Victorious advance

[Anastasia]

It will not.

Will my wrath dissuade you?

[Ebiris]

No. But I suggest you focus on the enemy in front of you before worrying whether they need call for reinforcements.

"Imix is expecting us, so Eblis's detachment can be considered in that light," she says aloud for Antenora to ponder over.

[Anastasia]

Then welcome to the inferno, Alicia Reynes.

"No surprise, we're tightly tied to Seira, no matter what position we take," Syala says, while Antenora just nods, lost in thought.

[Ebiris]

There's nothing more that need be said, only to watch the battle and see if they are in fact called upon.

[Anastasia]

It's then that you see it. The eastern side suddenly buckles, starting to react and retreat within. Dao. Dao lined with flames, cloaks of fire surrounding them as they surge up. At the same time the foes there press hard, the line starting to be pushed, even with the natural defenses - and with them partially subverted.

At the same time you notice it. A great vanguard of fire elemental monoliths appears and rapidly advances. They are lead but by one - a towering balor of pure flame, marching onward with a determined sneer. He carries a blade that looks to be thousands of blades at once, all of them alight with unholy fire. Even in mere representation, you can feel the sheer hatred coming from this enemy.

K:P here.

[Ebiris]

[20:53] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+66 planes with divine insight
[20:53] <Penuche> Ebiris invokes Penuche's magic: < 75 > [d20=9]

[Anastasia]

Obscure.

The figure before you is Buliyn, a balor who died in the service of the dao perhaps 20,000 years ago. He was noted for his blade Omarnos, said to be many blades forced together through chaos and blood sacrifice. Not weak, yet purely a mercenary who stayed out of greater planar politics. No demon lord had a claim on his loyalty, and in fact he spent precious little time in the Abyss.

It's worth noting he was an absolute berserker in battle, uncaring. Much like those of Torm you once battled, he will fight on until his rage leaves him entirely.

[Ebiris]

"Watch that balor, he'll fight on well past what should be mortal wounds so long as he's berserk," Alicia says, pointing it out. "Buliyn, an obscure mercenary. The Dao must have been keeping him under wraps for some time."

[Anastasia]

"Curious," Antenora says, watching the southern battle. The line's buckling more and more, "I don't like the looks of that, Alicia. Whatever defenses Zaaman Rul has, the Dao had a counter."

[Ebiris]

"Doesn't look like they were prepared for a subterranean attack," Alicia agrees grimly. "This is escalating more and more, and not in Zaaman Rul's favour. Unless Seira goes above and beyond I think we're almost certainly going to be called upon."

[Anastasia]

As if summoned.

Alicia. Are you aware of what's happening on the southern battleline?

[Ebiris]

I need some clarification here.

As far as I know, south is where Dustfire and the 777 elementals are, and they're not fighting.

Antenora mentioned watching a battle at the south and says the Dao are countering stuff, but an earlier post says the Dao surged up on the eastern front.

I'm entirely unclear where the balor and his monoliths are.

[Anastasia]

Huh.

Let me...huh.

Okay. At some point I got them mixed in my head and never note checked. The dao and problems are on the eastern front. Dustfire remains to the south. Whoops.

[Ebiris]

I recognise Dustfire, I suspect he's there as a deterrent against reinforcements.

[Anastasia]

Yet he does not attack, but we cannot ignore it.

What is worse is that the eastern line threatens to fall. My friend, I find myself forced to call on your aid.