The Battle For The Crystal Key

[Watyll 1104]

 

​It was mid afternoon when the cleric and the ranger answered the call of the Lethani. They arrived separately, Hosper Blackthorn and Arnarion Earendil, on boats they had crafted themselves, to the silent isle. 

 

 

They each beached their boats and struck up a conversation, each knowing why they had been summoned. The Four were on their way. With strategy in their mind and willpower to enact it, they set in motion their plan, wondering at the absent state of the island's usual inhabitants. Each took up their positions in the cavern, as the crystal key, the prison of Ikuras, floated gently on its pedestal. They waited. 

 

~~~

 

Meanwhile, in the vast island of the Wilds, Four figures converged on a predetermined point, near a large rock spire. Wordlessly they turned north from the spire, heading to the beach. Two of the figures climbed into a boat made of fine wood, while the other two merely descended into the ocean depths, walking upon its sandy floor. Hours later, while the sun was still shining, they converged upon their target, the island of the Lethani, the prison of their master. 

 

​"Stay here…" whispered their leader, Kknotos, to the figure of a female elf, clad in a wooden mask. His iron mask shone as his eyes lit up with green lightning. ​"It appears that our opponents have fled…" he stated, cracking his knuckles. The lich by his side nodded, skull joints cracking. "They have. Cowards." Kknotos began walking forward to the central building, descending down into its depths. "Then let us continue… Come Kraal, Vorrul…" The Dread Knight and the Lich nodded their assent as they followed Kknotos into the caverns. The elf stayed above, as instructed.

 

Meanwhile, below, the cleric summoned up his magic and the ranger his sword, as they heard the voices from above. They hid behind the stairway, their ambush set. Kknotos stared ahead, his gaze focusing on the key, floating tranquilly on its pedestal. 

 

 

​"Kraal… Go and fetch the key…" spoke Kknotos, enraptured by its beauty. Kraal nodded, starting forward towards it. His robes waved behind him as he spoke. ​"Be sure to have the metal scout the area…" Kknotos looked at the armor of Vorrul, who creaked as he moved forward into action. Kraal continued towards the key as Vorrul began his circuit through the cavern. 

 

 

Things flickered at the edges of Vorrul's vision, and he turned, following what he had seen. He stepped into the space behind the stairs and looked down at Hosper, beholding the cleric. Vorrul let out a metallic roar, shaking dust from the ceiling. Suddenly, Arnarion dashed out from behind the stairs, charging at Kraal. Kknotos hissed, heading to the side of the Dread Knight, his eyes crackling with green electricity. Hosper chose this moment to unleash his cleric magic, which blinded Vorrul immediately. The Dread Knight let out another roar as he swung his newly drawn sword wildly. 

 

Meanwhile, Arnarion plunged his sword into the back of Kraal. Kraal turned, the sword lodged in his ribs. His eyes lit up with flame as he regarded the ranger. 

 

 

He summoned a fireball, holding it in his fist as he punched out towards Arnarion. It was a direct hit, and Arnarion's eyes widened as he was burned, realizing what his opponent truly was. He backed up, cradling his burned face. Kraal stood there, watching. 

 

Meanwhile, Hosper had fled around the staircase to the other side. Vorrul was blinded badly, and it was up to Kknotos. Kknotos circled around the pillar, watching as Hosper summoned glowing light. The masked fiend's body crackled with emerald lightning as he faced the cleric. "What are you?" asked Hosper, continuing to feed mana into the golden light. Kknotos tilted his head, speaking. ​"I am Kknotos… I am… Death." and with that, Kknotos unleashed his lightning, the bolt speeding towards Hosper. The cleric conjured a shield of glowing holy light, which exploded under the force of the blast. But the cleric was unharmed. He began to summon more holy magic while Kknotos shouted. "Siggourdnbad!" Vorrul recovered from his blindness, stalking towards Hosper.

 

While this was going on, Kraal was summoning another fireball. Then Arnarion did something unexpected. He fished out a line and hook from his pockets, throwing a grappling hook at the Lich. The hook lodged steadily in Kraal's ribs. Arnarion yanked the Lich to his knees, and the fire magic was dispelled. Kraal hissed as Arnarion stepped over to him, sword in hand. Then the scene was interrupted by the sound of distraught wailing. An elven female, with a wooden mask, stumbled down the stairs. Arnarion looked over his shoulder for a moment at the female, and warned her to get away. 

 

 

The ranger then turned back to his skeletal opponent, but too late, the Lich had taken advantage of the momentary distraction, plunging a heated dagger into the Ranger's shoulder. Arnarion screamed in pain, bringing the sword down upon Kraal's skull. It cracked some. Meanwhile, Siggourdnbad ceased her crying, unsheathing a dagger as she went over to the ranger, readying to plunge it into him. The ranger brought his sword down upon the Lich's skull again, beheading him. The fire in the Lich's eyes died, going out. 

 

On the other side of the cavern, Kknotos and Vorrul stalked towards the cornered Hosper. Vorrul had his blackened steel sword out, readying to obliterate the cleric. Kknotos summoned up more lightning, giving it great charge. Then, suddenly, Hosper yelled in fury, releasing a wall of clerical magic at Vorrul. The Dread Knight stumbled to his knees from the physical shock. Hosper scurried behind the Dread Knight, blocking Kknotos's line of vision. Kknotos hissed in anger as Hosper prepared a lance of light, which began to take shape in his hand. 

 

 

Vorrul got to his feet as the Cleric prepared his lance, and layed his hands upon the Cleric's shoulders. Hosper looked up, more surprised than fearful. Kknotos saw his opportunity and unleashed his lightning, volts of electricity coursing through the Dread Knight and into Hosper. Much of it went through the floor, and Hosper was instead rendered unconscious. 

 

 

The ranger looked at his beheaded foe, turning to the female stalking towards him. She grasped her dagger tightly, plunging it towards him. With practiced combat skill, he jumped back, whacking the girl flat on the head. "I do not want to kill you." he said as she slumped to the ground, seemingly unconscious. Her hand still tightly grasped the dagger. Then Arnarion turned, seeing Hosper limp in the Dread Knight's hands, and threw his sword. Not at Vorrul, but at Kknotos. The sword impaled him through the gut, and he sank to the ground, coughing up blood, before going unconscious. 

 

 

The Dread Knight let out a roar as his leader fell, stuffing Hosper inside his chest cavity. He stomped towards the ranger, who was now left without a sword. Arnarion scooped Siggourdnbad up and over his shoulders, making a run for it. He retained his noble intentions, not wanting to kill her. The Dread Knight gave chase, Hosper clanging inside him. Vorrul followed the Exile up to the beach, where the Ranger tossed Siggourdnbad onto the raft, before leaping over himself. Vorrul roared in frustration, it seemed all would be well for Arnarion. Then Siggourdnbad rose up, as the Ranger glared at the Dreadknight. She sank his dagger into his skull, putting all her force behind it. Arnarion's eyes rolled up into his head as he collapsed on the deck, finished. Siggourdnbad dove back into the water and swam back to shore. 

 

Vorrul fished her out of the water as evening fell, night coming fast. He pulled Hosper out of his chest cavity, holding him out towards the female. "You… Do… The honors…" he said in a grating, rusty voice. Siggourdnbad nodded, wiping the brains off her dagger. She then carved into the cleric's forehead the symbol of their master, the dread Four Pointed star. 

 

 

Vorrul then cast the man into the raft, alongside the dead ranger, and shoved, setting it adrift. The cleric would be left alive to spread the fear. The Dread Knight set about collecting tinder for a fire as Siggourdnbad ventured back below the cavern, to the side of the fallen Kknotos. She bent down, pulling the sword out of him. In unconsciousness, he shrieked in pain. The elf gathered up a poultice from the garden of the Lethani, applying it to the wound. It stopped the bleeding, but the masked fiend was still downed. The Dread Knight came down and carried him up the stairs, to the outside air. ​"Bring the key to me…" whispered Kknotos to the female, coughing up some blood. Siggourdnbad nodded, rushing back downstairs. 

 

She clasped the key in her hands and ran back up, to the side of Kknotos. He stared at the key, enraptured, as she handed it to him. And then he smiled, chuckling. Vorrul set fire to the monastery behind them on the beach. Kknotos's chuckling built, turning into a laugh of one insane. His mad cackle pierced across the still waters of the ocean. The Key was once again in the hands of its servants. 

 

End

[Hanrahan 2983]

Arnorian thank's the gods he wasn't there. Poor Arnarian chap...

[hosper 77]

Hosper awakes as the raft beaches itself on shore water splashing across his legs.

He looks to his ranger companion as he slowly rises to his feet glancing at his new surroundings.

As he looks across the Ocean that he drifted upon a frown crossing his face as he sees his reflection.

The four pointed star is seen on his forehead. "Acorn... I need to get back to the conclave"

He turns to the woods that rest behind him and slowly walks to them leaning on his cane as he goes

"The evils found and key protected. To work.... to purity"

[_pok_ 1768]

FOR THE CRYSTAL KEY!

 

#Mission224

 

(Very well written, epic post. Was ******* awesome)

[Eleatic 1033]

The lethani roam off, mumbling insane ramblings to themselves in the darkness of night. As they await the capture of the key, their minds still engrossed in the void of Ikuras as they continue their sailing.

[Birdwhisperer 1174]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.