RPG Archives [Heroes of Arian][RPG] Chapter One: A New Threat

“Are you going to let that Pyrian beat you? That Pyrian who changed you…made you the way you are now? Oh no…not the way you are now. You’ve been hiding it…your true self. Why not show it to the world? Show Nuria exactly what she had done to you all those years ago…make her feel the same pain you’ve felt when you were thrown to that forsaken land of darkness! Do it, Seyra. Do it, Now!”

Behind the thinning smoke, a smirk crossed Seyra’s face…

~~~
Uncomfortable in the tension, Ariana anxiously threw her silver cloak off her shoulders, completely revealing pure ivory wings.
“I think you went to far this time Nuria. You might’ve killed her.”she said, staring worriedly at her exhausted friend.

Nuria, down to one knee and breathing heavily, grinned and did not reply. “It doesn’t matter, I lost this match. Even if I did kill Seyra, I’m in no condition to fight Aria and win. Looks like she’ll be Empress…oh well…” she thought, not caring at all if the Sinalett was dead or alive, whether she had slain her…

All of a sudden, jagged chains of dark matter shot from the smoke and wrapped themselves tightly around the surprised Pyrian. Nuria gritted her teeth in pain as the sharp edges of the chains dug into her arms and torso.

Ariana glared at the smoke and, using her wings, blew all the smoke away revealing a changed Seyra. She stood there with the ends of the chains in her hands, her clothes charred and the scarf surrounding her face completely burned away revealing a very pale psychotic smirk. What really unnerved Aria was the girl’s eyes, the whites were replaced by black with splashes of dark crimson for pupils. Seyra took an unsteady step forward and Ariana took one back, thinking how in the world the Sinalett got the energy to fight.

~~~
As the fight took the unexpected turn, Kael was suddenly bumped into the girl next to him. He stared at her, impassively like always, as she apologized. Something about her caught his attention. "Very pretty…" He banished the thought as quickly as it came to him and it became very easy to do so as a scream pierced the air, it came from the battle and Kael quickly looked down to see what had happened…

~~~
The smirk left Seyra’s mouth and she was gone, along with the chains that burst into a million particles and vanished into the air. Nuria fell to both knees, but the next moment was probably the scariest moment of her life to date…

Ariana screamed in agony as Seyra reappeared behind her and slashed right across her right wing in a certain angle, so it somehow got underneath the armored feathers. The Eliam princess fell to all fours in extreme pain, so bad that she couldn’t even speak and just gasped out.

The entire audience and tournament staff were silent. Never in Arian history has there been such a fight! True there were rules, but no has dared to break them till this day. No one has ever attacked an Elian’s wings the way Seyra just did…

Nuria watched as the blood of her closest friend fell to the dirt floor…watched as she shuddered in pain…watched as the one who delivered the pain slowly turned her black gaze on her…

“You…You…I’ll kill you!!’ Nuria yelled in fury and, with a sudden burst of energy, charged at Seyra, taking the shadowcaster totally by surprise. The Pyrian punched the other in the stomach with a fist covered in flames, so hard it sent the Sinalett crashing into the barrier. Seyra fell to the ground in a heap, apparently unconscious

~~~~
Outside the arena, on top of the tallest building nearby, there were three figures. Two, one covered in a black hooded cloak while the other in a white one, were kneeling behind a tall figure who stood at the edge of the roof. He also wore a black hooded cloak and black armor, covering most of his body. But what you could see (his hands and part of his face) were covered in old bandages.

“Do you think she’ll transform, my lord?” a female voice coming from the kneeling figure in black asked.

“Yes, I know she will. But it doesn’t matter. Give the signal, it’s time. And also…” the bandaged figure’s eyes glanced at Rhye, “…send a winged one to him…he interests me…”

“I understand.” replied the black cloaked female before disappearing.

The figure in white stood and walked next to the taller figure, who put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s about to begin…” the tall figure muttered, his icy black eyes flashing with excitement.

~~~~
Still revved up, Nuria knelt down next to Ariana, “Hey…are you okay?”

Ariana looked up at her and slowly got up to her knees, her face pale and still etched in pain, “I’m fine…what did you do to her?”

Seeing that Aria was okay, Nuria got to her feet and glared at the Royal booth, where the Empress continued to stare at the battle indifferently. The Royal Advisor and Bodyguard were missing.

“What are you doing!! Call this fight off!” She yelled angrily.

The Empress slowly stood, her face hidden in shadows, “It’s not over yet. It’s just starting.”

Confused, Nuria just stared blankly back before Aria grabbed her attention again…

“Nuria! Look!!” Ariana yelled, pointing at Seyra.

The daughter of the Royal Advisor slowly got to all fours and seemed to be in pain, static black energy began radiating from her.

“What the…?” Nuria muttered as the black electricity crackled ominously, making her take a step back.

“No…stop! No, I promised! I can’t !! I can’t!!” Seyra covered her head with her arms and screamed in agony as two long, silky black wings burst from her back.

There was a moment of silent disbelief before the whole crowd began screaming in fear and shock. “Alettai!! Alettai!!” “Look, she’s one of them!!!” “She’ll destroy us all!!” “Where’s did she come from!!” “AHHH!!! Run for your lives!!”

Nuria and Aria just stared…No it couldn’t be…this wasn’t happening.

Then, as though nothing more shocking could happen, the ground started to shake…

“Look out!” Nuria grabbed Aria and jumped out of the way as a huge creature burst forth from the arena floor.

From the dusty floor the two looked up and were faced with a twenty foot tall, black, four legged monster. It looked like a giant beetle with its hard armor shell and sharp spider-like legs, but it had a long neck from which a dragon-like head was attached with jaws filled with sharp teeth and a long flexible tail that ended in a sharp blade.

As the creature roared and glared at them with its crimson eyes, Nuria muttered fearfully, “It’s a dark-spawn…but how…it’s not possible…


~~~~


Kael stared in disbelief, showing for the first time in many years this kind emotion. "A real Alettai! And…what are dark-spawn doing here in Elinas?"

Just then, more roars and screams reached his ears and as he turned around he faced the most strangest event he has ever come to seen.

About five, ten feet tall flying monsters were coming in from the sky from all directions. They were humanoid in the sense they had two arms and two legs, but that was about it. Narrow bloodred eyes, five long sharp claws in each hand and foot, bat-like wings, monstrous jaws, black armored skin, and evil tempers. These things began attacking everything that moved…

 

It had all happened so quickly -- seemingly so, as it was one shock after the next that left little time for contemplation --, that Yunig went from excited to surprised to downright fearfully shocked in practically five seconds. (Jyn had been concerned, then shocked, then frightened AND shocked in the same space of five seconds.)

Both bolted to standing positions when the wings seemingly ripped from the Advisor's daughter's back. Jyn gasped lightly, a delicate hand drifting to her face.

"A... An Alettai...!!" she breathed, having lost almost all control over her voice.

"No..." Yunig said, shaking his head and wide-eyed. "It's... It's impossible...! Th-They were banished... !!"

And then, when the immense bug-creature rose from the ground, had they been physically capable of opening their eyes more, they would've.

"A dark-spawn!!" Jyn cried. "What's happening!??!"

****

Lanah had pretty much the same reactions as Yunig, but unlike him she couldn't find her voice so quickly. She too had stood, but, having been closer to the arena, she jumped onto the back of her seat and went row by row, gradually getting further away and higher up.

It was when she saw the five flying creatures descend that she was able to speak again.

"What -- dark-spawn! It can't be!! Not in Elinas -- this is impenetrable territory!"

Her gaze shot all around the stadium, where people were running to the exits. She, however, found herself rooted to the spot, unable to move. She could only think of one reason why...

The fighters... The thought flashed through her mind like lightning. The fighters!

****

Yunig found his way out of his stupor before his sister did.

"Jyn, come on! We have to get out of here!"

But somehow, she wouldn't move.

"I'm not leaving without you!!"

For a second or two she didn't move. Then suddenly she grabbed his wrist and ran out of the row and up the stairs.

Halfway to the exit, however, they found themselves knocked to the ground by an unknown body. They were three now and in a heap. As they disentangled themselves from each other, Jyn felt a distinct warmness from the unknown person...

"I'm so sorry!" gasped Lanah, the Pyrian who had fallen with them. She glanced longingly at the exit but held out her hand to Yunig.

 

Valaina's breath was sucked out of her at once. The black wings were all that filled her vision.

"An Alletai...I have never seen one before..." Valaina said in her mind as a large bug like creator blocked her view. "And a dark spawn! What are they doing here?"

She saw the other two warriors with eachother helping themselves. She thought to help them but suddenly from above her came dark flying creatures flying into the stadium attacking people. She looked behind her and saw one of the flying creatures in front of her. She had never studied one of these creatures before and she was slower to react for she was taking in observations. The creature slashed at her before she could draw out her bow adn arrow. She flew to the ground and landed roughly on her wound. She held her shoulder where the creature had clawed her but soon she drew her bow and arrow and while still on the ground she shot an arrow at the monster's head.

 

The Pyrian, Bara had reacted around the same time Valaina had fallen and shot her arrow, his sword was out and he brought it down across the creatures foot since that was the closest part he could really reach. He leaped back, sword raised. Without even really thinking he backed up until he was beside the Elian(Valania), and held out a slightly shaking hand intending to help her up. His gaze was not on if she did grab his hand, only on watching the Dark Spawns. The silver writing on his sword glinted when he twisted it slightly and steadied his grip, the flickering of a few flames begining at the tip and working its way down even as the fire wings tore from his back. He needed extra power to fight these things anyway.

 

Roaring in pain, the monster's head was thrown back and blood squirted out where the arrow had pierced. It took a step back as its foot was slashed. Now furious than ever, it raised its claw ready to strike again...

The Nevek gave another piecing roar as an arrow pierced its back. Reaching behind, it pulled out the piece of wood and stared wildly around at who had attacked it.

The experienced Kael quickly drew another arrow and shot it as he walked backwards, but the monster simply swiped it away and began making its away toward the Erthian and way from Valaina and Bara...

Meanwhile, another Nevek was attacking several people and moving closer to them.

~~~~

One of the Nevek serched through the panicked crowd in the streets, looking for its designated prey. After seeing the Sinalett nearby, it gave a piercing roar and trudged forward, eager for the kill...

 

Valaina stood up quickly on her own and drew an arrow and shot the Nevek that was now focusing on another person. He was the person that she had bumped into earlier. She continued shooting adn the monster turned to her.

"Thats right, I'm over here!" Valaina said with a dangerous grin and drew her two long knives form her back adn charged at the monster. She stabbed it in the stomach adn it seemed to have caused only temperary pain until it started clawing at her madly. She went to the ground and flippe dit over her and for a moment it laid still on tehg round but soon it rose quickly on it's wings and it went up into the thick debree in the air. She sighed and turned away to see the warriors that had helped her. Suddenly from behind her came the sound of wings and she turned jsut in time that the monster slammed into her and pushed her into the ground. Its claws were embedded into her shoulder. She cried out in pain adn slashed the monster in teh face with her long knife and rolled out form under it and stood up quickly.

~~~~~~~~

"Valaina? Valaina where are you???" Lessien cried out walking aruond teh stadium outside.

"Shes not here," Amras said as the two met eachother looking aruond.

Lessien looked into the stadium and Amras followed his gaze and said quickly, "Shes not that stupid."

Lessien thought carefully and he remembered never seeing Valaina move from the railing as his father was dragging him out of the stadium by force.

"Should we go in and help her?" Amras asked anxiously.

"She can take care of ehrself...i believe in her strength. Although she may not be very fond of fighting and war she is a ferocious fighter." Lessien said looking aruond."We must find my father for explanations and possible actions we shall take to ensure these monsters don't keep coming, Come Amras."

Amras didn't move but kept looking back at the stadium. Lessien patted his friend's shoulder and they both went off to search for Valaina's and Lessien's father.

 

As everyone streamed out of the stadium in panic, Rhye stood his ground. Something is definitely wrong, he thought. Something other than the Neveks flying over my head. At that moment, he caught his first glimpse of the giant dark-spawn.

Rhye experienced the first feeling of anxiety he had felt in a long time.

What's going on?, he thought. He looked around as the crowd flowed by. His grip on the goorkha at his side tightened. He turned around just in time...

To see a Nevek running straight at him, tossing the crowd aside as it went.

Crap.

 

Still continuing its approach, the Nevek picked up a stone bench nearby and threw it at Rhye. It then raised its claw as it prepared to slash the moment Rhye dodged the bench...

~~~
The Neliathan slashed its tail through the rows of seats in the stadium, killing many instantly. Some were just thrown back and the rest were running for their lives.

Nuria couldn't move, she was paralyzed with fear, even when the creature took a step towards them. The ground shook under it's enormous weight and it lifted another leg, ready to bring it down on the two wounded warriors.

"Nuria!!!!" Ariana yelled, trying to stand as she pulled on Nuria's arm.

There was no time. They would be killed....The fear in Nuria's eyes was quickly replaced with determination and anger as she made up her mind. Flaming wings of red and gold plumage exploded from Nuria's back and, quickly grabbing Ariana, flew into the air just as the Neliathan brought its sharp leg crashing down, creating a large crater.

Nuria quickly landed on solid land outside the arena, her wings turning into ash as she did, but her location was in the middle of the chaos. Everyone was too shocked and scared to actually use their powers and those who couldnt move fast enough died on the spot.

"What's....going on..." Ariana muttered as she managed to stand finally, her wing throbbing badly. But as Ariana got up, Nuria went down. Going way past her limit, the Pyrian fell unconcious to the floor and didn't look like she was waking up anytime soon.

"Nuria! Nuria, get up!" Ariana yelled, but it was no use.

A loud roar nearby brought her attention off Nuria and onto a Nevek that was heading her way. Ariana gritted her teeth in frustration and fear. She was too weak to fight, but she couldn't leave Nuria to die...she needed help...

~~~~

Bleeding, but ignoring it's injuries, the Nevek roared and charged at Valaina...but then suddenly stopped, it's claws inches from the Elian. It doubled up and roared in pain, it's skin began cracking and turning into back dust. Then, a second later, its head was severed from behind by Kael. The creature fell to the ground and both its body and head turned into thousands of black particles and dissapeared.

Kael sheathed his sword as he stared at where the monster had been a second ago..."That's strange...dark-spawn only dissapear like that if they were newly made...but...how can that be?" He thought, but in the current danger, he decided to think about that later.

Kael turned to Val and, seeing the confused expression on her face, took one of his arrows and showed it to her.

"Poison." he simply said in a very soft voice.

The Erthian then quickly put the arrow into his bow, turned around, and stepped in front of Valaina as two newly arrived Neveks landed in front of them.

The other Nevek nearby turned its eyes on Bara and charged at him.


~~~~
The tall bandaged figure laughed in amusement as it watched the chaos...

There were now six Neveks in the area. One fighting Rhye, two about to engage Val and Kael, one approaching Bara, another about to attack Ariana and Nuria, and one near the exits of the Arena. The Neliathan continued to slash at the audience and at anything that moved...

 

Bara leaped back a step when the Nevek moved toward him and with one carefully placed hop, landed on the railing. His fire wings shifted to check his balance and as soon as he was balanced fully he raced forward along the railing, keeping his balance well enough, racing right along side the Nevek. As soon as he had come along across from the sholder he leaped, his wings flapping and lifting him as he raised his sword. The same time he tried a claw came up and smashed into his chest, sending him tumbling back a few feet till he was able to right himself and dart forward once more, diving and trying to confuse the dark spawn slashed with its tail but this time he was ready and dove below the tail, digging his sword in deeply before pulling away, forcing it to watch him carefully.

 

Yunig took Lanah's proffered hand, but there was no time to calm down. Jyn's gasp and pointing arm alerted the three to the Nevek at the exit.

Reacting instinctively, Lanah practically tossed Yunig behind her -- she had barely let go of his hand when she'd seen the dark-spawn in front of her. She reached beneath the skirt of her knee-length tunic and pulled out a steel morningstar. Now focused and holding the weapon with both hands, she darted forward, the morningstar alight with flames.

She jumped, then swung down the weapon as she descended, aiming for the Nevek's head.

 

Just barely ducking the bench, Rhye pulled the blade at his side out and prepared for a slash at the head of the Nevek. This was countered by the creature's claws coming down, and colliding with the goorkha. Nicking his thumb on the notch in the blade for luck, he continued to hold for his life. He wasn't strong enough. The weight of the dark-spawn's arm was too much for him. Rhye twisted his way out from under the apendage, pulled his knife from the claws, and turned back to face the Nevek, which had just lost its balance for a split second.

Just enough for a slight advantage.

Rhye slashed at the beast's back. With little effect. Following through, with just enough time to recover, Rhye jumped onto the monster's back and held on.

He wasn't about to go down without a fight.

 

The beast turn this way and that as it tried to remove Rhye from its back, screeching and clawing at him. Seeing its efforts futile, the monster then rammed backwards into a building's wall...

~~~
The Nevek took a step back at the quick acting Bara, but being rather impatient, the creature spread its wings and flew higher than Bara and dived into him, trying to pin the Pyrian to the ground with its sharp claws...

~~~

The creature simply caught the massive morningstar in its claw and then swiped the Pyrian away like an annoying insect.

 

Valaina looked at the stranger who stood in front of her. She got up slowly and drew her two long knives adn stood side by side with the erthian. She looked sideways at him quickly and she had a strange feeling but it wasn't explained. She turned to the mosnters again and prepared for their attack.

 

Mirial flung into action at once. She lept back almost instinctivley as she was swept by torrents of people. Fighting her way forward, she saw one creature near the exit. Making her way towards it, she noted that others had stood and fought. Impressive. So that crowd wasn't just a bunch of wimps. All she had brought with her was a few daggars. She was a capable Siren anyway, as well as skiled with some other weapons.

She might as well start with an advantage. From atop the risers, Mirial let out a few notes, causing the creatures to shiver and become paralyed for but a moment. That moment was all she needed. A daggar flew deep into it's throat, and another into it's right eye. Mirial dropped down onto it, riding it almost as if it were a bronco. She pulled her daggar from one eye, showered in a spurt of blood, and stabbed it deep into the other, as the creature bucked and kicked wildly. It was going near another beast and the ones it was fighting. A particulalry hard buck sent her nearly flying, and hung on from one tuft of fur. She sang a few more notes, not wanting to affect the others around her with a powerful song. The beast went rigid, and fell over, pinning her neatly under it. She wiggled to get out from under it, racking her brain... divination... divination...

 

Kael looked glanced sideways at Valaina when she moved next to him, before looking back at the Neveks.. "She's injured, she should stay back if she wants to live.."

But he could no longer worry about anything else as the two Neveks charged at the same time. Kael let his arrrow fly at one of them and then quickly unsheathed his sword before he even saw if the arrow hit.

It didn't. The monster caught it and crushed it in its claw before ramming into Kael, slaming him into the railing.

The second Nevek was about to swiped sideways at Valaina, as though to throw her to the ground, when the notes of Mirial's song reached its ears and caused it to be stunned for a moment...

The notes saved Kael's life, since it also effected his monster, and the Erthian quickly drove his sword through its stomach. The Nevek stumbled backwards and Kael wasted no time and slashed its neck.

~~~
The monster pinning down Mirial regain conciousness, but was still blinded and so began clawing anything that was infront of it...

 

Lanah collided back-first against a wall. There were cracks around the spot of impact. She stood with some effort. She watched an unknown individual attack the monster successfully.

Smiling grimly to herself, she thought that she should've done better.

Jynaiyu sang a few notes under her breath, flicking her wrists so that the silver bell charms could do their bit, then, opening her eyes -- she had closed them for that tiny moment --, she tightened her hold on her trident and plunged it into the Nevek's chest, where the heart would be, the topmost part of the longest spear-like protrusion ending up inches from Mirial's face.

 

Valaina took advantage of the moment and she charged at teh monster quickly slashing at its's legs. She stepped on teh monster's shoulders and stabbed its head adn then severed it. She turned and saw Kael finishing off a Nevek. She looked at him with an indifferent expression. She walked over to him and looked at his injuries.

"Thankyou for helping me. I am Valaina. And you are?"

~~~~~~~~~

"Father what the heck are those things?" Lessien asked impatiently when he saw his father talking to some royal officials.

"We are under attack," his father replied nodding away from the officials.

"What is the empress doing in action?" Amras asked impatiently.

"Apparently nothing yet." Sir Telperien said with a bit of annoyance in his voice.

"So we aren't doing anything??" Lessien asked growing angry but he turned and saw several court officials.

"Son where is your sister?" his father asked sternly.

"She is in the stadium fighting some of the monsters that have jsut come," Lessien asnwered qucikly.

"You adn Amras must go and deliver this note to the empress or her personal guard. But keep an eye out," his father said waving Amras and lessien away from him and he dissappeared into a building with the officials.

 

Both Neveks fell to the ground and exploded into black paticles like the first one.

Kael panted slighly, it had been a close call but he quickly caught his breath. So when Val had talked to him, he was just as impassive as always, not even fatigue showed in his features.

"Thank you for helping me. I am Valaina. And you are?"

Kael paused for a second before answering, "Kael." then after another pause, said just as softly, "You shouldn't relax, there's still more."

~~~~

The nevek which Jyn had stabbed, bursted into a million particles like the rest, freeing Mirial, but there was the awkward moment that Jynaiyu had her trident pointed directly at Miral's face...

 

"I'm never relaxed," Valaina said with a grin. She reached out and helped him up quickly.

"You sure your alright?" Valaina asked him as he showed no emotion or fatigue outwardly.

Kael replied, "I'm fine...you should worry about yourself..."

Valaina smiled and turned aruond facing the stadium grounds where more monsters were landing.

"This could be fun," Valaina said grinning dangerously. She looked up and thoguht she saw a dark cloaked figure but when she blinked she saw nothing.

 

Rhye's body crumpled to the ground amidst the debris from the building. Barely conscious, he lifted his head in time to see the Nevek turn around. Gathering what strength he could, he, out of desperation, tried to conjer something. He created a swift, but small, bird shadow, and sent it straight at the creature. Slightly backing off, Rhye rolled out of the corner and stood.

He then started to run in the opposite direction, still facing the Nevek, weakened but ready.