EliteCommander

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

The combined factors of this ambush made it a particularly dangerous one. Spreading out had been preferable to being trampled all at once by the beast’s unstoppable charge, but a disorganized formation was much more vulnerable to the barrage of arrows that followed. Several soldiers took hits, of varying severity. Regardless of lethality, though, the injured were taken momentarily out of the fight.

The projectiles of the Human weapons had been quicker to kill one of the beasts, but the efforts of J’eon and other Heat mages among Nellara’s forces had not been without effect. Rapid heating and cooling, in addition to any internal injuries, weakened parts of its armored hide. It made for vulnerabilities that did not even require the Humans’ weapons to get through. It became more sluggish overall, so Nellara’s agility could keep her out of the path of its initial charge. With Nellara having evaded, and no longer casting magic, it swung its claws at anyone near and swept its tail in a wide arc behind it. Even while weakened, any hit from the beast could prove fatal.

As the Humans had not been in its direct path, they had the opportunity to shift their target to the last beast. Being that it had charged right into the middle of their soldiers, there was no way to ensure a clear line of sight. Friendly fire would be a risk, but perhaps less-so than allowing it to continue its rampage for any longer. It was quite a large target, so for Vigdis, firing from a stable position, it was hard to miss. Hitting the head, specifically, was more of a challenge given how much it was moving.

Shots from any Human weapon pierced through the beast’s hide with ease, especially now that it was weakened. Hits to the body now had more of a visible effect than before. Even without an immediately lethal hit, they could cause more internal damage. Against any notion of natural instincts, this creature appeared to ignore pain and any risk of death, but enough damage to its body and it could not stand, regardless of its mental resiliency. It collapsed, unable to move its legs properly to support its own weight. Even so, it was still trying to crawl towards the nearest mage up to its last moment, until someone could make what was now a much easier shot to the head to finish it off.

Kareet did not see it coming when an arrow pierced roughly through the center of her chest. She did not need to see it to know that it must have had a non-magnetic arrowhead to make it through the barrier she had created. Some archers carried a few in their quivers for just this sort of situation. Her concentration was broken, and she fell back onto the boat. The protection the Humans had from the barrage was now gone, though the attackers may not have planned for their beasts to fall so quickly.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Strictly speaking, Ahnasha knew that the city was far busier than it once was. Warriors from all of Tamriel’s clans had still not left to return home and were living in the city, and camps around it. Not to mention the other factions that were still preparing to make their departure. Still, walking through its streets, it felt almost quiet. Calm. Most of its residents were taking a well-deserved break from training, so there was a certain peace among those who were moving about. The city itself did not feel as much like a military camp as it did before the battle. Instead of soldiers, it was families filling the streets, even if it had been the same people in both cases. Ahnasha had grown accustomed to the repurposed Dwemer automatons they had put to work in the city, so it did feel a bit strange to no longer see more than a spider or two around. From what she had heard, they had lost almost their entire force of automatons in the battle, as they had been put on the frontlines. It was mostly spiders that remained. There were some who were quite upset at the loss, but Ahnasha wondered how many more living, breathing soldiers would have died in their stead had they not been there.

It was not far outside the city where they would be meeting with all of the others. It was a quiet spot near the river, among some of the giant glowing mushroom trees. They could hear the murmurs of conversation ahead of them, just around the bend on the other side of some of the cavern’s larger rocks. Ahnasha slowed down noticeably, giving a look over towards Rossarm. There was a certain question she wanted answered before they all got together, and she imagined he would agree it was something better to talk about now, rather than in the middle of everyone else.

“You know, Rossarm, I do believe Rhazii is someone bound for greatness. That may just be my own bias as his mother, but I think one just has to look at where he comes from to see that potential. And I’ve also seen who you are, at your core, the way one only can when everything is on the line. I think it would be a benefit to Rhazii to be able to get to know his grandfather. To have the chance to learn from who you are. But it is your choice. Say no, and I won't be making introductions.” Ahnasha asked, speaking somewhat softly.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

As the creatures reached them, the pieces of this ambush fell into place. Now with the beasts to demand their focus, the other hostiles had re-emerged from the treeline and resumed their barrage of arrows. The creatures forced them to break formation and spread out, which meant they could not take advantage of a shield wall to protect themselves from the volleys. For the creatures themselves, neither blades nor arrows could pierce their hides, so they were not under threat from being in the midst of the friendly barrage.

Kareet’s prior experience with these creatures meant she knew her own magic would be of limited use against them. They required a coordinated effort of alternating cold and heat in order to weaken their hide. If different mages were hitting it with both at once, it would be counterproductive. Kareet’s contribution to that effort could be minor at best, so she looked elsewhere for her most optimal contribution. Raising one hand to the sky, she traced a few lines in the air with her fingers as she gave her focus to creating a repelling magnetic curtain above them. Metal arrowheads would be repelled, either deflecting or at least sending them tumbling in the air. It would provide strong protection from the barrage to anyone underneath, though she could not cover a wide enough area to protect all of her allies. Being that it was a priority to get the Humans to Arcaeda safely, Kareet positioned herself to guard them from the barrage. Any others were expendable.

Per Nellara’s orders, the soldiers spread out just before the creatures reached the frontline, and it was not a moment too soon. When they charged straight into the spears, not a one got through their hides. By evading, at least, it was only two of Nellara’s soldiers who found themselves overrun and crushed under their mass. It would take a few cycles of attack through heat and cold to weaken their defenses, which made it all the more surprising when one of the beasts fell dead.

The creatures were had simply charged straight at their prey with seemingly no concern for self-preservation. Any of the weapons or magic thrown at them did not pierce their hide…with one exception. Though it was hard to tell from a distance, the shots fired from many of the Human weapons did indeed punch through, and they were hard targets to miss. Even still, the sheer size of their bodies allowed them to shrug off shot after shot with no immediate effect, until something important was struck. It was near the end of Zey’s magazine that one of her shots managed to break through its skull.

Of course, the other creature was still very much alive and rampaging through their lines, surrounded by friendlies. Its focus seemed to go straight to the strongest source of magic in front of it, which, at the moment, was Nellara herself.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

As soon as they had reached the shore, Kareet extended a hand towards her pack over in the corner of the boat. Since she knew just where she kept her hammer, she could form a magnetic link to it, then pulled it out of its pouch, through the air, and into her hand. Placing two fingers near the base of the haft, she ran them up towards the hammer head at a constant speed, building up electric charge the entire time. By the end, the weapon was wreathed in lightning and still bound to her by the link she had made.

Against any other creature, Nellara’s orders would have been the right call. Few animals would willingly charge in to be skewered by a wall of spears and blades. However, from her experience with the creature before, that was not going to work here. Their weapons were not going to pierce its hide, and it had the sheer power behind it that grouping tightly would only make it easier for it to crush more of them at once.

“No, spread out!” Kareet shouted, looking over to Nellara. “Tough hide, magic resistant. Alternate heat and cold to weaken it.” She spoke quickly and efficiently, as the beasts were mere moments from reaching them.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha did not expect everything about Rossarm to change, but that one day had done much to her own perspective. There was a lot to hate about the ways he had acted in the past, about how he had treated Fendros, but on that day, it had been them against the armies of Oblivion, and Rossarm had stepped into that willingly. When it came down to it, he was someone who would stand up and act in the face of even an overwhelming threat. He did not make excuses, regardless of how he felt, and that was a quality Ahnasha could respect.

“It won’t be long before everyone moves on, back to their homes. We thought it would be nice to give everyone a chance to get together, without the threat of Vile looming over us.” Ahnasha added, giving a quick glance over to Fendros beside her. There was much she could say, wanted to say, points she could make, but in the end, little of this was about her. If, even after everything, Rossarm rejected them, she would move on with hardly a second thought. This resolution, whatever it ended up being, was about Fendros. Whether he reconciled with his past, or buried it, Ahnasha would be right here to support him through every moment. However it went, though, there was little doubt in her mind that he had the strength to handle it.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

Kareet had only a limited view of what was going on around her. The assistance of Nellara’s Force mages made it possible to bring the barge to shore, but it still took every bit of effort she could muster to do her part. The soldiers arranged into some sort of formation as quickly as possible. The first volley of arrows came down before they could fully position themselves, but there were two that managed to get themselves in front of Kareet, using their shields, armor, and own bodies to guard her. Likely the same was true for the Force mages keeping them up.

All around her, Kareet heard the impact of arrows. Some against metal, some into the wooden hull, some into flesh. Kareet saw one of them pierce straight through the body of one of the Tekeri soldiers. It was an arrow shot from one of the heavy bows used by the likes of the S’tor which could absolutely pierce even quality chainmail, and in this case, she could see it impale through one of his lungs out the other side. Though, the reactions of the soldiers was professional and practiced. The front line pushed forward to guard those behind them, holding shields high to protect the head. Those in the middle quickly grabbed the injured soldier and pulled them back, then the Life mage got quickly to work. Life mages commonly stayed in the back of most formations and would use their fellow soldiers’ bodies as shields, if need be. Above all, they were trained to protect their own lives, for they were responsible for keeping the rest alive. ‘Treatment’, in this case, did not involve near so much care as the Humans were accustomed to from their field medics. Speed of recovery was the most important factor here, so the Life mage simply grabbed the arrow and yanked it straight out of the body with little concern for how much damage the arrowhead did as she ripped it out. Sheer adrenaline likely halted the pain, and fortunately for him, it would not catch up with him later. A few moments of focus from the Life mage, and the wound closed up before their eyes.

In most circumstances, the barrage would have continued beyond the first few volleys, but there was something to surprise even their ambushers. They were far away and had already ranged their shots beforehand, so they were not expecting effective return fire. However, the Humans and their weapons seemed to be able to aim and shoot at even that long range perfectly well. Instead of arrows or fireballs, it was seemingly invisible projectiles landing all around them. Kareet could hear little beyond the deafening crack of Zey’s weapon, again and again and again. It could shoot so quickly with a sound that echoed throughout the entire valley. Among the assailants on the shore, one of the shots from one of the Humans tore straight through a Glen’s chest, and she dropped to the ground in an instant. There was no arrow, no sign of what struck her, but they could hear the sounds of these shots flying all around them. Startled and frightened, two of them grabbed their wounded ally while they all retreated back behind the treeline.

The barrage of arrows might have halted until the barge made it to shore, but that did not mark the end of the ambush. A horn sounded out, and from the trees came charging two massive creatures on all-fours, as fast as their bodies could carry them. To nearly everyone present, they were entirely unrecognizable, but to Kareet and J’eon, they were frighteningly familiar.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

In this case, Ahnasha found it easier to stay calm for this particular meeting, which perhaps was not surprising. There was a lot more weight on this conversation for Fendros than for her. In a way, she felt it was encouraging that Rossarm opened the door at all. Part of her had been preparing for the possibility of him sending Fendros away through the door. Still, once the door opened, all that filled the air was a silence that carried the kind of tension that could be cut with a knife. Though, Ahnasha did not let it persist for too long. While the two of them stared at one another, she was in a position to break the ice.

“Good morning, Rossarm. Do you mind if we come in for a few minutes?” Ahnasha asked, simple and polite, but direct. Even after all that had happened between them, she was not showing a hint of trepidation.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

It's funny, I was just thinking about this a few hours ago. I should be able to reply tomorrow.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

Nellara’s assistance lightened the load for Kareet, and once a Force mage among her soldiers joined in as well, it was enough to start moving even a heavy barge towards the shore. Force magic was far more well-suited for this task, as the force could be applied evenly across the hull. Already, Kareet’s efforts had splintered the hull in multiple places.

The barge was floating just above the blackened water towards the nearest riverbank. With the near complete stillness all around them, the movement just ahead from just beyond the treeline stood out all the more easily. Several people, about seven or eight from what Kareet could see at a glance, though there could be more obscured by the foliage. It was a mix of Tekeri, Glen, and S'tor, with no standard uniform or markings that could identify them. They did not look equipped for war; in fact, they looked more like hunters than anything else. Except, they immediately took aim with their bows firmly on the barge. They were far enough away that Kareet could not hit them with any sort of lightning bolt she could charge quickly enough; not that she could afford to do anything except prevent their vessel from falling back into the river, regardless. Their attackers had already ranged their shots, so when they loosed their first volley, most of the arrows came straight for the barge.

The Eye of the Needle (where Fantasy and Sci-fi collide)

Kareet of Arcaeda

---

However long the silence had been going on, Kareet did not have time to discern its nature before the situation changed. Kareet had stood up and was pacing down the middle of the barge, her eyes darting around across the surrounding forest looking for anything out of the ordinary. However, it was not the forest which changed.

The shift was sudden and drastic. All around the barge, the water seemed to shift into a substance as black as tar, and about as viscous. For the Humans, if they were capable of recognizing such things, they would see the same looks of startled surprise on most of the soldiers, and even Kareet herself. Across all of her education and experience, this was like nothing she had ever seen or heard of before.

There was not much time to stand around in awe. The barge had come almost to a halt as the paddlewheel struggled to push through. More alarming, though, was when a hole formed in the bottom of the boat. This liquid, whatever it was, corroded a hole straight through the wooden hull just under a Tekeri soldier near Kareet. The substance enveloped the foot of the soldier, who fell onto his back as soon as he tried to back away. Despite having practically dissolved a hole in the hull, the substance did not actually cause any visible harm to the Tekeri. Rather, half of his leg was entirely paralyzed.

This was something wholly, completely new and unexpected to Kareet, but it was no time for wonder and curiosity. In emergencies, survival was favored for those who could be decisive. Kareet pushed both hands downwards, open-palmed, extended them outwards, then clenched them into fists. Body and mind focused as hard as she ever had before, she let out a scream as her hands lifted up slowly, as if fighting against some unseen force. The magnetic field she had generated enveloped the whole of the barge, though of course, it could not touch the vessel’s wooden hull. However, every nail, rivet, steel reinforcement, and the paddlewheel mechanism itself was perfectly vulnerable to its influence. Not to mention, as she had not focused her magic to any specific object, every single magnetic object on the barge would be pulled upwards and float in the air around them unless held down by something.

The barge’s hull quickly began to crack and splinter from the uneven application of force that was starting to lift it out of the water. Raising it by influencing a scattered mass of metal objects was far from ideal, and Kareet was already struggling, but they needed to get the barge to the riverbank. “LIFT!” Kareet shouted desperately.