The Nightblade Chronicles: Chapter One

[Rupudska]

Elena walked towards Daniel, noticing that he had wandered into a trap. Rather stupid of them to launch the trap when only one person went in.

She deflected the stray fireballs with relative ease, aiming them at just about everywhere except the rest of the group and Daniel.

"Why don't you pick on someone capable of taking you on, eh? It'd certainly be more entertaining... for me."

[Asterdan]

Azulon looked at the newcomer, a female that seemed to be quite powerful. He smirked and delivered a kick, sending a jet of flames towards the back of Elena's head. The others in the unit turned, ready to fight her, and keep her distracted. They left Daniel be and began to attack the girl.

[Firstaria]

As the group and the newcomer squared off, they didn't notice the fire wielders trap about to be sprung. It was Daniel who had ventured onward a little ways from Nightblade. He had noticed a few large, volcanic rocks, and figured that this meant they were close. As he walked by, he was ambushed by Gratian soldiers.

Fire was flying and it was a difficult battle for only one person, even if that person was Daniel Mercury. This close to the Spire Ka, the fire wielders were twice as powerful. If there were any water wielders, then they would be twice as weak.

Colonel Azulon smirked as his soldiers overpowered Daniel, and waited for the others.

Daniel felt all the fireballs flying around him, way too many even for his own speed. Deciding it was time to cut short with the presentation, he threw away the mask and started to use his Dark Energy. There was no need to spare it, as long as Red Death ruled with the iron fist the energy was abundant...which meant that the more towers they would strike down, the more HE also would get weaker.

Oh well, since this was his moment to shine, time to do it. His body emitted a dark mist as he slammed his fists in the ground, causing a massive surge of darkened terrain and spikes under the enemy formation. Falling all on the ground, the barrage stopped, as Daniel quickly acted like he was ruling earth, while he just used Dark Energy to move it; he could not make people discover his true identity, balance had to be protected.

[Rupudska]

Azulon looked at the newcomer, a female that seemed to be quite powerful. He smirked and delivered a kick, sending a jet of flames towards the back of Elena's head. The others in the unit turned, ready to fight her, and keep her distracted. They left Daniel be and began to attack the girl.

She split the jet of flames with her hands, spreading it around herself and Daniel, aiming it so that the two new streams would head for the others. Two birds with one stone. Elena was all about efficiency, after all. The less effort she put into these battles, the better.

[Asterdan]

Azulon smirked, impressed, then delivered a kick to the head of Jace and bounded towards his unit. Together, his unit created a ring of fire, and Azulon entered the fray with his two enemies. He got into his trademarked stance and prepared to fight. He saw how powerful they were, and knew it was a losing battle, but he was determined to give it his all.

[Konariona]

Alakin, watching everyone fight with fire, and seeing his own talent be useless in comparison, he decided to do what he did best- break things.
The warrior immediately charged and attacked the fire wielder named Azulon viciously with his axe.

[Asterdan]

Alakin, watching everyone fight with fire, and seeing his own talent be useless in comparison, he decided to do what he did best- break things.
The warrior immediately charged and attacked the fire wielder named Azulon viciously with his axe.

Not expecting this turn of events, Azulon was not prepared, and the axe plunged deep into his neck. With their leader dead, the warriors dispersed, as they were simply fire filled with life. The armor fell to the ground, and the group was able to carry on.

[Landenburg]

Alakin, watching everyone fight with fire, and seeing his own talent be useless in comparison, he decided to do what he did best- break things.
The warrior immediately charged and attacked the fire wielder named Azulon viciously with his axe.

Not expecting this turn of events, Azulon was not prepared, and the axe plunged deep into his neck. With their leader dead, the warriors dispersed, as they were simply fire filled with life. The armor fell to the ground, and the group was able to carry on.

"Shame." Jace said, sounding quite sad.
"I knew him, we trained together." Jace finished, walking towards the Spire.
Wait a second he thought.
"We let one of them live at the last checkpoint, even allowing him to warn others. We basically set ourselves up to die! Azulon was nothing compared to the Spire!" Jace said, his sudden fury surprising the group.

[Firstaria]

Daniel looked at the leader falling for a simple melee attack, and smirked seeing the whole squadron fleeing with their leader down " Well, that had been easy." And then he heard the words of Jace, and got closer to answer him " Well, the guy was convinced of his decision, and decision like that usually brings consequences. What really surprises me instead is that is higly probable that from now on we will have to avoid any road and any frontal attack, we completely wasted any chance to work without being recognized...which means we will have to work in the shadow. "

He smiled, but also looked behind. He had the clear impression that this team would be unable to carry the calm and discretion required from now on to avoid major battles...expecially Elena.

[Asterdan]

After the battle, the group carried on. They traveled for what seemed like hours until they saw the red glow of the Spire Ka. Another half-hour later, they saw the Spire itself. Relieved at the relative ease, they ran on towards it, only to stop short, noticing that it was surrounded by a large lake of burning lava, only a sliver of land connecting it to the mainland. They watched as Spire Soldiers filed out and went about their business, fire literally billowing from under their armor, not noticing the group.

To take out this tower, they would need to get into it, and then travel to the top of the Spire, avoiding soldiers and whatever else may be in there. Then, they would be forced to kill the General, and finally, destroy the Rune Core, a giant ball of flames with the Ka Rune engraved in it. This is what gave the tower its power.

[Landenburg]

After the battle, the group carried on. They traveled for what seemed like hours until they saw the red glow of the Spire Ka. Another half-hour later, they saw the Spire itself. Relieved at the relative ease, they ran on towards it, only to stop short, noticing that it was surrounded by a large lake of burning lava, only a sliver of land connecting it to the mainland. They watched as Spire Soldiers filed out and went about their business, fire literally billowing from under their armor, not noticing the group.

To take out this tower, they would need to get into it, and then travel to the top of the Spire, avoiding soldiers and whatever else may be in there. Then, they would be forced to kill the General, and finally, destroy the Rune Core, a giant ball of flames with the Ka Rune engraved in it. This is what gave the tower its power.

"Hardcore Parkour is an understatement, eh?" Jace said chuckling.
He turned facing Alakin.
"Hey Brutus, can we use your hollow head to get rid of all of this lava?" Jace said, losing it.

[Rupudska]

Elena stared at the lava pit, tisk-tisking. "Not good. I could probably fly across it, but I'd likely get shot down. And you'd all burn if you so much as touch lava, the air near it is hot enough to give you airway burns. Touching it would mean losing that body part. Unless we find a boat made of pure carbon, we're not getting across any way but that land bridge."

[Konariona]

"Hardcore Parkour is an understatement, eh?" Jace said chuckling.
He turned facing Alakin.
"Hey Brutus, can we use your hollow head to get rid of all of this lava?" Jace said, losing it.

Alakin sighed.
"I didn't see any of your fancyass magic taking out that guy back there. So shut up, unless you have something useful to contribute.. we've already got enough hot air here."
He turned and looked at the lake.

[Firstaria]

Daniel looked at the three quite surprised, and then said kinda angry.

"Guys, you may have missed some point, but they are probably just waiting for someone to be stupid enough to take a full frontal assault! The moment we show they will throw everything at us, and also we are tired from the travelling" At least maybe they are, he was not, the spire seemed to recharge him. He could maybe go all out and smash away the army, but then he would have to explain a lot of things and would attract all sort of bad attention from the enemy forces in the next towers, and he would not be able to do the same.


" We need a plan to get there and do things the proper way. Or you want to end like the guys we saw on the walls? " He concluded, hoping there was some kind of calm now in the middle of these hot-heads.

[Asterdan]

As they made their plans, Jace knew it was he who would have to sacrifice himself to save the others. He ran to the edge of the lake on the far side, drawing the forces in its entirety to his location. As they pelted him with fire, the rest of Nightblade slowly made their way across the land bridge and into the Spire Ka. As Jace watched, slowly burning, he smiled, then in the next instant, he was no more. They continued firing until there was nothing but ash where he once stood.

The Old man smiled a sad smile, it was a necessary death, but that didn't make it any less unfortunate. But Jace played his part in the downfall of Red Death, and now his time was up.

[Imperialisium]

As Astarius made his way into the Spire Ka with the rest of Nightblade he casted a solemn look back at Jace. He saw the man die in an inferno and gave him a brisk salute before running to catch up wit hthe group. His death would not go unavenged, Astarius was sure of it.