RuneScape Forum Archive | ^+^ Onslaught ^+^

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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Chapter 9
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“My research into the events surrounding the fall of the Sovereignty has revealed something…unusual. Their datashade glyphs tell the tale of a certain “Dark One” who had released the plague that spawns the creatures known as Doomhounds upon their world.

That much is already known as fact to those who study the esoteric arts. However, certain elements from the glyphs also point to a theory that the Hounds themselves were nothing more than the demon’s reaction to something else. I know not the specific details, for they were lost in the fall…but one phrase seems to pop up every now and then among my collection of glyphs from that era:

‘The Riders and their Kin are reality’s disease. The Hounds are the cure.’

The quote requires more research in this scholar’s opinion. I fear that, should we overlook the significance of it, we’ll have much bigger problems than a rampaging horde of the Demon Lord’s lycanthropic servants."

- Excerpt from Movario’s letter addressed to Surok Magis.
<><>

Sunlight slowly crept across Azura’s face that morning. She opened her eyes at the feeling of warmth covering her face, and saw that she was indeed still in her room like she was when she fell asleep during the night. Everything seemed normal. The dresser was still tucked away in a corner close to the door, a mirror was sitting on the wall (albeit a little lopsided), and even a few flowers dotted the bottom edges of the two windows in the room.

“Hey sleepy, you good to go?” she heard Aiden’s voice ask.

The mage looked around the room, and saw the brown-haired fighter standing next to her bed with a look of brotherly concern on his face. He was dressed in his usual steel fighting gear, and a cloth sack was slung over his shoulder.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:21:08 - Last edited on 17-Sep-2011 01:23:33 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“I…wait, where are we going anyway?” she asked in confusion. How long had she been out for anyway?

Aiden laughed. “What, did sleeping for the past day wipe your mind or something?” he asked. “We’re going back to Varrock. But we gotta stop at Falador first, because Caden said he wanted to check in with the bank and get something.”

Azura nodded, though deep down she was kicking herself for forgetting about the return trip to Varrock. Of course, it seemed like common sense that anybody who traveled away from home for long periods of time would have to return eventually, but the events of a few nights ago had made her forget about all but the most necessary knowledge. Unfortunately, going back home to her uncle Zaff wasn’t necessary in her mind.

“Ok,” she said after what had seemed like an eternity. “I just need to go to Pikkupstix’s shop first. Caden told me that he said there were some herbs he wanted to give me in case the…nightmare…comes back.”

“Yeah, about that,” Aiden said. “Mind if I ask just what the hell you saw? I mean, you sorta set something on fire without even knowing you did it. And I really don’t feel like going through that again if I could help it.”

Azura sighed as she hoisted herself off of the bed. “If I knew what it was, I’d tell you,” she said. Her bedclothes had shimmered and transformed into the blue robes afforded to qualified mages from the Wizard’s Tower with a wave of her dainty hand as she spoke. “But right now? You’d most likely think I was insane if I told you. Or at least if I knew how to describe it.”

“Soo…you saw something, but don’t know what it was? Isn’t that something that happens to mages all the time anyway?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:25:33

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Not like this,* Azura replied as she began gathering her belongings from the dresser and herding them into a cloth sack similar to Aiden’s. “This seemed like something out of the penny dreadfuls more than any magical research. I mean, magical research doesn’t put these things on you unwillingly!” she cried as she thrust her gauntleted hands in the air before Aiden.

“Yeah, those are pretty weird,” he admitted. “But maybe there’s a way to get them off? Caden and I couldn’t pry them off while you were sleeping, so what if a good wizard could?”

“Then feel free to get a good wizard over here!” she cried. Azura picked up the cloth sack with her things and tied it to her back with some magically created string. “But right now, I don’t know how to get them off! I haven’t even been awake for the better part of a day yet, so how could I know?!”

“It was just an id…” Aiden said as Azura stormed out of the room. When she didn't come back, he shrugged and headed towards the dining room. Azura might be angry, but he wasn’t about to let her ruin breakfast at least!

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:26:41 - Last edited on 31-Dec-2014 04:59:09 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Azura was already out of the house and heading across town to Pikkupstix’s shop by the time she thought to inspect her newly acquired gauntlets. They were strange, she thought.

The design seemed simple yet complex enough: metal covered the lower arms while a silken glove without fingers fit the palms of her hands nicely. Yet, the designs covering the metal itself seemed to defy any sort of rational description while they seemingly pulsed with a benevolent- if necrotic- energy that seemed more appropriate for a practitioner of the Zarosian Magiks that had resurfaced in recent times.

She turned her attention to the path she walked, and she saw that somehow a good deal of distance between Anastasia’s house and her destination had been crossed while she was absorbed with her gauntlets. Despite the sunny day, she felt somewhat uneasy as she looked around Taverley.

The trees seemed somehow more menacing than usual in their windy swaying, the fountain in the center of town seemed a little too loud, and more than once she thought she saw the greedy gazes of more than one male druid eye her up.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:27:18 - Last edited on 31-Dec-2014 04:59:52 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“That’s crazy,” she mumbled to herself. “It’s just my imagination. That dream did take a toll on me, after all.”

“Oh, that was no dream, mageling,” she heard something say. She looked around, and saw nothing at first. That is, she saw nothing until a druid waved her over. She approached the druid, and was taken aback by his…her…its appearance.

Gaunt, yellow skin was stretched across the being’s entire body, giving off a somewhat decaying smell that also had a hint of brimstone mixed in with it. The scraggly hair was a faded purple in color, and the creature had no real nose of which to speak of. Though she was all too quick to notice a pair of needle-like teeth lining its mouth as it smiled.

“Wha…wh…the hell?” she stuttered.

“Oh, good. So you can see me after all,” the creature said. “Now, pay close attention. There’s a lot I must tell you.”

“S…no!" Azura screamed. She turned and ran away from the creature as fast as her legs could carry her, much to the protests of that…thing. And the druids she had managed to accidentally know over in her flight.

“You can** do this every time we meet,” the creature said as it appeared beside her, this time in the form of a decaying raven. “Now, seriously…calm down! This is important!”

Azura didn't answer the monster as she cut through someone’s garden. The abomination fell back as it hit a scarecrow, which made Azura all the more determined to put as much distance between her and whatever the hell that creature was.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:28:00 - Last edited on 31-Dec-2014 05:01:46 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

It was only a matter of minutes-really, to her it seemed more like a few hours-before she saw Pikkupstix’s shop come into view. The building had grown over the years, going from a small, two room house to a full blown ivy-covered, four story manor (at least by druid standards) thanks in part to the summoning arts growing steadily popular in the eyes of the rich.

Azura threw herself at the door, desperate to get into the shop before the creature had caught up. When it didn't open, she began banging on it with her fist repeatedly. “Pikkupstix, open up!* she cried. “Please, it’* Azura! C’mon, before that thing gets here!”

“Oh, for the love of…stop whining and listen!” she heard many voices shout in anger. She turned around, and saw many more of the creatures advancing upon her. Azura knocked on the door with more fury, each pound increasing in intensity as the creatures drew closer.

“Dammit, Pikk, just open up already!” she screamed. “There are more of them now!*

*She can*t be the one,” she heard a creature say. *Not even novice Witches act this way on their indoctrination.”

“Ah, but she is,” another said. “Do you not sense the mark of Belial’s Lover on her soul? Do you not see the gauntlets she bares?”

“I see them, but it appears a child has taken what is not hers,” the creature answered.

“Bah,” the creatures said in unison.

Azura managed to fling an arcane bolt into one of them in desperation. The missile connected with the creature, but it fizzled out as it laughed. “Child,” it said. “Your power is useless against us. But not to worry…if you’ll just listen, we can easily fix that.”

“No!* she screamed. “I’ve heard the stories about demons offering people magic! I won*t go down that path!”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:28:57 - Last edited on 31-Dec-2014 05:01:22 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The horde stopped their advance.

“Offer *you* power? Of all the absurd…how could we offer you what you already possess?” a creature asked.

Azura stared at the creatures in disbelief. Just what the hell were they talking about? She knew she had a way with magic, sure. But why would these things try tempting her with an offer that seemed to come straight from the horror stories that her uncle Zaff used to tell her whenever she acted up?

“I see that she doesn’t yet know,” one of the creatures said as it approached her and bowed. “That must mean that she hasn’t been inducted into the fold yet.”

The others murmured in agreement, and another said, “Then she is no use to us yet. Belial must know of this.”

“Belial?” Azura muttered to herself. She thought for a minute before calling to the horde, *Wait, I know that name! Sort of. I’ve heard it before when some strange lady who was chained to an altar said it.”

“The Shadow?” a creature asked. “Now, this is interesting.”

Azura managed to bring herself to her feet. She didn't know why or how she was on the ground in the first place, but that was the least of her worries at that moment. *I want to listen now," she said as she felt her fear begin to subside. “I want to hear everything. What’s going on, and why is this ‘Belial’ so involved with it?”

“Not our place to tell,” the creatures hissed. *But soon you may understand. Once the Lover comes to you once more.*

*Then what did you want to tell me then?” she asked. “Why go through all this trouble to chase me down for something that you can*t even tell me about?!*

The creatures began to disappear from sight one by one. They were nearly gone as the one of them spoke clearly into her mind. *I have come with a warning,” it had said. “The power you wield…it has not gone unnoticed. Others may come to you to claim it for their own. But Belial’s Lover…our mistress…lays the only true claim on you. You would do well to keep your wits about you in the coming days.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:29:44 - Last edited on 31-Dec-2014 05:03:35 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

At that, the creatures were completely out of sight. The world seemed like it had been when she got up in the morning. Azura felt safe once more, but yet she felt confused as well.

“Just*what the hell happened?* she asked aloud to nobody in particular.

The door opened behind her, causing her to jump in surprise. She turned and readied a spell, but stopped when she saw Pikkupstix standing in the doorway. “I heard the screaming,” he said. “Sorry, but I was in the middle of an important summoning ritual. Just what the hell was going on out here that had you so worked up?*

*I*don’t know,” Azura admitted, which wasn’t too far from the truth. “I thought I saw something but I have no clue what it was.”

Pikkupstix shook his head. *C*mon in,” he said. “Looks like we need to get you some of those herbs I told Caden and his brother about before you freak out again today.”

~^+^~

“He’s here.*

The Spider nearly lost his grip on a newly conjured shadow tendril at the disembodied voice’s announcement. Luckily for him the magical appendages (if they could even be called such things) reacted quickly to his slipping fingers, and within seconds they had stretched out to wrap tightly around his hands.

"That’s…nice,” he replied cautiously. He wasn’t sure if that was the truth, but if it made whatever was talking to him go away, so much the better.

Gorvan*i Manor began to appear in the mercenary’s sights once he swung around a corner. The large structure, built in the manner of design that Varrock’s elite were known for favoring, was in bad shape. Arched windows sporting stained glass were broken or cracked in various places. The sloping rooftops of the manor and the surrounding lesser buildings on its grounds were on the verge of collapsing, and the eastern wall was completely caved in.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:30:46 - Last edited on 31-Dec-2014 05:07:29 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The grimy stone bricks making up the bulk of the manor’s structure seemed to ooze moss and decay, which was all the more apparent in the courtyard that the wrought iron fence surrounding the place guarded zealously. The plant life, or what was left of it, seemed to be half dead. Various bushes stood in a wooden leafless state that was reminiscent of a dead flower whose life was cut short before it could even blossom, and the flowers were absent from their usual beds.

“Looks like he got hit badly,” the Spider mused. His thoughts were cut short as a stone that his tendril had attached to came loose and fell off of a nearby building. Reacting swiftly, the mercenary willed the tendril out of existence as he muttered an enchantment that he had learned from a gnome not too long ago.

“Leopus affendi,” he croaked. He felt arcane power flow through his veins as the street below drew closer by each passing second. Random passerby were attempting to move out of the way while keeping him in view, so it was by pure luck that he had managed to pull off his plan without hurting anyone.

As soon as the Spider felt his feet touch the ground, he reflexively pushed away from the ground with his feet. He was in the air once more as the magic discharged, much to the delight of the few citizens who managed to not get flattened by the falling sword-for-hire.

“Such gracelessness,” the voice chided. “I was hoping my Other would use less magical aid.”

“Great, now you’re a critic,” the Spider replied flatly.

“Only because I care,” the voice beamed. “Your power won’t mean much when the Children come out to hunt.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:31:31 - Last edited on 17-Sep-2011 01:31:39 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“What, you have demon babies or something?” he asked as he enacted a slow falling enchantment in his cape. He was nearing the edge of the courtyard rapidly, and he wasn’t willing to place any bets on not getting impaled by the spiked iron fence.

“Demons? Nooooo,” the voice said in a breathy voice. “But fret not. I sense that you shall meet our allies soon enough. Now, be silent. I sense a dark power drawing near.”

“Great,” the Spider murmured as he landed on the brick path leading towards the Gorvanki Manor proper. “Now it senses evil stuff. What else is going to surprise me this day?”

The wind rustled the dead trees as if it was attempting to respond to his thoughts. The mercenary decided to ignore the oddly sinister trappings of the manor, and stepped up to it with a small amount of bravado. The door flew open with a swift kick, causing the last remnants of sunlight to filter into the dark, empty chambers beyond.

The reception hall stood empty and in a state of disarray. Though two main doorways- one to his left, the other right in front of him- stood intact, and the rest of the hall looked as if a magical experiment had gone terribly awry. A lone beam of light invaded the room from a hole on the wall to his right, which did little to give the hall a welcoming feeling.

The Spider shivered as he walked among the debris from the ceiling and surrounding furniture. Whether it was out of fear or a chill brought on by the occasional gust of wind emitting from the collapsed eastern wall, he knew not.

A slight ping sounded in the air and echoed throughout the chamber, causing the mercenary to turn around and assume a defensive stance. He relaxed a bit when he saw that nobody was there, but at the same time he had a feeling that he knew what would happen when he turned around.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

17-Sep-2011 01:35:07

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