It's the 29th Poseidon 1900 ABM and it's been five days since the council of lords was dismissed, the Guardians had arrived at their necessary cities accompanied by the lord of that city and Rickalas, Damo and Spiros were outside the wizards towers awaiting to go inside. The wizard, Rax and the Spiretons were laying siege to Plutopua which they've been doing for the past two days and also the Plutopian ranks were spread thin and they didn't have a big enough army to match them upon the field of battle. All they could do is defend their home from the battlements of the city, they've the archers and the hot oil from which they can pour down and set them on fire.
The Plutopians never expected a full on assault upon the capital this early in the war and they were not fully prepared for it. The rest of the Azzard is also under siege by the nothing, and every city is lit up like a Christmas tree, but the nothing, were great in numbers now and very strong. Only sunlight kills them, any other form of light only repels them and at this stage the light wasn't doing a very good job. Scarr and Jacinto arrived at Warican and they could see the nothing, a bit away from them, but as for the city they couldn't see it because it's invisible.
Also, where the nothing, is there's also a group of what appears to be three Slaad lords, unknowns, they appeared to be strong wielders in illusion magic, as they were trying to bring the invisibility shield down. "I guess the front gate is out of the question," Scarr said, as Lord Jacinto turned to face him with a raised eyebrow as if saying obviously and began to speak, "not to worry, there is a secret way in a back door," Jacinto smiled as they began walking in the direction of the other entrance, "it will take us under the city's shield," he added as they continued their approach to find the secret entrance.
Meanwhile at the city of Camel the battlefield's outside the city walls which is also lit up with torches everywhere, not only torches but fires as well for extra defence and to give them an advantage against the nothing. Ki'lak is upon the front flank with Lord Pallav by his side and he's dressed in full battle armour just like every other warrior on the battlefield, although Ki'lak wasn't wearing any he's just in his normal clothes. The nothing, were attacking from all flanks such as the left bottom flank and the right bottom flank and the top flanks were being attacked from the air as they were pinned against the battlements of the city.
Wave upon wave of the nothing, attacked them in which a lot of the warriors fell but they were holding on and Ki'lak however didn't have any trouble taking down the nothing, as they came. Lord Pallav struggled to keep up with him, but this isn't a competition to them as the very lives of Camel's citizens were at stake and so they continued to fight. They were ready to give their lives in defence of Camel, a nothing, shot down towards Ki'lak so he just struck it with his short sword and it vanished.
Meanwhile at the city of Medevil they too had the same idea of lighting up the battlefield although they were not holding out so well as they didn't have the man power that Camel has and their warriors were falling by the minute. They're being dragged up into the blackness of the sky and being dropped down upon the warriors of Medevil. It really wasn't good for the army's morale as weak as it already is. "We need to sound a retreat, Lord Saladin," shouted Johnkal and as he fended of three nothings, in a single horizontal motion of his long sword he finished, "now," Lord Saladin turned to face him red in the face and sweat pouring from his brow as he sliced a nothing, with his blade. He cried, "no the city will fall, if my army does not hold them back," as he turned his back to Johnkal to slay a nothing, another one swooped down behind him.
Johnkal rushed over and stabbed it through the back and as it disappeared Lord Saladin turned around and thanked him. Johnkal advised, "you will not have an army left if we do not turn back to the city," he parried against another nothing. Lord Saladin stood there for but a moment with the blood of his brethren hot upon his face, as he stood there, he could hear the screams and the cries of his brothers in the darkened sky above him. A tear let slip down his left eye and in that moment, he realised all is lost as he stared a nothing, in its fiery burning eyes.
He had the urge to give up and accept his fate all the while as he stood there the nothing, raised it's claws above it's head and readied itself to strike, it began to bring it's claws down just as Ja'nel's sword pierced the nothing's, heart, assuming it has a heart. "Retreat. Back to the city," screamed Lord Saladin at the top of his voice, he nodded at Johnkal saying thanks, as they all ran towards the city. The word retreat could be heard from warriors all over the battlefield as they repeated Saladin's words, a choice in which all the lords of the Azzard will ultimately have to make.
Meanwhile outside the wizards towers Rickalas, Damo and Spiros began walking towards the building, the right tower isn't accessible as the entrance had collapsed in on itself and you wouldn't even be able to access it if it wasn't for the sky walk connecting both towers together. The left tower is very accessible though which they all walked towards, there's no doors as they had fallen off sometime in the past, it's dark, dusty and full of cobwebs inside. They were signs that squatters had lived here in the past, but it looked as though no one had been here in a very long time, but they have orders and they must search it from top to bottom in search of the Slaads presence.
I myself don't think the Slaads have set foot in this old relic since the first great war when it was constructed, how it survived all this time amazes even me. It's very dark inside but it didn't bother them as they have light and there was no sign of the Kananarku here. "We should split up we will cover more ground that way," whispered Rickalas, they all agreed, especially Damo, he's quite taken with the idea, as he said that they all split up and began searching the towers.
Meanwhile at the city of Mallace, Niklaus, Rosarlea, Lord Eanraig and the army had been completely annihilated on the battlefield and the city is now overwhelmed by the Kananarku. A lot of the surviving people of Mallace were held up in the basement beneath the main house and Niklaus, Rosarlea and Lord Eanraig were in the throne room, the nothing, couldn't get in as it were the only part of the city still lit up. As they were stood there talking about what they're going to do now the doorway to the throne room burst open.
It's a Slaad lord, one of the ones that was undercover in all the cities and this Slaad is Thom Scay, a Plutopian by stature and he has weapons sheathed to his waist. Although instead of two or one' he has four weapons, two on each side of him, his hair is long and white covering the right side of his face, it's unwashed and his face is unshaven. "Who are you," Lord Eanraig asked, he stopped by the doorway with all his hands upon his sword hilts, ready to draw them upon a moments notice.
He stood there for but a moment with his eyes upon the Guardians silently hoping for them to make a move, "I am a Slaad lord," snarled Thom, as the words slipped from his tongue, they all drew their swords and pointed them towards Thom. In which he quietly spoke, "I have not come to fight, I come with an offer oh great lord of Mallace," Niklaus and Rosarlea told him not to listen to him and began to approach Thom in combat and at the same time Lord Eanraig snapped, "wait. Stand down Guardians," Niklaus and Rosarlea turned to face him red in the face and angered that he would even listen to the lies of this Slaad.
Niklaus began to plead with Eanraig, "you can not be serious," Lord Eanraig ignored what Niklaus said, he just stood up from his throne and walked down the steps. Upon the bottom step he asked Thom to continue, "I will bring you the same offer being brought before all the lords of the Azzard, surrender to us," Niklaus and Rosarlea held their weapons high biding their time before they strike, "swear your fealty to Tranver as Emperor of the Azzard and eventually the whole world, you keep your throne, you keep your city," Thom paused.
Lord Eanraig felt as though the Slaad lord is giving him no choice and all the while Niklaus and Rosarlea couldn't understand why he's listening to him, "surrender the Guardians into our custody and no more of your people need die tonight, deny me and we shall burn your city to the ground," Thom smirked. Lord Eanraig thought about it for a moment while Niklaus and Rosarlea can't believe he's even contemplating it. They knew what is coming next so they gripped their weapons tighter waiting for the lord of Mallace to say those two words.
Lord Eanraig didn't know what to do, deny the Slaad and see his city burn or accept his offer and betray those he calls guests and friends which isn't what he wants. After carful thought and speculation he finally began to speak and lift the suspension in the atmosphere, "I am sorry friends, as a lord I must know when to make the hard call. I accept," he cried. Ashamed he couldn't look at the Guardians so he looked down to the floor, Niklaus sighed as he and Rosarlea both raised their weapons and shot towards Thom in a blinding fury.
Meanwhile at the battle of Plutopua, the city's burning from the hundreds of catapults that bombarded the city, Tranver and Rax where at the back of the army waiting for them to smash down the front gates. The Spiretons have a large battering ram trying to smash the gates down and they are close to pulling it of although they would of already done it if it wasn't for the arrows and burning oil killing of the Spiretons that were controlling the battering ram.
Scabies and Kelsia were inside Urik'daan waiting for the wizard to come and claim the city and Archangel Girian's also present ready to lend aid wherever he can, "Girian, I have a task for you brother," whispered Scabies, worry in his eyes he began to speak again, "the Guardians do not deserve this fate, they deserve a chance to fight another day, go rescue who you can, please," as Girian turned to face him he walked over to him looked him in the eye and said four words, "but, you will die," he cried.
Scabies walked closer to him and placed his hand on his shoulder, "yes, it has been a long time coming, I aided in the breaking of the blood moon curse, I caused all the great wars," he whispered. Girian smiled and told him it wasn't his fault, "but it was, you stood by my side after breaking the curse, you took us to the Elder gods upon the ninth dimension," Scabies took his hand of Girian's shoulder and began walking away from the throne as Girian followed him.
There's a lot of sadness in the air between them both at the moment as if it were like they knew what's coming next. Scabies cried, "they told me this day would come, that I would have to sacrifice my life to keep a secret undiscovered and I graciously accept my destiny," the Plutopian church bells began to sound all over the city as a warning the Spireton's had breached the city.
As Scabies heard the church bells he turned to Girian with sobbed filled eyes and grabbed him by the clothes with two hands and spoke, "go now, take Kelsia with you, before it is to late. Goodbye old friend," as a tear let slip down his left eye Girian also said goodbye and disappeared. Two friends never to see each other again, Scabies whispered to himself, "thank you," Kelsia and Girian were gone while Tranver, Rax and the whole army were ransacking the city and killing everyone in sight whilst Tranver and Rex were heading for Urik'daan and their prize, Scabies Thesulac.