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Story time:
A crow landed on the window sill, it cawed many times after which a crash was heard, the floorboards buckled under the weight of the only resident of this huge xziarite home. The crow, instead of taking off, it cawed beautifuler, when it perceived that someone was coming up the stairs to reach the floor and the room where she was. Finally, after a long minute the door to the room slid open, letting out a squeal. The crow stopped her cries and watched the newcomer, a frail man dressed in an outfit that was typical of a xziarite on which the attributes of Crow Clan were clearly visible, which would have shocked any other person who had met for the first time. He wore a white veil of twenty centimeters falling to his knees. On the lower part of his veil were enrolled two ideograms together that meant "ghost". The man found his way to the other side of the room, just before the raven nodded. With an almost skeletal hand Hisomu stroked the head of the bird that seemed to enjoy the attention.
“ ... it's been months since I last saw you. Have you remembered suddenly that I still existed?”
At this point Chidori who happened to be the crow resumed her normal appearance in a cloud of smoke. The young woman was leaning on the windowsill as if something prevented her from entering.
“Hisomu... always so friendly. I'm sorry I did not visit you more often, but it's ... complicated.”
“Complicated? Say rather that you do not want Lord Daijin to know you paid me a visit.”
“Do you think we can hide something like that, it's him who sent me.”
“He has chosen his messenger well. And what does my Lord wants me?”
“He needs what you have kept for him for years.”
Hisomu froze, overwhelmed by memories. This took him back many years earlier to Meragi. He was only a child, rejected because of his marked with infamy. Indeed, Hisomu had the misfortune of being born with deformities due to the fact that he was naturally a Shadow Guemelite, also a rare exception. The other children were cruel to him as children can often be face to face with abnormalities. While growing up this did not help Hisomu and he tried to end his life several times. Without meeting with Daijin, he would surely not be alive today. The Crow made him an offer he could not refuse. Then he sent him to a secluded area to live in an old house where no one could make fun of him. They gave him a secret to keep that would be protected by some magic, and when the Crow would wish they would have him bring the secret to them. Hisomu would be in charge of this mission and that day had finally come.
“It will be done according to his desire. You can tell him that I do what is necessary. I'll join you when the time comes.”
“Do not wait too long,” she said before she turned back into a crow and flew away.
Perched on a rock, Daijin monitored that which was around him. He knew the Nehantist were not far off and neither was the inevitable confrontation. He had long prepared a strategy which he expected to save the empire or at least what was to left of it. But for this he needed Hisomu and the famous secret. Chidori had done her job; it remained for him to be patient. Karasu stepped behind Daijin finished reading a scroll and then rolled it up.
“Lord, the troops of and the other generals are in place. The Tsoutai want to know if we need support to our line.”
“No, we should be able to hold. And what about our draconian allies?”
“As you wish they implemented the invisibility shields on the xziarites armies, they await your signal to begin the isolation ritual.”
“Very well, they are ready. Once the battle is engaged we must resist for the nessecary time. The Emperor is it out of danger?”
“That is where he should be.”
At that moment a shadow disk appeared on the floor beside them and Hisomu came out. Karasu stepped back, frowning as he did not like him and considered him to be too unstable. The arrival bowed respectfully to Daijin before handing a roll of parchment sealed by the mark of the Crow.
“I am here Master and this is what you entrusted to me.”
“What?” Karasu asked.
“A secret,” said Hisomu, “and a secret should not be revealed!”
“You've always been curious my little Karasu. I will satisfy your curiosity. But before that I'll give you both instructions.”
“I will listen, lord,” Karasu said, puffing his chest.
“I will practice a ritual that will exhaust me more than it should. When it has its effect you take me away from the fight, and once safe you will leave the fray until the draconian have finished their ritual.”
“Understood,” said Hisomu.
“It's time to act, we play the survival of the Empire in this battle, I hope you understand the importance that it takes.”
Daijin, Karasu, and Hisomu were now in the midst of a large plain at the end of which edged a forest as old as the world. Birds flew by the dozens, announcing the imminent arrival of a horde of demons who wanted one thing: to destroy! On the other side of the plain the lean imperial army of Tsoutai, trackers, the Imperial Guard, and almost all of Crow Clan stood. There were barely four hundred men who would face thousands of demons. Morale was low among the simple men, but fortunately the Tsoutai gave off courage to those who were missing it.
Daijin unsealed the roll provided by Hisomu and the pure magic of the shadows fell out. The threads of shadow fell on the ground and in contact with the ground they altered it to make it dark. In a dry and powerful gesture, all at once he unrolled the parchment straight ahead of him. It was like an explosion of magic, countless black threads that seemed alive, as if they were locked up for a long time and were trying to stretch as far as they possibly could. Karasu and Hisomu realized that the ritual had begun; moreover, their lord looked less like an old man now. The Crow looked younger, more powerful, too, large wings of black feathers sprouted from his back. He put his hand on the end of the parchment before him and muttered incantations. Black filaments vibrated in harmony and slowly they regrouped under the Crow finally cling to his feet and ankles. The magic of the shadows was now his, and he was connected with all the shadow Guemelites in the lands of Guem. He then concentrated on the rest of the ritual, an important step, even crucial.
“Sons and Daughters of the Shadow! My name is and I implore you came to me! Guemelites, you must defend this land close to you, a horde of demons threatening the Xzia Empire! I summon you!
Far away, the first to react were the shadow Guemelites from the Zil Warriors. All heard the call Daijin and none of them knew the Xzia Empire was in danger. Therefore, Zil was the first to answer the call; he already felt the strength of the shadow draw him to another place. He screamed for all the fighters from the shadows to let themselves go. In a twinkling he was snapped up by the shadow and just came out next to Daijin. It was the same for and all the Zil Warriors that were able to come.
“You have our full support Crow” Zil said as he unsheathed his daggers.
Quickly they were hundreds to appear, most of them were living isolated because the vast majority feared shadow Guemelites. There were some monstrous and others that look much closer to their original race. But all were ready to face the demons. Moreover, when the demons finally arrived at the edge of the forest and what followed, Daijin could not be a witness. Having brought to him all these shadow Guemelites had greatly depleted his strength and he fell unconscious. Karasu and Hisomu executed the orders of their superior and departed with Daijin. The shadow army joined that of the Xzia. Crows mingled with Guemelites and did spread the word about the strategy. The goal was not to risk lives but retain the demons for the time necessary that the remainder of the army to intervene and the draconian able to fulfill their ritual.
The battle began. was astonished to see this motley army, but the numbers were in his favor. He ordered his legions to melt this ridiculous attempt at resistance. But the number was not so important in this conflict because the abilities and skills of everyone played for many. And the defenders competed against attackers techniques allowed the shadow Guemelites regain the upper hand temporarily, the tentacles of shadows by the dozens clinging demons and sending them back in the direction from which they came then while the demons reorganized men in red armor appeared among the defenders. The long-awaited reinforcements were there, ready to fight. Lord Gakyusha sounded the assault and swords cut through the spells of invisibility that the Draconia Mages casted on them. Now in a battle against a changed face the demons were decimated and had to regroup to front. However, Amidaraxar had not said his last word; his demons could not actually die, when one of them fell in battle he was returned to the Meanders. The Nehantist was able to re-summon them immediately; this battle could end up in the blood of his enemies as his demons never tired.
However, they did not count on the powerful magic of Dragon! Since the beginning of the fight helped and a number of other mages practiced discreetly an experimental and very special ritual. Aerouant familiar with demons, he knew they did not really die. As he began to temporarily block the path between the Meanders and the summoner. The earth crackled due to the appearance of lines of blue magic light. These lines intersect to form a sort of giant spider. Amidaraxar realized what it was when he realized the demons could not get back. At that moment he knew he had lost the battle...
Karasu and Chidori perched in a tree... wait, that's not a question...
What will Abomination, a nature guem, Telendar, and the rest of the humans do now since both the pack and the shadow guems have left the circus?
And who wants Zebajel for the new leaders of the Nehants?
find out next time.
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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.
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