Welcome to Gaia! ::

-Ignoring the insult and attitude, the leader slows himself to fall just behind her, then continues to accompany his fellows as they escort Eclavice to the gate of her estate. Once they reach their destination, the squad halts while their leader moves towards her once again.. dropping to one knee before her- "As instructed.. you have been delivered to your home. Our patron has sent word that the council has met and you are to await a judgment of your actions concerning the enemy. I was told to inform you that fleeing or seeking out others at this time would further doom your cause. His suggestion is that you wait until the other leaders have negotiated the enemies surrender.. then you are to come to the council chamber to plead your case."

-As soon as Eclavice stepped onto her own estate, the detachment turned about and began to slip into the nearest patches of shadow on the ground. As each one touched the darkness.. they faded away from sight, vanishing in moments-

(( -golf claps- Bravo ))

((to lolth: I know that it was wrong to take control of the spider but you weren't posting a response and I figured that it would be worse to kill a spider controled by a goddess.))

"Indeed we are." Blaze said sheathing his sword and damning his stupidity for showing his abilities to soon. He watched the spider scuttle away and figured better then to chase after it. "Then I shall bid you farewell." he muttered only loud enough for her to hear as he turned his back and started walking away.

((You're lucky I'm nice, Blaze. >.<
And mods: I left a note for y'all in the "POPULATION ISSUE" thread. For now, I'll just deal.))

Chalthara could not hold back laughter as the Eilistraean turned from her. Of course, her laughter was not the jolly kind of surface creatures, but the sort that is emitted by some darker part of the mind delighting in irony and the chaos trailing behind it.

Had he no suspicion within him even for a follower of his Goddess' greatest enemy, beliefs the antithesis of trust?

Looking back at Izaran's forces behind her, she composed herself. It would not do to be in a state of 'hysterics' (what she considered her laughter to denote) when dealing with troops. Her face returned to its normal state of dangerous tranquility, and her gaze ran over a good number of faces.

Power was power. Did it make any difference whether she was Matron or commander of a force such as this one? That notion only crossed her mind briefly, but it was a good thought. Perhaps the sudden disappearance of her teacher would have some use to her after all. Though she had learned very little, having been his apprentice only a very short time, she still commanded respect. She would by no means be taken lightly.

"You," she snapped at one of the captains standing nearby. "The structure created by my master remains intact even with his disappearance. Instead of letting the troops stand around out here to fray at the nerves of Au Shinduago's residents, allow them to go there and await further orders from me."

That command given, she looked back towards the city and its walls, teeming with members of the Shadow Guard.

"Hmph."

((Sorry, but Im gonna move my mamonth post to Derahel considering it was in my house, hope that's not a problem biggrin ))

-Raising his hands high above them, Val'atar began to chant softly in the abyssal tongue. The words faded and echoed in a most unnatural way as blackness seeped from his finger tips to encircle and enshroud them all.

Without warning, the floor seemed to vanish and they found themselves falling through perfect pitch darkness in an unending plunge.. the only sound aside from the chanting of Patron Druu'giir was subtle hisses and whispers that seemed to shoot past from every direction.

Several long minutes later, the ground reappeared as if it had never vanished in the first place.. with no sudden stop.. as gentle as one step to the next. As quickly as the darkness had enshrouded them, it collapses and oozes onto the ground, only to ripple and slither back into the Val'atar's shadow. His chanting ends as his eyes open once more and without a word of comfort to them, he turns and strides to a door, throwing it open to reveal that they now stood upon the battlement of the gate tower, the enemy army arrayed out before them.

He pauses and seems to struggle with his own strength for a moment before swallowing down whatever it was and striding out to stand upon the stonework. His ruby eyes peep out at the forces that confronted them and for the first time that day.. a smile creeps across his lips-

"Let our enemies tremble.. for we have arrived to deal unto them pain and suffering that they have never known."

-turning back, about to speak to them.. Val'atar is caught off guard by a sudden smack to the back of his head. It takes a moment for it to sink in that someone had just physically assaulted his person.. giving him time to narrow his gaze on Kal'daka until his eyes were but fine slits through which baleful red orbs seemed to glow with a deeper inner light. At the same time.. the raping scourge of Vier's mind touch scoured through his brain.. fading after a moment, but leaving him with a brief idea.

Instead of reacting to the action.. Val'atar just continues to stare at her.. his mind reaching out to hers for a moment, tentatively making contact as he tries to burrow into her thoughts the way Vierdah had done to him. He imagines himself as a bolt of white hot energy spearing into her mind, then releasing that crackling energy before tearing himself loose. On his face during this time.. a small smirk appears, then just as quickly evaporates into his usual stoic sneer.

He tears his gaze away from the female and looks to Valthier and Revian, holding his hand up slightly to hold their questions and comments at bay-

"I used the surest method to travel within the city.. the only one that will not possibly leave your bodies frozen forever within the very stone around us. As for the army below.. let us descend and see what they intend now that they realize their folly. I see not their craven leader Izaran, perhaps he has fled.. or is being hidden by Eclavice.. either way, they will accept our terms for their surrender or we will destroy them.. slowly and with much suffering if I have my way of it."

-So saying, he whirls about and begins to make his way along the ramparts to the nearest stairs down towards the gates.. not waiting to see what transpired behind him-