Never-Ending Suffering

Never-Ending Suffering
Date of Scene:	07 October 2013
Location:	The Western Desert
Synopsis:	Agrabah comes under attack by the once more whole Horned King. What is his goal here? No one knows, but what is known he needs to be stopped. A wandering program, sage and a Knight lend their aid to the local guard to fend off the attack.
Cast of Characters:	Deelel, Katey Fray, Horned King, Paulo Mysidi

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Horned King has posed:

Traders have had no end of trouble as of late heading too and from Agrabah. At first a few traders went missing along the route. However as the days become more and the weeks continued to grow, this missing of traders became larger. It started to impact the welfare of the people in Agrabah.

Enough cause of concern that some guards decided to head out and investigate what was going on at night when things were cooler. This-- became a great mistake. Guards went and only a quarter of them returned. Speaking of skeleton warriors and mist that would consume the very flesh.

They watched their allies become undead warriors and they were marching right for the very city! This created great alarm. Shops closing, doors being locked down and the desert city going into full alert. Everyone was told to not leave from the city and all they could do now was hope beyond hope, that someone would come save them from the possible darkness that was making its way to Agrabah.

As the night started to fall, the green mist could be seen high in the horizon and soon over the edge of the hill came the skeletal warriors. Their eye sockets black for only a moment did several of them flicker of glimmer of red light. They lined the hill. Perhaps by the hundreds. Different types of armor and falling cloth. Many once traders perhaps, many fallen who were claimed by the desert, and others the very guards.

High in the sky a cloud rolled across the night. Lightning could be seen dancing across the clouds. A few lightning strikes could be seen impacting the very ground from time to time as the wind slowly started to kick up.

Yet at this moment, the Skeletal Warriors do not move. The Undead stand their ground staring at the city before them, as if waiting for something to send them further on their way. Just waiting for the command...

Katey Fray has posed:
Skeletons? Undead? This sounds like the work of some foul heretic or power of darkness! And who would the Church of Glabados send to investigate such evil terrors that stalk the night? Why Katey Fray, of course.

Okay, let's be honest, she probably pissed someone off in the higher ranks and they decided that sending her to an undead infested city might be a good way of getting her out of their hair for a while.

So.

The mouseling Templar is standing on the walls of the city, trembling like... well - like a mouse. "You just had to open your big mouth." She mutters to herself, switching her bazooka from 'pie' to 'big badda boom', which apparently means something in the language of the crazy mechanic.

"I won't get turned into a zombie. Nope." She's even got a spray can of what appears to be 'Zombie-off!'. Guaranteed to send those undead packing. Do not spray in eyes. Do not use if pregnant, nursing, or actually fighting off a zombie hoard. Then again, she probably didn't read that last part. It's probably a gag thing from one of those stores in Manhattan.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
For a guy that hasn't been seen around for a while, Paulo is an unlikely addition to this sort of peril. The group of guards on the ground are the most rattled-- and they should be. Knees are knocking. Teeth are chittering. These are the guys that have the wonderful trauma of seeing friends face to face and are the first likely to succumb to the perils of battle.

"Fear not, bold guards!" harks the young light-haired man from behind them. Epic appearance time. Dun dun da duhn, Paulo Mysidi!

One of Paulo's gloved hands points in them, past them, to the uncoming horde. "For tonight shall not be the night you fall. You have a sage by your side, master of white and black magic," and as a show of prowess a hand motions to bask them in the soft glow of a Protect. His hand clenches as he says with shining confidence, "Take your hits, for they shall be healed. Fear not the horde, as they shall burn if they try to overwhelm you. Hold the line for the citizens that depend on you, and you can depend on me in kind!" With one more exaggerated motion he continues with a burst of mighty fire magic to renew all the torchlight to illuminate the darkness he finishes with, "Let us bring the Light to them!" Rarrr!

Deelel has posed:
Deelel had been busy, Baron had been hit the night before, she had planned to stay and see how Chita was doing when? She caught word of more undead problems. The local guard's alert had come Deelel's way and departed from Baron. It seems certain forces were on the move at long last. She was not travelling by ground today, she was riding on the back of her light jet, just what were these things up to this time? She had the idea of who might be behind this, however the weather is forcing her to come in towards the ground. It would be unwise to remain on the light jet for much longer, her machine as it comes in low turns to wire frames then vanishes as she sets down and has her disc out.

"Heard you guards needed a hand."

Deelel's outfit looks desert punk by way of the grid from the looks it. Down to having a flat out cloak which she has pulled over her head.

"So let's get to it we can't let this horde go further!"

the sight of a Templar and Paulo is quite heartening to the program. Having the back up of a very skilled magic caster and she knows the standard of training the Templar endure.

Horned King has posed:

The Undead stand ready, they do not move yet. Just waiting and staring at the very city so close to their victory. Soon the very sky grows black as the clouds full move over. A Lighting strikes right in front of the undead army, it holds there as it crackles around the area, turning the sand around it to glass and soon two red eyes peer from the shadows of the lightning strike and a humanoid form rises with antler like horns but the features fully hidden by the bright light.

His hands out stretch. "Go forth my undead warriors. Bring down their defenses, bring down their warriors. Make this very city fall to its knees until the very people pledge allegiance onto me!" This is maybe being said about the same time Mysidi is saying his mighty speech. Bring back the lights to the city. Though this is perhaps when someone should tell this figure that Jafar has tried this, so has Mirage, and several other villains.

So what makes him believe he will succeed? Yet, perhaps that is why he is here. The very challenge of it, itself.

Shortly after those red eyes peer right at male magician. Oh yes. The Horned King remembers you well and he only cants his head slowly to one side. "..and as for that one.." He says with a cold voice. "..I want that broken.. but alive.. I may have use for him.."

Soon the lightning streak pulls up only with the dark chuckle looming in the air right after the thunder roared across the sky. With that the undead skeletal warriors start their march once more and the green mist being pulled right along with each of their steps.

Guards move into position. They too will try to help defend their mighty city for the Princess and for the Sultan. There wasn't much they could do until the undead got closer, but they were ready to do their best! One of the guads nod to Deelel and the another speaks to Mysidi, "We will do what we can and we wont give up! Our swords will at your side!"

Katey Fray has posed:
There's a strange feeling. As if someone had taken a hold of Faruja's play book and started reading from it. Slowly, Katey turns her head, staring at Paulo as if expecting him to turn into a Burmecian at any moment. Surprise! Maybe if he and her boss were put in the same room, the world would implode. There can't be that much pre-battle supportive ralleying in one place without some sort of collateral damage.

Still, it's nice to at least know there are people to back up the guards and the poor Templar who has been given a penalty game of: Two hours with a horde of zombies.

"Um. It looks like they're on their way." The mouse starts to aim her bazooka, and then stops suddenly. "Oh wait, I knew I forgot something!" She sets it down, which causes the bazooka to go off, launching a pie up into the sky. Apparently, 'big badda boom' just meant a bigger pie. In any case, the pie goes shooting off into the air, while she starts pulling random objects out of her bag of tricks.

"Here, this should help!" Katey takes out what looks to be a bubble wand, and blows one gigantic bubble around herself, and then a second around Paulo. Yes, the ultimate defense against huge hordes of enemies... BUBBLE POWER.

"Where did that bazooka go?" She turns around, then knocks the thing over, scrambling to pick it back up again, then looks at the ammo counter, which suspiciously says zero. "What happened to my high explosive pie round?"

She asks, as it sails up into the sky, twinkling in the moonlight.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
"Now that is what I'm talking about," shouts Paulo alongside the guards and their newfound morale. When the buffing magic kicks in he shifts his gears from defensive to offensive. "On my mark, unleash your fury!" His orb shifts from where it hovers over his shoulder and settles just above his wrists. Holy salvo, go!

A series of small white arrows fly from his hands-- seeking quickly to hit targets and splash them with glowing white light. Soon after they erupt in an explosion of series of holy and fire magic. It is the type of attack that erupts in combat to mark a true fantasy style battle. In those splashes is when Paulo sees him. HIM! "Of course," he says under his breath, "it had to be him." This battle got that much harder now that the King is here-- but he doesn't let that betray his over-the-top heroics he spouts to bolster common guards.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel is already running several combat related command lines as she prepares she knows things are going to be bad,. She has a good idea of whom it is, that is coming for them after all. Paulo's arrival is unexpected but very much welcome even as the commands take effect on her she also notes the Templar has taken to upgrading some of her weaponry which is not a bad things after all. Given how these thigns swarm, explosive might be usedful, she'll be upon them in a moment.

Horned King has posed:

The Undead horde continued to march on. Paulo unleashed his light magic arrows with explosive fire down upon the horde and archers in the back returned the favor right at the walls direction. Yet though the shots were matched, the arrows from Paulo come down with simple ease, causing a massive explosion of light on the ground and causing several of the horde of undead to explode in dust which is gathered back by the green mist.

However they continue to march on.

The Guards mean time stand ready at the very gates. Refusing to move themselves. They will stand ready for when the undead get in closer.

Paulo and the Templer may see something very-- sickening really. More undead start to cress the hill. How could the Horned King gain so many of the undead? How could he create so many of the Cauldron Born? Indeed mixing Necromancy with the power of the Cauldron was a very dangerous art to masses of undead.

Soon more archers line up. Their arrow types flickering with the very green mist. They are readied and they are fired at the very wall right at the heroes and guards.

Katey Fray has posed:
There's no time to figure out where the pie has gone off to. Katey looks down into the big end of the bazooka, squints, then steps back, wiping pie-frosting off of her eye. All this is just in time to see a volley of arrows heading towards them.

"Ahh!" She raises the weapon, flips the dial, and...

FWOOOSH!

A torrent of flames spits out from the end of it, which seems to surprise the mouseling as much as it might surprise the undead below who now have flaming bits of molten arrows and possibly reminants of pie-bits hailing down on top of them.

Katey blinks, looking a bit singed, herself, but manages to hop up onto the edge of the wall, aiming the bazooka. "Take this!" Click. Click. Click. Apparently, awesome effects are a one-time use thing. She looks down just in time to see undead looking up at her.

"Okay, that's creepy." She steps back ever so slowly, tossing the bazooka to the side as she scrambles for something else that might actually be useful. "Let's see... weaponized candy bar... nope. Industrial grade c4 cupcake..." Her eyes glint evilly.

The mouse pills the pin, and then drops it neatly over the edge of the wall. "Look out below! Well, actually, don't look out. Stay right there!" She glances up and down towards the other soldiers. "You might want to duck." She advises them, then hops down, putting her hands over her ears.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
The sage doesn't flinch in the face of the oncoming damage. Paulo puts faith in the protective magic from his allies-- suffering minor scrapes as the arrows slowly chip away at him. Instead the young man holds fast with the town guard-- preparing another barrage.

The combo seems familiar-- almost avoidable this time around. A series of white arrows. Small explosions. But this time it includes something more suited for strategy. The ground itself quakes-- aiming to stall as many of them as possible and bunch up plenty for the oncoming explosion. To that Paulo draws a hand back-- not sure how big of a boom might happen. Ever get blasty bits of a skeleton on you? It hurts!

Deelel has posed:
Deelel often takes a moment to get into the full swing of a fight, this is just how it goes she wasn't made for combat so she's had to find ways to well deal with that problem. She's done well enough and now she's prepared she's launching herself into the thick of things her disc is being made use of and she's pretty sure about it's more focusing rendering these things unable to do much for the moment. That's hot it tends go go even as her now armed light disc is indeed being put to use. She is lucky this time around as she avoids getting caught by the spell tossed her way.

"Well Paulo! It's been a while funny how we keep meeting like this!"

She's away again attempting to sue some of the undead as stepping stones, to get around. Deelel never really does quit moving in a fight.

Horned King has posed:

Several Arrows hit the guards and the green mist actually consumes them. Somehow the heroes are not effected the same way; thankfully. Soon several of the guards come crashing to the ground what comes of them entirely is not shown on camera, but what does come shortly is new undead.

Well. There /was/ new undead until a cupcake explosive lands down and knocks back several of them covering them in icing goodness! However as the undead try to get back up, several of the guards who are still living, slash their blades against them, cutting them apart.

More magic is unleashed by the Magi. Holy arrows and earth quakes throw the undead on the ground off balance and soon blast them into parts. Yet they continue to keep coming. Thankfully, no more come over the hill. But there is still many and thanks to those arrows...

Paulo may see some of the guards he was trying to protect have become undead skeletal warriors as well now on the very well with him. Their swords drawn and they start to move right toward him. First slowly and then they come at a full flat run.

Deelel moves quickly over the hordes of Undead, getting right in there with them. Perhaps not the smartest thing, but she seems to be doing well enough. Slashing them apart and cutting them down to size; if not flash out turning them back into dust. Though she needs to careful where she steps. The very green mist seems slightly interested in her.

Katey finds herself In a problem like Paulo. The undead guards are taking great interest in her, racing right at her with swords ready and swinging.

Katey Fray has posed:
What to do, what to do? Katey tries to press herself against the wall, chest heaving, listening to the sounds of the army beyond. At the very least, they don't appear to be those 'fast zombies', otherwise they really would be screwed.

The mouseling digs through her bag, and ends up with nothing more than a handful of what appear to be sparklers and some mechanical parts. "I thought I packed..."

In her mind, there is a flashback sequence of being yelled at by her superior, grabbing for her bag, and her hand just happening to grab the blue one rather than the red. Cue slow-motion face-palm.

Well, might as well make due with what you have.

A minute or two of quick tinkering from dexterious mouse-fingers has the sparklers rigged up to some sort of strange looking device. When she looks up, however... it's to see a series of undead surrounding her.

"Oh sh..." That's when the sparklers start going off, and they his around the area, knocking Katey back into a wall and then sending a series of little sparkler rockets shooting into the undead around her. Wheeeeeeeee. It's a fireworks show! Oooh! *boom* Ahhhh! *Smash-fizzle*

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
"I know, right," replies Paulo to Deelel about how they keep running into each other. "It is almost as if we were fated to battle the forces of undead over... and over... and... hey I think its this mist that is doing this." He has to quickly step back away from one attack only to deflect another with his hand. The blocks are not clean-- resulting in plenty of cuts. Although the mist doesnt turn him-- it certainly isnt doing wonders for his health.

"Careful up there," says the young sage to the rampart fireworks show. Paulo retreats further back-- holding a perilous perimeter as a strong wind swirls into the area-- attempting to purify it before more people turn.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has been proving she has not forgot how the hordes fought last time, now she can't always go all out like she would like to but still she's making a pretty good showing of things for the moment as she recovers her disc once more, however she's being careful the mist, is not something she wants to get near. How would an undead program even work? She doesn't want to ever find out if she can help it.

She keep an eye out for Kate as she continues to prove herself to be quite the bit of backup while Paulo thankfully as ever hasn't forgot how to be one of the more reliable games she has met in her travels of the various worlds.

Still the things keep at it, still the undead press and Deelel continues making use of her disc to just pick at them while she tries to think of perhaps a better means to thin out their numbers.

Horned King has posed:

There was firecrackers and soon sparklers. The Undead were blown apart and some of them threatened to be caught on fire. However one brave Undead comes and swings its blade at the offending rodent. Yet when the skeletal warrior attempts to move in closer, a guard comes in and defends the rat. Pushing the undead warrior back.

He sadly doesn't stand long as the other skeletal warrior there soon yank him right down to the very mist which covers over him. At least he tried to be a protector to the end.

Deelel continues to give the undead fits. However at last one of them matches her speed with his axe. It was one of the original Cauldron Born if the shield and that axe is any indication. It was also perhaps one of the leader types-- wait do these things even have leader types? One may never know.

However the Undead starts to scatter across and many start to actually run now, charging right at the guards who are trying to protect the entrance. Many start to try and climb the very walls and those already inside starting to truly go a bit wild.

For the sickly green mist has grown thicker and the Undead seem to now be on a bloody frenzy. Not only swinging their swords and axes, but even threatening to bite down if they can get away with it.

Paulo may hear that dark laugh once more and if he glances off to the side he may see the very shadow of the Horned King moving across one of the walls. Taunting them it would seem. Reminding him that he is watching this little show.

Katey Fray has posed:
The fireworks display seems to finally fizzle out, leaving Katey in the dark. Her ears tuck back, the mouse-girl looking a bit frightened as the hordes of undead creep ever closer. The green mist seems to tickle at her nose, but she covers her muzzle with one arm.

What does a mouse inventor do when things look dire? She pulls out... the red button. It looks to be exactly that. The mouseling holds it in her hand, as if that might dissuade the undead. "Don't make me push the button!" She warns, then coughs.

Then, they rush at her. The mouseling is shoved back against the wall, and the button falls out of her hand, only to be trampled on by the undead who proceed to pummel her in a cloudy mess of green mist.

That's done it. The red button has been pushed. So, what sort of crazy invention has the horde awakened?

From within the city walls, you can hear the sound of cardboard as a series of boxes open one by one. Out from the boxes pop what looks to be an army of little miniature Templar. There seem to be hundreds of them. The little robotic likenesses waggle various weapons semi-threateningly. It's an effect that would leave most people just going 'daww, lookit the little mousey Templar bot, it's so cuuuuuuuttteee'.

But these are no mere toys. With a squeaky cry of, 'Heresy!' that resounds from all directions, repeating over and over again from the tiny toys, they leap into action, latching on to passing undead, biting at legs, poking with spears, and generally causing chaos.

You thought we forgot the pie, though, didn't you? A glowing red form falls from the sky like a meteor, trailing bits of raspberry goodness behind it. Where it finally lands, somewhere near the heart of the zombie horde, there is a massive explosion. It sends a shockwave, which seems to cause something to go haywire in the tiny toy soldiers. One by one, they start to explode, hopefully sending skeleton bits flying.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
Oh he knows that laugh alright. He knows that laugh good. One of Paulo's regal boots stomps onto the ground-- crackling it with a sense of force. "You shall not pass," he tells them. It is a battle for sure-- but to give any more ground risks this bloodbath going to women, children, and fuzzy animals. Paulo suffers for his decision-- taking a painful barrage of slashes, hacks, and stabs. Each time his shield around him crackles with white light-- shattering-- reforming-- shattering-- reforming. It can't keep up with the barrage and he is beatten to a single knee.

But they do not gain an inch further into the town. Not past him.

"Didn't you hear me before, Horned King, Lord of the Cauldron, Fiend of Undead," says the bruised young man. He stands-- hurt but not defeated-- "I am a sage. Master of magics holy and destructive. I am Paulo Mysidi-- and I will bring the Light to your horde once more!"

Power levels on the rise now! Paulo summons all the magical energy to both of his hands-- the orbs becoming hot white before they lash out around him like ball bearing of great justice to the immediate horde. Then they grow-- spirals of white-red light gathering above the battlefield. The twin suns swirl quickly-- joined by a single burning white energy of holy magic that finally explodes across the enemies, mist, and nemesis alike.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel never did like the undead it just was almost one of the biggest reminder of how chaotic this world could be, they scatter a bit, wait running? No they are making for one last push it looks like as Deelel drops towards the ground pulling a baton off her leg as she does o she's force to twist mid air to avoid several attacks from the horde. The light cycle is formed shortly there after, it's not her newer one.

It's the older model, the one that has a sealed pilot compartment. With the alien noise of it's engine it comes to life and Deelel is going to put those light walls to use trying to hem in and contain the undead with it. She's almost there, however she's got to prepare for what she's planning?

She cuts a strange pattern, though out the battle. Not stopping for the undead in her path, some may get just run over by her as she keeps going never taking the foot off the cast nor shutting of the light wall as she goes. Soon there's a rapidly forming maze of light in her wake which might cause the undead some problems.

"Your not welcome here virus, not here nor anywhere!"

And there goes Paulo just bringing the pain with his own spells but yet the undead stand, in the back of her mind she knows there's more dead users than ones who are currently ... alive.

Horned King has posed:

Soon the toys come by the masses and many of the Skeletal Warriors don't even know what to think of these things. Some don't even care and continue to charge, only being slightly slowed down by the pests. It is however when the pie comes down and blows up do things get crazy.

Skeletons blast into pieces their bodies becoming dust being reclaimed by the mist. Their numbers quickly shrinking down and the warriors within getting a similar treatment by the little mouse toys. Blowing up and being claimed once again by the mist.

Paulo makes his claim and the Horned King has no reply. It seems like unlike before, the Lich is taking no measures to protect his cauldron born. Instead it seems this may be him simply seeing how well his believed undead handle on their own.

So when Paulo charges his attacks, and then blasts out the massive light, many of the undead and laid a sunder to the massive bright magical holy spell, shattering them straight to dust on impact and actually pushing back the green mist that threatens to move in ever closer to consume.

However one of the Undead charges right in, missing one arm and brings the axe right in on Paulo with a heavy cleaving motion.

Then Deelel comes in and races across with her light wall and bike crushing down the undead and blasting them through her wake. This was not a good night for the undead and the sickly green mist fades away all back to a single point out in the desert where one long figure stands. The Horned King himself.

His hands behind his back. Those red eyes piercing the night skies. He is looking directly at the two still standing. Deelel and Paulo. No words are spoken, he stands there just seeming to be gazing upon them before he sweeps his cape around and then starts to walk over the crest of the hill. Moving to vanish from sight.

Deelel has posed:
Some forces of darkness she'd chase after like this. She's however one worn down from that fight, two? Paulo likely is as well? Additionally she's seen the Horned King taken out in such a means he should be down for good but here he is. It might be pointless to take him out with anything short of keybalde or comparable force. It would be unwise and likely put the town at risk from further fighting.

the cycle vanishes into wire frames then nothing as Deelel gets off and looks right back at The Horned King, she sees he is not pressing it and pulling out. Good, but how will they stop him long term? That's a problem in and of itself.

"Paulo you all right? We best help with any of the injured and clean up. Chasing after the Horned King isn't a wise idea right now."

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
Paulo Mysidi doesnt look like he could take another onslaught like before. He unleashed fury both divine and destructive-- but it takes a toll on one's body. That axe cleave hit its mark too-- leaving quite a gash before the sage shoots off the skeleton's head with a quick bolt of light. "Nngg," grunts the young man as he watches Deel do her thing-- and finally the villain disappears.

It is too early to claim victory-- the light-haired sage going over what is left of the defenses-- looking for people to heal up. "Oh I have no intention to chase him. Our goal was always to reduce the casualties of this town-- not to chase glory," the man says with a forced smile. "Good thing you showed up. Things were getting pretty close there." Yeah he looks like an undead horde just played whack a mole with him-- but he can walk.