Annika Stormseeker ran through the flesh tunnels of the carnage strider, her four remaining Stormwardens at her side as they tore through the hordes that attempted to stop them. Quietly leaving the Spadas with the Ironthorn as well, they had followed the little beacon given to them by lord general Idris, a marker to draw both forces of the titan blade and slumbering sands together. Her equal on the other side was a master known as Azarath the dessert lord, one of the ten heads of the Khemet empire and scion of the Khemet dominion, a military force under the control of the primordial and his royal household.
They had conversed briefly, the bald but tanned skinned humanoid with bright gold eyes and intricate tattoos adorning one side of his face acknowledging her as an equal, both sides vowing to meetup before heading for the heart of the carnage strider where no doubt, the bulk of the more powerful forces of the Bloodfiends awaited them. Annika had silently acknowledged the thrill of elation that went through her body as she was acknowledged by another master of a primordial, while her prowess had been nothing to scoff at, the feeling of being among one of the top beings in the hierarchy of the archailect was a welcomed feeling.
Too long had she chaffed under the command of the titan blade to protect their clan and now house, the Shadowweaver, Martha soothing her with promises of her time coming. And it did, she had an entire planet to her clan, she was in effect, a world power, and while she missed Gaia, despite the ongoing talks with the other factions of their true home world on their decision to join the house of the titan blade, nothing beat the feeling of being in battle. squeezing Asagai tighter in her hand, she felt the arcane weapon thrum with excitement, as if it sensed battle that would soon commence.
Annika had no doubts in her abilities, she had trained for months on end, every step of her ascension, she had drilled without cease. Sabbaticals into red and black zones to hone her fighting skills, broken, bleeding, still, she pushed on, tying to attain the height of spear and lightning use. Deep down however, she had never been satisfied, the monotony of fighting dungeon creatures and rabid monsters evolving as the aether density on Gaia increased. Not even when a group of ascenders had found an elixir that boosted them temporarily to diamonds for a month and went on a rampage across her territory did she feel the heart-warming throb of battle.
She had put them down as viciously as possible, Julius protesting as to why she hadn’t left the work for him and the stormcallers, the Stormwardens hadn’t been created then and Annika hadn’t given her vice leader a suitable reply. Still, she trained, everyday, pushing at her skills and honing herself into a most lethal weapon, she had even been close to even going to other factions, maybe she’d met a worthy foe. Martha had dispelled her of such actions sternly, telling her that she while she wasn’t comfortable with making protection of the titan blades’ territory their life goal as the sentinels were, or hunting exquisite monsters and threats to the then clan like the dawn archers, she was their spear tip, and wasn’t to be wielded in just any fashion.
When the chance came to join the forces of the titan deep within the archailect, Annika had handed the reigns of the clan to an amused Julius, hastily making preparations to either batter or coerce her way into the forces of Moyo who she knew without a doubt would buckle at the thought of her joining the fight. Frowning to herself as she ignored the battle going on around her, she felt the embarrassment and shame at how she always looked so small whenever she stood up to him. Ignoring the fact that at close to nine feet, the titan was a behemoth of a man, all muscles and sculpted body like that of the gods worshipped by old earth now Gaia.
She could vividly remember how she had squeaked when she stood up to defend her claim to join his forces, she, Annika the storm empress, slayer of a hundred blood ogres, vanquisher of the of nightmare tiger, terror of the yellow plains, and she looked like a child in front of Moyo. She had seen the gentle look he gave her; she had hated the fact that in his eyes, she was weak, and what she hated more, was the fact that she knew that even if she challenged him to a duel, without his weapons she still wouldn’t last a minute with him in the ring. And so she pressed on, pitting her very willpower against his mere presence as her eyes crackled with lightning and Martha watched her with concern and understanding in her gaze, but she didn’t stand up for her, it was her fight to make, and the Stormseeker would have it no other way.
Eventually Moyo had relented, perhaps he saw something in her gaze as he stared at her intently, but he had given a short nod,
“I will not dissuade you any longer Annika” he had rumbled,
Annika hated how she seemed to melt when he called her name,
The way it rolled across his tongue, the shape of his lips, she snarled as she hurled a bolt of lightning infused with her budding aspect into the distance and an explosion tore the distance,
One of her Stormwardens turned to her, wielding two mithril forged blades with lightning running up and down their frames, the yellow haired man with a robe and light armor covering his chest and a single rune of lightning etched on it gave a light smile,
“Are you alright empress?” he asked,
‘I told you to stop calling me that Siris” Annika murmured as she calmed down,
“Gaius made it a norm, it grew on the rest of us” Siris Stormblade replied,
The duelist on the path of the tempest sentinel was a force of nature when it came to bladework, loyal, fierce and the head of the Stormwardens, he was as deadly as he was empathic. While the rest made it their sole responsibility to ensure her protection alone, he made it his duty to keep her in check, which included her mental health if you asked the always joking ascender. While Gaius, the lord of Ironthorn city and the ascender on the path of the Thunderborn guardian worshipped her every movement and could see no fault in what she did, Siris was a careful observer and adviser, handpicked by Julius himself to keep her in check when he wasn’t there.
A hooded figure stepped to her front as he slammed a metal staff into the ground with a blue crystal atop its tip, cradling a shard filled with the aspect of the titan in another hand with reverence that made Annika roll her eyes, the figure, another of her Stormwardens bellowed, the crystal atop the staff flared as he spoke,
“To the elements of thunder and lightning, I call on the wrath of the Stormseeker, thunderous blast!” he roared,
Annika winced and sighed as the skill activated,
* Thunderous Blast: Unleashes a powerful shockwave that damages and staggers enemies in a wide area.
The wave of power pounded the Bloodfiend berserkers boring down on them, tearing them to shreds as the lightning ran rampant, Annika sighing,
“Voren” she called,
The hooded mage with lighting for eyes glanced at her, his voice suddenly soft and quiet as Siris gave a light chuckle,
“Yes, my empress?” he replied,
Annika narrowed her eyes at him, aware the mage was trying to play innocent,
“I thought we’ve discussed infusing my name in your over-the-top chants, can’t you simply call out the name of your skill like every other gaming geek?” she said,
Voren Stormcaller gave a loud gasp, as if what she said was a taboo, Siris laughing louder while battling two Bloodfiends at the same time, dancing around them while they jerked with each slice of the Stormblade’s weapon. Voren Stormcaller, mage on the path Stormweaver was a powerful mage, employed by numerous towns and cities across Gaia to help manage their weather and farms, and also in some cases, build storm barriers to protect them from the rampaging storms across the domain of the Stormseeker herself.
A proficient and deadly adversary, the usual stoic and wise mage was a calm and calculating influence around her, apart from moments when he was prone to pulling her into fits of pranks like this. Voren shook his head,
“I am growing old with age my empress, my memory is not what it used to be” he said softly,
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The last of her Stormwardens stepped forwards, a tall but lithe woman with dark hair and soft blue eyes, in her hand a blue crystalline bow whose string was made of strands of lightning interwoven together into a firm chord which she drew back,
“you’re a diamond Voren, no such thing as old age you lying bastard” she said as she released the crackling lightning arrow that formed on her bow,
Lyra Windrider, am archer on the path of the gale archer and expert markswoman, almost invisible on the battlefield, she was a quiet but enigmatic figure, always speaking when she should and never more than that, she also had a mischievous sense of humor
The attack took a Bloodfiend blade who had been attempting to sneak up on Siris from his flank, exploding the creature of blood and blades in a shower of gore that Siris didn’t find amusing. Annika withdrew her attention from the bickering wardens as she focused on the battle, grateful for them for dragging her from the depressing thought about the man she was still in love with, just foolhardy enough not to admit it. She intended to take out her anger on the creatures before her, just as soon as she met up with Azarath.
A loud wail came from the back of the forces of berserkers pouring out from new pathways, this time however, Annika tasted the blood in the air and felt the simmering rage aura that tried to invade her senses. With a pulse of her storm power, she repelled it from her diamonds that were struggling under its power,
“Look sharp, something new comes” she warned,
“where’s Gaius where we need him?” Voren muttered,
“Ensuring our brothers and sisters in the Spadas are more accepting of us, we are more than enough to deal with whatever new foe the servants of the blood conqueror throw at us” Annika replied,
Voren gave a short nod as he twirled his staff, layering spells together as a large dome of lightning began to take shape, this one steady with intercrossings of lightning in a web that even Martha would be proud of, calling on his skill, storm barrier
* Storm Barrier(R): Creates a barrier of swirling storm energy that absorbs incoming magical attacks.
Storm and lightning coalesced together to protect them from the aspect of Vusal, the power of the Stormseeker shielding her wardens as the shard of the titan aspect glowed brighter, burning the blood and carnage aura in the air. Annika paid it no heed though, commanding her Stormwardens back into the protection of the barrier, she stepped forwards, Asagai in hand, she marched and stood at the ready, eyes cold but body brimming with excitement.
She wondered if this would be the start of her legend in the archailect, if she would face a worthy adversary and if this was to be a battle so great, she would bear scars,
Anything to clear the thought of Moyo from her head really,
Asagai crackling with strength, she watched as the berserkers and blades growled at a distance, aware that coming too close to her was asking for death. But then they parted, bowing and growling softly like pack animals as a giant figure stepped forward from among them, a pathway closing up behind him. Muscular with black veins running through his frame, a crown of serrated blades that wept black blood continuously as if stabbed roughly into his skull, and two black serrated blades in both hands that looked better on some anima character, the creature gave a loud roar.
Her Hud lit up, informing her of just who and what the creature was,
Bloodfiend Blade Lieutenant - Xarion Bladeheart: This agile and deadly Bloodfiend is a master of close-quarters combat and wields a pair of razor-sharp blades with deadly precision. He inspires his troops with his speed and ferocity, and his enemies tremble at the mere mention of his name.
Xarion Bladeheart, a bit normal name for a creature of the carnage and destruction, spittle flying from its mouth as it exuded an aura of bloodshed and rabid destruction, judging by the Bloodfiends and berserkers frothing at the mouth around him. It gave a deep chuckle, spittle drooling down the side of its mouth as its bottomless black eyes stared at her,
“You will be my offering to the great conqueror” Xarion Bladeheart said,
“I will flay your skin from your bones while you yet live, disembowel you to an inch of your life and- “was all it said before Annika crashed into him,
Eyes crackling with pure energy of storm and lightning, Asagai tore deep into the chest of the Bladeheart as he gave a loud roar, the hundreds of Bloodfiends surrounding them roaring into battle. Then thunder and lightning exploded right in the midst of the Bloodfiends, body parts torn in their hundred flying through the air before burning up as the Stormwardens were suddenly surrounding Annika who had withdrawn from the Bladeheart,
“Stormwardens, to battle!” Siris cried as they moved as one, calling on their skills and abilities before clashing with the creatures of the abyss,
They knew better than to interfere in the battle between Annika and the Bladeheart, but they would tear apart any that sought to deny their empress from enjoying what promised to be a momentous battle. Annika flicked black ichor from her spear tip, Asagai glowing with power as she fed it continuously. The Bladeheart’s eyes glowed with fury,
“your death will be cherished!, Vusal will have your head!” he roared,
The two masters clashed in a fury of attacks, lightning and blood infused force strength, Xarion becoming a blitz of the conqueror’s fury as his blades tore into Annika, seeking to rend her limb from limb. Annika though parried continuously, Asagai always catching both blades at the right angles as they came from her, literal lightning-fast reflexes dodging blood attacks from the Bladeheart as the lieutenant of Vusal tore his surroundings apart. She had bothered for her wardens in a flash of a second and had paid for it as a blade bit into her skin before her mantle, a lightning conjured armor shot lightning through Xarion, blasting him into the distance.
Snarling, she glanced at her wardens to see they were doing fine,
“Leave us be, rip him to pieces for the lord titan blade!” Siris shouted,
Annika smiled and let loose,
They were safe, there was nothing more she could do for them, than to have fun that is. Asagai transformed but with a thought of hers, intricate rune works blazing to life all over the weapon as she summoned both her growing aspect and that of the titan, burning with power as the spear crackled with lightning and burned with purple and gold fire, the aspect of the titan made manifest.
Xarion rumbled as he raised his hands high, a runic circle made of blood burning to life as the Bladeheart roared in pain, growing larger as his form changed. Growing a large spiky tail, two wings made of blades and sharp serrated bones tearing through his body to come out, turning him into a walking horror, Annika even doubted that he had the mouth to even make speech seeing as his mouth had been covered by a bone covering. It roared all the same and came for her, Annika waiting without a shred of fear in her eyes, the Bladeheart crashed into her like a tsunami, a blow that echoed through the entire fleshy passage of the strider.
But Annika Stormseeker, empress of the Stormcallers and ruler of Stormsreach stood her ground, weathering the blow of the creature as the force blew everything around them away in an explosion. Xarion Bladeheart stared at her in shock through his blood-crazed eyes, unbelieving that such a mortal frame could withstand his might infused with a fraction of the aspect of Vusal. Annika grinned as gashes opened up all over her unarmored hands, she had purposely left it that way, wanting to feel the bite of the attack of the Bladeheart, but it didn’t hurt, nothing more than a sting,
For she wielded the aspect of the titan blade,
With a great cry, one that came from her heart, where deep down she poured every ounce of shame and anger at her perceived failure to the titan blade, her lord and one time lover,
The man she still loved,
Thunderstorms gathered above her as lightning crackled within it,
“Brace!” Voren shouted as the Stormwardens retreated back to the storm barrier,
They were lightning manifest, but even they knew they couldn’t withstand what was coming, and they watched as Annika the Stormseeker battered the blades of Xarion Bladeheart to the side, Asagai impaling him as she raised his impossible bulk that even the Ironthorn would have an issue contending with up in the air. Xarion failed impotently, his black ichor raining down on her as her lightning burned it away just as quickly, and then she spoke, calling on her edict to deliver justice for her,
“STRIKE!” she commanded,
The thunderstorm stilled for a fraction of a second as both Stormwardens and Bloodfiends stared in shock, and then lightning poured down in an avalanche of blinding light, the sweet tang of ozone filled the air as the dying roars of agony filled the air. Continuous barrages that tore and burnt everything to shreds, the storm barrier buckling under the force as Voren yelled, saying something about the lightning bolts that made up the barrier yearning to join the chorus of bolts that called the area their domain.
Over and over, the voice of the Stormseeker could be heard, repeating said edict as the rampage of storm and lightning never ceased in both strength and speed, Siris kneeling in awe, and then it was over. The smoke clearing despite the raging scream of pain from the carnage strider itself, all blood pathways had been completely eradicated, and atop her spear was a single bleached skull of serrated blades within them, all that was left of Xarion Bladeheart himself. Annika Stormseeker flicked the skull off her spear that settled back into its disguise as an average spear, its strength spent, she turned to survey the destruction she had wrought, her Stormwardens bowing before her as she rolled her eyes.
Then she turned to notice the arrival of the Spadas who stared with awe at the destruction she had called down on her foes, Lucina blade rain staring with approval and Gaius Ironthorn the Thunderborn guardian lumbering forwards to kneel before her, head bowed in greeting. She patted his shoulder, the giant guardian rising as Lucina spoke,
“Just exactly how the enemies of the titan blade should be, nothing but ash” she said as she clasped Annika’s hand in greeting,
“There will be no mercy for them” Annika replied,
“As it should be, welcome to the war proper, sister” the blade rain said as Annika nodded once,
Gaius raised his hammer high, his voice a loud bellow filled with such strength, it grabbed the attention of everyone around immediately,
“Hail the titan blade, hail empress Annika!” he roared,
“HAIL THE TITAN BLADE!” the forces of the titan roared together.