Shores of Dispair (part 6)

[CinderSuru]

Cinder's stong bond to Adain senced what was afoot. She quickly doged his sword and ran down the hall toward Zarae her mind pertection was able to block the creature she tryed to extend it toward Adain but could not get a full grip on it, he seemed aware of what was going on but could not stop himself. she tried to link with Zarae perhaphs their combind abilities could at least break this spell over the others.

[Adian Novar]

Adian whirled his blade around to put space between himself and Veraka, then charged off after Cinder.

[CinderSuru]

Cinder hear Adain coming after her, she found a passage out of the hall she darted in and ran putting as much space between them.
She had to find someplace to hide long enough to think of something she could do. She fould a staircase and speed up them hoping that it did not lead to something worse than she had left behind her.

[veraka]

Veraka just shook his head; "don't worry about it, Adian."

Aurora smirked, [i:1w18m213]Actually I think you just threw him off; well played.[/i:1w18m213]

Right then the great wolf felt a sudden urge to unleash a blast of her icy breath at Veraka. As the urge suddenly turned into a command that flooded through her mind. The wolf couldn't stop it as she opened her maw.


Neriah, her mind ever alert for magical or psionic attacks, felt her heart stop as she detected Aurora succumbing to the mental attack.

"Veraka, LOOK OUT!!!" she shrieked as icy particles flew from Aurora's maw, straight at the one person she truly cared about in her life, even as her hands start weaving through the motions to cast a spell.


Suddenly, Veraka saw the young drow flash his sword and arc it toward Cinder's neck, at the same time felt an overpowering urge to turn on Aurora, or his beloved wife, Neriah, and swing Marala Vharc right at them. However, right as this savage urge came blasting through his psyche. However, his paladin training, as well as his totem amulet, which was glowing like a charcoal fresh from a pit-fire, augmented his mind and shielded him well enough to ward away the mental assault.

All the while he heard Neriah's voice shriek at him, full of worry, concern and fear. His survival instincts kicked in, overpowering his brains commands, as his shield arm rose to block Aurora's ice-breath attack. His barbarian-gained resilience to damage and his aasimar resistance to cold, combined with his armor's enchantments and his adamantine heavy shield, was able to absorb most of the blast, leaving him barely scathed. Lowering his shield, the aasimar saw his wife slam into Aurora, her leg kicking the wolf onto the ground as she turned and yelled to him, "get Adian!!"


Veraka, already intent on bringing the young paladin to halt, redoubled his efforts and blitzed off after the young drow. While Adian was a drow and a very fast one at that, he wasn't still as tall as Veraka, and with his barbarian training and upbringing, the aasimar easily.
"Adian, are you outta your mind!!" Veraka bellowed at the running drow, noticing how Cinder bolted a corner. The aasimar growled as adrenaline surged into his veins and he pushed himself into a blitzkrieg run, redoubling his speed after young Adian (Charge).
The aasimar blasted down towards the sprinting drow, gaining ground quickly on him. When Veraka was within grabbing distance of Adian, he jumped, shooting his feet out, and going into a drop-kick, that if it connected with the young drow, would send the young drow down to the ground.

[Adian Novar]

Adian, focused on his prey, was totally unprepared for the double-kick. The dark elf was hurled forward and tumbled to the floor of the corridor. He did not let go of the sword, however.

Though the blow had knocked the breath from him, his reflexes were still good. He rolled and sprang to his feet, facing the aasimar. His sword glittered in his hand, rebelling against the use that the paladin was putting it. The dark elf was unable to stop himself, however as he leaped to the attack, his face blank and his eyes empty.

Inside, his consciousness was screaming and pounding invisible fists against the strange force that had clamped around his mind. Despite his best efforts, his body attacked Veraka with everything his body had...no sparring. He was attacking the big warrior to maim and kill.

[CinderSuru]

At the top of the stair she found another hallway not as wide as the other she ran down it and found a balcony over looking the creator.
she stayed out of it's sight and focused on Adain. Opening her mind she tryed desperatly to break the spell over him wile remaining undetected from the creature below.
" Adain " she opened her mind " can you hear me? " try and push the spell from your mind I will help you but I must have your help " she hoped he could hear her.
" Verake is your friend. "
She prayed to the dark maid for help.
She readied her bow in case the odd looking being traced her, it did not seem to be aware of her yet at least.
Cinder looked at the beast trying to find a weakness wile still keeping her mind linked to Adain trying to help him break the spell.

[Zarae Zyne Kilanatlar]

((hey cinder, what beast are u hiding from? im a bit confuse, tho it could be from lack of sleep. the big bad guy is too powerful to really hide since its a type of wizard. or was it something else or something in her head?))

with folks attacking each other, it confirmed a spell caster around, unless some pent up anger just happen to burst at the very momnet- doubtful.
the rogue acitvated her house insignia and threw up a magical shield about herself. she noticed Cinder gone.
"[i:1vb63ygy]where are you? we gotta stand together or it will pick us off one by one."[/i:1vb63ygy] she hoped the mental link spell hadnt exspired.
she turned to head back to them. she wasnt sure what she could do. there was no way she could knock them out cold. would a dispell even work? pulling out a small round item, she chucked it tween the fighting pairs. upon hitting, it imploded and released a thick cload of nearly choking smoke. this might could give Neriah, assuming she's not under a spell, time to think of a way to counteract it somehow.
Zarae slowed, as she felt the magic aura growing in intensity around her. a spell was about to hit, and words wouldnt escape soon enough, as the first sphere of destruction rained down around her. dropping to roll, she fulled her piwafwi tight around herself to shield against the rain of fire.
( http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/meteorSwarm.htm )

magical energies grew near the druidess who was attempting to hide. shadows joined together in the shape of a humanoid.
( http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shades.htm ) an uneartly sound that was felt, escaped its non-existant mouth in a call of an attack.

[CinderSuru]

(( I am hidng from Adain Zarae he wants to take my head off lol...I was thought it was a creature of some kind well i guess the confusion spell is working ))

Cinder herd Zarae clearly, Cinder continued to pray for asstance to Eilistraee. As the fire rained down on them she called upon the eliments and the red lights rose from the floor of the cave the energy in the for of the great fish appeared devoring the fire holding it back from the group, one of the red lights spun over to Cinders position and swirld around her protecting her from the fire. Cinder became aware that the beast was an illusion. She ran back to Zarae, Adain was swinging at Verake.
Cinder sat by Zarae on the floor as the lights swirld around them and the rest of the group, the poerfull energy in the form of a giant fish wiggled throw the air swiftly and went into a spin throwing off the fire as water splashed around him.
Cinder contiued her prayer to the dark maid hoping she would break the spell that had such a grip on Adain.

[Zarae Zyne Kilanatlar]

((thats fine. several post pack is a link and a pix of the big bad guy.))

the shade spotted the girl run. so it followed, not as quick but it wasnt worried about time. he knew where his prey went. with the falling fire sphere it waited, ready to attack the druidess.

Zarae heard Cinder near her as more of the meteors fell. the stinging heat almost unbearable to her, but the magical material kept the worst of the damage away. she just had to get thru the entire spell.

it watched in wicked glee at the havic it caused. and it was prepared to continue this 'game' as long it could. but how long just depended. the essesnce of such divine magic amonst them was not good.

[veraka]

Though he was still in a prone position, Veraka barely had enough time to react as his eyes caught the gleaming edge of Adian's incoming sword. Raising his shield in response to the young drow's attack, Veraka heard the clang as Adian's magical sword smashed against his adamantine shield.

Right as Adian's sword came down upon the aasimar's shield, Veraka curled one knee up into his chest and with the other one, planted it into the young paladin's chest. Rolling with the momentum that Adian had already committed to with his jump attack, Veraka rolled his back more onto his spine, letting the young drow's momentum carry him further and further over the aasimar. When Adian had reached eye level with Veraka, the aasimar shoved outwards with his knee and foot, along with his shield, thrusting Adian up and over himself with a timed counter. This would send the young drow hurtling up and over Veraka into the ground behind him.

Veraka was then able to kick his legs upwards and with assistance from his hands, vaulted himself up onto his feet. He spun around just as the young paladin was recovering from his little toss-trip.


Just as Zarae's vial of a smokescreen exploded around the fey'ri and mentally possessed winter wolf, Neriah sensed a great evil nearby.
Through her enchanted golden necklace that was given to her as a gift from Sanisa, the fey'ri reached through it to her husband.
[i:17p5wj3r]Veraka; I believe that Aurora is possessed through a kind of mental control from a nearby source. If you can make her momentarily falter, I think I can overcome the mental grip possessing her.[/i:17p5wj3r]

[i:17p5wj3r]Hope you know what you're doing, Neri.[/i:17p5wj3r] Veraka replied just as he sent a mental blast through the telepathic link that connected him to Aurora.

[i:17p5wj3r]AURORA!! What in the Nine Hells are ya doing?[/i:17p5wj3r] The aasimar shouted through his mental link. Veraka used his paladin abilities to fortify his mental assault (add CHA bonus to mental saves) on Aurora.

The great white wolf stopped momentarily, as the link between her and Veraka reconnected for a split second.
However, that half a second was more than enough time for Neriah to summon and cast her spell, [url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/magicC ... m:17p5wj3r]Magic Circle against Evil[/url:17p5wj3r] upon Aurora. The fey'ri's slender hand came upon the winter wolf's fur and immediately following, Aurora gained back control of her body.

Through the choking smoke, the white wolf looked to Neriah and said, [i:17p5wj3r]what happened to me?[/i:17p5wj3r]

"A kind of mental control from a very powerful spell-caster nearby; come, Veraka needs us now." With that said, the fey'ri and white wolf bounded down the tunnel towards Veraka.

[Adian Novar]

Adian flew overhead in a high arc and landed with a crash, his breath blasted from his lungs briefly. He scrambled to his feet and came at Veraka again, seemingly unfazed.

He attacked with strokes that the big warrior had taught him not long ago, his weapon hammering at sword and shield seeking to knock them aside or find an opening. As strong as Veraka was, Adian was very fast and his blows were falling like rain. Whatever was controlling him was ignoring fatigue and caution, choosing instead to lead with an all-out attack to keep the paladin on the defensive. His face remained inexpressive, neither angry nor fearful.

[Zarae Zyne Kilanatlar]

((just incase, a shade is after the druidess. and everyone's getting some kinda attack from the beast thingy.))

the spell seam to go on for a while. the pain of the heat a small price to not become a crispy critter. she still heard all the sounds beyond the crashing noise. the shade, as one who dwelt on the boarder of shadows (shadowdancer class) knew it well. and that was not good for them.
when it was finally done, the spell expired, she got up, her back still stinging. as she came up from the maroon cloth covering her, her hand was pulling a dagger out.
"Cinder! move now!" she called as the shade lunged to attack her.

[CinderSuru]

Cinder had still been linked to Zarae's mind and heard the words before they came out of her mouth, she leeped and rolled on the floor putting as much distance from were she had been. She pull the daggers from her boots and called the red lights to her as she spang to her feet, they spun around her with increasing speed ready to shot out on her comand.

[veraka]

Veraka barely had the time to react to Adian's ferocious assault. The young drow swung with near superhuman strength and speed, each of his blows clanged onto either Marala Vharc or Veraka's shield.

"Adian, are you nuts?!" the aasimar shouted as he parried the young drow's sword away from himself, a short reprieve though, as the young paladin brought his weapon back around. Veraka had to raise his shield to keep the blade from reaching him.

The aasimar could see that the young paladin wasn't himself as some other force was controlling him; his aura said that much.

Veraka felt something stir within him that he knew could only be the berserker. The dark beast within his soul wanted out, wanted to show what kind of force it was. But Veraka held it down, knowing that soon, at least he hoped, help would arrive, and help young Adian regain his senses.

[Adian Novar]

Adian's ferocious attack kept coming from a higher and higher angle, forcing Veraka's defenses upward. (Granted, this wasn't easy when one consideed their respective heights.) He would almost certainly follow with some sort of lower attack soon..

And he did. Adian suddely seemed to drop out of the aasimar's sight, almost laying on the floor of the cave as he swept with his leg at one of Veraka's knees with all his strength behind it.

Inside his own mind, Adian was fighting desperately to get control of his own body back. The thing that had him in its thrall was like a cold, clammy wall with a feel utterly unlike anything he had ever known. Alien.

[i:2x6u77f9]Dark Lady, give me the strength to fight this evil![/i:2x6u77f9]