12.30 - A Clockwork Conspiracy, Ch. 7: Sage, Warden, Gunsmith

General Summary

The Clockwork Dragon descends upon an unconsious Elfriede. Riven and Sig, having been separated from their comrades along with three commandos, arrive on the scene just in time--Riven manages to get Elfriede on his feet, the wizard unleashing a long-dormant draconic blast of pure white lightning up at the exposed heart of the clockwork monster. River does what they can to defend the vulnerable archmage from the enemy's razor claws and teeth as they narrowly avoid being crushed beneath its mass; Sig calls for his commandos to retreat, seeing as their bullets are no use against the dragon's augmented scales. As the dragon ascends again, wings buffetting the heroes back, Elfriede Thunder Steps himself into the machine's cavernous chest, Shattering its heart nearly to the point of destruction, then falling back through the air only to be caught in by Riven, the warden's dark wings moving quickly to the aid of their friend. Sig, at last joining the fray, slides beneath the belly of the beast, getting a well-aimed shot off just past his airborne comrades to land the final arcane hit against the core of the clockwork dragon--which instantly explodes.
The ruined frames of the buildings in the square immediately flatten from the blast of the erupting clockwork heart. Elfriede, seeing the inferno coming towards him, raises his own silver draconic wings to take the brunt of the hit, which knocks him immediately unconscious. Riven, barely clinging to life themselves, snatches at the falling wizard, but cannot slow their conjoined descent as the flaming shell of the machine above them follow them down.
Sig, his back-blasted hair still smoldering, sees the world above him falling. He sees his friends, knows he can get them out... but he can't get them all out. He lifts his gun, chambers the round--Vortex Warps the wizard and warden to safety--sighs, then chuckles wryly, "I guess I don't have to be the one to bring Hephaestus down. As long as they go down."
The last thing Riven sees as they reappear on a nearby rooftop is their Mapach friend disappearing beneath a mountain of molten, twisted clockwork.
Songs of Glory +3: Elfriede, Riven, Sig

Report Date

14 Oct 2024