Mayhem

[Pillar of Creation]

Collin stroked his chin as he removed the whispy beard he had neglected over the past few months. It had seemed such a good idea at the time. The power it promised was to great to ignore. Had she known what would happen? He looked out over his domain, Altur'Rang was a ghost city now, his people having fled the tide of destruction.
"Well don't just stand back there like a fool."
The skinny old guard shifted uncomfortably in the doorway.
"Any news from the outside?"
Finally the guard built the courage to step in.
"Nothing new Emperor, the fires are still visable on the hills surrounding the city, the creatures still prowl the city, and supplies are becoming scarce."
Collin sighed in resignation.
He use to be the most feared man in the old world. Possibly the world itself. Now he was nearly a hermit, trapped in this God forsaken tower with a handfull of guards.
"Go back to your dutys, I don't want to be disturbed."
The stickman saluted, then left the room.
He leaned over the broken ledge of the window and once again observed his folly. The creatures had very little hair, rat-like ears, no eyes to be seen, teeth that were sharp as daggers, and two long claws on each foot that could take a mans head off (He had actually witnessed it when one of his guards had attempted to flee). The worst trait these creatures had was their immunity to magic. During the beggining of his internment he had thrown every ounce of his power in attempts to kill them,
most failed, none worked twice.
A commotion down near Liberty Square caught his attention. By some mirracle some one had made it this far into the city. He could hear the shouts of the men as they moved across the square. A ragged band of men appeared on the edge of the hill sprinting for the tower. A large, bull of a man, tripped and before his companions could even think to slow and help him one of the creatures was upon him.
As little as Collin cared about this single man, he couldn't let all of them die in an atempt to defend him, so he summoned his power and did the only thing he could think to do. He threw a lightning bolt at the creature.
The creature momentarily froze giving the man on the ground enough time to drive a long dagger through its throat. By then the others reached him and they were once again racing to the tower. Collin pushed himself back from the ledge, and raced towards the door. This was the first news from the outside since the disaster, maybe they had news of his Lily?

[Pillar of Creation]

When Collin reached the bottom of them tower his guards had the doors opened wide, but ready to slam them behind the "guests". They were only about a hundred meters from the door. It was like some race where the winners lived, the losers got torn apart by savage beasts.
"Hurry!"
"Come on!"
Guards were shouting encouragement to the men who would brave hell to come to them, yet they would not go out to assist them.
The first of the men reached the door. He turned back around, drew his bow, and began shooting arrows at the closest of the beasts. As more of them reached the tower they joined their friend in fending off the creatures. Realisticly the arrows did little more than bother them. Finally the last of them -the large man Collin had saved from his perch in the tower- reached the safty of the tower.
"General Knoxx?"
Collin exclamed as he made his way through his guards to the general. Knoxx had a wolfish grin on his scarred face as he beheld Collin, his fallen leader.
"Never thought the man you were going to behead would brave hell to save you emperor?"
Collin waved the question away.
"How fares my empire?"
Knoxx spoke hesitantly.
"It's not your empire anymore... It's Empress Lilianas empire.."
Collin simply stared as Knoxx continued.
"Since this happened -He gestured back towards the closed door- the empress has spoken against you, and is supported by nearly everyone. They call for a force to be sent in here to make sure you're dead..... We who support you number less than five hundred and are camped at the south edge of this city."
The world had gone mad. His Lily not only took his empire, but wanted to kill him. He recalled that she had been the one to present him with the book that told how to creat the device that brought this upon him. She had conveniently left the city on "errands" two days before he finished it. She set him up.
Collin shook with rage. It had all been a lie. Her and that "Fold" were behind it all, he was sure of it. They used him. They would pay.

[Pillar of Creation]

Weeks ago he had thrown that spirit link gem, his symbol of love to his lily, from the top of the cursed tower. Now as far as she knew he was dead.
General Knoxx pulled the straps tighter around Collin making him grunt.
"Is it still loose Emperor?"
Knoxx chuckled. Plate armor was the last thing Collin had expected to find himself in, but Knoxx had insisted that he would need it if they were to try to leave the city. The beasts that now roamed the streets would shred anything less, many of the soldiers chainmail spoke to that.
"Enough General, You will have yourself to worry about out there, no need to baby me like that traitor Fergus."
Knoxx shifted uncomfortably. He had been the one to tell Collin all that had transpired while he had been imprisoned in this.. hell..
After his folly his loving wife had spread lies about him saying he had served the keeper and his most trusted general had stepped up to add credit to her stories.
Knoxx shouted at the men.
"On the count of 5 open the doors and run like hell!"
He held up an arm to indicate the number he was on.
"Remember to cover each other as we run!"
He began to count down slowly.
Collin touched his gift through Odin which was now strapped to his back, and used it to lighten himself.
"2!
1!
GO!"
The men at the doors threw them open. The race through hell had begun.

[Pillar of Creation]

They finally stopped on a hill just outside Altur'Rang to rest. Collin used the opportunity to try and discover what had happened, but from this distance he could only feel one thing; He had torn the veil. Collin shivered, many considered him an evil man but he would rather not spend eternity along side the Keeper. He needed to find some help to close this, even his power with Odin would not be enough to seal it. Before they headed north he used his power to slow it's growth as best he could.

[Pillar of Creation]

They finally came upon Knoxx force of those loyal to Collin.
"I thought you said I had 500 men General, this looks like a little more than 400."
As he finished he felt something a turned around to the sight of a Mriswith. Knoxx aproached and cleared his throat.
"I should restate Emperor. You have 420 loyal men and about 80 Mriswith, their speaker here wont tell me their exact numbers."
The speakers hissed.
"That isss not for you to knowss, only for massster."
He got down on a knee before Collin as he finished.
Collin rolled his eyes.
"So how many Mriswith are there then?"
The speaker remained on a knee as he answered.
"Theresss 57 brothersss."
Collin simply shrugged, Mriswith were far more effective than regular soldiers in most cases.
Knoxx stepped past the speaker as he continued.
"We are at your disposal Emperor, what are your orders?"
For the first time Collin really stopped to think, what was he going to do? He could try to reclaim his stolen empire, but with the veil breached it would not matter much. Revenge or life?
His mind made up he gave his orders.
"We head north to the wizards keep..."
He thought for a second then continued.
"General did that special forces unit you encountered have any gifted?"
"I believe so Emperor."
Collin tapped his chin as he thought.
"Any idea how many?"
Knoxx grunted in disgust.
"Just one, one of the wizards you sent with me called him an illusionist. The man had no honour!"
One wouldn't be enough, but maybe if they found that unit on their way north they could be convinced to help them?