[b][center][h3]A Wolf's Fate[/h3]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/0R5Xujs.png[/img]
The Sorcerer King
&
[img]http://i.imgur.com/l98DSQs.png[/img]
[color=ff4500]The Twilight Queen
Level 5 Hero 
35 Khookies[/color][/center][/b]
[hider=Summary]
We continue where part two ended, with Ommok in control of Luna's body and him realising that Yang'Ze is a helpless avatar of some god. Ommok forces Luna to carry both Yang'Ze and the Sunderer back to the cave entrance where he waits. Then, after trying to use the Sunderer, he discovers its weight enchantment and realises that he is unable to wield it.

He rifles through Luna's memories to some success, learning more about the Sunderer but nothing of Ull'yang or Cygnea. Somewhat disappointed, he nonetheless has Luna bring the Sunderer and Yang'Ze with him on his way back to the ogre kingdom.*

Shortly after arriving, Ommok gathers several of his sorcerers as well as Gormon, his ancient. Together they bring Luna, the Sunderer, and Yang'Ze through a trail that goes deep into the Venomweald. After a long journey, they arrive at a volcano within the Ironheart range in the north. Inside the magma chamber of the volcano, they meet with an ancient Firelord called Slag, the same one that fought Char so many centuries ago and that Cyclonis was recently tasked with subjugating.

It is revealed that Ommok and his ogres struck up an alliance of sorts with Slag, and they brought Yang'Ze with the intent of offering him to be consumed as tribute. By this time, Luna had been slowly gaining awareness once more and manages to break free of Ommok's control once he is distracted by Slag. She puts forth a noble effort and tries to save her master's avatar, but is powerless compared to Baron Slag.

Fortunately, Cyclonis and his retinue strike at that point. In the chaos of their assault upon Slag, Luna manages to use the Sunderer's power to create a pocket space to store Yang'Ze within. The battle between Slag and his assailants is one sided; Cyclonis quickly learns that he was arrogant to think that he could subdue Slag, for the Firelord is impervious to their attacks and nearly kills Cyclonis himself.

Synnefos, meanwhile, had been trying to locate Luna once more. He rescues her from Slag and Ommok just as Cyclonis and his cohort are forced into a retreat.

Enraged at Ommok's incompetence for letting Luna escape, Slag wills the volcano to erupt. A comical scene ensues as Ommok and Gormon make a retreat of their own.


*The ogre kingdom has changed a lot in recent times! It is subtly alluded to that the ogres have domesticated wolves to be used for hunting and war. In addition, the ogre encampment is now more like a town or city, and Ommok lives in a fortress instead of a cave. Ommok has already taught some of his Astartian magic to others, and now there are numerous ogre sorcerers. Some of them have also been taught by fire djinn to manipulate fire and commune with the elements, as a result of Ommok's alliance with Baron Slag.
[/hider][hider=Khookie Summary]No Khookies spent in this post.
+4 Base Khookies to Luna for this post.
+6 Extra Khookies to Luna for this post.

[b]Level/Khookie Standings[/b][list]
[*]Luna: Level 5; 45 Khookies.[/list][/hider]
[i]Nothing.[/i] Another concussive blow fell upon the dormant body of Yang'Ze, and still there was only stillness. [i]Nothing.[/i]

[i]Luna's body shifted inside the small boat as she slowly started waking up.[/i]

Satisfied, Ommok willed Luna to desist.  The muscles of her body stopped with an unnatural abruptness and her fist stopped midway through another swing. Ommok sat in simle contemplation, and so his vessel was still as her master's sleeping form.

[i]She raised her head and looked around her. [color=ff4500]"This..."[/color] Luna was dumbfounded with what she was witnessing. [color=ff4500]"Is this... my consciousness? B-but how? How did I get in here without wanting to?"[/color][/i]

Above the avatar's body there hovered an unassuming staff. Ommok willed Luna to gingerly reach forward, wary as he was of whatever power kept the thing suspended. As Luna's hands touched the cold metal shaft, a flash of blinding light filled the cave. After the staff had registered that Luna was in possession of the Uthkrein, the light died down.

[i]While the werewolf was trying to sort out the confusion in her mind, the small boulder engraved with Ull'Yang's symbol shined a brilliant light, illuminating the small corner of her mind where the boat was. Luna watched in awe as a portal-like apparition appeared above the boulder, and a fuzzy image was shown. [color=ff4500]"What?"[/color][/i]

Ommok felt its cool handle through the flesh of her hands. With her arms, he tested its balance and at once marvelled at the flawlessness of the thing's craftsmanship. It was simple and uninspiring in design yet everything about it was perfect nonetheless. Still, immortality had taken away the Sorcerer King's appreciation for aesthetic and so he cared little for the trinket.

[i][color=ff4500]"Why am I holding master's staff? Huh? WHY CAN'T I CONTROL MY BODY?"[/color] Luna was beginning to panic as she found out she was practically a cast away inside her own mind. She tried to calm down and after a few moments, she closed her eyes and activated her spirit sense, prodding her surroundings.[/i]

The dark sorcerer felt her consciousness stirring, and so he concentrated and once again bludgeoned it into submission. Luna's spirit form immediately blacked out once more when suddenly, a giant thunderbolt fell down from her mind's skies, striking her. The bolt would have completely annihilated this sliver of consciousness that was left if it wasn't for the small boulder shouldering the majority of the impact.

Even after so many years of honing his powers, he occasionally struggled to keep control of a being as it left his immediate proximity. Luna, unfortunately, was already in his clutches, and he gripped his slaves tightly.

In one hand, he had Luna bear that staff. It was a fine specimen of a weapon if only a plaything for a creature of his size. With her other hand, Luna supported the back of Yang'Ze as she slung his limp form over her shoulder. Slowly, the emburdened wolf made her way back to the cave's entrance where Ommok waited.

The echo of her footsteps rang out through the cavernous depths. Eventually, Ommok began to hear those steps twice: once from Luna's ears and once from his own. He lifted his Stone once more and from it there came a glow that illuminated the being before him. Strange, it was; he had barely taken the time to examine this wolf-creature at first.

Deciding that such curiosities could be sated later, his gaze wandered towards the staff in Luna's hand. She outstretched her arm to present it to the king, and Ommok roughly grasped the thing.

The moment Luna released the staff, a tremendous force was applied to it as the weight enchantment activated, and the stone floor itself shuddered as the staff fell to the ground. The ground upon which it rested began cracking beneath the sheer weight, and Ommok's already broken hand was unable to move from beneath the shaft, so it only continued to bear down upon him.

With a mighty strength that could have bent rods of iron, his arm thrashed in vain to free itself. The Sunderer's weight did so much as shift, and genuine fear crept into Ommok's heart for the first time in many decades. Desperation's icy touch brought clarity to his mind, and so through the stifling pain, he managed to issue one simple command to Luna: lift the staff. She did so effortlessly.

Heaving for breath, he brought his maimed hand in contact with his Stone and cradled it like a mother might her child. Its glow grew ever stronger, and with an audible crack the dislocated and broken bones in his hand were snapped back into place. The injury would heal in time, but its pain would stay with the king as a reminder for many months to come.

He grimaced now at Luna and the staff that she bore, and with an enraged brutality he forced himself into her mind and forcibly recalled what memories he could, searching for knowledge of that staff and its dormant guardian.

Suddenly, countless memories flowed from Luna's mind towards Ommok. The name of the Sunderer, its abilities, the identity of its creator, and who exactly Luna was. As her spiritual form that represented her conscious self - the one that had control over her mind - was incapacitated by Ommok once more, the Ogre King had free reign over all the memories regarding what she was. However, even with his powerful mental abilities, Ommok found himself unable to break through certain pockets of memories in Luna's mind.

Unknown to him, everything that had anything to do with Cygnea, Ull'Yang, and the small boulder were enveloped with a strong barrier that scorched everything that dared touch it.
[center][h3][b]≈≈≈≈≈[/b][/h3][/center]
By Ommok's will, Luna marched faithfully at his heels. Days passed, and eventually, they were at the seat of his power. He had spent many restless nights on the journey studying the staff and Yang'Ze. Try as he might unravel the mystery of who that guardian was (for he sensed its divine power) and why he remained unable to wield the Sunderer, he found no success. The answers were within Luna's mind, he knew, but the relevant sections of her mind had been barred by another being more precise in its manipulations than the ogre.

So he was left with the taunting knowledge of the Sunderer's powers, and nothing else! What little information he managed to ascertain about this 'Luna' was similarly limited by his inability to access her memories of Cygnea. Regardless, he was determined to unlock the Sunderer's power. He had Luna bring it to the foot of his throne, where it was under the protection of countless of his most loyal warriors and just as many ogres that he had mentally enslaved. Those that proved themselves loyal and those that openly rebelled and had their minds broken were the only ogres that Ommok truly trusted; his paranoid mind saw only treachery within those that walked the line between. It had driven him to tyranny in past years.

As in for Luna, he kept her alive and close. On occasion, her consciousness stirred once more, but each time he suppressed it once more; she remained as mindless a servant as the rest of Ommok's many slaves. Until he understood the mechanism by which the staff could be wielded or until he found another being capable of lifting the staff, her presence was necessary. 

On the other hand, Ommok could ascertain no particular use that he might have for the staff's guardian, and Ommok knew that if the dormant guardian's aura was strong enough to catch the attention of himself then it would be sure to bring others. He would have to be rid of it soon.

Fortunately, he would make for a fair bartering chip indeed, for a being that held the power and thirst to consume divine energy.

It was only after a few days of rest within his fortress that Ommok set out once more. He clasped the Stone. [color=sienna][i]'Come,'[/i][/color] he bid Luna, and her body obeyed. Delicately, she lifted the staff and followed. Ommok found his way to Gormon, his greatest and largest soldier, his loyal ancient. [color=sienna][b]"Gormon,"[/b][/color] he began, [color=sienna][b]"have the guards bring out the Sleeper. It is high time that we visited our ally, and I think that he will find a suitable offering in that worthless shell."[/b][/color]

Gormon grunted in acknowledgement of his orders and moved to obey.

Ommok walked on through the halls of his stone fortress and came across one of many ritual chambers. There, a few of his sorcerers were at practice; some honed their Astartian magic upon some of the more feral war wolves brought from the kennels, whilst other manipulated flames under the guidance of a watching fire djinn.

[color=sienna][b]"Come, students,"[/b][/color] Ommok commanded, [color=sienna][b]"we go to the mountains once more, to ask our ally for knowledge and offer him our gifts."[/b][/color]

Eagerly, they obeyed and fell into the retinue at Ommok's heels. The King led the procession out the great doors of his fortress and into the great city that had grown around it. Everywhere there were training grounds and spears; his kingdom had grown strong in the last few years, and they had made use of all the knowledge of weaponry and toolmaking that their King had seen in his travels.

They left the city behind and made for the Venomweald's edge, then followed a narrow trail deep into the heart of the jungle. It was a trail that few dared walk without the King, for it was only through the magic of his Stone that the jungle was made tame and the horrors within were kept at bay.

Past the carnivorous trees and great pools of corrupting green sludge they marched, always in the darkness beneath a thousand trees. At last, they came to the slopes of the Ironheart mountains, the ground here so rocky that not even the choking jungle vegetation could take root. Onwards they walked, across ledges and narrow mountain trails until at last, they came to a great mountain that smouldered and spewed out ash. Into a gaping wound within the mount's side they walked, and the cavern's winding passages finally brought them to the end of their journey: the heart of a volcano.

Ommok stood at the precipice of a ledge that led down to a great magma chamber below. Something sensed his presence, and the magma stirred.

[hr]
Luna stood beside Ommok, a blank look plastered on her face, indicating that Ommok's influence over her was still strong. [i]However, inside her mind, something had once more stirred. Luna had already woken up many times before, and all those times she prodded the giant black thunderclouds above her with her spirit sense, trying to find a way to wrestle back control over her body from that strange being that possessed her.

Yet, each and every time she was struck down by the sheer force of the creature's powers. If it wasn't for Ull'Yang's symbol on the small boulder, Luna would not have been able to survive under the ruthless oppression of Ommok.

While on their way to the Ironheart mountains, Luna opened her spirit eyes. The boat rocked back and forth due to the turbulent currents of her spiritual sea, but it didn't capsize. Above the small boulder, an image appeared. At first, it was fuzzy, just like the first time she had seen it. Now, it was clearer.

Luna felt the being's control wavering like it was distracted by something. A thought passed through her mind to attempt to take back her body but she knew that she was too weak, and the moment the creature realised what she was doing, it would once again throw a thunderbolt at her and make her pass out. Thus, Luna decided to observe silently through the window above the boulder.[/i]

[hr]
From the volcano's fiery heart emerged a magmatic being of titanic proportions, its great hands gripping the stone walls to pull itself up. Its body was formless, flowing, and terrifying cascade of Galbar's blood. That rising mass of molten rock coalesced into a visage, or perhaps that head had been lurking beneath the lava all along.

[center][img]http://www.mmobomb.com/file/2015/04/Ragnaros.jpg[/img]
[i]The giant of seared stone and liquid fire loomed over all, its breath a sulfurous haze of ash[/i][/center]

[color=DarkRed][b]"So you return, Ommok, in person no less,"[/b][/color] the giant spoke with a harsh and grating voice like the rumble of a landslide, so deep that it seemed to wash over all like a wave of fire. Where the volcanic tunnels had already been stiflingly hot, the aura of that being was like being burned alive; were it not for the sweat that already drenched all the mortals upon the ledge, they might have been immolated.

[color=sienna][b]"With tribute, great Firelord Slag, and desire for know-"[/b][/color]

[color=DarkRed][b]"Silence,"[/b][/color] the fire djinn interrupted, and the normally prideful king snapped shut and obeyed. [color=DarkRed][b]"...I am Firelord NO LONGER! The wretched djinni highlords of the lesser elements have taken to bestowing upon themselves ever higher titles, lest they be like the other pitiful and lowly 'lords', and so I too have claimed a title. You shall name me [i]Baron[/i] Slag henceforth, lest your warm ashes fall from the skies like snow.

...Now, what are these beings that you [i]dared[/i] bring before me unnanounced?"[/b][/color]

[hr]
[i]Although her eyes were glued in front, Luna was able to sense her surroundings through the illusionary window. At first, she scanned her body from head to toe, checking if there were any injuries. Fortunately, it seemed that the being that had taken control of her body found some use in her, and hadn't mistreated it. Luna sighed in relief, as she wouldn't have to worry about any injuries impairing her escape, should she find a way to rid herself of its control.

Then, she turned her attention to the group of creatures surrounding her.  With tall, muscular physique that was filled with strange symbols, the ogres struck Luna as brutish at first. However, she could not deny the fact that she could sense a kind of power emitting from within their bodies. It wasn't like the spiritual essence that flowed through her nor like the divine essence Ull'Yang unconsciously emitted. It was different... and very interesting. [color=ff4500]"I definitely have to ask master about this strange power once I reunite with him..."[/color]

As she was thinking that, an enormous amount of heat surged from within the depths of the volcano. Rumbling sounds were heard from beneath and two giant lava geysers erupted upwards. The lava coalesced into the form of hands that gripped at the mouth of the volcano as they dragged an even bigger mass of lava out of it. Luna simply stared at the beast as it took humanoid form and started conversing with a creature much like those that surrounded her, yet completely different at the same time.

Back at the cave, the werewolf had only managed to see the silhouette of Ommok in the darkness, right before she was struck unconscious by his power. Hence, it was her first time seeing the Ogre King in all of his glory. Luna eyed the creature, instinctively knowing that it was he that had attacked her and seized control over her body that day.

Even if she could only see his back, his towering figure, near twice taller than others of his kind, was able to instil a sense of fear into her that made Luna even more cautious about picking the right time to try and escape.

However, at that moment Luna felt a string of warm essence flow through her body. Inside her spiritual sea, her consciousness, a dim golden glow appeared beneath the boat that carried her. Luna immediately sent her spiritual sense to follow the string of essence, and she followed it all the way to her hand where her master's weapon laid.

The moment her mind touched the Sunderer, all the information about its abilities and potential uses that had previously flowed inside Ommok's mind entered hers as well. [color=ff4500]"So this is master's weapon, Ull'Yang's weapon!"[/color] Luna's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. [color=ff4500]"With this in my hands, I can at least protect myself from these creatures."[/color] Luna's spirit form stood up inside the boat. She extended her hand in front of her and the Sunderer appeared in it; albeit semi-transparent and incorporeal, inside her consciousness, the divine aura the staff radiated was greatly amplified.[/i]

[hr]
Meanwhile, the conversation between Slag and Ommok went on. [color=sienna][b]"That one? It is some sort of divine; I sensed a presence deep within the Venomweald and found him at its source. It seems dormant. Do with it what you please; it is my gift to you, Baron Slag,"[/b][/color] Ommok answered, his speech delicate but quick.

Slag's brazen visage looked on impatiently as its burning gaze turned to face Yang'Ze, the hapless avatar still slung over Gormon's shoulder.

[color=sienna][b]"Gormon!"[/b][/color] the King snapped.

The brute simply grunted in acknowledgement.

Seething in frustration at the guard's stupidity, Ommok roared, [color=sienna][b]"Bring it forward!"[/b][/color]

Gormon grunted and began to slowly trudge closer to the precipice.

[color=sienna][b]"As in for the other one, back there, I know not what it is; I found it attempting to enter the cave where I found the Divine. It is simply my vessel, for it can carry that staff. That staff is a strange artefact, one that I was hoping you mi-"[/b][/color]

Slag's petrifying gaze remained locked on the approaching Gormon, and even that giant ogre was transfixed in fear. The fire djinn paid no heed to Ommok's rambling, for he was captivated by the sight of Yang'Ze. A divine, and one hapless at that? Such a thing was a feast unimaginable; its power would be [i]his[/i]!

Ommok realised that Gormon had stopped, and once again seethed in silent anger. He stormed over to his ensign and roughly seized Yang'Ze, then carried the limp body over to the precipice's edge. As Luna was watching through the portal, she felt her captor's control over her waning even more. She could sense the feeling of anger slowly well up inside him, surely because of the mental link her had created between them. Luna grinned and clutched the essence-Sunderer with both of her hands.

[color=sienna][b]"Take this offering, then, Baron Slag!"[/b][/color] the Sorcerer King's voice resounded as he hefted Yang'Ze and made to cast him into the infernal pit. A simple fling was all it took for Ommok to hurl Yang'Ze from the ledge. The avatar, limp as ever, fell towards the bubbling lake of magma below, but his descent was stopped by an updraft. A cloud of superheated volcanic gas lifted Yang'Ze up to where Slag's face loomed, and the terrible djinn took a moment to examine his offering more closely.

[i][color=ff4500]"Right now!"[/color] she shouted and with a mighty heave, struck the small boulder in the centre of the boat, yet instead of shattering, the boulder remained still, like an ancient iceberg.

[b]"Oooooooong~"[/b]

The moment the staff made contact with the boulder, waves of sound echoed throughout Luna's spiritual sea. At the same time, in the outside world, the Sunderer started vibrating and emitting rays of light.

[b]"Oooooooong~"[/b]

Wherever the sound waves travelled, the ocean would revert to its previous calm state, the thunderbolts would cease, and the ominous black clouds would part. 

[b]"Oooooooong~"[/b]

Right behind the soundwaves, a scorching light washed over everything in its path. The light, a combination of the essences from the Uthkrein and the Sunderer, was able to purify and rid Luna's consciousness of Ommok's control.[/i]

In that instant, Ommok fell upon his knees and he too nearly plunged off the precipice. Though Slag took it for nothing more than simple grovelling, the proud king hadn't tried to kneel. It was a splitting headache that brought him low, for without warning a shockwave of force had travelled through his mental link with Luna and assaulted his mind. Just like that, his tether over her had snapped and she was free once more.

Clutching his head, he rose to his feet once more and spun around, only to see her clubbing one of his minions in the head. As the ogre fell over, she swiftly jumped on it and using it as a stepping stone, leapt towards the Yang'Ze's levitating body. Power surged through her fingers and the Sunderer suddenly shapeshifted, changing its form into that one of a red hook attached to a long, golden chain.

While in mid-air, Luna shot the hook forward towards the avatar's body. The hook coiled around Yang'Ze's leg, and Luna immediately pulled the body towards her with great force.

A gargantuan hand of molten rock swung out as if to swat a fly, but instead, it grabbed the golden chain. It was like trying to grasp a single thread of a spider's web, but nonetheless, Slag's grip was iron. His semi-liquid hands flowed through and around the chains, so there was no breaking his grasp. Luna did not expect such a huge being like Slag would possess such swift speed, to be able to grab at the chain right before she had retracted it.

Unfortunately for her, she did not have wings and could not fly. As such, Luna suddenly found herself swinging all over the place as she held on to Sunderer's chain. Slag lifted the chain and looked at the dangling body of Yang'Ze, and on the other end, the little wolf that still clung onto the Sunderer's shaft.

A faint howling was audible in the distance.

[color=ff4500][b]"Let go you vile beast!"[/b][/color] Luna shouted, but deep inside she knew that there was no way something like that would happen. Her mind started racing. Using the power of the Uthkrein put an immense stress on her mind, and if Ventus could deflect its blow, then Luna was sure that the elemental in front of her would not so much as feel a sting.

A deep, diabolical rumble resounded from within Slag's chest: laughter. A cloud of fine volcanic ash and brimstone poured out from his maw. Luna coughed as the fumes invaded her nostrils. Although she was finally in possession of the Sunderer, she was no expert when it came to staff techniques and its abil-

[color=ff4500][i]"Wait! Abilities! Yes, I can do that!"[/i][/color] Luna's eyes darted to where Yang'Ze's body hanging. She then looked over at Slag and a sly smile appeared on her face. Luna circulated her essence and the Sunderer emitted a dim light. Suddenly, Yang'Ze's body disappeared, sucked inside the Sunderer's own storage space.

The nearly inaudible howls had grown, and now it was like a hundred screams echoed inside the cavernous walls, and yet there was no discernable source.

The dazed ogres and Slag alike had a look of confusion about them for one long moment, and then there was havoc. A mighty gale billowed down from the vent above, and amidst the writhing, winds were distorted patches of air: wind djinn.

A dozen streaks cut through the air in a dervish around Slag's colossal body, and the air itself cackled and shivered with static energy for a moment. Then, in unison, they hurled spears of lightning at the baron.

[b]"Submit, Firelord!"[/b] rang out the voice of Cyclonis from amidst a great vortex above.

Slag watched as some foreign magic stole the avatar away from his grasp and then a dozen flies manifested to assault him. In an instant, his temper was gone, and the volcano itself trembled at his ire when he roared.

With callous and tremendous force, he hurled Luna down to the cleft where the ogres stood. Luna let out a scream and crashed down, but fortunately, the ogres were there to cushion her fall. She manoeuvred herself to land with her feet on one of the ogres. Cracking sounds of bones were heard and the ogre beneath her was pinned face down on the ground. Luna borrowed the rebounding force and somersaulted a few feet away.

The Sunderer in her hands changed its form to that of a spear, and Luna - trying to balance herself as the tremors from Slag's outrage shook the mountain - shoved it on the ground with force and held on to it.

[color=DarkRed][b]"YOU DARE BRING THESE INTERLOPERS HERE, OMMOK? YOU THOUGHT THAT THIS PLOY WOULD WORK ON [i]ME[/i]?"[/b][/color]

Slag bellowed with a wild and primal rage, and from his breast there surged a plume of fire that writhed and shrouded him. The ravenous flames sucked in and devoured the air, and the dozen wind djinn about him only barely managed to escape. They retreated to the very edges of the magma chamber, but Cyclonis surged forward.

Ommok choked out some explanation or plea for mercy down below, but it went unheard over the djinn. Cyclonis, unfazed and arrogant, proclaimed, [b]"It was the Council that bid me extinguish a rogue flame, and it will be to the great Vizier Ventus and the Conclave of Winds that you swear fealty to!"[/b]

Once again, Cyclonis commanded, [b]"SUBMIT!"[/b] From the djinni lord's fingertips there came a gale that would have flattened a village and scattered mortals like leaves upon the wind, but to Cyclonis' horror, it did nothing to Slag. If anything, it only fed his flames, for Slag seemed to glower even brighter from it.

[color=DarkRed][b]"YOU CAN'T CONTAIN ME, WRETCH!"[/b][/color]

A gargantuan hand flew through the air in a backhanding motion, though Cyclonis dodged it easily. Striking him was not the purpose. Slag brought his other hand up, and in the superheated region of air where he had waved his hand, there was suddenly born a flame. With unimaginable swiftness and raw power, the flicker of fire grew into a raging torrent and Slag channelled the inferno towards Cyclonis.

The wind djinn darted and soared through the air in evasive patterns, but Slag only cackled as the river of fire flew from his fingertips, recoiled upon the walls, and rained down to scorch and incinerate everything below. Two of the dozen greater djinn under Cyclonis' command were caught in the flames, and their harrowing screams rattled through the magma chamber as they were devoured by fire.

Luna watched as the chaos around her unfurled. Through the booming sounds of explosions and the mountain rumbling, she heard the familiar voice of Cyclonis shouting something at Slag. Luna did not give it a second thought. [color=ff4500][i]"Huh, why should I care for those that refused to aid me? They deserve to be similarly abandoned as much as anyone else..."[/i][/color] she thought.

[color=ff4500][i]"It's not like they need help, they outnumber him completely..."[/i][/color] However, that thought was immediately scraped when she saw how easily Slag deflected the collective might of the djinn. As his fires consumed two of the bigger humanoids amongst the wind djinn, Luna started having second thoughts. She looked at the tunnel behind her and then looked at djinn in front of her that were currently battling with Slag, and a great dilemma arose in her mind. Willingly put herself into a dangerous position in order to help the djinns, and potentially obtain a powerful ally, or escape and live another day?

[hr]
As if oblivious to the raging heat below, a small brush clinging to the side of the volcano rustled in the cool breeze. A peculiar patch of dense, moving fog left some dew upon the plant's leaves.

Synnefos scoured the bleak mountain slopes; he had been on Luna's trail once more and had tracked her thus far, but here he was at a loss. He had smelt that particular aura of Ull'Yang up to this point and he felt it nearby, but hours of searching the mountain had led to nothing. Surely Luna, the aura's source, was not within the volcano? Synnefos dared not battle the plume of ash to enter the volcano's chimney, and he similarly doubted that any being of flesh would be so foolish.

After some time he eventually discovered a hole in the volcano's side that led into a seemingly expansive cavern. That was his best bet, and so the rolling cloud of fog drifted inside. Quickly Synnefos became lost in the labyrinth of tunnels, and the stifling heat was anathema to him. Nonetheless, he pressed on and soon came across an alarming sight: a panicked ogre charged down the tunnel, making its way to the cave's entrance. Synnefos moved in the direction that the ogre had come, and quickly saw more; it seemed that was not the only one fleeing from whatever awaited.

As he drew closer, a confusing cacophony of sounds became clear. Synnefos flew swiftly, for now he feared that Luna might be in danger.

[hr]
Chased by Slag's flames, Cyclonis wove back and forth with all his swiftness, deftly evading it and awaiting the end. Slag only laughed on and on, and there was no end to that torrent of fire. Never before had Cyclonis seen a djinn of such power; defeating him would take all his skill.

In one agile manoeuvre, he darted laterally before predicting the path of Slag's flames, ducking below it, and flying straight for the Baron. Cyclonis tightened an ethereal fist and conjured a shroud of cackling energy, then delivered his blow. With a fist of lightning and at devastating speed, he struck Slag straight in the chest. [i]Nothing.[/i]

So shocked was Cyclonis that he failed to evade Slag's grasping hand, and so he was clutched by a hundred amorphous fingers of fire and lava. 

[color=DarkRed][b]"At last, I have you now,"[/b][/color] Slag rumbled. His hand tightened around the djinni's essence, his own essence holding it in place. Djinn were intangible to mortals, but they had a way of grabbing hold of one another.

Slowly, tortuously, Slag tightened his grip, superheating and killing Cyclonis. [color=DarkRed][b]"BURN! SUBMIT!"[/b][/color] he jeered and mocked.

Cyclonis unfurled his physical form and exploded outwards as a mere Flicker, only barely managing to escape. He pulled together the air about him and coalesced into a physical form once more. Weakened and utterly defeated, he let out the command, [b]"Retreat! Fall back to the skies!"[/b]

The ragged remnants of his cohort were only too ready to oblige.

Slag roared and threw great globs of magma at the fleeing wind djinn. [i]Insects.[/i] They were nothing before him, fit only to be crushed and burned!

His attention turned once more to the ledge before him. Ommok still stood there, trembling in panic, but there nonetheless. That was more than could be said for the most of other ogres. Slag felt the heat within each of the worthless fleshlings as they ran through the tunnels. There was only one ogre remaining by the King's side: Gormon. The ancient lazily yawned as he awaited his master's next order, either brave beyond belief or too stupid to realise his own danger.

Baron Slag inhaled deeply, seeming to calm if only slightly. [color=DarkRed][b]"OMMOK!"[/b][/color] he roared, [color=DarkRed][b]"Bring that one back to me."[/b][/color] Luna's whole body trembled, her hair standing up straight as the elemental's gaze locked on her. She had made a mistake. She hesitated, and now she would pay for that mistake.

The Baron pointed one massive finger towards Luna's minuscule form, and Ommok quickly spun and raised his Stone. The thing was pulled straight from his clutches, by a cloud of mist no less.

Synnefos cast the Stone towards the precipice, and with a yelp, Ommok dived after it and only barely managed to knock it back onto the ledge. He scrambled after the Stone as it rolled across the floor.

Meanwhile, Synnefos swept right around Gormon (who welcomed the unexpected respite of a cooling mist) and into Luna. Though she did not perceive him with her sight, Luna yelped as she felt a chilly current sweeping her up with surprising force and making for the tunnels behind her. His voice hissed out, [color=LightBlue][b]"Bite not the hand that rescues you; I come as your salvation."[/b][/color] Luna at once realised that it was a djinn that had rushed in to save her, and although she was suspicious of the djinn, she wouldn't refuse the help it offered.

With a terrifying roar that dwarfed all those before, Slag awakened the sleeping volcano and made it erupt in a violent explosion. The magma below welled up and surged upwards, flooding the entire cavity. Synnefos, Cyclonis' cohort, and the fleeing sorcerers raced through the vents and tunnels as fast as they could, though the lava outran an unfortunate few.

In his fit of rage Slag did nothing to spare his incompetent ally. Fortunately, the Stone was more forgiving to Ommok. The Sorcerer King muttered an enchantment and then clutched onto the Stone for dear life. Using that magically buoyant stone as a float, he bobbed atop the lava as it bubbled out of the volcano's crater and slowly flowed down the mountainside. So terrified was he that the fireproofing enchantment might fail, he hardly noticed Gormon clinging onto his back to share in the Stone's protection. Gormon grunted in thanks for his master saving him from the scary-red-hot-water, then fell asleep.

[center][img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/72/26/7a/72267a36f2cc15bb170351629c928e74.jpg[/img]
[i]The volcano's low rumble sounded over the Venomweald as Slag raged on.[/i][/center]