Logfile from Akarian Dawn Akuun. Its been a few hours now since the main battle has ended. The troups of the Northern Legion, the two Companies that arrived with General Akuun some months ago go about ferreting out the last resisters. The Grunlings that have hidden in the sewers all these years have finially been killed down to next to nothing. The angry dead spirits have been laid to rest by an ancient weapon that arrived in the hands of someone at just the right moment (Those Order of the Broken Blade Guys are everywhere). The last of the undead, and the human enemies, the Sightless warriors have perished under Aernon's command. Akuun, The Stone Crab, has managed to survive without a wound and now stands in the center of a group of officers handing out orders. He turns to look for Aernon, "Where is Aernon at?" He asks of the officers. [Aernon(#9902)] The man Akuun looks for slowly walks back into the middle of the square from the maskeshift healer's tent. A young woman is not far from his side. Aernon has been cleaned up since the battle, his wound cleaned and stitched. It is deep and is set to leave a gruesome scar, those looks he has were marred here today. "I'm here!" He calls up to the group of officers as he closes in, looking down to the woman beside him for a moment. "I will return to my chamber when my duties are done." He utters quietly, gazing at for for a few moments before he looks back to his cousin. Eiriel(#8095)] Blood stains the front of her dress as if she had been leaning on someone who had been injured, but the royal healer stands with the presence of a great lady. An aide hands her a washcloth to wipe the blood off her hands, but it hardly removes it all. Aernon is clearly not Eiriel Karatri's first patient today. "You ought not leave the hospital," she tells the man helplessly as she cleans her hands. "Does the general bring with him more patients?" Akuun turns from the officers at the arrival of Aernon and Eiriel. "Ah Commander Aernon..." (Suddenly the General begins to use Aernon's formal title. "...I see you have had your wounds tended, excellent we have much to do." He is about to give addiontial orders but Eiriel speaks out. "Ah Lady Karatri, I see you have been busy. Its unforntate that the denizens of the district put up such a fight. How are my men fairing?" [ [Aernon(#9902)] "I will return when I am finished with my duties, my lady." He offers back to her before shrugging in reply to her question. "I came to you soon after the fighting, I know not how many fell and were injured." The commander's eyes soon return to his cousin's. "Yes, lady Karatri was a great help." He offers a smile to the healer before his gaze falls back onto Akuun. "What is it you would have me do now?" He asks, his usually gruff voice worstened in his slightyl weakened state. Eiriel(#8095)] Approaching closer, Eiriel replies to Akuun, "There were a number of casualties. We've patched up most of the ones who were brought to us alive, but I've got a couple I don't believe will make it. There are some abdominal injuries that will need to remain in the hospital. I believe I've had one or two return to battle, but I'd have to ask my manager. I've been putting people back together again." It's a somewhat informal report, but perhaps the best he will get, when it comes to injuries. Akuun listens to Eiriels report. "They suffered far worse then we did. Have you had any of the enemy brought to you Lady?" He turns a moment to another officer who has been waiting, "Yes, yes, take 1st Platoon and scout the southern ruins, go." The officer moves off quickly shouting for 1st platoon. Akuun then steps closer to both, "What of...of my father's wounds. Will his spirit be safe? That man Halos claims to have consecrated his body, but what d you two think?" Aernon(#9902)] "Your father?" He asks, looking him over carefully before saying, "I would have him returned to the estate and put into his tomb, he would have wanted what his fathers had." Aernon speaks confidently, even if it isn't his place to do so. "It is what my father wanted, it's where my father is now." His bloodied hand rests on the pommel of his longsword. "He is your father, you are lord now, it is up to you what you do with him." [Eiriel(#8095)] "Not many, my Lord. Most were killed in the field, particularly the non-human ones, but I have one or two that will probably live. Capture was not really on your men's minds," points out the lady simply. She glances about as if seeking the body or where it might have been placed. "I have not seen him. I have been kept quite busy with the living, but I will take a look if you like. If he has been consecrated, then perhaps the evil is gone and he will rest." Eiriel gets news of the battlefield regularly, if piecemeal. "I am sorry for your loss, though." Akuun rests a hand on the pommel of his sword, what was his father's sword. "His body is safe yes. I have already had orders sent to move him into the tomb. I will be Lord of the Asfarix, but for now I am the General of the North Legions, and we have a duty to preform. It is for his spirit, his soul, that I worry. The Warlock only defeated him by using the dark magics at his call." He nods slowly a few times to Eiriel. "Let us hope that the Warlock's power has gone. I will trust in this Halos for now." He wipes a bit of sweat from his brow, "See to it that at least one of the captives lives. We made need to interogate him if the prince is not found." His eyes light up again at the princes mention, "Yes the prince is our first concern. Aernon, I want to to take a platoon and head into the old Chatedral, see if the prince is there. I shall come with you as soon as I straight out the other platoons." To both of you, and the others still gathered he asks, "Any news from Perizan's contingent in the north?" Aernon(#9902)] "Trust him if it helps you cope." He utters, obviosuly not too sure of this Halos man. Aernon doesn't wait for a reply though, he offers a bow of the head and says. "I'll deal with it now." The commander takes a step away a gestures for one of the assembled groups of men to rank up and follow him. "I will meet you in there, then?" He asks, waiting a moment before he ehads off for the cathederal. [Eiriel(#8095)] "No casualties," replies Eiriel, that being the more important fact to her. "They fought only a few who were fleeing from the main engagement. Sounds like it was pretty quiet up there." Maintaining the base means being at the center of the information. "Then you haven't found the prince yet. You should have me summoned when you do. He may be injured by these creatures who have held him captive." Akuun looks to Aernon, "Go ahead, we need everything searched before the engineers move in. Mark the buildings you search so we know we can demolish them Commander. I shall catch up with you." Listening to Eiriel he smiles slightly, "Perizan won't be happy about that, will he?" The Stone Crab knows that Captain Perizan will be upset at not seeing any good action. "The glory is all house Asfarix, let us keep that up Aernon. Find the Prince before Perizan's men do." Eiriel(#8095)] The little sister also knows that Captain Perizan will be furious for the lack of action, and she smiles one of those mean little sister smiles. "No, he won't be," Eiriel agrees, blushing a bit for being pleased to see her brother's troubles. Or perhaps it's the kid sister blushing at her older brother's handsome friend. "Try not to taunt my brother too much about your claiming all of the glory for yourself." Akuun rests his hand on his father's blade, "Glory at a high price this time. Not everything is glorious about this day." Obviously refering to his father's death. "We shall send for you right away when we find the prince, no doubt he will be wounded." The search continues around them, and Akuun sends off a few more men with other platoons. "If you get a break Eiriel, come to the main chathedral, I have a feeling we shall find him there." Akuun rests his hand on his father's blade, "Glory at a high price this time. Not everything is glorious about this day." Obviously refering to his father's death. "We shall send for you right away when we find the prince, no doubt he will be wounded." The search continues around them, and Akuun sends off a few more men with other platoons. "If you get a break Eiriel, come to the main chathedral, I have a feeling we shall find him there." [Eiriel(#8095)] "There are a few other surgeons. I will see how many wait for me, and then I will come to you," Eiriel replies with a nod. She glances back towards the hospital, then to Akuun once more. "There will be time for mourning when the work is done, duty fulfilled, and wounds mended. Be safe, now, and I shall come when I am free." "Excllent." Akuun Asfarix turns his back to the lady and to his men, "You, you, and you, with me. The rest of you find your platoons and start searching. We find the prince today." And today it is, finially the sun breaks over the ocean to the east, a red dawn, a bloody dawn, an Akarian Dawn. The group moves east, further into the district: The Bloodstained Ave, Court of Burning Souls -- Fallen District, Tenigul The road opens into a larger than life courtyard. The diamond patterned court is set up to act as an amphitheater. Between where the road enters from the West, and climbs upwards to the North, rise stone stadium like seats, all fully over grown with weeds and creeper vines. The stone is broken, stained with burn marks and blood that refuses to be washed away by the rains. In the center of the court is an empty pedestal that stands ten feet high, and thirty in diameter. Only feet remain on it, broken off at the ankle, the statue that was once here has been cast into the sea far below the cliffs to east. Pillars stand half snapped off along the outer edge of the huge court, while other stonework lies broken where it fell. At the tip of the south corner of the diamond a platform rises ten feet up, the pulpit from which thousands of masses, and thousands more sacrifices were held under the night sky. A stone table, carved as part of the raised platform still sits in offering to Raughir. The blood channels, stained from so many centuries of use a grim reminder of the devotion that Raughir demanded from his people. Yet it is to the Eastern corner of the court that one can not look away. The hulking shape of the grand cathedral stands broken, and split asunder. The great bell tower has nearly come down, only a fraction of it still stands with gaping eyes skywards. The sprawling base of the temple covers two full acres, roofless, and nearly demolished, the burned out husk lingers on in undeath. In every corner, in every stone, an evil tale hides among the ruin. Crows watch from the tower, rats move within. Shadows glance out empty windows, and low dull moans escape from the twisting hall within. The power and vileness of Raughir lingers here still. Dawn is breaking over the Fallen District, a bloody Akarian Dawn. A group of men move searching the ruins for the prince, lead by Commander of the Faith Aernon. Not far behind comes Akuun Asfarix with 3 men of his own. The shadows draw back at the comming dawn, the ruins of the great temple to Raughir stil stand, one spire (of 6) still reaches into the air a boney finger of the past. "Split up, be carefull, there may still be enemies about." Eiriel(#8095)] It is some time later when the lady healer shows up with a contingent of her own men and a pair of assistant healers. Accompanying them are some walking injured who seem bandaged enough to provide some defense for the lady. As they enter, they move to join the General. [Aernon(#9902)] Aernon and his men have been searching through many areas of the cathederal, though Aernon soon return to the court as soon as word reaches them that Akuun has arrived. "We have found nothing yet." He offers to his cousin quite hastily as soon as he nears them, a bit of blood seeping from his stitches already. "I still ahve the men searching." Akuun awaits the arrival of the lady Karatri, the Royal Healer. "Stay with me Lady, careful with your footing." He looks to Aernon, "Excllent, come with me back in the main part Aernon." With that Akuun moves up past the open air alter in the center of the court that is before the cathedral. He ducks into the ruins of the once great temple to Raughir. Men flanking him, he draws his sword incase any wait within. The shadows are heavy and dark, one shadow moves suddenly. "Enemy!" The Stone Crab calls out to the others. The Sightless warrior charges forward, a burning wick in his hand. The General leaps to the offensive. Before the device can explode, Akuun brings his sword to bare on the man's arm, lopping it at the elbow. Blood sprays everywhere, and the man screams in pain but lunges with a dagger at the Lord Asfarix. The dagger is turned asside against the man's heavy armor. Then suddenly there is a loud explosion. The 'bomb' errupts with black smoke. Ruble shifts from the ceiling, and the Sightless lies covered in stone shards from his own device, dead. One of Akuun's men also is pelted with schrapnel and falls screaming, coving his face with bloody hands. Akuun chokes on the smoke, then it happens. A huge stone loosened by the blast falls from high above. Nearly blinded from the smoke, Akuun moves, but too late, the massive brick slams into his shoulder, and the Stone Crab crumples to his knees. [Adssar(#3074)] Of the spires, there remains little but rubble of most of them. Something causes the rubble to shift, a dangerous toppling of precariously balanced decimated walls. Rocks and pieces of other rubble rumbled over each other, a mini land slide. As these pieces continuously shift, they obviously remove much of the support for a portion of the wall of the remaining spire. A decently sized chunk of the wall begins to slowly peel away from the structure. It seems almost held in mid-air before gravity finally takes over, pulling it towards the base of the rubble slide... *WHAM* It falls, smashing to smaller chunks of rubble, sending up clouds of choking dust in a large cloud. As the cloud begins to dissipate, there seems to be something bunched up on one of the floors just inside the area where the wall fell away. [Eiriel(#8095)] It is convenient that there are healers so close. One of them, covered by a guard, rushes to aid the man damaged by the schrapnel, coughing in the smoke. Eiriel, covering her mouth with a handkerchief and blinking in the dust cloud, rushes to Akuun's side, ready to deal with the trauma of what is likely a broken shoulder. [Aernon(#9902)] Akuun's cousin doesn't seem to think mcuh of his own safety as he starts to run towardas him as the large piece of masonry hits him. He's too late to do much, but he tries to grab him and start to pull him away. He loosk up around him as the wall starts to peel away and just carries on pulling his cousin back, not noticing the 'something' as he pulls the weight of his cousin in full armor. "There is no point dealing with him here, some more might fall." He offers, looking up to the Lady Karatri as she tries to help. Akuun helps the two pull him to safety from the crumbling wall, "Get.." he coughs and chokes on the dust and smoke, "...my men out of there Aernon." He is in obvious pain, but allows himself to be pulled free into the courtyard. He holds his arm limp, and with pain, a broken shoulder no doubt. A weaker man may have died under the blow, escpially if not wearing the heavy armor that Akuun has on. He too can't see the Prince's limp form in the exposed chamber beyond. [Adssar(#3074)] The dust continues to settle, rubble still shifting slightly from the massive weight that was just dropped on the pile. The explosion didn't help matters either. [Eiriel(#8095)] "I'm going to tie that arm down. Careful now," Eiriel instructs, reaching out to move it gently so that his hand lies across his chest. There are linens in her hand to make a sling, to tie the arm against him so that he cannot use it and damage it further. One of her guardsmen stands close at hand, looking as if he might be inclined to grab her and drag her from danger. She is too concerned with the current injuries to seek the prince just yet. But others will explore. [Aernon(#9902)] "Get out of here!" Aernon calls out to the men gathered as he lays his cousin down where he feels it is safe. Slowly he wanders back into the rubbled area and barks out orders, sending men out to where it is. Again he does what is asked without too much regard for his own safety. "Get out!" He barks again, a few more ben run at his orders and just before he turns, he spies the whatever it is hunched up. Suspecting it is one of his men maybe, he runs over to take a quick look, climbing up a bit of rubble to get a better look. Akuun slowly sheaths his fathers sword as the healer works her magic on him. He counts the men as they flee from the crumbling cathedral, more stone and rubble falls from above, one stone striking the bell that still rests up high. The Bell rings out like a sharp tolling. Those in the district all pause amoment and look toward it from their places. Many begin to move from far off closing in on this area from other locations in the district. "Hurry Aernon!" Akuun shouts, "That place is comming down, finially, but if the prince is in there, he won't survive long!" Another massive stone crashes into the rubble only a few feet from Aernon. [Adssar(#3074)] The rubble is loose and slides as it is climbed, but does not completely give way, eventually yielding its treacherous nature to the climber. The man size form on the ground is huddled up, almost limp, covered with a dirty, shreded cloak. As one approaches, a face that has not been seen in the city for a very long time, is finally in sight. At least it appears that way at first. Upon closer examination, his face is haggard, thin lines cris-crossing it. A scar is visible here and there, but... The Prince Adssar has been found at last! [Aernon(#9902)] No words are offers back to Akuun, Aernon is concentrating on not getting himself killed. As the large piece of masonry falles, Aernon leaps form the crumbling masonry and lands wityh a thud on the ground. He lets out an oof sound and slwly climbs back onto his feet. Now only a few feet from the prince, he looks hmi over, onyl taking a second or two before blurting out. "Prince Adssar!" He doesn't offer him a bow, instead he tries to pick him up and sling him over his shoulder, wanting to just get out of there as soon as he can. The rubble seems to be pretty unstable but the ex-kingsguard makes his run. [Eiriel(#8095)] As the gong sounds, Eiriel looks up in some fear. "We have to get out of here," she tells Akuun worriedly, watching a man with a bandaged head help one of her healers carry an injured man out on a makeshift stretcher. "We won't survive long at this rate, either." Except for one escort and the pair with the stretcher, her men have gone to aide Aernon. Akuun stands with some effort, once on his feet he see's Aernon with the Prince. "Full withdrawl! Everyone clear the structure, its comming down on itself!" His men obay his orders, and helping those wounded the majority of them withdawn down the street clearing the cathedral as it begins to topple in. The last great spire slowly teetors a hundred feet in the air, falling like some massive tree just cut at the base. "Go!" He shouts to Eiriel, ordering her to withdrawl as well. "Aernon! Its now or never, hurry!" He begins to back off, there is little he can do to help with his shoulder, and so he watches as dust, stone and debris fall down on the fleeing form of Aernon and the Prince. [Adssar(#3074)] Adssar is awake, but barely. His strength has been sapped from him. He can offer little assistance, requiring Aernon to accept most of his weight. When his arms or sides are grasped, his clothing moves over rough, bumpy areas on the Prince's skin. The rubble piles shift as slide as the men struggle across them, but apparently they don't wish to claim anyone else today, for no full slide occurs. [Eiriel(#8095)] Nevertheless, the lady beats a hasty retreat out of what is left of the structure, glancing back only once. Her guardsman practically drags her along, making quite certain that she does not attempt to aid the Prince while the building falls. [Aernon(#9902)] Aernon doesn't wait to find out if the rubble is going to fall, he just charges out of the cathederal, the weight of armour /and/ the prince not hindering him too much. "Get out!" He yells to anyone who followed him in, merely echoeing his cousin's words. Still, he makes it into the open again and and slows once it is safe, lowing the Prince to the ground. "See to him." He orders Eiriel, looking around to see that all who went in have returned. *Ka-Boom* The last spire of the cathedral of Ruaghir finially falls. The stone smashing stone sends up such a dust and dirt cloud as to hide Aernon's finial moments, but just then he escapes with the Prince and comes to Eiriel. No one was lost in the rubble, thankfully. Akuun stands gazing at the massive pile of black stone, the bell that was in the tower broken and smashed in the ruin. "And so its over." [Eiriel(#8095)] Over for some. After tossing Aernon a dirty look for his unnecessary orders, Eiriel sets to work on the prince's body. Kneeling beside the limp form, she examines him, cradling his head to protect it. She doesn't like what she sees, that much is clear, by the look on her face. "Send a messenger to his father, and where's the stretcher? He needs to be brought to the palace for more intensive treatment." Akuun looks to the north, and then back west. "Do what you need to Lady, you have all my men at your disposal. Aernon, I'm certain will want to stay with the Prince. A fine job old dog, a fine job." He pats Aernon on the shoulder with his good arm, then points to one of the other men, "Tell the enginees they can move up. I want this district reduced to dust in three days. Get on with it." The man salutes and heads off. The strechers are bought up as Eiriel requested as well from where they were dropped in the chaos. [Aernon(#9902)] Aernon leaves Eiriel to deal with the prince, offering her just a curt nod as she speaks of a messenger. He deals with it, sending off a couple. "The first of you to make it will earn a few gold coins." He turns then to his cousin. "How bad is it?" He asks, taking a step towards him to take a look. "Shall I get you back to the estate?" Akuun holds his hand up, "I'll be fine. I'm not about to go sit on my hands when there is work too do. A good bottle of port, and perhaps getting out of this armor, and I'll be fine." The armor shoulder plate is so badly damaged and smashed its clearly bent down into his flesh. [Eiriel(#8095)] Observing as her men move the prince to a stretcher and prepare to move him slowly back to the field hospital and from there to the palace, Eiriel straightens and glances to Akuun. "Bottle of port and out of the armor, and then I'll set that shoulder. You are not to move that," she orders. Glancing to Aernon, she tells him, "And you. Mind your wounds and keep him from using that arm." [Aernon(#9902)] He watches the prince get taken away and looks form him to Eiriel. "I will, if you stop trying to get me to put that salve on it." A wry grin is offered before he looks abck to his cousin. "I do not see how you will just remove that, it will need to be beaten out, the metal will tear at you if not." A sympathetic look is offered as he eyes the armour over. Akuun lowers his eyes like a scolded child, "Yes mam." He replys and then glances at Aernon a bit sheepishly before heading back to the field HQ and field hospital. "We did it... well you did Aernon." He looks back over his shoulder at the rubble of the once grand cathedral, "I don't think he would have survived that." Then touching his armor, he winces, the pain setting in, "Its going to take /lots/ of port." He smiles over it all and with that the Prince's Saga has ended. The End.