RuneScape Forum Archive | ^+^ Onslaught ^+^

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Awiti shrugged his sense of dread off as nerves, and headed straight towards the marketplace. He did*’t even need to wonder where to report to, because the only group there was one which consisted of a small band of Ogre warriors he remembered training with a few days back. They too were dressed in fine armor for Ogres, and some of them held weapons which seemed a bit too small for their obese frames. Nevertheless, they all greeted Awiti heartily…which, for Ogres, was a series of small grunts at best.

Awiti returned the greeting, and waited for a few minutes until he saw a group of Shamans approaching. They were dressed in the traditional feathered headdresses and animal skins belonging to the various Ogre tribes present in Gu’Tanoth, and they all had grim expressions painted on their faces as they marched forward. The strange merchant dressed in ornate purple robes was following them nonchalantly, as if he was the most important thing they were guarding in their entire lives.

“Great warriors,” one of the Shamans had said to the group as they came to a sudden halt. “Dis be important mission.”

“Very important” another Shaman agreed. “Livelihood of Gu’Tanoth hangs on it.”

“Oh, just cut to the chase,” the merchant interrupted as he elbowed his way to the front of the group. “I need an escort to the center of the forest so I can meet up with a caravan and go on my merry way. The Shamans are just saying its important because they fear if I don’t come back, there shall be no shiny things for them to buy with their share of victory spoils.”

The group of warriors did*’t need to hear the rest of the details. From the way the Shamans were “ooo”ing and “ahhh”ing, they all knew that if they were successful, they too would get a shiny thing from their charge to pay for Gu’Tanoth’s impromptu merchant escort tax. Even Awiti had to admit that such an offer sounded good to his ears!

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:21:00

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“He well spoken for Gu’Karish,” an elderly Shaman said. Turning to the warriors, he added, “He speak true. Now, go with vigor! Gu’Tanoth counts on you!”

~^+^~

As it turned out, the first few hours of the trip were boring as hell to Awiti. Sure, at first the group was more than excited to go and escort an obviously important merchant into semi dangerous territory…but after passing the millionth tree, the group had begun to feel restless, and it was even getting to Awiti.

“We dere yet?” one of his comrades asked.

“It should be a few more miles in,” the merchant replied.

“Wat about now?* another warrior asked.

“No,* the merchant replied angrily.

Awiti caught a glimpse of white flashing by the corner of his eye. When he looked over he saw nothing, but he began to grow uneasy as he thought he heard the soft rustle of leaves from behind them. Of course, he saw nothing when he turned around to investigate the sound, which put him even more on edge.

The merchant scowled as he watched Awiti. “What’s your problem, boy?” he asked. “Are we being followed or something?”

“I…hear…see…I don’t know,” he admitted. “Something seems…off.”

“It must be the air,” the merchant replied. “The cold tends to affect people in strange ways, from my experience.”

“No,* Awiti said as the rustling continued. He even thought he heard the branches above begin to crack under an unnatural weight, though of course he knew nothing would be there when he looked up. “It’s…something might be hunting us.”

“How would you know?”

“I just feel it,” Awiti said. “I’ve learned to trust my instincts, and right now they’re screaming at me to hide from whatever’s out here.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:21:44

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

A howl sounded in the distance, causing the other Ogres to look around in confusion. “Dere no wolves out ere,” one of them said warily.

“No, I suppose there shouldn’t be,* the merchant replied. “I thought the wolves around here were located more to the south.”

The group continued on silently despite the occasional howls, and soon enough a thick fog began to enshroud them to the point where they couldn’t see. Awiti drew his blade and stayed close to the merchant, though his fellow warriors seemed too dense to remember their main goal that day and strayed further away. Though in their defense, they could’ve gotten lost in the fog. Ogres weren’t famed for their excellent eyesight, unfortunately.

“I don’t like this,” Awiti said. “This seems too convenient for anyone who might want us dead.”

“I’ll have to agree,” the merchant said. He couldn’t say more before a scream cut him off, and Awiti heard one of his comrades cry out in surprise.

“Mist wolf!” the warrior screamed. “Mist wolf!”

“Where?” another asked. Awiti watched in horror as the fog itself grew thick around the silhouette of another warrior, and saw it fall to the ground for no apparent reason.

“Defensive positions!” he screamed as he ran to his fallen comrade. “Protect the merchant at all costs!” Awiti knelt over his fallen friend, and saw many cut marks around his throat. They were clean, but too wide to be the work of any human blade he had ever seen, and the fact that there were smaller wounds on his arms indicated possible bite marks.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:22:18

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

He heard the screams first. Then he heard the tinkle of strange magic. Turning around, Awiti saw that the strange Ogre merchant in purple robes was casting some sort of spell that froze his enemies in ice blocks….though just WHAT his enemies are was a matter beyond him entirely.

He saw the vague forms of wolves in the blocks of ice, but they seemed to waver out of reality itself as he returned to the merchant’s side. For what it was worth, the few warriors still standing were fighting their own intangible foes, and to no great effect at that. For every swing they took, they seemed to magically gain three new wounds despite there being no apparent source.

“So they’re real,” the merchant muttered. “The damn Hexblades are actually on to me after all.”

“Hexblade?” Awiti asked. “What are those?”

“Servants to Hecate,” the merchant replied as he cast another spell which conjured shadow from his hands. “They bring their Queen’s curses to whoever draws her ire. And this time they’ve actually managed to find me.”

“Then they’ll die for this,” Awiti said as he glanced around defensively. “Gu’Tanoth warriors don’t forgive slights such as this.”

“You won’t win,” the merchant replied as his features began to blur. “They command magic far more powerful than you can ever hope to combat.”

“Then I’ll die with honor.”

“A fool’s death, I assure you,” the merchant said. His features were melting away to reveal an elongated skull with glowing eyes. Though his robes stayed more or less the same in design, their color darkened to that of a deep shade of red, and overall an aura of menace began to emanate from the unwholesome figure he had become.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:23:17

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“What the…?” Awiti asked in disbelief

“Run,” the skeletal figure said as he flung bolts of blood from his fingertips into the fog. Strange grunts and howls sounded from deep within the fog followed by the splats of the bolts landing a hit on their marks. “Just go. This is no longer your fight, and if you stay, you’ll die.”

Awiti did*’t have to be told twice.

~^+^~

The Mahjarrat watched as the young Ogre warrior ran into the fog. In truth, he did*’t care if the Ogre lived or died. But at the same time, he couldn’t live with the knowledge that more souls could meet their untimely end because of him simply being there at the wrong time either.

He lifted a skeletal figure, and released a bolt of pure arcane energy. He knew his attack struck true as the fog began to dissipate to reveal a lone figure cloaked in black standing amidst the corpses of the fallen Ogres.

“Zirax,” the Mahjarrat hissed through clenched teeth. “So I see the Lost Crow knows when to throw his lot in with Hexblades after all.”

The figure lifted a delicate hand and pushed its hood back to reveal an elf with long, blonde hair. “I’m actually not here with the Hexies,” Zirax said. “Hell, I don’t even know how I did this time traveling gig for this chapter.”

“And insane as ever, I see,* the Mahjarrat replied.

“Nah, I’m not insane,” Zirax replied as he looked around the forest. “I just have a different perspective on things. Long lives tend to do that to you, right? I mean, it’s not like the infamous Sliske wouldn’t know what it’s like, eh?”

“More than you’ll ever know,” Sliske admitted. “Now, tell me…if you’re here…where are the Hexblades?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:23:57

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Oh, those chaps in black?” Zirax asked. “They weren’t after you. They wanted that damn Ogre. So they chased him with those cool mist wolf things after he ran off.”
“So…you mean this isn’t about the ring?” Sliske asked in disbelief.

“Oh, it is for me,” Zirax said as he boldly approached the Mahjarrat. “I’ll tell you what…let’s discuss this ring of yours, and I’ll let my girl deal with the Hexies.”

~^+^~

Awiti panted as he weaved in and out of the trees. The howls weren’t far behind, and it was only a matter of time before he felt the Mist Wolves’ hot breath on his neck. He just knew it!

He heard the crunch of leaves as booted feet pursued him as well. More than once a badly aimed arrow missed his head, and an even more badly aimed bolt of energy spiraled past him and into a tree which would then burst into emerald flames, which made him all the more anxious to lose his pursuers.

Awiti felt a pain shoot through his leg, causing him to stumble a bit. He managed a glance at his left leg, and saw an arrow protruding through it. Blood was trickling down his leg, and from the sound of things the unnatural creatures behind him were getting excited at the prospect of fresh blood. Which was a pity for Awiti, because that one glance made him miss the tree right in front of him, and so he had double vision as he collapsed to the ground.

The Ogre had no clue just what he was seeing. A pair of figures clad in black leathers with red designs etched across the arms and leggings approached him, and he also saw the fog begin to take on a more definite wolf-like shape as it drew in to surround him.

“So, this is the one?” one of the figures asked. “This is what the Witch Queen was worried about? A pitiful Ogre?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:24:53

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“She says if we don’t kill this one now, the Plan may unravel,” another voice replied. Whether or not it was the first speaker’s partner was hard to tell, because both of them had no visible features on their shadowy faces.

“Then make it quick,” the first speaker said. “I hate this world enough as it is and don’t wish to spend another minute longer than I have to here.”

The figures both conjured blades of emerald fire in their hands, and Awiti felt his heartbeat quicken. He gripped his sword tightly, and hoped that if he was going to die here, he’d die with the corpse of an enemy or two by his side.

“HA! Look, the little runt thinks he can fight us!” one of the Hexblades cried. “This should be good!”

Before they could take another step closer, a flash of white barreled into the pair of figures, causing them to fall to the ground with a scream, and the Mist Wolves dissolved back into fog at the sudden interruption. Awiti was surprised to hear one man’s cries of pain as a white wolf growled a feral growl and tore his skin off of his body, causing blood to fly everywhere in the process.

The surviving Hexblade managed to drag himself to his feet, and swung his rapidly diminishing blade of emerald fire at the wolf. The wolf yipped in pain as it jumped back, but Awiti could tell that it was growing angry at the attack once he saw its eyes. And oh, what a sight it was. To see a wolf’s glowing red eyes make a mysterious attacker give pause was enough to fill Awiti’s heart with joy (though why he did*’t know), and a pause was all the wolf needed.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:25:33

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

The white wolf darted in and out of the Hexblade’s reach, nipping at his ankles and causing him to go on the defensive. For his part, the Hexblade tried keeping himself near the Ogre, but the wolf was cunning enough to force their positions to reverse, and so it was instead guarding the fallen Ogre like a sick pup.

“I know what you are,” the Hexblade said as he and the wolf eyed each other warily. “And if you think defending this runt is any way to redeem yourself in the eyes of any god, you’re wrong.”

The wolf snarled, and its form began to shift as it leapt at the Hexblade. He swung his blade and missed as the wolf turned into mist. A humanoid form appeared behind him, and in a matter of seconds he was being held by his throat by a young woman with snow white hair. Her armor was as black as the Hexblade’s, though instead of arcane designs, Awiti saw the scales of a dragon shine in the morning sun. The woman herself seemed young by human standards- he guessed she must have been no more than a mere sixteen winters at a glance- but yet she carried herself in a manner that suggested she was something…other.

“If you really knew what I was,” the woman said. “You’d know that I care little for redemption.”

“So…you say,* the Hexblade choked. “But really…why else…would…you…?”

“Defend this Ogre?” she asked, nodding at Awiti. “Because even Ogres don’t deserve whatever tortures Hecate can think of for whatever crimes she’s imagined this one to have committed.”

“HA!” the Hexblade choked. “Committed? Try…will commit. She’s seen*the future…”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:26:22

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“And I’m sure it involves her ruling over the lesser races that don’t serve her, like always,” the woman replied with a cruel smile.

“This time…different…” The Hexblade managed. He spoke no further as the woman apparently tightened her grip, and soon enough his body went slack as all life left him. The woman shrugged and let the dead man drop to the ground, and tilted her head as a pair of silver wolves appeared at her side. She nodded to her right, and the wolves veered off into the woods, barking happily. Unholy howls sounded in the distance as the yips of the silver wolves turned into growls of hunger, and Awiti couldn’t help but imagine what horrible fates awaited the Mist Wolves of legend.

“You’re hurt,” the woman said. She wasn’t asking a question, merely stating a fact. A fact that was all too obvious, judging from the arrow sticking out of Awiti’s leg, but a fact he had managed to forget about in the heat of the moment nonetheless.

“I’m…*hurk*…fine,” Awiti managed as the woman yanked the arrow from his flesh. As much as his eyes betrayed otherwise, he’d never admit he was hurt, and the woman seemed to know that.

“Hold on just a sec,* she said. The woman held her hands against the wound and gripped it tightly, causing pain to shoot up his leg. Despite his watering eyes, Awiti managed to steal a further glimpse of the woman that changed his perception of her somewhat. Her snow white hair framed delicate human features, sure, but her ears were also a bit tapered at the ends.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:27:19

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

At first he thought she might’ve been a rogue elf, but elven eyes were rarely as feral as the look in her reddish-purple eyes, and on top of that she did*’t even move with the grace of an elf. And when she spoke, he saw two canine teeth sticking out above the rest…

“And…done!” she said happily. Awiti looked down, and saw that his wound was completely closed, save for a bit of dried blood that had still clung to his leg. Her hands were glowing with a benevolent light, which seemed soothing just to look at.
“Are you…un…ooonnn….” Awiti began.

“Undead? Something like that,” she answered. The woman pulled Awiti to his feet, and he was surprised to find that for her slim frame, she was very strong.

“Bat-people,” he managed. *I don’t know what they’re called, but I know the legends…”

“And I’m sure they all make my kind out to be bloodthirsty corpse freaks with dreams of world dominance,” she replied as she turned to walk back into the woods. “How like mortals to observe two facts, get one of them completely wrong, and make an unrelated conclusion based off of them.”

“That doesn’t mean all the legends are false though,” a singsong voice said. A black-clad figure stepped out from behind a tree the woman was facing, and Awiti was glad to see that this one was a real elf with blonde hair. “C’mon, Caninelle, have a sense of humor! It’s not often you get the chance to play off of idiot legends in the presence of the ignorant!”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

09-Jan-2012 02:28:56

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