The Three-Edged Sword: Rallying to War

[Soul Reaver]

The golems blast themselves into fragments, unleashing waves of negative energy.  It took only a second to hit Soul Reaver, but he recognizes its signature from his earlier encounter with the Shaiton Lord.

Soul Reaver had long learned to channel his emotions to his own benefit, and knowing what he did now, he allowed the surge of anger to find expression and focus through him, lunging forward into the retreating Shaiton ranks, slashing and tearing through them with elevated ferocity.

His Daemonic allies, strangely, did not seem too affected by the wave - short of a subtle widening of Blightwing's fanged grin.  Perhaps their nature was such that increased hatred and anger was not even within the realm of possibility?

Soul Reaver's spell, meanwhile, shifts in its nature.  With a deafening crack the ground heaves upward, opening a web of deep fissures that swallow those Shaiton too slow to leap to safety.  The cold rain turns into freezing, razor sharp shards of ice the size of daggers, driven by the gale-force winds straight at the enemy, yet somehow missing Soul Reaver's allies by a hair.

Soul Reaver's rage subsides, and he slows his assault, leaving the ground behind him littered with bisected Shaiton corpses.  He turns his head - how did his companions fare?

[Shadow Chorus]

The bellowing Warboss roared his triumph as the Golem crumbled underneath his blazing fists, the darkness of their deaths washing over him and his forces like a wave of spilled blood, relishing in the triumph of a glorious battle.

For Orks, rage, violence, exultation in carnage, and bloodshed are integral parts of their very being. The influence the darkness attempted to assert upon the Avatar of Gork and Mork was like throwing a bundle of kindling onto a roaring inferno. The Warboss hardly noticed the difference, and kept plowing his way through his enemies with the same single-minded glee he always did. A few of his boyz may have gotten a bit more rowdy than normal, and a few brawls may have broken out among his forces, but the Nobz, similarly used to being saturated in fury and violence, though perhaps not to the same extent of their Warboss, quickly got the ladz back in line, directing their fury and bloodlust back at the gits they were supposed to be krumpin'.

If anything the effects of the wave may have made the Orks more dangerous to the Shaiton than anything; a green wedge was driving its way into the enemy forces now, the Boyz even more eager to get stuck in than before. With the Seraphim all hiding behind shields or writhing on the ground like they'd already been snikked, the only fight worth having was dead ahead in the Shaiton lines. And the boyz took to it with gusto, bullets, axes, and flung Grots rending the air like a tidal wave as they hurled themselves heedlessly at their designated foes.

A right an' propa WAAAAAAAGH!!!, all things considered.

[Fallen Templar]

As the golems detonated, Phaerys hastened to create a gout of flame that would fend off the oncoming waves of darkness. However such desperate measures did not afford the same degree of protection as Jharm's shield of light. The darkness swept over Phaerys and the Seraphs surrounding him, some of them engulfed by dark fire and others falling into a mindless rage. The Ataran's conjured fire guttered like a candle in a strong wind, and he felt that same irritation as before. This battle was a distraction from directives sorely neglected, and the berserk Seraphs were viable specimens for further study.

Phaerys fell upon the nearest one in a whirlwind of taloned limbs, catching them in mid-lunge. Armour and flesh alike were stripped away at the molecular level as he attempted to examine the full extent of the corruption. How did it spread? Could it be halted?

Of course, a warzone made for a poor laboratory environment. Phaerys' efforts were stymied when he was blindsided by an attack from a Shaiton amid the battle still raging around him. A blade bit deep into the Ataran's back, opening a small rent and causing the energy that made up his true body to vent out like a small solar flare. The Shaiton was caught right in the face by the intense light and heat, giving Phaerys an opening to swiftly turn around and cast a handful of alloy shards into its torso.

With a moment to spare, Phaerys quickly reached an arm back to repair the suit breach. That fleeting moment of peril was enough to have brought him back to his senses. It may not have been his duty, but their battle line had to hold firm. And Gulgrim's green tide was sure to swing the momentum back in their favour. Falling back to a suitable position near the Orks' destructive wake, Phaerys prepared to offer fire support once more. A volley of fireballs arced overhead and into the Shaiton around the backlines, softening them up for the inevitable advance of the main force.

[Kitharsis]

The golems are felled more easily than Kitharsis wagered.  Their bodies explode into two more black waves of darkness.  Kitharsis grits his teeth as the wave washes over him.  There is no trace of the darkness of Tirthandaran power within him, thankfully.  He wonders what effect this would have had on him in the past.  It brings back sour memories, reflecting on when he turned on his friends.

He expels the darkness from his body, his eyes glowing a faint amber.  His own power within makes quick work of it.

Vee, once again, is energized by the darkness.  He takes another mental note.  She is working on the side of the Seraphs for now.  But her affinity for the opposing sides power is a growing concern.

Kitharsis is brought out of his dwelling thoughts as a Shaiton warrior lunges at him in a desperate attempt to catch him off guard.  One of his floating swords parries the blow, followed by the other two skewering the soldier through the chest.  Wasting no more time, Kitharsis continues his charge forward to the fort.  Whatever was waiting inside will be more to deal with than these golems were.  A growing mass of sand builds behind him as he prepares for the encounter. 

[Veldanya Venalla]

The "invigorated" surge of Ork boyz overwhelms the surround section of the Shaiton lines, causing it to completely collapse, leaving the way clear to the hole blown in the wall by Phaerys. Confirming that his Seraph forces were close behind to fill the gap in the lines and tend to the fallen, Jharm hoists his hammer up and dashes for the makeshift entrance.

"With me my friends!  We have little time!"

Entering the fort he pauses for a moment to ensure the rest of the Companions are with him and then continues to move further in.  They find little resistance as they dash through the hallways, eventually arriving at a large door.  The moment they reach the door a chuckle can be heard within an a feminine voice rings out.

"Ahh welcome "Companions.  I've been expecting you.  Do come in..."

Jharm frowns and looks to his friends.

"That...would be Nethalika.  She wields the Darkness better then any of the other Shaiton.  Undoubtedly with the first crystal removed it wont be as easy this time."

With that he throws the door open and moves in.  The group enters what looks to be something akin to a throne room.  At the other end of the room sits a throne, seemingly crafted from some matter of pure black rock.  Sitting on the throne is a woman, her one leg draped over the other.  Form fitting ebony armor covers most of her body.  Her skin pale white, almost akin to a Seraph but her eyes are orbs of inky blackness and she as long dark hair flowing behind her.  As the companions enter she smiles and stands up, her wings unfurling to reveal that while the Seraphs have feathery wings, hers is more akin to a bat.  Behind the throne is another of the large crystals like the one from the first fort.  This time however there seems to a faint purple dome over the crystal and looking upwards one can see 5 smaller crystals floating in the air, faint tendrils seeming to flow down to the shield covering the large one, similar shields visible over the shards as well.

"Again, greetings.  I must say you all have certainly managed to cause quite a bit of trouble.  Dervagon was rather...miffed about the defeat you dealt him, though it seems he enjoyed the ferocity some of you displayed."

She smirks and looks in the direction of Gulgrim.  She then turns her gaze to Vee and pauses a moment, her eyes seeming to briefly flash before she turns her attention back to the group in general.

"Anyways...one does not need to guess as to why you are here, so idle banter I would say is...unnecessary."

She smiles again and reach behind her she lifts a ebony staff off the side of the throne before kissing her hand and blowing it in the direction of the Companions.  Dark purple smoke begins to flow off her hand, falling to the floor and rolling down the room, quickly filling the area behind it as it races towards Jharm and the others.  Her form then shimmers and seems to split, leaving 3 identical Nethalikas standing in front of the throne.  All 3 raise their staffs towards the ceiling, their voices ringing out in unison.

"Embrace Darkness!"

Dark orbs come screaming down from above, heading directly at the Companions.  Jharm takes to the air, floating above the Companions and creates a shield around himself, two of the dark orbs slamming into it and exploding.  Raising his hammer he shouts out in return

"For the Light!"

Shining orbs of Light now descend from above, barreling down towards the trio of Nethalikas.

[Veldanya Venalla]

As the Shaiton forces buckle and give way, Vee looks around, her helmet rescinding back down into her suit.

"I must say, those Orks certainly know how to cause destruction."

She gazes down at her hands and frowns slightly.

Once again though it not only washes over me but...I almost feel stronger from it.  And still no help from you I assume? [no answer seems to come] I grow tired of the silence, in addition to everything else.

"With me my friends!  We have little time!"

Vee comes back from her thoughts as she hears the Seraphim call out and dash for the makeshift entry of the fort.  Shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts she follows after, blasting away a few Shaiton that attempt to fill the gap.  Following behind Jharm she gazes around as they head through the hallways.

This seems...familiar in a way...but why?  I have never been to this place before.

Reaching the doors she hears a chuckle as someone speaks out

"Ahh welcome "Companions.  I've been expecting you.  Do come in..."

"That...would be Nethalika.  She wields the Darkness better then any of the other Shaiton.  Undoubtedly with the first crystal removed it wont be as easy this time."

Jharm throws the door wide and they head in.  Vee looks over the figure, noticing how similar but also polar opposite she looks compared to the Seraphs.  Her thoughts are interrupted though as the woman looks directly at her.

What are you hiding?  I sense something...

Vee tenses up, fighting against the mental invasion, feeling her own power bolstered by her seemingly silent companion.

Could it be?

But then Nethalikas eyes flash and Vee feels the invasion subside

"Anyways...one does not need to guess as to why you are here, so idle banter I would say is...unnecessary."

Nethalika then seems to blow a kiss in the groups direction as purplish smoke flows from her hand and down to the floor, rolling towards the party.  Without hesitation (and knowing if it will help) Vee once more activates the helmet of her suit, the metallic plates sliding up over her head and sealing. 

"Embrace Darkness!"

Dark orbs start falling towards Vee and the others.  Dashing towards the trio she disappears a moment later, reappearing behind the Nethalikas, perched on the top of the throne.  Pointing her guns downwards she unleashes a barrage of gunfire at the triple threat.

[Soul Reaver]

The razor winds and tremors continue to wreak havoc amongst the remaining Shaiton forces as Soul Reaver and his retinue advance largely unopposed.  He hears Jharm yell:

"With me my friends!  We have little time!"

With nothing to stop him, Soul Reaver follows swiftly through the breach.  As he leaves the battlefield, his spell, too, gradually comes to an end.

Soul Reaver takes point, with the daemons following him in close formation.  He arrives just behind Jharm and Vee when they come to stop outside the doors to Nethalika's lair, her voice echoing through the air.  He nods silently in response to Jharm's warning.

The doors are thrown open and Soul Reaver springs into action.  He take stock of the battlefield and his opponent, noting the apparent shielding over the crystals.

Blightwing, test the defenses!

Blightwing rises from the ground, hovering even without using his wings, and points at one of the smaller crystals.  A shimmering, reddish distortion forms around his hand and a bolt of destructive, warping energy screams from his fingertip.  The results of the attack would inform Soul Reaver of the strength, and perhaps source, of the shielding.

Nethalika however was busy herself, sending a cloud of purple smoke rolling towards the companions and orbs of darkness hurtling from the air.

Soul Reaver leaves the defense against the orbs to the Daemonspawn, who, with surprising swiftness for their blubbery bulk, waddle into position to block the attacks, raising the round shields they are carrying in preparation.

Soul Reaver meanwhile focuses on a different problem.  There were three Nethalika images in front of him - were they illusions?

Blooddrinker, which one is real?

The Daemonic sword answers, sounding oddly muted.

They all are, at least to some degree.  There is no illusion here.

Frustrated, and with the purple mist rapidly approaching, Soul Reaver chants a spell to try and counter both problems at once.

Extending his palm toward Nethalika, there is a bright flash of white and blue as he weaves a mighty Shockwave spell.  A wave of pure energy blasts from his hand, extending outward in a cone-shaped arc.  The white blast drives the air before it and tears at the very rocks that it passes over.

Soul Reaver was hoping to blow the mist backwards with the kinetic force of the spell, while simultaneously catching all three instances of Nethalika in the blast.

The Cruelbeasts meanwhile fan out around both sides of the room with military precision, one team accompanied by the Steelheart, the other by the Fire Daemon.

[Shadow Chorus]

Gulgrim almost seems to grow bored of the banter until it becomes clear that the fight is beginning. Even afterward, as orbs of darkness rain down, Gulgrim remains uncommonly still, especially for the hulking Warboss. But though Gulgrim seemed eerily restrained, writhing around him was the energy of the WAAAGH!!!, tasting of the darkness in the air and growing more agitated and excited for the fight. Whenever an orb of darkness would close on Gulgrim and detonate, he would seem not to be there, instead being somewhere just to the side of the blast radius, just as still, though the energies around him grow ever more violent.

The prospect of an Ork, even one as unique as Gulgrim, delaying the thrill of violence could only be a buildup for something greater. As the energies of raw Orky power begin to build, the air around the Avatar of Gork and Mork starts to crackle. Despite the unnatural silence from the greatest of all Orks, the surrounding environs begin to echo with distant war drums and bellowed war cries as if closing in from far away.

Something is coming. Whether anyone outside of Gulgrim knew just how dangerous that something would be was unclear, but such a buildup of raw violent energy could only be gathered for so long before being unleashed into something truly devastating.

On the edge of hearing, as if shouted from miles away, the distant chorus began to repeat.

waaagh!!!, waaagh!!!, waaagh!!!

[Kitharsis]

Kitharsis follows quickly after Jharm as he rallies them behind him.  The Companions filter into the fort, finding no one to greet them until farther inside.

Someone beckons them further into the fort, whom Jharm confirms is Nethalika, a proficient wielder of the Darkness.  Kitharsis continues on, following Jharm deeper into the fort.  No doubt toward the room housing the crystal.

They are greeted by who he must presume is Nethalika, sitting on a throne.  Her fleshy wings unfurl as she stands.  She is perched in front of the Crystal, which is protected by a faint purple dome.  Kitharsis notes that the five floating crystals seem to power the dome. 

Dark purple smoke flows through the room and threatens to engulf them.  Meanwhile dark orbs scream down from above, targeting each of them.

The mass of sand building around him springs to life and raises above his head, shielding him from the orbs.

He sheathes his sword, while the three floating ones stay aloft.  Soul Reaver has released a shockwave to deflect the smoke, and Vee has begin firing a barrage at the backs of the three Nethalikas.

Kitharsis stretches out his arms to either side and summons long sandstone spears in the air around him.  Five in total.  They each glow a faint pulsing amber as they float in the air above him.  He pushes his palm forward, and the spears go streaking forward also.  Amber trails stream behind them as they pierce through the air.

Each one targets one of the five smaller floating crystals surrounding the larger one.  The spears are imbued with Kitharsis's pure energy, which should be quite effective against the Darkness.

[Fallen Templar]

Phaerys rallied to Jharm's call to press onward and into the breach. He took up the position of a rearguard within the group, watchful for any foes who would attempt to ambush them from behind as they invaded the second fortress. But the lack of any real opposition suggested that the Shaiton had committed everything they could spare to repel the assault outside.

All save the master of this fortress, of course.

Phaerys regarded Nethalika with due caution. Her appearance bore curious similarities to the Seraphim the Companions were fighting alongside, and the crystal she guarded was wreathed in an energy barrier.

When the purple smoke began to fill the room, Phaerys planted all four hands on the floor. His palms were suffused with an amber glow, and he rearranged some of the matter in the floor to twist up and curl over him, acting as a shield against the raining orbs of darkness. Whatever purpose the smoke served, he felt no ill effects that would deter him from making a counterattack.

As he looked out from under the makeshift barrier, he noticed Kitharsis preparing to unleash a barrage of spears at the smaller crystals while the rest of the Companions battled Nethalika's duplicated selves. He recognised the daring ploy for what it was.

He held out one of his arms, the air around it shimmering from the build-up of heat. When Kitharsis' spears impacted the outlying crystals, Phaerys followed up with a narrow beam of superheated plasma aimed at the central crystal. Provided the barrier would be brought down in time, the beam was quite capable of melting through ordinary solid rock.

[Veldanya Venalla]

The combined assaults of the Companions barrel towards their respective targets.  The beam from Blightwing collides with the targeted crystal, the dark object pulsing and exploding, unleashing a small shockwave of Darkness.  Kitharsis' spears slam into the remaining crystals, exploding brilliantly against the dark surfaces.  A moment later each of the crystals seem to flicker before exploding, unleashing a small pulse just like the first one.  At the same time Phaerys' plasma beam slams into the larger crystal.  As with the smaller ones it too seems to flicker slightly before unleashing a larger explosion of Darkness. However unlike the small ones it remains standing after the explosion, a shield once more surrounding it and 5 new crystals floating in the air.  Cracks are now visible however along the dark surface of the large crystal.

At the same time this is happening, the bullets unleashed by Vees guns scream through the air towards the Nethalikas even as Soul Reavers shockwave approaches from the other direction.  With all else going on the figures seem unable to properly defend themselves.  Knocked backwards by the shockwave they are practically propelled back into the spray of bullets.  Each figure cries out in pain, two of them seeming to almost liquify into a black shape before seeming to explode and flow back into the remaining Nethalika, the shockwave rolling through and obliterating the throne causing Vee to shift back to the other side of the room closer to the other Companions. 

The Shaiton seems a bit winded before she glances back at the crystal and scowls upon seeing the cracks.

"I must say Seraphim...your friends are certainly quite powerful.  We both know that were it just you and your ilk you could never have come this far.  She still has not returned.  Left you and yours to fend for yourselves like the vile betrayer that she is.  Accept the truth Seraphim.  He shall return momentarily and will embrace your kind and then we can do what needs done to protect this universe."

From under his helm, the Seraphims eyes flare up brightly as he flies through the air towards Nethalika.

"Liar!"

His hammer comes swinging down, slamming against a shield of Darkness forming around Nethalika as she holds her staff in front of her.  The two figures seem to struggle for a moment before in a pulse of both Darkness and Light the two are launched backwards a few steps.  Nethalika scowls at the group once more.

"Very well..."

She then gestures down towards the doorway and behind her to where the obliterated throne once was.  Two portals at each area appear (that's 4 total) and a Siege golem steps out of each one.

"Face the full power of Darkness!"

She slams her staff down into the ground and kneels down as a shield of Darkness appears around her and all can sense significant power flowing into her as she seems to start charging an attack.  At the same time the golems let out a screech as they move to attack the nearest Companion to them, unleashing clouds of toxin and bolts of Darkness.

[Fallen Templar]

Phaerys' carefully timed attack had yielded results - while not destroyed outright, the central crystal had taken a good hit for sure. Another ring of smaller crystals were summoned to shield it from further harm, and that wasn't all they had to contend with.

From beneath his shelter of reshaped flooring, Phaerys observed the golems' arrival. Two near the now-ruined throne, and another pair near the door that he was closer to. That Nethalika was only now summoning reinforcements seemed to indicate that she may have underestimated them at first.

The upper surface of the shield he'd made was holding strong for now, but a concentrated attack from one of the siege golems would have made short work of it. He broke cover when bolts of darkness hammered the area, preferring mobility over getting crushed underfoot.

The Ataran raised his hands and concentrated on the nearest golem, forming a random arrangement of gravitic distortions in the area around it, sharply pushing and pulling this way and that in an effort to throw off its balance. For all the golem's size and raw might, it wouldn't be worth much without proper coordination. But due to the chaotic nature of Phaerys' little ploy, he was in no position to control exactly which direction it would blunder in.

[Soul Reaver]

Soul Reaver notes that the smaller crystals don't seem to be particularly well defended as Blightwing's attack shatters it into pieces.  He had expected them to be tougher.  Again, he is prepared for the pulse of dark energy they unleash and manages to retain control.

The Daemon Spawn, shields raised, take a pummeling from Nethalika's energy blasts, chunks of flesh and black ichor spattering around them and sending them reeling.  But the moment the barrage ends the creatures right themselves, their gaping wounds closing, a lost arm swiftly beginning to regrow.  Meanwhile, Soul Reaver's shockwave had cancelled out Nethalika's mirror images, and his Cruelbeasts and Greater Daemons has reached a flanking position.

But before they can close in, Nethalika speaks.  Something in her words gives Soul Reaver pause, enough to make him scowl.

Yet he is not given a chance to contemplate - four portals open and more Siege Golems step forth.  The Cruelbeasts are forced to scatter their formation to avoid being crushed by the hulking things.  The Steelheart however takes command of the Cruelbeast ranks, relaying orders to them via an unintelligible metallic screech.  It then hefts its enormous two-handed mace and lays into the nearest golem with ferocious, almost gleeful overhead swings.

Blightwing laughs manically and decides to continue attacking the new set of smaller crystals, diving at the nearest one and swinging his massive sword at it, then start streaking toward the next.

The Cruelbeasts rally - any that have bludgeoning weapons proceed to try and smash apart the knees and ankles of the golem nearest to them, while those with bladed weapons close in on Nethalika from the flanks in a defensive posture.

The Fire Daemon pushes off the ground with its cloven hooves and takes to the air, wings spread wide, to avoid the beams from one of the golems.

Soul Reaver, sensing the buildup of energy from Nethalika, sprints toward her with Blooddrinker drawn.  But as he runs, he sends a mental message her way, ensuring she can hear him over the din.

Why do you believe corrupting the Lightwell will "protect this universe"? What are you protecting it from?

To cover Soul Reaver's approach and hopefully disrupt Nethalika's casting, the Fire Daemon breathes a gout of orange flame from its mouth and nostrils, enveloping her position in roaring fire.

[Kitharsis]

Kitharsis braces himself against the explosions from the crystals.  While not enough to destroy the larger one, they certainly did some damage.  It seems his hunch about the smaller crystals was correct.

Nethalika's speech makes him wonder who and where this mysterious "She" is.  Apparently someone pivotal to this whole conflict.  Whoever this entity is, it wouldn't help their current situation.

Four siege golems step out of portals on either side of the room.  The golem closest to Kitharsis advances, spewing clouds of toxin and firing off bolts of Darkness.

The sand surrounding Kitharsis spins in a whirlwind in an effort to disperse the toxic clouds.  The entirety of his palm glows with his amber energy as he points it at the approaching golem.  He lets loose a thick blast of energy aimed directly for the golem.

Aware of the buildup of power from Nethalika, Kitharsis begins planning a quick defense, for whatever she might be planning.

[Shadow Chorus]

'and then we can do what needs done to protect this universe.'

Unfortunate. Whether Nethalika truly believed she was protecting this universe or not, there was one particularly fatal flaw in that plan.

She had picked a fight with Gulgrim Bonecruncha. There was no protecting something from the Avatar of Gork and Mork once he set himself against it. There was only destruction, because Gork and Mork were the essence of destruction; raw, brutal violence, aggression, and devastation. And while destruction in itself was neither good nor evil, it was anathema to the concept of stasis and preservation of status quo.

And the Avatar of Gork and Mork had been steeping in the energy of those gods since he stopped responding to the world outside, communing with the gods that had chosen him as their hand in the material plane. And now, he would enact their will.

Inside the shield protecting Nethalika, a faint green wisp of light appeared out of thin air, and it carried with it a single sound.

"Boo."

Then the light unfolded, blossoming into a vision of Gorkamorka, a horrifying divination projected to the dark sorceress, the image of massive, terrifying jaws, the enormous shape of an Orky skull, teeth poised to clamp down on the world, the sky, the stars themselves.

Aside from this vision of terror, Gulgrim began his attack. Suffused with the energies of his gods, his motions carried their weight. As he raised his right arm, an enormous burning hand rose from beneath the shield protecting Nethalika, taloned fingers clasping the shield and beginning to apply unimaginable pressure, seeking to crack the barrier and smash down on the spellcaster inside.

While the right hand of Gork attacked the caster directly, the left hand of Mork struck at the greater objective. With a sweep of Gulgrim's left arm, a fist of crackling energy began to sweep in an arcing pattern across the small crystals shielding the larger one, seeking to smash through as many as it could before turning its attention to the greater crystal.

The Warboss directing these manifestations of the twin gods' power stood as silent as before, but the sourceless chorus was shouting at full roar now. Echoing about his vicinity like the drums of doom were the thunderous cries of

WAAAGH!!! WAAAGH!!! WAAAGH!!

[Veldanya Venalla]

The veritable onslaught from the Companions proves too much.  The crystals shatter and explode, Nethalikas shield on the verge of shattering as well.  A moment later however a massive surge of power can be sensed by all far in the distance, followed by Nethalika vanishing in a cloud of Darkness.  A split second later a booming voice resonates within the minds of all the Companions.

"Ah yes....I....have returned!"

The Seraphim glances around, a faint hint of shock in his voice.

"It can't be...it's Him."

"Seraphim...it has been a long time has it not?"

Jharm clenches his fists tightly, the Companions almost feeling the scowl spreading across his face.  A boming laugh resonates within their minds

"I see though that She hasn't returned...........yet.  Hmm....it is obvious what your next intended target is.  I see little reason to further delay the inevitable grand battle longer then necessary.  Come...the final crystal awaits"

A large dark portal manifests in the middle of the room.  Jharm gazes at the portal and then around the room as if expecting something else to happen.

"I have no idea what you are planning...but thinking I would enter a portal of yours is insane."

The Companions can almost hear the sound of a sigh in their heads before the voice returns.

"Very well then..."

A giant shadowy hand suddenly comes out of the portal, swiftly moving towards the Seraphim and wrapping him in its grip before retreating back through the portal.

"Come along now...no need to delay things further."

As the "conversation" was going on, Vee gazed at the portal almost with a look of intrigue.  As the "hand" dashes out, seizes Jharm and withdraws just as quickly she looks to the other Companions.

"Well, I don't know about ya'll but I find myself agreeing with "him" if it means getting some answers."

She moves up to the portal and pauses for a moment before stepping through. A moment passes before the rest of the Companions hear her mentally.

"Huh...well doesn't seem to be a trap but everybody important seems to be here.  Jharm seems to be a bit...indisposed though at the moment."

[Soul Reaver]

The flames clear and Soul Reaver swings Blooddrinker, only for the blade to cut through nothing but dark mist.

Whirling around, Soul Reaver frowns as he listens to the booming voice.

As Jharm is seized and pulled through the portal, Soul Reaver dives forward to try and pull him back, but he is too far away and too late - by the time he gets there, Jharm has already been drawn through.

Then Vee follows him in, much to Soul Reaver's consternation.  Her message does little to allay his worries.

Soul Reaver finds himself frustrated by Nethalika's disappearance.  He had hoped to get his answers through her.  Though he trusts Jharm, he also feels like there are a number of pieces missing here.  There is more to this conflict than he has been told, and he feels there may be a lot more at stake.

Grudgingly, Soul Reaver cast a protective Shielding spell around himself.  Then he dives through the portal to join Vee with sword at the ready, his daemonic troops not far behind.

[Shadow Chorus]

It was a shame that anyone else wanted any kind of answers. There would be little chance for talk once Gulgrim arrived anywhere an enemy was present at the moment, suffused as he was with the fury of the Orks' twin gods. As if knowing this, Gulgrim would chance to be the last one through the gate of the companions, granting the others what little time the delay in his arrival allowed to converse before all hell would break loose upon his entrance. Green lightning and emerald flames crackle and roar in the Avatar's vicinity, and it seems as if his denied bloodshed has only heightened his battle-lust, the fury rolling beneath his unnaturally silent visage reaching a boiling point that would only be satisfied with carnage and destruction.

To put it plain, Gulgrim was becoming dangerous to everything around him, the longer he was teased and yet denied a proper fight. This lord of darkness had better deliver, or this dimension may never recover from the wanton slaughter that was barely holding onto a focus of direction.

[Kitharsis]

Kitharsis is quite unsure of the quick chain of events that happens after then crystals are destroyed.

Jharm is snatched into His portal, whoever He is.  Vee quickly and without regard jumps in after him.  An irritated Soul Reaver, and an over eager Gulgrim follow suit.

With a sigh, Kitharsis sheathes his sword.  The need for an abundance of force might be necessary, and his skill with the sword is dwarfed by his other skills.  The sand summoned during the battle twists around him into a sphere as a pre-emptive attempt to defend against whatever might be waiting on the other side of the portal.

"This smells foul, but it is a long walk back."  He says, before hopping into the portal himself.

This being appears almost jovial about the situation.  After slaughtering so many of his forces, and defeating his commanders it is an odd juxtaposition.  Either He is incredibly foolish, or incredibly powerful.

Kitharsis would almost certainly bet on the latter.

[Fallen Templar]

With the second crystal destroyed, Phaerys had half-expected the aftermath to unfold as it had the last time. Alas, things were far from over. Jharm had been captured and taken through the portal that had just appeared.

One by one, the other Companions prepared to go in after the abducted Seraph. The unknown entity within sounded quite confident of such an eventuality. Phaerys found himself wavering at the threshold, compulsory speculation arriving at the uncomfortable possibility that the prime leader of the Shaiton lay beyond that portal.

But to turn back now would have been foolish beyond measure. Their path had been set before them. The Ataran retrieved the second seismic bomb that he had fabricated and stowed away prior to their first foray into Shaiton territory. Now was as good a time as any to consider putting it to use.

Duly prepared, he silently followed the others through the portal...