by Coine Jubai-Wild-Wind During the War with Sorrow
Baresh pours her a glass of champagne and says, "What are we celebrating, paladin?" "Call me Coine, and we are celebrating the annihilation of Sorrow!" she says, smiling. "I was there at the stones, and saw it with me own eyes. Well, me own eyes while I was alive...then with me spirit when I died." She picks up her glass and says, "A toast...to the end of Sorrow." before draining her glass. Baresh pours her another glass and says, "Please, tell me more." Coine smiles at Baresh and begins to narrate: "The arcane patterns etched into the stones blaze to life as they are illuminated from an unknown source with a brilliant golden radiance, starkly contrasting them against their ancient granite background. The hum returns, crescendoing as the lines begin to expand and contract against the stones, each expansion pushing the glowing lines further from their anchors as the symbols struggle to maintain their integrity and thus their hold." "A sickly green aura develops around the monoliths, seeping out from around the straining wards. Tendrils of energy move through the heavy air, sweeping from side to side as they seem to search for a source to grasp onto. The malevolent force batters itself repeatedly against the wards, forcing them to their limits as it seeks to break free, taking on a vaguely definable shape." "Sorrow said, 'There will be no need for the gods, or their aid.'" "The golden light of the wards glimmers in wavering patterns as the wards begin to splinter, large gaps appearing within their lines. Fetid clouds of murky green roil through the arcane barrier, moving with apparent determination as they rise up above the stones. The amorphous entity pulsates in slow deliberate waves, slowly forming itself into an enormous monstrosity which hovers above the remaining wards. Pitch black orbs swirl within the "head" of the creature, absorbing all light within their deadened depths. The humming rises to a discordant shrieking, the bonds of energy strained to their limit and appearing to fail." "Zblizz grows suddenly quiet, his eyes dangerously calm as his limbs shiver like anxious leaves before summer's fearsome storm. A terrible roar of fury and bloodlust escapes his throat like the first crash of thunder, his body exploding into a berserker rage as his eyes retain an unsettling and deadly calm. Sorrow holds an aged leather book in both hands and closes his eyes in concentration." "Swirling tentacles of opaque fog branch off from the entity, slithering their way toward the ground with an inexorable malevolence. The putrid air becomes physically palpable, laden with an oily stench of carrion and decay as the creature seeks to garner anchoring points within the ground like the roots of some ancient tree. One last symbol on the monolith slowly pulses in golden-hued desperation." "The dying heartbeat of the wards flickers weakly as the creature continues its regeneration. Just before it winks out completely, there is a long pause between pulses. Then, as sure as the moons rise and set, the cycle begins again and the pulses become stronger and faster. The strengthening light spreads from the last ward, flowing through the ancient engravings like molten gold. The entity becomes agitated, writhing to free itself from the symbols seeking to ensnare it." "One by one the glowing sigils appear to slip free and move to enclose the evil within their grasp. The entity gives forth an unholy howl of frustration as it finds each of its attempts to escape blocked within a web of pure energy. Finally encased, the wards sink quickly back into the stones -- sucking the being back within its eternal bonds as they resume their places as guardians with a flaring blaze of light." "The final ward resumes its place on the stones, the stagnant air as still as an indrawn breath." "A brilliant blue beam of light bursts forth from the Stones, enveloping Sorrow and Prayk. Its intensity grows rapidly, soon burning your eyes. The pain overwhelms you, forcing you to look away. A split second later, there is a thunderous crescendo of sound -- and then nothing. You force your gaze back to the Stones, but see nothing of the two mages. * Lord Sorrow was just annihilated! * Prayk was just annihilated!" "An explosion of thunderous waves of heat and energy blasts forth from the stones, a seemingly endless progression of concentric percussive circles which wash over the surrounding land in a sudden maelstrom of destruction. The blast roars through , effortlessly knocking them into a heap like a child's broken playthings and impaling them on their own weapons and devices. The superheated air turns metal armor red hot, melts leather and roasts exposed flesh. The screaming soldiers writhe on the ground in unsynchronized agony as broken weapons and protruding bones spike out from the heat-melded flesh of their desiccated bodies." The blast ripped through me in a merciless wave of agony, shredding me flesh with white hot claws as if I were a mere plaything made of gauze. The nightmarish myriad of avulsions wracked my body with unimaginable suffering as my flayed muscles find themselves exposed to relentless burning from the swirling wind. Flaps of skin curled as they literally grow crisp from the super-heated air. I writhed in agony as the exposed musculature sizzles, tendrils of steam rising from the evaporating blood. Each gasp pulled searing air into my pain-soaked body as I choked on the miasma of blood and serum that sought to drown me. My tortured lungs screamed for mercy as they slowly collapsed within the shattered confines of my chest. I struggled in vain to pull even the slightest wisp of breath into my failing, broken body. A garbled shriek tore from my throat as protruding fragments of bone ground against one another, further rending the mangled flesh as I tried to will my macerated limbs to move. Failing, I sank back against the ground. The scorched flesh of my face twitched in a macabre parody of a grin as my burnt lips peeled back from my jaws when I tried to scream. And I was struck down. I heard the sound of evil laughter echoes across the lands, thrumming in my skull for a brief moment before fading away into nothingness. Pausing long enough drain her glass again, she says, "Thank you for hearing the tale, Baresh, please tell it to all who frequent your bar." He smiles and says, "Surely, that is good news. And the champagne is on the house." She smiles at Baresh and pulling her cloak around her, saunters out the door.
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Baresh hears a noise and turns around to see a familiar ginger-haired Kaldar with piercing crystal green eyes sitting at the bar, grinning widely. "Something to celebrate with, Baresh."
