"...Sister, do you think they even realize it yet? They seem so determined!"
"Oh dear brother, look how they struggle. It seems like they believe there is still a chance."
The demonic elven sorceress rose from the ground, holding seemingly ethereal shackles from the center of the clawed gateway. With a sharpened nail, she cut her wrist, letting the blood flow down the chains while chanting in a mysterious and powerful tongue. Wind swept around the twins as the claw surged with energy. The barrier cracked. Screaming the final words in an arcane language, the claw once again opened, and the seal that Travance placed upon it shattered like thin glass. Chaos poured out of the gate, distorting the world around it. The flood of energy came with a swarm of demons and imps as they lurched and crawled from the gateway screeching with bloodthirsty joy. Arawyn was to be claimed as their new home. A new Abyss. A new hell to rule over.
The heroes would not have this. Fiercely they battled the hordes of vile creatures that erupted forth. Over and over again imps slammed against shield and sword, wearing down the champions of Travance as they hunted for the keys to close the gateway. Kessia and her twin brother, Revanthas, warping across the battlefield taking note of the attempts to gain understanding of the gate while battling the heroes. The battle raged as the onslaught continued and Lord Ardentfyre led his force to chase down Revanthas.
Death and chaos enveloped the battlefield and the smell of sulfer and ash remained thick in the air as demons continued to pour out of the gate. The battle was dark and chaotic, and it was hard to tell friend from foe. These conditions were optimum for demons in battle. For a long time the Twins battled the heroes of Travance, but with one final and brutal strike, Revanthas was caught off guard by the brawler, Billaim and Kessia's brother was slain. With her brother freshly slain, Kessia fumed with rage. Her twin was a part of her, and she felt a blinding rage to unleash her wrath. However with all eyes turned on her, and with a flurry of arcane, druidic and divine power she too was felled; her dying thoughts were of disgust and disbelief that such mortal fleshlings could have defeated her; and her brother.
Quickly the keys held by the twins were brought to the gateway. It was there a realization came. Who would venture into the abyss and seal the gate from that side? Billiam charged through the gate with only a nod. Magnus, his lieutenant Moiyra and his close friend Jun were to follow suit. Carlotta, Philadin and Aquene, Angelica and Illana ran in after.
By Carlotta's clever thinking, the plan was synced to be executed at the same time on both sides. Lord Erdrick Brightstar held one key as he did before and Illana held the other on the other side. Their execution was perfection. Using the chaotic and trace power inside of them from their heritage, they empowered the keys and channeled that energy through themselves to create the link and seal the gate forever. Unfortunately for those in the Abyss, they were trapped.
A thundering could be heard and felt behind them. Another followed. The ground was shaking. The quaking abyssal plane shook them to the ground. A demon as large as Honor's Peak had taken notice. A heavy weight bound them all. Demonic power shackled them to the plane. The demon opened it's gaping maw and produced a sound that burst the eardrums of most. All fell still save for Billiam who stood strong and faced the mountainous monster. His friends behind him, ready to face death, regained themselves and stood fast. Another deafening bellow echoed through the air as the demon lifted it's massive clawed foot. The group knew what was to come, but Billiam remained vigilant.
And with unrelenting force, the demon stomped down.
Xualla, watched from his spire as the Darz'Redar'Gaunaug'Xax approached the trapped heroes of Travance. He was baffled by thier persistence and annoyed at thier attempt to face death with courage. He wondered if they truly knew about thier grim fate, or if they thought they could change it. He guessed the latter and chuckled at the notion. In a plan so elaborate and so well crafted, every failure is not a failure at all. It is a deduction of truths that unveil the greatest solution to a problem. Xualla felt that he had suffered no failures, only gathered the information necessary to proceed with his plans. He smiled as he realized that this was his final step and that complete invasion was just a few short breaths away. The pendulum swayed with such ferocity, it stressed with each swing, and soon it will break and a new world of chaos will be born. Xuallla turned to Balfurous and smiled. "Soon... we go home..."
