Posts: 1675
Aug 14 02 4:13 AM
The Immortal Brigadier General
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In the Prison of Eternity, Peterson, Asaki, Kitharsis, Zera Thisias and Yue press quickly past the final seal, down the armour-lined corridor. As they continue past the remains of the runic traps, they once more see a pale, flickering grey light in the distance.
They continue onwards, staying on guard for more traps, but the corridors seem to be bare of any other features. However, a sense of urgency begins to overtake them as they hear a low chanting ahead. Though distorted, it is unmistakably the rasping, inhuman voice of Khora the Black.
The companions pass through a final archway into the resting place of the Dark Legion.
Before them is a huge, circular chamber, a domed, intricately carved ceiling ascending far above them, out of sight. The ground here is covered with a thick layer of dust. Beneath that blanket of dust lie the grey, dry husks of the once-mighty Dark Legion. Their ancient corpses have lain here undisturbed for hundreds of years. A mass of brittle, skeletal hands clawing motionlessly at the air, empty skulls staring into darkness, fleshless ribcages... this is all that remains of this terrifying army.
Yet, at the other end of the chamber, stands Khora, working to bring these damned souls back into the world of the living.
Khora stands behind a wooden pedestal, a thick, black-bound tome resting upon it. It glows with an eerie radiance as Khora holds his arms up high above him. He continues an eerie, solemn chant, as a strange cylinder of power flickers around him.
In the centre of the chamber is a pulsing beam of grey light, steadily growing in intensity. It seems to give a supernatural illumination to the dusty corpses below, suffusing them with an unholy light. Around the pillar of light flit countless etherial forms, appearing as silent, screaming faces. They are the souls of the Dark Legion, who have been trapped here in madness since their deaths. Even now, they are once more being bonded to the mortal world.
Khora looks towards the companions, two points of red balefire glowing from the recesses of his hood.
"So you have arrived at last... with all that noise you made I am surprised you did not wake the dead for me."
Khora chuckles quietly to himself before continuing.
"I would attend to you personally, but I am currently occupied. Soon the Dark Legion will walk the Mortal Plane again. As for you... here you die!"
With this, the companions suddenly become aware of a group of dark shadows moving unnaturally towards them from around the archway. As they approach, they become more clearly visible...
Each of these humanid figures is etherial, only partly real. They wear suits of ancient, rusted armour as insubstantial as their flesh, and their bodies seem to fade out of sight where their legs begin. Their faces are twisted with rage, their endless, sunken black eyes filled with nothing but pure, insane hatred. Their bodies radiate a chilling, sapping cold that drains the courage and spirit from those nearby. These Wraiths float forward with deceptive speed, reaching towards the hated living with clawed, gnarled fingers.
At the same time, there is a loud creaking sound behind the party. The suits of armour behind them have begun to move! The two-handed swords are brought up into the position as the armoured warriors step pondorously and mechanically off their pedestals. As one, they turn to face the companions, and begin to advance.
The Wraiths fly forward, shrieking with rage, as the armoured warriors begin to mass from behind...
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