The Arkady Chronicles

The field was strewn with the fallen, dead and wounded. A thunderous roar drowned out the cries of several hundred unfortunate souls, as well as those still in the midst's of the angry struggle. The mountains that stretched ever skyward, shifted angrily against the strange sky, strangely dark and luminescent all at once. The keep, a sprawling affair of spires, towers and halls, lay in decadent ruin, the very stone smoldering in places there pillars of smoke rising to join the arced black clouds high above..

The man in black cast a cold glance around, searching for something among the raging battle. His eyes swept coldly, and apathetically over the scene, shrugging off the death as if it meant nothing. His eyes fell upon a broken body humbled on the very steps of the keep. There was movement there, and he went to her.

There was a bestial look in the quickly dying eyes. A look of pain, and utter anguish, and still through it all, she attempted an ill fated sneer before beginning to speak. He had her at once, lifting her roughly by her matted, and soot filled shoulder length hair.

The language was harsh, and grunting, and the man hushed her in the same angry, bestial tones. Pulling her close to his chest he lay his hand on her fine, deceptively delicate looking jaw line. His eyes closed as in her own eyes she realized what was about to happen.

An angry scream pierced the storm of sound, as a solder immerged from the ruins of the keep, and charged to the aid of his downed comrade. The man in black began to hum. A cold blue light encompassed him, and then grew to engulf the woman in his arms in it's pale blue aura.

The solder approached, sword held deadly and high, but the man in black seemed unhindered, nearing uninterested. He cast the now lifeless shell of the woman aside, and stood, to face the approaching storm of rage in the young solder. Then, with but the slightest gesture the solder was sent toppling backward bodily.

With another gesture his glow swept outward, passing once over everything in a ten foot radius before washing back into him. Everything about him was at once stilled. The glow's intensity increased he moved arrogantly toward the keep, stepping over the lifeless body of the solder.

Creatures of sheer nightmare swarmed all about, dealing death to everyone and everything that they touched. Still, amid this chaos of obliteration, there was method. The demon's pushed ever forward, ever closer to the keep, ever closer to their destination. Their mission was simple. Kill, maim and destroy, and their Kahnn only gave orders in vein.

But then, amid the dark, smoldering wreckage of this place came a wash of the workings. The signature of their masters passing. All halted, and a few died in that moment's hesitation. But seconds later, the tide shifted, and all moved as one, toward the keep.

The troops steeled themselves, the snipers preparing to cast their spells against their powerful assailant. Most were at the ready, while others watched incredulously, as the single man moved to take the keep alone. Solders readied their weapons, and waited for the battle to come. Even though they vastly outnumbered him, the knew the power of the Deathdealer. The knew that their very dying breaths would be used against the others who stood against him. Still, he was but one man, and could only fall against the 300 plus men who fortified the keep. Still, few here expected to live.

The man approached the walls, his pale blue aura a frightening reminder of what he was. All was calm, and even he seemed to question the sanity of entering the fortress alone. He stopped, and observed the entire surroundings with cold, cutting eyes.

The first unit, 20 men in all, charged from the broken walls out onto the battle field. The charged across some 40 yards toward their sworn enemy, with murder and blood in their war frenzied eyes. All other's held their breath, awaiting something they all expected, but non knew.

The man's gesture was quick, and his luminescence degraded a magnitude as a ball of greenish flame leapt from his hand, striking the center of the charging rank, and exploded.

Solders flew every which way from the concusive blast. Many danced and screamed, their body's a light with the deadly green flame. One. Valiant soul's charge was unhindered by the spell, and he moved forward, swinging his blade heavily at the dark man. The magus stepped back a second too late, and the solders blade bit deeply into his chest. The dark magus fell to one knee, and as the solder withdrew the blade and raised it for another strike, the army holed up in the keep charged, fired by this valiant show.

Then, as the army poured from the walls, the black hoard swept over them. Demons streamed past, takings swipes and cuts at all they encountered, and moving past without a second glance. 299 Solders died then, in less than a minuets time. The young solder stood poised over the deathdealer, stupefied by the sheer numbers of the attackers. Then he too was in the grasp of death as the Magus's hand wraped about his throat…

Lucin's eyes flew open, as did his mouth. The scream that ensued pierced the very souls of those who had gathered about him. Seira slipped away, a bit startled by the sudden movement. Payne's hand grasped the flailing man, holding in a vice like grip.

"Easy Ch'Ka-Raza…" Payne's voice seemed comically calm, as he shook the man violently. "Easy, the Vortex still holds you… subdue it…"

"NOOOOOO!!!" Lucian's struggle ended, and a cold, alien glance fell upon Payne. Payne's glance became questioning but for a second, then…

A force of vibrant color and sound washed outward from the center of his being, and engulfed his mentor. Payne's was racked with anguish as his body flailed across the room. As he collided with the thick stone wall, the storm retreated back into it's master. Payne slumped bodily to the ground.

Seira's voice cracked as she moved slowly forward.

"Lucian…?"

His eyes turned, the same cold, alien gaze in them. She froze, not knowing weather to continue or not. The guards moved into the room, stopping near Paynes body, and then falling from Seira to Lucian.

"He's sick,…" She yelled. "He hurt Payne! Subdue him!"

Lucian Leapt to his feet, a side thought sent a cloud of multicolored static at the girl. He smiled and turned to the stammered and dumbfounded guard. They looked at each other and then began to move toward him, stopping seconds later as the sound of shrill laughter filled the room. All eyes fell upon Seira, who sat cross-legged hugging herself joyfully.

Payne began to stir, and groaned heavily rolling over onto his side.

"Bleeding Cur… " He cursed… "there are easier ways of communicating…"

Lucian rose from the bed and walked past the two guard who still stood dumbfounded. He approached his old mentor and helped him to his feet.

"I'm sorry… I didn't intend to do that." He smiled sheepishly.

"How did you do that?" The question came from Seira who had joined the two where they stood near the door.

"It's the Vortex, Seira. It… shows me things…"

"Yes," She cut him off eagerly. "It was like a dream… but a wondrous dream."

He smiled at her warmly.

"You" Her tone was quizzical "did that?"

"Yes… " The Feline-Man cut in. "The vortex transcends even dream. The mind can shape the world around it's wielder. That is why only the Ch'Ka can take initiate it."

Lucian's glance fell floorward as the Cat man turned to him again. Seeing his look he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The image you showed me, Raza… Was it…"

"It's what the Vortex had shown me…" He nodded, but spoke as questioningly, and unsure. " I don't know for sure but I think it was…"

"Malichi"….

This is part two of an ongoing series of the Arkady Chronicles, written by Cix Trybe. More is sure to come, hopefully.