The Shadow of Death - Mitclin

The day for preparations went on very busy, no room for rest or breaks. As the night came and started, things settled into a calm quiet before the storm moment. The full moon starting to rise into the sky, a blood red color. Some call it the hunters moon, others the blood moon. Yet, everybody here knows this moon is a ill omen, because an attack has been predicted on Mictlan. People will quickly noticed around the city and surrounding areas, the birds have gone quiet, the wildlife is gone. Any cup of water people will start to see those vibrations of water, as if something very big was coming.

Razen is in the lines, eyes on the horizon, body tense with the expectation that came with waiting. The fight has not even begun but his blood already sings with a power that he's known for years. It's nothing as simple as bloodlust, though the edge of that is there waiting to be brought out at the first crash of weapons. No, it's knowing that his enemy - the one that will end all the horror which he still after all has been said feels responsible for - is finally coming. He wraps his spiked chain around either hand, feels for the last time for the heavy metal flail that hangs from one belt loop and lets the links cascade through his fingers in a rattle that sends shivers down the spine. He is ready.

Morgan looks at the water and says "I wonder if its a dinosaur." but at this point she thinks it’s time for mage armor. Making the arcane words as a blue like aura surrounds her like armor.

Before this afternoon Erakirak didn't even know who Mandy was. Frankly, he barely knew what the Mictlan was. But he does have some Sith-Makar friends, and when he heard that their home was under threat, and that forces were amassing to defend it, he decided he had to help.

Admittedly, he was feeling rather outclassed by both the threat they're facing and the other forces gathered here to fight it, but his early training as an assassin taught him long ago that NOBODY is too powerful to kill. It may not be his arrows that bring the lich down, but what he can do, he will do.

He has been patrolling the perimeter, paying close attention to any tracks he encounters... the enemy may have already infiltrated, after all. It's what he would do, get behind the defense line before it forms.

A dark shape passes through the night sky, low enough to just avoid hitting the tops of any trees. But it doesn't move with wings, or coast like something gliding, or even skim along with the swaying tassels of a flying carpet. It rises and dips gently as it moves. It banks first to one side and then to the other as it makes a winding path. Which seems somehow appropriate, for it is an airship. Or perhaps an airboat given the small size. Kravar stands on the prow, one foot raised to rest against the gunwale. He holds a glowing sword curved in the shape of a Khopesh in one hand, using the light like he would a torch.

"Mistlan will not fall without a fight." Says a silver-ish Sith-makar walking towards the line. "the little ones have been taken away, and only the warrior, shaman and hunter caste remain. And they remain to fight." The silver sith-makar looks over the line and barricades before Durrankar lets out a snort. "I grow tired of Mictlan being a target for any crackpot that decides they wish to bring down a people, and they can't attack Alexandria."

Erakirak nods. He's heard about the attacks on the Sith-Makar's home, and is always reminded that the Aerie is equally vulnerable, compared to the human city. His home has been more fortunate than theirs, thus far, but relying on luck is an inadequate defense. They must be prepared to support one another.

The vibrations in the water become larger and larger, and then over the horizon in the dark a colossal shape can be seen coming. Hundreds of shadowy shapes can be seen moving ahead of the giant shape. The light starts to shine on the smaller creatures showing undead of all types. Zombies, skeletons, ghasts, and less obvious types. A few wights float into sight above the hoard, clearly giving it direction. The colossal creature comes into visibility for all last. Stopping at the edge of the light. The colossal creature is a abomination even for undead. Patchworked from hundreds, possibly thousands of dead bodies. Their faces all over the body facing outwards, contorted in various expressions of pain. A skeletal woman stands on the right shoulder and waves.

"Toodles! Sorry I am late, I should be more punctual next time." Mandy calls out and peers down to the group. A shimmering sphere of multicolored energy can be seen around her.

"They are allies!" Hushed, snarled. Svarshan bites the words as he stares at one of the warrior-caste. The two appear to have been having a disagreement. The warrior across from him is typical of that caste--scarred, broad-shouldered. Trained. He eyes the nonscaled there, silent.

"Actionss reveal, kin of mine," Svarshan says in angry, though heartfelt tones. After there's been a time of silence. At length, there are other words and when the undead arrive, the two go still. Svarshan stands, and walks towards the gathering, the other warriors.

"You. Are no longer bored," he says flatly, to Mandy.

To the others there, "Peasse to you. Thank you for. Being here. Today, the Light will sstand. May the sshadows tremble in our. Jawss!"

"There won't BE a next time, Abomination!" calls the silver scaled Sith-makar. He then thumps his tail as he sees Svarshan stand with them. "One for all, Brightscale."

Erakirak is in no way interested in bantering with this monstrosity, still less with the various lesser monstrosities that serve her. Nor in any form of diplomacy.

Nor, frankly, is he interested in trading declarations of the intent to fight. He understands the purpose of such things for boosting morale, but personally, he rarely sees the purpose.

Some things must simply be fought until they are dead... or in this case destroyed... and there's nothing more to be said.

His bow practically jumps into his hands of its own initiative, seemingly eager to join this fight, and he begins to launch a steady arrows at the amalgam patchwork creature. Let that serve as his message, rather than words.

Horror and disgust flash over Razen's face at the sight of the undead, but mostly the gigantic monstrosity that the woman is standing on top of. He watches as Svarshan walks forward, and when the Sith'makar is done speaking he lifts his metal-clad fist and roars. "For the Sith-makar! For Alexandria!" He takes up this chant and stamps his feet. "For Angoron!" The first bow fired sets him loose like the arrow that flies forth and he charges toward the undead.

Morgan sighs "I so wish I had a wand of fireballs, this so needs many fireballs to the face." She steps back and is spotting what face on the zombie jumble that needs it the most.

The earth of Mictlan shudders and moves. A spot amidst the defenders surges upwards to coalesce in a dark, loamy form. Earth and moss then become scales of black with flecks of other colors before Un'eth hisses low. "This ground will not be defaced by any. You are not welcome here," she then echoes Durrankar's statement, "and you will not survive to repeat your offense."

Kravar steps off of the edge of his airboat and drops to the ground in front of the undead. He grips his Sun-khopesh with both hands, a tactic that's proven more effective against undead than wielding sword and shield. "Charging them, eh?" he muses as Razen rushes forward. He begins to run afterwards. "Well not by yourself!"

Mandy jumps off the creature and hovers up into the sky, "Oh phooy, nobody ever wants to talk to me!" giggling as she waves her hand. The undead horde start to charge, well shamble, forward towards the onrushing adventurers. The colossal creature starts to cry, "Owie, owie, it hurts! Mommy they are hurting me!" The creature jumping up and down shaking the earth and then stomping forward still crying.

The colossal amalgam's childish attitude inspires Erakirak to attempt to redirect its charge away from the Mictlan itself. Charging at a tangent to the Mictlan's perimeter, he continues to shower the creature with arrows -- if, admittedly, a slower stream of them. "And will keep hurting you, monster, unless you stop me!" He concentrates on covering distance, using just enough firepower to keep the creature's interest... if it is chasing him, it is _not_ attacking the Mictlan.

Admittedly, while that statement is undeniable, it fails to account for the fact that if it is chasing him, it is _chasing_ him, which might not be great for his health.

"...ssa, Mandy. What child have you ensslaved thiss time, to create ssome. 'Ethicss problem'? One would think you preferred to ssit in old librariess. Debating philossophy. Perhapss thirty or fourty volumess labeled, 'what iss a paladin?'" Svarshan draws his blade, and rests it against his shoulder.

"...pleasse tell me that iss not ssome innossent you insslaved. Again. And are now trying to forsse a moral choisse. You grow. Predictable and. Ssad."

Running forward Razen notices Mandy flying up into the air, but there is nothing he can do against the woman he can not reach. He focuses on the undead that he /can/ reach. Chanting his words as he runs and grinning at those that follow his charge. Specifically he grins at Kravar, noticing the other man. He motions toward his chain and then the giant beast and throws one end toward the other man. If they can... perhaps they can trip it up.

Morgan sees Mandy "Wow if being a lich makes you a annoying @#$ then I will never go for it." she used a word that rhymes with hunt. But she figures the headbashers here need some help as she says a more arcane words that sends out energy that lets everyone move faster.

Kravar has a brief moment to look surprised, but then he reaches for the end of the chain, just managing to close his fingers on it. He loops it around the handle of his sword, just beneath the guard, to help him keep his grip. As they run the slack drags along the ground, but Kravar quickly he adjusts his angle slightly. The two warriors drift further apart, the chain in turn lifting off of the ground and then drawn nearly taught between them. "This had better work!" he shouts, voice tinged with doubt. But somewhere in his heart he supposes Agnoron would approve.

Durrankar takes a deep breath. "Svarshan. If you could assist against the large one, or go after Mandy directly. I just need a little bit of time to cast a spell." he says as he gestures for the hunters to fire at the undead.....and begins to chant.

Un'eth lifts her snout and eyes to the hovering, enspelled, and haughty intruder. "Slavess and wordss will not protect you. Neither will your foul magic!" She may not be able to remove Mandy's ego, but perhaps unravelling her spells will lower it, and the lich, a peg.

The giant baby charges forward after the one pegging it with arrows, clearly in pain and not happy. As Razen and Kravar try to chain and trip it, they did not account just how strong the creature it, and it continues forward not seeming to notice them still charging forward. What it does do is slow the creature down, so that it is no longer gaining ground on Erakirak! Who leads it around the city, but not into it and proves a good distraction while he has arrows.

The undead hoard hits the defensive lines and gets pushed back for the moment. Many of them falling easily to the warriors and adventurers, while some prove stronger and continue to fight.

Mandy was happily watching all this, until Un'Eth does some counter magic and the lich offers a "Oh Phoohey as she falls to the ground, though currently safe behind her own forces at the moment.

The wind has picked up a bit around the city along with a faint layer of mist.

"Thiss one hearss, sshaman," Svarshan says underneath his breath. He looks to Mandy, and then flies upwards and over the forces. The sith-makar sends out a heady pulse of the Dragonfather's light, aimed at the bulk of the army below and attempting to clear space for his allies.

"You are /boring/," Svarshan says flatly, to the lich.

Razen is tempted, seeing the lich fall to rush for her, but this monstrosity is his primary focus now with others in danger from it. "Stab in the other end!" He yells at Kravar, motioning to the spikes that protrude from the spiked chain, he does what he is himself suggesting, trying to dig the chain into the flesh of the giant creature. "Cut the heels!" He motions again toward the ankles specifically where the achilles heel is and grins. "I WILL HOLD IT!" Even as he speaks his muscles strain and he prays for Angoron to grant him strength to hold it well enough for his allies to flee and for Kravar to cut at least one of those precious tendons.

Kravar feels his arms nearly pulled from their socket as they try to trip the abomination. He spares Razen a baleful look but still nods at the half-orc's latest plan. Searching for a likely spot on the leg, Kravar plants his end of the spiked chain. Then, moving with the speed only magic can bring, he lifts his knee until it's almost touching his chest. Almost immediately he smashes forward with his foot, doing his best to use the bottom of his heel to drive the spikes in even further. "This is a very complicated tactic!" he shouts.

Morgan's magical speed boosts Rak's legs, and his wings beat frantically to eke out a bit more impulse, as he makes sure to stay out of the creature's range... after all, if it's chasing him, it isn't attacking anything else! Even so, it's catching up, so he appreciates the chain gang slowing it down.

Morgan looks to what is being done "damn being short need a better view." she starts to fly in the air as she is getting a new spell ready.

Un'eth snorts at the lich's complaints as she descends and turns her attention to Erakirak, Kravar, and other warriors harrying the giant abomination. "Warriors, accept Ea's bounty if you will!" She then places claws on the earth. "Share your blessings, the spirit of The People, and of Green whose bones hallow this ground, to those that now protect it once more..." She calls upon the spirit of The Blood to bless those willing with the forms and ferocity of the great Thunderclaws. More claws for Mictlan, and perhaps this will even the odds of size.

"Oh svarshy-poo, you think I am the one who is predictable? So are you." with a snap of her fingers she vanishes as he cast the familiar spell of time stop. A series of fireballs and chain lightning tears into the defense lines of Mictlan. Mandy herself is still in the backlines, but in a more defensible position. The undead start to pour through the broken lines into the city.

Winged creatures dive out of the sky starting to assault Svarshan. They are winged gargoyles and wights.

The colossal undead creature lets out a cry of pain and reaches out randomly, grabbing Razen. Pulling him up, "You hurt me! I hurt you! Oh you grow big..." The creature panicking and tossing him aside instead, straight into a body of water.

The mist continues to rise and a figure, a very very old figure can be seen walking through the city towards the fighting lines. The occasional whisper can be heard on the wind, unable to be made out but sounding angry.

The colossal creature after throwing Razen staggers a moment as its heals from the damage. Kravar still being down there would notice that the wounds are healing on the creature, very fast.

Morgan was making a motion for a spell as she looks down for a second but long enough the spell was canceled "Mictlan get away the mist might attack you."

The problem with using lightning on the defenders of mictlan is that some of them have lightning as well. Lightning bolts arc from the sky into many of the larger undead, gargoyles and wights coming for the defenses while Durrankar, the warden of Mictlan, breathes a large cone of fire at the undead, causing them to burn, not just when the flame hits them, but afterwards as well....

Razen lands in the water before he can even begin to react - to his increased size or to the fact that he's being held. He hits the water hard enough to submerge, but comes back out screaming wrathfully and beating a hand to his chest. "COME AT ME YOU STUPID GIANT." The bellow echoes outwards from where he is standing and he draws his heavy flail even as he rushes toward the giant creature once again.

Erakirak hears Un'eth's spell, and feels the ancient power of the earth rise up to meet him... at once overwhelming and entirely gentle, and he somehow knows the spell will do nothing to him if he does not wish it. He caws once, triumphantly, as he gives himself over to the magic, feels himself merge with his bow as feather and wood and talon all become something greater.

The Thunderclaw that rises where he stood charges the amalgam that he'd been taunting and fleeing, tearing at it with fang and claw and whatever else his new form has available to it.

Light does not stand alone, but sometimes, its warriors find themselves in boxes. Svarshan's shoulder hits that invisible wall. He snarls at it in the sith-makar style, and then looks up. Up, at the descending horde. His expression blanks for a moment, at the sheer number of claws and fangs.

"Bless you sshaman," he says, though Durrankar can't hear him, for the shaman's protection against death magics. He extends his claws, and a thunderous roar emerges. Burning, brilliant light. A few of the wights, gargoyles, turn to crisp-and-ash. But not enough.

"Boring," he snarls, loud enough that Mandy might hear him, below. "I esspect you to grow. A mousstache. And twirl it!"

Kravar watches Razen splash into the water. So much for holding the thing, he frowns. Now free to do whatever he chooses, Kravar...chooses to follow the madman's plan. He slashes at the creature's legs, his Sunblade moving so fast that the glowing motion blurs from the first slash hasn't even faded by the time he adds a second, third and even a forth.

The Colossal baby creature lets out another cry of pain, but it becomes echoed by every face on the creature. The ones near Kravar cry out, "Stop hurting us, it hurts! The pain!" hands reaching out from the the creatures heels and leg to try to stop Kravar. A hand reaches out and grabs Kravar, "you no hurt me anymore." As the thunderclaw attacks it, the baby pears down, "Kitty! Kitty want to play?" tossing Kravar towards Razen, "Fetch kitty, fetch!"

The undead are decimated by the lightning and fire from the defensive lines. Only, the undead horde seems to have no limit as they keep coming pushing forward. The sky shows more figures flying in towards Svarshan keeping up their assault.

Mandy waves her hand and cast another spell, a tsunami wave forming behind Razen and flowing towards him and the front lines.

A wall of lava suddenly cuts through the undead lines drastically restricting the ground forces from advancing. The chanting of Un'Eth heard as the wall goes up.

The figure walks up to stand beside Durrankar, the woman is a very old elf, centuries old. She glances to Durrankar, and offers him only two words, "Suf'rigan awakens."

The Mist reacts to the name and starts to swirl around everybody the whispers growing louder, almost audible, and the rage in the mist felt.

Mandy looks like she was about to taunt Svarshan, but stops at the mist, "Hmmm..." the expression curious, "I see." She offers and stands there looking thoughtful.

"And you are being manipulated." Durrankar snarls at the elf that touches his shoulder. If the elf doesn't look dead to him, he turns his attention back towards the incoming horde. "FEEL THE POWER OF THE SUN!!!!" He roars above the fighting before he points his taff at the horde. A brilliant beam of light cuts its way through the horde.....One that the undead cannot stand up to…

Erakirak pays no attention to the lightning, the fire, the tsunami, the lava, the elf, the mist, or the lich. All he cares about right now is the THING in front of him. He tears at it, claws and teeth and rage ripping into its undead flesh.

Morgan sees Mandy creating a wall of water that looks like its turning into a wave "Razen duck." said as she sends a hand size ball of fire at the forming wall. As it makes it to the target it explodes in a fire eruption set to disrupt the water.

With a sword given a quickness lent by Morgan's magics, Svarshan lays into the gargoyles, the wights. He takes wounds, though by the Dragonfather's grace, just as many would strike past without trace.

Without faith, he would fall. Without faith, the claws rending into him would strike deep, would spell his death. But with faith, he slams the creatures aside, and falls down--drawing them, and him, towards the earth. A wall should have two exits, and going down? Provides cover, if only from falling, bleeding bodies.

Another sun-pulse goes outwards, towards the hoards on all sides, outwards, above, and below. "Suf'rigan?" he rasps, in disbelief, between it all. Covered in...whatever undeath has, that passes for blood.

Without thinking Razen catches Kravar. "We need another plan." His words are barely audible above the noise of the tsunami forming behind Razen. He glances back at it and curses loudly in his native tongue. Razen holds Kravar tightly and rushes forward away from the water. He yells at his allies as he moves for them to get away, from the water. It's not that far back to the giant baby so he drops the other man off there. "I go for her." Then he rushes off again, intent on charging his way through the lines of undead to where the lich stands.

Kravar shakes his head to clear it. Tossed through the air, caught and then set down on his feet, seemingly none the worse for wear. "Yes - a new plan!" While he tries to think of one, he slashes at the nearest undead, holding his sword with one hand now so that he lash out with punches and the occasional kick.

The elderly elf druid restates, "Suf'rigan awakens." her voice soft, but loud enough for all to hear. Again the mist swirls, and sets on fire. A booming voice can be heard, "You have done well heros, holding them off long enough for me to awaken, many lives were saved here today because of your actions. Now my turn, also what is the latest news?"

The fire mist swirls around every undead and every person. Though the people are healed by it, while the undead burn. Screams of anguish come from the colossal creature as it falls to the ground and quickly turns to ash. The undead in the sky screech and fall to the ground, turning to ash before they ever hit it.

Mandy shrieks loudly as the flames burn her staggering backwards as all her defenses fail from the magical flames.

Then as quickly as the flames came they are gone, the mist receding. Mandy is left there as nothing more than a charged standing corpse. She steps forward and lets out a gasp, but still holding on by a breath. Clutching in her hand a previously unseen crescent moon holy symbol of a blood red color. "This... this..." gasping unable to choke out any other words. Standing there unable to even defend herself from whoever will be the one to deal to her the last blow.

The elder elf, Nik'kaka Fairleaf, stares at Durrankar expectantly, "The cleansing must begin."

Erakirak blinks, bewildered, as the creature he's been tearing at with his dinosaur body, that has been smashing at him with its monstrous limbs, just... disintegrates. He looks around, and seeing nothing standing but the one remaining figure, charges it roaring.

But he's quite some distance away. Surely someone will strike it down before he reaches it.

Razen was already rushing toward her when the damage happens. When everything happens. He has no understanding of the mist or what it means. Only feels the power in his body as he takes the last few steps and smashes his heavy flail into the broken body before him. One hand tears at her hand, trying to pull her into the blow. Trying to keep this part of her for the demon he must saite.

Mandy smiles to Razen as he smashes her with the flail. Staggering backwards she starts to disintegrate into dust, leaving no bones behind and only ash. The glowing blood crescent moon item falling to the ground with a chime.

Morgan smirks as she says "There will be plushies of you now."

And then... As the bodies around him turn to ash, Svarshan lowers his blade. He stares hard at the earth around them. At the dessicated Mandy. At the...at Razen reaching for...no.

/No/.

He drops to fours, racing towards the man, images of the Forgotten racing through his mind. There's a roar, another heady pulse of dragonlight. It isn't fast enough. It isn't. Mandy is dust and he comes to a halt nearby, snarling.

Durrankar stands there.....in complete and utter shock as all of the undead army is bathed in fire. Even as the flames cease, Durrankar....and the rest of the defenders look to see Suf'rigan has arisen. Then as quickly as the flick of a switch, Durrankar turns on the elf and bares his teeth. "What have you DONE!?" Then he takes a deep....calming breath. "I apologize. It must've been what you thought was the right thing....." He then turns towards the other defenders. "Come.....they must be cleansed. Go....use your breath and make sure there is no trace left."

Kravar lowers his glowing blade. The light is only slightly dimmed by a coating of undead detritus. He tries to catch his breath. He watches Svarshan, his eyes wide at the reaction. Kravar then shifts his gaze to Razen. He feels he should say something. The half-orc is clearly a fellow swordsman. They've just fought the vilest of enemies side by side. And nobody wants to feel like they're on the wrong side of a Paladin "Now that was a plan," he nods approvingly at Razen.

The elf seems unphased by the screaming directed at her from Durrankar, her expression neutral as she turns to watch the cleansing. "Nothing, his will." Her words concise and carefully picked, "Whispers before, crescendo now. Restless, corruption deep. Time, heal." she then turns to start walking away.

Razen looks at Svarshan, clearly at a loss - to the ash on the ground. "I... I am sorry." He kneels on the ground and notices the pendant. Hesitantly he reaches for it. His face contorted into an expression of pain. So much so that he hardly seems to notice that Kravar is speaking to him at all.

The pendent pulses with a dark blood color, almost like a heartbeat.

Erakirak continues his roaring charge. It goes on for a long time... he has a long distance to cover. Long enough for the spell to wear off... maybe it wouldn't have been under normal circumstances, but these circumstances are not normal. When he finally reaches his destination, Razen has already destroyed the lich, and there's a moon-shaped pendant he wants no part of. He just nods to the oruchkin in appreciation.

Morgan notices them looking over a item as she flys down "ok that is not normal... I wonder if that is a phylactery?"

"What's a phylactery?" Rak asks nobody in particular.

-THAT- perks Durrankar's head up. "DESTROY IT!"

Morgan touches down on the ground "Liches use them to keep undead. Every time you destroy thier bodys that magical item lets them to take over another skelton body, but if you do what Mister Durrankar says it fully will destroy the Lich."

"Oh," says Rak. Then he draws his bow and fires an arrow at the damned thing.

Razen nods, lifting his mace again and brings it down, and down, and down on the... thing.

Tink, the arrow bounces off the phylactery. Razen's flail, gets damaged and dented from the item, and if he keeps swinging will ruin the flail completely.

Durrankar shakes his head and looks up. "Svarshan....." He yells. "We need you once more."

"...you are brave, warrior. We sshould sshare words on...eating," Svarshan says heavily, words suggesting there's more, much more to the topic. He looks at the remains left by the lich. The dust, left on Mictlan's sacred ground. The amulet. At Razen reaching for it.

"...and cleanssing," he says roughly, at the shaman's words. Dragonslight, dragonsfire slams into him, and Razen. The fury of the Dragonfather leaps into the barbarian's arms, and glows like the very sun. "TRY AGAIN!" he snarls, words low and hard.

Razen doesn't hesitate, already swinging once more with little regard for his weapon.

The combined effort smites hit full force into the crescent moon phylactery. A crack forms, red energy leaking from it and quickly expanding. Swirling red smoke rises up and a loud shriek of pain echos and then is gone. The item becoming inert and the blood flow fading as the object loses all magical properties. Then breaks down and turns into dust, only to get blown away.

Morgan looks to it "I doubt it was Mandys, she is not that stupid to have it with her."

Durrankar says, "You'd be surprised...." He then looks back where the elf went. "She was right. time for the cleansing....."

ALWAYSS. TOGETHER!" the scarleg snarls. He lunges forward, baring his fangs with the force of Razen's blow, and the fury of the Dragonfather's gift on an ancient enemy. The dragonfire surrounds the warriors, a furious, blazing light.

Light that explodes, then fades, as the amulet cracks. Razen stares at the pile of ash that is all that remains lets his flail fall to the ground. "I am sorry." It's a low murmur. "There are no bones to feed the thing... and it is my doing." His face is all crumpled around the edges.

Kravar lowers the hand he'd had to shield his eyes from the light. "Yes, I'm afraid there is much cleansing to be done here." He waits for as long as he feels is appropriate. Then he turns to scan the skies. His flying boat, which had been bobbing contentedly in mid-air all this time, begins to descend. "I would help, but, well...now that the swordwork is done, I'm afraid I don't really have anything useful to offer." He climbs onto the boat and then pauses. "If anyone else would like a ride back to the city...?"

"Warrior," Svarshan says cautiously. He dips his muzzle to Razen and then to Kravar. "Warriorss protect. You have protected."

Still on fours, he sets his shoulder against the man. "Look, warrior. We have. Protected. Our chargess sstand, the People sstand. Thosse from Alessandria, who gave their heartss--sstand."

"We are /warrior/."

And lower, "If you need to sspar. Sshare wordss after, with mysself or Kravar. Thiss one undersstands demonss, casste-kin."

One of the passing warriors checking on the undead ashes and burning things offers casually to Razen, "you know, lich ash might make a good spice for that thing, could try that." Then continues on.

Razen looks up, a little hopeful and smiles at Svarshan. "Thank you. And for the strength you gave me to kill it once and for all." He picks up a handful of ash and puts it into a bag. Then he settles back on his heels. Better. Things are better now.

"Other warrior iss right," Svarshan says, with a rumpling of his muzzle and what must be scaled humor. Gods save them.

"We will sshare words. Cleanssing. Fighting. Protecting. ...but thiss ground iss off."

"Feelss wrong. ...sshaman?" Svarshan asks. He looks towards Durrankar. Towards the place the Guardian was, had been. And back to the shaman. Make sense the world, that look says.

Erakirak looks around at the carnage, and nods. He didn't really understand most of what happened tonight, but it appears the Mictlan was protected, and that's good enough for him. That said, he's no more motivated to talk about it after the fighting than he was before, and begins the long trek back to Fate's Spire.

-End-