Taliza “Will you join in the summoning of the pack, children of the flame?” Said a creature, wreathed in flame and smoke, that had risen out of a mountain side. Her first thought of him was "demon." She stepped in front of Marcus but knew that if they were forced to fight this creature they would not succeed. Perhaps if she was at full strength two dragons would have a chance. But there was only one of them strong enough to fight. <Is he speaking to us?> She asked her compainions.
Marcus <Is he speaking to us?> Taliza spoke into my head as the figure rose from it's volcano. The thing looked evil but whether it actually was was another matter. And what was the pack? I appeared a short distance from it, watching. It just stood still awaiting our response. It would certainly make an interesting fight. I could try turning it into glass. Although the injured ones with us would be a hinderance. "I think we should accept. It would be interesting." I say to the others.
General Drake The Magnan was concerned, the voice of Taliza, '<Is he speaking to us?>' and the way the man sounded, the children of flame. Is that what I truly am... in this crazy world. A child of Fire? Well you are called Magnafire, answered Blade Edge. Yes, but I was always a child of shadow, and the patron god of the Black Dragon, Corgraven. But in your heart you know you are but untempered fire. The Magnan nodded in agreement, fire was his essence, shadow was but a companion on a lonely road, and finally Blade Edge was his sanity. Bound to him through ancient blood ties. He looked at the figure more closely, like Erif, he stank of death. Malice even. The Shifter-man sent out another thought, '"I think we should accept. It would be interesting." Blade Edge answered, "But we don't know his purpose, what he wants to achieve. I once witnessed total decimation by false judgment. Thus the man could be a threat." The Magnan agreed, "The sword is partially right, until we know what he intends, I'm not going to help him. I'm sick of being other peoples weapons. I am the hand on my sword, and I will do as I wish. Summoning things is necromantic.... associated with darkness and shadow... I am but a child of shadow also." The Magnan sighed heavily.
Eslana Forcanus "Will you join in the summoning of the pack, children of the flame?" Eslana looked around, and then stared back at the figure. Taliza said what she was thinking. Is he talking to us? She could only guess that was the case, as there was no one else around them. She'd never been called a child of the flame before. She'd never even heard it before actually. That aside, the thing that worried her was that this man had come from the earth itself. She had me few friendly things that came out of the earth back home. With only one exception, everything that had jumped from the earth had tried to eat or kill her. No, she didn't like it. "I think we should accept. It would be interesting." And now another one of them was crazy... What if we decide otherwise, she asked the figure. I am not about to go being used by some cowardly figure who will not reveal himself, and spills so much blood so easily without concern to others, she added, referring to the people she had scared, and he had killed. She was all about doing the right thing, and protecting, but killing wasn't a necessity all the time.
The Return of The Peace Keeper The situation was dreary. Faramar looked around him. Six beasts surrounded him, and as far as he could tell, they had wings, so flying away was not an option. Jor'Reda clanged as the peace keeper dragged it across the ground and assumed a defensive stance, with the sword's handle above his head and the blade sideways, covering most of his body. "Back to back, Dragh! We need to stand our ground against them." "Yes, sir!" said the soldier, with fear in his voice Faramar glanced at the young, inexperient soldier. He donned a red shirt with golden linings, indicating his position as a mere private. His weapon was a two-handed hammer, which he held in sloppy stance. Moreover, he shivered in fear at the sight of the monsters. "Get it together, soldier! If you have time to tremble , you have time to defend yourself. I know that you are only a private and that is probably the first time you have been in a real conflict, but if you wish it not to be the last, you will stop that shivering and help vanquish these things!" Dragh swallowed, took a deep breath and pressed his back against Faramar. He grinned. For such a young and inexperienced man to demonstrate that courage was no common feat. The peace keeper looked the beast that faced him in the eyes. It was a four-legged beast monster, almost four times their size. It had spikes in its tail and smoke came out of its nostrils, charring the fur around its snout. It jumped up in the air and roared at them. Claws protruded from its paws and its teeth glistened in the light of the sun. Faramar grinned again. He spinned once, to gain momentum and then, as the beast began its descent, he swung Jor'Reda upward slicing the beast in half. Yellow blood exploded all around the peace keeper and his companion, who was now facing him, with his mouth open and his eyes wide open. "Focus private! Assume your battle stance!" shouted Faramar Without a second's delay, he assumed his stance. Meanwhile, the other beasts roared at the pair. They striked in perfect synchrony. Dragh swung his hammer at one of them, but it dodged by jumping backwards, while Faramar parried and deflected the blows from three others. He burried his sword in one's torso and quickly retrieved it to block the paw from the monster next to him. This is not going to end well for us he thought He parried a few more blows and then flew up in the air and brought his thumb and his forefinger to his mouth, emitting a loud whislte. In response, a squawk came from his right, somewhere far away. He smiled, but his bliss was cut short by one of the beasts, which came at him from behind. He managed to turn and block his foe. However, the overwhelming wieght of his attacker made him crash into the ground. Dragh had just defeated his opponent with a mighty blow to its ribs. "Jor'tash!" he yelled He tried to run toward, him but was cut off by the remaining beast, who jumped at him with its claws pointed at his throat. He rolled out of the way and quickly went back into his defence position. In the meantime, Faramar was pinned down by the other beast, who had immobilized him by putting one of its paws on top of him. The pressure on his chest was increasing, but suddenly subsided, as a scriech filled the air. The monster removed its paw and the peace keeper was able to see that a bird, whose feathers were colored as the sky had its beak burried in the monster's neck. It tried to resist, but quickly fell to the ground, motionless. Then, it looked at the last monster and emitted another scriech. "Dragh! Move away from there, fast!" shouted Faramar For a moment, while blocking one of the beasts massive paws, he looked confused, but he obeyed, swinging his hammer one last time and then running toward the peace keeper. As soon as the soldier was at a safe distance, the bird spit a jet of fire at the beast. Deafening roars broke out as it burned inside the flaming inferno. And then, quietness. Faramar and Dragh both slung their shoulders in relief. "You hurt, soldier?" inquired the peace keeper "Just a few scratches, nut nothing important, sir. What about you? That was a nasty fall." said Dragh Faramar tested his wings by flapping them a few times and verified that they working properly. "My back is bruised, but I'll live. You did well out there, private. You really did." "Thank you, sir. It honors me to be complimented by you." replied Dragh After all the pleasentries had been exchanged, Faramar walked over to the bird, which was now feeding on one of the corpses. "Serene! You sure arrived at the right time." Said the peace keeper, scruffing its feathers. In response, the bird let out a small screech, and continued feeding on the motionless corpse. The peace keeper looked around. Most of his battalion lay on the ground dead, the only survivers being him and the soldier. They had gone to eliminate the beasts from the area. His troops and him fought bravely and killed all of the beasts, but the cost had been too high. Sorrow filled his very soul at the sight of such a landscape, and tears flowed across his face. "C'mon Dragh. We should return to camp." He whistled again while spreading his wings and jumping in the air. The bird looked at him, and then followed him. No one uttered a word along the way, and the trip went was quiet, aside from the sound of their wings flapping. It didn't take long for them to find the encampment. From the sky, it looked like the ground had thousands of small wounds, which were actually the tents belonging to the refugees and the soldiers. A larger tent was put together in the back of the camp, and that is where he headed. As he landed, hundreds of heads protruded from the tents. Five elder people emerged from the larger tent and Faramar and Dragh bowed at their sight. These men wore long red tunics. Their hair and beards were long and had a silver color. There was something about them that inspired respect and reverence, as they looked in the eyes of the peace keeper, and he could see the millenia of knowledge inside of them. "It is nice to see that you survived, Jor'tash. Where is the rest of the battalion?" asked one of the elders Faramar shook his head, his face displaying the crushing sadness that he felt. The five elders gasped and looked at each other with worried expressions. "There were no survivors? Not one at all?" they said in unisson "This one survived, but the others succumbed." he said, pointing at Dragh "They were more than we had thought. We were severely outnumbered." Silence was dominant for a few minutes, and then the elders spoke again. "We must think about this. In the meantime, the both of you should rest. Replenish your strength and try to relax for a while." Such a futile thing to say in times of war he thought "Masters, if I may speak one last time before I retreat." said Faramar "Speak your mind, peace keeper" they said "This young soldier showed great valianty in the battlefield today. Even being a soldier who just finished his training, he fought bravely on the battlefield. With your blessing, I would promote him to Sargeant." Silence prevailed once more, as the elders studied the young soldier. "You have our blessing." uttered the elders Dragh, who had stood idly by until then, was now smiling. "Thank you, oh mighty sages. I will not disappoint." he said, while performing a long bow "We hope not. Now if there is nothing else..." Faramar and Dragh bowed once more and the five elders went inside the tent again. The peace keeper looked at Dragh one last time, and then walked away with the bird behind him. He flew to the nearby lake and dived into the murky "yagh", leaving Serene and Jor'Reda at the shore. When he came back, he picked up his sword and cleaned its blade, which covered in yellow, dry blood. When he could see his own face clearly in the blade, he stopped and lay down on the ground, next to his companion. Serene had hatched from the egg that Faramar had picked up at the other world, about two days after he had returned. He had named it Serene, because unlike its forefather, it had not tried to attack him. Instead, it just nibbled on his fingers. The phoenix had proven to be a valuable ally in battle, by ripping his enemies apart and burning them to ashes. It was also able to understand what it was told, although it could only communicate with screeches and squawks. They had become very close, and wherever the peace keeper was, Serene was never too far away. "This war has been going on for too long. Too many people have already died." he said When Faramar returned, he found that all the cities he had once known had been destroyed by the monsters that now lurked the earth. He had found the encampment after almost a full day of flight, and found that his absence had caused more of an impact than he had expected. Suddenly, something was off. The air had shifted and Serene was screeching intensely. Then, a very familiar voice echoed in the peace keeper's head. "You want to stop the war? There is a way, you know. The Orb is all mighty, and if you took possession of it, it wouldn't take more than a thought to end it. You know it's true... Come, come through the portal once more and try to obtain the Orb." In the past, this would've frightened the peace keeper. But since he had been to that strange world, nothing seemed to surprise him anymore. "I cannot leave my people again." he said, not knowing if was being heard "The last time I was only gone for a few weeks, and look at what it caused in my world. No, I refuse to go. My place is here." The voice spoke again. "You are fighting a lost war, peace keeper. Inside you, you already know the outcome. You must face your destiny. Come through the protal and meet me once more." A portal, much like the one he had gone through to return to his world materialized in front of him. The truth was, that he did know the outcome of that pointless war. He had already thought about going after that Orb once more, but he knew not how to get back to the other world. Now that the opportunity had revealed itself to him, he was torn. The portal called out to him, it attracted him. He tried to resist it, but the power was overwhelming. Faramar picked up Jor'Reda and looked at the phoenix, which was looking at the portal quizically. "Let's go, Serene. The Orb shall be mine and I will put an end to this war once and for all." he said. Serene let out a small screech and followed the peace keeper through the portal.
Worlds Collide (Magnalian, Greywind, and more) Magnalian led the threesome through the forest with the injured wizard behind him and Kitza pulling up the rear. He could sense considerable power within the robed man; it was a risk taking him along. But Magnalian knew the power of chaos in these situations. Kitza could clearly handle him and had proven so, thus it was to his advantage to bring another wildcard against that wretched woman who had stolen his Orb. Abruptly the group came to a break in the massive trees. Before them ran a broad path that followed the slope of the land down the hill. Most peculiar about the path was the steady trickle of woodland debris, pine needles, dead leaves and pebbles, that flowed down the path about a meter above the ground. Sudden shouts of elation caused the Summoner to leap back behind a tree as one by one a series of small children floated swiftly down the invisible path as though carried by the rush of an invisible river. Two, more subdued, adults soon followed them. Magnalian stepped from hiding once they were past and for the first time beheld the magnificent at the foot of the hill city that lay like an oasis of technology in the midst of the primeval forest. The apparent family continued to glide effortlessly above the ground toward the gleaming metropolis. “My Orb must be there,” seethed Magnalian the summoner before barking shortly at his creation, “Kitza, can you feel the Orb? Lead us to it quickly!” ----------------------------- What if we decide otherwise, I am not about to go being used by some cowardly figure who will not reveal himself, and spills so much blood so easily without concern to others. Flames burst from the fissure in the earth at the response from the larger dragon. “'Used, cowardice, blood'; you know nothing of these things. Not like I know them,” raged the creature. The deep resounding howls echoed from across the woodland again as he stepped from his fiery vantage. As he approached the vapors of heat distortion and smoke lessened, revealing a beast with stiff reddish hair and long pointed ears. Its withered arm and opposite leg were now visible as a part of a scar that streaked across the creatures chest and nearly half of its body. Strange dog like creatures emerged from the wood in every direction. Like exaggerated greyhounds their lanky, impossibly stretched bodies covered the distance of the clearing with amazing speed to crowd around the creature approaching the dragons and their friends. “There is nothing BUT betrayal and lies, learn that now or suffer the consequences,” the full features of the lycanic creature emerged from its shroud of heat and ash. Its half marred face seemed permanently held in a fang bearing grimace, and its one good eye pierced them with its intent yellow stare. “I call you as kindreds, not like these mortal creatures of this world, but to join us as children of the flame, wielders of fire, to serve me in infernal vengeance. But first, you must prove your worth.” The long slender wolf like creatures gathered behind him as he began to mumble in a foreign tongue that merged gradually to match the deep reverberating calls of the alien wolves. With a sudden thrust of his hand the pack of a dozen or more creatures burst forward toward the adventurers with teeth bared and strong mournful tones reverberating from deep within their bodies. As they passed, the strange commander of the canines gifted each of his servants with a burst of flame that covered their bodies, doing no harm to the creatures themselves but lighting the earth on fire with each of their footsteps. The creatures were amazingly fast and quickly surrounded the troop. “I'll find you by fireside tonight, or meet you in the eternal abyss. Your cunning and skill will determine which.” With that the wolf-man of fire walked calmly but swiftly into the forest. --------------- Raef carried the man though the air over a ridge before swooping swiftly down into head of a ravine where a small band of figures stood. Greywind chuckled to himself at the awkwardness with which his soul-bound pet toted the soldier. Atlas was dropped rudely at the feet of the robed Greywind. “Forgive my friend's manners, he still has much to learn. You are the one called Atlas, are you not? You fought at the battle in the great Colosseum against the summoner's monsters did you not?”
The Magnan/ Erif Angam and Tom Wilde There is was some truth in his words, 'betrayal' and 'lies' were everywhere, and planted on the souls of many, and even he had suffered that bitterness with his former Second Talon, Yen Serit, before she turned out to be one of the Forbidden Ones. The last as it happens. However, the Magnan understood that regardless of who you are, and your allegiance in life, betrayal was just another fragment of a sentient spirit. And Even before the strange man had summoned the wolfs, the Magnan drew Blade Edge. I am not about abandon my people, my god. I am of the Burnt, and that shall never change! I am child of the shadow, of the Black Dragon, and no ancient figure will change that. Not even Erif Angam can break me, what makes this summoner think he can succeed. Speaking of Erif.... but before he could finish his thought track, two of the wolves closed in on him, blazing the ground beneath their feet. In his right hand, a flame formed, covering his arm, he smiled. I will fight with fire. The first wolf lunged, teeth bared it was aiming for his left arm but he moved quickly, the last of his tattered and scorched robe vanished, revealing his Black Dragon Light foot armour, many times strengthened, it was but a shadow of its former self. He swung with Blade Edge, a vision of dancing flame on its tip. He swore he heard it laugh in joy. The blade met the jaw, driving it down the wolf landed on its side. The second wolf, lunged at him, while he was distracted. He dropped Blade Edge, was soon having to wrestle with the wolf, that was surprisingly stronger than he imagined. Fy'dt dien. The ancient tongue of Edge.... --- The carcass seemed to take over his body, quicker than he could resist, the gnarled fingers clenched and slammed into the wolfs jaw, it fell off him, and gave off a low howl. The other wolf impaled on Provence was stilling writhing in agony, unleashing flames, but they were no match for the immortal Edge sword. Erif approached the fire wolf, its jaw had been shattered by the undead warrior. With a single stamp of his foot on its neck, the creature came to rest. There was rage bubbling inside Erif, and finally it could be realised, as he turned back towards Provenance, he watched with satisfaction as the ancient sword devoured the wolf. --- The Magnan returned in a daze, but there were still more wolves to deal with. He found Blade Edge lying on its side, picking it up, he prepared to help his knew companions. -- Tom Wilde's shuttle had landed, in the distance, they were witnessing something that left him completely speechless. Certainly this defied everything he had come to believe. Strange things were at work in this place.
Taliza I am not about abandon my people, my god. I am of the Burnt, and that shall never change! I am child of the shadow, of the Black Dragon, and no ancient figure will change that. Not even Erif Angam can break me, what makes this summoner think he can succeed. Taliza understoon little of what this Magnan had said but she understood the underlining point. No giving in to that demon. <I agree. His heart is full of evil. You can tell by his speech. I would rather die than be enslaved to such a creature.> Before she could say more, large wolf-like animals launched themselves at her and her new-found companions. Magnan struck down 2 in quick succession and Taliza was glad to have him on her side. Taliza swung her spiked tail at the first wolf to attack her. The spikes caught him in the throat and the wolf was killed instantly. Another launched itself at her head. By this time, adrenline was flowing through her and Taliza found her lost strength returned. A blast of hot fire caught the wolf in the face and it howled in agony. With a quick snap of her jaws she broke it's neck. No reason the creature should suffer. Jumping into the sky, she flapped her wings and circled around the group. A dragon should never fight on the ground. She gained some altitude then dived towards the pack blowing flames in thier faces and swatting them with her tail. She hated the bloodshed, but these creatures were attacking them; and they had to defend themselves.
Grand Magister Zaca'reb “Kitza, can you feel the Orb? Lead us to it quickly!” Curiosity bubbled inside Zaca’reb. “Orb!? What Orb?” He glanced back and forth between Kitza and the Master. Neither responded, like elders ignoring a child. He limped forward quickly closing in behind the wizard. Raising his shackled hands he tapped on the Master’s shoulder before asking, “What is it that you are searching for?” The Master fanned the hands away before marching down the hill once again. Zaca’reb shook angrily but his rage was cut short by Kitza forcing him onwards. They were headed for a glorious city, filled with vibrant lights and soaring towers the likes of which he had never seen. The mention of the Orb had distracted him from the immense view, his mouth now gapping and eyes transfixed on such architectural marvels. The Master had moved on, but Kitza loomed large over Zaca’reb, his stare unrelenting. “Fine, you ugly beast…I’m moving.” The pair moved down the hill with Zaca’reb grimacing with every step. The other wizard had paused at the foot of the hill, taking in the view. It took a few moments before the Master turned to address the pair. But before he could speak, Zaca’reb angrily interrupted. “Enough of this! I am in no position to make demands…” signalling to his shackles, “…but the least you could do is tell me who you are and what we are doing here!?””
Bella: Nowheres, somewheres and the dark, dark woods... Bella rolled over, her senses ringing. The songs were screaming in her head. Shift...shift...fly.... She crushed the impulse. Quickly she did an inventory. All limbs were functioning, nothing hurt like it was broken, but still she was jittery. Something about this place called to her, spoke to the forbidden facet of her soul only the stars had seen. Opening her eyes, she blinked and studied her surroundings. Deep woods. Great. No help there. Instinctively, she looked toward the sky, seeking the familiar cool shimmer of her beloved stars. Clouds obscured her vision. "Damn." She muttered. There was no one here to care about appearances. Raising to her feet, she heard pine needles crunch beneath her half boots. This wasn't Talonstone. She was no longer in her glen. The scent of dying balsam fir filled the air. The little darkkin drew in a deep, steadying breath. Smiling wryly at the shadows, she began to circle the clearing. "Well at least they have a tree I know..." There was still a hint of sunset, bleeding into the ragged cobalt of the clouds. The sun. West. It wasn't much, but it was a direction. It was a start. "The first step is always the hardest." She said to the shadows, the quiet making her restless. There were no small creatures here. These woods were ancient, steeped in history. Violence. The ghosts of heroes, fallen, of blood and treasures taken, whispered across Bella's soul. Shivering she paused. A broken fern frond. Stooping she ran her fingers lightly across the needle layer and sniffed. Her senses reeled. Something dark had passed this way, moving west. The trail was still fresh. Her heart howled, instinct pressing hard against her will. She fought the change. There was still too much she didn't know. The stillness here was almost absolute, nearly oppressive. There was a flicker of something, however. A trilling ripple in the songs she had never encountered before. The twist in the symphony drew her, a lodestone. Like the unknown malevolence, it too, called to her out of the west. West it was. Before she could take another step, however, something crashed amid the bracken off to the left. Bella froze, her eyes huge in her small face. Crunch...crunch...crunch...Whatever it was, it wasn't some trifling beast. This creature had substantial size. Crunch...crack...fronds danced, teasing the wayward curls at her temple. Peering into the gloom, Bella's keen eyes caught the reflection of another pair of silver eyes, identical to her own. Her breath caught in her chest, as she took a step toward the silvery gaze. The shadow surged. Bella fell back, her feet tangled in her skirts. Her scream died as it was born. A wave of wet heat rushed against her face. She braced herself for the pain...but it didn't come. Opening her eyes, Bella lowered her arm and looked into a familiar, jowled face. "Talon." The huge grizzled black mastiff lowed his head into Bella's lap and groaned. His ancient eyes were wary, his ears twitching every which way. The young darkkin didn't need any further urging. Pushing the dog aside, she struggled to her feet, straightening her skirts and cloak. Again the hush engulfed them. "Which way?" She asked the dog. Talon padded over to the broken fronds and tattered bracken. West. It seemed to be the only logical choice. Grabbing hold of Talon's collar she pulled herself up on to his broad back. Talon snorted, starting into the darkness. "Better to be on the trail of the beast, than to be the one trailed. Right old fellow?" The huge dog gave a half-hearted rumble and picked up the pace, following the songs and the scent.
The Wolves of Isel; Magnalian the Summoner The wolves were no match for the might of the dragons, but they proved more cunning than expected. While the dragons were distracted, the humans joining then found themselves being encircled and seperated from one another and the rest of the group. In the distraction of his possession by the ancient spirit within him, Magnafire was quickly surrounded by flames and snarling teeth. Meanwhile the Marcus's were being hedged closer to the woods. The flames of the dragons and even Blade Edge did little to intimidate the wolves who seemed to have a modest acquired a modest resistance to flame when gifted by Isel with fire. A loud siren blared across the woodland as an aircraft appeared. “NO ONE MOVE, THIS IS THE PLANETARY ENFORCEMENT. YOU ARE IN VIOLATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAWS. STAND DOWN AND PREPARE TO SHOW YOUR PASSPORTS.” Looking like a helicopter without propellers the craft hovered over the group in resistance to gravity. The wolves paid no attention to the intrusion and continued their assault, which prompted the Theta Prime enforcement to respond. Six figures leaped from the craft, free-falling until a curious light from the craft made a cone of light that reached the ground. The humans then began to fly through the gravity field. Several wolves were quickly caught in hyper-gravity nets, and more non-lethal weapons were used against the remaining wolves and their targets. ------- “Enough of this! I am in no position to make demands…” signalling to his shackles, “…but the least you could do is tell me who you are and what we are doing here!?” Magnalian glared at the man, “You are certainly in no position to make demands.” Now on the edge of the city he quickly stole a glance at the inviting street leading into the heart of the city. “I am Magnalian the Summoner, and something precious of mine has been stolen and you are going to help me retrieve it,” the Summoner glared heatedly at the wizard, “We must find the thief who stole it, but be careful not to touch the Orb, or you will certainly die.”
Bella: At the Bracken Track. Bella's shimmering eyes and keen senses pierced the darkness. The spores of violence were rippling across the surface of the songs, threatening to overwhelm her flaring senses. Smoke tickled her nose, the acrid waft stinging. "Great." She muttered to the huge dog. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire." Talon paused, Bella sat up, her skirts and petticoats a frothy flare about her. Tamping back the panic that was pressing, she forced herself to focus, probing into tangled web of songs. Fire. Earth. Water. Air. Spirit. They were all here and so was the twist. But there was more. The ripples from the violence were becoming waves. The violence was definitely from a very live source. This was no natural disaster. Drawing a deep breath, she plunged her sensed beneath the teeming surface of the symphony, seeking more information. Traces. Spirit pulses flickered to life. The colours were harsh and brittle. Indicating fear, distress, anger... The pulses were familiar shades. Wolves, but not Dires, men and...Dragons... Bella yanked her mind back. The huge expanse of silent woodland contracted back around her. "Devil a bit..." Talon whined and shifted beneath her, anxious to be gone. "Dragons are here, old fellow..." Bella said, worrying her bottom lip. "But these are not darkkin. The pulses are unique, like nothing I have ever seen among the Tribe." The rest of Bella's soliloquy was cut off as something crashed behind them in the woods. "Talon!" She screamed. The behemoth dog surged into the darkness. Bella pressed tight against the mastiff's bounding form, flowing with Talon's breath stealing strides. "So much for tracking the pursuers." Her derisive chuckle was lost to the wind as the dog bolted toward the source of the chaos.
Bella: Into the Breach Talon's massive paws stretched and clung to the bracken, as sure and fleet footed as a unicorn. The song of war, of battle caught hold as the enormous beast plunged through the darkness. Bella felt her control begin to slide as the songs welled, blossoming in her soul. This was what she was born to do, what she was. The beast was calling, its voice a dark seduction in her heart. Trees crashed to the ground behind her, something massive was closing fast. Her fingers were numb from cold and the death grip she had on the rolled leather of Talon's collar. Bella's cloak flared in the wind, a banner charging into the heart of the fray. A break in the trees appeared, just ahead. "Come on, old fellow..." Bella coaxed. "Just a little further." Tendrils of hair and drool scuttled across her face, blown by a sudden downdraft. A searing white light savaged the shadows. Talon balked, startled and disoriented. He backed toward the deeper reaches of the trees. Bella felt his chest rumbling ominously beneath her knees. "Steady on...Talon. Hold hard." She whispered, her head pressed tight between the mastiff's ears. The hulking dog stilled, slobber soaking his wrinkled coat. Bella lifted her head, eyes alight. She had seen many things in the ensuing months, but nothing like this bizarre wingless bird, and the men swarming about it. Jets of dragon fire, the cry of wolves, these she knew. This bird distorted the songs, warped nature. It twisted the very symphonies of her soul. Her draconic heart howled in outrage. Binding the songs...The god awful, bloody silence, pressing. "No..." Bella's hold fractured. Her true heart seized control. The warrior awoke. Pulling her feet beneath her, Bella launched herself off of Talon's back into the air. A drift of dark fabric and mirror bright gaze, flickered briefly before disappearing into a swirl of smoke and stardust, twisting skyward. The plume spread and shifted as it rose. A dark waltz exploded into the air, a cacophony that caught and held. Water. Fire. Spirit. Echo. Counterpoint and cross point, they focused Bella as she took form. Sweeping in from above, she shot into the hellish white light. Wings, enormous, moon bright and threaded with gold, flashed and dipped. A silken twist of indigo and amethyst, she swirled with her songs. Pinpoints of living gold flickered and glowed as she flew. The was Naiki, a living bladed flame of legend. Even by darkkin standard, she was a featherweight. A whisper, elusive and extraordinarily dexterous. Slender and lethally quick, she smiled as only a dragon can, as she stretched her talons. Rolling as shoulder, she dipped out of sight and began to climb. Hunting birds couldn't be that much harder than bringing down seals. Free of the punishing downdraft, she broke the cloud barrier, the heavens exploding across her senses. It was as she feared. These were not her stars, but there were those kindred, who seemed to need aid. Her symphonies welled, a weighted comfort. The clouds replied, a cloak of crystalline water, bleeding blue broke free. It followed her like a shadow. She would keep her fire weaves in reserve. Great silver eyes flashed as she wheeled, coming about. Her target was impossible to miss even through the cover, a huge distortion in the air threads. The moon cast her shadow across the topside of the clouds. It was now or never. Two massive strokes tossed her high, she twisted around, her nose now spreading toward the earth, tail to the stars. Stroke. Stroke. Stroke. Her wings whispered in time to her spiraling songs. Naiki pulled her forefeet tight to her chest, streamlining, her hind feet nearly on point with her tail. She tucked her wings and went into a dive, her woven cloak of water, spearheading. The wind sheer traced her top line like a lover, tucking tight to her flared wings. The tattered layer of fleece rushed to greet her, swallowing the moon and dousing the stars. Her eyes locked on target. Gravity took over, pulling her down...faster and faster and faster. Blood roared in her ears, her heart pounded, a cadence of war. The air down here was roiling, thick with fear. It was more than just the hell bird. It was the wolves, too..."By the Shards, can nothing go right?" she swore to herself. Shifting slightly, she flashed her opalescent underside and began to keen. Like the ringing of a silver bell, her call rose, an aria to her seething melodic line. On the ground, ancient, steadfast Talon began to bay, a rolling bass that carried deep into the woods. It was a hunting cry. The behemoth mastiff picked up the scent of the wolves and broke into a run, jowls flying, teeth bared. With Talon on his way, Naiki refocused her attention to the wingless bird; she was nearing point blank range. Like a torrent breaking free of ice, her songs rushed note upon note, end over end, drawing her weave with them. It was the work of an instant to get the glassy expanse in front and slightly above her. Drawing her wings in close, she pressed them tight against her swanlike neck, flaring them just enough so she formed the point of dagger. The weave followed suit. A little closer...closer...Steady...Ready. The ghost light whipped upward, blinding Naiki. Her sensitive eyes blinked shut, her sense reeling. She roared, casting her wings wide, snapping out of the dive, forcing her upright into a hover. But her weave held strong, the strength of her symphonies behind it. Even with her sight momentarily gone, she knew she was on target. The distortion was impossible to miss. She blew out a short, sharp breath and snapped a forefoot back, crisp and hard. Her weave began to crackle and harden. A massive spear point of ice. It was as effective as a talon strike, but far more powerful. She hoped it would bring the eerie beast down, but in this realm there was not much she was sure of. Leaving her weaves to work, Naiki broke her hover and circled. A fading burst of dragon fire drew her attention. The wolves were still on the attack. Having no idea where Talon was, she knew she couldn't one of her own kind fall, even if it wasn't a darkkin, it was dragon born. She leveled out in flat sprint, her wings beating a furious tattoo as the pulses of her songs propelled her forward.
Taliza the Dragoness Taliza's strength was failing her. The wolves though seemingly weak at first, simply stood back up after being hit. It took too much strength to kill one. She circled the group knowing that her strength was about to fail and she wouldn't be able to fly much longer. Her companions were being spread out. Each desperately trying to fend themselves from their own pack of wolves. With their combined strength they had been a force to be reckoned with but now...one against five. They stood little hope of succeeding. Then, from above her, loud metal flying crafts appeared. They attacked with many tiny objects that bounced off her scales. Humans dropped out of the crafts, holding onto ropes and tiny weapons aiming them at her and her other companions. She sifted her vulnerable spot away from the crafts and dropped lower in the sky, flapping her wings laboriously. A few more seconds and she would crash into the ground. She aimed for a group of wolves attacking her companions. At least she could crush some in her landing. Suddenly seeming out of nowhere another white dragon, with golden trimmed wings, raced by her, and began attacking one of the flying crafts. A song of strength filled her heart and being. Taliza could see the song spreading to her other companions as they fought with a renewed vigor. <Just in time. We would not have lasted much longer.> She spoke into the mind of the newest warrior. It attacked with a ferocity and agility that was beautiful and frightening at the same time. With renewed strength, Taliza dived back into the battle. She broke two wolves’ spines under her body as she landed and crushed the head of another with her powerful jaws. More metal objects rained down her. Most bounced off her scales but a few lodged themselves in between the tiny scales of her vulnerable spot. They didn’t hurt that much but they were quite uncomfortable. Suddenly her wings felt as if they had gained 100 pounds. Her mind felt cloudy and she stumbled, seemingly unable to hold her own weight any longer. What are in those objects? Poison? More metal objects found their way into Taliza’s flesh. Her legs refused to hold her any longer and she collapsed to the ground, her eyelids growing heavy. Is this what death feels like? Is this to be the final battle of Taliza Dragoness? Her last thoughts were of her new found companions, and hope that they would survive to fight another day.
Faramar For the third time, Faramar had experienced the void that lead to other worlds. The nothingness that existed there was nerve-wrecking, and it seemed like an eternity before he finally saw a light amidst the utter darkness of that, the place that was nowhere and everywhere at the same time. From one moment to the other, the peace keeper found himself in a completely different environment. He looked around and saw nothing but trees, and the air was filled with chirps and other animalesque sounds. Looking at the starry blue sky, he concluded that he was no longer in Gharr'tash, his home planet. A sudden rush took over him as he realized that his beloved companion was nowhere to be found. In a quick motion, he stood up from the ground. To his surprise, he felt a bit lighter and every step he took threatened to throw him off balance. "Serene!" he called Faramar expected to hear an all to familiar screech in reply, but it didn't come. He called time and again, louder and louder, tightening the grip on his sword each time his calling was left unanswered. In panic, he clutched Jor'reda with his tail and jumped up above the tree line, with his wings spread majestically. He brought his hand to his mouth and produced such a high whistle, that birds all around him flew away. For a few minutes he waited, struggling to maintain his altitude in such an exotic atmosphere, but could hear no screech or squawk. Could it be that she did not cross with me? he thought The prospect of leaving behind the friend who had saved his life more than once, and kept him company every day since it was born was one that Faramar refused to accept. For ages he had roamed his world alone, ridding it of the most fowl beasts and behemoths, but only when he met the light-red feathered phoenix did he feel truly satisfied with his life. For once, he had someone to share his burden, and he was not ready to let it go. As he began his descent, already convinced that he would have to live that adventure alone, a sound stood out from all others. It was distant, almost inaudible but it was there. "The Orb will have to wait. I cannot do this without Serene." said the peace keeper as he flew off in the direction of the sound.
Bella: Wolves, waves, and varying forms of chaos. The wind freshened, heavy with the scent of pine and splintered wood. Naiki flinched as she heard an enormous shattering behind her. The spearhead had found its mark. The ghost light flared briefly off her glassy violet hide before she disappeared into the cloud cover. The molten gold rune lines infusing her wings and tracing her dorsal ridge began to flicker and glow. The voices of Fire's heated melodies gathered, clutching tight. Another cloak of water sheared free, swallowing the cobalt glow of the sky. Spirit pulses gleamed and began to fade. "Damn, I'm out of time. Naiki's wings stroked against the air, dipping and flaring, reaching far. She banked right, rolling hard and fell below the tattered clouds. Trees rushed up, a thousand grasping hands seeking to pull her down. But like a silken ribbon, she flowed between the trunks, approaching her target from the rear. Her wings glowed and flexed like banners of war, their rune lines irradiated with life. The sounds of battle welled, masking the whisper of her wings. Like a musician, she plucked at the threads of her symphonies. Water answered the call. Clean and clear and quiet. A flurry of barbed, icy stars winked in the faint light cast by her wings. Like a child's snowball cast into the air, the stars broke free, and went hurtling toward the wolves. Several loud yelps told her the weaves had found their marks. Two more wing strokes and another volley of frigid stars. More yelps. The sounds of bones cracking. Metal into flesh. Naiki was nearly there. The hell bird was now at her back, having suffered an unknown amount of damage. It didn't seem to be the main threat any longer. It was the wolves and the downed dragon. None of the melee party seemed to notice her yet. Naiki's waltzes folded back, contracting into her soul. She was running hot and silent. Her wings flashed, the runes shifting from gold to blue to white to orange to green. Her enormous mirror bright eyes shone like stars from the shadows, taking in the details of the carnage. At least three wolves were down. The scent of metal and blood was heavy in the air. The other dragon went down. There were still several wolves to contend with. In the distance, a voice shouted, so distant it seemed like a dream. The ghost light flashed to life between the trees again. Naiki swallowed the rumble that threatened and gathered her songs closer. The dark rhythm steadied her senses, forcing her back to the matter at hand. Swirling between the trees like a wisp of fog, she launched three more quick, savage waves of the ice stars. Stroke, stroke...Tipping a shoulder, she rolled bringing her wings perpendicular with the ground. Time for the will-o'-the-wisp. She rode the breeze and began to circle round, her tender underside concealed while she gathered speed. Like the mighty Charybdis, she whirled around the wolves and the downed dragon, pulling the threads of her symphonies tighter, stronger. The power welled, dammed behind her iron control. With her warped flight pattern and glowing wings, it was nearly impossible to pin her physical location down. The reed slim dragon was ghost, there and gone and there again. Something crunched among the bracken. Two massive silver eyes found her gaze. Talon. The great dog was all but invisible in the black. The warbling of a lark drifted down. Naiki's teeth flashed in a wicked, feral grin. Her talons and toes tensed in anticipation. The songs, her weaves had reached critical mass. Bisecting her circle, she plunged between the wolves and the dragon. She warbled, the source of the lark song. The wolves snarled, and back up slightly, disoriented by the dancing silk of Naiki's wing membranes. The young darkkin flipped and rolled like an otter, her water weave flowing right along with her. It rushed in, gushing beneath the paws of the wolves. Two subtle plucks of her forefeet, pulled the tidal thread of water up the numerous legs of the wolves. A sharp breath out froze it solid. Talon surged into the fight, teeth bared, jowls flying. The mastiff's huge jaws tore open the throat of the nearest foulsome beast. It went down with a gurgling snarl, blood gushing form a severe jugular. Naiki was a living blade of fire and ice, her talons snicking and singing as she went in tight and low. Rolling onto her back, wings mere inches from the ground, she went in for the kill, targeting the vulnerable undersides of the wolves. Two more fell to her talons as she whipped out from beneath a falling body, she caught hold of a third with her rear talons. Using the struggling mutt like a launch point, Naiki coiled down with her entire weight before pitching herself back into the air. The spine of the wolf went with her. Talon had a hold of the last wolf, when the ghost lighted hell bird returned. The bitter light seemed to swallow her whole, as the world went dark.
Theta Prime Enforcers Two of the three dragons had fallen from the sedatives, and the third was still on the ground. The airborne enforcers soared through the antigravity field emitted from the aircaft, preparing to secure the invaders below. “They're all on the ground, prepare for lock-down and get anti-seds into those creatures quickly, I've only got one good turbine” echoed the voice from the craft that hovered over the group, black smoke pouring from one of its main engines. As soon as the last man reached the ground, the light from the craft flickered and intensified. The entire group suddenly felt the gravity intensify. Even the branches and small trees bowed under the weight of the gravity field. The planetary enforcers quickly adjusted their personal gravity modulators so that they could move freely through the group. “Quick,” called one of the men, “Anti-sed those big fellas, we don't know how the sedatives will interact with their biology.” The enforcers moved quickly through the group casting gravity nets over the dragons, and preparing the tie the humans. All the while each tried to hide his awe at the cretures from his comrades. "What are these things?" someone finally asked, looking at the immense purple dragon. "I don't know, they don't match any documented species from Theta Prime or anywhere else," When the approached the flaming wolves one of the men called out. “Hey these are Thetian dires,” he motioned to his fellows to come look, “But I've never seen a dire with flames like this before!”
Marcus Schroedinger I watch as the aircraft attacks Taliza, the planet was clearly less primitive than I first thought. The bullets seemed to be useless on her scales but one got through. I could see ripples of gravitational energy coming of them. Their tech was fairly impressive. Quietly I walk through their ship. The inside left little room to hide, the walls one long sleek white piece of material. I move through the hallways fast entering into what I think is the cargo bay. A guard walks towards me as I duck behind a box. He heads into a room off to my side. Inside he gives a small grunt as I break his neck. I pull on his uniform, it's a snug fit but will do to hide my appearence until the ship lands. Taking down the ship would just put us back with the wolves and vastly outnumbered. It seems a better idea to let them help us escape. Taking the guards body back outside I slip him into a box before piling more ontop to hide it. Now to wait.
Talon of the Shadows Talon's massive silver eyes flashed with fury, his enormous body stiff with rage. Blood from the dires soaked his dark coat and jowls. His beloved mistress was down, completely unresponsive. Instinct trumped fear. The behemoth mastiff leaped out of the shadows, charging the men swarming. One deep, rolling bass snarl had them scattering like spittlekins. But they didn't retreat far. Talon's jowls quivered, slathered with blood and drool, his teeth flashed white in the ring of light cast by the wounded bird. Just a little further and he would be able reach Bella, keep her safe from these men. A shadow flashed on the periphery of the huge dog's vision. It was little more than a blur, but suddenly the hulking beast of a dog howled, his left rear leg collapsing beneath him. Mere yards from his goal, he fell, Bella just out of reach. His mournful wail rose, a phantom's lament. He had let Bella down.
Corporal James Farmer (Atlas) Atlas righted himself, brushing the dirt off of his knees. He was still slightly shaken over getting carried by a gigantic bird, but he was relieved to be on solid ground again. He heard a small chuckle coming from the man that stood in front of him. “Forgive my friend's manners; he still has much to learn. You are the one called Atlas, are you not? You fought at the battle in the great Colosseum against the summoner's monsters did you not?” Atlas eyed the strange robed man suspiciously. He remembered seeing him during the battle, but he didn’t pay much attention, and he certainly didn’t know his name. “Yeah, that’s me. Who’s asking?” he tried not to sound too hostile, but couldn’t quite keep the wariness out of his voice. After all, half the things he had met so far had tried to kill him one way or another. The man's hopeful expression faded and was replaced by solid determination, "I am Greywind, and like you, I am a soul caught up this dreadful chase. My friend and I here were both in the battle, but she has yet to introduce me to her new companion." The dark haired man gestured behind him, but to Atlas' eyes there was nothing but fallen rocks and trees. It appeared that the man expected someone to be there, as he stared at the empty space for a moment as if he lost something. Then, the man seemed to undergo a sudden transformation. His body appeared to fade into an almost mist-like quality. Atlas had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. "Steel your weapons, friend, they were just here! There seems to be some evil about,” said Greywind, in a warning tone. The large bird seemed to caw in agreement. Atlas reflexively reached for his rifle, but realised that he didn’t bring it with him when he was taken by the bird. “Yeah, about that. My weapon happens to a couple thousand feet in the air, back where I left it,” said Atlas, jerking his thumb to the sky. “I don’t suppose I’ll be getting that back anytime soon.” Atlas supposed that he could use Thatratar to fight if it came down to it, but he wasn’t too keen on wielding a sword that was nearly as tall as him without any training. The assault rifle was his only proficient weapon. He relied on it. What would happen when the ammunition ran out?
Eslana The battle raged all around Eslana. Too much had happened. The fire man, whatever he was, had summoned forth a group of strange looking wolves, which began attacking the group. Another dragon, a beautiful white dragon with gold-lined wings, had flown in to assist them. Sometime during the battle, a bunch of machines had shown up, yelling something about breaking the law. Several humans had come out of the machines, diving down and trying to capture both sides. And all Eslana could do was stand there. She hated to admit it, but something about this man scared her stiff. She didn't know what it was, but after he'd used his power, she lost all her ability to fight, to move. She was surprised she could breath. But, of course, there she stood, frightened of this fire-man who had come up from the earth itself. What was it about him that made her cower in fear?
The Magnan and Tom Wilde Everything was so chaotic, it seemed the planets natives had arrived. Although the resemblance to his own kind of biology was intriguing it seemed, humanity was here there and everywhere. The dragons had been brough to ground, the Magnan summoned Blade Edge to his thouights, the sword weaved magic around him, enough to fight the pressure bearing down on his shoulders. “They're all on the ground, prepare for lock-down and get anti-seds into those creatures quickly, I've only got one good turbine” echoed the voice from the craft that hovered over the group, black smoke pouring from one of its main engines. What the hell is an Anti-Sed? Sedatives maybe. Well let’s make sure they don’t succeed. “Quick,” called one of the men, “Anti-sed those big fellas, we don't know how the sedatives will interact with their biology.” That was all the confirmation he needed, with a flaming balll gathering around his arms, he watched it whip in the direction of the soldier, he may survive. But he would be scarred for life. "What are these things?" someone finally asked, looking at the immense purple dragon. The Magnan trying to close the ground shouted, “They are dragons, sacred creatures. They shall not be harmed.” He saw Eslana terrified. Blade Edge can you weave that ancient magic around her. Already done. Blade Edge was now simmering with discontent, the flames agitated and ready to devour those who would dare stand in their way. --- They walked far away from that battle, preferring to refrain from engaging in combat, it did not take too long for them to find more people. And one was definitely a soldier, old earth uniform. There was a chance he was from the past. And then he knew from this point on time was screwed.
The Enforcers, Magnalian, Greywind “We've got one standing,” the enforcer trained his weapon on Magnafire. Just then a mighty roar was heard from the largest of the dragons as she finally began to show her strength and struggle against her bonds. The enforcers began to scramble, surrounding Magnafire. The warrior raised his flaming sword and prepared to defend himself, his eyes darted from man to man surveying his opponents. A smirk spread across his face as he prepared to strike. A sudden prick in Magnafire's neck made him flinch. The ground suddenly became unsteady and the voice of his sword a distant call. His eyes rolled to reveal a peeked white. As he fell and the magic that protected him and the dragon from the artificial gravity waned. “Your lucky we stayed around,” came a call over the enforcers radio. The low flying aircraft pulled back up into the sky, still smoking from one of its sides. “Do us a favor and don't anti-sed that one completely ok? We're going back to base for repairs, finish securing and we'll send a cargo ship over for transport.” The three dragons soon woke to find themselves in a high walled courtyard that had been converted into a pen. They were still bound by strong alloy devices, and several brave humans moved about the courtyard while others stood on the high walls with their rifles trained on the creatures. “Hmmm, their neural readings seem to imply that they are quite intelligent.” One of the men in the courtyard said as he looked at the readings the strange device he held. A small craft sped through the sky far behind him and docked in one of the many glittering towers that stood not far off in the distance. “We may have to question them, lets just hope they are more informative than that humanoid that was captured with them.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Yes, the Orb is near, I can smell...” Magnalian's word were cut short by the piercing cry that came from nearby. The wizards and Kitza turned to see a brilliant red bird enter through a portal. “Good,” smirked Magnalian, “The winged fool has heard my call. Now let us see if that binding was complete.” The wizard stretched out his hands to feel the invisible tethers he had placed of Faramar's essence. With a sudden flash of light and a tightening of his hands the mighty winged warrior appeared before them. The summoner smiled in his own pride. The marking of Faramar's soul had been completed before he fell through the portal in that battle not so long ago. “Welcome, Faramar warrior from afar,” smiled the sinister Magnalian. “We have been expecting you.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I don’t suppose I’ll be getting that back anytime soon.” Greywind gave a nod to his feathered friend. The over-sized raven disappeared in a whisp of vapor, only to return a moment later to drop the soldier's strange weapon roughly on the ground before them. The smallest of rustles in the leaves drew Greywind's attention. Like Raef he too vanished, leaving Atlas alone with the bird. I second later figures nearly flew out of the foliage. The leader righted himself quickly and raised his weapon looking to the sky and all around him. Greywind suddenly re-apperaed behind the man and gripped him, holding a dagger to his throat. “Tell me where we are and what your purpose is here!”
