Post by WoDBerlin on Dec 8, 2010 12:44:56 GMT 1
A dark-furred Black Spiral Dancer walked over to Adran and undid his shackles.
“Betray us and you'll be the first to die.”
Katrine was able to slip out of her shackles using her Ragabash gifts, but as she saw Adran being released by the BSD, she confronted him with a snarl.
“Traitor!” She shifted into crinos and made herself ready for an attack on Adran. The other Dancers were already bracing themselves against the attack from the skies.
Adran shifted into crinos as well and tried to explain,
“She lied to you. We need to get that book away from her...“
But Katrine had already lunged, raking her claws across his chest. Adran's frustration at the situation, coupled with the pain of being hit, filled him with rage and he followed up with an attack that tore into Kat's chest and came out with a gush of blood. Both then took another two swipes, but both missed by a wide margin. Then Adran's claw connected hard with the wound that Kat had taken earlier and pulled out a critical organ or two, but Luna's rage filled her, just enough to lash out at Adran before she drifted into unconsciousness. Katrine's claw took out a chunk of Adran's side out, but he was still able to move, at least until he started vomiting up blood. He had to use one hand to keep his insides from falling out due to the wound Kat had given him. Adran could still see Katrine breathing, but only just barely.
Adran then went over to Kat and said through a mouthful of blood,
“Now I see why my old friends were correct. There isn't much hope for the nation ...”
As he made his decision, Adran's ancestors retreated from him, sensing that he had turned back to the Wyrm. Starcaller tried to tell Adran that he was wrong, but she shut her out of his mind and turned towards the fallen Fenrir to end this.
The Garou in the sky could see the battle below, and Danny's sharp eye caught Adran's turn. That was twice he'd been wrong now. He circled once and dropped in front of him.
"I gave you your chance. This is how you use it..."
In his large black Crinos form, he lunged towards Adran. At least his death would be quick and mostly painless. He wished he could offer the same for his friends.
But Adran wasn't alone. His new friends rushed to his aid. Two young Dancers, one covered in tattoos and the other dragging a club foot, circled around Danny distracting and snapping their jaws at him. As Simeon and Vasara came to help him, more Dancers moved in to block them. One was the sniper, now in hispo. Another was tall and dark, and his claws gleamed silver in the moonlight.
The strange witch and the Hag were not bothering to fight. They moved towards the book as the Black Spiral Dancers held off the Garou. This was their plan, and it was more important.
“Tangled-Web hasn't returned with the stone,” the Hag croaked.
“There is another way,” said the witch-woman. “Christiane, come here.”
Konstantin looked up for a second as he heard his daughter's name through the roars and snarls. She looked terrified, but moved towards her mentor as if under her spell. The witch-woman took her by her wrist with her good hand and led her towards the book. A strange light gleamed around her, and it seemed to seep through her and towards the book. Konstantin tried to get to her to help, but he was too late. With a scream she crumpled to the ground, the Hag and the witch triumphant. They began to chant in the language of the Wyrm.
The last thing Konstantin felt was the rage overtake his senses.
A screech interrupted the chanting and two birds flew over the battle. One was a large white feathered Owl, with wings not unlike the wings that the Sept had. The second was a smaller falcon, it flew with incredible speed towards the book and grasped it with its talons just as the Hag swiped it with its claws. It barely had enough life left in it to fly back to the edge of the clearing and drop the book into a waiting Emelie's hands.
Now, run. Said Merlin, and collapsed in the clearing, the last of his essence fading away.
And Emelie picked up the dying bird and the book, and ran. Amid screams from the Hag to retrieve the book, she clasped it in her arms and bolted. Two Black Spiral Dancers made to follow but they were cut off by Anna and Cloud-Dancer.
The Black Spiral Dancers, with Adran at their side, held off the forces of the Sept while the Hag leafed through the book, chanting the words that would bring her master more power than ever before. Adran saw Danny at his feet, his chest torn open, his heart visible. In the throes of his rage, he picked it up and tore a chunk out of it with his teeth. Guilt overwhelmed him, but he pushed it back into the dark recesses of his mind, sealing his allegiance to the Wyrm.
The Garou were faltering now, scattered without a leader to guide them. Vasara called for his pack but all he saw was Anna lying limp, bleeding from the head and leaving Cloud-Dancer alone to battle the one with the silver claws. Even with the others here, he felt alone without his pack. Then, as if out of nowhere, Saxon was by his side again. Reliable as always, he towered over the Black Spiral Dancers and ripped his side open, exposing his insides.
David arrived at the same time, to see Cloud-Dancer fall to the silver claws. He felt his rage rise, but it only bubbled over when he saw the tattooed dancer he remembered as Kord, the one who had given him his scar. Without thinking, he picked up the labrys and charged with all his strength. His attack severed Kord's right arm off before ripping a lung out as well. But David's victory was short-lived. Adran and the Sniper did not even give him time to drag Anna back to safety before they fell upon him with teeth and claws.
In the forest, Emelie ran, clutching the book and the avatar of Merlin. Two unseen figures slunk the woods. One was large and female, the other small and male, but both moved with the darkness and shadows as only a Ragabash could. They knew full well that they couldn't fail the Hag. Not again.
Emelie stopped at the edge of the forest, catching her breath and estimating the direction. She only stopped for a second but that was their cue to pounce. Like shadows, unheard and unseen, they sprung from the darkness. Emelie turned to defend herself and her claws found fur and blood in the smaller Black Spiral Dancer. But the larger one retaliated, and tore through her back and damaged her lung. Emelie collapsed, gasping for breath and coughing up blood as she returned to her human form.
“Thanks,” the female Dancer said, picking up the book. “Mother will be proud of us!”
The smaller male looked down at Emelie sadly.
“I'm sorry,” he said. “I really am...”
The female rolled her eyes and picked him up.
“Mother is waiting,” she said, taking off into the forest, the book under one arm and her brother under the other.
Emelie opened her eyes and stared up the full umbral moon. The injured merlin dragged itself towards her, and curled up on her chest. Emelie managed to raise a hand and stroke its feathers.
“It's over,” she said. "I am sorry..."
As the two returned with the book and proudly placed it at the Hag's feet, the last three Garou standing were left with nothing but despair and hopelessness. The Hag resumed her ominous chanting, and the Black Spiral Dancers closed in around them, promising a slow and painful death.
Simeon smiled and looked at them.
“Not quite what I planned for tonight...” he said.
With their last strength they charged the Hag. She looked down on them as she grew in size, her skin taking on a spongy grey texture as she took her totem form. Spores poured from her mouth and nose. The smell alone was enough to make the Garou hesitate, but the sight made them summon their last will to stay standing and not run in terror. She gurgled and spluttered.
“Kill them!” she called the banes to her. “In the name of the Wyrm!”
Adran knelt by the with-woman and channelled the last of his essence to heal her. She would be needed for this. She got up and joined the Hag by the book.
The Umbra then surged with energy and a small black sphere enveloped the book. Seconds later, a portal opened up and Banes surged out.
Emelie felt the forest shake and opened her eyes again. She lifted her head to look at the bird on her chest. It was crying.
Emelie closed her eyes again and pulled merlin closer.
At least they would not live to see the end.
At dawn, Berlin found itself in a sea of emotions. Leaders on both sides grew suspicious and talks of reuniting were soon dropped in favour of stockpiling arms. One month after the change in attitude, shots were fired at Checkpoint Charlie. The result leaving three Americans, one German soldier, and five Soviet soldiers dead. Then relations with the USSR deteriorated to the point where the Allies moved tanks to the border. The talk about bringing down the wall was dropped and the stockpiling of arms was initiated. Many in Berlin left the city, but a few stayed behind to watch what happened to the city. People around the streets preached that the world was ending. After the Checkpoint Charlie incident, tensions were high. A few days before the end of the month though one trigger-happy sniper fired on a German soldier and the results escalated. Many people referred to the war that ensued as World War III, and believed it would spell the end of life as we know it.
The Apocalypse had begun and the Wyrm had the upper hand.
“Betray us and you'll be the first to die.”
Katrine was able to slip out of her shackles using her Ragabash gifts, but as she saw Adran being released by the BSD, she confronted him with a snarl.
“Traitor!” She shifted into crinos and made herself ready for an attack on Adran. The other Dancers were already bracing themselves against the attack from the skies.
Adran shifted into crinos as well and tried to explain,
“She lied to you. We need to get that book away from her...“
But Katrine had already lunged, raking her claws across his chest. Adran's frustration at the situation, coupled with the pain of being hit, filled him with rage and he followed up with an attack that tore into Kat's chest and came out with a gush of blood. Both then took another two swipes, but both missed by a wide margin. Then Adran's claw connected hard with the wound that Kat had taken earlier and pulled out a critical organ or two, but Luna's rage filled her, just enough to lash out at Adran before she drifted into unconsciousness. Katrine's claw took out a chunk of Adran's side out, but he was still able to move, at least until he started vomiting up blood. He had to use one hand to keep his insides from falling out due to the wound Kat had given him. Adran could still see Katrine breathing, but only just barely.
Adran then went over to Kat and said through a mouthful of blood,
“Now I see why my old friends were correct. There isn't much hope for the nation ...”
As he made his decision, Adran's ancestors retreated from him, sensing that he had turned back to the Wyrm. Starcaller tried to tell Adran that he was wrong, but she shut her out of his mind and turned towards the fallen Fenrir to end this.
The Garou in the sky could see the battle below, and Danny's sharp eye caught Adran's turn. That was twice he'd been wrong now. He circled once and dropped in front of him.
"I gave you your chance. This is how you use it..."
In his large black Crinos form, he lunged towards Adran. At least his death would be quick and mostly painless. He wished he could offer the same for his friends.
But Adran wasn't alone. His new friends rushed to his aid. Two young Dancers, one covered in tattoos and the other dragging a club foot, circled around Danny distracting and snapping their jaws at him. As Simeon and Vasara came to help him, more Dancers moved in to block them. One was the sniper, now in hispo. Another was tall and dark, and his claws gleamed silver in the moonlight.
The strange witch and the Hag were not bothering to fight. They moved towards the book as the Black Spiral Dancers held off the Garou. This was their plan, and it was more important.
“Tangled-Web hasn't returned with the stone,” the Hag croaked.
“There is another way,” said the witch-woman. “Christiane, come here.”
Konstantin looked up for a second as he heard his daughter's name through the roars and snarls. She looked terrified, but moved towards her mentor as if under her spell. The witch-woman took her by her wrist with her good hand and led her towards the book. A strange light gleamed around her, and it seemed to seep through her and towards the book. Konstantin tried to get to her to help, but he was too late. With a scream she crumpled to the ground, the Hag and the witch triumphant. They began to chant in the language of the Wyrm.
The last thing Konstantin felt was the rage overtake his senses.
A screech interrupted the chanting and two birds flew over the battle. One was a large white feathered Owl, with wings not unlike the wings that the Sept had. The second was a smaller falcon, it flew with incredible speed towards the book and grasped it with its talons just as the Hag swiped it with its claws. It barely had enough life left in it to fly back to the edge of the clearing and drop the book into a waiting Emelie's hands.
Now, run. Said Merlin, and collapsed in the clearing, the last of his essence fading away.
And Emelie picked up the dying bird and the book, and ran. Amid screams from the Hag to retrieve the book, she clasped it in her arms and bolted. Two Black Spiral Dancers made to follow but they were cut off by Anna and Cloud-Dancer.
The Black Spiral Dancers, with Adran at their side, held off the forces of the Sept while the Hag leafed through the book, chanting the words that would bring her master more power than ever before. Adran saw Danny at his feet, his chest torn open, his heart visible. In the throes of his rage, he picked it up and tore a chunk out of it with his teeth. Guilt overwhelmed him, but he pushed it back into the dark recesses of his mind, sealing his allegiance to the Wyrm.
The Garou were faltering now, scattered without a leader to guide them. Vasara called for his pack but all he saw was Anna lying limp, bleeding from the head and leaving Cloud-Dancer alone to battle the one with the silver claws. Even with the others here, he felt alone without his pack. Then, as if out of nowhere, Saxon was by his side again. Reliable as always, he towered over the Black Spiral Dancers and ripped his side open, exposing his insides.
David arrived at the same time, to see Cloud-Dancer fall to the silver claws. He felt his rage rise, but it only bubbled over when he saw the tattooed dancer he remembered as Kord, the one who had given him his scar. Without thinking, he picked up the labrys and charged with all his strength. His attack severed Kord's right arm off before ripping a lung out as well. But David's victory was short-lived. Adran and the Sniper did not even give him time to drag Anna back to safety before they fell upon him with teeth and claws.
In the forest, Emelie ran, clutching the book and the avatar of Merlin. Two unseen figures slunk the woods. One was large and female, the other small and male, but both moved with the darkness and shadows as only a Ragabash could. They knew full well that they couldn't fail the Hag. Not again.
Emelie stopped at the edge of the forest, catching her breath and estimating the direction. She only stopped for a second but that was their cue to pounce. Like shadows, unheard and unseen, they sprung from the darkness. Emelie turned to defend herself and her claws found fur and blood in the smaller Black Spiral Dancer. But the larger one retaliated, and tore through her back and damaged her lung. Emelie collapsed, gasping for breath and coughing up blood as she returned to her human form.
“Thanks,” the female Dancer said, picking up the book. “Mother will be proud of us!”
The smaller male looked down at Emelie sadly.
“I'm sorry,” he said. “I really am...”
The female rolled her eyes and picked him up.
“Mother is waiting,” she said, taking off into the forest, the book under one arm and her brother under the other.
Emelie opened her eyes and stared up the full umbral moon. The injured merlin dragged itself towards her, and curled up on her chest. Emelie managed to raise a hand and stroke its feathers.
“It's over,” she said. "I am sorry..."
As the two returned with the book and proudly placed it at the Hag's feet, the last three Garou standing were left with nothing but despair and hopelessness. The Hag resumed her ominous chanting, and the Black Spiral Dancers closed in around them, promising a slow and painful death.
Simeon smiled and looked at them.
“Not quite what I planned for tonight...” he said.
With their last strength they charged the Hag. She looked down on them as she grew in size, her skin taking on a spongy grey texture as she took her totem form. Spores poured from her mouth and nose. The smell alone was enough to make the Garou hesitate, but the sight made them summon their last will to stay standing and not run in terror. She gurgled and spluttered.
“Kill them!” she called the banes to her. “In the name of the Wyrm!”
Adran knelt by the with-woman and channelled the last of his essence to heal her. She would be needed for this. She got up and joined the Hag by the book.
The Umbra then surged with energy and a small black sphere enveloped the book. Seconds later, a portal opened up and Banes surged out.
Emelie felt the forest shake and opened her eyes again. She lifted her head to look at the bird on her chest. It was crying.
Emelie closed her eyes again and pulled merlin closer.
At least they would not live to see the end.
At dawn, Berlin found itself in a sea of emotions. Leaders on both sides grew suspicious and talks of reuniting were soon dropped in favour of stockpiling arms. One month after the change in attitude, shots were fired at Checkpoint Charlie. The result leaving three Americans, one German soldier, and five Soviet soldiers dead. Then relations with the USSR deteriorated to the point where the Allies moved tanks to the border. The talk about bringing down the wall was dropped and the stockpiling of arms was initiated. Many in Berlin left the city, but a few stayed behind to watch what happened to the city. People around the streets preached that the world was ending. After the Checkpoint Charlie incident, tensions were high. A few days before the end of the month though one trigger-happy sniper fired on a German soldier and the results escalated. Many people referred to the war that ensued as World War III, and believed it would spell the end of life as we know it.
The Apocalypse had begun and the Wyrm had the upper hand.