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Author Topic: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)  (Read 18699 times)

Offline Soul Reaver

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« Reply #20 on: December 15, 2021, 04:33:51 AM »
Danyael realizes he is out of time when he senses Kitharsis - a supernova of dark energy in his senses - blazing toward the Krooza's bridge.

He manages to re-enter the artificial atmosphere of the ship and dash with superhuman speed onto the bridge, where the others are engaged with fighting the bone golems.

But there is no time left.  Mournfully he gets into a defensive stance in preparation for Kitharsis' arrival...

Offline Soul Reaver

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« Reply #21 on: December 15, 2021, 04:53:06 AM »
Outside the ship, Jihon's efforts allow him to stay one step ahead of the stabbing bone lances.  However, he can tell that somehow he is an afterthought - that Kitharsis' focus is not really on him anymore.

Jharm's valiant efforts do much to distract the smaller golems, but focussing of the defensive as he is, he does little lasting damage to them in return.  The situation changes when suddenly Gulgrim's crew begin to pile onto the bony forms - the distraction they provide reduces the pressure on Jharm while still keeping the golems occupied... though at the cost of a number of ill-aimed Shoota bullets ricocheting off Jharm's shield.

Soul Reaver's acidic goop spits, bubbles and hisses, eating through the physical material that makes up the bone golem.  It is unable to reform, the 'bone' having been destroyed by the attack.  The golem standing in Gulgrim's way is similarly vaporized, bone exploding and disintegrating in the green blaze.

----

'Kitharsis' barely notices the damage being done to his minions.  He is too enraptured with the power coursing through him, and it suffuses him like a shooting star as he accelerates ever faster toward to the Krooza's bridge.

The massive guns that open fire on him are dismissed with barely a thought - lances of power flash from the energy nimbus that surrounds him, detonating the shells long before they reach him.

Before anyone else can do anything to stop him, Kitharsis punches through the Krooza's shields and smashes into the midst of the bridge, tearing a massive hole open into the pitiless vacuum of space.  Unperturbed, he stands facing the warriors on the bridge amidst the carnage he has wrought, a manic grin on his face.

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #22 on: December 15, 2021, 05:01:33 AM »
"Try using corrosives!" Soul Reaver shouts over the din to anyone who might be able to hear "It stops them reconstituting!"

He glances over his shoulder at the Krooza's viewport just in time to see Kitharsis screaming toward them at phenomenal speed.  All the heavy gunfire directed at him leaves him surrounded by qualms of smoke but does nothing to slow his progress.

"Brace yourse-"

Soul Reaver's shout is cut short when Kitharsis bursts onto the bridge with enough force to rock the entire Krooza.  Soul Reaver is thrown to the ground, and immediately the vacuum of space begins to suck the air out of the room.  A sharp metal panel flies from the wall and slices a cut across his cheek as he clings to the floor to prevent being pulled out into space.

While he could protect himself from the vacuum easily enough, Soul Reaver realizes that the numerous orcish allies in the room might not be so lucky.

Soul Reaver gestures and casts a Shielding spell over the hole left behind by Kitharsis' entry to prevent further decompression of the bridge.  It was a hasty measure, but hopefully would buy Gulgrim and his crew the time they need to more effectively seal the breach.

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #23 on: December 15, 2021, 05:07:59 AM »
Jihon slices, dodges and blasts his way through the bone lances, but they just keep coming.

In the distance, Jihon spots Kitharsis hurtling toward the Krooza, but he is helpless to stop the incoming Kitharsis-projectile.  Then Kitharsis disappears from view and the entire Krooza shudders from an impact beneath him.

Kitharsis must be attacking the bridge!  He needed to get there as soon as possible.

Activating his jets again, Jihon runs, jumps and flies in spurts, traveling as fast as he can over the Krooza's irregular hull to try and reach the bridge from the outside, all the while fending off the vicious bone spikes leaping at him from all directions...

Offline Kitharsis

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #24 on: January 01, 2022, 03:17:28 PM »
A sudden lurch shakes him.  The calm stillness of the void disturbed by - by what?

The tapping was more consistent, growing louder still.  Why was he in here?

A growing concern is beginning to take hold.  He was doing something important, he thought.  There were others with him?  It's all foggy.

Without warning, a bright green flash intrudes into the void.  He lifts his arm to shield his eyes, but his body doesn't respond.  If he even had one.

It reminded him of The Shaman.

A torrent of memories floods into his mind.  A white glow sparks to life around him, piercing into the void and giving him form. 

He had to get out of here.

-----

Kitharsis eyes each of the Companions as they recover from the breach in the hull.  What a pitiful display to receive his arrival.  His aimless rage is intensified, like a bellows stoking a flame.  The manic grin stretches his lips tight over his clenched teeth.  His mohawk sways and twitches wildly as the dark energy violently whips around him.

He raises his arm, palm upwards.  A solid sphere of energy appears in his hand.  Bolts of dark energy spark around it as it grows larger and larger.  His body tenses and he begins to slam the large sphere of energy onto the deck floor below him.  But a flash of green fills the space before he can follow through with the attack.

When everyone's eyes recover from the flash, they see Kitharsis encompassed in a shimmering green pyramid.  The remnants of a warp gate snaps shut behind a reptilian man donning a simple light brown.  He stands between Kitharsis and themselves, straining with the effort of maintaining the barrier. 

"Please!"  He shouts.  "Help me hold him!"

Offline Danyael

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #25 on: January 04, 2022, 09:23:23 PM »
Danyael is first to react before the mysterious reptilian stranger finishes his plea. By his perception, the world around him was slowed to a crawl. His left hand spinning the sheathed Yamato, building up glimmering silver energy, as his right hand extended ahead of him as he advanced forward. He dashed past the reptilian stranger, the energies of the whirling Yamato trailing behind in a coruscating slipstream, pouring over Kith as he crossed behind him. Outside of his perception, he was a blur of motion. He clamped the yamato down, edge first, to the floor, locking the shroud of light overtop the reptilian's barrier, adding an additional source of power to restrain his friend.
"Yeah, well, ya' better have a spatula where we're goin' cause my ass is frozen to this yak!" :o

Offline Veldanya Venalla

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #26 on: January 12, 2022, 07:02:15 PM »
The Seraphim takes a momentary step back as his one-time friend brings that dark orb downwards before there is a flash of brilliant green light.  As the flash fades he takes in the scene in front of him, the reptilian being begging for assistance. Without further hesitation Jharm thumps the the head of his warhammer down on the deck of the Ork ship and kneels down as he extends a hand towards the newcomer, palm facing the being.  Closing his glowing eyes he focuses and light begins to pass from him towards the reptile, bathing the being in a glow as he channels his own power into the barrier.
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Offline Shadow Chorus

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #27 on: January 13, 2022, 12:51:56 PM »
As Kitharsis punches a hole in the krooza's bridge, a few orks are tossed out into the void, hooting and hollering as they careen into the emptiness of space before one of the more conscientious nobz slams a massive button that says 'Ole Stoppa' on its surface, and a series of metallic bulkheads slam shut over the bridge's viewport, sealing off the breach at the expense of rendering the interior blind to the outside. Angry red emergency lighting flicks on in the interior, bathing everything in a crimson hue.

With the immediate emergency handled, Gulgrim turns to face the new situation on the bridge."Feh. You'z doin' more not fightin'. Not me strongest suit. You'z need 'im clobbered good an' proppa, you'z let me know. But ifn' you'z want 'im 'eld still wivvout bashin, you'z lookin' at da wrong git."

The massive warboss crossed his arms, the metallic cybork arm creaking with the newness of its installation, fixing his Orky gaze on the pyramid, just waiting for it to burst so he could resume the fight.

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #28 on: January 15, 2022, 06:20:51 AM »
Soul Reaver watches on in relief as the bulkheads seal the hull breach on the Krooza's bridge - he leaves the now-superfluous Shielding spell to dissipate of its own accord.

But now, he must turn to face Kitharsis, his old friend, maddened and sinister.  Despite his appearance being unchanged, he can barely recognize him.  As Kitharsis gathers his dark powers, Soul Reaver's face hardens, and he tightens his grip around Blooddrinker's hilt.  He tenses his muscles...

A bright flash catches him by surprise, forcing him to shield his eyes momentarily.  When it clears, a reptilian figure of an aspect that Soul Reaver recognizes from Kitharsis' past stands there, struggling to maintain a green, pyramidal barrier.

"Please!  Help me hold him!"

Soul Reaver does not need to be told twice, but can only hope that Jharm, Danyael and the Shaman can hold out long enough for him to complete the required ritual.  He runs near Kitharsis and, leaning low, scours the tip of his gauntlet across the ground, scratching a circle around the trapped Kitharsis.  The moment this is done, he inscribes a circled rune into the floor, then another a third of the circumference of the circle away from the first, and then a final rune the same distance away again.

The runes and the circle joining them blaze into deep blue life - a powerful runic circle designed to suppress and seal away the energy of the being in its center.

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #29 on: January 31, 2022, 12:14:49 AM »
Jihon arrives to see Kitharis slam into the bridge like a dark comet, rocking the entire Krooza with the impact.  The massive craft strikes him from below and almost sends him careening into space.

Swearing creatively, he fires jets to compensate for the sudden change in trajectory.  He tries to follow Kitharsis through the hole he just punched into the Krooza, where atmosphere, debris and a couple of hollering orcs are being ejected into space.  But as he starts to get close, a shimmering blue energy shield is thrown up over the opening.

"Damn.  Maybe I can still get through..."

As he jets to get closer, a massive metal bulkhead stars to descend.  The inside of the krooza comes into view and he can just see Kitharsis, some of the companions and the orks within.  He reaches out with the Triton's hand in a desperate bid to get their attention.

"Wait!  I-"

The bulkhead slams down over the viewport, sealing it completely and leaving Jihon sitting outside in space, alone.

"Just my luck!"

He reverses direction and starts jetting back toward the airlock that first let him out.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2022, 03:38:48 PM by Soul Reaver »

Offline Kitharsis

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #30 on: February 08, 2022, 09:09:44 PM »
Kitharsis thrashes with appendages that do not exist, attacking an endless void that has no form.  There has to be a way out of here.

Suddenly, a faint green glow tints the void around him.  It is constricting.  A barrier that has somehow wrapped around the seemingly endless void around him.  And it has trapped him inside with it.

The pulsing continues, sounding like a snare drum reaching a crescendo.

---

The Shaman has fallen to a knee, gasping for breath.  As the others add their own effort to the barrier he regains his feet.

"Thank you," He nods, keeping his arms raised in front of him to maintain the barrier.  "I wish I had more time to explain.  But we must seal him immediately.  This is no longer your friend, if he was that to you."

"I am a Shaman from his home.  It is my duty to guide our young as they mature.  It is also my duty to protect others from those I have failed." 

It is clear his heart is heavy.  But his resolve is steel.

"This is the right idea," He motion to Soul Reaver's runic barrier.  "We need to suppress and seal this energy for all our sake.  I will explain everything later.  There is precious little time."

He pushes his palms forward, and the pyramid of energy locks into place.  He glances to the right, a tinge of worry marks his face for a second.

"Please, prepare yourselves.  I will need protection."

The Shaman begins weaving elaborate runes in the air in front of himself.  Each motion leaves a trail of blazing green energy in front of him.  As he does so, realization crosses Kitharsis's crazed eyes from within the barrier.  The entire ship shakes as Kitharsis struggles against the combined barriers.  Multiple runes soon hang in the air around the barriers.  The Shaman begins walking in a circle, intending to weave a web of runes along the outside of the barriers.  His arms are a flurry of movement as he hurriedly, yet precisely carves out each individual rune.

He is nearly half way around before he jerks his head to the right, a look of panic paints his face.

"Please!  I need more time!"  He shouts, desperately.

The ship is violently struck from the direction The Shaman was looking.  The Krooza heaves and rocks as the Orky technology attempts to right itself.  Another strike heftier than the last nearly sends the ship sideways.  The blast shield is forcefully pried open enough that two sinister looking men are able to hop through.  It closes forcefully behind them.

The same energy now flowing through Kitharsis emanates from these two as well.  It is easy to see that they are in control of themselves, somehow able to reign in the consuming draw of the void.  They are absolutely littered with tattoos.  It is hard to tell where one starts and another begins.  Other than that they wear simple garb, nothing more than simple common wear.

"He intends to seal your friend away."  One of them says nonchalantly, brushing some invisible dust from his broad shoulder..  "And not just until he can be cured."  A smug grim accompanies the word.  "Forever."

"Oh no, that's right brother."  The other one, taller than his companion, says.  "I do hope you know you're assisting him in destroying whoever that is in there."

"Enough!"  The Shaman shouts.  "There is no time for this!  They are clearly tainted by the same power that has taken Kitharsis!  They aim to deceive you!"

"We do not lie, you old lizard."  The shorter, stouter one scoffs.

"We will be stopping you now."  The taller one says, matter of factly.

And with that the seemingly thousands of tattoos on their bodies activate with dark, oppressive energy.  They lunge toward The Shaman and the multiple barriers surrounding Kitharsis.

Offline Shadow Chorus

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #31 on: February 13, 2022, 03:54:59 PM »
Gulgrim raised a broad eyebrow at the antics ongoing on his bridge. Things stood to get interesting, but he didn't know any of these gits well enough to know whose head he needed to crush.

"Wot'z yer take, spikey git?" Gulgrim asks to Soul Reaver, scratching his chin in bemusement. "'E's yer lad. We'z believin' dese new grots, or da scaly one?"

Despite his apparent air of calm, anyone with a sense for energy could tell that Gulgrim was spoiling for a fight. WAAAGH!!! energy was bubbling up within and around the Warboss, and the ground beneath him was creaking as he gained mass in anticipation for the coming brawl. No matter who the Ork's ire was directed at, they'd be getting the full brunt of Gulgrim's enthusiastic approach to combat.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2022, 07:12:08 PM by Shadow Chorus »

Offline Veldanya Venalla

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #32 on: February 13, 2022, 07:00:08 PM »
The Seraphim turns as the two newcomers burst in and start speaking.  His glowing eyes pass between then and "The Shaman" as he scowls under his helmet.

"I grow tired of machinations and mystery...."

He places himself between the newcomers and the Shaman, setting his shield in front of him as the two advance.

"Enough!  (towards the newcomers) Stand fast at once!  Shaman, you had best explain yourself immediately or by the Light I will cut you down where you stand.  Can and will you save Kitharsis or is it as they say....you intend to imprison him forever?  Speak plainly and quickly!"
Religion and greed, cause millions to bleed.

Offline Soul Reaver

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« Reply #33 on: February 15, 2022, 05:27:18 AM »
Worry creases Danyael's brow as the two newcomers claim that the Shaman has come to seal Kitharsis away forever.  But there was no doubt that these were creatures of darkness - perhaps they were indeed lying?

When the two begin to charge, Danyael's first instinct is to intersperse himself between them and Kitharsis... but Jharm has already beaten him to it.  He grips the Yamato tightly, mentally preparing himself to fight should the newcomers not see reason.
« Last Edit: February 15, 2022, 05:34:39 AM by Soul Reaver »

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #34 on: February 15, 2022, 05:28:37 AM »
Soul Reaver braces himself against a hefty metal beam as the krooza lists sideways and the two newcomers make their violent appearance.

He listens with narrowed eyes as the pair accuse the shaman of planning to seal Kitharsis away.

Inwardly, Soul Reaver is struck in turmoil.  Soul Reaver is all too aware that Kitharsis had long been holding some manner of darkness at bay.  It was a tale he was himself intimately familiar with.  And he strongly suspected these newcomers had no reason to lie.  Kitharsis... was his friend.

But there was no denying the risk this darkness posed.  If there was a way to safely seal away the darkness he himself carried, even if meant his own demise, what would be the right and honourable thing to choose?  What would happen if these newcomers took Kitharsis away?

The turmoil lasts only for the blinking of an eye, and his face shows only twitch.  But it felt like years.

As the two advance, Soul Reaver looks at Jharm as he intersperses himself and makes his plea, then murmurs over his shoulder at Gulgrim.

"I believe those two.  But if they don't stop now, I will make them."

Already sparks begin dripping from Soul Reaver's left hand as he whispers words of power.
« Last Edit: March 01, 2022, 12:33:12 AM by Soul Reaver »

Offline Soul Reaver

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #35 on: February 15, 2022, 05:38:31 AM »
Jihon reaches for the airlock when the entire ship lists sideways, launching him spinning out into the void of space.

"That does it!"

Blasting his maneouvering jets, Jihon rights himself, then flies with enough speed to the airlock that his triton's feet dent the metal on both sides.  He wrenches the airlock open and forces his huge machine back inside.

"Now I'm getting pissed off!"

A short recompression sequence later, he storms down the metal corridors, back toward the krooza's bridge, the triton's feet clanging heavily with every step.

Offline Kitharsis

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #36 on: February 15, 2022, 09:55:04 PM »
He can see the runes as they adhere to the void around him.  He knows their meaning.  And it is with despair that he stops and allows himself to be still. 

So he has lost.  The darkness has consumed him. 

Another rune smacks against the void.

The spark, his spark, pierces the void.  There is little left for him to do, but to do what he always has.

He begins to meditate on cleansing the darkness.

------------------------

"Its not so simple as that."  The Shaman shouts.  "Kitharsis as he is now is not saveable.  His freedom means our doom, and the doom of many others."

"These two drink from the same vile cup.  I know you can sense it too."  He says.  "They would use him, twist him into someone you do not recognize."

Tears begin to well up in the corner of his eyes.  "But they do not lie.  It is the only way."


"Why are we not taken with madness?"  The stouter one asks, coyly.  "Such a filthy cup must poison all who drink from it, no?"

The two dark warriors continue their advance.  A series of runes trace themselves down the taller one's arms.  He looks intent on cancelling the sealing spell that The Shaman was preparing.

The more stout one is headed directly toward The Shaman himself.  A large tattoo on his chest illuminates before he splits into multiple copies of himself.  The copies fan out and increase in speed.  All looking to subdue The Shaman.

Offline Shadow Chorus

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #37 on: February 28, 2022, 04:04:21 PM »
Gulgrim shrugged and shook his arms out at Soul Reaver's response.

"Well dat's bloody useless ain't it? Wot's da point if dere's nuffin to krump?"

The warboss was clearly growing increasingly agitated at the continued non-starter of a fight, small pieces of electronics popping and sparking in his proximity as the anticipation of violence built up within him. His voice had been louder and stronger than usual before, but now his grumbling sounded like a revving tank engine as he stamped a foot in frustration. -SOMEONE- had best start making it clear who he was to beat into the ground or he would have to take matters into his own hands and decide for himself who got to be smacked.

And it seemed like that fuse was rapidly running out of length.

Offline Soul Reaver

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« Reply #38 on: March 02, 2022, 06:04:04 AM »
The shaman's admission suddenly give Danyael pause.  He had seen what Kitharsis was willing to do for others - he was, in his eyes, truly a hero, and someone that he would have trusted with his life.

But even so, he had to concede that these two newcomers did not look the type to have Kitharsis' best interests at heart either...

Seeing the runes on the arm of the taller of the two invaders, Danyael strengthens the barrier he has formed with a flick of his hand.  And as the stouter one splits into multiples and approaches, he draws his sword into a combat-ready stance with the threatening song of steel.

Offline Veldanya Venalla

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Re: The Eye Closes (The Eye of Terror Epilogue)
« Reply #39 on: March 02, 2022, 07:24:58 PM »
"We have lost too many lately.  Kalana....Cameron....Mary.  We thought Soul Reaver was lost to us and yet he stands by us here and now.  No....I refuse to accept that Kitharsis can not be saved like this, and add another name to the list of the lost.  We try everything we can....and only if that all fails....then we end the threat with honor."

He scowls once more as not only do the two shadow warriors advance but Gulgrim clearly seems to be craving for bloodshed.  He shifts slightly, rotating his hammer around until the top part of the head is parallel to the floor.

"I said...STAND FAST!!"

His voice resonates off the walls with power even as he slams his hammer down towards the floor of the ship as he channels Light through his arm and down into the weapon.  As the sledge collides with the floor the entire room is overcome by a brilliant white flash.  None are shielded from its effects by the Seraphim, whether friend or "foe", as he seeks to once more stop all parties in their tracks. 
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