The Thorn-star Agenda (Closed for DarkWarrioress)

"I'm fine my Light. These...things seem to have come from somewhere deeper in the city. I'm not sure what's possessed them but they return to their original forms once they've been subdued. Qua'lei and the elder seem to be holding their own well enough. I just feel helpless standing on the sidelines..."

A deceptively fragile hand rose and found his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“We are fighters, love. It’s what we do best and when we aren’t in the thick of things, we feel helpless but it appears that Qua’lei and this Elder seem to have a grasp of this situation and are handling it just fine.”

The fight seemed to have ended almost as quickly as it had started. Elana found their guide and after evaluating the woman with knowing eyes and with the reassurance she was fine, Elana moved to join Andras, who had located the Elder and was speaking with him. Her steps were quiet so as not to disturb the conversation.

"What happened to them?"

"Vile energy polluted their bodies, twisting them into dark servants. It appears that Abraxus knows of your presence and he seeks to hinder your advance. It is best that you move now, before he sends more of his minions to harm my people, and yours."

She felt the hesitation in her commander as if he wanted to stay and talk more, but there was something in the Elder’s face that gave him pause. There was little choice but do as the Elder stated. They didn’t want to bring harm to innocent people. Abraxus was their target. As the elves turned toward their horses and their army, Andras’ eyes fell strayed to Elana’s face. She smiled at him, raising a hand to slide her palm against his cheek. Time seemed to have stilled for a moment right there and then. As if coming to her senses, realizing where they were and whom they were with, reluctantly, her hand came away from his face. It wasn’t his army of Orcs that made her do it. They were use to the two elves being together by now. Elana had proven herself time and time again that she was a force to reckoned with. No, there were things to do and people to defeat. It was time to mount up and search out Abraxus. Other than the sound of hoofs echoing off the walls of the buildings to either side of them, no one made a sound. As they briefly paused at the inner gate of the Ghost Market, the Elder gave them words to think upon.

"Where you venture now there are only two destinies: victory and damnation. May the gods guide you toward the former, and may they have mercy if you find the latter."

He had words for Qua’lei as well.

As the troop passed through the gate, restarting their journey for Shei Jin, Andras moved his horse next to Qua’lei and had a few quiet words for her. Elana thought on the wise man’s parting words. Unfortunately, sometimes, victory and damnation went hand in hand, both twined so tightly together there was no parting either of them. The very thought of that made Elana shiver. She hoped this would not be so in their case. The smile Andras gave her when he returned to her side made her think that perhaps he was thinking the same thing.

All three at the front of the army had ridden in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. A quick glance to the sky confirmed that it was late afternoon and they were about half way to their destination.

“Commander, if the Elder is correct that Abraxus knows we’re coming we won’t have the element of surprise on our side. In fact what if----“

The sky had suddenly darkened. Clouds or what passed for clouds had appeared out of seemingly nowhere and covered the sun. THIS was not a good sign. The tingle that slid down Elana’s back reinforced that. The ground beneath their feet rumbled ominously. Sand flared up from the ground even as black, swirling tornado type things ostensibly shot up out of the ground before them. Men, dressed in black, stepped toward them as the swirling mass dissipated. Each of them held a gleaming, lethal scimitar in their hands. Even their face were covered, except for their eyes. On horses, standing on the horizon, standing between them and their destination, were riders on black horses. A low hum seemed to come from their direction. A hum that grew more prominent and again, up from the ground, in front of these mounted men crawled skeletons armed with shields and swords.

Elana’s words had been cut short in surprise. Her eyes had barely registered this newest threat before the men on foot came charging at them. She found herself just barely clearing her saddle and scarcely clearing her swords o their resting place before they were engaged in battle again. Abraxus’ doing. She was sure of it. The sound of Orcish war cries rent the air as did the sound of clashing steel. There was still the skellies to deal with and Abraxus’ mounted henchmen.

A little of the Elder’s predicted victory would do nicely.

This was Elana’s thought just as she ducked beneath the vicious arc of a scimitar and came up with her sword swinging……

Before the thought of a peaceful entrance to the city could even take root in his mind, Andras heard the same rumbling and groaning that came from the skeletons erupting from the earth. The cloaked men bore their scimitars like extensions of their arms, flashing and slicing with wicked precision. Steel met steel in the song of battle, each chorus carrying louder than the last. Whenever one was felled, he disappeared into a black cloud of smoke, acrid and stinking of brimstone.

The skeletons proved more resilient, reassembling from broken bits only to be smashed again under the heavy feet of the orcs as they chased down the riders, cutting them and their mounts down in splashes of blood and cries of pain. Panting and bearing a few minor wounds, Andras found his captains and ordered the march to continue. They encountered no further resistance, which was all the more odd.

Upon reaching the shimmering golden gates of Shei Jin, Andras called a halt. They were open, as if beckoning them to enter.

"This smells foul. Abraxus knows we've come and he is daring us to come to him. Fool."

Andras scowled at the moving clockwork city beyond the gates. The streets were bustling with people. None of them looked toward the massed group of orcs; it was as though they didn't exist.

After studying them a moment longer, the elven commander gave the order to enter the city. Whatever awaited them would have to be faced, sooner rather than later.

No sooner had the party started to ride into the city when there was an ominous roar coming from behind them. Elana turned her head at the same time as her riding companions did and swore, loudly. Rising up from the sand dunes not far enough behind them was swirling mass of sand that was growing bigger by the minute. The roar of the wind hit their ears, making her wince. Elana kicked her horses sides, leaning low over its neck as she raced to the center of the city. Hopefully her companions had the same idea.

The town’s center was a shrieking mass of bodies, all scrambling to get back to their homes and ultimately, to safety but Elana, Andras and company did not have that luxury. Peering over her horse’s neck in desperation, she spotted a tavern. Urging her horse forward, Elana moved at a breakneck speed before pulling up in front of the now deserted tavern and leaped from her horse. Orcs, Andras and Qua’lei were hurtling toward the tavern as well. The swirling mass of sand and wind was hot on their tail. The rear guard of orcs could feel its force tugging at them. Shielding her eyes with a hand, Elana turned in the open doorway of the tavern and shouted.

“HURRY! ALL OF YOU!”

She watched as they joined her at the tavern, jumping from the backs of their steads hastily as they all hurtled into the darkened interior of the tavern. She held onto the doorway as the last of the orcs dashed in before she flung herself inside as well. The roar of the wind was deafening. Grains of sand stung her skin as the..whatever it was, seemed to float over them. The sound was so bad, Elana covered her sensitive ears with her hands and moved further indoors.

Abraxus. It had to be. Elana got the distinct feeling of being herded and it was a feeling she didn’t like. The sand storm seemed to huddle above them a while longer before they As the others uncovered their ears, so did she.

What in the name of Hades was going on? And Abraxus? Now wasn’t he going to be a rightful pain in the arse, wasn’t he. Elana stepped over to join Andras and the others.

“Andras. I got the strong feeling that Abraxus was herding us in this direction.”

Elana looked around the dim interior of the tavern before her eyes sought out her Captain’s once again.

“But why? More importantly, I don’t like the feeling of being boxed in here.”

The relative safety of the tavern was marred by their shared sense of entrapment. Andras waited with the others as the howling sand tempest bellowed over and around them. It dissipated, replaced with an eerie quiet. The floorboards creaked and the bated breath of the orcs huffed in the confined space. The tension grew more taut with each passing moment.

Andras paced from one end of the bar to the other. No patrons, no barkeep, not a soul inside this building save his people. They dared not leave the tavern for fear of the sandstorm even though it sounded to have passed. Minutes ticked by, then an hour, then three. Everyone grew so anxious that they began bickering amongst themselves.

"ENOUGH!"

Andras' voice was sharp and irritated. The orcs quieted down long enough for him to voice his plan. His tone became somber and grave.

"It is clear that while Abraxus knows we're here, he is loath to face us as an army.
Koreg, Dreggar, Mulgar. You are my best warriors, proven soldiers and generals. If the evil will not allow us to face him en masse, then I would prefer the few to join me be you three. If you do not wish to accompany me, I understand. This fight was never yours, though I made it so."

The three orcs looked from one to the other, grunting and speaking each in turn.

"It would be an honor."

"As if you could stop me from going with you!"

"You're right. I am the best. You're going to need my help."

Andras smiled then, but it was a morose humor. His amethyst eyes flashed to Elana then.

"I know better than to ask you to stay behind. Please, just promise me that you will remain close. I would never forgive myself if..."

He couldn't finish that sentence. It would not happen. Abraxus would be vanquished, even if it brought his own doom.

They gathered their provisions and exited the tavern. The city was silent with the exception of the clockwork buildings clicking and whirring and grinding as they shifted and rearranged.

A small voice halted their excursion.

"I will guide you. The way is treacherous."

Qua'lei strode out of the tavern and joined them. Six sets of footsteps resounded as they began their journey to the center of the city.

High above, a deep chuckling laughter rumbled like thunder.

Tension. One could easily slice through it with the sharpest of swords. Elana’s warily eyed the orcs she was in the company of. They were getting uneasy and as if to validate her thought, they started to bicker amongst themselves. Andras, she knew would soon handle the matter. He didn’t tolerate well his army fighting amongst themselves. Sure enough.

"ENOUGH!"

There was something more in his tone and the orcs must have sensed it too for they quietened down so Andras could speak his mind.

"It is clear that while Abraxus knows we're here, he is loath to face us as an army.
Koreg, Dreggar, Mulgar. You are my best warriors, proven soldiers and generals. If the evil will not allow us to face him en masse, then I would prefer the few to join me be you three. If you do not wish to accompany me, I understand. This fight was never yours, though I made it so."

Her eyes moved to the three orc generals he named. Their words made her smile despite their current situation. Elana’s attention came back to Andras as he addressed her.

"I know better than to ask you to stay behind. Please, just promise me that you will remain close. I would never forgive myself if..."

His words made her take two steps closer to him. Her eyes peering up into his. Her hand found his arm and her fingers closed around it, squeezing gently.

“Yes,” she smiled through her words, “you do know better by now. Where you go, I go. If nothing else, it’s so I can drag you back with me from whatever hell hole you got yourself into.”

She nodded slightly, her eyes glowing with honesty and understanding.

“I promise. You had better make me the same promise for the same reasons, My Captain.”

They were all filing out of the deserted tavern when Qua’lei’s voice halted them.

"I will guide you. The way is treacherous."

Elana felt an uneasiness slide down her spine. There was something about their guide she just couldn’t put a finger on, but, they needed this woman. She knew this place. They didn’t. So they set off, despite the rumbling, ominous sounding of thunder above their heads and the city’s unknown center before them.

"Abraxus," Elana muttered silently in her mind, "we’re coming for you, you son of a dung beetle and when we get to you, your blood will stain my hands. This, I swear.”

They threaded their way through the shimmering golden buildings and paved roads of Shei Jin. Qua'lei walked briskly and nimbly, halting every so often to get her bearings. They marched on, the six of them, for what felt like the better part of three hours before they found themselves before a tall spire. It was covered in rotating cogs and gears, and the tower itself seemed to be spinning in a slow circle.

"This must be the tower where Abraxus lairs. It is taller than any of the other buildings in the city," Qua'lei said in a hushed tone. "We must approach carefully."

A deep rumbling filled the air, reverberating in Andras's ears. The buildings surrounding the tower moved out and down, sinking into the golden stone paths. A series of concentric rings were left, barely jutting above the surface. The city center was a sigil of arcane power itself. A low hum resonated now, the fine hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. The rest of the city was obscured by a screen of magical force. There would be no reinforcements to count on.

The door to the tower's entrance slid open with a hiss and a rush of decompressed air. Andras looked at his companions and strode forward. It was time to end this.

Tipping her head back, Elana wondered at the rotating cogs and gears. What did they mean? For surely they must have some meaning to Abraxus or why have them at all?

"We must approach carefully." Qua'lei’s soft muted tones reached her ears.

Elana reached over her shoulder and quietly undid the binding that held her swords in their place. She didn’t withdraw them however.


Her sensitive elven ears twitched, just as she did. It was the rumbling. Ominous. Her attention was grabbed by the sudden shifting of the buildings around them and the tall tower before them.

“Bloody hell. This does not bode well, my love.”

Elana knew Andras heard her. The concentric rings, left by the sunken buildings and that low hum that now filled her head.

“What is that hum and where is it coming from?”

Even as she spoke, the surface of her skin tingled. Magic! Nothing less than she expected from their unseen foe. The door to the tower opened with an ill-omened hiss. Elana’s internal fortitude braced itself. It wasn’t the first time they had ever encountered magic and she was sure it wouldn’t the last time either. Their small party strode forward. Elana, Andras and Qua'lei. Andras’ orcs brought up the rear. Their heads kept twisting from side to side, searching for trouble. They had unleashed their own weapons the moment the tower door opened. Elana had a bad feeling about this. It felt like shooting fish in a barrel, with them being the fish.

The stone floor to the tower did little to soften the sound of their boots upon it. The torches on the walls flickered, casting dancing shadows on the opposite walls. The small party strode deeper into the tower warily.

“ I would bid you welcome, if welcome you were…”

The voice was deep. Gravelly, sarcastic with a good dose of arrogance. The orcs whirled, searching for the source of the voice. Nothing or no one could be found. Was it, had that been Abraxus or simply another one of his henchmen?

They kept moving deeper into the tower as the shadows on the walls grew longer.

The interior of the spire was as intricate as its outer walls; all whirring gears and clicking mechanisms. The sprawling foyer that awaited them was lit at even intervals by flickering green flames in oddly shaped sconces. Andras scanned the room, searching for any sign of an enemy or trap and finding only silence as the doors hissed closed behind them. Koreg, Dreggar, and Mulgar each spread out slightly, trying to leave as little room for an ambush as possible. Qua'lei treaded softly ahead of the rest of the group, investigating every corner of the room.

There was nowhere to go. The ceiling fell away into obscurity, the eerie green light fading to pitch black. No doorways, no hallways, no stairways. Only the methodical ticking and spinning of the cogs of the building. Then even that noise stilled. A hush that made even heartbeats audible filled the chamber. The sconces extinguished all at once, leaving everyone in darkness. Andras tried furtively to see his comrades, reaching out to take hold of someone, anyone.

The verdant flames rekindled one at a time, gradually bathing the room in light once more. It was no longer the empty space; a large spiral staircase wound up the walls, disappearing into the darkness above.

The voice returned, booming and echoing in the vastness. As it spoke, Andras realized that only Koreg and Dreggar were still standing beside him.

"You are brave, but foolish. You've given me everything I need to reach my goal. Really, I should thank you Andras Cellavine. I see much of your father in you. Because I am amused, I will give you an opportunity to find your vengeance. It awaits you at the top of the stairs."

No sooner than the voice had trailed off, Andras was bounding up the stairs. He took them two at a time, unsheathing his sword as he went. Koreg and Dreggar were half a step behind, prepared for whatever challenges the ascent held for them.

"You are brave, but foolish. You've given me everything I need to reach my goal. Really, I should thank you Andras Cellavine. I see much of your father in you. Because I am amused, I will give you an opportunity to find your vengeance. It awaits you at the top of the stairs."

That voice, someone who knew of Andras, filtered through the room. Elana had barely enough time to let the words spoken, sink in. Andras took up the challenge issued from that voice. She knew he would. His orcs were right behind him. What else was there to do but follow? She looked up and saw nothing but stairs vanishing into darkness. The three in front of her had their swords ready. Elana would wait. She bounded up the stairs behind them, pausing only to stop now and then to glance over her shoulder to insure none of the enemy were going to attack from the rear. In a place such as this, there was no such thing as a fair fight.

The stairs seemed to go on forever. Whatever or whoever awaited them at the top, Elana would be glad to finally charge into battle. Their main foe had been a pain in their asses since they got to this land. He had thrown up confrontations, one seemingly after another. Did this man, the one taunting Andras, lie in wait for them at the landing above them? Or was it to be another of his minions? The orcs in front of her slowed. They must have finally reached the top. Peeking around the orcs, she saw Andras had stopped, peering around with caution. His men also had stopped, their eyes wary and scanning. Elana, once again, turned slightly to look behind her. So far, nothing. Good. The fine hairs lying on the back of her neck rose. A tingle slid down her spine. Her heart rate increased substantially. Something…. Someone…. her hand tightened on the hilt of her sword……

The stairs seemed to continue forever, each step identical to the last, each turn around the perimeter of the tower the same distance until it blended into a blur of gold and green. A low laugh echoed throughout the tower, mocking Andras and his comrades as they barreled upward into whatever awaited them if they should ever reach the end of the staircase.

The summit arrived so abruptly that Andras nearly lost his footing. The landing they were presented with held only one figure. He stood two feet taller than Andras, an exaggerated elven physique adorned with gleaming golden armor. Both hands gripped wickedly sharp blades glowing with fierce runes. The pommels of both swords were wreathed in thorns, as was the figure's head.

Andras turned his head slightly and realized that he was alone. The rest were no longer at his back. In fact, the staircase had vanished as well.

"Your vengeance awaits."

Andras stared at the man who clearly had to be Abraxus. The man, according to Grensha, a living embodiment of magic made flesh. The Thorn-king himself. The entity responsible for his father's death, and for the plot that would destroy so much.

"It waits no longer."

Andras strode forward, blade gleaming in the torch-light.

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

The darkness that had obscured the top of the tower gave way to an domed observatory. A massive telescope hung at the center of the room, drawing Dreggar and Koreg's attention. Mulgar arrived at the top of the stairs hot on their heels, but quickly realized that he was on the opposite side of the room. Elana and Qua'lei came to a halt next to him.

A chittering, clicking sound began to fill the room. A dull droning that grew into an overbearing cacophony. All around the center of the room, clockwork soldiers rose from sigils on the floor, filling with the same sickly green fire that the sconces bore. As the last one assembled, they moved in unison, rushing to assault Elana and the others.

That laugh! It grated on her nerves. It was arrogant and mocking. Still, they carried on, moving upward. One step after another. They didn’t simply climb the stairs, they took them at a run and that run came to an abrupt halt. It happened so quickly that Elana’s nose smashed into one of Andras’ general. She cursed. Loudly and unladylike. She backed up slightly, wondering why they had stopped even as she shook her head to clear it. Elana blinked and realized the back she had run into belonged to Dreggar. Her nose wrinkled. Dreggar was an orc and as a general rule, they stank. She silently vowed that Andras’ generals would go for a swim in the next lake they encountered or be thrown in.

“What is happening? Why did we stop?” Her voice was a mere whisper. Something was happening and instinctively, she didn’t like it.

It was then she realized that they were no longer on the stairs but in some sort of room. An observatory? Her eyes spied the giant telescope. She had little time to contemplate it as the room filled with metallic sounds. From the floor, out of some sort of sigils, rose up clockwork soldiers. They came rushing at her and the others. Metal clanged against metal as they battled the soldiers that worked at the bidding of Abraxus. Her sword went to work dismantling the metal clockwork soldiers even as she yelled over the sounds of battle frenzy to Mulgar.

“Where is Andras?”

She ducked the deadly edge of a sword, gulping in air as she strove to keep her heartbeat on an even keel. Her eyes, whenever possible, glanced around the room, searching for that familiar figure of her captain.

Where the heavens was he? Was he all right? And where the hell was that snake Abraxus?

Her next swing was filled with frustration as she displaced the soldier’s sword arm. Too little answers and far too many damn clockwork soldiers. Elana blocked the swing toward her own sword arm and booted the enemy so hard that he stumbled backward, slamming into the telescope.

“ANDRAS!”

Magic was afoot but she would be damned if she would allow Abraxus to separate her and Andras. By doing so, Abraxus held the upper hand and they would have little means by which to defeat the fiend at large. She knew that revenge rode Andras strong. She simply prayed he would keep his head. Realize he was falling into a trap. The whirling, clanking continued to fill the room, growing louder. Elana swore again and attacked with renewed vigor.

She really was beginning to hate clocks.

The landing was filled with the clang of steel on steel, the crackling flash of sparks each time the two mens' swords met. Andras pressed his assault, Abraxus dodged and parried adeptly. Then the roles would reverse, Abraxus pushing Andras to the edge of the landing before being driven back yet again. Though the Arcane held two blades, Andras' skill with his own made them quite the match. Blood flecks spattered on the floor from both combatants.

-------

The automatons kept pouring forth from the sigils as quickly as the orcs and Elana could dispatch them. The telescope rocked in its mount, the fervor of battle knocking bodies into it over and over again. The axis it pivoted on groaned in protest each time it swiveled. One final shove sent it spinning in a wild arc, twirling and rotating.

The clockwork soldiers started to act very erratically; missing their attacks and even swinging at each other as the telescope continued its madcap revolutions. Sparks of electricity leapt between the soldiers and the telescope, forking over and around the orcs and their elven compatriot. Dreggar, who had managed to extricate himself from the thickest of the battle, stared confusedly at the instrument at the center of the room.

"What do you think? Maybe that's their control unit? Wonder what'd happen if we smashed it?"

Nothing happened in response to her yelling Andras’ name, not that she had expected any. It had been more about venting her frustration with their current situation than anything else. Sparks continued to fly as metal clashed with metal. Elana had just jumped back defensively as one of the clockwork soldiers swung viciously toward her middle, trying to gut her. It was at that moment her eyes lifted from the enemy in front of her to the rocking telescope. Dreggar voiced aloud what she had just been thinking. What did they have to lose? And the automatons appeared to be affected in some way by the telescope. Elana didn’t have the time to voice her own opinion as there was a sudden click and whirl from behind her just split seconds before she felt a whoosh of air at her back.

Pain exploded in brilliant, vibrant colors inside her head. Elana blinked and blinked again. Her sword slipped from inept fingers. Her body pitched forward. Why did she have so little control over her own body? In some far distant part of her brain, Elana knew. She had heard the enemy from behind her far too late. There had been no time to dodge. Her back felt like it was on fire. Damn it.

She never felt her face hit the floor. Perhaps that was a small blessing. Her final thought before her pain was lost in oblivion was…. How could she have been so slow?

As Andras and Abraxus continued to clash, it seemed that finally the elf had wrested the upper hand. Just as he moved to strike a deadly blow, a blossom of light blinded him. He felt heat rushing along his spine as though someone were tracing a burning coal along it. Abraxus made no move to assault Andras, his eyes staring off into some other space.

------

Dreggar had managed to finally uproot the telescope, causing the lenses to shatter and the entire mechanism to shriek as metal tore from its housing and the cylinder bent at a sharp angle, a horrifying screech filling the room.

The automatons all fell at once, their power source dismantled. As the orcs surveyed the carnage they saw Elana amidst the fallen. One of the soldiers had managed to slice her from left shoulder to right hip. The wound oozed crimson along its length and the collar around her neck pulsed with a soft purple light. The wound looked far less fatal than it should have been, but it was still bad enough that they feared moving her.

Mulgar reached within one of his belt pouches and retrieved a vial of a sticky blue substance, tugged the cork free with is teeth and poured the entirety of it along Elana's wound. It hissed and bubbled and solidified, staunching the bleeding at least for now. The collar continued to pulse, appearing in rhythm with her heartbeat.

Koreg and Dreggar set about searching for an exit. There were no obvious doors or windows save the opening used for the telescope. Dreggar kicked the wreckage of the telescope in frustration and was stunned by the explosion of crackling energy that greeted him.

Koreg dodged an errant arc of electric blue energy as it whipped past his head. The nimbus of energy billowed out from the telescope, warping the room and changing the features. Slowly it took shape and the three orcs found themselves audience to their commander's fight. They stood on the same landing as Andras, yet he could not hear them when they shouted his name. He seemed distracted, but so did his opponent. Surely this was the Abraxus they had come to slay.

They moved in unison but found themselves unable to strike the Arcane; blades passed through him like ghosts, fists found no purchase. It was as if they were shadows playing at real life.

In his presence, Elana's collar changed from purple to red, strobing urgently. Its magics flowed into her elven frame, urging her to wake up, to shake off the pain of injury and open her eyes...