The Sacking of Mesa GaanThe hot sun beat down upon the backs of the humans, and glinted off of armor and weapons. Men sweated and boiled in the heat, even in their light armor. Standing there was a chore. Moving and fighting would be an ordeal. Of course, they wouldn't be doing any fighting if everything went to plan. Their job was to protect the mages from being slain by the Naga monstrosities they were sent, no
compelled, to destroy. The Golems, the undead and even the sand itself would be doing their work form them.
More and more time passed, and the sun climbed ever higher. They waited for the signal to begin, the order to attack, fidgeting. Surely the monsters would have noticed them by now? Despite their master's assurances that his magic would prevent them from noticing, old habits die hard. Especially in soldiers. They could all practically feel the arrows being aimed at them, ready to pierce their armor and the soft flesh beneath. Finally, it came. A whisper in the back of their minds.
Now.... The soldier's straightened, preparing themselves to defend, while the mages enacted their magic. All around Mesa Gaan, corpses and stone and Sand golems began to rise. Soon a verifiable horde had arisen, the desert preserving corpses nicely. Without a warning, they all shambled, walked, or slithered forward, towards the town of the Naga. They had only one order; Kill the snakepeople.
However, a pair of Naga's, alone on Sentry duty, went unmolested. Indeed, they didn't even see a sign of the army attacking their home. Of course, one of them had bigger problems. The female Naga's companion suddenly seized up, going stiff as a stature, his spear falling from nerveless fingers. For a moment, he remained unmoving and silent, then a stream of gibberish exploded out of his mouth, unbroken and largely insensible, his eyes flashing between their regular color and a multitude of colors. A minute or so later, he stopped, and looked at his companion, his eyes changing solid colors periodically, and sometimes having a rainbown in them. "Ellys, I take it?" He inquired, ignoring his fallen spear.
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Naga hissed adn some instantly spat their vemon. The dark liquid did little to the corpses or creatures made of stone, their forms uneffected even when some coiled about and started to sink the fangs in. However, one thing was effective. Namely on the Golems as several Naga sprang forward to wrap about the brutes with their coils then started to crush them. The insides were hollow making it easier. The shape gave away easily with the stone and sand, but with the later, it shifted and tried to soffocate them. Sand moved with a life of its own then ended the insides of a few Naga, lungs unable to gather air...
The moment they died, Malice kicked in. Their eyes took a dull look, lifeless, then launched themselves at the nearest thing. Both ally and foe felt the violent spread into their ranks. Utter chaos broke out among the desert sands bathing it blood and bone alike.
Unaware of the hellish scene carried out in the far distance, Ellys let out a soft warning hiss when her companion started to act oddly. Her body reared and hissed. Her hands tighten on the spear, readied to defend herself should the male attack. When his weapon dropped, he turned to speak to her, saying her name which caused her brow to raise in question. Not because of him speaking her name but in the fashion he spoke it.
"Yes, you know that Israyis." Ellys said with distaste in her voice, her posture hadn't changed from its offensive approach.
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Those few Golems left standing and the corpses continued their inexhaustible attack on the Naga settlement. Any Naga within reach was attacked. Sand tried to suffocate them, Stone tried to crush whatever they can grab and those corpses with weapons used them. Failing in that, they used their teeth and claws and jagged stumps of bone. Whatever came to hand. Those Golems and corpses whose legs or tails were crushed beyond repair attempted to crawl in the sand towards the nearest Naga, providing a dangerous underfooting for the unwary. Of course, bigger problems occupied the Naga. Such as not being killed by the walking corpses and golems.
The soldier's protecting the mages eyed the chaos warily, hoping the battle of monsters wouldn't reach them. That mess would make the job of protecting the necromancers hard indeed.
The male Naga, Israyis as Ellys apparently knew him, appeared genuinely confused for a moment. Then, he glanced down at himself and let out a small chuckle, his eyes changing color in time with his laughter. "Come now, I think it is clear that your...companion isn't speaking to you anymore. Unless his eyes were always like this?" He gestured towards his eyes, which stayed a bright purple for a few moments longer than usual. "Regardless, who I am and if your companion will be okay is irrelevant. I'm here to help you. To help you save your race from the foul act of one unnatural Naga. Tell me, do you know a Mar?"
As some fell to Malice, the other Naga knew instantly and started to edge their way backwards. Their bodies moved in ideal motions and in a rythm acquired through years of working along side each other as the less experienced Naga quickly fell, some only spared by the aid of their elders. Those who remained above ground lashed out in a bloody war while others father back, closer to the dens, had already darted below ground. Their forms vanished easily into the softer sand and through the premade tunnels deep into the Ravine.
Those above needed to buy time. They lashed out their tails, creating wide arc and anything catch in their path was broke, scattered or sent flying. Several Malice Naga, their bodies filled with broken spears, sand and more moved through the remains of the inanimated army. Most fell shortly after with their skulls crashed in or their hearts smashed within their chests. Their bodies fell limp. The few which had managed to make it to the soldiers, by some miracle of another, wrecked hellish carnage. Fangs dug into throats then ripped them, dying the sands with red. Coils broke bone and sized flesh to cave within itself, the victim's eyes deadened stared sightlessly back.
Only three had made it there, but that was enough to cut down several soldiers until they were finally brought down with a weapon though their heads. Those hit in the heart took long before they collapsed into a heap.
Still unaware of the fight occuring, Ellys's lips frowned at the bewilderment on her companion's face which was very unlike him or any Naga. Then drew a darken look from her when he began to laugh and spoke strange things, namely that he wasn't Israyis and pointed to the proof within his eyes. Ellys felt the heat return to her skin at sighting magic again, her mind almost spat at the name, Mar, being spoken. That foul, unworthy biped bitch wasn't fit to slither among the Naga let alone to live. Many had agreed that the Arch Matriarch's punish was far too light and pure wrong. Yet, at the spiky biped's plead, Armayllis had allowed the disgrace to leave in banishment. However, she was now curious at what the thing which pocessed the male before had to say.
"Yes...the banished digrace and bane of our race, yes I know Marya. Though what a creature like you, who uses other bodies and doesn't show his true form, would want to know that is pointless." Ellys practically spat the words, her expression quite the opposite. It was ice cold and unfazed. "Her living is a foul act in itself. Once she dies all will be righted and until then, there's little she can do in banishment."
Only three Nagas had made it to the protective ring of soldier's but they were enough. These men had never fought Naga before, and they made the mistake of killing the Naga they way they were trained. Ignoring the head and going for the center of mass. For the first two, they were lucky. The two wrought terrible damage amongst the protectors, crushing bones and lashing out with blinding speed to strike in the gaps in their armor. But they never reached the mages. They died before they could. The third one, however, the third one wasn't stabbed through the heart or the head. The third one was stabbed through the chest and then went into Malice stage. The Naga cut it's way through the protective ring and maaged to strike down three mages before a spear erupted out of it's skull.
Swaths of Golems and corpses suddenly fell down, fell apart, and in general stopped moving. THe corpses were truly dead and the Golems were no more. Those that were still powered by mages, however, continued attacking.
"True. She is an abomination." The thing possessing Israyis agreed. "And she does deserve to die. And she will. But, her bloodline will continue on." He smiled at Ellys. "That's what I've come to tell you. She's had a child. A girl, half human and half Naga. Of course, killing the child will be nearly impossible, given that it's protected by a mage college and whatever the mages can bring to bear. Unless, of course, someone can get close to her and the child. Someone protected by a power greater than the Mage college. Whomever killed her and her monstrosity would be hailed a hero, I imagine. Guaranteed power and authority." He glanced at Ellys. "You wouldn't happen to know anyone willing to do such a thing, would you? I have an offer to make them.
The Naga pull back slowly, their hope increased by the crumbling sand, corpses, and stone. Yet some still remained. As many Naga hastily pulled back, those who hadn't entered their dens were busy, their arms strung thin ropes upon them and waited while their heads moved with each Naga edged closer. Finally the last one had seemed to cross an invisible line before the first Naga, followed by others, jerked on the ropes with all their might.
The sand under the last of the army's feet gave way. Sand hissed and fell into a deeply dug trench several miles deep. Their bodies, strong and frail, crashed against sharpened spikes to the earth below. Any not killed were broken by the fall and trapped within the desert's depths.
Ellys listened to the stranger, her eyes widened with a mix and horror at what this being was suggesting. That Mar dared to farther her crime by bearing offspring? To farther insult, it was a girl which meant it took after its foul mother. The hairs on her neck back became erect at the notion followed by a loud hiss, the sound crackled within the air. Her knuckles were whitened against her spear now propped upright and rested beside her. It wasn't the glory she would've sought, but the assurance the digusting creature won't live long, its corpse piled over its dead mother shortly.
"How dare she farther pollute our blood, even after she was banished. That...abomination has no right to live any long then it has to. Nor does the flith that bore it." Ellys snarled as she pushed away the shiver sent up her spine when the creature used Israyis's lips to smile. "Where is this Twilight College at?"
Those Necromancer Mages who still had blood left in them picked up the fallen weapons of those who had died wielding them and gave them life. Afterall, how would one go about stopping a weapon with no wielder? Those that could not give life to weapons drew their own. They were inexperienced compared to the soldiers, but luck could kill an enemy just as easily as skill.
The useage of the Golems and corpses failed. New orders were given.
Now..Use the desert against them. Geomancers, by far the most prevalent in this small army, stepped forward and gestured. The desert rose amongst the Naga on the surface and began burrowing down towards those in the rock shelters, trying to smother them, and turn their Malice stage against each other. Mesa Gaan would fall. There is no other choice.
The thing possessing Ellys' companion drew his dagger. It flashed a bright red, before returning to it's normal white. "Follow wherever the dagger points. When you get to the College, I'll protect you from hostile eyes. Then all you have to do is stab Mar with this dagger and then take the child and kill it. I'll do the rest." He extended the hilt towards her.
The hellish scene turned into a blood bath quickly. The Naga were dealing with not just dealing with combat but also magic, the later they were seriously out matched in. Weapons sprang to life then hacked and slashed at them. Their swings sloppy and weak, yet there wasn't anyone behind them to counter with. Just air, a few already worn Naga had fallen into Malice stage while their numbers dwindled bit by bit.
Soon those who bodies didn't liter the scene retreated into the tunnels just when the earth hurtle after them.
Underground, those few that had reached the depths before the eath turned on them were busy. Each time, they were slowly joined by others. Three were alone and a few feet in, two males and one female stood there as if waiting something. One of the males had sliced his up the length of his arm and stood the deepest within the Ravine entrance. They knew how dangerous this was and nothing about what attention their actions would've gained. A low rumbling had started towards them. The other two fell back, their eyes watched the other one bravely stand there when a
monster emerged from the darkness. It's head swayed then stopped onto the bleeding Naga, it's heat sensors pulsed and picked up the warmer then rock blood. It let out a deafening scream which echoed off the ceiling and throughout the Ravine.
Suddenly many yellowed eyed devils were staring upon the unsettled Naga. In his posture and his eyes, he knew his actions were meant to be a death wish. One that was meant to ensure their survival as hundreds of the beast set their fangs upon the helpless victim. Rendering him to pieces. This time the female nodded then motioned for several others, ten to be exact, for stage two. Their blades sliced their hands instantly catching the beasts attention then raced through the deadly maze of earth and sand, desperate to reach the surface.
Meanwhile, the Matriarch, the only one not killed within the sleeping chambers had been led to the Ravine entrance by a young male. His features were strong and familiar to most because he was Mar's older brother, Lyamis. "Quickly, before the Ridge Hounds turn back and find us here."
They had been lucky. Only a small pack dared to dwell near their nests and now would flood the surface while they traveled through the Ravine. They only hoped enough of them would survive extinction.
Ellys's hand reached for once again normal looking dagger. Her fingers held it as if she was going to be bitten, her eyes flickered back to the stranger looking through her companion's eyes. She didn't like the way they shimmered or shifted, the essence seemed so chaotic that she fought back a warning hiss. Something, instinct or his demo of power, had told her it wasn't wise to upset him unneeded. To test out his words she held the dagger against the flat of her palm then let it spin around and around. It stopped then pointed into one direction as if drawn to it.
"How do I know I can trust you..." Ellys began. "I would have better luck killing the mother and it right there instead of wasting time retreating."
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The earth followed, suffocating and killing any Naga's it could catch. Some of the Geomancers collapsed as they used up all of their blood, but still those surviving pushed on. The voice encouraged them.
Kill them. Kill them! Drive them into the Ravine, paint their safe haven red with their own blood, make them kill each other. None must escape, Narok has commanded it! I will not be denied. Any who fail will know pain and death beyond mortal comprehension. And so on, so forth. The soldier's themselves didn't move, the only way they knew they were actually attacking and winning was through the voice.
The thing possessing Israyis nodded. "You could have luck. You could get past the guards, the Golems, the mages, the defenses, the traps, and whatever else the mage college could come up with. You could reach her and her child, getting past the father. And then you could kill them both. All of this could happen. But how would you escape? The deaths of a student and her child would enrage the entire College. All of them mages. There are several teachers who could do things to do you that would make death look appealing." His eyes flashed a black and then a grey, alternating for a few moments before the chaos returned.
"And even if you manage to escape, they could save her. Magic is a powerful thing. It can save those once thought dead, especially that of healing. I, however, am stronger than whatever magic they can produce. I can ensure the both of them are dead. Mar first, as the dagger must be left in her to ensure her death. The child will be dealt with outside of the College's level of influence, which I will guide you to. Of course...if you doubt my abilities, a demonstration is in order."
Israyis suddenly faded away, leaving nothing but a fallen spear. Moments passed in silence, and then his voice whispered near Ellys. "Heads up." There was a sudden stinging pain in her right arm, as if she had been whipped by a tail. A few more moments passed. "Over here." Another stinging blow, this time on her back. It continued like this for a few moments before Israyis spoke again "I thought Naga's were renowned for their senses. Why can't you stop me then? Could it be that I'm not lying?" He reappeared in front of her, prudently out of spear reach. "Why can you trust me? Because I desire their deaths as much as you do. They are abominations and must be destroyed. I, however, cannot do it myself. You can."
Same Naga, only about 3, made it topside but that was all the Ridge Hounds needed. As soon as the three popped from the sands there was about twenty hounds on their tail after navigating through the boody trapped tunnels in hot pursuit of the blood scent. Their screaming howls echoed with their arrival as more flooded the surface like a blacken sea. They set upon their orignal targets, the creatures closest, and swarmed like locus over their bodies. Arms were severed, their screams died while the Malice kicked in from they teeth buried deeply into the flesh.
Then they rose and flooded the soldiers. They might've been easy to kill, but what they psyhically lacked was made up for by sheer numbers. More and more rushed through the opennings and even made new ones while the mages tried to seal them in, easily crushing fifty or more with each attempt. It only slightly stopped the assault to a bare notice.
Meanwhile the Naga vanished deeper into the Ravine to the far stretches, scattering their numbers. Some managed to head in the College's direction and out those many, only nine would venture to an Ravine entrance at some point.
Ellys listened but didn't believe, until the demostration. That's when she suffered for her mistake. She screamed with each hit as the creature proved its strength by lashing out over and over, her eyes glowed with red. However to attack or kill it, she would risk Israyis's life and to kill a Naga was forbidden. When it finished, she was hunched over with slight wounds oozing red from many scores. They stung and twinged while she looked up at the creature with distaste.
"You've made your point." Her tone filled with bane. "All I care is that Mar and her filth dies, if you can make that happen so be it."
With that thought and dagger in hand, Ellys left.
The soldiers never stood a chance. They were too few in number to do anything more than kill one before being swamped in a screaming mass of blood, metal and tearing claws. Soon, they were all swept away under the sea of Ridge Hounds. In a way, the mage's were the lucky ones. They could overuse their blood and make themselves comatose before being torn apart by the monstrosities. The soldiers weren't so lucky. They were torn apart, feeling their master leave them to their fates, knowing despair before pain became all that they knew. None survived.
In the throne room, still bloody from his coup, Fredrick smiled. Everything was going according to plan.
The thing possessing Israyis nodded. "I believe that is all you care about." He said, before picking up his spear and shoving it through the Naga's skull. The strange lights left, and the body collapsed.
The entity known as Chessmaster steepled their fingers in satisfaction, watching their newest pawn head towards the College. "And you will do much for us, little pawn. Much more than you can ever imagine. Of course, you'll never really get to see how useful you'll be. Such a shame, really. Self-righteous and hateful pawns are so much easier to control." They shrugged. "Still. You'll serve your purpose. Events have been set in motion that not even the Gods can stop now..."
