The battle for Medin Taji(Jun, Orgoth)

Gwyn unloaded a lot onto Kronos. "Don't worry, I didn't take it personally. If anything, it's a good habit to have. Especially if you're something of a wanted person. Don't welcome me just yet. Let's get through this mission first, then we'll see and perhaps drink to it." He didn't mind that he was kept in the dark. It was expected, he was a newcomer afterall. If that was all that was on her mind, he would leave. Otherwise he would reassure her that the troops were solid. And go switch out with someone below deck.

He managed to get in on a card game. No one said that the red head sucked ass at cards, until that day. "Give me battles to plan, supply lines to manage, and tough opponents to grind my blade against, but card games? Fuck those!" After some good natured ribbing and pouting, it was almost time for bed. Kronos fell asleep with a book in hand hand. The next morning came, and he was up for breakfast. After some more light hearted jeers about how poorly he could play cards, and how he liked his meat cooked, it was back to business...

Raya folded her arms and her expression remained impassive as Talia opened by broaching the possibility of a favorable trade agreement once the operation succeeded. Talion spoke up, expressing the words that Raya had kept to herself, reminding the princess that they still had to actually make it through the operation first, for which he earned a stern look from Talia. It was then that she launched into the explanation of her entire plan. As Raya and the others listened, they could at least agree that the plan was meticulous. Talia clearly hadn't been lying when she said that she had been planning this for decades. She outlined the various secret tunnels and entrances that they would use to get close to the Blight Witch, before revealing that both she and her brother possessed fire powers, with Kronos serving to supplement their arsenal.

Talia finished by stating that the safest place to be in the city would be with the party, at least until they exited street level and entered the tunnels, but she ultimately ceded to Raya's authority on that front. Raya nodded pensively as her crew turned to look at her. Though her crew were experienced enough that they could be trusted to make their own decisions, Raya still found that they looked to her in times of great importance. There was great pressure on her decision-making when this occurred, but she was also bolstered by the fact that her crew had come to trust her judgement in this way. Taking comfort in this, Raya looked to Talia.
"Indeed. Well, I have given a great deal of thought to this. We will accompany you to the Blight Witch. Though the risks are extensive, the potential benefits to both your people and Ka'Lesa if we could liberate Medin Taji are also extensive. Also, we would be in a better position to assist and facilitate an evacuation, should it come to that."

Raya looked to Xinra and the twins, and she received nods from all of them. She then returned her gaze to Talia and Talion. "With that in mind, I suggest we all get some rest. Normally we would complete this journey in a few hours, but with this many people on board our speed and ability to adapt to the winds are limited. We should be there by morning in any case. We don't have much in the way of guest accomodations, so you'll have to just find a spot on deck and claim it." She looked to Xinra with a sly smile. "Well, this is your idea Xinra. I hope you had a good breakfast, because you get first crow's nest duty. I'll go after, then the twins." Xinra pouted before nodding curtly and stalking outside. Raya nodded respectfully to Talia and Talion. "I'm going to relieve Radahn from the helm. If you have any problems or need something, just grab one of us."

(OoC: I completely forgot this tread existed.)

After explaining the plan, Talia waited in silence for Raya to give her answer, and nodded sagely in response. Raya had agreed to the plan, and to accompanying them into the palace itself, agreeing that if they did defeat the blight witch it would be greatly beneficial cucumber, and it would make an evacution all the easier. When done, she told them the journey would take a while and they should find some place on deck to sleep. Talia raised an eyebrow in indignation at not being offered the captains quarters. "That is- She started and was cut off by Talion who finished her sentence. "acceptable. We love sleeping under the stars, fresh sea breeze. Lovely, hard wood beneath us. Right, sis?" She shot him a sour glare and he grinned. "Absolutely. Brother." She said with barely shrouded malice. He just grinned broader and stood up. "Captain." he said with a flourished bow. "If you need help with anything, do not hesitate to ask." He said. Talia stalked out behind him.


Kronos seemed pretty understanding. Gwyn nodded. "Indeed. I've been betrayed before, met a whole lot of mondolin knights where they shouldn't have known I'd be." She said, revealing a bit of her past and why she might be wanted. "But you're right. We can celebrate your promotion if we survive. And between you and me, if shit does go bad, the Princess is top priority. The captain too. We'll need a way out of there." She said. She left the part about the men and women being expendable.


The rest of the night passed with not much of anything interesting happening. The outcropping of hard black rock that marked one of the underwater entrances into Medin Taji loomed in the distance, and Talia watched it with hard eyes. The entrance itself was deep beneath the sea, and it was roughly a quarter mile of flooded tunnel before they reached the large, partially flooded caves the city inhabited. As they approached, Talia began to go over the plan to get people down below. The important people were present, Gwyn and Kronos amoung them. Talia made some assumptions about the Undari crew members, given they had gotten Raya's crew below before. "Alright, since we're almost here We might as well get ready to get the men below. The cave entrence is deep, through a long flooded tunnel. It takes 5 minutes for most undari to make that journey. Obviously the humans cant swim that far, but between the five undari we have here we should be able to create an air bubble large enough to transport 10 to 15 men at a time, but we'll have to concentrate, so making the trip will take longer." Talia explained. Gwyn nodded. "Myself and Kronos should probably go first, along with Kronos' elites, and the big heanta if he's willing. We can secure the tunnel while you fetch the others."

Upon hearing Gwyn's main reasoning, he couldn't help but find it slightly ironic that she wanted him, a known traitor, in her camp. But...fate was fickle. The princess and captain were top priorities should things go sideways. But hopefully the preparations they've made were enough. Now it was only time to wait and see.

Kronos was up and it, joining Gwyn and the other big decision makers. The princess started in with the beginnings of the plan: getting everyone down below the depths. Between the undari among the crew and the two royals, they could create an air bubble to allow ten to fifteen people at a time to go down. The trip and the number of trips will take time to get everyone out. Gwyn's beginning was the same suggestion he was going to make. Shield already on his arm, blade sheathed, he was ready to go. "I'll get our supplies divied up among the commands with instructions. I'll grab a few myself and for us to use as well. It'll take a bit between the number of people and the trip itself. My suggestion would be the maximum you guys can handle this first two rounds, then ten the next two rounds and alternate. If you need to rest for five minutes between, then do so." If there was nothing else for him to do, he'd go down and get everyone ready.

The first batch was ready, his best fighters, himself, Gwyn, the big heanta if he's up for it, and some rabble rousing to get the troops pumped up and ready to go. Now it was waiting for the Undari to be ready for their magic trick.

Raya was gratified when Talia and the others accepted her conditions without argument. Though, she did notice that Talia was about to protest at her prospective accomodations up on deck. Talion, on the other hand, was gracious enough to accept Raya's offer as was, as well as offering any assistance should they need it. The two walked out of the cabin, leaving Raya with the twins. The captain smiled wryly as the door closed after the royals' exit.
"Hmph, nobles." The twins looked at each other for a moment, and Raya sensed that there was something on their minds. "You two were uncharacteristically quiet. You didn't even laugh at Xinra when I lumped crow's nest duty on him." The gave each other another meaningful look, before nodding and facing the captain. Kaina spoke first.
"We were just-"
Kaiden finished the sentence for her. "-nervous, is all." Kaina nodded.
"Don't get us wrong, we have faith in the prince and princess, and they certainly wouldn't be taking this on if they didn't think it could work."
"It's just that we don't know these troops she's brought. We've heard of this Black Lion and her company, but we've seen what's down there." Raya nodded.
"Well, Xinra seems convinced. I meant what I said though. I'm going to take every precaution. We'll just have to hope that your princess has a good eye for talent."


The next morning, Raya arrived on deck having not slept all that well. Radahn and Xinra were already there checking some things, while the twins were making preparations for landing. The two Undari royals had been joined by Gwyn and Kronos, and when Raya got there Talia began to go over what would come next. It seemed straightforward, if tedious, but it was doable. "I can help with that. Kaina and Kaiden taught me how to perform the spell to make the air bubble. We should be able to take one or two more." Gwyn then spoke up, suggesting that the elites of her company should go first, accompanied by Radahn. Raya shook her head, but smiled wryly as Radahn stomped past the group, mumbling under his breath.
"Big Heanta has a name you know. Bloody jumped-up kids pick up a sword by the right end and they suddenly think they're heroes..."
"Careful big guy. Can't get back to Edaria if you stomp a hole in the Gambit" Radahn simply grunted and continued with his work. "Given that the rest of my crew will be on ferry duty, Radahn will stay aboard until the rest of everyone is safely in the city." She smiled as diplomatically as possible at her guests. "It's nothing personal. It's just... the Gambit is precious to me, and I don't like the idea of leaving random mercs when me or my crew aren't there. Besides that change, we're ready to go when you are."

Gwyn looked unconcerned with Radahn's grumbling, but eventually smiled. "Apologies, Radahn. You're just so very big, every time I look at you I forgot my manners in awe." She looked at Raya after. "I spoke on the assumption you would be going last, I wasn't aware you were capable of water magic too. I'd assure you my men would be on their best behavior, but I understrand why you would be sceptical regardless. It makes no difference, three or four extra men might make up for the lack of Radahn. He is so very big."

Talion stepped forward then, and with a flash of his hand froze a large circular platform into ice. He let it drop back into the water and held it steady. "Well now that that's settled, lets get prepared. We'll take the shape of a pentagon. Captain Raya since you still need to breath I assume, if you want to stand in the middle of that ice, you can act as an anchor for the spell. So long as you maintain concentration, we should be able to move a little faster. I'll take the lead, Xinra if you don't mind taking the left rear point, Talia take the right rear, and Kaina, Kaiden, left and right front points please. Madam black Lion, when we've stabalised the bubble, that is when its half formed, get your men into it in an orderly fashion. Try not to bump the captain."

Gwyn noddded, and walked off to instruct them on what to do. Talion was first in the water, diving over the side with reckless abandon. Talia followed, taking up position around the platform of ice as instructed. Once the others were in place, and Gwyn had given orders to the leader of each group who would be going, she made her way to the side of the ship to prepare to climb down. "Nothing can get into the bubble, right?" She asked, once she was next to Raya on the ice. "Like, no Jelly fish or anything? I don't like Jelly fish..."

When everyone was geared up and ready, Kronos watched as they prepared the bubble. Gwyn did ask something kind of humorious. "I'd be more worried about something else, but that is a very good question..." Namely what can eat them in one small gulp. But overall a good question to be worried about. The first group, including him, started aboard. He ended up subtracting one just for comfort's sake and reducing the risk of jostling the captain. And the game started.

Nothing of note happened this time. Kronos kept everyone focused, but silent. Once inside, they started to secure the staging area...not that there was anything to kill yet. But it was standard protocal to secure a landing site. As more troops would would come in, he'd expand the area and be on the look out for any scouts or patrols. As well as anything that could be established as a magical survelence site. Hopefully it won't take as long as they forecasted to get everyone here...

Radahn raised an eyebrow at the sellsword leader's disingenuous reply before Raya warned him off, and he simply grunted and continued. Talion stepped forward and created a platoform of ice on which the transportation operation would commence. He outlined the plan to generate a bubble of the necessary size. It seemed sound enough, and soon they were loaded up with the first shipment of cursed souls bound for Medin Taji. Raya held her concentration and watched as Xinra and the twins got into position. After a moment, they had the bubble to half strength, and Gwyn climbed aboard with her first unit. She glanced at Raya and asked a rather peculiar question about jellyfihs and the dangers thereof. Raya was focused on her task, but she spared a quick smile at her passenger.
"Don't worry, kid. Where we're going, jellyfish are gonna be the least of our worries."

After what seemed like an eternity, the makeshift submersible arrived with the final shipment of meatshields, and they all assembled at the agreed staging area. Kronos had established a forward base to assemble at, and they crowded into the area to receive further orders. Raya sidled over to her crewmates and glanced at them before being careful to keep her voice low.
"Just remember, we're these crazy folks' ticket out of here when things go south." Xinra raised an eyebrow in skepticism.
"Don't you mean, if they go south?"
"I know what I said. Anyway, that means if any of them are going to make it out of this, you all need to stay alive. That goes double for me. Because, you know, I'm the captain and stuff. You'll be lost without me." The twins raised identical exasperated eyebrows as Xinra nodded with an expression of mock-concern.
"Oh, of course, Captain." Raya smiled before becomeing a bit more serious.
"But in all seriousness, take care in there. No unnecessary risks. We may be these guys' only hope." Radahn, Xinra and the twins all nodded somberly, before awaiting their orders from the royals.

Kronos was worried about other things, but agreed. Gwyn frowned at Raya's response. "Sure, but I really don't like Jellyfihs. And no offense captain, but you look my about my age, so don't call me kid." Talion called from the water. "Nothing can small get in the bubble. And Kronos is right, there's worse things than Jellyfish down there. Like Giant crabs, ogresharks, or Gods forbid, an Inazuma. Anyway, enough talk time to go."  He said.

When all was said and done, and the entire force was in the caverns and Kronos had organised the forward base, Gwyn stood at the perimeter, the prince and princess beside her. Raya was talking with her crew, so they waited in silence until she joined them. "If everyone is ready, we should move. The longer we wait, the more time they have to notice us." Talia said. Talion shrugged. "If she hasn't already. This is her domain sis, not ours."

Gwyn gave the order, and swordsmen formed up with a row of spear behind, a second. Kronos' medium armored troops followed, with axilary spear and archers to the Rear. Talia led from the front, and Gwyn stayed to her right, watching carefully. The caverns were murky dark, faint light coming from the walls. As they moved deeper more light appeared in the form of flouresent lichen along the cave walls. They rounded a corner, and were met with massive gates made of a tough coral like material. The gates were open, one having fallen down at some point, the other cracked in half. Beyond the gates, in the massive sea cave where once stood a city built of pristine white rock,  decorated with jade and coral, now stood a ruin, buildings covering in a dark redish seaweed like substance that seemed to undulate. It covered everything, even climbing the walls of the cavern to cover much of the fluorescent lichen, dimming the light and turning it rusty red.

At the back of the cavern stood the palace of medin Taji, with a might wall visible from where they stood. Its gate was intact, and the entire building, up to the highest spire, was covered in the horrid red substance. Talia and Talion had stopped walking, and Gwyn held up a hand as to halt the others as they starred at their former city. "I'm sure this is probably hard to see, but we need to move." She said, urging the princess on. Talia nodded. "Of course." She said. Talion was a bit more reticent, but after another moment he turned to the others. "See that monument near the centre of the city? That's our destination. The city doesn't look anything like I remember but that hasn't changed." He said.  

They started to move again. They were by no means silent, but no one spoke, and the substance that covered the streets dampaned the sound of the soldiers footsteps. They were deep in the city now, only a few blocks away when one man in the front line felt something squishy burst underfoot, and stopped to look down. The red seaweed like stuff under his feet wriggled slightly, and suddenly split, a yellow piercing eye the size of a tea saucer emerging to stare up at him. He let out a scream, and backed away. Gwyn was next to him in a second, as people around jumped away in surprise, and when he didn't stop screaming she slapped him hard. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" She snapped, and he pointed at the eye as it swivelled to look at her. Gwyn looked at it, and as she did more eyes began to open, on the ground and on the buildings around them. Eyes in the writhing fleshy red seaweed.

Something rose up, a tentacle of red flesh, with a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth one might see in a carnivorous fish. "Welcome to medin Taji, my dear guests." The thing hissed. "I wassnt aware you had entered the city, our I would have sent a welcome party ssooner.." Gwyn drew her sword and cut the tentacle off before it could say more, but it was to late now. More rose up behind them, blocking their retreat, and then the screeching began. Something horrid came rushing their way, the pad of bare feet slapping against the ground. "WEDGE FORMATION! Surround the Royals and the crew!" Gwyn screamed, pushing forward, "Cronos, tip of the spear with me." Talion and Talia were quickly pushed back behind Kronos' special forces who formed the tip of the wedge with Gwyn and Kronos, the shield and spear forming the flanks. "Slow advance, do not break the lines or we all die!" Gwyn shouted, as a small horde of Blighted undari decended on them.

Eeew. The red moss puss thing was nasty to even look at. His Heat Vision was active, letting see to some degree, without the need of a torch or light. The place looked aesthetically pleasing, even when run down. At least, it would without that red substance. Kronos had turned his Heat Vision off at that point. He nearly followed after Gwyn to punch the screaming guy.

Their surprise was no longer one. "Flamma!" He really didn't want to use one right now, but they had no choice if they didn't want to be picked off. Those with the alchemic flame bombs, including Kronos himself, took one out each and threw it at the tentacles and red flesh, setting them all alight and hopefully reopening their escape. They quickly took formation. Heat Vision back on, he could see the first of their welcoming party coming to them.

"Archers, ready yourselves, forty yards forward on my mark!" With Gwyne and him at the tip of the wedge, he had drawn his sword and readied his shield. Waiting until the first of the fish heads crossed it, he made the order. "Loose!" Arrows flew. While the first of them would be met with spears and swords, the others behind them should be trimmed down. Even so...from the looks of it...

Growling, his throat started to glow orange. Then spewed his Fire Breath to clear the way. Mostly. There were stragglers, but they were able to take care of them much more quickly, along with moving much more quickly towards that monument. "I really wanted to save that as a surprise..." But as it stood, they needed to get in there and get started fighting her and let their own troops go to hunting parties.

Upon reaching the monument with little resistance, he turned to the royals. "Your turn, royals. Everyone else, form hunting parties like we discussed. Do not be afraid to fall back if you feel like you can't win a fight. Ambushes are your friends, use them. Commanders, use those alchemic weapons sparingly, but not so much that you risk too many casualties. It's not just fire we have, flashes as well." With a solemn nod, the group split up. And hopefully they can make it to the chamber quickly so they don't start losing too many troops.

Once they had all reached the gathering point, Gwyn got to work moving her troops into formation. The troops were not quiet in the slightest as they moved, though they at least made an effort to keep voices to a minimum. Raya looked up at the massive gatehouse as they approached, trying desperately not to think about the last time they were here. She produced her Guide and whispered into it, causing the small crystal to glow warmly and hover a few inches from her head. She modified the brightness so it didn't draw too much attention, and she followed along with the rest of the party. Talion and Talia stopped as they drew into view of the gate, though the structure had now been disfigured by the same red mossy growth that had overtaken most of the city since the disaster that befell her. Radahn was behind her, holding a torch aloft, while the twins flanked her with Xinra in front with Talion and Talia. Raya looked at the moss on the wall curiously for a moment while Gwyn encouraged the royals to continue moving, then looked to the moss on the ground. She remembered what the Blight-Witch had said to them when they had stumbled across her, that she was one and one was all. Raya had taken that to mean that she controlled the smaller creatures, but what if that also meant more?
"Wait, I think we should-" Before she could finish, a scream from one of the men cut her off.

A patch of the red material had split to reveal a large yellow eye. Gwyn managed to silence the screaming soldier, but more eyes had begun to sprout all over the red substance. Raya exhaled slowly as a large tentacle-like appendage emerged from the moss nearby and spoke to them, politely informing the party that their element of surprise was now completely gone.
"Boy, I hate being right all the time." Gwyn called her troops into formation as the first wave of creatures emerged. Raya and her crew found themselves at the center of the formation, along with Talion and Talia, and on Gwyn's word they moved forward slowly. Kronos ordered archer fire to commence, and Raya nodded to her crew to help. Radahn and Xinra took up position in the line with their crossbows, while the twins stood further back with the archers. Fire bombs and arrows rained down on the enemy before the front line was forced into melee. Raya helped where she could, harassing the enemy and creating openings for her allies with her own weapons. Before long, Kronos unleashed his fire breath to clear a path, and the order was given to move into the city. Their progress was slow, but the party eventually made it to the base of the monument. Kronos called on Talia and Talion to open the passage, while he doled out orders to the remaining troops. Raya looked at the troops with concern, but if they were feeling fear or reservation at what they were being asked, they didn't let it show on their faces. Once the passage was open, Raya let Talia and Talion through first with Xinra, before following Gwyn and Kronos in with the twins, and Radahn followed at the back. "Well, we're committed now. Let's hurry."

Sword out, Gwyn took the point of the wedge and cut, slashed and stabbed anything in her path. Spears and and swords stabbed forward, and bodies fell. Kronos gave orders for flame and even took point himself to clear a path, unleashing a wave of flame on the fishmen that send them scurrying for cover. Of Talion made himself useful too, pushing to one side of the wedge to assist and throw out blasts of heat, but Talia kept to the middle, unpreturbed by the onslaught. As they neared the statue, another tentacle with a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth appeared. "I see the Royal heirs have come, bringing fire and death to my peaceful city. You can't possibly believe this pitiful outing will succeed." It said. More blighted undari appeared, a heavily armored Carapacean guard, mighty claws capable of rending flesh and steel with ease. "You're trapped, Princess. Why not surrender your arms, and let us speak in person." Talia ignored her as Gwyn gave orders to deal with the carapacean guard, who fell back after several blows got to close to comfort to its weakspots. Kronos gave orders to the troops, organising them into raiding parties, and Gwyn dealt with the tentacle.

Talia looked at the door, and drew her sword. "Let me, sister." Talion said, but she shook her head. "What are you two scheming?" a new mouthpiece had appeared. Talia swished her blade and cut it down. "Save your blood, brother." Another wave of blighted attacked and were pushed back. "Someone just open the door!" Gwyn snapped, ripping her spear from a blighted chest. Talia cut her hand and pressed it against the monument. With a sound like thunder a slab of stone began to desend into the ground, opening a path into the secret tunnel. Gwyn pushed the Royals through the door, "Oh a secret door, how interesting." A new tentacle had appeared, trying to follow Radahn in. Talia stepped past him as it slinked through the door way. "You can't hide from me in here. I'll find you and-." Talia put her hand on a button on the wall and the slab slammed back in to place, locking out the moss and the men beyond.

The tunnel that extended before them was lit by green gems in the walls, casting the pristine white stone in a jade light. Talia wasted no time taking the lead now, and walked fast, almost running, body ridgid with anticipation. They were almost there, and the hardest part was just beginning. The reached a split in the passage, a spiral staircase leading down. Talia looked at the others. "That leads to the Treasury. Hopefully we can use the front door when you're leaving with your relics, captain." She said. "This one leads to the throne room. She'll be waiting, no doubt, but we still have surprise on our side." She lead them on.

Ahead lay another slab of stone, sealed tight with magic. Talia stopped and looked at the others. "When I open this, all hell breaks loose. Hit her as hard as you can. Distract her from me, give me an opening, and I will kill her in a single blow. I just need some time." She said. When everyone was ready, she lay a hand on the door and it opened, dropping into the floor silently, revealing a throne carved from jade, and a large spacious throne room, its surface covered in the same undulating red substance, pillars and all. A humanoid form sat on the throne.

Talion wasted no time, blasting the thrown and the person on it with a powerful wave of heat that ignited the air. The Blightwitch was thrown away and landed in a heap. As she stood up, surprise written on her face, Gwyn created a spear of energy in her free hand and lobbed it, impaling the woman through the chest. She collapsed to her knees, bleeding from the wound, skin burned..... Talia crossed the room as the blightwitch looked on in Anger. "Of course. It makes sense your coward father would keep his escape close. I expected you to appear in the royal living quarters, but then that would mean he cared about his family." Talia walked forward slowly. "Silence traitor." She said. Without a second thought, she swiped her sword, cleaving Naderi Morin's head from her shoulders where it bounced across the throne room floor. Talia stared at the head. It felt to easy… She looked at Talion, and for several seconds there was silence, then the laughter started.

The blightwitch sat upon her throne, stalking the intruders through the city with eyes that emerged from everywhere. She had no problem following them, and as they formed a wedge and forced their way through some of her forces, she got a proper look at who was on their way when the prince used some of his heat based powers, a show of force that was rivaled, no topped, by the Asentari at the front of the wedge. He would be a problem for her, if he made it to her. Unlikely, they had not brought enough men to make it through her citadel's walls, or even to them. She would toy with them a while, then kill them. Maybe she would take the Undari alive. She had missed her chance to see if she was capable of turning untainted Undari into Blighted ones, and well taking the princess.. That would be nice.

The intruders stopped at the monument, and she threw her forces at them playfully. But then they did something unexpected, opening up a passage in the monument. The Blight Witch tried to get eyes inside, to force her troops in after them and find out where it was they were going, but the Princess closed the door, and they were gone from her sight. She knew nothing of this strange passage, but she had a few ideas where it might go. She began searching the citadel, the barracks, walls, everywhere they might emerge, because it would have to be somewhere here....

And then, from behind, she was hit by searing heat and pain, and was thrown across the room. She stood up as her enemies poured out of a secret passage, and a spear of energy hit her chest. She collapsed, blood pumping from the wound as she stared at the princess' entourage in anger. Then her head hit the ground. The princess looked at her brother, and realisation struck as Naderi Morin began laughing, her voice coming from all over the room. The siblings looked at her in surprise, but by then she had nearly reconstituted herself, her body half formed of water, as deadly red tentacles emerged from the ground all around her, around the room. Mouths filled with vicious teeth and piercing eyes. She laughed, and her mouths laughed.



"Stupid girl, you will need to try allot harder than that to kill me." She said, and with a whip crack, a muscular red tendril struck the princess and sent her sprawling across the room with ease. One of her vicious eel like tentacles slithered across the room and snapped at Kronos, another going for Talion and Gwyn. She hadn’t noticed Raya’s crew, but spared a whip lash for Raya too.

Kronos followed the royals. They intended to finish this quickly. The amber eyed Asentari suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Since when did things go according to plan regarding major players? Instead, he sighed and blinked. Then followed after the group. Talion went first, blasting the throne with fire and sending the Blight Witch forward. Kronos darted forward away from the group, sliding to a stop as he looked around. That same red moss stuff...uh oh. Seconds later, Talia was there, beheading their opponent, and seemingly ending it.

No way. No way was it ever that easy. Laughter erupted. Kronos had two more flame grenades and two flashes. He hoped the others would follow his lead and burn the fucking moss to ashes. He spent his last two grenades, one on a tentacle heading for Talion and Gwyn, and the other he threw at the Witch herself. And hoped to whatever god existed that just because she was wet, as in made of water, that didn't mean she was fire proof. Despite tossing those around, he danced around the tentacle going for him, eventually slicing its head off. And then he charged her at a full sprint.

Jumping just before meeting her, he flipped, slashing at her from above. Upon landing, he would be facing her back. Kronos hopped back in a spin, slashing at two more tentacles behind him.

After what seemed like an interminable amount of time, they reached the end of the tunnel and arrived at a large stone slab. Raya's thoughts wandered to the men and women they had left behind, most likely to their deaths. Talia's instructions broke her from her melancholy, she needed to focus or no one was getting out alive. Raya admired the princess's determination and commitment to her plan, but as Raya's experience taught her, plans never survive first contact with the enemy. The door opened, and the group rushed in with Talion leading the way with a large fire attack on the throne and everything around it, setting it ablaze. Raya called to her crew, trying to keep her voice low to avoid them being noticed.
"Form a perimeter at the entrance, but fall back if you have to." With acknowledging nods, the crew sped off to the main entrance to the throne room, while Raya turned back to see Talia decapitating the Blight Witch. Though Raya always hoped for the best, experience, on the other hand, had always shown her to expect the worst. This was no different, as the room began to laugh at them all with insidious humor. "This does not sound good."

Before the body had even begun to settle, the Blight Witch was already reconstructing herself nearby. Raya was about to call out when a bunch of tentacles emerged from the moss on the ground, and assailed them. She saw the princess being struck and sent tumbling across the deck, before a tentacle appeared right infront of her and swung for the captain. Raya rolled beneath the strike and cut at the base of the tentacle, severing it and sending the remains scattering to be re-absorbed by the moss. She regained her feet and looked around, seeing Kronos hurling firebombs around in an attempt to burn as much of the moss as possible, and Raya took his lead, producing a firebomb that had been given to her by Gwyn. She picked a spot, and hurled it at a particularly thick clump of moss on the ground near the throne, reducing the clump to ashes. Raya then fired a couple of prospective botls from her crossbow, before sliding low to sever another tentacle. She scanned the area to try and formulate a plan, but the situation had become very dire indeed.

All about them, the room laughed, and Gwyn knew something was wrong. She expected that that had been too easy to begin with, but one could hope. Still, she drew her spear, Caliburn in her offhand, as the blightwitch struck, sending the Princess flying. Hopefully Talia was alright, or she’d just lost the second half of her paycheck. She slashed the tentacle away as it came at her, and intercepted the one aimed at Talion. He nodded to her in thanks. "Cover Talia, I’ll keep her busy. Kronos, let’s hit her with as much fire as possible." Gwyn nodded. "I’ve got it." Gwyn said, and with a surge of power she summoned forth a shade, a figure cloaked in green shadow. A blade of energy formed in its hand and with a silent command it put itself between Talia and the tentacles.

Gwyn charged straight towards the woman, weaving around her as Kronos attacked to trap her, and drive her spear at the blight witch’s back, before jumping away and throwing a flame grenade at the witch’s base. Talion got some distance and fired off several waves of fire, aiming for the blightwitch but also following Kronos’ example and burning away moss on the ground and walls.

Talia for her part was down but not out. She was in the perfect position to gather the power necessary to incinerate the bitch who’s attention was taken up trying to neutralise Kronos and Talion, and hadn’t moved a muscle since she was hit. Even with Gwyn’s spectre standing over her, no tentacles had come her way yet. The longer she went uninterrupted, the better. Heat began to build up, slowly.

The princess didn’t move after her heavy strike, to the Blightwitch’s delight. So fragile, mortal bodies. Nadiri would keep her for last, give her a slow death. Or maybe she would Enthral her. Either would bring a delightful end to her filthy father’s bloodline. But first she had to deal with the minnows that swarmed around her, throwing fire and attacking her with blades. The prince and the Asentari were the real threats, though hardly that. The woman with the spear, and the one with the sword, they were just getting in the way, making it more bothersome for her to squish the firebearers.

The came in, cutting and stabbing at her. She ignored the woman and attacked the Asentari with a Adasma blade produced from this air, stabbing at his neck and torso as he cut her. She hissed as the firebombs ignited and let out a ear bursting screech, calling her to her. A few seconds later a small group were trying to get through the doors guarded by Raya’s crew, a crew she faintly recognized.

The blightwitch vanished into the moss at her and appeared across the thrown room in a blink. She sent several more tentacles and vicous mouths snapping and whipping at her opponents, distracting them from what she was doing, before firing a powerful twin jets of water at Kronos and Talion. Not particularly hard hitting, but on unarmored flesh it would shred and rip skin like soft bread.

The Blight Witch seemed content to deal with the most active of fighters first and foremost, leaving the princess alone for now. If she was as sadistic as she seemed, Kronos figured she'd save her for last. He'd knocked the blade away from his neck, but got a decent cut at his right side. That summoned blade was sharp! Before he could counter attack, the witch screamed, making him back off and clutch his head to cover his ears. The doors started to bang. Reinforcements?! Was she that desperate already? Hopefully their own troops were also keeping a close eye or would at least continue to move through the city and notice them.

Kronos went after her again, only for the witch to disappear into the moss, showing up on the opposite side of the room. Running towards her, more tentacle whipped about. He cut one apart, and was about to cut another when his sword arm got chomped on from behind him. The one he was originally aiming for chomping down on his left leg, the two pulling on him. Using his shield, he blocked the jet of water, and defended Talion while he was at it. "Sky Shield." His shield glowed green as it summoned a larger energy shield in front of Talion to block the water strike.

It was then he noticed something. His clothes were torn up where he was being nommed on. But the teeth wasn't piercing his flesh. His hair shadowing his eyes, he started to laugh at her now. "Really? This is it? This is all the famed Blight Witch can do?! All that hype for one hell of a tough fight and all you can do is get us wet and throw tentacles at us? Your only strength is being semi-invulnerable and summoning soldiers to do your dirty work. How sad...and pathetic." With maniacal laughter of his own, he used two doses of Explosion, blowing apart the heads holding him stringed out. Now standing, he started to stalk towards her, slowly at first. "I mean, I don't mind getting wet, but at least make it fun..."

With near mechanical precision, he cut down tentacles heading towards him, now much more aware of attacks from behind him. Would she take his bait though? And focus more on him?