"They have struck the Cleric General!" Aren's magically enhanced voice rang out.  "Capture the Chosen and protect the General!"  Aliana could feel the divine magicks that the Cleric was using to enhance the soldiers under him.

Aren, who had been watching Ymar, spurred his horse into action, rallying the fleeing troops and forming them back up to advance on the temple once more.  He had been waiting for Ymar to be beaten down.  The man could be so driven at times that he needed someone to watch out for him.  Unfortunately that task had fallen to Aren.

He gestured over to three mages.  "Bring them down!" he shouted and they began to cast.

Damn it, Yoseph!!!!   Hurry the HELL up!!!!

It was an unfair demand on an old man who now had an army at his door, but Greg was too distracted to feel bad.   Back in her old world, the old Greg would have panicked and dithered.   And this WAS a difficult decision.
Attack the weakened cleric, or try to deal with the mages?
Their were three of them, however, and, if left unmolested, were capable of horrifying damage.

Celestial Traveler, please aid your humble servant and protect her fellow Companions.   Let FIRE rain down on our enemies!!!
It was a Flame Strike spell, one of the few truly offensive spells in the cleric's arsenal.   It was a fiery equivalent of a napalm strike, setting up a collumn of fire ten feet wide.

Just big enough to catch the mages.

Dan smirked as Ymar felt. Good riddance he thought before he stood back up. Dan drew back more arrows and fired into the crowd, still urging Aliana inside. "Come on, they'll kill you if you stay out much longer!"

Greg was terrified to leave the enterance unguarded and the cultists unchallenged, but the man had a point.   The cleric decided that she'd retreat with Dan after her spell went off.   She was about to start shrinking soon anyway.

Aliana's divine column of fire strikes the mages and, seeing as how they were not prepared for it, either die instantly or start to run around engulfed in flames.  She began to shrink back down to normal size as she retreated into the temple.

Kenjinn fired a few arrows into the crowd, scoring impressive hits and dropping most of the soldiers that he hit.  they were not as impressively armored nor as tough as the Cleric General.

Aliana had not gone far before Yoseph, balancing a mortar and pestle in one hand, pressed a piece of coloured chalk into the Elven Clerics hand.

"I need you to draw a circle on the floor in a six foot radius." The elderly cleric said hurriedly and started to use the pestle to crush some herbs.  "This is the focus of the spell.  Gather your friends into the circle and do not leave it.  I'll be ready in a minute."

Yoseph turned to Kenjinn.  "You there!  Bar the door with that beam there." he commanded and quickly retreated into one of the side rooms.

Dan quickly did as he was told, picking up the beam and fitting it into the socket to bar the door. He hoped that would hold them long enough for them to draw their circle. He wondered if they were using a metagram, but probably just a plain circle as that would be too complicated.

Greg nodded at the cleric and ran to make the circle where he indicated.
She hesitated only a second when she realized she was drawing it with her right hand.
Wait.....wasn't I.....LEFT handed?   

Shaking her head, she begins drawing, marveling at how much more mobile and balanced she is then when she was human....and male.
Granted, "The Girls" are throwing my balance off a LITTLE bit.   Someone needs to invent a "sports bra" for this world.

Brother, you'll need to come with us.   It's not safe for you, either.
Greg suspected that the old cleric was going to sacrifice himself for them.   She REALLY didn't want that to happen, but wasn't sure how to prevent it, other then staying behind herself, and thereby falling into the cult's clutches, or letting  them ALL die.   Sacrificing an old man to save a child was not only the better logical choice, but it was one she knew Yoseph would want as well.

It broke her heart, though.

Cassander accepted Curins hand up, giving the man a smile of thanks.  It took her a moment to realize that her clothing was a little out of sorts and she started to straighten herself out.  Cassander had to curse whatever fates were laughing at her for giving Tizona such questionable taste in practical clothing.  Still, she felt the need to look presentable.

Cassander was about to head over to the front door of the temple when Dan and Greg came through.  "Greg...Aliana.  What do you need me to do?" she asked.  Obviously Greg had something going on with the temple cleric and Tizona was not a divine caster.  But Cassander had put a bit of skill points into Spellcraft.  Maybe she could figure out what it was that Yoseph and Aliana had planned.

The Cleric emerged from the side room holding a mortar of powdered herbs.  "Of course I'm planning on coming with you.  Have you seen the looks on those men outside?  I only wish that I could save more of the townsfolk besides young Charles.  It hardly seems fair."  The elderly man spoke as he pinched some of the crushed powder between his fingers.  "Now, everyone get into the circle.  Whatever happens, do not leave it or the spell will not affect you."

The cleric stepped into the circle and pulled the young boy in with him.  "Aliana, can you please look after Charles?  I must concentrate on the spell."

There was a great thudding on the door to the temple.  Small cracks began to appear in the thick wood.  "Hurry.  We don't have much time."

Can I cast spells out of here, or would that disrupt things?

Greg had almost laughed when Yoseph looked at her like she was an idiot for reminding him "not to stay behind in a town full of demon-worshipping cultists that was also on fire".
Priests of Fharlanghn, while dedicated to helping Travelers, were a damned pragmatic bunch, not prone to the kind of melodramatic martyrdom that inflicted many religions.

She took the hand of the young boy and led him to the completed circle, speaking to him in  most soothing "motherly voice".

I need you to stay here with me in this circle, sweetie.  Have a seat right here in the middle and don't move, please.   We're about to do some really powerful magic and you can help us by being very still and "thinking good thoughts" to help our  magic, Ok, hun?
Greg was afraid that the boy would try to bolt for the outside in a suicidal attempt to find his dead mother, and the pretty cleric hoped that getting him to sit down would at least slow any escape attempt down enough that she or one of the others could stop him.
There was no one available to be a "kid wrangler", as they all needed to defend the circle.

It disturbed her a little at how easily the cooing came to her.   She'd never done it before.    Hopefully Curin hadn't noticed.

Everyone!  Inside the circle, quickly!   Tizona, Dan, Sarah, Curin, any ranged weapons you have, use them on whatever comes through that door.  We have to hold them off  until Brother Yoseph is ready.    Tiz, if you have any magic to reinforce that door, that would be perfect.

Once Charles was in place (if that were possible), Aliana would cast a spell (if Yoseph permitted it).

Great Traveler, send us your winged minions once again to fall upon our enemies.   Our Journey must continue.
The snowy white owls would be summoned again, to fly out the window that Tizona helpfully "opened", to descend upon the cultists outside.

Dan hurried within the confines of the magical circle, keeping his bow at the ready. The door would hold for a bit longer but probably not against their magics. Medieval sieges seemed so much easier when the enemy was not capable of summoning fireballs. Regardless he kept his eye on the door, hoping everyone had enough sense to stay inside the circle. If this didn't work, he was going to kill Greg.

Sarah darts into the circle, daggers in hand. She concentrates for a moment, as well...

Cassander ran into the circle, carefully stepping around the sitting kid.  She felt really bad for the kid, losing his mother and probably his home and being whisked away by strangers.  At least Greg seemed to have some connection with him, or at least the kid listened to her.

"I must have something that can reinforce the door.  Wizard Lock maybe?  No that just made things hard to open.  Oh what the hell, it couldn't hurt."  Cassander made some room and concentrated, summoning up the arcane energies that she could control to cast Wizard Lock on the Temple door.

"I hate to seem like a naysayer, but what happens if this doesn't work?  I don't suppose that there's a trap door in the floor that leads to a secret tunnel out of town."  Cassander adjusted her pack and weapons and was ready to start casting should they break through the door.

"Hey.  I might be able to use that fireball spell that I've been saving." she said ironically.  The comment was made to cover up her own growing nervous feeling, one that increased with every pound on the door.

"Cast whatever you want, just not too loudly.  I must concentrate.  I've never done this spell before but I have faith." Yoseph said said as he stepped into the circle and lit the small pot of crushed herbs.

Great Grey Traveller.  Your humble servant begs your assistance.  Lend me your power so that I might save those whom your enemies would harm.

The smoke from the small pot in his hands swirls around the small group, clinging to the unseen edges of the circle.

The pounding on the door grows louder.  There are even what sound like explosions of a magickal nature against the magically fortified door.

Greg glanced at Tizona.
It WILL work.  Don't worry, my friend.  My God has promised me.   

Then the pretty blonde elf gives the beautiful sorceress a cynical smile.
But, if it DOESN'T work, then I get to kill all of these bastards.    I'm looking forward to it.
Her normally sparkling innocent blue eyes are rimmed with a hate and an anger that Cassander had never seen in her friend.   It looked like Greg was almost contemplating staying behind anyway, just for the chance to fight the cultists.

Yoseph continued to chant, invoking the name of his patron deity.  The power flowed through him and filled up a half circle over the little group.  Everyone could feel their hair starting to stand on end from the power.

"Stay within the circle!" Yoseph shouted.  "Just another second or..."

Then the door burst open, the thick beam that was holding it in place snapping like a twig.  Light streamed in through the door, followed swiftly by a shout and a hail of arrows.  The arrows were fired quickly and many missed, but both Sarah and Greg were hit.

Yoseph, who was standing at the front of the little group, slumped to his knees.  His outstretched arms slowly falling to his side, his voice being silenced by the arrow poking through his throat.  He tried to speak by the words never left his lips.


Ymar's voice could be heard even though he could not be seen.  "Take the Temple.  Kill everyone but the Chosen."

Dan immediately fired off his arrow once the door blew open, shielding his eyes and then loading another and firing off. He continued to pull arrows out and shoot them through the door. They might have it blown open but it was still a narrow gap. The arrow in the priest made him curse ever coming back here. Still he kept in the circle, magic did work in wierd ways and hopefully it still would. Sarah and Greg were wounded but he couldn't help them, he could only attempt to slow the horde enough for some sort of deus ex machina. Hopefully...

Oh my GOD!!!!!  IT HURTS SO MUCH!

The arrow was like fire coursing through her body.   Then the pain went away as Brother Yoseph; sweet, kind Brother Yoseph, took an arrow to the throat.

Stumbling forward, her own injury ignored, Greg used her healing magic from her magical Belt of Healing to flood the elderly cleric's body with restorative magic, hopefully before it was too late.

She was careful not to leave the circle, though she wasn't sure if that even mattered anymore.   The spell SHOULD have worked, but she was unfamiliar with it, so wasn't positive if Yoseph needed to do more or not.

IDIOT!!!  You should have stood in FRONT of Yoseph.  Shielded him with your USELESS body!   YOUR FAULT!!!  This is YOUR FAULT!!!!

Sarah yells as the arrow imbeds itself into her arm. After a moments shock, she growls, and throws a ball of bluish flame at the largest, most dangerous looking enemy...

"Aliana!" Cassander yelled as she saw the other Elven woman take an arrow.  Her heart skipped a beat as she thought that her friend might have been killed but it lightened considerably when she saw Greg moving around.  She didn't notice how she instinctively called out Greg characters name.  Cassander turned at another yell and saw Sarah with an arrow sticking into her arm.

"Bastards..." Cassander snarled and summoned up the fireball spell that she'd been itching to try out.  The Elven sorceress would launch the spell outside the door, aiming to try and catch the lot of the soldiers within it's blast radius.

Kenjinn fired arrow after arrow into the gathering mob at the door.  The Soldiers were trying to rush through, a few had some form of magical shielding but his arrows found many a mark.  Soldiers clutched at chests and merely slumped to the side dead, only to be pushed aside by their fellows.

Aliana released the healing magic of her item into the elderly priest.  Yoseph eyes darted to meet hers, and he tried to say something but the damage had been done.  Aliana watched as the life drained from the priests eyes as they slowly grew dim.  He did not survive.

Seline gathers a ball of bluish energy into her hands and releases it in the direction of the temple doorway.  A rather sizable man who was rushing forward for the glory of his god fell back with a painful yell as the energy exploded into his chest.

Tizonas spell arcs over the heads of the advancing soldiers only to explode just beyond the doorway.  The door is engulfed in a sudden burst of fire radiating out in all directions.  Soldiers once again shriek, cry and die.

For all their efforts, the group is rewarded with a brief moments respite as the Army of Nymuriel regroup to renew their attack.  The circle glows brightly, the energy swirling around them.  It begins to obscure the view of the doorway.  Whatever the priest had been trying to do is slowly working.

She was too angry to speak and cast any more spells (she didn't have THAT many left anyway), so Greg pulled her bow and began firing more arrows.   She wanted, no, NEEDED, to kill the butchers that murdered this sweet man, as well as most of the town.
She kept shooting, trying to keep a "killing zone" between them and the soldiers.
Tears streamed down her face, but her teeth were clenched in hate.

Dan looked down at the circle with a great smile. "YES!" He exclaimed, pulling out another arrow, "We just have to hold the line just a while longer!" He fired it off between the doors, hoping he'd have enough to sustain them until the magic kicked in. He did wonder where they would go but anywhere that wasn't here seemed better.

Sarah keeps lobbing the fireballs towards the oncoming cultists, making sure to target the more dangerous/higher ranked ones.

The little fight quickly turned chaotic.  The door to the temple was too narrow to allow significant numbers of soldiers through, not that they didn't try.  The spells and arrows picked them off but the companions couldn't take down enough of them to completely stem the tide.  Ymar's voice could be heard shouting over the fighting, and occasionally he could be seen directing his men outside.

The magic grew in intensity, enveloping the group.  Slowly the tide of Soldiers grew closer and closer, until the gathering magical energy exploded in a blast of intense light.

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