A [Darker] Presence In The North

[Shadeleaf 1022]

 

    There should be no danger, all should be safe, SHOULD, being the key word... they were ready to attempt a grand ritual none had attempted before, and shall hopefully never be necessary again. The summoning of an apparition was what would be attempted this day, taking place not so deep within the borders of the North. This had been planned for weeks ahead of time, stones gathered, gold mined, and most importantly; heads taken.

 

    The process was not short in set up, a large star, a pentagram was first laid out upon the crisp snow of the northern landscape with heavily cracked stone, an expansive layout indeed, but completed easily with the ample space provided to those involved. Gold was laid out in the center most space next, creating a magical seal from the outside world that would be impassible by any spirit or manifestation. The next step was surprisingly easy, the gathering of a great number of heads, each representing a life force that once was, and setting them about the pentagram from tip to center. Finally, there came the blood shard.

 

    Upon laying the a corrupted blood shard in the center of the circle, snow and ground about slightly corrupted by its very presence, the ritual was ready to begin.

 

~~~

 

 

    Two pairs of footsteps could be heard approaching, accompanied by a dragging noise near the pentagram, three points occupied with robed figures wearing jet black robes, and holding severed heads. Slowly a fourth figure, wearing what could be described as “Witch Robes” came forth towards the pair, both having donned the same robes as the others, and arms locked around those of a beaten and bloodied man, the 'odd one out' in dress so to speak.

 

    “Set him in the center...” whispered the witch, returning to his position between two of the star’s tips with his hat dropping low over his face. Obliging, the two then set off to their respective star points, taking up heads and gazing towards the center as a slight chant was let up by each and every being there, a dark swirl of shadows appearing outside of the pentagram.

 

    With shadows materializing and ice freezing into armor, came the form of a Dark Lieutenant, Shae’Tan to be precise, immediately raising off the ground to oversee the pentagram as the witch spoke. He instructed all involved to remain quiet, keep their minds free from fear, and to never speak to the apparition should it appear, and oh how it did appear. Preceding the ritual, Shae’Tan's gauntlets dropped from its armor, cracking against the stone ground as shadow like tendrils withered form the newly formed holes, helm melting to reveal a writhing form of shadows which surged forwards to hover slightly above the gold circle.

 

It was time.

 

    Words poured from the witch’s lips like the blood from their sacrifice's body, blood spreading to each point of the pentagram as a darkness began to overtake the center of the circle. On and on the witch chanted until a form became obvious, standing atop the sacrifice and furthermore the blood shard, an aura of fear emanating outwards from it not too much unlike that of the early lieutenants. Some of those standing upon the arms of the pentagram shook, others stayed perfectly still while the apparition came to full manifestation, words seeming to pierce the minds of those about with a simple phrase, “You.... wanted...”

 

 

    Before the phrase, if it were intended to be full, could be completed, the lieutenant's shadows of corruption began their work on the gold, turning it a deathly black, as tendrils shot out from each individual granule and began to crawl inwards towards the blood shard. With a screech the apparition began to produce a sort of mist of its own, surrounding itself in it just as the tendrils reached the before dormant blood shard.

 

 

    With a screech of its own, Shae’Tan sent a surge of corruptive energy towards the shard, a blinding light emanating from within the crystal and surrounding the creature in a half dome of the blood red light, going as far out as the gold, but no more. The apparition fought violently to escape, sending attacks out towards the now hovering figure of Shae’Tan, never making it farther than the gold circle as the light intensified. The tactic soon became clear to the lieutenant to be ineffective, and vied to focus the light upon the apparition, which subsequently drew it back into the center, defenses finally starting to weaken due to contact with the golden barrier.

 

    Starting to tire itself, Shae abandoned its armor, drawing itself into a cloud of shadows before surging forwards into the red light it sustained, which began to cocoon the apparition at this point. What occurred next could only be described as a struggle between two great beasts, but in the end, the lieutenant proved to be but marginally stronger, the apparition submitting to the corruptive powers before sending out a pulse of energy, knocking the shadowy form back to its previous position.

 

 

Rising and forming up into a moderately humanoid shape, the apparition questioned the lieutenant for a time, both conversing mentally about the obvious subject at hand, until an agreement was reached. First checking with the witch, the lieutenant retook its armor up, synthesizing new gauntlets and a helm from the frigid air about it as it moved to break the circle of gold, approaching the apparition.

 

 

“Esther.”  the apparition spoke, seemingly answering an unspoken question, the figure slowly changing its form to that of a woman,  as it stared to the lieutenant, whom for once spoke aloud, “You may be dismissed for the time being Esther, and may Setherien welcome you to our ranks.” With that the apparition looked skywards, form once more demanifesting into a shadow of smoke before surging upwards, the clouds growing dark and a shock wave emanating from the ground...

 

So it was the Scourge grew stronger, and who knows how long it shall be before their new tool is put into play...

[Pinsir99 526]

Your friendly neighborhood corrupted drake flies over the sight, speaking in a English Accent. "I do wonder what they are doing down there..."

[Old-Rattlesnake 1534]

Heial peers up at the sky as it turns dark with unnatural haste and speeds off to the ice wall to see what has transpired.

[The Fact Core 511]

The Oogie Man backs away after he finished the ritual, sending last words after the apparition dissappeard. "It's completed..."