knuckles, she turned slowly to face her once friend. With a mad grin on his face, and his head cocked slightly to his right, there was no more doubt in her mind that he was the one responsible for this lunacy. "...you remain true to your sobriquet," he continued in his usually raspy, but now terrifying voice unfamiliar voice, before laughing madly. Death had finally come for her.

Edited by Naifu, 19 August 2013 - 12:33 PM.

[Orcraniil]

After their long night of catching up and reminiscing over old memories. The Grey Wolf and The Golden Fox passed out underneath the fur covers of the large bed. Tyr awoke later in a slight daze, feeling a comforting warmth in his arms. He glanced down to see Sashya, his childhood friend and the woman Tyr loved. The years spent after she had been taken away were miserable, Tyr was unable to find joy in anything other than suppressing tribes that tried to rise up and a good hunt. When the call for the Crusade echoed across the world, Tyr knew it was his chance to see Sashya again. Now, here she was, curled up in his arms, just inches away from his face. I could stay like this for years, he thought, smiling to himself and at the fox that lay within his arms. Moving as carefully and slowly as he could, Tyr lowered his face into her blond hair, enjoying the sensory experience of her soft hair, and the slight smell of the wild.

Then an enormous explosion rocked the ship, jarring Sashya out of her sleep and the two launched themselves out of the bed to find out just what caused the sound. They rushed to the window in a hurry, just to see a fellow airship burst into a ball of flames, slowly lurching back downwards to the earth. Then they became aware of the screaming and general ruckus going on outside of their door, Tyr and Sashya shared a quick glance, and armed themselves. Rushing out the door, Tyr saw a look of utter disgust cross Sashya's face. Probably some kind of magic in the air, Tyr thought. Tyr saw something that caught his eye, a message in blood, reading "I'm waiting... R.E." R.E.... Rayne Ephesus? Is she behind all of this? Tyr put those thoughts on hold when he saw something that he knew Rayne couldn't have been responsible for. Walking corpses, marching through the corridor, a large mass of decaying flesh, consuming more flesh. With all the nobles scattered and trying to get to safety, Tyr didn't have the freedom to let loose with his glaive. He would end up cutting down some of the nobles as well.

Tyr and Sashya made their way to the inner area, and began assisting the efforts to barricade the entrances to prevent the monsters from overwhelming them. Upon finishing the barricade, Tyr looked behind to see that Sashya had found Aera. Tyr released a sigh of relief, at least the princess was safe. Tyr thought about Magnar, Renmutsu, Lily, and Camus, wondering how they were doing. Magnar and Renmutsu can handle themselves, one with the strength to crush anything in his path, and the other with a speed and tenacity that deserved a great amount of respect. Though he had only met them once, Tyr understood that Lily and Camus were no pushovers either. Instead, he focused his thoughts on their current situation when Sashya led Tyr and Aera through the mass of people to a shaft of some kind, covered by a grate. She explained that this is where they would make their escape, and she swiftly pulled the grate down and climbed up.

"Come on, I don't know how much time we have before they break through!", Tyr looked at the shaft sheepishly. There was no way he was going to fit, and he saw that Sashya realized it too. Sashya's hand grazed Tyr's cheek, and she whispered "Be safe, Tyr...", before moving aside so that Aera could climb up. Tyr smiled at Aera, encouraging her to go and find out what was happening. Waving goodbye to the two, Tyr turned to the crowd of people, and began to seek out those who had brought weapons with them. We have to hold out until they get to the bottom of it. Tyr drew his glaive and axe, preparing for the coming onslaught.

Edited by Orcraniil, 20 August 2013 - 01:43 AM.

[Diabolical Rhapsody]

Meeting an old friend

 

Iblis was true to his word to the woman he saved, he had left her quarters after his ritual was over. With a glowing green talon in hand he walked out from her room.

 

'Now to give it to Rayne, I wonder where she went?' He thought 'Having fun without me, I think, heartless as ever -kekekeke-' He muttered.

 

He wrapped his cloak around him to get into his wraith state and tried searching the floor for her, after an hour of searcing when he couldn't find her, he gave up on the quest believing she was capable enough to look for herself

'Her gift can wait' He thought.

 

He drifted around for some time more before going down to the lower level where their quarters were meant to be. Finding a suitable dark spot near his quarters he clung to the shadows as a precaution and slept.

A huge explosion woke him up around midnight, smiling to himself he went out to watch its cause from the nearest window. The scene filled his heart with joy, one of the other airships had engulfed in a brilliant ball of flame and was hurtling down the skies into the embrace with the earth below.What followed after was even more rapturous. Putrid smell filled through the air as undead started pouring into the floor. He could feel a slight resemblance in the magic enough to be sure that it was his mother's.

 

"Oh! How exciting -fufu- mother has become a true necromancer now, returning from the dead to see her sons -hahahaha-" He said out aloud, he started chanting a spell as he made a rune on the floor with his ritual knife, alerted by his presence some of the undead started to come his way, slow labored steps, weapons draws and blinding hunger.

 

Cutting his hand with the knife he pressed the rune and said 'Tarian y farwolaeth' as shadows started moving around him and covering him, this spell was useless against the living but great against the dead. It rendered him an undead in their senses but normal people wouldn't know the difference at all as shadows fused with him.

 

Walking towards the undead who now had someone else in their cross-hairs he started muttering another spell as bright green runes started filling his right arm 'Gwywo yr asgwrn' he said as he touched the head of the nearest undead, his hands melting its skull until it was nothing. 'I'm gonna enjoy this a lot -fufufu-' He thought. As he slowly walked amongst the dead consuming them in turn, in their midst yet hidden to them.

 

Just then he saw Valerius come out from one of the rooms and in his trademark nonchalant manner dispatched the undead near his room, Iblis followed him careful to maintain his distance and have fun hunting the undead that crept up to the swordsman.  'Ah! so Valerius is down here as well, all the more fun.' Iblis thought to himself. 

 

"VENTILABIS MAXIMA!" he heard at a distance a distinct and sharp female voice, 'someone was having fun it seems' he said to himself as he saw a huge  mass of undead fly through the corridor to hit the opposite wall splattering into a fleshy mosaic 'A lot of fun -fufufu-' as he continued walking slowly towards the voice.

 

He heard Valerius turning into another corridor "Looks like you're still a normal functioning human... Well, as you can see it's chaos here, can you go up to the upper decks and see if it's any better? I'm gonna see if I can scrounge one or two more survivors from down here" 'Hmm so there is atleast one more there' thinking to himself. He soon saw Valerius returning his way, hiding himself behind the littered corpses, he let him past.

 

He waited at the end of the corridor for the eventual mage to show himself, he was excited as he heard footsteps approaching from within one of the rooms. Then she showed herself, clad in a black nightgown,well a bit skimpy one at that, stood a real beauty who seemed a bit pale with her back to him, Iblis stared at her intently before realizing who she was.

 

'Well your beauty seems to better itself with age dear' He said in his usual raspy tone, grinning from ear to ear.

 

'You remain true to your sobriquet -kekekeke-' he added, waiting for the lady to reply.

Edited by Diabolical Rhapsodii, 19 August 2013 - 04:24 AM.

[Inumori]

The Quickening

 

Caius had spent the last few hours sharpening his axes to remove the damage his earlier actions had earned them. Preparation was on the Courtier's mind, as always, but more frantic now. The ship at speed, the campaign had begun, and Caius prepared for war.

 

Eagle and Lion no longer sat tucked carefully under Caius' evening attire. Now they were placed brazenly into holsters strapping them to his back, Serpent resting against his chest. The aforementioned dinner-wear had been removed and replaced with his Imperial Officer's uniform.

 

Now the war room. Now the wait.

 

---

 

An explosion broke the dull chatter of theoretical tactics and he was off. Caius rose and turned the moment he saw the flames, throwing a thick leather trench over his outfit and grabbing his shield Caius was already halfway out the door towards engineering when he heard Lysander speak.

 

"Magnar, Camus, check the engine room in case a few rats try to take advantage of this. Caius, contact Hadrian and get in touch with the other ships. I’ll lead the guards to enforce order in the ship."

 

A knock on the door frame as he passed acted as confirmation. He sealed the bulkhead behind him.

 

---

 

Hurrying now, Caius wove through the narrow halls of engineering towards the bridge, but as he climbed the ladder to the upper level dreadful noises echoed throughout the ship. Screams, groans, violence of all manner. One of Hadrian's engineers came shuffling towards the Courtier.

 

The stench was enough of an indicator, and Lion removed the poor bastard's head. Undead. And so came off the arms and legs. Best not to risk it.

 

Caius immediately began rushing around the engineering section for the upper level and activating lever after lever. He was not alone in these cramped halls, but every lever locked a bulkhead or raised a gate. Every few steps another shambling atrocity met the axe, others trying to force their way through the gates and barriers he kept activating. An echo through one of the vents caught his ears. Sashya...? Aera! Dammit I've already sealed that section. I can't get to them, they'll have to come to me. But he couldn't stay and wait.

 

Caius screamed over the monstrous sounds flooding the ship and into the nearby ventilation duct. "Aera! Sashya! Listen carefully, you must follow my instructions precisely. There's a drop in the ventilation ducts to your right. Go down and make a left there will be ladder you're gonna take down, then go right and take the next one up, then left, then up again. Keep a blade ready some might have gotten through." He paused to sever the arms of another creature that climbed over the pile pressing against the small gate." There's a storage room there with a steel door. Wait for me there."The next swing removing its head. "Aera be careful!" Caius clung to the ladder and looked back at the vent hoping the girls had heard him before pressing on.

 

The final ladder. At the top the Courtier was greeted with one of the shambling husks clawing at his arm. The coat handled the assault long enough for Caius to plant Serpent in the being's skull, and to pull himself up before retrieving it. The doors. Intact. The storage room was behind him. Empty. Good. But two doors remained.

 

"Did I make it?" He thought aloud, another rare act from Caius. He slammed the first door behind him as he burst through the second.

 

The Bridge.

Edited by Inumori, 19 August 2013 - 02:34 PM.

[Nepenthe]

Ever since she was a young girl, Lily had been able to hear the voice of fire. Small candle flames whispered to her, great bonfires roared with delight. And at the heart of every single spark, every flame that licked at whatever fuel it could find, every merry little campfire, every ember softly glowing--at the heart of each one was a song, rich and vibrant and more beautiful than words could describe. Lily had often thought she could get lost in it, and waste away as she listened to it forever.

 

Her parents had listened to their young daughter exclaim happily over the voices she heard with great alarm. They had feared for her sanity until Levant of Leviathos had visited Freesia. The fabled Sorcerer had smiled, then laughed with delight when Lily ran up to him, asking him excitedly if he could hear the voices in the fire, too. The mage had turned to the Duke and Duchess, and cackled, “She’ll make a fine fire sorceress, some day! Send her to me when she starts setting things on fire.” And eventually, they had.

 

In the meantime, though, Lily had sought knowledge like fire sought fuel. She slept each night to the lullaby of a candle, and awoke full of vigor and a desire to learn all she could. Soon, she had decided that she wanted to be able to create the same songs she heard each day. Her parents easily gave in to her pleading requests for music lessons, happy for her to gain a dignified, ladylike skill. So Lily learned to read music, to sing and to play the violin, the flute. But she could not capture the melodies at the fire’s heart. Later, as she began to hear brief snippets of the wind, she wondered how Levant, master of at least four elements, had not been torn asunder by the voices of the planet. If she let her mind stay too long on the sounds she had heard, she would weep for the deep yearning they inspired in her, that she could not possibly hope to fill.

 

Nothing in her life could even compare to what she heard tonight. There was an enormous fireball, she didn’t even have to look out of the window to see it. She felt it. Lily had all but collapsed onto the sofa in the parlor, and had sat there for more than a minute, dazed by the feeling. Every fiber of her being felt filled to the brim with energy. Her crimson robe rippled around her as an impossible wind twined between her feet. “Incredible,” she breathed. Logically, she knew that the explosion had caused hundred of terrible deaths, but her emotions were all wrapped up in how intense the call of the fire had been.

 

Finally, she exited the suites into the common room, yelling at Terra to stay put until she knew what was going on. She was just in time to witness a ghastly creature rip the head off of a young nobleman she had danced with many times.

 

“Terra!” Lily screamed into the room behind her. “Terra, get out of there, quick!”

 

The creatures felt looked like death, like men who had climbed out of their own graves. Her magic seemed to abhor them. As her sister ran up beside her, Lily grabbed her hand, making a sweeping motion with her other. “Ahtte!” she commanded, sending forth a wave of fire that singed the decaying figures advancing toward the group of upper-floor inhabitants. She dashed towards the group, making a different motion with free hand. “Ahtte!” she repeated, this time a wall of air flying forward and knocking back the abominations. Then they made it into the inner rooms of the floor’s public area, and the doors were barricaded against the menace outside. Lily gave a small sigh of relief, her heart beating wildly. She was still full of energy, barely even winded from the small spells she had cast. Standing about the room were several other nobles, Sashya, Aera, Tyr, Beth of Kealdrinn--whom she knew to be a cunning halberdier-- along with the brothers Micah and Absolom and Thom--all respectable with a blade-- and Terra and herself. A few others huddled in the corner, shaking and terrified. She couldn’t see their faces to recognize them.

 

Meanwhile, it seemed that Sashya had some kind of plan. She had opened up an air vent, and was motioning Aera inside. Lily looked at the opening helplessly, sharing the same plight that Tyr apparently did. Her long limbs would never fit in the narrow shaft.

“Best of luck,” she called out to them. Light guide them, let them come back to us alive. Moving so she was standing beside Tyr, she turned to address the warrior. “So then,” she said, “I suppose it is up to us to defend this lot.”

Edited by Nepenthe, 19 August 2013 - 09:44 PM.

[Maia]

"Best of luck!" Lily had called to them as the two women disappeared into the narrow passageway. They were going to need it.

 

It was difficult leaving Tyr behind, trapped within a small barricaded room with the undead throwing their lifeless bodies against the doors in effort to get at the group inside, but she knew she didn't have much choice. If they were going to make it out alive then help was needed, and that was going to be by finding other survivors. Inside the ventilation shaft it was a slow process of trying to navigate through the passages, making sure that Aera was still behind her, and that no undead had managed to find their way into the vents as well.

 

She wasn't sure how well the princess did with enclosed spaces, so she continued to talk to her, trying to work out a plan as to what they were going to do, and stopping, breath held, at every grating blocking the entrances to the vent. She could see blood scattered along what parts of the walls and floors were in her visual range like some macabre painting, and her gut twisted with sorrow for the poor souls that blood had belonged to. When none of the undead could be seen or heard she pressed on, making sure that Aera was following.

 

"I'm not exactly sure where I'm going, Aera, but we-" Sashya froze, her words dying on her tongue as the familiar sound of Caius's voice reached her ears.

 

"Aera! Sashya! Listen carefully, you must follow my instructions precisely. There's a drop in the ventilation ducts to your right. Go down and make a left there will be ladder you're gonna take down, then go right and take the next one up, then left, then up again. Keep a blade ready some might have gotten through." There was a pause, and Sashya could only guess from the way he was speaking that he was up against the masses of undead." There's a storage room there with a steel door. Wait for me there."

 

Sure enough, as they ventured forward just a bit further, there was the drop. "Aera, I'm going to go first, you wait a few moments until I'm sure that the passage is clear, then join me."

 

Without another word she grabbed the ladder and slid down, one foot braced on each side of the ladder. As she reached the bottom she jumped, twisted, and landed in a slight crouch, bow drawn with an arrow already notched. She peered into the semi darkness, first one way, then the next, and seeing no one, she lowered the bow a few inches. One gloved hand lifted and signaled to Aera that it was clear, and Sashya grinned up at the woman. She would get the princess to Caius safely, no matter what she had to do.

[Liar]

The Witching Hour – The Madness Sets In

 

Caius entered the bridge to find an army of undead waiting for him. The tattered remains of their clothing revealed that they were the former crew of bridge staff. His sudden entrance garnered their attention, and they all turned to Caius, moaning out their hungry howls. By the prince’s chair, Caius could recognise the coat that belonged to Hadrian; it was splattered with blood. Other than the coat, there were no signs of the Warlord. He was not among the dead that were now scrambling towards him.

 

Although the Courtier was able to incapacitate several zombies before reaching the bridge, he had not faced such an inordinate amount all at once. What had attracted them all here? Caius would soon find his answer when he heard a ticking noise amidst the gruelling sounds of the moving corpses. His eyes would widen, and the Courtier would realise what it was. It was a gift from Hadrian—a bomb!

 

The ticking hastened, and Caius was quick to leave whence he came. He sprinted with all of his might, making his half-way through the corridor when the ticking stopped. Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted from the bridge, decimating all of the zombies there as well as destroying most of the controls that were there. Fortunately, the airship did not fall from the sky then and there.

 

Caius was safe for now. However, he could not help feel that had just gone terribly wrong…

 

---

 

All throughout The Dawn, multiple doors suddenly remained lock, hallways were blocked off, and entrances to other levels were sealed. Although Caius had done preliminary locks, someone had activated a ship-wide lockdown. Everyone was now trapped on the levels they were currently in, leaving them all sitting ducks without hope of reinforcements coming conventionally. This meant that while zombies were now unable to scattered to other parts of the ship, many were now trapped with them as well…

 

---

 

“This is Prince Lysander.”

 

All throughout the airship, the tube system used for communications released the calm voice of the Prince of Dawn. For many, it would be a relief that the leader of the Third Crusade did not perish in the initial slaughter.

 

“Things have turned grave,” he said softly. “But do not give up hope. If you’re all able, make your way to the storage and hangar level to regroup. As long as you are still alive, we will be able to drive back our enemies. Never lose your will to live.”

 

For many, it was the morale boost they needed.

 

---

 

“It seems the prince is trying to rally our forces,” Alina spoke up as she entered the room Magnar was in. “He is truly a commander worthy of leading only the best of the empire’s troops.”

 

Angus entered the small arms room as well, nodding in agreement. “And Magnar here will lead the vanguard.”

 

As Magnar turned to give his attention to the two, he quickly noticed that Angus’ scar had healed. Angus was quick to pick up where Magnar’s eyes fell upon, and smiled apologetically at the fierce man. The smile revealed sharp fangs like those of the mythical blood predators of the night.

 

“Sorry, Magnar,” Alina apologised. “The Dusk got us just before you got here.”

 

A dark aura erupted from them; there was no doubting their intent.

 

---

 

Camus and Lily, although trapped in two areas of the top residential level, soon sensed an evil presence lurking around them. Perhaps it was because of the dark magic all around them, but they knew it was not the case. It was more… intimate. It was if…

 

Oh Light.

 

Suddenly, both mages were cast into a mindscape of their souls. A woman in white, covered in bandages, and laughing like a child stood among them for a brief moment. One moment, she was far away, but in the next moment, she was right there right in front of them. Her eyes were wild and manic as she stared into the depths of their souls.

 

She released a small whisper, “You broke your oaths.”

 

Camus and Lily then experienced a hell unlike any other. Darkness invaded their souls, attempting to eat them, tear them apart, and crush them. Horrible images passed through their minds of acts that see them killing their loved ones, and turning their backs on everything they stood for.

 

In the physical plane, the two would be crying out in terror and pain.

 

For Camus, it was a death sentence. The thirteen men that remained of his guard were left stunned by what was occurring. The ghouls heard of his cries and they left the door that guarded the survivors to advance on Camus. As they slowly lumbered forth, one guard tried to flee, but found the entrance locked. They were in a dead end!

 

---

 

The Swordsman did not react to Valerius’ taunts. It remained unmoving, staring at his infamous twin blades. The fresh corpses around him began to move, and, though they were damaged, they marched towards Valerius. However, the zombies were no match for the mercenary. Unfortunately, just as Valerius effortlessly cut down the last of the wave of zombies, the Swordsman made his move.

 

Under the cover of the undead, the Swordsman utilised the distraction to reposition himself. He appeared before Valerius, his blades raised. He then dropped the two swords, and performed a cross slash towards his midsection. Although it was a fairly simple move, the speed of it was simply astounding. Most men would not even notice until after they were cut.

 

---

 

For Sashya and Aera, their surroundings took on a familiar setting. They were in the area where the banquet hall, kitchens, and throne resided! Fortunately, the level seemed largely deserted. It was to be expected; aside from a few crew members, no one had any reason to be on this level at this time.

 

However, things were never easy in a nightmare.

 

The instructions that Caius gave soon led the pair to a hallway filled with the living cadavers of the kitchen staff. They shuffled about aimlessly as they moaned. There were many of them, making one wonder how many kitchen staff Lysander hired to be on board. However, before any decision could be formed on how to proceed, events took a turn for the worse.

 

An explosion rocked the ship, sending Sashya and Aera to the floor from the sudden event. They caught the attention of the zombies, and as they scrambled to get up, one of the undead horde fell atop Aera in an attempt to devour her. Sashya was as lucky, and had one fall upon her as well. As they struggled to get them off, more and more zombies were making their way towards them.

 

Suddenly, Aera’s zombie was sent reeling to the side, shot by some unknown projectile. A shriek of a bird followed suit, and a familiar black falcon descended on Sashya’s assailant, crushing its brain matter with its claws, allowing her to escape from its grip.

 

From the hallway came a whistle and the black falcon flew to the sound.

 

“Hey, you two, get over here quick!”

 

Sashya and Aera began their retreat, and fled towards the voice. As they ran, the zombies gave chase, unthinking in their movements. Finally, they came face to face of the owner of the voice and falcon. It was none other than Hadrian!

 

“Come on, follow me!” He fired bolt after bolt in rapid succession, felling four more zombies. Hadrian then turned and ran, reloading his crossbow’s chamber as he did so. They soon found the double doors that led into the throne room, and quickly entered.

 

As soon as everyone was in, Hadrian immediately locked it shut with a metal bar.

 

The Warlord turned to the two women and smiled. “My, my, princess… you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

Edited by Liar, 19 August 2013 - 01:00 PM.

[The Illuminati]

Death's Herald

No mercy for the enemy.

 

Standing there casually, he was just as she recalled. Tall, with a dirty lioncloth for underwear, his magical cloak that allowed him to shadow walk, a self-crafted mage's staff, that mad look in his eyes, and a body covered in dirt and blood. She had previously attempted to instil within him the practice of showering regularly. Clearly in her absence, he had digressed.

 

"My sobriquet?" she said acerbically. "Ah, yes. 'The Enigma.' Bequeathed to me mockingly by drunken fools unable to comprend my unwillingness to fraternize with them. That sobriquet?"

 

Using her left hand to cover the exposed flesh below her neck, she said coyly, "And have a care where your eyes linger, my friend. And what of your sobriquet?" she said, gesturing with her left hand at the scene surrounding them while her right- subtly aimed the rapier at the space between Iblis' squared feet.

 

​"You have made quite the mess here tonight." Suddenly there was a distant rumble, an explosion perhaps, but Maiev ignored it even as she was forced against one of the walls. "You and your partner must be very proud. I am quite impressed."

Edited by Naifu, 19 August 2013 - 06:03 PM.

[Faye]

Child of Evil

 

The corridor is long but narrow. Under Camus's direction, the thirteen guards has formed a formation of three by four: four rows of three people with shield held up high, and swords ready for stabbing. It is a simple yet effective formation to tackle the zombies: they clog the road and kill any zombies in front of them. Once the front row is too tired to fight properly, they would rotate with the next row. The situation, while seemingly grim, was under control. Was.

 

All of a sudden, the evil miasma that was in the air grew thicker. Camus had thought that it was the black magic, leaking from the dead bodies they no longer control. But no, that was not the case. The thick evil presence was not a simple residue of black magic. It feels.. Intimate, for the lack of words. Camus knew the energy ever since his childhood, and vice versa, the energy knew Camus. "Father..?" Camus silently whispered in his heart. No, that is not quite right.

 

As if reacting to his confusion, the evil slips inside his mind. He suddenly lost his feel on his limbs, and falls to his knees. The sound of his men no longer reach his ears, and the sensation of touch has left him entirely. Darkness fills his vision as his eyes lost their glimmer. The darkness, whatever that is, has claimed his soul.

 

---

 

A barren landscape. A vast plane of utter emptiness. A lonely existence impossible for the physical world. Camus know of this place. This is a place created by the loneliness that assaulted him incessantly ever since his childhood day; a part of his soul space. Unsure on what to do, Camus walks around aimlessly, looking for an exit. What brings him to this place?

 

"Camus?" A familiar voice drifted to his ears. Along with it, a familiar visage enters his vision. No, that cannot be. This is his mindscape, and therefore, that person cannot exist here.

 

"Lily? What are you doing here?" asked Camus. The person in front of him is, without a shred of doubt, his betrothed. Her appearance, tone, gesture, even her magic aura is exactly as how Camus remembered. "Wait.. If this is not my soul space, then where are we..?"

 

As if answering his question, a childish laughter reverberates in the air around them. A serene, innocent laughter, yet for reasons unknown, it frozes Camus's blood. The owner of said laughter, is a woman in white standing in the distance. Bandages covered her exposed skin, making it impossible to identify the face underneath. In a blink of an eye, the woman vanishes from his sight, only to appear a pace away from him and Lily. Innocently, she looked up into his eyes and let out a small whisper..

 

"You broke your oaths."

 

Those eyes. Camus knew those eyes, but his memories seem to fail him. One thing he know, is that he has made a mistake by looking into those eyes. Realizing this, he shouted in terror. "Lily, don't look into her eyes!"

 

Too late.

 

---

 

"Aaargh!" A blood-culling scream escapes Camus's mouth. The assault on his mind is unbearable. The darkness is tearing on his mind, trying to devour it whole. This has certainly destroyed the troops's morale. What was once a well-organized formation has scattered upon hearing their commander's terrible howl. The line is broken, and the men are stunned in place by fear and doubts. To make things worse, the revenants, attracted to the noise, began their advance towards the group. As they slowly lumbered forth, one guard tried to flee, but found the entrance locked. They are trapped.

 

"...away," whispered Camus in his weakened state. Unsure on what to do, the men huddled closer to their commander, hoping to get a clearer direction from him. "Get away from me!"

 

Like a geyser, raw magic energy erupted from Camus's body. Freed from their master's harness, the energy turned into a raging storm of water and wind blades, instantly maiming everything that is unlucky enough to be in their path. Six of the thirteen guards died instantly, while those who are quick enough to throw their bodies to the ground has suffered both major and minor injuries. At least most of the zombies are killed in that outburst of power, but they are not safe yet. With Camus out cold and low morale, their only hope is to join the surviving noble's group in the hall just a door away from them.

 

---

 

Down in the lower residential floor, Magnar was facing his two lieutenants that were claimed by the dusk. Sylvan, ever loyal to her master, aided him in the fight as best as she could, covering his back for him. But suddenly, she ceased to move. A calm before a storm, one might say. The energy contained in her body began to leak out violently, creating a deadly tempest of massive scale. Magnar, who was standing close to her, received a full brunt of it. The wind swept him off his feet, and thrown him up to the ceiling before slamming him back to the ground. What remains from the calamity was Sylvan in her small form, a battered Magnar, and two of his lieutenants that has transformed fully into demons of the dusk.

 

---

 

To make things worse, it seems that Camus's rogue energy has permeated to the floor below. Mysterious glows appeared in the corridor of the middle residential floor. This light though, unlike Camus's normal silvery glow, exudes a dark aura. As if a portal to the underworld itself, the light grows bigger, and seven dark spirits spill forth from the glowing darkness. The demons, appearing as butlers with red glowing eyes and deep dark blue hairs, seems to have mirrored their master's appearance. With wind and water blades protruding from their arms, they began their dance of death: they ran across the corridor like an unstoppable torrent, slashing and killing zombies and living humans alike. In a blink of an eye, they reached the hall, and engaged whomever there was that dared to face them.

Edited by fayrbrant, 19 August 2013 - 05:32 PM.