A Game of Chess: Shattered Hammer?

[Crimson]

No wind, no rain, but no sun either – other than the few shy rays that made it through the clouds in the sky and bathed the Fort in a fiery, foreboding light.

He was sitting behind a small rock formation, looking at the fort, attempting to count the guards by he gates and upon the walls.
It felt as if the looming Fort Phazzan was watching him, and Darion felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

It was time to go...

He whirled around, the brown, hooded cloak snapping at the air as he took a hasty step – and barely dodged an otherwise throat-slitting slash from the blade of a sneaky Canite Feralan.

Darion stepped back quickly to get out of the opponents reach, and drew his scimitar.

How long had they known he was out here? How many more were watching him? Sneaking up on him this very moment?
He had to escape...

A quick slash at the air in front of the Feralan made the Canite step back, and that was the opening Darion wanted: He stepped forth quickly, and lead the first swing into a second, quick one which split the Feralan's torso.

As the Feralan fell, Darion ran.
There was still a chance the Feralan had been a single scout, so he stayed low, trying to remain hidden behind rock formations and trees.

After less than ten seconds of running, it became clear that the Feralan had not been alone: the sound of galloping horses behind him made Darion look over his shoulder.
There were five of them, heavily armored and armed with sword and towershield.

He cursed his luck and stopped, whirled around and raised his own blade.
He would never be able to outrun the steeds.
As they got closer, Darion raised his hand and channeled the arcane energy, forming a small flare of fire, which he hurled at the nearest horse.
It just shook its head and continued at full speed towards him.

The idea had been to scare it, but these were trained warhorses... they were not afraid of simple light.

"Curse it all...!" Darion muttered as the first rider reached him; the Canite swung his longsword while the horse was steered around his target.

Steel met steel as Darion parried the strike, and he silently thanked the gods for his inhuman strength – any normal warrior would have been knocked to the ground by the force of the Canites ride-by attack.

Before Darion could retaliate, the rider was out of his reach, and the next one was upon him.
This time, he was too slow, and the blade caught him in the chest, hacking a good dent in the heavy adamantine, and knocking him off his feet.
He landed heavily, but ignored the pain and rolled to the side just in time to avoid getting trampled by the third horse.
Darion got back up, and saw that three of the fiive riders were circling him, closer and closer.
If they caught him in this move, he would be unable to defend himself. They would kill him.

He decided to let them try.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered his scimitar and waited... as they circled closer, he focused his energy and took another deep breath... and just as the Canites raised their swords, Darion unleashed his breath and whirled around on the spot: his powerful dragonflame engulfed the horses and their riders, and as they screamed, Darion leapt through the fiery circle he had created.

He quickly located the two remaining riders: they were sitting in their saddles, watching their comrades burn – and notching an arrow on each their heavy crossbow.

Darion roared and started towards them, sprinting as fast as he could in order to reach them before they could use the crossbows.

He was too slow.

Both riders raised theur weapons, aimed at him, and fired just as he reached them.
One bolt caught him in the shoulder, just between two armor plates. The other went right through his chestplate.

Darion swung his blade, taking one of the riders down, while the other one turned his horse around and set off. The speed of the horse made it impossible for Darion to catch him...

So he simply watched as the rider fled back towards Fort Phazzan.

The sharp pain in his shoulder and chest were nothing compared to what he had been through, and the wounds were not fatal.

Or... that was what he thought until his vision blurred for a second, and an ominous, dull pain started pulsing from the wounds.
After a short, nauseous moment, Darion took a hold of the bolt in his chest, and with a grunt of pain, he pulled it out.

He then held it up in order to take a look at it... and then he felt something he hadn't felt for a very long time: Fear.

The adamantine tip of the bolt was hollow and filled with small holes.
A clear liquid was pouring calmly from some of the holes.

"Poison...!" he whispered to himself and dropped the bolt.

He then started walking. He had to reach Lendose quickly... to live, and to inform the others that the Fort was too heavily guarded... and time was not on his side.

-TO BE CONTINUED-

[Iduna]

Weslea walked into the room at the Buck Inn, she shares with Darion, long after the sun had set and the day was done. "Darion, are you back?" She frowned as she heard no response and saw no evidence of him being there at all. "He should have returned by now." The sense of alarm grew as she looked around the room while lightly gripping the hilt of her rapier. "Something is wrong." After taking a brief moment to collect herself, she walked out of the room and headed towards the Temple of Rhauth for help. "I can't go alone."

[Enyeto Wesh]

It was a long walk, but it was worth it. A grin flitted across his face as the thought of sweet honey treats; broadening as he thought of his friend that came with them. He promised he'd visit her at the Temple again, wished upon a hug. And thus, three days afterwards he trotted back to her; and with luck he'd be able to smuggle another kitten into the temple!

He grinned again at the thought, he could imagine the emotional upheaval of the priestesses as another kitten wandered their quiet halls. He could almost sense their shock already, knowing that they'd come to love and accept the kitten into their fold (and comfortable beds).

At last he could see Thrall's Gate in the distance, he was only an hour away from Cear... Only an hour away from another honey treat!

And then he felt it, a sharp pain over his heart and shoulder that made him stagger and nearly fall. His mind whirled with the sudden pain; spinning deep into the depths. Once again he entered the graveyard of his being. Fog swirled around him, mystifying the land beyond a few feet from him. He coughed and choked upon the fog as it twirled upon itself and became black smoke; burning within the infinite depths.

With an effort he forced it to clear and then he knew what he sensed, he knew whom and what... And he was afraid and aggrieved.

His mind whipped towards consciousness again and lightning sparked around his body as he practically flew towards Thrall's Gate. Each step illuminated the land around him, the loud static flickering about him creating an ambient map; helping him avoid obstacles. Mentally he mapped for life... And then he found her.

Bolting through the fortress town the boy crashed into the Lightbringer, plowing her over with an epic hug; followed by a sob.

[Kell]

After taking a brief moment to collect herself, she walked out of the room and headed towards the Temple of Rhauth for help. "I can't go alone."

Ardaion seemed surprised when he saw Lea running towards the Temples of Rhauth. The woman wasn't an unfamiliar sight here but she'd rarely ever coming running. Admirable as that sort of enthusiasm seemed.., it wasn't characteristic. As she neared he began to notice how her cheeks were flushed and how she must've come running all the way to here. "Lea?.." He walked to the top of the stairwayed entrance. "What's wrong Lea?" he inquired with concern.

[Iduna]

Lea takes a moment to catch her breath, then grabs a hold of Ardaion's wrist firmly. "I think Darion is in trouble; I have this horrible feeling and he hasn't come back from his mission." The look in her eyes is intense and filled with worry. "Hurry, I'm going to the Fleethouse to find Xarion. Meet me there?" Without a second glance, the blonde woman rushes off, heading north.

[Kell]

Lea takes a moment to catch her breath, then grabs a hold of Ardaion's wrist firmly. "I think Darion is in trouble; I have this horrible feeling and he hasn't come back from his mission." The look in her eyes is intense and filled with worry. "Hurry, I'm going to the Fleethouse to find Xarion. Meet me there?" Without a second glance, the blonde woman rushes off, heading north.

As sudden as her appearance came, she was off again. And she left Ardaion confused in her wake, to mull over what he'd just heard. He thought about what the dragonman had said when they'd all gathered a few days earlier. It was obvious that Lea had been refering to that meeting, and if he understood correctly what she just said..

He pulled the doors to the temple shut behind him and he went inside in a rush to prepare. There would be no sermon today. With haste he sped down to his chamber to gather his cloth and leather gear together with his trusted blade and shield. As he turned for the door back out of his chamber, he stopped and looked back over his shoulder towards the room. He was missing something. What was he missing?

From the corner of his eye he caught the reflective shine of what he nearly forgot. As if beckoning him and reminding him that he needed it; there was his Rhauthian amulet, his relic and beacon of Faith laying on his bedside table. He felt its pull and he smiled at what he knew it meant. He picked it up, kissed it, and thanked Rhauth in silence for the reminder that He would be with his humble Priest. Then Ardaion was off to the Fleethouse.

[Domina]

*Meanwhile, Cel embraces Enyeto and looks on him curiously with concern. The sudden sob and hug has her worried.*

Enyeto...what's wrong? Why are you crying for?

[Outbreak1992]

The guardhouse was quiet for once, no prisoners pleading for their freedom or innocence, it remained like this for a while, voices were heard approaching the guardhouse, starting off quiet until the commotion eventually led into the guardhouse. Two younger men presumably from the docks, both were drunk and were throwing all manner of abuse at each other, Xarion stood between them as he dragged them by their collars and threw them into separate cells. Walking over to the front desk he writes in the book, noting down the charges of the two drunk men, taking out his flask and having a drink one of the drunks spots him "Cmon Constable, just give us a swig!" he slurred as he stumbled his way up to the front of the cell, wrapping his hands around the bars. Turning his attention to the drunk Xarion just stared and walked up to him, quickly delivering a swift punch to the man's hand, crushing it against the bars "Another sound out of either of you and I'll be in there to break each one of your fingers..." he barks at them, before he moves back over to the desk looking over any recent reports.

[Iduna]

The silence in the guardhouse was shattered with Weslea slammed open the door and rushed in. She ignored the catcalls of the drunken men as she focused in on Xarion and strode quickly to pull him aside. Pulling him into the office, she whispered to him in a rush, "Darion never returned from his mission. Something is wrong and we're gathering people to go look for him. Can you join us? Your sword will be most welcome." She bounces on her heels in anticipation.

[Outbreak1992]

Rushing up to his quarters he quickly opens up the trunk at the bottom of his bed, he begins to take out various pieces of parchment and equipment and throws them into a small sack which he can put under his cloak. Speaking to Weslea as he does so "We should head to Lendose, if there is any news to known on the matter, we'll find out there... If not we'll investigate the parameter of Fort Phazzen, see if any activity there leads us to believe that he has been captured." he then hides the sack under his cloak and closes his quarters door, ready to head out.

[Iduna]

Lea followed Xarion up to his room and watched him pack hastily, nodding as he spoke. "Ardaion will meet us in North Cear so we can go through Ravenswatch. Its such a long trip, though. I wish we had a mage who could just poof us there." A tint of fear crept into her voice as she walked out of the Fleethouse with the guard. "I don't want to find him, only for it to be too late."

[Enyeto Wesh]

The pain continues to shift within him, pulsing in strength. He gasped as it became particularily strong (perhaps the man had stumbled) and sobbed out to the Lightbringer.

"Its Darion..." he managed to get out between sobs of pain and grief.

As time passed he began to master the pain; his breathing became regulated and he calmed the internal turmoil. The pain began to lesson and he was able to think and speak clearly; although fear still reigned throughout his soul.

"Please...!" he begged as he pulled her hand, trying to steer her towards Cear.

"We need to fly...!"

[Domina]

*Cel makes a few arrangements before she leaves and then follows along to Cear. She wonders what Darion could have gotten into that would have Enyeto so frantic, but she didn't take the time to second guess helping Enyeto because he loved Darion as family. She follows along as they reach Cear with curiosity as to where they are going then...*

[Enyeto Wesh]

Enyeto dashed outside the gates with Celestia as soon as she was ready. By the time she was prepared to leave, Enyeto had managed to push away the pain. He took her hand again to lead her towards Cear, letting her open the wide gates.

As they stepped out, Enyeto did something he hadn't done in years. He summoned a spirit wolf and climbed onto it's back; leaning low as it leaped into action. He knew the Lightbringer could summon her horse and keep up; and this would shave valuable minutes off their trip. He would make it up to great spirit later, it would forgive him. For now, Darion needed him.

As the pair made it to Cear, the spirit speaker dismounted the wolf and slid to the ground; the wolf returned home. Eny rushed inside of Cear, pushing the gate open slightly and slipping inside. He ran quickly towards the Trades and Commons.

Stopping at the gates, he turned vaguely in the direction of Celestia.

"We need to find a teleportah person Cel, whoooo can you think of? I can only think of Mistah Phelan and Missus Yvalee"

[Kell]

"Cousin Phelan would be all the way in Lendose probably, Enyeto.." Ardaion chimed in as he overheared the kid's question whilst walking up towards the Fleethouse. "Your best bet, the quickets bet, if you ask me is to get the grey witch to cooperate. I doubt it she'll listen to me, though.. But perhaps you can get her to crack. Or Celestia.. Aren't you friends?"