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Damsel in Distress [Complete]; [P]Dain
Topic Started: Mon Aug 1, 2011 6:54 pm (1,403 Views)
Rin
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The cathedral was still architecturally impressive despite its dilapidated state. Each of the stone blocks used in the construction of the monolithic structure was easily five feet tall and thick. The girl had no idea how such an ancient civilization had managed to create such a massive structure without the assistance of modern technology. There were several gaping holes in the thick walls, although she could not tell if they were simply due to the structure's immense age or if some long-forgotten army had wrecked the building with catapults. Half of the roof of this room was missing, revealing the clear night sky far above her head. Shattered wooden beams still reached for the sky like skeletal hands, although they were probably been fossilized years before. The interior of the cathedral was a wreck as well; the pews had long ago been smashed to smithereens, leaving piles of splintered wood everywhere. An entire corner of the chamber was covered by a giant mound of rubble, probably the remains of the walls and roof that had collapsed.

Despite the fact that this building had clearly been abandoned for centuries, there were now hints of life within its walls. Torches had been placed in indentations in the walls, the flames spluttering and filling the air with the heady scent of burning oil. A thick carpet had been laid down over the stone floor to hide the splinters and rubble, and a pedestal and several tents had been set up. Men in dark robes traveled between these tents, mumbling to each other softly enough she couldn't pick out the words. From time to time one of them would look at her with a wicked, cruel smile, but none of them advanced on her prone form. That task was reserved for Lord Lucius.

Of course, Rin was really in no shape to eavesdrop. The girl was usually the very epitome of physical perfection with her blonde hair and sculpted features, She was shackled to the podium, her wrists and ankles bloody from the iron cuffs. Her lip was split and the left side of her face was swollen with a nasty bruise, blood leaking out of that ear. Her hair was filthy and matted, blood and grime caking the strands and turning it into a tangled mess. She wore a sundress that was similarly soiled with blood and dirt. Rin was not a normal mortal; she was a construct of the Grand Grimoire, a being specifically designed to hunt down the scattered pages of the sentient and powerful book. he had discovered that a cult operating out of the ruined city had acquired one of the fragments and was using it to fuel their dark rituals, so she had traveled here to investigate.

It had not turned out well.

She heard an approaching pair of footsteps and cracked her eyelids, although opening them felt like prying open rusty grates. She had been discovered trying to sneak into the cathedral almost a week ago. they had used some foul magic to disarm and disorient the girl, although she had still managed to crush one man's windpipe before being overwhelmed. His death had brought her no pleasure, but it had been all the incentive the cultists needed to beat her on a regular basis. Once they had discovered her wounds healed at an accelerated rate they had simply scaled up the severity of the attacks, no longer worried about irreparably damaging their captive. She was apparently going to be used for a ritualistic sacrifice on the next full moon, an occurrence that was thankfully still two weeks away.

A thick hand grabbed her hair harshly and pulled her head up so she could stare into Lucius' cruel features. He had a thick face and a ruddy complexion, with small, deep-set eyes that were so dark they almost appeared black. "You're quiet today, girl. Would hate to think we beat the spirit out of you. He sneered at her and twisted his hand in her hair, eliciting a small gasp of pain from the construct. She spit a glob of saliva and glood at his face, but missed and struck his dark robes instead. Lucius chuckled and backhanded her across the cheek, sending her sprawling on the ground. "That's more like it. Don't worry, you little vixen... I'll be back later. We'll have plenty of time to talk." Rin glared at his back as the cultist walked away with an arrogant swagger, internally seething. She knew that Lucius possessed the Grimoire's pages, but at the moment he was powerless to reclaim it. She would have to escape soon before the beatings stole away all of her strength.
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Lyria
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Dain crouched outside the abadoned cathedral, looking up at the structure with a mixture of awe and trepidation. The monolithic building seemed to reach for the sky, great spires jutting high above the rooftop. It was a testament to the amazing knowledge of the people of old - and a sign of their folly. Mystery surrounded the ancients, but the fact that they no longer lived was surely proof that they had meddled with things that were best left untouched by mortals. He felt no pity for them, and could only wish that this, their legacy, had been wiped out with them. The ruins of this city made him uncomfortable. Dark magic seemed to whisper in every corner, nagging at his brain, making it impossible to focus on the matter at hand. But he had to force the distractions away. Paranoi at a time like this was lethal.

He had only learned of the cult's existence thanks to the information network of the organization known as the Silver Hounds, which he had recently joined to obtain access to said network. He had been certain that a group of people dedicated to halting crime and corruption throughout Chaon would be beneficial to his cause, and so far, he had not been disappointed. Of course, he was doing this on his own time; the Hounds knew nothing of it. Stalking them had been difficult, but he wasn't alone, and his ally had been very useful in discovering where the sinners had taken refuge.

Terri. What do you see?

High above, a small golden dragon, no larger than a kitten, soared about lazily, looking down through the hole in the roof on the scene below. The fly dragon was his constant and only companion, but he trusted her with his life, more so than he would a hardened warrior. More importantly, she was his friend.

He heard her voice in his mind, as clearly as if she was speaking right next to his ear. He would never understand the creature; all the dignity that one expected in a dragon was lost on her, and instead she spoke with all the exuberance of an eight year old girl. There were a few instances in which she displayed proper maturity, however. Ummm...there's lots of scary-looking people in those weird baggy clothes you can't walk in. What're they called?

...Robes?

Yeah! Anyway, there all walking around, and there's a lot of those portable houses, too. Tents, she meant. They had been here for a while, and were planning on staying here even longer, but that was nothing he didn't already know. There's a girl, too! Hey...she looks hurt!

The last piece of information was unexpected, and he sighed. A hostage would make things much more complicated. Saving her wasn't a necessity. Sometimes, sacrifices had to be made for the greater good. But knowing that a girl had died because of his impatience would leave a bad taste in his mouth. Foolish sentimentality, Aanon would call it, but he was a human, and unlike the celestial, he suffered from a human conscience. He would have to wait just a little longer before he purged this blight from the face of the earth. He directed his thoughts at Terri. Very well. Return to me, now.

The fly dragon's reaction was sudden, and shocking. And leave her there all alone? No! He was silent for a few brief moments as he comprehended her words. Terri had never disobeyed a direct order from him. Never.

Terri... if it was possible to growl mentally, he did.

I'll save her myself!

From his hiding place behind a pile of rubble, the paladin rose, shouting in his mind, but she ignored everything, and he caught a brief glimpse of her in the sky before she dove down inside the shattered cathedral. Arguing with her would be pointless now, but it meant that he was out of time. He had to move in immediately. The familiar weight of his armor pressed down on his body as he scrambled along the crumbled debris, towards a small gap in the wall. He had decided to use it as his entry point half an hour ago, but he had hoped that he could strike when most of the cultists were asleep. Charging in like this would be akin to fighting a regiment of soldiers in nothing but one's underwear. As he clambered through the opening, he saw Terri, her golden body clearly visible as she hovered next to someone across the room. Through the haze of dust, he couldn't make out anything about the figure, but he assumed that it was the prisoner. He heard the tiny creature's voice break into his head again, though this time it was directed at the girl. Terri had never realized, no matter how often he told her, that he was the only one that could hear her words.

Hello, I'm Terri! What's your name? Oooh, those metal things look painful. Sit tight, I'm gonna blast that chain to smithereens!" The paladin sensed a burst of magic as the dragon cast her one and only offensive spell, aiming it at the chain binding the girl to the podium beside her. The shattering sound that followed, of course, directed every eye towards them, and what followed was a very deadly silence.

...Uh-oh.

Understatement. Terri, fly! He saw with relief that she had finally decided to start obeying him again, her tiny wings hurtling her skyward as he approached the nearest dark-robed man. The evil that he sensed here was revolting, but he knew that, at least, his holy spells would be used to their fullest potential. Dain clapped a hand on the man's back, and before his target could fully turn around, he intoned an incantation, loudly enough to be heard by the rest of the cultists. Stealth was pointless; his footfalls were heavy in his armor, and Terri had already ruined any advantage surprise might have gained him.

"Feel your sins!"

The man fell to the ground, screaming at the pain that began to build up in his body. Dain smiled grimly down at him before stepping over the prone form and beginning his march into the heart of the cathedral. It was messy work, but he had to admit, watching sinners write in pain was just so enjoyable.
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Rin
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Rin stared up at the night sky, yearning for freedom, which is why she almost immediately spotted the glimmering speck of gold that zoomed into the cathedral. The girl's eyes widened as it zipped around the shadowed rafters for a few moments before rocketing down towards the girl. When it got closer she could identify the creature: it was a tiny, dragon-like animal with golden scales and tiny limbs, the majority of its body consisting of two slightly transparent wings. It stared at her with eyes that shone with intelligence before zipping to the shackle on her right arm. The girl felt a surge of power from the small creature, and she had only realized that she was sensing the use of magic right when the chain on her left arm exploded with a deafening clatter. The entire cathedral seemed to freeze, the cultists staring at their captive in surprise as the sundered links scattered across the floor, bouncing and clanking.

The moment passed as the miniature dragon shot back up towards the hole in the ceiling, its retreat accompanied by a roar from the gathered cultists. Lucius pointed one quivering finger at the girl, roaring at his subordinates to make sure she did not escape. Other cultists threw open chests and withdrew shortbows, obviously intending to shoot down her golden savior. Rin forced herself to focus on her own predicament before worrying about the fly dragon, rotating her freed wrist and focusing on the power of the Grimoire. These cultists had surprised her before; now they would get to see her full power. "Laevateinn!"

There was a flash an the odd sound of air being displaced. Rin suddenly held a sword so massive it almost looked unusable. The hilt was two feet long, while the metal itself was almost six feet in length. The edges of the blade had been inscribed with a flame motif while crude and ancient runes had been etched deep into the flat of the blade. She grunted as she swung the greatsword with one arm, dropping the weapon towards the chains on her feet. Moments before it streuck the fetters she mumbled a single word, her eyes alight with a wekk of repressed anger and vengeance. 'Ragnarok!" The runes on the blade glowed crimson for an instant before the entire length of the sword erupted into fierce flames. The chains on her legs snapped from the harsh blow, allowing Rin to stumble to her feet and wave the flaming weapon at the approaching enemies.

The cultists who had rushed to secure her skid to a halt at the sight of the conjured weapons, their faces ranging from dismay to fear to shock. One man's terror of Lucius was obviously greater than his fear of this waif, and he charged at the girl as soon as she gained her feet. Rin shifted her position so she could grip the hilt of the weapon with both hands as he approached, lunging as soon as he entered her range. The honed tip of the greatsword slid through his robes and flesh as if it wasn't there at all. With a twist and a flick of her wrist the girl effortlessly disemboweled the man, his blood evaporating as soon as it came into contact with the searing blade. Rin's eyes were merciless as she stared at the other cultists, ignoring the pained groans from the man she had just eviscerated.

"I'll show you how much spirit I have..." She used Laevateinn to sever the last remaining chain, beginning to walk towards the cultists. Despite her thin frame she held the massive weapon easily, its tip hovering a few inches off of the ground as she advanced.
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Lyria
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His first victim's screams attracted the notice of those nearest him, and Dain's smile slipped away as he focused on the battle at hand. It seemed that most of these men did not, or were perhaps prohibited, from carrying weapons on their person, though arms were easily acquired from where they were stacked about the cathedral or placed along the walls, and soon he found himself surrounded by blades. His own breathing was loud in his ears within his helmet, and the narrow slits prevented him from seeing the robed men as they began to circle behind him, but it didn't matter. His eyes locked on the one that dared to stand directly before him, and dropped his hand to his hip, where he gripped the polished hilt of his sword. A brief prayer, barely audible, left his lips.

"Holy Light, shine upon me."

Eagle emerged from the sheath, blazing in a display of glorious light. It was as if the sun itself had come to dwell in the weapon, coated in pure energy. With it in hand he hefted his shield on his other arm and rushed forward. The cultist before him was no match for the heavy weight of the tower shield, though that wasn't the true threat, and his foe screamed as the spikes adorning the steel pierced into his flesh. His sword swung out and around, slicing easily into the man's back, and Dain twisted and jerked the sword downward, before removing it, essentially flaying him. Two hard impacts smashed against him, but the steel that coated his body was more than enough to protect him from such trivial blows, and he turned, holding his shield high as he swept Eagle low, which created a gash in the leg of one of his attackers, crippling him. The other jabbed at him with a shortsword, but the point of the blade scraped uselessly along his breastplate. Dain briefly considered allowing him to leave to wallow in the foolishness of his attack. But only briefly, and Eagle's single sharp talon claimed another life.

He uttered a command and the tower shield lifted into the air, removing the strain it created on his arm. His eyes focused on the girl, and he began to move towards her, knowing that she would need his protection amidst the madness of his raid. If she died, it would be his fault, after all, and praying would not clear his mind of the guilt. As he closed the distance, however, it seemed that perhaps his assumptions were incorrect.

The prisoner was young, and though injuries marred her appearance, the beauty that lay beneath was evident. Her eyes were a pure blue, though currently rage burned within them, and her hair was long and blond. The simple white dress she wore was soiled by blood and filthy, and disgust rose within him for the barbarians that would treat a human being in such a way. Most distinguishing was the fact that this young woman carried a massive sword that burned with what seemed like the flames of heaven itself. How she had obtained the weapon, or even carried it, was beyond his comprehension. The body at her feet suggested that she had slain the man, which he could only contribute to luck. He himself would have difficulty wielding such a blade. A slip of a girl like her could never possibly fight with the monstrous sword, but it certainly looked intimidating, and if it kept foes away from her, it would make his role much easier.

"We don't have time to talk now," Dain said, as he outstretched a hand towards the throng before them. It appeared like he was beckoning them forward. "This blight must be purged. Keep back, and try not to hurt yourself." He then concentrated on his hand, willing the magical energy surroudning it to bend reality, and obey his command.

"Fire! Emerge!" The fireball that appeared in his hand was promptly hurled at the nearest robed figure, resulting in the familiar stench of burned flesh. He would never forget that smell; it seemed to follow him everywhere now, and memories of charred corpses were forever engraved in his mind.
Edited by Lyria, Thu Aug 4, 2011 7:39 am.
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Rin
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The construct whipped the sword in front of her, keeping the cultists at bay. The two that were facing her currently had both pulled out odd, asymmetrical daggers with a curvy blade. Some of the others had run for other, heavier weapons in order to confront this girl and her obscenely huge sword. Before she could step forward and confront the two fools who were attempting to hold her back an armored figure approached, his garb and demeanor so different from that of her captors that she intrinsically knew he was probably her rescuer. His entire body was covered in shining steel plate, completely hiding the features of the man (or woman) beneath it. When he spoke the girl was able to identify him as both masculine and very arrogant. She had thought that such chivalrous sentiments would be stopped by the colossal weapon she wielded, but maybe this knight needed a demonstration before he would believe she could take care of herself. She simply smirked when he warned her to not involve herself in the conflict, laughing shortly. "Let me be clear: these... these... vermin have kept me here for a week. All you need to do is stay out of my way."

Rin held the blade over her head, spinning the hilt so that the greatsword whirred over her body like a rotor. The cultists glanced at her worriedly, unaccustomed to such an odd stance. When the first one stepped forward to engage the girl she leapt forward to meet him, the centrifugal force lending even more power to her strike. Her opponent had no chance; when he raised the curved blade to parry her attack she simply swept it away, the honed edge of the sword slamming into the man's chest. He barely had time to gurgle before the flames on the sword roared, catching on his clothes and turning his robes into an inferno. The cultist twitched and screamed as he fell to the ground, his torso torn open and his body writhed in flame. Rin did not falter at his terrible demise, simply turning to the next opponent as she ripped Laevateinn from the corpse's rib cage.

The second man with a dagger glanced at her nervously. This time she ran towards him with the tip of the greatsword scraping along the rug, the flames charring the thick fabric. When she got within striking rage she stopped suddenly, releasing the hilt with one hand and tightly gripping the pommel with the other. From this position she placed her bare foot on the blade's crossguard, jumping into the air and kicking the massive sword forwards. The cultist barely had to time to reach as the blade slammed into his stomach, sinking a full two feet through his stomach and protruding from his back in a spray of viscera. Rin landed on her back, Laevateinn still protruding from the cultist's chest as he fell to the ground. Rin sprung to her feet with a grin that seemed almost feral... and quite unnatural on her young features.

The construct darted forward, her eyes merciless as she tore the massive blade from the slain man. Several other cultists were approaching her now, all with more adequate weapons. One held a wicked and serrated cutlass, while two others had lances with heavy, curved blades that resemb led naginatas. She did not choose to advance on the trio, simply grinning broadly and stabbing the tip of the sword into the ground inf ront of her, gripping thegrossguard with both hands to affix it on the cathedral's floor. "Step back, mysterious man... You don't want to get caught up in this." She directed theses words over her shoulder to the paladin who was rescuing her, eyes flashing with excitement and just a hint of rage. World of men, crumble and break, for Surtr's footsteps make the very earth quake!"

For a moment the ground underneath their feet did seem to shudder. The cultists paused, looking at each other with confusion and doubt. That moment of hesitation cost them their lives; the runes along the length of the blade glowing so intensely they were almost blinding. The fire from the blade surged away from the blade, coursing from the greatsword across the inside of the church. The fierce conflagration spread forward from the girl, a whirling storm of flames that made the very air seem to burn. Rin giggled as the blaze surged towards the cultists, consuming them in a flash. Their blackened and charred bodies fell to the ground, smoldering and smoking. Several other cultists were caught in the inferno, their cries barely audible over the rushing flames. The girl lifted the sword from the ground, reversing the blade so that she held the hilt once more. She looked towards the paladin, and her eyes were just as ferocious and uncontrollable as the fire consuming the men who had taken her captive. "i will help you purge these men."


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Feel free to make as many or as few cultists survive the blast as you want. Lucius will live, obviously, and at least one or two more, but if you want to claim the rest all died I don't care. We can continue fighting NPCs as long as you want.
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Lyria
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Oh, human pride and foolishness. Sometimes, he wondered why he even fought so hard to protect them. They were rarely grateful, and they only ever made things more difficult for him. As insane as it sounded, he had actually begun to prefer the company of his foes over that of mortals. His fist clenched at her tone; it sounded almost as if the girl was laughing at him. Who was it that would still be chained here, completely at the mercy of these men? Well, he had known when he had begun this quest that fighting evil was a thankless job.

He made an irritated sound in his throat when she moved to engage the men, but watched with confusion as she wielded the massive sword almost as if it was a twig. At first he thought that she must be enhancing her strength through magic, but he couldn't sense an arcane presence on her. Of course, this entire building reeked with magic, and detecting it around one single person would be impossible. He began to move towards her, his shield following him in the air. If she wanted to be stubborn, he would just have to be more so. She served as good bait, anyway. The cultists seemed hell-bent on killing or recapturing her, and he hoped their persistence would keep them from fleeing. Tracking each and every one of them down in the wilds would be impossible.

As he stepped closer, he spoke again, his voice irritated. "I insist you...what are you...?" He stared as she drove the point of her massive greatsword in the ground, a suicidal move with the three cultists walking towards them. He prepared to step in front of her.

THe runes on the sword flashed, and he just had time to stagger back as flames surged forth from it, consuming the men in an inferno. In his mind, he could hear Terri squealing
He felt heat on his skin as it blasted forth to catch others as well, and they screamed as they ran, but the robes they wore were flammable, and soon they too fell to the ground. Those that survived the raging flames, a handful, stared at them, shock on their faces. His own expression mirrored their's as he stared at the weapon that had caused the carnage. What...IS that? Magical weapons weren't uncommon; in his own Order, upon achieving paladin rank, one's sword was enchanted. Having never finished training, Dain did not posess his own, but Eagle was one such sword, taken from the body of a comrade. But nothing could compare to this.

"There are still some alive." he said, somewhat lamely, but without another word he walked past the charred corpses, trying not to breath in the stench. The shock that the men felt at seeing so many of their fellows fall allowed Dain to close in on the nearest one before he even realized he was there. More fire seemed unnecessary and so he refrained from more spells. Leading with his shoulder, he rushed at the man, taking one hard blow to the head that almost knocked him sideway before he rammed into the robed man, sending him sprawling on his back. Dain flipped his sword around and stabbed down into his gut before withdrawing it. He ignored the blood that sprayed onto his armor and turned to face his next opponent - only to them all the way across the cathedral. He didn't know whether to be pleased or irritated at how easy this way. That girl had some explaining to do once this was over.
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Rin
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The maelstrom of flames eventually guttered out, leaving the interior of the cathedral much shabbier than it had looked before. Most of the physical possessions of the cultists had been caught in the conflagration, reducing them to char and ash. Scattered among the rubble were black and twisted corpses, still holding weapons that had melted into unrecognizable globs of metal. Rin smiled and lifted the greatsword, easily reversing the blade so that she held it by the hilt once more. The runes carved into the steel faded, the flames that had wreathed the weapon disappearing as well as she skipped towards the remaining cultists. Many of them were staring at her with a fear that defined desciprtion, but not Lord Lucius. His portly face was purple with rage, and when he spoke it was an incensed shout. "Kill her! And the knight too! Kill them both!"

Rin shook her head in an almost mocking manner at his anger-fueled words, her eyes locked on the leader of the group. This fact did not escape Lucius' notice as he held both hands out, beginning to chant under his breath. Two of the other men joined him, adding their deep voices to his incantation as he quickly recited them. Three other cultists charged at them, although their priorities were clearly not quite in the right place. Two of them went for Dain, leaving only one to attack the girl. The construct waited until he was within range before slashing forward with the greatsword, but this cultist was clearly more proficient in arms than those who had come before. He wielded a heavy poleaxe, and was easily able to interpose the polished shaft between himself and the strike. The girl shifted her grip as he ruched at her,s tabbing forward the the spearhead on the halberd. Rin quickly jerked the hilt of the sword to intercept the attack, the gap between the spear and ax on the combination weapon catching on the crossguard with a resounding clash.

The cultist twisted his weapon in an attempt to disarm the girl, but she doggedly held onto the hilt. She used the force of his action to jump into the air and twirl above the poleaxe, although the curved edge still caught her upper arm. ignoring the fresh line of red blood, the girl landed in a crouch and pushed forward with the massive greatsword. Its length was comparable the the halberd, allowing her to still be a threat to the ax-wielder. She dislodged her weapon swiftly, darting forward and stabbing straight at the cultist's unprotected torso. He seemed to be aware that her maneuver would be almost impossible to block, dropping the halberd on Rin's form instead of attempting to block her attack. The greatsword pierced his gut at the same time the hook of the poleaze slammed into her left shoulder, sending the girl sprawling to the floor. The damage was done, however; Laevateinn had opened up the man's innards, leaving him struggling to hold his own entrails in as he collapsed.

Rin looked up with a grimace and froze, seeing dark lines of power course over Lucius' splayed hands... which were pointing at Dain. His face was cruel as he cried out the name of a spell, black power crackling from his fingers. "Enervation!" The spear of negative energy rocketed from his hands, aiming straight towards the paladin. The girl cursed so vilely that she would have made a sailor blush and dropped Laevateinn's hilt, thrusting her open hand towards the deadly spell and closing her eyes. The girl could sense the spell, the ripple in reality as it spread across the chamber towards her rescuer. She focused on its signature, and as soon as she thought she had it locked down she clenched her fingers into a fist. She focused her entire being on mending the change to reality caused by the magic. When she opened her eyes Lucius was roaring with rage and the Enervation spell was fading out of existence, the unholy power disappearing in front of her eyes. Rin looked at the paladin and smiled brightly, apparently unconcerned with the rivulets of fresh blood on her arm and back. "I think it is time we take care of the leaders. Mr. Mystery Man."
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Lyria
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"Kill her! And the knight too! Kill them both!"

He makes it sound like that will be easy, he said to Terri, almost chuckling. As the oncoming men split, one after the girl and the other two towards him, he spun Eagle in quick arc by his side before stepping to engage him. The first, an axeman with thick arms, looked so different from the wiry, puny frames of the others that he thought that he must be a guard of some sort. Though his shield moved to intercept the swing, the man changed the direction of his attack at the last minute and the honed blade struck Dain's breastplate, hard. He grunted and stepped back, but the axe bounced back, and the guard stared at the spot where he had struck, where only a small indentation marred the armor. The poor fool; of course, he wouldn't know that the armor was loaded with magical enchantments. It would take amazing strength to put so much as a small dent in the steel.

What he didn't expect, however, was for the man to drop his axe, and with a bellowing roar, throw himself at the knight, wrapping both thick arms around his neck and flinging him, with suprising force, to the ground. If he hadn't been caught off guard he never would have fell, but as it was he struck the ground, and if it wasn't for the soft padding on the inside of his helm he probably would have knocked himself out by the back of his head hitting the metal. He raised his hand, shouting, and the floating shield fell. The paladin grabbed it and placed it over himself just as the thug stomped down at him with a his foot. Instead of kicking his armor - which would have done no good anyway - the man's boot landed right on one the spikes inlaid in the shield, and the sharp blade pierced through his soft boot. The man howled and began hopping around on his other foot, his cries of pain turning into malevolent curses. It was a small matter for him to reach over, grab the back of the man's leg, and pull to send him toppling to the ground. Throwing the shield off of himself, he began to rise, in the process swinging his sword low and splitting the man's face. A gruesome way to die, but the sinner deserved even worse.

He just had time to see the other man rearing back his arm before he dropped back to the ground, this time on his knees, and lifted his shield up in front of himself so that he was completely concealed behind the protective steel. It reverberated once as the hurled javelin struck it, but he had seen the bundle in the man's other arm before he crouched, and he knew that it wasn't the only one he had to worry about. Switching the arm holding the shield, he held his left hand out from his body and muttered before a long flaming whip appeared, snaking along the ground beside him. He whipped back the hand holding the flame lash and then forward, sending the entire length of it towards the man standing in front of him. There was a scream as it struck and burned the arm holding the javelins, and as he heard them clatter to the ground. He let the whip fade away as he returned to his feet, quickly shouting out "Rise!" before charging towards the man. The shield, lifting into the air once again, followed him, and after several heavy, pounding footsteps he pushed the glowing sword forward and into the cultist's gut.

He let the body hit the floor, only for his eyes to widen as he heard the cult leader's voice ring out, and a spear of magical energy shot towards him. He focused on the spell and began uttering, but he knew that he wouldn't have time to halt the spell before it struck him. As it closed the distance and he braced for whatever undoubtedly foul effect the spell would have on him, however, it suddenly ceased to exist. He stared at where it had been, then looked to the girl beside him. Covered in blood and yet still smiling, he was beginning to realize that the girl was hardly normal. Her injuries still irritated him. No matter what the girl herself was like, she shouldn't have been treated like that.

"Dain Falron." he said, shaking his head slightly. "Not...mystery man."

He made his way towards the leader and his two fellows, projecting his thoughts out to Terri, who still flew high above him. The fly dragon was even more excitable than ever after being shot at, but he could feel her actively trying to control herself as she listened to him. From behind. Alright? He didn't need to say anything more; she would understand the command.

Okay! Leave it to me!

His eyes were locked on the men as he approached, and the man that seemed to be in charge of this pit of corruption pointed at him, his face livid. The paladin stopped dead, his fists clenching as a sudden, unreasonable fear came into him. There was nothing for him to be afraid of, but as he stared at the man, he suddenly seemed more terrible, more powerful. The paladin shook his head slightly, trying to free himself of the sensation, but to no avail, and he found himself beginning to stagger back, the grip on his sword loosening. The leader was scowling contemptously, he saw, but he just couldn't bring himself to step towards the source of his terror.

Aaaaiieeee! A dragon that could utter a warcry was an impressive creature indeed, but when it was shouted in the voice of a little girl, the purpose was somewhat lost. He saw what looked like a golden blur as Terri dove down from the sky, and her body flashed briefly before a jet of magical energy shot from her towards one of the cultists, striking him in the back and knocking him to the ground. The leader was so surprised by the attack that he released his spell, and as Dain looked towards his companion, he grimaced. I meant the one in the middle!

But...the other one was uglier!

He growled under his breath but rushed towards the other cultist, the one that hadn't been struck, and swung his towards him. The man ducked and was able to avoid losing his life but not a boot to the face, and Eagle soared down in an arc before burying itself in the man's torso. He turned to the cult leader and snarled.

"Now it's time for you to repent for your sins."


OOC: ((Lucius used a cause fear spell, obviously, but Terri saved the day.))
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Rin
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Rin giggled at the obvious exasperated tone of her rescuer. "Dain then! And my name is Rinrae, but you should call me Rin." She followed the paladin towards the trio of remaining cultists, still smiling broadly. Today had been a good day; not only had she finally been able to show these foul creatures who was superior, but she would soon be reclaiming a page. Lucius did not seem to have the mental capacity nor the obsessive drive to fully control the Grimoire's power; his Enervation spell did not seem like it had been much stronger than a normal mage's. Perhaps this would be easier than she had thought...

Her advance was suddenly halted when the man flicked another finger at them, his deep-set eyes burning with rage. Rin felt the clammy fingers of fear clamp down on her heart, making her falter and almost stumble. Waves of terror seemed to wash through her frame, making her skin bead in a nervous sweat. Suddenly Lucius did not look comical and pompous, but rather an intimidating foe, his angered expression making her freeze entirely. She could tell that fighting him was futile, that everything about the man was dangerous, that he would wipe her from the face of Imythess like she had never even existed.

Rinrae! Focus! He's using magic against you!

The girl could recognize the validity of the Grimoire's warning, but she still found it almost impossible to overcome the fear bubbling in her stomach. She stumbled forward, listlessly lifting Laevateinn, but before she could bring it down she was overcome with another shudder of pure terror. This was quickly fixed when the golden dragon from earlier flashed down from the rafters, blasting one of the remaining cultists with a jet of magical power. Lucius recoiled from the explosion as his lieutenant was sent tumbling across the room, a blackened crater from the blow in the middle of his back. Rin sighed in relief as the fear effect faded, the cultist's spellcasting obviously failing from the shock of seeing his comrade brutally attacked. Dain quickly eliminated the other remaining man, kicking him to the ground before executing him. Lucius was deep in another incantation when Rin stepped forward, bringing the greatsword down in a vicious arc that ended in the man's stomach. He tried to gasp out the conclusion of the mantra, but the girl visiously twisted the pain so he squealed in pain instead.

"No one can take what is mine from me." She stared at the squirming man dispassionately, all of the amusement fading from her expression. It was replaced with an emotionless mask, her eyes as cold as ice and as unforgiving as steel. She appeared to not hear the man's plaintive cries for mercy as she tightened her grip on the sword. "Ragnarok." Flames erupted along the length of the weapon, tearing into Lucius' body and consuming him entirely in an instant. His scream was cut off as the inferno consumed his throat, searing the air from his lungs. The girl watched the whirling flames for a minute before cancelling the enchantment, leaving a pile of ash where the man's body had been...

And within the smoking pile was a page of the Grand Grimoire.

Rin smiled and set Laevateinn down on the ground, kneeling and reaching out for the glowing parchment. The page was over a foot long in both dimensions, with spidery font that seemed to write itself across the page. She rose slowly, holding the page in front of her with both hands. Despite the intense flames the parchment had not been damaged at all, and she flecked a few pieces of soot off of its surface without leaving a single mark. She turned to Dain and smiled happily, showing him the page. It seemed to shimmer in her hands, the air around it distorting from the sheer power contained within the artifact. "Look, Dain! I found it!"
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Lyria
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Dain stepped back, shielding his face as flames consumed the cult leader. He was astounded by Rin's viciousness, astounded and somewhat disturbed. He hardly mourned the death of a traitor, but what could have possibly turned the girl into such a cold-hearted killer? He watched dispassionately while the man turned into nothing more than a pile of ash, though his interest was caught when he saw what lay amongst the remains. He frowned at the shimmering parchment and reached to pick it up, but Rin grabbed it before he did, and he stared at it, frowning. It had survived the intense flames without a single mark, and when he reached out with his mind, he sensed power. Magical energy beyond anything he had ever felt before, to the point where he couldn't even gauge it's strength, assaulted his senses. While there was nothing to tell him that the source was this strange page, there was nothing else in the room that could be causing it. His eyes traveled between it, the girl, and her sword as he put two and two together.

He removed his helmet and revealed his features to her; perhaps if she saw him instead of an unfeeling metal face, she would listen to him. Though his hair was tied back, a few strands had managed to fall in front of his face, and he shook it away. "Rinrae...," he began, his eyes locked on the magical page. "give that to me." He was concious of the sword in his hand, though he desperately hoped he wouldn't need it. But who knew what the thing was capable of? "That thing contains incredible power. It's dangerous to handle." His mind whirled, trying to think. It was very probably a tool in some dark ritual, if it was being hoarded by a cult. Such power could not be allowed to exist, but he didn't have the expertise to handle this. The best thing to do would be to take it to the academy of magic, where it could be studied by the scholars there. Of course, that was just as dangerous; he knew that some of the mages that studied there were enveloped in the dark arts. He'd have to visit the place and purge those men eventually, but that was getting ahead of himself.

He desperately hoped that the girl had just picked the thing up out of curiousity, and that she wasn't already being corrupted by its power. As he waited, body tense, Terri lazily drifted down and perched on top of one of the broken benches, her head cocked to the side. He could sense her confusion, but he didn't have time to explain things to her now.
Edited by Lyria, Sat Aug 6, 2011 10:46 pm.
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Rin
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Rin quickly withdrew the page, clutching it to her chest and staring at Dain with a look of astonishment. Perhaps he was no rescuer after all but merely another who coveted the power of the pages. She took several hurried steps back from him trying to sense if there was any other trace of the Grimoire's power on the man. Perhaps he had more pages hidden on his person, and rescuing her had not actually been his goal... Yet when she scanned him she could detect none of the book's immense power in his armored frame, although his shield, armor, and blade all possessed some innate magic. There was nothing on his body that suggested he had come into contact with one of the Grimoire's fragments before, but his voice had been harsh and cold. He truly intended to take the page from her. She shook her head vehemently, eyes narrowing at the paladin. "No. This is mine." She tightened her hold on the page, the parchment appearing to crumple under her fingers. She knew that the paper was virtually indestructible, and no matter how much she folded and wrinkled its surface it would always return to a pristine condition when she released it. She suddenly rolled the glowing paper into a tube and slid it into the hidden pouch on her ribbons. Although they simply looked like decoration, the fabric on her forearms was as strong as leather, and she could warp reality to change them to heavy steel plate.

"You are mistaken. It was dangerous for Lucius to have it. It was made for me." Her eyes narrowed, the warmth draining from them slowly and leaving them looking like two chips of ice. She stepped back slowly and confidently, much more relaxed now that the page was hidden. "I am the guardian of their power. No one can take them from me. Anyone who tries deserves the same fate as that one..." She nodded towards Lucius, the pile of smoldering ash still smoking from the intense flames of Laevateinn... But the greatsword was not in her hands anymore. It was lying down on the ground directly next to the paladin, too close to him for her to safely retrieve it. Mentally chastising herself for the failure Rin reached for the power invested in her as the guardian and construct of the Grand Grimoire.

Do not kill him, Rinrae. He simply believes the page is dangerous. Show him you are capable of being both ruthless and merciful and perhaps we will stop insisting on removing the page from your person...

The girl nodded at the tome's mental intrusion, her eyes never leaving Dain's frame. With Laevateinn already summoned and her satchel stashed in one of the cultist's tents, the giel only had two options available to her. "I am sorry, dain Falron... but I will not allow you to steal this away after I have finally recovered it." She held one hand in front of her, completely oblivious to the injuries still dripping blood down her thin frame. The girl had long ago learned to ignore pain when in the service of the Grimoire. She curled her fingers as if she held a weapon in that hand, focusing on the power of her creator and its ability to bend reality to match its pages. "Excalibur."

There was a flash of light and the sucking sound of displaced air, and suddenly Rin held a weapon once more. The pommel and crossguard where wrought of ironed gold with inlaid rubies, while the grip itself was flawless white ivory. The crossguard had been carved in the shape of dual chimeras, their open maws pointing in the blades direction. Golden fire streamed from their mouths, quickly forming the shape of a shortsword made out of pure golden energy. She twirled the holy weapon with the nimbleness of a master swordsman before lowering into a defensive stance, Excalibur held in one hand so it was positioned diagonally across her torso. She did not speak, simply staring at the paladin with a challenging expression. The message was clear; if he wanted the page, he would have to take it.
Edited by Rin, Sun Aug 7, 2011 6:57 pm.
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Lyria
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Dain's expression was hard as he listened to Rin's words, and he slowly lay his helmet on the ground beside him before responding to them. "Don't be ridiculous, girl. How can you possibly think you're strong enough to harbor that kind of power?" He pointed at her arm, where she had stored the shimmering page. "Look around us. Objects like that are why ruins exist. Men and women meddle with what is best left untouched. Whether you covet it or not, carrying it like this will only be a beacon to those that do." His blue eyes were intense, and his voice carried with it conviction. He knew he was right, and this girl would yield. He could not allow such a dangerous thing to roam free.

He should have known it would not be so easy, but he still sighed when he saw in her expression that she had no intention of giving the page over to him. He would rather not have to take it by force, but it seemed he had no choice, and the paladin stepped towards her, not bothering to lift his sword. Her massive blade was at his feet, and she posessed no other weapon that he could see. He halted as she held out her hand, his eyes travelling to her fingers. What was she doing? It seemed the kind of gesture one might use for magic, but she had displayed no knowledge of the arcane arts so far; the only true spellcasting she had performed was attributed to her sword.

His face turned to shock as a sword appeared in the girl's hand, materializing out of the air. The weapon glowed, similar to his own, but it wasn't the weapon's obviously magical nature that stunned him. His eyes roved over the twin chimera's heads, the rubies, and every other detail of the sword. He knew this weapon. It was a legend among paladins, a myth that had no grounding in fact, but that every holy knight knew of. All the proof he needed, along with its appearance, was the name Rin had uttered. She had summoned the holy sword, Excalibur.

Blaspheme, to create a weapon of the light. He kept his eyes focused on hers. Her determination was admirable, but foolish. He didn't want to fight her, but seeing her craft the sword told him all he needed to know. "You're already blinded by its power, aren't you?" He raised his hand and let the floating shield fall before sliding his arm into the wooden braces. "Very well. Since you're so certain of your power..."

He hefted the steel shield so that it covered his upper body, and his boots carried him heavily towards the girl's slight frame. "Prove it to me!"
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Rin's smile at the knight could only be described as patronizing. "I am the blinded one? No, Dain... I am the only one who can truly see." The construct was not entirely sure if the rescuer-turned-opponent had heard the girl; he was already charging at her, holding his spiked shield in front of his body and holding his own glowing sword behind the shield. She could tell from the blade's appearance that it had the same inherent properties as Excalibur, and its extra length and weight gave him a slight advantage... at least it would, if this was a typical sword fight. Their energy weapons would be completely useless against each other; they could not use them to block or parry each other's strikes. If he continued his headstrong charge the most likely outcome would be both of them impaling the other on the blades. Clearly, unconventional tactics would be required...

The girl crouched low to the ground, holding Excalibur's hilt so near to the ground that its pommel actually touched the ancient brickwork. She did not move until Dain was within five steps of her, legs uncoiling like a spring and sending her darting towards the paladin's left side. She used her right hand as a plant, vaulting into the air in a strong handspring. As she left the ground the girl twirled, lashing out towards the knight's sword arm with the legendary weapon. Excalibur hummed as it sliced through the air, as bright as thirty torches. No mortal armor or shield could resist its power; if Dain did not jerk himself out of harm's way the tip of the sword would pierce his layers of protection to dig a furrow in his flesh.

Rin landed from the handstand with ease, immediately jumping back to put several feet between her and the paladin. She chose not to attack his back, waiting for the knight to charge at her once again. She still held Excalibur in her left hand, the tip of the shortsword tracing along the stone floor of the cathedral without leaving a single mark. "I will prove there is no one more suited for this task."
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Lyria
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His shield kept him from seeing his target, and therefore he was unaware of Rin's peculiar stance as he charged towards the white-clad girl, otherwise he might have had time to correct his attack. Instead, he reacted with surprise as he came near, the girl leaping out of the way in an astonishing display of speed and acrobatics. Instinct made him jerk the shield towards the incoming sword, though it was far to heavy to intercept the weapon, and it would be useless besides. Rin slashed skillfully as she passed by him, and the energy blade cut through the magically enhanced steel of his armor like it was nonexistent. He hissed in pain as the sword burned through the upper part of his arm, cleaving a clean but painful wound through his flesh. He turned slowly, teeth gritted.

She is very skilled. How interesting...

Dain shot back a response to the intrusive voice. You decide to show up now? The celestial had remained silent throughout this entire ordeal; he hadn't spoken once the entire day. Admittedly, with both an angel and a dragon clamoring in his head, the few moments of peace he had were to be cherished, but Aanon's advice would have been welcome.

I would not miss a chance to see this. Such power lingers here...

He could feel magic running a circuit around his injury, could actually feel the skin stitching itself back together, though he was certain an angry scar would remain, and stinging pain still plagued him. He briefly glanced to the side to see Terri's eyes on him. The creature had healed him somewhat with her limited abilities, but he could tell from the stubborn rock that was her thoughts that she wouldn't directly assist him in the fight. It would have been nice to use her as a distraction, but he was on his own.

As he turned to face her, he sheathed his sword and lifted his shield while he place his free hand behind it, speaking clearly. "Fire, come to me." A fireball blazed to life in his hand, and he hurled it over the top of his shield before following the streaming flame, using his shoulder to give the shield an extra push as he rammed it towards the misguided girl. If force was required to make her see the errors of her chosen path, so be it. He would gladly deliver.

((OOC: Sorry for the short post. Anyway, though fireball and firelash are listed as different spells now in Dain's inventory, for the purposes of this thread they're still in the original, non-substituted forms. It wouldn't make sense for his spells to suddenly change element mid-topic.))
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Rin
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Rin reversed her grip on Excalibur, holding the hilt tightly so that the blade ran along the length of her right forearm. She slowly walked around Dain, watching him with her intense blue eyes. She could tell that her first strike had connected; beads of blood had appeared along the edges of his armor, although not nearly enough for this man to admit defeat. She could sense him repairing the wound as she stalked around him, mending the flesh enough for him to continue fighting at full capacity, and the girl smiled slightly. So you use magic, do you? Interesting... She put slightly more distance between her and the paladin as she continued to circle him, pondering her next action. The Grimoire had instructed her not to kill the man... but it was difficult to incapacitate instead of kill. Especially when your opponent seemed too arrogant and stubborn to give up and was encased in thick plate armor.

She was not surprised that Dain's next ingenious tactic was charging at her again. The paladin did not seem to be the most brilliant tactician in the world; he expected his shield and armor to protect him from most attacks. The roaring ball of fire that sprang into life in front of him was a surprise, however. Rin bit her lip and stopped her pacing as the spell approached, her mind flashing through the actions available to her. She made a decision with moments to spare, throwing herself forward in a tight roll. She clutched her arms as tightly to her torso as possible, her legs kept straight instead of curling them to her chest. The fireball roared above her with only inches to spare, the inferno still managing to singe the tips of her golden locks. Ignoring the odor of burning hair she rolled to her feet, almost immediately jumping directly at Dain. One foot slammed against his heavy shield, a jarring collision that sent a wave of pain up the girl's limb. Furthermore, one of the shield's various spikes caught the edge of her foot, scraping a line of red blood from the heel of her foot to her ankle.

Rin ignored the sensation for now and pushed off of the ground and the shield simultaneously, propelling her body into the air. Her strength and light weight, as well as the assisted momentum of Dain's charge, allowed her to completely vault over the charging knight. She knew that it would be easy to slash across the paladin's face from her lofty position, but the Grimoire's warning echoed in her skull. Instead she stabbed at his right shoulder with the tip of the energy sword, hoping to hurt the man without doing any lasting injury. She managed to land on her feet after the majestic jump, bounding in the opposite direction of Dain's charge so that he could not immediately attack her once more. She skid to a halt, watching the paladin with a relentless set to her face. "Why do you do this? Why do you think the page is dangerous?"
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