As the Twilight

[Ares]

A rather young elf entered into the citadel in the dead of night, surveying ahead of him, looking for a place in which to plot his schemes. He believed there was another coming as well, yet he knew not who. He brushed back his long, white hair, and ran his hand along the dark skin of his forehead, removing the sweat from his brow. He had a very good idea of what he was supposed to be doing, and yet he was taking his time, for the night was long. He carefully avoided the patches of snow that remained upon the ground, so as to not be tracked easily, for he knew enemies were everywhere, yet he knew not which ones had followed him. He leaped onto a small ledge, protruding from the side of the citadel, and made watch, waiting for the other one to arrive. He watched carefully along the path he had come, for any sign of a drow among the snow.

[Viktor Delacroix]

Viktor took a quick view of the skirmish that had just ended. Several dark skinned elves laid dead in the snow at his feet. There were more in the woods around him. He knew not why the underground creatures had come to the surface near the Citadel, but he would find out. Then he would stop their foolish advances.

He stepped quickly off the path and into the leafless trees nearby hearing the footfalls of several more. They stealthily moved through the woods with their weapons in hand. Viktor poised his longsword to skewer one as they closed.

Range was met and a drow found cold steel now living in his heart. The two drow with him gained composure and countered. Viktor used the gasping body of the dying warrior to fend their attacks. With a twist and a pull the sword was free and parrying the quick blades of the two drow.

[Ares]

Ares noted the battle below, and found the man in the middle of the battle to be quite a nuisance. These inferior beings sure could step out of line. He silently pulled a jar of powder from underneath his cloak. He took a piece of cloth, and wrapping it around his mouth, he threw powder into the wind as it blew toward the battle below. He didn't care if the other drow were caught in the cloud. After all, it would just eliminate a couple of rivals for power from his sight. He chose a poison that would disable the man the best, that he may fight the man on his own terms. He drew forth a myriad of needles from beneath his cloak, and began to coat them with poison. He threw eight needles directly at Viktor, and immediately drew forth more needles, waiting for the man to come fight him on his own.

[Viktor Delacroix]

Viktor parried a deft thrust from one of his drow foes, and just as the steel clanged he perceived an familiar odor on the wind. Poison dust. The drow nearby also perceived the dust, covering their mouths and noses with their hands. One was too slow, already having breathed deep. That drow visibly seemed to slow.

Viktor also unfortunately got a small dose before he held his breath. The soporific effects began to materialize. His hardened physique was filled with the dark blessing of a war god, however, and it would have none of this dishonorable tactic. His iron will snapped back to reality and the poison lessened in effect.

While he resisted the dust there was the dull sound of metal hitting his armor. Looking down he saw throwing needles in the snow. There was a hidden assailant nearby...

With one drow incapacitated by the poison, the other was at a disadvantage. Viktor stepped into the drow swordthrust, rendered to no effect against the mighty armor. An armored fist broke the drow's face and a swordblow severed its head.

"Now," Viktor said with a wicked grin, "where are you my hidden friend?"

[Ares]

Ares brought back his arm to fire another grouping of needles, but thought better. He began to set up small traps around where he was standing, finishing by climbing higher, and throwing more needles at the man below. "Are you blind, or just plain stupid, my friend? Perhaps you should look up, and see who is attacking you! Either way, you cannot hit what you cannot catch! I dare you to follow me, oh stupid one! That is, unless perhaps you are scared? Maybe you shall enjoy the wrath of Lolth, yes?" He let out a rather annoying laugh, and climbed higher still onto the structure.

"The others were unworthy, but it is not so with I! Let us see who is stronger!" He continued taunting the man who stood at the bottom, fighting the unworthy one...

[Viktor Delacroix]

This cackling drow was was barely worth his time...

The needles again bounced harmlessly off of Viktor's armor and if it were not for the fuel of war that still coursed in his veins he would have yawned. He looked up and saw the elf-thing scaling a low parapet of the citadel. Viktor raised the Gauntlet of Nerull and mentally willed the Shadow forth, but only in part.

The mental tug from the entity trying to assert its own will was inconveniencing, but Viktor was not letting enough out to cause his own harm. Instead, a coruscating black flame burned in the palm of the gauntlet. Concentrating on the parapet and above Viktor released bolts of burning shadow.

[Ares]

Ares noted a slight pause as the man brought up the gauntlet, and fired the bolts of energy. He threw another volley of needles, this time aiming for the eye holes in the helm of the detestably persistent man. He figured that, by attracting attention to himself, he could cause the man to let show his biggest weakness. He threw a couple volleys of needles down, before one of the bolts of darkness struck him upon the stomach, whereupon it dissipated almost harmlessly. for a split second, a black cloth became visible, surrounding the drow, but soon enough it vanished. He quickly scurried up higher, before too much could fall on his head, holding his cloak above him to soften the blows, making it almost seem as if he had amazing strength. Suddenly, he got an idea, calling down, "What's the matter? That didn't even hurt! You need to find a better weapon, or come up here and get me, yourself!"

[Nerull]

*Thump thump*

Pale eyes suddenly looked up from the ancient tomb layed open before them.

*Thump thump*

The shadowy figures head turned to the side to stare straight at the bare wall to his right.

*THUMP THUMP*

It came again, the feeling he had not felt in ages. Someone was tapping into the ancient malevolence that resided within the walls of the citadel, "He has returned." The cloaked figure rose from his seat, and floated towards the blank wall. His eyes, like glowing coals, seemed to be focused on a point far far beyond the wall before him. His hands moved in a flurry of arcane symbols and his allready blurry form began to fade out of existence competely. As a part of the cursed item he had imparted Viktor with, Nerull had also hidden within the item a spell that was able to temporarily allow himself to manifest at the location that it was used. And as it was now a massive cloud of darkness erupted forth from the black flames like some hideously malevolent smoke. Even as the flames returned to "normal" the cloud coalesced into the figure of a robed man, though still being made up of the black smoke.

"It has been some time,Viktor," the phantom said in a dry whisper, "I was beginning to think you didn't appreciate the 'gift' I bestowed upon you."

[Traubon Masakari]

Traubon emerged from the forest coated in blood. This foolishness that the dark elves called fighting seemed to almost bore him. If it wasn't for the "corrupted" deeds of the black skinned ones he would not be here.

His armor clanked and shuttered as he moved toward two of the elves as they ran at him. Traubons sword raised as quickly as his second flashed out of its sheath. The first of the two got with in range of this enraged figure. All too soon the drow's leg was flying through the air in a spray of blood. Out of the pathetic creatures mouth came a mumble of words Traubon didn't even care to understand.

The ping of steel on steel rang out as a bolt spun away from Traubon. His armor deflected the first bolt, but a second had lodged itself into his shoulder. Looking towards his foe he got a unnatural grin on his face. The drow then found himself staring into the eyes of a soul less killer bolting straight for him. By the time he had the thought to run the cold steel of Traubon's bastard sword cut deeply into his side. A yelp came out just as a second sword slid into his throat to the hilt. Blood shot everywhere as the drow fell to the ground missing a head.

The feeble whines of a helpless drow spun Traubon back around to face the first drow trying to crawl away. Blood soaked the ground as more poured from the severed leg.

"Have you made your peace with your insideous goddess" Traubon deep malicious voice rang out.

Traubon couldn't understand what the drow was saying in his own tongue. All he thought of was that the drow was begging to be freed from the torment they called life. Traubon obliged his request and finished the job with a quick thrust into the dark skinned ones heart.

[Viktor Delacroix]

A voice from his accursed past cut to Viktor's black soul. Distracted, he received a needle to the lip. The drow could wait. Wait just a bit longer until Viktor could handle this villan of his past. He pulled the needle out of his lip, the blood trickling down his chin. Not even scar-worthy, this wound. A waste of blood spilled. Viktor willed the shadow away forcefully, not giving it time to react to his command. It fought momentarily, but then faded.

"I thought that calling the Shadow might rouse you, Nerull. Unfortunately, I see that you have not wasted into nothingness yet. Your gift remains useful, and I'll be rid of it and you when it is not."

Viktor tossed the needle to the ground casually.

"The citadel still stands, I'll be using it again as a base of operations and fortress, as I have in the past. I look to raise another army. One greater than before and much better. Generals of the greatest caliber, and soldiers fanatical to the cause..."

[Ares]

"Have you not learned yet, that one should not ignore me?" Ares touted, laughing at the man below him. "Those needles were coated with black lotus extract! Maybe you would enjoy a nice, long sleep, then, yes? Well, I shall give it to you! Enjoy, my friend!" Ares threw a rather dense powder along the edge of the ledge he was standing on as he jumped to a small protrusion above. The powder made contact with another, and an explosion let loose, tearing the ledge from it's support. The ledge came crashing down, as Ares threw another group of needles, behind the ledge, as to make them unseen. Lastly, he jumped down from his perch, more needles in one hand, and a jar full of powder in the other. He threw the powder ahead of him, and braced his arm for impact with the man's skull.

[Viktor Delacroix]

"Black Lotus! I SMOKE black lotus!" Viktor cried as he released the Shadow from the gauntlet. The dark aura surrounded him and shielded him from debris as he dove out of the way. Nerull would handle itself, or it he didn't...good riddance.

The parapet hit the ground, Viktor looked at the citadel. Nerull would be quite unhappy with the vandalism.

And nowthat he thought of it, vandalism was against the law.

His new god was all about the law. It was high time it was upheld.

With extreme prejudice.

[Firon]

'Here's another one...' Firon thought to himself, turning over the corpse of the drow he had happened across. He had heard some vague rumors about a party of drow in the area raiding local villages, most likely for supplies.

Dead drow didn't phase Firon in the slightest. After all, even in the most peaceful of times in drow civilization, finding the dead body of a neighbor or relative was a fairly commonplace occurrence; completely natural to drow culture. What bothered him was the number of dead drow, the lack of bodies of other races that might have been their attackers and the brutal and completely inelegant manner in which they had been cut down. Clearly, this was not the result of infighting among the war band.

With a resounding 'CRASH' from nearby, Firon felt he had a good idea of where to find the drowslayer. Approaching the base of the citadel, he stood, still within the cover of the surrounding wood, to gaze upon the spectacle before him: a strange little drow attacking an inferior creature and it's...summoned pet?

[Ares]

It seemed as if the man had been holding power back. Ares thought that he may have to retreat for a moment, and rethink his strategy. Perhaps he would find a teacher in a new form of weaponry. Either way, he decided to jump back a moment. He pulled off his cloak, and wrapped it around his eyes, and threw yet more powder upon the ground. He decided that, if he couldn't beat the man with such fun tactics as dropping great rocks on his head, he would have to use more... subtle trickery. He smiled as the powder, designed specifically to hinder eyesight by damaging the eyes, as well as creating a partially opaque cloud, drifted into the air. He searched his pouch for the goggles that he used to protect his eyes, and slipped them under his cloak, and over his eyes, before returning his cloak to its former position. He then pulled out more needles with his left hand, and more of the same powder with his right.

[Nerull]

Nerull had remained idle, floating a few yards above the ground merely observing the battle until the foolish elf began to redecorate the outer walls of his fortress. As the massive chunk of rock passed harmlessly through Nerull to slam onto the ground, he began to weave a series of spells into the rock. Oblivious even as the elf and Viktor battled on before him, Nerull unleashed the charged magic in a multihued beam that seemedto be absorbed directly into the massive chunk of dislodged stone.

"I don't much care for your style of redecorating my little elf, I would much prefer to adorn the battlements with you and your kin's heads." As he spoke, the pile of stones began to glow white hot as they melted and reformed into an adamantine golem. Even as it took form, Nerull continued to alter its growth like some twisted god creating spikes and razor sharp edges extending from all over its body.

"Go my minion, eviscerate the puny elf," he said indicating the dark skinned elf . Brilliant red runes flashed all over the golem indicating one of the spells that Nerull had imbued into it as it leaped with unatural speed into the air at the elf, wings of fire erupting from its back as it took flight.