The Lord of the Slaads-The Heart of Chaos

Chapter XIV-The Dark Night Of Faryal

     As Johnkal attacked the helmed man with a straight downwards strike, the helmed man blocked it by placing his sword in a horizontal defence stance, Johnkal's sword just bounced of it and he went in for another strike. "So, it is going to be like that is it, straight to it," the helmed man snarled, as he blocked Johnkal's attack again, the helmed man finished, "I like it.  You get to be my first Guardian kill, hope you got the stomach for a fight like this," as he lunged forward with his sword outstretched, in a blinding fury he aimed for Johnkal's heart.
     Johnkal just held his sword above his head until the helmed man got closer, as he did Johnkal swung his sword round in a diagonal motion, until it collided with the helmed mans sword causing him to spin around two hundred and fifty degrees until he regained his balance, Johnkal's sword bounced back up and he lunged forwards towards him and forced his sword down in another diagonal motion, forcing the helmed man to spin back around and parry Johnkal's attempted attack.
     He went to attack Johnkal forcing him to walk backwards towards the cross flame dragons as he blocked it, he then attacked the helmed man which he then in turn blocked it whilst Johnkal was still walking backwards and then the helmed man lunged his sword forward, Johnkal didn't block it he just spun round onto the helmed man's sword hand side whilst holding his long sword above his head with two hands, he then forced it down at a vertical angle and before the helmed man could respond, Johnkal had cut through his chainmail on his arm and sliced through the flesh forcing the helmed man to drop his sword as he fell to his knees.
     He tried to go for his long sword again but Johnkal kicked it out of reach, so he just leaned there on his knees, silent and holding his wound as it was pouring with blood, Johnkal began to pace up and down, long sword clutched in grip, "so tell me. Did you have the stomach for this fight," Johnkal frowned, he just leaned there silent as a graveyard as Johnkal finished, "let us see. You are too skilful to be a common guard. Who is behind the helm," as he reached out his hand, he moved ever closer to the helmed man in a slow fashion, reaching out for his helm, to take it off and finely unmask the traitor, which Johnkal is unaware of.
     He reached out his arm, moving ever closer, the helmed man just silently watched the floor and just as Johnkal placed hand upon helm, the helmed man looked up, looked Johnkal deep in the eye, his piercing brown eyes could be seen through the slits in his helm and as Johnkal was about to remove it, the helmed man vanished. As he stood there he pondered over letting the helmed man escape, about five minutes later all the Guardians ran up the steps towards him, with the nothing, hot on their tail with nothing to defend themselves only stick torches were keeping them at bay. "Quick to the mansion," screamed Johnkal.
     As they rushed past him, he noticed something on Damo's arm, he was cut and is bleeding from the wound, as he saw it he pulled him back by the arm while gripping his long sword ever more tighter, "Damo. That cut, how did you come by it," he questioned as he eyed him suspiciously. "Dam nothing, caught me unawares," he replied, Johnkal though isn't convinced, Damo finished, "why do you ask, is there a problem," Johnkal stared him in the eyes and in that moment he was convinced, he let go of him and they all ran off and barricaded themselves inside the mansion, trapped, scared and nowhere to go as the nothing, circled the mansion searching for a way in.
                                      ******
     All the way back at Plutopua the council of lords was still communing, although they were no longer arguing any more, they were actually getting along quite great and that's when the doors of the council chambers smashed open, it was Johnkal accompanied by the archangel Girian who had rescued all the Guardians from Faryal and brought them here. "Faryal as fallen," cried Johnkal, as the council rose from their seats in shock of this tragic news. "No. What of my people, what of Isaurus," Alastair sobbed, they all turned to Johnkal who was unable to speak.
     Johnkal looked at each and every one of them present and as he turned to Scarr he smiled and nodded at Rickalas, "massacred, Isaurus he fought bravely to his last," whispered he, as Alastair sat back down unable to breath, he finished, "I am sorry, we tried," Johnkal proceeded to tell of the events that happened at Faryal, of the helmed man, of the nothing, swarming the city, how Rosarlea's missing in action, how they tried to help whoever they could but failed and how Girian heard their prayers and came to rescue them, as Scabies and Scarr recognised Girian's presence they both got up and took his hand.
     Lord Pallav realised that Camel is located next door to Faryal, he then stood up and spoke, "that means my city will be next," as they all pondered over who's city will be next, they all began to panic as they began to lash out at each other. "It will not just be your city, the wolf's out of the bag now, they are going to attack every city in one preemptive strike," warned Scabies, as he stroked his chin and pondered on past events of the nothing's, attack strategies he finished, "I would advise you all to return to your cities and make preparations for war," they all continued to panic and began to prepare to leave the council.
     Before they did however Scarr moved to step in front of the lords, "before you go, I advise you to take one of my Guardians with you," he advised, as they all agreed with him he spoke again, "Lord Daan, your people will be safe in the mountains as they do not know of you existing, I advise you to aid your cousin," Lord Daan agreed with his logic and left to prepare his people to march to the Dwarven Keep and as he left Scarr moved to speak again, "I need Rickalas, Spiros and Damo to go on an important mission to the wizards tower to seek out the Slaads there, take the fight to them, the rest of the Guardians are yours including me".
     He paused for a few moments as the lords watched him patiently waiting for him to decide who he's sending where, he spoke again, "Lord Pallav I send with you Ki'lak, he does not look like much but I promise you he is amongst my best," Lord Jacinto moved to confirm if it's the Ki'lak his daughter sent to find him, he said yes and they spoke upon it for a few moments until moving back to the task at hand, "Lord Saladin, I send with you Johnkal and Ja'nel as they both come as a pair," laughed Scarr.
     Johnkal also laughed with him as Scarr finished, "Lord Eanraig I send with you Niklaus, Lord Magnus Lucyia can accompany you, Lord Dwain Trogen can go with you to the Dwarven Keep and as for Kelsia she can stay here with you father," with that said and done they all went to prepare for there long journeys back to their cities, as for Scarr he would be accompanying Lord Jacinto back to Warican which is long overdue.
                                        ******