Meroldor Reborn

[Mr_D]

Running between the falling blades and whistling arrows, Sol charged up the steps towards the upper gantry where the general stood, flanked by his honour guard; two lancers clad head to toe in elven armour. Drawing the twin elven sabers at his side he cornered the blonde man.

"Surrender, your forces are in disarray and soon your champion shall be dead." Sol spoke sternly, gesturing to where Andreas and Darrien did battle. Karas smirked, letting a slight chuckle escape from his lips.

"We still have time. Our mission is not yet over." He sneered.

"Fall back, men!" Karas barked at his troops. "You, deal with him." He gestured to the lancer on his left, who stepped forward to engage Sol as Karas and the remaining lancer retreated with their troops.

[Ariel]

As the walls had fallen away, they revealed a tumbling forth of thousands of sculls and bones. The wailing of the dead rose from every corner. Spectral figures from the past.

[Llew]

Llew hissed sharply, readying his sword at the sight of the dead army that seem to be coming from every corner of the room. He stood over Kiarra, ready to fight to the last should they turn on them. The fighting sputtered to a halt as all eyes turned to look at the gathered dead, numbering in the hundreds now and growing steadily. Who would they attack?

[Ariel]

Tylorian silenced the crowd with her commanding voice. Even the ghostly shadows stopped to listen."These are spirits of Merolder and their strength has grown. They seek vengeance upon the evil Lords." She looked around at stunned faces and heard some sighs of relief. "Together we unite and stand strong against our enemy."

And then...all hell broke loose amongst those still standing. Still the blackest darkness loomed. Still the battle raged on and on. But one thing the enemy didn't have was love. That which compells us onward and gives us strength and hope and never dies.

[Ariel]

Kiarra awoke to the sound of a lone owl hooting. Wolf was restless and pacing back and forth. "What is it wolf?" She sat up slowly getting her bearings. "It is time Kiarra, you have slept in the chamber of protection and healing. The elves have administered their energy to you as you slept. Now we must go and be swift."

Upon the dusty floor, Kiarra awoke in her own realm to the sight of Llew. She smiled and quickly grabbed her sword from the ground.

[Llew]

Llew smiled down at her in relief and helped to to her feet. Together, and with the two elven worriers, they started towards the mercenary's circle.

[Mr_D]

The lancer took another step forward, the armour clashing together loudly like the beat of brass instruments. With lightning speed it lunged forward, intent on impaling Sol on the bladed tip of his glaive.

Thrust after thrust cracked the air like thunder as Sol desperately parried, the blade scoring light cuts in his flesh. His eyes darted to and fro as he searched for a weakness, an opening in his opponent's defences. The torrent of strikes crashing down on him like a wave kept him on the defensive. One near miss whistled past Sol's shoulder, slicing cleanly into his deltoid and he stumbled, his footing slipping on the marble steps.

Sol tumbled down the steps, landing on the floor with a thud. as the lancer advanced upon him it raised it's glaive, slamming the blade down into the ground. Rolling to the side Sol had no time to regain his footing before the enemy attacked again, shattering the floor beneath him with a mighty blow.

[Talon Sinnah]

Darrien pushed Andreas off and sliced deeply into Andreas's chest. "Now you will join your fallen."


The pain forcing him to one knee Andreas let weariness take him as he sheathed his sword. Ginlin's axe hung limply in the other hand. As a single tear rolled down his face the world seemed to slow as he turned his head slightly as an arrow forced it's way through the shield. Realizing his newfound love of elven made weapons Andreas rose up quicker then Darrien could notice as he attacked. Dodging the first downward stroke Andreas caught the following lunge. Still moving like a blur Andreas holds Darrien's forearm up in the path of the arrow.


As the arrow stopped in the fallen angel's forearm the magic from the shield caused the very torturous pain of hell to course through the body. Spinning under the arm Andreas let's Ginlin's axe fly toward the crystalIn the same motion Andreas draws his sabor and brings it across the exposed part of the body the cut strap left open. The sabor bit deep into the soft middle severing the angel's spinal cord. When the weapon finished its way through the warrior Andreas sheathed his bloody blade as an unearthly wail echoed through the halls as the axe shattered the cracked the crystal. As the shield followed it's summoner down Andreas hit his knees then his arms.


Darrien felt the arrow enter his body and the pain begin its march through his veins. As he watched Andreas continue his assault he could have sworn a dwarf's visage was helping throw the axe, and as the killing stroke was delivered he saw Mochais standing beside a bald dwarf with a long mustache comeing down from his upper lip. As he lay on the ground and his life drifted off he could feel the Dark Lord's anger pulling him even further into the growing darkness.


As the shield lowered Carpathian yelled for the unoccupied archers to concentrate their fire. Pulling his sword free as he ran past the mercenary he had helped he nudged the young elf to get his attention. Letting the taste of victory fuel him Carpathain ran to Andreas's side.


Pushing off the balcony Kai dodged a sword stroke and delivered a final one to the warrior beside the attacker. Tumbling to his feet against the wall Kai Tin dodged the forthcoming lunge that was so powerful it broke the sabor. Kai Tin's punch sent the elf archer over the balcony plummeting to his death. "Now for the crystal." Picking up a bow and arrow Kai Tin knocked an arrow and started to aim. "Yes kid kill the captain. He is the reason she is dead." "No I can't." Kai Tin forced the arrow back toward's the crystal. "You know he did. He lead this fools quest and because of him she joined. He should pay fo his betrayal." " he did not know she would die." It does not make a difference it is his fault." "No it is my fault I killed her, I could not protect her. No one is to blame but me!" Kai Tin let the bowstring go as the arrow flew straight and true. As a smile of triumph appeared on his face and the voice finally left Kai Tin sat down against the wall where the dead archer now lay. The sun began shining as he stood up with a sigh of relief. Looking at the archer he smiled boyishly. "It will be a pretty day after all. Freeing his falchion Kai reverted back to his normal barechested form and leapt off the balcony into the frey.

[Loxley]

Arden dropped the bow without waiting, and once again grasped his elfblade and shield. Seeing that his target fell on his knees, and the red shield dissapated, he felt a grim satisfaction. He yelled with all the air his lungs could muster: "Their leader is dead! Now we fight them on our conditions! Hoplites, ready your spears!" Once again, as a single body, the elves threw up their spears and shields. This time, they did not stay in their iron circle, but began to move outwards, while the enemy's fighting spirit began to weaken. A complete bloodbath ensued as the mercenaries began to destroy the enemy forces once and for all.

"This way!", Arden growled to Sinaht, as he ran up towards the throne, where Carpathian, Darrien and Andreas were located. Sinaht followed him up, and as soon as they reached the throne, Arden crouched by Andreas' side. A quick look, and he turned his head to Sinaht, and yelled: "Find Rukie! Quickly!" Sinaht darted off to find the band's priestess, while Arden turned his attention back to Carpathian: "Stay with him and protect him. I've got my men to look after." He then ran back towards the battle, where his men were slaughtering the enemy forces without mercy, enemies that were unable to get close enough to them to retaliate due to the spears the mercenary band used.

He felt a cold hand grasp his heart, though, as his eyes landed on two men fighting fiercly with swords, the elf's spear laying in two pieces on the ground. One of them was a klundor, the other an exceptionally young elf, with a face of inexperience and innocense. And suddenly, the young elf, a boy that had only recently joined his band, was skewered on the klundor's sword, and stiffened as he felt the sharp blade protrude through his back. The klundor laughed, savoring his death with grim satisfaction.

"Damn you!", Arden whispered to himself in horror, shock and fear. He rushed forward, attacking the klundor in a furious attack, first severing his sword-arm with a clean cut, then his head. "Bregan Savant!", he growled then, driven on by relentless wrath. "A brother has fallen! We take no prisoners this day! Kill them all, and let Platmeise sort them out!" The soldiers did not seem to react, but they had heard him - no prisoners would be taken. They would revenge their brother. Arden felt safe enough to let go of his elfblade, and crouch by the young boy's side, catching his head in his own right bandage-covered hand.

The elven boy looked up at him with pained eyes, and coughed up blood as he tried to breath. Sweat began to drop from his forehead. "I...did my best... Captain...", he whispered through the coughs. "He was too...good..." Arden gritted his teeth hard to hold away the tears that began to force their way out from his eyes.

"You did good...", he managed to say despite the lump in his throat. "You..." His voice now failed him, but he repeated the words: "You have fought side by side with your brothers. We saved Merolder from a fate worse than death..." Now, tears lined his face, and his heart felt like it was about to burst with pain. "You're a hero...", he whispered. At that moment, the boy smiled, just before his head fell to the side.

Arden didn't move, but continued to stare at the boy through the tears. Memories of his soldier began to flash through Arden's head. He remembered the day the boy had requested to join their band. Arden had decided to let him, despite his better judgment, despite knowing the boy was not yet ready for the trials of war. The boy was the first casualty they had taken in a battle in many years. And his captain couldn't even remember his name.

Arden didn't move, despite enemies rushing in at him from all sides.

[Loxley]

Suddenly, Arden picked his Elfblade up in his right hand, and the klundor's sword in his left. When the enemies reached him they were met by an impenetrable flurry of sword attacks. Three of them stumbled forward, dead, before the others had realized what had happened, and the remaining stumbled backwards, eager to get away. Arden was about to take up the pursuit, but then suddenly, a cracking sound made him look up into the roof, and just barely, he managed to roll away, avoiding a huge slab of stone that came crushing down into the ground, from the roof.

The keep was falling apart!

His men also noticed it. On his order, they began to fight their way out of the keep. He sheathed his elfblade and dropped the klundor's sword, lifting the dead soldier in his arms as he began to make his way towards the huge doors out of the throne room. Two of his men closed up on his sides, protecting him from enemies.

While the keep was falling down over their heads around them, Arden and his two soldiers did not hurry. The loss of a brother was a hard thing for any member of the band to cope with, and they all felt heavy within, and especially so, their captain. Soon, Rukie joined up with them, and with a look at the dead soldier, her face filled with pain. Arden didn't look at her. He couldn't. After all...

The soldier was her little brother.
"Get out of here.", he said to her with gritted teeth, unable to stand the pained expression, and tears, that began to run down her cheeks. He looked away, but forced himself to continue towards the gates taking them to the courtyard.

[Mr_D]

The lancer that towered over Sol raised his glaive above his head, ready to deliver the final blow when the room began to shake violently. As though commanded by an unseen force the lancer straightened up suddenly, bringing its weapon down to its side. Turning swiftly on the spot it marched towards the exit, utterly unconcerned with Sol or the others.

Sol rose to his feet, dusting off his jacket. With a quick sprint he made his way to the others, now close to the gate. Surveying the group he turned to Arden and Andreas.

"Is this everyone?" He asked, eager to ensure none were left behind.

At that instant a deafening roar boomed through the throne room such that Sol could feel the sound travel through him, shaking his very bones. Looking behind him he could see the great physique of the monster Amon.

[Loxley]

Arden and his men turned and regarded the huge monster that appeared in the throne room. Arden's eyes widened visibly, and when he turned back to Rukie, his voice sounded like a whiplash: "You! Get out of here - now! That is an order!" He turned to his two men and nodded for them to follow her. Rukie reluctantly ran out the gates into the maze of corridors beyond it, followed by the soldiers. None of them dared oppose their leader when he was like that. Arden turned to Sol, and said:

"I think that is all of our people. I need to get the dead body of my soldier out of here. I never leave any of my brethren behind. Buy me some time, and I'll owe you one." With that, he shifted the weight of the dead soldier over his shoulders, and began once again to move towards the gates. He was exhausted by the battle, however, and it went slowly.

Behind him, the roar of the newly appeared enemy grew in strength, but Arden did not look back, focusing on getting out of there with his dead soldier.