Prelude 2: Undead Presence

Prelude 2: Undead Presence
Date of Scene:	17 July 2013
Location:	The Old Kingdom - British Forest
Synopsis:	The Beautiful British Forest has started to decay from within. People have started to grow in fear and seek aid from the outside. Who will answer their call and what is causing this decay from within?
Cast of Characters:	Tifa Lockhart, Deelel, Kim Possible, Firion, Saitei Dennou, Horned King, Paulo Mysidi

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Horned King has posed:

The Beautiful forest of the Britain are stunning to behold. Their lush color is well known and their thick branches tend to hold out the sunlight. Yet trouble has started to brew in the center of the forest. Animal have started to flee from the very forest as unnatural presence has made itself known in a fog of lower covering mist.

This very mist has been started to actually kill off not only the animals that do not manage to escape it, but to rot away the very life from the forest itself. The leaves on the trees started to shrivel up and die, the grass becoming dead and withering away.

Then the new reports from the dead are of the forest, rising from the very ground that of undead warriors and they have been carrying the mist further into the very forest. Bring their decay out farther, attacking villagers who stray to close to the very green mist, and continuing to grow in numbers.

People are starting to grow afraid in the near by villages. Some even moving out from their homes to get away before the mist has a chance to spread outside of the very forest. Rewards have gone up however of a nice sum of gold for someone to deal with this undead presence. Anyone really.

Yet who will come to the call of the people? Who is willing to walk into the now haunted forest and deal with what lays in waiting...

Firion has posed:
The man in the Azure armor loved this forest despite the haunted nature of it. It reminded him a lot of his time in Fynn with his childhood friends. They'd all enjoyed play in the local woods. Better times.

His typically unwavering cheer broke for a moment, as he looked abstracted into the distance. While he was heavily laden with arms and armaments, he didn't appear to be tired at all from the hike here. He needed to find himself a horse. These Chocobos just rankled his sense of aesthetics.

Unfortunately, he wasn't here for the scenery.. the noxious Mist had returned, and he sensed it, like niggling hackles on the back of his neck. He felt very catlike in that sense. So it didn't surprise him when he heard the first reports of the Undead horde returning.

Regarding the Mist with a quiet look, his expression melted away to cheer. "Time for some fun."

That this fun would help keep the local villagers safe, and secure in their beds tonight was all the incentive he needed to plunge headfirst into the fray. But he wasn't an idiot either, after his first experiences with the Undead he knew that it would be best to whiddle them down by attrition first, lest he be overwhelmed. A bow appeared in his hands unbidden, as he waited near the edge of the Mist...

Waited for the inevitable.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
When Paulo was traveling through the area, he heard about the forest and the growing danger. Curiosity and concern sent the young sage onward to go investigate. His purple robes stick out in the more verdant sections-- but as it approaches the spot of decay it melds in more.

The otherwise energetic youth is crouched low near a tree. The bark is peeling off, dry and brittle, as he runs a gloved finger over it. "How perverse-- like an ill intented use of Earth magic-- or Umbral. Possibly both," he says to himself. There is a small glowing orb near him that fluxuates in colors: blue to white to purple to blue again. "Who would want these means-- and to what end," he ponders aloud-- taking out a large leather bound book and jotting notes on the flora.

Sure there is a danger of undead-- but right now the land interests him more.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel had planned to go back to the Arcade to try to find where Ralph had got to, also the cybug situation needed to be checked up upon as well. This would have to wait as she'd heard a report about something going on in the old Kingdom. She'd come to see just what was going on here. She was here riding on a light cycle not the first gen was was known to but a far later generation machine native to her grid. Slower but it could manoeuvre a heck of a lot better, which made it work better over terrain like this. She didn't like the feeling here, she knew things in this world took a long time to fade after death. However this wasn't nature for this place it wasn't natural at all. Her machine made a strange noise that even if one new the sound of various engines from worlds that had at least some form of steam tech? This sounded nothing like it as it pulled up near Firion and it seemed there.

then something strange happens the craft becomes transparent little more than wire-frames, it rider still somehow able to hand on to it. Then the parts fade away and the woman rises up holding a baton in her hand which is attached seemingly to nothing on her right leg.

"Seems I'm not the only one looking into this, something of this? This makes no sense..."

she glances about and goes for the disc on her back pulling it free and looking around a bit more. She seems to be pretty much on edge also a bit strange perhaps to Firion given the strange glowing tattoos? Also her voice just sounds a bit strange a slight warble to it as she speaks. Still she seems here to help the call for help from the towns people.

Saitei Dennou has posed:
Imagine, if you will, that this recent talk of electrosensitivity is true; that you actually could hear every wifi link, the buzz of every bluetooth connection, the ever-present, interminable whine of cellular traffic, the seismic hum of high-tension distribution gear... Imagine that you could. Consider life in, say, Manhattan, then, as if there weren't din enough.

This isn't a thought experiment for Saitei Dennou, this is daily reality, which is why she so desperately enjoys the deep wilderness, now that she's experienced it. Whatever the folks in the castle may say, these woods count as Deep Wilderness; you just don't get deciduous woodland on the islands, either.

Saitei Dennou, 6/5 scale Network model, wander up the paths and around them and across them, with no real direction; she doesn't want to /go/ anywhere, after all, just enjoy the

the

what /is/ that stuff, are they spraying for mosquitos? Hastily the young woman tracks herself back to the path, coughing. Has she heard something about this? It just looks like a gas attack to her. From the other fork of the trail, an armored figure dashes past, vanishing into the Misty depths. One sleeve over her mouth and still choking, Saitei advances into the margin far enough to make out Firion.

"Who or--" cough "--ordered this? a Dennou chokes out."

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart doesn't have any problems with ghosts. Well, okay, she's a tiny bit spooked, mostly because of Haloween Town events. Such has zombie-Reize rising out of the ground at her feet (who got promptly stomped for it too). She heard of the Phantom Train as well, but this was different in essense.

Carried by her red chocobo, she strolls through the forest... somewhat bothered by the mist here "I don't like the feeling of this, really." She hrmphs a bit, looking around the place. She's lost her usual leather look for something a bit more 'clotheslike', but still show plenty of leg... actually she shortened up the dress herself, otherwise it would have been hard to fight for her. She kinda needs her limbs to fight, and these lands have very frilly floofy clothes it seems. Oh well. Maybe someday she can come here just to try out dresses and be pretty. "I get the same feeling about the Mist on the southern continent..."

Kim Possible has posed:
Make Kim spend the night babysitting her twins (or the tweebs as she calls them,) now that's a case of horror.

Make her spend the day dealing with Bonnie? That's even worse!

Send her into a place like this, it's no big. In fact, Kim literally swings into the area with her grappling hook. She doesn't let out a Tarzan-style yell, but she does come in quickly. As she releases her hook from whatever it's attached to, she lands on the ground and skids to a stop. Not too far from where Tifa is, and that's when Kim mentally slaps herself. "I should've totally brought my chocobo with me. Oh well, no big," She says with a shrug as she breaks into a run to keep up with Tifa. She must be one of the few who aren't bothered by this place.

Horned King has posed:

Adventures have gathered either by the edge and by some who have moved in. The green mist for those who have entered into its 'maw'. Moves around their feet seeming to not touch where they walk, but almost as if moving around them like a living thing. Aware of their very living presence.

However soon from the darkness rises the sound of movement. The sound of armor gently clacking against armor. The sound of easy steps against the now dead, if not dieing terrain. Soon the very thing making these sounds becomes known--

-- a Deer that quickly leaps out of the brushes and seems to try and get away. By a quick look, its hoof feet had been almost eaten away by something. The very mist itself seeming to try and grab for it, yet the poor creature gets away. Then there was silence once more.

Silence only for just a moment, until the true horror at last shows itself. Twenty of them. Maybe even more, start to come from all directions out of the forest. There white bone boned, armor laying around their forms of plate, steel, and leather. Helms of viking like generations and other types as well and weapons. Weapons of swords, axes and shields that they wield.

The very green mist seeming to leech from their undead form as they continue to walk forward. Yet unlike one would expect from a zombie movie. These undead do not shuffle, but instead they walk in almost perfect human form. Yet as they come to see the adventures. They soon come to a stop and seem to just stare at them. As if waiting for something.

Firion has posed:
Firion just keeps his eyes on the Mist, not even looking at Deelel, "On the contrary, friend.."

He hears a clacking sound... and five arrows appear upon the bow string, already nocked. "...it makes perfect sense."

A deer bursts out of the forest. It almost receives a barrage for its troubles. He laughs light-heartedly. "...don't be fooled by the stag. Here they come."

A score of Undead appear, girded for battle with their armaments. And he sights down the lead skeleton, his arm smoothly pulls back the bow, with all five arrows nocked. As one, the arrows all burst into ghastly looking white flames, which flicker and dance within the air.

He closes one eye as he continues to sight them down. Even as they stop, and stand in a line. Given the size of this bow and the tension he's having to use to hold back five arrows against the string, his arm by all rights ought to be shaking. But it does not. He just waits, patiently. "Now don't keep us waiting all night. I've got things to do..." He offers a grin, "....like invading a small country."

And then he looses, and five arrows search for their marks. Wherever they strike, the skeletons burst into an inferno of white flame.

Even as the arrows leave the string, a runed axe and a engraved mythril mace leave their ringed scabbards upon his belt, and begin to float around him in the air as if wielded by unseen hands.

Saitei Dennou has posed:
Oooooooh, blow /that/ for a game of soldiers. Saitei recoils from the brigade of corpses... upwards? I mean, sure, anyone might jump at the sight of a column of zombies, but most have the decency to come down at some point. This Dennou hangs there, instead, a meter or so up, thrumming like an overloaded transformer as the Mist cracks and sparks around her.

The blue knight makes her mind up for her, and she approves strongly of his chosen tactic, too. Why ever would you close with the undead? They smell! Fortunately, Saitei came equipped for an eventuality such as this, or rather, she's always equipped. Every cent counts, you know...

"Heads!" She's some yards behind the line, and friendly fire is no fun. The girl dips a hand into her purse, and comes up with a generous handful of small change and hardware. She tosses it upwards, scattering like a handful of seed-- streaking like lightning towards the undead horde with a flurry of sonic cracks.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
A cold shiver comes over the youth in purple robes. It causes him to close his leather book and put it away. Even with three layers of stuffy clothing, Paulo still rubs his arms. He shivers, "You feel that," he asks the little orb over his shoulder. He notices he is not alone-- wandering over towards where Deelel and Firion are.

"Hello again," Paulo greets Deelel with a forced smile, "and your friend." The greeting extends to Firion. "It is not safe here... there is very dark magic..." annnndddd that is when the silence is broken and the undead make their announcement.

The blonde sage hrmps. Crossing his arms over his shoulders he tells the other two, "Like that." Paulo appraises Firion admirably as he springs into action. "Impressive! Allow me to aid you, friend of Deelel!" His hands reach outwards as the orb by his shoulder splits into a white and black pair-- hovering closer to either wrist. A dramatic gust of wind whips around him as he chants a spell. He wordlessly mouths the words-- and a warm glow of protection radiates around both his body and (assumably) Firion's.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart blinks at the group of zombies just... stop and stare at them. o_o;;; "Uhm... what?" She doesn't know what's up with those. But aparently some people in their group decided that they needed to... disapear, for lack of better word considering they are already dead. She shakes her head "Well, let's get this party started, shall we?" She nods to Kim, moving up to stand atop of her chocobo, feet on the saddle, and them jumping in at the Zombies, landing low, a sweep kick rapidly lashed out to send them falling backward into each other.

As she stands back up, and whistles up for her red chocobo's attention "Premium, move back!" Premium Heart kwehs~ singingly, and then flutters away to the back. The chocobo doesn't seem bothered by the mist at least. Meanwhile, Tifa blocks an incoming sword slash with her upperarm, blocking it at the zombie's hand "Nuh uh!" She sends it back flying with a strong right punch. "When it comes to close ranged, you've picked the wrong target!"

Kim Possible has posed:
As Kim gets a look at the deer, she shakes her head at the poor creature, feeling glad that it got away while knowing that many others might not have been so lucky. Of course, now is not the time to be pondering things like this, as the dead are restless and they're seeking out fresh food it seems. And while they may be seeking out these adventurers as their meal, Kim is not entirely keen on becoming an undead meal today.

"Wow, they're, like, totally ugly!" Kim says with a scowl. Then she looks to Tifa and grins. "Yeah, it's time to totally party!" She fires her hook at another nearby tree to swing at a nearby skeleton, then drops to the ground to execute a twin combo of a swift kick and a powerful punch.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel activates her disc, the killing edge hums to life as she watches the deer fleet. There's nothing she can do for it, however she ca see it was able to escape but then come something she's only encounted once. The forms of users do not fade away, it's as if they defy the world itself when they die to erase them by force. Her kind just becomes voxels and soon there's nothing else left of them. This however? There's a moment of horror in the back of her mind perhaps worse than a human or other creature of flesh and blood might have. These things are unnatural to the beings who made her.

"You have an interesting way to putting things. Still your right let's go!"

She launches her disc in an attempt to bounce the weapon between the ranks of the undead.

"the help is welcome Paulo...just how does this even work! Your people don't fade form this world easily but this..."

User junk data? No she's not sure honestly what to think other then she's got to fight at this point. She sees another Dennou one she's not seen before join the fight and he'll have to talk to them later. Seconds later Tifa is racing into the battle and lending her close combat skills against the undead horde. Kim has popped up from where ever she's been since Deelel last saw her but here she is also getting in up close with the undead.

Horned King has posed:

The arrows are sent flying by Firion and several of the Undead raise up their shields to deflect away the bombardment of arrows. Yet they do not move. Then a electrical attack is fired in by Saitei. Some kinda of magic shield seems to rise up, however the electrical surge breaks through and strikes back a few of the undead who try to defend themselves.

The Martial artist known as Tifa then moves in at close range. That is then when a few of the undead actually move. As soon has she moves in. The sickly green mist seems to take some interest in her. She strikes out with her kick and her punches; But it is she who moved into their fold and though she impacts one of the skulls of the undead who staggers back, another swings their sword in kind for her.

Then Kim Possible launches in to join Tifa's side. Moving right into the zombie group and kicking a few of them into the air and knocking another back right into a tree. Yet the undead don't seem to be on the overly aggressive side. Not yet at least.

Deelel's own disc comes flying in and the undead raise up their shields to defend against the chakram that leaves massive gashes in their shields. One of them even throws away their shield to the side, before unsheathing its other sword and then raising it up high. It lets out a unholy howl like sound toward the sky.

Then the undead starts to move in. Those who were caught in the front were the first the undead went after. Their swords and axes crashing down to the ground were the ones who were thrown up, while others come it with hard swings of their blades and axes.

The undead were advancing toward those in the back and attempting to shove past those who had come into melee range. More undead however start to come from the sides of the forest charging in, now aiming right at the those in the back, some leaping into the air, while others slide in slashing outward.

The very forest has now become a war zone.

Firion has posed:
Firion's arrows are loosed, and most are deflected by the Undead horde. Ah good, they were learning. This would be a boring battle otherwise. Protective spells flare up over him, and he gives Paulo a thumb's up. "Hey thanks!" The bow vanishes from his hands, replaced by a sword. A dagger suddenly appears in his off-hand, flames blazing into life about it's edge, but he doesn't seem particularly perturbed by it, despite gripping the blade. He throws it, catching one of the lead Undead in the eye socket.

The dagger is back in his hand the moment he hears the thunk of impact into the skull. Spinning it around. He grins as the Undead horde come crashing into them.

The floating weapons parry most of the strikes from the lead as he bobs and weaves into them. His sword bursts into white flames, while the dagger already glowing attempts to thrust through the armor into the more softer points, trying to set them aflame.

The floating axe and mace continue to strike of their own accord, guarding his flanks as he gets driven to his knees by the axe strike of a particularly large skeleton. Grunting as he crossed his dagger and sword to guard against it, he rolled beneath it's legs, before chopping at its back with both weapons... and if they struck, an explosion of white flame would occur. He states cheerfully, "You're all improving! Good! The challenge is half the fun."

Saitei Dennou has posed:
She doesn't have the Beetle with her today, so Saitei has no business mixing it up with the rotting rabble toe-to-toe. Her shower of shrapnel appears to have had little effect; didn't she just watch, like, six movies about these things with Will, though? You have to aim for the head, don't you? And they're sl--

A clammy hand seizes her ankle, and yanks her down into the press. Her shriek is cut short by a mailed fist to the chest, and with a horrid feedback whine she manages to halt an incoming axeblade before it gives her a splitting headache. The reeking horde presses tight on her, and she manages only to force out "Back! /Back!/" before she vanishes under the crush.

Briefly.

With a sizzling roar, a blue-white arc sears its way out from her, and propels her back up, overhead and hopefully out of reach; all that steel beneath her makes a wonderful platform for her magnetic levitation.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
As the undead horde approach Paulo's location-- he braces for impact. Outside of those orbs he seems ill equipped for combat, but he has a surprise left. One of the skeletons comes baring down on him with an axe-- to which he attempts to deflect with his bare forearm. A magical hex barrier appears, like a shield, to deflect the blow. It turns out he isn't a squishy caster! Then again, maybe he is-- as a zombie whacks him from behind with a resounding crack. "Ergh-- ouch," he mutters under his breath. Using his body like a shield, he pushes the two back to get some quarter. This really is a warzone!

"I'll explain it later, Deelel," Paulo cracks over to his newfound friend of one day. With that he whips out his other hand-- a small arrow of light darting out like a tracer to a trio of quick skeletons. Once the magical guidance has 'locked on', the young sage claps his hands together quickly. The ground itself begins to trumble around them-- threatening to engulf thier bones, crack them, and shatter them if it can't devour them completely.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart winces just a little as the sword nicks her, but she gets her attacks in at least. But being at close range with a bunch of weapon wielder is also much of a gamble. Sometimes you can 'dance' through the attacks, as they come in without coordination or precision as they touch each other in the close quarters, but sometimes it goes through like a single entity. And this time, it was unfavorable for the barmaid. But doesn't mean she takes it without retaliation either! She punches one of the undeads back, a left punch this time, as she clears some path off, she doesn't want to get surrounded "Is that all you can do!"

Skeletons make for crunchy targets for the bluntness of fists like hers. But she also has severl tricks in her bag. And one of them is the sweepkick that comes out of nowhere, kicking some of them on their backs. And before they can get back up, a glowing fist comes crashing down into them, hopign to splinter them off with the impact of her Final Heaven "Not afraid of a few bones!"

Kim Possible has posed:
Unfortunately, Kim's agility doesn't serve well when the undead come in to return the favor. She's slashed and stricken and gets knocked to the ground but pushes herself back up for another go. "This is totally uncool," Kim comments as as she rushes towards the undead once again. This time, she goes in with a flying kick, followed up with an uppercut, and then finally trying to toss one of the undead away!

Deelel has posed:
Shields were not a common thing back home, some security programs on riot duty might use them as a non lethal method of dealing with things, also protecting themselves from projectiles even discs. Like this undead do the chakram returns to Deelel's hand and she calls back to Paulo.

"Right, just watch your self!"

Then comes the undead and well she's hit pretty hard even as she tried to keep out of melee with them. It's never a good idea for her to get in to close combat. She was not built as a combatant while she's learned how to fight, while she's very good? She still doesn't take hits too well liker now. She manages to keep from getting ripped part but she's falling back from the direct fight for the moment running a few commands that might help her with the battle.

She clocks her self up better prepared for combat even as Tifa and Kim once again go in just using their bodies for the most part as weapons against he horde. The unknown Dennou makes a good showing of herself and just who is this man he seems to be a a leader of some sort with how he's encouraging the others here she'll have to learn more when they are not up to their eyeballs in things that should not be. Still there was some chilling feeling from these things as they made contact with her. She did not like this, this was almost the level of unsettling that heartless caused her.

Horned King has posed:

Firion was a quick opponent and a powerful one at that, however as his assault proceeds with his holy weapons the undead raise up their shields and block away the hard strikes knocking them back a bit. Some of the impacts actually shattering the very shields, which they then equip their second pair of weapons.

Several of the undead attempt to go up for Saitei as she attempts to escape from their reach. However her tricks of magnetics knocks back those with armor right into a few of those with leather. Smashing them back into one another as they roll along the ground, before they get right back up.

Tifa then moves in with the power of her fists and kicks. She knocks several of the Undead away with her powerful form. Then as her fist ignites she goes to slam into several of the undead. Her fist rips through one of them shattering them to ashes, before it comes to at last impact on another shield. The massive impact creating a massive spark of electricity; or so it looks; created by a magical field. Soon the very shield shatters at the undead who held it was nearly knocked off balance.

Paulo then uses his magic. The impressive spells rocks the very ground itself, splitting apart the earth as it races for the undead army. However it suddenly impacts something and the very explosion blasts upward. For a moment a dark magic circle seems to appear where Paulo's spell was meant to go. The undead though did cower down for a moment, unaware that was even going to happen it would seem.

Kim Possible then comes in and attempts to perform her high school cheer leading works in the form of martial arts. It was rather effective, as she knocks around several of the undead, yet those she kicks right up, come right back down coming close to scathing her own skin; perhaps even clipping her own cloths.

The undead continue their assault though. Charging from all directions at everyone. Their axes swinging, their blades attempting to rend their defenses, and swords trying to impale their very flesh upon their blades (or data if your the one program in the room). They were relentless and the very sickly green mist attempting all the time to poison their very forms as the undead attack.

Firion has posed:
Yep, they were definitely learning, and now he was surrounded. Several lines were traced across his skin in the gaps of his armor, while he was battered back down to his knees.f "Tck." The floating axe reappeared in the ring of leather at his belt, and instead a lance was now floating horizontally, it jabbed out at one of the Skeletons to ward it off, moments before Firion stepped onto the floating lance, and used it like a springboard to flip over the vanguard of the horde. As he flew overhead, he loosed the dagger in his hand, flinging it at the neckbones of another skeleton. A moment later it appeared back in his hands. From the front of the Horde, he took a step back, and gripped his three pronged lance, grinning. "Alright, if that's the way you want it.. let's go all out. Shame Riku isn't here this time."

He concentrated, then a moment later his entire body was limmed by brilliant white flames, which didn't appear to burn him, instead trailing up the lance. Replacing the mace in the air, was the sword he wielded moments ago, as each floating weapon burst into the same brilliant white flames.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
Paulo Mysidi's hands remain closely together-- trembling like the ground itself did until... his arms are thrust back open as if an invisible force denied them. "Wha-What?" the young sage replies in bewilderment as his magic is so wholey negated. A grimace of concern darkens his otherwise eternally happy face. "No. No no no. This is not good-- gerk!" he rambles as another skeleton bears a club down on him. The second strike is deflected-- parried even-- in a way that blasts the melee fighter backwards.

"Deel!" Paulo sheds his personal concerns as he chants a holy spell-- curing winds blasting through his form and also over to her's. Though the effect feels... quite different. What is she, exactly? Such a strange new world, hopefully the magic works!

Saitei Dennou has posed:
The Mist is no thinner at height than it is at ground level, but the swords certainly are. Comfortably out of (most) reach, Saitei surveys the (bad) situation.

It's ghouls far as the eye can see, considering the fog and trees. It's ghouls far as the ear can hear, too, though. She'll be mashed as soon as she tires if she stays out on the margins here. In a jagged series of hops, the dynamo-girl works her way towards the rest of the party.

What was that Umi was telling her? You have to pull aggro off the healers, or some words like that. Healers, she definitely said something about healers, anyways, and they appear to have one. And he appears to be getting swamped.

"This one will help!" This one takes station somewhere over Paulo's head, and that warm, hair-lifting feeling of a strong electric field drifts down from her to envelop him. "There's power to spare!" Hopefully he doesn't have a Ma Belle on him.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Splitering bones is what she wanted, and the impact had the desired effect. They might try to block them off, she blows through it on her might alone it seems. She bounces back afterward, getting out of range of the retalative weapons that come her way, a rather nimble movement for the martial artist too. She's know to be able to do these, but she doesn't always manage to pull them off as elegantly all the time.

Landing back, she crosses her arms over her chest, invoking the power of her materias. Taking a breather after discharging her ultimate attack, she supercharges her companions next, aiming for Firion and Kim, both getting a red aura that seems to energize them, enhancing their strength and agility for a few moments.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel is not failing well as she tries to avoid the swarm of undead. Swarm tactics like this with some sort of guiding mind behind it. Be the undead still having minds or by something controlling them? They are using quite good swarm tactics and Deelel is having a very bad day as she's getting cut up but she's not bleeding she falls back trying to recover even a little but from the unending tide of the angry dead.

Deelel is lucky to be alive and thus it's time to stop screwing about in any way shape or form She disc is in hand and she starts to use it like a melee weapon as she's so close up with the undead at the moment. She's hacking away when she finds her self caught by some form of magic and the damage to her code? Body? Whatever you want to call it is mending itself a bit, she's thankful for that but can't say much as she's too busy trying to not drown in the tide of bodies.

Saitei seems to be doing what she can to help the others in the thick of the fight when she can, as she moves aid Paulo in not getting overwhelmed by the undead horde.

She then throws the disc over and over again aiming to bring the creatures down hard and fast as she can. She's also attempting to target weapon limbs with the disc hoping she can slice through the bone as best she can. She then breaks into a run and attempts to start leaping on the heads of several of the undead just trying to keep her self ahead of the tide. She continues to move catching the disc every time it returned to her.

Tifa falls back and starts supporting the group as a whole, Deelel tries to keep tabs on her location along with everyone else. Given the swarm of the undead this could be tricky but she doesn't know when one of the others might get into trouble and she doesn?t intend to see anyone here added to the undead's ranks tonight.

Kim Possible has posed:
Kim should not be underestimated when things are getting out of hand. In fact, that cartwheel that Kim executes gets her out of the way of the undead so she has some time to breathe. But now she's starting to really lose her patience, so she looks at them as a whole and narrows her eyes. "Time we ended this once and for all!" Kim then rushes in and begins to throw a flurry of punches so fast, even slow-motion wouldn't catch them!

Horned King has posed:

The adventures who came start to buff themselves, heal themselves. Fight to survive this undead army that has been brought before them. Everything was turning out better then before; better then expected for the one who was watching.

Deelel's disc goes flying through the undead masses however. It very chakram cutting the undead in half. The very undead that were cut through explode into ash, one behind the other. Then Kim comes charging in with her own fists of fury and adds to the ash pile. The undead numbers clear out some, but there are still more that walk.

Suddenly more undead leap out from the very woods themselves after everyone, only to add to the numbers further. Their swords slash out quickly and their axes strike down with power. There seem to be no end to them, yet there would have to be an end eventually. Just when would that time come was the true question to be asked.

Firion has posed:
Firion actually waves at Tifa, with a bashful look when she empowers him, just as he casually threw his dagger back into the throng.

But no time to consider that.. the Undead were already coming at him. Swords flash, and axes strike. The Azure-armored warrior has his shield float into place in front of him to guard, but one swipe actually draws a line of blood just above his eyes, splashing his bandana.

However, the wound was already cauterizing itself, closed by the flames all over his body. "Alright. Time to end this." He smiled, and willed the shield back into it's place on his arm. The sword and the axe flew together in concert with each other, slicing and chopping into the Undead with flames that ignited their bone marrow. And Firion? He charged into the crowd. His smile was nearly eerie as he tried to skewer his first Undead creature with his burning lance, before turning to block with the haft, and spinning to strike it with the butt of the lance in the face.

A moment later he lunged forward to thrust at another.. if struck, the skeleton would burst into flames immediately, right before he flung it back into the crowd. He kept moving, spinning, and working at the crowd of the Undead, just as his weapons held by unseen hands did the same.

Saitei Dennou has posed:
Their swords lash out quickly, and their axes strike down hard, and though their very legs crumble under them, these deathless raiders leap high to haul Saitei down where she can be addressed properly. Apparently she's succeeded in claiming aggro; someone should've told her that aggro is for tanks.

She's borne down, yes, in a tangle of rusting armor and rotting limbs behind Paulo, kicking and screaming but with only the strength of her own arms behind it, nothing before the rigid advance of the horde.

Somewhere in there, though, those screams turned from fear to rage, and from rage to mad joy. Paulo, if you can, you might want to get clear.

As it had before, a great field wells up, setting even dead men's hair on end, and then hard upon eachother come two claps of thunder, great flashes like lightning strikes on the unlucky young lady and her even less lucky assailants.

As ears ring and vision clears, blades and axes and even /flesh/ are drawn in like an intake of breath, before exploding outward and upward, even through their wielders. At the epicenter of this, crouched still under a mound of zombie, Saitei struggles to catch her breath.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
That power from Saitei? It is REAL ULTIMATE POWER. All of Paulo seems to shake a bit as he puts his fist to the air. "WooooOOOoo. Thanks! This power!" And to demonstrate 'this power' he deflects a skeleton that comes to him-- taking another blow like it was itty bitty arrows against reinforced plate armor.

Paulo strikes a strong power pose. Pointing out to the undead horde as he hears Firion's words, "Yes! Lets do it!" That sort of yelp of resolve helps him ignore the dark whispers that tried to shake his determination. He brings up both of his hands and clenches them into a fist-- the very air around him starting to swirl. Dirt and debris begin to float around him-- and then away. The whole thing becomes a maelstrom-- a whirlwind of wind currents aiming to sweep up bones and rotted flesh of the undead. "NNNnnnnggghhhh," grunts the sage as the entire tornado catches fire-- blazes any foe caught in its path.

The blonde caster keeps this up as the wind-fire whips up. Then. Finally. He releases his grip, "Flare!" he shouts-- all of the fire and wind sucking things into a vortex and exploding them outwards. Pooowwwaaaahhh!

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Even while casting magic, she proves to be faster than that undead horde at least. A impressive display of dodging and jumping out of harm's way, ven as several of the rusted and dull weapons swing her way at the same time, she even adds insult to injury by booting one in the head, sending it rolling back on the ground, beheading skeletons doesn't stop them entirely, but still provokes some conufions at least.

And then its time for her own charge. She's in tip top shape today it seems, bursting with energy, and she has no troubles discharging another explosive fist. She slams it in the ground, sending a ripple of shaking ground toward the skeleton, exploding underneath them. And then in a flash, she's gone.

Her flash step brings her over the airborned skeletons, her hands reaching out for each of them and tossing them like a rain of small meteors back into the ground, where the impact is sure to break more bones, before crashing down with the last of them into her piledriver, bony skull first into the craters she left with her attacks.

Kim Possible has posed:
OK, things are really getting out of hand now. Kim manages to break free, but not before getting caught once again. Now things are really getting a bit old for her, and Kim decides that it's time to finish things up a little. She fires her grappling hook at a nearby undead, hoping to lasso it in close enough, before hurling it at the others.

Deelel has posed:
It looked like they were starting to thin out the ranks, it really looked like they were making process they were thinning the ranks out from the looks of things. Yet now more come out of the depths of the woods. There's more then something strikes here, there are more dead people in the world than living ones. There could be almost no end to these things.

They have to keep fighting they don't have much choice she lunches her disc once more trying to get better prepared for a counter attack it bounces back as she catches it and flips into the air spinning as she goes before coming in for a landing. She lands in a crouch holding hers in her off hand.

Deelel promptly rises to he feet now Firion was very much correct.

"It is time to finish the game."

An odd choice of words but it's the first thing that came into her head as she readies her disc. Once more Deelel is off again as she launches herself at the ranks of the undead even as Saitei unleash some sort of sonic attack of great force upon the undead. Then comes the lighting, no that's not a good place to be, not a good place for her to be at all. Paula's alive and doing more magic the amount of fire based magic he's letting rip is very impressive but there's little time to really take it in he's now laying into the undead she's moving to take them down with brutal efficiency. Her disc is being held for the most part as a melee weapon aiming to cut limbs, heads and anything else to make the undead just stay down or in such a state they will be far less of a threat as Tifa again dives into their ranks hopefully collectively they will be able to bring the undead horde to a halt.

Horned King has posed:

Firion unleashes his holy magic attacks, however some magic rune circle suddenly flies up in the air. The very magical rune seems to block all the strikes before suddenly pushing him back gently away from the very undead. The wind started to move through the trees gentle, rustling the dead leaves free. One could almost hear a faint laugh in the wind.

There was no flesh to pull on these undead. They were just bones with armor honestly. However the massive explosive force from Saitei crashes down upon them all like a massive wave. The sheer force rocks through them, breaking any attempt from an outside source to protect. Turning the undead into ash in the wave to be scooped up by the unnatural winds.

A lightning strikes out in the distance, an unnatural lightning strike, followed by another and another, with no sound of thunder even breaking the very sky.

This about the time that Paulo casts his massive sage spell. The very fireball roars right toward the undead, until another massive magic rune forms and shields the undead behind it. The very fire seeming to be suspended there, that low chuckle now even easier to be heard, until what seems like a dark hand from the very shadows casted by the massive Flare, seem to crush it out and extinguished its light. Leaving behind nothing but a dark void for a moment before the very undead walk through where the magic once was.

That very force seems to turn right toward Tifa and the very magic field suddenly attempts to stop her assault. Yet her own strength of will shatters the magical force, breaking through it and slamming down on a few undead, breaking them into ash. Kim then manages to grapple hook several of the undead though and swings several of them right into Tifa's mighty blows aiding in destruction of some of the very undead here.

Deelel then comes racing in. Her disc flies out but sudden a shadowy presence, or a shadow of a presence seems to step in front of the disc. A dark hand raising out from the very green mist and stopping the disc in mid air. It hovers there in mid air. Seeming to just-- be frozen there. Only one may see the presence of the figure. Only one among the adventurers gathered who has the magic sense enough to see directly at the very presence that has been impacting their assault.

Soon though the very disc is sent right back at Deelel.

The undead suddenly seem to stop and their bodies crouch back a bit. There was a chatter of some of their teeth. The very green mist suddenly rises up from the ground and tries to wash over the very adventures on the battlefield. In the midst of the dark aura of green mist. The very undead leap out from all directions. Attempting to grab a hold of those gathered and bite into them. Trying to drain their very life essence straight out of them.

Firion has posed:
Firion seems infinitely surprised when Magical Runes appear in the air, blocking his efforts. For a moment, the flames limming his body dim. Giving the Undead enough time to overwhelm him. The Green Mist itself washes over him, leeching at his life force.

"No." Optional BGM: http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_857906&feature=iv&src_vid=Ic_6ol6WodI&v=vboTBWdgTR8

All of his weapons leave their scabbards at once. A literal arsenal. Each of them bursting into white hot flames, save the bow. Which appears in his hands. All of them spin around in a circle, warding off the Undead from him, save his lance, which lowers itself. Climbing atop it, and balancing both of his feet on it not unlike it was a beam, he rises into the air. The weapons abruptly all join together in lines of flame, spinning around him vertically, their motions so fast that it appeared like a wheel of white flame. Taking in a ragged breath, he looks down at the horde. "Apparently I need more training to defeat the one behind this.. but as the dream lives, so shall I."

Five arrows appeared nocked on the bowstring. And suddenly all of his weapons surged forward as one into the Undead horde. Anything it struck would leave only ashes in it's wake. Firion himself flipped backwards, drawing back on his bowstring and loosing them into the horde. But as he descended, he didn't land back on the ground...

His lance was already back beneath him, as if it teleported back underneath him.

The wheel retracted suddenly, blazing across their ranks as it did so, before moving out again to strike the throng at a different angle. Again the bowstring was nocked, and more arrows were loosed.. each arrow becoming a burst of purifying flame if they hit their marks.

Firion landed on the ground in a crouch, and all of his weapons at one landed back into their sheathes and scabbards. He looked.. exhausted. Diminished by the effort... and otherwise barely hanging on.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
Gwwwaaaahhhhhhh! Paulo looked impressive-- even cool-- until he met his mortal nemesis! A massive jolt of feedback crack backwards to him from his spell. It is almost as if someone turned the current of energy right back at him. Don't cross the streams! Kadooosh! The blonde haired mage-a-sage goes flying backwards. And what soft landing can Paulo expect? He acts like a pinball as he crashes into one frenzied skeleton's shield-- who deflects him to another skeleton's shield-- who deflects him to a large tree.

CRASH!

Paul's body slides down the tree as his body smokes from magical exhaustion. "Urk-- too strong," he spits out as he tries to stand up. He feels too drained to do so. "By the Crystal," the young sage says as he looks around-- FEELS around with his magical sensing powers, "he is so close. They are in... grave danger if he... erk." Ouch, that hurts. Ignoring his own wounds-- he lets the undead march towards him-- focusing holy magic to Firion. "Guard yourself. Something... much more powerful... nearby. Dont get... ambushed." Ambushed? Onehit killed? Never happens-- well-- except in cutscenes.

Paulo hums and sends what looks like a small white butterfly out to find the source of that malice. Go little butterfly, you can do it.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Well, a winning streak can't last forever either, can it? The hunger of the undead can't be easily sated it seems, and they crash into the barmaid HARD! As they walke dunpon her like a WALL, she had no much chance to get out of the wall, and them tumbling down on her, she's sliced and scratched just about everywhere on her body.

A might kick sends a few of them flying, as she manages to crawl out of thepile, looking pretty hurt at this point. She mutters, holding her wounded arm "How many more of them are there?!" She just used most of her strenght in that last attack too, but she's not giving up either. She kicks up one of the skeletons in the pile in front of her, and the roundhouses it back into the pile, using skeleton as a projectile against skeletons. Bone against bone, that with the force of her impacts, that should break some at least!

Saitei Dennou has posed:
A stunning blow! Nearly as stunning to the one who dealt it as to those who received it. Saitei stirs, exhausted, from beneath the re-deceased corpse of an attacker, and flings herself clear of him once she sees that the battle is /not/ won. Crap. As the epicenter of the blast that cleared so many of them, she has a better head start than her companions.

Besides that, she has an extra degree of mobility; she flings herself, once again, upwards, this time not caring for the canopy. Like a flung stone she crashes up through the branches, scattering leaves behind herself. There, she catches her breath and gathers her wits. "Just, just waste the things and let's get out of here! This one isn't having fun anymore!" Someone might have heard that.

Kim Possible has posed:
Kim manages to escape using her lipstick laser, but she drops to one knee, finding herself running out of steam rapidly. Fortunately, things seem to be getting taken care of...

Deelel has posed:
Deelel has been in bad places before in her life, way over her head. Sometimes you can't just run, you can't hide. If you do it's not the right thing to do at all, no it's not the right thing to do. You had to stand your ground sometimes and in this broken world it became something that one had to do more and more. Sometimes it just took one person going. No more, you shall not pass. She's had to face down something more powerful her with no real hope of victory because she couldn't just let it stand and for him to have free reign upon her home.

The hit is bad she's hurt bad. It's easy enough to tell how badly she's hurt from the gash on her side, there's no blow but a glowing blue wound showing nothing of flesh inside but glowing gagged cubes that seem to interlock to form her form? What gives hit she's trying to get back up however she's got her disc.

"I'll not... falter here. Failing that I will not go quietly you hear me?!"

She follows up Firion's brave stand and she moves to join him in his assault she knows she needs to get stronger but how much harder can she push herself. She's a program she can learn sure she can become more skilled but certain parameters are locked or perhaps they are not? She's learned how to fight that might not have been a thing a generation ago for her kind. Now he's they have been growing up and here she goes he disc lashes out again and again. She's trying to not push back the warnings from the others something also more powerful is here? This is bad, more memories of the fight against LEXUS flood into her mind as she continues to fight. She can't pres on forever but she's found enough strength left to keep going fort the moment.

"This is not the sort of game one would have fun with."

If she knew about Alma's thing about the undead she would totally agree after this experience here.

Horned King has posed:

The undead were on a frenzy, or so it would seem. As Firion charges up his attack. They carelessly continue after him. His holy weapons striking them down one right after another before they break up into dust. Even the one that goes to swing their axe for him is strike back by the magical weapons vanishing also into ash that is swept up by the growing winds as another lightning strikes from the sky.

Tifa comes it once again showing off her impressive will as she suddenly slams her kicks into the undead skeletons. Throwing them into one another as they suddenly explode into ash once more. One after another, their numbers do seem to be dropping and the mist is slowly at last starting to pull back. Though as it does another lightning strike impacts the ground now ever closer to the combat spot.

Deelel's own attack works to finish them off, bring down more undead to their knees and destroying them to dust.

For the moment the air was clear, until the very lightning strikes right in the very middle of the group. The Lightning held there, creating a massive shadow across the ground before suddenly a figure rose from the very shadow. Though the features could not be fully made out. What was obvious was the figure was hooded and robed. There was what appear to be like antlers that rose form the hood and two red wisps of lights where the eyes should be.

Then there was a gentle clap from the shadowy figure. It was a soft, calm clap, before he at last speaks with the dark, ominous voice. "I commend you on your performance. You though have injured my Cauldron Born twice now," His eyes peer over toward Firion's direction, before he looks over to Paulo Mysidi, "But you did not fare as well as you did the first.. and you sage." The dark figure seems to raise up his hand right toward Paulo. "We will meet again soon enough."

"Personally."

Then the lightning strike at last vanishes, taking away the very shadowy figure with it. The very green mist and whatever ash remained of the undead horde. All that remained of the very presence was the black, crusty ground where the lightning had been at.

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
Paulo Mysidi's hand is still lifted towards Firion. Cura! White magic continues to go out to him. Cura! Its getting really shaky by the time the nemesis himself makes an appearance. The young sage opens his lips to reply to his threat-- but it comes too slow. Curses! It seems the villain is a step ahead of him. Like any good villain. And like any good hero(?), it doesnt stop Paulo from replying after he is gone, "I'll be waiting... with bells on..."

Now somewhere in Paulo's mind he thought he said something more valiant like 'Bring it on!' or 'I'll be waiting, nemesis!' However, more than one neuron was nuked in that fight.

Still unable to get off of his sitting position against the dead tree, the sage scans the area, "Everyone okay?" he asks with a smokey cough, "Deelel? Deelel's friend? Other people who sent the Cauldron Born packing?" He gets a glimpse of Deelel and-- yeah he thinks he has lost his mind now. "I'm tired," he says faintly-- closing his eyes. Is he dead? Oh no! Paulo! Paulo! Don't die Paulo.

Snore. Nope, taking a nap.

Firion has posed:
The healing magic from Paulo, seeps into his every pore, and he mumbles gratefully to the man, "Thank you." However he still seems disoriented and exhausted from the effort. When the last of the Cauldron Born fall... he rises, only to see the lightning strike in the midst of the group. He observes the figure that appears, calmly appraising him.

And then a wry smile breaks onto his features, "My goodness. Have we already attracted the attention of the Overlord? If only a certain Emperor was this easy to draw out into the open..."

He doesn't even draw any of his now sheathed weapons, he just watches him, "I fully admit that I flubbed up royally this time. I won't underestimate them again." The shadowy figure vanishes, and he wearily strides towards the group. "Well fought. Shall we lick our wounds at a better locale? We've spilled... well I'd say blood, but it was more like bone fragments and marrow together, so we might as well introduce ourselves over a round at the nearest village." He clasps a hand on Paulo's shoulder..

But he looks rather bashful when it comes to introducing himself to any of the women who are about. Saitei, Tifa, Kim and Deelel all receive furtive looks, but he doesn't address them in particular.

Tifa Lockhart has posed:
Tifa Lockhart phews as the last one of the skeletons crumble... but then she hears the hand clapping, the speech... and then simply disapear "... What was that all about?" She sighs, sliding a hand through her bangs, pushing them backward, but the ones in front stubbornly slide back over her forehead. She nods to Firion with a smile "Good fighting there." Encouraging the one she doesn't know about. Well there's Saitei too, and Paulo... lot sof new faces here it seems today.

Saitei Dennou has posed:
From somewhere four meters up, Saitei Dennou bears witness to the Horned King's ultimatum, with all the solemnity it deserves. Yes. Once he's buggered off, and his little revenants too, she supposes she should look in on her allies.

Hanging by an ankle from the branch she'd been sat on, the Dennou sways over the battlefield, picking out her various comrades, each up and moving, except--

"He's no fun, he fell right over." Without much art, she drops from her tree, landing on all fours, with a hum that suggests more than agility. "You too, uhh... this one thinks she should recognize you," Saitei addresses herself to Tifa, new face or not.

Deelel has posed:
Deelel is holding her wounded side at this point and she stares at the figure that has appeared right in their midst. She can't really bring her disc up but this man? thing? was confident very confident and he never really raised his voice either that unsettles her. Was this just a test of how strong they were? This seems to be the case and that's bad news. Bad enough news she should be telling allies about it.

"I'm still alive Paulo, thank you for asking."

Then down he goes sleeping? That was a new one she'll leave him for the moment as everyone else is trying to recover.

"It looks like it, it's the calm ones like that you need to be terrified of...more so than the ones that rant. I think that's a good idea and my name is Deelel. We should get moving and I'll need to do something about my injuries."

potions oddly seemed to work she didn't question it more magic she's be very bad off if she didn't have them.

"Your another of the Dennou's I take it? We were lucky to have you here."

she'll move to get Paulo and then looks back to Firion.

"We should head out and not stay here too long, who knows what else is lurking out here."

Paulo Mysidi has posed:
Paulo Mysidi is still out-- stirring a bit as he rests. One of his greatest talents may be the ability to fall asleep anywhere. In this case it was more from exhaustion. Snoooorrreee. Translated it means 'Yes, we should not linger here.' Fortunately for Deelel he isn't too difficult to move around.