War of the Greys: Forge of Souls [Open RP]

[Darced]

Causis arrived and saw Lethean on the ground. Velexis found him, thank the Light. He sighed in relief but grew wary as Velexis warned them to get closer. He does so and faces the fog, hammer at the ready. "What is it? What does the Light tell you?" He begins to mutter prayers under of his breath Grant them strength, they give you the glory you deserve.

The fog begins to fall faster into a light snow, slowly tricking to the skull paved floors. The Scourge minions begin to retreat towards the edges of the platfrom, certain their lich master has plans for them. The light of the platform machinery pours it's rays through the snow and they illuminate Velexis and Lethean. Causis turns and notices the light fails to cover him. Grant them the strength to press on. The clarity to see your radiance. Let them fall not from the path to justice. Allow them not to make my mistakes. Save them!

[xensorlol]

Neyira had been standing within Acherus, sharpening one of her rneblades, when suddenly a mental plea reached her.
Help me.
She stiffened, cold breath coming out of her in a short gasp. "Leth?" she asked, but there was no answer. She could feel his presence slowly fading away, and reached out for him. He continued to slip from her grasp, and despite her cold attitude, Neyira began to panic. "No!" she screamed. "What is it?!"
And still he did not answer.
And then she felt it: Something that had begun to tug at her entire being. Unholy, to be sure, but not Scourge . . .
She closed her icy eyes and embraced it, willing Lethean's energy to do whatever it wished with her. She felt it pulling her, both her spirit and her physical body. She opened her eyes, and saw Acherus fading from her view, the floating dread citadel becoming nothing more than a blur. As it faded, a new environment began to take its place. Neyira recognized it as the Forge of Souls, but something was dreadfully wrong with it.
As the Forge of Souls solidified before her, she saw many things before anyone's reflexes should have allowed: The mist, thick and foggy, clouding her vision; the many bones and Scourge corpses, as well as blood and gore splattered everywhere; the group of mixed adventurers and mercenaries standing before her, crowded around one of their fallen.
And then she saw who he was.
Neyira stepped forward, shoving a female blood elf out of her way ((sorry, Mehm)) and kneeling beside him.
"Leth," she whispered, shocked at the amount of wounds he had sustained. He had severe cuts in numerous places, not to mention the gaping hole in his stomach. He lay in a pool of his own congealing blood, his runeblade, Shadowfrost, discarded.
Why wasn't he healed? she thought to herself, infuriated at both his allies and those that had been the cause of his wounds. In the distance, she could hear the echoing laugh, a shrill sound that was most definitely female. For the second time, she turned cold inside.
"Lady Duskhaven."
She kissed Lethean on the forehead, then stood, turning, Frosthowl and Icegore gripped tightly in her gauntleted hands. But as she tried to blink through the fog, she could see no sign of their attackers, nor the lich. She reached out, and could feel their presence, but they were nowhere near them . . . For now.

[Jordaen]

Finally reaching the group, Rayin gasps as she realizes the severity of his wounds. She looks up at the night elf, wondering where on earth she came from. She kneels beside him and closes her eyes, whispering fervently under her breath, she waves her hands over his body slowly, and a pale, soft light ekes out of her fingers, tracing the lines of his wounds. Light, I know he is not technically alive but please, I pray that this works. The light probes at his wounds, before sealing them. The blood and grime is left alone, but all of the gaping wounds and scratches look like they're going to be healed. As she continues her work, she says to everyone else, "We need to follow them, strike them while they're retreating. We can't let them regroup. After Lethean is well again, we must press on."

[Temp name]

((nps Mexy))

Velexis was slightly annoyed at the elf pushing her, but understood that it was Letheans friend, and as such didn't voice her opinion. when the priest cast her spell Velexis sent a few prayers to the light that he'd be fine, but realizing that the light couldn't do much for a Death knight, she didn't hold any high hopes for it. Velexis closed her eyes again and stomped on the ground, sending out a small burst of light, working like a sonar. "the undead are passing through the barrier, we need to move fast if we are to catch them before they organize"

[Darced]

A faint laughter could be heard from beyond the mists. Then a voice, "Oh my, a night elf. I haven't seen one of your kind since I tread through Ashenvale those years ago..." More laughter echoes, but this time its closer to the group. "I have been told your kind tastes delicious." Lady Duskhavan emerges from the snow surrounded by a frost shield. The party is now surrounded by ghouls and geists, eager to taste the flesh of the adventurers. The lich raises her arms to cast a spell.

Causis charges the lich before she can mutter the incantation. "Not so fast monster!" He strikes the shield hard with his hammer and a faint glimmer of Light energy pokes through the weapon's shell. So, there was some left. The shield explodes as it can't take the blow and ripples a strong wind across the platform. The gust forces the mist to clear and now the platform is clearly visible. Causis is thrown back unto his back into a group of ghouls, "Go! Kill her now!" The ghouls recover quickly from the blast and rush to Causis. The minions closest to the lich attack the adventurers, "Go my bretheren! Go and feast!!" Lady Duskhavan begins casting frostbolts toward the party, specifically the wounded death knight. The knights of Acherus will feel our fury!

[Temp name]

Velexis moves in front of Lethean preparing to take any frostbolts the lich decides to throw, and start running towards the lich with her sword raised, prepared to strike. Lady Duskhaven manages to get 2 frostbolts casted, one hitting the paladin in the stomach which she ignores, and another missing both her and Lethean. As Velexis manages to get up to the Lich, she quickly whispers a prayer, infusing her sword with the powers of the light.

[xensorlol]

Neyira felt the adrenaline pump through her, and snarled. "You must have had quite the dream, Duskhaven," she growled to the lich, Icegore and Frosthowl flaring brightly, as were her eyes. The shadow of a helm started to appear around her head, and within seconds it had solidified into a full helm; dark grey steel of the same hue as the rest of the night elf's armour, with two horns curving straight upward. Her eyes could still be seen through the small, angled eye slits.
The sin'dorei paladin - the same one that had assisted the priest in healing her companion - stepped in front of Lethean, taking a frostbolt that was meant for him. Neyira would have felt a twinge of compassion for the blood elf's action, but her earlier emotions had been replaced by a cold, furious vengeance. It was as if a darker entity had taken control of her mind and actions.
Three stray frostbolts came Neyira's way. The night elf raised Icegore, which was wielded in her right hand, and sent one of the frostbolts flying in the opposite direction. The other she dodged entirely, but the third she raised her left hand, Frosthowl held tightly, and caught it on the tip of her second runeblade. She swung Frosthowl in Lady Duskhaven's direction, and the frostbolt went flying, but bounced off the lich's shield.
She felt fury overcome her, and let it flood through her mind and body, let it grip her and direct her. "You're shield won't keep you safe forever, Duskhaven," the night elf growled, gripping both runeblades tightly and starting forward.



Lethean stirred. The death knight tested every part of his body, and wasn't surprised that he could clench his fist once again.
I wouldn't have woken up if I hadn't been healed, he thought. He could hear the sounds of battle once again raging about him, but saw only darkness. With an effort, he opened his eyes, blinking against the harsh light of some holy spell cast directly above him. Blast it, they can just never keep things under control, can they?
He blinked against the light, and as it faded could make out a swirling mist. So, still in the Forge, eh? nobody's retreated, which must mean Causis still lives and leads the charge. But what-
A voice penetrated his lucid dreaming; that of a female night elf. But more importantly, the strange, almost shrill echo told him she was a death knight. Lethean fought the urge to jump to his feet as energy surged through him. So she did come!
Groaning, the death knight rolled on to his side, and saw he lay in a pool of dried blood and gore. He rolled on to his stomach, and pushed himself to his hands and knees. He closed his eyes again as a feeling of light headedness washed over him, then nausea. When it passed, he looked around shakily, and saw Shadowfrost, discarded and forgotten.
Not without pain, he shoved himself to his feet, trembling a little as he stood. He walked slowly over to his runeblade, and retrieved the two-handed, rune-inscribed greatsword. Lifting it with a growl, Lethean felt a little better. He turned, but could see nothing in the thick mist Lady Duskhaven had created. He could hear metal clanging against metal somewhere . . .
A ghoul jumped out to his right, limbs flailing, and grasped his arms. Lethean grunted, shoving the ghoul to the ground. As it tried to climb to its feet, he brought Shadowfrost straight down across its back, slicing it in two.
"Neyira! Velexis!" he called, but could see no sign of them anywhere.

[Jordaen]

Rayin gasped in surprise as the death knight groaned, then was about to tell him to take it slow, but decided against it, knowing her words would be wasted on the headstrong man. "Did you summon that night elf to you? Who is she?" She whispers, almost so quietly that the death knight didn't hear it. Before he could answer, though, the ghoul jumped on him, but was quickly split in twain. Rayin also sees the incoming frost bolts and, not knowing how well Lethean felt, quickly cast a bubble around him, enough to absorb one or two frost bolts. She stood up, standing next to him, noticing only now the wave of scourge coming towards them. She takes a deep breath and as she expels it, she pushes her hands forward in front of her, and a cone of holy light came from it, pushing the scourge into each other, causing them to injure and even kill themselves as they struggle to stay upright.

"We need to stick together! Getting split up is a sure way to die..." She tells Lethean, hopping he can get at least Neyira back quickly as Rayin tries to look for Velexis. She finally spots the paladin on her way to attack the lich. Oh light, protect her! Rayin focuses all of her might on one final bubble around Velexis, powerful enough to take the spells of the lich. With most of her energy gone, she sags a bit, resting her hands on her knees. She keeps a keen eye on her, ready to at least toss a small heal should she need it.

[Temp name]

((mexy there is no more blizzard, we can see freely now))

[Darced]

The lich waves her hands across the group and begins to laugh. "Destroy them!" The ghouls obey and charge toward the adventurers. She watches as the night elf approaches her and prepares more spells. She casts more rings of frost around her, hoping the death knight will be cut off and unable to strike her. With the rings in place, the lich begins to channel another blizzard spell. Shards of ice fall onto the mercenaries and crash around them. As she summons the storm a voice speaks to her, The antechamber is in danger, report her at once! The lich's eyes widen, What's happened that the knight commander can't handle? She ceases her spell and calls more ghouls and now gargoyles into the fray. "Apologies guests. Though this has been a delightful time, I am needed elsewhere!" Her cloth robes suck into a vortex and she disappears.

Causis fight of through the pack of monsters and regroups with the rest of the group. "The barrier's coming down! Once my men arrive we'll deal with the rest of these bastards!" He looks to the barrier that the lich rose earlier and it was rapidly falling, Why did she leave? She had the upper hand.

[Temp name]

"her leaving can't be a good sign.. there is something with a slight demonic hue somewhere nearby." Velexis said as she cut down a gargoyle. "anyways, we now have time to properly heal Lethean."

[xensorlol]

Lethean slowly made his way over to the group, and overhead Velexis's final words.
"Properly heal me?" he growled, clenching his teeth. "Both you and the priestess wield the Light, Velexis. No offence, but I'm a death knight, and I once wielded the Light more powerfully than both of you combined."
"Once I was resurrected, I realized that the Light had either lost its faith in me, or I it. But, either way, I chose to forsake it and all of its pitiful 'codes.' It is as if the Light has sensed such a drastic change in me, and has chosen to forsake me in turn, no matter the case. Such as is when you or the priestess attempt to heal me using it; it has little effect. You," he turned to Rayin, "did save me from my death. Either the Light still cares for me enough to keep me alive, or some fortunate working in your spell happened to counter what dark powers I control. Either way, I am grateful for your efforts. Both of you. For I am not ready to leave this hell-bent world . . . again."


Neyira came to stand beside Leth while he spoke, and all the while she kept alert and focused, unsure as to when Lady Duskhaven and the rest of her minions would attack once again. "We should be worrying more about the unusual way Duskhaven was acting before she left. Seems a little suspicious, doesn't it?" the night elf said, sheathing her runeblades and folding her arms across her chest. "If something caused Lady Duskhaven to retreat, don't you think we should be cautious of it as well, and keep our guard up?" She shook her head. "Despite what you say, paladin, I can not sense any 'demonic presence.' Are you sure it's something like that, and not just an illusion; a trick created by Duskhaven to play us in to her hand?"

[Darced]

Causis smashes a ghoul as he watches the barrier descend. He listens as Lethean rants about the Light and realizes he himself, a paladin was sharing those thoughts. I have to focus on the Voice. He observes as the Forsaken soldiers charge onto the platform and engage the Scourge minions. Ahead of the Forsaken, a newcomer comes. A troll by the looks of it. Looks like help has arrived. He continues to attack the remaining monsters, strategizing their next move in his mind.

((Kipling, you're on. You're just late and helped the Forsaken maintain their position behind the barrier. Welcome.))

[Jordaen]

Rayin was glad that she was able to help Lethean, but his word still stung. Who would choose to forsake the light? Her thoughts were interrupted as the barrier started to fall, and waves of new scourge made their way to them. Summoning the remains of her will power, she murmurs a spell and pushes her hands out in front of her, sending a bright ray of pure holy energy in a cone in front of her. It disintegrates all enemies it touches, making small piles of ash where they used to be. Her staff that is slung across her back glows brighter as she uses some of the Light contained within to power her spell. As she finishes her spell, she sags once again, drained almost entirely, "If this keeps up, I don't know if we can make it..."

[xensorlol]

Lethean watched Rayin expend the remainders of her energy on her previous spell, whose effects had literally decimated half of the Scourge ranks that were coming. The death knight gripped Shadowfrost and stepped in front of her. Neyira took up position on his right, and they formed a protective barrier around Rayin.
"Stay behind us," Lethean growled, waiting for an undead soldier to come within his reach. Neyira gestured with Icegore, and a small bolt of dark energy flung out and smacked into a ghoul. The unfortunate ghoul was encased in a shadowy hand, whose grip was unrelenting, and Neyira moved Icegore towards herself. The ghoul was pulled to her, and while it was still in mid-air Neyira lashed out with her other runeblade, slicing off two legs and an arm. The lithe night elf moved aside with the speed of a panther, and the ghoul's mangled corpse bounced on the ground behind her.
"Rayin!" Neyira called, blocking an incoming frostbolt that came out of nowhere. "We can't hold this forever. Whatever you can do, do it!"

[Jordaen]

She gladly obeys the Death Knights' orders and stays behind them, jumping slightly as the female blocks an ice bolt. "Thank you!" she mumbles, "I need to concentrate if I want to do anything more. The remaining power in my staff won't last long. It can be deadly but it needs to be very directed and hopefully deadly!" She unsheathes her staff and holds it in her left hand, her right in a tight fist, "If you can get me a clear shot at the leadership, I can take them out."

[Temp name]

((i dont actually think Rayin has given us a name yet Mexy, with the constant fighting and all))

Velexis overheard their talking while attacking ghouls. "Do whatever you gotta do priest, and fast" she said as she dodged out of the way of one ghouls attack while cutting another one in two. She quickly whispered a quick prayer and as she finished, bolts of light radiated from her, stunning all ghouls nearby for a short duration "now or never!"

[Kuniku]

Nir'gil made it to the party just as the barrier fell, they seemed to be just getting by against the scourge attack, the sin'dorei priestess seemed to be preparing her staff for a big attack, while the paladin was struggling to keep the scourge at bay while the spell was prepared, was that a hint of panic in her voice?

"Greetin's, dem some relentless scourge ya be dealin' wid!" Nir'gil said calmly while leaning heavily on his staff, Soulcrypt, "Maybe Nir'gil can be helpin'?"

The undead Troll tightened his grip on the staff while raising his gnarled right hand, a subtle stream of purple mist cascaded out of the soul cage atop Soulcrypt, along his left arm, up his right and gathered within the palm of his right hand, he clenched his fist around the gathered soul, adding his own shadow magiks to compress it further.

Nir'gil squeezed one last time before opening his hand, within, shining with darkness, was a tiny black object, funnily shaped a bit like an acorn. The Warlock surrounded the seed with shadow and sent it forth into the mass of scourge, "planting" it firmly within the chest of one of the mindless ghouls . . .

[Darced]

After seeing the protective stance his comrades made, Causis moved back and joined them. "If you were to fire towards the ramp it'd decimate their reinforcements. We can mop up the remainder and charge up the platforms." He kneels and plants his hands on his hammer, "Light, grant this priest the power to smite your enemies, to scorch your foes, to design your retribution." He closes his eyes and rises again, ready to fight. "The priority is getting to Duskhavan and getting her out of the way."

The Forsaken arrive on the platform and direct themselves at the mercenarie's flanks. Seeing the spell being prepared the captains order thier troops to protect her. Riflemen start firing toward the ghouls that charge from the top of the adjacent ramp and pikemen hold out their spears for any oncoming Scourge. "Causis! We're ready, blow them off the platform!"

[xensorlol]

Lethean watched Causis pray, but was more concerned with what the priest was doing.
"Neyira," he murmured, bringing Shadowfrost down in a vicious two-handed strike that cut a ghoul in half. "We'd better move out of her way. I'm not sure what the troll's doing, but it sure as hell had better be destructive."
"Agreed," Neyira replied, twirling her runeblades and bringing them about a ghoul in a criss-cross strike, cutting off an arm and its head. She turned to the priestess, saw her charging her spell, and moved nimbly out of the way, putting her in a perfect position to strike at three more ghouls. Lethean also moved, going the opposite way, and dragged Shadowfrost along in a horizontal strike, cleaving four undead in half. When he was in a safe position, Lethean let go of Shadowfrost with his left hand and raised it, calling forth his unholy powers. Most of the undead he and Neyira had brought down were slowly reformed and resurrected to fight alongside the two death knights and their allies. Lethean directed them to form a shield around the priestess, but left her enough room to cast her spell without destroying any of them.
"That should keep her safe," Lethean said, blocking an attack and cutting down his attacker with ease. "We should go see if Velexis needs some help. She looks a little tied up at the moment."
Neyira glanced at the blood elf paladin, and nodded, seeing her surrounded by ghouls and other undead. "Good idea. Though if the priest dies, it's not going to be on my head."