The Summoned - Invasion

The Summoned

Invasion

The Dark Plane: Outer Naogon

    "Nathekiorion got what he wanted." the Seeker continued. "His invasion of the Dark Plane was a complete success - uncountable lives were lost. What was left of the humans retreated to a small corner of the Dark Plane, and remained there until help could arrive.
    "And arrive it did. The Light Plane sent some of its most powerful warriors, wizards, and summoners to help their ally. However, even though they were powerful, they were nothing next to Nathekiorion. The elder demon would allow warriors to kill hundreds of demons, and when they would come face-to-face with him, he would crush them."
    Seeker sighed. "It was his arrogance that was his end. He allowed one man to get close, but this man had a weapon that not even Nathekiorion could best. This weapon was the Tomb Sword. Nathekiorion was trapped within, and his power could no longer be brought to his aid.
    "Without the Higher Path magic, many of the demons ceased to exist. The rest were hunted down and killed, or forced into pacts with summoners for their survival and exiled back to the Summoner's plane. It was believed that the fight was over. It was not.
    "There was the spirit of 'banishment' for one thing. It wasn't Nathekiorion's spirit, for reasons that I'll explain later, but it seemed to sympathize quite a bit... It was always hunting after the holder of the Tomb Sword, hoping somehow to free the Elder demon. And when it was slain, some other demon always claimed to be the next incarnation. In our lifetime, it happens to be the demon Thalla."
    Asa looked away at the mention of the name, but this time Seeker noticed. "What is it? Surely you've not met this demon?"
    "I have."
    The Seeker was silent for a moment. "You traveled through Hash'en pass and saw here there."
    "I did." Asa continued looking down, not wanting to meet Seeker's gaze.
    "You freed her." Seeker didn't need to ask.
    "Yes."
    "And in return?"
    Asa sighed. "She allowed me to summon her."
    Seeker nodded. "You've done so."
    "Yes."
    "Doubtless my apprentice has warned you about the horrid and terrible things that will occur to your immortal soul as a result of such an action, so I won't repeat his warning. I simply wish to add - you know the history of the being that you speak to. Thalla claims to be an incarnation of Banishment, and her claim may well be true. You know what purpose that spirit serves now, and you did not before. I ask you to take all that into consideration before making another such summons."
    Asa nodded. "I'm not going to be making any summons anytime soon - I don't have my rod. But in the event I'm ever able to again, I'll think of it. Right now I'm more worried about escaping here alive."
    Seeker laughed lightly. "Escaping will not be a problem. And I know of a place where you can have a rod for your summons. But not now... the sun has fallen for hours now, and we need our rest. We have a great deal of work to do tomorrow."

    Later that night, Asa was awoken by a large commotion emanating from outside the inn. Looking up, he saw Seeker discreetly entering the room.
    "What's going on?" he inquired of the old man. Seeker looked up.
    "Norax's troops - entire battalions of them are going down the road, toward the Nexus. The good news is that they're not looking for us. The bad news is that, according to the people, they're headed toward the Nexus because it's on their way to the Light Plane." Seeker said, sounding haggard. Asa wondered if he had gotten any sleep at all.
    "Why would they go to the Light Plane?" Asa already knew the answer, but didn't want it to be true....
    "They're invading. The Tomb Sword possesses the spirit of Nathekiorion, and so Norax is, unbeknownst to him, carrying out the demon's plans. I don't think you need to worry about your safety - instead, you may need to worry about the safety of your friends."
    Asa paused, and then said "Seeker, you said you knew how we could escape... I think we should do so, as quickly as possible."
    "I agree with you.... I would have preferred more time, but it seems that is a luxury that we do not have. We will depart in the morning, after the troops have passed by, and after we have had a good night's rest."

The Light Plane: Darren's Keep

    Leo awoke the instant that the alarm was raised. He was out of his bed and into his armor in moments, the Halo sword strapped to his side. A clatter of armor was heard descending the stairs, and Leo left his room to join it.
    He was with a group of five or six city guards - they only regarded him for a moment before continuing on their way. After all, they recognized him by now.
    The group ran out of the building and into the street, joining the thirty guards who were already there, running toward the city gates. Leo could spot the archers atop the walls readying their bows. This was the real thing....
    "Leo!" a familiar voice called out over the combined noise of the alarm, the armor, and the general confusion. Leo turned and saw Paul heading toward him through a crowd of people.
    "Paul, is it them?" Leo asked, knowing already.
    Paul paused, seemingly out of breath from running this far. "Norax's men... small contingent, but skilled. They've got veterans out there this time."
    "It's all the same to me. When's the attack?"
    "Same as before - when they attack, we counter. It shouldn't be a problem, with the firepower we're packing." Paul was panting, but fine otherwise. "I'm going up to the ramparts to see if I can't help from there."
    Leo nodded his understanding. Another fight.... This hadn't been the first time that Norax's forces had attacked the castle since they had returned, he reflected. The first attack had occurred an entire day after Paul, Elayna, Rachel, and himself had managed the voyage back. Norax certainly hadn't waited long after he got Asa to continue his plan.... The attacks were mostly of small forces, and Leo got the distinct impression that Norax didn't have much of a military force here. Then again, perhaps that was what the warlord wanted him to think. Darren's forces had repelled the enemy every time, but every time victory had come at a higher cost. Had it not been for Rachel, the city would have fallen by now. The summoner had, every time, managed to call forth an elemental... and Norax's army had so far been unable to come up with anything that could stop her. The enemy's own summoners were apparently too valuable to risk committing them to the Light Plane.
    The sound of arrows being shot from bows roused Leo's attention - the attack had begun. He tensed, along with the rest of the soldiers. Then, the gate went up, and he ran out onto the battlefield.
    Complete carnage greeted his eyes - the bodies of those felled by the archers, and the bodies of previous battles littered the ground. Leo didn't even pause to look at them - he had seen too much war for such a sight to unnerve him. Instead, he lead a group that had apparently decided him leader against the enemy position. About twenty of the enemy were left, situated behind a fortification they had built during the night. Fifty more soldiers were visible in the distance.
    Bows hummed once more, and Leo saw three of his men go down. An arrow struck his armor, and bounced harmlessly off. Before the archers could attempt a second volley, he was upon them.
    His sword swung in a deadly arc toward the nearest soldier, who was too surprised that one man would attempt to wipe out an entire company to defend himself. The sword connected with the enemy's helmet, there was a flash of light, and then his enemy vanished. Such a thing was normal now, but Leo still could not get used to it. The Halo sword's main attribute was its ability to completely destroy an enemy. One touch with the blade, and his foe was gone - whether destroyed, or merely transported to another plane (as they all desperately hoped, for if not then Jamie was lost to them forever) - it did not matter. No armor, no sword, no magical defense had been proof against the sword. Watching one's comrades vanish was an extremely demoralizing effect to the remaining defenders as well, and as had always happened in the battles before, they turn and ran.
    Leo did not pursue them. They were headed toward their reinforcements in the distance, and Leo planned to allow them to get there. As he gazed toward the larger group, he could see the Earth elemental already scattering them. Another victory, and with only minimal loss of life.
    He turned and made his way back to the keep.

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