Post by Morec0
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Page 9 ))
- Celen looked on in horror. Why was Nilon surrendering? She still had no idea why the Blood Elf was so important to Lord Scalebender’s retrieval of the Silzzorthess Idol, or what the relic was even capable of. But, she did know that if Scalebender did get his scaled hands on the relic, the entire world would be in danger.
- She pressed her hands against the arcane prison that kept her from casting any spells and closed her eyes. She didn’t know if she could do this, but she did know that all life would be in danger if she didn’t at least try. So, she began to concentrate –
- And then absorbed the prison’s energies into herself.
- Celen instantly felt more powerful then she ever had before. The magic warmed her, comforted her, she didn’t want to release it, but, at the same time, she knew that it would tear her apart. So she released it in a mighty blast of arcane power that destroyed the cage, blew a hole in the earth below her, and ground her Naga captors into dust.
- As she fell into the hole, she threw two orbs of magic at Nilon and Jason. The orbs struck the chains that bound the two warriors and turned them into dust. Now that all three of them, Celen, Jason, and Nilon, were free, there was no way for the Naga to blackmail any of them, and the battle ensued.
- Nilon grabbed his sword and easily decapitated two of the Naga that had briefly held him prisoner. Jason – once he had retrieved his armaments – jabbed his sword through the heart of one of the Naga, then knocked another to the ground and crushed its head with his armored boot.
- As her warriors were slaughtered, Lady Murkdweller looked on in horror, and then turned to Bladefin. “If you want me to even consider you,” she told him, “you’ll get in there and kill those two!”
- Bladefin grinned, and then charged into the fray of battle. Lady Murkdweller began to fit an arrow into her bow, only to have both things turn to dust in her hands. She turned her head toward the crater that Celen had created; the High Elf Mage had crawled out of the hole.
- She was still empowered from her draining of the magical prison, her eyes glowing yellow with arcane energy and her long hair dancing around her head. “I don’t think so,” she said to Murkdweller. Celen’s hands ignited with magical fire and she then thrust them forward, palms open and facing towards Murkdweller. The fire burnt through the air, and Murkdweller was caught right in it. The Sea Witch screamed in pain as the flames seared through her flesh, and, when they subsided, all that was left of the female Naga was a small pile of ash.
- Celen collapsed, her breathing heavy. She had exhausted all of her power and then some.
I hope that Nilon and Jason can defeat Bladefin without my help, she thought.
- But, it was apparent that Celen’s two allies didn’t need her assistance. Nilon and Jason had already dispatched the lesser Naga when Bladefin had gotten to them, and even now were driving the Naga Lord back towards the sea.
- “Do you really think that you can defeat me so easily?” Bladefin said.
- “I don’t know,” retorted Jason. “But we seem to be doing a good job so far.”
- “Pathetic surface filth!” Bladefin hissed. “I will crush your skulls on the rocks!”
- “Not if I have anything to say about it!” Nilon said. “Anarahla’Belore!” Nilon’s sword glowed white with the power of the Holy Light, and he swung. Bladefin raised one of his hammers to block it, but the blade cut through the blunted weapon with ease and beheaded the Bladefin with a single stroke.
- Nilon grinned, the skirmish was over. But just as the last sounds of battle faded form the air, a new sound filled its place; it was the hissing voice of another Naga.
- “I knew that I never should have relied on those two to do my work for me,” the voice said. “Better to rely on the one person I can trust: myself.” An ogre-sized, armored, male Naga slithered from out of the water, followed by several considerably smaller Naga that wore armor with a red and black color scheme that nearly mirrored that of the largest one.
- “Who are you?” Nilon demanded.
- “L-lord Zerksis Scalebender,” Celen said, gasping for air. “He’s the leader of the Naga that attacked us.”
- “Hmm, so you broke free,” Scalebender said, “An unforeseen oversight, but a mere oversight none the less.” He faced one of the smaller Naga. “Seize her.” One of he Naga immediately slithered towards Celen.
- “Not if I can help it!” Nilon yelled, and then charged the Naga, running his blade through its armor. The Naga hissed in rage as he toppled over.
- Lore Scalebender laughed. “So, you still want to put up a fight. Very well, let’s see how well you fare against my elite guard.” He unsheathed two curved rapiers that hung from a belt where his upper torso became a snake-like tail. “Attack!”
- The Elite Guard rushed forward, planning to overwhelm Nilon with sheer numbers. But Jason quickly rushed to the Paladin’s side, and even Celen had regained enough of her strength to be able to assist the other two. She cast a polymorph spell, transforming one of the Naga into a mindless sheep, Jason quickly killed it.
- “Lamb chops anyone?” he jokingly said, and then rammed his shield into another oncoming one.
- “Leave some for the rest of us, “Nilon replied as he de-armed one of the Elites and then jabbed his sword through its helmet’s visor.
- Celen cast another spell, this one heated the armor of another of the Elite’s to the point that it glowed white hot, burning it’s wearer to death.
- Upon seeing how easily these three Alliance heroes felled his Elites, Scalebender called his remaining soldiers back. “I see that you are more powerful then I sensed. So, I suppose that it’s time to take matters into my own hands.”
- “He’s a Battle Mage,” Celen warned, “Watch out.”
- Lord Scalebender’s rapiers ignited in flames and he entered a battle stance fitting of a much skilled warrior. “Come face me, Paladin.”
- “Very well,” Nilon replied and then entered a combat stance of his own.
- “Well, well, well, isn’t this convenient?” a monotone voice boomed across the battle-scarred grounds. “You’ll kill each other and I’ll collect your corpses for my master.” The way the word “master” was said reminded Nilon of someone spitting out a bad tasting food.
- Nilon, Scalebender, and everyone else turned their heads towards the east. Near the entrance to Menethil Harbor were three mounted figures. But, as the figures drew closer, Nilon saw that these riders were definitely not going to be friendly. The horses they rode on were little more then rotting husks, decaying horrors, and the eyes of the riders glowed with an icy blue light.
- “Scourge!” Nilon said, “They’re Death Knights!”
- “Very good observation,” the lead Death Knight – the one with the monotone voice- said. “Now, are you going to kill yourselves, or are you going to give me the privilege?” The lead Death Knight unsheathed a massive broadsword, the Death Knights to his left and right mirrored him, bringing out a battleaxe and polearm respectively.
- Nilon’s eyes widened as he looked over the first Death Knight’s sword, he recognized it. “Lord Paladin William Morec!” he said, “One of the Chief Knights of the Silver Hand!”
- Morec grinned. “So, you know of me. Or the past me, in any case.”
- “So, this is what happened to you,” said Nilon, “Transformed into one of the Scourge, an abomination of life.”
- “A powerful entity,” Morec interjected. “You have no idea what it feels like the power that now flows through my veins. Oh, wait, you soon will.”
- “I’d rather be burned alive,” Nilon retorted.
- Scalebender’s eyes narrowed. “You have a familiar smell around you, undead,” he said, “But how could you have-.” His slanted eyes widened. “Of course!”
- “Enough talk,” Morec said. “John,” he addressed the Death Knight on his right, “Give us a proper introduction.”
- The polearm-wielding Death Knight dismounted and walked to the lead of the group. He inhaled a deep breath and then released a huge swarm of all types of unholy insects from his own body. With his will alone, the Death Knight Morec had referred to as John directed the swarm towards the living, commanding them to devour their flesh.
- But the living were prepared, and while Nilon created a shield of the Holy Light – which Celen assisted with a shield of Arcane magic – Lord Scalebender conjured a wall of fire to defend himself and his remaining Elite guard. The insects rammed against the protective spells, withering into lifeless husks as they hit Nilon’s protective shield and turning into ash as they passed through Scalebender’s fire wall. The remaining insects retreated back into the safety of John’s rotting body.
- “Garen,” Morec said to the other Death Knight, “How about you cool these mortals off.”
- Garen spurred his mount to the front of the group. His eyes glowed even brighter with blue light, then he roared, and accompanying that roar was a freezing gust of wind that slowly ripped through the mortal’s protective spells. But, just as he began to freeze, Lord Scalebender conjured a fireball and threw it at the Death Knight. The flaming orb struck Garen full in the chest, cancelling out his powers and knocking him to the ground.
- “Imbeciles!” Morec growled at his Death Knights as the mortals staggered back to their feet. “I have to do everything myself, don’t I?” The lead Death Knight spurred his mount foreword, raising his sword to decapitate the first one to get in his way.
- Nilon brought his own sword up, blocking Morec’s attack and knocking the Death Knight from his mount, which retreated back into the care of the other Death Knights. Morec hit the ground hard, but quickly jumped to his feet. He swung his runeblade, but Nilon managed to block it.
- “It was painful, wasn’t it, Morec?” Nilon said, taunting the Death Knight. “Having to hold a Holy-runed sword while you reforged it into a weapon of Darkness.”
- “The pain was nothing,” Morec retorted, “compared to what I’m going to do to you!” He roared in rage and then pushed his blade forward, causing Nilon to stumble backwards.
- Morec advanced, but an arcane bolt struck him in the shoulder, stopping him. He turned his head towards its source; Celen was already beginning to conjure another. “Pathetic Mage,” Morec said, “You’re magics are useless against my power.” Morec extended an open palm – glowing blue with his own magic – towards Celen. The High Elf grabbed her head and screamed in pain as Morec’s magic took its effect.
- Lord Scalebender began to chant words of power as he summoned a ball of fire, but Morec turned his magics on the Naga, clenching his hand into a fist. Shadowy chains formed around the Naga’s head and clamped his mouth shut, silencing him. With both casters rendered useless and Nilon reacting too slowly, Jason and the remnants of Scalebender’s Elite Guard charged the Death Knight.
- “How futile,” Morec said, and began to channel a spell. Around him, all manner of life died and rotted into dust. Jason saw this and skidded to a halt just outside the circles perimeter. The Elites, though, barreled right into it, and were killed instantly.
- Nilon ran forward, jumped over the tainted, unholy ground and kicked Morec in the face. Morec stumbled back a few paces, but managed to stop himself from falling backwards. He regained his composure, only to realize that his spells had been canceled, the mages had been released from his spell-disrupting magics and the ground – although still void of life – no longer seeped out the essence of death. He scowled and then began to back up towards his mount.
- “This isn’t the last you’ve seen of me,” he said, and then smirked. “But, first, allow me to leave you with a parting gift.” His sword glowed with unholy and he then stabbed it into the earth. The dark magics funneled out from the blade, into the soil, then into the fresh corpses that littered the area. Slowly, the corpses began to rise and turn towards the living.
- “Should you survive,” Morec said as he and his Death Knights mounted up, “Know that I will be coming for you.” He rode off.
- Nilon scowled, and then charged into the fray of battle against the undead.
- …
- Without Morec’s powers to help sustain them, the zombies the Death Knight had unleashed upon the living were quickly dispatched. Nilon and his allies – in substitute to a proper burial – had quickly built a fire and begun to cremate the remains.
- Nilon chucked another corpse onto the flames and then turned to Lord Scalebender – the recent developments had prevented them from finishing their business with him, but he hadn’t fled like many would have. The Naga was now resting one hand on his chin, clearly lost in thought.
- “Well,” Nilon said, “what do you plan to do now? You can’t possibly expect to capture me without help.”
- Lord Scalebender shook his head. “No, I realize that I cannot,” he said. “But, I have also realized that we share a common enemy.”
- “The Scourge?”
- Scalebender nodded. “The Scourge.”
- “So, what are you proposing?”
- “Both of our current goals will require come kind of confrontation with the Scourge,” Scalebender said, “Am I correct?” Nilon hesitated, but then nodded. “Then I think that it would be best if we traveled together, do you agree?”
- “Why should we trust you?” Jason asked.
- “We shouldn’t,” Celen interjected, “He seeks a relic of the Old Gods. He can’t be trusted.”
- “Maybe I can’t,” Scalebender said, “But I’m not the one those Death Knights are looking for. Should they find you again it would be in your best interests to have a second pair of swords there to assist you.” He removed his black and red helmet to reveal his albino scales and then extended an open hand towards the Paladin. “Do we have an alliance?”
- Nilon looked over his shoulder at Celen and Jason. But while Celen shook her head in a clear “no,” Jason simply shrugged. This left Nilon to decide. So he thought.
- And then grasped Scalebender’s hand with his own. “Agreed.”