Coughing, cascades of brutish light greeted the aching boy, he rolled, grunting through the dust and soot, stretching pained limbs. Pulling his body with groans and growls, Al scrambled like a bug in the stones. The boy’s great tuft of hair showered dust upon the ruined ground as he pulled himself onto his bottom, then onto feet.
“Sonne, Every, Argj, anyone” Al cried out weakly through blur crusted eyes, no sound was heard, not even the hoisting of stones to his left, for the boy’s head was completely filled with horrid ringing.
The orc threw stones off her body, emerging from the weights that had crushed armor into herself, the shade laid like the day Al had met him, except wrapped in dust and cloth, caught like a fly in a web on the ground. The boy stood on shaking knees, pulling himself up, cracked fingers on slated stone, he dragged himself.
“Agh, anyone” Al boiled, growling while trying to stand, eyes scanning through stinking rubble, people crawled from the wreckage of ceiling and support alike. Darkness still covered half of the throne room, the rest was bathed in light from the cursed roof. A shock of red caught eyes from all around, the orc hoisted her frail form onto a bed-like stone, blood trailed the woman’s back, a pool of warmth streamed from the corners of her mouth.
Coughing Sonne slumped against the thick rock, wheezing she gave Al a little thumbs up as their eyes met across the distance. A shuffling empty space of stone pulled more heads as a sphere of nothing signaled the witch’s respite, although she appeared worse for wear, squatting in a circle, untouched. Curiously however, the princess was gone, “Galena!” shouted Al, as Sonne and the raven rose to their feet, “Galena where’s Every?” he cried, as everyone stiffened, spinning around, scanning through panicked eyes.
“Every!” they cried, Argjend came to life, pulling at cloak and cloth, ripping the ends as he crawled, “Every” they all wheezed, coughing amongst clouds of dust and debris. A noise from behind, followed by a shout, all served to catch the group’s attention, whirling around, shadows moved against the southern wall. Where against the massive, barred doors, the elegantly dressed girl was struggling, dragged by two warriors of swathed shadow, the AP hand had taken the girl, the princess, seized as a prize, the vulture stood their mocking them in both eyes and smile.
“Ah, you’ve all awoken, a tough bunch, a handful of stones” Ornio called out, clapping his now wrapped hands together, little speckles still tinged the creature's body.
Every kicked out at one of her captors, slamming the AP in the shin, armed with drilling heel, yet the thing did not waver. The princess twisted and pulled at their arms, but they did not move, did not waver.
“Oh, come now little princess, no need to struggle, no harm shall befall you,” the bird screeched pulling his robe around him, the royal allies shirked dust, tainted gray they stood on flattened feet, hoisting blades to meet the threat, AP hands drew their own gleaming weapons in kind, twenty to four, a one-sided battle.
Either side advanced through crunching rubble, the king spluttered from a curtain of hair, still stuck to his metal throne “save… her” he whispered, reaching out aged hands, Galena looked back locking eyes with the man, “we will” she breathed. The darkened army approached again, marching with order, daggers and hooks primed to tear.
“Wait! WAIT!” Every cried out, ceasing her flailing fight, dress coming to rest against the filth, all but the apparition's hand turned, all to face the girl, even Galen’s eyes shot to the princess who looked out from tangled locks, blowing them from her face, Every gritted her teeth.
“I will go with you, I will not struggle, I won’t fight” the girl started “but princess” her allies mirrored, “shut it! I will follow, I will comply, but only if you promise not to harm any of my friends, please.” She asked, eyes hardened with determination and a hint of rage.
“Oooooooh, you seem confused as to where you stand, queenling, you are in no position to make demands, or deals… however.” The vulture stroked his immaculate mane, “I shall humor your request, fine, I promise that I shall not harm your allies, happy now?” he finished, as the girl nodded, sparkles at the corners of wetted eyes.
“Come now, we have matters to attend to, people to… see” Ornio cackled as the doors behind opened slowly, allowing the small group to pass, right as they left, the princess looked over her shoulder, casting a gaze to the young boy. Who held his blade tighter, blood caking fingers, the door shut with a reverberating thud, shaking more stones from the sky, leaving the party in a cloud of silence.
A quiet staunch breath, a cough, rasps of disbelief, before the doors creaked slowly open once more, opening on worried hinges. All heads lifted with confused eyes, lenses held colors of disbelief, yet their gritty faces fell, clattering against the floor as a crown only could.
From the precipice walked an apparition's hand, yet this one was large, still clad in cloth and veil, wrapped tightly from head to silken toe. However, this one was different from the rest, taller yet odd in silhouette alone, perhaps it was his heftier frame, or the large points that sprouted from the thing’s head. The creature widened his stance through low hanging dust, before he stopped, feet at sides, arms outstretched, fingers of stone rumbled up from the once perfect floor, spires of rock shot out with cracking force, the witch stood at the head of the group once more. Shocked, Galena's mouth opened wide, as the musings of magic wove between them.
The raven stood watching, fingers flexed, before shards of rock were flung from earthen hands, a showering of dangerous pebbles, flowing from their aggressor’s creations. Galena knew it was true, yet she did not want to believe it, let alone understand it. This realization, this fear, this pause in judgment, is what led to the enemy gaining the upper hand. A glittering shard of iron, flung lights out in all directions, flashes of steel shielded the raven from the stones, as Al’s sword came up to block, barring the assault.
Snippets of dirt and rubble pierced through the boy’s clothes, tearing holes in skin, yet through gritted teeth Albatross stood firm. Galena stayed frozen, the boy in front sword poised, a massive hand erupted before the aggressor, flinging boulders and chunks in its wake. The boy braced himself, cheek against guard, a roar erupted giving respite but for a moment. The lion flashed out with crimson fury, baring daggered teeth, Sonne’s mighty cleaver swung with pure ferocity, cracking catapulted earth in twain, the woman danced, a dance of flame, crushing stone and biting wind.
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