Session 17: The End Report

The self-assured composure Kastayos boasted in that chamber crumbled away as this betrayal was revealed to him. His enemies were now close, and his defenses penetrated because he was foolish enough to believe the betrayal of an enemy without question. Chaos of unprecedented intensity overwhelmed the place. Kasun beasts swept down against the party members. Most leapt out of the way, but Arelastod was not so lucky. He was impaled through the arm by a hideous arm and lifted off as the beast rushed up the walls, chittering with glee. Eyti scattered about, some digging burrows to escape while other collapsed into a bloody frenzy against the arrayed warriors of Getas. Once the Kasun began to move, the structural integrity of the chamber began to fail. Fragments of iron and bone rained down from above, mixed with thick clods of dirt obscuring vision. 

Frantic Kasun beasts scattered in all directions, intending to crush the invaders beneath the falling earth. Around four separate passageways were swiftly dug into the walls by these beasts all escaping from the terrible ruin. Most scattered away, but Thelastod and Getas remained to fight the Nith’eshan and ensure its death. They surged forth and battered aside those Eyti who remained in the area to resist them. The pair wrought a terrible toll upon Kastayos but were themselves wounded many times by fire and the sweeping arcs of his angered hand. Around them the cavern continued to collapse, but with brief gazes between them Thelastor and Getas made the noble resolution to see the battle to the end. Rocks and earth crashed upon them, but they never stopped fighting and thus the opportunity to escape by means of the Kasun tunnels was lost.

Above, Arelastod’s Kasun followed the example of its many allies, fleeing away from the chamber to allow it to crumble. It burrowed through the earth, surging upward, until not long after it burst out upon the surface. It was not quiet here, however, instead there was a terrible clamor of misery war-noises, with blood and clashing metals. Duyor were dwelling among the canopy and timbers here, and arrayed against them was a multitude of warriors bearing the stars, sun, and moon of Acolitus. This was new and grim news, for the allies of Acolitus were mistrusted but the Duyor were hated all the more. The Kasun raised Arelastod far over the battle, climbing upon the trees with its many jointed legs, until it occupied a perched position in observation. Without wisdom or perhaps with great unarticulate fear, Arelastod continued to attack the beast and clamor to be released. The Kasun looked toward him with a smile, and said “yes, if you wish to be released it shall be done!” With that Arelastod was released and feel more than two score feet down to the dirt, but plunged down without much resistance given its crumbled nature. He was thus in a pit some 10 feet deep and remained thereabout in fear.

Orellos, Yaza, and Rhomod rushed after another Kasun beast, moving “southward” if a direction might be labelled at all. Certain warriors of Getas attempted to flee down the same corridor, but Orellos trusted nothing about them. They were turncoats and enemies as of mere moments ago, and he hindered them and killed them, such that their bodies were buried beneath the collapsing tunnel and lost forever. Further and further the group went, and the closer they got toward the surface the greater some noises above them grew, those of battle and death. Soon the beast emerged with a dramatic howl, tearing open the ground, and lo and behold lay Arelastod, at the bottom of a pit now attached. Rhomod gathered him by the collar and dragged him to safety as they ascended to light.

Xeyesh and Oradyol chased down the tail of one Kasun beast, unsure of where it might lead but heedless for otherwise was death. This brought them downward rather than closer to the surface, but the path was quite deliberate. The Kasun continued on and on for around 10 minutes, until a strange crimson smoke began to belch into the dirt tunnel. Xeyesh and Oradyol entered the place to see its walls solid, but of a whitish grey substance. Moreover, there was a great number of pinkish-red stone rooted into the walls and floor around the chamber. Each of them emitted some smoke, but more compellingly emitted noise in the manner of whispers which might be understood up close. These things spoke in many voices. They did not communicate in any tongue spoke in modern Qadal or Voryndal, but the parent to them all- the Eshanic tongue, of which Xeyesh was familiar enough. He settled down and carefully focused upon the various voices, as if in prayer with them.

Thelastor and Getas crushed the flesh of Kastayos with the Noyedzar and skewered his flesh with blade, causing miserable damage superior to any which might be normally wrought. Harder they struck, caring nothing for the imminent death which was crumbling down from above them. An unspoken agreement was brokered between them- that death now to destroy an evil creature was worth far more than escaping to a cowardly, inglorious survival. Songs would be sung of them, if only they perservered. As the cavern collapsed, Kastayos did the unexpected- he used his Eshanic power to uplift an arc of Eshanic power, protecting them from the falling debris. He looked to them with a grave expression and explained, “I wish not to die here, I bet you desire to live as well. Truce. Once we reach the surface again we might fight, but in conditions more fair unto us all!” Thelastor took that brief moment to speak with Acolitus, asking swiftly what support he might receive- Acolitus explained that killing Kastayos would kill them, but he could potentially offer Thelastor the power to bring them back. It would be of such intensity that it would probably kill him in the process. Thelastor agreed with a grim find nod.

The pair took that vulnerable moment to assault Kastayos with their full might, causing a final measure of hideous damage and terminating his protective shield. He released a monstrous roar as the world collapsed upon him. Thelastor now called forth Eshanic power from Acolitus to create a shield of his own over himself and Getas. He was consumed in a column of fire, twinkling in the earth, dashing away the debris which lay heavily upon them. Getas was near blinded by this magnificent sight, but Thelastor, enflamed, took his arm and dragged the two of them toward the surface, hiking through buried earth as one would walk up a hill.

Back upon the surface, Orellos and the others began to fight against the various Kasun who had successfully escaped to the surface, burning them with Eshan or loosing projectiles against them. One among them who took particular morbid interest in the party swept down to ground, rising upon its hideous legs before Rhomod, challenging him to fight. This was a moment he awaited for a long time, to fight against an enemy worthy of his skills. The two faced off against one another, circling as beast and olundi, until the beast plunged forward. Rhomod was deft and blocked the blow without giving too much ground, and for himself swung against the beast. Back and forth they fought, striking heavy blows against one another whenever and blow was struck. Arelastod rushed forth now, filled with the bravery so sown after weeks of tutelage and strife, against the beast with sword in hand. He plunged a blade into the unsuspecting beast, doing considerable harm, but the beast in rage swung about and impaled the already wounded Arelastod through the chest, whereupon he collapsed into the mud mortally injured.

Rhomod now threw all self-preservation into the proverbial wind. He charged against the Kasun with great cutting arcs of his sword, rending apart sheets of bestial flesh. The beast returned the favor, piercing through Rhomod’s armor many times until he collapsed in exhaustion. It appeared the monster was victorious, but an unsuspecting development burst forth from the earth. It was bathed in golden light, an orb of fire emerging from below with its central column a moving being. It terminated suddenly, and the figure crumbled to the ground- dead it appeared. Beside him was another, Getas, who was still struck by the previous occurance, but stepped forward to reluctantly challenge the beast. He struck against the Kasun in its wounded state, but its focus was fixated on war- it easily parried Getas’ strikes and wounded him as well, though not mortally as the others. He fell to the mud.

Now, in this moment Thelastor was dead. Yet, all olundi receive a final conversation with Acolitus in judgement upon the Eshor of Kovul. They spoke for a brief while, Acolitus congratulated him on his valor and victory against the Nith’esan. It cost much, but that is peace’s demand. Yet this didn’t have to be the end. If Thelastor agreed, then Acolitus could cast him back into the world through Eshanic power, such that he might continue to serve for many years as was already proven in battle. Thelastor considered for a brief moment, then agreed. This would be an honorable fate. Acolitus returned him to life, and he immediately took up the Noyedzar and attacked the wounded Kasun who was fighting Getas, and crushed its body to heaped flesh with immense strikes of his weapon. He then attempted to save both Rhomod and Arelastod with his newfound powers of Acolitus, but Arelastod was too far gone and perished. His last words being, “This day is worse than every other day before.” Rhomod was healed, and was devastated to know that his near-protege had died in battle.

Back in the strange bone chamber with crimson lights, Xeyesh and Oradyol turned to the Kasun beast which mournfully rested with eyes gazing on them. It spoke to them, lamenting how terrible a tragedy these events were… Kastayos wished to protect them from the murderous hands of Acolitus, but now he was perished and Acolitus victorious. Xeyesh apologized, for it was not his intention either that matters should have unfolded this way. Perhaps they could broker a positive outcome from all this dread. Xeyesh noted that he still had unsettled deals with the Odyrzid spirits, dictating that he might bring guardians to their domain to protect it from looters and other evil newcomers. Its native inhabitants were destroyed, and thus a new guardian was required. The beast considered this strange, unexpected offer, and in this was filled with pleasing emotion that there was still purpose and some good left in the world. He accepted, and insisted that he take Xeyesh and Oradyol up to their companions one last time to say farewell before they departed to the ruined fort/pillar city.

Once the beast burrowed them to the surface, the whole party (of those who survived) were gathered together. They recognized that this was the end. Their enemy was dead and new paths needed to be forged. What seemed strange to them was how final this encounter seemed upon its conclusion. What more could they do together? What mission remained that was undone? It was if all of a sudden it dawned on them- every question was answered and the status quo settled, for now. They spoke in something of a daze, such that weeks of intense chaos all came to a jarring halt. Each picked some directions to go and paths to follow, and just like that the misfit band prepared to depart with new personal purpose.