A halfling walks to church (3)

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VAN
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Post by VAN »

As Kimuriel's memory returns and he completely understands what has happened to him, a last order keeps filling his mind.

The psion concentrates and trying to use all his mind power, he has to do something extemely difficult. A blue light appears and covers Ixevim's and Heinrich's bodies.

Kimuriel waits eagerly the result of his "negate psionics" power, if he has failed, he wants to be ready to try again before any one else do anything.
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Post by Coan »

As Kimuriel's mind powers manifest the fading light of the outside sun behind smoke clouds fills the room one last time, tinted green by the glass. Ixevim can feel his psionic and arcane protections falling away like snow to warm water. Grasping with his mind he tries to hold on to something, anything! But it is gone, all his preparations are for naught against the defection of his comrade.

At the same time Heinrich feels a slight movement around him him -whatever magical protections he had are now as nothing.

Kimuriel sighs as he realizes what he has done and quickly moves away from his dead father who has by now collapsed into a fetal position.


"Make it stop! Kimmy please make it stop. He want stop it! Why!??"

As the half elf moves back towards his friends he feels something -a tugging on his mind. Turning back he sees the blue light of his 'negate psionics'.

For whatever reason it hasn't stopped -indeed it seems to be spreading. Merging with the green light from the glass it begins to turn a yellowy colour ever so slowly merging into a grey light encroaching the ground and expaning like mist.

Kimuriel's mind jerks to attention as the calling to his mind continues. His power is manifesting at an impossible rate and is feeding on his mind -funnelling his talent so as to continue in size.


"What is going on? I have not ordered this!" Lord Pietor says raising his voice for the first time
"O oh" is all the puppet can utter as it begins to quiver uncontrollably.

It is then that Kimuriel realized the truth of the matter

He had never been controlled by Pietor
-someone else had dominated the detective.


"This is unforseen." the second mindflayer spoke looking over the area
"He is out of place. Contamination is to wide spread"
"Miscalculation was a inherent risk of the process."
"We must retreat."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."

Suddenly the two shorter mindflayers turned as if to walk away only to shimmer into nothing, leaving the first and tallest, looking at his colleague.

"An unfortunate anomaly but a nessesary one that my counterparts do not seem to understand. I almost envy you." Ixevim felt something akin to humor and sadness as the last of his kind faded from view.

Heinrich and Otto (not inclined to psionic power) could not see the large growing manifestation of grey that was rising from the ground and circled each other.

"It ends here, I shall cut you from the world you disgrace with your presence." Otto said moving in for a sweeping attack
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Post by VAN »

>This is alhoon

Ixevim's mind races to understand what has happened to his friend and what this new power is. Normally a negate psionics that affected more than one people would negate a single power from each. . . and normaly it wouldn't act on its own.
Then one of the greatest fears of his kin raised in his heart. "Contamination" his kin said.
There was one psionic disease that could do that. It made you to unexpectedly manifest your powers and then it could kill you, or worse yet, destroy your psionic abilities. And Kimuriel's father was an undead psion that could spread diseases.
In everyone's mind within 100' a sense of fear like hearing someone screaming on the top of his lungs erupted.
- The first 2 Feats a wizard should take are "point blank shot" and "Precise shot"!
- W H A T ! ? !
- Or they should NEVER memorize rays!
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Post by Coan »

As the grey mist like miasma grows it scales the walls and a huge shape appears, to which Ixevim and Kimuriel can see.

The shape of a beautiful woman forms in silhouette. Wings protude from behind her and hang down. Kimuriel's heart goes out to her, love pure and uncaring as the shape slowly fades and his view adjusts. A large vortex like funnel has covered the roof -the result of the mists from his mind. In someways its resembles a storm and through this maelstrom Ixevim sees another visage.

An army of golems and bio-droids, forged from the minds and wills of his illithid kin and... something more, the over mind that oversees it all. Behind the army plot and scheme his people under ground and all powerful within their own world. Then a flash of lightning within the funnel forces him to close his eyes and the vision has changed. Now a desolate land lays before him -bodies of the once grand illithid empire reduced to skeletons and empty husks. He looks towards his homeland and an overwhelming dread fills him as he sees it reduced to rubble and a mindflayer's skull at his feet. An overwhelming sadness and sorrow overwealms him as a cry of agony covers the dead land of Bluetspur and the world he knows. In desperation he searches the sea of dead but finds nothing, hardly any evidence to suggest illithids even walked this earth. Unable to cope he falls to his knees scratching at the skull he carried with him.

Then Simone is at his side hand outstretched to the cowering illithid. Not knowing if this is a trick Ixevim finds himself taking his friend's hand. The human is turning him away from the horrible picture. Blood flows from the mindflayer's eyes like human tears and he swallows back the feeling to collapse yet again.


"It... Its all gone." he manages to gasp out

"Be...strong." Simone speaks as the vortex blackens inside and the visage fades to lightning and clouds of its own. Looking around Ixevim can still see Simone at his side. But this time something is different, he is corporeal -solid and real.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Heinrich ducked the attack and swept the scythe aside, barring the blade from getting any closer.

"I could say the same for you Otto, you bring disgrace to the memory of Falkovnia, siding with the bastard ingrate who tore our land apart."

Dis lodging his weapon from Otto's, he pushes Otto back and goes on the counter offensive, bringing his blade up in a sweep that would cut Otto from groin to throat.
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Post by alhoon »

OOC> OK, I'm lost. Ixevim saw Bluetspur destroyed in the visage or actually went there? And Simone is standing next to Ixevim? Head cut off and all?

IC> Ixevim's mind readjusts itself. The shock was great, the sorrow and desperation overwhelming, but Ixevim believed that the visage wasn't true. . . yet. After all, he had just spoken to three of his kin. But perhaps the dreadful image was an image from the future.
This wasn't "meddling in human business" anymore.
Still, his legs were weak from the shock and his head was spinning.

OOC2> Ixevim suffers from the effects of a minor horror check (something like nausea. He will be weakened and sick for a few minutes).
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

OOC: Is his head actually spinning? Coz that would be really cool :)
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Post by Coan »

OOC: Think of it as Ixevim seeing a huge screen picture that engulfs him and transports him into the vision.

Simone is 100% alive and healed (no wounds) and by his expression shocked at it.

IC: Otto sidestepped Heinrich's blade and circled inwards giving his enemy a swift upwards kick to the ribs, as Heinrich was pushed back by the blow Otto sweeped his scythe across, tearing the clothes over the Falkovnian's chest. Under his chainshirt the former soldier could feel the first flow of hot blood.

While the fight continued like this Nostalia began creeping slowly towards the dazed Pietor who could only look up at the psionic storm -being visible to only a few. She was almost upon him when Lurzed yelled from his hiding place behind a throne for his ally to watch himself. Looking ahead Pietor could see the rogue enemy as she made a break for him. Raising his hand blood dots formed on the tips of Pietor's fingers when suddenly tendrils of veins shot forth and attached themselves to the Boritsi loyalist.

Stopping in mid run Nostalia slumped slightly then jerked to attention like a toy soldier. Veins pumped and moved as she seemingly took her first new step towards Pietor.

Heinrich could see the Lord drawing a blade and tried to move forwards to help her but Otto was always there.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

The warrior tests his opponent with some frustration, he never expected the man to be a talented fighter, just a loud-mouth twit. He threw in a few feinting attacks before drawing his dagger during another set of thrusts and sweeps, with each attack picking up the flow to ensure what could almost be a stalemate. However, Heinrich knew he was outmatched in this battle, all he could do was hold Otto off form going onto the offencive. While he continued to attack, he drew his dagger into his off hand and used that to stab forward while Otto dealt with his sword, even if it took everything he had, even if it cost him his life, he would see the man before him dead and Nostalia saved from Pieter.

During these attacks, Heinrich also attempted to turn the direction of the battle, so that he was closer to Nostalia than Otto, slowly he managed to make some progress, but unless some stroke of luck caught Otto unaware, he would be to late to save the woman.


OOC: Heinrich isn't using his dagger often, just now and then to hopefully keep Otto a little off balance, he doesn't have the feats to alloew him to get away with using it all the time. Also, Heinrich has the Back to the Wall feat, so if he gets cut up to badly he gets a little better at fighting ;)
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Post by VAN »

As the duel continues, Kimuriel keeps looking the mist. He seems lost in it as the view of the figure has gotten his mind away. The half elf is unable to do anything, he is like a statue. Only the pain and the first drops of sweat at his face can help the bystanders understand that he is trying with all his inner forces keep his conciousness. A last grimace appears at his face as his eyes turn, everything turns black and he fells to the floor.
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- W H A T ! ? !
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Post by alhoon »

Ixevim raises a four fingered hand to Simone's face as he looks stunned at the man he knew better as a ghost.
"Are you real? Are you . . . alive?"
Simone seems equally perplexed as Ixevim.
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Post by Coan »

Simone looked around and touched his own stomach as if to prove it to himself.

"By some miracle... I live again?"

At this time Lurzed took the opportunity to flee through the glass door running at all speed while Heinrich was considering his odds of survival -and they looked grim at best. Otto was clearly a skilled warrior and the proof was bleeding out of Heinrich at a dangerous rate. For his part the Falkovnian had caused several cuts to his opponent and even deeply wounded one of his legs but it was not enough and it seemed it never would be as Otto plunged his scythe through Heinrich's wrist and forced him to drop his sword as the curved blade stuck in him.

Gasping in pain he stumbled back and collapsed to the ground, he only had time enough to watch as Nostalia reached her controller and turned to watch her protector as behind Pietor lifted a long dagger. For a moment Heinrich could see his past and present collide -his wife and family killed and now Nostalia, and there was nothing he could do to stop it!

Suddenly Otto stopped from retrieving his enemy's sword to finish the fight. Looking upwards as if he had heard a sound from above, he screamed. Up top Heinrich could also see something -large and grey manifesting in his vision like an illusion. The storm was reaching out into reality and as a cost to Otto he was unprepared.

Heinrich looked between Otto and Nostalia.

He knew he had two options but only time for one.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

OOC: YIKES! :shock:

IC:
Clutching the dagger between his teeth Heinrich grabbed at the blade imbedded in his arm and pulled, biting down on the blade in his mouth to stop himself from screaming in pain as he dragged the scythe from him. Eyes from the pain running from his eyes he gritted his teeth and dragged himself up from the floor. Clutching the dagger in his left hand he frowned at the man before him, now distracted by the mass spreading above them and then to Nostalia, his decision was clear. Before Otto could react he kicked the man in the stomach, stumbling him before he set off at full speed to aid Nostalia. He had promised to protect her and he would not break that promise.
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Post by Coan »

Even in her gruesomely induced stupor Nostalia seemed to see Heinrich running towards her and she smiled.

Moving as fast as his bleeding legs could carry him Heinrich sidestepped Nostalia and brought Otto's scythe down -severing the vein like tendrils connecting Pietor and his would be victim. The Lord gasped for a moment and stepped back as Heinrich turned and raised his dagger in one movement. Summoning all the energy he could he buried the blade into the man's chest, the blow so swift and brutal he ended crouched at the now dying man's feet.

Lord Pietor stood shocked looking around the room, his eyes wild with terror and an inability to understand what had just happened. Nostalia fell like a doll to the floor.


"This is... impossible." his voice gasped and sounded wet as the blood ran into his throat "This is not... what... was promised... to me?" he slumped and fell back onto his knees slowly. Trying to raise himself up with growing fraility he failed. The puppet attached to his strings had gone -a line of withered black ash from his hand showing it had either left or died. Looking to what remained of his allies he faltered, Heinrich managing to summon the strength to crawl over to the now collapsed Nostalia and looking at his dying opponent.

"Art.. Artemis, why?"

Slowly from behind a pillar emerged the traitor, ignoring the darkening lightning storm on the roof and the screams and cries from others. Hands at his front in a display of non-agression he looked at the dying Pietor with pity.

"We ...had a deal."
"I know." Artemis said nodding slowly "And it had concluded." at this Pietor gave a snort of laughter
"But why? Ivana... loved me. Why did she... she... turn me away?"

Artemis looked to Heinrich who was slowly rocking Nostalia hoping she was not dead then turned back to the conversation.

"She was never truly yours. I'm sorry it came to this but your memory has been altered."
"Altered?"
"Your not him. Pietor was a good friend of mine but he died almost a century ago. Ivana left because of someone controlling you to drive her away. You are a facsimilie -a forged copy, nigh perfect but still flawed."
"But I ... I am Pietor." the man gasped going into a coughing fit

Kneeling next to the dying man Artemis frowned.
"You were created. By someone I do not know yet intend to find. Ivana will pay her dues as will this man for tormenting you with a facade -I promise you."
"But we are friends Arty... don't you remember? Sai-sailing down the river that d-"
"I remember." his friend interupted
"I am the real Pietor aren't I?" he coughed and his eyes began to redden "Ivana loves me doesn't she? Where is she? Why did she run... away?"

The pain of the man was obviously to much to bare and getting up Artemis' long leather coat creaked slightly as the diplomat pulled out a pistol.

"So... I'm not him... just a worthless copy." blood escaped his mouth
"Yes... and I am sorry to do this." Artemis tapped the pistol to his coat
"I know enough of wounds... that Falkovnian couldn't finish me right. Better shot than die this way... I can feel the pressure and pain now... but was I... Was I a good man Arty?"

Heinrich, hearing some of this conversation was interrupted suddenly by a battle cry. Looking back he saw Otto standing before him -his own longsword in hand. To tired and wounded to do much else Heinrich hugged Nostalia and closed his eyes to the blow to come.

But it never did. Instead he heard a small retort of a pistol and a loud thud. Opening his eyes Otto lay dead at his feet -Artemis with his pistol levelled to where the Invidian's head had been seconds before. Turning the diplomat answered his friend's question.


"A better man than me." but he was already dead. Lord Pietor, once consort to Lady Borca, former ruler of the land and friend of Artemis had been slain...

over 80 years ago.

But there before a traitor, a servant, a soldier and others, laid a man used and betrayed. But somehow to Artemis all the titles of the original still held true enough.
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Post by Wiccy of the Fraternity »

Heinrich hugged Mostalia to his chest as who would his wife had she been alive still. He glared up at Artemis, his silent fury coming off as a wave of unrelenting hate. He then cast his gaze to the others.

"Lady Nostalia... she... she needs help."
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