Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Heartcrown: Part 1

Fires burned at the altar of the shrine of Ibrox. Anestis readied her bow and took aim at the charging cultist. The arrow hit true, right in the neck as Coist, the swordsman, sliced through another. Stoney Black, the dwarven shieldbearer battered a path through three more, flanked by Faure, wielding her axe.

Aird watched on as his fellow rangers fought, carefully readying his own attack. Another wave of cultists swarmed through the temple's doors and Aird let fly with a blast of fire, burning two to ash and bone and sending the others screaming in pain. The wizard allowed himself a smirk as he readied his next spell.

Left and right the cultists fell, with no armour and only the most primative weapons they were no match for the five well trained rangers. In equal numbers they fell to arrow, sword, axe and fire. Only Stoney Black refused to take life. His mace staying tucked behind his giant shield. His shield was enough to defend them all, they were the hammer to his anvil.

The tide of battle continued to swing their way. Faure hacked down two who feigned to flee while Anestis picked off a lone flanker. Stoney Black pressed forward but it was Coist, ever the leader, who launched the counter-charge. Three days they had defended that shrine and its artifacts. Now they would break the seige, while the fight was at its fiercest. Outside into the burning landscape they fought. Under a forboding winter moon the five battled the legion of fanatics.

Victory neared. Coist's sword was coated in fresh blood so much it glowed in the moonlight. The cultists turned, about to flee. Anestis could only watch, when fires began to explode from the enemy lines. This time it was not the work of Aird. Coist in his fervour was now isolated as the demon Ibraine emerged from the fires. One blow from the demon's burning blade was all it took for Coist to fall. All Anestis could see was the fleeing fanatics and when they were all out of sight Coist and Ibraine were nowhere to be seen.