Our group was being harangued from above by the flying demons and we were not faring well. I was targeted by two of the now-ground faring beasties, and they were out-fighting me. They were obviously more adept at using their claws, than I was, with my sword. Still, I had to learn somewhen, and unless I found a dojo where I could study for a decade or two - well, they say if it doesn't hurt, it isn't doing you any good!
I did have my troops to consider, so I thought that trumping to Deidre an then back to the bottom (where it might be surer underfoot). I retreated faster than before and reached for my trump deck. Deidre should be at the top, as I used her trump last. Eventually I found it and tried to spelunk down the slope to the next level whilst making a trump call. It may have worked if she'd answered immediately, but she didn't. My trumps went flying and I lay on my back watching my assailants come sliding towards me. I slashed at one and rolled underneath. It was about then that I had my epiphany. I grabbed its leg and reached into its mind and "bit" it, tore it out and came out again. It had the desired effect and it collapsed like a pack of cards. The other tried to avoid my gaze (I thought I'd try and be clever and do it remotely) but eventually I gave up and grabbed its arm. It died.
I picked up my trumps and went looking for my horse and return to my troops. We were losing at a ratio of two to one. Not good, but better than losing!
Allaghan was looking useful flying overhead, sweeping into the forces, and he'd brought the heavy artillery.
To cut a long story short, the aerial assault retreated back to their own kind, while we patched up, packed up, and returned to the tower to make preparations and go summon a phoenix. I seemed to impress my troops by staying at the sharp (back) and of the line, helping my troops, so my command was still strong. As a parting shot, we let rip with the Rail guns on the trail heading down, just to make their life difficult.
Back at Elysium, we met "Fred" my abyssal liaison officer, who didn't fill me with confidence when probed about the level of support I might expect from Habakkuk. I was hoping for Legion, I was effectively promised a troop. Well, I wasn't exactly promised anything by "H" so I ought not to expect anything.
The enemy troops were camping at the top of the entrance to the chasm. They were most probably waiting for reinforcements. There were about one and a half, to two thousand troops. We had just under a thousand left. But we were in a castle, and we had some magic on our side. We also had Deidre and some surprise troops. So perhaps we weren't in such that bad a position as it at first seemed.
Allaghan went off by himself, in his flying suit, to scope out the enemy strength, but flew too low, and was blown out of the sky by a 13th hour effect. He should consider himself lucky. Later, I tried something similar, but using pattern sight. I snuck up, and spotted at mage, which I tried something akin to what I did on the slopes earlier that morning. I nearly succeeded, but considering I hadn't even tried that sort of thing before today, I was rather pleased with my efforts. So we knew they probably had Tar-Rodian with them, and there were no magical force fields in place. We also knew they had patrols. They were settling in quite nicely.
I had a word with my Generals, and after dismissing any help Alfred could kindly offer, told them to set up the cannon in the streets.
After a bit more pointless bickering about getting a few hundred people here, a few wooden stakes there, I managed to persuade the two Al's that we ought to get the phoenix here ASAP, before the troops attacked.
Cordelia was recovering from a heavy night of drinking with a full English Breakfast with Sorcha (who was looking even more pregnant considering the brevity of the gestation) Alfred had earlier mentioned something about the prophecy of Imshadli (or something like it) which implied Sorcha was the Madonna to the prophesised saviour of us all. So, it was with a full stomach that we asked Deidre to pull us into the tower to discuss entering the Keep of the four winds, etc.
The keep was guarded, but not to the extremes as it once was, so it didn't look too hopeless. Much discussion followed this, suggesting bringing extra, mortal troops in for assistance, to try and remotely attack through the trump gate, and the like, but in the end a conventional attack, using the principles I used earlier on the slopes of Elysium's canyon. Building on an earlier lesson, after we had returned from the battle, I explained to the two Al's the principle of mental combat. Cordelia needed no guidance, suggesting she understood what I was on about (if she hadn't, contrary to what she admitted, already used it). So with them primed, we sat down, visualised the pattern and extended our minds through the Trump.
There were six demons in total; three large and three small. Apparently the smaller had been Brand's lot and the bigger three were Rodian's. Though it was harder than anticipated, the mission was a success, with all six vanquished quietly. Then it was back to our bodies, to start phase two, to descend the tower and carry out the ritual. While all this was going on, Alfred was priming and racking a silence spell to keep our actions from the rest of the tower).
It was then that Cordelia announced she was far too tired to help, and set the three of us on our way. I shape changed into one of the larger demons and lent Alfred my armour.
And so we walked through the portal (held open by Cordelia). We had decided to arm ourselves with Gaus rifles. I hoped to god that they'd work - it was going to be messy if it didn't!
Once through to the Keep, Cordelia promptly shut it and stranded us there with a closed door with a demon asking us what was going on, behind it. I just hope that she stays put, and opens the trump portal when we come out of the Keep.
Notice I said when, not if. And remember when I said it was going to be tight? I think it went down a dress size!| Back | ||||
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| Hero of the Hour - Charity | The Keep of the Thirteenth Hour |