"Thank you Caio!" Ling shouts as the hellhound in front her collapses from his arrow. Her leg is bleeding just above her ankle, but it doesn't look terrible. There'll be time for iratzes later. Ling is about to follow Caio towards the warlocks when she hears Shiva's shout. Damn, of course there'd be more of them! She picks her witchlight back up and runs north toward Shiva's voice. "Coming, head towards the light!"
As the bolts of fire began to fall among them, Nikolai turns toward the group of warlocks and leaves the hellhounds to the nephilim. He claps his hands together as a dark energy begins to gather and deep out of the seems between his hands. As he pulls his hands apart, the dark energy coalesces into swirling masses and Nikolai flings them towards the Bastard. The first ball impacts with the target, but they dodge around the second ball as it soars over their head. “Quickly now, quit petting the puppies! Shiva, gather to me!” He begins closing the distance to the ceremony, but moving literally to keep some distance between the hellhounds and him.
Alaris sends two dark shafts racing after Nikolai's shadowy bursts of energy. One flies wide, but the other buries itself deep in the chest of the wounded warlock, who slumps into stillness. The shadowhunter keeps moving with Nikolai, ready to provide close support.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
The three remaining warlocks guarding the ritual swing their arms in broad, sweeping motions and the air around them shimmers with arcane wards.
Two advance on Alaris and Caio, reaching out with one hand in a grasping motion as green energy swirls in their palms. However, both shadowhunters resist the invading influence that grasps at their minds.
The third hurls another bolt of fire at Alaris, this time catching them in the shoulder, leaving a smouldering patch on their armour.
Behind the memorial wall, the three hellhounds are hot on Shivala's tail, and the front-most beast circles around in front of her.
Someone was gonna need to get in their face if they had any chance of disrupting this ritual. Caio snaps his bow back and whips out his meteor hammer and seraph blade. “Seriouslyguysleavethehoundsalonewegottagettotheportal!” he buzzes as he runs towards the closest warlock. His chain whips in arcs around him, but the holy metal only connects once, thudding against a forearm thrown up in defense. Caio snatches the hammer backwards and shoved his blade forward. “Miniel!” the invocation sends the glowing edge jutting at the foe. The warlock dodges backwards, but a quick slice down traces a shallow line across his chest.
Nikolai sees Caio engaged with one of the warlocks after they attempted to unsuccessfully enchant him with their spells. He rushes up near to Alaris and quickly sends another two bolts of the dark energy streaking through the darkness. The first flies wide and sends dirt scattering as it impacts with the ground. The second seems it will strikes the warlock, but their protective wards still hold and the dark energy ricochets up harmlessly into the air. “Damnit! Ling, use the ring to teleport you and Shiva up to them!”
Ling hears Nikolai and Caio, but keeps running toward Shiva. When she rounds the corner, she grabs the warlock and pulls her with her, hoping the ring will do what she wants this time. She focuses on the group of warlocks, picturing herself and Shiva appearing just west of them, right next to the ritual circle. For a moment, Ling feels as if nothing is happening. She sees the hellhound race towards them in slow motion, gaining on them. Suddenly, the world tilts as if she is about to pass out and they reappear next to the group of warlocks. With a wide grin, Ling shouts: "YOU HAVE SUMMONED MEEEE?!" and readies her Jian.
"Alright - enough mucking about! Let's get this done," Alaris calls out, moving towards the ritual and scanning for targets on the way. Their hand looks to dive for another arrow, but comes up with their dark silver stele instead. The shadowhunter flicks the tip of the stele across the skin of their right eye to activate their Hunter's Mark rune. Storing the stele again, that hand draws an arrow from the quiver attach to their right leg. Focusing on the warlock engaged with Caio, Alaris draws their ornate, adamas-inlaid bow and releases! The arrow flies true but at the last moment, the warlock -- dodging a strike from Caio -- moves out of its trajectory. A second arrow chases the first, and that one strikes true in the warlock's torso!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
As Ling and Shiva materialise besides the ritual circle, the ground shakes across the entire cemetery, rocking Alaris's aim and sending their first arrow scattering off of the protective bubble of the warlock's wards.
The chanting of the circle of warlocks grows louder still, and a low rumble emanates from the statue, followed by an abrupt crack as the stone splits up the length of the shining line of light in a ragged fracture. Deep red fills the sky all around and a warm yellow glow pours from the gap in the rock.
"He is risen!" The front-most warlock proclaims, only to be abruptly cut off as a gigantic hand covered in red scales suddenly reaches through the gap and drags him inside with a muffled scream.
The warlock closest to Caio reaches out at him, grasping with a clawed hand from inside the dark robes. Eldritch energy crackles between its fingers and the shadowhunter feels it draw try to draw his lifeforce from his body. Though his nephilim blood resists the effect, it leaves him weary.
The warlocks closest to Alaris converge on the advancing warrior, brandishing their palms at them once more as green energy swirls in front of them. However, full of righteous fury as Alaris is, the weak enchantments simply flow off of them.
Caio is a whirlwind of steel and light as he cuts down the warlock in front of him. The only thing on his mind is getting to that portal. What happens at that point is still beyond him, and quite irrelevant right now as his hammer shoots forward into the chest of the next fiend. It yanks back as Caio’s body spins, and whips around with a resounding crack, splattering blood and brain across the shadowhunter. Somehow the man still clings to life, but Caio’s blade ends that. He continues his advance with a grazing slice at the other warlock near the circle, then turns to glance at Ling. Was she really about to dive headfirst into that infernal maw? Were they all about to let her?
Things occur almost too fast for Shiva to register, hearing Ling's voice only moments before her stomach heaves as the world momentarily spins around her. Her feet find ground as she appears before the encircled warlocks, who spin around in bewilderment. Hearing Ling, she yells out
"Someone order an ass kicking?!"
Moving on instinct, she lunges towards a warlock. With two strikes she cleaves into their leg, then tears a bloody wound across their front.
As the group begins to converge on the warlocks conclave, Nikolai takes a moment to watch the young Shadowhunters with a small bit of pride as they ruthlessly begin cutting through their enemies. He pauses a moment mid stride to call up the witching powers he’d learned to Hex one of the nearby warlocks as thick shadows swirl around and begin to cling to him. Nikolai sends two more blasts of dark, Eldritch energy streaking across the grounds and smiles as this time both slam into the warlock! With each hit, the cloying shadows seem to suck the very life force from the warlock as its face goes pale and sweaty. Nikolai keeps pushing forward parallel plot Alaris. “Keep it up, we are needed at the portal!”
When Shiva and Ling appear next to the warlock, Ling is sure they can win this battle. All they need to do is disrupt the warlocks' formation before they open the portal! But then, with a terrifyingly loud crack, the demon's hand reaches through the portal and pulls one of the warlocks through. Ling feels a wave of ice wash over her. Oh no, does that mean the portal is open? She looks around, trying to see how her friends are reacting, but they are all focused on the fight. She shares a brief glance with Caio, but he seems just as unsure as she feels. Over the noise of battle, she shouts to Nikolai: "Did you see that? Can that creature come through?!" Ling brings her seraph blade to life, holding one in each hand, and tries to listen for Nikolai's response. She attacks the warlock closest to her, but she is distracted and only one of her blows reaches him. Is this it? Are we really going to have to go through that portal? To an unknown place from which we can possibly never come back?
Alaris moves with a steady relentlessness towards the circle of warlocks and the horrible portal. Their eyes darken and energy starts to crackle from their skin as the massive arm scoops a warlock into the unknown. With a simple release of their grip, their bow drops and collapses, dangling from its harness under their long coat.
Out comes their saber, and the shadowhunter closes aggressively with the warlock to their right. Two slashes later and a burst of radiant energy later, the warlock lays still, leaking blood onto the cold ground.
"What happens next is up to you," Alaris growls at the other warlock between them and the ritual.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
A thunderous rumble reverberates about the cemetery and the ground splits apart, running from the opening in the statue all the way up to the centre of the ritual circle. The stench of sulphur fills the air and a wave of heat erupts from below. The warlock Shivala has been attacking screams out as the earth opens up, sending it plummeting into the deep red of the abyss below. Rock crumbles from around the edges underfoot, threatening to swallow Shiva up as well, but the experienced warrior holds her balance with cat's grace.
The remaining warlocks begin to waver in their chanting, glancing about at each other nervously, and one of those closest to the precipice breaks and begins to run. The others hold their ground, continuing to perform the ritual.
The warlock facing Alaris simply snarls at the shadowhunter with a visceral growl, swinging a clawed hand from inside their robes, but they're too slow to catch them.
"Nikolai, for the love of all the angels, GO help the others! I will deal with this one," Alaris barks as they evade the clawed swipe.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Ling’s uncertainty is almost a bit comforting. They’re on the same page, and whatever was gonna happen, they were in it together. He spins away from her gaze to continue his dance, whipping his meteor hammer and slashing with his blade. The warlock dodges some of the strikes but the majority find their mark, and the fiend is battered and bloody in a matter of seconds.
Having moved deftly to safety, Shiva watches as the ground cracks open and the warlock is consumed by the ensuing fissure. Panic begins to set in as she looks to the deeply red sky, then to Ling and the warlock attacking her. With calculated thrusts to the abdomen and neck, the warlock's lifeless body hits the ground. Looking up to Ling, she says
"If we're gonna do something, now is the time to do it."
Nikolai watches as the world around them rapidly begins to fall apart as the ground collapses and falls away. He can feel the searing heat emanating from the orange glow beneath. His eyes widen and he begins to fear that they were too late... his heart hammers away in his chest and he can feel Samael’s disappointment in his failure. For a briefest of moments he considers running, letting humanity fester beneath the rush of demons that was about to pour forth. They deserved little more than it for all the sins they had committed. His eyes are drawn to the old, faded tattoo on his forearm…. his footsteps falter for just a moment until he hears their voices call across the field. That desperation and willingness to sacrifice for those who did not deserve it. In that moment, Arkadi knew that he loved them for their selflessness, misguided though it may be and he would not fail them.
He nods to Alaris and reaches toward the black, empty scabbard hanging from his belt and draws out a crackling blade of pure, black energy. “Hurry, Alaris, we have no time.” He sprints towards Ling, Caio, and Shiva near the portal as quickly as he can. He examines the expanding portal with a frustrated curse in Hebrew. “I… I don’t know! I don’t think we have much time at all! I can try to stop it, but I don’t know how other than the thing.” He points to the ring… and gives Ling a pleading look, hoping beyond hope she may have an epiphanous moment.
When the ground opens, everything seems to slow for Ling. We're too late, we couldn't stop it. All the tensions and anger falls away, leaving nothing but calm determination. I have to go through that portal. She looks at the ring and focuses for a moment, hoping for some last, desperate act of grace, but no such luck. Okay then. If this is how it's gotta be, take us somewhere safe. She sees Caio, as he cuts down another warlock, a flurry of blades and black gear, a formidable shadowhunter. Shiva, right next to her, felling another warlock. They had only just met, but Ling felt they would have become good friends. If only there had been time. And there's Alaris, evading a blow and shouting at Nikolai. Always looking out for me, we probably drove Caio mad, but we made a great time, the three of us. And finally Nikolai, her oldest friend, running for her. The look he gives her is frustrated and desperate, he points to the ring - Ah Nik, you became my family when I had next to no one left, you took us all in... We had a lot of fun and you saved my neck more than I would ever admit out loud. Ling smiles at him and turns in one swift movement. She backs up and runs toward the portal, jumping over the lava, past Shiva, into the bright, shining unknown.
"Thank you Caio!" Ling shouts as the hellhound in front her collapses from his arrow. Her leg is bleeding just above her ankle, but it doesn't look terrible. There'll be time for iratzes later. Ling is about to follow Caio towards the warlocks when she hears Shiva's shout. Damn, of course there'd be more of them! She picks her witchlight back up and runs north toward Shiva's voice. "Coming, head towards the light!"
As the bolts of fire began to fall among them, Nikolai turns toward the group of warlocks and leaves the hellhounds to the nephilim. He claps his hands together as a dark energy begins to gather and deep out of the seems between his hands. As he pulls his hands apart, the dark energy coalesces into swirling masses and Nikolai flings them towards the Bastard. The first ball impacts with the target, but they dodge around the second ball as it soars over their head. “Quickly now, quit petting the puppies! Shiva, gather to me!” He begins closing the distance to the ceremony, but moving literally to keep some distance between the hellhounds and him.
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Alaris sends two dark shafts racing after Nikolai's shadowy bursts of energy. One flies wide, but the other buries itself deep in the chest of the wounded warlock, who slumps into stillness. The shadowhunter keeps moving with Nikolai, ready to provide close support.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
The three remaining warlocks guarding the ritual swing their arms in broad, sweeping motions and the air around them shimmers with arcane wards.
Two advance on Alaris and Caio, reaching out with one hand in a grasping motion as green energy swirls in their palms. However, both shadowhunters resist the invading influence that grasps at their minds.
The third hurls another bolt of fire at Alaris, this time catching them in the shoulder, leaving a smouldering patch on their armour.
Behind the memorial wall, the three hellhounds are hot on Shivala's tail, and the front-most beast circles around in front of her.
Caio's action.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Someone was gonna need to get in their face if they had any chance of disrupting this ritual. Caio snaps his bow back and whips out his meteor hammer and seraph blade. “Seriouslyguysleavethehoundsalonewegottagettotheportal!” he buzzes as he runs towards the closest warlock. His chain whips in arcs around him, but the holy metal only connects once, thudding against a forearm thrown up in defense. Caio snatches the hammer backwards and shoved his blade forward. “Miniel!” the invocation sends the glowing edge jutting at the foe. The warlock dodges backwards, but a quick slice down traces a shallow line across his chest.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Nikolai sees Caio engaged with one of the warlocks after they attempted to unsuccessfully enchant him with their spells. He rushes up near to Alaris and quickly sends another two bolts of the dark energy streaking through the darkness. The first flies wide and sends dirt scattering as it impacts with the ground. The second seems it will strikes the warlock, but their protective wards still hold and the dark energy ricochets up harmlessly into the air. “Damnit! Ling, use the ring to teleport you and Shiva up to them!”
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Ling hears Nikolai and Caio, but keeps running toward Shiva. When she rounds the corner, she grabs the warlock and pulls her with her, hoping the ring will do what she wants this time. She focuses on the group of warlocks, picturing herself and Shiva appearing just west of them, right next to the ritual circle.
For a moment, Ling feels as if nothing is happening. She sees the hellhound race towards them in slow motion, gaining on them. Suddenly, the world tilts as if she is about to pass out and they reappear next to the group of warlocks. With a wide grin, Ling shouts: "YOU HAVE SUMMONED MEEEE?!" and readies her Jian.
"Alright - enough mucking about! Let's get this done," Alaris calls out, moving towards the ritual and scanning for targets on the way. Their hand looks to dive for another arrow, but comes up with their dark silver stele instead. The shadowhunter flicks the tip of the stele across the skin of their right eye to activate their Hunter's Mark rune. Storing the stele again, that hand draws an arrow from the quiver attach to their right leg. Focusing on the warlock engaged with Caio, Alaris draws their ornate, adamas-inlaid bow and releases! The arrow flies true but at the last moment, the warlock -- dodging a strike from Caio -- moves out of its trajectory. A second arrow chases the first, and that one strikes true in the warlock's torso!
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
As Ling and Shiva materialise besides the ritual circle, the ground shakes across the entire cemetery, rocking Alaris's aim and sending their first arrow scattering off of the protective bubble of the warlock's wards.
The chanting of the circle of warlocks grows louder still, and a low rumble emanates from the statue, followed by an abrupt crack as the stone splits up the length of the shining line of light in a ragged fracture. Deep red fills the sky all around and a warm yellow glow pours from the gap in the rock.
"He is risen!" The front-most warlock proclaims, only to be abruptly cut off as a gigantic hand covered in red scales suddenly reaches through the gap and drags him inside with a muffled scream.
The warlock closest to Caio reaches out at him, grasping with a clawed hand from inside the dark robes. Eldritch energy crackles between its fingers and the shadowhunter feels it draw try to draw his lifeforce from his body. Though his nephilim blood resists the effect, it leaves him weary.
The warlocks closest to Alaris converge on the advancing warrior, brandishing their palms at them once more as green energy swirls in front of them. However, full of righteous fury as Alaris is, the weak enchantments simply flow off of them.
Caio's action.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Caio is a whirlwind of steel and light as he cuts down the warlock in front of him. The only thing on his mind is getting to that portal. What happens at that point is still beyond him, and quite irrelevant right now as his hammer shoots forward into the chest of the next fiend. It yanks back as Caio’s body spins, and whips around with a resounding crack, splattering blood and brain across the shadowhunter. Somehow the man still clings to life, but Caio’s blade ends that. He continues his advance with a grazing slice at the other warlock near the circle, then turns to glance at Ling. Was she really about to dive headfirst into that infernal maw? Were they all about to let her?
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Things occur almost too fast for Shiva to register, hearing Ling's voice only moments before her stomach heaves as the world momentarily spins around her. Her feet find ground as she appears before the encircled warlocks, who spin around in bewilderment. Hearing Ling, she yells out
"Someone order an ass kicking?!"
Moving on instinct, she lunges towards a warlock. With two strikes she cleaves into their leg, then tears a bloody wound across their front.
As the group begins to converge on the warlocks conclave, Nikolai takes a moment to watch the young Shadowhunters with a small bit of pride as they ruthlessly begin cutting through their enemies. He pauses a moment mid stride to call up the witching powers he’d learned to Hex one of the nearby warlocks as thick shadows swirl around and begin to cling to him. Nikolai sends two more blasts of dark, Eldritch energy streaking across the grounds and smiles as this time both slam into the warlock! With each hit, the cloying shadows seem to suck the very life force from the warlock as its face goes pale and sweaty. Nikolai keeps pushing forward parallel plot Alaris. “Keep it up, we are needed at the portal!”
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
When Shiva and Ling appear next to the warlock, Ling is sure they can win this battle. All they need to do is disrupt the warlocks' formation before they open the portal! But then, with a terrifyingly loud crack, the demon's hand reaches through the portal and pulls one of the warlocks through. Ling feels a wave of ice wash over her. Oh no, does that mean the portal is open? She looks around, trying to see how her friends are reacting, but they are all focused on the fight. She shares a brief glance with Caio, but he seems just as unsure as she feels. Over the noise of battle, she shouts to Nikolai: "Did you see that? Can that creature come through?!" Ling brings her seraph blade to life, holding one in each hand, and tries to listen for Nikolai's response. She attacks the warlock closest to her, but she is distracted and only one of her blows reaches him. Is this it? Are we really going to have to go through that portal? To an unknown place from which we can possibly never come back?
Alaris moves with a steady relentlessness towards the circle of warlocks and the horrible portal. Their eyes darken and energy starts to crackle from their skin as the massive arm scoops a warlock into the unknown. With a simple release of their grip, their bow drops and collapses, dangling from its harness under their long coat.
Out comes their saber, and the shadowhunter closes aggressively with the warlock to their right. Two slashes later and a burst of radiant energy later, the warlock lays still, leaking blood onto the cold ground.
"What happens next is up to you," Alaris growls at the other warlock between them and the ritual.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
A thunderous rumble reverberates about the cemetery and the ground splits apart, running from the opening in the statue all the way up to the centre of the ritual circle. The stench of sulphur fills the air and a wave of heat erupts from below. The warlock Shivala has been attacking screams out as the earth opens up, sending it plummeting into the deep red of the abyss below. Rock crumbles from around the edges underfoot, threatening to swallow Shiva up as well, but the experienced warrior holds her balance with cat's grace.
The remaining warlocks begin to waver in their chanting, glancing about at each other nervously, and one of those closest to the precipice breaks and begins to run. The others hold their ground, continuing to perform the ritual.
The warlock facing Alaris simply snarls at the shadowhunter with a visceral growl, swinging a clawed hand from inside their robes, but they're too slow to catch them.
Caio's action.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
"Nikolai, for the love of all the angels, GO help the others! I will deal with this one," Alaris barks as they evade the clawed swipe.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Ling’s uncertainty is almost a bit comforting. They’re on the same page, and whatever was gonna happen, they were in it together. He spins away from her gaze to continue his dance, whipping his meteor hammer and slashing with his blade. The warlock dodges some of the strikes but the majority find their mark, and the fiend is battered and bloody in a matter of seconds.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Having moved deftly to safety, Shiva watches as the ground cracks open and the warlock is consumed by the ensuing fissure. Panic begins to set in as she looks to the deeply red sky, then to Ling and the warlock attacking her. With calculated thrusts to the abdomen and neck, the warlock's lifeless body hits the ground. Looking up to Ling, she says
"If we're gonna do something, now is the time to do it."
Turning to yell to Nikolai "Nik! What do we do?!"
Nikolai watches as the world around them rapidly begins to fall apart as the ground collapses and falls away. He can feel the searing heat emanating from the orange glow beneath. His eyes widen and he begins to fear that they were too late... his heart hammers away in his chest and he can feel Samael’s disappointment in his failure. For a briefest of moments he considers running, letting humanity fester beneath the rush of demons that was about to pour forth. They deserved little more than it for all the sins they had committed. His eyes are drawn to the old, faded tattoo on his forearm…. his footsteps falter for just a moment until he hears their voices call across the field. That desperation and willingness to sacrifice for those who did not deserve it. In that moment, Arkadi knew that he loved them for their selflessness, misguided though it may be and he would not fail them.
He nods to Alaris and reaches toward the black, empty scabbard hanging from his belt and draws out a crackling blade of pure, black energy. “Hurry, Alaris, we have no time.” He sprints towards Ling, Caio, and Shiva near the portal as quickly as he can. He examines the expanding portal with a frustrated curse in Hebrew. “I… I don’t know! I don’t think we have much time at all! I can try to stop it, but I don’t know how other than the thing.” He points to the ring… and gives Ling a pleading look, hoping beyond hope she may have an epiphanous moment.
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
When the ground opens, everything seems to slow for Ling. We're too late, we couldn't stop it. All the tensions and anger falls away, leaving nothing but calm determination. I have to go through that portal. She looks at the ring and focuses for a moment, hoping for some last, desperate act of grace, but no such luck. Okay then. If this is how it's gotta be, take us somewhere safe. She sees Caio, as he cuts down another warlock, a flurry of blades and black gear, a formidable shadowhunter. Shiva, right next to her, felling another warlock. They had only just met, but Ling felt they would have become good friends. If only there had been time. And there's Alaris, evading a blow and shouting at Nikolai. Always looking out for me, we probably drove Caio mad, but we made a great time, the three of us. And finally Nikolai, her oldest friend, running for her. The look he gives her is frustrated and desperate, he points to the ring - Ah Nik, you became my family when I had next to no one left, you took us all in... We had a lot of fun and you saved my neck more than I would ever admit out loud. Ling smiles at him and turns in one swift movement. She backs up and runs toward the portal, jumping over the lava, past Shiva, into the bright, shining unknown.