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So, the tide of events that unfurled to release a monster upon the Land of Crows was the Daywalkers' most dire battle in centuries, outsiders, like Rur-Adika had even come to their aid in their time of hopelessness. Claudia and Nyru have proved themselves to be some of the Queen's most loyal guards, yet there seems to be a small divide between the two of them since they defeated Dracula, much to the thanks of Adi. Now, the City of Crows, a fabled land was rebuilding not only it's blood-bathed streets, but its moral after having it's own kind turn against them, and an outsider influence the minds of those that followed Dracula. The cursed vampiric armours have been locked away, and all their remains burned, yet now the danger of Vampires still surviving is at large... But who released them? Facts are clouded by shadows, and truth is hidden behind lies - yet now it would seem that the Occult and the City of Crows has an agreement, and a debt to pay. Southmarch awaits for the adventurers to reclaim their land, untouched, not breathed within for centuries itself.

Nyru could smell the raw emptiness of the city just by standing outside its giant gates, it was breathtaking and made him feel miniscule. Once, he thought, the great City of Crows looked enormous, with spires and walls so high it would take no ordinary person to jump even half way up the wall with all their might. But Southmarch, a city he had never come to, rumours saying it was cursed by their own heritage, was must grander. It was early in the morning, yet it was still dark in Therias, the region once home to the Therians, it wasn't as murky as the City of Crows however, it seemed... cooler, but just as wet. Isabelle and her small group of Occult members stood beside Nyru, Claudia and Adi. She too was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the city's main gates, they stood twice as high as that of the City of Crows, they were just as wide, but across the front a great iron wolf's head gnarled it's iron jaws at whomsoever would dare break it down. No wonder it had never been taken, it was perhaps the most difficult place to get into, and thats without anyone defending it - or maybe it was the history that surrounded it protecting the brick and iron that forged it. She whistled and said "And how are we meant to get inside?". Nyru was at a stub, "I do-"
"I can get in" Charles admitted, stepping forth from his army of Therians behind him, "I - haven't been completely honest with you." he added, looking half ashamed, half proud. Isabelle gawked, unsure of what he meant, but then over his head a glimmer of dull light grew and like a disease it spread around his hair. To Nyru's disbelief, a golden crown, layered and dull with age, with diamond shaped gold plates, was revealed. Taking it from his head he said "I'm prince and heir to the throne of Southmarch, my father is Darwik the third and he rules Ardinas City of the Isles of Zurakkis in Otherearth. This crown is the key"

Isabelle was unsure what to say, if only she had told her parents before they returned to Absóluté that she was chatting up a prince! Nyru swallowed and had to resist the natural reflect to bow to royalty. " would you?" Nyru asked, gesturing to the grand entrance to the city being as polite as possible. Charles nodded, and with the crown before him he stood before the gates, and almost naturally all the Therians got down on one knee in respect to their city. Soon, their families will have a place to live, and they will no longer have to worry about fending off the Verdant forces of Otherearth, something only briefly explained to anyone who's been with them for the recent days. "My name is Charles the first of our King's blood, Zurrakkis runs through my veins and my life is his to decide and for his to protect. "Charles began, sounding as though to be reciting ancient texts, Nyru gathered it must have been homage to their king. Charles continued with "With thy blood within me, King of Gold, accept our return and lift our seal". There was silence, and all Nyru could feel was the cold breeze brushing through the countless dead trees surrounding them, even teh ground was a little squelchy beneath his feet. But then something happened, there was a great clink from within that iron wolf's head, he was almost nervous enough at that point to wonder if it would come to life and attempt eating them all. But instead the jaws closed and as soon as the teeth met from bottom to top the eyes glowed blue, and like glass, magic shattered around the doors, crackling like thunder roaring out as the seal was broken. They were in. Slowly, but surely, the doors opened and their first look into the city was available to them, but what could have been a majestic return looked more like stepping into a fallout zone. Every building along the large street leading within was overgrown, dank, wet, broken with disuse. The distance was foggy, and vines crawled along the paved floor, lamps stood and hung by all paths but were out like a dead candle. Various objects and bricks were tossed, broken and left across the street and in the distance un-distinguishable remains could be spotted. When the doors stopped, several gasps could be heard from the Therians, this was history to them, and Nyru alone felt almost overwhelmed to be uncovering such a place. Charles then began to lead the way through the gigantic archway.

And Nyru didn't want to mention it, but all he felt when walking inside was an awful sense of loss and death like non other. A feeling of emptiness within him made him feel uncomfortable, and quickly he came to distrust the city.

((Okay, here it is, sorry it's HUGE, but as you can tell i've gone a little fanboy over this place xD ))

Adi was the first to mention the markings on their heads, the eye that stared through them, put there by some evil cult. Isabelle was stilling holding her hand to her mouth and nose, the stench of rotting flesh was unbearable. Back in Absóluté, when they killed demons, their bodies would normally be burned immediately, or the body would vanish all together. Nyru used his helm as a defence against the smell, without twitching having the circlet around his head mould and shift into a full helmet. "She's right" Isabelle muttered under her hand, "if the scar of dark magic could kill, we'd definitely be dead". Nyru shook his head in pity for the dead people in front of him, as Adi went on, all he could think about was the poor families who are missing their mothers, fathers, sisters or brothers? These people could be anyone.

Charles took stand beside Adi when she pondered what she could possibly do, it was like she felt responsible for finding out the truth behind this mystery, but he put his hand on her shoulder and quietly said "We can't do anything for them now but pray". Charles himself was doing his best not to turn his nose away, the smell was so strong and deep, he could tell these bodies were only a few days old. "They're Daywalkers too..." Nyru added, unsure how his knees felt about the what his eyes were seeing. He had to look back over his shoulder for Claudia, she was his closest friend and right now, though they were parted since the incident in the throne room, she was who he wanted to comfort with. She had already stepped closer too, but now with a shadow-born bow and arrow. Nyru said "they must have been taken during the vampire's got in a fray with us" his voice shook, was it because of their attack that these people were taken?

"This is demonic though" Isabelle stated, suddenly fixated and her eyes narrowing on the ritual-esque pattern of bodies. Nyru shot her a gaze, "Don't you remember, those vampires left not a body behind after finishing with it. And like Adi has already described, this magic left behind crawls and festers...". There was a sudden sound of a twig breaking not so far into the fog. Everyone shot their gazes over, and the Therians armour could be heard clinking and scratching as they grasped for their weapons at their sides. No one was at ease here, anything, anywhere, at any time was enough to put the small army of wolves on edge. Everyone went silent, and Isabelle signalled for them to remain silent, whilst she carefully lit a small flame over her thumb. With a soft blow, she let the small flicker of a flame glide to the floor and form into a slender, small snake that crawled and slithered into the fog. As she anxiously watched it crawl off towards the sound, she couldn't stop thinking about what Adi said, Isabelle wasn't any academic on Occulas, but she wondered if that eye was anything to do with one of the cults that are found in the wilderness.

Then the flame got something, but it was snuffled out straight away, instantly alerting the Occult group leader as she raised her eye brows and gawked. Charles noticed too, and raised an arm, instantly being followed by a wave of his men behind him unsheathing their weapons. The Occult members, drew their own, and Nyru grasped his, knocking the blade in the air, whipping the blade carefully so it would curl. He grasped the blade between his fingers and te hilt of his weapon as the small blades divided. "Stay behind me you two" Nyru whispered, looking to both Adi and Claudia, he felt it his responsibility to keep them alive, no matter what is waiting for them. No matter how scared he felt. But they had to survive this, whatever horrific event waited for them, cus the feeling that crept on them earlier was sure as hell not for no reason. He had to survive this if he was to see Laxion again.

And then, suddenly, a purple glowing wall made of magic, like glass, ignited from the spot Isabelle's fire was exstinguished. It stretched and crawled around them as fast as lightning, surrounding the entire small army like a dome. Then from around the edge, figures emerged as the fog receded from the magical barrier, figures in dull robes, black with silver or purple patterns barely noticeable in the embroidery. Their hands were glowing, empowering the barrier, and at the same time Nyru was filled with shock and fear as the bodies before them began to breath. Their rotting lungs forced air out of whatever was left of their mouths, gurgling like they were strangling until it eased. The ones on the floor rose up, those ensnared on the wooden poles ripped free as they all looked at Nyru, Adi, Claudia and the others. They seemed easy to deal with, but it was the slowly gathering crowd of cultists all around them that was worrying. They were spread all around the dome on the other side, and behind them, as the fog vanished and revealed more of the city, more corpses were limping and stumbling behind them, looking small and weak compared to the towering demons that followed, wielding great weapons of their own, a few of them tall brutes made of muscle, others made of fallen skeletons that had been used to make the demon body stronger.

From behind the dome, a maniacal laughter could be heard from one of the cultists holding a large scythe, and he cried with a dark, compelling tone "... Darkness!... Has fallen!!!".

As they all struggled for a plan... some way of hiving them the upper hand all hope seemed lost. They were left staring into each other's eyes for hope, and just when all seemed lost, Adi sparked one idea. She called otu, and Nyru swung his head to see what she had in mind, she said it would buy them time and Isabelle double-took between approaching demons and zombies as well as Adi. She didn't say anything but nodded to Nyru and agreed, who then looked at Claudia, where they all thought Adi should go ahead.

Suddenly, golden light conjured like dust, a beautiful essence of life and sound that weaved to form wings, almost complete and still half in the fabric of the dimensions between and afar. The others took out the immediate enemies, spilling blood and gore upon the ground, but then a thrum hit the ground and light surrounded them. Nyru had to stop what he was doing for a moment, when Adi unleashed her power, protecting them from the monstrosities that sought to rip their bones from their flesh. He felt her energy, it was so similar to being in the middle of a dream, yet so different at the same time. His soul felt lifted, happiness, memories, and then the feeling of overwhelming good health and strength took him back to the battle. "Nyru, no time to dilly-dally" Isabelle stated, swaying her serpents from side to side keeping her eyes on the other side of the barrier. He had missed it all, missed the demons that did touch it, the dead that did turn to dust, catch fire, get vanquished by divine light. He wondered if anyone else could feel it, this monumental power.

Meanwhile, Clauida was realising her own plan. Her voice caught Nyru's attention, finally back, able to function without being distracted by his thoughts. In his head he could onyl repeat "20 percent?!" like the idea was crazy. But what she had planned was a good idea, and Isabelle even shook her head as if to ponder the crazy thought and then put it into action inside her own head. "This had better work" she finally admitted, growing cautious as she saw Adi taking the pounding from the shield. Nyru came into the scene and said "Charles, defend us like Claudia said, we'll do our best to get this done quickly, even if it doesn't work it will still give them a pounding. Claudia, Issy... summon the shadows and follow me!". And by that, he meant using their Queen's symbol. Nyru got into the large area in the centre of all the soldiers, passing some of the Occult fighters that have split up to spread around them equally amongst the small army. Standing firmly, he using his finger two fore fingers to draw in purple aura before him, an ankh overlaying that of a holy cross. When it was complete he pulled his fist back and didn't release it, that way he could continue pulling in all the shadows from around them. Together, all 3 of them could put their energies together, usually, only one person would be able to make a gigantic, colossal fist made of solid darkness... but imagine what the three of them could conjure. Charles, meanwhile, ordered his men, but kept a close eye on the god-like Adi who was soaring above, raining down the divine light of the heavens. If she were to need his help, he wouldn't hold back from going all fang and claws to aide her.