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ENTRY # : |
36 |
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TITLE : |
TO DANCE WITH THE DEVIL... |
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ARC : |
A SHADOW OVER AVALON III |
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ENTERED BY : |
Oberon / Phoenix / Perseus / The Dark Paladin |
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DATE RANGE : |
Days of Yore |
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HEROES : |
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VILLAINS : |
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PEOPLE : |
Cipher,
Culcharin,
Sir Gawain,
Lady Isabella,
Alicia Stacey,
Taliesin,
Sir Trelayne
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OTHERS : |
Avalon,
Bane,
Culcharin's Longboat,
Seelie Court,
Unseelie Court
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ENTRY : |
"Before me floats an image, man or shade
Shade more than man, more image than a shade;
For Hades' bobbin bound in mummy-cloth
May unwind the winding path;
A mouth that has no moisture and no breath
Breathless mouths may summon;
I hail the superhuman;
I call it death-in-life and life-in-death."
- "Byzantium," William Butler Yeats
Chapter 3
I saw her die. I saw Alicia... Isabella die in my arms. The very evil I wished to prevent has
occurred. The fates prove once again that no one can escape their webs. I am not going to let
this happen. Not again, I have sworn to protect Alicia, and that goes for this angel that
carries her face. I will plead to the fates to allow her to live once more and in the mystic
isles I should be able to do that.
Trelayne was most resistant to this course of action and he did challenge me to a duel to the
death. I was about to lose this battle when that damned Sub-Zero interfered. Honor was not
satisfied, but I lived. It might have been better if I would have died, then I would not
have been so crippled in power.
After the fiasco in front courtyard was finished we were once again under way to the mystic
isles. The people that were there were from our time. We were followed or followed them. The
waters of Avalon often take a person where they are most needed, but it is hard to say why they
were back here. Dr. Diablo was among the people captured, but was unconscious so was unable to
provide any information. I should have left him alone with Trelayne for a few minutes.
I found out later that an Unseelie band had attacked the Knights of the Coast and severely
injured Culcharin. I hope he survives, I do not know if we would be able to get to Avalon
without him...
- - -
Phoenix's Report:
Having met up after the assault at the boat, we made our way to town to join the group and get
Titania to Heal Culcharin. Hazardman and Phoenix waited outside when the infamous "Ohhh-ohhh"
rang out. Through the trees came another redcap with 4 dogs and three mounted creatures. I
threw Hazardman into the castle (almost) and tried to hold them off. With Support from Iceman
in the castle I Temporarily dealt with 2 of the dogs but the 2 gates guards where killed, one
being carried off. 2 of the creatures appeared to teleport into the Keep/Castle. The 3rd rode
in while I was pinned by the hounds. I followed into the Castle and was engaged by Golem of the
villain group Spawn, Oberon and Wraith were engaged against Senior Salamander and the remaining
hounds. My involvement ended with Senior Salamander and Golem combining their strikes on me
freeing my comrades to deal with the other situations.
- - -
Perseus' Report:
Received the notification that the element of the group remaining at Culcharin's vessel was
in trouble over the 'mindlink'. Met up with them at the fortification. As we were expecting
further assaults, I linked up with Sub-Zero and Hazardman in the room where Titania was tending
Culcharin's wounds and brought the enhanced weapon 'Bane' there for safekeeping.
When the assault began I made sure that my two allies and I refrained from being drawn from
our position to assist with the initial probe. This proved valuable when we were reconnoitered
by an invisible opponent. I engaged but was unable to stop him from achieving his apparent
objective; to take possession of the blade. I offered pursuit into the courtyard, backed
up by Sub-Zero while Hazardman continued to guard Titania and Culcharin. Managed to take
down the foe (ID'ed as 'Dr. Diablo' by Sub-Zero) and recover the weapon just before a group of
armored men arrived (ID'ed as the warrior-caste humans 'Sir Trelayne', 'Sir Gawain' and a
'squire' and a priest-cast human called 'Taliesin').
- - -
I am rendered lord of ashes amd pain. The man I was is no more. He
lies dead by his love. I am the vengeance that remains, the manifest destiny of his betrayal.
Rage is the only freedom left me.
"Understand the price," he warned me. "The Price of life," I chuckled. Soon
enough he shall learn the price. My heart of hearts lies cold and they dare speak to
me of sacrifice. I shall teach them the true meaning of that hateful word. Taliesin, thy name
is as acid on my tongue and your enemies are now my allies."
Soon all this shall be washed away, like tears in the rain.
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WRAPUP : |
A mixed bag at best, with the bad far outweighing the good. Culcharin's life
(and the ability of the group to return to their time) continues to hang in the balance, and
the group has inadvertently helped to trigger the events that drove Trelayne insane (or at the
least, failed to prevent them). Will the capture of Diablo help us to unravel what is going on?
Will the changes we have introduced to the timestream doom our future? More immediately, will
Oberon survive the trial by fire that is to come?
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