A Defense Against Undead

[18:14] {NARRATION} The day had come.

The Ghoul King's Undead Legion had one more place to strike against before it had moved across the entirety of the continent.

In the distance from the norther forests of Huangzhou, one could easily see the shadows and smoke that moved with the thousand corpse army, but this time a great, reverberating roar could be heard echoing alongside it. Gehenna and Crafthold had faced off against splinter groups of what the Ghoul King had to offer, but in terms of Huangzhou, it seemed he was sending in a signature force.

Guards rushed in to warn the townsfolk and rally a defense. They spoke of a winged beast that had been seen culling all life near Maplegrove, something that they didn't have time enough to identify given the haste of their retreat.

[18:23] Airgenald had heard the news of the undead marching against them, he had been training for this, preparing for it diligently. As soon as guards brought the news of their arrival, he raced to join the front lines beside his friends and family.

He had faced vampire spawn, demons, accursed, but this would be his first stand against the undead menace. The defender's heart thrummed against his nyeshk chestplate, anxiety creeping at the back of his mind, but he would remain stalwart as he stood in line, his shields locking together with Anise's as they made a wall.

His faith would be put in his shields, a prayer said for his allies, and his refusal to fall on this day empowering him. A divine light would emanate from him, coating his armor and reinforcing it with layers upon layers. A pack of wolves made of the same light would line up infront of them, a barrier he crafted to protect his friends and families.

"We shall give them no ground. Advance with purpose and displace all humanity for these wretched undead, for they have none for us!" He'd bark, his stance widening as his mind raced through every name and every face of someone he cared deeply for.

Today I shall not fall, but rise to repel the undead legion.
(Sir Airgenald Spudnicus Ixis)

[18:29] {NARRATION} In the northern fields they arrived. First emerging from the treelines, and then clawing their way out of the earth itself, undead soldier after undead soldier had come in full force to strike at the bastion of light upon Agartha.

Commanders covered in dented, ashen armor moved as behemoths through the crowds of skeletons and grotesque warriors. The grass underneath smoked, burned, and died with every step. Time itself shifted and slowed as a mass of corruption unified and moved as one.

The diseased air they brought with them was putrid and sickening. And they all kept marching forward. Line after line of undead knights kept pushing toward the city in waves, all the while a distant, rattling roar foreshadowed a greater enemy on the way...

But the Battle would begin long before that.
[18:38] {NARRATION} One wave of undead was fought off, but more and more kept coming. Again a roar echoed from the treeline and the earth shook underfoot. The field of Huangzhou were charred and scarred, but the dead continued to persist.

It seemed as if a greater force was surging forward.
[18:46] The ookami charged forward with the pack of light-constructed wolves at his side, he crashed against the wave of undead, the two forces seeming equal until Airgenald howled out, his wild nature coursing through his vein as he broke their ranks and allowed to the other magi and warriors behind him to run in and decimate the enemies' formation.

The wolves would break from their line and run beside an allies side, namely Ashera, Anise, Kane, Mikhaila, Nakiri, Nasu,and Ume, leaping in the way of what would be a devastating blow. However, this time they did not dissipate from a couple strikes, they held firmed and continued lashing out against the zombie knights, holding them down to be finished off.

Airgenald took point in attacking the commander, trading blows of occultic fire and a pummeling of his shields. He should've fallen, knocked off his feet. It was hard for him to breathe, but he remained standing, teeth bared, an otherworldly energy fueling him to remain standing as the dark magic couldn't seem to touch him through the glowing armor he conjured.

Another howl would escape his lips. This is what it felt like, when the stakes were truly too high and he could not afford to lose. This is what Koume meant, to be a protector, not a martyr.

Airgenald readied himself for the next wave, steeling his resolve and rejoining the ranks as the shieldbearer on the front line.
(Sir Airgenald Spudnicus Ixis)

[19:04] {NARRATION} Huangzhou stood strong. Even with so many enemies charging at the gates, seeking the city's destruction, the magi here were willing to fight for that home and gave it all they had. The Horde kept pushing, however, unyielding and seemingly endless.

It wasn't until the second wave was pushed back that the putrid air froze over. Among the blood and battle, snow began to fall like dark ash across the once warm forest. The clouds overhead, filled with acid and poison, rattled with electricity and a great thunderclap marked the arrival of something far more evil.

Wish a smash an enormous, ragged, undead dragon crashed into the earth. Soldiers from either side were turned into puddles underfoot as the great monster held no regard for the life of its underlings or its foes.

With another great roar, this time in the midst of war instead of from a distant mountaintop, it sent lightning arcs dancing into Huangzhou's defence, and aimed to tear everything apart with the army still at its side.

[19:15] Airgenald would hold firm at the front line, as he said, he would give them no quarter, and any ground gained would not be lost. He continued pushing the advanced, undead shattering across his shields as he contually kept an eye out for his allies, stepping in the way himself to throw his shields up, or sending a wolf to do so for him.

This is what war with the wicked looked like, what it felt like. Continually worn down through hundreds, thousands of undead soldiers who did not tire, who did not know fear. It was through sheer will, determination, and his righteous might to protect that he continued his assault forward.

"You shall not step foot in Huangzhao! NO, The only place your souls will go is to ATMOS, Kraus wills it!" He'd howl, continually laying many undead to rest as his pack of conjured wolves held strong defending the warriors by his side.

It was just as he thought they were making headway that the dragon appeared. This was the true horrors of necromancy, turning such a proud beast into a slave. It was despicable. Airgenald would stand in stoic fear, frozen and still just as the vile air around him.

"I will not waver.. I will not falter. AND I WILL NOT BACK DOWN." He'd bark at the abomination, this was not the time to run, but to charge and give everything he had, and more.

"Kraus, bless my shields, bolster my resolve, and make every strike ring true. I return these souls in your name!" A prayer said, his shields would clamor together like the jaws of a hungry would, ringing out across the battlefield as he readied for this next wave.
(Sir Airgenald Spudnicus Ixis)

[19:31] {NARRATION} Finally the numbers began to wane.

The undead soldiers that had continuously charged out of the forest stopped and were put to rest by sword and spell. The dragon barreled through line after line of Huangzhou's defense but even it couldn't breach the front gate. With holy light shining forth, the dead would not win today.

After a crippling injury by none other than Nyphadora, the dragon let out a low growl and its red eyes shifted left and right as it assessed the damage it had sustained. It had not been sent here to face defeat, nor would it sit around and fight to the end. It had greater things to do, a larger power to serve...

And so with its black blood dripping from its body it beat its wings once to ascend, and twice to escape. Without looking back across the mangled corpses it left behind, the dragon vanished into the north where its Master was calling it home.

[19:40] It hurt - a lot.

But every blow that was dealt was healed by either his magic, his sister's magic, or Tylwir. He does everything he can to bring hell (or heaven, rather) to the opposition, but in the end it is Nyphadora whoputs the hurt on the dragon in a major way.

"Wow-- Hey, good job! But.."

Rather than chasing after the dragon, he simply makes a mental note of the direction it is heading in. If it was possible to track such a beast, he would do everything he could to make sure he was one of the ones helping to do so moving forward.

For now, he checks on the wounded, holy aura splashing about to heal those closest to him. Mostly Zeriel and Spud.
(Noel Elisheva)

[19:43] The last of the undead legion had proven to be the strongest, letting the weak whittle away at Huangzhao's reserves while the real challenge simply waited for their opportunity to pick them off.

Airgenald's breath grew heavier as his muscles ached, his nyeshk shields losing their weightlessness as his gravity magic waned. He did not give up, continuing to stand his ground, repelling any undead who charged at him and sending debilitating shockwaves through the earth to break up their formation further.

His focus began to be divided as he focused on a few key allies, the undead commander preparing a powerful blast towards one of them, Airgenald charged forward, pushing them out of the way with his shields.

He closed them back up as quick as he could, unable to dodge the blast that soon enveloped him. First the barriers he rose shattered as his mana was sapped from him, then his shields were forced open as he took the burst point blank. His vision wentblack.

Is this it? He wondered to himself, gone out in the line of duty protecting a cherished friend. A soothing sensation washed over him, surely he had made his way to Atmos. His vision returned in a haze as the first thing he saw was Noel's angelic face. He had not fallen on this day, but he had learned a valuable lesson, what it truly took to defend the people and innocents he loved.

Being helpd to his feet he would nod, "Thank you.. Noel." He'd say with genuine gratitude and appreciation, it had seemed they won this day.
(Sir Airgenald Spudnicus Ixis)