Tigrans' Revenge IC

Back Into The Fray

''It's time tah break out tha big guns Gilly!'' Scar roared over the din of clashing of steel and screams of the dying bug. Reaching to grab one of two large bore black power muskets, Gilly peered over the huge worgens broad shoulder. Fortunately for them the wizened old Sorcerer has put an power increasing spell upon the black powder.

Putting the weapon to his shoulder it's hammer was cocked, opening the pan it's filled with power from a horn and closed. Without aiming Scar levels the big bore 7'0'' musket and fires, a loud click, sizzling of powder, exceedingly bright flash and a deafening blast. Momentarily Scar closed his eye to prevent being blinded from muzzle flash, a ten foot jet of white hot flame shot out.

It grew to encompass one hundred and fifty demon bugs, exiting the many flying bugs the bullet struck a beetle blowing it's brains out. Being an unaimed shot Scar never knew it even hit the beetle, but he certainly knew it was time to exit the many bugs behind them. Gilly fortunately covered her eyes not being flash blind, so she could shoot arrows from a dead bugs bow as Scar ran.

Seeing a massive Draconian fighting with Jola back to back, swinging the musket like a club Scar crushed bug skulls and shattered bodies. Within yards of the bridge he slung the musket over his shoulder by it's strap, drawing his claymore with his right hand and a recurved dagger with his left to wade into the fight. Letting out a thunderous deep throated battle howl as he rushes headlong into them, slashing, stabbing he dives over Jonz and Jola's heads taking down many enemy bugs.

''Couldna let yoou keel all yoour loovers Joola...Heh Heh Heh...didna thin I heard yoou huh?'' Grinning Scar continued to parry and thrust as he fought hyper aggressively, he was ducking, jumping blades, biting off limbs as well. ''GRRRRR! fookin bugs taste fowl as hell itself!...Be needin a barrel a Ale to git at taste ooutta meh mouth!''

Shadow Demon Commander was having a bad night!

Breval Nightweeper, The Shadow Demon Commander, was not having a very good night. Reports of Tigran resistance fighters attacking across the bridge to the Isle of Ventulli had upset it. Then it was reported that King Leo Goldenmane had personally lead the attack. This was very troubling. The commander was not worried about the resistance fighters there was no way they could make it to the portal in time. But if the citizens of the eastern part of the city rose up … they could cause trouble at the portal. More reports of a small handful of resistance fighters holding the eastern end of the Ottha bridge. That cut off the escape route for the forces on the Isle of Ventulli. Additionally, these resistance fighters were close enough to the portal to cause more problems. The only bright spot was the queen’s Tigran army was reported as still in Makla, the mining town.

“I shall watch the portal open myself” Berval said to one of the aids, and strode out of the King’s Citadelle heading for the portal. As Berval crossed in front of the eastern gate when there was a sudden and massive explosion … the force of the blast was so great it knock Breval to the ground, the aid with the commander was blown sideways. The aid was a brain floater and therefore was not knocked to the ground. That was really too bad … 1 second later the iron reinforced eastern gate smashed into the aid and killed it dead. Only the fact that Breval had been blown flat to the ground saved its life.

Breval stood … as more aids came running over.

With emotion rarely seen by Berval's troops … he said “RELEASE THE DESTORYERS”

“But commander the destroyer will also kill our own troops!” an Aid commented.

Berval dusted off his armor. “Release the destroyers … NOW!!” he screamed as the sound of the attacking queen’s army could be heard approaching the now open eastern gate.

Demon Destroyer

Queen Shella felt the huge evil thing long before she could see it. She was with her army which had made it to the city in record time. Now they marched towards the explosively opened eastern gate.

A young tigran named Harmony had come out to meet them. Asked the queen to wait a moment. She made a few hand signal towards the city and the eastern gate of the city was blown off its hinges!

The shocked queen asked "who did that?"

Harmony smiled "compliments of Skadu ... and the miners' blasting scrolls"

Commander Mirri order the army forward ... but as Shella got closer to the city … she felt the evil lurking within. She looked but could see nothing ... then as the creature passed near a torch on the eastern wall she saw the horror. The thing was as tall as a 4 story building. Like a massive shadow demon in shape, only with frayed or rotted wings on its back. She froze in dread as the thing looked directly at her.

Immediately Shella knew no one was going to be able to save the tigrans from that thing. There was no escaping its massive evil jaws. The very air around it seemed darker and not of this dimension. A stench filled the air as the thing turned and started to head directly for her and her army. She tried to run… but her body just shivered with fear, then Deson approached her.

Gilly sees that Scar is heading to help Jola and Jonz who are in the middle of the demons. Gilly stands up on Scar's shoulders and keeps her balance, the throws aside the bow since she is now all out of arrows also. She takes out both of her daggers and does a flip off of Scar's shoulders and lands on the closest demon. As the demon next to him sees Gilly land he swings to hit her with his sword but Gilly tumbles off him and the one demon kills the other one. Gilly then comes up behind the second demon and slices his legs with her daggers. As he falls to the ground she then stabs the dagger into the back of his neck and severs his spine.

Gilly noticed the beetle riders approaching and fell to the ground on her back as to appear that she had been killed. As the riders got within arms reach Gilly took her daggers and cut off the beetles legs making them fall forward and knocking off their riders.

"There ya go Jola, hope that helps some!" Gilly yelled.

Skadu

Skadu had dispatched Harmony and another of his scouts as soon as they had indicated they had run out of arrows. He had some left as did a few of the others but soon they all had run out. He observed the situation from his high perch. A few civilians had come out of hiding to join the fray but the attackers where still vastly outnumbered by the Demons and the bugs. Even as he watched he saw more of them approaching riding their bug mounts. He knew the four on the bridge would be hard pressed to defend themselves from this counter attack no matter how good they were.

Standing up he motioned towards the bridge and received nods from all those still with him. Smiling a feral grin he pulled on his fighting claws and looking around made sure everyone else was ready, then silently jumped off the roof and ran towards his objective. They ran forward in an arrowhead formation with Skadu as the point, moving silently they hit the advancing line in the flank and cut right through them leaving devastation in their wake. Only those around them even knew they were there such was their swiftness and silence.

They made progress until they tried approaching the bridge. A mass of troops surrounded the end of the base of it while the four on the bridge cut all who approached them down as more and more rushed forward. Skadu only paused for a second before rushing straight into the rear of the troops, the rest of them following him. They were able to make it deep into them before their progress was halted. Skadu made a sign and they quickly formed a small circle and began to fight onwards towards the bridge, while protecting each others flanks.

While the other scouts used a variety of swords and daggers, Skadu used his favorite weapons, his battle claws. They were larger and longer than the normal ones used by the Talons but he was a master with them. He slashed, ripped, gouged and stabbed with them and for every stroke a demon or bug would fall never to rise again. Often he danced forward two or three steps, only to retreat just as quickly to again cover those standing beside him, taking out a demon about to slash the scout next to him with a sudden decapitating backhand slash, then separating a bugs leg from it's body as it tried to sneak up on him as his back was turned.

In this way they made slow but steady progress towards the bridge and were close when they heard the sound of the gates being blown. He smiled knowing that they only had to hold out for a few more minutes before the Queens army would rush in to relieve them. Then he heard the cries of some beast that sent chills down his spine and the scouts facing backwards yelled out in terror moving backwards. "By the great pride, What is that thing."

Skadu risked a glance behind himself and blanched at what he saw but quickly regained his composure. Turning back he continued to kill those demons in front of him even as he heard one of those behind him die. "Listen up you fools. Stop acting like frightened cubs and remember where you are. Fight the enemy in front of you and worry about everything else later for there may not be one. Now form up and fight on."

He grimaced as a demons sword almost ran him through but a twist of his body saved him, and then the demon was run through by a sword himself. The scout beside him smiled then set himself as did the one on his left. Soon he heard calls all round and he smiled. "Right let's get to that bridge and link up with the others. Move fast strike swiftly scouts."

Jonz waited for the beetle riders to approach them, Gilly did her bit and Jola just seemed hell-bent on dying. Jonz had no problem with dying, he just wanted to make some import before he did and killing demon bugs was not important. He met a charge from a demon, taking the blow on his sword and slammed his fist into the beetle's head. "Soft on the inside, hard on the outside. Hear of some sweets like that, never thought a Worgen would see these for one of those."

He planted his sword into the ground, leveled his hands at the attacking beetle riders and suddenly flames from torches and the surrounding area flooded the riders, burning them inside their exoskeletons. "Much better..." Jonz' words died as even more shadow demons approached, among them more beetle riders. "Huhm...I think we need a new strategy, we might not be able to hold much longer against that."

Jola makes a big splash

Jola had thought the bridge could hold no more dead bodies. However, she had been gravely mistaken. The amount of gore and demon limbs and torso added first by Scar’s musket firing, and then Jonz’s fire spell was impressive. The smell of roasted demons filled the night air. Gilly acrobatic tumbling of “death and destruction” was like the whip cream and cherry on top of a pile of dessert goodness. The dessert was however was dead demons. But the demon kept coming and in addition to the beetle riders Jola also saw three floating brain demons approaching. Those things would kill them for sure she needed to stop them!

But there was some good news … the citizen of Ardalis had joined a group of elite fighters with a massive black panther leading them. Those fighters had plugged the east end of the bridge entrance.

Then she heard Jonz experienced and serious voice speak to the small circle of 5 heroes holding the bridge against impossible odds.

"Huhm...I think we need a new strategy, we might not be able to hold much longer against that." He pointed to the additional riders and brain bugs.

"We have them right where we want them surround and cut off ... the east end of the bridge is ours!" Jola replied.

Jonz grunted "Or the bug just have them surround too!" which actually was the correct assessment of the east end of the bridge

“Speak for yourself lizard boy … I think we have these bugs on the run! Besides I still have a few tricks up my sleeves ... you know!” Jola replied.

Jonz pointed out “You have no sleeves!”

“Ahhh CRAP! I knew I should have dressed differently for this battle!” Jola replied as she cut off the biting mandible of an attacking beetle. Then she removed its head completely.

"I think this one just lost its head!" Jola joked as the beetle stumbled towards the edge of the bridge. Suddenly, glowing blue magical roped came from the night sky and ensnared Jola, one blue rope from each floating brain demon.

“Double CRAP” Jola yelled as she tried to move her arms and could not. The blue ropes encircling her sword and wizard staff arms. She could no longer defend herself. Jonz sword tried to cut the magic ropes … but his blade just passed right through them … Jola was trapped!! But Jola thought of a plan.

“See you all in the next LIFE …” Jola screamed and her snake tailed wrapped itself around the headless beetle as it fell off the bridge. The combination of the weight of the beetle, and Jola snake body coiling up … dragged the floating brain demons under the river with her in a big splash.

It is important to note that there are lots of different Nagas in the world. It seems that for every species of serpent, there was a corresponding race of serpent people. Venomous cobras, adders, sea snake, indigo racer, black mambas, vipers, pythons, rattlesnakes and anaconda. Jola was an anaconda naga. A human-anaconda to be more precise as the top half of a naga could be elven, orc, goblin etc as well.

This fact, that she was a human-anaconda Naga with a strong affinity for water, made fighting her in a river …. just plain stupid. The floating brain demons discovered just how stupid within a few seconds. Nagas are very quick, graceful, and powerful in water. Most Naga’s preferred asphyxiation as their favorite way to kill, but with demons Jola preferred to “pop” them.

10 seconds after Jola and the demons plunged into the water, three bug gore slicks floated to the surface ... soon followed by their crushed demon bodies. Jola however never did surface!

The threat of the floating brain demons was gone ... but Jola was no longer fighting on the bridge and that left everyone else under even more pressure.

General Scar's Fallen?

''Dinae knoow Draconian's were afeared of a wee Naga lass either.'' Lunging forward to thrust the blade of his Claymore just inches from the side of Jonz head to skewer a demon. Scar gave the equally huge Jonz a rouges grin as he withdrew his blade from the bug.

Right about that moment they both saw Jola taken by a Beetles magical ropes. Try as they might to free her they ultimately failed only to watch her go beneath the surface. "CURSED FOOKIN DEMON BUGS!'' Scar roars out in rage over his fallen sister in arms apparent death.

Sheathing the Claymore to climb upon the back of the large beetle his musket ball had taken down earlier. Reaching back to pull his other big bore musket several Tigrans protect Scar. Flipping open the muskets pan, filling it with magically enhanced black power, cocking the hammer he aimed and fired.

Scar narrows his eye against muzzle flash, the deafening blast and white hot jet of fire ripped into bug soldiers. Tightening of the demons ranks at the Ottha was the death of at least 150 of their soldiers. Scar lifts the musket over his head and roars over the din of battle raging around him. ''THROO THA GAP YE CATS!...TIGRANS ADVANCE!''

He didn't get to follow his Claw as he was struck by a lightening bolt of dark energy. Scar let's out a loud deeply painful howl, his bones were lit up from within, smoke trailed from him as he crashes against the bridge wall. ''I failed tah avenge yoo Isis...foorgive an ol' fool.''

Isis to the rescue!

The gorgeous tawny lioness entered the city with only one thought on her mind, to find Scar! Her long lean muscle carried her through the streets of Ardalis with the speed of the fastest race horse. The injury to her leg made each step painful, but it did not slow her down. Nothing could slow her down as the shadow demon soon found out. She would leap over their road blocks, pouching on a guard with her sharp claws. She would rip open its exoskeleton as she bounded away. But she would not stop and fight. She wound not stop and fight until she found Scar. She made it through the courtyard … and past the earthquake damaged Saint Vito Monastery. The monks had already joined the resistance. She made it to the river front. And then she saw the Ottha bridge and the small knot of fighters on its mid span area. There standing in front … his great claymore swords swatting aside beetles and beetle riders alike was Scar.

Isis said nothing … she wanted to cry out to him. But she knew that could be fatal. One second of distraction on Scar focus would mean his death. Isis added speed to her already frantic run … She was like a brown bullet … racing towards the bridge. She did not how to get through the vast hoard of demons on the bridge. However she would … cross that bridge when she got to it. (Pun Intended!)

She closed in on the bridge and saw Scar stand up ontop a dead beetle carcass, his musket out … primed and then it fired. The blast and smoke hide the bridge section for a moment. But when the smoke cleared a vast majority of the bugs were gone.

Isis saw the opening caused by the musket and spirited through she passed Skadu on teh way to Scar. She saw floating brain bug behind Scar. Before she could yell a warning. Black lightening streaked across the night sky and slammed into Scar.

“SCARRRRRRRRR” Isis yelled but it was too late Scar had fallen… the warrior cat leapt …onto the Brain Bug. Her back claws dug deep gashes into it as her free hand plunged her sword right through its head. It was dead. She jumped off the falling bug and landed next to Scar.

“Scar … you foolish old wolf … Always look behind you … that is what you taught me … you know that!” Isis said tears streaming down her face as she pulled out a healing potion. She poured the fluid down Scar mouth. She hoped it was enough to save him!

Skadu

Skadu and his scouts had made some progress towards the bridge but it had been slow going. They had left a trail of death behind them, but it seemed for every bug or demon they killed there was another to take it's place. Still they fought on for there was nothing else they could do.

When Scar let loose with his musket they had a brief respite and immediately Skadu saw his chance. As he saw a lone Tigran run past him Skadu ordered his claw forward as well. "Follow the path and make for the bridge double time. Kill everything along the path, Arrowhead formation. Move before they know what hits them."
Tired as they were his claw knew it was their best chance and quickly flowed along the path, striking out left and right and opening up a wider path, slaughtering the stunned demons as they rushed right up to the bridge. By the time they made it, they had managed to kill off most of the ones guarding the front of the bridge and open up a safety buffer around the front of the bridge. They took up positions across the foot of the bridge, it's narrowness allowing them to easily guard the whole area and facing outwards they waited for the demons next attack.

Skadu moved over to where Scar had fallen and found Isis attending to him. "I am sure he will recover. He is a strong warrior and he would not want to miss this fight. Call to him. I am sure he will return even from the promised lands for you."

Jonz

With Jola and Scar down, it fell to Gilly and Jonz to keep the bridge, that was nigh impossible. "Gilly! Fall back" Jonz waited for her to move passed him, then he steadily retreated, joining with the Tigrans who had moved in. There he took his stand once more, holding the line with the brave fighters, knowing that his back was covered.


Deson Hild

They had really moved at tremendous pace, as they paused in sight of the city, Deson started to put on his armor, he had just buckled the last plate into place when the Demon Destroyer showed up, he moved to the front of the ranks to stand next to the queen, "A Demon Destroyer! How on earth did they manage..." He saw that more of the beasts appeared, it was basically a lost cause. But he steeled himself, there was still life and where there was life, there was hope and where there was hope, there was a way.

"We will need a few brave Tigrans, those explosive scrolls will do nicely to attract the Destroyers' attention. Attach them to their feet and lure them into a direction." He paused for a few moments, "These beings are able to Shadow shift, they can avoid damage by becoming ethereal, so normal weapons will do nothing to them, blessed weapons will have an effect, but as you can see, they're massive." He cast about in his mind, "If memory serves there's a body of water not far from the gate, if I manage to bless that and we can get enough of that water on the Destroyers, there should be chance to weaken them enough to kill them."

Mirri

Mirri heard Deson's words and her resolve hardened. She had been shocked and dismayed when she had seen them, but his words had given her the boost to her confidence she needed.

"You heard him warriors. All we need do is lure them towards the river. We switch to hit and run tactics. Do not engage the enemy unless they are demons or bugs and always keep an eye on those destroyers. They are too big to watch where they are putting their feet so if you can, lure their own forces under them and let them squish them. Always fall back towards the river. All claws advance and begin the operation. Sharpen your claws and let the blood flow. FOR THE QUEEN AND ARDALIS. CHARGE."

Queen Shella

As Deson spoke Queen Shella broke out of the fear spell that held her. She shook her head. It was odd not to be in control of your own body. But once a fear spell is broken, it is hard to reestablish. "The demon destroyers will have to come up new trick that one won’t work again." She thought. With Mirri command to FOR THE QUEEN AND ARDALIS. CHARGE ... The queen was running with the rest of the army.

“Sir Hild and Talon Commander Mirri are right. Break the army up into small units; I shall lead half the units to the Portal. Two claws and the Miners from Makla keep the destroyers busy. The remaining units head towards the bridge. REMEMBER THE PORTAL FIRST … THEN SAVE THE CITY”

The queen was running fast and entered the eastern gate. Isis had been the vanguard and made it through the gate easily … she had also seen Sir Hild on his horse gallop through. But as she entered the main courtyard area shadow demons had started to block the streets, and alley ways to the Imperial Garrison. It would not be a simple march to the imperial garrison. They were in for a street to street, building to building battle.

She only hoped Deson had made it through. He was their only hope!

The other “only hope”

Jola grabbed hold of the sewage pipe opening and pulled herself up and into the pipe. It smelled like shit in the pipe … literally. “This worked the last time. Hopefully those dumbass bugs did not plug this up or set any boob traps.” She said to herself. She slithered down the pipe as fast as she could go.

As she got closer to the imperial garrison and the portal, she could feel the presence. She was almost overpowered by it. The thing was so strong mentally that it could crush the psyche of a weaker mind. It was bent on one thing … destroying all life on this planet. Totally and completely without provocation. Was this a thing the demon lords created? Or did it evolve this way and the demon lords found it like this. The presence was the essence of pure evil … a primal evil … A creature whose being was so twisted by its chaotic hatred that it desired nothing more than discord and destruction. An ancient evil and the bane of all life.

Jola also felt the 1000s of small beings in the tunnel dimension, all of them waiting for the portal to open. Eager, fervent, with a burning zeal to enter this dimension. A constantly shifting mental mass, it flowed about … yet it was made of nothingness. She did not understand the tunnel dimension … but the beings in it were an abomination. A cacophony of multiple mental things … all mixed up, but always probing always hungry. Once the portal was open … they would flood this world like a disease.

Jola hurried. She had always thought her hated was the most powerful force she had known. But the hunger of these creatures from the tunnel dimension seemed unbounded!

“Well, we’ll just see who’s more powerful!” Jola said to herself as she entered the garrison castle through the sewage grate. “Dumbshits …” She mumbled to herself at the demon’s carelessness for not locking the gate.

She moved into the dark shadows near the courtyard and slipped in behind a group of barrels. She could see the portal; it was over 100 feet in diameter. The beams of light she saw the last time were no longer coming out of it. The portal was just black … as the darkest night; the edges had been enforced with a series of iron beams. The iron beams were arranged to hold the portal open from a massive force. This crisscrossing arrangement reduced the opening size by at least 20 feet.

There was 10 floating brain demons, and troop of shadow demon infantry. They all seemed to be waiting for something. Then Jola caught something out of the corner of her eye. She peeked through the stacked barrels and on the other side was a human knight! He was also hiding in the shadows.

He had lost the horse to a Beetle riding demon, he did manage to make it to the river, which had been walled up with rubble falling into it, manage to cast the blessing and then followed Queen Shella's orders, he made for the portal. Again he wished for more of his fellow knights, it would have been so much easier, they would have very little resistance in the Garliks and Shadow Demons. He came into the garrison through a side gate, ducked away into the darker shadows and looked around, the portal took up most of the courtyard. The only protection seemed like the floating brain demons, he could feel the evil eminating from the pit, he knew that this was the portal he had to close...

But how? He moved into a better position and looked around for something to help him, he had not the weaponry nor the magic to close the portal, yet the Word had been adamant, he would be the one. It was then that he felt it, that feeling when somebody is looking at you, he turned his head to find a rather striking human woman looking at him. He froze, sensing magic...but it was not an illusion, only dormant magic. In a soft whisper her asked, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Gloating … every evil guy just has to do it!

The knight spoke to her in a soft whisper, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

“Jola is my name … I’m here to close that damn portal” She answered back with firmness in her voice. He was a Knight of the Church she could sense his power and pureness. Nagas did not have the best of standings with most species, the church particularly. It was interest the knight was being so accommodating. Then she realized he could only see her upper half. He did not know she was a Naga. Since he was hiding from the shadow demons … they were both on the same side of this conflict she thought. She sure hoped he did not change his mind once he found out what she was.

“When the time comes … follow me to the portal I have a plan” She told him in a whisper. She actually had no plan at all. She only had a burning desire to F-over these hated shadow demons.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the Shadow Demon Commander entered the courtyard of the imperial garrison castle. It walked with a sense of accomplishment as the portal was almost open. “Nothing can stop the portal from opening now …. NOTHING!” It said to mostly itself.

It was the leader of the shadow demon army. Jola had no doubt about that. This was their chance. Kill it and the army would be thrown into confusion. It might even cause the portal opening spell to go awry. Finally the thought that pushed her into her next act was not logic, it was pure emotion. The demon commander’s arrogance and confidence just grated on her. She slithered forward out of the shadows to the edge of the portal. The Holy Knight followed along, if he was bothered by her being a naga he did not show it.

“Want to bet ... ASSHOLE!” Jola said with pure fury in her voice back to the demon commander.

A grin appeared on the demon’s face. “What an interesting pair … a snake and a holy man … sort of like adam and the serpent … so you two are going to stop the opening of the portal! HA” The demon said. It turned to talk directly to Deson "You should remember the snake lead Adam to his DOOM ... holy man!" A smile appeared on the demon commander's face.

“I have been trained and strenuously warned against gloating. But since there is nothing ANYONE can do to stop the portal from opening … Not even the demon lords have that kind of power. I’m going to gloat. We have some time to kill … and it is fun. It gives me a nice warm evil feeling in the black pit of my soul … when I utterly grind your hero faces into the dirt and explain the brilliance of the demon lord’s scheme to destroy all life on this planet!

Jola sensed the demon commander was right. She could feel the magical energies building. The spell was triggered … there was no way to stop the opening of the portal. She needed to think of something else to do.

“You see as while the humans were busy fighting the Garliks … and you were fighting the shadow demons … YOU have allowed me to release the real threat to your planet. I want to give you my most sincere gratitude. If it weren’t for you, I never would have been able to pull this off.”

“You have not pulled off anything yet!” Jola snarled back

The demon commander laughed “Oh, but I have. Soon this door will open and a separate world, filled with millions of tunnel creatures will come pouring in to this world. You creatures have been quite a lot of fun, but once the tunnel creatures invade your bodies there will be some good old-fashioned chaos. The higher life forms on this planet will all die. Then the demon lords will be able to remove the lower life forms and nothing will ever change here again.”

“There’s more to us than that. We will fight these tunnel beings … We are better than you think!” Jola stated with confidence.

The Demon Commander laughed as the portal started to open “From the looks of things, your brave words are not enough … here comes the chaos!”

Jola had to do something … she could not let this asshole win. She place her staff on the iron support structure and cast her lightening spell. The iron grating conducted the lightening and formed a curtain of lightening across the portal opening. As the tunnel creatures rushed to enter their world … they were fried by the curtain of lightening.

An aid to the demon leader asked it “Demon Commander … shall we destroyer her?”

The shadow demon commander laughed “no … her spell will not last long … I want to see her face as a tunnel being enters her body! This will be so amusing!”

Mirri

Mirri had seen Deson bless the water and knew what she had to do. All the claws had been luring the giant Destroyers towards the lake just as they had been told. Luckily they were ponderous beasts and most of them were able to move in and out of their range while avoiding their attacks. Some however had been caught out when they had shadow shifted and there had been casualties as well as from constant attacks from the other Demons and Bugs, but now they had them lined up along the Lakeside.

However it was like they seemed to sense the waters Holy power and refused to move into it or get too near. Mirri was at a loss until a large stone lion came walking down the street. At first she thought it was another foe to be dealt with and she sighed in despair. But as it caught sight of the demons it seemed to almost radiate joy and bounded towards them swatting them left and right and crushing them below it's giant paws. Mirri was heartened as were the other Tigrans and she knew if she could just get it to bound into the water it would cause a big enough splash to effect the Destroyers enough to really harm them.

She took off after it in the hopes she could somehow communicate with it or as a last desperate move climb on it and direct it back towards the lake.

The Portal

Jola spell was dying out … and there was millions of tunnel beings still trying to get into this world.

“I WILL NOT LET YOU WIN!” She screamed and tapped into all the magic in her staff. This would extend the spell a few seconds longer … then what? She decided to tap into her own life energy. This would kill her but it would extend the spell a bit longer. The staff … shriveled up and crumbled to dust in her hands … She then tapped into her own life force … her own HATRED.

“I WILL NOT LET YOY WIN!!” She screamed again … as her body started to shrivel up.

The shadow demon commander burst out laughing “THIS IS TOO MUCH FUN TO WATCH … your hatred is killing you … how poetic!”

The Cavalry Arrives

His beard and cloak waved in the furious wind caused by the speed of Nas’ dive bombing maneuver. The wizard Ardel hung on to the hard scales on the dragon’s neck. But he could feel the portal opening, they had not made it in time.

“THE PORTAL IS OPENING … I HAVE TO LEAVE NOW! WATCH OUT FOR THE SHADOW SHIFTING!” He yelled. Casting a quick refresh spell on Nas muscles and then he leapt off the dragon.

Dropping away from the massive dragon like a stone … the wizard held his arms close to his body to maximize his decent speed. He was plummeting towards the ground at a frightening rate.

Nas looked over to his mate. “I did not think humans could fly?”

Venar-surr gave him a dragon shrug “Neither did I”

Ardel plunged through the thick cloud bank over the city of Ardalis in the darkness of the night. He would need to cast the levitate spell at just the right moment or he would impact the ground too hard. The lack of any visibility and the fact it was night made this idea extra risky. But he knew there was just no more time remaining.

He broke out of the clouds and suddenly the imperial garrison castle loomed before him growing larger as he approached at a terrifying speed. He saw the lightening curtain arching over the portal … the light provided by that made the casting of his levitate spell easier. His timing was perfect and his decent snapped up just short of the ground. Landing softly next to his old familiar, Jola.

“Don’t worry … help is here!” He said calmly and placed his hand on her back … his vast magical energy adding to hers. The lightening spell recharged … sparking and arching over the portal. The tunnel creatures … blindly rushing into the lightening curtain and their own death.

Ardel looked up to the demon commander who had stopped laughing. It was shocked at the wizard’s sudden arrival.

“Jola hatred is so strong because her love is so strong, her love of me … and her love of fairness and justice. I think you are about to find out how powerful those two loves are!” Ardel explained.

“KILL THEM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” The demon commander screamed.

Ardel knew his magic could only keep the spell going so long and while he and Jola were busy, they were both defenseless. The shadow infantry and floating brains started to attack. Everything now depended on the knight of the church standing next to them.

The Battle of the Isle of Ventulli

King Goldenmane and Felina forces were cleaning up the last of the forces at the western end of the Ottha Bridge.

“Sire … I probably should not say this … but that was easier than I thought. The bugs seemed distracted and unorganized.” Felina pointed out.

The King chuckled “I agree … but when I saw every citizen of the isle join in the fight … throw pots and pans from windows … stabbing them from behind … blocking resupply roads … I can understand.”

They moved on to the bridge and the carriage was amazing.

“What in the nine hells … happened here!” The king gasped as he stared at the demon body parts heaped up in piles all over the bridge.

Felina got a big smile on her face “General Scar, Jola, Gilly, Jonz is what happened here!”

As they quickly brought their force over the bridge. On the down slope of the bridge at the east end they saw General Scar body. A lovely Tigran lioness was crying while holding Scar’s head. Jonz, Gilly and a massive black panther tigran were organizing the remaining forces to continue the attack in the eastern half of the city.

The King and Felina huddled around the General and were quickly joined by Fawn, Pearl, Tia, Aziza, Sanura, Capt’n Bones, Baban Tylos and Capt Throgram.

The King bent on one knee and quietly asked the crying lioness “Is he … dead?”

Rockpaw and Stonefang

The two stone statues emerged from the water of eastern river bank.

"That was fun!” Rockpaw said in excitement.

“Yes much better than rain … I feel completely clean for once! Even on my underside.” Stonefang replied.

“No more bird shit!” Rockpaw commented in joy. Then he saw the tigrans moving over the Ottha Bridge.

“You know … those fleshy things are not completely hopeless." He said “They have taken the eastern bridge. But I would appreciate it if you didn't tell them I said that, might give the little things a big head.”

"Ok … I won’t … Now, let’s find some demons to crush!” Stonefang said as they moved into the eastern half of the city.

Both the stone statues were busy crushing bugs when a tigran jumped upon Rockpaw’s head.

“Oh hello there … fleshy thing … how can I help you?” Rockpaw asked.

It was Talon Leader Mirri, atop the stone statue … and she had a large smile on her face.

Mirri

Mirri smiled as she heard the two statues talking too each other. She had not noticed the other one at first as it had been in front of the other one and the one at the rear had blocked her view of it. Now that she was on it's head though she saw it and she couldn't help smiling. Perhaps they had a chance after all.

"Great beasts hat must indeed be gods of my people sent to help us in this our time of need, I need your help. On the banks of the river we have lured the mighty destroyers and the waters have been blessed ready to destroy the evil beasts, but they can somehow sense it's power and no mater what we do we can not get them into the water. You with your obvious great strength and size however could do it. Perhaps you could drive them in or indeed jump in and cause the waters to slash upon them and kill them that way."

Skadu

The fighting on the bridge had been intense but with the help of the scouts and himself, they had managed to hold out until help had arrived in the form of the local citizens and one of the queens claws. They had surprised the Demons forces so well that they had killed half of them before they knew what had happened and by the time they had they could do little about it. With the rest of the forces on the bridge he had changed in and they had mopped up the remaining forces between them. All that was left to do was to see where they were needed next and deploy as necessary. He could feel a massive evil in the air radiating from the Castle but knew he could not send these forces there, Instead he directed his scouts to lead them towards the fighting further down the lake.
"Clear all streets as you go and rally the citizens. Leave no demon or bug behind. Purge the city. I go to the castle."

He took a last look at the downed figure of the great Worgren warrior and then sprinted off towards the feeling of dread. Sighing he thought that they could have really used the big warrior in the coming battle.

Draxx

He had watched the crazy sorcerer jump off Nas and start plummeting to the ground.
"What is that idiot doing this time," he yelled to his own dragon, forgetting his manners in his anxiety.
"Do not be afraid for him little brother," chuckled Venar-Surr. "He will be alright. He has just sensed the great evil that we both feel from the portal. It is open but is being restrained by someone. He has gone to help but we must help the defenders as the commander has unleashed Destroyers on the city and they will need our help."
Draxx pondered a moment then smiled grimly. "Then you will have to fly low over the castle. I promised to look after that silly Magician and if he gets harmed I am not going to hear the end of it. He is going to be too busy using his magics against that portal to defend himself. Just get me low enough and I can make the leap."
Venar-surr chuckled and made the dive along with Nas. They looped around and made a graceful glide coming low over the castle even managing to slow their speed somewhat to a gentle pace. Draxx smiled and patted Venar-surr's neck. "Hope to see you again my large sister. You too you big oaf," he yelled good naturedly at Nas then he jumped, aiming for the courtyard with the large glowing portal and all the rushing Demons.

Luck favored him and his aim was true. He came crashing down upon numerous Demons, killing them in a shower of black ichor and rolling through more maiming or killing them as well. Standing up he checked himself and was glad to see that his heavy scales had protected him from suffering much damage. Grinning he drew his monstrous two handed sawtoothed axe and moved beside Ardel. Glancing around he saw a knight and a Naga.

"Interesting company you are keeping Wizard. Don't ever run off like that again. You know what will happen to me if you come to harm or worse... die. I am not facing that. These are going to be easier than facing that," he said gesturing at the horde in front of him. Flexing his muscles he grinned at the Knight. "Well met sir Knight. You take the right side, I will take the left. The Commander is mine though, I feel a little peckish." He roared with laughter then waded into the Demons and began to swing his axe. With every stroke demons died and he just waded on. It had been a long time since he had been able to have this much fun.

Yoou Caen Kaep a good Worgen Doown.

Scar felt his spirit rise from his body as his perspective changed to looking down upon himself in Isis arms. Watching his fellow comrades in arms gathering around him with disbelief etched upon their countenance. The softly whispering voice of his beloved Isis saying

''Scar…you foolish old wolf…always look behind you…that is what you taught me…you know that!''

Isis tears streaming down her cheeks to drop onto Scars, as she pulled out a healing potion. She poured the fluid down his mouth, hoping it was enough to save her him. Whatever the healing potion contained was indeed powerful, it's effect dizzyingly fast as his soul reentered his body.

A sudden shuddering coughing wracks Scars entire form, Isis gentle caress of his rugged scarred face relaxes him. Without opening his one good eye he finally speaks ''My loovely kitteh yoour alive?'' Reaching up to cup her tear stained cheek in his huge pawlike hand. A slow smile broadening into a grin, a pale blue eye opens revealing lovely Isis holding him. Scar lifts his head slowly draw Isis into a reunited lovers kiss with a softly rumbled growl.

Seeing some of the best rebel fighters just standing around him. Scars brow furrows into a scowl as the fire in his eye blazes once more, with a deep rumbling angry growl he stood to bellow. ''WHY YOOU STANDIN ABOOUT MEH LIKE I'M DAED!... WE GAET FOOKIN BUUGS TAH KEEL!

Scar drew his Claymore brandishing it on high roaring out a battle cry. ''TO THA PORTAL...ARDALIS ADVANCE!'' Sprinting out ahead of his own Claw hot on the Worgen's heels, they quickly gain on Scadu's already eastward advancing Claw. This was a rebel force that the Demons didn't expect to survive, they had through sheer force of their combined will and hatred of evil.

Nearing the Garrison entrance Scar slows to a fast trot, sheathing the Claymore and his recurved dagger as well. Drawing a musket from his back he quickly reloads one, drawing his second musket repeats the process, primes the pans with powder closing them, and cocks the hammers. Leveling the big bore weapons out before him and charges through the entrance.

Cutting loose with the muskets in his huge pawlike hands, white hot blasts blew beetles and riders to pieces on both sides. Using both discharged muskets as heavy clubs wades into the bugs, crushing skulls, tearing off limbs and shattering carapaces of any bug near.

Jonz

With the arrival of more Tigrans the press on the bridge lightened, then a demon got in a lucky blow, taking down the Worgen. The demon did not survive any longer as a Tigran female came rushing into the fray, ignoring the battle around her as she dropped next to Scar and cradled his head on her lap. Jonz had seen this before and as usual it had nothing to do with him, he kept and eye out for any sneak attacks or survivors. He could sense the evil growing stronger and stronger, his dragon blood seemingly coming to a fever pitch of revulsion and anger. But he waited, there was more to come...

The Worgen suddenly coughed behind him and a few moments later he was on his feet and charging towards the gate of the castle. Jonz stared after the Worgen and cocked his head slightly, "Well I'll be blessed. That is one strange commander." With a grin he stretched out and followed the Tigrans, laying into any demon whom came into view

Deson

He looked upon the commander and slowly lifted an eyebrow as Jola stepped forward and cast a lightning spell to cover the pit. He could feel the presences as they tried to come through, his healing senses went mad as Jola tapped into her life-force, she was going to far! Just as he was about to step forward another human practically fell from the sky, he addressed the commander and lended his energy to Jola's. Deson grimly reflected that The Church would heavily condem what was happening here, a Naga and a wizard casting magical spells. He should cut them down, yet they were putting their lives on the line for all. Not themselves, but all life.

Deson drew his shield and sword as the command to attack came, "Over my dead body." As he stepped forward a figure fell from the sky and Deson could sense the precense of dragons, where did they come from? The figure stood up and came to the wizard, speaking to him, then drew a weapon and said that he'd keep the left flank. Deson only nodded and hefted his shield, sword at the ready as he met the attack of the demons.

Portal Battle

The shadow demon commander was beside itself, not only had a wizard appeared out of nowhere but now a lizardman as well. It could also hear Tigran forces fighting at the gate of the imperial garrison. This was clearly getting out of control. This was not a time for half measures.

The problem was its’ command to "attack" … was not as simple to carry out, as it seemed. The floating brain demons fired magical energy bolts at the same time as the shadow demon infantry sprang forward to attack. This had disastrous effects. As half of the energy bolts landed in the backs of the shadow demons and never reached the targets. The remaining magical energy bolts landed on the shield of the knight of the church. Who was fighting like a man empowered by god himself. This prevented any damage to the two magic users keeping the lightning curtain spell going over the portal. The demon infantry on the left flank crashed into the massive lizardman. More correctly stated ... the lizardman’s sword. They were chopped to pieces. More attacked, and the clever lizardman in a show of tremendous strength actually pushed half of them into the portal … where the lightning spell did them in. The smell of burn bugs filling the air. The smoke was thick enough to temporarily prevent any more energy bolts from the floating brian demons.

“USE YOUR ENTRAPMENT SPELL!!” The commander screamed to the brains.

10 magical ropes were thrown down at the defenders … but suddenly a red dragon swept through the courtyard and grabbed 8 of the magical ropes and violently yanked those floating demons out of the courtyard. The horrific sound of the dragon’s powerful jaws snapping close followed by the rupture of the brian demon bodies could be heard. This was followed by a dragon roar “YUCK …. THOSE TASTE TERRIBLE!” The remaining two floating demons missed their targets.

The Demons had a 10-1 advantage but it made no difference, as they could only put an equal amount of demons against the tightly packed defenders. Being stronger and more heavily armed, the Knight and Lizardman were making mincemeat out of the shadow demons.

Time was running out … so the commander SCREAMED for ALL shadow demons to charge. Maybe they could push the defenders into the portal. But really that commander was really just a distraction ...

“Time for my little surprise” the shadow demon commander whispered to itself and pulled out a small apple sized object from a pouch. It spoke a single magical word and rolled it at the defenders. the object was a shadow fragmentation grenade. Specifically designed to disperse lethal shadow magic fragments upon a powerful detonation. The shards and splinters could cut through mage’s robes like butter. The blast was so powerful it could even get through thick hide and puncture plate armor. It would not damage the portal. There was a small time delay and then it would detonate.

With all the fighting and smoke … the defenders would not see it and the mages would be killed. It would of course kill all its shadow demons as well but shutting down the lightning spell is all the mattered now.

The shadow demon commander did one more thing before it left the garrison castle courtyard. The act only took a split second … It called upon the massive creature in the tunnel dimension with two simple words.

“Come NOW!”

Gilly hopes to get Deson's attention

Gilly had slowly been making her way towards the portal. Being small was an advantage at times as people didn't always take notice to you thinking you were just a kid and no real threat to them, it also helped her to stay lower than the smoke. Gilly saw that Jola and some other guy were doing a lightning spell to help keep the other shadow demons from coming out of the portal. Jola didn't look so well but she did look determined. Gilly also saw that there was a dragon type of creature and a knight up there trying to protect Jola and the man doing the spell. As she looked around she noticed a dragon come down and grab some of the head floating things by the ropes they were casting and it destroyed them. She also saw the big demon commander get very upset with the situation and he rolled something up near the portal. Gilly wasn't sure, but it didn't look good since the demon commander at that point also backed away and then said something before leaving.

Gilly knew there was no way she would be able to get up there to knock that thing away, but she had to get one of them to look down and see it. The one closest to it was the knight, so Gilly grabbed her bow and her last arrow and aimed it at the feet of the knight. She wasn't the greatest shot but she was decent, she just hoped that he would look down when it landed. Gilly suddenly thought of something that may help get his attention. She took off part of her shirt sleeve, which was in tatters from all the fighting. It wasn't a bright color, but hopefully seeing it tied to an arrow would give it some attention. Gilly tied it to the arrow and then shot it. Just as she let go of the arrow a bunch of smoke covered her view and she wasn't sure where it landed, but she didn't have much time to think about it as a nearby demon saw her with the bow and arrow and was coming at her. Gilly dropped the bow and grabbed her daggers as she prepared to fight this demon and add to her list of demon kills!

Deson

More and more demons came at him, but he repelled them, his shield was dented and scratched, his armor dented, his sword becoming duller with each kill. How he wished for a holy weapon, a magical one would do as well...an arrow with what appeared to be cloth clattered at his feet and slithered away. The sound made him look down, he noticed it to be Tigran cloth, now why would...then he saw the grenade. Did he have time? His battle instincts screamed a loud NO!!! He waded into the demons in front of him and knelt, placing his shield in front of him, hoping to divert most of the blast. He didn't.

The blast oblitherated the right flank and some of the left flank, the two remaining brains died in the blast. Jola and Ardel survived the blast but not due to the shield, due to fact that Deson's body absorbed the blast.

The shrapnel had cut through the battered shield, ripped through the plate mail and chain mail and into Deson. The blast twisting him around, his battered sword flying out of nerveless fingers as he crashed to the ground, the shield half on top of him, his sword arm hanging limply over the portal, blood flowing from arteries that got severed and as the portal had created an indentation in the ground, most of Deson's blood flowed into the portal.

What a blast!

The explosion threw Jola and Ardel back 10 feet. Both of them tried to stay upright but the power of the blast pushed them over. They end up on their backs lying on the ground. The lightning spell had been broken and the curtain of lightning died out over the portal. Jola sat up first and tried to cast another spell.

“OH NOOOOOOOOOO” She screamed. She was out of magic energy, the spell would not work. Ardel sat up next.

“Master … a lightning spell …QUICKLY!” She gasped.

Ardel shook his head, his grey bread waving. “Jola … I only have a small amount of magical energy left. It would not make much difference. We did the best we could.” He explained.

She hugged him with her human upper half as her snake body wrapped around his legs “Well if we are going to die soon. I at least want to give you a hug!” Jola said.

“JOLA ... I'm happy to see you too .... BUT NOT SO TIGHT” Ardel gasped as the Naga was constricting his breathing. Jola stopped her hug and released her old master.

“… I … I thought you were dead … did the gods discharge you from the heavens?” She asked remembering how the wizard had arrived from the sky.

“No” He laughed “I will explain it all later if we survive” He said. Then he asked “Where are those tunnel creatures?”

Both of them stared at the portal for a few seconds, but nothing came out. Shockingly, there were no tunnel creatures coming out of the portal at all. Both of them got up and went over to the holy knight. He looked really bad. There was blood everywhere.

“He is not going to make it.” Jola commented with some inevitability. Ardel shook his head in agreement.

“You know he saved our lives!” Ardel stated and then looked for Draxx, the huge lizardman.

“Where is Draxx?” The wizard asked. Looking around the courtyard filled with dead bugs and debris.

"And where is Scar?" Jola asked ... she had seen him enter the courtyard moments before the blast went off.

"Who ... or what is a Scar?" Ardel asked.

"He is a worgen and a great fighter" Jola said and then added slowly almost like she was talking to herself "and he is my friend." Considering how they had met and everything they had been through, Jola suddenly realized she and the big wolf had become friends.