As the Twilight

[Ares]

Ares made out a large... thing headed toward him, at an incredible speed. As it approached, the cloud of dust in the air was pushed out of the way, revealing a rather large golem flying straight at him. He couldn't dodge something moving that fast, but maybe he didn't have to. He leapt at the beast, bringing his cloak in front of him, allowing himself to be hit by the beast's... head, was it? Whether or not he could tell what part of the golem it was made no difference.

He felt a sharp edge catch him in the stomach, but he merely proceeded to climb onto the back of the golem, using his cloak for protection, taking care to avoid the flame. After all, his cloak was not fire-proof, just cut-proof. He touched the golem, and suddenly a darkness surrounded it. Riding this thing certainly was uncomfortable with all of the pressure placed into his side by these spikes, so he leapt from the golem, using his cloak to break his fall. During his fall, he threw several jars more of powder, to provide him the cover that he required to dodge any attacks from his less cowardly foe.

[Firon]

Though the other drow seemed to be holding his own quite well, Firon didn't think it would be wise to directly intervene quite yet. After all, it was never truly beneficial to engage a well armored and well armed opponent in close proximity if it could be at all avoided. Best to hit them when they couldn't hit back.

As such, still shrouded from view both the night's natural darkness and by taking cover behind a tree, he pulled out his repeating crossbow, applying drow poison to the tips of each of the bolts in one case before loading it.. Leaning out from behind his tree, he leveled his crossbow at the armored warrior, as he was clearly both the greatest threat and closest target.

When the cloud of whatever poison surrounding the combat began to settle and figures became distinct again, he fired a bolt at Viktor, aiming for the warrior's neck, where there should potentially be a small gap in his armor.

As Ares switched targets to the newly summoned golem, Firon made a small gesture and pointed at Viktor. Brilliant faerie fire erupted around him, giving him a shimmering purple aura. Thus, even as Ares made another shroud of poisonous dust, the outline of Viktor could still be made out. Firon readied his crossbow for another shot.

[Traubon Masakari]

Traubon heard the click of a crossbow. Standing in the woods he could not see the one who had shot it. Realizing he was not the intended target he still could not let a foe live this forest alive.

Traubon set off through the woods not even trying to muffle his foot steps. To him grace and finesse meant nothing. All that mattered was spilling the blood of his enemy. He came to the edge of the forest once again and looked at the marvel that was carnage. The citadel was being destroyed. A golem faught against a humanoid figure who seemed to want to die.

"For what reason is there a golem here?" Traubon's deep voice came. Yet as soon as the words came out he knew his answer. It was the abandoned citadel after all. That at this point wasn't so abandoned.

A strange powder spread across the ground creating an opaque cloud. For some reason another man fully donned in armor was outlined in faerie fire. "There must be more of those spider kissin' elves around here." Traubon said through clenched teeth. Now he was on edge and itching to kill more of them. But the only thing was he did not see any of them around.

[Thanatos]

Not to far into the edge of the tree line of the great forest surrounding the dark citadel. A dark figure moved swiftly in a direction tangent to the entire battle Field. The figure as a man cloaked in black with a harvesting scythe, held in in both pale hands. He was not part of the battle being waged nor did he exactly want to be, but he wasn't counting on the drow to know that, and he would rather not loose his head.

He walked briskly dodging between the trees, and moving quickly in the hopes of not actually being noticed. The man, however, was no innocent passer by. He was a Necromancer, and the only reason he was crossing this was was, according to the souls he had spoken to this was the direction in which to go to gain the information he desired. Plus if something did confront him he would have a chance to use the power he had learned.

...And indeed the chance did arise. An group of Drow at the rear of the larger force, noticed the shadowy figure beyond the trees. five of then decided to get rid of the potential threat. The first one to notice him and react, swung a word at the backk of the would be victim and soon learned that the victim was not to be played with.

He swung his Scythe up and around in head high arch, and the blades of the two weapon clanged together, creating a tiny spark where the blades met. The pale figure in the cloak leaped back. twirling the scythe as he moved, and swept it low in the way one would to use the blade properly in harvesting crops. The drow's legs where th crops. The one leg amputated, at mid shin, the other in the other leg, the the inside of the curved blade, had cut half way into the shin bone, and swept it up in to the air. The drow fell on his back with no hope of ever walking again.

There where still four more to take care of, all at different distance for the new assailant. The the felled drow turned and sung his sword in an attempt to cut the man down in retaliation, and failed. The man didn't hesitate his blade kept moving, and the man angeled the blade and let it swing around in a more vertical arc, like a pendulum, and the scythe harvested the the top half of the drow's skull.

Then with the momentum, carried the scythe, brought the weapon up to chest hight and turned the blade. It racked through the air like a cruel wing as the man kept on a viciously path and an almost elegant dance. He spun his body and guided the point, of the cold steel between the rib cage and through to the heart and lung of the dark elf. The death was instantaneous, the weight of the suddenly limp body halted the movement of the wicked blade.

The three other that where left, had been waiting to see if their friends could have done the job, and fight in to close a formation was as dangerous to themselves as it was to their enemy, but the fall of their friend changed their mind. They slowly began to spread out believing that the odds where three to one; that mistake was fatal. fatally mistaken.

With a quick yank the ribs of the dead elf released the curved blade of the scythe, and the body fell heavily to the ground. The Cloaked figure lifted the blade, and stood it up right like a staff, or walking stick. He took his non-leading hand off the the shaft, and opened it facing the palm of the hand at the dead drow. His fingers where lightning fast, sketching unseen symbols in the air. He brought forth the black arcane energy, and forced it's power it into the body.

The Dead elf body shivered then stopped. the other drow watched, morbid curiosity over riding their initial plan as what they thought to be their dead comrade began to move. The dark skinned hand moved across the cold, wet ground and the had grabbed the sword it had dropped when it was killed. Slowly the drow began to rise. using his sword a support, and then using its legs to stand up. His eyes where in a blank stare as if the elf was blind. The they focused on one of the it kin.

A wicked grin cut across the mans gaunt face as he reveled in the look of brought on by them trying to force away, the terror that was beginning to well in their chests. Blood continued to pour from the wound on their at-one-time ally. And as the man gave a mental order the risen drow lunged at the elf closest to it, and the iron will that was holding back his panic broke. He tried to scream in alarm as the drow raised and thrust his blade forward. Bit the voice sound was cut short as his vocal cords tried to vibrate against cold, sharpened steel and blood. Resulting in a gurgling cough and the silence.

This snapped the other two out of the terrified stupor, One had managed to get just behind the and to the necromancer's right, and the other in front to his left.The attacked at the same time. their the air was filled with the clang of metal on metal, twice as loud as before. The zombified drown had jumped in front of its master, and raised ts sword in his defense; while at the same time the Necro turned, and raised his Scythe in defence of his would-be flank.

The necro twisted his scythe around and swung it in a backward arc. The blade whistled pass his minion then through the gras and hooked itself up and around the drow's entire ribcage. There was a sickening sound as the blade sliced though its vital organs. While behind him both the dead and the living drow where locked in a sword fight. With all he strength the necromancer lifted the limp body with his scythe, and he turned and heaved over his had and slammed it headlong into the the fifth elven warrior.

The necromancer had defeated all his attackers. With an insane grin on his face he spoke, using his power so that their souls would hear him. "I am Thanatos, lord of the dead, and thy souls are Mine." With that he dragged the souls back to him, so that he could use them for other necromantic enchantments when they where needed. The egotistical rant was mostly for show, but also served to assert his power over the souls.

[Viktor Delacroix]

Yet another bolt slammed harmlessly off of the enchanted armor of the Wicked Knight. Even as the bolt deflected the tell tale signs of faerie fire glinted from his body. Viktor realized that he was completely visible to everyone outdoors. The golem that Nerull summoned was doing its job dealing with the drow alchemist. However, other threats still remained in the forest and as long as the battle remained outdoors on the drow’s own terms it would not resolve quickly nor in his favor.

“Nerull! Open a gate into the citadel. Bring us to the open atrium. We’ll prepare a proper counter response in an arena of our choosing. You there, young necromancer, you will proceed with us. This is the opportunity you have been waiting for. Bring friends, if you catch my meaning.”

[Nerull]

The golem's momentum, changed by the weight of the drow on its back, sent it hurdling into the ground with such force that dirt and gravel was thrown into the air all around its impact crater. Though the golem did not have the intelligence to properly control its flight, it was powerful enough and resilient enough to at least accomplish its task of keeping the drow busy. Since the golem had no eyes to speak of, the cloud of powder did nothing to hinder its ability to detect its target since it didn't 'see' in the normal since of the word. It continued its quickened attempts at making a drow pancake of Ares.

"So, you think it would be best to take the fight to within my domain? I wouldn't call that 'fair' at all," Nerull laughed diabolically as he raised his arms toward the heavens dark energy spreading out from his upturned palms in a massive gout of ebony flame. As the flames arced between his hands a thin outline mirrored the spectacle on the wall of the citadel before them forming into a massive archway into the building itself. The rocks appeared to melt away as the newly formed entrance was opened up.

"The doorway is complete, it will lead to the atrium." Nerulls eyes glowed with the darkfire as he lowered his arms from casting the spell. The archway not being a hole in the wide of the castle but rather a portal that led to the designated location within the citadel.

[Thanatos]

Thanatos looked up as the black knight called out to him. The necromancer's grin widened at the knight's suggestion. Indeed, he did know what he was referring to, and was happy to oblige the request. He nodded in affirmation to the knight. But thanatos now noticed that Viktor was glowing like a beacan, he would have to do something like that. Then he got an Idea.

First, the dark mage turned to the two corpse of his most previous victims, and the undead drow, which stood silently next to its comrades waiting for a command. He did as he had before, making archaic symbols in the air with his hand and fingers, while channeling the dark energy into one of the dead the dead bodies. The drow that had crash-landed via scythe got back up, and was now under the necro's command. Thanatos did the same for the other drow that was covered in the blood of the other two drow. It rose too it's feet with it's word in hand ready. All three where ready to fulfill Thanatos' orders, without question, fear, or pain. The where the perfect soldiers.

Next was the challenging part of getting through a crowd of drow on his way to the gateway. He also planned to help Viktor with his faerie fire problem. So he brought forth the energy and turned his attention back on viktor with a single swift movement he invoked the power he desired. It was magic too simple to even worth using he simply changed the color of the fire to black. It would be more difficult to see, once they where inside and no longer fighting on the white and, now red snow. In the darkness of the citadel it would be a useful camouflage

Unfortunately Thanato's time was running very thin. The drow noticed the spellcaster amongst the enemy, and would surly do what they could to nullify his efforts. Malachy only had three undead drow to protect him and he could not raise bodies that where decapitated. there where dozens of bodies littering the ground ahead but resurrect them all he needed a larger pool of black energy than he could afford to take from his own reserves.

He took his scythe and placed it into a small loop that was part of the strap to hold in on his back so that his hands would be free. Then with a quick mental order Thanatos and the three zombies rushed into the crowed. The three minions served primarily as body guards. keeping in close formation with the only purpose to stop the blades from hitting him. as he used more defensive magic to counter any archers. He focused on a single spell, an illusionary spell that he liked using for intimidation purposes but no he was using it for another. The illusion was focused on himself, suddenly to his enemies his entire form became out of focus, it was as if they are received a double vision only on him. and the images where blurred so accuracy was very faulty. In this way he survived long enough to get to his own allies.

But the simple illusion was not the only thing that keep the dreaded necro alive. As he conjured the illusion. he also raised suitable bodies from amongst the dead on the battle field. In fact by the time he got to the gate he had a force of about 10 undead minions.

He made his way through the gate, his mini-army following closly as he stopped the blur illusion andPosition his minions in a way that they would surround any one that came into the Citadel.

[Viktor Delacroix]

Viktor spirited into the doorway, ducking his helmeted hed under the top of the portal. The atrium was massive with hard stone walls, easily defensible from all directions. Better yet, it was hard and fast in the territory of Nerull.

"Let them come..."

[Traubon Masakari]

Traubon saw the gate to the citadel appear then open. Inside a building would be an easier defensible position when enemies numdered as they did. Being surrounded by walls was far better than being surrounded by foes. In the citadel only so many could fit squeezing their numbers down to a more controllable lot. One thought rose up above that though. What if those inside weren't allies.

As about 5 bolts blasted off Traubon's armor he broke out into a run. All thoughts about those inside were abandoned. Though Traubon did love to kill and massacre he far more valued his life.

Traubon barreled through the gate in what seemed like forever to him, yet it was but a few seconds. The rain of arrows and bolts still came at him. One arrow actually found a slit in his armor to burrow into. He simply reached down and pulled it out with a grunt.

Traubon looked around at the massive room. There were but a few others in such a large room. His swords came up into a fighting pose.

"Am I with friend or foe against these dark elves?" His voice came as he stared in Viktors direction.

[Thanatos]

Thanatos grinned at the warrior as The necromancer has two answers. His elves, the ones that where dead where on the his side. "Depends on the dark elves you refer to. my friends here, or the ones that will hopefully find there way into this trap. I believe that answer you want is yes we are fighting against the drow army."

As he spoke he removed the scythe from it's strap. He looked up at the blade as it dripped with elven blood., and grinned. He made a quick wave and movement with his hand and the, the blood was cursed, and would curse the blood of any it touched. The curse would make their own blood like acid. Not potent acid but their veins would burn and eventually devolve. It's true effect was that it increased the rate of decomposition, and the curses full speed was held back by the bodies life. As soon as the body died the rate would instantly turn a body into nothing more than bone, and bone was easier to work with than an actual body.