Session+64

**Session 64** **1-9-2015**
 * Hold The Line! A Battle against Baelo to Buy The Heroes Time**

Back aboard the Destiny, we looked around to notice several new crew members... heroic spirits of the elven shadow warriors and Parthian soldiers who had fallen in the battle. Destiny, it seemed, had chosen several from this world. Verinthar, the leader of the Mage Knights, walked over to where Erevin and Shri were standing on the deck, "Thank you all again for your help. You have helped to save many lives of this world. ...I'm told a group of this world's heroes has set off toward the soul syphon."

Erevin looked questioningly at him, "What's a soul syphon?" Wren stepped closer, curious, and nodded to Erevin, "That's a good question." "I thought so," Erevin nodded back to her. Whitestrake walked over to join the conversation, "I feel the pull to there as well... I believe my destiny lies with the soul syphon." Erevin frowned at him, "That doesn't sound good..." "Is saving a world good?" Whitestrake smiled. Erevin smiled and nodded, "There is no higher calling." Thorn raised an eyebrow, thinking that there sure seemed to many worlds... we could easily take him to another... but he said nothing. The elven knight went on, "Apparently what we thought was the 'One True God' of this world..." Erevin, caught surprised, interrupted him, "You only have 'one' god in this world?" "Only one," Verinthar nodded, "The others had been banished from our world for betraying humanity... or so we were led to believe... but then we discovered that the one true god was all a lie. For years the souls of our dead have been marching off to the soul syphon to feed his power... This demon has a name, he is called the Thonak." Erevin nodded, "That name we have heard before." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"He corrupted one of our noblest kings who had a twin brother and 100 of his finest knights... some of them were killed today, but some still remain, and the remainder of the Thonak's forces have retreated to the syphon... they know if the syphon goes, the thonak will lose his power." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Just a hundred?" Erevin asked with a raised eyebrow. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Just a hundred," Verinthar nodded, "They are very powerful. The Thonak has given them many gifts." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin glanced over at Thorn who was looking around at the group, pointing and counting kills... he gestured at Wren, "One," then Erevin, "Two," then Mali, "Three," then himself, "Four," and then at Posy, "Ninety Six," He nodded back to Erevin, "We got this." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Posy blinked at him. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Wren laughed and nodded, cheering on the earth shaking gnome before turning back to Verinthar, "So what do we need to do? Destroy this soul syphon?"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Verinthar shook his head, "A group of heroes has already left... we need to give them the time they need to fix things... hopefully they'll be able to bring back the true gods of this world... I'm not sure how many of the 100 are left... or how big the force is that's moving to the syphon... but we need to try and hold them back... buying time for the others." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded to him, "Okay." He nodded to Whitestrake to take us out. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Skimming over the ground at rapid speed, the soldiers and warriors aboard our ship watched in surprise... Our ship was fast even by their airship standards. Past the lusher lands around the city, the lands began to die... Traveling into the Wastelands where it was dry and dusty. Nothing lived here... there wasn't even cacti or scorpions or any such desert dwelling creature like in our world... it was just vast, hot, and dry.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The powdery sand formed a wake as our ship passed over it quickly... and ahead was the looming black pyramid of the soul syphon. Green arcs traveled up the walls of the pyramid and every so often the whole thing glowed like a slow rhythmic pulse. Wren shuddered and stepped closer to Kale. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The shadows moved strangely in the sand around us... Posy took note of the streams of spirits trudging slowly toward the pyramid... most took forced steps like they we were drawn against their will. They wore black bags or veils drawn over their faces and tried to resist, but continued to walk to the syphon. Staring across the vast desert, she seen several of these lines of ghosts coming from different areas... all converging on the black pyramid ahead. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Uh, guys...?" Posy looked back at the group, describing the scene. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">She felt a tingle of cold next to her as Jerome laid a hand on her shoulder, his hair flowing toward the syphon, "I feel the draw too... but it's not strong enough." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Stay on the ship," she commanded him firmly, warning him not to follow her when she stepped off.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Other souls bound to the ship, Destiny's chosen crew... they felt the pull as well, but the ship seemed to be protecting them. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the dawn of the new morning, we could see a wave in the sand in the distance... the thonak's army moving toward the pyramid. Riders on horseback... that appeared as though they were perhaps once plated paladins on noble steeds, but their plate was now blackened and their horses were skeletal, and there was some sort of red light in the visor of their helms. A dozen of them riding with a force of hundreds. Wren began brewing tea to give them all strength.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Parthians aboard our ship, thumped on their shields, and sang deep and slow songs of old. It was noted that they remembered Kale, but no one in the world seemed to remember any of the rest of us... reiterating what Destiny told us before... the people of other worlds remember heroic deeds were done, but the ship passes through these battles without fame and glory to aid those in great times of need.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Whitestrake turned to Erevin, "This will likely be my last bit of piloting..." he shook the prince's hand with a surprisingly life-like firm grip, "It has been an honor to fly this ship with you." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin returned his grip, "It has been an honor to have you. Is there anything that we can see done if you should pass? We can see to a proper burial." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"I will not have a body to bury," Whitestrake shook his head, "But..." He handed Verinthar a letter and signet, "If my son still lives, will you give him this?" The elven shadow warrior nodded. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Where should I land?" Whitestrake turned back to Erevin.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Erevin gazed out over the hot desert wasteland. Fine powdered sand blew in the air. There in the distance was a plateau... 20 - 30 feet high in places with sheer walls... with likely only two broken areas on it that were usable to get the army through to the pyramid that was still hundreds of yards from there. Erevin pointed off of the deck of the ship, "There. We will position the warriors in the front. Mages and archers behind." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Whitestrake nodded, sweeping Destiny over the plateau. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Erevin dropped down on the left side of the middle ground with Shri and Mari dropping next to him. Dominic leapt down to the higher ground in the center, nodding to Erevin.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mali leapt down with Ursus and Melleron into the right side to protect that broken passway. Azarius dropped down beside them, nodding up to Erevin, "I have spent a great deal of time studying... Now is the time I can unleash my fury." Erevin nodded to him. Thorn and Yuki also dropped into the right passway along with Verinthar and a dozen of the Parthian soldiers.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Posy and Uther dropped into the left passway, not far from Erevin. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Wren and Kale dropped next to them, along with another dozen of the Parthian soldiers.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Everyone moved up into their positioning to see the skeletal black horses kicking up the sand behind them, their riders now urging them into a gallop. Lances that looked like dark twisted claws lowered down into striking position. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The figure of Destiny appeared before us, spreading her wings as the mages cast out their buffs, "This is the purpose for which I was made. These are the battles where heroes fight." A warm wave of energy washed over all of us before she vanished back to the ship, inspiring everyone. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Erevin whispered to his bow, targeting one of the lead riders before pulling back the string. Three powerful arrows left it, sailing across the sand with a soft glow before impaling the rider with a sizzle through his heavy armor!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dominic mixed a vial and splashed out a glittery concoction over Erevin and everyone on the left side, gifting them with haste. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">On the right side, Thorn slipped on his invisibility ring and moved into an intercepting position as Azarius cast out a haste spell over that side as well. Erevin looked over at the witch, "These are zealots... understand that they will not stop coming. Hit them hard." Wren nodded, stepping forward with her wand. The familiar scent of ozone surrounded her as her hair lifted slightly before arcing bluish-white lightning across the battlefield through a line of approaching riders. Bits of metal armor and bones scattered out from the strike... two of them hanging like phantoms exposed in the air before their spirits were drawn up to the pyramid.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Kale moved in front of her to form a line of defense with Leeah and the Parthians, thumping their swords on their shields as they waited for the army to get closer. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The army seemed to start splitting into two as it branched toward both broken passways, the lance tips glowing slightly. Posy and Uther moved up into the line next to Kale as the charging horsemen moved ever closer. Mali sent Melleron to obey Ursus as she took an air elemental form and moved up to the right side of the middle, closing the gap in our forces. Ursus cast a spell, drawing up a raging fire wall from the ground in front of the right passway. Yuki cast a bless over the right side, standing next to Verinthar who drew his sword and shield and moved in front of her. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">As the skeletal horses came closer, we could make out the image of a black mail fist on one of the banners. With his target down, Erevin named another to his bow. The bow whispered back, "Kerithas, a knight of the realm..." (Now known as "banner-boy"! Lol!) Three more arrows left Erevin's bow, all striking... but one went through the slit of his helm with such force that it knocked him off of his skeletal steed! His spirit flew off to the pyramid as the bow's whispered litany of his achievements died off. Erevin nodded with a soft caress over his bow, "Remember them all for me, Ellowyn. Remember them all." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dominic threw out a fiery bomb into the army as Shri moved up next to Erevin, drawing her own bow and firing into one of the charging black knights. Disappointed with the sinking result of her arrows into the heavy armor, she glanced at the elven prince. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin smiled at her, his voice teasing, "That was cute." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Oh I'm sorry... my bow wasn't made by the master enchanter of the white tower," she nudged him. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Azarius launched a ball of flame through Ursus's fire wall, engulfing the charging knights in a fiery blast! On the other side, Wren called to Cirdan to release another lightning bolt as she let loose with a paler blue arc of cold through her empowering wand. One bolt following the other across the battlefield through a line of three skeletal knights and the force behind them. A murmur of whispered awe and wonder came from the parthians around us, "They are destroying the Hundred!"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The line of riders broke through the wall of fire, flames washing over them as they rode up the cliff face to the opening on the right. Some of them still on fire, they charged in! A loud crack rang out as one of the lances slammed into Azarius's stoneskin body, knocking him back with blood spattering outward! Thorn, who was waiting, invisible, for the approaching riders seized his opportunity, and cut the legs from the rider's horse as it leapt forward, spilling the rider to the ground!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">While the others were busy with close line defense, Erevin and Maliumpkin looked up to see an ominous giant of a man coming into view in the distance. His armor was covered in runes and he carried a giant sword lined in jagged teeth! Baelo... the Thonak's chosen. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Another rider came in from the left, slamming his lance into Kale, driving the warrior back and taking nearly half of his life! Leeah gasped out, "Kale!" as she turned to go help him. The other Parthians held their line, meeting the approaching riders with resounding battle cries, "For Parthia! For the King!" Posy charged in next to Kale, tearing two great rents into the rider's armor, exposing his bone beneath! <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mali called down a bolt of lightning into Baelo with Ursus backing her up with another... They watched the runes of his armor light up with growing familiar symbols of chaos as they deflected some of the damage. His deep voice laughed in the distance, "My master protects me from your puny magic!" Yuki snapped her ribbon out to deliver a powerful healing spell over Azarius.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Erevin launched a barrage of 4 arrows into one of the riders, dropping his lifeless body to the ground. Dominic threw down a vial, alchemical fire spreading out over the approaching forces while Shri took down another of their soldiers. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thorn sliced into the now horseless rider, surprising the blackened armor knight who had never seen a halfling before, with a powerful strike! Wren stepped up behind Kale before Leeah could reach him, laying her hands on his back with her witchy hex closing his wounds. Undeterred by the heavy hit, Kale pushed back against the rider with four massive strikes of his sword, holding the line of defense.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">More riders and forces came into view in the distance as the next front wave crashed into our lines of defense! Leeah took a heavy hit in her side as she was rushing toward Kale, the sound of cracking bone accompanying her spilled blood! Despite the pain, she turned back and held the line. Riders dropped their lances and swung mighty black swords into Kale and Uther as another rider struck into Thorn and the Parthians on the other side. The jagged teeth surrounding Baelo's sword started to rotate around and growled like the sword was hungry as he strode forward. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Posy leapt off the cliff to land in a group, sliding on her ring of retribution... Boom! A massive explosion of fire washed out in a circle from her, dropping several of the soldiers. As she stood, still alive, in a circle of dead... she felt the eyes of Baelo fall to her as he strode forward. Mali called lightning again into Baelo, hoping more of the damage would go through as Melleron tore the arms off of a rider! Baelo shifted his gaze back to the air elemental for a moment.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Azarius sent out another big fireball, dropping another of the riders while Yuki snapped her ribbon out, tagging across Thorn's backside to deliver a strong healing spell. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"Yuki!" Thorn winked back at her, "I didn't know you cared." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">"ThooOOoorn!" the young priestess accused him, "You pervert!" <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Erevin sent out another powerful barrage of arrows into the riders on the left. The teamwork between him and Kale and Uther showing off as the arrows came in while they held back the line. Kale dropped another of the riders. One of the clawed chaos beasts came around the back of the Parthians to strike into Wren who's back was against Kale's. "They're coming in from behind us!" Knowing she wouldn't survive long to that damage, Wren wove her magic to change into a white dragon, the scales protecting her fragile elven body. Feeling her wings spread out behind him, Kale glanced back over his shoulder and nodded to the witch, reassured that she was handling it.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Thorn feigned with great skill against the black rider, striking him with a fatal blow of his daggers, dropping him to the ground in a pool of blood! Azarius launched a fireball into the next wave of approaching riders and forces, dropping two more. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Baelo leapt onto the cliff, sweeping his rotating sword of teeth through the air elemental of Mali, tearing into her winds! Shadow warriors and Parthians fell under the wave of chaos forces and riders. Posy cleaved into the dwarven-soul-powered machine slaughtering the Parthians around her as Uther took down another of the riders.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mali called down a mighty flamestrike into Baelo... the divine half of the magic seeming to go straight through the magic armor! Taking the full hit in shock, Baelo focused his full attention on the air elemental... with the gods supposedly gone, where was this divine magic coming from? A wave of warm pink magic washed out from Yuki, healing Thorn, Verinthar, and the bleeding shadow warriors around her. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">From off of the boat, Loch, Crowe, and Gregori took flight, washing the forces with lightning and cold! Wren muttered briefly to herself, "I told you to stay on the ship!" Erevin pointed at Baelo, naming the new target to his bow, "Ellowyn, tell me about this one." A tremble in the bow as she named him Baelo. Arrows launched into the Thonak's chosen, flashing with their own magic through the runed armor! Thorn scrambled up the back of the arriving soul-powered machine, ripping it open to smash the crystal inside! After taking the damage from the exploding crystal, Thorn watched the dwarven soul inside being swept off toward the syphon.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Azarius sent out another massive bolt of fire! His power had grown greatly in his studies... and he was surely showing it off now. Immersed in dragon form, Wren clawed into the chaos soldier, biting him and then shaking him like a rag-doll before throwing his body aside. The power of her dragon body form felt a little euphoric compared to her normal fragility. Kale and Uther teamed up on a rider to take him down. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A crack appeared in the sky overhead, large fingers appearing along the edge... Erevin glanced up, "Oh, that's not good..." One of the soul-powered machines brought his attention back as it slammed into him! More forces hit the lines, tearing into Kale and Uther on one side and Thorn and Ursus on the other side! Mali called down more lightning, forming glass in the sand around Baelo's feet! Pink light fluttered around Yuki's ribbon as it caressed over Thorn, healing him again!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">"Dom! Get this thing off of me!" Erevin shouted up, ignoring the machine slamming into him as he continued his focus of shooting arrows into Baelo. Turning to see his friend in some trouble, Dominic smiled at him, "Watch this!" He launched off of the rock he was standing behind for cover, landing on top of the machine to throw a vial inside of it's armor! Boom! It exploded outward, releasing the soul and Dom fell to the ground... briefly winking at Erevin as he posed dead, hopefully awaiting the priestess's kiss of life. The arrows seemed to change in Erevin's quiver, coming up silver instead as the ranger pulled them, "Tread carefully, beast... You enter the land of the faithful!" Three powerful strikes as the arrows impaled into the armored demon, one after another, with the last going right through the center of his chest plate!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">For the first time, Baelo's forward motion was stopped as he took a step back. He glanced up into the sky calling out, "My lord!" As the chaos of battle clanged from all around them... a black chain mailed fist began coming down from out of the sky. Baelo pointed his sword at Erevin and Shri tackled the prince to the ground as energy shot forth... a huge rent through the earth now before them, the sides of sand fused to glass!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">At the same time, the ghostly spirit of Whitestrake shot off of the boat toward the pyramid... A shadow cast down from the sky overhead as a massive black dragon flew by, slamming into the pyramid, smashing it! <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A flood of divine energy rushed into the world! <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A deep, haunting, nightmarish voice came from the rent in the sky, "You have failed me again!" The hand came down, sucking up Baelo, before going back into the sky.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Partially covered broken and battered bodies were all around in the sand... and yet a resounding cheer could be heard from the remaining shadow warriors and Parthians as a visible wave washed over all of us, closing our wounds and restoring our health! <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A strikingly beautiful woman of divinity arrived before us, "Greetings, heroes, I am Daeu. The Goddess of Life." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Erevin dropped to one knee, quickly followed by the others. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Wren bowed her head in greeting, "We are most honored by your presence." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Daeu nodded to all of us, "Thanks to you and the heroes of this world the soul syphon is no more. The Thonak has been banished. The Gods of this world have been released." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">She turned to Verinthar, "See that you deliver your gifts. A good man has lost his father." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">She turned back to the rest of us, "No boon can I give that would repay the debt that we owe you... for what you have done for this world." She glanced back toward our ship for a moment, "But the Destiny can not stay here." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Erevin nodded, "We will take her away." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">The elven warriors and Parthians shook their heads, "We owe them a great celebration. Can they not stay for us to thank them?" <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Mali smiled over at them, "To know that you live is thanks enough." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Verinthar nodded to her, shaking each of our hands, "I hope that we meet again, heroes." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.5;">Everyone nodded, shaking his hand and agreeing, "Under much better circumstances."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">"It is not much... for where you travel, I have no power... but take my blessing. It may help you in a time of great need," Daeu brushed her hand over us gently, as though caressing the aura that surrounded our bodies. A warm fuzziness spread over us.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">While saying our goodbyes, Kale clasped Leeah's arm in a warrior-like fashion to say farewell and wish her luck. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> Somewhere over near the broken pyramid, Sethys looked among the rubble, pulling up a prized black shard of claw or fang from the dragon, "This will make a fine blade."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ding! Level 12!