Shad
Midnight
Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Post Count: 2684
Location: Lion's Maw
4252503 Potch
200 Soldiers
38 Nation Points
|
 Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject: 064 - Showdown |
  |
|
[size=150:1a2eev5a]Showdown
[p:1a2eev5a]"I hope you've enjoyed our little warm-up," Tyne mocked. "Now, I believe you were told where to find me."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Tyne was gone. Krivin didn't follow. Uncertain whether Costanza could heal or not, how could he? Marcus looked at his brother. "Andy... don't..." The look in Andrew's eyes said it all though. He was gone, leave Marcus muttering. "Tyne planned all of this. He knew he couldn't win in a straight fight. This is just what he wanted..."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Costanza and Krivin were at Logan's side. The rest just looked around dumbfounded. Unthreatening footsteps ran up from the left, and soon Anwyn and Blue were on the scene. "Did the others get out?" Kevin asked immediately.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Yes, Glenn's been injured, Red is escorting him out of here." Anwyn quickly surveyed the scene. "I take it this fight isn't over. Where is Andrew?"[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Probably in a trap. We need to hurry," Marcus replied. "'A mansion to the north of the village.' I guess if we go we'll find it."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Daddy..." Alex whined.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"He's not going," Marcus said, turning to Krivin and Costanza. "And we can't wait for you either, just get Logan out of here."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"I understand," Krivin said, wrapping one arm around Alex while preparing to transport the four of them with the other.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]And so those who could moved forward, Marcus and Kevin, Anwyn and Blue, Scott and Marco. From thirteen down to six, this was beginning to look bad.[/p:1a2eev5a]
---------------------------------------
[p:1a2eev5a]They stood in front of a mansion in ruins, lost in the woods, the only real-world remains of the town they'd encountered in Tyne's maze. That such a structure stood in mid-west America, colonized long after the architecture had changed, was a bit peculiar, but of no relevance. More importantly, two mages waited outside the door. "Two where there should have been three, but no matter. We'll not underestimate your lot a second time," one spoke, and the fight was on.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Anwyn, Blue, and Marcus all charged towards the same enemy, an onslaught that by shear force should have been overwhelming, yet in the very moment Anwyn braced to send out a magic strike he stumbled to the ground. His mind had gone blank, and for that one second he'd forgotten his entire purpose. It was not enough to stop his instinctual movements, but his concentration broken he failed to react and threw his blast into empty air as the mage casually stepped aside. He jumped to his feet in time only to see Marcus and Blue's joint attack break and backfire, sending them both to the ground.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Kevin on the other hand had a bit more luck. He had ducked low to the ground and charged at the second mage with shots from Marco and Scott supporting him from over head, and as the man wheeling his cape around to deflect them had not the time to use any sort of mind-altering effects, his knife broke through flesh and muscle with ease, tearing away at his left leg.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Kevin paused at the shout of pain, surprised at his own success in close-range fighting, but did so a bit too soon. The mage though wounded had stood its ground, and a hand flashed out from behind the cloak to emit a blast of lightning at point black range. His consciousness kept him only a second aware, but as he flew backwards he witnessed a single shot penetrate the mage's skull from behind. Scott had proven his usefulness.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Blue, not to be fooled a second time, flung her whole body towards the first mage, knocking its feet out from under it. As it fell forward a black mist expelled from his hands, and suddenly what little light once supported the battle was lost. Blue began to choke and wheeze, and in a panic sprinted away from the scene to reach for some suitable air. She nearly plowed over Anwyn in her escape, who was now standing quite still and expressionless.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"I can't concentrate. My magic's useless here," Anwyn stated calmly as Marcus regained his stature and rose to his feet. No sooner did he recover himself than did the confusion take hold again, and suddenly both were left bewildered and unaware. Though their eyes perceived the cloaked man step out of the cloud before them their minds could not interpret it. His pale face barely visible behind his cloak, he began to chant something in a foreign tongue that would no doubt have been the death of them had Scott and Marco not just then downed the other mage. The trance was broken. They immediately recovered, and as Marcus sprang forth to deliver the finishing blow his enemy retreated, teleporting out of sight. The fog lifted to show the other mage lying useless on the ground.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Kevin had been injured, but not severely, and everyone else was fine. "We're in for trouble," Anwyn stated nevertheless. "Let's move before that mage returns, and hope to fight Tyne alone. Will you be alright?" he called to Kevin, who was only now coming to.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Ugh... you melee fighters are crazy..." he slowly got to his feet, and they all turned to the mansion. This would no doubt be the final confrontation. No eerie event had time to transpire as Anwyn slammed the front door open and the lot of them filed inside.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]The room was fairly exquisite, bearing an ornate golden chandelier centered between two crimson carpeted staircases running up either side from the marble floor. It held two occupants: a man in the center with his arms crossed, presumably Tyne, covered in a black cloak identical to those of the mages outside and revealing only his sickly pale mouth and nose, and the exact opposite, a well dressed dark skinned man wearing fairly light colors leaning against a wall in the corner.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Are these your friends?" the man in the corner asked in jest, nodding his head slightly.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"It shouldn't have been that easy. This means I've a lot of work to do." Tyne continued to scowl and stair forward motionless.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"I just hope you remember your priorities," the man replied while cracking his knuckles.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"You're becoming quite a nuisance. If you insist on watching at least keep your mouth shut," Tyne shot back.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"I'm just here to make sure you don't die."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Die? This will only take a minute." Tyne suddenly threw his arms down to his side and Andrew and his team braced themselves. Rather than slamming shut the door behind them simply disappeared, becoming one with the wall, and the lighting began to fluctuate. Everything seemed to be tilting and turning a hazy delirious red, and Kevin felt an uneasy drunkenness take him. Where once was one was two, and a pair of poorly placed fireballs proved themselves otherwise as they converged into one upon his chest, sending him backwards in to the wall. Painless though it may have been, his body was rather uncooperative in returning him to his feet without the support of a small stand that happened to be nearby. And quite like a drunken man forced from his stupor, he felt suddenly quite disgusted by the whole event and slumped back down against the wall.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]As he looked to his right he saw the lot of his comrades stumbling about in a similar fashion. Those who'd not yet resigned themselves to the floor simply hadn't had their turn with the flame yet, and they waited for it quite patiently. This spell was unlike the others in its power. The group had fallen prey only to a few seconds' forgetfulness in his prior battle; though effective in the short term its decisiveness could be easily assessed by the three corpses in the yard. This on the other hand was terrifying, for it lingered. His will to move - his desire to defend himself - was gone.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Now who shall be first?" Kevin heard him ask as Marcus arbitrarily lifted off his feet to hover mid-air in front of Tyne. Suspended and helpless, Marcus could not react as Tyne's arms lifted towards the sky and a white aura surrounded him. "Om nuvis totri glotn lomloth drelsumnifun!" the mage exclaimed, and the aura began to drag away from Marcus, closer and closer to Tyne's up-reaching hands.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]A lot of things happened then and all at once. Kevin heard the sound of rapid fire, regained his self control, saw a good many holes erupt out of Tyne's chest, watched Marcus fall to the ground, saw Tyne vanish, and watched the man in the corner move for the first time, very quickly in fact, for there was another person in the room now. He towered behind where once stood Tyne, tall and clad in a black combat suit. His long oily black hair fell across his face in streaks, but it was a face the Freedom Fighters knew well.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Serj Malkane tossed his AK-47 aside and prepared himself for physical combat, but the man who'd been in the corner was gone. Relaxing after a moment he approached the others, who were still for the most part lying on the ground too astonished by his commanding entrance to comment. "Sorry I took so long. I wanted to see what he would try to do to you before I chased him off."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Chased him off?" Andrew responded, already on his feet but no longer immobilized.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Yes. That may have looked fatal, but it's nothing his order can't heal. He's more useful alive for the time being." Serj turned his back to the others and began to wave his arms out towards the empty room as he was speaking. "And finding him should be no trouble with a vampire to track him down."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"What do you want?" The man who'd been lulling in the corner during their fight was standing with his arms crossed facing Serj and the others, appearing quite out of nowhere. Everyone else braced themselves, but Serj remained relaxed.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"I would like you all to meet Lionel Johnson," he went on with another wave. "He may be inadvertently joining us." As Lionel's eyes narrowed Serj quickly justified his statement. "Tyne is very far from here now, and will remain very hidden, possibly against his will and thus against yours. What's more the people he'll be with will have no qualms about killing you in regards to the petty consequences. Tyne's life means something to them, but not all that much. Now, you and I both have a vested interest in tracking him down, but I have an obligation to my friends here first. You can come with us and bide your time or search for him alone; it's really up to you. We'll be at One Nation's camp to the south should you choose to join us. Now there's really no sense in walking back out of this maze, is there? You do know I hope that you reentered it." Serj raised up his hands and a moment later the lot of them were back outside. The real outside. It was dark here too, but a natural dark, permeated by the light of stars and moon. The mansion was gone. "We'll have to walk from here I'm afraid. I'm not familiar enough with the area."[/p:1a2eev5a]
---------------------------------------
[p:1a2eev5a]"Tyne had two intentions here," Serj explained on the walk back towards their vehicle. They'd already caught up to Red and Glenn, though the other four were long gone. "One was to test the strength of himself and his subjects, those three mages you battled outside, and the other was to drain what power he could from the lot of you, to sacrifice you really, in the hopes of overpowering those commanding him. Tyne belongs to a much larger order of dark mages, harmless mostly and very secretive, but he's had a bit of a rebellious twitch all along. I've been watching the whole progression of events here. It was entirely his intent to make Croft summon the likes of you."[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]Anwyn listened to everything but had yet to say a word. Serj was a character to approach with caution. They'd interacted barely at all in the past, and he didn't trust the man. Serj was, after all, the perpetual mystery, his allegiance apparent only through his actions, his abilities displayed only when necessary yet always sufficient, his past and purpose impregnable, his cool in danger more childlike than trained.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Where have you been all this time?" Glenn, a rather closer acquaintance, inquired.[/p:1a2eev5a]
[p:1a2eev5a]"Well, spying on him for one thing. I didn't forget my offer to train you, Glenn, but there are often more pressing matters. Take your employer for instance," Serj stated motioning south. "By this point Croft may already have launched a war."[/p:1a2eev5a] |
|
