The Awakening

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Startled by the explosion she fell backwards just as Tyrtaeus pulled his hand away.

"Swish!"

She yelled crawling on all fours over to where the cat stood. Quickly she scooped her up into her arms as Tyrtaeus mounted his steed and took of toward the explosion just as the elves also did. Be for she could even respond Tyrtaeus was gone leaving her and Swish behind. Holding the feline tightly against her all she could do is watch as fire lit the sky. The screams were deafening and now with the wind suddenly stirring things up the smoke from the explosion was so thick she could no longer see more than a few feet in front of her.

"Swish, what should we do? May the Gods guide Tyrtaeus and keep him safe."
 
As the last word passed Tyrtaeus's lips Swish turned back towards the growing flames and muttered.

"See, this is why we should listen to the cat every now a...."

Swish simply vanishes from the Lady's arms, reappearing hidden high about the fire in the tree's bows. Her tail spinning as she attempts to call forth a rain cloud....

"Under cover please M'Lady and arm thy self or shift!!!"

She manages a medium sized one, enough to dampen the fire, but not put it totally out.
 
They came from the blackness with gnashing teeth and jagged blades. These lizard like beasts seemed to flood into the village from all corners.

"Stand your ground! Protect the children!" A mighty voice would call out amongst the fighting. He stood tall among them, wielding dual tomahawks with a ferocity matched only by the finesse of his steps. He cut left. He cleaved right. He inspired awe with his words, but the forces were already scattered and the beast men were feasting on flesh.

"No survivors! Bring me chief's head!" Grom Bloodhammer roared as he ponited his maul toward the village, sending the next wave. Those approaching the village wouldbe met by a flurry of arrows. Karma stood upon the roof of a yurt. The raised her hand and commanded more arrows be loosed. "Fight well, cousins! Find your place beside Hengist!"

Khan leapt the burning remains of a longhouse and landed near the tomahawk wielding giant. "Father!" He cried as he drew his sabers. Together, father and sound would stand snd deliver. Swords swung at them were severed; Spears cleaved in twine...


A child huddled in a ball amidst the smoldering remains of a longhouse. He cradled the head of an elderly woman. "Grandmother! Grandmother, please!" But she did not move. The wound in her gut had stained her blue robes and the clothing of the child that held her. A crash and thud would shift the ashes and cause them to stir. A large beast rose from the wreckage and covered the gaping wound in his chest. The dark green ichor oozed from the wound; the same ichor that stained the sword the woman kept her grasp upon, even in death...

The young boy stood to face the beast and took up his grandmother's bloody blade. Amused, the lizard spat and started toward the child. A sudden cry of pain from the beast startled the boy. A hand lifted him from the ground. His eyes widened as he watchef the lanve pierce the lizard's chest then cast him aside.

"By the great stallion!" The child cried out as he beheld the knight in silver armor. Tyrtaeus nodded once and carried the boy toward safety...


The red winged raven appeared on the ground before Nalya and suddenly burst into green flame. Through the raging inferno a face peered at her, then took shape. Tall, lithe and clad in immaculate black armor. His long cape billowed in an unfelt wind, as did his frost white hair. Clawed fingers reached out to touch Nalya's face. Though the lips did not move, this dreadfully handsome apparation did speak.

"Do you think....that paltry feline will save you? Do you believe that foolish knight will save you? Nothing will keep you from me, pet... You will be mine. All is mine..."
 
No sooner had Nalya scooped up Swish and was speaking to her, the feline disappeared but not before giving her some much needed advice.


"Under cover please M'Lady and arm thy self or shift!!!"

Nalya didn't understand why Swish was giving her such a warning and just as the feline appeared within the sky another form appeared in front of Nalya. Startled she shuffled her self backward until she had pushed herself up against a tree. She could smell the scent of fresh blood being spilled upon the ground, her sensitive ears could hear the cries of many as they were slaughtered. The battle was in full force and innocents were being murdered for no other reason than simply being who they are.

Hues of green danced within a burning flame directly in front of her, her eyes huge with fear as a form shaped within the green hues of the flame. At first just a face which then transformed into a knight dressed in black armor. A hand reached out from this phantom being, she tried to push herself further away but all she could do was push her body harder against the tree behind her. She attempted to turn her face away from the claw like fingers that reached outward and touched her cheek, she was to afraid to move.

The knight, if truly this vision was one, spoke though his lips did not move. A devilish voice reached her ears...............

"Do you think....that paltry feline will save you? Do you believe that foolish knight will save you? Nothing will keep you from me, pet... You will be mine. All is mine..."

She had to fend for herself and as he called her his pet her fear turned to anger. She slid her body upward until she stood straight up, all the while her eyes that once showed fear now filled with anger as she kept them focused on this vision.


"I am NO ONES PET!" she protested and as her anger grew her body began to shift form. Once again her body morphed into that of a wolf. Her body dropped to the ground and she landed on all fours. Her muscles spasm'd as they changed form, the sound of bones snapping could be heard and her shape shifted into that of a very large black wolf. Jaws snapped at the vision, her head lowered close to the ground, ears lowered and laid back and the fur rose from the base of her neck down along her back. She stood her ground but knew she was no match for this being.
 
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The apparation seemed to wisp into smoke as the jaws snapped at it. A sinister laugh eminated from the specter as the green flames raged higher around it.

"You will see...in due time, you will see. These lands have been made ripe... Soon comes the harvest..."

The ghost then disappeared, leaving no trace of it's presence other than a chilling wind...

Soon comes the harvest...

Khan and his father continued to fight off the lizardmen. A voice from the fray called out. "Chief Torgul, our forces have been split! The children have been ushered toward Ironhold in the mountains! The village is lost to us!"

Khan's father, the Great Chief of the Kharzai, kicked away a foe before calling back; "Sound the horns! Gather all the warriors you can and head to Ironhold! Make your stand there! Khan, go with them!"

Khan's eyes widened at his father's words. The fighting had stopped momentarily. "Father, my place is beside you!"

"Khan, your place is with our people! Keep them safe!"

Khan shook his head and began to protest but was silenced by his father's actions. Chief Torgul removed his silver horsehead medallion and placed it in his son's hands. He then stripped the feathers from his hair and cast them to the ground. Hundreds of eyes glowed in the darkness, burning with hungry hatred. Snarls grew louder as the lizardmen closed in on the ring of fire.

"My name is Torgul, son Tarval, Great Chief of the Kharzai!"

Khan sought to approach, but found the tip of Chief Torgul's spear at his neck. "No. Our people will need you at Ironhold. Now, go." He spoke firmly. His words cut from the stone of his heart. His eyes grew cold and steely as he unflinchingly stabbed the spesr through his own foot, pinning himself to the ground.

Khan was dragged away by Karma and a handful of others. He screamed in horror as he watched his father welcome his death with open arms...

Tyrtaeus rode up beside the group and watched as Chief Torgul made his last stand. "Do you not aid him?!"

Khan continued to scream and thrash to get free, but Karma struck him, rendering him quiet.

"No. Chief Torgul has chosen this fate. It is his intent to die in battle...such is our way."

Tyrtaeus nodded solemnly. "Where will you go?"

"We will go to Ironhold. The terrain will aid us. We can survive there. A child told me how you saved him and aided in our fight. You have a friend in us, good knight. We must part while darkness allows."

Tyrtaeus nodded and rode away, back toward where he last left his compatriots...

Xanatos looked over at the raven that had landed upon his window sill. "The Kharzai move to Ironhold...so the Eru are finally going home...perfect."

Lady Duvessa slinked into Xanatos' lap and draped her arms over his shoulders. "But what if the black crown is just a myth?"

"It is not...it is there....the Eru just have to be present to reveal it...soon, my love. The Black Kingdom will reign once more..."
 
While the rain dampened down the flames and the fight neared its end, Swish felt the air fill with electrical current. She had forgotten the side effects of calling forth rain clouds! Lightening zipped first side to side across the sky, lighting the night for those who fled for safety. Soon though the lightening changed and the bolts struck first the ground, the lizard men, the corpses in the dirt. A large cracking sound followed a bolt of blinding white light down from the sky into the tree top, not stopping tell it touched the red tuff of fur upon Swish's tail. Her fur stood on end, her body ridged, eyes blazing with the spark of electrical pulses. Swish's body seemed to bloat, filling her skin tell it burst, Dissolving the feline into a golden dust that swept out across the sky....This was slightly painful, but she remembered quickly what she could do in this form!
Swish let her power ride the night, following the trail of evil left hanging in the air, tell part of her mind reached the birds owner.
Feline eyes as large as a mans head, Blue as the darkest sea's,flashing with electrical pulses formed before Xanatos. A blasting wind of heat and rage flowed forth as the felines voice filled the chamber.

"You!...You and those vile things that cling to you...You belong in the dark, belong to the dark...But now comes the Light...Now comes your end!!"

Words spoken, the illusion vanished, Swish pulled her life force and magik back to the forest, back into the form she was born to. She shook off the water and golden dust, then looked at her fur, standing up in all directions...

"Bad, bad hair day...Yes, very bad!...Always a bad hair day when water and fur meet!"

With out another word the cat began to smooth down its very ruffled fur.
 
Nalya heard the cries of a young one and once the vision disappeared she ran toward the cry which was within the fire and battle that Tyrtaeus had gone.

There was something within the cry that sparked a flame of maternal instinct and she had to find the child which she felt was in need of aide. Her paws hit the ground with a pounding stride and finally she reached the blood field and slaughtered souls of the innocent.

Sniffing the air she made her way through the crowd which yet had not noticed her. Slipping through the many wounded she weaved her way through until she finally found the child, and by her surprise she also came upon Tyrtaeus.

Cautiously she came up along his steed which snorted and jerked it's head to the side in which she stood. Carefully she approached the child and with her nose she nudged at his hand and hoped that he would not fear her and would understand she was there to protect and care for him in his time of sorrow.
 
Xanatos blinked at the sudden rush of light and heat the filled his dark chambers. Ominous words did those sparking eyes speak; promises of his end. He smiled as the image faded away and slowly rose from his chair. "I have your attention now, great cat. Now, let us make this interesting..."

Xanatos moved to the nearby window to address the hordes below...




Khan stirred and groaned, rubbing the knot on the back of his head. His other hand opened slowly as his vision cleared, allowing him to see the intricately carved silver horse medallion; the medal was to be worn only be the chief.

"He is gone, brother." Karma said and she walked beside the carriage that carried him. "He staked himself to the earth and found his glory. He is on the silver plain now. Wd sill ssd him again someday."

Her eyes never met Khan's. She always spoke so cooly. "We've a long way to Ironhold."

Khan raised a brow. "Ironhold. The great fortress of legend. How can we be sure it is even real?"

"We can't. But making our stand in the mountains gives us an advantage. Father was right to send us away. He died to buy us time."

And on they walked; higher into the mountains. Deeper into the cold, cold night...
 
Swish finished cleaning the worst of her fur then glanced up and around. Finally laying eyes on the wolf. With a twitch of a smile playing on her lips she vanished into thin air, and reformed draped across the neck of the wolf. She carried the slight smell of burnt fur and wood smoke with her.
"Shhh lil one we are the great beasts of protection your mother told you bedtime tales of...We will cause ye no harm..."
 
Tyrtaeus looked to Nalya and Swish and smiled under his helm. The child Nalya sought to nuzzle reached out and touched her nose. Other children watched on, the looked to the mountains. The resolve in their eyes was as hard as the stone upon which they tread. Tyrtaeus could see it. These children knew pain. They would endure...

"Nalya...Swish. We must go, friends."

Tyrtaeus rode back to the remnants of the village and surveyed the battlefield. Ashes, blood and bodies lay strewn about. as he ventured deeper into the ember ridden village, he came across the body of Chief Torgul. He was still standing. Gashes covered the entirety of his body, but the ring of dead that lay strewn about told of valiant ferocity. Tyrtaeus dismounted and moved closer. Chief Torgul stood erect and splayed both arms, holding both bloody tomahawks. Tyrtaeus's eyes widened as he slowed his approach...

"What is the measure of this man's virtue and bravery? What kind of heart could hold such strength...to die standing in defense of those you loved most...your foes bested at your feet..."

Tyrtaeus removed his helmet and stared in silent awe.
 
"Im not entirely sure what you call that Sir...But for the most part it let his people get up that valley there a good piece..."

Matron was on his way to Ayenee Proper and saw the smoke and flames. That brought his attention to the green smoke and HIM. If anyone in this place knew about what was causing the graying HE would.

Matron stepped out of the stirrups and planted his feet and the butt end of the glaive on the ground. He looked up to the knight and then to the Wolf. That small knot of raw nerve at the back of his mind screamed for him to kill the wolf, Jezabel was created purely for the purpose of vanquishing were-beasts. Matron ignored it, second nature after this many years.

His blue eyes level and unexceptionable. The plain black trousers and laced white shirt looked neat and expensive under the black knee length coat embroidered with ravens down the sleeve. Un-muscular and lean there was always the sense that Matron could uncoil like a spring at any given minute and become far more than met the eye.

"I was on my way to Ayenee Proper and saw the smoke....and HIM", a sneer grew across his face and he spoke the work with a hatred that was visceral. "But it looks like I have other things to tend to......"

Matron had only just left his home in the Tor'Mhaelgodin, his mountain fortress and family estate, half a days ride ago.
 
Nalya leaned her head into the boys hand to make it aware to all she was not there to harm the child. The Great Cat spoke words which would as well assure all that she and the Wolf came in peace. Just then another unknown approached and Nalya felt an uneasiness about him. She shifted her body around so that the unknown one was not standing directly behind her. Eyes shifted to Tyrtaeus then back to the stranger. She then focused her thoughts to the Great Cat to speak the words for her, she knew the Feline would instantly know what she was thinking and feeling.

Tyrtaeus had things he needed to tend to and she knew he would leave if he felt harm would come to her. Turning her attention back to the boy she circled her body around him in hopes that he would understand she wanted him to follow her away from the new arrival and join her and Swish further from the crowd now forming.

The boy did not move so Nalya shoved her massive head into him gently and tried to shove him along until they would reach a shaded area at least 100 feet away from the men. The child had been through a great ordeal and she felt he needed to sit and relax and not concern himself with matters of the adults.
 
The cat was just there. It was not that he was unused to dealing with them they just always seemed to just be there, but he did rather enjoy their riddle like speech.

"Do not leave so quickly, those..." pointing to the battle lines "...might decide to head this way and honestly, We could use you if there is to be a fight."

Matron spoke to the Ware-Beast confidently and calmly. He really meant it no harm even if Jezabel was screaming for her life to kill it. He didnt like telling people that they were needed, he had "used" so many in the wars, sent them to their deaths to save others. Not decisions that came lightly, but battle was a game of cards, and this opponent would not bluff.

"Great Cat, I thought yours had left this land? With the graying and all?"

While speaking Matron released that tension on the spring. His hand tightened around the haft of the glaive and he remounted Poppy. Pointing the glaive to the fight he looked at Tyrtaeus.

"My Guess is that larger fellow there..." pointing at Grom, "...Is Commanding that unit. He goes down and they break?"

(OOC Note: For all intents and purposes with Matron think Matrim Couthan from Robert Jordans "Wheel of Time". I created him in '98 shortly after reading the first book of the series.)
 
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Swish stayed curled over the wolfs shoulder as they moved with the boy to the shade, once the boy was seated and the wolf curled around him, Swish vanished from the wolfs shoulders, reappearing atop the great knights head. Sparkling eyes looked down at the new comer. Head tilting a fraction the cat spoke with mild curiosity in her purred tone.

"Ahh, so you know of us, and of the grey, but not all or you would know that two in the city hold the grey at bay...and that the great city is no more then buildings with the faded remains of those passing in and out of the realm....Enter there and you may be taken by the grey as well!"

The cat peered closer, balanced so very carefully atop the knight.

"If I where you...Which I'm not or you would have fur, which you don't...Unless you can transform...Can you transform? ..Hmm, never mind, sorry, lost my thou...o yes, I remember now. Birds...I would worry less about the wolf and more about the birds..."

The great feline leaned out farther, lost her perch and started to fall, only to vanish and reform curled in the boys lap.

"Birds!...Nasty little things...Did you know they poop where they lay dear wolf?...Nasty little buggers!"
 
Tyrtaeus glanced to Matron then to Grom Bloodhammer. Grom looked down from his position on the hilltop and snorted once. The vast army of lizard men with him snarled and growled; hundreds of them could be seen and who knew what was beyond the horizon.

"The path to Ironhold will allow only six of them to march line abreast... If we fight them here, we will surely perish...Head for the pass...go now."

Grom snarled and licked his razored maw as he looked down upon the small gathering. With a raising of his maul, he sent forth his legion. They came pouring over the hillside; a vast army stretching as far as the eye could see. Larger lizard beasts carried riders armed with spears upon their backs.

"RUN! TAKE THE BOY AND GO NOW!" Tyrtaeus roared, pointing toward the narrow mountain corridor.
 
Nalya heard Tyrtaeus's roar and without hesitation she grabbed the boy by the wrist with her mouth and began to drag him away. Thoughts to Swish to instruct the child to sit upon her back and without haste she along with the boy and Swish riding upon her she took off as quickly as she could in the direction in which Tyrtaeus demanded.

Her powerful muscles did not buckle under the weight of the child, upward along the jagged rock her paws pounded along the ground. The path was narrow and as she ran the broken ground beneath her paws gave way and small pieces of earth slid out from under her feet and tumbled downward along the mountain side.

Higher they climbed until finally reaching the mountain peak and there she came to a stop. Bloody paws stained the ground where she stood and even with the pain growing she did not give in to it's demand. She kept the boy and Swish upon her body and just as a mother of a young one she continued to take them both to safety.

Downward she took them following the path which continued to slide out from under her. Her body straining to not tumble as the pain grew. She finally reached the bottom and the landscaped grew thick with tall grass. Weaving through the thickness she went forth until reaching the forest line of trees. "Just a bit farther" she thought and once deep within the trees her body came to rest allowing the boy remove himself from her back.

She nudged the boy with her head as if trying to instruct him to climb. Again she had to depend on Swish to instruct him to climb and hide himself with in the trees foliage and not to come down until his was told it was safe. "Go with him Swish" her thoughts to the Feline were with great urgency and once the two made their way upward she took off and found herself a place as well to hide and recover.

Nalya finally came to rest deep in the thickets, her bloody paws ached and as she allowed her body to rest she then finally transformed back into her human form.
 
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"The legions of bad guys...Why cant there ever just be say 50 or so bad guys?" looking to the massive army that had come for the tribesman speaking to noone in particular at this moment he watched the wolf, child and great cat charge away to safety.

A light kick to his horses he moves closer to Tyrtaeus. A stern look comes over his face as he speaks the next few words.

"Any legions of good guys nearby that you know of? In my barracks I have only 50 well trained cavalry archers, 50 heavy cavalry, 50 light cavalry, and 150 mounted infantry. That doesn't come close to a Legion by my count! And there a half a days ride the wrong way to even rally them, let alone the logistics of...." he seemed to trail off into thought at that last statement.

It wasn't really his style but Matron came to this party late and really wasn't prepared for this situation. Tyrtaeus seemed to have a pretty good feel for what was going on here. Matron had heard legend of a mountain fortress bordering his land but with no trouble ever coming from the people of that land he never investigated further. If its not broken, no need to go trying to break it! Besides it was only legend...
 
Yeah this is how it always happened to Matron. One minute he is curious about a gathering at the castle leagues away, the next he is about to be part of a two man charge against legions of bad guys. Not to mention long forgotten legendary mountain fortresses and the like. And after a good 8 or so years of rustling around his home and small amount of lands that he had kept for himself he wasn't exactly sure if he still had it in him, he was nearing his 40th name date.

He could have just kept riding, no one would have ever known the difference. These guys would have gone on about their days. The young knight would have done what they do and Matron would have gone to Ayenee Proper and had himself a fine drink in the ruins of SJ's old place. Maybee a game of cards with the group gathering there and ultimately the ghouls of the place. That was the plan anyway...funny the cards being dealt this way!

Of course he wasn't going to be part of any two man charge. His brain full of tactics and strategy had already thought that 50 good archers such as his could actually rain bloody hell down on that troop from high up on the ridges. The heavy cavalry could harry them from behind for minimal effect until they decided to turn and just kill them all through brute strength. So it boils down to, he would need a quick way to get all 300 of his men to become archers and infantry quickly. The way stone in his pocket was the only way to bring his men here quickly.

The last time he had used them was nearly a disaster. He knew now that the magics of Jezabel and the Way Stone were drastically opposite, some type of magic from the wastes of time itself and apparently enemies of each other from far to long ago to estimate. He could and would leave Jezabel behind, more of a hindrance than anything, he would actually be happy to be done with her honestly. But the graying was what worried him now, are the "Ways" effected by it as well. Magic just fizzled sometime's now and then there were the other side of that, things were amplified in some ways, and then other times the effect was just not what was desired.

His mind reached out, the Great Cats were known to be telepathic but he was unsure what the range of that was.

.o0(If you know of the "Ways" can you tell me if they are tainted by the graying? They could be the only way for help to arrive soon!")

The way stone worked very simply. His particular stone was attuned to the matching stone in his "Traveling" ground in the court yard of his castle. He simply need to step on his stone and it would allow him to step out on the other side. When he stepped on the stone in his courtyard he would be returned to wherever the stone he had originally stepped on was at.

(OOC Moved)
 
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The feline wrapped her great tail around the boy child's waist, keeping him in place during the ride. Once they where stopped among the tree's Swish used her nose and head to bump the child high into the tree tops. When they where settled the feline spoke to him in a soft purr, to calm his poor nerves, purring as she curled around him to make him warm as well as to hide him as she faded them both from site.

"Such a fine young monkey you would be little one...So very proud am I to stay with you!"

Swish knew that the Lady had returned to human form and she worried that she might be found, so she sent out a small thought bubble to fade her into hiding. Just as this was done she heard the new comers voice and his questions...She thought for a moment, ran the pro's against the con's and what way would work best before replying.

o O 0 (NOoooo! You'll call the grey right to us! ...And while I and the wolf would survive, the rest of you would be pulled into the Grey, like ants to hunny!!...and might I say, you would not look good in grey!")

Swish began to purr loudly, using her purr to lull the child into sleep so he would not bare witness to what was coming.
 
Tyrtaeus looked to Matron one last time. ". We must not fight here! If you seek to survive this, stay close! Thunder, make haste! Hyah!" The steed then reared, turned and bolted for the mountains. Tyrtaeus rode faster than he ever had. His steed's barding flapped furiously with every powerful stride...


Scouts in the hills called back frantic bird crys. "They advance! Hurry, bretheren!" The pace of the march increased and soon carts and horses were thundering through the pass. The path suddenly widened and lead down into a vast green valley, surrounded on all sides by sheer stone rock face. The moon provided enough light to illuminate the black glassy towers of the citadel in the distance. Khan stared in awe. "Ironhold..." He whispered.

Karma saw the majority slowing down and shouted. "We cannot stop! Children, get to the fortress! Elders and those with child, go with them! Khan! Take the rest of the army and take up positions in the fortress! 1st brigade, give me a shield wall across the pass. Second rank, put those shields in their backs if you have to! Third rank, raise your spears. Stand fast and hold this pass! Victory or death, cousins! Archers, ready! 2nd brigade, stand ready to fill as needed!"

Khan looked to his sister and smiled in admiration. He then turned his horse and led the rest of the people into the citadel. The entire valley seemed to fill with a strange blue light as they crossed the massive black stone bridge. Blue and green hues slowly tinted the skies above the valley in a breathtaking aurora... It was as if the land itself welcomed them...
 
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