2 comments/ 4740 views/ 0 favorites Unto the Gates of Poazach By: Tivanosa ********************************** Hi Everyone, votes and comments are really appreciated so I can get an idea of what I'm doing right and wrong. I'm just trying to find a niche who can agree that they like my style. ********************************** UNTO THE GATES OF POAZACH: PART I: The Argument of the Moralists "What? This is a travesty of justice, an abomination of the moral code! You cannot twist our values so that we might sacrifice the woods! Have you any conception of the horror inflicted upon forests visited by the enemy, by townships which lay in their path, by people who cross them in the shadowy midst of night?" shouted Tivanosa. "I am fully aware of the situation within Adair, and have seen first hand that of which you speak. Do not seek to lecture me on the horrors of war and casualty, little girl...I seek only to serve the greater good, at a time when to do otherwise would be the ruin of us all," the King chided with a venomous rasp. "Greater good? That is the very abomination in question! Never may you legislate the deaths of the innocent, so that others may flourish! Thousands have died already, and many more shall follow in the subsequent weeks. How can you let that happen? Answer me!" "Impudent cur! How dare you speak to me thus? I should have you removed, but for the power you possess. Both in mind and spirit are you the greatest of our number, a sorceress of piety and purity and respect. Yet heed my warning, and let not the rumours of your divine ancestry fill you with such unreasonable righteousness. Do not sully your manner, nor the good name you have earned for yourself; Tivanosa Evangelista, I ask you to reconsider the haste of your youth; seek not to rush headfirst into the woods of Adair. You cannot destroy that fortress alone. Poazach is too strong, too well established, you would surely perish." "Othyome, never shall I be dissuaded from this task. Too long have we spoken whilst the forest has withered, too long have we bantered in this frivolous fashion! Tonight you must decide! I shall burn a path of ruin unto the fortress, alone if I must, but I ask that you lend me the third army. Together, we would surely prevail, and save the forest from the blight that has already begun infect it." "No!" commanded the King. "You are our only hope, our only potent weapon against the enemy. The third army is needed on another, more vital front, and you must lead it in those battles! I too grieve for the loss of Adair; once were its woods fair, its air clear and its grasses green, but no longer. Now is it an abode of the damned and stronghold of the enemy, but there are more important things to do. It is not worth the risk!" "Fool of a King, I am the very leverage which you cannot control, the only force powerful enough to reckon with the darkness which strangles us! If you would deny me the third army, then I shall not contest that, nor risk the lives of those wizards against your will, but you have no authority over me!" The gaze of Tivanosa narrowed into a glare, as dark and furious as the depths of midnight and madness. "Choose carefully your next words, Heiress to the Light," The King warned through the fire of his disposition. "Some utterances cannot be retracted, nor oaths revoked." "Then I call upon the very Gods themselves, whom are named the Seyillien, that their witness might give due gravity to the oath which now I swear. Hear me, oh immortal lords of Light and Love, and you, Luthien, whom art their chief and champion! Dark are the times in which we find ourselves, and grim the tasks which befall us, and so have events shaped that which is to come. Through strict devotion to your laws, to purity, mortality, virtue and piety, am I forced thus to declare myself the bane of Poazach'Ugraaldin, which shall I destroy one day hence! Should I waver, then strike me down, for then I am a coward, and no better than Earthly kings. But should I fail, then let my final example inspire such justice, such righteousness in the hearts of all Lorun, that their faith alone might rise up and banish the enemy for all eternity!" Tivanosa bellowed. And so had it come to pass, that Tivanosa Evangelista, the Heiress to the Light, spoke passionately the words of her oath, and thereafter disappeared in a flash of mist and of smoke, which dazzled the keen senses of the king. Verily had she called his bluff in their last, great struggle, the two titans vying for power over the kingdom, and only would the morning tell if he would submit to her demands, or let the fiery spark of hope dwindle in the face of suicidal odds.. As the mist settled and fell to the ground, the King was left with a cold sense of introspection, and pondered long all that had befallen him. However, Tivanosa had already begun. There was no turning back. With or without aid, she had set for herself a grim task, and as she peered off into the distant forests, so beset by peril and by doom, the fire in her eyes raged all the brighter... Unto the Gates of Poazach Ch. 02 *** Hello all, this is the second installment in my short story trilogy, which is just one of the infinite tales from my fantasy universe. Someone recently noted that the characters behaved more like demigods than humans, and this is appropriate as the characters are of a very powerful race, very ancient and magical. I think this semi-divine appellation is insightful, and congrats to the one who picked up on that :) Votes and comments greatly appreciated. *** Part II: The Approach to Poazach Looking into the forest was like peering into the depths of hell. Cataclysmic was the ruination cast upon it, darkness tainting its sanctity beyond all mortal hope. Never had something so pure been corrupted so thoroughly, for what once was fair now stood as foul, what once was order had turned to chaos, and what once was beauty had become monstrosity. The limbs of the trees were withered shells of their former majesty, the greenery shriveled and blackened, and once tight vines now hanged limply around the decaying boughs and branches. Haunting and eerie, it was an abode of the damned, a place of lost hopes and shattered dreams, forsaken by the powers that had made it grand, and given over to evil. The canopy was so thick that darkness persisted even on the brightest day. The ground was littered with the gore and viscera of fallen warriors. The rivers were filled to the brink with the blood of an unstoppable holocaust, and all around there lay the heavy stench of slaughter in the air. So tremendous was the misfortune of the woods, that its roads served now as highways of necromancy, ferrying demons back and fourth between mass graves, where would they sort through the organs and limbs for food, fuel, and magical experiments of a kind so wicked that they cannot be described. Indeed, that was the fate of the forest, to house those evil wretches, the conquerers who feasted daily upon rotting meats. This was their territory now, bought with the blood of the innocent and the virtuous. The day of the invasion had been like any other. Such were the way of things in war, where great calamities could pass as if they were nothing, aught but standard fare for a world bathed in conflict. One moment, there was peace and there was light, the happy Nymph-like inhabitants tending their trees and plying their magic. The next, a horde of demons had appeared, smashing the defenders and smiting the towers, their onslaught more terrible than could be resisted. In another, it was over, the blight had begun to spread, causing all thusfar described, and at its center stood the fortress of Poazach'Ugraaldin, pumping that very sickness into the air and the ground. Hideous yet practical was the design of Poazach, a fortress both wretched and efficient, monstrous and sensible, a place where could the wicked revel in their darkness, whilst retaining a sense of proper order. Thus was lent to them their most dangerous quality, for it was in that intelligence that they found their greatest strength. Long ago, demons had been aught but rutting beasts, dangerous in their own fashion, yet imbeciles easily mastered. Now had they been led into an age where could they rise above their rage-driven emotions, working together to achieve a greater evil. Such was that which Poazach symbolised, and verily by the speed of its construction and formidableness of its design did it prove this. So it was that Tivanosa Evangelista, the Heiress to the Light, arrived upon the boundaries of the woods, peering into those twisting depths, her rage growing fiercely as she beheld the destruction wrought within them. Fire brooded in every recess of her mind, magic drawing fourth and flowing furiously through her blood, the powers arcane rising to the surface of her conscious control, ready to be unleashed in a torrent of suicidal wrath. She was ready. She was prepared. Now, all that was left was to wage war against an injustice which she could no longer suffer; too long had the fortress of Poazach persisted, and now that her cries had gone unheeded, it was left to her alone to scourge the woods of its evil presence. "Go, head for safety;" Tivanosa said, beckoning softly toward her mighty steed. "You shall find none here. This day do I purpose upon many things, to assault my enemies with the fullness of my wrath, to empty the vessel of holy vengeance upon them, to let flow the manifestation of my discontent, but not to return." The steed looked mournfully upon her Mistress, as if considering some great sadness, and then turned around and bounded away into the distance. Then at last was the Heiress alone, and with her power marshaled and fury brought to the fore, so did she enter the woods of Adair. Tivanosa set a steady pace on foot, walking quickly, though not hurriedly, her demeanour confident and fearless. Never had terror plagued her, nor doubt gnawed at her resolve, for it was in mistrust of the self that real tragedy was wrought. This had she learned and learned well, the harsh lessons of a life of conflict, an existence of battle, an upbringing of war. No, she believed in herself more than anything, even the very Gods themselves, and so, upon this very suicidal endeavour, still did failure seem incomprehensible. Great was the fastness of Poazach, a fortress of superior design and quality. Tremendous was the power of its watchtowers, so charged with magic and death. Thorough was the corruption of its stones, so terrifying and so black, and formidable was the power of her adversaries, dangerous against an army one-thousand strong. But despite knowing this, having heard the council of countless lords, having heeded the warnings of innumerable pleas, still did failure seem incomprehensible. It was not for an underestimation of Poazach, or the strength of its hordes, but for that very belief in self; so it was from within, knowing what depths of potential lay within her being, that Tivanosa remained confident against immeasurable odds. That power was the stuff of nightmares. It was the only thing she truly feared. It was an untapped, unexplored, uncharted territory for which there was no known limit. Ever had she probed the depths of her magic, theorising and wondering, desiring to go further than ever before. But she had always reproached herself, using only what was necessary as the situation presented. After all, this was a time of war, a time to fight the good fight, not to go off gallivanting in laboratories, studying esoteric lore and casting obscure spells. However, today, standing within the woods of Adair, standing alone against an enemy so great, so did she withdraw the charity of her limitation, letting loose the bonds that bound her as mortal. Never had she discovered the limits of her power, but this day, this dark and gloomy day, so black and wrathful and filled with doom, she would find the answer to that question, and face the only thing she had ever feared: herself. Tivanosa walked in the shadows of the twisted boughs, upon the highways of death, watching as great hordes of demons passed in the distance, their presence befouling further what once had been glistening roadways and sparkling streets. But hope sprung anew wherever she passed, for in her presence, so was the dirt was swept aside, the streets scrubbed clean, flowers, grass and trees grew, as lush and verdant as those of a divine paradise. Suddenly, a path of renewal swept the forest, withered vines growing strong and green once more, wrapping tightly around the trees, sickened animals recovered, becoming again fair and happy, and even high above did the canopy repair, allowing to shine the radiance of the sun. This was no conscious magic of the Heiress, no intentional or designed healing, it was merely the power of her virtue radiating outward, afflicting and assaulting evil. And so it came to pass that the forest repaired all around Tivanosa, upon whom the light shined, giving colour to the flowers and the grass, and the demonic hordes, who harboured only hate and malice for such things, were turned quickly to the sight of the disturbance, and spotted easily the object of their fury, setting out at once to smite her. It was aught but a small patrol that had seen her, a force of twenty-five demons, armed with powerful spells, thick, obsidian armour, and swords that could slice through most anything. Tivanosa was not ignorant of their coming, or of the arrogance of their disposition, thinking she was but a lost sorceress, easily defeated without the need of aid or reinforcement. Indeed, she smiled at their approach, seeing them rush furiously along the blighted highways, watching them zig-zag through the intersections and the streets, their wretched forms having replaced the numerous vehicles that had once filled them. Within moments had the patrol reached the Heiress, throwing fiery magic as they charged, their howls terrible and concordant with the nature of demons. That gruesome wailing sufficed to alert the entire forest, the horrible sound echoing all the way unto Poazach. In an instant, Tivanosa knew that the fortress was aware, and sensed the emptying of its hordes against her. This was what she had come for, this was her purpose; now it was that the full force of Poazach had been unleashed. Focusing deeply, Tivanosa called fourth her energy, manifesting the power that she felt within. Thus did erupt silver flames from her eyes, and a white shroud surrounded her, its form a nimbus of swirling energies which buzzed around in orbit. Thus crashed the fire of the enemy against the Heiress, their power failing before her might. Onward did the demons charge, however, prepared to do with sword and spear what magic could not. Closer and closer they drew, her shining white form growing larger in their vision, and then, suddenly, they stopped, broke down upon their knees and wept. At last, they knew that they were defeated, for the demons beheld with who they had made their quarry, and their fear carried them into a debilitating despair from which they never recovered. Swift and powerful was the wrath of Tivanosa Evangelista, who swept her hand across their path, a wave of invisible force smashing into them and tearing them apart, their limbs exploding into exploding chunks that exploded and exploded again. Now, despite the coming of the hordes against her, the forest was quiet once more, the ground covered in the tiny specs of flesh and blood that survived her onslaught. The silence was fleeting, a brief peace before the renewed raging of the storm. But the hordes were yet far away, and so Tivanosa moved to close the distance. Once more, traveling confidently upon the road, she cast her perceptions unto the walls of Poazach, peering into its empty barracks and spying its under-manned defenses; ripe for the picking, as it were. The power that Tivanosa had touched thusfar was but a pittance of her conscious capability, the short blast barely whetting her appetite for the knowledge of the self, and the desire for slaughter of the wicked. Soon would come the other defilers of the woods, the devils responsible for it all, and when they met her, when they engaged her in the thickness of battle, so would she be forced to smite with a greater and deeper fury than ever before. Slowly, as she marched, Tivanosa withdrew her great-sword, Akavare, its slender and enduring length an eternal flame, silver and raging in the shape of a blade. She held it at her right side, gripping the platinum hilt tightly, its power illuminating the surrounding woods. So were given the demons a constant and definite beacon, and with it tracked her half way to Poazach, upon a road which ran up a great hill onto higher terrain. There did they lay in wait, several thousand surrounding the hill from every angle, using dark magic to conceal their presence. But Tivanosa was not so easily fooled by such paltry magic, yet walked fearlessly into the trap, spying the hordes which surrounded her. "Reveal yourselves, demons of Poazach," Tivanosa boomed, her voice sounding with a god-like resonance "and face your doom." "You tresspass upon territory of the Kastya Vervata. Turn back now, or be destroyed." An unseen voice bellowed. "Reveal yourselves and be destroyed. There is no escape, no other way. Your arrogance is as strong a cage as any, for it shall bind you here, fearless of battle, even if you should guess my identity." "We know who you are," the voice came again. "and fear not the Evangelistan. You are but one, and hopelessly outclassed, for we have in our number many Advaras, strongest of our brethren and greatest of the wielders of magic." "There are no greater magisters than the Lorun'Seyvannas," Tivanosa corrected. "Poorly is that proven by your success in these late and darkened days," the demonic speaker sneered. "No poorer than the Advaras that I smote with a single motion, my wrath vapourising them beyond all hope of recognition. Perhaps you breathe their remains even as we speak; so thoroughly were they destroyed, those who wept before me in abject despair. Are those, Ughbaal and Graz'Urden, Fer'Zuhl and Markarden, the great magisters which you so valiantly trumpet?" Tivanosa boomed, tall and terrible her bantering manner. Disgruntled noises erupted all around the Heiress, moans and cries from the surrounding horde, harsh whispers of grievance for the loss of their honoured friends. "What is this? Oh my, how very cute indeed...You wretched creatures actually care for one another; the fodder which I dispatched were once your comrades? Well, well well...how terribly unfortunate to lose such 'fine' men," Tivanosa mocked. "But I too have lost friends. I too have suffered the unjust wounds of hatred and malice, and felt the effects of darkness upon the land. Even in the utter youth of my being, so had I come to know the people of Adair, who were to me as your comrades were to you." "This is war!" the demonic voice rang again. "and we are the Kastya Vervata, Lords of Life and Death! Do not scold us for our actions, wicked though they may be, for they are our very nature; we live to destroy your kind, to bathe in the blood of Lorun, and to turn Astari into a dominion of corruption and despair!" "But scold you I shall, for so have you committed an atrocity more dastardly than I could have ever conceived. Wicked you are indeed, but that does not excuse you from retribution, nor exempt you from the forces of holy wrath! You know who I am, and you know what I have come to do. Tales of my power are legendary, and it is no idle rumour that I surpass the singular might of even your Dark Lord! I am the herald of your undoing, of the destruction of Poazach and the personal servitor of your individual deaths! You have slaughtered the defenseless, usurped their land and murdered an entire people!" "One last chance, Evangelistan! Leave, or perish at our hand. No regret do we harbour for the genocide of your people; such despicable actions are the wont of our kind!" the demon spoke one last time. "FOOLS!" Tivanosa boomed, her voice resonating like a shockwave across the land. "Could not you see this coming? What did you think would happen? What did your masters tell you? Did they tempt you with tales of a virgin land, untouched by the hands of evil, of a clean-sweep, a glorious slaughter of the virtuous, completely without defence or retribution by the armies of Astari, beleaguered on a thousand other fronts? Is that the deceit spouted by the moronic masters to whom you owe allegiance? No doubt. But I have come to Astari to turn the tide, to fight where no others will fight, to do what no others can do, to be as no others can be. It is this day, this cold and bitter day, so dark and wrathful and filled with doom, that I stand before you with fury in one hand and divinity in the other, with virtue clad upon my chest, and justice encasing my legs, with pauldrons of might and greaves of terror, and the sword of enduring light; Akavare!" Tivanosa held Akavare up above her, holding it perfectly still. "I say that from this day, evil under the Kastya Vervata shall know no victory, that evil shall falter and wither unto the utter ending of its power, and that I shall mark this turning with the destruction of all who stand before me, right here, right now. From this day forward, no evil goes unpunished! Meet now the peril that has long been owed you!" At once, Tivanosa released an arc of lightning, the bolt sizzling out from the tip of her sword. Slicing into a string of the enemy, so were the first row destroyed, a ring of ash all around, scattering in the air as was cast aside the demonic camouflage. Surprised by the force of her own power, Tivanosa stared in wonderment at her sword. Then, feeling the rush of success, the pure flow of magic within her, thus did she yell "Yes, YES!" Rage now flooded the Heiress, empowering her through its intensity. The nimbus swirled around and around, bathing her in power, immersing her in magic, and engulfing her in the fires of righteous wrath. So did Tivanosa stand tall against the horde as they charged to intercept. Verily did she hold no fear, for she perceived the utter weakness of the enemy, of their crude forms, weak bodies and frail spirits; they seemed as ants to a titan: insignificant. Suddenly, in the midst of the charge, the battlefield exploded into light, arcane missiles issuing from the palms countless demons. Spitting and sizzling as they flew towards the Heiress, so were they followed by the wailing rush of their masters. Terrible were the war-cries of those foul wretches, but awesome was the fury of the Evangelistan, who beheld cleverly an opportunity for high slaughter. Thus did she cast her power about in all directions, grasping control of the hurtling bolts, taking that hail of fire and ice into her command. Like a spinning, circular blade, ready to grind into the incoming thrall, so did the magic surround Tivanosa. At once, the demons beheld the folly of their arrogance, and the threat of the power leveled against them. Thus did they purpose to stop, desperately seeking to avoid the ring of highly-charged death. But alas, to their total ruin and complete stupidity, the forces of inertia worked against them, for so did the weight of their own, monstrous forms, coupled with the tenacious strength of those behind them, force the first three rows into the grinder. Quickly did the ring of magic dissipate, having sawed through many of the demons and expended its energy. In the aftermath of that carnage, so was Tivanosa advantaged, for it was that she held firm her composure, standing ready to strike again with new spells. Meanwhile, the demons sought desperately to regain their bearings, running from the Heiress in a frenzied attempt to regroup and retaliate. Thus did Tivanosa strike amidst their confusion, pushing both her hands forward and releasing an arc of blinding light. Surging outwards, it crashed into one of them, incinerating it an instant, the power so great that it blinded all of the wicked that looked upon it. Then did the destructive power leap toward all of the adjacent foes. Vapourising them in a chain reaction, so were the demons smote. Soon, nothing remained but ash and ruin, and, without pause, without giving significance to the demonic resistance, Tivanosa brushed herself off, pondering the power she had unleashed, all the while striding ever closer unto the Gates of Poazach. Unto the Gates of Poazach Ch. 03 ************************************ This is part 3 of the Unto the Gates of Poazach trilogy. I haven't yet received a lot of feedback on much of my work, so I once again make this plea. Everyone who can spare the time, vote and comment to reflect your like/dislike of my work, it will really help me out as a writer. Thanks, I really appreciate it. ************************************ UNTO THE GATES OF POAZACH Part III: The Siege of Poazach So did the Heiress continue at her former pace, burning and blasting with all of the powers at her disposal. As she traveled, demons innumerable poured through the woods, filtering down toward her like rain down a brook. Smash, and there was sent great balls of fire! Crash, and there went great waves of force! Shards of ice rained down upon approaching thrall, tearing to pieces those terrible forces of the enemy. Arcs of lightning ripped through the trees, causing chaos and destruction wherever Tivanosa would go. Over and over she raised her hands towards the enemy, smiting them with the fury and vengeance of the heavens. Once, she let them surround her, but now she had toyed with them long enough. Now did she purpose solely upon the destruction of Poazach, and would stop for no force, cease for no enemy, and would not be dissuaded from the long-desired revenge which burned within her. Surrounded by the awesome powers of the nimbus, her body aflame with silver energies, her eyes erupting as an inferno of wrath, so was she become invincible! Nothing could stop her, nothing in the woods, nothing in Poazach, nothing within the entire range of her perceptions. Verily, this was the lesson of lessons, the knowledge of her power... It was not long before the fortress came into view. Walking quickly, Tivanosa perceived a great clearing in the middle of the woods. There stood a citadel to evil, a monstrous palace of sin and wicked delight. Rising up twenty meters, its shape was that of an enormous cube, tipped at each corner with terrifying guard-towers. Demons continued to filter down through the forest, attempting to intercept the Heiress with bolts of fiery magic. Yet always did she cast them aside, for no weapon of the enemy could harm her. All perished before her onslaught, her hands waving this way and that, blasting here and casting there! In her wake was left masses of demonic corpses, the scorched ground covered with pools of thick, wretched blood. Now had the entire forest been turned to chaos, the sound of furious magic discharging, the groans of demons dying and being torn apart, the wailing ferocity of the Heiress to the Light. Suddenly, however, it stopped, though Tivanosa had barely noticed, so caught up in the power she had summoned. The demons, instead of running toward her, now ran away, retreating unto Poazach, sprinting through the trees as fast as they could, a great horn blowing and ceasing all sound. Within minutes, Poazach had consolidated its power, and with good reason, for so had Tivanosa arrived upon its very base. Looking upward, Tivanosa saw the last, straggling demons scramble up the sprial stairways, seeking to position themselves atop the watchtowers. So did she face the walls of Poazach, staring down its enormous doors of enchanted obsidian. A deadly silence permeated the desolate clearing, where only the hissing of the nimbus could be heard. Then, without warning, a great cry bellowed from some terrible, demonic commander, and it was thus that the great watchtowers were set in motion. Like rain from the heavens, so hailed an enormous torrent of magic, thousands upon thousands of bolts, some ice and some fire, some waves of force and some strands of thick, black magic, crashing down from high above. Never had Tivanosa faced such overwhelming odds. Never had she stood against such tremendous levels of magic. Indeed, she had withstood multiple blows in the past, but in the face of such terrible power, even she was given pause. A creeping fear built within as she weathered the storm, projecting her power about as a force-shield, the magic crashing against it, causing ripples to form on its round surface. Perhaps this time it was too much. She had often pushed her luck in the war, performing heroic and suicidal deeds, leading armies to impossible victories, taking men into hell itself, and returning them unharmed. But this was something else altogether. Blast after blast after blast, thousands crashing into her defenses every second, Tivanosa beginning to feel battered under the sheer weight of it all. There was no escape, however; she had vowed to destroy Poazach, alone, today. Death was better than beling that oath, especially when invoked by such respectable gods as the Seyillien. No, Tivanosa cast off the shackles of fear, seeing at once that the barrage was as much intended to confuse her as to destroy her, to slow her as to burn her. No, the enemy had delayed her vengeance long enough. Wrath had to come now and come in full force. Focusing on her faith in the Gods, praying silently to Luthien, embracing all of the goodness in her heart and channeling it into righteous rage, so did Tivanosa release an explosion of force. Instantly, the barrage of magic was repulsed, flying upward unto the sky as it bounced off her shield. Then, striking her hands forward to each of the guard-towers, she shot blasts of invisible energy toward them. At first, it was unclear as to their purpose, but once the enemy had recovered from their wonderment, they sought to renew their barrage, and found that it was to no avail. The force-shield that had once protected the Heiress now wholly encased the watch-towers, absorbing all of the magic and preventing it from escaping. So was Tivanosa given time to marshal her forces, having quickly decided upon the most appropriate course of action. Even her spells would not last forever, so she sought to destroy the watchtowers with all speed. Moving her hands around and around, as if orbiting a great, invisible sphere, so did she create a large ball of fire. Larger and larger it grew until it hovered above her, a seething mass of blinding red energies, held aloft by her power alone. Striking her arm upward, she split the orb in half, and then drew each into her hands. The demons above watched in horror as she cast her deadly spells, seeing as the orbs shot out from her palms and hurtled toward the base of the guard-towers. With greater speed than any projectile of the enemy, the fireballs hit their respective targets perfectly, but served only to destablise the obsidian, rather than destroying it outright. But right behind traveled great blasts of force, and it was that rippling energy which collapsed the towers, sheering them off and sending them tumbling toward the ground. So were smote the defenses of Poazach, Tivanosa panting from exertion. She quickly recovered her strength, however, and strode forcefully toward the great doors, wasting no time in casting again her telekinetic powers. At first, she gripped the doors remotely, then moved her hands apart, causing the great obsidian slabs to rip from the walls, flying off into the forest as she projected her hands backward. A howling madness erupted from the bowels of the fortress, as the way had now been made clear. Where once had the doors stood, now stood a great dark opening, an inky void inviting her in, traveling deep into the darkness of a Vervatran Lightning-Fort. Tivanosa entered with the powers of lightning wrapped tightly around her hands, bright arcs sizzling around in orbit, ready to incinerate any that came before her in the halls and corridors. Thus did she come to stand within the lobby, feeling at once thoroughly uneasy, the energy of the fortress so discordant with her own. Demons rushed through the dark, black hallways as piercing alarms sounded, every breed pouring into the lobby to make their final stand. Tivanosa would have no delay, and sought hastily their deaths, raising her hands towards them all and incinerating them in an arc of unstoppable power. Electric death flew about and rushed down the halls, washing over barracks and traveling into armouries, burning all who made their presence known. All the while, Tivanosa grew brighter, the nimbus becoming even greater in the midst of such darkness, that all who came against her found it difficult to see. Even the very walls of Poazach itself groaned, being in the presence of such divine righteousness. Thus was the slaughter high and terrible, and so confident now, nothing could prevent the Heiress from her goal of absolute annihilation. Having considered how she might destroy Poazach, Tivanosa had decided upon an ultimate course of action. It was this that she now followed, meaning that her travels were not aimless, but rather directed, taking her toward a central point, where could be cast a spell which would be her masterpiece. Unto the second floor of the fortress, to a particular room where was found the exact center, Tivanosa made her way, casting her hands into the openings of barracks and dining halls, sending aimless streams of indiscriminate death. So were killed thousands and thousands of demons, incinerated in such a fashion as the Heiress reached closer the center of the fortress. Soon, a stairway emerged through the efforts of her travels, and she ascended them quickly, releasing the lightning around her hands and exchanging it for fire. However, it was no ordinary fire, for it was not red and yellow and orange, as most would assume, but rather blue, with a particular intensity that captured the imagination. The resistance upon the second floor was thicker, for it was there that had awoken many of the greatest demons, but to Tivanosa they seemed as insignificant as all of the thrall she had thusfar obliterated. The blue flames swept aside any and all opposing power, turning to dust every living thing in sight. Weapons were melted in the armouries and warehouses, beds were set alight as demons slumbered, mess halls exploded around those in a drunken stupor, and all of the cruelty visited upon the forest was returned tenfold unto the perpetrators. Panting from the rage that coursed through her veins, Tivanosa felt both wonderful and terrible, at once proud of her achievements and confident of her power, but also scared of the depths of magic which she drew from within her spirit. Still did it seem limitless, a void of impossibly infinite power, and the more she learned, the greater were cast her spells, the more she drew further from understanding of the self. It seemed that delving deeper answered nothing, and caused her only to fear the possibilities of controlling such great abilities, and conversely their responsibilities. However, the time for fear was later, and she had learned all that she could; in her mind, the battle for Poazach had already been won, and as she came unto the very center of the fortress, into a large hall where were found the leaders of the complex, so did she begin the final steps of her master plan. Hundreds of traitorous Lorun, her own kindred, stood around a large, circular table, discussing plans of attack and using magical projections to direct forces throughout the fortress. When Tivanosa entered, they at once perceived her presence, and banded together to pool their magic, channeling all of their might into a single, leading wizard. That fallen man thrust his palms towards the Heiress, projecting a beam of yellow light which twisted and snaked towards her. Tivanosa glared and projected her own beam, hers a cascade of blue energy. For a moment the two streams contented with one another, motioning back and fourth, but then the beam of the Heiress thinned, shooting deeply into the opposing stream and hitting the man who had cast it. "Wretched traitors, you pool your powers to GREAT disadvantage!" Tivanosa said, resonating powerfully. Thus did the lead wizard burst into flames, turning to ash whilst the blue stream traveled, surging through the Lorun like feedback, using their own connection against them. An enormous pile of dust fell to the ground where each of them had stood, the room suddenly quiet but for the hissing of the nimbus. Once more, wasting no time, Tivanosa sought to complete her plan, kneeling down in the exact center, on top of the table where had the Lorun projected their displays. Knelt upon one knee, Tivanosa held her hands high above her, balls of blue flame still surrounding them. Now did they grow brighter and more furious, increasing in intensity without end. Engulfed completely in the power of that fire, so did she scream out, wailing from the control of such terrible magic. From her stationary position, the fire began to spread out, sticking to the floors and traveling up the walls and the ceilings, covering every surface in the room within seconds, then rushing outward into all of the halls and corridors of the entire fortress. The fire spread faster than could be outrun, growing hotter and hotter until everything had been incinerated within Poazach. From that moment forward, Tivanosa knew this spell as Quickfire, and would come to use it countless times in the future. Poazach had become an inferno of blue flame, a scourging force in which all evil died. Hours later, Tivanosa released her grip on that power, causing all of the flames to die. The smell of ash and charred flesh permeated every inch of Poazach, and it was thus that she collapsed, crying for the intensity of her experience. In time, she recovered, and could perceive no living thing having survived her wrath. Though thorough was the destruction cast upon the fortress, one final blow remained. Tivanosa knew that to fulfill her oath, she would need to shatter Poazach. Usually, hundreds of wizards were required to cast such a spell, thereby banishing the presence of dark energy. However, today, after all that she had done, Tivanosa knew that she had it within herself to perform the incantation alone. Thus It was with no fanfare, no special pomp, ceremony or preparation, that she lifted up her hands and struck them fourth, releasing a shockwave of rippling energy, followed by the flash of an intense, white light. The walls of Poazach groaned in the throes of death, and at once the presence of evil began to fade; forever more, dark magic would never again be cast within its boundaries. Nodding solemnly now, comfortable and pleased with all that had come to pass, Tivanosa began her extrication from the fortress, and her long journey home... "Tivanosa!" The king exclaimed. "You have returned!" Grief and concern was written deeply into his face. "But of course," replied Tivanosa. "This is my home, where else would I return to?" "...is it done? Have you destroyed Poazach," Othoyme asked tentatively. "It is as I swore. Nothing more, nothing less." Othoyme moved down from his throne and took hold of her hands, looking deeply into the silver eyes of the Heiress. "I have been a fool, underestimating you so greatly; not only your power, but your resolve. Even if you were lacking, you would have died trying." "Fortunate that I was not lacking," Tivanosa replied flippantly, her tone regal and confident. "However, still am I ignorant as to the true extent of my power. It seems very great indeed. Grand things will happen now that Poazach has been destroyed, for I have set in motion another, more important oath. From this day forward, the Kastya Vervata shall never again have victory upon Astari." "You defied me, Tivanosa," Othoyme said gravely. "You defied righteousness. Your crime is greater, and if you continue thusly, the Gods can no longer sanction your sovereignty. The greater good is a slippery slope to evil. Luthien herself spoke those words, and was not subtle in her meaning. I apologies for this, Othoyme, but I can no longer be a subject of Astari. No longer am I a citizen of your kingdom, and today, when I smote Poazach, I did so for the Gods, and for the prevailing power of righteousness. My allegiances now lie with the Seyillien and the people of Astari, but not with you." Othoyme nodded as if it were inevitable. "Indeed, Tivanosa, Indeed. These are grave declarations, but fair. If only you would consent to be my Queen; we could rule Astari together, as equals." "We shall rule together, as equals, Othoyme, but while I shall be Queen, I shall not be your wife. I do not threaten you, or the kingdom, but it is clear to me now that my position should be cemented as equal and sovereign, for my singular power alone, but also for my spiritual and virtuous determination. You are an administrator, a man of numbers and facts and organisation. I am a warrior, a woman of action, defender of the people and the faith," Tivanosa spoke confidently. "I shall not argue, and will put this fourth to the Gods themselves. Through their will, it shall be made so. My respect for you, Tivanosa, is absolute, for in you I see the hope for our people and all things. You, perhaps, may be the only force powerful enough to defy Antaos Gverniven." Tivanosa nodded grimly. "I hope so, my friend. But the Dark Lord can wait for another day; let us celebrate our victory in the grandest fashion known."