NationStates Jolt Archive

secret communique to:Vlad
Subject:The Pariah
Message: I'll make this short as I am unsure how secure this link is, where is Xaltotun? How well is he guarded and how powerfull is he? We have a few opratives who may be able to stand a chance against him. However do not take this lightly, they work for us yes but they are not controlable, you set them off they go there is no stopping them till they burn out.
From: Bronterre Freelove

secret communique to:Vlad
Subject:The Pariah
Message: I'll make this short as I am unsure how secure this link is, where is Xaltotun? How well is he guarded and how powerfull is he? We have a few opratives who may be able to stand a chance against him. However do not take this lightly, they work for us yes but they are not controlable, you set them off they go there is no stopping them till they burn out.
From: Bronterre Freelove


Mr. Freelove,

Xaltotun's whereabouts are unknown. He must be in the area of Xeraph, but if he doesn't want to be found, he won't be. He is directly descended from the sorcerors of ancient Acheronn who ruled the earth in ages past. He is most adept at the conjuring and control of demonic forces. And as such, are not subject to being harmed by human means.

What are the Paraiahs? We have not heard of them here in Xeraph. I do not know how effective they would be in an assault against the forces of darkness. Xaltotun is very powerful. He thinks nothing of killing thousands to gain his ends. What we fear most is his taking over of the populace of Xeraph with his lies and " miraculous signs and wonders." If the citizens of Xeraph turn against us, we are lost. The Emperor could handle this emergency, but he is still in a coma as a result of the assassination attempt.

Thank you for your concern.

regards,

Vlad

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To: The Duchess of Elyria-Lorain
From:Minister P. Sweetwater
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Tarlag

My Lady I have just received a report from Admiral Dayron that he should be wrapping up the anti-pirate operations within the week. The Admiral assures me that they will give you and your people no more trouble.
On another matter, intelligence reports have reached my desk that have me troubled. Reports indicate that the Empire of Xeroph and your country are being threatened by a party or parties unknown. My intelligence also states that this person or persons are users of the arcane arts. These reports do not state if you are in personal danger but if you are dealing with such people you most likely are.
The Grand Duke himself wishes to offer our assistance in this matter. To this point he has contacted The ancient order of the Knights of Ironhold. The Knights are not connected with our government but they are looked upon as the conscience of our leaders and protectors of our people. Proctor Dragonblade their leader has offered the deployment of three Knights armed with three of the twelve arms of Ironhold. One of these blades that can be deployed to you is Spellslayer an ancient sword with supposed powers against users of the arcane arts. This team will be lead by Lady Paladin Alexa Stormhand.
The Duke has also decided to include three twelve man DEST (Duke's Elite Strike Team) teams to aid the knights and see to your safety. These teams are the most highly trained people in our armed forces, they are the best of the best.
Please do not feel this is a slight to your own personal guard or the forces at your command. The Grand Duke has only offered this force to aid you and your people against forces you may not be equipped to deal with.
I look forward to your reply in this matter.

To: The Duchess of Elyria-Lorain
From:Minister P. Sweetwater
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Tarlag

My Lady I have just received a report from Admiral Dayron that he should be wrapping up the anti-pirate operations within the week. The Admiral assures me that they will give you and your people no more trouble.
On another matter, intelligence reports have reached my desk that have me troubled. Reports indicate that the Empire of Xeroph and your country are being threatened by a party or parties unknown. My intelligence also states that this person or persons are users of the arcane arts. These reports do not state if you are in personal danger but if you are dealing with such people you most likely are.
The Grand Duke himself wishes to offer our assistance in this matter. To this point he has contacted The ancient order of the Knights of Ironhold. The Knights are not connected with our government but they are looked upon as the conscience of our leaders and protectors of our people. Proctor Dragonblade their leader has offered the deployment of three Knights armed with three of the twelve arms of Ironhold. One of these blades that can be deployed to you is Spellslayer an ancient sword with supposed powers against users of the arcane arts. This team will be lead by Lady Paladin Alexa Stormhand.
The Duke has also decided to include three twelve man DEST (Duke's Elite Strike Team) teams to aid the knights and see to your safety. These teams are the most highly trained people in our armed forces, they are the best of the best.
Please do not feel this is a slight to your own personal guard or the forces at your command. The Grand Duke has only offered this force to aid you and your people against forces you may not be equipped to deal with.
I look forward to your reply in this matter.



Mr. Sweetwater,

Thank you for your concern. Xeraph itself is the target for this wizard's plan of conquest. As you may or may not know, Xeraph is both a Kingdom and an Empire. Xaltotun is not interested in anything but the Kingdom of Xeraph. I have discovered a few interesting things about Xeraph since becoming allied to them.

The overall population of Xeraph is over 4 billion, yet only about 650,000 civilians and 1.4 million military personell are physically in the nation, which, by the way, covers about 287,000 square miles. All civilian and diplomatic dignitaries from other nations live in and around one of the five Royal cities. In the capitol, Xeraphia, 97% of the population lives underground. Each city has a significant percentage of citizens who live underground, in the most advanced and beautiful homes anyone has ever seen.

The rest of the population is employed off-world or in the military. They work in the manufacturing, agricultural, and industrial areas of several planets in the Typhon Expanse and the Taiuuen Expanse in the constellation Tau Ceti.

The Empire consists of four nations at present: Xeraph, Black Shadows, Auralinia, and The Grey Phoenix. Recently, two nations of the Empire, the Grey Legions and the Black Katanas, requested and received independance from the Empire. But, all is not as it seems.

The House of Tanith rules the Empire. Tanith was the legendary, almost mythological, ruler of the ancient world. About 18,000 years ago, he conquered most of the known world, and ruled it with a just and iron hand. From this Empire came some of the great leaders and nations of times past, some of which are still intact. Legend has it that Atlantis was ruled by his descendants for a short time before it disappeared beneath the waves. Others were Athens, Sparta, and the Roman Empire. Among his descendants were Ghengis Khan, Achilles, and the rulers of the Mayan Empire.

Such is the ancestry of the present ruler of the Empire, Alaric Tan'it of Xeraph. All of the rulers of the nations of the Empire are descended from Tanith: Ricala of Auralinia, Sethanis of Black Shadows, and Vlad of The Grey Phoenix. The Grey Legions is ruled by Duke Avan Astran, and The Black Katanas is ruled by Lord Genghiz.

Xeraph is thought of by most nations as a "techno-barbaric" nation. The highest, state-of-the-art technology is an earmark of the Kingdom, while at the same time the old ways are strongly adhered to.

Xeraph is a rich, prosperous, and proud nation, and so you can see why Xaltotun would be desirous of controlling it.

This is a distinct possibility as the Emperor is at present laying in a coma, the result of an assassination attempt some weeks ago. He is alive, and making slow, incremental progress. But the sorceror inveigled himself with the other Tanithian rulers, and now they regret their folly. But it may be too late. Xaltotun has vowed to destroy the remaining Tanithians, as well as myself, as I am the grandaughter of Alaric's oldest and closest friend, Eric Valtane of Verboten Lufftewaffe, which no longer exists due to internal revolution and anarchy. We of the region of Avignon are the remnants of Valtane's Confederation, striving to rebuild that which was once a great nation.

I related all of this to you, and any others who think they can help, to advise you that this sorceror is extremely powerful. He is a descendant of the Sorceror-Kings of ancient Acheronn, and from his castle-keep in the City of Blood, called Xuchotl, is seeking to reassert his dominion over as many nations of the earth, starting with Xeraph. If Xeraph falls, many will follow.

If the Knights of IronHold and Lady Stormhand wish to attempt to stop Xaltotun, I can only hope that they know what theyr'e doing. This is no ordinary magician. He is steeped in the blackest sorceries and blood-magic arts that man has ever known. He is aided and empowered by the kings of Hell themselves. They seek to throw the entire world into an age of horror and death hitherto unknown in history.

As to the situation with the pirates, I thank you wholeheartedly. I am curious as to the actual numbers that existed, and how many, if any, are still alive. I would like to talk to some of them if there are any available.

Tarlag has proven itself a worthy ally of Elyria-Lorain, and all the citizens of Elyria-Lorain thank you. I have, under my own authority, granted Tarlag possession of all of the islands that were formerly occupied by the pirates,to do with as you wish, except for the production of WMD and so long as Tarlag keeps the islands ecologically intact.

sincerely,

Priscilla d'Avignon-Elyrie, Duchess of Elyria-Lorain

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The Duchess was pacing. She had still not heard from Tarlag, and now the report from the sea-probe indicated that there was a city down there. Sorcerors, Empires, mysterious cities.........she was becoming overwhelmed. Seth was not due back for another 24 hours, and he was going right to Xeraphia, not here.

"Captain, any word from Tarlag?"

" No, m'lady."

" OK, here's what you do. Contact the following nations: Tarlag, United Earthlings, Black Shadows, the Grey Legions......."

The captain looked up sharply. " Ma'am...the Grey Legions? Are you sure? They haven't been seen in over 200 years. Nobody has tangled with them since they defeated, then eradicated, the nation of Orvonton. The tales of brutality are legendary. And now they are allied to Automagfreek. Theyv'e even moved their nation to AMF's region."

"All the better then, captain. We're going to need all the help we can get."

" What message, ma'am?"

" Ask them to please meet with me here at Ariette. Xeraph has a situation that is going to directly affect us, and I need all the adviceI can get."

"Yes, ma'am

The castle reeked of blood and decaying flesh. Dead bodies were everywhere...laying in doorways, draped over furniture, impaled on stakes, piled high for burning.

Astran surveyed his work..........and found it was good. Victory was one thing, vengeance another. This rebellion had been quickly squashed. A few minor tribes banded together and tried to defeat the Duke of The Grey Legions. Their fierce war-crys were turned to screams of terror when the Legions swarmed over them. None were spared, not even the women or the children. All but one was killed, as tradition demanded. The child that was brought before Duke Astran looked to be about 10 years old. He was covered in blood, and terrified.

" Come here, boy. I'm not going to hurt you. You are the last of your people, and so you hold a place of honor here in my land. Even though your tribe rebelled against me, I will not completely destroy it."

The boy didn't look convinced.

The Duke got up, stared at the boy for a few seconds, then signaled the guards to bring him along. He brought the boy to the parapets of the castle, and swept his arm across the entire landscape.

"All this is mine, boy. Anybody try to tell you otherwise winds up dead. Now, go get cleaned up and get some sleep. You've a long walk in the morning."

Duke Avan Astran was 436 years old. And he was beginning to look it. Heir of the House of Tanith, he ruled over his portion with absolute authority.

An aide ran up to him. " Sir, a message from Duchess D'Avignon-Elyrie."

" Who the hell......Let's see." He scanned the message, and looked up with a grim look on his face. " My grand-nephew is in deep shit. Get the 4th and 55th Legions ready to roll. I'll get to this...Elyria-Lorain...ahead of them. Get my gunship."

"Yes, sir, right away sir."

Dawn was still an hour away, but the first faint light was beginning to be seen over the plains of Xeraph. The first royal city to receive the sun each day was Tarantia, all the way to the east. The other five cities of the Kingdom of Xeraph were treated to the warmth and light of the sun as it rose in the sky and headed west. The last city to light up was the capitol, Xeraphia.

But the rising sun brought more than light and warmth to Xeraphia that morning...............

___________________________________________________________________


The sky was thick with them. The people of Xeraphia couldn't believe their eyes, their brains telling them that this was impossible.

The.....things......were still about a mile off, but they were getting nearer by the second. And they were quite large. As the first of them approached the city, it could be seen that they were about 12 feet tall, with a wing-span more than twice that.

They were various shades of grey, ranging from a light, almost silver appearence to a battleship grey, dark, almost black.

They were carrying small, gelatinous globes that were filled with a special chemical, made from the leaves of the Stygian Lotus and the poisonous thistle found only in the old empire of Koth. If this were the 20th century, they would call the compound lysergic acid diethyamide.....LSD. But this was actually a variation of the drug.

It had a similar effect, but without the hallucenogenic factor. It simply made people think that the reality that was Xaltotun was what they had been use to all their lives............


________________________________________________________________

In his chamber, Xaltotun chuckled to himself. It was a horrible sound. This vast and glorious kingdom was about to become his, and there was nothing that anyone could do to stop it. Oh, there were going to be a few who tried to stop him, but he already knew who they were and what they were going to do. They were all as good as dead.
_________________________________________________________________


The first of the Harpies, as they were later called, flew in high over the city, and as soon as it was directly over the Emperor's Palace, it let go of the quivering orb. It burst approximately 300 feet above the ground, releasing the vapor to slowly drift upon the morning breeze.


The second Harpy did the same, and the next four hours saw thousands of them dropping the chemical orbs all over Xeraph. In a few days, Xeraph would no longer be under control of the Emperor, but the sorceror, Xaltotun, who would summon the kings of hell and the warriors of the pit to occupy the land.

Then he would turn his eye to other nations..............................

To: The Duchess of Elyria- Lorain
From Minister P. Sweetwater

My apologies for not getting back to you sooner but we have been having some trouble with some local terrorist groups. If you are in need of help the team I mentioned in my last dispatch has made it to our base on Avalon and is awaiting you permission to deploy. Lady Stormhand is the "point man" of the group and she wishes to get started as soon as possible. The three DEST teams under her command are well armed and trained for any contingency.
My Lady if there is anything you need of the Tarlag government please do not hesitate to ask.

A young Tarlag naval officer approaches a tall striking woman on the base's firing range. " Lady Stormhand you have called for me". "Thank you for coming so quickly Lieutenant, any word from the Foreign office?" " No my Lady, we have received no word from Minister Sweetwater or his staff."
"The hell with it and the hell with the foreign office we move out now!" After making that statement she fires a burst into the center of the target then holsters her bushmaster.
"I want everyone loaded and be in the air in one hour". "But my Lady you don't have clearance to the capital". The dark haired woman turned and marched passed the the Lieutenant and said "In this case it is easier to ask forgiveness then to ask permission".

It was with a great deal of satisfaction that Priscilla noted that Tarlag and The Grey Legions were on the way. Perhaps this Lady Stormhand and Lord Ghengiz together could at leasr stem the tide of what was coming.

Reports were already filtering in from Xeraph. It wasn't pretty.

Thousands of the flying creatures, dubbed Harpies by the Xeraphians, were dropping those GelOrbs all over Xeraph, and a fair portion of the population were already affected.

There were riots in the streets demanding that Xaltotun return and take over the government. The riots were being contained, but not for long.

Priscilla made a mental note to inform her allies out on the islands that their holdings may be affected along with Elyria-Lorain's should the wizard turn his eye upon her and her nation. And she had no doubt that he would.

" Captain, inform Lady Stormhand out on Avalon that she is free to proceed as she sees fit. Advise her that Lord Ghengiz is on his way with two Legions and if she wants to coordinate defenses with him, I'm sure (she hoped) he'll cooperate."


"Also, advise all of our allies of what is happening. They may want to head out to sea, or seek shelter, or.....fight. Normally, I would be calling on our allies to defend our nation, but I don't think bullets are going to stop Xaltotun. Have them do as they see fit."

If only Alaric were awake and able to respond to this threat, he'd know what to do, she thought........

To: The Duchess of Elyria-Lorain
From: Admiral Dayron aboard H.D.S. Saratoga
Commanding Task Force Lorain

My Lady, I wish to report that your territorial waters have been cleared of all major pirate warships. Using the ships and planes at my disposal we have struck and crippled the pirates. We have also destroyed a major base located on an atoll 250 south west of your country.
We engaged a pirate force consisting of
1 CBG (of old USSR manufacture)
1 CAG (Clan Smoke Jaguar origin this ship was under 5 years old!)
2 old type CA's
1 old type CL
5 frigates of various ages
30 armed ships and boats ranging from armed trawlers to Higgins type landing craft.
Recon reported to us that they had massed at the afformentioned atoll in an apparent response to my task force. They seemed to be well organized and had a very good command structure. I engaged them with both capital ships and aircraft as they steamed out to meet my force. They seemed to know that we were coming and had made preparations for us. They not only responded with missiles and naval guns but with hidden 16 inch shore batteries and SAM batteries. An A-10S Squadron managed to put both the batteries out of commission using hellfire missiles and their 30mm guns. After the shore batteries were put out of commission it was only a matter of time before their ships were overwhelmed by my forces.
We have managed to capture the CAG, as we used specialty homing torpedoes that home in on the propellers thus disabling the ship. It and it's crew of 647 plus the 457 personal on the base will be turned over to your government at your earliest convenience.
I have received instructions from the Duke that your Government has gifted the atoll to Tarlag. The Duke has stated that not only will we give the atoll back to you with our thanks but the CAG is to be repaired and given to your navy. This action has given our fleet operational experience which to our high command is a greater reward. Our only request is that a cemetery is set up on the atoll for the 87 men abord the H.D.S. Thomas Long, a fast corvette that was struck and sunk buy both missile and naval gun fire, in addition to the 19 naval aircrew that were lost.
I have also received instruction that that my entire task force including the naval infantry units are to remain on station and at the disposal of Lady Paladin Alexa Stormhand and yourself.

Admiral Dayron,

I again thank you for your efforts. I have consulted with my fellow Tetrarchs and have unanimously decided to award you a tract of land on mainland Avignon for your personal use. You are the first to have attained this reward. The land is located in the mountains of St. Germain-Lorain, and has a house and outbuildings on it.

As to the cemetary, we would be honored to have it established in the names of those who gave their lives for Tarlag and Elyria-Lorain.

regards,

The Duchess

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Xaltotun stood on the ramparts of his castle, looking into a glass ball at the events unfolding over 8,000 miles away in Xeraph. The fools thought to oppose me, he thought. They will pay the price for their foolishness.

He turned to the being behind him. This creature was about 12 feet tall, wings presently folded, it's entire body rippling with fire. Yet it was not consumed, nor did the wizard feel it's heat.

It's arms were folded across it's mighty chest, and as it breathed, a sulphurous cloud of smoke hovered over it.

This was Baalzbb, a mid-level demon of Hell. Xaltotun had bound Baalzbb to himself, and the demon was to do as the sorceror wished.

Xaltotun said, " O Infernal Prince, I bid you go to Xeraphia and find the Emperor. Then kill him. His presence is hidden from me, but you will find him. Now go!"

The demon disappeared with a rushing sound..........

Over the capital three sea stallion helicopters with Tarlag markings appeared.
Two of the choppers had two small universal weapon carriers each slung underneath.
"Put us down next to the Duchess's palace, I want the area secured ASAP" Lady Stormhand told the pilot of the lead chopper.
"Alexa, John and myself will place the DEST teams in position while you see to the Duchesses safety" replied Sir Brighttower who had taken over from the regular navy pilot.
" Right don't let these DEST troopers scare the locals remind them who's side they are on. The Duke has made these people our allies and we don't want any misunderstandings with the palace guard." Lady Alexa turned to the third Knight, a man whose size and looks would give an AMF sentinel pause.
" John see what you can do with the locals. I want you to see what her Ladyship has to defend the palace with and see where the weapons we brought will do the most good."
Soon all three of the helicopters were setting down in the nearest open area to the Duchesses residence.
"OK Troops lets see what kind of reception we will get."

The HCGS's were identified and tracked from about 15 miles out. It was Lady StormHand and her troops, and they were expected.

As the HCGS's landed, there was a lone personage there to greet them.

Abbot Mencius Merton was the chief monk of the Community of the White-Robed Monks. He rarely traveled outside of his Imperial Province, but this situation demanded it.

He was here to see that the Emperor recovered, and as quickly as possible.

He was also here to greet and brief Lady StormHand, advising her of the situation.

" Greetings, m'Lady. I am Abbot Merton. I haven't much time, so please listen carefully. The Duchess is presently on the grounds, and is heavily guarded. The sorceror, Xaltotun, has vowed a horrible fate for her. We are pursuing all avenues of protection, both proactive and reactive, available to us. The Emperor of Xeraph's comatose body is hidden down among the lower chambers of the Citadel here in Ariette. It is Beamed from area to area on an irregular schedule, so as to thwart the sorceror's finding of him. I have fellow monks spread out all over the world right now seeking wisdom as how to deal with Xaltotun. We would normally have little or no problem with any type of wizard, but this one is ancient and possessor of arcane secrets not seen on Terra for tens of thousands of years. So, whatever help and protection you can give us, it is greatly appreciated." Merton bowed.....and disappeared....

"God I hate when they do that" said Lady Stormhand. Alexa opened her mike up and started issuing orders. "Redeploy we have a class 3 or class 2 wizard who has a hard on for the Duchess and other parties here." "Brighttower and Mc'Lar you are with me." The DEST troopers began setting up firing positions and started to load their specialty rounds in their Pancor Jackhammers.
" This is now a free fire zone, If it looks like a wizard, demon or minion of evil turn it to hamburger."

"God I hate when they do that" said Lady Stormhand. Alexa opened her mike up and started issuing orders. "Redeploy we have a class 3 or class 2 wizard who has a hard on for the Duchess and other parties here." "Brighttower and Mc'Lar you are with me." The DEST troopers began setting up firing positions and started to load their specialty rounds in their Pancor Jackhammers.
" This is now a free fire zone, If it looks like a wizard, demon or minion of evil turn it to hamburger."


Three hundred miles above Terra, OSS-2 was scanning the quadrant where both Elyria-Lorain and Xeraph lie. There was an unusual amout of frenetic activity in the capitol of Xeraph, and seargent-major Swenson immediately relayed the readout to HQ for analysis, even though he already knew what it was.

The Harpies had attacked Xeraphia, and now the citizens of that mighty city were clamoring for the wizard, Xaltotun, to come and "save" them from the evil Alaric.

Swenson also noted that there was a strike force in attendance in EL. That would be Alexa StormHand and her DEST troops. If anybody could stop a demon, she could.

" Corporal, inform the King of the recent developments, and patch a line to the DEST people. Inform them of the current whereabouts of the Harpies, and if they turn towards EL, lock on our lasers. Those critters may be supernatural in origin, but I'll bet you that they'll come apart right quick when a pulse-laser rips into 'em."

"Yes sir."

Lady Alexa Stormhand with the two other knights marched into the Duchesses palace. Stopping one of the local guards she asked " We need to see her Ladyship the Duchess at once."
Meanwhile outside the universal carriers were setting up three with 50 cal. rotary machine guns and stinger missiles and one with a Carl Gustav recoilless gun.


OCC: The universal carrier is based on the old British Bern carrier of WWII. The only changes I made was putting on modern armor and replacing the old gas engine with a modern more powerful engine. Our Special Forces and airborne troops use them for many duties.

Grand Duke Ozgood the Third stepped up to the podium and addressed The Tarlag people.
"People of Tarlag, I come to you today to speak on behalf of our Allie the Duchess of Elyria-Lorain."
"I am sure you have heard the reports coming out of Xeroph of flying demons and an evil wizard." "Although Xeroph is putting up a valiant fight our intelligence indicates that they cannot hold out forever." When this force of evil finishes with Xeroph they will turn on our good friends in Elyria-Lorain."
"Xeroph may fall and we cannot prevent it but this so called wizard will not be permitted to go farther." "HE WILL NOT PASS." "We are drawing the line and he will not cross it, this I pledge."
"To this point I have dispatched three of our special forces DEST teams under command of Lady Paladin Alexa Stormhand to The capital of Elyria-Lorain." "But this will not be enough to stem the tide of evil," " I am also sending the elite Third Airborne Regiment to reinforce the troops we already have on the ground."
"Looking to our own defenses if this evil turns on us, I am activating the home guard our beloved Green Coats."
"The line is drawn and the forces of evil shall not cross!"
"God Bless Elyria-Lorain, God Bless Tarlag."

Lady Alexa Stormhand with the two other knights marched into the Duchesses palace. Stopping one of the local guards she asked " We need to see her Ladyship the Duchess at once."
Meanwhile outside the universal carriers were setting up three with 50 cal. rotary machine guns and stinger missiles and one with a Carl Gustav recoilless gun.


OCC: The universal carrier is based on the old British Bern carrier of WWII. The only changes I made was putting on modern armor and replacing the old gas engine with a modern more powerful engine. Our Special Forces and airborne troops use them for many duties.


The Duchess' chambermaid shook her from sleep. " M'lady, there are visitors."

" Visitors? Who is visiting me at this hour?"

Priscilla clambored out of bed and with the help of her ladies-in-waiting managed to look somewhat presentable.

When she saw who it was waiting for her in her office, she smiled and clapped her hands. " Welcome, Lady Alexa. We were anticipating your arrival. Let me update you on the event of the past 48 hours."

She continued. " Xeraph has been attacked by creatures that they are calling Harpies. Each Harpy was carrying a device that when dropped to a level of about 200 feet above the ground, dissolved to let a chemical vapor loose. This vapor has the effect of turning the hearts of the citizens of Xeraph towards Xaltotun and away from Alaric. The first through sixth waves came right into the capitol, Xeraphia. Most sections of the city have been affected, and there is rioting in the streets. The other four royal cities have not as yet been attacked. As you may or may not know, Xeraph has only five cities. The rest of the nation is comprised of military bases. The military has pretty much been unaffected by the vapors. Xaltotun himself stated that he was after the Kingdom of Xeraph, not necessarily the entire Empire. But he also said that he had a 'special gift' for me and Elyria-Lorain. We have no information as to what, when or where this 'gift' will present itself.

The other nations of the Empire, Auralinia, Grey Phoenix, and Black Shadows, are mobilised and ready to strike. Two former Imperial nations, the Grey Legions and the Black Katanas, are also getting involved. I have as yet not put out a call to our allies, as I really don't know what to tell them. They, as you, have bases on our out-lying islands. Perhaps you had some advice as to how to alert them without alarming them.

And to top it all off, the comatose body of the Emperor of Xeraph is here in Elyria-Lorain. We have been shifting his location, via the TransBeam, at odd intervals so as not to put him in danger from the wizard. It has been apparent for a while now that we are going to have to Beam him to different nations. Would Tarlag be willing to hold him for a time?"

My Lady thank you for the update, please let me tell you what is going on on our end and then we can form a plan of attack. Right now I have a small special forces unit on the ground to defend you and the Emperor. The Third Airborne Regiment is on route to help defend your capital from attack. This is mainly a show of force by the Duke to help your peoples moral.
The real power to fight the wizard is in this room. Sir George Brightower over there carries the sword Legion. The swords power is that it causes fear in the users enemies and boasts the courage of his allies.
The mountain over there Sir John Mc'Lar besides using a light MG. as a rifle he wields Spellslayer the sword I feel will do the most damage against Xaltontun.
The sword can penetrate any magical barrier, and personal protection magics. If it hits a wizard it will in most instances prevent him from casting magic.
My own blade the Fang of the Righteous has the power to kill demons permanently among other things.
Now on what to do, first with your permission, I would like to station on the grounds near by two squadrons of Sea Harriers in case Xaltontun tries the same attack here. They should give those winged devils a shock. They caught the one city by surprise they will not catch us the same way.
We also will be more then happy to shelter the Emperor in Tarlag. I believe we have a safe room in both Ironhold Tower and Caldwells Keep. If the Wizard attacks him at Caldwells Keep we have a nasty surprise for him.
As for our other allies I suggest you tell them the truth. If this is going to get bad let them know.

Three mighty warriors strode out of the Emperor's Palace. Seldom in the history of the Empire had all three been seen together. But these were dire times, and dire measures had to be taken.

King Ricala of Auralinia. Lord Sethanis, King of Black Shadows. Prince Vlad, Regent of The Grey Phoenix. These were the Lords of the Empire. Each commanded over one million armored troopers, sailors, marines, and pilots. Each had hundreds of ships, thousands of jet fighters, thousands of MBT's and other mechanized armor.

But....there was one of them missing, the greatest warrior of them all.

Alaric Tan'it, Imperator Xeraphus, who presently lay in a coma, hidden away so no harm could come to him.

The air shimmered, and two more fighting men appeared through the fiery blue oval that was the TransBeam.

Lord Ghengiz of the Black Katanas and Duke Avan Astran of the Grey Legions, kinsmen to the Emperor, now co-rulers of their own Empire, stood with the others. The combined strength of these five men numbered in the millions. Few nations would be able to stand against them.

Yet their concern was not for conquest, but for the Emperor, and for Xeraph. For Xeraph had fallen into the clutches of the evil sorceror, Xaltotun.

Xaltotun, heir to the Black Lords of Acheronn, to the Sorceror Priests of Stygia, kin to the demons of Hell.

The Five, as they were now called, had vowed to defeat Xaltotun and win back the Kingdom of Xeraph, or die trying.

There were other allies rendering aid. Tarlag was guarding Duchess d'Avignon-Elyrie, whom Xaltotun had sworn to kill. Kagashima was connecting the monks of Xeraph with their own Wise One in hopes of gaining some knowledge of the ancient black arts. And others would come.............

My Lady thank you for the update, please let me tell you what is going on on our end and then we can form a plan of attack. Right now I have a small special forces unit on the ground to defend you and the Emperor. The Third Airborne Regiment is on route to help defend your capital from attack. This is mainly a show of force by the Duke to help your peoples moral.
The real power to fight the wizard is in this room. Sir George Brightower over there carries the sword Legion. The swords power is that it causes fear in the users enemies and boasts the courage of his allies.
The mountain over there Sir John Mc'Lar besides using a light MG. as a rifle he wields Spellslayer the sword I feel will do the most damage against Xaltontun.
The sword can penetrate any magical barrier, and personal protection magics. If it hits a wizard it will in most instances prevent him from casting magic.
My own blade the Fang of the Righteous has the power to kill demons permanently among other things.
Now on what to do, first with your permission, I would like to station on the grounds near by two squadrons of Sea Harriers in case Xaltontun tries the same attack here. They should give those winged devils a shock. They caught the one city by surprise they will not catch us the same way.
We also will be more then happy to shelter the Emperor in Tarlag. I believe we have a safe room in both Ironhold Tower and Caldwells Keep. If the Wizard attacks him at Caldwells Keep we have a nasty surprise for him.
As for our other allies I suggest you tell them the truth. If this is going to get bad let them know.



Thank you for your tremendous response. I give you complete freedom to do as you see fit for the defense of Elyria-Lorain.

Most of the military forces of Xeraph were unaffected by the vapors, and now stand at 97.88% of their former totals. The 2+% that have gone over to the wizard's side are armed and very dangerous.

The 41st and 58th Royal AirWings are going to join Tarlag's Harriers in the air patrol of Elyria-Lorain. Commanders Jocannan of the 41st and Cody of the 58th will coordinate with your commanders.

In addition, there will be 10,000 AI "Spiders" in and around the Citadel in Ariette. These are armed with 35mm Gatling Guns, and can move at a top speed of 74 mph. When we beam the Emperor to your nation, we would like to have the Spiders go with him. Also, there will be the Brujah (explanation of who...what...they are will come later).

I have contacted all allies and briefed them on the situation. I don't think Xaltotun will attack here any time soon, as it is common knowledge that whenever a magician expends his power, he becomes drained for several days.

This will give us precious time to assemble our forces, and coordinate plans.

Ricala of Auralinia, Director of the Xeraphian Space League, is only for the second time deploying space ships to the surface of Terra, in the mountains of The Grey Phoenix which lies adjacent to Xeraph. Both vessals are Isse'k Class Attack Cruisers with a full complement of lasers, phasers, photon torpedoes, and thermo-nuclear missiles. Each ship also carries at least two varieties of Chem/Bio weapons.

We are awaiting word from the Xeraphian commanders as to their assembly points, and when they will meet up with The Five's forces.

I will update you as events proceed.

sincerely,

The Duchess.

Virtually all of the unaffected military commanders had checked in by now, and the massive mobilisation was under way. All units presently based in foreign ports were instructed to stay there. All units not presently attached to any specific port other than Xeraph were instructed to return home.

The Harpies had disappeared. No further activity on their part was noted for days. No sign of Xaltotun, either.

The citizens of Xeraph, especially Xeraphia, were in control of the city. The local authorities had either been imprisoned or killed.

The other Royal Cities, Khoraja, Khemi, Tarascus and Tarantia, were less affected by the vapors. The military had managed to hold on to the majority of each city, but many citizens had been killed or wounded in their frenzy to hand their city over to Xaltotun.

The plan was fairly simple: all available units, both armor and infantry/marines, were to gather at a point approx 15 miles from Xeraphia. (NOTE: Xeraphia sits high up on a precipice overlooking the Bay of Tanith)

The naval presence of at least five nations would be lined up in a staggered formation, both in the deeper waters of the bay, and out in the Great Sea.

Xaltotun/Xeraphia would be surrounded....................

Duchess now that we have seen to your defenses the next course of action should be finding Xaltontun. If we can find his hiding place then we will have the advantage. After we find his lair we draw him out to battle our forces. Even if he wins the battle he will be weakened then when he retreats to renew himself then we strike.
First we must draw him in to a battle of our choosing we give him a target he can not resist, the Emperor. I know this sound dangerous but if it works we can save both your country's from this fiend. I am going to assume that you have some sort of protections to prevent the Emperor from being found when the time is right let them drop for just a minute. He and his minions will come. As they attack you will have him beamed to the Caldwells Keep in Tarlag. We now have drawn him in to our trap the forces here will give him battle we should be able to fight him off, then we spring the trap. We gather the best warriors from our allies and we hit his lair HARD.
I will ask Admiral Dayron to command the defenses here. I will have him bring an additional two regiments of naval infantry here in the capital in addition to the forces we have gathered should be able to drive him off. Duchess to be on the safe side you may wish to ask our allies to send a few troops to be on the safe side.

Tarlag...check TG

Duchess now that we have seen to your defenses the next course of action should be finding Xaltontun. If we can find his hiding place then we will have the advantage. After we find his lair we draw him out to battle our forces. Even if he wins the battle he will be weakened then when he retreats to renew himself then we strike.
First we must draw him in to a battle of our choosing we give him a target he can not resist, the Emperor. I know this sound dangerous but if it works we can save both your country's from this fiend. I am going to assume that you have some sort of protections to prevent the Emperor from being found when the time is right let them drop for just a minute. He and his minions will come. As they attack you will have him beamed to the Caldwells Keep in Tarlag. We now have drawn him in to our trap the forces here will give him battle we should be able to fight him off, then we spring the trap. We gather the best warriors from our allies and we hit his lair HARD.
I will ask Admiral Dayron to command the defenses here. I will have him bring an additional two regiments of naval infantry here in the capital in addition to the forces we have gathered should be able to drive him off. Duchess to be on the safe side you may wish to ask our allies to send a few troops to be on the safe side.


Yes, it is a dangerous plan, but a sound one nonetheless. I have secret communications out to several nations advising them of their danger and our need. I just have a feeling that the Wizard is going to do something truly horrifying, and all of the nations that are going to respond are going to have to be together as one force when we signal the attack on Xeraphia, for that is where he has set up his headquarters.

We have the coordinates for Caldwells Keep, and will beam the Emperor there upon the commencement of hostilities. As a secondary measure, we will have an automatic re-beam sequence set that will beam him to several locations at 4-5 minutes intervals. He will be constantly attended by the White-Robed Monks who are adept at the uses of magic.

Elyria-Lorain, Black Shadows, the Grey Legions, and the Black Katanas are going to be in on the direct assault. The Grey Phoenix and Auralinia are coordinating the orbital attack. As more nations respond to our alert, they will be assigned positions of attack.

Attention Duchess of Avignon,

I am Teii, Priest-King of the Imperial Province of Vhammpyr in the Kingdom of Xeraph.
We of Vhammpyr have not been hurt by the mists that the sorceror loosed upon the city. We cannot be either harmed or killed by human means. We are Brujah, the undead. Two of my people are with the Emperor at all times. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to get near him.
I have directed the remnant of my people to seek out and destroy the sorceror. There are over 700 of us, and I am positive that at least one will persevere in getting through to Xaltotun.
We know him of old, and had a hand in sending him to hell over 12,000 years ago when he attempted to rule the known world.
We will not fail. We will work with all countries in this matter.
We will prevail.

The Armed Republic of Droskianishk
President Nikako
We would like to recieve trout fishing facilities as well as factories for producing weapons.
If we recieve facilities for producing weapons we will give your nation a reduced price on weaponry.

We are currently a member of the Self Governing United Nations region a region of free-market, capitalist nations which seek to keep the UN's hands off of our nations sovereignty.








(ooc send me a telegram when you reply this)

The members of the House of Tanith were all assembled in the throne room of Sethanis, the King of Black Shadows to plan the attack on Xaltotun.

" My friends, we have a situation here unlike any we've faced in a very long time, if ever," said Sethanis. " We all certainly have the military means to take the city, but I have my doubts about the wizard himself."

He glanced at each person there: Ricala of Auralinia, Vlad of The Grey Phoenix, Ghengiz of the Black Katanas, Astran of the Grey Legions. Add to them the generals and commanders of the Xeraphian forces, led by General Lord John Strickland, and you had quite a formidable gathering of forces here. Millions of ground troops, thousands of naval and armored units, and tens of thousands of aircraft. Not to mention the combined nuclear arsenals.

" I have word from sources that Duchess d'Avignon-Elyrie has called upon her allies to aid us, and her, in this war. Also, the Monks are now involved."

" Comments, gentlemen?"

Orlands Keep, New Port in the Grand Duchy of Tarlag

"My Lord we have received information on the planned attack on the wizards fortress." The hooded figure said to the Duke.
"Very well Lord Slayn." responded Duke Ozgood " by the look of it they have amassed a large enough force."
"But they will fail, this I have foreseen, they may be able to scorch his lands but he will escape."
"I thought you approved of Palladian Stormhands plan of attack. Now you say it will not work."
" They are trying to swat a fly with a sleghammer my Lord." Said Slayn "He most likely has already fled to a new location at the first sign of their fleet"
"If he has not fled and plans to fight then he is either more powerful then we believe or he is a fool!"
"Then Lord Slayn I believe you should find out."

Aboard the heavy Cruiser H.D.S. Marshtown
" Sir Flash message from fleet"
" go ahead comm." Said Senior Captain Greg Taggart.
" The Task force is to proceed to Xeraphia waters and aid forces there in attack on that country"
"Very well, send our acknowlegement." Taggart turned to the first officer and puts a hand carved pipe to his lips. "XO looks like we are heading into the frying pan."
"XO bring the task force up to 21 knots and see if you can get a little more speed out of those three troop transports."

The members of the House of Tanith were all assembled in the throne room of Sethanis, the King of Black Shadows to plan the attack on Xaltotun.

" My friends, we have a situation here unlike any we've faced in a very long time, if ever," said Sethanis. " We all certainly have the military means to take the city, but I have my doubts about the wizard himself."

He glanced at each person there: Ricala of Auralinia, Vlad of The Grey Phoenix, Ghengiz of the Black Katanas, Astran of the Grey Legions. Add to them the generals and commanders of the Xeraphian forces, led by General Lord John Strickland, and you had quite a formidable gathering of forces here. Millions of ground troops, thousands of naval and armored units, and tens of thousands of aircraft. Not to mention the combined nuclear arsenals.

" I have word from sources that Duchess d'Avignon-Elyrie has called upon her allies to aid us, and her, in this war. Also, the Monks are now involved."

" Comments, gentlemen?"


King Ricala of Auralinia was the youngest of the bunch. He was 51 years old, and had not seen nearly as much combat as the others. This because Alaric had pretty much defeated any opponents on the island continent/region known as Mercenary Lands. There had been only one real war, the one with Koth, and that one they were all lucky to have come out on top. A half-dozen Xeraphian subject-nations had been completely destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. To this day, nothing but a few ruins remain in those areas. But Xeraph prevailed, and there had pretty much been peace throughout the Empire.

" M'lords, an observation. This wizard came out of nowhere, and in a matter of a few weeks has now taken control of the capitol of Xeraph. In addition, of the other four Royal cities, three of them are about one-quarter destroyed from the fighting between the affected citizens and the unaffected military, with Khemi solidly in the hands of Xeraphian commanders. In addition, we have about 12,000 affected army personnel, who are commandeering 45 MBT's. They are currently hiding in the mountains awaiting direction from Xaltotun.

We have here assembled one of the mightiest forces ever in the history of Xeraph, and yet we speak timidly, as if we're afraid of this wizard. I'm beginning to wonder if some of you weren't affected by the sorceror's vapors."

Ghengiz of the Black Katanas was not amused.

" Impertinent as always, eh Ric? You young pups see only what is obvious. When dealing with wizard and demons there is always an undercurrent of events happening. We don't know where Xaltotun is,never mind what he's planning. I have a hunch that whatever's coming next is going to be ten times worse than what he unleashed against Xeraphia. And to top it off, we have Alaric to consider. He must be kept safe until the Monks bring him out of that coma and complete his healing. Until that time, it's up to us to hold the sorceror at bay."

He turned to Astran, Duke of The Grey Legions. "And what's this I hear that youv'e relocated your country to AMF's new region. Are you insane? Dreadfire may be a military genius, but he's not exactly right in the head. And now that leaves me and Dark Visions alone up there. I'm not exactly sure at this point what DV's capabilities are, what with the varying species and all. If it wasn't for Ricala and his ships helping us out until we get a few more ships ourselves, we'd be wide open for attack!"

He pointed at Vlad. " And you! Your'e the acting ruler of Xeraph while Alaric is gone. Aside from calling us together and having some vague plan of attack, you've done nothing! You of all people should know that bullets and bombs have little if any effect on demons. We need help from the Spirit World on this one. I know the Monks have some influence there, but do they have enough?"

Update on FUAX ( Forces United Against Xaltotun ):

The nations of New Ausha and Nebarri Prime have gone to high alert off the coast of Avignon in anticipation of a possible attack on Elyria-Lorain.

No moves from the sorceror as yet.

The Duchess.

Ghengiz of the Black Katanas was not amused.

" Impertinent as always, eh Ric? You young pups see only what is obvious. When dealing with wizard and demons there is always an undercurrent of events happening. We don't know where Xaltotun is,never mind what he's planning. I have a hunch that whatever's coming next is going to be ten times worse than what he unleashed against Xeraphia. And to top it off, we have Alaric to consider. He must be kept safe until the Monks bring him out of that coma and complete his healing. Until that time, it's up to us to hold the sorceror at bay."

He turned to Astran, Duke of The Grey Legions. "And what's this I hear that youv'e relocated your country to AMF's new region. Are you insane? Dreadfire may be a military genius, but he's not exactly right in the head. And now that leaves me and Dark Visions alone up there. I'm not exactly sure at this point what DV's capabilities are, what with the varying species and all. If it wasn't for Ricala and his ships helping us out until we get a few more ships ourselves, we'd be wide open for attack!"

He pointed at Vlad. " And you! Your'e the acting ruler of Xeraph while Alaric is gone. Aside from calling us together and having some vague plan of attack, you've done nothing! You of all people should know that bullets and bombs have little if any effect on demons. We need help from the Spirit World on this one. I know the Monks have some influence there, but do they have enough?"



Vlad glared at Ghengiz. " I don't give a shit who you are in your country. When your'e in mine, you keep the tone of your voice respectful, got me?"

The two stood toe-to-toe for what seemed an eternity, then slowly cooled off.

" We should be focussing on fighting Xaltotun, not each other," said Vlad. We all need to get our shit together and get to the Inland Sea with our navies. And Ric, you need to get those space ships of yours ready for the attack. We're going to need all the firepower we can get............."

The Duchess stormed into the room, her face livid. Stupid men, she thought. The fate of several nations is hanging in the balance, and they're quarreling over titles.

" Listen you two, and all of you for that matter. This has got to stop. We're supposed to be fighting together for the sake of both Xeraph and Elyria-Lorain. Not to mention the Emperor's safety."

She glared at all of them. " Do you think ALaric would put up with nonsense? You know as well as I do that he'd be out there fighting Xaltotun and all the demons of Hell single-handed if he had to. Now, let's get our act together and beat this wizard!"

She turned on her heel and left the room.

The three Knights followed the Duchess into the meeting room and kept silent until she turned to leave.
"John, George stay with the Duchess until she cools down then she if she will come back so we can figure out a defense plan" said Lady Stormhand.
" Now gentlemen, that was the worst case of testosterone poisoning I have ever seen." "Can we now get on with the matter at hand or am I going to have to take the biggest of you out side just to teach you a lesson." After saying this Alexa walked to the center of the room and stared at the assembled warlords.

" Well, well. What have we here. Lady Alexa StormHand. Your'e from Tarlag, aren't you? I thought you were supposed to be organizing the defense of Ariette against Xaltotun. "

Sethanis was not amused. This was becoming a bit too complicated.

" Lets make this a little simpler. M'lady, if you will concentrate on Elyria-Lorain, we'll concentrate on Xeraph. The Duchess has more than enough allies in the immediate vicinity of Avignon to put up a good defense, if necessary. Ghengiz, Ricala, Vlad and I can handle Mercenary Lands. Astran will be the 'wild card', assisting whichever nation needs the most aid at any given time. What say you?"

Blood-curdling screams echoed through the lower level of Alaric's Palace. The air was heavy with smoke, creatures of Hell prowled the halls, and Xaltotun awoke from his drug-induced sleep. The visions that were given to him by the kings of hell as he lay sleeping infused him with energy. He rose and called for his Seneschal, a wraith-like being of the upper regions of Infernus, a portal of Damnation.

The Seneschal hovered in the sorceror's presence, waiting for the go-ahead to unleash the final blow on Xeraph. None would be able to withstand it. It would complete Xaltotun's victory. Then he would teach that bitch of Avignon a lesson she'd never forget............

"That plan works" Alexa Stormhand responded. " I hope you will send that vile wizard back to the hell he came from." " I will promise this my Lords if he comes to Elyria- Lorain first I will leave enough left for you to get your revenge."

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Xaltotun pointed a clawed finger at the holo-map. " There. There is where the Xeraphian dogs and their pathetic friends will die. There, out on the Plains of Royyan, where they gather their armies. The Shadow King, the Grey Phoenix, the Katanan hordes, and those puny space vessals. Oh, and I have the same special surprise for those Grey Legions that I have for the Lorainians. Duke Astran thinks that just because he allied himself with Damien Dreadfire that he will be left alone, or even win this battle. Bah! I will destroy them all! "

He stood and raised his arms above his head. " Unleash the Harpies, my Seneschal! And then turn loose the Vashtimm....wave after wave after wave, until these nations howl under the weight of them as they strip the flesh from their bones! Go now! We begin the conquest of the world tonight!"

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occ: Ok guys Elyria-Lorain is back lets get this show on the road

All was ready. Or as ready as they could be. Xeraph, Tarlag, the Grey Legions, the Black Shadows, Auralinia, and the Grey Phoenix had assembled to confront the sorceror. The Duchess hoped the other nations, Gejigrad and the Ctann were also ready.

Reports had the forces of Xaltotun slowly headed towards the remnants of the armies in Xeraph, but the main bulk was coming towards Elyria-Lorain. Xaltotun's plan was evidently to overwhelm the fledgling nation in an effort to kill Alaric Tan'it, the Xeraphian emperor. If that happened, all would be lost.

Alaric was still being tended by the Monks and other medical personnel. He had slowly gathered strength, but was in no condition to fight.

Sporadic fighting was being reported on the coasts of Xeraph, as well as over the waters leading to Elyria-Lorain. The fighters of the assembled Coalition were holding their own, dealing the sorceror's demonic horde lethal blows. And losses had been minimal thus far.

" Captain, any updates on the strength of Xaltotun's armies?"

" Yes, m'lady. As far as we can tell from King Ricala's orbital scans, there are approximately 12.3 million beings attacking our forces on several fronts. No special weapons.....just them swooping in and physically tearing our boys and our machines to pieces. Theyr'e paying a high price, but their numbers allow them to do so. If they lose 60-70 per cent of their numbers, they'll still have a sizable force landing in Elyria-Lorain. And we have no idea what else Xaltotun may be planning."

Twelve million! My God, she thought, that means that a minimum of around 4 million will attack my Duchy directly.........

_______________________________________________________________


Her thoughts were interrupted by a clamoring from down the hall. " Captain, find out what all the commotion is!"

The "commotion" turned out to be nothing short of a miracle................

The 7th RTC was holding on by the skin of their teeth. Captain Morse was firing the MG42/59 on top of the LAVs turret when over the noise he could hear of all things heavy metal music coming from the tree line 100 meters to his rear. " We are surrounded odd numbered units cover the tree line".
Just after he gave the order 4 meter high metal behemoths broke through the trees and began firing on the demons with missiles and 30 mm chain guns.
Morse did not know what these things were but they had Tarlag markings and they were shooting at the demons.

Sethanis was fighting for his life. The creatures were now coming from both the air and the ground. He had a pile of hellish bodies piled up around him, his broadsword in one hand, his AK-47Aii in the other.

The men of Black Shadows and Auralinia were fighting like madmen. For every human that died, 10 HellSpawn were cut to pieces. But on they came, a never-ending stream of snarling creatures looking to rip the humans to shreds.

The Xeraphian forces had surprised the sorceror's army by bringing up 200 flame-throwing MBTs. Thousands of the creatures fell, burned to a crisp by the advanced NAPALM formulated by Xeraphian scientists.

Sethanis and Ricala knew that they had to hold the wizard's ground forces here, in southern Xeraph, or else they would swarm over Elyria-Lorain in just a matter of a few hours.

Ricala's comm-signal buzzed in his helmet. He tapped the button, listened.......and what he heard brought a grim smile to his battle-worn face. .....