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Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 10 Jan 2005 04:11 PM |
The shouts of Eliana and Johe echoed in the catacombs. “Hurry up, Mister Byron,” shouted Johe.
Despite the shouts extolling him forward, Byron stopped. He could sense the chill presence behind him before he even saw the first of the shadowed skeletons. Byron turned to face them. “Go now!” he bellowed as he raised his sword.
The first skeleton slammed into Byron’s tower shield with surprising force, knocking the armored man back a step. Byron swung his sword, removing another skeleton’s head from its body and causing a pile of bones to clatter to the cold stone floor. Byron’s sword glanced off another skeleton on the back swing. He pushed hard on his shield, flinging the first skeleton back into the growing mob of undead. There must be thirty of them, he thought desperately.
Suddenly, several blue flashes darted into the crowd of skeletons, striking several at one time. Claudia! thought Byron, recognizing the magical missiles he had seen her use before. His family had not fled when he gave them the chance. He cursed under his breath in all the languages he knew, but there was no time to talk. Another five skeletons were on him, their rusted yet biting swords whistling through the air before striking Byron’s armor. The armor held, and Byron continued to swing with all his might, hoping against hope that the family would leave before they were all killed.
He saw Eliana’s blade flash as another skeleton fell, and began making his way toward her. If everyone could only get together, they could fight their way out. There was still hope.
So distracted was Byron at reaching Eliana, that he did not notice as the exceptionally large skeleton he had just felled formed again and rose behind him. He did not see the skeleton as it approached, with a stealth belying its size. He certainly did not notice the large femur the skeleton had grabbed from a fellow undead. He did not comprehend the massive skeleton raising the makeshift cudgel over Byron’s head, nor did he hear Eliana’s warning cry. With a sickening crack, the skeleton hit Byron on the back of the neck, where his helmet met his armor. The makeshift club found Byron’s exposed neck, and he sank to the floor, unconscious.
......................
Darkness surrounded him, but that could not keep him from ignoring the pain in his neck from his head bobbing like a rag doll. He kept his eyes closed for a moment and assessed his situation. Hissing voices swarmed around him, harsh and guttural. Byron chanced opening his eyes.
The first thing he realized was that he was being drug along the floor. Two large creatures (he was not sure what they were) had their arms hooked under his shoulders. Byron let his lead loll in front of him, pretending to still be unconscious. He listened.
“Let’s eats him now!” screeched one of the voices. “Nows, he’s so ripe and juicy!”
“No,” said another, equally squealing voice, “we need to get back first, then we can eat him!”
“But me’s hungry now!” Byron could hear the bloodlust in the voice, and shivered. The undead did not eat normal food, he knew. Some preferred flesh. And some of those preferred live flesh.
“It’s just a little longer,” said a third voice, “And we will all feast together.”
Byron knew he had to act quickly. He could feel the comforting weight of his sword at his side. He could not remember sheathing it, but he was glad he did. These beasts did not seem to have the intelligence to disarm him, at least not yet. Byron tested the strength of his captors by pulling his arms towards himself. They tightened their grip, but not much. Distracted, he thought. He opened his eyes a bit wider now and looked around him. Three of the skeletons, one behind him and two to his sides on the right and left respectively, as well as whatever was dragging him. He had no idea where he was, but he knew he had to get out.
With a mighty grunt, Byron pulled his arms downwards and reached for his sword. To his amazement, one of the creatures dragging him, the one on the right, staggered backwards, causing the other one to lose its balance. Their grips lessened, and Byron was able to grasp the hilt of his sword as he fell to the ground with a dusty thud.
He drew his sword while he was still on his back and swung at the skeleton to his right. The force of his blow, as well as the acid coming from his special blade, burned through the skeleton’s legs, and the creature collapsed. Byron followed the momentum of his swing, rolling to his side several times and narrowly missing the other skeleton’s halberds, which struck where he had lain only a moment before.
Byron quickly rolled to his feet. His cape had become tangled around his torso, and he flung it behind him, the dust from the floor flying off the fabric and filling the room with a light haze. His shield and helm were being worn by one of the skeletons, so he moved to attack that one first.
Byron’s blade landed heavily on the skeleton, cutting through the shoulder blade and burning the bone on contact. The skeleton fell quickly, but before he could turn to face the final one, the sharp end of the halberd cut into his face. Byron screamed in pain and surprise, then swung his sword overhead, cleaving the attacking skeleton’s skull in two.
Before he could collect his shield and helm, the two beasts that had been carrying him finally rose. The Morhgs, two of them, glared menacingly at Byron. One of the Morhgs’ arms twitched in a blur of motion, and Byron’s mind again exploded in pain. He looked down and saw a dagger buried deep into his left shoulder, at the armor chink. The dagger was coated in a strange substance which burned along the length of the embedded blade.
As he struggled to pull it free, the other Morhg lumbered forward. Byron lunged clumsily with his sword, the pain from the wound on his face and the burning in his shoulder threatening to overwhelm him. The Morhg caught Byron’s sword in his halberd and twisted violently. The sword flew from Byron’s hand and clattered into the far wall.
Byron spared a look at his shoulder and saw the dagger was buried to the hilt. He grasped it with his free hand and pulled hard. The pain was exquisite by now, a symphony of agony and cruel denial. Both Morhgs were almost on top of him. Byron swiped weakly with his dagger, and the paused for a moment. He thought of going for his shield, but his left arm had no strength. The Morhgs raised their weapons, ready to chop down on him. He knew they would not miss their mark this time.
The mantra cam unbidden to his mind.
I am Byron Lorian. I am the Last Son. I serve the Greater Good, and all that it represents.
Uphold Justice…
Fight inequity…
Protect the weak…
Be humble…
Be merciful…
Be peaceful…
Walk with honor and uphold all good things
Deep inside Byron, a small fire ignited. He had felt this before, but only in times of crisis, and while he suspected the source, he could not believe it. The fire spread through his body, starting deep in his chest and spreading to his shoulders, his face, his arms, his legs, and finally to his hands and feet. He touched his shoulder with his good arm, the dagger clanging to the ground. He opened his eyes as the warmth of the fire enveloped filled him completely. With a sudden blast, the energy shot from his body and outward into the room, toward the undead creatures.
The remaining Morhgs exploded from the force of the unseen energy. Byron blinked, and instinctively retrieved his sword. He did not stop to look at the now fallen undead, rather, he quickly gathered his helm and shield and stumbled into the darkness.
After a time, when he finally felt it was safe, Byron leaned against the wall and unshouldered his pack. He took a healing kit from it and began to examine his wounds. The burning in his shoulder was still there, but it had lessened, and on his face was blood, but he could find no wound. Perplexed, Byron cleaned the blood from his face and shoulder. He knew the wounds should be far worse then what they were, and yet, they were already nearly healed.
Byron worked for only a few minutes before heard the distant sound scraping feet. More undead he thought bitterly, and stood. It was best to keep moving; that would keep him alive. Eventually, they would find him. He tried one more time without success to call to Eliana, but there was nothing. Fear stabbed at his heard. “Eliana,” he whispered, and prayed to any god that would listen in the hope that she still lived.
Byron started down the dark corridor again. He was hopelessly lost, and his most of his water had spilled out during the last fight. He had enough food for three days, at least. More if he rationed it. Time was against him, and he was not entirely sure anyone was left alive to know to look for him.
With that, the Last Son started his final march, fallen in the darkness, alone.
[small edits made 3:23 PM 1/10/05]
[More edits made 9:40 PM 1/10/05 Thanks Aranel. Remember, follks, Aranel(TM) makes average writting great!] |
My name is Byron Lorian....I am the Last Son |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 10 Jan 2005 04:21 PM |
((Anyone involved with this incident, either while it happened or afterwards, is welcome to post their sides of the story.))
((-Byron)) |
My name is Byron Lorian....I am the Last Son |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 10 Jan 2005 07:13 PM |
Johe took his normal spot as scout, scooting off ahead, looking for a trap he might have missed on the way in. Looking stealthily around a corner he came to, he grinned in satisfaction. He was a good guyver, no matter what some people thought, and he'd be able to warn his friends of any threat from up here so they could be ready. Suddenly he froze... what was that? ... barely perceptable...that... shaking? The floor started to shake harder now, as a rumble emmitted from within the tomb. He looked around the corner, then up ahead to the exit stairs, no threat there wich could only mean it was...
"behin' us" he said
He whirled around peering into the darkness behind him, off in the distance he saw Eliana's flaming sword, the small robed form walking next to her would be Claudia, and of course the big lug making enough noise in his armor to wakr the dead would be Byron.
"dangnabit we gotta go" he mumbled "C'mon mister Byron hurry up!" he yelled and then the earth shook again and all hells broke loose. They were everywhere like they came out of the ground and emerged from the walls.Byron shouted something, but Johe never heard it over the blood pounding in his ears. He ran as fast as his little legs could carry him pulling out his bow and shooting on the run. He was almost upon them, shouldered his bow and drew his blades. And then all went dark. For a brief moment he thought maybe he had been struck down, but then with that faultless halfling logic, he realised if he could think about it then he was probably fine."I hate that spell", he grumbled. He put his left weapon away and closed his eyes to concentrate. With his left hand he felt around, touching something he squeezed, it gave, and he heard a squeal and ducked just in time to dodge a crossbow bolt that whizzed over his head.
"Sorry Claudia" , he mumbled as he let go and reached out again touching something else, it was hard and hollow, he swung and heard a clattereing sound. For what seemed like an hour he fought like this. Then the darkness lifted, and Byron was gone.
The three stood there for a while looking at the carnage. Eliana ,beside herself ,started looking around, calling for Byron, while the halfling stood in thought.
"wut is it with him and deders?", he mumbled. They had been there "guyvering old information. And in the halflings mind this probably meant more than they were willing to tell him. Knowing Byron, he'd probably annoyed some ancient evil , wich would explain why the whole place, seemingly, had erupted to keep him from getting away. This would certainly require a bigger force than they had here now, he had to calm Eliana down and get the ladies out of here to find reinforcements.
He sheathed his sword, glanced at little Claudia, sitting exhausted on the floor. and went to stop Eliana from doing anything that would get her killed.
"We'll find ya mister Byron, trust me", he murmered as he broke into a run. |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 10 Jan 2005 10:38 PM |
| ((No story but want to just compliment both of ya, sends a shiver down my spine reading them both and remembering.)) |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 09:08 AM |
((Great is my temptation to write about what happens next, but I think that is best found out in game for those that are interested. However, if anyone in the "rescue" team wants to post their own story, please feel free.))
((-Byron, feeling sweet, like Barnas is sweet)) |
My name is Byron Lorian....I am the Last Son |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 09:20 AM |
((I'm very sweet! Sweet like Byron is modest! Ooooh! I'm BYRON! I'm the LAST SON! The last son of what? I DUNNO? Oh, right. It's just there for drama value.
-Barnas)) |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 09:45 AM |
((I'm very sweet! Sweet like Byron is modest! Ooooh! I'm BYRON! I'm the LAST SON! The last son of what? I DUNNO? Oh, right. It's just there for drama value.
-Barnas))
((*never does anything without a purpose, unlike those evil elves, of whom flightiness, tree hugging, and the ability to cry at the drop of a hat is a racial prequisite*)) |
My name is Byron Lorian....I am the Last Son |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 09:52 AM |
((Don't tarnish all Elves with the Macha-I-love-to-cry-the-whole-time brush!
-Barnas)) |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 09:59 AM |
((*never does anything without a purpose, unlike those evil elves, of whom flightiness, tree hugging, and the ability to cry at the drop of a hat is a racial prequisite*))
((A-friggin-hem! Speak for your own elf alone, thank you, as mine is nothing of the sort.
And I wonder if it would do any good to write up the rest of the family's side of the first night, now that the second's happened.... )) |
Consequences
Unsent
It's hard to say it, time to say it...
Goodbye, goodbye |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 10:11 AM |
((And I wonder if it would do any good to write up the rest of the family's side of the first night, now that the second's happened.... ))
((Write what you wish to write, of course. I'm not demanding people post their stories, I just like seeing things from differnet prespectives.
Still, the "rescue" party may also want to post here...*can't get over his intense amusement*)) |
My name is Byron Lorian....I am the Last Son |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 11 Jan 2005 10:36 AM |
Still, the "rescue" party may also want to post here...*can't get over his intense amusement*))
((Were gonna get you for that you know...)) |
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Re: Fell to Darkness - A tale of the Last Son
Posted: 12 Jan 2005 04:02 PM |
| ((Eliana's take on the above events can be found in her journal.)) |
Consequences
Unsent
It's hard to say it, time to say it...
Goodbye, goodbye |
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