LoD Chapter 2 - The Legend of the Forsaken Brother

[Astral Harmony]

Trevor saw the ice attacks coming and moved quickly, dodging Renetta's slice and then shoulder rushing her, knocking her off her feet onto the cold snow. This gave him just enough time to put up his shield, blocking the spheres. One of the armors...

OOC: The one Conner is hitting along with assistance of Samoht's electrical flurry.

...Lost grip of its sword, stuck in the pillar, and fell down. Trevor abandoned the armor, leaving it nothing but a lifeless heap of battered metal. The other armor whirled quickly while also being hit with Samoht's attack, took sight of Howl, and flung its sword at him before moving in an almost completely useless attempt to tackle Karnok. Renetta looked behind her to see Karnok racing towards them, rolled to the side so she wouldn't get trampled and worked towards standing up. Trevor still had his shield up dealing with Howl's ice...
But not for long, the interloper bastard...
...as the thrown sword whirled towards the caster.
That monster wouldn't be difficult to handle if the others weren't close enough to be threats. I'll need a hand...an armored one...
Then, almost as though it was summoned on thought alone, a giant gauntleted hand with long, thin, sharp fingers with barbs dropped down to land near Trevor, his third and last summoned minion.
"I won't tolerate interference with my true destiny from the likes of you! This realm shall be your graves! You will be swallowed up by the snow and darkness and you will never be remembered again!"

[TheBlindMime]

Howl spotted the spinning blade from the corner of his eye, throwing his left hand to the side 2 orbs quickly shot out enveloping the sword and throwing it off target. But not enough, leaping backwards he throws his last orb into the column greating a huge shield which stops the blade and locks it in place high above the fighters. Landing on the ground with a solid thud Howl groans. "Well thats the end of that."

[lazy man]

Kerith was quick to ract to the call for the fight to start, quicker than any normal person at least. Switching his sword from his right hand to his left, Kerith waited for Bort to make his move. Kerith had heard so much about Bort's move, it seemed like it was all he would use. That was a bad mistake on Bort's part, and Kerith had something planned out already.

When Bort propelled himself toward Kerith with his trident pointed at him, Kerith merely stuck out his right hand. The tactic was simple, Kerith's hand went inbetween two of the prongs on the trident, allowing him to catch it without being impaled. Of course, with the speed Bort was going at, Kerith's arm was in a lot of pain, but it wasn't broken yet. Keeping the trident from piercing his chest, Kerith was pushed along the ground as Bort slowly lost momentum.

During all this, Bort was preparing his net so he could throw it. Kerith, however, was prepared for this, which is why he had switched his sword to his other hand. Tossing his sword under the trident and his right arm, Kerith caught the net while Bort had just thrown it. The sword, while not being intended to even hurt Bort, got tangled up in the net in midair, leaving Kerith without a weapon, but Bort without any means of keeping Kerith in one spot. This was where Kerith would finish the match.

Bort, who was in disbelief, slowly ground to a halt with Kerith firmly gripping the other end of his trident. He tried to get it out Kerith's grip in several ways, but each way proved to be futile, especially when Kerith got his other hand on the trident. The audience members, who had seen Bort kill many with this technique, were shocked, especially since Bort couldn't just kill Kerith where he stood with a simple thrust at this point. Even with the help of psionics pushes and pulls, Bort couldn't pierce Kerith on his weapon.

"What the hell is this?!" Bort yelled as he pulled and tugged to no avail. "Are you even human?!"

"You don't know how many people have asked that question, Bort... And always before they die..."

Before Bort could reply, Kerith had given a tug of his own, sending Bort sprawling forward. Grabbing Bort's arm, Kerith wrenched the trident out his hands and then tugged on the arm he had grabbed with all his might, making it easy for Kerith to kick out Bort's legs and sending him flat on his back. Kerith thrust down with the trident, aiming for Bort's face, but he was blocked by Bort raising his shield. Kerith responded by kicking it out of the way after the first thrust, and then prepared for a second after stepping on his arm, only pausing for a brief moment to give the man some final words.

"Enjoy your freedom," was all Kerith said before he stabbed down, straight into Bort's head. The ugly sound of the stab was muffled by the cheers and hollars of the crowd, but Kerith heard it, just like with everything he killed.

Releasing the trident, Kerith slowly walked away from Bort's corpse. Still walking slowly, Kerith scooped up his claymore and unwrapped it from the net it was tangled up in. After that was done, Kerith just walked out of the ring as if nothing had just happened. The audience cheered louder than they had during any time before in the day. Most because Kerith had finished the fight in about three minutes, others because they noticed he'd done it without using a single spell, and the rest because they'd just won a bet and had gained a lot of money.

Whatever was the case for the audience, Kerith was still injured somewhat from the fight. His right arm had absorbed all of the force from Bort's attack, and while it wasn't broken, it still hurt like hell. It was something Kerith had grown to ignore, but he still had to get it checked out before the next match, which would probably be in less than an hour.

[Toastburner B]

Connor leaps clear of the armor as it collaspes, and turns back towards Trevor. The other minotaur of the group is already charging the shadow-enchanced assassin. Connor, moves towards Trevor more caustiously.

When the armored hand appears, Connor sighs, and takes the staff from off his back. Won't do me any good to go hand to hand with all those barbs. With another quick chant, Connor enhances the strenght of the staff so that it will take far more punishment than regular wood, and moves in quickly for the gauntlet. He leapts, and angles his staff below him, and lands on the glove, staff and hooves first.

[Bosolai]

Trevor swung both of his axes without aiming at anything, and with a little bit of magic, those two shot twenty-fold spread of spinning blades going in multiple directions. Just after he threw his weapons, Karnok's spear smacked right into Trevor's side. The spear slid off to the side and caught Trevor's left arm, causing a gash on the wrist and hand while taking out his axe. He was only being stationary because he was holding a shield under his clothes the entire time. But now, it was becoming too much to focus on. He dispelled his shields and leaped backwards, throwing a shield around each person, stopping their movements and limiting their oxygen. He kneeled down tend to the wound which seemed to cure itself, then grabbed his fallen axe.

Trevor walked over to Renetta with a fierce look in his eye, "I've decided to give you one last chance. Lets forget the mistakes of my father and your mother. We can start over again. Or, you can just stay here and suffocate to death. If you choose to die now, you won't get to change your mind. What do you say?"

[Raiden]

Samoht's electric spheres phazed out of existence when Samoht was surrounded by the bubble. The lack of oxygen was instantly noticed by the drow. He was beginning to feel light-headed, and since he had just been fighting, his breathing was heavier than normal. He was going to run out of air if Renetta didn't hurry up and do something.

[Lioness]

Ian focused on the beating of his heart, a trick he had learned from a friend years ago when they would hide underwater for long periods of time. He focused inwards in such a way that he needed less and less oxygen utill he had almost stopped breathing. He knew, though, that he could not focus on anything else until he could breathe normally.

"I should last for a while yet, but the others will need more oxygen," was the last thought he had before emptying his mind, "Renetta had best think quickly..."

[Astral Harmony]

Renetta only wept. It was all she could do. Her brother had won. There was simply no way her weak human heart could triumph over so much loathing...so much sorrow.
So this is it. Eventually my oxygen will run out and I'll die, a foolish woman to the very end.
Had it all been a waste? What could she have done differently to have saved her brother all this time?
No.
What?
You cannot perish like this.
Who is that?
You may not have been my daughter by blood, but you are my daughter in my heart, and I am shamed seeing you give up so easily. For all that I've known and loved Helena, I knew you, her true daughter would be something special in combat. But to see you, kneeling before something just because you think it's your brother...it pains me, Renetta. This is not the girl you were raised to be!
"Dad?"
I wanted to be a better mother for both you and Trevor and spend time with you, and it tears me up inside so see that the two of you, so much in love with each other, are locking swords with the intent to kill one another. I feel like it is my fault that this has come to pass. Renetta, your brother is not the man...the monster that stands before you. Do not submit. You are my one true descendant, mind, body, and soul. Do not give up. The love in your heart will reach your brother. Show him the passion you haven't even realized that you had.
"Mom!"
My dear sister...I can never begin to apologize for how weak I have become...for how weak I was to begin with, and for how blind I was to your heart. I never realized how much you loved me, not as a step-brother, but as a man you believed could make you truly happy to the end of your time. Damn, I was so hotheaded and desperate. How did it come to this? I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. But you cannot give up, sister. If I can see the undying blaze of passion in your heart, I can die without any regrets. Strike me down and free me with all the love anyone could ever have for me. As your brother, but more important as the man who now sees his love for one that should have gotten it a very long time ago, I beg you for a release from this painful existence. Please, Renetta! Don't lose to the abomination that stands before you!
"...Brother..."
A crack. Trevor backed up. "What is this?!" He said, and raised his hand at the shield around Renetta to strengthen it. Regardless of his focus, the crack lengthened and grew. Renetta slowly rose up, the barrier developing more cracks. Fragments fell and vanished before they hit the snow. And then, the shield was obliterated. Trevor covered his eyes from the blinding light that erupted. When the light died and Trevor could stare at Renetta again, her coloration had changed. Her whole body looked to be made of shaped mercury and was reflective like a mirror, her eyes luminescent like two diminuitive suns. "This warmth. I remember." Renetta's voice resonated outward, coming from anywhere and everywhere at once. "During one cold winter, our house caught fire and we all held each other out in the chilly night. I was in the center, hugged by my mother, father, and brother. I was by no means comfortable, but it was the greatest warmth I had ever known. I long with all my heart for that moment again. The only time I was held by everyone. By you."
"Destroy her!" Trevor spat, and the living gauntlet rushed her. Renetta swung her Arm Blade...and obliterated the monster, its horrible body consumed by light. "What ARE you?!" Trevor said, backing up. "No, you won't defeat me! The power of darkness answers to my every whim!"
Brother and sister clashed in a flurry of light and darkness. Then, Trevor suddenly backed up, not blood but darkness oozing from a gash in his stomach. A glance at Renetta's Arm Blade revealed malevolent blackness dripping from the edge. The shields on Karnok and Howl shattered like frail glass. "Is this...human spirit? No! I deny your power! This is all a nightmare and I shall wipe it from my mind as I wipe you from existence!"
Another spirited melee, and Trevor backed away again, another wound bleeding dark slime etched into his chest. The barriers around Samoht and Ian evaporated. "My heart is breaking." Renetta's strange disembodied voice again, and this time tears could be seen streaming down her mirror-like cheeks, the liquid glowing. "But let it never be said that love comes without a price. Farewell, my love."
Trevor could only watch as his estranged lover slammed her blade home into his chest, his insanity suddenly a horrible dream one instant too late. When the resulting blast of light subsided, a dying Trevor and a content Renetta held each other in a column of light slicing through the sky above. While it was weird to see that their lips were connected, what was even more bizarre was that they were bare of weapons or even clothing. A moment later, Trevor's body went slack, a whispered "thank you" just before he finally died. His body was absorbed into the light from above, leaving a naked Renetta clutching a key. The column of light receded into the sky, Renetta's clothes returned, and with a final "Brother...", she collapsed, exhausted from pushing her strength and will to their limits. The key was held loosely in her left hand and a smile remained on her sleeping face even as the snow started to fall again.

[Bosolai]

Like many others, Gwyn passed out from the oxygen deficiency. The barrier faded, letting her drop to the ground below, peacefully. In what seemed to be only a couple seconds to the sleepers, the temple spoke, "Is this what the world uses to protect itself? Warriors who celebrate their victory by taking a nap?"

Gwyn was the last to wake up. "Huh? But we just-"

"Silence!" The voice commanded. "You've just obtained a key, and one of you has found the light. Congratulations, you're one step closer to stopping the darkness. I'm sorry it had to be like this, but such is the way of things. Do not dwell on your loss unless you want what happened to Trevor to happen to you. You must remain focused and stay on guard, for the battles ahead will only get more difficult. And, I also believe your friend is in trouble, so you might want to get going."

"You mean Kerith?" Ian asked.

"I don't care for names! You know who I'm talking about, so... move along now." The voice went quiet.

When everyone used the statue to leave, they found themselves in the palace courtyard, with Ayden there waiting for them, slowly clapping his hands as they appeared. "Good job. Not only did you take out a most wanted criminial and stop the assassination of a senator and a prostitute, you also secured another key." Ayden looked a bit confused, then looked over the group. "Wait, weren't there eight of you?"


(OOC: This chapter is closed, I'll have chapter 3 up later tonight, if not tomorrow morning

Edit: Its up, and its at http://www.nuklearforums.com/showth...569#post303569 )