Battle:Heltri Attacks the Fold

Part of the Incarnation of Abomination Arc

Summary: Heltri mounts a surprise attack on the Fold compound with Zha’leeah, designed to test its current defenses and harm or maim as many as he can. Depite taking significant casualties, the forces of the clan are able to repel the dragon’s attack.

Characters: Heltri, Zhaleeah, Arien, Rhocielle, Lirithen, Riley

Location: Kelay, The Fold compound.

Heltri :: Between the time it took to reach the Compound from the beach of Cenril, Heltri was quiet. Focused. Gathering strength. Splicing it, setting it aside in various clumps - to pull from. A reserve was set aside. Deceptive had been the words given to Zhaleeah. Show? Nay. Obliterate. That was his true gain. No matter what she may have asked, or said, on the trek to the Compound the Black had remained quiet - nothing but the sound of leathery wings against air eminated from his form. Three miles away from the border of Sage they began to appear. Falling in line, in a unison, a precision that suggest strict military experience. More Blacks. One - two..three. Seven - eight, nine. Quickly created and set lose. Set lose with one intent: Destroy the Compound. They had no other orders, Heltri no longer had any control of them - and so long as the creature kept pace with them, the illusion he hoped to create would flow flawlessly. From a distance they would appear legit - and on this he relied. Every measure had been taken to make their magical, false nature unknown. From scent, to even spirit - a small emotion of rage. It took all of his magic strength to do. To make thirteen of them, so perfect - it used to be childs play for him. Nay, he was weak - Zhaleeah was left in the dark, per se, and as soon as the Compound came into view above trees he halted, hovering, watching his Blacks continue on their trek toward the final location. The Demon was distracted - searching through the various emotions and scents pilfering around, trying to find three in particular whilst from above cloud cover those thirteen blacks began raining a flood of acid down upon any living creature below. From his hovering position he spoke to Zhaleeah along mental lines. ~They are enemies. They scour the earth. Lesser beings. Lesser creatures filtering good and evil as they see it. Destroy them with us. If you have magic - use it now, for I have stirred the two legged beehive.~

Zhaleeah had thought to ask questions, had almost made to, but if there is one thing that Helich and Lukas were to have in common it was the quietness that suggessted any words spoken would be ignored. She too soon fell into such stark silence, only the leathery flap of her wings and her Elder's giving a beat for her thoughts to run with. Only a slight narrowing of her eyes follows the observation of the Dragons created by Heltri, lips pulling back with that familiar twitch. His path is mirrored almost to a tee, his distraction giving rise to wandering thoughts - that is until the now familiar voice of her Elder echoed in her mind. Magic. Oh yes, she had magic. Her response was non-existant, no words flowing back through to communicate in what others would percieve as silence. Nay, her aquiescence is shown purely through action, wings beating all the harder to kick up a mighty wind. Manipulated and twisted to her will was the air, until it became a massive twister - a mighty force of destruction all on it's own. However, this was not the finality of the arcane attack - there was more to it yet. An even greater force sparked - literally, blue-white flame bursting to life within the writing, angry winds as they were sent forth towards the compound. Not only was the headquarters at risk of burning to the ground, but the entire forest was as well.

Arien: In the compound below it was the low, throbbing blast of sounded alarm that would alert the unsuspecting gathering within the clinic walls to the impending assault. Arien, who had just stepped into that room, called by the urgent mental plea of her clan mate, turned her eyes to the window of the same. Beyond, an artificial darkness loomed, and wind whipped in the trees. The sounds of cries, and in turn screams from the officers on shift beyond the walls, caused the elf at first to pale, fingers flying first to the roundness of her womb, before her eyes sought Riley and Alric in their places. “Down..to the Lab below ground…now. And take the non combatant with you as many as it will hold.” Already the elf was moving to hover at the door of the rune enforced building. The compound would not burn…not with the enchantments to prevent such a happening that had long been put in place since the days of the Time Lord’s random attacks. The elf made use of the link that bonded her kin. ~Man the balliste! Hurl the nets! They cannot use magics if they are distracted!~ And to her husband she called. ~Rho! Wherever you are my love..come home..We need you~ Turning around, the elf would retreat inwards..she was not dressed for battle, and her kin beyond needed her. Outside, orders were followed..the first volley of nets spinning into the air from the compound walls, reaching to tangle around necks and wings and legs..mithril, cutting, hopefully dragging the illusory dragons to earth. In the barracks, off duty officers awoke, dragging on armor and robes, reaching for weapons and magics. “The mages..battle mages to the line!” From somewhere..the command was barked.

Lirithen A clamour and chaos arose in the clan's barracks as the officers rushed this way and that to prepare the hail of shouting that might establish some sense of direction in the panicking guardsman. Lirolae swam against the tide, figuratively speaking, ducking and dipping and elbowing his way through the never-ending crowd of archers and spearmen and strippers and whatever else the clan had stationed on the walls in his haste to reach the nearest platform he could remember; the barracks' balcony. Bow in hand he burst out onto the stone platform and instantly his balance was upset by the signature whooshing burst of the Sacred Winds from their bracer binding, the sentient elemental spirit bound within immediately gathering the surrounding air to begin a small circulating containment field, the spinning winds keeping the acid rain from touching his person by catching the droplets in the circular gust and whipping them away. The tree-born paused as he examined the sky, dumbstruck by the sight of the thirteen approaching dragons before shock switched to resolve, and a single arrow was knocked into place on the enchanted bow. The string was stretched almost to snapping, the razor-sharp arrowhead fixated on one of the great beasts as it approached, to be released as the illusionary construct came to fly overhead. Keen elven gave watched the projectile as it launched, the Sacred Winds siphoning off a tiny portion to wrap and spin around the arrow to keep the acid from eroding it. About half-way towards its destination the intended enchantment took place when the arrowhead burst into orange flames, which fuelled by the oxygen rotating around them quickly spread to consume the entire arrow and turn it into a fiery streak topped with glowing steel, which embedded itself cleanly in the side of an illusionary dragons neck. Whether the thing cried in pain and the flames spread realistically, or whether the illusion simply fizzled out, is... Well, up to Heltri, I guess.

Rhocielle was loathe to leave his horse behind, but the wolfen male did not know the effects of recalling with another in his presence. Dismounting from Vyraelys, he patted the stallion's mane and spoke, "Wait for me in Larket, you know the way back to the stables..." He tucked a note into the saddle's satchel for the stable hands to read and have proof of ownership. With the horse's snort of acknowledgment, the wolfen warder nodded and stepped back. Huskily speaking the motto of the Fold, he laid his paw on the emblazoned crest of his armor. An eerie light suddenly engulfed the male and his body soon became a vapor to be whisked off by the wind. Materializing in the central courtyard as the dragons above began their attack, the wolfen commander let out a singular bark while taking refuge in the threshold of a guardhouse door. The compound had been prepared for this since the first rumors of Helich attacking with an undead army were whispered many months ago. The tops of the towers were allowed to melt and break off harmless onto the courtyard below in the first volley of acid spray and fire-laden winds, revealing a lethal trap beneath. Polybolos armed with rune tipped bolts and mithril woven nets unleashed their own torrent into the skies above. The Fold had been ready for an assault from dragons, or rather, one black dragon in particular. The wind hissed menacingly as the bolts whizzed through the air towards their airborne targets. While a single bolt would make aiming quite a feat, the polybolos was not a traditional single bolt ballista, but a repeating weapon. No sooner had one missile been release that another immediately cranked into position and was launched. What illusionary dragons could be struck with the holy-infused projectiles might be dispelled outright from the impact, but for the two true black dragons, such weapons might cause quite significant painful reactions. The tower mounted ballistae were not the only defenses of war errected for the protection of the Fold and its inhabitants. Enchanted gemstones tipped every other crenellation of the stone walls. They glowed faintly with the encroachment of Zhaleeah's own magical gust. Of Kumorohyou's design, the spiritual stones of Jangal origin were emplaced around the compound to resist the wrath of Vuryal himself should he have ever attacked the compound fully. A flock of illusionary dragons were but mere black gnats buzzing around a bright flame. As the turrets began their counterattack, so did the residing battalion of Fold soldiers begin their own defensive formations. Droves of archers began pouring from the barracks and guardhouses situated beneath the towers. Some were instantly horribly injured by errant acidic spray while others tossed briskly against walls despite the weakened winds, soon to die unless dragged off to safety. Most continued on valiantly to their posts and release a flood of their power back at the dragons, illusionary or otherwise. However, as most were trained to expect illusions, most arrows were instantly trained on the one dragon that did stand out, Zhaleeah herself. Illusions could never perform any other attack than what they could inherently perform. The acid spewing dragons might have been illusions, but the one that could conjure up flaming twisters was guaranteed to be real.

Riley 's settled state of mind was thrown back into chaos as the same feeling of creeping cold and paralyzing fear took hold of her person once more. How could this be? She had left the dragons at the beach, sure to leave no traces to follow! Standing from her bed, she moves to stand next to Lady Arien at the window, a soft whimper of fear escaping thin lips as she also notices the blackness coming for them in the form of winged beasts she knew belonged to the Black Dragon himself. Only the snapping orders of the High Elf releases Riley from her paralysis, moving the young lycan into action as she says nothing, but quickly goes about to do the Lady's bidding, herding anyone and everyone unfit to fight below into the laboratory and to safety.

Heltri :: Quaint. That would be how he described the scene below - lets consider this a test of their defenses for a moment. In just around three minutes they had dispelled thirteen Blacks with a military precision. His enemies were strong. Numerous. He should fear them. /Should/ fear them. He found it more suiting for them to fear him - crimson gaze swept the scene below, watching as volley and balista - in particular the large balista. The ones ensnared by Mithril and brought to ground quickly recovered, charging toward any near by - doing naught but spitting - until succumbing to the same fate. Up close they were illusions, obvious by the bland scales and dead eyes. The test had been completed. ~It is too soon..~ A quiet sigh, loud for a dragon, before he left Zhaleeah to her fate - lest she followed, and somehow dodged the brightly lit fiery arrow Lirithen unleashed from the depths of night. He bound toward the north-west. Toward Larket, or Vailkrin, the Gods knew where. A voice bellowed in the area, louder than the waging battle - "You will die. I will watch you die." The message was obvious, simple, and delayed. He -did- fear them, distance being the safety he took before speaking.

Zhaleeah :: There is something too familiar to this scene. Too many people; too well organized, and Zha'leeah, left in the dark originally by Helich would be left here alone to take on them all if she did not move quickly. She knew better than to stay; knew well the difference in strength the little ones had when they banded together like this. Certainly, she'd decimated populations by herself, but none of them had been so used to assault as these people here, in the present, were. Her wingbeat is quick and decisive, propelling her ever higher into the air and soon beyond the reach of any bolts, though one had managed to graze her side during the initial portion of her ascent. It hurt. Dear Sven did it hurt. Still, her best interests deemed that it would be ignored, nay, /had/ to be ignored until she had retreated to a safe distance. However, she was not Helich; her attitude was different, an odd mix of Human behaviour and Dragon. Spite narrowed her eyes as she stared at the small creatures far below, inherent hatred rising in her chest. There was one last goodbye to give them. A rather unpleasant one as she directs her pillar of flame outwards to circle the compound, it's power reinforced. If she couldn't burn the building, she'd burn the entire forest that surrounded it. Foliage caught fire easily, spreading with an almost insane alacrity, forcing all manner of animal to come out of the woodworks - quite litterally in some cases - in a mad panic, and to stampede towards the Fold's headquarters where it seemed the only safety lied. With the forest set aflame, and that bit of chaos left for them to deal with, the dragoness veers off into the night, dissapearing into the distance.

Arien, it might almost have been presumed, was hard on the heels of Lirithen as she too pressed her way though the maze of flesh, upwards towards the second floor balcony of the stone building. Erupting breathless onto the deck, the elf was just in time to see that rain of fire come blazing down own of the sky, the sounds of flames licking at the foliage a nightmare to her ears. Smoke began to billow, thick, choking..and the sounds of the beasts of the forests provoked into panic caused Arien to cast worried gaze to the face of her childhood friend. “The Tree Born..they will be swift to act, yes? There will be only so much we can do..” Already the female was shimmering with the access of her mana, the paladin of Lauria calling upon her authority over the elements. Across her clan link the paladin directed the mages under her command. ~Water..we need water..and lots of it.~ Emerald gaze lifted then, to the already darkening skies above, the elf concentrating her magics over the forest layer closest to the compounds walls. Joining their magics to their general’s, the soft choral chanting of the battle mages began from their stations on the encircling walls. Clouds grew heavier, as the flames licked, until suddenly, as if unable to contain themselves, they broke..rain, tumbling through the darkness in torrents. The hiss and stench of doused flames and burnt earth arose to replace that of smoke. It would be long..still moments later, that the lips of the elf would stop moving with sacred prayer..and eyes drifted over the compound to take in the aftermath. It was only then, that she saw him down below-the wolf. ~Rho~

Lirithen :: "They are already here," came Lirithen's irritable reply, his hand stilling in prevention of the urge to deliver Arien a swift backward slap for wasting time with useless inquiries when her breath would be better spent on order and prayer. Rangers armed with buckets of water filed in behind their druid commanders, tossing the liquid aimlessly into the air to be manipulated by the elementalists that flocked to the fire. It already showed slow signs of containment before the Fold-cast downpour assaulted the thick blaze. With the sudden abundance of water at their disposal raindrops found themselves being quickly recycled, gathered from the wet leaves and bundled into wide sheets that ploughed through the blaze, while rangers grouped together to begin the, at present, slow process of healing the plant life one branch at a time. Lirithen would the find show pleasingly short, the expertise of his people and the Fold's blunt solution working in perfect tandem, and soon the well-oiled wood-elf machine as turning its efforts to summoning high winds to dis-spell the rising cloud of smoke and exhausting the healer's energies on repairing the damaged trees. Working through the night the forest would appear whole again, and with extra wards placed to avert a similar disaster again, though Arien was about to get an earful for having not seen the necessary protective measures put in place.

Rhocielle glowered at the pair of departing dragons as the rest disappeared, but became visibly surprised at the wanton destructive nature of the one that left a parting gift. "Crank those things around," the wolfen male barked as he stormed up the wall to reach the nearest turret even as he heard Arien call his name within his mind. The polybolos turned to face the burning forest around them. "Halt!..." he commanded as there were already numerous elves at the base of the walls outside. The wolf's idea was even more blunt solution, had it been executed, to use the heavy weight of the mithril netting itself to smother the fires with the uplifted soil. Sighing now that he could be allowed to rest after his day and a half of traveling, he leaned against a crenellation and turned his attention to his elven bride. ~Heh... seems that I can't stay away too long, eh elf?~ There was teasing smirk to his muzzle as he willed his weary legs to move and make his way towards her.

Riley ::After having everyone settled within the lab, the young lycan emerges out into night air visibly shaken, pale and exhausted. The sounds of shouting voices and smells of burning wood catches hold of her senses first, her already stretched and tormented mind weaving pictures of horrid scenes for her to worry over. Not sure of where to go or what to do, the woman simply stands motionless near the entrance into the building as her eyes roam about taking in the damage, listening to the wails of the injured as they received their treatments from the clinics nurses. Though the danger had passed and the dragons had left, Riley still felt as if she stood within a circling hell; the smoke burned her eyes and the smell alone of the putrid acid left behind from Heltri's little monstrous minions made her stomach roll suddenly. With a hand flying to cover her mouth, the lycan runs to a small cluster of bushes before retching, hopefully going unnoticed by the others so that she would not have to go through the embarrassment of having a weak stomach.

Arien’s gaze narrowed on the wolf with baleful humor as she watched his approach, before concerned gaze returned to what devastation remained in the courtyard. A palm was raised to halt Lirithen’s pending tirade. “Your people need your direction, and your words are better spent now on the healing of the forests wounds than on berating me for my perceived faults in this matter,” she murmured. “I must attend to my own.” Lirithen would be left then, to his own devices as the elf made her way below, intending to meet the wolf halfway. A final order was given across the link~The wounded..establish a triage station in the clinic. All healers are to work through the night to do what we can to save who can be, of our kin~ she directed. Pausing in the common room of the first floor of the barracks, the elf turned a yearning gaze toward the safety and solitude of her quarters. There was little need for her now, those with orders would follow them to the man. She was weary..and now that the rush of adrenaline was past, the fear for the danger in which her children had found themselves stirred to life. So long as Helich lived, her family would never know peace. ~I shall be in our quarters beloved~ she communicated to him silently, before she turned down the hallway, and disappeared into the security of their bedroom. It was time for her night to be eventful for other reasons. She had missed him..and yearned to feel the life pulsing in both their veins after such a close call.

Rhocielle nodded to the High Elf general as he looked around for those needing the most urgent care. ~I will be along shortly, dear elf.~ It would seem the clinic Healers were already occupying themselves to those that needed treatment, leaving only the vomiting female Lycan near the bushes. In a somewhat solemn and grim tone, he said to Riley while kneeling beside her to rest his paw on her shoulder, "This was just the beginning..."