RuneScape Forum Archive | ^+^ Onslaught ^+^

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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“I…see,* V said. “Now what’s the second thing? Surely you did*’t come here to make idle threats.”

The figure stopped, and turned its gaze towards the red garbed man. In the span of three steps, it was towering over him, and holding the undead in the air by the shoulder with one massive hand. V hissed as his usually durable form was wracked with indescribable pain, but despite that his gaze was drawn to two glaring yellow orbs in the recesses of its hood. Visions danced across his mind in a flurry of psychic and magical animation that seemed both real and fictional at once.

He saw a fair silver-haired lass in purple robes scream as infernal fire swarmed her delicate body, much to the delight of a demon with bone-hooked arms standing over her. The robes disintegrated under the fire’s touch, and the demon’s hooks tore at her reddening flesh as it grinned maniacally. To the woman’s horror, her skin did*’t cut at the demon’s touch, but instead turned a sickly yellow-green pocked with dark spots, and her silver hair started turning a light pink as a **** on her head appeared.

His vision then turned upside down to show him a group of three hooded figures doubled over, either in pain or because of magical coercion he did*’t know. V saw one of the figures, a green robed man with arcane tattoos scarring his ugly face, spewing a dark substance out of his mouth. Sweat drenched the man’s face, and he screamed in silence as two long fangs worked their way out of his mouth.

Another figure, one in black robes, reached out to comfort the green robed man, but his hands seemed to be rotting to the bone. Flesh fell from the appendages in droves, and at the sight of the blood underneath, the green robed man’s eyes lit up in obvious hunger.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:28:50

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Of the three, the white robed man among their numbers seemed uninterested in the events surrounding him, and a dagger protruding from his back was all the reason V needed to see why. The figure slumped over in defeat, and an elderly man clad in the fine clothes worthy of nobility stood behind him wearing a smug, triumphant grin.

The images faded from his view as the yellow orbs began to dim, and V blinked as the psychic shock ran through his body, causing it to convulse uncontrollably. The massive ironclad figure let him drop to the ground, and turned back to the standing stones once more.

“I wish you to understand,” the figure said. “I shall not fight a foe who does not understand *why* we battle, one who does not understand just *what* is at stake.”

V tried to speak, but he could only manage gargled growls from the sheer amount of pain flowing through his undead frame.

The figure kneeled to inspect something at the base of the stone with the symmetrical hole. “But worry not,* it said as his vision began to darken. “You will understand. You cannot make the choice otherwise.*

It was then that V recalled Samael’s final words to him at Skyvern Keep. “We had made the ultimate sacrifice,” he had said. “All of us. For you see, we came under attack not just from the Hounds, but from the stars as well. Two enemies on two fronts, they had forced us to condemn ourselves to eternal damnation, to chain our fates to the choice of one in order to restore equilibrium.”

V did*’t know for certain, but he felt it to be true in the depths of what passed for his own heart. The silver haired lass, the robed men- hell, who knows how many others there were?- they had all suffered fates worse than death. Some suffered due to their own ambitions turning sour, true.

Despite that knowledge, he knew that all that had transpired was all somehow his fault.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:29:49

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Caden found his brother standing next to a low wall overlooking the moat of Falador Castle. He saw that a knight in the golden-trimmed armor of the Temple Knights was standing beside Aiden, and the two were speaking to each other in hushed whispers.

“Hey! Hey, brother dearest,” Caden cried. “Remember what mom said about talking to strangers without an adult around?”

Aiden turned and smirked. “That might’ve been funnier if we weren’t in the middle of a damn siege,” he replied.

“What can I say? I’ll need something to laugh about later once this all blows over and we drink ourselves to oblivion after what I just went through.”
The Temple Knight turned around. “Caden, I assume?” he asked.

“I take it Aiden here already told you about me,” he replied.

“That hardly answers my question, but it’s enough in my book,” the knight replied. “But yes, he did. He also told me something about some crazy plan to distract these invaders long enough for the rest of us to counterattack. It’s a noble idea, but really, really stupid of the two of you.”

“In our defense, we were concerned about ending this thing as soon as possible because we somehow lost track of a friend of ours somehow in the middle of a duel with some kind of shaman,” Aiden said. “She’s a mage, and we saw an Iraxian Crow next to this Ogre outside the city gates before the goblins got in. We thought she might’ve been in a lot of trouble since she’s probably strong enough to draw attention to herself if she’s careless.”

“If she’s a mage, she might be fine as long as she stays behind some sort of cover,” the knight said. “Besides, in the meantime it looks like the bulk of the force is already around the castle grounds now. If there are any goblins or other beasts around the city, chances are they’re looters or stragglers who got lost somehow.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:30:55

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Caden shrugged. “I actually saw a Bloodbound Guardian at the west bank before I somehow killed it,” he said. “But nothing else, really. For all I know you could be right….uhh….who are you anyway?”

The knight stood silent for a brief moment. “I can’t really tell you my real name. Confidential Temple Knight stuff, you see. But most folks call me Agent Hound. Hound, for short.”

“Never heard of you,” Caden replied.

“Likewise.”

“Right. So, what were you guys talking about before I came here anyway?”

Aiden walked over to the low wall, and pointed towards a nearby hill leading to Falador Castle. “Hound says he knows of a way to get into the castle without going through the goblins,” he said. “Apparently there’s a sewer entrance somewhere at the moat’s bank, and he says he’s not smelling anything out of the ordinary around this part of the castle.”

“That may change if we linger much longer,” Hound replied as he joined Aiden by the wall. “You see, I’m hearing the scuffling footsteps of many reptiles heading this way, and their stench is somewhat distant on the wind. I’ll give them maybe another ten minutes until they arrive.”

Caden blinked. “How do you know that by hearing and smell?”

“I’m just that damn good,” Hound said. “And years of training in places that would give you nightmares helps, too.”

“But there’s a catch,” Aiden said.

“Indeed. You see, I was told that a Wererat has infiltrated the castle under the White Knight’s very own noses. I am instructed to hunt it down and kill it before it does any more damage.”

“We’re not bait, are we?” Caden asked as he walked over to the low wall to join his comrades. He saw that Aiden and Hound spoke true when they said the moat below was clear of enemies, though he did*’t trust the murky water. He heard many stories about things lurking below the depths that were best avoided, and he wouldn’t put it past his luck to run into some of them at this point.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:31:40

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Hound laughed. “You don’t smell like cheese, so no. But I do need someone to watch my back. You see, I have very specific equipment I use to slay werecreatures. Equipment that’s in the armory on the top floor of the castle. Normally I’d be able to run in and get it myself, but Wererats are stealthy creatures, and if it gets the drop on me I’ll be at a disadvantage. On the other hand, you and your brother have weapons. So you’ll be a very useful tool, at the least.”

“What kind of knight goes around without a sword?” Caden wondered.

“I have a pair of daggers, actually,” Hound replied.

“That’s just as bad. You need to get close enough to use them, and that armor doesn’t look sturdy enough to do that.”

“Look, I can handle myself just fine if you don’t want to tag along,” Hound said, throwing his hands in the air. “But I’m offering you a chance to get at the Ogre who might be spearheading this thing without killing yourselves outright in return for helping me. And you won’t have to go through a goblin horde to do it.”

“So if we help you get whatever you’re looking for, watch your back, and hold off a lycanthrope if we run into it prematurely, you’ll help us fight the Ogre and break the invader’s chain of command?” Caden asked.

Aiden nodded. “Either that, or we go it alone, look for Azura in the middle of this mess, and hope to Saradomin we don’t get stepped on by something big. And probably die in the process.”

Caden looked at his brother in bewilderment. “How do you make the most fun things sound stupidly dangerous?”

Aiden shrugged. “Reality kicked in from the moment we saw the Manticores, truth be told. Goblins and Ogres, I can handle. But Manticores? Basilisks? Bloodbound Guardians? Hell, Vampyre Knights? Sorry brother, but I’d rather live to fight another day on better terms.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:33:08

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“He has a point,” Hound commented. “Now, the sounds are getting closer, and the air thicker with the stench of Basilisk. Make your decision, but either way I’m going in.”

“Wait,” Caden called as Hound vaulted over the low wall and tumbled down the hill to the moat below. “Ok, I’ll come with you.”

“I don’t think he heard that,” Aiden replied as he too stepped over the barrier.
Caden could only grin as he followed their leads. In his mind, at least if he was going to fight something, it was going to be more interesting than getting stepped on or eaten by monsters believed to be dead for many years. Though he had to wonder, just how dangerous could a Wererat be anyway?

~^+^~

Inhuman cries echoed through the dark corridors of the labyrinth, causing chills to run down the Spider’s spine. Despite her blindness in the dark, Myra tried looking around in a vain attempt to discern their location, and the black clad mercenary tried to stifle a laugh at the woman’s determination. His failure to do so was punctuated by the ever tightening grip of Myra’s nails, and despite his armor’s self-repairing enchantments her nails were getting closer and closer to his skin with each vengeful squeeze of her hand.

“Ok, I get it,” he said at last as the squeezing stopped. “You’re a big bad investigator who has badass training. You don’t need to break the stuff keeping me alive over a few giggles.”

“It seems alright to me,” Myra replied teasingly. “Besides, I don’t want to lose my grip on the only thing guiding me around this place. I don’t exactly have your enchantments, in case you did*’t notice.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:34:14

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

It was probably for the best, he thought. It was bad enough that he did*’t know where they were going, but adding a second pair of eyes to the mix probably wouldn’t help much. Not to mention that he did*’t like the idea of Myra knowing where the rest of his body was in case he laughed at her expense again.

More inhuman noises echoed through the air, this time much closer than they previously were. The Spider looked around, and did*’t see anything outside of the occasional chip in the stonework, though he had a feeling that wouldn’t last long.

“C’mon,” he said as he hurried down the linear corridor, dragging Myra along as his cloak flapped soundlessly in the air around his heels. “Maybe there’s a room nearby. This entire thing can’t be straight forever.”

“How do you know?” Myra asked. “You saw the dwarf using magic. Dwarves aren’t supposed to use magic like that one did!*

*Ok, that’s a good point,” the mercenary admitted. “But still, if this is a major base of sorts, it stands to reason that the Brotherhood could only build a straight hall so far before needing *something* to break up the monotony. Or at least to keep it from being discovered by a group of miners or something if it’s underground.”

The Spider noticed a panting sound steadily growing behind him, and he chanced a glance back to find…nothing. Whatever it was, it wasn’t making the mistake of showing itself to him despite the unnatural darkness (he had to wonder at that point just how aware the Brotherhood was about his enchanted armor), but if the sounds were anything to go by, it wouldn’t last long.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:34:41 - Last edited on 25-Oct-2012 01:34:54 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

The Spider looked ahead and was surprised to see a faint orange glow in what appeared to be the massive distance between his position and what appeared to be a door. If he was lucky he’d be able to make it before whatever was making the sounds in the halls caught up with him.

“Hey, it looks like we might be in luck!” Myra said excitedly.

“Yeah, but stay quiet,” the Spider ordered. “We don’t know what’s on the other end of whatever’s ahead.”

“Couldn’t you find out?” she asked innocently. “You found me, after all. So why can’t you find out what’s ahead?”

“Two reasons,” the Spider answered. “One, I technically can. But that would mean leaving you behind while I go undercover and check it out. I did*’t come back for you just to let you die at the hands of any monster that might be around. But honestly? I did*’t even know you were here. Hell, I did*’t even know you were in trouble before I ran into the Shroud and he told me about it.”

“Wait,” Myra said, coming to a sudden halt. The Spider jerked to a stop out of fear of hurting the Allivierion agent, but did*’t bother meeting her gaze. “You mean the criminal Shroud? The one who runs a good portion of Varrock’s underworld gang activities?”

“Yeah, but truth be told I did*’t know it was him talking to me until I found him physically,” the Spider replied. “And he said you were in trouble. He also helped me survive an attack by…some kind of zombie banshee head thing. Given the circumstances, I wasn’t in a position to just argue with him about the truth.”

“That doesn’t make sense though,” Myra said. “It could’ve been a trap.”

“I’ll explain in more detail later,” the Spider answered as he started walking once more. “Right now we need to get out of here, and that’s not happening if I regale you with stories of consorting with jerks in gangs.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:35:49

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Myra squeaked in protest, but soon enough they stood in front of a rune-inscribed door that blocked the majority of the orange glow. He heard the faint muffle of voices behind it, but details were beyond his abilities to discern without drawing attention to their position.

“I hear something behind us,” Myra whispered. “If you’re gonna do something to that door, do it now. I can’t fight well in this light.”

The Spider agreed, and forced the door open with his shoulder. It gave away easily, causing him to nearly stumble into the room beyond. His vision was filled with the macabre glow of many an arcane candle situated among a vast valley of underused and withered bookshelves filled to the brim of yellowing parchment and musty old tomes of lore and magic.

An aging wizard stood in the center of the room, his black robes touched with a hint of colors resembling autumn leaves flapping around his unassuming frame. Apparently his pointed hat had been blown off by a magical breeze of sorts, because a young woman in blue wizard robes that seemed to tease the Spider’s eyes was left picking it up off of the ground with a shocked look on her innocent features.

Deciding that the mages were at worst in league with the Brotherhood, the Spider stepped over the room’s threshold and bellowed, “That’s enough!”

The aging mage seemed surprised at his appearance, and the Spider wasn’t all that surprised to see Surok staring back at him. “Oh, for the love of…I thought I left you in Varrock!” he shouted in response.

“And here I thought the White Knights had you under house arrest,” the Spider answered angrily. “But it looks like we were both wrong.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:36:34

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

The desert woman straightened herself and angrily stomped in between the two rivals. “Alright, that’s enough!” she screamed. “Just who the hell are you, and what’s really going on here!?”

“No way,” the Spider replied. “I’m not giving you anything that can be used in an enchantment. Not after I just broke one that your little friend somewhere around here tried placing on me.”

“Little friend? Just…wait…who?” the young mage stammered.

The Spider ignored her and focused his attention on Surok. “I take it she’s not yours, then?” he asked.

Surok shook his head. “I actually saved her from a fate worse than death,” he answered. “And no, for once I’m not up to any plot to further my order’s goals. I’m actually on your side this time!”

“Yeah, right,” the mercenary shot back. Despite the young woman’s protests, he pushed past the mageling and stalked furiously towards the man who had caused his very existence to become public knowledge mere months ago. “What about those priests from Varrock? Were you on their side when the church burned as well? Or maybe you were on the side of Saradomin during Lucien’s Gambit?”

“Oh, please,” Surok sneered. “Spare me your righteous indignation. I won’t lie, I have done some questionable things in the past, but this time I have motivation. You see, the Final Hours aren’t good for my own personal well being, all things considered. And they bode even worse for you!”

“He lies,” he heard Skin whisper in his mind. “The Final Hours can’t be coming this soon. The stars aren’t even in the right position for it.”

“Ah, but they can be moved,” Surok replied, much to the Spider’s surprise. “You see, the Gentleman behind this *cult’? He has the power to move the stars on a whim. It’s not his, of course, but he doesn’t seem to know or care about the fates that await all followers of the Riders.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

25-Oct-2012 01:37:30 - Last edited on 25-Oct-2012 01:37:54 by A Mad Hatter

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