RuneScape Forum Archive | SotD2: The Cycle Breaks

Crystal Smee

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In a brief lull, she seized the moment to jam her sword down into the thick flesh. The wolf screamed in pain, but she drove the blade further until flesh met the hilt. Blood spattered out across her clothes and onto the stones. It stained the white fur as the beast collapsed, speared right through its spine.

Larvald swung his warhammer as hard as he could. It connected with the dragon in a shower of shattered scales. The beast drove its long, spiked tail toward the one-armed man in retaliation. Larvald jumped just in time, only to be hit squarely in the stomach by one arm. The dragon’s arm sent him flying to crash into the wall and everything went black.

“Larvald!” screamed Glevea. She nearly lost her footing on the dragon, but managed to grab one of the long, razor-sharp spikes on its back. The brown haired girl pulled back her hand in shock as she saw the blood seeping from a number of deep gashes on her hand. She forced herself to keep a strong grip on her sword in her other hand and scrambled up the dragon’s body. As the beast felt her move, the long neck curled around. Fire blazed from its open maw and Glevea was forced to fling herself out of the way. Still, one arm was caught in the flames and she shrieked with pain.

She knew she had to seize this chance, though, remembering her previous fight with another dragon. Blood spattered from her hand to stain the white scales as she grabbed a spike again for balance. As the next wave of flames came, she leaned back and threw her sword forward like a spear. The hilt spun through the air and to Glevea it was as though time had slowed down. It flew forward through the next jet of fire, and then Glevea was forced to throw herself down in an effort to escape death. She slammed into the stones and thought she heard something crack.

28-Jun-2011 01:12:01

Crystal Smee

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It took all her strength to turn and look back at the dragon. But then she smiled. The sword had pierced the top of the dragon’s mouth. Blood poured from the wound. The dragon tried to close its mouth, but only pushed in the blade further. Glevea laughed triumphantly as she saw Krystal kill the wolf and Lance and Zamorak defeat the demon. Three down. All that remained was the warlock, but it seemed Katherine was the only one left to fight it.

The warlock moved as though in a trance. Its paces were slow and measured, then it would stop and fire a spell. Jets of fire and ice mercilessly bombarded the adventurers. Exile was hit with a blast of ice and lay helplessly on the ground. There were other odd spells, like smoke that surrounded him and suffocated him. He coughed and his eyes streamed tears, but the haze wouldn’t go.

Katherine saw that Exile was severely injured and left the dragon to Larvald and Glevea. She ran toward the warlock, feeling like the fool as she was forced to dance out of the way of his spells. The mage sent a blast of ice toward her, causing her to stumble to her knees as she shivered uncontrollably. Her lips turned blue as the ice seeped through her skin to her very bones. She felt herself freezing and tried to fight it, moving sluggishly forward in an effort to keep the blood moving beneath her pale skin. She felt as though she was running through water. She suddenly realized that she could do nothing for Exile, the best way to save him would be to end the warlock’s spell by killing the warlock. She gritted her teeth and changed her course to the direction of her attacker.

Her sword trembled in her hands as her lax fingers struggled to hold onto it. She clamped her fingers around the hilt and hung on with all her might. She was ten feet away, five…her mind wondered suddenly why the warlock did*’t move out of the way. Suddenly, the man whirled, staring blankly at a point off in the distance.

28-Jun-2011 01:12:25

Crystal Smee

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“No!* the mage wailed. “No! Armadyl, no!* His body went rigid and he fired a blast of flames at nothing. Then his body buckled and convulsed, and he screamed in pain. “Get out, Saradomin!” he shrieked. “This doesn’t concern you!”

Lying many feet away, Zamorak’s laugh became a cough and a groan of pain. “You’re lucky, girl. Kill him now! The warlock, like I said, is a puppet. It’s a mental connection, a bit confusing to explain now. But of Zaros it seems, not the necromancer. The Gods are assisting. He’s under attack. If you break the connection, it will cripple Zaros long enough for them to bind him, and we can use the staff to get out!”

The spell on Katherine had been lifted. She turned to glance at Exile, and he seemed okay as well. She felt suddenly warm, as though she was sitting next to a blazing hearthfire. Her hands found a new grip on Glevea’s sword and she trotted forward. The warlock was moaning, on his knees now.

*Saradomin, Armadyl, no!* he groaned. He fired spells again and his body twisted. Suddenly, an angel appeared near him. It was a hazy jade-green. It’s robes fluttered, and it ducked as a blast of fire shot over it’s head, just at the same time that the necromancer fired one.
“Die, angel!” screamed the warlock. The angel darted away.

“I am an angel of Armadyl,” it stated. “As I am sure you have guessed, Saradomin and Armadyl are attacking Zaros. We are hoping to create a diversion so that you can get the Staff and get it into our hands, not Zaros’.” Katherine understood her mission and began to run toward the warlock. The angel shrieked and dodged a jet of flame. Katherine saw another collide with it, and it vanished.

At that moment, the warlock buckled and let out a shriek. Blood appeared from nowhere to stain his clothes, flowing from a fresh wound. Then his voice changed. It was slightly higher, no longer Zaros’.

“Zaros. Let go. I’m free, I’ll take over!”

Zamorak cursed. “The necromancer.”

“Zaros, let go of him!” Dramen insisted.

28-Jun-2011 01:12:47

Crystal Smee

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“Fine,” snapped the God of Evil, through the warlock. The warlock’s body convulsed, and then it turned. The wounds vanished completely. Katherine was inches away. She tackled him and heard Dramen curse. Then she was thrown off and into the wall by a ferocious blast of air.

“No!* the warlock screamed. His body lifted up and flew a few feet, hit an invisible wall, and slid down. Blood spouted from a number of wounds. “Guthix, no!* Zamorak laughed.

“Your chance is now, Katherine!” he shouted. She heaved herself to her feet. The warlock was up as well, dodging invisible blasts and shooting his own. Suddenly the warlock stopped and laughed. He raised his hands high in the air, and suddenly there was a bright flash of light. When Katherine could see again, there were three warlocks, not one. Katherine froze.

All three fired a large jet of fire. The warlocks’ blasts harmlessly burst upon the wall, yet it seemed that the necromancers* hit home. “That’s what you get, Guthix!” he shrieked madly. The warlocks turned to face Katherine. “I win,” they giggled in unison. Then they became serious. “I have to go help my master. It’s too much effort to deal with this body too, the strain is too great. When I leave this body, it will die. It’s taken too much of a beating. Those doors will open and you will be able to get the staff. But I warn you, girl, if you do take it, we will win it from you. The choice is yours.” Then two of the warlocks disappeared in a blinding flash of pearly light. The one remaining body suddenly collapsed in a heap on the floor and did*’t move. At the far end of the hall, Katherine heard the gigantic double doors begin to creak slowly open. Showers of dust sprayed from the wood that hadn’t moved in over a thousand years. The noise was endless and grated on her ears.

28-Jun-2011 01:13:02

Crystal Smee

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A gray angel appeared. Long gray hair fluttered about his shoulders, and his robes were gray. His face was long and horse-like, with a long crooked nose and eyebrows that seemed knitted in a constant frown. “Greetings. I am an angel of Guthix. My Lord is currently bound by the necromancer’s magic. Saradomin and Armadyl are fighting Zaros, the necromancer Dramen has gone to join them. Your greatest chance is to take the staff now and get out. I have spoken with angels of the other gods, they will be waiting for you. When you appear in Zaros’ Hell with the staff, one of them will transport you to Heaven, where you shall be safe. Wake your friends and go quickly, Katherine. If the Armadylists take the staff, and they hold onto those who aren’t Armadylist, a chain reaction will take you all.” The angel began to teleport away in a bluish light, but then suddenly jerked back and the spell dissolved. “Oh, and one more thing. The other three – Saradomin, Armadyl, Guthix – they want you to leave Zamorak.” Then he vanished.

“What?” roared Zamorak, but Katherine ignored him. She rushed to Exile and prodded him to wake him. He groaned loudly as he came to.

“Are you okay?” she said softly. He nodded and coughed. She helped him to his feet. “Come on. The beasts are dead, we have to get the staff. The gods are distracting Zaros.”

Exile hobbled over to Glevea, who had retained consciousness and seen everything. “Gods…” she breathed. Exile hoisted her to her feet. Blood stained his arm where she had grabbed his wrist for balance, and one arm hung crookedly at her side. She winced. “I think my arm’s broke,” she declared through gritted teeth. She was able to stand, though, and she found a column and leaned against it.

28-Jun-2011 01:13:46 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 01:14:09 by Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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Katherine woke Lance, who was bleeding from a large **** on the back of his head. His right arm hung by a few strained sinews. When she saw the wound, she could see the shattered bone deep inside. He was weak and pale from blood loss, but managed to stay upright the same way Glevea did.

She then tended to Larvald, who appeared to have broken a rib. He had much trouble breathing and coughed up a lot of blood, but he seemed okay. Finally, she found Krystal next to the body of the wolf. She had collapsed after killing the great white beast. Her wounds consisted of many deep gashes and a few bruises. As ordered, Katherine left Zamorak. He was suffering from a deep wound from the demon. The body he was in likely wouldn’t live long. She was lost in thought for a moment over the concept of that – his spirit inhabiting a body. If he could do that..what if he took over one of their bodies? She shivered and urged the others through the doors. Zamorak wailed after them for help, but she paid no mind to his dying screams.

The six remaining adventurers stepped through the great double doors. The chamber they had entered now was small. They all crowded in the doorway and shied away from the middle, because of what they saw. The room was brightly lit with an eerie emerald light. All twelve eyes affixed to the source of this light and stared.

In the center of the room was a small, weathered pedestal of an ancient marble. Above of it was a staff. The wood was dark mahogany and perhaps six feet long. It hung suspended in the air at a slight angle. At one end, the top end, was an emerald orb. It glittered slightly and inside swirled pale jade mists.

28-Jun-2011 01:14:28

Crystal Smee

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Around the staff was some sort of barrier. This was where the light came from. It was a tall cylinder of the same emerald color, extending from the top of the pedestal high up to the ceiling, which was somehow lower here than it was the in the previous room. Katherine assumed this was the barrier that prevented any but an Armadylist from getting the staff. Likely, only an Armadylist could put their hand through the cylinder.

“Who here is an Armadylist?” she asked. “The Guthixian angel said if they reach for it, and they’re holding onto those who aren’t Armadylist, we can all get teleported.”

Exile raised his hand, as did Lance and Glevea. Katherine took Exile’s hand. Krystal put a hand on Lance’s injured arm. Larvald did the same with Glevea – this left their remaining good arms to grab the staff.

“This is it…” murmured Glevea. “Freedom. Hopefully it will be over after this.” They all felt as though they should say something. A prayer, maybe. None of them really knew.

“We’ll be going straight into a godly battle,” warned Katherine. “So be ready. Zaros may go for the Staff. One of the gods will take us up to Heaven, but he may get to us first. So be ready to defend yourselves. We can’t, under any conditions, let him get the Staff.” The others nodded obediently.

“I think only one of us should take it,” Lance announced. “To be sure we all get out. If three of us are reaching and Glevea gets it first, she may get teleported out and leave us behind. Make sense?”

This seemed sensible, so the adventurers created a chain. Exile was at the head, the one to grasp the staff. Lance used his good hand to hold onto Katherine, and Glevea held onto Krystal. Each felt a large pit in their stomach. Exile’s hand was soaked with sweat as he looked at his companions. “Ready?” he asked them. When each nodded in turn, he turned to the pedestal.

28-Jun-2011 01:14:44

Crystal Smee

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“Okay then,” he muttered to himself. His hand snaked out, quivering with nerves. It reached through the barrier toward the Staff. As he passed through the barrier, his entire body was wracked with cold. None of the others felt it. He felt as though his hand was passing through a sheet of freezing rain. He shivered, but forced his hand further until his pale, bloodied fingers touched the wood.

It was cool to the touch, and smooth. He wrapped his fingers around the surface, and then he felt the jolt. The world began to spin. He turned his head to see that his companions were still with him and his hand tightened as his sweaty grip slipped. His friends were the only ones who weren’t spinning. Around them, the small chamber whirled faster and faster until Exile thought he would be sick.

Then the stones beneath his feet vanished. Everything was a blur. The pedestal, the barrier, it was all gone. Just a whirl of color to his eyes. He felt as though this went on for hours, though really it was a matter of seconds. Then the ground rushed up to meet him. His feet slammed into it and he staggered painfully, clutching the staff. He felt Katherine’s fingers wrenched from his hand and called her name blindly. His vision flashed black. He couldn’t see.

Suddenly, his ears seemed to begin working again, at the same time his vision returned. He gazed up and blinked the tears away as his eyes watered. A scream rent the air, followed by the hiss and burnt smell of a jet of fire. Maniacal laughter trailed this display of magic.

“Zaros!” screamed the necromancer’s voice. Then footsteps. Now Exile could see. He was in a large chamber. The whole room seemed to carry a reddish glow. It must have been underground, some sort of cave, because stalactites hanging downward and stalagmites parting the neatly tiled floor created informal columns, giving the room a more regal look.

28-Jun-2011 01:15:20

Crystal Smee

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The dais at the far end, upon which a reddish-brass throne sat, furthered the air of importance in the chamber. At its top was the head of a wolf, maw opened wide to reveal a row of sharp teeth. Upon the armrests were the paws, revealing long, wickedly curved claws. At the base were two feet bearing many more talons.

At the same time that Dramen screamed for his master, another voice shouted, “Armadyl! Hurry!” Then Exile saw the gods. The man bolting toward him in a scarlet robe over a black tunic with a high collar, the look of hungry desire parting thin, pale lips, could only be Zaros. There was another man running now, closer and slightly ahead of the Master of Evil. He wore gray robes over an emerald tunic. His copper-colored hair flopped about his ears as he sprinted, his jade eyes glancing back often for reassurance that he could beat Zaros to the Staff. This must be Armadyl, then.

His eyes flitted to the man in white, with a short beard and soft gray eyes. That must be Saradomin. Near to him, mouth working as he murmured a spell, was the necromancer. His hood had fallen back to reveal long, greasy black hair and glittering crimson eyes.

He turned behind him and saw his companions sprawled on the floor. A few of them seemed conscious, but they hardly moved. He found he had little strength as well.

He turned back to the race for the Staff. It appeared Armadyl would reach him first. Just as the God of Good swooped in to take the staff, Zaros screamed something in the Ancient Language. Exile shrieked in pain.

The Staff was suddenly engulfed in fire. Yet instead of burning the wood, the fire made the Staff become scalding hot. His hands were instantly seared and he let go, screaming. He rolled away, clutching his mangled palms to his chest. When he glanced down, they were blistered and bleeding. The pain spread up his arms through his entire body.

28-Jun-2011 01:15:42

Crystal Smee

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Armadyl saw and skidded to a halt, staggering backward and pinwheeling his arms for balance. “Zaros…” he growled through gritted teeth. He whirled and thrust out a leg as Zaros sprinted up. The man tripped and landed on the burning staff. He let out a yelp and spluttered the word to remove the spell. The fire vanished.

Exile heard and rolled back over. Zaros’ head was on his shoulder. He shoved him off, moaning at the pain in his hands, and fumbled for the wood. Armadyl had dove into the pile and scrabbled for it too. But Zaros had it clutched to his chest. He flailed and kicked until he was free of the mess, then rolled to his feet.

“You lose, Armadyl,” he giggled madly. “And I win. You won’t be able to confine me in this Hell any longer!” The orb at the tip of the Staff glittered brightly as he gripped the wood. At the center, now, there was a rosy glow, though the rest remained green. Armadyl and Saradomin were frozen in shock, as were the conscious adventurers. Dramen was motionless too, though his thin lips had pulled back in a triumphant smile.

Then Zaros grew sober. “Come, Dramen. We have much work to do. But first – I want nothing more to do with this place. Araza!” he shouted. Flames sprouted from a dozen places in the chamber and flared up, beginning to eat away at the tiles and turn the walls into nothing but ash. “My Kingdom is the world above, now!* Then he muttered something, and he and Dramen became transparent. Their images shimmered into nothingness.

Saradomin collapsed against the nearby throne, what had once been the seat of Zaros in his Hell. “Good Heavens…” he gasped.

Exile looked up at Armadyl from the ground. “I’m…I’m sorry, my Lord,” he croaked. “I failed.” He coughed loudly as smoke swirled around him.

28-Jun-2011 01:16:05 - Last edited on 28-Jun-2011 01:16:27 by Crystal Smee

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SotD2: The Cycle Breaks