Xastra
09-18-2005, 12:23 PM
(( I wrote this a LONG time ago when we were still unable to beat Lucifron. Unimaginable now, no? I had thought I had lost it to the churn of the forum threads, but on trying to restore my old hard drive, BAM, there it was! I haven't edited it at all, just wanted to share an old story with you. The file date is April 26, 2005. Talk about a little bit of history! ))
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Our band of heroes gathered at the brink of Lucifron's lair, gazing upon the fires of hell itself.
Palewoe stood next to me and said "Xastra, if I am to fall in battle, you must hold him back." With dread in my eyes I looked up at him. He gravely continued, "You can do this...you MUST do this. Long you have trained for this moment. You can not fail."
As the moments passed, the tension in the group mounted. Light and reality swirled around us as the priests and mages called upon the gods and nature itself to aid us. Through the rush of blood in my ears I waited for that moment...for the War Mage Potensa to sound the call to battle. Time itself seemed to still as I watched that golden wand lower the signal to begin.
With a roar to shake the heavens, Palewoe swung upon Lucifron. Courage flooded into me seeing my mentor in all his glory! We could do this! Lucifron however was not deterred by this display of warrior might and slammed his fist into Palewoe's chest. Black throbbing light pulsed from his hands and streaming into Palewoe's body, as he twisted Palewoe's very soul with vile dark magic. With an explosion of black ichor and blood, Palewoe's torn lifeless body slid from Lucifron's grasp.
Screaming in defiance, I threw myself upon that dire form. Where was everyone? In desperation, I threw my shield up to block Lucifon's mighty blows. In one blow he pounded my shield and entire left side into a bloody pulp. In his arrogance he threw back his head and laughed at my puny efforts. My rage boiled within me and gave my body the stength to leap up to sink my blade into his exposed throat. My aim was true, but his thick scaly hide rebuffed my attack with not even a scratch to show its passage.
Suddenly, I felt my rage and strength slip from me. What the... In shock I looked down to see a mighty black sword impaled through my chest. Choking on my own blood, I clung to that fell blade as I was jerked up into the air. Slowly my gaze lifted up to Lucifron's face. Staring into those fiery eyes, I felt the touch of true despair.
Tossed aside like broken rubble, I could only lie helpless as he advanced on our back ranks. As the screams of pain rang out, I slid into the darkness...
"Xastra, lassy, come to the light."
In the numb darkness I felt a tug upon my soul. Suddenly, a blast of golden light exploded around me and I gasped for air like a babe newborn into the world.
"Aye, I thought we had lost you there." said Thorcan. "Come, there are others that need aid." I clasped that strong gnarled hand like the lifeline that it was and crawled to my knees. Before me was a scene of utter destruction. The bodies of my friends and companions lay strewn apon the hot rocks like wheat thrown to the winds. With weak trembling knees, I stumbled to the illusion of safety at the back of the cave.
Many times did we threw ourselves upon the implacable might of Lucifron and many times did we fall. Not even the blessings of the gods could bring back all my companions and slowly our numbers dwindled.
With her head held high, War Mage Potensa declared the battle lost. "We must retreat. Gather the bodies of the fallen." Summoning threads of magic within her hands, she spun a pathway back to lands yet untouched by demonic fury.
With the shimmering portal to home at my back, I looked back upon our foe. It was then that the fires of that place kindled a rage within my belly. I would be back. I would see Lucifron dead.
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Our band of heroes gathered at the brink of Lucifron's lair, gazing upon the fires of hell itself.
Palewoe stood next to me and said "Xastra, if I am to fall in battle, you must hold him back." With dread in my eyes I looked up at him. He gravely continued, "You can do this...you MUST do this. Long you have trained for this moment. You can not fail."
As the moments passed, the tension in the group mounted. Light and reality swirled around us as the priests and mages called upon the gods and nature itself to aid us. Through the rush of blood in my ears I waited for that moment...for the War Mage Potensa to sound the call to battle. Time itself seemed to still as I watched that golden wand lower the signal to begin.
With a roar to shake the heavens, Palewoe swung upon Lucifron. Courage flooded into me seeing my mentor in all his glory! We could do this! Lucifron however was not deterred by this display of warrior might and slammed his fist into Palewoe's chest. Black throbbing light pulsed from his hands and streaming into Palewoe's body, as he twisted Palewoe's very soul with vile dark magic. With an explosion of black ichor and blood, Palewoe's torn lifeless body slid from Lucifron's grasp.
Screaming in defiance, I threw myself upon that dire form. Where was everyone? In desperation, I threw my shield up to block Lucifon's mighty blows. In one blow he pounded my shield and entire left side into a bloody pulp. In his arrogance he threw back his head and laughed at my puny efforts. My rage boiled within me and gave my body the stength to leap up to sink my blade into his exposed throat. My aim was true, but his thick scaly hide rebuffed my attack with not even a scratch to show its passage.
Suddenly, I felt my rage and strength slip from me. What the... In shock I looked down to see a mighty black sword impaled through my chest. Choking on my own blood, I clung to that fell blade as I was jerked up into the air. Slowly my gaze lifted up to Lucifron's face. Staring into those fiery eyes, I felt the touch of true despair.
Tossed aside like broken rubble, I could only lie helpless as he advanced on our back ranks. As the screams of pain rang out, I slid into the darkness...
"Xastra, lassy, come to the light."
In the numb darkness I felt a tug upon my soul. Suddenly, a blast of golden light exploded around me and I gasped for air like a babe newborn into the world.
"Aye, I thought we had lost you there." said Thorcan. "Come, there are others that need aid." I clasped that strong gnarled hand like the lifeline that it was and crawled to my knees. Before me was a scene of utter destruction. The bodies of my friends and companions lay strewn apon the hot rocks like wheat thrown to the winds. With weak trembling knees, I stumbled to the illusion of safety at the back of the cave.
Many times did we threw ourselves upon the implacable might of Lucifron and many times did we fall. Not even the blessings of the gods could bring back all my companions and slowly our numbers dwindled.
With her head held high, War Mage Potensa declared the battle lost. "We must retreat. Gather the bodies of the fallen." Summoning threads of magic within her hands, she spun a pathway back to lands yet untouched by demonic fury.
With the shimmering portal to home at my back, I looked back upon our foe. It was then that the fires of that place kindled a rage within my belly. I would be back. I would see Lucifron dead.