Twilight of the Goddess (Tygara)

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Sahal Jai Azal"]
Assaulting the gates,


The time for battle was at hand. The imposing gates opened and war machines emerged. Cannons sprouted from the ironclads and and steam and smoke bellowed from stacks as it ground forward on treads. Qadiri cannon balls bounced off them like hail. Within each of the ironclads, Xioquo waited. Loopholes from the top of the machines allowed the drows to put their hated enemies under fire.


General Ardashir wanted to harass, scale and ambush the war machines. The past battle had shown that the ironclads were vulnerable up close. Thermal detonators would probably shred them like paper. However, Tarissa had her own way of doing things. It involved the liberal use of superior firepower. Standing far away from the melee on top of the snowy hill, she observed the battle with macrobinoculars. Some Qadiri had been equipped with comms to relay information and gunships were up in the air. "Hammer One, Two and Three, prepare barrage. Fire for effect, sector eight-three. Full power. Rapier Penetration rounds," she spoke into her comm device. Time to show the natives what Eldorai firepower and technology could accomplish. Unsurprisingly, Tarissa ignored the fact that all these fancy weapons at her disposal had been designed and built by a human-led company and that while the Eldorai had long been more advanced than the Qadiri, they'd once been in a similar position when the 'sky people' came.


The Thunderer was a new development, a self-propelled artillery unit armed with a 155mm howitzer. It was particularly notable for its high rate of fire. Its cannon could fire ten shells a minute, or up to six in a twenty second burst. A battery could deposit ninety shells on a target in a minute. Moreover, thinks to GPS the Rapier round was extremely precise. Her orders were passed on and she received affirmation from the artillery crews. While the Xioquo tanks dashed across the snow-covered ground and unleashed a hailstorm of fire upon the Qadiri, the artillery prepared.

Then there was a sound like thunder, except much louder, when the big guns unleashed their firepower. The sound of intense shelling was deafening when a torrent of high explosives tore into the enemy's armoured units like a hot knife through creamy butter. The shells sliced through the tanks' armour before exploding and released burning phosphorus. However, the drows still had tricks up their sleeves. As thick colums of smoke billowed up into the sky and the Qadiri moved in for the kill to cut down fleeing tank crews or lob explosives into the mechanical beasts, monstrosities of an entirely different nature suddenly appeared in the air. Abruptly the air was filled with noise, flame and smoke.


A groundburst knocked Tarissa to the ground. Thrown into a daze, she looked up to see flying machines that resembled primitive 'copters. These craft dropped bombs and strafed the Qadiri, though they were also coming for the Eldorai artillery. However, they were not alone, for they were accompanied by flying beasts of an organic nature. The winged creatures were enormous in size, greater than any other bird, and their wings as dark as the night. They were naked and bore neither quill nor feather, their necks were long and they had vast hides between their horned fingers. While the flying machines dropped bombs, the fell beasts swooped down from high up to grip Qadiri soldiers between their large talons and crush them. The beasts let loose harsh, croaking screams so loud that two of Tarissa's guards were forced to their knees and clutched their ears in pain.


"Get up, you weaklings. Or fall on your swords if you're not woman enough," Tarissa snapped harshly, even though blood seeped out of her ears and her head hurt like hell. Feeling remarkably irritated, she slapped one of her aides and gripped her by the ear, pulling painfully till she came to her senses. One of the Thunderers had been tackled by a flying beast and tossed across the ground before the beast was torn to shreds by anti-air fire.


"Silver Squadron, wipe out air space clean. Shilka, full anti-air barrage." The first unit was a squadron of gunships that quickly moved to engage the flying attackers with a hail of laser fire and missiles, the second a battery of Hydra anti-air tanks equipped with rotating laser cannon turrets. However, one of the flying beasts dove through the hailstorm and swooped down from the sky straight towards the Eldorai group. It opened its maw and spat out a massive ball of burning acid...

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]


Aboard the Phoenix,


Giant tentacles, explosions, screams! Though she was loath to admit, Siobhan was not in top shape. Not much time had passed since Kaas, so even with the protection bubble wrapped around herself falling to the floor with a hard thud still hurt her back and sent a spike of pain surging through her leg. There was a cut in her forehead and blood dripped out of it to intermingle with her firemane.


Ouch. Her focus had been shielding her wife, after all. Two officers helped her up, though she brushed any attempt to help her stand aside. Heavy bolters roared and e-webs spat a barrage of fire at the squid's massive tentacles. Siobhan would have tossed lightning at the appendages, but since she was rather wet due to having been splashed with water that would've been ill-advised.


Depth charges and torpedoes finally hit home and tore the kraken apart. A vast trail of blood and pieces of squid boiled up from under the surface. "I'm fine," she grunted irritably when one of the Firemane minions wanted to see to her, and gripped her cane, leaning on it strongly. More than she was comfortable. She spared the squid's remains a glance as they floated in the water.


"At least we won't have to worry about dinner," she said, though the joke fell a bit flat. "You alright?" she asked when Tegaea approached her. Siobhan was breathing more heavily than she would have liked.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Although Abaigeal had managed to avoid death, for now.. the flight was unstable to say the least. The gas mask did not help matter much either, and she wanted to rip it off her face in order to gain better vision. But there was no time for any of this, Tempest was far in the distance and moving toward the target area so Abaigeal pushed forward on the leavers and shot with intense speed toward her. She had no idea of the fuel capacity of the pack, and could only hope she would make it after putting considerable pressure on resources as it was.

Finally, she had reached the position and landed with a thud and rolled some ten meters before coming to a stop. She stood up rip the jet pack off and threw it to the ground with a small amount of anger, okay a large amount of anger and kicked it, with said anger .. and her foot. Once satisfied and calm was restored to her being, she darted off toward Tempest.

There was ill feeling through the force, a deadly silence on the wind which caused the hairs on the back of her neck to sit up on end. There was bodies everywhere, the ground batteries had been destroyed but she could sense the presence of something or someone approaching. Next minute Tempest had engaged a being hovering over their position. The troops in danger from this creature although under a shield of Tempest, but from the ground raised her pistol and fired several rounds toward the being to add to those of Tempest's.

"Combat medical units move into this location", she raised a commlink to them, there was little hope some would have survived .. but there is always hope. It was time to move on and so she followed after Tempest.

​

​

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tempest"] | [member="Elincia Alanis"] | [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]​

 

[Elincia Alanis]

As the gunship slowly moved forward to the fortress, she realized, that her little plan... well, wasn't exactly the best one. With the snow cover that Galina created in order to reduce the visibility, her vision was a bit blurry as well, well, blurry enough not to see the half of the fortress was already gone with the massive gunfire. That would require an epic facepalm, but being Elincia, she would never facepalm her own behaviour. Instead, she said in a sarcastic tone, however she could to save this little miscalculation. "Well, uhh, that works as well... I guess." Voice of the ice lady would be heard after she finished facepalming inside, as there was no other structure to keep them out of the fortress, it was the time to move in and take the fortress once and for all. Also, there would be not much resistance, she thought, since they cleared out the most of the enemies by now. Anyway, it was the time to use the COOL JETPACKS! Okay, a bit overreacting there but, Elincia was pretty excited. Jumping from the gunship and activating her jetpack, she followed the ice lady to the ground. She concealed a shout of excitement as she continued, basically flying. Looking at right and left, she saw bunch of Angelii doing the same thing as well, they looked like the angels of death descending to the ground. That would be a safe explanation actually. Anyway, the journey didn't last long as they landed to the crumbles, which was once the outer walls that kept the Xioquo "safe".

As the landing, the defense didn't take long to oppose them. The remaining of Xioquo was doing a death charge, and to be honest she expected less, since they weren't looking so good from above. Yet, that meant more enemies to kill, so that would only complicate the things and nothing more. But... something wasn't right here, she could sense it. They shouldn't be that much. Anyway, after the clash between the ice lady and a angry looking black armored Xioquo, her voice could be heard again. Illusions? Well, that was a term that she hasn't encountered before. Anyway, as the Angelii continued their attack together, she saw one of the fighters, almost dead and one of the "lucky" few that survived ice lady's ice attacks, rushing towards one of her sisters, who was fighting with someone else, with a sword, which, reflectively she drawn upon her Sciia and sent a quick sharp ice piece towards her neck. Her armor pierced here and there from the attacks, it couldn't keep her safe from the particle and it got stuck in her neck, it was safe to say there was a lot of blood and the lifeless body of the fighter fell to the ground.

Looking at someone else's safety, she forgot hers and didn't realize one of the brutes with two red axes, which she assumed the red was blood, was charging towards her. The charge was successful, as she suddenly found herself in the ground hurting. There was no time to think though as one of the axes furiously landed just near her, the other was coming to her face. "You are one angry son of a kark!" She said as she started rolling left and right on the ground in order to save herself from the axes, as each attack failed, the brunt got angrier and the attacks got faster. She, no longer believing the rolling would help, immediately draw upon her Sciaa and created an ice shield just before another attempt to cut her face, the axe got stuck inside the ice, so she had time to regain her balance and stand up again. Immediately taking her sarix, she started to run towards the brute as she was distracted trying to get her axe from the ice.

She started to throw her so famous ice pieces towards the brute's chest, to get the advantage before going all melee, it was then the brute as a reflex put his hand between the chest and the ice pieces, all of them piercing his arm yet stopping there before moving to the chest. The brute, as expected, was burning with rage and with that rage she could manage to save her axe from the ice, it was then Elincia landed her strike towards the chest area... The attack was unsuccessful as the brute blocked the attack with one of her axe, the other was to counter attack. She jumped back, one attack landed to her with that axe would be her end. Then, it was the time for the brute to attack. She took a defensive position and started to prepare herself, the attacks were fast and cruel, as each axe landed here and there. It was almost impossible to block her attacks, she was surprised how she kept up with the speed. Anyway, the brute continued her attacks, and Elincia was getting slower so it didn't look very good. She had to think about a counter attack, since trying to tire her out wasn't working. Oh, she saw an opening. The brute swung her axe in her right hand, which she blocked with her sarix. Her whole right arm was open to attack now. So, without thinking another second, she imagined an ice spear and immediately swung it towards the brute's right arm, with the speed and the sharpness of the ice spear, the arm got cut off, falling to the ground.

Now that was a cool trick! She never managed to do that before. The brute's eyes turned red after this attack, and looked at the arm that Elincia just cut off, shouting in a rage as the other axe fell down from her hand because of the pain, Elincia attacked again.... Well, that was going to be bad. The brute caught her hand in the air as it was just about to land another strike, and the next thing she remembered was pain and she was on the ground, her vision blurry. And there was blood, probably her nose broke or something. Just as she was about to make her move to stand up again, she felt a great pain on her chest and let out a shout. The brute started to kick her in the chest several times, the armor helped but it was a painful experience none the less. It was difficult to have a breathe as the brute continued kicking, she couldn't move or think anything about how to save herself from this situation because of the intense pain she was feeling. Then the brute stepped on her, completely cutting her way to breathe. Well, the pain she has caused to the brute must've been like this.

She felt like absolute poodoo, her vision getting dark each and each second the oxygen couldn't find a way to her brain, and she was about to die. She looked left and right to find her sarix, to do something. And luckily, the brute's sudden attack didn't throw her sarix too far, and it was only a little far for her to reach. She, with her all might, tried to reach to her sarix as a last effort. The brute wasn't interested in her efforts and was directly looking at her to see the pain she was causing, and seemed like enjoying it. Seconds later, she could at last reach to her weapon, and holding it with all her might, she swung it towards the brute's leg. The attack hit, and the brute was shocked, with the pain she felt she lost her balance and fell to her feet. Now that they were in the same level, she put her hand to the brute's neck and started to send a bunch of sharp ice pieces, each piercing through her neck and the brute, seconds later, was dead. With the pressure gone, Elincia took a deep breath and coughed afterwards, there was blood. Well, that kicks must've broken some ribs, but of course, she was still alive.

[member="Kaida Taldir"] [member="Abaigeal E'ron"] [member="Tempest"] [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]

 

[Galina Kerrigan-Alcori]

And so the group had made their own door in the fort. Who needed to open a gate when you could just smash through the wall. It seemed far quicker to Galina. Now it was time to actually make the leap and get directly into battle. With a deep breath in the redhead leaped from the craft, with Elayne right behind her. The jet packs helping to guide them down into the fray below.

When her boots touched the ground, Galina took a quick second to take in the situation. There were scattered boulders and stones all around them, left from the destruction that Elayne had helped to rain down on the fortress. And of course there were plenty of enemy combatants around. Well, the few that had managed to survive their first assault.

The battle for the human redhead, was strange. She felt almost like she was in another place and time, back home on Sigma. She'd seen this sort of thing before. Weapons had been less advanced but nonetheless just as brutal. The reminder was enough to force her to shudder, and try to push the memories away. She couldn't let them get in the way now. No, if she focused on this now, she was likely to get herself and others killed. And that was something she wasn't going to allow to happen.

Then something strange happened and their attackers seemed to multiply rapidly. The rate at which they did so was unnatural. And those same fracture lines, her Shatterpoint skill that appeared seemingly at random came up quickly. With her Sarix in hand she clashed with a Xioquo, but soon realized that there were no fracture lines to tell her where the creature's breaking point was. It was then that Galina realized she was fighting an illusion.

Slamming her elbow into the copy, Galina pushed it back and scanned the field to look for the proper target. Finally she saw those lines leading her to the Xioquo she needed to kill. Still caught in battle with the copy, her blade clashed against the being's armor. Another slash and Galina sliced it's hand off. It was enough of a distraction to allow her to attack the copy's master. Drawing upon the force, icy shards formed in the air and were launched at great speed to the Xioquo Illusionist. A few of them penetrated the armor easily, leading to a sharp scream across the battle field and the copy faded away into nothingness.

However, the woman was not dead. Dying, surely, but not yet dead. Galina found herself gasping for air as she felt a great pressure on her chest, restricting her breathing. And that pressure was growing tighter and tighter by the moment. And Galina was doing all she could to push back against the pressure, anything really to keep her lungs intact and keep herself alive for the moment.

It was Elayne that seemed to be aware of the situation and how bad it had gotten. Mind you at this point, she wasn't the happiest of campers. You didn't mess with her partner, her recruit. You just didn't. In her rage and anger, a stones began to gather together, forming something ..... a few more moments and it seemed that Elayne had managed to create a stone golem familiar out of the rubble around her.

It was now that she sent the creation racing towards the dying Xioquo. With a heavy stone fist it easily pummeling the sorceress into a paste on the ground. And at last Galina could take a desperate breath, relieved to not be fighting for air any longer. She gave a nod of appreciation to Elayne and moved on to the next enemy to battle. For there was not time for an exchange of words among the girls.

[member="Kaida Taldir"] | [member="Tempest"] | [member="Elincia Alanis"] | [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Elincia Alanis"] [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Kaida Taldir"] [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

Tempest and Aba

“Squad One, secure the northern side, Squad Two, secure the water’s edge. Aba, how are you going down there?” she called into her commlink.
Everything seemed pretty much resolved on her side. She could feel that fighting was still going on from the other side with the Angelii. She was so confident that she was about to ask Kaida if they needed backup when suddenly the ground trembled slightly.

“Kaatz, up here,” she ordered one of her Sergeants. “Did you feel that?”
“Yes, boss.”
“Get eyes in the sky, watch for further danger, and alert the fleet that…”
The rumbling got louder, until the ground seemed to quake and tremble. Tempest looked around frantically for the source. It was not coming from the gates, nor from the mountain.

And then, she saw it. First an enormous, seaweed covered head appeared, followed by a body of stone as a vast statue pulled itself from the water and stomped onto the land. The weathered and misshapen form of the golem towered above Tempest, a good ten metres tall. Though not alive she could feel a power in it, a guiding hatred.

“Aba! Get the wounded out of there! Gunships, this is Tempest, hit this thing with everything you got. Fire now!”

The great beast started to stomp towards Abaigeal and the wounded and reserve soldiers near her, smashing aside trees as it trampled forward.

Tempest ran forward to help, drawing her lightsabre. A bolt pistol would do nothing to this beast, but a lightsabre…with a lot of effort, might cut through its stony hide.

XXX

Galina and Kaida

Who knew what lurked in the lightless depths of the Underealm? What monsters lurked in the furthest passages and chambers?

The Xioquo knew much, but not all. Some areas were entirely closed to them through fear of such monsters. Yet, some creatures had been found, captured, perverted, enhanced. Now it was time for all their tricks to be used to stop the invaders breaking in.

No sooner had the Angelii overcome the defenders of the fortress, then a horde of creatures appeared, loping over the ground with many sharp and hooked limbs waiting to pounce on and tear apart their enemies.

On they came, and the surviving Angelii saw the danger and would likely form a shieldwall to resist the onslaught. Only time would tell if it would be enough….

XXX

Tegaea, Siobhan

Tegaea had finally gotten her bearings and walked over to where Siobhan was looking quite affected. She patted her on the arm.
“Thanks to you, love, yes. Are you okay?” She didn’t look too well, but Tegaea wasn’t going to argue with her wife. That seldom went well!

Alas their tender moment was cut short by the appearance of the massive statue trying to crush the Firemane assault team. Unfortunately it was not so massive that it would be an easy hit.
“Dispatch two more squads to help Tempest. Make sure they have heavy weapons and bring in some walkers. I want that lump of rock broken up. News on the Angelii?”
“Doing well, but still meeting resistance in the form of alchemical beasts.”
“Send in two more squads as well for them along with gunships. I want these fortresses secured so we can move to the next stage of the plan.”

She turned to her wife. “Are you okay to lead the main assault? As soon as Tempest and Kaida have confirmed the fortresses are secure, you’ll be up to secure the watergate into the Underealm. If you need time to recover we can send Aeda and you can catch up later.”
She was trying to be considerate to her feelings.

XXX

Sahal, Tarissa

The primitive flying machines and beasts were fearsome, and some of the Qadiri fled before their onslaught. However, several regiments of infantry held their nerve, despite the explosions nearby and sometimes in their ranks. Forming a dense line they opened a withering fire on any flying machine which came close.
Their weapons were primitive, but hundreds of bullets every second flew through the air, and one strafing gyrocopter was peppered with rounds and fell from the sky to smash in ruin on the ground. Similarly, one of the flying monsters had tried to smash into a phalanx of pikemen, but though they were swept aside they had anchored their spears and the mighty beast was eventually worn down and stabbed or hewn to pieces, despite having smashed two or three dozen warriors aside.

For the command crew, Sahal acted quickly. “Get down!” she cried. She shoved Eldorai aside and pushed Tarissa behind a vehicle just as the beast unleashed its blast of acid. She managed to get the noblewoman and some others behind the transport. Others were not so lucky. Indeed, even in her position of relative safety some of the acid splashed up, onto her back and ate through her armour and flesh.

With a scream of rage and pain, Sahal rose and faced the beast. Channelling all her pain, anger and fear into herself she summoned fire about herself until the air around her blazed, and then unleashed it on the beast.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Elincia Alanis"], [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"], [member="Tempest"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


Elincia and Galina


The bodies were piling up. The snow was smeared with blood and guts. The screams of the wounded echoed across the ruins of the fort. The air was rank with the stench of death that seemed to hang like a pall over the citadel. However, though most of the defenders of the fortress had been overcome, Illyria, Goddess of the Underworld, was not done with the Eldorai yet. Monsters that seemed to have been birthed in the foulest pit of hell appeared.


Hundreds upon hundreds of savage beasts, loped over the ground. Their auras were a miasma of hatred, their bodies had been enhanced to transform them into living weapons, endowing them with many sharp and hooked limbs. Their teeth and sharp appendages had been enhanced with black magic to slice through armour and carry a deadly poison.


Abruptly the sky above the Angelii began to darken, as if willed so by an unseen, malicious power. Light was blotted out from what little sun there was and soon there was a boom of thunder, accented by the bolts of lightning that would occasionally slash through the clouds. Screams of torment and despair, manifested through the dark side, howled through the air as they rose to an overpowering crescendo.


"Abominations!"


Kaida was not in good shape after her fight with the Xioquo janissary. Her whole body ached and it felt like she'd broken several ribs. Moreover, the magnetic field had damaged her armour. She wheezed out a cough, feeling a pain in her chest. She was trying to will the Force to give strength to her muscles. There was a painful ringing inside her ear, she found her ability to draw upon her Sciia stifled, then beasts were upon her.


The Seraph tried to summon her bolt pistol into her grasp and fired. Boom. However, her aim was off and the explosive bolt missed the beast, which surged forward with astounding speed to leap upon her. It slashed across her leg, and while her armour protected her, she fell.


Kaida was thrust to the broken ground. The creature's hooked limbs wrapped themselves around her, scrabbling at her, trying to pierce her chest and face. Sharp hooks sliced across her face, for her visior had been damaged, and her flesh felt like it was burning. "Seraph!" She heard a shout from a familiar source, then a javelin that glowed red-hot pierced the darkness.


A loud agonised, angry screech emanated from the beast when it was speared, with the javelin protruding out of its side. The sudden burn cause of surprise and pain for a beast not used to such intense heat. Seizing her chance, Kaida used a blast of her power to propel herself up and knock the beast off. Her lightsabre came into her hand and she thrust it into its mouth, ending it. "Just like Gehenna, right, ma'am? Let's kick arse for the Goddess. Gunship, we need air support!"


Breathing heavily, Kaida managed to stand, though her legs were bleeding. There was no time to thank Askari when the pyromancer crossed the distance towards her. "Down!" the Seraph called out and the Host Leader obliged, just before Kaida drove a hypervelocity ice spike through the skull of a beast leaping at her battle sister from a pile of rubble. The icicle shot right through the beast's head to fly towards another opponent.


Bringing up her Taegis shield, Askari blocked a wild flurry of slashes slashes and acidic bile from a charging Drowspawn before bashing its skull and using its distraction to stab down with her Sarzmigar and spear the monster through its belly. Blood coated her pike when she withdrew it. While she fought enemies head-on like an implacable hoplite, Kaida covered her with her bolt pistol and ice. "Angelii, rally around me, form phalanx! Pikewomen front, shooters behind," Kaida had to shout to make herself heard over the chaos, amidst screeches, cries of pain and eruptions of bolter fire.


"Heavily wounded to the rear. Saedaris, sic your golem on the beasts! Alanis, Kerrigan, you're on icing duty with me." When the beasts charged, the Angelii delivered a volley of elemental, telekinetic and gunfire into the mob. Against this onslaught, the Angelii assumed a shield wall like the hoplites of ancient times. Warriors protected by a Taegis shield and wielding a Sarzmigar, which resembled a pike, or a sarixi blade took the front.


Behind them stood those who'd foregone a melee weapon in favour of a gun or supported their battle sisters with elemental powers, whilst an Eldorai Warsinger behind them used her powers to inspire and drive all the warriors to greater acts of valour, pushing away the darkness that sought to swallow them. But more terrible, agile and ferocious beasts emerged from their hiding spots, while the oppressive feeling of darkness grew ever stronger.


But still the Angelii held the line, fighting as if they'd been possessed by Ashira herself. The Taegis shield proved vital for resisting the acidic bile of the monsters, while pikes and blades held them off in melee. The darkened sky was lit up when a few pyromancers summoned bright flashes of harsh light to not only illuminate the battlefield, but blind their attackers. Kaida took up position in the phalanx, even though it hurt her to stand and her back ached. Yet she held her ground still. Anything else would be unbecoming of an Angelii and dishonourable.


Drawing upon the ambient moisture in the air and agitating the molecules so that they bent to her will. The air froze and compressed around her as she summoned an area of effect blast of cold, making it sweep towards the beasts like a battering ram. The frigid chill of frost pierced flesh and bone, all the way to the core. Time and again, beasts crashed against the phalanx, here and there Angelii were pulled down and mauled, but their battle sisters fought on like avenging angels. They were like a solid dam against which the flood broke. As a creature pounced her, rage swept inside Kaida and she drew upon her Sciia to bring a a heavy, invisible hand crashing down upon the beast. Her armour was splattered with blood when her assault smashed the abomination's skull.

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Sahal Jai Azal"]


The sky above was red with fire. Flying machines and fell beasts were ignited, guns roared and Qadiri died. Thousands of blaster bolts leapt out of the Hydra anti-air tank's rotary cannons to impact upon gyrocopters and flying monsters, ripping them apart. Though shocked and fearful, the Qadiri soldiers stood, refusing to yield and run, for they were eager to avenge their humiliation.


Abruptly Tarissa was pushed behind a vehicle when the monstrosity unleashed a volley of acid in her direction. One of her guards was less lucky and was soon lying on the ground, screaming in agonising pain and horror, for the bile ate through her skin. Tarissa winced strongly and got to her feet with a groan. Her armour was covered in durt and mud. All around her was chaos and carnage. Perhaps she experienced fear for a moment, for it looked like she was frozen. The flying monster screamed loudly and she clutched at her sensitive ears, feeling like her eardrums were about to burst as blood seeped out.


Then she stepped out of cover. "My Lady!" One of her minions tried to grab her and pull her into safety, but Tarissa simply grabbed her hand and shoved her off. Such was the rage the duchess was feeling that her hands seemed wrapped in flame and the guard yelped when she was scorched slightly. But the Lady had spent far too much time in safety, commanding minions from a safe distance where the enemy could not hurt her. This was not the way of House Cadalthor. It was not her way.


Acid splashed upon her, eating its way through her armour and onto her skin, but she pressed on. "Do not fear. Kill the demonspawn! They cannot withstand the light of the Goddess!" There was a fire and strong fervour in her eyes, she looked like she was possessed. Her eyes turned crimson, the temperature around her soared dramatically when she channelled her Sciia. Then she unleashed a wave of scalding, boiling flame.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Aboard the Phoenix,


Truth be told, Siobhan probably didn't count as alright. She certainly didn't feel or look it. Not much time had passed since the events on Kaas. However, true to form, she would not admit that because she was too stubborn for her own good. "I'm alright. No drama," she said in a tone that brookered no contradiction. However, the tender moment could not last. The massive statue loomed large in the distance, charging the Firemane team.


Siobhan winced when she absorbed the news while Tegaea took charge. "I want those monsters destroyed. If they hurt my girls. I'll raze all of Underealm," she thundered. By her girls she meant Galina, Aba and Tempest. She couldn't care less about Taldir! She tried to compose herself, taking her deep breath. Her girls would be fine. They had to be. Her heart thumped sickeningly inside her chest, throbbing loudly in her ears.


She looked at her wife, while gunships took off from the battleship and shot into the sky, delivering reinforcements to the beleagured strike teams. "I'm not staying put and ineffectually waiting her in safety while my daughters are fighting for their lives. I'll lead the charge," she said in a determined tone that underlined the finality of her word. Whether she was up for it didn't matter.


"I should've gone with them," she said in a quieter, more guilt-filled tone. Then she gestured to a Firemane soldier. "You there, get my armour. And tell Ms Tanaka to be ready if she wants to earn her pay cheque."

 

[Illyria]

(NPC post I didn’t have time to attach to my last one. Mood setting at this point.)

Many kilometres away, in the darkest halls of Tlaxqui, the Council of Ten was meeting. The nine seats (for the tenth was reserved for Mystra), were occupied by the current leaders of the most powerful families of the Xioquo.

Even here, in a room so thick with darkness both physical and spiritual, there was anxiety. All of them had heard the reports of the armada, had felt the attacks through the spirits.

A door opened and a Priestess entered, her violet robes effectively black in the dim light. She headed to one chair, that of Taal’Xioas. Although in theory all of the nine Ladies were equal, Taal’Xioas happened to be more equal than the others.

Dismissing the Priestess, she raised a pale hand. “Sisters. The divinators and farseers have reported unanimously. The assault has begun, and our forces crumble. The Fangs are ruined and near taken, the land gates are besieged and the dread kraken are destroyed.”
There was dead silence, the anxiety, even fear grew.
“Has the Colossus risen?” one asked.
“They have not seen its fate, but it seems unable to turn the tide. The spawn have failed to break their lines, and the war engines have failed.” Taal’Xioas spoke with such calm and disinterest that she was the only thing preventing panic breaking out there and then.
“Our best forces were deployed there,” Qual’Ixtar said softly. “These invaders bring weapons we cannot match, even our greatest enchantments fail against them.”
“If they breach the gates and cut us off the population will starve,” another said.
“Dispose of the slaves and then the males. That will make the food last longer,” Vul’Quan declared airily. “Better, make them attack the invaders. I have word they are morally weak and refuse to kill the helpless. They can feed the worthless then.”
“Do you think that will stop them, Quan?” Qual’Ixtar demanded. “What point is there killing all our people. There is no gain in that.”
“What would you do. Surrender? Cut a deal?” Vul’Quan asked scornfully. “Always the coward.”
“And you are always the brainless slaughterer,” Qual’Ixtar retorted.

For a moment, it looked like the Council might become a battlefield, but Taal’Xioas rose.
“There will be no surrender. These outsiders will not settle until all of us are dead or enslaved. However, it is time for desperate measures. The rituals to wake the Queen have been proceeding, but now is the time to make it happen. Each death is bringing her return closer, but we do not have time to wait any longer. We must wake her before it is too late.”
Silence. Fear. All of the Council knew that waking the Queen could be…dangerous. There was a reason why no one had tried it for 20,000 years. What would the Queen think of her people, or the ladies who ruled in her name?
“Has it come to this at last?” Qual’Ixtar asked softly.
Taal’Xioas made no direct reply. “Make the necessary proclamations. All of the slaves who are not janissaries are to be taken to the gateway. I will prepare the Priestesses. All of you, hold the invaders back with our forces. My daughter Taal’Vazaq will lead my house in defence of the river. The Queen will rise, and she will smite these invaders. Even they cannot stand against the Queen. Against…Mystra.”

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

The Combat Medical Units had moved into position on her command and had began to pick up the wounded, some had to be stablised before they could be lifted and this took time. Abaigeal patrolled the area, using senors to detect any sign of enemy movement couple that with her force awareness she was, at this point, happy that they are relatively save.

"The CMU are stablising wounded an evac has commenced, no sign of any... ". Suddenly the ground began to shake the hiss of water descending from a height sounded in the area and she turned in that direction. At first she did not see it, being a distance away from Tempest but as the strange seaweed mountain arose from the water, it became clear as to what it was. She threw the sensor away disgusted with it, so much for that.

"Tempest!", she yelled to her friend, but there was no time for conversation. "Move these people onto the ships now!", she ran yelling toward the CMU to assist in this. "Over here!", she yelled out to the pilot of one ship about the land and as the ramp lowered, medical personnel piled out. Some of them with guns, others lightsaber and they went into protection mode firing at the strange monster lumbering toward them.

"Tempest?!, you get out of there", she yelled down the comm.

​

​

[member="Illyria"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]​

 

[Elincia Alanis]

Tick, tock, tick, tock....

Everything was black, after the fight between the brute and herself, Elincia must've fallen unconscious. Yet she could see what was happening and hear the voices of both her sisters and the Xioquo shouting at each other. She had difficulties breathing because of the fact that her ribs were broken, so she had no energy to stand up and continue fighting, at least by herself. Then, after seconds of staying on the ground, one of the Angelii must have seen her so she saw her coming towards the girl, running with such speed that one would say it was not possible. Then, she crouched next to her in order to look at Elincia's condition. She was saying something but she didn't understand, all the voices were blurry. Then, though, after a while she started to feel less pain, and the vision with the voices slowly returning back to normal so she could understand what was happening around. The battle still continued "You okay?" The Angelii asked, one of the healers maybe... She shook her head annoyedly, it hurt but it was less painful than before. Then, the healer extended her hand for the girl to hold and regain her balance, which she did. A couple of seconds later she was back on feet and at the battlefield, so directly started to examine what was happening. By the time she fully realized that, the healer was already gone so she couldn't thank her. The Angelii seemed like they were winning the fight. Until... a sound was heard... She didn't like that sound at all.

Then, some... creatures have arrived to the scene, nothing that she has heard or seen before. What the hell was happening, she didn't know. The only thing she knew, was the ice lady was back on the scene and she was rallying all the Angelii around to take care of that monsters. She was absolutely scared, she didn't want to be there, but if someone asked to choose between the wrath of monsters or the wrath of the ice lady, she would choose monsters. Thus, she did as she was told and moved to the ranks where the Seraph stood. Then, calling upon her Sciia she started to send waves of sharp ice pieces towards the ugly ones, providing a ranged support for the ones fighting in the front lines, going melee would be suicide for her since her training was not completed yet. Her ice powers were fast when they worked, like an automatic gun shooting, so with each piece either getting stuck in the monsters or not, that would be effective on slowing them down a bit. Thank her chances that her ice powers were actually working, which was a miracle and a miracle that she needed. Maybe, Ashira was really on their side. But that was besides the point, so she didn't let religious thoughts filling her head and continued sending a barrage of ice pieces towards the monsters.

The sight of every Angelii fighting was an epic one, indeed. Everyone holding the monsters at bay and doing their best to keep them like that, now, she didn't like discipline that much, but she would lie if she said that this sight wasn't beautiful.

[member="Kaida Taldir"] [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"] [member="Abaigeal E'ron"] [member="Tempest"]

 

[Qual'Zyanya]

((More drow mood setting. The plot thickens. Set far away in the Underealm))


This was the twilight of the Xioquo. Though every fibre of her being rebelled against this heretical thought - one that would be subject to the severest punishments that could be meted out against a freeborn Xioquo - Qual'Zyanya could not escape it. The great fortresses that stood sentinel against the outside invaders had been constructed by House Qual's labourers. Many slaves had perished to erect them, but now they had been reduced to rubble and crumbled to dust. The Fangs lay in ruins, the war engines had failed. Even this far beneath the mountain, the distant thunder of artillery fire could still be heard. Here and there, the walls shuddered as if struck by tremors.


Her eyes looked upon an ornate mosaic that adorned the wall and depicted a great ancestor of the clan. She wondered what she would have thought of this disaster. A barbaric enemy stood at the gates. She was pulled out of her musings when the door opened and her elder sister stepped in. Qual'Zyanya straightened and bowed slightly, as was prim and proper, for Qual'Ixtar was the chief matriarch of the house.


"Sister, it is good to see you. Slave, leave us," she said dismissively to a male Vashyada slave. She did not even bother to look upon him, for he was little more than a trained, walking dog. Obediently, the slave bowed and scurried away. The door closed behind him.


"What news of the Council? The slaves are getting uppity. Many are being disobedient. I had two of the Qadiri publicly fed to the warg to motivate them and a female given to the janissaries to punish. But many don't fear death anymore. They say the Karishzar will take them to heaven. Treason is everywhere," Qual'Zyanya scoffed at that, but there was an undertone of fear in her voice.


Rather than answering immediately, Qual'Ixtar made a sign with her hand. Understanding the gesture, for every noble house had its own form of sign language, her sister walked over to an ornate chest and opened it, removing a bag of mystical dust. The Xioquo closed her eyes and whispered an incantation in the arcane language of the sorceresses. The power of the Dark Side was channelled through her as she called upon the magicks that were her birthright, then she sprayed the red dust across the air. For a moment or two the room would be sound-proof. As they say, the walls have ears.


"The Council has voted to fight to the last. They've been swayed by fanatics and brainless slaughterers. They would rather tear down Underealm and all our people into the abyss than admit defeat," Qual'Ixtar spoke at least, disdain creeping into her voice. "We've been ordered to send all slaves to the gates to meet the barbarians."


Qual'Zyanya shook her head. "As what? Cannon fodder? Sacrifices? Even if the outsiders are so weak to not kill the helpless, the Qadiri will. Either there will be a great slaughter or the slaves will be corrupted by their lies and go over to them. There is no gain in this. Our people, our culture - all will be destroyed."


Qual'Ixtar sat down upon a chair. It had been made out of the bones of a Qadiri slave and similarly covered in elf skin. "Sister, I said all of that, and I was shut down! The likes of Vul'Quan see even the slightest hint of common sense as treason. None of them want to even consider a political solution." She sounded most vexed and frustrated about this.



"Forgive me, I do not doubt you. You know more of such matters than I. Is there no way our forces can force them back and at least achieve a stalemate? The tunnels and caverns of Underealm are extensive. We could inflict casualties upon them through guerilla fighting. If we do not waste all our forces in one futile charge."


However, the look on her sister's face told her dashed all her hopes even before words left her lips. "Our most powerful war engines and beasts perished. We are left with the janissaries, children and old people. For every invader we slay, their weapons and magicks will kill more of us. If they lay siege to us, our people will starve to death. The survivors will beg them to take over."


A cold chill crept up Qual'Zyanya's spine as she absorbed these words. Perhaps she had an inkling of what was to come. "That is not all the Council decided, isn't it? There's something you're not telling me."


"No, Taal'Xioas has decided to enact our last resort." There, she'd dropped the bombshell. An uncomfortable silence descended upon the room for a brief moment.


"You mean...the Queen. Myrou."


"They're afraid, desperate and stupid. Ever single death feeds her power and when she awakens...her hunger will be voracious. She will pass judgement on the invaders and us. Everything that happens on the battlefield is just a distraction for her rise. It is being kept secret from the lesser houses to avoid disruption." There was a reason no one had tried to awaken the Queen in 20, 000 years. What would she think of her people and the mistresses who ruled in her name?


Qual'Zyanya took a deep breath. The thoughts she was about to voice were treasonous in every way. "If she rises, the desolation will be cataclysmic. Myrou and the Karishzar do battle, Underealm is destroyed. We cannot allow her to awaken. We must take action."


Abruptly, Qual'Ixtar's head pivoted towards her. Her expression was cold, her tone sharp enough to make her younger sister wince. "Keep your tone down, girl. Do you have any idea what fate we would suffer if anyone heard us? The Great Houses have decided. The ritual has already begun."


"I know it all too well, sister. I imagine most of the lesser houses have not been told, have they not? I know many matriarchs who don't want to go down on this inferno. They'd support us."


"Or betray us because they're grasping at straws. Many are so naive to think Myrou will only smite the invaders. Would you have House Qual start a civil war in the middle of an invasion and go down as a family of traitors?"


Uncertainty crossed Qual'Zyanya's features, but she managed to keep her composure. "It would be treason not to act. I hate the outsiders with every fibre of my being and would like nothing more than to annihilate them. They come here to steal our land and enslave us. But if they defeat us, we can still rise again and throw off the yoke. We cannot do so if Myrou devours us."


Without a word, Qual'Ixtar arose from her chair. Her back was turned to her sister as she looked upon a mosaic that depicted a glorious victory of the Xioquo over the Qadiri, complete with a procession of slaves and ritual sacrifices. "Yes," she finally said. "I will speak with matriarchs who I know think alike. You will prepare our janissaries. Every house is expected to do its part to protect Underealm, so we must send a token force at least. Keep the most reliable ones. We must move quickly, but if we're rash, it'll be our doom."

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Elincia Alanis"] [member="Abaigeal E'ron"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Kaida and Elincia

The Angelii were brave and determined, but even they could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Fortunately, relief was at hand. As more of the monsters swarmed to attack the surviving Angelii there was the roar of gunships overhead.
A slightly disappointing clicking sound followed, but then with absolute precision a creeping barrage swept through the enhanced monsters. Acidic bile and body parts were scattered by the concussive detonations.

Turning, the gunships dropped down to unload more Angelii, two squads more to reinforce. By this time there was little left to oppose as the horde had mostly been exterminated by overwhelming firepower.

Tempest and Abaigeal

Firepower seemed to do little to the massive brute. Chips of stone were cut from it, but it seemed to absorb more energy than it was hurt by. As it lumbered forward, a gunship came in to strafe, but it had not reckoned on the Colossus’ ability to fight back. Lifting a great boulder from the ground it hurled it at the gunship, sending the craft spiralling to the ground.

Tempest now entered the fray. Reaching for her comm, she contacted Aba. “Use your lightsabre, Aba, go for its legs, it might be our only chance of stopping it!”
Fortunately she had a jetpack, and activating it she flew into the air, dropping down on the giant statue’s shoulders. Unfortunately, it was a good deal more slippery than she had expected, and she almost fell as a massive hand pawed at her.
Forced to engage her jetpack, she managed to evade the sweep, but then dropping down her lightsabre cut into the creature’s head…but there was no brain for her to stab.
“Aba, do it now, I’ll try and fry it!” she called.

She was forced to switch off everything and focus so she could summon a great concentration of power. Lightning crackled about her, the sky grew dark as she called upon all her power for a single, devastating bolt of lightning to destroy the colossus once and for all.

Sahal

Joining with Tarissa, Sahal combined their powers, calling on the spirits of fire to summon an apocalyptic blast of flaming energy.
As the terrible beast came in for a second past, they unleashed their blast together, the two flames joined so closely and so hotly they became almost white hot.

Jointly they struck the flying creature. For a second it was outlined as if against a new sun, but then the blast tore it to pieces. Charred skin and scorched bones fell like ghoulish rain as the monster was obliterated.

When at last it was over the Qadiri could see that their enemies were utterly broken and the survivors had fled inside the gates, pulling them shut.
The Qadiri cheered, Lakish had been avenged…for now.

Siobhan

With news that the battle was going well, Siobhan’s armour was duly brought to her. As she was helped to don it, Tegaea came over to her.
“Now you be careful, dear. Keep in contact…I’ll feed in reinforcements and supplies as needed. As soon as the twin castles are claimed we will begin landing more troops and supplies there. The engineers have cleared the waterways of mines, so your landing ships can approach. Good luck,” she said, and gave Siobhan a kiss before the helmet would be placed on her head.

Around them the smaller troop landing crafts were launching and beginning to move in towards the shore….

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Elincia Alanis"], [member="Tempest"], [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


While Tempest and Abaigal battled the massive golem, there seemed to be no end to the horde of Drowspawn and xenomorphs charging the beleaguered Angelii. The phalanx was strong and the Eldorai warriors brave, but even they could be overwhelmned.


It seemed the caverns of Underealm had been emptied as beasts poured out. A great many were slaughtered like natives charging a Maxim, but then they grew canny and tried to surround the Angelii, hitting them from the flanks. Finally, there was a breach in the shield wall and the beasts poured in. Angelii were pulled down and mauled. Some fell to their feet, crying out in pain when acidic bile coated their faces. Others were shaken by the psychic screams of the beasts, which conjured up horrible hallucinations and visions of terror.


But the surviving ones fought on as if possessed by Ashira. Lightsabre in hand Kaida rallied her battle sisters. Her blade, so often thought to be the hereditary weapon of Jedi and Sith though she was neither glowed with yellow fire as it cut down monstrosities, spilling ichor and brain matter across the broken, snow-covered ground. Her mind reeled against the psychic onslaught as she felt herself being dragged down into a pit of despair and it seemed like red-hot needles were piercing her brain, but it only seemed to make her angrier.


As a xenomorph pounced towards her in a giant leap she jumped into the air to ram her boot into the beast's cylindrical skull before scything it down with her blade. Acid struck her armour, beasts clawed at her and her body ached, she kept on slaying. The massive claw of a beast struck her shoulder and, though her phrik armour held, blunt impact fractured bone and caused spasms of pain. When her lightsabre fell out of her grasp and she was swarmed, she slammed her gauntlet down into the ground, unleashing a conical-shaped blast of ice to freeze beasts solid.


Finding themselves cornered, the Angelii formed a hollow square like soldiers of old from another time. From within the square, volleys of fire rained down upon the beasts. The melodic, impassioned voice of a battered, bleeding Askari rose to the heavens like a strong chant, seeking to banish the darkness as she inspired her battle sisters to greater valour. The oppressive aura of darkness that sought to drag the Angelii into a pit of suffering seemed weakened, if only for a moment.


'Oh, sisters be yet not dismayed.

But trust in your holy blade.

Come sing and slay and lend your aid.

To help me with death's chorus.



Demonic legions we'll assail.

On dark worlds we'll prevail

We'd storm the very gate of hell,

For Kaeshana and glory.


We are the girls who take delight,

In setting scum alight.

And to the dark worlds take the fight,

Slaying all before us.


Do not fear the savage's claws,

For in heaven, Ashira's reward calls.

We'll make monsters scream and run

Kill with sarix and fire and gun.'


Streams of flame leapt from her hand as she chanted, setting beasts alight before she slew them with her blood-stained sarix. Then, finally, relief came, riding upon the iron wings of the Goddess. If you were feeling poetic at least. Shadows passed across the ground, then there was the roar of gunship motors, loud enough to blot out the singing. Then there was a sound like thunder, when an overwhelmning barrage swept through the savage horde. Enhanced beasts were literally ripped apart by the series of concussive detonations. A protective sphere sprang into being around the Angelii to encase them in a bubble amidst the wave of explosions. Acidic bile and body parts were scattered all across the battlefield by the aerial onslaught. The ground of the ruined fortress shuddered and trembled as if struck by quakes.


When the smoke cleared, the almost all of the beasts were dead. Kaida dropped down to one knee, her breath came in laboured pants of cold steam, the sound of her rapid heartbeat filling her ears as she dropped the bubble. "Finish off the last beasts, get the wounded to the healers," she ordered, leaning on a broken pillar as she tried to stand up. "Get someone on the tower and hoist the Angelii flag."

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Sahal Jai Azal"]


The purifying flames of Ashira engulfed the unholy, malevolent beast. So hot was the fire that it burned almost white hot. There was no foe that could stand against the might of Ashira, not even one created by the vile sorcery of a fallen daughter of the Goddess.


Thusly, the flying creature melted away like snow before a hot sun. The explosion was epic, like a star going supernova. The brilliant burst of light was so bright that the soldiers on the ground had to avert and close their eyes when the blast tore the beast apart, disintegrating it. It rained charred skin, scorched bones and blood in a ghoulish shower.


The sky above them was red in fire, the scent of death, smoke and burnt flesh was so strong that it seemed to clog the air. Seeing that their flying machines and beasts had been struck down, the surviving Xioquo warriors and janissisaries had turned tail and fled. The mighty gates slammed shut.


"You see, they cannot stand against the Goddess' holy wrath," Tarissa declared, though she was panting heavily. Her breathing was ragged and she only seemed to realise now that she was in a good deal of pain due to the acid having struck her. Healers were already rushing to her. She looked down on her hands and found that they were scorched.


While Tarissa had raw power, her Angelii service had been a long time ago. Thusly, she had less control and experience than a professional soldier. "No procrastinating. We have them on the run. Send demolition teams to blow up the gates. Tell Ardashir to get his troops moving," she demanded. She felt a painful throbbing in the back of her head, heralding the start of an unpleasant headache. Wincing in pain, she glanced over to Sahal. "Good work," she added.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]


Much to her annoyance, Siobhan needed some help to get into her beskar'gam. Before donning it, a medic jabbed a rather large, unpleasant looking syringe into her leg. She grit her teeth when the needle pierced her flesh and an unpleasant, painful sensation coursed through her leg, before she felt numb and then reinvigorated. New strength and vigour surged through her aching muscles. The Countess dropped the cane, feeling able to walk without it as she took her first, tentative steps. There was no pain anymore.


Then she was helped into her beskar'gam. Within a few moments, she was encased in what amounted to a bipedal, walking tank. "I'll be fine, love. Don't worry. I am a demigoddess, remember?" Siobhan joked, pulling Tegaea into a hug and planting a kiss on her lips.


However, the sweet moment could not last long. Firstly, because they had work to do and secondly because everyone's favourite Atrisian sociopath finally showed up in the thread. The energies of the Dark Side enveloped Sumiko Tanaka like a snake when she appeared on the scene. "My Ladies, I hear the forts have fallen and that my assistance is asked for, yes?" she spoke, her cool tone betraying a slight Atrisian accent. Sheer malevolence and darkness radiated from her Sith sword.


Siobhan...didn't like Tanaka much. Well, not at all. The look she gave Tegaea was her 'can I punch her when we're done? Please!' look. "Yes, we're moving into the Underealm. I take it you're ready and up to the task?" Her voice was all business. Sumiko wasn't part of the family and probably had her own agenda.


"I definitely am. May the Force serve us well. I look forward to seeing what sorcery the Xioquo can muster."


The Countess restrained her urge to toss the woman into the sea. Taking her helmet from an aide, she slipped it onto her head, obscuring her features. "Let's move. I'll be in touch, Tegs." Then she was off and soon she'd boarded one of the landing ships alongside Sumiko. Soon a fleet of landing craft, bearing soldiers and light walkers, was traversing the vast seas towards the Underealm.

 

[Elincia Alanis]

Even though the Angelii were keeping the monsters at bay, fighting to their last breath with such courage, they were already tired from the fight with Xioquo. Thus, the monsters found a way to breach the defenses. Frontlines were in grave danger, and the range support was not very safe anymore. But they had to stand their ground, and she had no intentions to die today. She increased the intensity and the size of her ice pieces, it hurt as she continued to focus more and more, but she shouted to suppress the pain she felt and concentrate more on the damage that they would do and people she could save. Her brain hurt like someone was stabbing it with a thousand needles, and she started to see and hear things as the fight continued on, she almost lost her balance and fell to the ground from the pain, but something... something was giving her the strength to go on. Something as cheesy as a battle song from the Host Leader.

In normal circumstances, it would annoy her and she wouldn't like that at all, but now. The intensity of her voice, the closeness to the death, and failure, even though the win was just within their reach... She didn't want that to happen, she didn't want to fail now. The others must've thought the same way, since she felt the others were fighting as hard as before, even harder than before. The last stand of the Angelii, would not be a weak one. They looked more united than ever was.

The fire of the thousands of Angelii have been unleashed on the monsters, burning them with such power, with their cries and shrieks filling the air. Even though they were fighting with their bestest capabilities, the monsters still stood as a good opposing power for them. Hell, even the ice lady looked pretty tired and about to lose her balance and the remaining didn't look as good as well. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, everything seemed to slow down, as she heard her sisters dying, burning with acid, shouting their minds out. Maybe that was the end? Well, they were about to see that. But... she heard a sound from above, opened her eyes again to look what was happening.

Several gunship was flying over their heads, even their motors voices were like angels coming to save them. Then the barrage of intense firepower happened, the monsters that were very strong were caught by and immediately erased from existence. They all fell to ground one by one, until there were none of them left standing in front of the surviving Angelii. The danger, it seemed, was over. And Angelii stood strong where their enemies were no more.

She immediately fell down to her knees out of energy and started to laugh. "We did it!" She shouted with a very happy tone. Yep they did. She was even confused for a second if it was all a dream and they were all dead, but it was as real as that can be. Taking breaths, she cleaned the blood from her face, her nose was bleeding because of the last mental attacks from the monsters. And then, a familiar voice, the ice lady's, was heard from distance. Yep, that would be a chance for Elincia to shine! So, searching for the flag with her eyes she saw it right beside a dead Angelii, still holding it even though she was dead.

Taking strength from the ground, she moved towards and took the flag. Then started to move towards the tower, which still had the Xioquo flag waving. After a little timeskip, since it would take minutes to arrive at the top, she was finally there. Almost out of breath and her chest still hurting from the battle she had with that brute, she talked to herself, more like, she was annoyedly whining to herself, would be a better statement. She was right below the Xioquo flag, but it gave her rebel soul an idea. Using her ice powers, she started to rip the flag here and there, creating a cracked skull image in the middle of the flag, and at the bottom, this was written. "Take that, karkers!" One would say she liked to show off a lot, and it would be a safe assumption. But then, the playtime was over.

The Xioquo flag went down, and the Angelii flag started to rise, and in seconds, the Angelii was the only owner of the castle, as their flag started its dance with the howling wind. And now, the better question was... how to get down from here. Welp, she didn't plan that at all. She was too tired to go all the way back, too tired to use her powers to get her down. So, the only solution she had in mind was... "HEY! CAN SOMEONE CARRY ME BACK TO THE GROUND?" She shouted with all her lungs might. Way to go, Elincia. Way to go.

[member="Kaida Taldir"] [member="Tempest"] [member="Abaigeal E'ron"]

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

The medical combat unit began their retreat back to the ships, they lifted any injured away from ground zero as the lumbering stone creature advanced toward their position. Some medical ships had already got clear, but the more seriously injured had to be risked to move, it was simply to dangerous for them to remain a moment longer and they would just have to stablised them enroute. As they retreated, the medical staff who's job it was to protect the healers open fire with blasters aiming at the creatures eyes hoping to blind it. This was a good idea, if it can't see, it can't strike them, whether they are successful remained to be seen. No pun intended.

"Cut the legs?!", that was easier said then done. Yet, Abaigeal did not hesitate in moving forward toward the stone creature. They had to try something! But the creatures legs are not close to the ground, not enough for her to strike at at least. Meanwhile Tempest mounted the thing and sent waves of electricity through the stone hoping to slow it down or incapacitate it. Abaigeal ran forward, threw off the jet pack as it was a pain to carry and leaped onto the back of the creatures leg at the knee.

Cut through was going to take time, time they did not have, but the back of any creatures knee is a weakness and so as soon as she was in position and before creature realised her presences, Abaigeal plunged her blue blade deep in the back of the knee and held it still allowing the blade to burn its way through and take the knee out of action. There was a strange smell off the stone as it burned deep, almost acidic and putrid. Yet she held firm in her position until such time as the job was done or the creature would realise what was happening.

​

[member="Elincia Alanis"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"] | [member="Galina Kerrigan-Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Elincia Alanis"]

Tempest

Though it was far from the easiest matter, Abaigeal’s attack did have an impact. After failing to kick its tormentor, the Colossus’ leg gave way beneath it. Briefly they were treated to the slightly absurd vision of a ten metre statue hopping awkwardly.

At that moment Tempest unleashed her lightning, the bolt of electricity striking the rocky creature’s head. Stone was a poor conductor of electricity, and so as she fought to contain the power, Tempest became part of the feedback loop until at last the energy penetrated the stone into the mystical silicone synapses of the monster.

With a backlash of energy which hurled her from the Colossus’ back and into a tree, it stumbled and fell. With a crash which made the very ground shudder the mighty animated statue impacted the ground, fracturing into pieces.

Tempest though wasn’t conscious to see it. The impact had thankfully taken her into snowdrift, but the electrical feedback had badly weakened her and she lay senseless and dazed on the snow.
Darkness engulfed her, and she passed out.

Tarissa

The acknowledgement of victory had dawned on the Qadiri, and they let out a long cheer. It had hardly been bloodless, but their ancient enemies had been driven before them.
Sahal had smiled at Tarissa, but there was no need for her to depart, as General Ardashir came up on his Yazgid. In the saddle, the old Qadiri bowed his head respectfully.
“Lady, he offers his praise and thanks for your assistance, and is moving to the gate,” Sahal translated.

Down by the great doors, teams of Firemane engineers prepared breaching charges. These heavy weapons were designed to take down even the strongest blast doors. However, when they were put into place their explosions did not even scratch the doors. Some enchantment were on the doors which resisted all harm.

However, after a quick conference, the Engineers had a better idea. The doors might be unbreakable, but as numerous misses had shown in the battle, the mountain was not. Therefore, resetting their charges they simply cut through the solid rock to either side around the hinges. It was a slow process, but with lightsabres and a few shaped charges eventually the doors fell.

Waiting inside was a host of enemies who opened fire, but at each gate a Mag’ladroth Walker was waiting and a hail of rotary shattercannon and flamer gusts cleared the Xioquo from the threshold, leaving the yawning depths of the Underealm open.

Siobhan + Aeda

With the way open, the invasion force moved in. Three full companies of Firemane infantry combined with over one hundred extra Angelii would make the initial penetration. From there troops and supplies could be added in now the bridgehead was taken.

As the first troops pressed into the darkness their light amp gear came into good use. All troops had been taught certain phrases in the Xioquo language. Phrases like ‘stand still’, ‘hands in the air’ and ‘surrender’. In a situation where the Xioquo before them might be a fleeing refugee or a fanatical assassin, the troops were told to give one warning before opening fire. It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t necessarily nice, but the safety of the Coalition forces was paramount.

At the same time drones were set ahead by the dozen to map and locate possible locations for ambush.

Aeda, riding in the boat with Siobhan, glanced across at her. “The river means we will have to split our forces. Did you wish to take the east or west bank?”

The two forces would be in constant support range by means of small gunships moving up the river, but they were still somewhat isolated.