Fantasy A War of Monsters

[Morridan]

From the inner portion of the upper level, a bridge slowly made its way towards the wall. An old man with very delicate shoulder-plates and a brown suit adorned with badges and patches of some form of military service stood on the end of the moving bridge. The old timer's hands were behind his back and his shoulders were hunched forwards as if his age has caused his posture to slouch. As the bridge came to a stop, the old man took slow steps forwards. His pace was abysmally slow, in fact. "My, my. Old walls hold strong, still, eh?" He'd raise his head showing many old scars running along his face. And a rather grisly scar across his neck where he had survived it being slit rather deeply. "Hee-heee~!" He wheezed out a laugh. The archer from earlier went to greet the man, saluting him by placing his left hand vertical with his chest before bringing both hands to clasp together at his heart.


"Commander, it's not safe here. This portion of the wall crumbled. And these filthy monsters- It is not good for your health to be-" His concerns were silenced as the old timer raised his hand.


"Nonsense. This old man has lots of life left in him! No falling pebbles or tiny monster germ will keep these bones down..." His words trailed off as he looked upwards towards the cleric with a serious stare. "Are there any other hunters? And if so-... Where are they?" He'd peek down over the top of the wall to see three young men, two of which seemed to be in some kind of disagreement. "I... see... Hmm." He'd look as though he were slightly disappointed. "This is troubling. I have heard word that two large creatures- One of which being a large bug? And one a fleshy orcish brute with bone armor were the ones who caused this damage. The chain of command suffered greatly during their mighty attacks. If just two creatures, each using one strike, did this to our sacred wall, then there is a high chance they will return again."


The Archer looked to the Cleric and then back to the old commander as he continued to speak. "Hunter, I ask of you and your compatriots to follow. Being frank, there is much to fear from a second assault. I do not know how long this shield will last around us. Until then, you lot need some form of protection. Of course if you choose not- I will not force you to stay and fight. We are thankful for all you have done for us with your presences alone." He turned, gave a grunt and took a small leap onto the bridge again as it started to retract back. "I will be in the armory."


What this old man had said was indeed true. The hunters being on the battlefield did bring a sense of comfort to the normal men and women who were fighting against these foul creatures. Without a sense of strength, and hope, their morale would have waned shortly into the confrontation. And it was due to this loss of morale that seemed to call forth the Magister to secure them this one reprieve, and a chance to ready themselves for another confrontation.

 

[dcentral]

Jacob clenched his fist at the last remark made by the leaving hunter as Richter passed him. He gave in to his temper, the armor on his left hand beginning to release some small flames. Richter made it to him and put his hand on Jacob's shoulder. Jacob understood, and he knew that infighting wouldn't help anyone right now. "Coward," He said through clenched teeth, only Richter heard him but he made no change from his serious look. "Even the Hunters here are pissing their pants over the monsters, no ambition, no confidence."


"Calm," said Richter, "not everybody had the wisdom or the courage of our father, the best thing you can do is show them." Richter could see the fire still burning in Jacob's eyes, but as he mentioned their father, the look became solemn and turned to their brothers. "You remember the last thing he said before he went off into that battle?"


"Yeah, he said keep hope," Jacob looked on as he said the words, "nobody can win a war without it." Richter nodded in understanding. Jacob calmed himself and looked up just in time to see the general up and moving. Jacob had seen him around the town before, like a lion that flashes his scars, showing how many battles he's survived. "Look, I would prefer if we made for Altenia, but I know what you're gonna say, 'We're the descendants of heroes, it's our lineage, blah blah blah'," Jacob mocked Richter with a deep serious voice, Richter chuckled lightly at the jest, "but to be honest I know you're right, with this few hunters they'll need us, if not for a fight, then for a distraction while they evacuate." Richter didn't have to say a word. The two brothers began walking back into the city to see how they could lend their services further.

 

[Giovanni Favehari]

William had a bad feeling about the hothead. "I will not be fighting besides that fool." He looked at his sword and its shadow. "The half-wit, is all brawns and no brain." He walked to the edge of town to small abandon shop. It use to hold books and greeting cards. Now it only held lost souls and dead memories, just like William. He pulled the door open and walk into the dark room. He sat in the middle with criss cross legs, and placed his sword on his lap. He breathed in the dusty air and breathed out in a reapeted motion removing himself from the outerworld. He closed his eyes and opened them. He stood and instead of being in the shop he was in his old house standing next to his mentor who forest green eyes were staring deeply at him. "Never stray from the path of the warrior my disciple." Said his mentor as his eyes closed shut... forever. William opened his eyes. He always meditated after a battle, and the same vision shows in his head. "Yes master, he placed his sword back in his sheath and walked out the door. He looked at the buildings and the wall. "I'm getting hungry, I should look for the nearest bar."

 

[Elegy]

Perched precariously on the very top of a guard tower, Lucis looked out at the scenery of carnage lain out before him. Shattered walls, strewn and decayed bodies, flaming structures, and the groans of agonized men cluttered the once majestic scenery Kariat. Yet humanity had once more prevailed, through the victory was Pyrrhic in nature. The city had lost far too much far too easily. Lucis's combat experienced eyes gazed at the city with pity as he knew that from a military standpoint the city was prone to being overrun by the next attack. Whatever had destroyed the walls of the city had apparently done so with little effort, indicating power of immense strength that no hunter could hope to match. It took a glorious and courageous sacrifice to push back the monstrous horde temporarily to grant the city some breathing time. But Lucis knew that the city's military capabilities and organization was top tier, and with the help of hunters the city might be able to reinforce itself adequately. The chance of many hunters coming though, was quite small small. No hunter would actively want to risk their lives even for such a great bastion - the will to hold on to one's own life was a powerful survival instinct that morality and honor could rarely overcome. Lucis himself had been far too late to fend off the first wave, but he was determined to be present for the inevitable future attacks to come. His experience in slaying monsters would probably be more extensive than other hunters due to his age and upbringing, so his presence would be valued at the least.


Lucis leaped off of the tower, his ragged crimson red cloak forming from two materialized, shining golden sun shaped shoulder pads. As Lucis reached terminal velocity and saw the ground zooming in close, the cloak formed into two large wings spread each five feet long and outstretched, causing Lucis to appear like a radiant angel. The wings immediately began to emit blazing and wild fires that did not emit a sound, instead shining with resplendent brilliance as sunlight was drawn to them like light is drawn to the yawning maw of a black hole. When Lucis was ten feet above the ground, the wings rushed downward, releasing two powerful and fiery explosions that broke Lucis's fall enough to let him safely land on the ground. Lucis touched the blood red jewel embedded on his chest, and his golden shoulder pads and cloak faded away into pure light that dissipated away like sand grains caught in wind. Lucis walked with a brisk and orderly pace, inspecting the damage done to the area around him.

 

[Hibiscus]

Allon watched the old timer walk down the steps of the brigde, his focus entirely on the general like figure. He was brimming with honor, almost immersing anyone near him in an array of respect. While his attire was adorned with military achievements, the age of him showed more of a reward, for living was a much harder task then proving yourself in battle. It was amazing he lived to his age, but it gave all the more reason to heed his words. By words Allon meant his banter, it seemed his age hadn't stole his spunk just yet.


Allon bowed his head as his eyes glanced over him, but did not dare try to interrupt his thought process. The old man reminded him of many monks, but of course the more civilized man had a much more approachable sense to him. As he looked over the railing, Allon raised his head, awaiting more words from the old timer. Getting any amount of equipment would be a blessing at this point, for what he said about Gore-Lock and the big Scion was too true.


They were tanks among the regular soldiers, leading with a blood lust not seen within others. They were smart, fleeing before things got particularly bad, but they seemed interlocked with different objectives. Weak spots or not, it seemed the Magister's attack demolished the others with sheer holy force, does it mean they might be susceptible to these attacks? Allon would try it at the next battle, but it still wasn't a full plan for these beast. The fact of the matter was: They were like the Hunters, applying a bigger morale for the enemy and ultimately turning the tide one way or the next. It was the number one goal, for the next attack, to take them out.


The cleric focused in on the man again, watching him leave from where he came. Allon didn't move towards the bridge, for another Hunter was now showing up. He was clad in a fiery aspect of light, very similar to that of the sun. It wasn't as Allon's, for his light was manifested in his mind and power, a true humble and modest person. No, this Hunter was much like the others; A prideful individual, thinking their power was enough to make them lack humility. Allon didn't feel disgust for the man, obviously he would be a help to the cause, but his choice of modesty was questionable.


Allon called to him and the other Hunters, "We have been invited to get some 'protection' from Kariat, I would advise you come to the armory with me.". With that he asked the Archer to lead him to the armory, and of course he was gleeful too.

 

[Morridan]

The archer would nod several times. "O-of course!" He went to one end of one of the corners of the wall where each large slab of metal, magic, and stone fit together and made his way to one of the staircases that was built upon them. The make of these 'castle walls' were a clear contrast against the craftsmanship of which they stood. The castle-esque circular staircase and tower were both obviously hand-made, where-as the walls themselves looked as though they were made by some otherworldly force. The tower was of mortar and stone. The walls were of one solid piece with the metal 'slots' fitted together at each corner as if the stone were dropped in from above. Yet that would be impossible, seeing as how even the most gargantuan feats in legends are dwarfed by the effort it would take to heft just one of the odd stone slabs.


The archer waited until either all of the hunters had gathered, or until it seemed that there were no others who were interested. At that point, he would begin to lead them down the staircase and through the ramparts at the bottom. This trek would also lead through a courtyard filled with soldiers training with purposefully dull edged swords and daggers on one side and bails of hay and targets being shot by archers on the other. The same sort of grounds were behind each part of the wall. Hundreds of courtyards dedicated to training and combat. However this was but the top half of the wall they were currently on. The city itself, as they would know (or come to realize) was in different levels. It would be a surprisingly long journey to get to the armory in the center since they did not take the direct route that the commander had came from. It would give the hunters time to talk amongst themselves or to simply appreciate the tour and the sights it offered.

 

[Kazanna]

As the Hunter's bantered among themselves and bickered over their own animosities towards one another, another Elder Hero stepped forward, a large man with a massive coat of armor that glinted with the same unearthly glow of divine power that now wrapped across Karait. He looked to the commander, and in a gravelly, hoarse voice, echoed out, "Tell me pup, Was he here? Was Lunaris among the beasts once more?" He rasped out, almost begging anyone around him to tell him. He spoke of course, of the solitary figure and was speaking with a concerned voice that showed a connection to the man. He looked to the tower, where the Magister had fallen, and sighed, knowing the fate of his old friend, "If Tinglen has fallen, then it had to be him... No other could oppose that spell..." He muttered to himself, seeming lost in his own version of reality. He strode over to the walls as they knitted themselves back together, the metal, and stone rising back into place, interlocking and sealing as though it was simply a stroke of normalcy within the now flawed walls. As quickly as the damage had occurred, it repaired itself, a direct reversal of the damage occurred and the city sealed it's gates and walls shut to an air-tight capacity. A moment later, the volcano's core belched out a massive torrent of lava in a bubble that burst at it's peak and flowed down the cliff face, rapidly engulfing the area that had once been Kariat's main gate.


The city would remain sealed until the lava had ceased to flow, and cooled enough for the outside environment to become safe. The cities walls would be fully recovered and it's mana driven spell cores would be fully recharged, allowing the cities natural defenses to overcome the might of the monster hordes that would assault it in future, leaving the city safe. Few would know this besides the elder hero, who now watched as the glowing walls changed their patterns of light to display a calming light to the populace. It left a bad feeling in his gut, for he knew the origin of the light, and it's cost, and in his very old eyes, the cost was far too great.


After taking the sights all in, he moved to Allon, and addressed him firmly, "I am Gulthan Bannorn, One of the last remaining hero's of the gate wars and the last remaining paladin of the Native Team. If it is possible, I would need you, and the other hunters that are gathered here, to allow me to offer counsel, Pup there." he motioned to the old Commander, "Has a good head, and a strong heart, but he doesn't quite know what you will be fighting against." He puffed himself up slightly, "I do." He said flatly. Weather or not the hunters wanted his advice, Gulthan would give it, because he knew they needed it.

 

[DescriptedEnd]

How disappointing, Avon thought to herself, cerulean oculars allowing her mind to assimilate the battlefield. She'd completely missed the battle, her tardiness causing the matter to be handled by what appeared to be a small group of Hunters. Perhaps it was a bad thing she would show up late, she supposed; the others might hold a grudge or may eschew her for such latency. Nonetheless, she stood off to the side, her crossbow - which was of copious weight - situated on her back in a slanted position after expeditiously striding over to the small group. She wasn't paying much attention to the group, no, instead continuing to adsorb the scene around her; lifeless bodies and ravaged landscape illuminated the surrounding area. Some bodies lay in a repose position, others sheathed in death's harrowing posture. The bodies, of men and monster alike, lay strewn among the dead - or, possibly as of now still dying, if one could look close enough to see the last crowning wheezes as their brains attempted to impose antipodal upon death himself. A remorseful situation it was, to see those men thrown like rag-dolls onto the front which had held the succinct altercation. They were never to wrangle with their most significant foes, or apt to provide an encore to their spirited feedback. As such, it was commonplace for them to do as such, give their lives to the heat of war. As volatile as some folks saw it, without their sacrifice they would have no protection against the unprecedented incursions. As a last standing act, she allowed a faint grunt to liberate itself from her throat. If they wished to pay her no attention, then so be it, but there was always a chance that she may not have caught their eye yet. She wasn't particularly interested in them herself, but there was really no reason to avert her presence from theirs at this current juncture.

 

[Elegy]

Lucis sat cross-legged, silent and meditative as he isolated himself from the other hunters. He was never good with people, and his upbringing and detached emotional state only exacerbated this problem to the point where simply avoiding others was the most comfortable option for both others and Lucis. However, his mind and perception were still razor sharp, and he could determine the general personalities of the hunters around him by analyzing their facial expressions and bodily postures for the most part. This trait also helped in combat as most monsters give off basic bodily hints before attacking such as a change in expression or tensing of muscles, allowing Lucis’s sharp eyes to quickly discern attacks before they happened and react to them. Perception in empathy though was beyond Lucis’s capacities. When the paladin spoke though, Lucis rose his head and alerted his eyes with adherence and respect. He thoroughly listened to what the wizened warrior had to say and noted all the extenuating circumstances his talk granted. Lucis’s experience with the upper echelons of the monsters was limited, as Lucis had only extensively dealt with lesser scions and the like as his abilities were aptly suited for wiping out large numbers of weaker beings. There was also the fact that the stronger monsters were above Lucis’s league in the fact that Lucis could not really cause any damage to them if they had resistance to heat. Although Lucis might be extremely hard to get rid of due to his life force being centered in one small spot and the sun replenishing his energy reserves, his complete reliance on the radiance of the sun severely crippled his combat capabilities for the most part.

 

[Morridan]

The seemingly timid archer stuttered out in confusion. "W-what? I-... I do not know who this Lunaris was. But with the creatures was some shadowy man on the hill. And two frightful creatures. One insect and one wearing some sort of bone armor with no visible eyes... Yet, that very same creature effortlessly swatted away our projectile slag balls with but a flick of its wrist." He continued to lead whatever hunters that were bothering to follow suit with the rest of the group onwards past the courtyards and into the main street of the top level. Smoke stacks were constantly letting out a thick black column of ash. The work of chefs who cook in bulk and typical blacksmiths were what this sight would bring to mind.


As this 'Gulthan' fellow continued to speak of knowing the horrors of the creatures, he looked down at the ground. "I do not wish disrespect, but-..." He cast the man a stare. "You were not there today. If you are as mighty as you claim, you would have been there. At least I can say, honestly, that I was afraid." His stare was broken as his eyes battered. It just dawned on him how rude that last speech was. Especially the last part, which could insinuate that this supposed 'hero' of old could be a coward. If he was such a hero, the archer would be most ashamed. "E-excuse me. I-... Spoke out of line." His eyes directed frontwards again. "We are halfway there."

 

[Giovanni Favehari]

William walked towards were the other hunters were standing. He noticed a couple of additions. A man in shiny gold armor' a very old looking general and what seemed to be a old Hunter. The gold armor man dissapeared and William walked towards the archer trying to guide the Hunters into the main part of the city. "So were going to go see the civilization of Kariat. Wonderful." He wanted to get there quick so he wouldnt have to travel in the group for long especially if that hothead was coming. Willian didnt really hate the guy it almost felt like jealousy. Everyone her had some kind of armor or badass aura that was intimidating. All he had was his katanna. He didnt stand out, he looked down in shame for his ignorance towards the man. If anyones dieing first might as well be me. He looked at his attire and laughed. Ha might as well embrace the truth, i need to make sure i go out with a bang. But right no lets just enjoy the fruits of this city. He smiled and looked towards the p;d man with armor. "So you must be a hunter, are you here to contribute or here to teach."

 

[Kazanna]

As though lost for a moment, Gulthan didn't respond to the indirect insult right away, but when he did, he did so with a quick barking tone, "Your right, You were out of line. I've but one battle left in me boy, and It's for Lunaris himself. He'd be the one on the hill." He rasped out at the archer quickly. He was irked, and it showed, the old man followed along, matching the pace of the hunters as they moved in the direction they were told. He glanced to William when he spoke, his features showing a look of near disdain.


He considered the question for a long moment, before replying with a shake of his head, "No... I am no hunter, Though, In my time, I was a hero of sorts... I was the appointed guardian of the gate on this side of the Black Gate. I held the line until we were ordered to destroy it... until we were ordered to doom several of my best friends to their deaths..." He shook his head, "Never has any leader committed a more heinous act then that one... We were wrong to seal the gate then... and now, it shall cost us greatly." His tone trailed down and diminished as he spoke, his old age was apparent, the man, while well armed and armored, was clearly ancient, and clearly should not have been bearing such weight, let alone walking about unaided.


Gulthan glanced to the other hunters present, and muttered, "Is that all there is... Five of you so far... What a pity, You'll not face the big ones like this..." Gulthan strode onwards, muttering to himself calculations of how long it would take the inexperienced hunters to reach the level of being able to fight the greater monsters and creatures that were issuing forth from the gate every day.

 

[Giovanni Favehari]

Williams smile dropped quickly. Even this old man knew that they were outmatched. They are basically on a suicide mission William thought. He turned and looked at his body, he was trembling a little. Were going to die in the next battle, even this geezer realises it. He ripped his sword hilt tightly hopping to stop his hands from shaking. I couldnt flee at this point i would shame myself even more if i didnt die on the battlefeild for this city. He stood up staright noticing he was slouching. "Well this is all we have at the moment, we have to make the best out of it." He noticed his voice was a little shaky but he hoped it wasnt noticable. He pulled off a fake laugh and turned his head the opposite way looking at the sky. He held back a tear nowing his fate was coming soon. He looked downa t the shadows being cast by them and the buildings. He saw the broken shadow of the once great wall. "Ill glady die here." He said under his breathe.

 

[AshenLily]

Aryaxxa stood on one of the rooftops near the wall, overlooking the battle, her longbow drawn, and a single arrow nocked. Though many would likely criticize her, for not having fired a single arrow during the battle, there was a reason behind it. She simply observed, learning everything she could about the creatures below. She observed their weaknesses, and even their style of fighting, as some of the creatures were able to scale the wall, and reach the soldiers stationed atop the wall.


She watched with awe as the Magister gave his life to defend the city, and obliterate more creatures than the rest of the defensive force at Kariat had managed to do, in all the rest of the battle. Well, being the power of the gods, she conceded that it would make sense.


Observing the other hunters, she couldn't help but worry. They definitely weren't the most impressive bunch, ever, but they would have to do. As the battle came to an end, Aryaxxa watched the others, with an expression filled with angst. Aryaxxa didn't play well with others. While it would obviously be necessary, for them to have any hope of fending off the monsters, should they attack Kariat again, she wasn't fond of the idea.


The group was led away by a newcomer, from what she was able to hear, to the Armory. She followed at a distance, listening to the conversation between the group, as they eventually joined, from what she was able to hear, a Hero of old. A Paladin, who called himself Gulthan.


"Is that all there is... Five of you so far... What a pity, You'll not face the big ones like this..."


At these words, Aryaxxa joined the group, the ghost of a smile playing at the edges of her lips, as she spoke. "Well, I can't say how much of a difference it'll make, but does six sound any better?"


Though she wasn't quite as elaborate as some of the others in the group, it was evident from her somewhat outlandish clothes, and the longbow over her shoulder, that she wasn't just any archer that would have been fighting in the battle, so far. The bow was of exquisite craftsmanship, as it would need to be, to support her magically-enhanced arrows she favored, in fights.


(Eh. Sorry for a kinda meh first post. Had to do a lot of reading, and stuff, but wanted to get something out, to make sure everyone knew I wasn't dead. Let me know if I missed anything, or need to make any changes.)

 

[Morridan]

The archer leading the group continued to look forwards and lead them up to a large 'checking station'. This area didn't look very impressive but in actuality the single small building was more like a prison's metal detector. small magical inscriptions on the doorway leading in and out made sure that those who came in this way, also left with the same items (or less) than they arrived with. Not only that, but these doorways also detected subtle shifts specifically aligned to catch invisible or otherwise intangible objects as well. This meant that even if someone were to use magic to smuggle something out, the magic would detect it.


As they arrived to said destination, he couldn't help but look back at the new face and ogle her bow like a child in a toy-store. He brought his eyes back to his front, though, and realized how distracted he was in that short time. "Six?" He'd ask, keeping his eyes at each guard's face as they passed, nodding to them each. "I thought there were two men wielding rather large swords earlier..."

 

[Hibiscus]

Allon stood beside his archer through the walk, attempting to take pray for every soul he saw on the many training fields. It was a wonder that this city had so many soldiers, but with being one of the last three large cities, it made sense. They seemed very well trained, going throughout routine strikes and well educated attacks. Although this would look good against other humans, these beast weren't one to be stopped by normal means. The sheer force of the people were inspiring, but this was only if they could be directed properly. All in all the military was moderate in the least, and with the new sounds of repairing on the wall and spells, the outcome of the second battle was becoming brighter.


As they walked Allon studied the other Hunters and the old man more, but his attention was completely drawn away when Gulthan joined their walk. He faced him, talking more to Allon then the other Hunters in a modest sense. It was easy to tell that he was affiliated to a holy entity, and by seeing his personality for some time, Allon came to the conclusion it was Helios. Bowing his head in a respectable manner, Allon didn't dare talk until the man was ready. An introduction, followed by many pointless interjections, and even the Archer addressing him out of concern, stopped Allon from speaking to him one on one.


The Archer stepped out of line, but it was easy to see he did it out of concern for his welfare. It was a noble attempt, but was met swiftly by an old man's bitterness for his age. Which was note worthy, for this man didn't seem old, but particularly ancient. Obviously his tributes to the god's has let him live longer, something Allon wasn't sure was a blessing or not. When the old paladin stopped talking and let the group continue to move, Allon talked to him calmly, wanting to make his greeting more personal then just making dumb debut.


"I'm sorry to take your attention off of what is important, but I haven't had the chance to introduce myself." He cleared his throat, continuing his walk towards the magical detector. "They call me Allon Idris, the White Cle- Arbiter. It is an exalting moment to meet someone I hold in such high revere." Allon's voice was calm, but on the inside he was quite giddy. This was a paladin of monumental power, one who was in contact with the gods in every aspect of his life.

 

[Kazanna]

Gulthan turned his attention to Allon and stopped dead in his tracks, he had been beside the Archer, so his arm shot out blocking the man from moving further ahead without his consent. Gulthan was, while aged, still enlisted in the military forces, he was called upon as an advisor more then an actual commander, but his authority was recognized by all members of the military within the city that knew who he was.


His eyes narrowed as he looked Allon over, before he extended his right arm towards the man, a blade of pure light shimmered into reality, it rapidly became animate, and then became of metal, with a shimmering appearance, "I am Gulthan Bannorn, Paladin Commander of The Lands, and Advisor to the keepers of Karait. You are a follower of Helios, that much is apparent." He raised the blade in a slight salute, the extension of his blade was meant to signify the crossing of blades, a warriors tribute towards a fellow warrior. If Allon was educated in the honor codes of the paladins, he would know to raise his own weapon towards Gulthan's and cross halfway between the blade and the hilt. He waited, expectantly, holding a firm, steady stance that would speak to all around, that this moment was not to be interrupted, for any reason.

 

[Morridan]

The archer seemed to be quite perturbed by the forceful stop. And though he did not say anything, he did cast the man a glance that seemed to ask the question 'Did you really just stop the whole group for this?'. Of course his lips did not move, but with the exhale he had made through his nostrils, it seemed he didn't have to in order to express his disdain. He closed his eyes as though in contemplation. What he was really doing was trying his best to calm himself before he said something else he may end up regretting. Even if he really did want to say something, he found the discipline to hold it back.

 

[Hibiscus]

Allon stopped as if he was expecting the sign, for his guess about Helios was correct. The paladin was even more amazing then he thought, creating a weapon in mere seconds that was not only well crafted, but also sharpened to a point. It was a beautiful creation that, within the heat of battle, would take Allon a significantly longer time to conjure. The blade was of pure light and even as the glimmer disappeared it was still apparent to see that it was of holy design.


Whether or not this was of importance to the rest of the group didn't matter to the paladin or the arbiter, this was a symbol of respect and recognition of each other's title and past. This wouldn't only be a greeting, but almost a symbol of their meeting and acknowledge more then just their same savior. That being thought of, Allon took a step back from him in order to draw his larger weapon.


Making a sword out of light would be more official, but it would also be more time consuming, and from the look on the Archer's face, less time wasn't a pleasant idea. With a little space in between them, Allon put his hand behind his back in order to grip his scythe. If anyone were to actually look at his scythe, they would notice the two small circles of light that looped into his armor in order to hold the weapon to him. Though, the moment Allon wrapped his hand around the shaft of the scythe, the two lights burst to let it go limp.


With a quick succession of spin, the scythe's blade curved downwards next to the paladin's sword, the hand shake of a sort complete. Allon's eyes locked with his in a stare of wonder, for Allon hadn't had a moment with one of his own in some time. It was almost an eye opener that this might be the last time he shares one of these moments with another man of holy affiliation. That was no way to think and within moments Allon stood more confident, not allowing any doubt in his mind of the blessing of Helios.

 

[Kazanna]

As though a true sign from above, Gulthan's blade shimmered with radiant light as Allon's scythe came near to it, the blade reacted positively to the cleric's weapon and Gulthan nodded with a grave look upon his face, before he reacted any further. He thrust the blade towards the cleric with swiftness that should not have been possible, and the blade simply vanished as it did. Gulthan smiled a moment later at Allon, he expected shock from the man, if not from the others around them.


"Holy blade, It cannot harm a man of faith. Always made it hard to deal with the Zealots of Helios back in the old days of the first war. Had to use weapons like yours there..." He nodded again, the grave look returning to his face, "Pity I never really grew too fond of the orders weapons, Always had my own crafted by..." He paused and finished painfully, "By Lunaris... The man you saw leading the monster army today..."


Gulthan turned to the young archer and nodded to him, "Ah, Lead on my good man, I apologize, but these formalities are required by men of the order, you understand I'm sure. Just like they make you stand and salute." He said nonchalantly, like this was an every day affair.

 

[Hibiscus]

Allon's eyes lit with anxiety, his whole mind wondering if he had performed the move wrong and this was his punishment. He did not flinch though, putting faith into Helios and Gulthan. As the blade disappeared inch by inch, Allon's face relaxed into a more awe struck. While creating a weapon out of their faith was usually a better armament then anything else, it was weak against so many different foes that it seemed unnerving to use it. As the light burst around his face it was very soothing, and once the intention of the blade was learned, Allon felt more trust within Gulthan.


"The light of our father may not penetrate the skin of our brothers or sisters, for they too have been sworn under the rays of him." Allon recited, "These holy weapons are quite effective, but there are always those who resist them.". With this Allon placed his scythe in place on his back, the gold band wrapping around to hold it steady. The other Hunters looked annoyed to say the least so Allon turned towards the Archer just for a moment to gesture with his head to move on.

 

[Giovanni Favehari]

William looked as the two Holy men greeted each other proffesionally. He looked in awe as the blade made of light appeared. William wasnt all that good with formalities, so while they spoke he turned as a women appraoched and spoke. "We need all the help we could get." He walked towards her and raised his hand. "Im William, you must be a hunter. Sorry you had to miss all the action." He kidded and inspected the girl. I wonder if bows could actually do any good. You would have to be one hell of a shot. He smiled slightly and looked back towards the group. "We should be moving along to see the rest of the city. You should probably go speak with the archer at the front if you want anymore information."

 

[Kazanna]

Gulthan had finished his greeting to Allon, so he was undisturbed by William's greeting as he would have been otherwise. He rolled his shoulders and shrugged at the man, "Not a hunter no, not like you and the others here. I fought them for duty, where you've all been raised on the whelps for the profit of it." he replied. For in truth, that was the reality of the hunters, of any walk of life, it was that way. Hunters had been raised on the blood of monsters towards coin, or homestead, some were professional, and sought out the largest of creatures, others were novice, and did not. But in all walks, they were outmatched by the horde that had come through the gate recently. The older creatures that had slowly begun to die off, and had given the hunters a fair chance, were now bolstered by creatures of near mythical proportion. Gulthan, in his age, and in the wisdom it gave him, knew this, so as he looked among them, he felt a sigh escape him, murmuring, "There will be no mercy... and your armaments, the armaments of men, are no match for the beasts that walk this world now... you will have to find a way to change that, as we did in the days of old..."

 

[Morridan]

The Archer had let out a sigh and looked back at all of the talking, but before he could say anything, he noticed the nod come from the Cleric who had saved him. He turned his head frontwards and promptly began to lead them past the last stretch of their journey. An underwhelmingly small building, at least to what should have been expected of the central armory for this gargantuan city, stood meekly within a circle of very large cannons that were just now being fitted to some sort of elevating platforms. The cannons being gargantuan and were apparently newly produced. The lack of any clear indication of wear seemed to hint that these had just been placed here.


As they entered the building, the old commander from before was talking to some lady with thick curly hair. The lady was lanky, freckle-faced, pale-skinned, and had glasses that were foggy. So much fog in fact that it was remarkable that she could even see through the lenses. Despite her apparent lack of sight, she stopped the commander mid-way through her chatter and seemed to zip right over to them, grasping ahold of each Hunter's hand as she let off a high-speed greeting. "My-oh-my, never-once-did-I-think-I'd-get-the-chance-to-create-such-fun-little-toys-but-I-also-get-to-meet-soo-many-hunters-to-boot?! HA-HA-HA-HA-AAAAH~!" After shaking both of the hands of each hunter there (if they'd let her), she would have said all of this and performed this feat in under four seconds, greeting and laughter included.


The old commander hung his head and shook it slightly. "Welcome. This excitable young lady here is known as Lanna. She is the one who created the gifts that you will be receiving to help with slaying those foul creatures." The woman started to chatter away again to herself about 'how she could have forgot to give them her name' and the sorts. The Commander's hand rose upwards, causing her babblings to halt with an embarrassed squeak. "Since you probably do not speak in 'Mumbo-Jumbo' terms... I will translate what she has already told me about these... gifts." He turned and grabbed ahold of four different cloth sacks, untying the silky strings that keep each one shut. He reached into the first one, grabbing out several little folded paper triangles. "These are called 'Razor Confetti'. Throw one at the ground and it will cause a whirlwind of razor sharp strips of paper to erupt. It is triggered by your own blood, so if you find yourself in danger, use your wounds to your advantage. I would suggest using it as a smoke-screen and not as a weapon. Though I'm sure with ingenuity, you may find an offensive use for it."


The second cloth sack contained a rugged looking black shard which looked a bit like black flint. "This is the claw of the Volca'arra. A dragon like creature found deep in our volcano. They are small creatures, but the sharpness is undeniable. And while this does not have the magical powers of the true dragons of myth, making contact with any metal weaponry will transform it temporarily into a blackened color. And you will find yourself able to slice through even diamonds. It is only good for one hit before the weapon will turn back. Use this wisely."


The third bag held within it a clasp of some sort with a glass orb held within the fingers of the jeweler's-setting-like accessory. He held one up, starting off the explanation as if he were going down a list. "What Lanna calls a Quintessence Clasp. If you come within one thousand yards or meters of A creature exposed to the-" The clear orb began to let off a very bright pulse of light. "...-fabled 'Gate Energies'... This will happen. This will tell you when a monster is near." He gave the old paladin a sly grin. "I believe you have already met one of these 'monsters'."


The fourth bag was taken and his hand went into it before giving each of them a very light, cold, cube. The size being small enough to wrap your entire hand around one. "These are 'Nature-Craft' cubes. Forged with lightning magic, breaking one of these in your hand and throwing the dust in one direction will cause Iron from deep within the earth to shoot forwards in that direction in the form of a thick wall of spikes. These aid us in the gathering of ore still to this day. And it is said that this city and its forces were built upon the use of these things. Like the confetti and the claw, this can only be used once. But the Iron summoned up from this thing retains energy until it is struck once... Meaning that you can use this as an offensive or defensive means. Each 'wall' will survive one strike. No matter how powerful or how weak. One hit is all they will be good for. but if multiples are used together at the same time, and within a very close proximity, the effect will be a lot greater."


He gathered each one of them a set of each of the four items; a fragile metal cube, a folded paper triangle, a glass-orb clasp for cloaks and belts, and the volcanic flint claw shard from a creature found in their volcano. He did not, however, give Gulthan an orb, knowing how useless it would be. All the while, the woman known as 'Lanna' continued to chatter onwards about the intricate details of how each one worked on a fundamental, yet complicated, level. Which seemed to linger in the air as nothing more than background noise.

 

[Kazanna]

Gulthan followed along and when Lanna made her introductions he waited until the woman had finished before he moved to her as the commander had his way with her gifts, asking her carefully, "Is it done yet Lass? I've this feeling I'll be needing it soon. I know I've bothered you a lot about it... but..." Gulthan had long ago put in an order for several things, a suit of outer armor, and a weapon, fashioned from the chitinous armor plates of an old, dead, Level 4 Titan Class Beast, that he, and some of the old heroes had felled long ago.


He had asked her to create an interlocking armor set that would integrate with his own, currently equipped armor, which, was a holy raiment, and was protected against spellcasting, so he was protected on that end, it was however, not as strong in the physical regard. The armor was designed to be able to take great blows of massive force, and was interwoven with spell sigils and seals that would activate from a wearers magic, it would lighten the armor, and make it able to distribute damaging blows across the entire frame rather then tearing plates away.


The beast that it had been made from had been a massive creature of great power. It had been one of the last of it's kind to appear during the last war, and had taken an entire battalion of troops to take down as well as Gulthan's specialized unit. It had been dubbed The Nomad, by the peoples of the world, and had earned it's name by it's method of attack. It moved from place to place, bringing with it all sorts of carrion beasts in it's wake, that fed upon the destruction it caused. As strong as it was, it caused many problems until it was taken down.


Now, Gulthan hoped his Nomad Armor would be completed, along with the massive greatsword he had commissioned, he had paid heavily for each of them, the armor, and the weapon, and he hoped they would be ready for the coming battles. So as he looked to Lanna, with a hopeful look, he was very expectant to hear good news.