Cellia bolted through the gates of the city with five others at her side. Her paladin armor that had shone brightly in the sun now was dulled by the shadows. Before them was the most horrible sight that she had ever seen. The earth was torn open and demons were spilling out, many guards were fighting with all of their strength to prevent the beasts from assaulting the castle. Buildings were ablaze, mutilated corpses of evil beasts and fallen men lay mangled about the city. The air was filled with a foul and acrid smell that burned their lungs. The group had stopped dead in their tracks, the amount of dead and the horror that lay before them made them flinch, but it was for only a moment. Quickly they were off to fight the whip wielding Balors, and the more powerful Balor Lords armed with unholy swords. This evil was accompanied by terrible Taskmasters, with the body of a Balor and the head of a Dragon. Hell hounds lept out of the cravass, and unholy priestesses were spat forth from hell. Cellia ran at the nearest priestess with her greatsword, Devine Death, raised and cut the un-holy bride asunder.
"MAY TORM GUIDE MY BLADE!" she shouted at the chaos as she moved behind a pre-occupied balor and the rest of her party had spread out upon the chaos. She sliced the towering demon's leg with her sword that glowed with pure white light, causing him to fall to the cobblestone where she jumped upon its chest and thrust her blade where the demon's heart would have been. With a bellow the balor threw her off with a swinging fist, throwing Cellia to the ground. The beast then bellowed its last breath as the sword embedded in its ribs burned at it like acid. Cellia quickly rose to her feet and retrieved her sword from the demon’s chest. With haste she dispatched two hellhounds and moved on only to stumble upon two fallen comrades. Quickly trying not to hesitate she blinked the tears from her eyes, as her two elven friends lay dead next to her, still gripping their bows. She channeled her anger at the priestess in front of her, causing the priestess to falter in her spell casting as Cellia cleaved off an arm. Sparks sputtered from the stunned priestess’ remaining hand as the evil bride’s eyes glowed red with hatred for the paladin. Cellia thrust her sword into the bride’s stomach, but not before the priestess got off one last spell, sending a fireball right into Cellia’s chest, knocking her backwards. The noise stopped in the paladin’s ears but was replaced by a ringing as she rolled over on the cobblestone, only to be met by the lifeless eyes of Korin, another from her group, his body in a contorted position and pinned under the corpse of a guard. She rose unsteadily to her feet trying to inhale, and then fell back to her knees. Behind her came a terrible growl and she turned her head just in time to see a balor erupt in blue fire and explosion just as her hearing returned. She gave a quick glance to the wizard that was off to her left and Lecturis returned a slight nod before quickly casting another spell at another target. Cellia gulped in a welcome breath that burned her lungs. She rose to her feet and removed her sword from the unholy priestess’ corpse. The flesh boiling where Devine Death made contact. With sword in hand she turned to run back towards the wizard, only to see an unnoticed balor lord coming up behind the busy wizard.
“LECTURIS, BEHIND YOU!� but it was too late, as the wizard spun around the balor struck the man in two. Cellia’s hands tightened around her sword as she charged the demon as it finished its swing through the wizard’s torso. She thrust at the beast that was a good two feet taller then her, slicing it in the shoulder. It reared back and bellowed a fearsome roar that tossed Cellia’s blond hair about her head. The beast swung and Cellia ducked, narrowly missing the large blade that hissed through the air with hatred and fury. She struck back, hitting the beast in the belly, the sword searing it with a white light. The wounded lord thrust his sword, in return with a roar, hitting Cellia in the side, the contact of the sword felt as though it began to suck her soul out. She fell to the ground her wound bleeding profusely. She looked up to the darkened sky with glazed eyes and begged Torm for the strength to defeat these foes. Her body twitched in agony, as the wound seared and tears ran from her eyes. In a weak whisper she prayed.
“Torm, please watch over those souls that have fallen here, and protect those who still fight.� She paused as her body convulsed. “And protect this land from those whom wish to destroy all that is good.� She rolled on her side and grabbed her sword, holding it close to her. With a shaking hand she touched the inscription on the bloody blade. “may Torm guide you� It felt to her as if he spoke to her mind. She looked past her sword to see Tenya, the cleric, the last of her party, mortally wounded calling out to her. They saw each other as Tenya whispered her last spell then her eyes rolled back into her head. Cellia, felt her head lighten then her wound cool. She relaxed and shifted to laying on her back as she felt some of her ribs healing.
“I am alone,� Cellia thought in horror. “my friends are all dead, but I must carry on.� Cellia rolled to her side, got up on her knees and looked at the battle around her. She was already exhausted and wounded, but the battle was not over and war had just begun.
