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[quote="STORYTELLER"][b]Solis (Chapter 1 Part 3) [/b] The wail of the Volkar released an almost invisible cloud of mana energy that enveloped everyone within twenty yards. This blast of energy weakened the warriors and they reeled, buckled and some fell to their knees. Everyone in Solis knew this would happen and it was why Blake and the other archers had stayed back as far as they had done. They had not dared to get closer knowing that the Volkar would emit this terrifying and destructive wail of mana power. As the warriors buckled in pain and weakness, bolts of light flashed around and above them. Red lights hit the wailing green Volkar stood above them. Blue lights were jumping from one warrior to the next. As the first lights began to fade, a second stream of lights buzzed the melee. The mages atop the walls were now continuously casting their magic into the walking melee that was still heaving towards the gates. The green apprentices and blue wizards were casting blue magic directly at the warriors, a healing spell, a strengthening spell, a spell of rejuvenation. A warrior could not wield a mighty weapon if he was weak or buckled. Another volley of blue light jumped around the warriors as they found their strength and resumed the brutal assault on the giant green enemy. The sorcerers were casting a different magic. Their energy was being directed at the green monstrosity itself and this work of magic was weakening the Volkar. Each red blast that hit the green bulk sapped a little strength from it, only a little but each blast would take a little more from it. These red blasts were not going to stop, at least not until the Volkar was dead or the sorcerers were spent. “Harder!” shouted Fox as he lunged forward with his Ruby spear impacting above the Volkars right knee. Occam was stood next to Fox. Occam was sporting a large “D” motif on his blue armour as he was also part of the Destroyers clan. In fact he was Fox’s second in command and most trusted friend. Watching the Ruby spear impact just above the Volkars right knee, Occam rained a heavy blow to precisely the same spot with his powerful axe. The lumbering giant stumbled and let out another wail. Again the warriors buckled and weakened as the scream let out a destructive, almost invisible cloud of energy. Again the mages cast blue lights that danced from one warrior to the next re-energising them, revitalising them and giving them a renewed strength and sense of hope that the Volkar could be stopped. The Volkar righted itself and again lunged forward. The circle of warriors persisted in lashing blows making its movement forward most difficult. Still the arrows flew across the narrowing void hitting their mark. Most of the arrows dropped to the floor but some began to hold their target as the red sorcerers weakening magic was starting to work. The Volkar thrashed out and lurched forward again then let out another wail as more weapons once again found their mark. Yet another blast of blue light was cast into the circle buzzing one warrior after another to bring back their strength. And, yet, the Volkar was still advancing. Addy was spent, he was only an apprentice mage within the Destroyers clan and if there was any doubt of that, he was donning the green robes of his class with the “D” motif of his clan. He reached down to his belt and took from it a small vial of blue liquid. There were around 10 of these blue vials clipped to his belt and one green one. It was always the apprentices that would lose their energy first. Being less accustomed and less experienced they would falter first. Their energy was lesser both in potency and quantity. Addy chugged the vial and instantly felt his magic energy return. The blue vials were mana potions, put together by a small number of people within only a few of the clans. You could only get them if you had a clan member able and willing to make one for you. Or, if you were persuasive enough, you might be able to trade something of value with a potion maker from another clan. Jen was the potion maker in Destroyers clan and so Addy had no trouble obtaining the vials. Jen was very generous with clan members, Fox had allowed her to join precisely because he knew Jen’s ways. It wasn’t only Jen’s potion ability that Fox found attractive. Jen’s figure hugging deep blue leather armour and Jen’s sultry demeanour made her an attractive proposition for any male. Fox too needed potions. Not mana potions though, Fox’s potions were red in colour and along with the 10 or so red vials he had clipped on his belt, he too had a green one. Addy looked down the line of mages racked along the wall and he could see he was not the only apprentice chugging vials, in fact, it seemed like most of the green robed casters were also spent, also in need of a mana fix. He turned back to the Volkar and saw it was now only around 80 yards from the gate, closer than any other Volkar had ever been before it had been downed by the fighters. Numerous arrows were hanging from its upper body and neck, none had pierced its head and the warriors were still raining blows. Yet, the Volkar continued to advance. The fighting continued to rage on with the warriors bringing their mighty weapons down upon the Volkar. The arrows of the archers were still making flight. Twenty, twenty five, thirty arrows Blake had let fly. Then, as he reached for the thirty first, his hand gripped thin air. No arrows left in the quiver. This was a distinct disadvantage of being archer in a big fight. “Damn” shouted Blake as he glanced around at the other archers noticing that they too were all beginning to run low. Running out of arrows was always a risk for archers and it was common practice for an archer to have a one handed axe or a dagger clasped to their belt for such an eventuality. Blake was no different and he instinctively reached for his hand axe on the right side of his waist. Poised with his hand on the axe in its holster, Blake stood for a moment realising that his small hand axe was hopeless against the Volkar. Thinking intensely and wondering why he had not become a warrior, he let go of the axe. It only took a moment to remember that his smaller build and weaker strength had been the reason. “Damn” Blake uttered again and he glanced backwards towards the walls where the mages were casting magic towards the Volkar and the warriors. He noticed Addy, his clan mate and saw him casting his wooden staff and watched as a bolt of blue light shot out hitting the warriors in front of him dancing again from one to another. Seized by a sudden moment of thought and inspiration, Blake lifted his empty bow, pointed it towards the Volkar and fired an invisible arrow. Nothing happened. Of course nothing could happen but Blake managed a wry grin as an intriguing thought passed through his mind. But now was not the time for intriguing thoughts. Addy continued thrusting his simple twisted wooden staff towards the Volkar. He focused his mind on the healing spell and he aimed at the warriors. He became aware of someone moving behind him. It was the shadow he saw first, a hooded figure looming over him which then moved to his left. Addy paused for a moment and chanced a quick look over his shoulder to see a tall figure in grey robes with no motif approach the wall. In the figure’s right hand, a golden staff; a long rod with a small golden orb decorated with a few runes but no gems. This was another mage, not just a simple apprentice, a wizard or a sorcerer. This was “Garosh” and he was the head of the town. His magic was more advanced than any of the others and his appearances were rare. If Garosh was here then there must be a very good reason. And there was a very good reason, there was a Volkar bearing down on the town and it was already closer than any Volkar had managed to come before. Garosh lifted his right arm bearing the golden rod toward the thrashing green monster below. He quickly muttered something inaudible under his breath and a stream of red fire sprung forth. The fire was as powerful as the breath of a dragon, so powerful that those who had seen it cast on the few occasions Garosh had previously conjured it had named it “Dragon’s breath”. This was a spell no other mage in Solis could cast. The Dragon’s breath hit the Volkar like a fiery red thunderbolt spitting out of the Heavens. It had the same intensity and the same ferocity as the greatest Dragon of any mythological world. The Volkar screeched a long piercing wail and emitted an even stronger energy pulse. Then, quite suddenly, the Volkar and all the warriors collapsed to the ground motionless. The sorcerers red magic had done enough to weaken the Volkar. Done enough, that a single breath of Dragon fire from the mighty head of town, Garosh, would be sufficient to bring it to its demise. The Volkar now lay dead on the ground. It was halted just 75 yards from the gate, a close call this time. As the Volkar had let out its dying scream it had released a final, more intense wave of mana energy. The wave had been so strong that every warrior surrounding it fell to the ground. They were totally spent of energy and all were very close to a cold death. There was a moment of silence, sudden quiet. Time seemed to stretch endlessly in front of everyone in a frozen second. The warriors lay still on the floor apparently dead. The archers were static in mid draw and the mages wands were held inactive. Garosh lifted his golden rod once more, uttered something inaudible again and thrust the rod forward again. A strong blue light leapt out heading towards the fallen warriors. Even before the blue magic flame could reach the warriors, the sorcerers, wizards and apprentices had all begun to cast their own wands and an ocean of blue magic sprang from the walls of the town breaking over the warriors, sparkling and dancing from one to another. Groans could be heard as the fallen fighters began to recover. Fox was the first to return to his feet, momentarily lost in his thoughts and devoid of his memory of his last few moments. The sound of cheers began, heard first from the archers and then from the mages as the warriors began to stand up one by one. They were re-energised, revitalised and rejuvenated by the mages on the walls of Solis. Garosh took a step backwards and vanished just as silently and as quickly as he had appeared. At the same time, blue fire flashes from the wands began to cease almost in synchronicity as the warriors all regained their health. The Volkar was dead and the town had survived but it was now that the clan problems were going to begin. The Volkar’s body quickly began to dissolve creating a stain on the scorched ground underneath it. This was the way of death for Volkars, they were not responsible for the scorched ground, that was the mages magic. They Volkar was responsible for the stain that appeared as the bulky green body fizzled and dissolved. As it vanished it left behind a large bustling sack that had been attached to its back. This was a sack that would cause a revolt, certainly there was going to be trouble. [b]End of Chapter one. [/b] [/quote]

[quote="STRIKE"]love it!!! this reminds me of the old days of soma, when everything was new :) bring us devils into the fold soon[/quote]