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Events of the 9th of Slate, 1091
"What in the hells was that?!" shouted Viktoria, looking to the south. A mighty plume of flame had struck skywards and drawn the attention of all those around.
"Something we should investigate, you think?" asked Kast.
"Obviously." replied Viktoria, already starting to move. "Let's go see what's going on."
Travelling south with haste, they stopped in their tracks at the sight that greeted them. A plume of smoke, surrounded by fell creatures. Bones on fire, one of them still covered with burning flesh, looking distinctly dwarvish.
"Creatures from the underworld!" hissed Viktoria, grimly determined to make a stand no matter what the odds.
"There's a few of them..." replied Gimli, "and more coming out of that pit."
Viktoria set her jaw, and turned to Kast. "Alright, boy. You go tell the fortress what's going on here. We'll... do the best we can. Gods help us all."
"I should help!" protested Kast.
"You get out of here, boy!" shouted Gimli, "Go warn the fortress!"
Kast spared them one last look before fleeing towards the fortress.
"CHARGE!" shouted Viktoria, leading the way.
Fireballs filled the air as they ran, narrowly missing most of them. Moogel caught a blast in her chest, and she called out in pain as the steel plate seared the flesh below.
She paid it little other heed though, baring her teeth at the monsters in defiance, until a wall of flame erupted over them all, blanketing the area in fire.
Leaping through the flames, Viktoria tore through the nearest creature with her spear, scattering its bones into the snow where they quickly extinguished.
"They're not so tough!" she shouted, turning to her squad as they buried their weapons in others.
Moogel smashed her warhammer down on one, shattering the bones apart under the force of the blow.
Crying triumphant, she was cut short as another creature appeared behind her, searing away her flesh altogether.
"MOOGEL!" cried Gimli, turning to face the perpetrator.
It stood before him, looming, and jumped into the sky above him.
Together, the dwarves converged on the creature, striking up at it when they could, finally bringing it down before them.
Only when they felt they had the upper hand did any of them dare look back.
"Dear Gods!" shouted Darktongue, pointing back at Moogel.
They looked as one. The corpse was standing again, still burning and no longer truly Moogel.
"Is that what awaits us all, should we fail?" Viktoria wondered aloud.
Moogel danced into the sky, rising above her ex-comrades. Soon they would know the glorious taste of flame, starting with Gimli.
With newfound powers, she flung a bolt of fire into Gimli, scorching him.
"Dammit, Moogel! It's Gimli!" he shouted in horror.
The others leapt on her, but not before she flung a second bolt at him, striking him in the throat and burning it away.
He grabbed it in horror, trying to breathe as three other burning skeletons converged on him.
"GIMLI!" shouted Viktoria, fully horrified at what was occurring.
She shifted her attention back to Moogel. "You bitch! Stay dead this time!"
She kicked the struggling Moogel away, then leapt on her and ripped away her right leg.
Moogel continued to launch her attack on Gimli along with the others, clawing her way across the ground towards them for safety in numbers.
The soldiers behind her were too fast, though, and stayed with her, cutting away what they could from her as she moved. Striking her down before she could reach them.
Darktongue flung himself at one of the creatures, smashing it away from Gimli with a force so great it exploded in a shower of embers.
They pressed their advantage, determined to save their friend.
Gimli rose again, next to the friends battling to save him.
They spied him, and struck at him immediately, knowing what was to come. The master's plan was coming to fruition for each of them who died, though, and his consort had now arisen from the pit.
More soldiers were rushing to join the fray, and the Fortress had just sounded the alarm. But there was no hope now. No chance of victory for the Fortress. It was just a matter of time.
Soldiers rushed to join Viktoria's beleaguered squad. Fireheart from the North, and Fleabeard led his squad from the east, ducking as a strangely dwarven creature passed over him on the way to the fortress.
They were in time to witness Viktoria explode into flames cast from the creatures hovering above the strange new pit.
Xotes watched with glee as the minions turned the fortress soldiers into burnt corpses. The power of her master would continue to revive each of their fallen, but she was sure the combined might of the fortress would be able to overcome this threat, serious as it was.
She flew directly to the Hammer Tower. It was so freeing to fly, and this was indeed everything she had been promised it would be. She half-wanted to seek out the Captain and flay the flesh from his bones, but she knew that would be foolhardy. She could do as much flaying as she wanted once they were done with Nist Akath.
She whirled around as a bolt narrowly missed her, and looked down. Two of the accursed defenders of this place were below her, firing upwards.
She cackled at their ineffectiveness, and stepped into the tower.
