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Fandom Power Rangers Sentinels

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Into the abyss they go. Ramparts overflowing with soldiers and the horn sounding in the distance echoed something bad about to happen. Evil never takes a day off from the creepy factor. Just once it would be nice to see something evil with a pleasant horn or an array of butterflies rather than darkness and approaching armies of death. In the ominous and unsettling atmosphere, Benji held the little wooden creature tighter while it trembled. The same force that hurt his home was going to hurt the rest of the world. "I'm right behind you," he told Erin as they walk up the walls to Gawain.
---
His muscles relaxed and tension lowered. Like setting a scalding hot stone in a pool of cool water Clay simmered down and did in fact remember his friends. Tipping his hat he silently apologized. Under a lot of stress anybody would be prone to getting upset. He understood this threat well. It's that he did understand it why he was so damn adamant about being pissed instead of wallowing in fear or dread. Stereotype or no, southern tradition tells him to get mad!
Eerie horn breaching made him turn white. Not April level of white but white. 'Sheets having been bleached in the washing machine' white. Scratching the back of his head, he looked where Merlin did as well. The others are already where they need to be. "Got'cha. Bygawd this is about to get bad..." Clay said, waving Merlin off and nodding April his way, making his exit with her to their friends.
---
Having assembled in due time, Clay, Benji and the other three stood on top of the walls overlooking the massive horde coming their way. Endless floods of dark, evil creatures marched. Avlazor included. There's a face they didn't need to see again. Even people were in the ranks of the sinister. Legionnaires have no limits. Extra creepy when you think about it. The Spriggan leaped from Benji's arms and down into a small hole in the wall. A little tunnel he had found that leads to a hiding nook in the castle. So he's got a safe and comfy space to hide for the time being.

"I don't know if ready is a term to use, here..." Benji swallowed, even the huge force of knights with them seeming a little afraid. Such a sight does not inspire confidence. "I reckon this'll be a day to remember..." Clay whispered.
"Essencia awaken!" Following the lead do ones dismay and ones sense of right, creation and green energy overcame Benji while gripping his charm tightly. Clay felt Earthen tones and felt his body harden like stone in the comfort of his gem in brown energy.
"Shaking Earth Element! Brown Sentinel Ranger!"
"Sprouting Nature Element! Green Sentinel Ranger!"

Cutting their rise to power short, the voice that could make the mighty fall with one whisper spoke up through a tear. Avlazor paused as did the forces approaching. "Master! Eyes on master!" Avlazor shouted. Behold, Vorkalth making his physical debut to the Sentinels. The skull, dark tendrils and overwhelming stature made sweat roll down Benji's forehead under his helmet. Clay's knees shook. The very sight of the ghastly shaman shook even him.
Eyes of evil looked directly at them. "Hungry for your blood!" Avlazor added to Vorkalth's proposal, hissing and screeching armies behind him beckoning. As the master left he felt himself getting stronger. Hehe.

Running forward, Avlazor led the brutal charge and stormed the castle gates. Running among the horde he forced the closer Ryxens and Spawners to barrage the gates with ark magic to break them open and crumble. Gawain might have inspired the Knights again but not the Sentinels with him. Bravely they stood, but turmoil they felt.
"Shit."
"Double shit... " Benji and Clay respectively said. Shaking his head, Clay huffed. "Varmints... let's crack 'em up!"
 
"Remember when we hoped every day wouldn't be like this? That didn't include war for an entire mythos' safety..." April softly said as the grim reality of the coming battle sank in. Merlin makes a lot of sense and so does Clay. Depending on them was so much it really scared her. Rallying people together might have to be a thing they pick up on. Especially if what happens here today ends badly and they have to tell their own world that something bad is coming. Trailing behind him she followed Clay out when Merlin told them where to go. Oh boy.
---
"That... You guys that is a lot of demons," April stated the obvious, voice cracking a bit. Fighting is hard, but fighting a lot of things bigger and scarier than you is harder. What's she gonna do, blow them all away with her power? Literally she could but that may take a lot more than she's capable of right now. So many twisted and downright wrong things were out there staring back at them in the Legion. "Man, it stinks out here..." death has a funky odor.

But pursing her lips together she nodded, signifying she was ready, too. "Essencia Awaken!" Grasping the charm she let wind and the gentle breezes wash away her fears for a minute. Bursting over her was a bright white light and the gust of a motherly touch of wind. "Soaring Wind element! White Sentinel Ranger!"

Confidently April stood with the others, morphed with capes flowing behind them. Aiyna must like that aesthetic!
Tell ya what she didn't like. Vorkalth making his appearance. April forgot how to breath. "So that's him?" She whispered, choking a little. So much for bravery. Clasping her hands together she took a deep breath, trembling and trying not to freak out over something straight out of a horror movie. "No backing down, now..."
 
Erin's heart sank a bit as the Legion charged. So many demons at once... So many sinister people. That last thing unsettled her more than the rest. There were actual people among the ranks. People they'd have to fight as they did to the demons. She didn't mind obliterating a Ryxen or a Spawner, but a fellow human? That's something else entirely.
"Gawain's right. Avalon can't fall today," she said to her friends, swallowing down her fears. Whether they were truly ready or not, they had to be. The first Ryxens and Spawners were at the gates already, being pelted by arrows but not backing down. The gates creaked heavily under all the weight, but so far things went well.

"Hold the gates!" Gawain shouted. "Don't let them enter at any cost!" He summoned his greatsword and send heavy slashes of light magic down at the approaching hordes. Leaping down into the hordes would be close to suicide, so they'd best do whatever they could from up here at the gates. Erin followed his example, summoning her own more nimble sword and coating it in flames. Careful not to accidentally set any beams on fire, she lashed out with her flames, burning the legionaries that threaded too close. Having paid close attention in history class, Erin could guess what kind of siege this was going to be: the "keep the enemy out as long as possible" siege. The walls should hold for long enough until the enemy was tired and would retreat on their own. Very useful, but was it also going to work against hordes of undead demons? Best not question it right now and keep her focus on preventing the demons from entering.

"Now this is a battle of the likes I've not seen in a long time," Igneos spoke in her mind. He appeared to watch the hordes through Erin's eyes. "The more of them are out here today, the less there are to fight later on... I hope. Well, at the very least we can make them pay for what they've done to Dylan." The Spirit silenced himself, pondering. The way they were not the Sentinels weren't yet strong enough to fully be entrusted with the next level of their powers, but perhaps a bit more....? They were going to need the help here. So many Legionaries already, and who knew what else was coming up? If they'd breach the gates... There was going to be a wildfire. The bad kind.
What do the rest of you think? Igneos asked his Spiritual companions. We can't yet entrust them with too much more of our power, but they're going to need more...

Aurelius, clad in his shining golden armor nodded faintly. These Sentinels were young and inexperienced. His own host had, until recently, forgotten about even being a Sentinel. For the four of them I say yes. As for my own... he sighed. This one at the moment is too conflicted. He needs to come to terms with what's happened to him first. I cannot aid him otherwise. Gawain would be mostly on his own. Yes, he had Aurelius' power to rely on, but nothing more than the basics he'd had. Gawain's connection had weakened, and as long as he was so conflicted, it would be unwise to entrust him with more powers.

Gawain watched the creatures from the Legion endlessly pouring at the gates. Dark witches used their foul magic to harm the soldiers on the walls, making them scream in pain or cry in terror. There was no end to them.... Gawain remembered previous battles with his companions, facing off against demons and saving cities. But never had it been as many as they were now. And this time he did not have his friends to rely on. 900 years, many generations of Sentinels later. And they were so much unlike the people he had known. These Sentinels, still new to the battle were thrown into things they weren't ready for yet. They had lost their friend and companion. One man down, one important key in the dynamics of the Sentinel team. He felt sorry for Deluvian. As ever changing as the spirit might be, Deluvian was not without a heart. The Spirit could be a roaring wave or a gentle creek. What were they like now? A silent, deep ocean? Or a maelstrom waiting to be unleashed?

Funny how he felt much similar. Unsure, uncertain. Where did he belong now? Here in Avalon where he'd lived for centuries? In the past with his companions? In the present alongside these new warriors? His thoughts were tangled, leaving him unfocussed. No matter how hard he tried to keep paying attention to the battle ahead, his thoughts kept trailing off to his doubts.
---
Elsewhere in Avalon, relatively close to where the distracting battle took place, Venecorva led the warriors she'd taken with her to the castle. Shrouded in magic, concealed by illusions. It wouldn't be much longer before they'd reach one of the hidden entrances and make their way inside. And then... the walls would fall. First the castle, and then the rest of Avalon, would belong to the Legion.
 
Of course they're right; Avalon can not fall today. Just because it can't fall does not mean that such a grizzly sight isn't bone-chilling and nightmare-inducing. Unrelenting monsters and crazed people just poured on the castle exterior like butter on toast. Nothing they'd faced really amounted to the levels of a gigantic horde storming a castle collectively at one time but Clay sure as Hell wouldn't just step down and let something bad happen to all of the people inside fearing for their lives. Witches and monsters didn't scare him. Not in the general sense but immediately, they kind of did. With that being said, he followed in Gawain's lead and uses his power. Focusing hard through his Essencia, Clay manipulated the very Earth beneath the Legions' feet and shook it, quaking Earth to stop them in their tracks and hopefully give the archers an easier shot. Just had to concentrate on not shaking the gates open. A crack did appear on the stone walls however, and a few rocks fell on top of Ryxens. Small chunks but...oops.
Benji took up the same technique of using his magic against them. "I don't know if it'll hold much longer, Gawain!" The skeptical Green Sentinel made clear to the knight. Even with all of their efforts the Legion is going to break through at any moment. He needs to face the fact and prepare the men while he can. Wielding the Sentinel glaive, he tossed it out like a Frisbee and kept mental attachment to it, gliding his personal weapon around and around the endless barrage of monsters coming their way.

Through their Sentinels' eyes, Grondo and Sylvan witness the battle in its early stages and commenced very different approaches to the situation. These youthful people have proven well worthy of power by now but still had so much to learn. This will be the truest test of their ability, yet.
Grondo, ever the hulking mass of stone, joined in with the fellow Spirits through their connection in a meeting. Aurelius ticked him off a little. Aye, golden boy, you don't show up for centuries or however long and you think your opinion matters? Back off! I say we give all of our available power to 'em all, they need to clobber those demons and smack them down back into Hell! Grondo, ever the war-monger!
Now now, we must not have infighting. That is not enlightening! Sylvan rhymed. And...by the Gods, did he make a pun? Ready these Sentinels be, not for out full might, but for a taste of thee. Troubling times are ahead, Sentinels must be given power for wings to spread. The poet tree did have a valid point. They will need a boost of power to help them, but how much? They're still naive and have to learn much so. Grondo is also valid in wanting them to have the power to fight until the end of the horde.
 
"Please, God, give us strength to win today," April prayed unlike herself. Demonic forces stormed the gates and nothing they could do would really stop the invasion, but hold it back. She felt pity for those turned into mindless monsters but wouldn't hold back. A lot of comeuppance is coming for the Legion today. Too many scared people would be hurt if they didn't fight now.

April breathed in and out, hands forward, wind beckoning a her call. Please, Ainya, blow them back with all we can muster, April channeled her spirit inside. Wind screeched and tossed in the direction of the oncoming horde. Using what power she had, she blew them away! Weaker ones could go flying, stronger ones would be slowed way down. Or she had intended, anyway. She wanted to just tornado them all away but something told her she couldn't do that without hurting someone on her side of the battle. Every breath she took her wind became stronger, every pulsation of her heart she grew more determined.

Aurelius is valid, dear friend. Sir Gawain is troubled but he and the Sentinels must accommodate to their surroundings. I believe that with special circumstance we may grant them the ability to fight on. Ainya parlayed among the other spirits, acting as voice of reason in the calm of the storm. You say Gawain is conflicted? Are these four not conflicted as well? Mourning Deluvian's partner is conflict enough. Yet they continue to fight!
 
We all know what might happen if they're granted too much power at once. Igeneos' fiery figure danced like flames do among the other Spirits. Giving them our full powers too soon will only lead to their downfall. They need to grow into their powers as all who came before them.
Precisely. Aurelius agreed. And while you, dear Ainya, are absolutely right about them all being conflicted with the loss of their friend... Aurelius silenced himself and sighed, feeling the maelstrom of thoughts in his Sentinel's mind. Gawain doesn't know what to do with himself. He bears the burden of learning all he knew has long since passed. He does not belong in this world, and he no longer quite belongs on Earth either. The place where he belonged is long since a part of history. He need to learn again what his place in all of this is before I can properly aid him again.
Igneos pondered on Aurelius' words Yes, he could imagine Gawain had some large obstacles to overcome. Things these Sentinels thankfully haven't had to deal with and hopefully never will. Gawain's state of mind for the past centuries had to have been pretty close to a Spirit forcefully being torn from their Sentinel instead of leaving them voluntarily. That's one of the most painful things that can happen to a Spirit, and among the most dangerous too. If they're truly disconnected from their host for long enough without a safe place for them to stay and wait, a Spirit will eventually just disappear. It's happened to many of their brethren over the many many centuries they'd been around. It could be called a small miracle that Aurelius' connection with his Sentinel was still strong enough to allow him to transform and use his powers. That's why it made even more sense for Aurelius to be hesitant to share too much of his powers with Gawain.

But the others... the others weren't Gawain, and while they were troubled, they were far less conflicted. And in dire need of some extra help, that too. While the connection between the Spirits stayed just the way it always was, Igeneos let this little pocket mind place fade to fully focus on his battle alongside Erin again. He stretched himself, arms out wide and let his powers spread through Erin's soul. A pleasant warmth getting hotter and hotter without ever getting painful. His motions became her motions, steering the flames through her body. Fire spun around her arms and hands, swirling, lashing out like a whip made out of flames.
Don't worry, you've got this. WE got this, Ignoes encouraged a slightly worried Erin looking at the larger flames spreading and taking out nearby Spawners and Ryens, as well as scaring off the humans that had joined sides with the Legion. We all figured you might need some more power to deal with this horde.
Erin nodded to herself, and to Igneos' voice speaking in her mind. She was pretty sure she felt the Spirit steering her, aiding her to quickly take care of those that got too close to the walls. Her eyes darted towards the gates, creaking, splintering... They wouldn't hold much longer. Any moment now the gates would break and the monsters would come pouring in, or so she assumed.

She glanced behind her, down the (for now) safe side of the wall. Knights and able bodied men were awaiting the inevitable, wielding whatever weapons they'd been able to find. Clubs, pitchforks, knives, an old sword here and there. The knights were much better armed, but how well would they fare against relentless undead and dark magic?

Gawain noticed the gates breaking apart little bit by little bit. He realized all too well these gates wouldn't hold out the evil for much longer."Kay!" he shouted to one of the knights. "Stand ready!" That was all the man would need to know. No need to loudly shout the gates were about to break and frighten all the innocent people that might overhear. Back in his day, Gawain had seen many great battles, fought side by side with friends and allies to keep villages and cities safe from whatever might threaten them. How did that go nowadays back on Earth, he wondered. He wouldn't recognize his home anymore if they'd find it. He'd recognize nothing and nobody, probably. The world he knew was history, perhaps even a part of legends itself. Having survived a battle with the Legion, but ending trapped in a world that wasn't his own had only led to him belonging nowhere. He had no place among these Sentinels, a new generation that was about his own age yet centuries younger. He wasn't from their world. His world was similar to Avalon, but yet it wasn't. Gawain couldn't stay here once this battle was over. Now that he knew he was never truly a part of this world...

He shook his head, heavily swinging his greatsword again, sending another slash of light down the wall at the invaders. He held nothing back, not even against the humans. Evil was evil, and he had fought plenty of humans anyway. Robbers usually aren't all that monstrous.
Don't lose sight of your sense of justice, Aurelius reminded him. These people might be or act evil, but don't forget they are under the influence of a dark spell. None of them would have acted like this on their own.
I beg to differ. These people all had darkness in their hearts, and while it might have been empowered by the Legion, it has also united them. They have to be taken care of lest even more people get injured.
Inwardly, Aurelius sighed. His Sentinel was stubborn as ever. A strong sense of justice, yes. But perhaps too strong at times, and that was coming from him! The Spirit known to have abandoned his Sentinels when they strayed from a just path. As long as Gawain's vision remained clouded by his insecurities, his troubles, his fears... Aurelius could not aid him.
---
The walls were there at last, and so was the hidden entrance. Venecorva opened it up for the Legion to pour in, beckoning them to be as silent as possible. There would be knights and guards nearby, as well as villagers hoping to have found a safe shelter. Oh, how wrong they were. If they were quick enough at dealing with the people here silently, they would be at the inner castle in just a matter of minutes. However, Venecorva knew well enough that the Legion wouldn't be silent for long. The Ryxens and Spawners would quickly get excited and agitated at the sight and smell of blood, death, and fear. The first screams would soon enough echo through the castle and the courtyard. Although many of those screams might simply be lost in the sounds of the ongoing battle.

Moments later the first people laid dead at their feet, and the weapons had colored crimson. "Now, go!" Venecorva spread her arms and laughed. "Slaughter those who get in our way. Show these humans the power of the Legion." And so the Ryxens and Spawners spread, scaring, killing, wreaking havoc. Nothing and nobody in their path was spared. Venecorva laughed as she grabbed a torch and held it to the roofs of the houses. Black smoke and high flames soon licked the dark sky. Camelot would fall tonight, and the Legion would feast!

 
Obstacles stand before he who basks in the light. Yet somehow he, too, has not stopped the fight? Sylvan responded to Aurelius. Troubled is he. Admiring the will to do what was mostly right, Sylvan knew Gawain to be a damaged man. If not bordering on mentally broken after all of this time. Standing here today is a sign of his will, though. He and his Spirit's connection having lasted this long without withering is a miracle by nature. Nature. Enduring such feats does not come without something of value in exchange for hardship. Hardship of losing a friend, a lifetime, a place in the world... It has to all amount to something. Otherwise insanity would run a muck. Such insanity may plague Deluvian if they do not find a suitable host, soon. What is to be said of the fluid spirit now? Lacking a blue glow here is disheartening.
Taking root in Benji's mind, Sylvan did to him as Igneos to Erin. Well, everything but the burning. Fire is very bad for a walking talking tree. Benji's glaive spinning out among Legionaries spout razor-sharp leaves, as well as uprooting nearby plants and turning said roots into sturdy tripwires. Take comfort, Sentinel in green. Together we'll wipe the evil clean! What an odd thing to say. Message received. Still, an odd thing to say. Benji agreed, nonetheless, and let the tree guide him. A little more power as if Sylvan himself is fighting!

All of you are tickin' me off. Too much power, too little power, I know as good as you all what they need. Let them get mad, let them take what we can give. I'm not saying drown them in it, just enough to knock off a few heads for killing Deluvian's host. Payback time, right? Grondo half expected an answer. But alas, he got silence. Poor Deluvian...
Gawain, to Grondo, needed to get himself sort, and fast. If not, who knew what would happen? Already they lost one Sentinel in this generation. Not about to lose another due to lack of self-worth or anything. Grondo flared up like a rockslide inside of Clay's body, fueling him with raw strength, so much in fact, that he may be part of why the gates started to splinter. So just gonna tone that down, now... Clobber 'em already. I'm gonna give you more of what I got, but don't waste it or I'll clobber you! Grondo said to Clay in that friendly fashion. Hey at least Cay isn't blinded by inhibitions right now...
That being said, Clay increased the antes a bit with his quaking ability. Brown mist hovered over a select few Spawners, Ryxens, the occasional madman who isn't a monster. From the mist extruded rocks! Small boulders, stones, anything heavy enough to crush them and vanish. Better not leave any ammo for the Legion if they have a catapult or something.
---
Just as Venecorva broke through a faux barrier of peace inside the castle, Avlazor used his massive weapon charged with evil magic to finally smash open the gates of the castle. Legionaries chanted and rose their weapons high, some of them even taking hits from the opposing forces without stirring. Filling with such determination for violence really gets adrenaline pumping. The bird-woman's plan to go in through a hidden entrance was a success. Now she burns the inside and their forces plunder though innocent lives. Avlazor marched in, running headfirst into immediate resistance and battering them down with a solid strike of his weapon. After bludgeoning them, he fired a dark beam from his eyes. Likely a gift from his master, one that destroyed part of a support beam on ramparts.

Clay and Benji felt the breaking, turning around to see Avlazor tearing through. "They've gotten through!" Benji made clear to everybody. Shit, the Legion's in the castle! "We have to get down there!" Scrawny boy is loud when he's fired up. The cowboy noted and nodded. If they could give him enough time and space, maybe Clay could conjure up a lot of big boulders to seal off the entrance? At least that would buy a lot of time? He muttered something of the like out loud. Stupidly, however, Clay turned to what was the safer side of the gates, summoned his mace in one hand and wand in the other, and jumped down. "YEEEEEEEHAWWWWWWW!" Cowboy sticks the superhero landing!
"Clay! Shit, he'll get slaughtered," Benji skeptically commented, returning his weapon back up to him, still firing razor leaves.
 
We all have valid thoughts on the matter. I fear for Gawain, Aurelius. I fear for his stability. He has recovered greatly yet he shows little signs of his once-know potential. It is he who must guide our Sentinels in this time of darkness. Instead of all of us crossing paths with little progress, I vote that we back our chosen warriors in swift strokes of compassion and courage. Ainya acted as voice of reason and mother figure. She did indeed fear for Gawain. As did she fear for the others. Where Deluvian should be speaking, she felt only ever-changing droplets of nothingness. Faucets will occasionally spew out drops of water even when not in use. Like the valves had been turned not all the way off. In Deluvian's setting it's more like the faucet just has nothing to completely turn it. Sad. If she could only touch the water spirit's soul with a gesture of care. However, she must direct attention to golden shimmers, but blue. Gawain needs to find his place again. I do not believe this to be true. He has a place. Just the knight must open his eyes to what is around him. His companions from then are gone. His place is and forever will be with the Sentinels. These Sentinels... Bless him so he may see... Ainya commented.

Using all of this wind really knocks the wind out of her. The whole 'for every breath I take is a gust against them' thing really just hardens the breathing. Channeling wind power from lungs may not be the smartest move. But April knew now what happened when Essencia directly tapped into may cost if used too much. Dear, rest assured you are not alone. We Spirits are here for more than guidance and wisdom. Take my power, repel these evil doers and defend the innocent, Ainya communicated to her when she felt weak. A rush of air refilled her body and invigorated her. Modding in understanding, April felt a jolt of new strength inside of her. "I will give it all I've got," she told her Spirit. Fabric of the cape flowed behind her, April prepared a massive gust with the aid of her Spirit and staff. Forward she directly wind in a cyclone. Said cyclone confined a chunk of the horde back and struck at others. Avlazor and his top followers were already at the gate but she could hold back more as they poured in. Deeply inhaling, April slammed her bstaff down on the ramparts and the cyclone burst, causing it to rain undead on their own ranks. The bad guys' ranks, not the good guys'.

Crumbling under their feet the walls and the gates were swarmed, nearly knocking them all off. Avlazor and his soldiers stormed the front, meanwhile April could see smoke from within. "Something is inside the castle. Like from another spot!" She reference Venecorva invading and torching homes. I should check it out, see if I can blow the smoke away. But that may add fuel to a fire, actually... April pondered to herself.
But at that moment Clay lept into battle inside the castle walls where Legion monsters attacked. He would in fact be torn apart. Gritting her inner strength she tightly wrapped her hands on the staff. "Not if I get to him first!" April volunteered to save Clay and help down on the ground. As she turned, a stray blast from magic of a Spawner hit her back, sparks erupting and domino-ing April off of the ramparts onto the hard ground, yelping as she made contact with cobblestone. Already she's surrounded! Cue a burst of wind to give her some room. Damn her back hurt now.
 
Venecorva cackled as she walked through the streets, watching the Ryxens and Spawners run and wreak havoc. She took great pleasure in listening to the screams and cries of pain and panic. The streets were starting to flow red. Venecorva continued torching the buildings, the stables too. Horses whinnied and ran through the streets, trampling people who couldn't get away in time. She made her chaotic way through the streets, heading to the innermost walls. The walls of the castle itself. With all the chaos out there, with so many knights out here and people fearing for their lives, breaking into the castle and dealing with her brother and their wizard uncle was going to be quick and easy.

Closely followed by the Ryxens and Spawners, she made her way inside, wandering through the halls, enchanting the armors to do her bidding. Oh, what a sight to behold it must be. The Crow Witch, leading an army of the dead and empty armors through the castle to reclaim what was rightfully theirs. As the night would fall, so would the castle, and Avalon would belong to Vorkalth. One world closer to ripping the Veil apart. And the remaining Sentinels... they would perish. Soon, they would just be a part of history.
---
Aurelius heard and heeded Ainya's words, for the Spirit of Wind was correct as per usual in cases like this. Gawain had a place among the Sentinels, albeit a different generation. He just had to see it for himself. He guided the Sentinel's moves and attacks, slightly empowering them, but not daring to go as far as the other Spirits did to their Sentinels, for Aurelius was concerned it might be too much for the broken Sentinel.

Erin lashed out, her inner fire burning as bright as Igneos' fires. Spawners and Ryxens burned, as did some wooden barricades. The mortal humans among the ranks were too frightened to come too close to all the dangerous magic flying around. But then.... "Clay!" she called out, watching her friend jump right down and landing in the middle of the horde. Did that guy TRY getting himself killed or something, she wondered? Tackling a Kelpie into the water, shielding her from an attack, and now this?! She wanted to get angry, to scold him and call him the biggest idiot of the Era and beyond.... but she couldn't. She was too concerned about his safety to get angry. That anger would come later, once the battle was over. And then April was blasted off the wall too! "No!" Erin called, unsure where to look and help first. The city was burning, the streets flowing red. Dark smoke swirled up into the sky and rain kept pouring down as lightning cut the sky in half. Too much.... it was too much and there were too many. They hadn't been able to hold the gates, and already it showed they were unable to save everyone. So many innocent people had died already at the hands of the Legion. All of them had promised to themselves that no one else should fall... but here they were. Sure, this was a war, and in wars people died.... but it was too much, too real. Panic clenched its cold hands around her heart and squeezed. Erin's breathing quickened. Was this what a panic attack felt like? Or maybe she was developing a serious case of PTSD here? Her powers wavered briefly. She had to keep on fighting. They might not be able to save the innocent people, but they could at least stand and fight for each other. No way in all the nine hells if not more would they lose another one of their own here or anywhere else.

Erin leaped down the wall, landing between her friends already on the ground. "You guys holding up alright?" she asked, shielding them from incoming villains. "We can't keep them out anymore... but we can at least try to keep them from coming in." Did that even make sense? The Legionaries already inside the walls were many too many, but they had to prevent more from pouring in. They had to save as many people as they could, and right now it seemed their best chance was to stay right where they were and keep fighting. Surely the knights and other people capable of wielding a weapon could attempt to take care of the monsters already inside?

Gawain looked around, watching the chaos, the battle... war. He'd seen many great battles, but as much as he might tell himself or others, he never quite got used to it all. The slaughter, the senseless loss of lives... Always he fought to protect the innocent, and always he'd fail to protect everyone he might want to save. Because no matter how hard one would fight or how much one might wish, even if one had magic granted by old gods to rely on, people would always die. Always there would be villains who got away. A grim outlook, but a realistic one. Even here and now, in a setting he'd grown so accustomed to, people were dying before him. Evil had found its way into the inner city, possibly already into the city walls. The Sentinels of the current age were fighting as bravely as they could, and they were remarkable. Skilled and strong, despite only barely having received their powers. Yet still... it was clear they had a lot to learn. They were not quite yet ready for a war this size. And yet they fought.

The knight paused for a brief moment and pondered. His old companions would have been proud of the courage these new incarnations showed. If they could fight with no trouble in a place where they did not belong, then why couldn't he? What was keeping him, holding him back? Was it fear? Unresolved issues from what had been and could have been? All questions that needed answering, or really it was just one. Though as much as he might want to take a break and properly think this all over, there was no time. He was needed, here and now. Gawain snapped back to the battle, heavily swinging his blade in a half circle cutting down the opponents near him. They had to stay here.... and they had to head further into the city to figure out what the cause of the fires and the chaos was. But they couldn't do both.... or could they?
"I have a plan, you lot!" he called to the other Sentinels. "Sir Clay, collapse the wall on the right to block the street. Sir Benjamin, grow whatever plants you can to block the left. Lady April, use whatever wind you can to blow them back a bit. Lady Erin... follow me and clear a path to the market square."
This had to work out.... from the central point in the city, they could deal with everything at once... if his plan worked out.
 
Venecorva expanded her reign inside the castle like a can cancerous growth as Avlazor stampeded forward. No notable knights or fighters attempted to stop him just yet. Fueled with power, rage, and darkness darker than the darkest abyss, Avlazor radiated...well dark. Shame there is no other word to describe just how bloody dark he and his legion is. Swiping his weapon across he took down more knights pretending they were not afraid of this menacing basilisk before them. "Bird bitch good! No, bird witch. Bitch is queen, bitch is Red and White, bitch is talking owl lady!" Avlazor spoke mostly to himself. Confusing or just outright scaring any villagers losing their previous drive to help fight and protect their home with the militia. Hating on the women on the side of good, eh? As if he didn't get worse.
Sir Galahad and Sir Percival stepped up, shields held high and swords sharpened. "Back, you vile fiend!" Spoke Percival. "Flee from whence you came!" Galahad riled.
Avlazor laughed and dragged his weapon behind him as he charged in to them. "Me want breaky bones!" the general demanded and attacked. En garde!

In cartoons before cartoons went to shit, scared characters comically chattered their teeth and resembled a cat going through electric shock therapy. Morbid an image as it is, the look of hair sticking up and limbs arching is spot-on for a scrawny fellow in green. Like fish in a barrel he saw his friends to go off the wall and descend into madness. Clay of his own volition, April of her good nature to help him. Smelled like rancid crap all over the place. Death has the worst smell. And this is a world without embalming practices. Just burning bodies after death. No wonder Benji misses his shower back home so much. "Hang on, I'm coming!" Benji announced against his better judgement. But if Erin's going to help the others down there then so is he. He spun around after jumping, resembling his glaive in style while working the cape to picked up wind. He failed miserably but the effort was there at least. Working in equal capacity he shielded the others from harm so they could recover in due time.
"I'm about as dandy as a frog on a lily pad on a warm summer day!" Clay southernly answered when he could have just said 'yes'. At least he's okay. Amidst the chaotic battle they stood, Benji doing his very best in pushing back while Clay swung the mace in one arm. "Now bring it on ya varmints!" Clay challenged the monsters everywhere ready to bash the first ones brains in that came close. Avlazor and a shit load of these things are here. But something's stirring deeper in. Joy.

Gawain regrouping at their location inspired them. Certainly shed some light on their situation. Oy! Pun!
"Roger that, partner," Clay nodded his head on Gawain's order here. Benji nodded as well to show he heard his instructions. "If we can just hold them back and buy time, we'll be right behind you!" Benji said to the others who would be going to the center of the madness. Surely by securing this part and clearing it a bit they'd all be able to see what the commotion is far away.
"Git to the market, we got this, y'all!" Clay yelled, tossing the mace into right side of the wall, beginning the collaspe as soldiers moved away. He huffed and dive bombed right into it! Yeeeeehaw! He emerged from the rubble unscathed, now making bigger rockholds to block it all off.

Wielding magic on his side, Benji uprooted underground nature and started a web of vines and assorted foliage to the left side. Yanking good guys back and capturing/stopping the baddies in their muddy tracks. Didn't their mothers tell them to wipe their feet before invading someone else's castle? He'd hoped to make enough brush to slow traffic down before more came through.
 
"I'm okay!" See? Simple, effective and it gets the message of well-being across. Half of Clay's southern lingo had to come out of nowhere; there's no way everybody down south talks like that. Sufficient, simplicity is. Whoever spins such a winded phrase in the heap of a war is something special. Now she got a kick out of it, but the incoming Ryxen really got a KICK out of her! Back to her feet, her foot kissed that beast right in the face! Viscous style coming from the sweet and gentle one. War does that. Fighting so much does that, too. "Don't know about that. They just keep coming, and I'm running our of steam real fast..." April noted her exhaustion. Already she's getting winded form lack of condition matching the soldiers. She can't be put at fault, however. She's not been a Ranger long enough to prepare for a big brawl like this.
Just because she's tired does not mean she's quitting now.

People ran rampant, every day people running and fighting with them. Just a short time ago April and the others were nobodies, too. Average people living life. She missed the most chaotic rush for her being lunch hour at the family diner. Clay likely missed his bull riding or whatever.... Benji had to miss his art and those kids... Erin had to miss school and just learning about the world. And Dyl--.... Reminding herself, April got mad.
Gawain kicking in with them reassured her. Safety in numbers. Firing the crossbow while hearing the plan dish out. "After we handle this here we'll follow you to the market," April told him, firing the bow further clearing immediate threats. Her shots aren't super accurate, however shots combined with Avalonian archers seemed to help a ton.

Stepping up and back a little, she rolled up invisible sleeves and closed her eyes to speak with Ainya. Child, I am here for you. The spirit kissed April's soul with motherly love. Eyes flying open, April inhaled deeply and twirled the cloak on her back around. Major gusts of wind trapped Legion followers in Clay's rocks as they fell, in Benji's web, and just in general debris. Flinging enough of them at a wall at high enough speed did the trick. Push push push!
 
Glad to hear everyone was alright, whether they used excessively long phrases or just a simple "yes". Erin burned her way through the city, clearing a path as Gawain requested. What was going on in his mind, she wondered? She trusted whatever plan it was Gawain had. Honestly they had little to no choice in the matter. It was either following along, or be trampled by the masses of Legion coming in to the city and wreaking havoc. And that did not sound like a pleasant way to spent the afternoon. She glanced over her shoulder, hoping the others would follow them as soon as the paths were blocked off. With all the evil in the city, she'd rather keep the team together. Ya know, the "never split the party" rule. The closer they got to the market, the more Erin started to think she had an idea what Gawain's plan was.

The Market Square was empty, save for the militia building up barricades wherever they could around the edges. Perfect. Gawain nodded to himself. Now the wait was for the others to come back here. A central point, perfect to await the horde. And with the Square mostly closed off, only a few of the Legion could enter together. It ought to make them easier to take care of by the militia and the Sentinels. Gawain glanced around the edges. Smoke still drifted up from the buildings, people still screamed in terror. Evil still lurked deeper in the castle. he could feel it in the depths of his soul. Merlin and Arthur... they were likely in danger. Gawain was sworn to protect them. But he was also sworn to protect and defend the innocent. And he was a Sentinel. So many tasks, so many burdens for one man to bear. Gawain wasn't sure where he was needed the most. He nervously paced around, swinging his sword in anticipation of what was to come.
Elsewhere on the square Lady Erin watched him with a slightly tilted head.
"What's on your mind?" she asked. Gawain shook his head.
"Many things. These are confusing times, and I'm just trying to figure everything out."
"We all are," Erin replied. "Up until not all that long ago, we all thought monsters just belonged in stories, that magic was just a fantasy... We never thought all worlds we knew from our legends to be real. And now look at us. Fighting an evil as old as the world itself, wielding magic... We're all confused, and scared. You're not alone, Gawain."

Thoughtful words from the lady in red! Erin turned her gaze back to one of the openings in the barricades. If just some weeks ago you would have told any of them they would be chosen by the literal embodiment of Fate, a shapeshifting owl woman, that they'd travel to another world to fight demons with magical powers... They'd all give you a funny look and back away slowly. But here they were. Confused, afraid, grieving their recent loss... But they were fighting. Defending a world that wasn't theirs, but in a way connected to it. Everything they knew would end if they didn't take action. The monsters and storybook villains they had all read about as little children were real, and they were darker and worse in reality.
 
Percival and Galahad fought bravely against the basilisk Avlazor. Pushing against the odds the knights bore their blades high and stood their ground. Unfortunately, Galahad's shield crumbled under the weight of the basilisk's weapon. Severely had the knights arm been injured as he tumble down under Percival's protection. Avlazor swept his maul of an ax across the two of them, both knights flinging almost lifelessly into a barricade nearby. Whether they live or not would be determined by healers lucky to find them. Many more knights and common fighters opposed him, but Avlazor's brute force crushed them all. His body and kill count had to be in the dozens already for this one battle. "Avlazor crush everyone!" Perhaps the latest bit of a coherent statement he had uttered recently.

Benji's brush web ensnared enough of the soulless bastards and kept many more at bay. Tree limbs miraculously burst, the shrapnel from the wood piercing the monsters and cutting them down one by one if they got too close. Of those left inside, Benji circled around with glaive in hand slicing down Spawners and Ryxens. Magic and Sylvan gave him enough strength to break them down into nothing. Clay cleared himself of the rubble and picked up the mace to give it a hearty swing once again to create another barricade-making tremor. Sealing off the bad guys is really easy when a lot of rocks heavier than you and them are at your disposal. Punching a Ryxen back into another, Clay declared himself winning!

Finished here, Clay motioned for the others to get to him. Benji ran over, making sure the knights here had it under control for the time being. "We better go, they're waiting for us," Benji told them, catching his breath. Exhausting, magic is. Nodding along to the plan, Clay led him and April onward to the market center. "Good luck!" Benji called to the men they were leaving behind.
"Aye! We're here, y'all!" Clay hollered at Erin and Gawain loudly as the three of them made the approach into the square. Stopping when close he looked around. "Quiet here ain't it?"

Avlazor watched from afar as the Sentinels rounded over into the market. Snarling and crushing a poor man under this heel, he picked up the maul and swung it over his shoulder. "Sentinels not bother Venecorva." And so he followed them to their destination. By breaking through a wall he ran inside the castle to meet more of the undead already inside. How fitting will it be when he smashes the round table with Gawain's corpse? Onward he goes, to find the Sentinels and surprise them or rendezvous with Venecorva!
 
Whistling of the wind inspired confidence that Ainya's power is now April's. Flowing through her she felt the Essencia grow into a gust so strong it will blow back enemies into Hell. Not to recap their story for the hundredth time--seems like they recap what's happened so far in thought a lot--but she can not believe she went from waitress and student to wind blower in Camelot. "Soaring Spin!" Her cape flew wildly in the breeze, spinning on her heel to formulate a tornado of white energy to not only blow them back but rip them apart and remind the Legion to back away while they can. For all it's worth the tornado didn't stop them entirely. Cripple them, but not stop them. Basically what they're going for here.
"I am utterly winded," April...uttered. Repetition is key; but not to this particular thought door. All of that air flow around her and she needs to catch her breath, still. Like how a drunk, when they're hungover, have to drink more. Somehow introducing more alcohol is supposed to stop a hangover? So breathing air is supposed to recover her from...air. She's tired, leave her alone.

April felt the ease of rest and recovery when meeting with the others. Think I decorated the ramparts with Legion bits, she thought to herself.
Agreeing with the boys she rushed off to the market square with them to meet with Erin and Gawain. Enough death and fighting around here to get a fix for the ages. The crossbow back in her grasp she followed up behind the guys. Making it there she noticed how eerie the rest of the castle seemed. The place echoed a lot of screams and pillars of smoke. To think so much more is happening than just here. Actually getting to where they were going rose an unsettling feel. "Clay, when you say it's quiet it's bound to be not so quiet in a moment..." she mentioned both cautiously and sisterly. She's seen movies, she knows that phrase never leads into something good.
 
Erin let out a sigh of relief as the others made their way into the market square. They were all here now, and they were ready. Gawain's plan was clever. The way the square was closed off now, only a few of the Legion would be able to breach the barricades, while the people of Camelot were greater in numbers. This was where the fate of this battle would be determined, it seemed.
"Quiet?" Erin questioned, listening to the cries and screams coming from the rest of the city. Sounds of battle still echoed through the streets. This was all far from quiet, really. But one thing was sure: it was eerie as could be. Something bad was definitely in the air. And within the city walls... The sounds of marching feet came closer. Erin gripped her flaming longsword tighter, looking at the others and back at the barricade. The first villains already came closer. Thankfully this time around they wouldn't be overrun.
"Here they come," she alerted the others. If Gawain's plan worked out properly, this was going to be the final stand they'd make in Avalon.
---
Deep inside the Castle Venecorva made her way through halls and rooms. She grew up here, and knew the place better than anyone else. She glanced around, searching. There was only one person she needed to see here. Now just there could he be...? She found her way to the Throne Room, and there he was. "Hello, brother," she laughed, for a moment reverting back to her more human form. "Tell me, how does it feel to watch your kingdom crumble? Your knights are soon to be dead, and you will not last much longer. Avalon already belongs to the Legion."
"You are not my sister, foul demon spawn," Arthur hissed, drawing a blade. "And this realm has not fallen yet."
"Yet is exactly the right word." Now Venecorva burst into laughter, shifting back to her monstrous form. Morgana was long gone. Just e memory, as if looking back on the person you were as a little child. Vorkalth had granted her true power, released what had already always been inside her. All she had to do, was finish things here. She dodged the blade and slashed her talons at Arthur, cutting the fabric of his clothes. She reached out to attack him again, to tear him apart... but something stopped her. Something deep within her.
---
Gawain was restless, and more than just a little. They were holding off the fiends in the market just fine, even having created a way for the wounded t flee back deeper into the city. But he felt it. The darkness within the Castle. It was strong, stronger than anything he had ever felt before. Witnessing the Shaman show up at the horizon was nothing compared to what he felt brewing. Many places in Avalon required his presence and attention. The duty he felt, the responsibility to protect the king, overshadowed everything else he felt within his soul. Gawain looked at the other Sentinels, fighting as best as they could. They would be fine. They weren't alone. They had each other and they had the Knights. But with everyone out here, the Castle.. Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere, and everyone else left inside were unprotected.
"I have to head to the castle," he apologized to the Rangers. "It is my duty to..."
Erin shushed him with a gesture of her hand. "Go," she said. "We'll manage here." She swung the flaming blade, cutting down a vile Spawner. "And it's all thanks you your plan."
Gawain bowed his head to them all. "Take care. We will meet again once this fight is over."
And with those words, he rushed towards the Castle. And as he ran, Gawain prayed he wouldn't be too late.
 
"Alright quiet maybe ain't the word to say here..." Clay admitted to the distant cries for help on the chaotic day bearing battle and strife. Quiet compared to the rest of the place, the market was. Closer and closer something wicked this way comes. "Everybody get together," Clay warned as Erin pointed out things were definitely getting closer to them. April might need to make another tornado. Gripping the handle to the mace tightly Clay felt Earth around him shake beneath the heels of the fuckers closing in on them from all angles it seemed.
Benji swallowed. Last chance to breath and clear the ol' pipes before this gets messy.

Plunging through the halls, eventually finding and damaging the round table--or a table that happened to be round and huge--to symbolize his dominance over the pathetic warriors and their futile fight. Venecorva found Arthur. Now Avlazor must find the queen and Merlin! Kill kill! Unbeknownst to him, he smashed through a wall with his weapon. A wall that separated him from the market and the Sentinels. "Oh. Play time." Avlazor likes to play! And chaaaarge!

Spawners surrounded them at every turn. Clay rounded up a swing of his mace and chucked it into the gut of a grunt. Kicking back and channeling Earth he shook the ground below him and played a game of tennis with their heads. Serving up a lot of...insert tennis pun here? Benji sliced the glaive around 360. Grasping onto a shoulder of one of them he pulled the Spawner back before it hit one of the others and yanked it down on the ground to stomp its chest. Then cue a magical burst of green forest!
Gawain's mission is clear. Clay nodded. "Go on! We got these varmint!"
"We'll hold the line, help them," Benji reassured him. And just as Gawain dashed off they both noticed Avlazor crashing in. "Well it got uglier here," Benji snorted. The basilisk charged at the Sentinels, first greeting Benji with a swipe of his weapon, challenging whomever dared come near.
"Avlazor come to kill! Camelot go down! Master rule all!" Seems like Gawain's about to miss a real party.
 
She said it at the very first battle with their powers and she'll say it again. "I really hope every day isn't gonna be like this," April groaned at the incoming sounds of more undead losers with rage and evil in their hearts or pits where hearts should be. Backing against Erin's back she readied her crossbow and checked if everyone was good. Not afraid, but being a battle maiden has quirks about it. Like knowing you'll face unthinkable things in a few minutes and it's only going to get worse and worse. Smells like rotting flesh and expired milk. Legionaries must be here! That scent is exclusive to them. Them and April's former P.E. teacher in middle school. The man must have bathed once per decade by the smell of him. To this day she can't run a mile without the reminder.

True to their core, Spawners and Ryxens swarmed them in seconds like locust. Less of a higher power involvement and more of a...actually, a higher power might as well be at play here. A fairy and Fate are about as high as it got. April fired bolts fro the crossbow into Ryxens, having to shoot them multiple times as their endurance was a lot longer lasting than the Spawners who went down with one. Light pink or white arrows pelted them in addition to small gusts of wind funneling away from her friends. Back off, creeps. Gawain noted he had to help royalty. He'd lost his friends before, so it made sense he wanted to save those he could now. "Okay," was all she said to him for she was visibly busy dealing with a flock of Spawners coming at them all from the left. "Should one of us go with him?" April asked the others. Lone Ranger (not that lone ranger) going to rescue a bunch of people from something really powerful alone? Backup might be needed...

Alas, Avlazor. "Is it too late for Gawain to come back already and help us?" April turned the tide of her suggestion prior. Big and tough snake man with a big weapon is a lot tougher than he is smart. Benji took a hit already, April crying out his name and hurrying to help her friend. A lot of bolts fired at him gave her time to help. Spawners grabbed at her from both sides, making it difficult to do much of anything. She won't be dragged again! Shoving them off she went for a big shot to Avlazor's face.
 
Avlazor joining the fray was not what she had been waiting for. Benji was right in more ways than one when he said things had gotten a lot uglier. Big angry lizard man with big scary weapon was not what they wanted to see here and now. Or ever, when you really thought about it. The fact that the weapon was bloody far from made things better. And Gawain was nowhere to be deen anymore, already being somewhere inside the castle. Things were grim out here.
"Benji!" Erin called as her friend in green was struck by Avlazor's massive weapon.

Spawners grabbed April as she tried interfering, Benji was struck... Clay... fighting whatever came on his path. The knights and sentinels fought with vigilance, but even in manageable conditions they were outnumbered severely. Erin charged at Avlazor, but was pushed back like nothing. Erin grunted. This was looking bad. But suddenly... The fighting seemed to quiet down. Many gazes turned towards the Castle.

"Look! Up there!" Erin pointed at the crumbled wall of the castle. A creature they hadn't seen before stood there, triumphantly, beside Arthur and what seemed swirling darkness. Arthur didn't look too good. Bad news. Spawners, Ryxens, and other Legionaries paused their fights, kneeling and bowing their heads in respect. The darkness swirled more and more wildly, and Erin's arm started searing in pain. Seeing as how this was the so-manieth time it happened in a relatively short while, she knew what it meant. He appeared out of the swirling dark. The huge stature of Vorkalth. Earlier this day they'd seen him from a distance. Now, technically, too, but closer than last time. And more terrifying. The yellowed bones of the skull, the red eyes burning inside. The darkness was as a ragged cloak, concealing a body of bones and old flesh, still forming to eventually become the actual body. It was apparent that the despair in the realm strengthened him, feeding off the fear and misery. He approached Arthur, towering above him. The King, brave and strong, seemed but a puny, scrawny man.

Vorkalth chuckled, low and dark. In no way was Arthur comparable to Tericius, but he was still the King of a Realm. And without their King, a Realm would eventually crumble and fall. Vorkalth seized Arthur, holding him so that everyone on the castle grounds could see. "Behold, your King," Vorkalth spoke, sending pulses of dark magic from himself through Arthur's body. The man screamed and twisted. The sound of agony, of a dying man echoed loudly everyone to hear. Vorkalth reached out his other hand, disappearing into Arthur's chest. The man's eyes went wide, bulged, and went unseeing. The body became limp in Vorkalths grasp. Like a child tired of a rag doll, Vorkalth tossed Arthur off the wall. In this other hand, he held the shriveled up heart. Vorkalth crumbled it like a dried out leaf and turned to Venecorva with a small nod.

"No!" Gawain rushed through an open door. He was too late! The knight eyed Vorkalth, fear brewing in his soul at the sight of the man. But more than fear he felt anger. Greatsword in hand, he stormed at Vorkalth, only to be swatted away into the tower like a fly. Gawain fell to the ground, dazed. Vorkalth merely let out a "tsk" before disappearing again into swirls of darkness. Roars of victory emitted from the Legionairies. Arthur was no more. A new age had begun.

Venecorva watched, laughing, as Vorkalth dealt with her brother as if it meant nothing. After her late brother was thrown over the wall, plummeting to the cobblestone below, she placed the crown she had taken from him on her head. "Avalon belongs to the Legion now. Bow to me!" she shouted. Those of the Legion were already kneeling, and many of the peasants, frightened for lives, fell to their knees. But on the Square, four colorful folks still stood, refusing to bow down. "Crush them!" Venecorva demanded. And the Spawners and Ryxens, fueled by victory, rose back to their feet to obey. With renewed energy and fury they fought, driving the Sentinels closer and closer together.
 
"Tickle tickle, ha!" Avlazor had let it be known to all that everything they were doing more so tickled him like feathers on sensitive skin. It's all fun and games until the basilisk shows up. The general shoved Erin back himself with a heavy kick straight to her gut, all the while thinking of other ways to brutalize them all before sundown.
Clay stomped onto the ground, stones from beneath hitting April's attackers in the backs to give her some room while Benji got up to help her for helping him. Lot of help going on. Anyone know how to get in touch with the Beatles?
Side kicking into the fiends Benji backed into April as the horde grew closer inward forcing them into a huddle eventually. Clay tackled Avlazor from the side, both lumbering figures rolling off to the side and bashing weapons against each other.
All three of them turned their gaze up to where Erin pointed. Clay and Benji made sense, but Avlazor took her hint as a way to know his master is here. He should thank her for letting him know. The Spawners and company were distracted by the show, giving the Sentinels time to breath and stay close together. Clay gently held Erin's arm as it showed visible signs of pain at the mere sight of the figure up above with King Arthur. King Arthur?! Gawain went to help him!

"Vorkalth..." Benji trembled.
"HOLY SHIT!" Clay southernly yelled for the display of Vorkalth straight up murdering the King in front of them was a lot to see. Just the manner of pulsing him with darkness and ripping his heart out like the seed in an avocado sent chills down spines and returned peoples lunches to them all around. Limp, the corpse fell and made a mess on the ground. A real thud, too. Avlazor bowed before Venecorva as she is now the leader of Camelot. All of Avalon is hers to command! "Queen Venecorva! Morgana bigger than ever!" He praised among growls of the Legion.

With the four Sentinels huddled and driven to each other, Gawain dazed all the way up there it looked grim. That crown belongs to Arthur. In light of his death it should belong to Guinevere the queen. Real queen. As much as they don't want to be crushed, Clay nor Benji will bow because she demands it. "Guess that's the other dark thing running around here," Benji commented. Clay stomped in anger at the King's death. Enough rage and pure strength fueled Grondo to tremble all of the surrounding forces, even Avlazor, to quake down for a moment.
Benji tossed his glaive up at her all the way to distract her, and with luck knock off the crown. "That isn't yours!" Benji yelled.
"Varmint! We need a plan, y'all. Someone's gotta help Gawain so we can deal with all of this nonsense," Clay hollered to her and then whispered to the others. "I wanna bring out the Beasts and just stomp 'em all down," he muttered.
"Clay that may hurt the other people," Benji reminded. "But you're right. I vote Erin go up there and help Gawain while we take care of this. We can all go but the Legion will be on our asses," he said quickly. Avlazor's getting up with the other Legion forces. Clock's ticking...
 
You know what you do not want to hear when shooting a very big and angry monster? That it tickles. You want to tickle your baby nieces and nephews because their little laughs are why the Earth is beautiful. Earth being a nice segue into the next sentence. Aside from that sentence...and this one. Quickly thumbs up-ing to help she spun around trying another round of bolts into Avlazor and the soldiers coming at them. Air turned cold when Erin directed attention to King Arthur up above and...Vorkalth. April's heart skipped a beat. In minutes the King was dead and flung to the ground like a toy.
"No!" April shared Gawain's reaction to his death. Not as heavy to her personally thought such an influential man slew like that would strike remorse into her heart.

Shivering she nearly dropped her weapon and clung to Benji tightly. No matter how much power the Spirits give them she's going to feel this fear and sense of dread every time this happen. Vorkalth scared her. Death scared her...

"Th-that's Morgana?" Avlazor helped make that clear. Wow. Avlazor and helped usually don't cross paths in sentences. The next few moments blurred right on by as April sunk into a deep state of mortifying reflection. Everything's going to Hell really fast. Dreams happen for long periods of time, yes? April must be in a coma and this is all a stressful dream liekly to put her in shock. Of course then the dream kills her so she can die no matter what. Lovely morality.
"Venecorva, Morgana, whatever her name is isn't going to come down so easily... why can't we just use our powers to make a big storm here and occupy the Legion while we go help Gawain? " April suggested. Not half bad imagining a big inferno with a tornado, rock slide and erratic falling trees everywhere. Maintaining that could be a feat, however. April wanted to shoot a shot up at Venecorva to defy her but something told her that would end poorly for her.
 
"Maybe it once was," Erin said, "but that thing up there right now definitely isn't Morgana anymore." She lightly pulled her arm free from Clay's grasp. It was a nice sign on his end that he cared... but she'd rather nobody saw her in pain. They shouldn't worry about her now that they've just witnessed the most brutal murder of the century. They shouldn't have to worry about her now that they were al in danger and driven together like cattle. She took a deep breath and readied. Having seen King Arthur being murdered by their master had made the Ryxens and Spawners stronger, it seemed. Fueled by darkness, evil, the despair of the people. Erin was back to back with the others, watching the incoming horde. This wasn't the first time she felt it, but maybe it was the first time she dared to admit it to herself: Erin was afraid. They had already lost Dylan, Gawain was somewhere in the castle with Vorkalth and lots of other evil figures around, and the rest of them.... They were vastly outnumbered. Gawain's plan might have worked in making the amount of Legionaires more manageable... but now his plan had trapped the rest of them with no way out. More and more Legionaires kept approaching, and they weren't going to give them a second to catch their breath.
"I can't go after him," she said to Benji's suggestion. "Look around, there's no way to get through. Until the last falls, we're trapped here." that applied to both them and the Legion. Either all of the Legion would fall and they could get out of there... or all of them would fall.

Gawain was less than half conscious, and dazed. Everything just went past him in a haze. Vorkalth disappearing after flinging him aside, Venecorva laughing like an evil, power-crazed lunatic... the sounds of battle and the smell of decay and despair and the wailing cries. He rolled to his side, looking way down the wall, back to the square. He watched these new Sentinels being driven together, watched the endless masses approach. They weren't faring well, and they wouldn't last much longer at this rate. Time seemed to slow even further, and his vision went dark. For a moment Gawain thought he had lost consciousness, but he recognized this dark place. He remembered it from that first time. Nine-hundred-and-three years ago. When he first became a Sentinel.
It's now or never, my son. Aurelius spoke in his mind. You have seen what's going on, and you know what might happen.
Gawain nodded. "For the longest time here, I thought myself to be insane with the visions I've had. Then I learned of all the time that had passed and I felt as though I'd lost my place."
And now...? Aurelius questioned.
"Now the one person that kept me tied to this world has been slaughtered. Slaughtered by the being that endangers everything anyone has ever known and will know. I still feel like a lost soul, and like I'll never truly belong anywhere again like I used to. But what I do know is that I am a Sentinel. Avalon needs my help. The entire Wheel needs my help. THEY need my help," he said the last words with a mental nod to the other four Rangers struggling down below on the Market Square. "Aurelius... our bond might have been wavering over the past centuries, but now I am ready."

The armor clad Spirit seemed to smile, and his light shone warmer and more brightly. Then you know what to do.
Again Gawain nodded, and just like that first time, when he felt equally confused but determined to protect that which he cared about, he reached out his hand towards the Spirit, renewing their bond. "The Sentinels of my time are gone, but I will fight in their honor, in their memory, and alongside their predecessors."
And with that, the world came back into view again. Only seconds had passed since that mental conversation with Aurelius. Time was a funny thing when magic was at play somehow. Gawain pushed himself back to his feet and picked the greatsword off the ground.
"Sir Benjamin is right, demon. That crown does not belong to you."
He send a heavy slash of light towards Venecorva, who let out a most crow-like sound. Her wings covered her like a shield, black feathers and sparks went flying. With a swift motion, she flew towards Gawain and grabbed him with her talons. She dragged him to the edge of the wall.... and started her dive-bomb.

Erin gasped as she saw it happen. No way another person would be smashed on the streets from the top of the wall. One this day was already one too many. "April, Benji... Net. Slow the fall. Anything." She shouldn't be left to do that. Neither should Clay. Stone and fire didn't make for a nice and soft landing. Plants could create some sort of net to catch them... And wind might slow the fall. Any or both of those would be helpful. On the bright side of it all: if Venecorva would stay down, at least they could all fight her.
 
"Damn it. There's got to be something we can do, y'all. I ain't gonna just keep lettin' shit happen to us like this!" Clay flared like a bull seeing red. Sitting helpless in the market did not bode well for him. Feeling unable to do something he really needs or wants to do do does not sit with him well. Legion warriors getting stronger really doesn't look good to him. Avlazor getting up and marching in closer and closer sits horribly wrong with him. Get the pattern here? Shit just seems wrong! Erin pulling her arm away upset him, too. Just he felt like she was in pain, but maybe her pain isn't the issue now. Lots of death happening. He swung the mace around, building momentum to just catapult himself forward at the word. He's either smashing some grunts heads or he's crushing a wall, something's about to get smashed here.

Benji's fist clenched tightly under April's grasp. Scrawny he may be, and unfit for this he may be, but he's trying to see some form of winning here. It's insane, and this felt like it had been going on for over a year! If he gets a hold on that feathered freak he'll... he'll... do something she really may find enjoyable. Wait, need to word that better. She may be evil but Benji isn't about to go even darker than her. Dang. He gasped, too, seeing Gawain being dive-bombed down with Venecorva after he flashed her. Wait, gotta word that better, too.

"Way ahead of you," Benji nodded to Erin, shimmying away and casting a vine net to spawn directly under where Gawain would be falling. Maybe he's like his predecessor, maybe not, Benji's just not letting another person die if he an do anything about it. Then he'll puck all of that monsters feathers and use them for ink quill pens! Please let the net be springy enough...

Clay got creative and did a solo act. Solo, duo, however it may play out. "Aye Erin? Thinkin' what I am?" he asked her, picking up a rock from the ground and eyeing Venecorva as she fell, too. If they time it right... they can try to baseball-hit the rock charged by fire right at her! Not to hit Gawain, too, of course. "Batter up?" Clay asked and prepared to toss it and swing with the mace. Just say the word!
 
Until the last falls? Boy, that's a cheery thought. Wait until all of the Legion is dead and down or until all four of them are. Superpowers and magic should make things easier, why do they not make things easier? It's hard to think they'd had power for such a short amount of time. Recently everything feels like a century's worth of information and experience to process in the head. Drifting through the wind, a leaf caught April's eye before the dive bomb occurred. Just a leaf smashing into a wall and pinned down by another leaf. Sort of a metaphor for April's emotional state right now. Trapped and flaky. Flaky like a leaf? Skipping the leaf thing as that should be for Benji, not her...
Like her friends she too gasped at Gawain and Venecorva's little downfall. Crow woman tackles golden knight, only one will make it out alive. Welcome to Thunderdome! Anybody get that?
"Got ya," April reaffirmed, concentrating her wand forward to a funnel of wind below Gawain as he falls to cushion his landing a bit before getting into the net of vines. Slowing him down should take a lot of the stress off of it. After he lands and they help him, they'd all better get really creative and find out how to end this once and for all.
 
"Let's do this," Erin nodded, charging up a nice bit of fire to turn that simple rock into something more deadly. Flaming rock ready to be baseball'ed into the wicked crow diving down with a knight. She channeled her fire, focusing it on the rock. "Better you throw that thing before I light it on fire," she warned Clay, waiting to cast her fire as to not accidentally burn her friend to a crisp. Done as it was said, soon the flaming rock went flying for the birdie. Erin silently prayed they'd get the timing right and not knock out Gawain instead.

Speaking of said knight, Gawain braced for impact. Immobilized in Venecorva's grip, the ground closed in fast. Very fast. Much faster than the knight liked. But then a net of vines suddenly appeared and a gust of wind slowed the fall down as Venecorva let go of him. From above, he heard the shriek and smelled burned feathers. Somehow, it made him particularly hungry for a nice roasted chicken. This was, however, not a time to think about food. King Arthur had just been murdered by Vorkalth and what once was his sister. These new Sentinels still seemed to be in a bit of a pickle (hmm... more food), and Avalon was on the verge of being consumed by evil darkness. The landing on the vines wasn't exactly soft, but it was better than crashing on the cobblestone. And it was bouncy! Bouncy enough for him to not get stuck and leap out anyway. Gawain even managed to land on his feet! He reunited with the others. "I thank you for saving me," he said with a nod to all of them. Behind him, in a swirl of darkness and feathers, Venecorva landed on the ground. She smelled burnt, and looked very angry.
"Well played, Sentinels," she said. "But playtime is over. And now, you will pay." Pay for not bowing, pay for defying the Legion! Venecorva would make her master proud by destroying the Sentinels right here and now. Without them standing in the way, the entire Wheel would soon belong to the Legion. And Venecorva... she would rule Avalon as the one true Queen!
"No, it is you who shall pay," Gawain said, lining up with the others. He gripped his Charm. "Essencia Awaken!" What? Did you think he was still morphed after being swatted into a wall by Vorkalth himself? "Shining Light Element! Gold Sentinel Ranger!" Gawain struck his pose, heroic and elegant like one would expect from a knight. "Demon, your reign ends here. Avalon belongs to the people!" Gawain called loudly.

Seeing the Sentinels revitalized brought back a shimmer of hope to the people who had bowed down in fear. They cheered, picked up their torches, pitchforks, and other improvised weapons again, and... started fighting the Ryxens and Spawners for dear life. The baker's wife with her rolling pin, the butcher with his knife, farmers with their pitchforks. Commoners with clubs and stones... Everyone picked up whatever they could to fight, keeping the footsoldiers at bay so the Rangers could focus on the big thread ahead. Erin grinned under her visor at all the people fighting for their realm. The Shining Light/Knight Sentinel made the expression 'a ray of hope' a reality. She raised her fists and stared down Venecorva across of them. "On your sign," she said to Gawain, letting him lead the five of them in this fight. After all... Venecorva had made things personal, taking away one of the few things that had made Avalon Gawain's home for the past nine centuries. Gawain nodded, gripping his greatsword, and charging at the crow-witch, closely followed by the others.
 
"Yeeeeeehaw!" Clay smacked the rock with his mace like a fastball at a Red Socks game. Erin's fire made the rock ball extra crispy when it hit the feathered lunatic and filled the air with the faint scent of KFC in medieval times. Food seriously is the answer to all problems. Such as genocide of your people and the loss of your leader in a matter of minutes... alright food doesn't answer everything.
Like Gawain just thought, not a time to be thinking about food. But Clay's gullet sure did want some chicken in it soon.
Success! Bouncy and springy! Benji's net didn't kill anybody! Quite the opposite, in fact. One knight saved and one demonic witch bird filleted. Does anybody else smell something really good? Like it's a bitter decayed smell but at the same time it's nice. Carnivorous tendencies make that a fine scent. Somebody's about to go vegan.
Gawain need not thank them for helping. He'd do it for them, right?

Venecorva's gone too far. Vorkalth's gone too far. Appreciation is all they need. Benji and Clay lined up with the others just ready to show how appreciative they were of the destruction being done. The blinding light did not phase them, somehow they were used to it by now. Gawain's felt like an unstable person so far, but this moment had to set in stone he's one of them. Not one of the former Sentinels, one of them here and now. And so, they are five once more!
Inspiring to see all of the commoners and the like fight back the soldiers from out of nowhere. That is something the team can appreciate. Avlazor, on the contrary, found none of that inspiring. Positioning himself at the side of Venecorva, the basilisk beast roar-hissed "Final battle. Avlazor kill Sentinels!" He so proudly declared, fueled by rage and his masters dark magic. His weapon slammed on the ground, crushing the stone beneath and cracking it something fierce. Venecorva not have to fight alone! He help!
Fewer brain cells over there now. From the moment Avlazor stepped in, the bad guys' side got dumber if that's possible. Even if it's technically adding more brains, theirs got lower. Quipping not coming to mind right now, Gawain charged ahead with his massive blade held tight. Benji and Clay followed, glaive and mace in hand in equal grip. "Let's go!" Benji yelled mid run. Avlazor charged too, picking who to hit first, unless someone hit him first. Cue grand slam!
 
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