A quick word of power massively boosts Steeple's capacity for physical destruction. Using his newfound strength he leaps straight up into the air, hitting the roof of the tunnel (and killing one of many bats that had been there silently watching the group).
A small swarm screeches and disperses when Steeple hits the ceiling, clinging there much like, well, like an insect.
The Athanatos cannot reach him here, high as he is. From his upwards position he searches through the crowd for the monks but cannot make out anything more than indistinct shapes in the salt clouds. He cannot even tell his allies apart from his enemies in the current obscurity.
Steeple hears a guttural roar as Andreas leaps to where he'd been standing just a moment ago and grabs the warrior that had attacked him. The Nosferatu's fist bursts right through the Athanatos' chest, sending bone, rotten flesh and rent metal flying. The brute then grabs the warrior by the arm holding the blade and exerting himself - a sickening squelch is heard as Drakovich rips the arm out of its socket, before he proceeds to use arm (still holding onto the sword) to beat the thing's skull into some unrecognizable mush.
Steeple has never found himself so grateful that he changed positions when he did. Had he not there was a very real chance Andreas could have done... well, what he just did, to him.
He might also finds himself grateful for the salt cloud. The sound of the brief conflict was sickening enough, he is very sure he wouldn't have wanted to see the result.
A brief grunt of pain is heard as two more humanoid figures leap into the battle and viciously attack what Steeple has assumed to be Andreas. He sees the flash and glint of the same ancient swords of the first Athanatos that had attacked him hack away at the Nosferatu and sees his opportunity.
Standing upright (downright?), Steeple lets his body swing downwards while holding his cane sword above him, moving like a bladed pendulum. His sword is easily visible through the cloud obscuring the area, but the undead makes no move to avoid it. Striking with savage strength, Steeple splits another Athanatos' head wide open, also getting a clearer view of the thing that had so viciously savaged one of the others. He easily recognizes Andreas on his knees, right fist pressed against the ground as if kneeling with cuts adorning his body and his left arm nowhere in sight.
A screech is heard, Nadia's voice crying out in pain as plain as day as the Athanatos presumably find her. Steeple manages to pinpoint her location (she has somehow moved past Heldric's last seen position near Prince Maurice and deeper into the salt mine).
---
Heldric strengthens his own self, warily surveying the area, his fierce red eyes piercing the surrounding darkness.
Ignoring the brief flutter of bats on the ceiling squeak and flee in protest, he shouts out his order to Andreas. Heldric's blood brother steels himself and answers with vigor, for the moment ignoring his doubts as to Heldric true identity. The Nosferatu leaps over to where the monks had been nearest to (Steeple's position).
He hears Andreas' roar and the subsequent flurry of combat as the Athanatos engage. He briefly scans the salt clouds, searching for the two monks. He finds nothing of interest and has to quell his frustration while he thinks the situation through before the Athanatos reach him.
He examines the area where the monks had been and checks to see which figures are doing what. He sees that many figures appear to be moving towards him and Steeple and, in particular, Andreas - no doubt Athanatos attempting to kill them all. Eyeing the figures he keeps a careful eye out to see who moves closer into melee combat and who stays back - hopefully the monks are not eager, vicious hand-to-hand combatants, or they might be impossible to distinguish from the things they raised.
Heldric's observations are interrupted by the rapid approach of the Athanatos.
He hears a brief scream of pain somewhere further down the salt tunnels - the voice is familiar, is that Nadia's? How did she get there?
Heldric lashes out at one of the approaching figures and his fist dents what appears to be ceremonial armour. When he retrieves his hand he notes rent flesh underneath the armor of the horrific zombie approaching him with the spry enthusiasm of a large cat on the hunt.
Heldric unleashes a second blow that obliterates the undead's chest and sends it flying back several feet. It lands loudly, its armor clanging against the tunnel floor.
His satisfaction at his victory is cut short when the blade sprouts from his chest. As he suppresses his gasp of pain and tries to react to the attack, he feels a gauntleted hand grab at his hair and forcefully jerk his head back, baring his neck.
A third Athanatos then leaps for his neck, blade flashing through the air. A white flash dashes across the ground before the blade reaches Heldric and Mr.Whitey's massive, powerful jaws clamp onto the Athanatos' arm, saving Heldric the trouble of decapitation.
Mr.Whitey jerks his head down and pulls the Athanatos off its feet, though the undead warrior quickly shifts position to try and lock the crocodile in place, punching the albino right between its two reptilian eyes.
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Topic: Steeple and Heldric - Pillars of Salt (Read 238422 times)