Shadows of Commorragh, Part 3

Cornered and Surrounded

"There's nothing here!" hissed Torc. Despite their elegance, her short and hurried steps betrayed her frustration.
"Smoke and mirrors" replied Jair nursing her wounded arm.
The Guardian paused for a moment, took a deep breath and coldly assessed the situation. "We can't rejoin Excrucia, the ruins of Voidfall Tower bar our way. There's an alternative route to a safe portal through the Shuddervault."
"What's the level of risk?" cut in the veteran Dire Avenger.
"Unknown. I have no intelligence on the area. Neither Thresyn nor Inghfar have been there."
"I can sense Lann and his party not far" said Torc listening to the Whisper. "How long for them to join us on the way?"
"Three to four cycles", came Jair's reply after she briefly listened too.
"It's a narrow window, but we can make it", the Dire Avenger touched her Exarch's mind over the Whisper and turned to Jair. "Let's go!"

The two Ynnari advanced onto the large, derelict avenue cutting through the Shuddervault. Suddenly, Jair's scanner glared bright.
"Multiple signals, in front and behind. Approaching fast!"

Dark shapes prowled the ruins around them, bright red hair often the only thing visible in the cerulean gloom.

Laying a suppressive fire with their shuriken catapults, Torc and Jair backed towards a portal hidden among the ruins.

Izurad ducked under the salvo and closed on Torc. Morghdrax was close behind. Lakbyrn and Bahreneq approached from the other side, the Parched's pistol sending poisened darts to embedd themselves into the crumbling walls.

Jair vaulted on the platform, but the portal was shut. Still firing, Torc retreated, but Izurad kept closing in and pushed her into the waiting blade of Lakbyrn. Not far, Lann sprinted out of a building.

The Exarch was too late, though. Laughing manically, Izurad felled Torc and pounced towards Lann.

Inghfar, Hal'thar and Eärandil emerged on either sides of the Bleaksouls' rear elements and opened up with their weapons.

Despite the crossfire, the Bleaksouls charged at the newcomers, the pain inflicted on Torc pushing them into an ever deeper frenzy.

Jair made it for the end of the Shuddervault avenue, but Bahreneq did not relent from her pursuit.

Ecstatic laughter and painful screams filled the air as one by one the Void Phoenixes were incapacitated, ligaments cut and wounds burning with poison.

Silence fell on the Shuddervault as Lann, the last Ynnari standing, squared up to Izurad.
"Let them go!", Morghdrax's shout cut across the ravaged street. In a mocking salute, he swept his sword in front of his gloating grin and bowed with an ostentatious flourish.
"Let them flee back to their master and tell of what happened here. And let them pass along Lady Anielyn's kindest regards."

As the Void Phoenixes dragged themselves away, pain and humilation washed over the Whisper. In Spiritripper's Market, Yrule Vivithrax felt them and rage filled him.