War of the Lost Kingdom

The Halfling disengaged and ran past both the soldier and the Imperius, ducking into his old cell and hiding under the cot within it.

The Imperius began tracing a familiar weave sigil in front of Greta's face, and she felt the rigidity take her limbs again...

However, she resisted the attack.


The soldier was busy screaming for help, he began to try and force his way from the Earthen Grasp.

A large cracking sound was heart as he broke the hand's fingers, and he stumbled onto the ground. He used his axe to help him rise, and looked around wild-eyed.

Greta maintained the hold on the Imperius, keeping her shield between them to aid in keeping her down.

Greta then plunged her naked blade into the Imperius's stomach, and she felt dark liquid spray her own midsection. It began to tingle... But there was no apparent effect other than discomfort.

The Imperius did not seem to be reacting at all to this treatment. She merely grinned at Greta.

"You think... this one is responsible for your strife? No... She was a sweet girl before she lost her mind." she said lowly.

The soldier looked at her, seeming more confused than anything. "W...what?" he said.

The sickle passed over her again, slicing through both of her cheeks as she spoke to Greta. Her head jerked with the spiritual scythe, but it didn't stop the sentence. She began laughing as dark liquid spattered out of the wounds. It definitely was not blood.

The sacred flame landed atop her, but it didn't seem to do anything. It fizzled to nothing, and steam rose from the vaporized liquid coming out of her face.

The Imperius lays her head down on the cobbles, Smiling quietly. She weaved a symbol above her, then touched it with her hand. In the space of a second, starting from that point, she turned into a thick, black mist. Flowing around Greta, it went toward the entrance and formulated behind Zifu.

The soldier, who started running, slid to a stop at the sight of her.

She was no longer the same person. With black liquid flowing down her destroyed mouth, it thinned at the edges in the light - looking much like the dark water in the fountain of the courtyard.

She fished in her pocket, pulling out a small, rough stone charm the shape of a dragon's head. "Step toward me..." she mused, readying it for something in her hand.

The Imperius leans to the left, and the dagger streaks past her, clanging onto one of the steps and bouncing a little before coming to rest. She looked back at it.

"No fair..."

She squeezed the figure, and a light exploded out of it, bright and burning.

The bright light gave way to complete dark.

---

The stockade was as still as the stone around it. Seven bodies lay in different places on the floor. Six of them would begin to stir in their time.

Silence lay heavy upon the room. It was unknown how much time had passed, but one hanging lantern had run out of oil, and the other seemed to be beginning to sputter. Disturbed dust still hung in the air, and it dulled the senses.

I stand and go retry the keys. I hold them up. Anyone care to help me out?