Dominion-Charlin *Fwomp* [center] [b] PLAGUELANDS [/b] [/center] The crumbling streets were dark and deserted, or at least, it was suppose to be. Blessed Knight Commander Derrix Herchiv however, commander of a twenty eight man extermination squad, found the gunshots and loud bangs to the near west to be disturbing at best, especially since this was suppose to be a rather vacant pathway to the old Somnus chapterhouse. This was suppose to be a simple retrieval mission, a recapture of the Honor tablet of Krax, and nothing more. The higher ups had carefully mapped out a pre scouted route to the long abandoned structure to avoid all contact with just about everything, and so far they have ghosted their way through the plague lands as such, but the loud bangs up ahead planted the seed of doubt in the commander's mind, as well as his marching troops. Twenty eight men and women. Ten fresh recruits, ten seasoned men at arms, five experienced marksmen, and two Justinian elites, plus one blessed commander; They all marched in perfect unison, in a perfect block. The troops were well armed and even more well armored, as no skin showed past flexible plate armor and body shields. Their faces were nonexistent in the plaguelands due to the Paladin issued plague prevention mask as well as the full covering helm that covered their heads. Their booted feet fell silent on the cobblestone roads and the weeds that grew from it’s cracks and crevices and if it wasn’t for the grinding of the articulated plate mail or the horses the two Elites and the commander rode ahead of the march along with their bright red capes that flapped in the slight wind, they would have been as silent as the night itself. Any doubts of the route planned and worries of encounters paled in the brilliant power of the Charlinite Paladins absolute bravery and sense of duty, as well as the comfort of being covered on all sides by other equally as brave soldiers who would sacrifice their lives for the same cause as yours. Passing one crumbled husk of a building after another, the Paladins of Krax eventually reached their mark, but not before reaching the remains of a recent struggle. The ground was littered with at least twenty dead bodies of infected and cultists, as well as two large scorch marks singed into the street stone. It was a peculiar sight to the commander, as there was no signs of infighting between the cultists on this recent battlefield, as they all faced a similar directed. The only reasonable explanation the commander could conjure was that the beasts of the plague were slaughtered by a foreigner, possibly more than one, to the area, and very expertly at that. There wasn’t much time to snoop around, the commander reasoned. Quickly seven men were sent into the chapterhouse to retrieve the artifact while the rest stood guard outside. The wind began to die down and soon the soft flapping of the commanders cape no longer supplemented for the silence, and they all soon drowned in the eerie quiet. A quick scan of the area showed no life, only the dead bodies of the recent scuffle, withered plants, and a crumbling city. Morinth was watching from the roof of a nearby building. Laying on her stomach was uncomfortable considering how many objects she was carrying but with it being day time, seeing an individual standing on a lone roof would be rather obvious. She was however, curious as to who these people were. Their armaments resembled the weaponry and armor in the chapter house and fell in line with the descriptions of Paladins from war veterans twenty years passed. She had to get closer, figure out exactly what was going on and at the very least, use them as a diversion from the cultists. What better to use than warriors who specialize in purging the so called evil. So was silent as she attached a grapple to the inside of the hole she used to climb on to the roof and then ran a rope to a ledge facing away from the Paladins. Before she could rappel though, she heard what sounded like formations moving between buildings. As she crouched and moved about the roof to get a better vantage, she saw on the far side of the Chapter house… another wave of enemies. “Damn, I didn’t think there were any stragglers.” And at this point, the Paladins would have no idea these people were coming. She would make sure they did. Morinth swung her bow around and took aim at the closest enemy. She knew that killing him would alert the others but if they were allowed to move at their own pace, the Paladins may have time to get inside the building and would be surrounded easily. Even though it was obvious that these Paladins of Krax knew how to fight, they weren’t invincible, especially considering the earlier engagement, how the plague victims were starting to fight in a more organized manner. She drew the bow and a brighter colored arrow came into existence. As she released, what would seem like a bolt of lightning shot forth towards the closest enemy. When it hit, an awful cry of intense pain would echo through the area. “Got ya... prick.” The sound was unmistakable, a body had thumped to the ground after yelling out in pain. Derrix quickly called for the men in the building to reemerge, who proved the search for the artifact desolate and unfulfilled at best. Quickly the soldiers were called into formation, where every soldier faced out from a center, creating a circle of shields and weapons. The formation was loose and was well adapted to dealing with the plague, as it was designed for spotting where a group of infected were coming from, and then adapting accordingly. Soon the enemy poured out of tight alleyways and broken homes. The formation quickly shifted into a wide block, giving the individual enough room to fight comfortably and flexibly while still allowing the front line to remain impenetrable by enemy forces. Soon the clumsy horde of pale monstrosities and deranged cultists slammed hard against the shields of the Paladins, who retaliated with quick stabs of the front lines swords and long chops of pole arms from the second line. The mechanized approach of the Paladins proved superior as they kept stabbing and chopping. Crimson ribbons were cut from the throats of the enemy and thrown about the air wildly as the harmonious clang of metal clunked and shanked against the cacophony of ripping skin and snapping bones. The silent Paladins routinely massacred the wildly screaming and distraught barbarians of disease with little expression except for the flashes of their blades against the sunlight, and the soft glow of the blessed Knight Commander who fought heel to heel and shoulder to shoulder with his loyal men. The bodies of the infected began to thicken as more and more threw themselves at the Paladins, scratching at their shields with strenuous effort if they made it past the hedge of points and edges. The first line began to grow sore from the constant pounding, a fact that Derrix knew without a doubt how to cure. With a single command the front line fell back and the second line replaced them in mere moments, effectively swapping the lines without breaking their hold. The massacre continued for a while until the horde began to thin until the flood of infected flesh had ceased. “More will come,” the commander announced, “it’s best we leave, our tablet is not here.” The troop silently agreed, and a few grumbled over the failed mission, but at least, some mentioned, it had not ended dishonorably. They knew this did not mean they would return to Charlin, but instead that they will have to look elsewhere, which would be wherever the commander saw the tablet fit to be. Indeed more did come but not in large swaths as before, rather four ranged combatants, likely late to the fight as their archers seemed to be less berserk, but still just as deadly. They began to take up positions and started letting loose a volley of arrows towards the paladins. They fired one at a time, keeping constant pressure on the Paladins. Their bows were stronger than most encountered thus far which at the right angle, could easily pierce most shields and armor. Morinth knew their sustained fire at the range they were fighting, would eventually wear down the paladins. As mighty as they are, an enemy bombarding them from afar is still going to take its toll. From above the paladins, once more a bright streak of lightning struck the lead archer, sending the body back a few feet. A second shot hit another archer which literally caught him aflame. It seemed methodical at this point.. The third fell and finally the fourth. All with burnt blood and blackened skin. After the last body fell, an eerie silence befell the area. Morinth looked and listened for any nearby foes… nothing. “Well, I suppose they’ll be wondering who was covering them.” she thought. At that point, she shouted ‘Up here!’ and stood up. Her black cape was waving gently in the wind and her hood was still obscuring her face. She then darted away from their view towards her previously set up grapple. “Who hails,” Called out the impressed Commander Derrix. As he would look about, a hooded figure emerged from the side of the building. She slowly paced towards the Paladins. Her movements were fluid and feminine but still that of a stealthy killer. She got within a few feet of him and stopped. His troops were well armed and watched every move but she paid them know mind at all. Her gaze was solely at commander Derrix and after a moment of silence, she lowered her hood, revealing her long white hair and pale blue skin. Something that would likely be rare from their side of the world. She smirked a bit then spoke softly, “Seems what I’ve heard was somewhat true about your [i]paladin[/i] order.” She leaned to her right and left, eyeing his troop and their weaponry. “Pretty impressive.” she said, clearly dodging his question of who she was. The expressionless faces of the helmets that hid the paladin’s visages held their gazes as they listened to the woman, waiting for her to announce her name in her western accent, but when they realized she wasn’t going to Commander Derrix reiterated respectfully, “Who are you?” “Hmmm” she said before looking around. “I suppose.. My name is Morinth. I’m not from around these parts.. just sort of travelling. Had some people to meet. They’re dead now. Crazy fucks I say.” It’d be hard to detect any lie in her voice. She had been so used to doing it over her long career that it was almost natural. She looked around again at the bodies. “So what are you guys doing out here?” Derrix knew he was far from home, and he knew well the custom of the westerners and how it differed from the honorable east. Back home a name was made by one's actions, earned by glorious feats, and here, it was just a word, given at anyones whim, not even worthy of uttering in his Charlinite ear. This conversation only reminded him of how far away he really was, and he could only imagine how the fresh recruits of the group feel, as this was probably the longest from home they ever travelled. With an inaudible sigh Derrix surfaced from his thoughts and spoke behind his muffling mask and helmet, “Looking for the remains of that building, the remains of history.” The seasoned commander pointed at the chapterhouse, he knew secrecy of his mission paled next to figuring out where the tablet really was, and hoped the strange woman would know where exactly that was. “Would you have any knowledge of anything taken from that chapterhouse?” She nudged a rock with her foot for a second, thinking about how she would answer this tactfully. It became obvious in her mind that these paladins could come in handy for her next part of the mission. Morinth raised her head and smiled at Derrix, “Well, I’ve seen some stuff in there when I was looking for the people I was supposed to meet.” She paused a moment and looked at the Chapter house. “What exactly are you referring to? Those cultists had a lot of stuff!” All her words sounded playful at this point. “A slab of stone written in old Charlinite and bearing Monodominic markings,” Derrix offered willingly. “Hmmm” she said before looking around. “Well, I’ve seen many slabs of stone around this area.. Granted most i’ve seen seems to be signs or plaques.. something strange. You know, [i]Somnus[/i] strange.” She turned towards the building she had previously been in. “Any chance you guys can stay around for a moment longer? I’ll grab my rope and I’ll help you find your stone..” She tried her hardest to sound distressed at this point, “But in return would you be kind as to help my friends? I’m fearing that they’re dead and I’m no warrior.” Derrix contemplated and organized his decision quickly, this woman shot down four archers with lightning, and she probably was responsible for the scorched bodies he witnessed when he had first arrived, she was clearly trying to play him for a fool, but he knew he really needed that stone. He spoke plainly and directly, “Where are your friends? Who are they, and how many of them? Lastly, why would you choose such a silly meeting place?” She sighed a bit. “Well, Ok.. fine. I’m actually trying to find a missing friend.” she crossed her arms and began rubbing her chin. “Wow this is embarrassing.” She nudged the rock from earlier a couple times with her foot. then started to tear up a bit. “I used to live in the forest with my family out west in the outer dominion lands. Some bastard came in the middle of the night and killed my mother..” She put her hands to her face. “I…”... “I wanted to kill him so bad that I took lessons from an ranger and once I got pretty good with a bow I went searching for the man who was responsible. I killed him. And it felt good at first but I felt so bad afterwards.” she paused and pulled off her bow. “I did find this nifty thing on him though!” “So I have a friend who wanted to study the plague for some reason. I called him an idiot but he kept in contact while on the border. He then sent one last letter that clearly had this city’s name written on it. I could’ve swore from what he drew on an accompanying map that he wanted me to meet him..”-“I guess after my mother died I decided to be a helpful person rather than mourn. Ya know, the [i]right[/i] thing to do in life. I’m sure you paladins know that virtue.” One of the Justinian elites groaned behind Derrix in annoyance and disbelief, and the commander shared the sentiment silently. This woman was a liar, and every word nearly forced Derrix to hold his head in absolute skepticism and exasperation. His mission was simple, and she was not a part of it. The hidden lips of the commander parted and he began to speak, his voice was it’s usual unphased authority, “Listen, it is clear beyond a doubt that you are a liar, and it is even clearer that I have no need to keep talking to a liar. Every word that has slithered out of your mouth has been riddled with deceit and not even very convincing deceit at that. I am not a fool, and I would rather march away from here to continue my orders then to keep this silly ordeal alive.” “However,” Derrix said almost chuckling out of disbelief, “However, for some unknown and illogical reason, I will stand here and keep taking your barrage of lies and silly stories, for what reason I do not know. It is as if by some unknown insane magic is binding me to keep taking this shite. Like - like I’m being guided against my own will by some greater being who intervenes with my life and choices whilst sitting on his couch and makes me put up with this stuff, as if I have nothing better to do.” The commander paused, recollecting his idle thoughts and letting his voice reign steady. “I bet such a being is even laughing at the misfortune he has written for me to go through.” “So, let us at least be honest with each other, Morinth, what in Justinians name do you want?” She crossed her arms and rose her head a bit at him. “Well, i guess there is no fooling some people so here. I have a friend here I need to find. leave it at that. You have a tablet you want to find, I won't get into your business. sound fair?” She still knew she had their tablet so she had to be careful now. “Just let me fetch my grapple. When I come back, if you’re still here then i’ll take it as a sure, we can help one another.” She uncrossed her arms and turned to the side, as if she was going to start walking away regardless. “Is that fair?” “Justinian alone knows why I am going to agree to this, and maybe that writer of my fate, but sure, it is fair,” Derrix replied. She smirked before turning away from the group. and took a few steps before turning around. “You, in the back there.” and pointed directly at the elite who had groaned in disbelief. “You can go fuck yourself.” And then turned around. Morinth was pretty quick to get to her grapple. She looked up the rope and gave a confused look. “Damn, where to put thi- Ah.. right there.” And slowly and carefully pulled the tablet out and slid it into some sort of a outside waste pipe, resembling a toilet. “Those fucks can eat shit.” she said, snearing visibly. Morinth whipped the rope just right to detach the grapple. After it fell, she began coiling the rope before finally attaching the grapple to her back pack. “Alright, lets get this done.” and started towards the Chapter house. When it came in to view, the Paladins were, by some miracle, still there. She put her palm on her forehead for a moment and muttered, [i]“This is going to be a long day.”[/i] [hider=My Hider] Derrix is fed up with this crap, but I won't let him leave. The Tablet of Krax, and possible dragon tablet, is in a toilet Morinth is a sly snake with the mouth of a sailor Regarding the two writers comments on putting the Tablet in the toilet: Fate of the world, in the shitter. XD <- just like the world!! :D [/hider]