The Land Time Attacked (Plot)

[Kender Bard]

Akkarei did not have the benefit of being able to blend with humankind like Lilth could and Zephion was even worse off. That was fine; neither really needed disguise.

As the two floated towards Maelstrom from an appreciable distance in the air, they considered their course of action. "We both need to feed," Akkarei pointed out. "This seems like a good enough place to do so. I'll snare and drain those who come too near while you guard me. And when I am sated, we will switch."

"Do you think the mortals will pose any problems?" Zephion asked curiously.

"No," Akkarei said simply. "But we'll see." The two started to set down on the edge of Agestrom, near the gates, making no attempt to conceal their approach. As they did, Akkarei gathered her power about herself, holding it back for a moment's notice, though her ability had no obvious, tangible effect to show she was doing so. Zephion, however, began to glow in eyes and veins.

[Northen Light36]

Maelstrom had been on high alert since word of what had happened to Anarlina had reached them. The guard spang to action as soon as the two demons had been spotted near the gates. Messengers were sent to the King and to the commander of the army even as the guard began to attack from a distance with arrows and elemental attack.

Civillians were ordered off the street and back to their homes, though the process of doing so would take time. Fear stirred in many a heart that day and most prayed that the fact there were only two demons meant they would fare better then their neighbouring nation had.

Shadow had his own fears as he hurried through the palace to look for Luminous, praying his daughter had not chosen to leave the grounds. "There you are," he sighed, snatching her up into a hug. "Luminous, I want you to stay with me. There have been demons seen at the city gates."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous made a surprised sound as Shadow grabbed her but at his words she clutched him tightly. "All right," she agreed, her voice a little faint with shock. "I promise. Are you going to go out, father?"

---

To Akkarei and Zephion, the arrows and even the lightning might as well have been coming at them as if from a dream. The two suddenly began to move with speeds utterly incomprehensible--they were simply a blur to the human eye and neither had any difficulty in avoiding the attacks.

Akkarei, amidst the slow dance movements (from her perspective) that constituted her dodging, scanned around for a likely morsel. She spotted one guard who looked young enough to please her and swooped down towards him. This was the tricky part, for the closer she got, the harder it would be for even her to avoid the attacks... Not that they hurt terribly much but even stinging can be something worse if it builds up too quickly.

Zephion did his job in this regard as he followed her. He flipped around so that his black body pointed towards the enemy and between one moment and the next, his eyes fired two beams of purely destructive energy. It set fire where it touched wood and melted steel. Men unfortunately enough to be in the way (and for dozens of yards behind the original targets) had whatever body part was in the way simply sliced away, as if cut neatly by a giant sword.

[Northen Light36]

Fear gripped the guards as they saw both the speed of the demons and the power of the attack, but they pushed it aside in favour of grim determination. Their job was to guard the city and if the price of holding these things back was their lives, then they would pay it and do so with honour until the army could assist them.

Some particularly brave, or foolish, members of the guard dashed towards Akkarei when she swooped down. Their swords were out and ready and each vowed to be the one to cut down this beast.

---

"Not yet," Shadow told Luminous. "There's only two, so I have hope that the guards or the army will be able to kill them or drive them off. If things go badly, then yes, I will go out and do what I can. And I pray for your aid if it comes to that, Efil.

Kara, who'd been following Shadow from the moment they'd heard of the demons, looked fearful. "Shade, don't," she murmured. "Please..." She paused and seemed to think better of what she'd been going to say. "Be careful, Shade. Don't take any more risks then you have to."

[Kender Bard]

Luminous spared a brief glance at Kara before nodding to Shadow. "Good thing Dami is with mother," she murmured. She feared for her friends, but couldn't think of anything she could do to help. "Do you want me to do anything, father? Calm the servants or... I'm not sure what."

---

Akkarei suffered a few cuts from the swords, but by then she had what she wanted. She'd selected one of the young guards for feasting and faced him. Her mouth dropped wide, revealing a yawning chasm and she began to suck something barely visible from the guard she faced. Immediately he aged and rapidly, losing decades by the moment until he was but a husken body, dropping dead where he stood. Immediately, Akkarei's wounds began to heal and she even looked a trifle less pale. She turned her head and picked another young morsel. Old and grizzled men she ignored, letting Zephion deal with these, killing them with blasts from his eyes. Akkarei ignored any wounds inflicted; the lifeforce of the young, as she consumed it, was more than an enough to regain what she bled.

[Northen Light36]

Shadow considered for a second, then nodded. "Find a few of the servants and give the order for the household staff to gather in the kitchen. It's large enough to hold them, with a little crowding, and Cook should be able to keep order. Then I want you to find Sherlock and the pair of you come find me in my study. We'll wait for news there."

And if things went badly, Sherlock would be on hand to get Luminous away from the city and to inform Lya of the situation.

[Kender Bard]

"Yes, father," Luminous agreed and hastened to do just that.

---

Most people were doing their best to flee the damage and carnage, unless they were a brave (or stupid) soul going to help the fighting. The servant that dashed out of the gates, towards the demons went considerably against the grain. He threw himself down into a prostrate position. "My lords!" he cried out.

Zephion took notice of him, intrigued. One Storm threw a bolt at the traitorous man, but with Akkarei's enhanced speed affecting him as well, he easily picked up the prone servant and pulled him out of harms way with his telekinesis. "Akkarei look what I have."

Akkarei retreated from the wall. "Interesting," she said. By now she was positively flushed and radiant, far from the corpsey figure she was when she arrived. "Go, Zephion. Feed. Then we'll withdraw."

Zephion nodded and approached the gates. He began to attack with increased ferver, grabbing up men with his mind and mentally tugging them to himself so he could grasp them and feed with one head while the other head continued to attack.

[Northen Light36]

By now, Maelstrom's army had joined the action. But it was clear this was a loosing battle, even from the beginning. Young soliders and guards alike - those that still lived - were ordered to help people retreat to whatever safety might be found. Some of those young men chose to flee themselves rather then burden themselves with aiding civilians.

Older men, grimly acknowledging they had less life left to lose, said silent prayers then threw themselves into a last ditch attempt at slaying the two demons. Perhaps the Forces would lend them aid... Or at least they might slow the demons down enough to allow people to flee the city.

A messager was sent to the palace, with grim news of the large number of deaths and the poor maner in which the battle was going. The young man, still a boy really, shook with fear when he found Luminous and Shadow in the study and gave his bitter report.

[Kender Bard]

"Little mortal, why do you throw yourself at our feet?" Akkarei asked the man she held in a mental grip. The man trembled like a leaf as he hovered in the air. She waited patiently.

"M-m-my l-lord... Yellowcrest... wants to... sp- um, pay homage to you," the man stammared.

Akkarei nodded. "Very well. We will see him." She set the man down. "Go tell your lord to head into the forest this night. We will find him." The words had barely left her mouth when the man turned and ran back into the city quickly.

"Are you done?" Akkarei asked Zephion as he took out more men and fed and fed.

"Yes," the guard intoned.

"Let's go then," she ordered. The pair began to retreat.

---

Luminous listened to the report, growing a bit pale. "Oh, father," she breathed. "What do we do? Do you think we should evacuate the people to the east, towards Anarlina?"

[Northen Light36]

"Anarlina's having their own troubles with demons," Shadow murmured after sending the messager to join the servants in the kitchen. "We could be sending them from two demons into an army of them." He glanced at Luminous, then looked to Sherlock. "Contact Lya. I want to know what the situation in Talen'sul is."

Sherlock nodded and activated his signs. ~Queen Lya? The king wishes me to contact you, your highness. Maelstrom is under attack and his majesty wishes to know how Talen'sul fares.~

[Kender Bard]

Oh no, Lya thought back, horrified. Maelstrom too? Skyheort is in shambles. A demon struck as well, turning men against each other. is it there in Maelstrom now? Are Shadow and Lumi all right?

[Northen Light36]

~The King and Princess are fine, your majesty,~ Sherlock replied. "Talen'sul has also been attacked," the mind told Shadow and Luminous, before drawing both of the pair into the conversation.

Talen'sul was attacked? Shadow asked, as horrified as Lya. Lya, are you all right? Are the children?

[Kender Bard]

I'm fine, we're all fine here, Lya assured him. The palace was heavily guarded. Many of the upper class took shelter here with us. We're just fortunate the demon didn't approach the palace. I still have no idea what she looks like or what she wanted, but her presence was devestating. We're still picking up the pieces. Many people lost their lives and homes.

Mother, that's terrible! Luminous thought, aghast, her eyes wide. I'm so glad you're safe. What about my friends...?

I haven't had time to check on everyone, Lya told her. Right now we're focusing on getting the homeless into homes and laying the dead to rest. Afterwards, I'll need to have a census taken so we can get an idea of how many, and who, has died.

[Northen Light36]

I was going to send Luminous to you, Shadow thought, though now he sounded less certain. If things are under control there, I'd still like to. It's beginning to feel too dangerous to have her here. The demons here have taken out a good portion of the guard and done some damage to the army already.

[Kender Bard]

Send her, Lya prompted. Our demon is gone. She may return--I have no way of knowing or predicting that right now--but for now we surely must be safer than you.