RuneScape Forum Archive | ^+^ The Age of Nhur ^+^

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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Lorkaj looked up at the Ordinators, and a snarl escaped his throat. “Fools,” he said. “Am I the only one who’s concerned about being in a damn ruined building after a small earthquake?! What about aftershocks?!”

One of the Ordinators looked up at Erevin. “You know, sir, he has a point,” the guard said.

"I don’t care,” Erevin spat. “Finish him off and we can leave this place if you’re worried about any aftershocks!”

“You know,” Lorkaj said, his voice lowering a few octaves. “I’m beginning to think your boss doesn’t care about your well being.”

The Ordinators paused. “What are you suggesting?” one of them asked.

“Work for me and I guarantee you safety…and pay,” Lorkaj answered with a gleam in his eye.

“Sounds good to me,” one whispered to himself. The guard turned to Erevin, and pointed his weapon at the pseudo-vampire. “Cease and desist, traitor!” he cried as he threw himself into the air.

The other Ordinators soon followed, and began jumping futilely into the air, swiping their blades at the Spymaster as he inched himself ever higher into the air, screaming at his subordinates.

“Stop, fools!” he cried. “Don’t you idiots realize what’s going on?!”

They don’t, Lorkaj thought to himself. In truth, he was surprised that vampiric hypnotism had actually worked on the Ordinators, considering how they were supposed to be trained to resist that kind of thing in the first place for obvious security reasons. Pushing such thoughts to the back of his mind, Lorkaj rummaged through his pockets, and drew out a wand made from a unicorn’s horn which was tipped with a pearl.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:02:52 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:25:06 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Es’kajhta,” he whispered. The wand began to disintegrate as emitted a faint glow, and he pointed it haphazardly at the symbol. He tried to concentrate, and when he felt a mental connection form with the object he thought he was about to die for sure. Pain flooded his mind, but he fought through it and willed the object to levitate into the air slowly.

With a painful mental shove, Lorkaj hurled the holy symbol at Erevin. His aim was true, and when Erevin saw the object hurtling towards him, he tried to drop to the ground. But he was too late, and crashed into a wall, pinned to the ground by the sheer weight of the odd artifact. The Ordinators began surrounding him, their blades pointed at his throat.

Lorkaj stood up, and smiled as he shot an azure bolt into the symbol, which disintegrated upon contact with the magical energy. Erevin, free of the crushing weight, jumped to his feet and knocked the Ordinators to the ground with a sweep of his wings. His freedom was short lived, however, as Lorkaj felt his natural power return with the absence of the symbol, and he threw a bolt of black electricity at the Spymaster and Ordinators. The guards perished instantly thanks to the necromantic energy imbued in the spell, but Erevin had merely fallen to the ground in spasms.

“I must admit,” Lorkaj said, stalking ever closer to his prey. “You were quite the chase there. Color me impressed.”

Erevin didn't respond, but Lorkaj didn't care as he effortlessly picked the pseudo-vampire up with one hand. “I’m almost sorry that it had to come to this. I truly am. But hey, survival of the fittest and all that, yes?”

Erevin opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. “Oh?” Lorkaj asked mockingly. “Cat got your tongue? Well, let’s see if we can fix that, shall we?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:03:54 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:25:54 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Lorkaj gripped one of Erevin’s dreadlocks tightly with his free hand. When he was sure his grip was firm, the Vampyre began pulling. After a brief second, the Spymaster’s head ripped free from his shoulders with a burst of what could be described as no small amount of gore, and Erevin screamed.

“I-I- kill you!” He screamed.

“I’d like to see you try, boy,” Lorkaj replied as he let Erevin’s body slump to the ground. “But really, what can you do? Bite me? Ha!”

Erevin began screaming a string of curses at Lorkaj, so the Vampyre muttered a word of magic, which caused the Spymaster’s head to freeze in the middle of its current rage against it’s will. Lorkaj spoke another word of power after that, and Erevin’s head began to grow darker and darker as magical bandages began wrapping around it.

“There, that should keep you quiet until daddy gets home,” he grunted. Lorkaj left the ruined temple, and pulled out his commorb. He activated it, and Carmilla’s face appeared in the crystal orb, apparently none too happy about being disturbed.

“What now?!* she hissed through the link.

“I have the package,” Lorkaj said. “Tell Lord Drakan that I’m coming home…and I’m bringing him a special present from the bottom of my heart.”

Carmilla’s features seemed to lighten up at his announcement. “So things are progressing well at last. Good work, I’ll send an escort to the usual rendezvous point.”

The link fell silent, and Lorkaj began walking down the street of Ukrosha for the last time with his precious cargo. He already made arrangements concerning his businesses, so he wasn’t worried about leaving them behind at all. But even so, he couldn’t help but admit that at some point, the City of Shadows had somehow taken a spot in a special place in his vile heart in ways that his original home never did. Or could, for that matter.

“Yes,” he muttered to himself remorsefully. “Good work indeed.”

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:05:01

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Kaz felt a wave of arcane energy wash over her as she discharged streaks of lightning from her fingertips. The arcane power sizzled as it struck a trio of Hounds square in the back, and the creatures fell to the ground in convulsions. She sensed movement behind her, and she whirled around to catch sight of more Hounds rushing toward her. A wave of her dainty hand was enough to send them flying into the air, and yet another had brought them crashing violently to the ground, kicking up dust as they landed.

“Very good,” she heard the demon whisper in her ear. “If we keep this up we can slaughter all of them by daybreak!”

Kaz didn't reply as she froze a group of Hounds which were harassing some Black Guard Ordinators not far from her position on the palace steps in blocks of ice. She drew on the infernal power she had accepted form the demon moments before the battle started, and released a volley of greenish bolts at the frozen Hounds, which shattered on impact.

The next thing she knew, the ground was shaking as she heard Nhur shout out something. She lost her balance on the steps, and tumbled to the ground just in time to see some of the upper parts of the palace break off and fall close to where she was standing mere moments ago.

The small quake ended, and Kaz brought herself to her feet. “The hell…” she muttered, surveying the scene. She saw the different groups of defenders scattered across the courtyard, which was unsurprising given the current situation. She also saw the attacking Hounds, but they were no longer attacking at all.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:05:36 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:27:59 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“He commands them now,* the demon said as it appeared next to her. She realized that it was right, for the Hounds began walking towards Nhur…and kneeled before him in an almost reverent manner.

“Just what’s going on now?!" Nhur asked.

“You tell me,” Uthalion asked as he walked towards the Mahjarrat with a Minotaur decked in Ordinator gear by his side. A nearby Hound snapped at the Hunter as he got a little close to the Emperor, but when he backed away the beast did nothing to further antagonize the situation.

“I’m telling you, Little Shadow,” the demon hissed in Kaz’s ears. “He’s commanding them. Kill him before he orders them to attack!"

Kaz ignored the Inner Demon, and instead focused on a nearby wall. The wall itself wasn’t all that interesting- it was just a normal stone wall- but it did have a decent sized hole in it since Nhur’s magical earthquake had apparently knocked a small statue of a Rakshasa warrior that was covering it to the ground. And she thought she saw her friends standing in the hole, as well as a man with a feathered, wide-brimmed red hat and what appeared to be an earth elemental or golem with crystals embedded in it’s skin.

“Ignore them,” the demon said. “They’re not real.”

“I said the same thing about you when you first showed up,” Kaz retorted.

“If I wasn’t real, then I wouldn’t be able to do this,” the demon replied sarcastically. Kaz felt her arm jerk upward, and she strained to control it. Despite her best efforts, her other arm rose in the air as well, and she felt a surge of arcane energy begin to build in her hands.

Nhur had his back turned to her as she felt her magic forced out of her hands and into the shape of a fireball that was bigger than anything she had ever conjured before. The large spell connected with the Mahjarrat and nearby Hounds, causing both to scream in agony as the flames began to lick their skin.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:06:14 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:28:47 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Betrayal so soon?!” Nhur asked as he whirled to face Kaz. The raven haired mage tried to break off the flow of magic, but apparently the demon had perfect control over most of her body at that point.

“I-It’s not me!” she cried. “It’s the de..” he protests turned into an infernal growl as her Inner Demon gained full control of her body. She heard Nhur bark a word of magic, and her vision began to blur. The walls and intact plants of the palace courtyard had distorted into the glass and metal foliage of the Fade Realm, and the sky turned a dark shade of red that she had never seen before, even on her previous trips to the realm.

Worst of all was Nhur. The Mahjarrat was no longer there, nor were the Ordinators and Hounds, or even her friends. But the Inner Demons, on the other hand…

“Ah hell,” she muttered.

“Welcome home, Little Shadow,” Kaz’s Inner Demon said with a vile grin. “I’m sorry about the rather…unpleasant circumstances of your arrival here. But I promise, you’ll live. Well, just barely.

Kaz saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and barely dodged the first of many chain-like tentacles which had erupted from the ground near her. A second one caught her by the leg, and another, her arm. She tried struggling free from the alien appendages, but to no avail. They were simply too strong, and she felt her magic fade as they tightened around her form.

Kaz couldn’t help but scream as she was dragged to the ground in front of the laughing Inner Demons.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:06:51 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 04:15:10 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Kaz!” Arial screamed as he exited the underground tunnel. His companions followed, and he saw Nhur kneel over the prone form of the rebel mage. “What the hell did you do?!” he screamed at Nhur.

The Mahjarrat shrugged. “I-the spell. It was supposed to disable her, but not like this."

"What spell?” Arial asked.

“Good general now's not the time for this,” Nhur replied. He motioned to the Hounds who were eyeing Nhur warily and added, “These things could turn on us at any second…we need to be ready and strike down as many as we can now!"

"What…spell?” Arial demanded to know once more.

Nhur sighed. “If it eases your mind, it was a simple silence spell that would keep her from using magic at all until it wore off.”

“You know,” Lukil said, his eyes glowing a yellowish hue. “I think he intended to kill her with it and is trying to lie to cover it up.”

“Yeah,” Arial agreed. “It makes sense. He did it with Ix, and now he did it to Kaz. What next, you’ll do this to everyone who disagrees with you?!”

The nearby Ordinators watched the general’s outburst warily, each wondering whether or not to get involved with the conflict. On one hand, the Emperor’s enemy was now in front of them, possibly threatening the big guy himself. On the other hand, he was also a general, which in shade culture simply meant that he was skilled enough to probably handle all of them at once in combat.

V stepped forward and put a hand on Arial’s shoulder. “General,” he said. “Don’t listen to him.”

“Why?” Lukil asked. “I’m simply offering my observation on the matter. He’s free to act as he deems necessary, you know.”

“Is he really?” V asked. “Or is that what you simply want us to think?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:07:46 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:30:37 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“I’m not sure I follow,” Lukil said innocently.

V took his crossbow and aimed it at the Psionic. “Let’s just call it a hunch,” he replied. “I’ve had my suspicions about you and your Psionics ever since I’ve met you, so I can’t help but feel curious as to whether or not I’m right.”

“Right about what?” Arial asked.

V didn't answer, and instead fired a green bolt at Lukil. The portly Psionic had attempted to manifest a psychic barrier, but he was too slow, and the bolt struck true. Lukil screamed, and his skin began to peel off as the arcane energy dating back to the days of the Skarjil had begun expanding. Next was his muscles, which atrophied from the heat of the energy, and his bones took on a purplish hue as they seemed to fuse closer and closer together compared to a normal skeleton. When all was said and done, a purple, skeletal humanoid lay on the ground, spasms wracking its abomination of a body.

“Whoa,” Joran said. “What the hell is that?!”

The creature moaned, it’s yellow eyes fixed on V with hatred. It attempted to speak, but its mouth wouldn’t budge, and instead alien gibberish which sounded like a curse escaped its cracked lips.

“So they’re still around,” Nhur remarked. “I thought it was only him…and he was…”

“Save it,” Arial said. “How do we know that you didn't plan this?”

Nhur slapped Arial across the face, sending the general flying into a nearby bush in the process. “Fool!” he screamed. “Did it really get that much of a foothold on your mind? Don’t you realize what this means?”

Arial growled, and leapt at Nhur with his cerulean blades drawn. Nhur brought his staff up and parried the attack, which caused sparks to fly in the air as the stunned Ordinators and Hounds could only watch the unexpected and sudden duel.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:08:26 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:31:18 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Arial continued striking at Nhur, who dodged, parried, or countered each and every attack with an unnatural ease that made even a normal Mahjarrat seem graceless in comparison. The pair attacked each other for what seemed like hours on end, and for all Arial knew it could have easily lasted for hours until Nhur finally landed a strike on his stomach which sent him sprawling to the ground.

He saw Joran standing to the side, and screamed, “Just don’t stand there! Help me out, will you?!”

“His mind is gone,” Nhur said. “Listen, I promise you…I’ll pardon everyone involved in this mess if you and yours stand down and let me take him in peacefully. If we fight each other, they win!”

~^+^~

Joran mulled over the Mahjarrat’s words in his mind carefully. It was odd, he thought. Ever since the rebellion started, he wanted nothing more than to take Nhur down. But after V revealed Lukil as one of…well, whatever he was…his mind felt clearer than it had been since the day he fled the palace and his old life.

“Come on!” he heard Arial scream. “You promised to see this through! Did that oath mean *anything* to you!?”

“It did," Joran replied at last. “But I don’t know…something seems off about this whole thing. I mean, I don’t even remember why I wanted to kill Nhur in the first place now."

"I’m telling you, it’s that creature,” Nhur said. “He’s influenced a lot of this without anyone being any the wiser about it!”

“He lies!” the prone general cried maniacally. “He’s just trying to save his skin!”

“Or are you trying to save what’* left of your dignity?” Joran asked. He shook his head, and turned to Nhur. “If you promise to pardon everyone- and I mean *everyone*- who’s involved with the rebellion, then I accept your proposal.”

“What?!” Arial screamed.

“I’m sorry, general,” Joran replied as he began walking out of the courtyard. “I’m done. This damn rebellion is over as far as I’m concerned.”

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:09:27 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:32:42 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Arial watched in shock as Joran left. He felt mixed emotions. Betrayal, fear, anger, and even envy. The wimp had it easy, he thought. He wasn’t the one who had a sacred duty to the true Emperor because of his post. He surely wouldn’t- nay, couldn’t- understand what was at risk. It was much more complicated than just who happened to sit on the throne at this point!

Nhur loomed over Arial. “Last chance,” he said. “Give up and I promise we’ll sort this out. I’ll even rescind your death penalty, because I could really use your blades for the coming storm.”

“Like hell I’ll accept a loaded offer!” was his reply.

Nhur frowned. “Pity. I was hoping your mind wasn’t so far gone that you couldn’t be saved. I guess I was wrong.”

Arial felt a sharp pain in his stomach as Nhur stepped on it with his boot. “I’m sorry,” the Mahjarrat said as he raised his staff to strike. “I gave you a death sentence for this kind of act earlier, but you refused a legitimate pardon. You shall get what you deserve.”

Nhur brought the staff down on Arial, and his vision grew blurry as he felt his skull crack. He caught sight of V coming up behind Nhur, and he heard the black Rakshasa’s words echo in his mind.

“My fears are that knowing the truth of this place before you find it on your own shall cloud your vision of what is to come,” it had said. The vision of the Skarjil mural came into his mind as Nhur’s staff stuck him again, and he coughed a small laugh as he realized the meaning of it now.

It wasn’t a tomb at all, he realized. It was where the future had revealed itself. That single thought was as far as he got with his last musings before he felt himself fall into the darkness of death.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

05-Feb-2011 04:10:45 - Last edited on 06-Feb-2011 03:33:49 by A Mad Hatter

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^+^ The Age of Nhur ^+^