(Bubble of Evil) To Arms! Witches in the Fortress!

[Josh]

A warm breeze drifted in from the south, bringing with it the smell of summer. The daylight hours were steadily growing in number and the last of the planting festivals would be had that night. Several of the younger Children had put in for their leave in order to enjoy the final night of festivities. The breeze carried on over the Fortress of Light, where the men and women who called themselves the Anointed of the Light slept and ate and carried on their daily lives.

 

The breeze swept through an open window and into a corridor, lifting the edge of a life-sized painting of an Aes Sedai kneeling in submission to one of the Lord Captain Commanders of long ago. Some of the more zealous Children liked to point at it and claim it to be true, but the ones who had been Sworn to the Light for longer than a year all knew it had been commissioned by a member of the Council long ago in order to gain favor under the eyes of the then Lord Captain Commander.

 

It was here Li Nuriman found himself. The breeze turned cold, cutting through all of his chain mail and leather padding, before flipping up the corner of the painting once again and then fading away. It made him stop and turn, the painting catching his eyes and drawing him a step closer.

 

“An Aes Sedai would never do that,†he murmured out loud.

 

His two companions turned to frown at him before resuming their argument about who would dance with more women at the festival. Li did not want to go, but the other two insisted on bringing him along, claiming it would do him some good.

 

“If got twenty silver says I not only dance with my girls, I’ll kiss more!â€

 

“Make it thirty and you have a bet!â€

 

The tall Arafellin man just rolled his eyes, glancing back at the painting as they continued down the corridor towards the living quarters of the Fortress. Why they had chosen to take the path that led past the Dome of Truth Li never did know, but would wonder and regret later on. Then a voice, loud and full of fear, came booming from behind them.

 

“Witches!†That word alone, when said near any who were called Children of the Light, would turn heads. What followed not only turned heads, it brought the rest running along behind. “To arms! Witches in the Fortress!â€

[perine]

Shirae had spent the afternoon in the library. She had been told that her knowledge of the history of the Children was a disgrace. She had been given strict orders to fix this situation and so the entire warm day indoors, while she could hear the other trainees rushing about their business in the sun. She paid no mind to the other people around or the noices coming from outside.

 

An image appeared in front of her and Shirae lazily lifted her head to the person that had come to disturbe her. When her eyes met the woman's face, she laughed out of her chair, jumping a good few feet backwards in pure shock. “To arms! Witches in the Fortress!†She heard the shout from somewhere else in the Frotress and suddenly the whole place was alive.

 

The Aes Sedai that had spooked her wore a dark red dress and a red fringed shawl. But was spooked her most were the features on her face, especially her eys made Shirae gasp for breath. She looked so much like herself. "I have written to your great Aunt Perine, that you will join her in the White Tower." her mothers words echoed in her mind as understanding clicked in Shirae. Her mother had sent the Withces to take her to the Tower. Shirae screamed at the woman and drew out the sword she carried.

 

"I'll never join you in the dark, Witch! I shall rather die than follow you Perine." she screamed at the Witch in red just as a ball of fire erupted from her hands. Shirae managed to fall to the groud just as the ball hit the door behind her and burst into flames. I must get out of here. TShe'll burn all these books. Shirae mused and rushed throught the burning doorframe to the corridors where many other Shildren were battling with the Withces.

 

Soon the sister to her grandfather entered calmly through the burning door to the corridor, her eyes fixed on Shirae. The woman seemed to be grinning. Shirae laughed at her unprotected body with her sword only to meet a quartersfaff that seemed to have been made of air. Shirae had never fought against a quarterstaff, but promised herself that her Witch-Aunt would die at her hands.

[Ellorian]

Arala looked up at the smoking hole in the wall and then at the thing that seemed to have produced it. A tapestry? Surely not. I'm imagining it. I've had too much ale. Squinting, Arala rose up on her toes to peek through the hole. Yup. It was hole. Completely real, not at all imagined. On the other side was a fairly frightened Child. She waved. The Child waved back. Yup, it was not her imagination.

 

What to do?

 

Of all the times to be drunk, she apparently chose the one time within the Fortress' walls that she would need her wits about her. Luckily she had her sword. Unluckily, in her present state she was just as likely to take off a foot as to do anything else. Well, that left only one option. Turning back down the hall towards the mess, she took off running and shouting:

 

"The tapestries are making holes in the walls! There's fire! The tapestries are making holes in the walls! There's fire!"

 

In her drunken haze it made sense, she just hoped others saw it that way. Turning a corner at top speed, she ran headlong into a wall. Wait, not a wall. Another Child. Oh good! Her hopeful look quickly fell when she saw who it was. Still, she kept yelling:

 

"The tapestries are making holes in the walls! There's fire!"

[Wayfarer]

It was odd in a way, doing duty on the walls of the Fortress of Light. It reminded him of his younger years when he'd walked the inner walls of Tar Valon and worn a crimson cloak instead of a white one. Still, it was no less different, and while some he shared duty with were hostile, others slowly warmed up to him. The nights were there were no friends were nights that Con had the solitude to contemplate his choices, and guilt. Still, one could not undo what was done, all that was left was to move forward.

 

Expecting to simply find some sleep afterward, he stopped in surprise at a crossroad of corridors to see Arala running down the corridor toward him. Not that she seemed to see him with her head down, and before he could say anything over her mad shouting, she bounced off him. As close as she got, he could smell the wine on her breath, which explained what she then spouted. Frowning, he was about to say something when he saw movement over Arala's shoulder down the corridor.

 

Impossible....

 

An Aes Sedai, a green shawl drapped from her shoulders, advanced as she made her way towards them. Something was wrong though, though Con couldn't quite put his fing- the face. It was as if someone had put evil in that face. The eyes gleamed maliciously, and her face was contorted somewhere between hatred and glee. It was then that her mad cackle sounded as she lifted up a hand, fire fitting in her palm neatly as she pulled back to throw it.

 

"Move!" Grabbing Arala by her shoulder, he dragged her to the side into the other corridor. Not a moment too soon as the flame shot by and a dull boom was heard followed by the skitter of rocks from the detonation. While Con couldn't see the wall, he had seen Aes Sedai use their powers to achieve such feats before.

 

A second blast sounded, as did the banshee's laughter, yet the blast was much closer. It must have hit the wall behind them because it shuddered from the blow. Taking his shield from his shoulder and tightening the strap on his arm, he was shoved Arala as he yelled "run! Find some cover!"

 

 

Con Stavros

Child of the Light

[Kaylan]

There was a boom and several voices yelling all at once, and Analie dropped her cloak in surprise, peeking out the door and drawing her sword as the sounds formed words that had been muffled by the thick walls of her room. Her first instinct was to cower, to dive back into her room and bolt the door, and hope that the Aes Sedai who were attacking didn't come for her and burn the door away with a thought, but she forced herself outside with a frown.

 

There were women - well, they looked like women. But the Aes Sedai had the Three Oaths, and they weren't able to use the Power as a weapon. And yet, there was a hole in the wall, and there was a man with his face bleeding, having been struck by debris falling from the damaged walls of the Fortress. And there was an Aes Sedai, wrapped in a Gray-fringed shawl, and she was hurling flames at passers by, and her face was twisted and evil. Analie shook her head, frowning deeper. Her mother had told her about going to the Tower, when she'd been raised as a noblegirl on her father's estate. The Grays were peacemakers, not killers, and as Analie thought it she realised that the tapestry on the wall - normally a scene of three Aes Sedai hanging with a crowd of people cheering as the looked on - was now just a crowd of cheering people and an empty gallows.

 

She gasped as she rushed in and slashed at the woman, her blade meeting what felt like flesh and blood but what couldn't possibly be. And she wanted to sob as she cut down the woman, helped by several of her Brothers and Sisters in arms, because she could only imagine what damage this would do in the Fortress, and the way that the different groups in the Fortress would react to this event.

 

~Analie Sheehan

Child of the Light

[perine]

Something was not right. Shirae could feel it while she launged time after time at her Great Aunt. Her mother had always tried to turn Shiraes mind about the Withces. She had always wanted Shirae to see that they were not the evil things, the Children thought them to be. She had spoken of Oaths forbidding the use of the One Power as a weapon. A ball of fire exploded just above her head. Burn their Oaths! I knew is was a lie! she shouted in her mind as she lounged to the floor.

 

The Aes Sedai were everywhere. And oddly enough Shirae could swear she had seen all the women before. She was so certain. First as it had only been her Great aunt that she recognized, but every one of the Witches were familiar in some way. But she could not add the connection in her mind, even as she fought next to empty paintings and tapestries.

 

Perine had created another ball of fire in her hands and threw it at Shirae. The woman ducked cowardly once more throwing a knife in her boot at the Witch. It hit her arm, but seemed to have no effect on the woman. Shirae lost a few moments in the shock and felt a part of the wall crumble on her. Her sword went flying across the hall and the pressure of an huge rock seemed to puch her though the floor. She saw nothing but the Red Sedai standing by her, hands moving frantically and a huge silver and red lightning forming in her hands.

 

Shirae gasped with her exhaused breath. This was it. Her life would end at the hands of her Great Aunt. The bulky weight over her body grew intolerable and Shirae realized that she was not strong enough to face an end like this, she closed her eyes and waited for death to take her.

 

ooc. someone save this poor girl!! ;)

[Ellorian]

Arala did as she was told for once. She was armed but lacked a shield, not that it seemed to matterr considering what the balls of fire were doing to the stone walls. Her senses were dulled but adrenaline seemed to be compensating for the deficiency. The sound of her boots echoed in her ears except when the screaming balls of fire shot past or caused something around her to explode.

 

Though she had been trained better, curiosity overtook the young Taraboner and she paused for just a moment mid-stride to look over her shoulder. She didn't know if she was checking on Con or if she was looking to see what was pursuing them, but either way it had been a mistake. A fire ball came straight at her back and she could not avoid it. Arala braced for blinding heat, pain, or whatever else would come, but did not stop running. The smell of burn fibers and then the sound of a distant spray of stone in front of her. What?

 

Arala did stop this time, and turned around completely. Surely she wasn't dead. She didn't feel dead. She gave a confused look towards Con and then down at her own midsection. There was a perfectly circular hole burned through her shirt, but not a mark on her skin. What in the Light...?

[Segani]

Guelamin had just exited his quarters when the shout came, echoing faintly down the corridor. With it came a rumbling whoomph and a red glow shining faintly off the white stone walls. "Witches!" He paused. Witches? In the Dome of Truth itself? Impossible. None but the Children had ever been allowed into the Dome, even the outlying parts of it. Had the witches shown their true colors and struck at the Fortress?

 

Unsheathing his sword, he headed cautiously down the corridor towards the glow. It led down a stairwell and into a large chamber, lined with tapestries and statues depicting various heroes among the Children of the past. A high ceiling and carved support columns added to the grand sense of the room.

 

At least, that was what the stairwell normally opened on to. The source of the red glow was immediately apparent, as many of the tapestries had falled onto the floor and were burning. Some of the statues had collapsed. There was one person in the room. Her back was to Guelamin, but the fringed blue shawl made it all too apparent what she was.

 

He moved forward cautiously, hoping to be able to sneak up on her. With the roar of the flames concealing any noise he made, it might be possible. The fallen tapestries made it difficult to creep around, though. As he watched, she raised her hands, and a bolt of fire streaked from them and immolated a statue of the third Lord Captain Commander.

 

Distracted, he didn't notice the rubble from another fallen statue until his foot slipped, and he fell forward, praying to the Light that he not fall into the fire. The Light heard him, but he landed heavily, and he could not restrain a grunt of pain as sharp fragments pierced his white tabard- he had not worn any armor. The noise of the fall had surely given him away.

 

The Aes Sedai did not turn around. She destroyed another pair of statues, then the wide double doors at the other end of the chamber. She strode out of the room, never taking any notice of him.

 

Cautiously, Guelamin got to his feet, surpressing a wince as he plucked blood-stained masonry from his chest. The wounds could wait. With a curse, he followed the witch deeper into the Fortress at a limping run.

[Wayfarer]

Surprise held Con as he saw the hole left in Arala, and more importantly, what had been left intact. While her clothes had been burnt clean through, she was otherwise perfectly intact, and she was shocked rather than dead. How did that work? That made no sense whatsoever! She'd been hit by a fireball and he'd seen what such things did to people before. They punched right through, usually setting the person alight as they did so. And those fireballs had been doing quite the damage to the walls. How could she be untouched but her clo-

 

Dropping his sword, he was undoing the straps on his shield even as he turned. The kite shield clanging on the stones even as he ran towards the witch, he slipped into the Flame and the Void, because he needed it for what he was about to do. The Aes Sedai was laughing at him as he ran, tossing a fireball at him. It took all of his strength of will not to dodge, and as it was his step turned into a half step out of natural instinct, yet it passed clean through him as he kept running.

 

The Aes Sedai began to back away even as it summoned more flame to hand but Con had closed the distance. Grabbing her head by her hair, he pushed it backward even as he levelled a devastating punch into her windpipe. Smashing it several more times even as the banshee began to gargle, she quickly fell limp in his grasp.

 

Tossing her aside, he turned around to Arala who was just staring at him. "Move! If there's more than one of these, others need to know how to kill them! Go!" Even as she sprinted off, Con jogged over to reclaim his sword and sheathing it, he picked up his shield and began running. There was little doubt that there was more than one about. He couldn't say he understood what was happening either, only that if they got close they could end them quickly.

 

 

Con Stavros

Child of the Light

 

OOC: Was going to divert to save you as well Shirae, but spoke to Jasonr/Thurin and he's going to save your chicka either today or tomorrow :)

[jasonr]

Ooc: ok, I have seen a few people call poor Thurin fat, but he’s not fat. He’s a little chubby, that’s true, and he ain’t slim, but he isn’t fat. He may not be in the best physical shape, I mean, what would you expect from a traveling merchant, he’s not Brad Pit or Orlando Bloom, but he isn’t ugly. *pats his poor misunderstood white cloak*

 

IC: “Witches! To arms! Witches in the Fortress!†Those words alone froze Thurin’s blood, but what followed was beyond his wildest dreams. By the light there were witches in the fortress, it was unbelievable. There was only one thing that Thurin hated more than witches, and it was very simple, male witches, which his evil brother-in-law was. Thurin’s knives were flashing as he cut through the witches flesh. She seemed not to notice at all. Thurin’s eyes grew larger, it was impossible. Before he could finish the rest of his thoughts a chunk of debris hit him in the V of his legs.

 

After Thurin recovered from the blow, he ran to find more witches. He heard a woman he knew scream, "I'll never join you in the dark, Witch! I shall rather die than follow you Perine." Thurin’s mouth dropped at that statement, and rushed to where the sound originated from. When he opened the door, Thurin saw a terrible scene. The woman was on the floor, being crushed by a large chunk of the wall, or maybe the ceiling. He saw the witch about to throw a bolt of lighting at her.

 

A furious scream tore from Thurin’s lips as he threw every knife he had on his person at the witch. She staggered and smiled at him maliciously, a knife protruding from her evil eye. Thurin was taken aback by the complete lack of effect if had, she did not cease her malevolent actions. Instead, she turned and the lightning flew from her hands, strait at Thurin.

 

Thurin’s heart stopped, before he could do anything, it passed through him, searing his clothes. Thurin realized that he felt no pain, not even discomfort. It did not take him long to realize that the attacks did not effect him, but why. Apparently, the witch realized this also and began approaching Shirae. Thurin reached for a knife, but remembered that they were all protruding from various points in the witch’s body.

 

Thurin threw himself at the witch, and grasped a knife. With it clenched in both hands, Thurin slashed wildly at the witch. Over and over, Thurin had no idea how many times. Finally, she laid on the floor, not resembling anything human, blood flowing freely. Thurin remembered Shirae suddenly.

 

His eyes filled with worry, he collapsed on the ground next to her and pushed with all of his might. It budged a little, a little more, then he finally shifted it off of her. Gasping for breath, Thurin took her in his arms and asked quickly, “Are you ok, Light, Shirae, are you alright?†Thurin shook her slightly, and for the first time in weeks, he felt an emotion other than anger, it was fear.

[perine]

As Shirae waited for the Lightning to strike her to her death, a knife hit the Aes Sedai in front of her. Then another and she knew that someone was coming to try to help her. But the knives had no effect. Her aunt continued her malicious stare turned now to her rescuer. Shirae turned her head to her side to see who it was, just as the Witch threw lightning at Thurin.

 

"No!!!" she screamed and tried hopelessly to lift the boulder that was crushing her but only managed to change it's location but the boulder shifted a little, crushing her even more. She felt herself drawn into a welcoming darkness.

 

When she next opened her eyes, the bloody form of what used to be her aunt lay on the floor next to her. Shirae realized that she was not being crushed under the boulder anymore, but in the arms of Thurin. He was covered in blood and a look of fear visible on his face. Shirae blinked the tears of pain from her eyes. "I'm alright, I think. I'm alright." she whispered to the man, knowing that was not completely true. She looked at the dead form once more. "Thank you Thurin. Thank you for saving my life." Her great Aunt was dead. How her mother would hate her now.

 

ooc. short as I'm at work.

[Ellorian]

"Move! If there's more than one of these, others need to know how to kill them! Go!"

 

Arala's mouth snapped shut with an audible click. Always giving orders, that one. Still, there was fighting to do! Better yet, aside from some singed clothes, it looked like it would be a pretty easy win on her part. She took of running in the direction she had been set, ready to spready the word and take on whatever she encountered. She only wished she could be with the rest of der'Algai. She was good on her own, but fighting with her unit was an unimaginable thrill.

 

The adrenaline had a sobering effect on Arala and her dulled senses began to improve as did her reflexes. Rounding a corner she saw a blue-shawled Sister gliding her way with a malicious grin on her face and and evil light to her eyes. A fireball preceeded her and Arala had no trouble ignoring it completely now that she knew she was immune. The projectile singed its way through the right leg of her breeches but did no other damage, at least not to her person. Behind her in the distance, she heard the shattering of stone, probably a statue.

 

In three easy steps she met the gliding figure as it wove another fireball. Pivoting on one foot, she faked to the woman's left and leapt to her right. In a flash of silver she drew her sword and drove it between the woman's ribs to the hilt. With a booted foot bracing the collapsed figure, she withdrew her weapon and charged on. Seeing a limping figure headed her way, she called out:

 

"They can't hurt you! Kill 'em with your hands if you can. The Power only touches non-living things!"

[jasonr]

When Shirae finally awoke, Thurin exhaled a breath he had no idea was still inside of him. He watched as she blinked away tears of pain and she spoke. "I'm alright, I think. I'm alright."

 

Thurin knew that she was not alright, and that she had probibly broken a few bones, but he didn't say anything. She glanced at the dead Aes' Sedai and said: "Thank you Thurin. Thank you for saving my life."

 

Thurin was a little taken aback, from what he had known of Shirae, she was stuck up and stubborn... and she had thrown food at him! Thurin wasn't exactly sure what to say, so he took a moment to think. "Well, don't worry about it, all of us Children have to stick together, and it was my pleasure to kill a witch." Thurin turned to snear at what was once a Red Aes' Sedai.

 

One thought particularly stuck out in Thurin's mind, something that he just did not get. "Shirae, the other Aes' Sedai, they would just go around firing the Power. This one... this one seemed determined to kill you, like she had something against you. I also heard you scream that she would never join her, that is obvious enough, but you also said a name. Did you know that Aes' Sedai, Shirae?"

 

ooc: you are talking to me about short *points to post* this is short, I remember when I used to make long ones too. *sigh*

[perine]

"..and it was my pleasure to kill a witch."Shirae heard Thurin say and fought back to keep her mouth silent. She had wanted to kill this particular Witch herself. But then again she knew she would not have managed it. She would have been killed by now had Thurin not slaughtered the Red.

 

Thurins next words forced Shiraes blood to turn cold. She had not thought anyone would really hear her. She had dhouted the words, so that could not be completely true. Perhaps I never thought to live through this. she mused and made her face the man infront of her. "She was called Perine Caral. I recognized her from a portrait I once saw." she said slowly, letting her past swim to her mind. A portrait made so long ago. One that her mother had always cherished. For some reason she had looked up to the woman, even though she had never even met the Witch. Shirae kept her glaze on the woman, she knew the man would have already quesssed the Aes Sedai was related to her from the surname she gave.

 

"She was the sister to my great Gradfather, Sheir. She left him to die and became a Witch. My mother had wanted me to become one of them." she spit the last word out like poison. "I think they came for me. The Withces, they came here to take me to their Lair." Shirae knew that sounded unbeleavable. Why would Aes Sedai attack the Fortress of the Light for one girl. But she could not see any other answer to this.

 

Battle still ranged in the fortress. "You should go. Help the others. The Witches must die." she said and forced herself to sit up straighter giving the pain no poower over her. "I'll be fine now. The Witches are not in this corridor anymore." she said and lifted her falled sword of the ground and looked almost sadly to the battle going on. She could not take part in it anymore. But the other Childred could.

[perine]

"..and it was my pleasure to kill a witch."Shirae heard Thurin say and fought back to keep her mouth silent. She had wanted to kill this particular Witch herself. But then again she knew she would not have managed it. She would have been killed by now had Thurin not slaughtered the Red.

 

Thurins next words forced Shiraes blood to turn cold. She had not thought anyone would really hear her. She had dhouted the words, so that could not be completely true. Perhaps I never thought to live through this. she mused and made her face the man infront of her. "She was called Perine Caral. I recognized her from a portrait I once saw." she said slowly, letting her past swim to her mind. A portrait made so long ago. One that her mother had always cherished. For some reason she had looked up to the woman, even though she had never even met the Witch. Shirae kept her glaze on the woman, she knew the man would have already quesssed the Aes Sedai was related to her from the surname she gave.

 

"She was the sister to my great Gradfather, Sheir. She left him to die and became a Witch. My mother had wanted me to become one of them." she spit the last word out like poison. "I think they came for me. The Withces, they came here to take me to their Lair." Shirae knew that sounded unbeleavable. Why would Aes Sedai attack the Fortress of the Light for one girl. But she could not see any other answer to this.

 

Battle still ranged in the fortress. "You should go. Help the others. The Witches must die." she said and forced herself to sit up straighter giving the pain no poower over her. "I'll be fine now. The Witches are not in this corridor anymore." she said and lifted her falled sword of the ground and looked almost sadly to the battle going on. She could not take part in it anymore. But the other Childred could.

[jasonr]

"She was the sister to my great Gradfather, Sheir. She left him to die and became a Witch. My mother had wanted me to become one of them. I think they came for me. The Withces, they came here to take me to their Lair." Thurin knew that there was no way they all came for her, and Shirae seemed to know it too. He was about to say how unlikely it was that they had come just for her, but she spoke up first.

 

"You should go. Help the others. The Witches must die. I'll be fine now. The Witches are not in this corridor anymore." It must be terrible, knowing that you are related to a witch, but Thurin respected her. He remembered when he first came and thought that all of the women Children would be useless.

 

This woman, although injured, was braver than Thurin was. She was dealing with the pain that was so obviously ailing her, and told him to leave her unprotected. His instincts as a man told him not to leave her like this, vulnerable, but he also knew that she was not just a woman, she was strong.

 

With much difficulty, Thurin tore his way out of the room, but not without first retreving all of his knives. Thurin heard who he thought was Arala shout that the witches could not hurt them, but paid her no mind. Instead, he mearly ran foward through all of the fireballs and lightning bolts that came his way and attacked the clearly afraid Aes' Sedai.

 

Something was not right. Thurin had heard that even in death, witches stayed serene and calm. This terror aparant on their faces was not what he knew of Aes' Sedai. Of course, he did not know much, there were few completely real tales of Aes' Sedai in Amadicia, but Thurin was sure that this, at least, was true.

 

Ignoring the oddity, Thurin simply kept slashing, he had witches to kill.

[perine]

Thurin left. And Shirae was grateful at that. He did seem to think twice about leaving. Concidered staying with her. But he had gone as she had bid him to. Shirae was left alone in the room with the dead Red Witch. She waited until the footsteps had completely vanished and only the distant battle was ringing in her ears.

 

Then the tears came. And she let them. What she cried about of who for she did not know. But she let the tears fall as rain down her cheeks onto her lap. She did not wipe them out, she did not lift her hand to prevent them. Her eyes stayed on the Witch, as if daring her to stand and attack again. She did not even budge. She was gone.

 

She ran out of tears after a while. One can only cry so much and she could not summon the tears anymore. The comfort in them was gone, left only the streaks on her face and dryness in her throat. Shirae kicked the Aes Sedai further away from her causing pain to rush through her body. She pushed herself away from the crumbled wall and let herself fall against a wall still intact and waited. She waited for the battle to be over, or a Witch to come to find her. She would fight to her death, and she knew she would have gotten up, had her injured legs carried her weight.

[Wayfarer]

It was the sound of fire on stone that brought Con to the madness that was before him. Blood already ran on the stones underfoot, seeping from those who were dead or dying while others took cover. Some hid behind pillars, others behind racks and stands. At the centre of the room, a slender woman, almost impossibly so stood at the centre of the room. Of rough grey wool, her dress was nondescript save for the light green shawl that hung from her shoulders.

 

From her hands; fire, ice and lightning came to life lash at all within the room. While the display of elemental chaos was what had all those hiding, the real killers were the stone that shattered, or weapons picked up with air and wielded in deadly fashion. Others were taken from the ground where they had been spilt and hurled with terrible force, a mute testament to which being a man hanging from a two handed blade buried in the wall the corpse was slumped against.

 

Stepping back behind the doorway, Con fixed his shield and drew his longsword. Against one simply using the power he wouldn't have needed it, but against the terror in the room it would be his only chance. The flame and the void came easily to him, burning away everything until there was only himself. No love, no hatred, no compassion, no fear, no hesitation.

 

Only will.

 

Slipping around the doorway once more, A few steps and he hurled his blade. Twirling through the air, it rose through the air as the heavy blad-

 

CLANG!

 

Bending down, Con picked up a nearby blade, a broadsword of decent weight and began running forward. The evil spirit that had felled his blade before it reached her laughed as it threw lightning at him. Not even flinching now, Con threw his arms wide, the lightning doing little but turning more of his garment to ash.

 

The banshee realising he wasn't intimidated by her fireworks and now closing the distance, weapons that had fallen to the ground in the chaos rose to the moment. A slew of Wind and Rain assaulted Con as he advanced, to which Con could only; dodge, dance and parry, Twisting in the Wind as he made his way towards the witch.

 

CRACK!!

 

Buffeted to the ground as a rack smashed into him, he caught the triumphant look of evil in her eyes before they suddenly went wide with shock. From her gut protruded a blade that then proceeded to rip upwards into her chest before being jerked clear. As she collapsed to the ground, a familiar sight came to Con. Inquisitor Diego.

 

"Help those who need it! Those that aren't needed get moving there could be others!"

 

Even as men snapped to the orders the Inquisitor gave them, the man looked Con in the eyes as if weighing him. Keeping his gaze as Con got to his feet, he was surprised to see the man nod once before turning away, men would need seeing to. Crossing over to where his longsword lay, Con took up the blade and set off once more. There could still be trouble within the Fortress.

 

 

Con Stavros

Child of the Light