|
Story Update:
Somewhere in the Equinox, the resistance group of Equinoxiens followed their leader towards a new goal. Since the discovery of the Elfines from the Lands of Guem and the alliance with them, the existence of the resistance had been revealed to all. Many of the oppressed had joined its ranks as the Empress tried in vain to fight against the wind of rebellion, which she considered blasphemous.
, , and proved to be formidable scouts and seasoned warriors. These women were constantly keeping the Equinoxien matriarchy at bay. Aleshane was hidden behind a rock watching three forms in armor. She motioned to her sisters and both stealthily came to her. Unsheathing their weapons, they were about to attack when Melissandre stopped her little sisters, recognizing the figures’ armour to be that of Dragon Knights. ()
“How did they get here?” Whispered Aleshane as to not reveal their presence to Draconians.
“Good question, it is best to ask them directly,” said Melissandre tidying up her amber daggers. “Draconians!” She shouted in the direction of Dragon Knights.
They turned and noticed the two Elfines approaching them. Kounok remained in a defensive stance with in hand. The older of the two Elfines was not unfamiliar to them, but their paths had not crossed for a long time. The three Draconians did not want to get caught in a trap and waited quietly. Seeing their weapons from the Lands of Guem in hand, Melissandre raised her hands in a peace sign. (, )
“Prophet?” She asked. “Do you remember me? Melissandre the Sap Heart.”
“Yes, Melissandre, of course, excuse my surprise, I did not realize you were in this ... world,” says Kounok sheathing Chimera. “But what are you doing here?”
“The Council of the Guilds sent us, you were not informed?” ()
“I did not believe the Council had many urgent issues to solve.”
“It's been several weeks since we travel the Equinox after forcing our way through the door to Infinity in our forest. And you?” ()
“Well, we're arrived here more recently; we are looking for Dragon.” ()
“You should not venture here alone, even though I am aware of your valor in combat, what we have seen and faced here is incredibly powerful. Our group joined a kind of resistance, which wants to make the regime in the Equinox fall. We can lead you to them; perhaps they will be able to provide answers about your search.”
“Thank you, I think we will accept. I feel the presence of Dragon, I know he's around.”
“I will update you on everything that I do know on the way. Follow me.”
Between the brown and sharp rocks, the wind picked on the sails of the engulfed tents of the Equinoxiens, thereby making waves in this chaotic sea. Now the Draconians knew the course of their counterparts from the Sap Hearts and all the actions they had undertaken so far. Although they learned more about the Equinox and its inhabitants as well as the desire to overthrow the Empress, the Sap Heart reported no information about Dragon. Yet Kounok was sure his grandfather was not far from there.
“Nearby there is only one research complex facility, it is also our target. It is similar to the one where we first met Melissandre,” Krin explained by showing a map.
“Dragon, could he be found there? It seems to me almost inconceivable, but your opponents would they not locked him into this complex?” Asked Kounok annoyed by the situation.
“Ydiane is off to explore the complex; she should come back and tell us what is going on exactly.”
“What do you know about your opponent? Are they ready to invade the Lands of Guem?” Asked Ardrakar to Krin.
“We thwarted their plans. The doors to Infinity remain closed; we are conducting guerrilla warfare and that so far has been bearing fruit. But I know the Empress, I have served her for many years, it will not stop until she has conquered the Lands of Guem. What torments me the most is the inactivity of the Metamages, it is not look like them.”
At this point, Ydiane, out of breath and disheveled, slipped between those present. All eyes were fixed on her.
“Hhhh ... The complex is ... hhhh ... almost empty,” she wheezed, trying to catch her breath.
“Almost?”
“Yes ... hhh ... I spotted two people oddly dressed. They wore a sort of garment in the cloak and gowns.”
“Black with red markings on it?” Asked Krin as he considered who it was.
“Yes, like two large commas crossing.”
“We need to neutralize them, they are mutationists who are Metamages and they are responsible for many horrors. Many Equinoxiens died as a result their experiments.”
“And Dragon?” Kounok interrupted, “did you see him?”
“No, but I did not search everything, there were several huge metal closed cells with large bolts.”
“We do not really have a choice, we must go. Ring the bell and gather the warriors, we leave for the complex as soon as possible,” Krin ordered his subordinates. “Will you come with us, Elfines and Dragon Knights?”
“For us, yes,” said Melissandre.
“Similarly, you go where we go, no reason not to combine our efforts.”
The complex looked like in all respects the same as the one that had already been stormed by resistance and in which the Elfines had sought refuge. Reaching it didn’t demand any effort to the hundred Equinoxiens and the half a dozen inhabitants from the Lands of Guem. However, none of them went into this complex, because when the little army passed they came face to face with many people expecting them. The first was easy to identify, Ydiane had correctly described it, and it was a Metamage. However, the next thing was like nothing known in the Equinox. This humanoid was nearly three meters, a black ebony skin, and two large horns that were a continuation of a deformed black-eyed yellow split head. Kounok had an urge to vomit, a feeling of disgust, but also rage came over him. Krin restrained him before he could start a fight; he knew Metamages and their powers. In addition, this one, he knew him well, having rubbed shoulders with him occasionally in his past.
“Ex-General Krinistas, it is kind of you for having responded to my invitation.”
“Invit...”
Krinistas turned toward Ydiane. The Elfine then sprang back, drew her bow and took aim at the general and the Dragon Knights. Melissandre frowned and tried to catch up with her friend, but Kounok grabbed her arm.
“Wait...”
“Yes, invitation,” continued the Métamage, “you may be asked what you're asking. So I will not make you wait any longer. See this,” he said, pointing to the creature beside him, “this is our new experiment. I leave you to enjoy it at its full value; I think you will not be disappointed. The Empress will be satisfied at the same time overcoming the resistance and these dogs, Guemiens. This has been a good day!”
The creature growled, muttered a few words sprang directly into the crowd in a vast leap of over twenty meters. Ydiane fired her arrow, which planted itself into the chest Krin, who immediately collapsed. It was a rush. Attacked by a formidable archer on one side and a monster in the center of the army broke up quickly in two. Melissandre and Aleshane screaming not to kill Ydiane and that she was not herself. Seeing that none of the Equinoxien would listen to them, they undertook a breakaway to stop Ydiane before one of the other warriors could do her through with his blade. The Elfine was a formality against the creature sputtered and grunted clawing and crushing Equinoxiens. His strength was entirely in his own image - monstrous - and his opponents competed in no way with the creature. The body quickly flew as the first deaths occurred. The Dragon Knights were too far away to act immediately took a better look at the monster. Kounok felt there was a link with Dragon and Nehant; its horns resembled hers, those eyes of his daughter . He felt the magic of Dragon was at work, but also that of Nehant, too. The Equinoxiens found themselves locked into combat, robbed of their will of fight before the claws that came and cut their flesh. Yes, it looked like Dragon, but it could not be him, how would that be possible?
“This is not Dragon, Kounok.” The words came from Chimera that shook Prophet.
The link between this weapon and Dragon was strong, one having been forged by the other. Security was nevertheless very powerful, because of Chimera; Dragon did not want it, because it may one day turn against him. Chimera also felt she could fight against this creature because it was not Dragon. Kounok commanded his wife and daughter to prepare for this thing.
On their side Melissandre and Aleshane had managed to repel the Equinoxiens who rage wanted to avenge the loss of their leader. Now they faced Ydiane who had no arrows. But the part was not performed, because she handled amber dagger with much dexterity. Aleshane twirled her bolas and sent it to the feet of Ydiane; Melissandre then jumped on her to pull her weapon and stopped her. The poor Equinoxiens quickly helped the two Elfine and Ydiane found that she was quite unable to do anything. Understanding that the monster was too formidable for melee warriors of the resistance distanced themselves from him. Only the Dragon Knights remained, which banded together with their sparkling armours and swords ready for this new battle. They had to combat both the magic of Nehant, but also of Dragon together in one body, over-inflated by the magic of the Equinoxien. But the creature was not to be impressed and hit. Both girls were nimble and avoided the blows; however, this was not the case for Kounok who was surprised by the speed of his opponent. The claws tore the armor and skin of the Prophet at his abdomen. Ardrakar screamed and stepped between the creature and her husband while Loryana cared to divert his attention.
Everything happened very quickly then. Many Equinoxiens fled the battle seeing that it was impossible to kill the creature leaving their allies from a distant world.
Melissandre was well aware that the situation was not in their favor and that she had to act. She did not hesitate for a second. She tore the thin cord made from a root, the end of which hung a jewel carved in amber representing a wolf's head. As she pressed it hard against her skin a green glow appeared around her, starting from barely noticeable to increasingly visible. Her face and appearance changed to became closer to that of wolf, and then she ran toward the creature before jumping on him. The monster tried to extricate himself from the Elfine, but she stood firm and slammed the jewel on the skull of the thing.
“I am Melissandre of the Guild of the Sap Heart and this is the power of the World Tree!”
The monster screamed in pain, the jewel of the wolf's head broke, releasing all the magic Keizan had placed there. Roots pushed out of the jewel at a staggering speed hurtling towards the ground before turning into a tree. The creature tried to pull them out but was soon unable to move, totally frozen by the wood. Only a piece of his face was visible. The show was as strange as the Equinoxien’s world and the new tree groaned with rage!
Melissandre neutralized the threat, and while still under the appearance of a she-wolf, she rushed to Kounok who was writhing in pain. Loryana sobbing beside him repeating "Hold on daddy, hold on!" His blood flowed freely on the dusty ground. The Elfine knelt beside the injured and placed her hands over the wound.
“You are our ally Kounok the Prophet, I place you under the protection of the World Tree as that will close your wounds and your pain will disappear.”
Melissandre focused on the injuries and they closed again slowly. Very small roots were used as stitches and Kounok did not get worse. Relieved, Ardrakar dropped the hand of her husband to grab . Anger rose quickly, caused by the blow taken by Kounok and the very existence of such an atrocity. The action was fast and strong. Azure made its way through the head of the creature. A black viscous blood flowed in as its life escaped. And while the creature died; Ardrakar heard a sound, a word: Thank you. Was it her imagination?
Will Kounok ever check his answering machine for the messages left to him by the Council of the Guilds?
Did Keizan make magical girls out of all female Elfine or is Melissandre just special?
And now with Krin dead and the Resistance scatter what will happen to our heroes?
Find out next... well, probably not next time since Noz and Saps just had an update, but sometime in the future.
_________________
Ty Boadicea for the awesome farewell gift. Now just to think up an avatar to go with it. Anyway, I'm still a Sap/Nomad/Pirates fan and user.
|
