Siege on the City of Heroes - West, Part 1(EVENT)

[Deleted]

"Forward", shouted Orland as he lead the knights forward. If they could just get closer they could get out of this hail of arrows. From what Orland could tell the defenders did not seem to be atop the actual wall. For some strange reason they were firing from the houses on the inside. Orland was not sure if they just decided they wanted to fire from the houses or if they did not have a walk way at the top of the wall either way it was not his problem. Orland's problem was dealing with the archers firing down upon him and his brave knights.

As Orland marched forward he saw something moving in the ground in front of him. The knight wondered what it was. It was not scrap from a wagon or a stone on the ground. "What in the", spoke Orland as suddenly dark tentacles erupted form the ground and began to rip through his flesh. The giant let out a cry of pain as the force tore through his body. He may have not known what it was before, but he knew what it was now. This was dark magic, or elder magic if you called what those robes did. Either way his massive armor was useless when it came to defending from it. The knight was forced to to take a knee. The magic had done some serious damage to him.

"Orland", spoke one of the bandits as the formation stopped.

"What are you idiots doing keep marching forward", shouted Orland. The knights looked at each other and then began to march around the giant toward the wall. Orland knew he did not stand much of a chance by himself. He needed to heal up and move back into the unit. Still whoever shot that magic at him was still atop of the houses. Orland cursed the fact that he did not bring any archers. If he lived through this one he would make sure he brought some next time. Orland stabbed his spear into the ground and pulled out a elixir. It was his prize possession that he collected from some of the bandits looting. The knight bit off the top and drunk 1/3 of the mixture. Strength returned back to his muscles. Still he had lagged behind the other bandits. As the knight looked up an arrow flew down from the wall and slammed into the top of his shoulder pad. Luckily for him the mass of steel deflected the blow, but Orland still had a ways to go before he reached the safe zoan. The knight raised his shield and began to push forward again.

[Roin Valor]

As arrows rained on the formation of knights, Roin shot no arrow. The arrival of Marric, he remembered the voice, signaled quite a good deal of relief to him, but his concern was the giant that moved with the formation. The mage of the defenses had made a valuable effort, but one thing was painfully clear as the group's leader was isolated. They were going to reach the wall if something wasn't done.

Carefully pulling an arrow from his quiver, much to the shock of nearby archers, the half-blooded Sacean raised his bow and strung the arrow before drawing the medium-sized weapon. The enemies were thickly armored, but a carefully aimed shot was all he was aiming for. With a release of the arrow, he dropped his bow from his sight to instinctively watch the arrow.

One of the men of the formation gave a jerk and curse, the group able to see an arrow sticking from the softer, less-armored chain between his chestplate and pauldron. The strange arrow had pulled a miracle, though useless, hit on the giant's friendly knight. It left Roin to curse quietly under his breath. The sight wasn't too great for an archer.

"We need volunteers! Unless we meet those knights fast they'll set to wrecking our wall already!"

Moving to the edge of his roof, Roin lowered to his rear to slide off and down to a lower cart before gracefully dropping to the ground below. Once there, he moved toward Marric, Tamaya, and a handful of other Saceans, putting on a small smirk that was almost completely alien on his face.

"We'll open the gates...and in that brief time we'll rush out to face them. The giant among them I'll take on...you two think you can fight with these men and women in the meantime?"

[Minerva]

"Hmm?!"

Minerva saw the giant take a burst of dark magic, and stayed behind him, shielding herself with his considerable bulk. This was bad. She didn't like the thought of a Shaman or Druid attacking her... Brr. Elder magic was creepy. As the giant again began to move forward, she spoke to him over his shoulder, saying, "Hey, big man, don't be alarmed. I'm that mage from the raid, Minerva. Once we get within range... If you can keep shielding me, I'll roast the defenders. I just don't really like close combat, because, well, I'm not wearing armor."

Staying tight with the turtle formation, moving up to the rest of the group and leaving the giant behind, the woman readied a fireball and hurled it, sending it rocketing up towards the wall, where it slammed into one of the archers, causing the man to collapse, writhing in pain, and with flames licking his body as he struggled. As Minerva prepared another projectile, an arrow smashed into a man nearby, piercing through the weak area of his armor. "Hah, it's naught but a lucky shot. Push on! We're gonna send that wall tumbling down!" With a yell, the mage sent her flame roaring up toward the wall again, aiming for another archer.

[Ilheod]

Arrow's started to hail downwards upon the approaching forces. Each rider turned their gaze to look from the roof tops over at the approaching regiment of bandit's. Shielding, armored, each one in a formation. By the looks of it Arrow's weren't going to do any good unless they had some of the most skilled sniper's with powerful bow's at their disposal. Ilheod turned to his rider's before raising his left hand with a partial closed fist. His index middle and ring finger in the air before the ring finger dropped as well. He turned back to his rider's and nudged his head forwards wordlessly. Seth and Brom both followed after their commander as the wyvern's leapt off the building's roof tops. Having Overheard the green haired fighter that was clearly planning to move off as well the Wyvern Lord tucked his lance at it's side speaking to the man while the two wyvern's behind him took into a spear head formation.

" The moment you lot are through the gate, were leaping up over and following. You lot seem skilled but It's best not to leave things to chance. "

[Edrick]

He perfectly hit his intended target, the big person went down, but then he lifted something to his lips and got back up again continuing forward. By this time he had another spell charged with energy and sent i down thet wall, into the ground to appear at the feet of another armored person, and the tendrils would climb up the man bringing him down, hopefully he would stay there.

Edrick watched as a fireball came from the group of armored people and struck an archer and set the man on fire. Others ran over to put the man out with blankets, smothering the flame. But the mage had made one key mistake, they made themselves seen. Where he was now Edrick would be neigh impossible to pick out, but in a group of armored men one person like that stood out. Then came another fire ball.

He saw the fireball launch from the group towards the city. He couldn't allow that. Instead of using his charged attack to take down another enemy he sent it directly to intercept the fireball. The orb shot out and began rippling and throbbing through the air, a scary sight to most, until it collided with the fireball. The impact stopped the fireball flat, but the energy from the elder magic dissipated after a brief tangle with the fire magic. Little bits of both parts of magic began to fall from the cluster, fire and darkness intertwined, falling through the air, it was beautiful. But casting magic was tiring, so he sat done, waiting for this mage's next move.

[Tamaya]

"Marric! You... You are that scrawny axe-man who saved me with Roin!"

Turning to her clan and kin, she briefly uttered a few phrases in a tongue that would seem garbled and indecipherable to Marric. However, all three men nodded respectfully back to Marric, and the leader spoke to the skinny fighter, saying "Thank you for help Tamaya. Good you here fight with us."

Hearing Roin's instructions, Tamaya nodded and unslung her bow, again speaking to her clansmen and moving into a diamond formation behind the clan leader and her two family members, while the rest of the clan assembled in groups nearby.

"We are ready, Roin. Give the order and we will strike for you."

[Deleted]

As Orland rose up he picked up his pace to catch back up with the group. As the moved he saw more of the evil magic take out another one of their comrades. This was not going to work thought Orland to himself. The knight did not like the idea of being picked off one by one by this mage. If he and his armored units were going to survive this ordeal they were going to need to pick up their pace.

As Orland caught up one of the knights lost his patience. He just saw two of their men get taken down by magic. for a brief moment he lowered his shield and pulled out his javelin. With all of his strength he tossed the spear at the enemy gathering at the wall. The spear flew forward and hit a archer in the chest not before the knight took a blow himself though. An arrow from the wall slammed into forearm right between the elbow brace and the steel plate protecting his arm. The bow caused the knight step out of light and pull the arrow out before he could bend his arm. It was a flesh wound, but if it was not treated it could become worse.

"We need to pick up our pace", shouted Orland as he moved toward the head of the group. The knights were a bit surprised to see the big man move the way he did. Orland raised his shield up in a seventy five degree angle and began to charge forward as fast as he could. The other knights copied him and followed shattering the defensive turtle formation for a faster moving wing formation.

"Stay behind Minevea", spoke Orland as he charged forward. Orland uses his own body as a shield to prevent her from being hit by arrows. Just a little further thought Orland as he stared at the wall. Just a little further and we will reach the shadow of the wall.

[Marric]

Marric let out a roar in response to Roin, a warrior was always ready to take on any opponent. While he was not a warrior yet, Marric had every ounce of the fury needed to be one. The group of fighters and swordsmen he was with earlier caught up to him, and a few let out their own roars of agreement. Marric looked over a few of them, they were looking at him as some sort of figure of authority, as it was clear that the three knew each other. Roin needed volunteers, Marric was happy to give him some.

Are you men ready?! He threw his axe into the air to provoke the courage of these combatants, they did the same in response, hooting and hollering with vigor. Roin, we're your vanguard! Tamaya, you're our strike force! Men, Let's move! To the gates! The men roared, numbering in somewhere from 75-100, not enough to sustain long enough without the aid of the nomads and the rooftop archers and mages. They'd do their parts, some were mercs yes, but most of these men looked like civilians trying to defend their home. Marric and the more able foot-men would have to make up for the experience the majority of the others lacked. Where were the city guards anyhow?

Let's move! Marric and his newly formed band of volunteers ran to form a line around the gate. Marric had them circle the square of open space behind the gates, giving a clear killzone for the archers and mages. As soon as that gate opened the men would hold their ground and barricade the bandits within the killzone for as long as they could. With luck, the archers and mages would provide enough arrows and firebolts to discourage further oppposition. Marric stood at the center of one section of his human barricade, his axe felt comfortable in his hand, and the weight of his father's armor calmed his doubts. He was ready for the bloodshed to come, but in the back of his mind he wondered if the men beside and behind him were.

He whistled to Roin, it was shrill and loud, normally used to capture the attention of a wyvern. It worked fine for humans too. Hopefully Roin recognized it as a sign they were ready.

Men! This is the City of Heroes, you are its namesake! Fight like the heroes of old! Fight with your ancestors' strength behind you! The people shall sing our praises and toast our names, and build monuments to our feats! Now WE are the Heroes, WE will be victorious! Marric bashed his axe handle on his pauldren, his men roared with excitement and agreement. Hopefully his speech would be enough to rally some valor out of these men. He had no reason to fight here and risk his neck in any sense of obligation, but where there was a cause that was as worthy as this one the mercenary would gladly join it. He thought about when his adopted brother asked him of his dreams... He said he had some hope of becoming the greatest warrior in the land, and surviving this battle, leading these men... It was one heck of a way to test if he had the mettle to reach his goal.

[Minerva]

"Damn. Damn. Damn."

Not only was there a user of elder magic... But he or she was good. They were taunting her. Mocking her. Using their magic to counter hers? They were challenging her.

"Fine. I accept. I'll play your little game...

Orland! Do we have any archers or other magicians with us? Any monks, specifically? We need to hurl a lot of indirect attacks at that wall. The dark magician is a real danger."

Concentrating, Minerva kept pace with the rest of the group, summoning a large swell of strength, and then releasing a half-dozen sizzling fireballs in quick succession. Although each individual was weaker than a normal flame, together, they were strong, and hard to dodge.

"Your defenders can eat this!" she spat, breathing heavily. Her strength ebbed, but she wasn't concerned. It would be back... Soon. She just had to take it easy for a little while.

[Edrick]

"So, they still haven't learned?" Whoever was launching these fireballs was quite determined, and either skilled or tired. He was betting on the latter. Most bandits shouldn't even be educated enough to use magic, but it is possible that there were some military defectors in there. Either way, he wasn't going to let this happen. AS the fireballs flew threw the air, equations flew threw through his head, he planned out exactly where each of the six fireballs should land, hopefully.

He began to draw upon the elder magic of his books, and using the raw magic potential in him he let loose 3 small orbs at the highest three of the fire balls, while sending 3 separate bursts down the wall onto the outside wall where the other three would hit, and before the fire could hit the wall each spot of dark magic burst out tendrils to snuff out the flames which dare impede it's territory. Stopping this mage's magic was easy, but tiring. Using this much much magic almost felt. . . good. . . He shook that thought out of his body as he leaned back, resting his elbows on the rooftop, awaiting their next move with anticipation.

[Tamaya]

"Earth..."

Tamaya's chant was interrupted by Marric's men, who moved en masse to surround the newly opened gate, forming a defensive formation. These men all knew how to fight, it seemed... Good. That would increase the odds that the city would stand strong against the onslaught.

"Sky..."

Her clan began to move as one, the hoof beats of the horses and soft pattering of the unmounted ones' feet growing in a fantastic crescendo to a grand and imperious forte. The wall of Sacaeans swept forward like a wind through the prairie grasses, with the diamond formation leading the way as they poured through the space of the gate and formed into a defensive line beyond with Marric's men. Seeing the oncoming bandit horde, and a group charging the wall, Tamaya curled her lip into a sneer. She would fight to the death to protect her homeland... No bandits would take that from her.

"LIGHTNING!!!"

With a terrorizing roar, she released an arrow from her bow, watching it arc toward the mass of bandits before seeing others join it in the air. A haze fell upon the plain as the arrows of an angry clan raced toward the invading army like a swarm of hornets from the nest.

Tamaya was drawing and firing arrows rapidly, smiling as she fired alongside her leader and kin. While she wasn't as strong... She had her heart in the right place.

[Deleted]

It seemed that Orland's group had set off a chain reaction. The knight had not noticed it before, but other groups of bandits were also charging the wall. The courage of the Knights crossing the field on their own rallied the fires of war inside the scumbags that sat in the camp. Their charges however were meet with pit falls and enemy missile attacks. Still however a few of them manage to get across the field.

As Orland charged forward he heard words from the mage at his back. "I don't know", spoke Orland as he moved forward. "You would have to look around. We got a few archers, but nobody who can use light magic. A couple of the heavys have javelins though." Orland turned and looked at his men. "All of those with the ability to attack range begin to assault the wall. Take down their archers, but mainly aim for their magic users", shouted the Giant. As the words left his mouth he noticed the gate opening up. Immediately Orland knew what this meant. The city defenders were coming out to challenge them. Orland and his boy's needed to get into the shadow of the wall. Fighting the defenders in the middle ground would mean certain death.

"Enemy incoming", shouted Orland as he pointed toward the gate. "We need to get to the shadow of the wall", shouted the giant as he began to pick up his pace. He was not going to fight the enemy while worrying about attacks from the walls. Orland began to sprint forward with everything he head. He preyed the mage followed as he pressed forward toward the shadow of the wall. Several arrows slammed into his shield, but the knight made it. The arrows no longer pinged against his shield or armor. Still however Orland had no time to celebrate. The forces of the city of Heroes would soon be upon him. The soldiers form the inside marched onto the field of battle and the Battle of the Wall's Shadow was about to begin.

[Minerva]

"All right, thanks!"

Minerva dashed behind Orland as the giant safely arrived in the shadow of the wall, simultaneously mustering strength and casting a large fireball, about the size of a cantaloupe. As it advanced, Minerva concentrated and honed her mind on the target -- the gate and the soldiers pouring out of it. It seemed like forever, but she kept her mind focused, until she gave a final push and exploded the projectile above the defenders' heads, raining chunks and globs of flaming energy down upon them in a shower of heat and pain.

"Take... That!"

Minerva sighed, sliding her back up against the wall and bending over to put her hands on her knees. She was tired from this exertion, and needed to rest. Battle was no cakewalk...

"Orland, what's the plan?" she said hoarsely, catching her breath. "What do we do? Storm the gate?" Whatever the plan was, she hoped it could wait for a few minutes. Otherwise, she would have to hold off casting as they advanced...

[Edrick]

"Shoot."

While he was focusing his energy the group got too close to the wall, he wouldn't be able to hit them reliably. He jumped down onto a lower roof; then onto the ground below, crouching when he landed to reduce the impact of hitting the ground and rushed with others out of the gate. Once he was outside the gate he saw it. The fireball. He braced for impact, but to his surprise the fireball flew overhead and exploded raining little flames down upon him and other troops.

"Wow, they must be a novice." He laughed, his voice being drained out by the troops rushing past him.

If they really knew what they were doing they would have sent it directly into the crowd, from overhead most of the flames would be stopped by helmets and other headgear. Heck, even his robe stopped the flame, well, the fabric is pretty resistant to burning. But it still shouldn't be powerful enough to burn through too much. Maybe just catch some unlucky man's hands or maybe his face.

And it couldn't get better, it seemed as though they were heading towards the wall. While other bandits were rushing in, there was a good chance the bandits might die if they were backed to the wall, especially with the wyverns he spotted earlier.

Wait, he spotted someone through the rushing troops that seemed vastly different than the rest of the armored people that rushed up. They weren't wearing any armor, was that the mage? He still couldn't see much at this distance with all the troops. He began to muster even more energy into his darkness, this was going to be it, enough to incapacitate them. He was just about to cast when someone ran into him, making him lose focus.

"Watch where you're going!" He lost some of his energy and focus from the collision, it wouldn't stop them now, but it sure might hurt. He sent the magic into the ground, creeping through the shadows unnoticeable, funny how they decided to give give the advantage here in the shadows. It would come out of the wall, bringing them, with tendrils of darkness, to the wall causing pain.

[Minerva]

"All right, we have to have a plan. Could we ju--Urrgh!"

With about as much warning as a surprise party, some arms -- no, wait -- tentacles of shadow erupted from the wall, choking her and slamming her against the stone of the wall. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe. She needed air, sweet Barrigan, she needed air, air, air. Minerva writhed as the tendrils pulled, tightening, until, quite abruptly, they vanished, allowing her to limply slump down to the earth. She couldn't move... Her whole body felt like it was being ripped and torn asunder by thorns and brambles. Her head was spinning, and she felt woozy. This was not at all what she had planned.

"He...He...Help..."