Ymar had charged in after the earth elemental and given the summoned creature a mighty swing of his heavy mace.  He was grinning as he pulled his horse around.

His attention was caught by hearing shouts from his soldiers.  Aliana and Kenjinn were eluding his soldiers, easily besting them.  Ymar would have been disappointed if they were captured so easily.  He wanted a challenge from these Chosen, but why were they jumping down into the street where he could throw his numerical advantage at them.

"Of course." he sneered as he turned his horse towards them.  "The accursed Temple!"  The armored warlord spurred his horse into a hard gallop, brandishing his heavy mace and intending to strike at either the Bard or the Elf as he rode passed.

Greg tries to open the doors of the temple, or bang on them if they're locked.
Stay behind me, Charles.

Spinning, she turns to face the soldiers.

Glorious Fharlanghn, Protector of Travelers, hear this humble Guide.   Let your divine wrath for our enemies fill me, so that I may crush them into the very dirt they befoul with their steps.

Drawing her sword with one slender elven hand, she grips her holy symbol with the other, to cast of on her more powerful spells.   "Righteous Might" would make her a powerful warrior for her God, so that she'd tower over the cultists.
And kill them.

Dan unsheathed another of his blades along with the hidden one, holding them against the approaching hordes. He smiled as they faced the overwhelming odds. "I never thought I'd go out like this" He commented at the situation, backing up to the door. "I really didn't" He'd wait as long as possible before he had to engage them in combat again.

He also noticed Ymar coming at them with his mace. Dan twirled his unsheathed sword and lobbed it at Ymar. It probably wouldn't hurt him but it might at least screw up his attack.

Sarah grits her teeth, then takes a running start, leaping towards the Temple...

As she runs towards the roof's edge, she stumbles for a moment, then keeps running, faster than before. Her leap... is beyond what any normal human could do, and shows off the reason- her legs are now leaner, but more muscular, covered in fur...

This isn't too humiliating, Cassander thought as she was being carried off by Curin.  There wasn't much that she could do except wait for the paralysis to wear off.  The way that Curin lifted her up so easily, she was either really light or the guy was really strong.  Probably light.

She glanced back at their pursuers.  It wasn't as though she had much of a choice.  She could really only move her eyes and it was either stare at the soldiers chasing them or Curins behind.  At least he has a nice backside.

Curin was able to reach the end of the row of buildings, just across the street from the temple, when the first of the soldiers caught up to him.  He dropped Tizona, unwillingly and unceremoniously, and pulled out his sword.  He engaged the first soldier and seemed to be gaining the upper hand, however there were more soldiers a moment away.

Tizona found that she was slowly beginning to regain the use of the her limbs, the feeling returning as the paralysis began to wear off.

Ymars horse knocked a soldier to the side as he charged hard at the two standing near the door to the temple doors.  Kenjinns expertly thrown sword flew true, Ymar knocking it away with his mace at the last second.  While the sword may not have injured the man, it did cause him to be out of position just enough that his attack missed.  The mace flew wide over the bards head.

The Cleric General twisted his horse around readying another attack as he yelled at his men to close in on the two.

The soldiers slowly closed in on the bard and cleric cowering by the door to the temple.  Little Charles clung to Aliana but found his grip lost when she suddenly doubled in height.  The Clerics new found height gives the soldiers some pause but only for a moment as they swing in for the attack.

Soldier #1 takes advantage of Kenjinns mis-attention and delivers a hard blow to the bards shoulder with his mace.  Soldier #2 comes in with a good swing that will connect, unless Kenjinn can parry the womans sword.

Soldier #3 hesitates slightly, intimidated by Aliana's increased size and makes a wild swing that misses.
Soldier #4 comes in with a hard blow to the clerics leg while Soldier #5 tries to follow up on #4's attack and hit her on the other side.

OOC:  Just trying something new with the baddies attacks.  Feel free to respond in your own way.

-----

Seline managed to make the leap from roof of general store to the roof of the temple with ease.  It looked like an impossible jump for a normal person.  The roof was sloped gently and her feet slipped a little on the roofing at first but she managed to recover her footing.

-----

The temple door cracked open slightly, after the sounds of a large wooden beam being raised.  An elderly Cleric peeked through the crack.  "Who is it?" Yoseph asked.  "Aliana?  Is that you?"

Greg was nearly gnashing her teeth with frustration.
all my fault, all my fault.

This was not going at the elven priestess had envisioned it.    She'd hoped to get her friends to the temple undetected, or at least before the cultists caught them.
I wasted so much time here before.  I played like a little girl at Grampa's knee as Fharlanghn spoke, while my friends were being surrounded and threatened.   I will NOT fail them again.  I swear on my LIFE!!!!

She hears Brother Yoseph behind her.
Brother!!!!  We need your help!   Whatever you had planned, we need you to do it, now!  We need you to come with us and flee the city!!!!

And take the boy inside, please!!!

The thought of little Charles, now an orphan, being threatened spurned on an even greater rage in the now ten foot tall blonde cleric, an Elven Amazon, who swung her eight foot elven longsword with both hands.

FOR FREEDOM!!!!!

The sword swung down on cultist #5 (which might actually be the man's name, quite frankly), hoping to cut him in two.   If successful, she'll look at the hesitant one.
Is this REALLY how you want to die?

Dan let out a yelp as he was hit by the mace, wearing him slightly as another came in. He stuggled to right his shoulder as he attempted to parry the incoming blow. He kept moving back as he was fighting and made sure to keep an eye on Ymar, as he was strong and PISSED. Never a good combination. He attempted to stay on the offensive as Aliana hulked-out on the enemies.

Cassander found that she could move a little more, not quickly but enough to seem like she was drunk out of her mind.  She twisted around to see Curin fighting on the roof top, with more soldiers coming after.  She was still a little too sluggish to swing a sword but maybe she could use a spell.  Lightning came to mind.

She gestured in an oft practiced way and concentrated on bouncing a bolt of lightning among the soldiers.

The elderly cleric, who looked as sturdy as a dried twig, seemed undaunted by the clattering of steel around him.  He opened the door and pulled Charles inside.  "You must all be inside the temple for the spell to work.  Quickly, get inside and bar the door.  I'll need a few more minutes to finish the preparations." he said.

-----

Curin ran his sword through the Soldier in front of him, putting an end to their contest, just as Tizonas spell went off.  Lightning arced out from her hands, striking one soldier and then splitting into the others.  The soldiers fell to the roof, dead or moaning in pain.

Curin turned to look at the sorceress with an impressed look.  Magic did indeed have its uses.  "Come on." he said to Tizona, helping her to her feet.  "We need to get down there.  I don't suppose that you have a flying spell."

-----

Dan manages to parry Soldier #2's attack, leaving him with two opponents.  Both try to attack once more.  Soldier #1's attack is clumsy and Dan is able to slip in under the Soldiers guard to give him a good slash across the gut.  Dans blade left a thin trail of blood in the air as he turned to meet Soldier #2's attack.

-----

Greg swung her sword hard down on Soldier #5, cleaving the nameless thug in two.  Her blow carries on and knocks away Soldier #3.  Soldier #4 seems even more hesitant with a large blade being pointed at him.  He seems to be weighing the being cleaved by the cleric against following his orders.

Ymar readied his horse for another attack.  He paused at the last minute, seeing the large Cleric swinging her much larger sword into his troops.

"All of you!  Surround the temple."  He bellowed, waving his mace for effect.  "Bring up the mages!  I want fire on that building now!"

"You should have come quietly, Chosen." he snarled at Dan and Greg, his voice magically enhanced.  "I will destroy everything that you touch until you are bowing at my feet."

Greg wanted NOTHING more then to wipe the arrogant look of the cleric's face, with her sword.
If all else were equal, the elven priestess would have charged the sick, perverted, psychopath, killing him with her teeth and fingernails if need be to protect the town.

But they had to leave.   Fharlanghn had commanded it, and too much was at stake.  They were outnumbered and outgunned, no matter how powerful Greg felt at the moment.

And she DID feel powerful!   Her actually strength wasn't too much more, perhaps only in proportion to her now doubled height, but she FELT really, really strong.   She was tempted to do something "superheroey" like toss her enemies at each other or use a building's door as a weapon, but she didn't think she was THAT strong.

Seeing Curin and Tizona on the roof, she winced.  She'd abandoned them   Granted, she did it to save an innocent child.   She doubted they'd be upset about that.
Well, Tizona wouldn't, at least.    She wasn't too sure about Curin.

The sight of  him brought up several other issues that she did NOT need distracting her, so she ignored them.

Swinging her gaze back to her opponent, the ten foot elf glared at him.    As the old Earth joke went, "His boss was watching", so he probably couldn't get away with not attacking.  Still, she'd try.
Looming over him, Greg said, hopefully quietly enough so that the rabid cleric wouldn't hear it.
Look, I'm about to cast a spell.  If you run, you can claim it was one that took over your mind and made you run.  Otherwise, I'm gonna cut you in half.   

Then Greg casts her REAL spell, speaking in elven, hoping the cleric wouldn't know it.

Holy Traveler, grant Your humble servant leave of the ground once more, to help Guide her fellow Travelers.
It's her last flying spell.  Greg really hopes it works.

Cassander accepted Curins help getting to her feet.  Her legs still felt a little numb, tingling with pins and needles, and she ended up falling a little into the swordsman, reflexively throwing her arms around the man in an attempt to prevent herself from falling back to the roof.  The swordsman had a rugged sort of handsomeness about him that Cassanders closeness made her aware of.

No, stop thinking that way.  Don't go there.  Think, swords, soldiers, fire, gotta get away.

Cassander felt her face turn a little red and decided that now would be a good time to glance around and take stock of the situation.  Dan and Greg were fighting at the front door to the temple, Sarah was on the roof.  More soldiers and magic users were gathering around the small stone building.  Walking across the street was not going to be an option.

She looked at the small building, specifically the high and narrow glass windows.  Well, they had to get into the temple.  It might just work.  "Hold on to me tightly." she instructed Curin and readied her spell.  Once Curin was holding on to her, Cassander cast her Fly spell.  It was a little awkward considering that she was still feeling a little numb but she managed to aim the two of them towards one of the temples windows, intending to go through it.

Dan attempted to make a quick parry for the second soldier. The door was opening and he was eager to escape the horde of rampaging cultists. He put some effort into his counter to make sure the soldier wouldn't just follow him straight before he turned towards the door. "Come on Aliana!" Dan called out as he entered the temple.

"... Oh, boy."

Sarah looks for a way to get inside the temple from the roof, maybe a stairwell going to a bell or something? Failing that, she shrugs and hooks a rope to something sturdy and swings down towards the entrance, zipping through it as quickly as possible.

Greg looked around, seeing Tizona and Curin lift off.
Oh, right.  "Flying" is usually a mage spell anyway.  I should have known that Cassander would have it.   

Strangely, she wasn't sure if she felt jealous or relieved, seeing the other elf maiden clinging to the brawny fighter.
Relieved.  I'm going to just go with relieved.

Hearing Dan's cry she almost didn't realize that he was talking to her.
Well, even in this strange world, "Greg" was probably still a man's name.   We're already marked as outsiders.  No need to muddy the waters even more if we don't have to. 

She started backing off towards the temple door, swinging her sword at the other soldier if she had to.

Where the HELL is Sarah?  I'm not leaving without her.

Curin holds on to Tizona tightly, because that's what she asked him to do and not because she was a hot elf chick.  "What are yoOOACK!"  He started to say but his composure left him as the sorceress aimed the two of them towards one of the Temples windows.  Spiraling like a well tossed football, due to the lingering effects of the paralysis, the pair crash through the thin glass pane to land in a painful sprawl upon the temple floor.  Luckily the waning kept Tizona from feeling most of the impact on the hard stone floor and the weight of the swordsman on top of her.

Sarah swings easily into the temple through the now open window, landing far more gracefully among the benches than her elven friend.

Dan manages to drive off another guard with a few quick and low cuts and slips into the temple.  With more and more guards pressing in on them, it becomes more difficult for them to fight.  It was not to last long though as Dan could see Ymar scowling and pressing his horse back towards them.

The hesitant soldier facing Greg decides that when in doubt, stab something, and tries to attack but Aliana is ready and parries the blow.  More soldiers crowd around her and, being the last one outside the temple, the action is centered on her.  She takes a sword cut to her leg and a near miss to her shoulder as she slips into the temple.

Yoseph, the elderly looking cleric of Fharlanghn will enlist Dans help to close the heavy wooden doors behind the elven cleric.  "The spell is almost prepared.  I just need another minute or two." he says, his voice a little raspy.  He quickly moves to one of the smaller rooms.  "Please keep them out while I finish preparing the spell components."

For some bizzare reason, Greg's mind goes to the movie "Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail".    She was not the "Black Knight", guarding the bridge from all with the words "NONE SHALL PASS!".

Her growth spell would wear off soon, so she had to take full advantage of it.   With her greater reach and longer weapon, she'd try to keep everyone at bay, and take them out of the fight if she could.

With a feint, she try to get some breathing room to cast a "Cause Fear" spell, hoping that that would clear away some of the soldiers.

Flee NOW, evil filth!!!!   Or the wrath of the TRAVELER will be upon you!!!!
Gripping her holy symbol tightly, she unleashed her divine anger on the soldiers.

She HAD to make sure they got out.  She HAD to.   This was all her fault, and she was fully prepared to give up her life in penance.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:05, Wed 11 Nov 2009.

Cassander was laughing.  It had worked!  She had expected to end up in the street somewhere and maybe stabbed full of holes but the crazy maneuver had worked.  Okay, she was a little banged up and had Curin lying on top of her but they were in the Temple, surrounded by stone walls.

She hugged Curin tight as she laughed again.  "It worked!  That was great!"  she said.  She looked into the mans face, a big grin on hers, and then paused.  There was a big man on top of her and she was hugging him.  "Hey...uh...Curin.  Could you get off me?  This is a little uncomfortable." Cassander asked.  She felt really small compared to the burly fighter.

Curin felt like thanking which ever god was listening that he had survived the crazy elf chicks flying.  He much rather preferred Aliana's.  Was it just because Tizona was still suffering from the paralysis that their flight had been so erratic?  He lingered on top of Tizona for a moment, imagining Aliana was in her place.  That would be really nice.

"Sure." he said, with a slightly cocky grin that tended to charm women.  There was much more to see of the thinly dressed Sorceress than there was of the lightly armored Aliana, and Curin took his time getting up...back to his feet.  "I'm sorry.  If I had been prepared, I could have saved you from hitting the floor as you did."  Curin smiled and offered Tizona a hand to help her get to her feet.

-----

Aliana's Fear spell went off and for a minute the soldiers near the door were running away.  It gave Ymar the opportunity and the space to race his horse in to try and smite the elven cleric.

Dan pulled his bow from his back and took aim at Ymar once more. He only damaged the maniac before but he would try his best to pierce the bastard's throat now. His cult had threatened, attacked, attempted kidnapping, tricked and endangered him and his friends and it seemed unfair to leave such things be without a goodbye present. A dead leader seemed to be the most fair.

Using every bit of training that she had recieved in the elven temple of Fharlanghn, Greg brought her blade to a more defensible position and prepared to swing at the evil cleric.  She REALLY wanted to kill him.  More than she'd ever wanted harm to come to any living being, be it human, plant, or animal, that she'd ever met.

Greg had always been a kind person.   A gentle person.   Someone who'd always been branded a coward for not wanting to fight if talking would work.

She now was seriously thinking about tearing this man's throat out with her strong elven teeth.

Merciful Fharlanghn, give me strength.   Please help me END this viscious stain on the very ground we walk on.

It wasn't a spell, as she didn't really have time.  But she hoped to prove herself to her God.

Ymar bore down on Dan and Greg like a hellbent demon.  Kenjinn loosed an arrow at the man, who was paying more attention to the hated Cleric than the Bard.  The arrow embedded itself in the weak area near his neck, causing the man to grunt in pain.  His riding position was messed up just a little, enough to barely get his mace up to parry Aliana's sword swing.  The mighty blow knocked the man from his horse and he landed a short distance away.

Ymar was motionless for a second before he slowly started to rise to his feet.  With a look of pure hatred, he pulled the arrow out and nearly fell to his knees once more.  His eyes shot daggers into the bard and elf.