I guess I'll have a crack at this Fan Fiction lark.

[Preybird]

Gosh!!!

Need moar dose of stories!!

Two more to go They're written, I may even put one up today.

[Preybird]

The penultimate tale....... So big it needs two posts!

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The Ritual

Stepping through the portal, Majiya surveyed the carnage and smiled. The city of Ravendark was in ruins, and was truly in the grips of the Shadow. Soon, her plans would come to fruition. The two Minotaurs at her side fanned out, protecting her flanks, while the gargoyle Ka’thax remained a step behind her as she progressed through the city. He’d been useful, the lowly gargoyle being more successful than anticipated in securing the support of the succubus Clarissa and her coven. Majiya would ensure that he was looked after, provided he continued to be of use.

Ahead of her stood Gravebone, a rotting carcass of a mage, and the orchestrator of the initial assault on Ravendark. Even though his face was nothing more than a leering skull, Majiya could sense the waves of pride the violence surrounding them gave him.

“What do you think?” He said, his voice strong despite his complete lack of vocal chords.

“The carnage is admirable.” Majiya replied. “I trust you didn’t raise all the corpses however?”

“I have left one hundred dead as requested.” Gravebone nodded. “My loyal husks can transport them wherever you wish.”

“Very well. Have them meet me at the cemetery, at the mausoleum of Lord Batheon, the founder of the city.”

“It shall be done.” Gravebone replied. “I trust you have my payment.”

Majiya tossed him a small bag of Shadow Crystals. “You shall receive the rest once the ritual is complete, necromancer.”

Gravebone’s lifeless face gave nothing away, however Majiya could sense the distrust pulsating off him. “I had better. Remember I control this city, not you.” He replied as Majiya walked past him and toward Ravendark’s cemetery.

As Majiya walked through the streets, she could see Gravebone’s husks begin to move towards the cemetery, dead bodies either slung over their rotting shoulders, or more often simply dragged behind them as they shuffled along. “Ka’thax.” Majiya called out.

“Yes, Master?” Ka’thax replied, coming up beside her. Since he had returned from the castle, the Master had been unusually kind to him, providing him with the freshest meat and even gracing him with a Shadow Crystal, healing his shattered wings and leaving them even more powerful than before. She obviously had great expectations of him, and if he wanted to keep his head, he would have to exceed them.

“I need you to coordinate these husks, and ensure none of them get lost or left behind. All the bodies must make it to the ritual site.” She ordered.

Ka’thax nodded. “Right away Master.” And with two beats from his powerful wings, he was off. Majiya cast a glance skyward as Ka’thax left before continuing onward.

------------

“I don’t like this Claw.” Moonstalker whispered, “There’s something very wrong here.”

Darkclaw surveyed the city of Ravendark. It had obviously seen better days, and Darkclaw’s keen eyesight could make out all manner of creatures patrolling the city streets. Part of him wanted to run away, but something, or someone, compelled him to push forward.

“We’re going. There’ll be enough food there to last us for months.” Darkclaw ordered as he moved toward the city. Reluctantly, Moonstalker and the pack followed.

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The cemetery gates were immense, a towering monument to the dead of Ravendark. But the mausoleum of Lord Batheon dwarfed even them. A towering two story structure, it was capped with a giant statue of the man, a warrior depicted in the prime of his life. It was a far better choice than a statue of the fat womanizing glutton he became. As Majiya stood at the mausoleum she noted the husks beginning to arrive. Ka’thax was above, and Majiya could see him counting the husks out, until he seemed satisfied and landed next to her.

“One hundred bodies accounted for Master.” He said simply.

“Excellent.” Majiya replied without looking at him, attention focused on the small pack of Wulven approaching her. She smiled as she addressed them.

“Darkclaw, you’ve finally found me.” She called out. In response, one of the larger Wulven snarled and prepared to leap at her, but Darkclaw stopped him.

“You’re the woman in my dreams. Silver-hair.” He stated. His tone part curiosity, part anger.

“You can call me Majiya. And thank you for heeding my call. I desperately need your help, and am willing to provide you and your pack much in return.”

Darkclaw was far closer now, and Majiya had to crane her neck to look at his bestial face. “Just what do you propose?” He asked, his voice feral and grating.

“Come with me, and I shall give you a permanent place to stay, and provide you with all the food your pack needs. This is something you’ve been wanting for a long time isn’t it?”

Darkclaw thought for a moment then nodded gently. Behind him the large Wulven began to growl again.

“Then it is settled.” Majiya said, almost too warmly. “Follow me and once this is over, I will provide you with your new home.” She turned her attention to the Mausoleum doors, and then glanced at her two Minotaur bodyguards. “Open it.” She ordered.

Striding forward, the two Minotaurs grabbed a handle each and pulled, their immense strength tearing the doors out of the concrete structure before tossing them aside as though they were made of paper.

“Careful.” Majiya scolded. “If you damage any of the bodies one of you will take their place.”

Within the now open mausoleum sat the sarcophagus of the late Lord Batheon. Pointing at it, Majiya gave the order to move it from its resting place.

More gently this time, the two Minotaurs picked up the sarcophagus and moved it to the side, revealing a staircase leading to the tunnels beneath Ravendark. Motioning her undead entourage forward, they began to descend.

------------

Serena stared in disbelief at the scene in front of her. In the distance Ravendark, the trade hub of the west, was burning. A city thought impenetrable had fallen, and somewhere inside, a ritual of apocalyptic proportions was going to take place. “By the gods….” Was all she could manage to say.

“How are we going to get in there?” Gwen asked. “I can see a horde of undead at the entrance.”

“A direct assault is out of the question.” Amber stated, her tactical skills coming to the fore. “We will need to send in a small team first, to help draw the defenders away from the main entrance. Once that is done we can move in in force.”

Eladwen opened her eyes, having remained silent thus far. “I can sense the tome, and Majiya. They are moving underground, towards something long buried. I can get us there using a portal, however at most I’ll be only able to transport two of us at a time.”

“Okay.” Serena began, “You and I will go through the portal. Gwen, Lance, you stay with Amber and get everyone sorted. When we start causing a ruckus you need to be ready.”

“This is it people, let’s do it.”

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[Preybird]

It was much, much bigger than Majiya expected. Within the great cavern they had arrived at stood an ancient monument, a temple to the dark gods of the past. They had been solidly descending for half an hour now, and it was now obvious why the temple had been built so far underground, as it was the only way to accommodate a building of its size. Standing at least five stories high at the top of the spires, the whole structure was laid out in a star shaped pattern. Lightning bolts were carved into the stonework, and the doors at the entrance were engraved with the symbol of the religion.

Leading her entourage down the stone pathway to the temple itself, Majiya cast a glance to the statues lining the edges, depicting the gods of this ancient religion, ruling over the people of the world, laying waste to unbelievers, defeating the gods of the more accepted belief structures in epic struggle. All were intricately carved in marble, and the craftsmanship was evident, even after centuries had passed since their creation. Yes, this is a suitable shrine to the rebirth of a god.

As the Minotaurs beside her opened the doors, the true majesty of the temple became apparent. It was laid out in a circular pattern, with bench seating surrounding a depressed central area with a raised platform, presumably where the chaplains of this particular religion would give off their fiery oratory, and sacrifices to the gods would be made. Around the edges of the central area were a series of pointed spires, like swords raised to the heavens. It felt as though the temple had been crafted solely for this moment.

“Get those bodies arranged around the edge of the central area!” Majiya boomed, the acoustics of the temple amplifying her voice to thunderous levels. She tossed a bag of Shadow Crystals to Ka’thax. “One in the mouth of each dead. No more, no less.” She ordered. Ka’thax silently nodded and began his task.

Majiya turned to Darkclaw, “Darkclaw, please follow me, this is where I need your help.” Darkclaw nodded silently and they began walking towards the central platform. As she approached she could see what she was looking for, the fabled Dimension Ripper.

A long forgotten weapon, the Dimension Ripper had a sordid and deadly history. It was a wicked blade that glowed red with eldritch power, and reality around it twisted and warped constantly as the forces contained within struggled to get out. Majiya could not wield it; the blade would reject her outright and absorb her very soul. In fact it was filled with the souls of many who thought they could control it, each giving it more power. But wielding it was not the plan.

Majiya instead opened the seals on the Levitas Mortis, and turned to the final chapter. She waited until all the bodies were laid out and prepared before placing the tome down. She turned to Darkclaw once again. “Are you ready to help?” She asked gently, reaching up and caressing his face. Darkclaw nodded, before his eyes opened wide and he roared in agony. Majiya grinned as she twisted the ceremonial blade she had embedded in Darkclaw’s flank.

------------

“CLAW! NO!” Moonstalker shouted as Majiya stabbed Darkclaw with the blade. He began to run toward the platform, but was knocked back by one of Majiya’s Minotaur guards. Growling with bestial fury, he commanded the pack to attack. Claws and teeth flashed as the pack attempted to reach their leader, however the Minotaur’s hammers were too much, crushing the skulls of the Wulven one by one. Eventually as the last one left alive, Moonstalker had to flee to preserve his life. He would have his vengeance on that silver-haired witch.

------------

Darkclaw’s blood stained the base of the platform, running through thin channels carved into it, forming a star pattern of deep red. Once she was sure enough of the Wulven’s blood had been spilled, Majiya savagely brought the blade up through his torso, almost splitting him in twain. Letting Darkclaw’s limp form fall to the ground beside her, Majiya began to read from the tome:

Lux lucis nostri populus
Pario vestri ira
Recipero nostrum munia
Peto sanctus!

As the first verse was uttered, a hot wind began to pick up within the temple and Darkclaw’s spilled blood began to bubble. The Dimension Ripper began to glow brighter.

Addo palma nobis
Attero incredibilis
Aufero suum fides
Ostendo lemma verum!

The wind grew hotter and faster. Some of the husks toppled from the forces, and even Majiya had to hold onto the platform in order to stay upright. In the corner of her vision she saw a light flicker and a portal begin to open. She smiled as she began to read the last verse. They’d made it after all.

------------

Serena burst through the portal, with Eladwen in tow. There was a hot wind raging in the temple, and she had to crouch and hold onto one of the benches for support. Looking down, she could see that Majiya had already started the ritual. And with this wind blowing and preventing them from getting to her, they were helpless to do anything but watch.

And Majiya knew it. Her final words reverberated through the temple, given power by the dark magic she was invoking.

Existo meus Deus
Exorior Sto
pro nos Plumbum
nos ut salus!

The ground began to quake violently, and it felt as though the temple would be torn apart. All around her Serena could hear the sounds of rock crumbling and falling around them. Lightning arced from the spires surrounding the central area, connecting with the platform in the centre and blasting it apart. Within the ruins of the platform lay an enormous Shadow Crystal, larger than any Serena had seen. It was absorbing the energy from the spires, glowing a bright white as it did so. Serena was mesmerized by the display of power in front of her, so much so that she barely noticed Eladwen screaming at her to get down and forcing her to the ground.

The Shadow Crystal erupted with energy, sending a shockwave blasting outward, before firing a coherent beam of energy into the ceiling. The beam shattered the ceiling and the ground above, and collided with the heavens, parting the clouds and continuing onward. Looking up, Serena could see Eladwen watching, the horror evident on her face as Majiya’s laughter echoed through the theatre. Moving Eladwen’s hand away, Serena peeked over the top of the bench.

Above the Shadow Crystal and embedded in the energy beam was a sword emanating an evil red glow. Around the sword lightning began to form. Shards of the platform began to swirl up into the beam as well, and something began to grow. First a hand, then an arm. A pair of legs began to form, as did the other arm. A torso, and lastly a head, all made from the ruins of the platform, all connected by living lightning. The construct roared, like a caged beast that had been freed. It held the Dimension Ripper aloft, and the bodies arrayed around the temple began to glow and convulse. Lightning shot out of their mouths, transferring their energy to the weapon.

Eladwen was standing now, holding onto the bench for support. Serena did the same, and Majiya turned to face them, a wicked grin on her face.

“Witness the birth of your new god!” She roared. “ZALADAR!”

Zaladar raised its free hand at the two humans. Lightning blasted from its fingertips, sending the both of them flying back into the wall. Screaming in agony, it was a minute before Serena could even move, let alone stand. Eladwen was up a little quicker, and she obviously had some resistance to the magical lightning; however her cloak was charred and burned, as was her flesh underneath.

“This is insane Majiya!” Eladwen called out. “Do you really think your ‘God’ will obey you?!”

Majiya laughed again. “I am doing His bidding! He shall rule, and I shall be at his right hand! Together we shall bring true Chaos to this realm!”

As she finished shouting, Zaladar brought the Dimension Ripper crashing down into the Shadow Crystal. Reality began to twist and warp, and Serena could feel her very essence changing and being torn down by the forces in the temple.

“Let the Chaos reign!” Majiya screamed. “LET THE MELTDOWN OF REALITY COMMENCE!!!!”

[Preybird]

The big one..... the finale. This story is even bigger than the last I reference 17 cards (excluding Heroes and allies) in this, as well as a deck archetype, and I've thrown in a subtle nod to a friend and one of his most successful decks as well. See if you can guess them all! (Some are blindingly obvious, some are a bit more obscure, one is very obscure)

----------------------------

Endgame

“Holy….” Gwen stammered as the pillar of light burst out of the ground and rose into the heavens. The sound was horrific, as though the planet itself was being torn apart at the seams. None of the people in the army could believe what they were seeing. There had been no contact from Eladwen or Serena either, so if they were going to stop this, they were just going to have to go for it without their help.

Gwen and Amber looked at each other, then at Lance. All three knew what was at stake and what must be done.

“Move out.” Amber ordered.

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Serena could barely move, let alone fight as the forces within the temple grew stronger. Whilst Majiya was seemingly unaffected, Serena felt she had to struggle simply to exist. The wind was burning her face and the warping reality was twisting her vision. Images would appear in front of her, ranging from the serene to the horrific.

“You cannot stop it!” Majiya boomed. “Humanity will crumble! You shall all fall before the might of the Shadow! We shall rule this plane! We….” Her rhetoric was cut short by a blast of ice hitting her square in the chest. Before Serena could realise what was going on, a hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back.

Collapsing on the ground, Serena watched as the portal closed. Slowly getting to her feet, she could see they were on the surface now, and some way from the pillar of light. Looking behind her, she could see Eladwen standing there, but there was something wrong with her. She looked like a predator, almost feral.

“Can you feel it?” Eladwen asked, panting slightly. “They’re breaking the wall between dimensions. Power is leeching through. We can tap this power, use it to beat them.”

And she was right. Now, away from the devastating forces of the temple, Serena could feel it. There was something in the air; it was almost alive with energy. She concentrated, and her wounds began to heal. Within moments she had gone from the brink of death to full of vitality. Smiling, Serena unfurled her whip. “Shall we go and get our friends?” She asked.

Eladwen grinned. “Lets.”

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Gravebone stared at the cataclysmic display of magic, and suddenly felt more than a little bit concerned. What was Majiya playing at? With the sort of power she was utilizing, she was going to tear this place asunder. However the sounds of an oncoming army drew his more immediate attention.

Approaching the gates was a contingent of humans. Almost all were equipped with full battle plate and well-armed. However Gravebone had the advantage of numbers, as well as his own magical abilities. He gave the word, and his horde surged forward, eager for the taste of human flesh. They lunged at the humans, hacking at them with their bare hands. The humans returned the favour with steel, and before long they were locked in a deadly struggle.

Uncaring for his own forces, Gravebone began to launch a magical assault into the swirling melee. Lightning and fire incinerated friend and foe indiscriminately, and Gravebone simply resurrected the fallen to further bolster his horde. Before long the humans were at a severe disadvantage. If Gravebone had had skin and lips, he would’ve smiled.

He raised his hand to deliver a final magical onslaught when a whip hit him on the side of the face, sending him sprawling and causing his final spell to dissipate. Regaining his footing, he turned to size up the new threat.

------------

Serena dodged the Fireball aimed at her head before striking at Gravebone’s ankles with the whip, connecting and knocking him off balance again. However he easily regained his footing and fired a blast of lightning, hitting Serena square in the chest.

“Ha!” He taunted. “That little Anklebreaker of yours isn’t going to stop me.”

Serena concentrated for a moment, healing her wounds again before focusing on her whip. She charged it with energy, wreathing it with flame. Swinging it around, she hit Gravebone square in the jaw, shattering it and separating it from his face. Bringing the whip around again, she shattered the mage’s cheekbone, then his eye socket. Gravebone hit the ground unmoving, his body inert. Serena looked over the body before whipping his face one more time with the weapon, separating his head from his neck. Now she just had to help with this undead horde.

Charging her whip one more time, she swung it at the closest husk, cleanly splitting it in two. Realising they were under attack from a new foe, a number of them turned and attacked Serena. They were coming on so fast there was no way she was going to stop them all. Her whip stopped a pair of them; however the rest collided with her and prepared to tear her to shreds. While she was able to heal, she knew she would be overwhelmed soon, and her whip was useless at this range.

One of the husks reared up to slice her throat open, and Serena realised that this was the end. Ready to meet her fate, she was shocked to see the husk tear apart his comrade instead of her before exploding in a shower of gore. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Serena pulled out one of her throwing knifes and proceeded to decapitate another husk, giving her an opening to roll to her feet. Kicking the last husk back to put some distance between them, she threw the knife, leaving it embedded in his skull. The husk didn’t seem too fussed, and charged toward Serena.

Serena readied another knife, but never got the chance to use it. Eladwen dropped from a rooftop, crashing down on the husk. Her hands had morphed into giant claws not unlike a Wulven’s, and she proceeded to grip the husk around the throat.

“Now, you’re mine.” She muttered before ripping the husk’s head off in a brutal display of force. Without pausing, she placed one claw on the remainder of the husk and pointed the other at the battling horde. With a single word the husk disintegrated and a brilliant light shot out of her hand. It engulfed the melee at the city gates and when it cleared, only the humans remained, the husks reduced to piles of dust. The battle over for now, Serena watched as Eladwen’s hands slowly returned to normal.

As they stood up Gwen came over to them. “Wow, well done.” She said simply. “But what’s going on?”

“Majiya’s awakened a god.” Serena stated. “Yeah, it’s that bad.”

“And reality is tearing itself apart.” Eladwen added. “But we can, for the moment, use that to our advantage. Right now, we have access to abilities normally well beyond us.” She turned to Serena. “I must say, that Anklebreaker of yours made short work of Gravebone.”

“More of a Facebreaker really.” Serena smiled.

“So anyway, what’s the plan?” Gwen interrupted. “Where’s….” She was cut short by a blinding flash of light, accompanied by a screaming sound so violent she had no choice but to drop to the ground, clutching her ears. Eventually the assault was too much for her senses and everything went dark…..

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[Preybird]

Gwen groaned as she came to. Opening her eyes slowly, it took a while before everything came back into focus. Pushing herself onto her knees, Gwen surveyed her surroundings. She was where she had fallen, in fact where everyone had fallen. The human force was decimated, some were slowly coming to their feet, but many were not moving, and some, like Amber and Eladwen, were missing entirely. She hoped they’d come to before her and were safe.

A pair of monstrous legs appeared in her vision, and looking up she saw the leering face of a gargoyle, a Shadow Crystal dangling from a chain around his neck.

“Hello.” He snarled. “Barruk, another one for the Master.”

Gwen heard the Minotaur coming. Summoning all her strength, she grabbed the Gargoyle around the throat in an attempt to strangle him. However in her current state she was in no position to do anything and the Gargoyle fended her off easily. “Careful with this one Barruk.” He said to the Minotaur now standing behind Gwen. “She’s still got some fight in her.”

Barruk grunted as he picked the disoriented Gwen up and slung her over his shoulder. As she was unceremoniously carried away she could see the Gargoyle wave at her mockingly before returning his attention to the rest of the fallen human army. She was regaining her strength now, the effects of the sensory attack passing. Slowly reaching to her belt, she carefully drew her dagger from its scabbard before plunging it into the back of the Minotaur’s neck.

Roaring with agony, the Minotaur threw Gwen over his shoulder and sent her flying into a pile of rubble. Drawing his hammer he prepared to bludgeon Gwen for her insolence. Gwen however was too quick, drawing her bow and putting an arrow dead centre of Barruk’s skull. The Minotaur dropped to the ground dead and a wave of healing energy passed over Gwen, invigorating her further.

Now free, she had another problem, she needed to find everyone else. The Gargoyle had mentioned that she was destined for the Master, obviously meaning Majiya, or this god that had been summoned.

The sound of rubble tumbling interrupted her thoughts and caused Gwen to spin around, bow at the ready. Coming out of the shadows was a solitary Wulven, one from the pack she was hunting a week ago. It raised both paws up in a gesture of surrender. “Wait!” it called out in its guttural voice. “I’m not here to fight, I just want to talk.”

“Speak fast Wulven. You have 30 seconds to convince me NOT to put an arrow in your skull.” Gwen snarled.

“That silver-haired witch killed my entire pack. I want her dead, as do you. So I’m proposing we pool our resources.” It said, taking a few steps forward. “What is you humans say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?”

“You think that little spiel will make me trust you?” Gwen retorted. “How do I know this isn’t some Shadow ploy?”

“Look, if it’ll help you trust me, my name is Moonstalker.” The Wulven said. “I also know where they’re taking your friends.”

“The pillar of light seems an obvious choice.”

“That is most likely their final destination, yes.” Moonstalker replied. “However first they’re being rounded up in the town square nearby. Majiya is planning to sacrifice them all to start the process of spreading the Chaos across the region.”

“How do I know you’re not leading me into a trap?”

Moonstalker shrugged. “You don’t. But right now you need help if you’re going to save your friends, and I’m all you’ve got.”

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The sting of the whip across Serena’s face brought her back to consciousness. Standing over her was Majiya, a wicked grin on her face and Serena’s prized weapon in her hand. A second lashing caused Serena to cry out in agony.

“Wake up.” Majiya said in a mocking tone. “Time to die.”

Serena groaned and tried to move, but her hands and feet were bound. Looking around, she could see Lance, Amber and Eladwen in the same situation as her, as well as a few of the other remaining humans. Gwen was noticeably absent however.

“What… are you going to do?” Serena asked through clenched teeth, the sting of the whip still persisting.

Majiya knelt down and stared into Serena’s eyes. “Well at the moment, the merging of Chaos to this world is limited to Ravendark. In order to for it to spread, we need more blood.”

“You intend to feed us to your god?” Serena snarled.

“Not exactly. You will actually be feeding the Dimension Ripper. Rest assured your death will serve a great purpose.” Majiya stood up and nodded. A pair of husks shuffled over to Serena, grabbing her under the arms and dragging her towards the pillar of light. As she was being dragged off Serena could see the husks collecting more of the captives and following. She had to do something or they were all dead.

Struggling against the husks, she managed to dislodge herself from their grip, slumping to the ground. She was able to twist her bound wrists around far enough to reach into one of her pockets before they picked her up again and carried on. Holding the throwing knife she’d taken from her pocket, Serena started cutting through the rope restraints.

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Gwen followed Moonstalker through the ruins. One thing she had to say about the Wulven (who she now knew was a male), was that he was well versed in stealth, and many times they had avoided patrols that Gwen would otherwise have engaged in battle. Slowly but steadily they made their way to the town square.

Moonstalker pointed up to the top of one of the buildings that was still standing. “Up there. We can see better.”

“And how are we going to do that?” Gwen asked, “There are no ladders.”

“Chaos rules this city now. Tap into that power like your friends did.” Moonstalker replied before pushing off with his hind legs, launching him upward. Embedding his razor sharp claws in the wooden walls, he climbed up and over the edge of the rooftop.

Looking up, Gwen frowned. Eladwen had mentioned being able to do things normally beyond reach though, so maybe Moonstalker was onto something. She concentrated as hard as she could, and as she did a flicker of light appeared in front of her. It grew into a portal, just like the ones Eladwen created. Stepping through, she arrived on the rooftop, next to the surprised Wulven.

“Well, that was better than I was expecting.” He said. Gwen ignored him and instead surveyed the scene in front of her.

Ahead was the town square, with monsters of all kinds patrolling the area. In the centre of the square were at least twenty warriors, all restrained. Gwen could see Majiya there as well, moving amongst the captives, taunting them and attacking them with Serena’s whip. Looking towards the pillar of light in the distance she could see a precession of husks, dragging people towards their fate. She could make out that Serena and Amber were among those being dragged away.

“She’s already begun the sacrifice.” Moonstalker observed. “We’ve got to get down there.”

Gwen nodded as she began concentrating again. “Agreed. Are you ready?”

“Ready for what?” Moonstalker asked, just before the portal appeared in front of him.

“Oh.”

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[Preybird]

Serena had cut half way through her arm restraints when a bright light appeared in front of her. The two husks dragging her instinctively paused, unsure what to do. Their indecisiveness was swiftly ended by a pair of arrows and a very large Wulven. As the Wulven continued to assault the husks, Gwen stepped through, launching more arrows into the precession. Serena watched as the two unlikely allies worked together to decimate those husks still standing.

“Interesting friend you’ve got there.” Serena said. “That’s Moonstalker isn’t it?”

“Yes. Don’t remind me.” Gwen replied as she finished cutting through Serena’s restraints for her. The fact that she had stooped to working with a Wulven was making her feel bad enough, without being reminded of it. She felt like she was betraying her parents’ memories, and hoped that stopping Majiya would be enough to earn their forgiveness.

Getting up, Serena sized up their options. “Ok, we’ve got Majiya on one side and an angry hungry god on the other. I figure we sort Majiya out first, free our people, then go after Zaladar.”

“Agree…. INCOMING!” Gwen shouted as she leapt to the side. The massive ball of fire hit the ground and exploded outward in a blast so large it swallowed the horizon. Knocked off her feet, Gwen was smashed into a collapsed building, the infernal heat burning the skin off her bones. The pain was beyond belief. There she lay, barely able to breathe, as Majiya arrived.

“You think you can stop this?” She roared. Gwen managed to lift her head just enough to see that some of the others weren’t even as lucky as her. Amber was not moving at all, and she could just barely see Serena still breathing. From what she could make out, no one else survived. “You were going to be part of something great. However you’re all too much trouble. So now your deaths shall be pointless.” Majiya’s hands charged with fire for the killing blow.

Leaping out from the rubble under which he had sheltered, Moonstalker collided with Majiya’s back, ramming her face first into the ground and causing the spell to dissipate. He grabbed her by the back of the head with his huge claws and proceeded to savagely and repeatedly beat her face against the pavement before spinning her over onto her back and slashing her throat. Standing over her as she struggled for breath, Moonstalker spat on her broken face. “Die.” He snarled. “Feel the vengeance of the Wulven.”

Walking over to Gwen, Moonstalker knelt down beside her and placed his right claw over her face. Gwen was expecting him to betray her, however he simply began chanting, sounding hauntingly like the old priests from her village. It became easier to breathe and the pain began to fade, as her body reknit and her vitality returned. When Moonstalker had finished, Gwen had recovered enough to stand up. “Thank you.” She managed to say. “You saved my life.”

Moonstalker nodded. “Now we must save theirs.” He said, moving over to Serena and Amber. Gwen followed as quickly as she could. She knelt down beside Amber whilst Moonstalker did the same with Serena. Concentrating, they channelled the energy around them to bring them both back from the brink. Serena and Amber both coughed violently as their lungs grew in strength and began to expel the smoke and brimstone that they had inhaled from the blast.

Rolling to her side, Serena looked first at Moonstalker, before looking beyond him at the bloody pavement. “Where’s Majiya?” She asked as she got up.

Growling, Moonstalker looked behind him at the spot where she had lain. Sure enough, Majiya was gone. Somehow, she had managed to escape. “That f….”

Moonstalker’s string of expletives was interrupted as the ground shook around them, the pillar of light grew brighter and a figure of pure energy became visible. Zaladar had arrived. Stepping forward onto the ground the sheer size of the hulking elemental being suddenly became apparent, with Zaladar being easily twice as tall as any of them there. In its right hand was the Dimension Ripper, enlarged to monstrous proportions by the sheer number of souls contained within. All around it the air crackled with barely contained energy. Zaladar roared with laughter as it swung the Dimension Ripper at Moonstalker.

Narrowly avoiding the attack, Moonstalker leapt back to put some distance between himself and Zaladar. Taking on a being of pure energy was not going to be an easy task for a Wulven used to being able to physically tear apart his opponent. Likewise Amber, Serena, and Gwen were also used to physical combat, and were similarly disadvantaged. This was not a fight they were going to win.

“RUN!” Serena shouted, as the four of them moved as quickly as they could from the hulking elemental. Lightning crashed all around them as Zaladar unleashed unholy forces to strike them down. They ran as quickly as they could back to the town square, as they needed some magical firepower to have any chance, and that meant Eladwen, if she was still alive.

Thankfully Zaladar scared the Shadow troops as much as the humans, and they scattered at the sight of it, leaving their captives to their fate. Serena ran over to Eladwen, who was broken and bleeding from the beating that Majiya had administered. “Eladwen! Wake up!” Serena shouted. Zaladar was approaching rapidly, and lightning was striking all around them.

“Go! Get her out of here!” Gwen shouted. “I’ll hold him off!”

“Are you crazy?!” Serena retorted. “You’re signing your own death warrant!”

“JUST GO!” Gwen shouted, her voice sounding small in comparison to the thunder around them. “Get her healed! And don’t forget Lance!”

Serena gave her a small salute as she and Amber evacuated Eladwen and Lance. Moonstalker however stayed with Gwen.

“You too.” Gwen said to Moonstalker. “We’re not friends by any stretch, but you saved my life. So go.”

Moonstalker stared at Gwen for a few moments, before solemnly nodding and running into the shadows. He still had a score to settle with Majiya, and until he found her and enacted his vengeance, a lone wolf he would remain.

Gwen watched Moonstalker run before turning to the god bearing down on her. Uttering a prayer she reached into her pocket, pulling out the Shadow Crystal she stole from around the Gargoyle’s neck. It felt warm in her hand as she secured it to one of her arrowheads with twine. Taking a deep breath, she focused on the crystal as she loaded the arrow into her bow. The ambient energy began to swirl around her, filling her with strength, charging the latent magic in the bow to unimaginable levels. A purple haze began to appear as the crystal at the arrow tip glowed brighter and brighter.

Zaladar roared as it raised the Dimension Ripper over his head, ready to strike Gwen down in a single blow. Gwen closed her eyes and poured everything she had into the crystal, before launching the arrow.

Time seemed to slow as the arrow sailed towards its target, raw energy trailing behind it like a comet tail. Gwen sunk to her knees completely drained, only managing to look up in time to see the arrow puncture the lightning heart of the Elemental. Zaladar roared as the crystal ruptured, spreading the chaotic energy through him, disrupting the living lightning that composed his very being. Reality warped around him as his energy began to destabilize, before bursting outward in a violent shockwave. Tossed around in the blast like a ragdoll, Gwen lost consciousness one last time…..

------------

“Morning.”

Gwen slowly opened her eyes. She was no longer in Ravendark, as far as she could tell. Serena stood over her bed with a warm smile on her face, and her arm in a sling.

“What… what happened?” Gwen stammered.

“What happened is you kicked some godly ass.” Serena replied, “The explosion was so big we felt it two blocks away.” She tapped on her damaged arm.

“It worked then.” Gwen said coughing.

“Eladwen said you created some kind of feedback loop, forcing Zaladar’s excess energy back into him. It basically overloaded him.” Serena smiled. “I don’t know if that’s true, but it was certainly impressive.”

“So what now? Is Ravendark ok?”

Serena snorted. “Well, as ok as a city subjected to raw chaos could be. But let’s say reality has returned to normal there. So no more crazy powers for anyone.”

She laid a hand on Gwen’s shoulder before motioning to leave. “Anyway, I’d better head off. Get some rest, you’ve earned it. I’ll be back later.”

Gwen watched as Serena walked to the door of her room, pausing for a moment before leaving.

“And Gwen?”

“Yeah?”

“Your parents would be proud of you.”

[Zhou86]

Wow!!! Hmm, so many cards I can think of here...

Wouldn't mention the obvious ones...maybe I try some subtle ones.

Obviously it was a Meltdown format, so they all can use cards from each other...Portal for example

Rabid Bite? (Undead attacking another undead part)
Lay Line Nexus? (When Majiya completed the ritual)
Shadowfont? (The purple cloud surrounding Gwen)
Energy Discharge or Feedback? (Zaladar imploding and killing himself?)
Lone Wolf (lol, as MS retreated)
Supernova? (Majiya casted that and knock them all off?)

Finally, I would like to express my thanks for your stories. It was a fun ride while it lasted. I enjoyed every part of it.

p/s: You really have the skill of a writer. Do consider it sometime in the near future.

[Preybird]

Wow!!! Hmm, so many cards I can think of here...

Wouldn't mention the obvious ones...maybe I try some subtle ones.

Obviously it was a Meltdown format, so they all can use cards from each other...Portal for example

Rabid Bite? (Undead attacking another undead part)
Lay Line Nexus? (When Majiya completed the ritual)
Shadowfont? (The purple cloud surrounding Gwen)
Energy Discharge or Feedback? (Zaladar imploding and killing himself?)
Lone Wolf (lol, as MS retreated)
Supernova? (Majiya casted that and knock them all off?)

Finally, I would like to express my thanks for your stories. It was a fun ride while it lasted. I enjoyed every part of it.

p/s: You really have the skill of a writer. Do consider it sometime in the near future.

Thanks man, appreciate your readership

Feedback, Shadow Font, Lone Wolf, and Nova are right. Energy Discharge is there, but not relating to Zaladar. Someone else used it.

The ritual isn't actually based on Ley Line (in fact it's not based on a card at all), but that's a cool connection.

The husk attacking his compatriot is not Rabid Bite, there's something there you're missing. What happened after he attacked the other husk? (Just now realised that what happened with the husk isn't the truest representation of the card in question, as the part of the effect targets heroes only.)

[Zhou86]

Only other card I think of is Mind Control.

[Preybird]

Only other card I think of is Mind Control.

That would be the one

Did you get the deck archetype that I referenced? It was sort of an indirect reference, but it was there.