Zion: Light of the New Moon, Ch 3.3 Myrh
Zion - Light of the New Moon Chapter 3.3
Myrh The Herp Derp
The contributing readers have all decided: this post will include a short focus on each of the pairings and give a little insight into all of the discussions.
Shouts of warning came up from all around us. With the keen attention to his surroundings that only a veteran officer could have, Yearl glanced out of the tent flap, appraising the situation immediately, "Thera, I want you to come with me."
"Into battle?" I asked.
He looked back and nodded, reaching a paw out toward me, "I want you to stay close to me."
"I..." on one paw, the fact that he wanted me close never made me feel better, but the thought of being on the field of battle, "are you sure I shouldn't stay here in a tent?" Despite my reservations, I reached out and accepted his extended paw.
With a yank, Yearl pulled me out of the healer's tent and dove to the side, just as an enormous, 15' long, six-legged reptile landed on it. Thank the goddess that I had been the last patient under the healer's care. I recognized the creature from the old stories. "A basilisk..." I whispered. Yearl nodded.
The basilisk bit and tore at the canvas as the Captain and I got to our feet, "Move slowly." he directed, "It's attention is on the bloody bandages, not us..." Following his lead, I walked around a wagon and out of view. It took me several seconds to steady myself and slow my breath... not just from the fear, but, I realized, because my body was still too weary from being drained of life. "Stay under cover... I'm not going far." Yearl noted, and then got out from behind the wagon.
I watched as he made several paw gestures. They weren't magical ones, though they had just as much precision. His eyes went from one location to another, and that's when I realized he was signaling to the guards. Peeking out from hiding so I could see the result, I watched as a dozen guardsmen descended on the basilisk that had destroyed the healer's tent. Before it had time to react, the soldiers had already pierced it with spears, and forced it to the ground. A final soldier, a massive great pyrenees, lodged an enormous battle-axe into its skull. The creature thrashed around in its death throes, but the spear men held firm, keeping its body pinned until it finally stopped moving.
"Alright..." my lion said to me, holding out a paw to help me up, "We move on." Looking up at him, the way the silvery moonlight reflected from his golden mane almost gave me the impression of being in one of those old stories of the time before the 200 year war, when everything was romantic and fantastic and magical... but, as I took his paw and he drew me to my feet, I was brought back to the present; all around us the caravan guards were rallying to defend what they could... which, sadly, was not everything.
Yearl led me to the front of the caravan, saying something about needing to reinforce the leadership. Along the way, the Captain shouted orders, roaring them with the intensity of a man not used to being ignored... it made sense, of course, since every single one of his orders was met with immediate obedience. It seemed like his presence alone was enough to reinforce the defense; guards contemplating retreat or hiding beneath an overturned wagon were immediately back on the front, shouting out battle cries to Tah'aveen... it was amazing.
Once we reached the front of the caravan I could clearly see that Yearl had chosen to best place to oversee: it looked as though the majority of the draconids chose to attack there and they were most in need of aid. He quickly shouted to a company of soldiers we had picked up along the way, and he maneuvered them to protect the flanks of the semi-circle of defenders that had gathered around the three head wagons. Our two greatest clergy members were present, as were our magi. I saw Kell's shadowy form flittering through the darkness off the path, and I could as much sense Artemisia before I could see her... it felt like a vortex calling to me, trying to pull me into her. I shuddered.
As Yearl took position behind the front lines, standing atop a slight rise in the highway, he began to shout orders to the defenders. He received a few questioning glances until Anya spoke up, "Well? Do as he says." and the battle began to move like clockwork.
Brother Farstrider raised a call to Tah'aveen. I'd heard the prayer once before, and knew it was a call to the New Moon. The other other time I'd heard it was when I had serviced a decrepit priest visiting Myrh... the old vulture's body hadn't been able to perform until he received the blessing... though this time, in the heat of the battle, it provided strength instead of... firmness. A black-iron force took hold as the defenders were imbued with the might of the New Moon.
In a strange display I had not thought to ever witness, I saw Artemisia take to one knee. Even from the distance I could see that she had been barely able to stand, wavering on her feet so much that she had to keep her tail on the ground for added balance. Once she lowered her body, she surprised me even more by lowering her head. I watched as a pure platinum energy began to manifest from where she held one talon balled against her chest. The void in my mind where she occupied was suddenly replaced by a powerful star burst.
Tapping some inner reserve I didn't know was possible in any mortal being, Artemisia sent out an immense wave of light. I watched the healing radiance pass through Ryan and Jerard, erasing the lingering injuries they had from the fight with the undead, and even Kell, sliding through the shadows as he moved to flank the basilisks absorbed some of that same power. I was so awestruck by the effect that I didn't even notice a dark-colored shape separating from the rest of the party.
"Beo!" Yearl roared from beside me, "Back into line!" Following the lion's gaze, I saw that the black husky had broken from the defensive line and was charging the closest basilisk. Unlike everyone else, he apparently wasn't inclined to follow orders. Paws trailing grayish tendrils of hungry energy, Beo slid to a halt hurling his paws out in front of him as he shouted the final words of his incantation. A mighty pulse of energy shot threw his fingertips.
I had heard stories that draconids had a natural affinity for magic, and that their essence itself provided them natural resistance against its effects... either Beo was a powerful magus, or reality didn't live up to the myth. The husky had been suffering from injuries sustained at Ashlai, but those were gone in seconds as his body glowed with newly invigorated vitality. The basilisk shook off the effects of the draining spell... it did not look happy.
The basilisk struck forward, its enormous maw opening wide to swallow Beo whole. The husky stood there for a moment in surprise, but recovered quickly and brought his staff out to defend himself. It was a feeble gesture, of course, and I knew right then and there that he was going to be eaten... and yet, he was not. With a call from Anya, Tah'aveen must have intervened; the Basilisk's jaw popped, and, for a moment, locked in its open state. Beo seized the opportunity and quickly hopped back, delivering a quick blow with his staff to the creature's snout.
If the basilisk noticed it wasn't obvious, but, slamming its head against a tree, the Basilisk forced its maw shut, and turned again to regard the black husky with death clearly promised in its glare. More than death, however, I realized that draconid's gaze carried something else... a basilisk could paralyze a victim with its eyes. Not only was Beo at risk from the Basilisk directly in front of him, but his lonesome charge brought him the attention of all six basilisks that had meant to attack the caravan's lead wagons.
Jerard, in his lupine form, broke from the group as each of the draconids took up position, hurling a massive boulder in their direction. Though the rock didn't hit, it pulled some attention away from Beo. The husky shouted something at the Moon Blessed magus, but Jerard didn't bother responding. A third basilisk had its attention drawn away from Beo as Kell emerged from the shadows, burying his two punching daggers into its lower back, right above where its tail attached to its torso. He was forced to leap away as it rolled on the ground, but he kept hold of his blades, facing off against it. That is when, in unison, the Basilisks' glowing eyes issued forth their deadly effect.
"THE EYES!" Yearl shouted out in warning, "THEY PARALYZE!"
Beo held up both paws in front of him and, with a single word, drew the six beams from the six eyes directly into his palms. He winced, shaking his arms as grayish smoke mixed with errant motes of green energy dissipated. Jerard responded in a similar manner, blocking one basilisk with each paw; he crushed the smoldering mana in each palm. Kell, much less suited to controlling the ebb and flow of magic, chose instead to leap out of the way. With a cartwheel to one side, following up with a back-paw-spring, the assassin back-flipped away from the basilisk's gaze at the last second as it failed to track him with its eyes.
"You're gonna pay!" I heard Beo howl at the draconids, and his smoking paws suddenly burst into fire as he raised them up overhead. I watched as an enormous column of flame shot up out of the ground amidst the basilisks. As they were surrounded by the fire I was finally able to see what the stories had talked about; each of the six alternated swinging their head and tail back and forth, extinguishing the flame with their mere presence. Though it looked like the one caught in the center had taken some nasty burns, most barely even looked singed.
"They have to be distracted first..." Yearl mumbled under his breath, and then repeated his statement in a yell to the party.
"Well they're already distracting me!" Beo shouted back. I wasn't quite sure what he was getting at, but I saw Jerard laugh, so it must have been an inside joke. The basilisks focused on the husky, "Well... they're distracted!" he noted. At just that moment, Jerard took that as his cue.
An identical whirling geyser of fire emerged from the ground beneath the six draconids. Caught off guard that time, however, the entire group of them popped and sizzled as they burned. When the fires died down it was readily apparent that the magic still hadn't been as successful as it might have been against other creatures, but it had taken its toll. As the basilisks hissed and roared out their anger, my attention was actually drawn to Anya who, to the side of everyone else was kneeling down, paying close attention to the item in her paws. I recognized it immediately.
For those not familiar with Fayte magic, the small wooden frame in her paws wouldn't have meant a thing; the silvery strands of thread criss-crossing inside the frame could easily have been some useless decoration or salvaged sewing material; the smooth, intricate movements of the priestess' paws may as well have been the casual musings of an embroiderer looking for the right color... but none of them would appreciate just what kind of pattern Anya was looking to create. I'd seen Fayte magic in effect before... or, rather, I'd seen the effects of Fayte magic before. It's subtlety makes it difficult to track, but the results are usually obvious if you know what to look for.
The Basilisk at the rear of the group turned to face Kell; despite the fact that it had suffered some burns from the spells thrown its way, the creature was more drawn to the assassin that had punctured it with his blades. Rearing up, the draconid let out a roar, and came down with its enormous talons straight at Kell. It would be a killing blow; the sheer size of the creature would make it impossible to dodge, evade, or block... as it turned out, however, there was no need. Anya plucked a string at the last moment, and the Basilisk's hind leg slipped out from beneath it, sending the creature tumbling to the ground, prone.
Making the most of the opportunity, Kell changed his stance, and vaulted up onto the basilisk's snout, driving both of his blades forward toward its eyes. The draconid tilted its head at the last second and his right blade scraped along its eye-ridge... but the left found its mark. Letting out a powerful roaring hiss, the Basilisk whipped its head back. Kell was sent flying into the air, but managed to correct his trajectory and landed in a crouch; he still had his right punching dagger but the left was embedded in the squirming basilisk's eye. Artemisia, who had moved to aid Kell, swiped at the creature with her pole arm, but she was still obviously weak and it failed to puncture the distracted creature's hide.
The rest of the party was faring much more poorly against the main portion of the basilisks. Beo, still ahead of everyone else, was targeted first. Two of the basilisks rushed in with a speed that seemed abnormally swift for their size... and it was enough to catch Beo off guard. The first lashed out with a claw, raking right across the front of the husky's body. Tah'aveen was certainly gracious in the gift of his moonweave tunic, as it obviously saved his life; though he took several nasty slashes across his arms and legs, his vital areas were protected. It didn't matter that much in the end, I suppose, when the second one brought its tail straight down on the prone dog with an earth-shattering thump.
I don't think anyone really had time to register the blow as three more basilisks were wading into the group... and it was readily apparent that they had revenge on their mind... they were all focused on Jerard. The first blow caught the werewolf in the side, three huge claw marks digging several inches into his body. The second attack, a powerful claw swipe lifted him into the air as the sword-like talons cut through his body, dragging just enough to carry him with the blow... and launch him straight at the third. The last draconid lashed out with its head, teeth snapping audibly together... followed by a discernible swallow that I could hear even at a distance
"NOOOOOOO!!!!" Beo howled, and he pulled himself out of the newly-formed ditch he occupied, launching himself at the third basilisk, slamming his staff down onto its leg. The basilisk didn't even seem to notice. After Beo's second blow without affect the basilisk looked down almost curiously as it appraised the situation and then, after a few seconds, apparently made up its mind and decided to eat him as well. It's large maw opened wider... and that's when Brother Farstrider intervened.
"Away with you!" the priest ordered, brandishing his glowing bracer, the moonstone on it emitted a powerful white light. The basilisk blinked against the brightness, but quickly recovered and lashed forward to attack the priest. "As you wish." and, in a burst of power, the beast's head, almost completely wrapped around the wolf, exploded. "Tah'aveen is with us, my friends!" he howled, and the glowing light expanded to encompass the defenders, shrouding them in her divine protection.
The priest and the magus didn't have a chance to celebrate, however, as one of the basilisks that had clawed at Jerard lumbered over to make one of them a new target. Beo's fur stood on end as gray energy crackled between his whiskers. Brother Farstrider took a step back, and Beo held out both his paws as the Basilisk lunged forward to bite at them. A pulse of black power emerged from the husky, growing larger than the Basilisk's head. The draconid paused for just a moment, and the cloud took the form of a gigantic maw and snapped shut around the creature's neck, completely obscuring its head.
The basilisk's tail stuck straight out, and the body collapsed. As the black cloud seeped back into Beo, it became readily evident that all flesh, muscle, and innards were taken cleanly off the now skeletal head. The energy seeped into Beo, restoring his health as his wounds closed, the siphoned vitality adding to his own. Another basilisk quickly charged the two, ready to repeat the maneuver before Beo could prepare another spell.
Ryan stepped forward, ready to do battle. He raised his bracer high again, repeating his earlier comment, "Away with you!" and, as expected, the warning was completely ignored by the basilisk. Before its teeth could close around the priest, its body fell to the ground, the third headless draconid corpse creating a semi-circle around the wolf and husky. A fourth moved in to do battle with them, but it stopped short. As its eyes glowed I realized what was about to come... but apparently Beo did too.
Beo stepped forward and stared the draconid down. Unphased, the baslisk let loose its dual beams of light. The husky took a deep breath and I could visibly see the beams change direction. They pulled closer together, and one beam entered each of his eyes. "Let's see how YOU like it!" the husky challenged, and the beams shot right back at the Basilisk, which casually raised a talon, banishing the energy harmlessly, "Well crap." Beo fumed. Growling, he drew his paws together, and then opened them up, motioning outward toward the basilisk.
A shower of hot embers rocketed their way to the draconid, but it kept its talon up, talking only a few light burns for all the husky's trouble. Even at a distance, I could see the black dog's frustration as his muzzle clenched. In the span of three seconds, Beo had his staff held high, at the ready as he issued out a war howl and launched himself at the basilisk. Without even batting an eye the creature swiped its tail around. With Beo's entire attention on the front of the draconid he didn't even notice the tail until it collided with him, sending him flying a good thirty feet before he collided with a carriage. The husky went straight through one wall, exploded out the other, and hit the ground hard, just a few feet from Yearl and myself, sliding for another ten feet before coming to a stop, "Ow..." he murmured.
Further from the front line, Kell was still trying to combat his own problem. The one eyed basilisk had snapped at him several times, lashing out with its teeth intermittently and trying to strike him with its claws, but the assassin made use of its now blind-side and maximized the advantage of its lack of depth perception. He had managed to score several weak blows against it with his remaining punching dagger, but he finally came to the realization that it wouldn't help. Letting out a shaky breath, the leopard/wolf reached for the sword on his back... and that's when the Basilisk struck.
With a quick flash from its eye, a beam shot the distance between it and Kell. The assassin didn't have time to react as the stunning blast caught him square in the chest. His entire body froze up as stiff as a statue, except for his eyes, which suddenly widened very large as the beast swung its tail around like an enormous club. Without a scream, groan, or even a grunt, Kell was picked up off the ground and hurled into a tree, knocking it cleanly in half. He landed in exactly the same position as he had been standing, albeit on his back... and one of his arms was bent in an unnatural way.
If Kell had been the only one to fall prey to the Basilisk's wicked gaze I would have considered us lucky... unfortunately, he was not the only casualty. The other remaining basilisk regarded Artemisia as she strode toward it, moving to protect the wagons from its attention. She readied her pole arm as the basilisk lowered its head, sniffing tentatively at her. When its muzzle got too close, the dragoness stabbed it, and that ended any neutrality the creature may have extended toward her. With a pulsing green blast from its eyes it had Artemisia frozen in place.
The basilisk stamped Artemisia's pole arm out of her grasp and then, with a quick snap, had her in its maw. It tilted its head back and I watched transfixed as it tossed her up into the air... and she fell straight down its throat. It ended the obscene performance with a loud gulp, and licked its reptilian lips. Something unexpected happened at that moment.
"You can't have her." Anya noted calmly, standing in front of the basilisk. It turned to regard her like a Snap-Jaw might view a feral mouse, and its eyes glowed green. "You creatures do not listen very well, do you?" She held her scythe up, moving the blade in front of her as the beam struck. With a combination of bluish-white light and a flash of green, the beam was reflected right back at the basilisk. Casually extending her arm out to the side, the priestess launched the scythe into the air in an impossibly powerful throw.
The weapon went straight through the creature's neck as if the scythe were ethereal... and it winked out of existence before reappearing in the priestess' paw. The basilisk's head, eyes still wide, slid cleanly off its severed neck. "Farstrider!" she called. The wolf glanced back toward her. "New Moon!" she shouted, "Smite them!" He nodded.
I'd occasionally heard the sound of a congregation of priests chant. In Myrh, it was often a dirge to someone important, and the entire city hummed with the goddess' power. I'd never heard a Shradian prayer before in that way, and it set my fur on end. Even with the voice of only two prayers it held something magnificent and terrible... and the final basilisk simply died. There was no great display of light... no wheezing, choking, and coughing... no dramatic roar followed by an earth-rumbling collapse; the basilisk simply laid down and ceased living. Considering the size and power of the beast, in the end I found that more dramatic.
"Gather up the bodies." Priestess Fanewatcher noted, walking to where the paralyzed, unconscious, bloody Artemisia lay, covered in saliva and basilisk gore, "We will see if any of our fallen can be saved." I shivered as I watched the jackal lean down and gently caress the unmoving dragoness' muzzle. Even though the distance between us was great, I heard her whisper as if she were whispering to me, "Tah'aveen still has a use for you." I didn't know what it meant, but it was chilling all the same.
I kept watch on the priestess as she walked around to the back of the decapitated basilisk and paused, looking at a metal loop near the tip of its tail. She motioned to one of the nearby laborers and had him collect it. He brought it to her, and she inconspicuously wrapped it up in her robes and walked off, but not before saying, "Do not speak a word of this to anyone." He nodded obediently and went back to work. Apparently the priestess was unaware that Artemisia was able to hear her and, through the dragoness, so could I. Although Artemisa was not conscious, I was.
* * * * * *
Myrh got beat-the-frick-up! OUCH!
At this point, two party members are on death's door and will require the aid of the group to survive.
Jerard, having been pulvarized and then eaten, will die without aid.
Artemisia was paralyzed, swallowed, and then dumped on the ground, and she is at death's door.
Non-contributing readers may elect to spend the Group's Luck to save these poor souls. Each character will require 1 Luck to save.
The first Non-Contributing reader to speak up guarantees their choice is saved. The second nominated character will require two Non-Contributing reader votes to be saved, and the third nominated character requires three votes. Any given individual may only vote to save 1 person.
Any reader, contributing or otherwise may vote that a character NOT be saved. If this is the case, then another vote will be added on to the requirement to have a Luck point spent on that character's behalf.
But that isn't the end of the casualties; oher members of the party are injured as well! After healing and recovery, the group is shaped up thusly:
Artemisia, if she survives, will have 2 Lethal Wounds and 2 Major Fatigue. Anya will channel the Full Moon to save her, draining the dragoness' last 2 Willpower, and 1 xp to do so.
Jerard, if he survives, will have 2 Lethal Wounds. He will require the votes of readers to save him, and Ryan Farstrider's willingness to heal him with the power of the Full Moon-- this effect will drain 3 Willpower from Jerard and cause 1 Major Fatigue to the wolf.
Kell has 1 Serious Wound that may be removed with the use of a Willpower.
Beo has 1 Lethal Wound and 3 Serious Wounds. As there are no available healers, he may only spend 1 willpower to remove 1 Serious Wound.
Contributing readers may now vote as to who gets the tail-ring Anya obtained from the slain Basilisk-- that's right... she's not actually going to keep it. No... you don't get to know what it does, but bear in mind you may only use it if your character does indeed have a tail.
Ryan Farstrider's contributing reader will also have to say as to whether or not he's willing to use such a draining healing effect.
Votes must be submitted by midnight (PST) on Thursday, January 28th
This chapter marked mature for violence and nasty goings-on.
Please watch for upcoming contribution opportunities as Chapter 4 will soon begin. Congratulations to the Myrh party for surviving Chapter 3!