Encroachment of the Blackened Borders(Open-ish)

[Natalya "Justicar" Banders]

(Thread for Natalya, Lana, Ludro, and Elexa. Others PM to join if you'd like)

With Duo's forces taking their first steps beyond the Undian stage and entering into the rest of the world, it hadn't been long before the coasts of Nerezza trembled with the footsteps of his army. A week of their campaign had set terror in the hearts of its people, and fire in the hearts of it's army. The surrounding human villages that lined the Northern coast were the first to feel the unrelenting force of Duo's army, and since then their march has taken them on a beeline for Dark-Soul City.

On these dark days, the first chance to stand against them had arrived. The reports of Duo's attack had finally allowed them to congregate at the first bastion of defence; the Bloodstone Keep. A massive testament to the power of the Vampire Lords of old, this keep of iron-rich stone had been shaped out from the mountain pass that marked the fastest road to the capital. It's massive gates were guarded by 4 great pillars shaped into the likeness of warriors of vampire legend, symbolic of the strength that the Keep held.

In addition to the refugees that had fled to it's protective walls, the army had at last assembled in enough strength to pose it's first real threat against Duo's forces. A mix of humans and vampires scrambled back and forth, weapons passed amongst any who would fight as the lords shouted orders and spoke passionate and compelling speeches to stir the morale of their people.

Among the hundreds of survivors that had fled from the war torn coasts, Natalya had accompanied them to the Bloodstone Keep, offering whatever aid she could. Now, in the frantic preparations as the minutes slipped away before the battle begins, Natalya was scaling up and down the stairs leading to the murder holes to ready the archers for the opening barrage. The words of Nerezza's finest gave her courage and conviction, and while she was out of her element she would not be dissuaded from her duties.

To my Queen, to my country I pledge this life. I shall not let these interlopers take one more step into our motherland. She thought, repeating the words she'd heard like a pledge that bolstered her with each repetition. It cooled her nerves, and steadied her hands. For the time at least, she felt like nothing would break their defence.

[Ludro "Ace" Gamblington]

"So how many are here?" Ludro asked one of the generals standing around, in his hands he was shuffling his cards.
"I have a 1,000 under my command, Captain Gamblington." She said, as she stood at attention, "All of them are excellent spears men."
"Good, get them prepared." Ludro said, as he walked away, looking for Lana to get a report from her.

The navy was going around the kingdom and while a small force of them would have artillery range of Bloodstone Keep. He knew that the naval support would be helpful, but if they could arrive in time was the real question. He kept shuffling his cards and looking around, as he walked passed Natalya.

[lana]

Spotting Lana in the crowd wasn't hard, despite all of the movement and noise. The super tall, fiery red-head was easily seen marching past and around men and women equipping weapons and readying for battle.

"Swords! Blades, axes, hammers, violins, I don't care what you have--this way! Go!" her easily identifiable voice belted orders, her longsword in the middle of them replacing her index finger as a pointing implement to station people properly. She liked to think that it motivated them, even if some of them scrambled off because they were afraid she'd somehow accidentally behead someone.

She eyed Ludro and his card-shuffling briefly, though looking away immediately afterward as she directed her attention to the gates, in a strange way looking forward to either killing everything that came their way or die doing it.

"...Fuck that, if I die I'm taking at least one of them down with me when it happens," she mumbled.

[Natalya "Justicar" Banders]

As the inner walls were alive with throaty speeches and scrambling soldiers preparing for the conflict with arms full of clanking weapons, there was a tense silence that was overpowering on the walls as Natalya made her way to her fellow Nerezzians. Each watched out from the narrow murder hole, their eyes piercing out past the sloping mountain pass and out at the high horizon that marked the place that the enemies would emerge. None said a word to her as she moved from soldier to soldier, as each merely outstretched their arms and took the quiver of deadly arrows into their hands, never once looking her way lest they miss a vital moment. It was an intimidating moment to her, and breathtaking at the same time. She respected each man and woman that she passed, never saying a word so they wouldn't lose focus.

Back beyond the walls the Generals prepped the infantry for their part to play. Most of the human men and women that made their numbers held a look of solemn resolve that held them fast and firm to their place just outside the gates. Each knew the part they were to play, and most held themselves with the kind of composure to be expected of a soldier.

Beyond the murder holes and up at the top of the keep's walls the mages and second through fifth contingent of archers stood at the ready, the vampire lords and ladies looking out to the same high horizon, their eyes narrowed to slits as if expecting something. Suddenly one cried from the East side, "Signal! Ready all forces!" A glint of a faint luminescent green glow peaked out from the Eastern cliff side that overlooked the Keep. It flashed twice before a pause and then a blue glow stayed out for a full 5 seconds before disappearing from view. "Two minutes away and...by the veil, five thousand in total." The woman, a pale, tall, vampire commander by the name of Amalie hung her jaw as she read the signal lights used by Nerezza's reconnaissance troops. Against the pitch of the countries nights the army had long since made use of the Glorok fungi for long range communication. Aided all the more by the sharp senses of the vampires it had been the very tool that had allowed their expedient assembly at Bloodstone Keep in the first place.

"Worry not about such numbers Amalie. We can handle a paltry force like that for days, if they even last that long." A stout and well armed woman calmed her subordinate, approaching her with a reassuring hand placed on Amalie's shoulder. She looked to the horizon with brash confidence in her eyes as her long crimson hair that clashed against her ebony flesh wafted in the wind. "I shall watch over this wall, you go prepare for your part."

Amalie placed her hand upon the gauntlet as she bit her lip with unease. "By your command Major Esterwin. May Asmalat hide you well."

"May Asmalat hide you well." The Major did not turn to face the vampiress as she leapt from the walls down below, for the far off silhouettes of Duo's army had at last reared their ugly heads. "To positions!" She cried, hoisting her own mighty great hammer to her side.

From down the walls and to the inner sanctum the announcement carried, and men and women took to their positions. As each soldier found their place and readied for battle in the last moments of silence, two of the recon members tracked down the Captains, each posing to them the same question:

"Captain, I've been ordered to escort you to position. Which group are you to meet with?"
(Memories of the debriefing highlight the sections in your mind as you recall each of the areas.
1. The front gates that will hold off the initial push should the gates or first walls be destroyed.
2. The primary walls that will assault the opening lines of the enemies and force the enemies off the walls.
3. The caverns to aid in the ambushing flank that will take place after the initial assault.
4. The secondary walls that will protect the inner sanctum and the refugees should they be required to make an escape with any remaining forces.)

[lana]

"About damn time," Lana muttered at the mention of action, immediately making her march towards the front gates and forcing her escort to follow or keep up.

"To the gates!" she shouted with a brave enthusiasm. If everyone saw how much their own Captain was willing to die for this, they should damn well be willing to do so, too.

[Natalya "Justicar" Banders]

"Of course, m'lady, let me, that is, if you know the way..." The recon soldier took off two steps behind Lana, caught off guard by her brashness. As she made her way to the gate wayward gazes from the contingencies turned and muttered with surprise and joy at the sight of one of the Queen's second-in-commands in their ranks. By the time she had taken her place among them most were grinning enthusiastically, while those that showed their inexperience seemed less rattled.

"Oi ladies, you see this? Captain Lana Princel is here, so you'd better not wuss out." One of the veteran infantry called out.
"Yeah, who's got time to be scared of Duo's army when we've got Lana the Defenestrator with us." The line caused laughter to break out among the ranks, easing the tension a little.

At the top of the walls Major Esterwin stared up at the mouth of the canyon as primal roars of Duo's forces cried out against the dark skies. Her fingers splayed along the thick handle of her weapon, tapping with impatience, or was it nervousness? She shock her head, bringing clarity back as she motioned to the mages along the wall nearby. "Activate the first line!" In unison the mages bowed low, beginning their incantation. As if awakened by the call of their words of power, the grand statues that stood guard stirred from their slumber. A shroud of thick blackness poured from their mouths, filling the canyon below with a darkness that no eyes could pierce through. Within moments the darkness had spread just high enough to match the height of the tallest wall of Bloodstone Keep.

"Preparations are complete Major. We await your orders." The nearest mage rose from her prostrated pose, her eyes never left the wall as she maintained concentration on the mystical energies that held the wall together.

"Good, then let them come. Archers, ready your first salvo!"

Beyond the canyon's mouth, through the monstrous beasts and hellish creatures that stood ready to attack, the rear guard was held by a far more inconspicuous lot. Human men and women garbed in heavy armour, all marked with the sigil of the Golden Army, stood with surprising ease among the more fiendish of Duo's army. Of all of these humans, three marched through the ranks, approaching the front as one slender man trailed behind them.

"It's as I said commanders. They're stopping us from entering." The young man spoke with hastened breaths.

"Twas only a matter of time." The commander in the centre spoke up, his words short and tight in execution.

"Yes, are you excited as I am?" The older one on the left chimed in, a grin held hidden beneath his massive beard.

"Not as such. Merely intrigued to see these Nerezzans fight. It's said they cannot be beaten on their homeland."

"Well, you know what they say. There's a first for everything, ain't there?"

"Indeed." Will you give the orders?"

"With pleasure. Hey uglies, tear them apart!" The bearded man roared with as great a volume as any of the beasts. The damned monsters perked up, and took down the canyon with fervour. The initial waves of soulless marionettes dashed down through the black wall without a thought, lacking the ability to be surprised when they passed through without any resistance. They only continued on mass towards the phalanx of Nerezzan soldiers that stood at the ready in front of the gate. With vicious roars the Nerezzans charged the opposing forces. Despite the sounds of metal and flesh meeting not a soul fell.

"Heh, that's what you get for employing brainless minions." Major Esterwin smirked as she brought her hand down, signalling to her archers to fire. In an instant hundreds of arrows stabbed into the monsters of the Golden Army and passed harmlessly through the illusory Nerezzan men and women that had occupied them.

[lana]

Lana couldn't help but grin stupidly at her given title "Lana the Defenestrator". Had a really nice important-sounding ring to it. Strike fear in the eyes of her enemies, it would.

Outside of the walls were the growling and screams of monsters that attacked. To someone like Lana who'd had enough years to know the sounds and identify them well enough, it was like a good joke to her ears.

"Sounds like stupid is in the air," she laughed, "good thing we're not like that! When we go in there, we take every one of those bitches down!"

[Natalya "Justicar" Banders]

With the first wave dispatched, the air filled with the triumphant roars of the archers atop the walls. The phantom Nerezzan troops shifted back into position, the complex magics working in tandem with the onyx wall that the statues spewed. On the canyon entrance the three commanders for the Golden Army watched intently, staring at the black wall.

"That ended faster than expected." The central commander, a man with perfectly coifed red hair observed without a hint of surprise or disgust.

"Bah, they's just softening 'em up." The bearded one clenched his teeth, masking his irritation behind his bravado. "I mean, it's no fun if we just send everything at them at once, right?"

"Losing is even less fun, isn't it?" The red head tilted his head curiously at the older man.

"Grrrrrr, alright, screw it! All units, charge!" Throwing his arm forward in a commanding gesture the rows of monsters, great and small, snapped to attention and with a grunt or snarl of bloodlust rushed forward. This time composed of more than just the marionettes, the Golden Army rushed the entrance. Once more the marionettes were the first to pierce the veil, activating the illusory Nerezzans to engage.

"So, they send more lambs to the slaughter?" The Major rested over the wall's edge, peering over into the mock battle below, a look of cautious concern drawing the fine lines on her forehead together in a bundle. "Second wave!" She commanded, and like an echo the words carried through the voices of her captains, each one directing another storm of arrows upon the enemy.

"Yeeess!" Below on the third tier wall Natalya pumped her fist as she watched the slaughter from a murder hole. "Gods be praised, at this rate they won't get one of us! Wait, what are?" Seeing a flash of something new she pressed her face right up against the wall, her one eye straining to see what appeared.

And what indeed, for as the arrows slew the marionettes by the dozens, the rest of the slower forces were joining in on the fray. Human infantry armed with full plate shields and massive ladders trudged along side a tumbling horde of glowing boulders, which smashed the corpses of their own men on their path to the walls of Bloodstone Keep. The walls shook with a terrible quake as each boulder beat against the walls, and with surprise a few unsuspecting archers from the top walls were thrown from their perch, landing with a sickening crunch below. Yet more than mere munition, each boulder came alive as stocky limbs and a comically small smooth head pulled out from the stony carapace to strike the wall. Almost in tandem with the distraction of the golems a series of blinking lights appeared from just within the boundaries of the magic wall, disappearing only for another to appear several feet closer.

"Oh no! Inner walls prepare! Teleporters!" Major Esterwin cried out to the forces within the keep, her order only barely audible against the crashing sounds of the stone golems' attacks.

Each man in Lana's party tensed at the words, their joking cut down to nothing as tension took over. Eyes scanned all over, wary for any sign of the invaders. "There!" One called out as six sigils of light shone just overhead the rear ranks of the gate guards. From each one a humanoid figure appeared, though they might as well have been a bolt of lightning for how quickly they struck. Only as they paused, each one digging their curved daggers into flesh and steel, did Lana and the others see the wrapped bodies and vacant faces of the teleporting invaders. Those that killed with their blows sprang out to seek new targets, one of which leapt at Lana before vanishing into a sigil similar to the one that spawned them, appearing only a moment later from above, his twin daggers poised to sink into her neck.

[lana]

Where it wasn't a situation that was quite desirable, Lana still felt a guilty satisfied rush of having some panic adopted into their section and charged towards their invaders as the one in particular leaped towards her. Her sword raised, smirk on her face, she swung at her enemy only for it to vanish before her. Her immediate instinct was to keep a high guard, swinging herself around swiftly to catch a glimpse of where it'd disappeared.

Maybe it had been a sense of something looming over her, or something she thought she saw moving above her, or maybe it was just her pure dumb luck kicking in to help her again but she caught a look upwards as her attacker came down upon her. A side-step to her left came quickly but still a little short as the man's daggers tore into her shoulder and down her right arm, the initial pain causing her to thrust her knee into him on instinct in order to knock him off and save her whatever damage she could. Her bloodied arm shook, her hand tossing the hilt of her blade into her left and she let out an angry cry as she stabbed viciously at her foe.

[Dios Sarvo]

With the hastened flight of bodies as the teleporting fiends tore through the keeps inner sanctum, it would've been hard for most to notice the sudden absence of one of the glowing sigils in the ensuing battle, and yet another as the conflict continued. As the apparating demons took to hunting them members of Lana's contingent, another force seemed to be playing it's own game of "predator and prey" with Duo's forces.

With a sudden cackling laugh, a silhouetted figure tore himself from the shadows, his two large daggers in hand carrying one of the phasing creatures as the two of the flew across the inner keeps before ending with the creature slammed fiercely against the hard dusty red interior. As it struggled and strained to free itself from the steel that pinned it, a shadowy doppelgänger pulled itself from the emerald-haired man's chest, and brutally eviscerated the creature with a pair of it's own butterfly knives.

Forcefully tugging the large steel blades from the creatures chest, the man delivered a swift kick to the dispatched being's chest, pushing it deep into the shadows that hugged the walls before diving in himself to resume the hunt.