Fantasy CLOSED The Saga of the Ryujin

Murdering Goblins for Fun and Profit
A Combo of Delsanra, Ne'tar, Rebecca
Teaching Ruberot Goblins - The Hard Way

What spawn is this? The wood elf Taella had just moved out to scout the place, and Zalzabar, Anaxagore, Cretaus, and Esenma had just crossed over the bridge when suddenly, these THINGS flew up around them. They had come from nowhere, and she had not sensed them before. But she sensed them now, at it nearly made her skin crawl.

The sound of shrieks could be heard from atop the mountain as several dozen adult-sized ruberot goblins came shrieking down, accompanied by around six of the yellow mage types, blasting large jets of molten rock to all those not dealing with the flying horrors.

Delsanra fought down the urge to immediately go into ryujin form. That would cause too much attention. She could make a bridge to the others, but the goblins would most likely simply break it. Right now, she rather deal with their version of mages. She casts freezing fog, to hinder their movements, while buying the group some time, hopefully.

With her red war paint on, and shoulder healed by her cursed blood Rebecca was ready for a fight, though she wasn't expecting a fight this soon. On the other hand, she was alway up for a bit of bloodshed, especially now that she knew she was getting paid handsomely for it.

After just stepping back from the bridge as the flying goblinjin burned it down, her blade was drawn it's polished steel gleaming in the early light. The smile deepened as one of the oversized vermin landed before her roaring and schreeking. Rebecca rushed forward without a care stepping quickly to the side to avoid another gout of flame from it's mouth. Lowering her shoulder she brought the point of her sword down and thrust it towards the beasts head looking end the fight quickly.

Ne'tar no know what do when bridge go out. Ne'tar stand back. See Gobs come with Gob Ryujin, one fly to fight Ne'tar, another to Blood Face. Array of yellow gob sling hot rock, but not at Ne'tar, not at Blood Face. Ne'tar start war chant of muddy earth and icy waters - gather water to and around himself like armor. Ne'tar run to with sword drawn to meet Gob Ryujin, aim to go under and slice blade into neck and down to the heart!

The war cries of the ruberot goblins echoed throughout the mountainside, the small charging horde and the ruberot mages lost sight of the group, the thick mist summoned by Delsanra creating a screen between them. The initial volley of molten rock however would still fly through. Aimed at Delsanra and Kanyus it would miss both adept ryujin. Smashing into the snow and ice around them, creating a rippling effect that would cause them to have to regain their balance. Another volley hit Kaynus squarely in the chest sending him flying and separating him from the rest of the group.

Rebecca was taking her own swing at one of the goblin dragons, its hard hammerhead-like head coming down to meet her blade it skipped off and a dull metallic sound resonating throughout the air. It bellowed a scream of fire, one that Rebecca would be able to dodge, its movements were slow, clumsy, unaccustomed to its dragon form. It would take another series of lunges toward Rebecca, its thick hide able to parry her blows or missing her entirely.

The half-orc was contending with his own dragon, his strike aiming for its weak fleshy neck. As he charged up the tail of the dragon began to coil around, making a striking motion toward his leg, his whirling water armor, repelling the attack causing the creature to howl in pain, its head arched upward and shifted along, Ne'tar's strike not quite finding its mark but plunging into the beast all the same. As he would slice down, a gush of blood sprayed out, a chunk of flesh hanging loose on its side like a flap. It howled further taking another swipe at Ne'tar this time the sheer force of it would knock half-orc to the side, landing hard into the snow, but his water armor softening the blow. It lifted a hand up to it's neck a slow stitchwork of magic slowly fixing the wound. The goblin dragon let out another shriek as it pointed its hammer-like head in the direction of Ne'tar charging headlong to collide with the half-orc.

Delsanra had bought herself some time, the spell usually would last for about five minutes or so, but who knew if the goblin mages would counteract it before that point. In the meantime she would come to view the two other warriors battling each with a dragon, it would remain to be seen who or how she would assist her allies.

Ne'tar no get heart in easy blow. Ne'tar instead get glancing blow against and glancing blow to. Ne'tar side slam snow rock ground with a heavy thud, water bounce impact to less, and Ne'tar never break steady chant that continue to build and draw more and more to Ne'tar. Ne'tar get up and see Gob Ryujin shriek and charge, Ne'tar roar and charge back. The only break in the ever building chant, and when Ne'tar no roar no more Ne'tar change chant.

Ne'tar no think Gob notice change. Right before two meet as Ne'tar run with curved sword down infront Ne'tar. Ne'tar drop to knees. Swing blade up to bring curved point up through chin Ryujin and up at brain. Ne'tar no think this actually kill Gob, not planned. But Ne'tar need slide on back, feet dig into earth with water armor as added anchor and use own gob ryujin speed to force sword down to fillet from head to tail. Ne'tar hope so anyway.

Rebecca pushed off her left foot just getting out of the way of the flames. Her blade flashed out instantly just glancing off the tough hide of the beast. Seemed brute force wasn't going to solve this problem, as much as her blood would love to try. This would require more finesse than she usually showed. She parried a claw swipe to the side then waited for an opening, waited for its head to come down, and give her a good clear shot at its eye. Even though her mind was trying to be considered, her blood just wanted her to hack away, to attack and attack until it died.

The freezing fog came into the area as she wished. It might hinder their movements, but it would most definitely make it harder for the enemy to see. Cover, for a few moments. What could she do?

She had bought herself some time, the spell usually would last for about five minutes or so, but who knew if the goblin mages would counteract it before that point. Other mages were dangerous, but ryujin goblin even more so. But they were flying and hovering. So that meant they were a huge target compared to the others fighting from the ground.

Delsanra saw that Kanyus was hit by a volley of rock and lava, causing him to go flying. She thought for a moment, and then with a blur of movement, she cast reflection, sending those hot jets of lava that the mage goblins were attacking with, back upon themselves and their group.

Delsanra then spun about Both Rebecca and Ne'tar were both dealing with a dragon. And Kanyus was in danger, being separated. She needed something to divert the attentions of the ryujin and the mages. She suddenly gave a dark smile and began casting.

When she finished a dark blue ryujin would suddenly appear from the skies. And this would breathe lightning, raining it down on the goblins. This creature would have no detectable aura of a ryujin. Should be safe enough for the group. Might also think twice about continuing their attacks. She would have it sneak up from behind.

As Ne'tar's strike came through, his sword would slice neatly into the goblin ryujin's neck, before carving down along the entire ryujin's body. Blood pooled along the floor as it collapsed to the ground, squirming for several moments as it bleed to death.

In time Rebecca would see her opening taking a plunge into the ryujin's eye, it would cry out fiercely in pain, snapping its head to and fro almost taking the Laughing Butcher's blade with it, but she would be able to drag it out in time. It would collapse to its knees, the opportunity to deliver a finishing blow narrowing as its ryujin healing began to repair the damage that had been dealt.

Delsanra's magic continued to be on display, her powerful spells keeping the other goblins at bay, for now. As the lightning would strike down on the ground, the yellow mages would begin to hurl generally upward toward where the attack came from. With the freezing fog it made it almost impossible for them to hit and without an aura to detect their normal ways to track would not work..

What would change however is that from inside the canyon several red ruberot's began to climb out, scuttling along across the ground to the defenders. There were about eight in total. Dominus still engaged with a swarm of child ruberot, hacking and slashing his way through bellowed a warning to Delsanra.

"Delsanra!"

As he said this two of the ruberot goblins leaped up to collide with snow elf. The remaining goblins scuttled their way across, two more leaping towards Dominus, two to Rebecca, and the final two to Ne'tar.

A laugh slipped from her mouth as she rushed forward the now one eyed goblin trashing about in pain. The blood dripped from her blade the grin wide on her face. Death was close, and her blood was burning hotter. It always did when she felt death was close. It was her choice to listen or reject it. This time she embraced it. Leaping up she stomped her foot onto the bottom jaw of the beast while she wedged her shoulder underneath the upper jaw. The mouth was held open but she could see the glowing embers of another flame breath at the back of its throat. With a quick thrust she slammed the point of her blade up through the soft palate at the back of the mouth hearing a satisfying crack as her blade broke through the thin skull. A hard twist of her weapon and the body went limp, the smile deepening.

As she removed the blade covered in gore, she was tackled to the ground the two goblins striking from an odd angle forced her from the mouth of the now dead dragon. On her back with two squiming bodies over her her heart beat hard in her chest, fear, and the need for survival rang through her body, mixing with the heat of her blood. Swinging her arm around she clapped one on the side of the head with her gauntlet hard enough to knock it to the ground. The other opened its jaw descending upon her like she was a meal. Rebecca brought her arm back across her body trying to catch the monster with a back swing.

The goblin had more sense than the other one, or was more prepared and avoided the blow quickly planting his whole body weight onto her weapon arm. She was unable to lift her arm, the awkward position robbed her of her power. His slickly hands gripped under her chin forcing her head back as he lowered down again his teeth bared. In a panic she slammed her still freehand into the face of the goblin on pressing down on her. It snarled and tightened its grip on her chin. It tried to press forward being just held back by the warrior's palm. More thin fingers wrapped around her forearm trying to tear her defending arm away. It was time for her to bare her fangs as she sunk them into the grubby hands of the creature trying to hasten her demise.

Another cry of pain and the grip loosened. She found that live goblin was much less appetizing than a dead one. Her hand turned, fingers passing over the flesh while her palm did most of the work keeping the monster at bay. Soon, her tumb found was she was looking for...the eye socket. With as much power as she could muster she shoved her thumb into the beast's eye causing it to howl in pain lifting off her pinned arm.

In a flash she rolled over reversing the roles in an instant. Her armored form held the squirmy body fast beneath her as she brought her blade up held in both hands point directed towards the pinned body of the goblin. With a shout she plunged the blade into the chest of her assailant feeling the body go limp. Her red hair fell around her face as she bent her head down, her scalp pressing against the cold blade. The smile returned to her face as the other goblin got his bearings again and rushed towards her.

Still on her knees she brought an overhand swing down cutting deep into the goblin's shoulder and neck. Withdrawing her blade a spray of blood splashed over her face, sending her wild eyes wide. Rising to her feet she smeared the still cooling blood over her face.

"Who's next!?" She called out crimson dripping from her blade.

Ne'tar no know it work, but then it do! Gob Ryujin chin tusks graze over Ne'tar face and arm, the blade bite into gob flesh held steady Ne'tar two arms. Blood flow and over Ne'tar head as Ne'tar keep chant go strong, water armor keep blood from Ne'tar as held on for life, as Ne'tar held on for death. Once past Ryujin crash on ground, spasm and twitch as bleed out, big mess. Ne'tar hurry to head, just in case and sliding sword under rear horn Ne'tar press with yell and all might! Ne'tar guide blade between skull and spine and decapitate Ryujin.

Flick of wrist and Ne'tar with water armor clean blade, put away, then Ne'tar lift head in roar as Ne'tar warn all gobs! Only Ne'tar see puny red gobs come now, two each for them. With big grin Ne'tar run to meet them as Ne'tar hold side antler palms of Ryujin as grips and rear head spike and front nose spike as forward face weapons. Gobs slow but think two on one and charge! Ne'tar shift head sideways, impale one as other dives away. Ne'tar spin on feet, swing head high and first impaled - limp - flies off to crash and stop other gobs motion.

Second gob trip and jump with mighty chant and remember Granny words of flight to try and make jump long. Ne'tar come down, Ne'tar crash Ryujin back spike through screaming Red Gobs head. With roar Ne'tar call for all Gobs look on this and fear. "NE'TAR HERE!" And Ne'tar no need sword to kill gob when Ne'tar can use the corpse of gob for it just as well!

Delsanra's dragon kept up the barrage, keeping the other goblin pinned down while taking out others. She was concentrating on her attacks, looking for the next opening...

"Delsanra!"

Delsanra whirled about when she heard Dominus warning bellow out. Two ruberot goblins leaped up to collide with the snow elf. Delsanra roared a challenge, as she stepped back, a spell at the ready, within her device.

Phase shift

The two goblins, expecting to grapple with her, only found air as she became intangible while drawing 2 daggers. As the goblins tumbled against each other, Delsanra drove both daggers deep into the bodies of the goblins'.

BURN!

She didn't have time to play their games and fight them. The group could not afford to deal with this for too long. So she needed to deal with them quickly, and with no hesitations.

She yanked her daggers out, as the goblins sizzled and burned, and she looked to see where these creatures had come from. If given a chance, she would flood and freeze these foul creatures out of existence. There were no fancy lunges, parries, and strikes. She did what she needed to do to get the job done. Nothing more.

The dragon still continued on its rampage, as she crouched, looking for other threats.

TAG: @Shadowsun , @ ALL

 

King Zikki, Lord of Goblins
​

The beam of intense energy from Anaxagore would pulverize the goblin ryujin, every aspect of its being turned to nothingness as it screamed in pain. Anaxagore would drop to his knees, steam rising off him as scales and wings resided back into him. Zalzabar would turn to view the man, he had never seen such a form before, or even heard tales of it, what was that?

As the other goblin ryujin swiped at Anaxagore's clone Cretaus would take his strike, the embued magic on the boy assisting him in finding his mark. The blade would fly cleanly through the weak flesh underneath its neck, a guttural whelping sound as it tried to scream but could not, its vocal cords torn to shreds. The dragon would fall into the snow beside them, writhing around for several more moments before becoming still.

​

As everyone had come to defeat their current threat they would all see the group of ruberot goblins on both sides hesitate, clearly unnerved by the sight of the destructive power of the group. Then from above the rock, a large cracking noise as earth and snow burst outward crashing down around to the two sides of the canyon. From where the earth exploded a large hole had formed. Goblins began to pour out of it, scuttling down to swell the dwindling ranks of the goblins. After a few moments, a larger goblin would appear, and behind him a procession of goblins that held one they would all recognize, Taella.

The large goblin spotted Zalzabar his voice booming through the frigid air.

"Zalzabar, so-called protector of Regnum, for all your knowledge you have so much left to learn,"

Zalzabar ripped off the remaining ruberot goblins crawling over him, his anger redirected to Zikki. Lightning crackled off the elder ryujin, large arcs of pulsating energy exploding off him in a wild torrent.

"Let her go,"

He commanded firmly.

"Oh, this little thing?" spat Zikki, grabbing Taella by the hair and dragging her to the edge of the hole.

"No I've been wanting a snack for quite some time, this one better be a ryujin, although she does not smell like one, doubtless you've taught her to suppress her draconic abilities,"

Zalzabar's eyes were fraught with confusion, the lightning exploded of him once more, sending him leaping towards Zikki. The goblin king snarled throwing Taella back into the tunnel where she was grabbed by more grasping hands, the swarm of goblins continuing to pour out of the mountainside. Zikki point a finger in Zalzabar's direction a high-pitched screen careening through the mountainside. A small fireball formed itself in front of the outstretched finger, building in power a high-pitched humming noise singing through the air, building to a crescendo as a large torrent of fire was released, white-hot in its intensity as the full force of it was brought down on Zalzabar.

​

"Kill them all!"

Upon his command the great horde that had just barely been held at bay was unleashed, a torrent of red and gnashing teeth baring down on both sides of the canyon ready to consume anything that stood in their path.

TAG: @greyjedi125 @Mitth_Fisto @Darth_Elu @Ktala @galactic-vagabond422 @Kurisan @The Jedi in the Pumas

OOC: No combos just reply in here

 

IC: Anaxagore
The Goblin King

Anaxagore cursed under his breath. It always ended the same way. He could not maintain that form, no matter what he tried. It was most perplexing, especially since he could go Full Ryujin with relative ease. What was he doing wrong?

This was no time for such questions. But thankfully, the Ruberot Dragon was obliterated before he reverted back to normal.

The look Lord Zalzabar cast on him was a curious one, it was a look he was uncertain how to interpret. Despite that detail, however, Anaxagore was quite pleased that Cretaus had survived well, but not just him, everyone in Zalzabar’s company of warriors. Was this their first victory as a group? He dared to wonder.

Unfortunately, none of that would matter, as suddenly, rocks came crashing down as they burst asunder and snow seemed to burst everywhere. A veritable armada of goblins began to pour out of a fissure, replacing every single one they had slain and adding more to their numbers.

Anaxagore stood, regaining his senses and re-summond his Plate Armor and Sword with a flash of dark fire. He needed to be ready, incase they were surrounded by the increasing multitude of goblin enemies - and were attacked en masse.

His concern for their safety had grown considerably in that moment, but then it became exacerbated.

A large goblin emerged from a hole, directing itself at Lord Zalzabar. It held Taella hostage. Anaxagore felt primal rage burst inside of him at the sight, fire literally flaring through his nostrils. Esenma was right. Perhaps it was best to exterminate these goblins from these mountains. They might not be food, but they were clearly a very dangerous menace to the living.

As soon as King Zikki threw Taella back into the hole, Anaxagore went into action. He leapt high in the air, towards the goblin King and his horde. Behind him, he left an armored clone-copy of himself, who moved next to Cretaus and would act as the boy's Shield-Protector.

With Sword in hand, Anaxagore ran atop the heads of every goblin directly in his way, quite intent on crushing them underfoot and slashing asunder any who would dare leap at him, all while rushing directly at King Zikki and the fiery attack the Goblin monarch was charging up. Anaxagore reached out with his own Fire Mastery and waited for the King to launch his attack. The moment he did, he focused his will to redirect the King’s attack at his own horde, hopefully reducing their numbers in the process and buying Lord Elder and his fellow warriors some time.

It was in that moment that Anaxagore feigned a sword attack at the King as he once again leapt into the air and aimed himself into the hole. The Ryujin Warrior resolved to go after Taella. He would not abandon her to these goblins...and woe to the ones who got in his way.

As for King Zikki, he clearly had unfinished business with Lord Elder. Anaxagore did not wish to rob Zalzabar of the singular pleasure of putting down the upstart King of goblins.


Tag: @Shadowsun, @Darth_Elu, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Kurisan, @Ktala, @Mitth_Fisto, @galactic-vagabond422, @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

Esenma
-The Goblin Hordes

Zalzabar and Anaxagore rushed off after the Goblin King and Taella. Male heroism was something to marvel at and the masculinity of it turned Esenma's cheeks rosy. Unfortunately, this left her and Cretaus to combat the rushing horde on their side of the mountain. Up to this point, she had been willing to treat the expedition as one to observe the Adepts and the others of the group. She treated the goblins as nothing more than a minor threat, which to her and Zalzabar, they may very well have been, but in these numbers she surmised that the villagers' and Zalzabar's earlier concern was well-founded. Goblin hordes in these masses presented a regional threat on the border and the King would be even more welcoming to them with the threat eliminated. She should have realized back at the Inn that Zalzabar would not let innocent people be threatened and harmed if there was anything he could do to stop it.

She braced herself and inhaled deeply.

"Fine, Ole Zalzy. We shall protect!"

She tapped the ground with her foot and the wind propelled her to Cretaus.

"Ready your blade and stay near me, Cretaus. Things are about to get....hot."

Her ryujin blood ignited and her eyes turned to slits. With a hand held open to her lips as if blowing a kiss, blue fire flowed out of Esenma's open mouth in an air sphere she created. It filled with an exorbitant, disproportional amount of fire for its size, which was about as large as a ball small children would play with. Her other hand formed a fist on her lips. What happened next was quite quick in execution and explosive in results.

As the goblin hordes charged, Esenma shot charged air blasts covered in her ryujin fire into their formations, causing medium sized bright blue explosions of fire and singed goblin bits. It was a technique that she traditionally used in her ryujin form, when accuracy was not needed, but mass area damage was needed. Her shield elemental dissipated as she took the offense into her own hands and depended on Cretaus to cover her blind spot and she hopped around, firing her blasts in all directions.

The Sky Dragon was beginning to awaken!

Tag: @Darth_Elu @Shadowsun

 

IC: Ne'tar
The Goblin Hordes

Ne'tar realize he stand alone. They all together, but Ne'tar alone. Red Face would dance in the blood, be rock to the river of gobs. Delsanra would be a flying death from above. Arrogant one was likely keeping clean somewhere. Ne'tar alone. Ne'tar no matter such things! Ne'tar reach to grab weapon as hole and gob king happen, as horde come.

Only Ne'tar no feel weapon. Ne'tar war chant falter first time as Ne'tar look down. Ne'tar felt water, but Ne'tar felt scales. His weapon was gone, his body reforming as he grunt in frustration at self. Not now! Ne'tar need water armor and sword! Ne'tar do best small target, fight masses, be pebble like Red Face! Not gangly Ryujin! Stupid Ryujin! Only open ryujin!

Ne'tar felt that pang deep, pain bore through heart. Pain without reason. Ne'tar breath came as Ne'tar now ryujin again, eyes closed Ne'tar whisper once more new chant. Water armor had been still on Ne'tar and now it spike out. Tendrils seeking gob mouths any come near and fill gob lungs, while Ne'tar charge forward to rend and feast on enemies. Ne'tar no go silently.

TAG: @Shadowsun

 

Delsanra Taenya Helestina
Ze Goblin Battle

Delsanra had seen Anaxagore's interesting new form, but before she could react to it, the world it seemed to split asunder. From above the rock, a large cracking noise as earth and snow burst outward crashing down around to the two sides of the canyon. From where the earth exploded a large hole had formed. Goblins began to pour out of it, scuttling down to swell the dwindling ranks of the goblins.

A large goblin emerged from a hole, directing itself at Lord Zalzabar. It held Taella hostage. Any thoughts that Delsanra might have on that subject were removed by the angry words between Zalzabar and this so-called goblin king. As they spoke, Delsanra was spell-casting. But she did note the question and the look on Zalzabar's eyes. Why would a Goblin know anything about what Zalzabar was teaching them? And if he could indeed smell the difference...then he would know. Something was not right here.

"Kill them all!" the huge goblin roared.

Upon his command the great horde that had just barely been held at bay was unleashed, a torrent of red and gnashing teeth baring down on both sides of the canyon ready to consume anything that stood in their path.

"Not Yet, wormfood!" Delsanra muttered as she finished her spell, slamming her hands into the snowy ground. The snow and ice suddenly rolled and swarmed, passing her teammates, as the form of creatures suddenly seemed to come from the snowy mass.

Ice serpents!

The creatures seemed to multiply as they streamed away from her like rivers of water, to attack the goblins that threatened to attack them. The dragon, if it was still going, she had given it a life of its own, and it would attack without her directing it. She then moved, as she looked to see who she could help the most while wondering what happened to Kaynus.


Tag: @Shadowsun, @Darth_Elu, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Kurisan, @Mitth_Fisto, @galactic-vagabond422, @Master Vo'Un'Var @greyjedi125

 

Cretaus IC:
~Goblin Madness!~

Jumping back once more after making his slash across the dragon’s throat, exhilaration pumping through his veins from the battle itself but also from his second successful attack, he watched as the creature collapsed onto the snow. After a few more moments of writhing in agony, it lay still at last and died.

Cretaus had just slain a dragon…with help, but still. His second kill. Gulping, he quickly tore his eyes away and looked to see what would happen next. A big blast of some kind was just disappearing, coming from one of the Anaxagores…one that was in some strange form, though starting to change back to normal.

What was that? Either way, that marked him as the likely real one. So the one with him was a clone. Yeah, that made sense he supposed.

Cretaus also noted this was where the goblins around them started to hesitate. Perhaps they would give up? Of course, as quick as that thought came, it left again with the sound of a large cracking noise in the mountain.

Debris rained down on them after a mild explosion seemed to occur, forming a large hole. More and more hordes of goblins began pouring out of it like it was some kind of sick fountain. As strong as they were, could a small group like them defeat that many by themselves?

Thinking back to the battle at Zalzabar’s Castle…maybe. It still felt like madness however!

His eyes stared at the vast numbers of the enemy, before centering on the king goblin that appeared. King Zikki. And they had Taella captive! His eyes widened.

She seemed to be getting into a bad habit of that, if they could free her and he got more training in, perhaps he should consider keeping an eye out for her. The idea of protecting another and not being the protected was an appealing thought. But no time for that.

“Zalzabar, so-called protector of Regnum, for all your knowledge you have so much left to learn.”

“Let her go.”

“Oh, this little thing? No, I’ve been wanting a snack for quite some time, this one better be a ryujin, although she does not smell like one, doubtless you’ve taught her to suppress her draconic abilities.”

Cretaus glared at the goblin’s direction. That guy was just horrible! If he could put his sword through his big, dumb face he was definitely one of those worthing of being slain! The others would agree with him. Most likely.

“Kill them all!”

Then the enemy came charging and he braced himself. How to get to Taella? As he stared at the incoming goblins he was forced to realize there was no just way for him to do so, he did not have the capability. Not his current level. Thankfully he noticed Zalzabar and Anaxagore jumping straight to combat Zikki and attempt to save the elven woman.

He would have to trust them. In the mean time, he noticed the Anaxagore with him move closer in a protecting fashion.

“Thank you,” was all he could say. For now, he would remain the protected.

And then things got dynamic very, very quickly as Esenma practically flew over to them, born by the wind she so deftly manipulated.

“Ready your blade and stay near me, Cretaus. Things are about to get….hot.”

“Ok!” he agreed while quickly motioning for the Anaxagore clone to stay with them as well. Perhaps he could get a little protecting practice after all!

As Esenma’s eyes seemed to shift and she began to blowing out blue fire, Cretaus looked to the clone.

“Show me how best to protect another, Anaxagore…” a glance toward the enemy who were nearly upon them now, “…on the go!”

Then came the blue flashes that incinerated many at a single time. Truly, Esenma was something to behold. The majesty she commanded at will was awe-inspiring! She was hot.

In multiple meanings of the word.

As she moved around, it was difficult to keep up, but he did his best to keep to any areas she couldn’t focus on, swinging his blade this way and that to keep back the goblins from getting too close. Whenever he got a spare second, he’d glance over toward Anaxagore Clone and mimic what he was doing, listening to any advice able to be carried over the din of battle.

Within moments another two goblins fell by his hand, but with the blessing of the Three, he did not have the time to dwell on it.

It was do or die!

Tag: Esenma, Anaxagore Clone, & Goblins @Shadowsun @The Jedi in the Pumas @greyjedi125

 

Rebecca Dragon
The Sea of Red

All of the preamble quickly fell away, Taella being in danger, King Zikki grandstanding, it all quickly fell away as hodes of goblins came fooding down into the valley. Her blood warm from her fight with ryujin goblin grinned even wider. More bodies to slay more blood to spill. They were just a mass to her, each one lacking in definition, until they came into her range. Her blade cut through the air and bodies. Limbs and ichor quickly littered the ground, her grin never leaving her face. The mass was too much for her to push against so she stood her ground slaughtering all that came near her.

A wall of bodies quickly built up against her, making it harder for the goblins to get close to her. That didn't stop them or her. More goblins, more blood, more bodies, it continued without slow down. There were always more groblins, and she always had more energy. It was easy, simple to kill this mass of red. They had no skill, no challenge just mindless monsters scratching at her armor sometimes drawing blood. This was not her fight against Anaxagore, or Dominus, a challenge that got her blood warm through her joy of violence. This was just brutality, mindless slaughter. Death is what she'd become, and she took this role with a smile on her face.

Death or violence that is what made her blood boil, what it wanted. It burned hotter with each death, with each clash of steel on steel. There was no relief for her blood, not when there was more death to reap, more souls to send to the next life. There was no challenge in this, no great foe to overcome. Just a faceless mass.

There was no reason to stop so she wouldn't. She would just keep killing until she was felled or until the tide of goblins fell...

TAG: All

 

Zikki of Fire and Earth
​

The goblins wave parted like water, beaten back by the intensity of the many attacks, but just as the heroes ripped into the horde it, in turn, came in force. As Anaxagore reached out to redirect the blast that was aimed at Zalzabar he would feel something different about Zikki's fire, it was unlike anything he had felt before, it was as if it was beckoning to him, seducing him with the way it danced in his eyes. The exertion required to redirect the flame would be far more than Anaxagore anticipated, the strength of the goblin king's magic far greater than he perhaps thought. The blast rocked into the mountainside, burning many of the goblins in the process.

Esenma's blast rocked against the stone wall, piercing through the armored hides of the ruberot goblins. A devasting display of the capabilities of the elder ryujin. The swarm continued to pour in, however, Cretaus and the clone of Anaxagore. The three of them forming a tight-knit group slaying the goblins as fast as they came.

On the opposite side, the transformed Ne'tar surrounded himself with his water armor, tendrils shooting down into the mouths of the goblins, filling their lungs like balloons until they burst. If Zalzabar had been there to see it he would have been most impressed with the display of magical ability, clearly, Ne'tar's magic was improving, that or he was beginning to access deeper parts of his ryujin abilities.

Dominus continued to slash his way through the goblin horde with his bare hands, his arms hardened like metal as he punched his way through, standing beside Rebecca as she herself sliced through the goblin horde as if they were nothing. He tried his best to not get distracted by her display, the effortlessness in which she cleaved through the goblin flesh with her sword. She truly was a monster.

The ice serpents from Delsanra swarmed out from her, the swarm of snakes meeting the horde of goblins. The crying of the goblin hordes echoing throughout the mountainside as they desperately tried to wade their way through the ever-thickening bubbly mass of serpents. The dragon she had summoned had become dispelled, attacked by numerous bolts of fire from various goblin mages scattered throughout the horde.

​

As Anaxagore came in to attack Zikki various goblins leapt up at him, each becoming eviscerated by his blade. As Anaxagore made is fake attack against Zikki the goblin king disappeared in a blaze of fire a single word echoing through the mountain tops.

"Sapientis"

With that word the goblin king then reappeared on Anaxagore's back, his claws digging through his dark armor and into his back, it would feel as if white hot knives were stabbing themselves into the adept ryujin's back. Zalzabar caught this from the corner of his eye.

The human or the elf?

A cackle of energy leapt from him hitting Zikki and knocking the goblin king of Anaxagore's back, but the damage was done, Anaxagore would fall with Zikki landing on the side with Delsanra, Rebecca, Dominus, and Ne'tar. At this point practically all the goblins had been killed only a few strangglers remained. Zalzabar dived into the tunnel, seeing the goblins clucthing Taella, he leant his hand out to her, pulling her out as he descended down by where Zikki and Anaxagore had fallen.

The goblin leapt up, he could not believe what was happening, his horde decimated by these nobodies, a pack of randomly assorted misfits. Father would never forgive this.

"I've waited several thousand years for my Lord to come back and I will not let it be squandered by you!"

The goblin then leapt up, a brilliant flash of light as skin, bone, and muscle grew off Zikki his form growing rapidly in size, obtaining the size of an adept in a mere matter of moments, he only continued to grow, becoming almost double the size of an adept. There was no mistaking it, this was an elder dragon.

​

"I am Zikki of Fire and Earth, first son of Sapientis,"

"The age of Ice and Fire is upon us, and now you will die,"

The massive dragon then made a gutteral wrenging noise of a long lost language, any magic that had been taking place immediately became dispelled, Zikki's will becoming imposed upon everyone their. Ne'tar in particular would feel himself willed into his humanoid form, this would only last for a moment as the entire mountain side then began to shake, the grinding sound of rock underneath everyone's feet. It then began to heat up as the dragon continued to speak, his chanting interrupted by a voice from above.

"Fear not peasants! The heir of the Three has arrived!"

Zikki then began to rear his head as a bright beam of light came thundering down onto him, piercing his neck righteous fury.

​

The unmistakeable sight of Kaynus's dragon as he leapt to entangle with the elder dragon, biting down further into the wound he had just inflicted.

Zalzabar just stood their awe struck for a moment before he grabbed Taella and motioned over to Anaxagore and the others.

"Rebecca! Take Taella, Ne'tar and Cretaus and get as far down the mountain path as you can!" As he said this he waved his hands lightning smashing into the ground, forcing the rock to form a new bridge to the other side. In addition to this as Kaynus's and Zikki's wrestling continued Zikki let out a blood curdling cry, fire ignited in many of the slain goblin's eyes, the corpes that were still somewhat functional, which in truth was not that many, began to rise up. The four of them would have to slay the goblins in their path in order to escape.

"Anaxagore, Delsanra, and Dominus we only have this chance to take him out, after that..." he trailed off as he whipped round to Esenma a very knowing looking in his eyes.

Get the hell over here.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Kurisan @Mitth_Fisto @Darth_Elu

TAG: @greyjedi125 @Ktala @The Jedi in the Pumas

OOC: As a lot happened I am going to have people do solo posts and then a smaller update with a combo following that update.

OOC: To clarify Anaxagore's clones, Delsanra's snakes and anything else magical based was dispelled, there is nothing stopping you from casting more magic though.

 

OOC: Here is a combo between myself and our great GM, @Shadowsun. It is a retroactive scene showing the night before the attack on the goblins of Athas, with Zalzabar attempting to help Cretaus with his current inner turmoil. Now I use teal text to denote Zalzabar normally, but given our GM's direct input; will honor his usual usage of a dark blue for Zalzabar for the combo. Please enjoy!

Zalzabar & Cretaus IC:
~Can you help me?~

The others had departed, off up stairs to sleep in one form or another. Cretaus remained in his seat. Zalzabar laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, sitting next to the boy.

"Come now let's get you into the bath you could certainly use it."

The Elder ryujin looked to the boy, the distress in them clear, if Cretaus were to look up he would see nothing but kindly eyes, as if they were saying.

What is wrong my child? You are safe. There is no reason to be worried.

Within minutes, Cretaus moved back inside as he gave up the attempt to empty his thoughts. It had been worth the attempt and he quieted them...a little. Maybe.

In any event, as he stood out in the cold with his breath mingling in the frigid night air, he realized he finally was hungry a little bit after all. Not much, but perhaps he could nibble on something real quick before a bath. While ducking back into the inn, he soon noticed that he was silently returning to his seat just as the last few people were leaving. Taking a few moments to grab some of the food he had only just picked at earlier, he allowed himself to eat. Not his normal gorging, just a few little bits here and there.

Very un-Cretaus like.

Nevertheless, he managed to get something in his stomach, when finally a gentle hand placed itself on his shoulder. He knew it was Zalzabar as there wasn't anyone else in the room, plus his movement was noticed out of the corner of his eye. The teen paused as he allowed himself to lean back, away from the food. He dared not look in the man's eyes though currently, not really trusting eye contact now that the shock factor of Ne'tar's eating habits had worn off.

His words were simple and factual. With a sigh, Cretaus nodded. No reason to put it off any further, might as well.

With a look up before he stood, he noticed the kind expression in the man and instantly felt almost guilty for impeding on him in any form. His eyes quickly darted away, unable to bear the contact.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he finally got up from his seat. "I'll bathe now...uh, where is it again?"

Zalzabar beamed at the boy, faking his own joy in hopes that the sheer presence of happiness would prove to be infectiousness. In a singular swooping motion he lifted the boy off his feat. Carrying him like a newborn baby, no doubt the boy would be very confused. He carried him through to where the baths were. He placed him down, turned around and snapped his fingers the clothes on Cretaus disappearing.

"Don't worry, don't worry I'm not looking, although I'm about to take my own clothes off I only took a dip before because I was oh so hungry."

As he said he took of his own clothes, placing them to one side as he settled down into the bath. He leaned back relaxing looking upward to the cold night sky above.

"Better get in the bath my boy or you'll freeze your arse off."

Cretaus wondered at the man's look of happiness. Was there truly anything to be so happy about? He had just lost quite a bit after all...His mind briefly flashed back to the previous one when they had been together out in the snow, privately then too. Hm...

But his line of thought was swiftly disrupted as he was then scooped up like a newborn, his eyes going comically wide from surprise. This was the second time Zalzabar had done this to him and he had been caught off guard the last time too.

"W-What are you doing? I can walk! I can walk!" he protested, sounding very much like a child indeed.

Despite his arguments, they were patently ignored and soon enough he was set down at the baths, causing a mild glowering expression from the teen. Though at least his initial glumness was now dispelled, at least for the moment. With a snap of the fingers, his armor was gone. In fact, he was now quite naked.

"Ahh!" It wasn't a loud scream or anything, more a sound of startled shock and uncertainty how to act. Zalzabar stated he wasn't looking before taking off his own clothes and getting into the steaming waters not far away. At the comment of freezing --

No kidding!!

-- he booked it and practically jumped into the water. With a slight yelp at the heat he wasn't expecting, despite the rising steam, he then let out a content sigh as he slid himself in further. What...What was this sensation?

Was this bliss? Did he just die and go to wherever souls resided in peace!?

Closing his eyes, briefly forgetting about things, he realized he could likely fall asleep in here. This was nothing like he had ever experienced before. But he did manage to ask,

"Am I going to get the clothes back afterward? Kind of all I got."

The elder ryujin gave a chuckle during Cretaus's protests finding great amusement in it. He had been tempted to throw the boy straight into the bath clothes and all but decided against it. Zalzabar leaned back relaxing once more as his attention turned to Cretaus. He gave the boy a death glare, the anger in his eyes radiating off him like daggers stabbing themselves into Cretaus's soul.

"No."

He then held the expression for a few moments before he burst out laughing.

"Of course you can keep your clothes, look here," he snapped his fingers again and the clothing Cretaus had been wearing now appeared neatly folded to one side by the edge of the inn.

Zalzabar then settled back into his bath, closing his eyes for a few moments before opening his mouth once more.

"Tell me Cretaus, what is it that troubles you so? Was it killing the goblin?"

As the Elder Ryujin likely anticipated, his tease made the boy froze and a small sense of panic to bloom in his chest. The sudden anger and the negative reply made him wonder what had just happened. Had he done something wrong? And what did he do now!?

But then laughter rang out and Cretaus could only blink stupidly. It took his further explanation and the re-appearance of the armor and underclothes being neatly folded nearby for him to finally understand it had been a joke. He allowed a small chuckle, if nervously.

After a moment, while Zalzabar seemed to relax in the water, he himself allowed further tension to slowly leave the body. The water doing its work.

But then came the question that snapped him roughly back into reality, the look of bliss erased in the blink of an eye. A lump formed in his throat and he forced it down, his gaze dropping to the steaming waters they bathed in.

"I dunno...I guess," he stated after perhaps a full minute of silence had stretched on, "I hadn't been expecting it. Or for it to be so hard..."

Cretaus sighed deeply. "I can still practically feel the blood on my hand. Feels...wrong, somehow. Though I obviously needed to do it."

The blond teen scrunched up his face, a grim mix of both anxiety and disgust at himself, before finally allowing his eyes to reach Zalzabar and asking what he was afraid to ask.

"It feels like I'm a murderer now...Is there something wrong with me for thinking that?"

Zalzabar nodded his head along, the same usual boundless energy flowing through him.

"Yes, yes, yes I can understand that, and no not by any means my boy a quite ordinary feeling," He tilted his head, looking upward to the stars. Musing again for a moment.

"These goblins, sentient or not are monsters, they kill, they destroy, and raid because they find it fun and they know nothing else. It is in their nature,"

He then looked off into the distance.

"But to be honest with you my boy, there will come a time where you will have to kill a human, or an elf or a dwarf, someone who had a family and a home, a history and backstory, a life and dreams."

He then looked off into the stars again, ideal thoughts swarming into his mind, himself a tattered being trying desperately to keep it all together, a loose flesh bag of electricity.

"It won't get any easier, nor should it, but you do get better at hiding it, better at pressing on, because Cretaus..." with this he looked down right to the boy, he was not joking, his tone serious but not in the joking way it had been before, it carried a weight of actual importance.

"...if you truly intend to stay with us you are going to have to kill again."

Cretaus sat in the waters, letting himself go over Zalzabar's words regarding the goblins, he just stewed on it for awhile. Death and destruction was their nature, huh? So, the man was saying because he killed one, not to feel too bad?

Was it that simple?

Of course, perhaps because that was their nature, it also meant he stopped one from doing that to others. That thought did feel a little better. He'd have to come back to it when he had more time. For now, Zalzabar was still speaking.

His next words were far more sobering. An elf, dwarf, fellow human, or other person. Someday one, no...more, would fall by his hands over the course of this journey.

He would have to kill again.

Cretaus let his head dip down, the tips of his blond hair settling into the water. The teen was quiet for a long moment. A very long moment. The steam from the hot springs curled up and around his form as he sat in numb contemplation. Finally, he picked his head up, the water dripping from his hair and onto his face.

"I want to be of help everyone. I just...How do you get better at it? The living with killing part, I mean. If I could just have some kind of tip or trick on how to, I think I'll be ok!"

His voice rose at the end there, he hadn't meant it to. Yet Cretaus' eyes stared hard at Zalzabar all the same, not allowing himself to look away this time. He was desperate. There had to be a specific way to make this feeling go away or be easier to deal with.

There was, wasn't there?

Zalzabar's eyes looked down at the boy with a quiet sadness. He knew the pain the boy felt all too well. How desperately he wished there was some simple trick or tip that he could impart onto the boy, something he could do to make the pain go away. He looked down at his hands, a brief thought crossing his mind.

No, I can't, never again.

He then looked back at the boy, the desperation in his face all too apparent.

"I'm sorry my boy, there is no simple tip or trick. We have to continue our life knowing the weight that we killed someone that had a family, that was loved by others..."

He paused looking up to the stars, a small smile spreading on his face.

"You know the wood elves think of the world as one grand forest, you wander through it, you hunt and kill because that's what you have to do to survive and in turn, things try to hunt and kill you, eventually you will wander through the forest long enough that something will finally get you. That's just reality, to run from that... is simply cowardice my boy. There are some things in this world worth fighting for, but there's no getting around the fact that others will try to stop you."

As the ryujin denied him the easy way out, for there was none naturally, Cretaus' face became crestfallen. He knew, deep within himself, that there was no way to just easily get passed such things. But he had hoped, he had hoped so hard to be wrong.

Slumping into the waters further, he listened as Zalzabar went on about how the wood elves viewed the world. It made sense. He basically had already been living it, it was just he never did quite enough to be outwardly hunted by the guards. At least not within their vision. Not often anyway. And he himself had never killed before this journey, because of the vow. Because it had never been absolutely necessary.

Until that goblin. Until the future he was now rushing headlong to meet.

If he was entirely honest with himself, the reality of that scared the three's blessing out of him. But he'd have to move on. He was going to change and he needed to prove that. He knew this. But thinking it and meaning it were completely different.

"How do you do it? I mean you, personally..." a pause, "If that's ok to ask, I mean."

The elder ryujin turned to view the boy, a quiet understanding emanating from his eyes as he contemplated his question.

"I keep myself busy, I have to keep going, pushing forward," He looked up to the sky. "I don't have time to slow down, and when I do I hear the thousands of voices I didn't save or the lives I've taken."

He closed his eyes clearly in anguish, unsettled with his mind drifting on the edge of a vacuous whirlpool of negativity.

"My sweet children," he murmured, pulling himself back from the void.

"I daresay it is time to get to bed young lad unless you have any final questions?"

Cretaus was silent for a little while as he registered what he was told. Just keep moving. It was literally as simple as that. Keep busy. To slow down was to remember...that.

Something so heavy and the answer so basic. He closed his eyes tightly as he let that just swim around in his mind. It took him a bit to finally open them after the question from Zalzabar. Come to think of it, at this point in time...he had just one.

His eyes opened to look the man straight in the face and asked something he had tried not to dwell on before.

"Do you believe I really have what it takes to be useful to all of you? To keep up? I need the truth...even if it hurts."

Zalzabar gave a quiet nod, not looking at Cretaus at all as he began to climb out of the bath. He wandered over to grab a towel, drying himself off as he spoke to Cretaus.

"You would not be on this journey Cretaus if I did not think you could pull your weight,"

He gave a nod, smile at the boy.

"I'm sure greatness lies in your future my boy, we just need to coax it out."

At first Cretaus wasn't sure what to think as Zalzabar didn't quite meet his eyes as he replied. But the genuine smile from him as he looked back at him after departing the bath reassured him. Cretaus dwelled on it for just a moment more.

"Greatness, huh?"

He wasn't sure about that. But if he could at least pull his own weight, then that was good enough for him. Finally getting out of the bath himself and finding his towel, the teen let himself think on it a little more while getting dressed into the simple underclothes the armor had come with before uttering a quiet 'thank you.'

Not long later, he found himself back in his room with the others and depositing the armor quietly next to his bed. Something he looked at with a large, if sleepy, smile. It had been many, many years since he had slept in one of these! Even at Zalzabar's Castle, he had been robbed of the chance. Until now.

To say he fell asleep quickly would be an understatement.

Tag: No One

 

IC: Anaxagore
First Son…?

He felt it, cut could not explain it. The moment hid will clashed with that of the Goblin King’s fire, he understood something was different. But that didn’t matter in that moment. He had to get past the Goblin King and rescue Taella.

But events did not proceed as planned.

In a blink of an eye, King Ziki spoke a word and disappeared.

“Sapientis”

Sapientis?

Pain erupted through Anaxagore’s back as Goblin King Ziki reappeared on his back, digging his claws through the ryujin warrior’s dark armor and into his flesh. The attack felt like white hot knives stabbing him in torturous fashion. Inside his armor, Anaxagore opened his mouth and screamed without sound.

If it were not for Lord Elder Zalzabar’s mighty bolt of electrical fury, there would be no telling the damage the Goblin King might have inflicted. Anaxagore hit the floor and rolled unceremoniously, unable to control his trajectory as he crashed against snow and rocks. He was now covered in bloody snow and grizzle, thanks to Rebecca’s handy work.

Anaxagore gritted his teeth in anger, pain and frustration. He’d lost track of Taella and had already wasted too much time, but he still needed a moment to manage through the pain, just a few breaths. The ryujin warrior could see his former instructor, the legendary Master Namekian standing over him, arms folded over hi s chest, glaring down at him like he always did,

‘If you stay down much longer, I’ll make sure you stay down permanently and never get back up. FOCUS past it!’

Anaxagore bit down and growled as he summoned his strength and focused his mind past the wracking pain on his back. Fire flared through his nostrils and he slowly, started to rise, albeit shakily. If his dark armor was useless against King Ziki, then he would have to fight him differently.

The would be protector refocused, pin pointing his thoughts on the immediate battle. Out of the corner oof his eye, he spied Lord Zalzabar saving Taella from goblin clutches and the sight boosted his efforts.

But what was the Goblin King saying now? Was he implying to be over a thousand years old?

As Anaxagore finally got to his feet, he rose only to behold the Goblin King begin a transformation not to be believed. He’d transformed into a ryujin at an alarming rate, even to the size of an adept dragon, then double the size!! Was King Ziki an Elder Dragon?

“By the Three!” Anaxagore heard himself exclaim aloud.

"I am Zikki of Fire and Earth, first son of Sapientis,"


"The age of Ice and Fire is upon us, and now you will die,"

Was it true? Was the Goblin a spawn of Sapientis all along? Did Lord Zalzabar know?

There were no answers, just the mountain side shaking and rumbling as King Ziki sought to cause an upheaval and likely burry them all where they stood. But before that could happen, something completely unexpected occurred.

"Fear not peasants! The heir of the Three has arrived!"

A bright beam of light came thundering down, seemingly from the sky, piercing the Goblin King’s neck with righteous fury - in the proverbial nick of time.

“Kaynus?”

As if to answer, Kaynu’s dragon form leapt in and tangled with the Goblin King, immediately biting down on the neck wound it had just inflicted with its powerful jaws.

There was a moment when it appeared everyone was simply struck with awe! Though it was short lived. Lord Zalzabar was back in the the moment and gave specific instructions as to who should stay and who should move to a relatively safe distance. Translation: Run away as far as you can.

Immediately, Anaxagore summoned a clone of himself to accompany Rebecca, Ne’tar, Taella and Cretaus. If he could not go with them, at least a portion of him could.

"Anaxagore, Delsanra, and Dominus we only have this chance to take him out, after that..."

Heeding Lord Zalzabar, the dark armored ryujin gestured, creating his Two-handed Dark Sword once again.

Leaping into battle and given the size difference, Anaxagore maneuvered himself to jump inside King Ziki’s dragon form. While the others battled him from the outside, he could deal more effective damage from the inside, given the fact that he too was inherently of a fire nature. King Ziki was revealed to bee an agent of Sapients. Anaxagore was an agent of ‘The Three’.

The clash of chaos versus order was one set by destiny. Victory was ascribed to the one with greater will, or perhaps the whimsy of Fortune.


Tag: @Shadowsun ( @Ktala, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Kurisan, @Mitth_Fisto, @galactic-vagabond422, @Darth_Elu, @Master Vo'Un'Var *mentioned )

 

Taella



It was happening again. The ordeal from the trials. Her worst nightmare.

Bound and being handled by countless goblin hands in the black pit, Taella struggled furiously, but helplessly. They were merciless. The torment was too much. She prayed for blissful unconsciousness to take her away.

Then Zalzabar reached down into her well of despair and tore her away from the clawing goblins. The ropes fell away as his lightning flickered all over her body. She was finally free. But she sagged, then collapsed.

Too much was happening, she was overwhelmed. The shockwaves of magical energy rebounding and reverberating around the mountains punished her inner senses. The forms of mighty dragons wrestling and roaring around her pounded her sensitive ears.

The mountains trembled and bucked and rumbled their angry reply. Taella felt like a leaf tossed about in a tumultuous storm of impossible forces.

She was on her feet again, having been grabbed by Zalzabar once more.

"Rebecca! Take Taella, Ne'tar and Cretaus and get as far down the mountain path as you can!" she heard him call out.

Her senses seemed to return to the present, like she had arisen from the depths of a lake and her head had only now broken water. She gasped in air. Then she surveyed the situation and the different forces at war. The titanic beasts ruled this battlefield. It was indeed best for her and the others to vacate lest they prove a distraction for the dragonkin.

For a moment, Taella rued her failure, once more needing a rescue.

She shook off the biting shame. She would make up for it now. But... Oh, my weapons!

How Zalzabar had done it, she could not know, but sitting there beside her on the rocks, her bow and quiver, and longdagger. It is because there is magic in their crafting, she decided. The Dragonking can call them to him.

The explanation was not necessary at this moment. She gathered her things and drew her dagger and prepared to do her part, to help her group fight their way past the zombie goblins now swarming towards them. She scowled and spat like a cat.

For now, at least, at last, Taella was back in the game...

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Mitth_Fisto @Darth_Elu @Shadowsun

 

IC: Ne'tar
Talk of Parents

What happen next Ne'tar know no good way say, but "Sapientas both or one?" it was honest question. If some claim that one parent, that one more one. So. . .how? Ne'tar know of course other things more pressing, Goblin Elder Ryujin. Mountain falling. Undead Gobs. Many many things. "How parent?" It was surprise issue as change back into normal Ne'tar, but Ne'tar not afraid, Ne'tar still curious.

Elf girl spit, others run, Ne'tar still think. "Was Sapientas both parents?" Seeing relit Gobs he shake out of question and begin reforming his water armor. Slash and stab, spin and run. . .asking some dead gobs, "You know how? How that one parent?" Ne'tar no know why, but Ne'tar no could just let question go. Perhaps, oddly, Ne'tar wonder how one could be that, and that.

Ne'tar no ready deal, but Ne'tar fight, Ne'tar run. Try stay near rear, with elf girl as she spits at enemy. Ne'tar just want pat that on top of head. So funny. Ne'tar spit at enemy just to show her how done, big glob spit, hurl seven feet into eye of flaming Gob. Ne'tar tilt head at that to elf and gesture with sword, that how that done! Still, they need run. Ne'tar run. Ne'tar fight. And now Ne'tar spit in enemies eye!

TAG: @Kurisan , @galactic-vagabond422 , @Darth_Elu , @Shadowsun

 

Rebecca Dragon
BIG MONSTER...

Death, destruction, pain, blood, it was all in front of her. The mangled bodies of the red goblins their life force staining the ground her face, her sword and her armor. It was a scene from a macabre painting. Her hand shook, her breathing was labored, both from the exertion, and the tingles that ran through her as she buried her blade into the skull of the last goblin. As she pulled her blade from the skull she heard a roar behind her. The tingles increased watching a burning red dragon appear on the horizon.

She wanted to fight it, to feel her blade sinking into the flesh of the beast, the heat of its breath. It would be a challenge like no other. With a twirl of her blade flicking the blood off she rushed towards the towering Son of Sapientis. There was no fear in her eyes, only bloodlust, only the look of a madwoman wanting the death of another being, the death of a dragon, for no other reason than to do it.

Her blood covered face was split into a smile, fire burned in her veins, finally a challenge. It grew in her eyes, until it blocked out what sun there was, and her blood was singing. It was so close…

"Rebecca! Take Taella, Ne'tar and Cretaus and get as far down the mountain path as you can!" Zalzabar called out, stopping the merc in her tracks. A huff left her nostrils. The greatest monster she'd ever seen and she was being told to just walk away, to defend others. The smile turned to a sneer. How dare he, he knew what she was, a monster that fought monsters, and here it was, the most powerful monster in the world right in front of her. She looked to the pay master, and his second, Dominus. The snow elf's stern expression made her more agitated. Her blood screamed, it burned in her veins.

"KILLKILLKILLKILLKILL."

But, she could hear another voice.

"Promise me you will not let your blood consume you."

An order had been given, a command from the man funding this venture. She had a code, she did what she was paid to do, nothing more.

The fight in her body, between her blood and her heart played out on her face. The snarl on her lips, the flaring nostrils, and her eyes darting back and forth between the mighty dragon and the reanimated goblins.

With a growl she turned away from the dragon's fighting on the mountain side. With heavy steps she rushed down towards the group she was told to escort. The Kid was lagging behind, and they couldn't have that.

"Move it Kid." She bellowed as she put her hand on his lower back and pushed him forward with a mighty shove. Running in between Bright Eyes and Baldy she brought her sword down on the first goblin she came to. She would be the vanguard leading this group through the undead monsters. Her and the clone of Anaxagore started cutting their way through creating a path of bodies.

"Follow me."

TAG: @Darth_Elu @Kurisan @Mitth_Fisto @Shadowsun

 

Cretaus IC:
~RUN!~

A lot was happening now and quickly. He and the Anaxagore Clone kept their defenses as strong as they could while fighting with and protecting Esenma. Soon enough they had felled the last one and Cretaus just stood hunched over, barely able to catch his breath while looking over to see Anaxagore becoming injured and falling some distance away.

"Anaxagore!"

The ryujin recovered of course, but it was still frightening to see.

Still, he managed to also notice Zalzabar rescue Taella, which by contrast, he was very happy to see. There was only the slightest pause though before King Zikki was transforming and roaring about being the son of Sapientis of all people and turning into a dragon himself. Somehow he wasn't surprised by this at this point in time. But Zikki's size and clear strength were surprising!

With a strange form of magic, Anaxagore's Clone was dispelled and he was left standing uncertainly with Esenma. What to do now? That giant dragon was going to destroy them all if they didn't do something!!

"Fear not peasants! The heir of the Three has arrived!"

The teen blinked as Kaynus in dragon form reappeared and began attacking the horrible behemoth, distracting him long enough via an awesome display of power, to get Zalzabar and the others moving again.

"Rebecca! Take Taella, Ne'tar and Cretaus and get as far down the mountain path as you can!"

Yeah...probably wise. What the heck could he do against that?

"Be...Be careful, Esenma," he told her before backing up, turning, and fleeing in the direction their leader wanted them to go.

It wasn't quite fast enough given his uncertainty, exhaustion, and the snow underfoot. Rebecca was coming up behind and shoving him forward faster, catching him by surprise.

"Oof!"

"Move it Kid."

"S-Sorry!" he replied breathlessly as he did his best to pick up the pace and run as fast as he could.

It was only then, as he rejoined Taella and Ne'tar behind Rebecca, that he noticed undead goblins rising up. He gulped before glancing over to see a reformed Anaxagore Clone joining them.

The clone gave him an encouraging nod and a thumbs up before turning his attention and concentration on the matter at hand, quickly cleaving a path forward with the Laughing Butcher in the front.

Ne'tar and Taella seemed to be spitting at the enemies as well while taking them down, but he barely noticed. He just held up his sword and began slashing at anything that came close while he ran.

Don't stop, just keep moving and swinging...moving and swinging...

His hands tightened on the hilt of his new weapon and he allowed his eyes to constantly track the enemy movements and any opening for him and his companions to move through incase any got around Rebecca and Anaxagore Clone.

Man. Being an adventurer was hard work!

Tag: Esenma, Rebecca, Anaxagore Clone, Ne'tar, Taella, and Undead Goblins

@The Jedi in the Pumas @galactic-vagabond422 @greyjedi125 @Mitth_Fisto @Kurisan @Shadowsun

 

Delsanra Taenya Helestina
A goblin what?!


Delsanra was finding the mages in the goblins more of a pain than she had thought they would be, when suddenly...

"Fear not peasants! The heir of the Three has arrived!"

A bright beam of light came thundering down, seemingly from the sky, piercing the Goblin King’s neck with righteous fury - in the proverbial nick of time.

“Kaynus?”

As if to answer, Kaynu’s dragon form leapt in and tangled with the Goblin King, immediately biting down on the neck wound it had just inflicted with its powerful jaws.

If Delsanra wasn't busy, she would have stood there in awe at the moment. But far too much was going on, to get that distracted. Also, Lord Zalzabar was busy yelling out instructions.

"Anaxagore, Delsanra, and Dominus we only have this chance to take him out, after that..."

"Understood!"

Delsanra created a clone of herself to stand where she was standing..no, where she had been standing. She herself found appeared standing next to Dominus, making sure she appeared someplace he would not immediately swing at if startled.

"I have an idea, and with your help it is possible," she stated, as she glared at the whatever it was the goblin-king had now turned himself into. If Dominus agreed, it would free her up to deal some more with the rest of the horde as well.


Tag: @Shadowsun @greyjedi125, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Kurisan, @Mitth_Fisto, @galactic-vagabond422, @Darth_Elu, (@Master Vo'Un'Var *mentioned )

 

The Son of Sapientis
​

As Kaynus and Zikki continued to wrestle, the very ground shaking in an epic orchestra of their struggle the others began to make their moves. The disgruntled Rebecca began to make her move, Zalzabar catching her moment of annoyance and also her professionalism. The five of them, Cretaus, Ne'tar, Taella, and Rebecca, along with Anaxagore's clone. As Rebecca and the clone cleaved the path forward through the ever-thickening hordes of the fire zombie goblins with the others supporting them, they would begin to notice the two dragons that had been on this side, rise up from their dead mass, their eyes now lit with this fire of undeath.

Ruberot Fire Zombie
​

It would not take long for the group to become surrounded, the chattering mix of the now stronger goblins, cause the warriors to become bogged down, their bodies becoming ever harder to cut through. The two zombie dragons came sweeping in, one breathing a gust of fire directed over the entire group, the other taking a lumbering attack at Rebecca. To say they were in a bad spot would only be the start of it.

TAG: @greyjedi125 @galactic-vagabond422 @Kurisan @Darth_Elu @Mitth_Fisto (Combo!)

---

As the mostly non-ryujin group was being swarmed by goblins, the others had their own issues to deal with, the shaking from the dragon's wrestling had begun to loosen parts of the mountainside, great pieces of rock falling down blocking the mountain pass from which they had journeyed, not that it mattered particularly. Zikki would notice Anaxagore come at him, the elder dragon sensing the fire nature within the adept. A deep guttural laugh echoed through the mountainside as fire exploded off the dragon. The snow all around their side of the battlefield would melt away in a matter of moments. Kaynus began to how in pain as his majestic form began to char. Anaxagore would find the sheer intensity of the heat beyond anything he could imagine, even for him of the fire nature, Zikki's mastery of the magic school was clearly in a different league to his. In fact, Anaxagore felt that if he were of the fire nature he would have been burnt to a crisp in that moment.

Zikki would then refocus his attention on Kaynus, as Zalzabar grimaced and launched several arcs of intense lightning toward the elder dragon, each of them making a deep burning mark in the dragon. He would swipe in the direction of Zalzabar and torrent of hot earth rising up as it began to swarm around the lightning ryujin. A bolt of lightning descended from the heavens where he stood, Zalzabar disappearing to beside Dominus.

The Knight of Power felt the presence of his fellow snow elf, his eyes still in disbelief at what was happening. He had seen many things, many of them gruesome and terribly, but the sight of this supposed son of Sapientis. It shook him to his core. His first instinct was to transform into his dragon form, charge headlong into the foe and support Kaynus.

"I have an idea, and with your help it is possible,"

He nodded his head as Zalzabar appeared next to them, a bolt of lightning descending as he did so. He was covered in sweat, Dominus surprised at the action he had taken, it was rare for Zalzabar to use his lightning teleportation, it was often too much for him, and now...

He turned to Delsanra, his eyes a mixture of concern and determination.

"What do you have in mind?"

TAG: @greyjedi125 @Ktala @The Jedi in the Pumas (Combo! Although Pumas you may do a single post first if you wish)

 

Esenma
-Head in the Clouds

She gave a concerned look at this "Son of Sapientis" as the fight raged on. An Elder by the aura he was putting off, yet she did not get the sense that he was any different than most of the Elders she had met in her lifetime. A Goblin Elder Ryujin...certainly was not impossible; clearly not, as that was what was now threatening them. She dropped her gaze to Zalzabar as she ruffled through her bag, searching for a scroll that would come in handy at a time like this. Esenma chuckled to herself and snapped her fingers. Her large bubble elemental reemerged and she plopped herself atop him as he rose to the sky, away from the mountain.

Now...to think. She did not have the energy or lifeforce to take down an Elder after summoning Exalos the day before and the fighting was taking a toll. She was not fully recovered. Zikki was powerful and was at an elemental advantage with his earth nature against her wind nature. However, she doubted that her Elder Form would be overmatched even by the goblin King. The problem, of course, being that she did not know how many more transformations she had left and she was worried about being out of commission for however long the transformation made her unable to walk. They were still not safe and given how this adventure was starting, she doubted they would be what one could consider safe until its completion.

Her elemental continued to rise to the clouds. Kaynus' presence made an all out attack from the skies hard to guarantee the young ryujin's safety. This was quite the conundrum. From the skies, she continued to weigh her options as the others battled below. The scroll she had retrieved from her bag was opened in front of her by the wind. She pressed her hands together in a praying motion as the Winds from the North, her home, Taetus, poured out and swirled around her furiously. Cold...Chilling...Harsh and heartless...Even these words failed to describe the breathtaking ice winds that circled around Esenma and began freezing the clouds around her. She would control it with her aura, as her magic was nearing its limits. Soon, she knew, an opportunity would present itself for her to strike. She could rely on the others...They would come through. She jokingly had called them children before and to her they were, but they were the future and she had to trust in the future.

Tag: All

 

OOC: Lil' combo between myself and the great @galactic-vagabond422, @Mitth_Fisto, and @Shadowsun who is also controlling Taella for now on behalf of @Kurisan. I was also given permission from both the GM and @greyjedi125 to control the clone of Anaxagore during this combo.

Rebecca, Ne'tar, Cretaus, & Taella IC:
~Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire~

Rebecca's sword began to slow, the burning bodies of the reanimated goblins starting to grow stronger and stronger. Soon instead of simply cutting them in half, she merely buried her blade part way into their chests and soon, her blade was bouncing off entirely. This made things very difficult for her to continue making her way through the mass of bodies. The gathered cinder zombies started to make Rebecca sweat, their heat almost feeling like an oven.

Then the fun really started as the pair of dragons so easily dispatched, rose again. One bathed the group in fire, the armored merc moved Cretaus out of the way of the roaring flames. The burning heat seared her skin in her armored but, she fought through. Coming up she met the meat of an burning undead claw. Her feet left the ground her body flying through the air before crashing back first into the mass of goblins.

Ne'tar see them be in trouble, too many flame gobs too few Ne'tar fighters! Ne'tar slash and dash, but soon no more dash as more flame gobs now be harder, blade not bite as it did. Ne'tar keep chant go, keep water armor reforming, Ne'tar no think it be enough.

Ne'tar then see pair flame dragon! Ne'tar know not his, Ne'tar behead his kill! That leave others. Ne'tar though have trouble of fire! Of Claw! Ne'tar try move to others, expand water armor for them! Ne'tar need group, group need Ne'tar fight mass of gobs!

As they raced away from the Elder Dragon now battling their own adept level or higher ryujin members, the clone of Anaxagore kept pace with Rebecca, cleaving the reanimated and fiery goblins as quickly as possible. His brow furrowing at how different striking them down felt from before.

Cretaus kept up as quickly as he could not far behind them, close to both Ne'tar and Taella, his blade swinging as quickly as it could while keeping in mind his morning lessons. But like the others, slowly started finding the task becoming increasingly difficult. His sword not biting into the undead as much as he hoped and sometimes just bouncing right off. As this started occurring more and more, he moved closer toward the Anaxagore clone as assurance.

The teenager only just barely noticing the risen dragons right before the flame breath was sent in their direction, his eyes widening at the onset of the attack. In the nick of time, he found himself hauled backwards roughly by Rebecca and was thankful for her intervention. Watching her fight the fire made him worry all the same.

Desperately wondering what to do, as he batted away a couple of opportunistic undead, he found the warrior launched back into the enemy mass and couldn't help yell out "No!"

"Taella, fire around Rebecca!"

Anaxagore-Clone shouted in an attempt to keep her from being overwhelmed while simultaneously launching himself toward the dragon that had just recently assaulted them with flames. He was more at an advantage against these foes due to his fire nature and it would be best to put down the biggest threats first. He'd have preffered to help Rebecca, but it wouldn't due to have the dragon going a second time while his back was turned!

Cretaus himself started keeping closer to Ne'tar after all this, though he looked at him briefly. "Think you can get her out of there?"

He too wanted to rescue Rebecca, but there was no way he'd be able to breach the enemies she fell into himself. Not at his level, but maybe between the elf and orc...they could?

As they continued to slice through the goblins they would find that they quickly turned to a hot, thick, viscous sludge, pooling around their feet, the snow around these puddles melting quickly.

Taella continued to loose arrow after arrow, each finding their mark with ease, her daggers whipping out to slash at any that came too close.

The fire of the one ruberot dragon clashed with Ne'tar's water armor, becoming stilled as steam rose up between them, the zombie dragon snarling in frustration.

Rebecca was in the thick of hit, her heavy armor coupled with the heat of the goblins were likely to cause issues, the only saving grace was the naturally cold air of the mountains. Not that there was much left of that.

The Wood elf heard the clone of Anaxagore's command, noting the swarming goblins around Rebecca, firing her arrows as multiple shots found their mark in their skulls, their bodies becoming hot pools of sludge. Between her and Rebecca it would not take long for the front section of goblins to disperse.

The dragon that had been by Rebecca set its sights on Cretaus, its loosened jaw opening wide as it made a lunging motion with its head toward Cretaus.

The other one by Ne'tar would see that several splashes of water caused its skin to harden and crumble away. It pressed forward its maw opened wide attempting to bite off Ne'tar's face.

The dragon lunged for Cretaus, but it would not find purchase in the teenager as the clone of Anaxagore, foolishly ignored, continued his airborne lunge at the dragon and struck his sword into the side of its own lunging neck. The force of the impact as well as his momentum knocked the creature over onto its side, which caused 'Anaxagore' to continue trying to dig his blade into their neck and sever the head clean off as it attempted to right itself at the same time.

Cretaus himself meanwhile breathed a huge sigh of relief at the timely save, he having backed up into Ne'tar further when noticing the dragon. His back was now all wet, but that was an annoyance he could focus on later...if he could get a later! He was jostled further as the orc moved around, fighting back against a different dragon. So much for saving Rebecca, he had his hands full!

Grimacing, he did his best to chop, parry, and thrust as he had been instructed (mindful of his feet placements when he could spare a half-second thought) that morning before finding the earliest opening possible and then running toward where Taella had shot down a bunch of fiery goblins.

He held out a hand toward the Laughing Butcher in an attempt to help her to her feet as quickly as possible, "Rebecca!"

The moment she was back on her feet, he was turning and swinging his sword in a wide arc to force back those charging behind him, a grunt emitting from his mouth as he did so.

In a mass of red and fire, the warrior struggled to find her feet. Her blade swung this way and that catching bits of goblin and not much else. Everytime she almost got up another hand would pull her back down. The bodies were stacking up around her but so was the heat, the only respite was when the mountain winds would howl through the valley. Her muscles began to ache, and it was becoming harder to move. The fear of death began to wrap around her but she didn't freeze. She fought back twice as hard, laughing all the while. If this was how she died it would be surrounded, buried under the dead she created. As her vision began to darken and burn she saw a hand reach out.

Without a second thought she grabbed hold and used it to get to her feet. Finding the Kid on the other side she furrowed her brow. Getting assistance from the boy was embarrassing but, in the morass of combat it was likely no one saw it, or at least she hoped. Her blade came down with a terrible crash into the goblins slowly chipping away at them.

"Keep moving." she called out starting to carve a new path. They had to keep moving, lest the risen over took them.

Ne'tar pick up chant faster as water boil off to fire! Grin spread Ne'tar cheeks as Ryujin fire try again with snapping jaw at Ne'tar head as Ne'tar saw what Ryujin gob must of, water cause hard skin fall off! Ne'tar want to cry out 'Eat me!' to the thing, but it already try that now.

With water flowing to encase his blade as Ne'tar keep drawing more and more melted snow to him to make armor larger and larger with hope to grow bubble around him and others. Ne'tar thrust sword into approaching maw, with shout Ne'tar cause burst of fast hard water into maw and at roof gob Ryujin mouth! Ne'tar hope blast away head. Then Ne'tar could see about make way to lost member of group.

The blast from Ne'tar's water attack caused the entire top half of the ryujin's head to harden and then explode in a flurry of hardened rock., giving way as the rest of it collapsed into a pile of sludge. Taella continued to let loose arrows, darting to and fro looking over everyone's blind spots.

The other dragon was still on the floor rising up to tackle the clone of Anaxagore, which then began to lunge round to defend the group before he disappeared, popping out of existence as if he was never there. The zombified goblins now thinking out as they continued to make their way from the large thunderous noises and flashing lights of the epic battle commencing with Zikki and the other ryujin.

They would then notice the sludge that had been around them begin to form together. Sliding along past their feet to the opposite side and congealing into one large form. A towering manifestation of fire and rock that blocked their pathway.


From the way, they had come the remaining goblin ryujin smacked its tail against the ground, a wave of fire barreling towards to envelope them all in flame.

Ne'tar smile grow as Ne'tar see gob Ryujin break apart from Ne'tar water blast! HA! Ne'tar not happy long though. Ne'tar see sludge flow, mess Ne'tar shoes. That hard to clean.

Then all flow into earthen mound of sludgy fire gnome. Very big one! Ne'tar see other one Ne'tar no kill and others no kill wave fire at them. Ne'tar cry out, "Huddle Ne'tar! Ne'tar bubble!" then Ne'tar begin new chant, heavy chant make Ne'tar brow knit and Ne'tar wet with not water!

Ne'tar call all water, all armor, all water together to form bubble around group. Ne'tar want bubble in bubble on each them too! Ne'tar make all fast and strong as Ne'tar can, Ne'tar use all time and focus to make bubbles strong, make bubbles thick, make water stronger than stone!

Nodding at Rebecca's words, Cretaus swung his sword around at the undead goblins in a renewed attempt at pressing forward. He alternated between quick one handed strikes and stronger two handed blows when he felt they were necessary as had been instructed to him. They weren't the greatest, still fairly sloppy...but they got the job done at least. If anything, he felt like he did a solid job of quickly spotting the enemy's movements to quickly decide between which kind of strike to use.

Part of those few things he was naturally good at. Spatial awareness and swift observation.

When Ne'tar dropped another dragon, he almost let out a breath of relief before the sludge formed ahead of them (he danced away from it as it slipped by initially, unsure of what it was going to do) and created...that thing.

"How are we going to get past it!?"

And then came the roar and fire attack from the last enemy ryujin. Cretaus' eyes widened, but then moved quickly at Ne'tar's urging. Huddle him? Must have a plan! Cause he had none whatsoever!

Good thing he listened so quickly, because it appeared like the orc did indeed have a plan. Using his water to form bubble shields around them and attempt to block the incoming fire. Cretaus would peek over at the giant thing that had formed however, still wondering what to do about it when he furrowed his brow.

Where had Anaxagore, or his clone rather, gone?

Rebecca shook her head seeing the Kid's wild swings with his sword. He was getting there but it was still rough, Pretty Boy would have to have to work a lot with him to get that up to snuff. That was a problem for another time. Right now she was carving her way through the goblins on her side watching the Clone be dismissed from existence before a gout of flame came racing toward her. A call for her to come close to Baldy was heard and though her blood welcomed the pain and the heat , she knew deep down she couldn't survive that heat. Quickly she stepped into the sphere hearing her armor sizzle as she breached the barrier.

It was only then she saw the towering lava giant that blocked their path.

"This just keeps getting better."

The massive fire golem began to rain blows upon the water barrier that Ne'tar had conjured around them. Its cracked, magma-like frame hardening as it came in contact with the water, a roar of anguish as it did so. This thing was clearly not very intelligent. The goblin ryujin on the opposite side let out a torrent of flame, attempting to boil the water and those within.

The golem then began to reshape its hands and upper arms, becoming moving arms of earth as he began to beat down on the dome once more. It was channeling its aura with each blow, attempting to overwhelm the half-orcs defenses. With each passing second, the strain on Ne'tar would only increase, requiring all his focus to maintain the boundary. Stepping outside of it would be suicide.

And just when it felt like it would be too much for the half-orc, gaps forming in the water dome, the two undead beings began to collapse, becoming lifeless pools of slunge. Taella and Ne'tar would both feel it, the aura of the elder dragon known as Zikki had disappeared.

Tag: Everyone on the Battlefield

@Shadowsun @galactic-vagabond422 @Mitth_Fisto @Kurisan (courtesy tag for Taella's involvement) @greyjedi125 @Ktala @The Jedi in the Pumas @Master Vo'Un'Var (for story reading purposes/courtesy tag for Kaynus' involvement)

 

Super duper Ryujin combo!! Enjoy!

**************************************************

Anaxagore, Delsanra, Dominus, Esenma & Zalzabar
Epic Ryujin Battle

He’d never felt anything so frighteningly powerful before, so primal and nigh overwhelming. Despite his fire nature, King Zikki’s flames had nearly undone Anaxagore. The adept Ryujin, just for a split second, thought he might perish, but he did not.

He'd gasped for life, before instinctually moving away. Anaxagore could feel how his skin had boiled inside his protective armor. The armored Ryujin gritted his teeth at the intense pain caused by the blisters and burns he’d rather not think about at the moment. His flesh was smoking, was maybe even charred in places, but inspiration had accompanied that moment as well.

With purpose, he moved close to the others for the moment, for he wished to strategize, especially after hearing Delsanra speak.

"I have an idea, and with your help it is possible.”

“What do you have in mind?” Dominus did inquire.

“I too have an idea…” Anaxagore was quick to interject. “But I’ll wait after Delsanra.”

For a moment, the armored Ryujin tracked Esenma as she rose high in the sky. The air around her changed, for she was certainly up to something. Anaxagore winced as he felt the blisters on his back against his armor, but he ignored such pain. As a Ryujin Protector, he was duty bound to serve to his last, especially against Sapientis and his agents, and nothing would keep him from his vow to The Three. It could be that only Zalzabar understood his level of commitment.

Inwardly, Anaxagore prayed everyone would manage to survive the daunting confrontation against goblin King Zikki, Elder Ryujin and First Son of Sapientis.

"I have an idea, and with your help it is possible.” Delsanra told Dominus just as Zalzabar joined them, a bolt of lighting hitting the ground beside them.

“What do you have in mind?” Dominus asked. They were quickly joined by Anaxagore.

“I too have an idea…” Anaxagore was quick to interject. “But I’ll wait after Delsanra.”

Delsanra gave a dark smile. "I can also channel my spell thru another." She looked over at Dominus. "You know what my bloodburn spell can do. I can touch your weapons, and channel my spell through you to your weapons. All you need is draw blood, and my spell will release." I can then use my other spells do deal with the rest of the horde."

Delsanra turned to look over at Axaxagore. "What is your idea?" she asked him. Perhaps they could put several ideas together. As she waited for his response, she scanned the area.

Delsanra looked other to where the others had gone. She would need to think of a spell to deal with a mass of creatures threatening to overrun them but not hurting the others. A possible idea came to mind.

Anaxagore nodded his approval at Delsanra's idea, for several reasons he could not get into at the moment.

"King Zikki's fire control is above even my own ability, but I can still attempt to thwart his efforts by linking to his fire, attempting to bind it. I think it's worth a shot, as it might force him to make a mistake."

That was the simplified version and the only one he had time to share. Anaxagore waited for responses, even as he mentally looked into the others by way of his connection to the clone he had created earlier and now lent its martial assistance.

Dominus gave a firm nod, his gaze turning to Zalzabar who at this point was on one knee panting, the teleportation having taken more out of him than he had expected.

"Expect I have no weapons..." which was true, his sword having been left at the rubble of Zalzabar's castle, he then let out his right arm, it began to shift into a unified hardened sword-like appendage.

"Will this work? Anaxagore if you try to distract him with your plan I might be able to sweep in with a clean shot, otherwise, there is no way I can get in close enough with all the heat he is giving off,"

Zalzabar then stood, clasping the shoulder of Dominus, leaning on him to support himself.

"I can attempt to distract him too, we can... go off your signal Anaxagore,"

As they were discussing their plan, Kaynus's draconic scales only continued to char, Zikki clearly having the up hand on the adept, his thick magma-like claws digging into the dragon of light as he tossed the mighty creature to the side, almost falling over the edge of the mountain side as he reverted back to human form, unconscious and deeply wounded. They would only have a few moments before Zikki would be upon them.

Esenma saw Kaynus revert back to his human form. Zikki's magma and intense heat was making it hard for the ones on the ground to combat him. His aura was as intense as the heat that poured off from his Elder body. Esenma chuckled as her own aura continued to move the winds that spewed forth from her Taetian Scroll. The cold winds continued to expand high above the mountain as the clouds began to swirl around the elder mage.



Cold. The surrounding area began to get very cold. Colder than the mountains had been before. Colder than the mountains that had surrounded Zalzy's castle. These were Winds from the Northern Realm. They bit into flesh and weighed down those who were not used to them. To Esenma, how they felt...the smell...It reminded her of home. Through the cold, a warm smile resonated across her face. She closed her eyes and opened them after only a second of pause to reveal her pupils now resembling those of a draconic persuasion. Her ryujin aura poured out from her. Caelum's daughter pulled the Winds of the North into a controlled spiral before sending the vortex down to the mountain, surrounding Zikki, Zalzabar, Dominus, and the three powerful adepts. No winds would harm them, but the temperature would drop to below freezing temperatures.

Esenma was completely focused on maintaining this vortex. Zikki's heat vs Her Cold. It was not her battle, however. With this cold, she hoped that Delsanra's natural affinity would be boosted and that Zikki's heat would be funneled upwards. Heat rises. Possibly making an opening for Anaxagore and the others to land strikes on Zikki's body.

The sky darkened, the temperature fell to freezing degrees and the time for words was over. Everyone had a part to play. Anaxagore would later remind himself to be exceedingly impressed with both Lady Esenma and Lord Zalzabar. The Daughter of Caelum's sheer power and control over the elements seemed to have no equal, attaining a level a Mastery matched only by Zalzabar, the Lord of Lightning. Elemental teleportation was likely next to impossible to master, aside from being a completely enviable technique. Anaxagore had some critically challenging goals ahead of him.

Seeing both Elders level of control on display only emboldened the Adept Ryujin, even as Anaxagore followed through with his plan. Bellowing a warrior's yell, he boldly stepped inside King Zikki's flaming area of effect, seamlessly creating a link to the Elder Ryujin's flames vi their shared nature. Anaxagore continued tor focus as he bellowed with much ferocity, the sound echoing on the embattled mountains. To give himself a fighting chance, Anaxagore absorbed his armor into his flesh to make it more durable, hoping it would be enough to lessen the effects of Zikki's flames on his body. As planned by the enigmatic Esenma, her cold-snap did lend a great measure to Anaxagore's survival.

In that moment, Anaxagore zeroed in on understanding Zikki's flame, even on a basic level. He knew he would have to resist any Sapientis influence he might encounter, for in fact, he expected it, and was ready. His mind was set. Once grasping the basics of Zikki's flame, Anaxagore began to tug with his Willpower, in an attempt to thwart Zikki's flame control. In his mind, Anaxagore could feel the fierce intensity, the struggle of the Wills, in his body, he could feel his opponent's flame attempting to change him, to supersede his will, to translate him into an abomination- but he was an agent of The Three, a Protector of Regnum, and his vow would remain inviolate.



"RROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRR!!!"

Anaxagore bellowed once again at King Zikki in fierce defiance. The Son of Sapientis would fall today. The Lord of Lightning, The Daughter of Caelum, the Mistress of Arcana, the Young Protector, even Kaynus- and all who presently defended Regnum, would see to his defeat.

Delsanra nodded quickly. "It will work. And I can lend you something else as well, to deal with the heat that creature is putting off." Then, Delsanra became instantly aware of the dropping temperatures, courtesy of Auntie! "Excellent!" she exclaimed, as she held out an arm, which seemed to suddenly switch into a dragon's arm.

"ICE ARMOR" she intoned softly. She looked towards Dominus and Zalzabar. "It will protect you from the heat, and it will not interfere with your own abilities." She looked over at Anaxagore and quickly noticed that he had already moved to engage the goblin Ryuin. She decided that he did not need her assistance.

After she shared the spell with the others, she then quickly turned her attention to the other goblins, drawing her own dagger. With a boost from Esenma she called down ice death, this time using very large thick walls of ice several feet thick on the enemy. Even with the heat, the very weight of the ice would take out the living creatures. She also joined in dropping the temperatures around them, to deal with the flaming undead ones next.

Dominus felt the ice armor flow over him, his shifting muscles accepting it as it formed into place. His sword-like hand becoming embued with the bloodburn spell, ready to inflict pain into the Son of Sapientis. Zalzabar was still on one knee, an arm gestured out attempting to stop Anaxagore, but he was too weak, a few quiet words escaping his lips.

"No... don't..."

It would do no good, the adept ryujin off before he could hear. He then looked to Dominus the plea in his eyes clear.

Kill the goblin.

The snow elf nodded, looking up to the sky feeling the coldness swell around them, feeling invigorated in it.

Zikki had having now noticed the vortex, the intense heat off him having eroded, he began to charge toward the small group of warriors, his movements becoming slow and lumbering. The lack of heat was weakening him, the adventurers would be able to see him struggling against it, he was covered in steam as he desperately tried to keep himself warm.

But then he felt it, the link to another source of Fire.

Dominus charged up to the currently still Zikki, it was as if it was caught in a trance, not moving a single muscle, he leapt up into the air, his sword arm point directly for a soft spot along its neck.

Anaxagore would feel the link connect and feel the sensation of a deep dark fire, he was linked to the soul of Zikki. He would see a tall humanoid figure, bathed in fire, with long flowing hair and staff held in his hand, his face was obscured by the dark fire, but Anaxagore could see his eyes.

Piercing.

Menacing.

They struck right through his soul.

"You are the protector of Aequus? You are nothing but a child, who barely knows how to walk,"

Anaxagore would feel dark fire overwhelm him, so bright and intense, he felt like a smoldering fire in comparison. This was not the fire of Zikki, it was something far older and far more powerful pure and utter darkness. It was as if his blood was being drained from his body. The life force sucked out of to be consumed by Zikki.

He would snap back to reality, his body weak as he collapsed to the ground, he would also feel his clone disappear, there was not enough energy to sustain it.

In that same moment, the energy off Zikki exploded, Dominus feeling the ice armor melt away as he stumbled with the blade, glancing off nothing but scales as he was blasted back from the sheer intensity of the heat. He fell to the ground his body charred and burned, his face unrecognizable, the faintest of movements as it slowly began to patch itself together.

Zalzabar cried out in horror, he then hobbled over to Anaxagore, his hand arm scooping behind his head as he placed his other hand on his chest. The young man felt so cold, so very cold.

"Take some of mine,"

Anaxagore would feel Zalzabar's lightning crackle throughout him, his body becoming jumpstarted back to efficiency but the pain was still there.

As this happened Zikki looked up at where Esenma was floating, the entire vortex itself was too large to hide where the power source came from, even for her. The vortex had become dispelled, the fires along Zikki's back blazing with great intensity as he unfurled his wings, launching himself straight up at the elder dragon. His maw open in a gruesome display, hot red fire bursting out of it aimed directly at Esenma.

It was the Son of Sapientis against the Daughter of Caelum, who would survive?

Far above the colliding forces, Esenma could sense Anaxagore's drop in aura and Zikki's surge of power and heat. Something had gone wrong, horribly so. It would only be a matter of time before Zikki turned his attention to her. The Elder Wind Mage rolled her Northern Wind scroll up, quickly tucking it back in her bag. Her elemental responded to her whim and began to rise in the air quickly, high into the atmosphere. Esenma's caramel bronze skin began to peel away in small tatters. Zikki had lifted off the ground; he was making his way towards her. A scaly layer of azure skin revealed itself underneath the last remaining bits of Esenma's human form as her clothes ripped and drifted off into the clouds below. She felt the burning of her ryujin blood. She felt...

Alive.




Her elder ryujin form dispelled her elemental and soared high above the world, her small group no longer visible at this height. Her wings spread wide, expelling devastating atmosphere shifting winds. Zikki was coming at her, expelling an eruption of a fireball towards her. Esenma's claws formed an enclosed sphere of rotating wind. She expanded it to the size of a small house as Zikki's fire approached and the sphere pulled the fire within it, spinning the fire in upon itself. The sphere shrank back to its original size before the dragonfire was suffocated out of existence. Esenma was in her element. If Zikki was as old as he claimed, then he knew of the tales; the tales of the dominant Sky Dragon Esenma.

"SPELL do SWORDDE do LOK ZIND." Esenma spoke in an ancient tongue. Wind swords surrounded Esenma and Zikki in a dome. Everywhere Zikki would look there would be no exit from Esenma's realm, though no true son of Sapientis would want an escape from such a formidable opponent.



Esenma flapped her wings and large sword after large sword flew towards Zikki's molten frame to impale the Elder.

Delsanra was in shock. And then she was angry. An angry that threated to engulf everything. Their spell of cold was working into Anaxagore attacked with fire. And the Elder goblin sucked him dry of his heat, and then attacked him, dropping him like a rock.

Dominus was next to fall, charred badly. And Esenma turned to her full form. But Delsanra could not stand back to watch.

She had to act. THe Goblin was busy with a Esenma, so he might not notice.

She knelt down, concentrating with great intensity even as Zalzabar was dealing with Anaxagore. She flipped her dagger, palming it. She then suddenly ran, at full speed towards the goblin king. Her ice armor covering her. She tried to boost it as high as she could, for what would come next.

At the last moment, knowing of Esenmas attack from above, she teleported to his side. The blast of heat that hit her nearly staggered her as she reached the spot. It was as if she was standing next to a live volcano, and the air was so thick with the heat, that she could barely breathe. But she pressed on, even as her ice armor melted around her, her throat ragged with heat. She then phase-shifted, and even then she could still feel the intensity of the heat. She dropped her cloak and continued to move. Her lungs burned. She was sweating. She swore she could feel her skin start to sting and peel, even in a phase-shifted state, but she kept moving, to move thru him.....but as she exited out she left her dagger behind, plunging it as she let it go. She did her best to exit from the back so that she would not be attacked.

Hopefully, she would land close to where Dominus fell, so she could get him out of the way. She hoped she would be near the snow by the time the phase shift ended so that she could hit the snow, and get clear of Esenma's attack.

Anaxagore ‘came back’ to the world of the living, thanks to Lord Zalzabar. The Ryujin protector drew a life giving breath after being ‘jumpstarted’ by the mighty Lord of Lightning.

Anaxagore’s bliss filled disorientation lasted only a few seconds as the sights and sounds reminded him of who he was and what was transpiring. The blinding pain that suddenly shot through his entire body cleaved him to the immediate moment. His skin and flesh were blackened and cracked, charred like Dominus who lay blackened and unconscious not too far from him.

Goblin King Zikki was flying up towards Lady Esenma who had taken her Ryujin form.

Anaxagore felt immense paralyzing pain. However, his mind gifted him with a boon of mercy, blocking the memory of what he had experienced when linked to Zikki’s corrupt flame. That would be a nightmare for later. Right now, he gritted his teeth, set his jaw and recalled his vow to The Three. He would protect Regnum - to the last.

Groaning as he rose to his feet, Anaxagore looked up and tracked King Zikki.

In that moment, using all the energy he had left, the young warrior transformed into his own Ryujin form, which also bore the marks of his injuries, but Anaxagore was much too focused on the task at hand. He would lend his borrowed strength to finish this. He could see with his draconic eyes, Lady Esenma’s Epic Attack: Rain of Infinite Blades. He’d also caught Delsanra’s brave run, but he could not stop now to assist anyone, no matter how much he wished to do so. The threat needed to be neutralized at all costs. This was going to take everything he had.

Energy coalesced in his maw and became super charged. Lord Zalzabar's ionizing jolt had done the trick. Anaxagore knew that as an Elder Ryujin, Lady Esenma had complete control of her nature and element. The clash of extreme temperatures created something new and powerful. He'd witnessed this before, and this knowledge could serve them well. The brilliant charge of energy was nearly ready.

From this angle King Zikki was vulnerable.

JUDGEMENT BEAM



The swords rained down in a dazzling display of elder might. Some were dispelled from the sheer heat that Zikki gave off his cloak of fire, others made their way through only to be too weak to pierce his hide, but most of them found their mark, impaling deeply into the Son of Sapientis. He would continue to ascend, however, unconcerned about the cage around them both, although his movements were now noticeably slower. He reached out with his claws, his maw opening to reveal the deep belly of fire within.

But before he could unleash his torrent of fury he felt a small stabbing pain inside of him. Delsanra had been able to lodge the small dagger within him, usually such a small piece of metal inside him would do nothing, but then his blood began to boil.
He roared in pain as he began to fall to the jagged ground below. The wind swords continuing to plunge through him, his heat began to cool off, allowing all of them to find their mark, great holes appearing as the goblin king's blood began to flow down. He tried desperately to seal the wound, unleashing his own burst of fire upward to the sky.

He opened his broken wings, attempting to fly away, his battered body in desperate need of healing, only to find the wind sword dome blocking his escape, and he felt it, a bright beam of energy from below. It plunged through his chest, a large gaping, seared hole now taking its place. His eyes looked down at the draconic Anaxagore.

"How?"

He then began to plummet to the ground crashing in hard. A small, guttural sound as he could barely speak,

"Father... brother..."

His eyes then grew cold, the husk of a great dragon laying still in the snow. Anaxagore would feel drained from his damages, various transformations, and almost dying multiple times. Delsanra's body, so accustomed to the sweet colds of the mountains would be marred with burns, in time her body would heal, having the blessing of the Three to thank for that, but it would take time, and far longer than it would for Dominus. Esenma in full display of her draconic prowess would still be hovering above, able to see that any remaining zombie goblins had collapsed at the same time Zikki had done so. Kaynus still laid off to the side, his body too covered in burns, although the healing was already noticeable.

His vision was becoming fuzzy with increasing rapidity, the edges of his sight darkening. Anaxagore felt a weakness he had never felt before, not like this, never so complete. He had reverted back to human form without a conscious thought, completely against his will. He was completely spent, more than spent- he was wasted. The weak smile on his face disappeared under the spasms that now wracked his collapsing body. The Ryujin would convulse for several moments, then pass out. However, an odd smile would remain on his cramping features.

Anaxagore had not surrendered to unconsciousness, not at all, he had been taken by it as his mind shut down due to how far he'd overtaxed himself. His body had taken entirely too much punishment, and technically he should be no more, if not for Lord Zalzabar himself. King Zikki, the Son of Sapientis did fall, but it could very well be that he would not fall alone.

It had taken everything two Elder Ryujin and three Adepts had to offer to accomplish this unthinkable achievement, to defeat this Son of Sapientis, and the cost for their boasting would be high indeed.

By The THREE, her body ached. But even as she felt her own pain, she moved over first to Dominus to quickly check him out. As she could see his healing was working, she then moved over to check Anaxagore had fallen, a strange look on his face.

Delsanra did have the power to heal herself and others, but she waited to see who was the most injured. She did check to make sure that Anaxagore was still breathing well. Esenma was still high above. Picking up her cloak, she slowly moved to check on Kaynus. He also seemed to be doing well, even while unconscious.

She quickly looked around, seeking Zalzabar. She then spied the dead carcus of Zikki, after he had hit the ground, and the light left his eyes.

After she was satisfied that none were in danger of immediate death, she slowy walked over, her skin complaining as she moved. She ignore it for a moment, along with the tiredness she felt. She knew the others heading away, would need to be caught up with as well. But first, she slowly walked over to the carcass.

"I want my dagger back, meatstick," she growled softly to herself, as she stretched out her hand. She searched for the dagger or the metal of the dagger. If she could call it back to her hand, she would. It would make an interesting item. If not, she had others.

Afterward, she watched over Anaxagore, making sure that he still breathing fine, while she tried to see what had happened to Zalzabar. If anything major was going on, she was sure that Esenma would let her know. At least the roasted goblins were no longer moving.

With a slight groan, she watched and waited.

Esenma descended gracefully from above after she felt Zikki’s aura cease. This “son” would sleep forever and his goblin kin would as well. But Esenma had to make sure. Blue fire erupted from her mouth as she carefully flew around the mountain, burning the goblin bodies to ashes with her fire before hovering above Zikki’s corpse and burning it until there was nothing left.

She had a flash of a powerful enough necromancer or Sapientis, himself should they fail to prevent his return, bringing the Goblin Elder back to life. When she was satisfied with the smoldering ashes of near-nothingness that remained of ZIKKI, she landed in front of Zalzabar.

“Zalzy, we need to leave immediately. I have enough energy to make the flight to The Kingdom, but after that I will be useless and immobile for... I do not know how long. We are too vulnerable here.”

Tag: @Shadowsun, @The Jedi in the Pumas, @Ktala, ( @Darth_Elu, @galactic-vagabond422 , @Mitth_Fisto )

 

The Death of the Goblin King
​

With Zikki dead it would take long for the splintered party to regroup. Zalzabar looked to Esenma, giving a slow nod of his head, his eyes still dazed from the experience before hardening once more with purpose.

"Get over here!"

He bellowed to the other group, his body staggering to try and pick Dominus up. He twitched at the sight of his charred body. How could he have allowed this to happen. He then felt himself drop to his knees. The elder ryujin had underestimated how difficult teleporting was for him now, not to mention the amount of energy he had given away to Anaxgore to keep him from... no the thought was not a welcome one.

The elder ryujin would glance to Delsanra and Anaxagore, the snow elf tending to the human. His eyes then glanced to the approaching group, his eyes pleading with Ne'tar and Rebecca. Both of whom were not particularly full of energy either.

"I...I one or both of you to grab Kaynus," he gestured over to where the adept had fallen, his body still in the process of healing.

Slowly Zalzabar hooked one of Dominus's arms around him lifting up the snow elf, as he then leaped onto the back of Esenma. He then looked down to Delsanra, who would have been able to find the dagger of hers, the dagger that had been inside the Son of Sapientis, giving a quiet nod.

"Perhaps best if you transform and carry some too my dear if you are feeling up to it that is,"

The elder ryujin dragon then collapsed onto Esenma, speaking one last piece before his mind went blank.

"Make sure to transform at least five miles before we get to Othos or they'll shoot at you,"

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Ktala @Darth_Elu @greyjedi125 @Mitth_Fisto @The Jedi in the Pumas @Kurisan

 

An old memory



The Tournament was over and he had won, but why did he not feel like a winner?

He had been tasked to find an answer to a question.

“Anaxagore!! Come in, dinner is getting cold.”

“Ma, I’m not hungry.”

“How long are you going to stare at the koi?”

“I’m not hungry. I’m meditating.”

“Meditating? What’s wrong dear?”

“I beat Narpa today.”

“The Ox Champion? That’s wonderful news!”

“I didn’t just beat him. I hurt him bad.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, but he’s a warrior like you, I’m sure he understands you didn’t mean it.”

“Ma, I did mean it. He said bad things and got me mad. So I beat him.”

“Come inside dear, you have to eat and replenish your energy.”

“I have to meditate.”

“You can do that after dinner.”

“Master Namekian asked me if I knew the reason. Why do I fight?”

“I know there’s a good reason, please come in and eat something.”

“I need to know. Why do I fight. Beating Narpa like that…it felt….wrong.”

“Come to dinner, we can talk about it after you eat.”

“ ……………… “

“Anaxagore, please don’t eat my koi fish.”

“………………”

“Ma, I’m not. Promise. Fine. I’ll come in for dinner.”

 

OOC: Plus a long awaited earilier combo

Delsanra Taenya Helestina
The Death of a Goblin King

Delsanra managed to retrieve her dagger. She carefully wrapped it, and placed it in her pouch, pulling another dagger to use in its place. Delsanra looked up when she heard Zalzabar bellow to the other group..

"Get over here!"

His body staggering to try and pick Dominus up. The elder ryujin would glance to Delsanra and Anaxagore, then glanced to the approaching group, his eyes pleading with Ne'tar and Rebecca. Both of whom were not particularly full of energy either.

"I...I one or both of you to grab Kaynus," he gestured over to where the adept had fallen, his body still in the process of healing.

Slowly Zalzabar hooked one of Dominus's arms around him lifting up the snow elf, as he then leaped onto the back of Esenma. He then looked down to Delsanra, giving a quiet nod.

"Perhaps best if you transform and carry some too my dear if you are feeling up to it that is."

Delsanra nodded. "I can. I will heal faster in that state. And I am quite able to carry others as well." With that, Delsanra moved back some to make sure she was clear of everyone, and then quickly changed her form. She stretched out her wings, flapping them a few times, and besides for some soreness in the body, she felt fine. She then crouched down, so that anyone who needs a ride could climb on.

She kept a sharp eye open on their surroundings as the others got together. Between Esenma's wind attack and all the battling, she wondered how far it could been seen. Whatever this city they were heading for, she hoped it had good security.

Just as Zalzabar collapsed, he had one last statement...

"Make sure to transform at least five miles before we get to Othos or they'll shoot at you.".

Othos.

Ahh. She waited quietly, watching as Zalzabar had gone silent over Dominus. And then she looked over at the goblin Ryuin king's body. And she thought back to earlier when they were still in the town. After the meal, when she and Dominus had spoken ....


[earlier flashback combo]

...
As it sounded like indeed they would be going after the goblins, Delsanra nodded satisfied. After the hot springs and such, she felt very relaxed now. She would look forward to the time they had before they moved out again in the morning.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noted as Dominus left the table after Rebecca had, was not lost on her. Excusing herself silently, she scooped a few vegetables and bread to take with her, and slipped back her chair, quietly rising and moving off to the rooms provided them. Once she had left the room where the remaining members were still eating, she quickened her steps, moving silently with elven footfall.

"Domius...." she called out softly, knowing his elven ears would hear her. "May I perhaps, speak with thee?" she asked, using a slightly more elven polite form of speech to garner his attention. Unlike Ensenma's thoughts, she wanted to learn more of Dominus. Her people were few and hard to find as is. Any chance to speak with one of her own ilk was always a chance she was eager for, even one who grew up with Zanzabar

Dominus's attention was caught, turning around slightly he viewed Delsanra. A slight puzzled look spread across his face, she was being more formal than she usually was, he was curious as to what she wanted. Clambering down he walked over to her, his eyes looking at her with curiosity.

"Yes, Delsanra? What is it?"

Delsanra stood as Dominus closed the distance. She gave a nod of her head. "I hope, I am not disturbing you. I.." She muttered softly in elven, shaking her head in annoyance with herself. "I would like to speak with you. So seldom, am I in the company of other elves, and even less so, of those of our ilk, as well you know."

Delsanra gave a slight chuckle. "To speak in something other than the common word, and talk of common things, would be quite a boon right now. Of everything that is to come, I would appreciate a bit of normal right now. She shrugged her shoulders slightly, as she waited for his reply.

"Indeed I have not met another snow elf for quite some time" he replied in elvish, in particular the dialect associated with the snow elves. He glanced off to the side and then back at her. He came off the stairs and motioned for her to follow, making a gesture to Julius who gave a firm nod. He entered one of the private booths, sealed off from the rest of main food hall, allowing for some privacy. He sat down, looking awkwardly off to the side. Clearly, he was not used to small talk, used to action and direct orders.

"Anything...in...er... particular you wished to speak about?

Delsanra smiled. Both at how apprehensive he looked and acted, but also in the fact he spoke in the dialect of the snow elves. She quickly switched over, glad to see that he indeed knew the language as well.

Delsanra nodded. "Well, because of recent events, we barely had time to learn each other's name, before we were forced to move." Delsanra's face took on a serious expression. "I understand. Just as you are more comfortable with a sword in hand, and taking to task, while my realm, until recently, was dusty tomes, and libraries filled with either students that reminded me more of Kaynus than I care to admit, or teachers, who felt older than Esnema, if that was possible." She gave a slight smile. "But at least my last teacher gifted me with the lessons of fighting. Magic is useful. But even I know that it takes more than words to win a battle."

Delsanra sighed softly. "When I first came to this place, I gave thought about what type of man this Zalzabar was. Stories are one thing. But it is not always a good thing to meet a legend. But then I saw you and...and the others. And I know our people are not want to lend themselves to another easily. Unless it has purpose." Delsanra faced him, her face serious.

"So, tell me, what binds you to his cause?"

Dominus continued to look off into the corner, glancing every so often to Delsanra, then a moment of recollection till he looked directly to her. He took in what she had to say, interested to hear about her past, out of the members of the group Delsanra had been one of the more quite ones and it was good to hear her speak now.

"I see, yes not an unfair question, it has been oh so long since I have been to the homeland, but yes our people, the snow elves, our a proud people, in fact both you and I are quite rarities among our kind indeed,"

He tilted his head, relaxing more into the conversation, as he continued to speak, it was a blessing really, another distraction to keep him away from his thoughts, from his grief.

"You see Zalzabar took us in when we were quite young, I was only a teen at the time, Veritas and Audacia were babies, I had found them through a wild array of circumstances,"

The pain made themselves clear in his eyes again before he turned back to Delsanra. He then proceeded to recount his first encounter with the Elder Ryujin, how they knocked on his door and he let them in, caring for them ever since.

"... he raised us, trained us, took care of us, how could I not be indebted to the man?"

Delsanra listened silently and patiently as Dominus let his story flow. It explained so much. Especially Zalzabars reactions of late. And what Dominus was most likely now feeling. She nodded her head slowly. When he made his last statement, Delsanra smiled ever so slightly.

In the blink of an eye, Zalzabar had lost two of his children And Dominus had gone to being an only child. She looked down, deep in thought for a moment. She then looked up, speaking softly.

"I dare say it is more than that. Delsanra stated softly, giving a slight nod of her head. She suddenly brightened up. "Then, I do not regret my decision. Having been raised in the towers of Arcania, I did have such a teacher, but no more. Those moments are rare indeed, so I understand your cause. "

Delsanra offered a slight smile. "Then, I feel we have a worthy cause indeed. Hopefully, we are not delayed too long." Delsanra gave him a bigger smile.

Dominus gazed up to Delsanra, noting her soft smile. The ever stoic did not reply with a smile in kind. Instead, he gave a slight nod asking his own question.

"Zalzabar often gets carried away, rushing from one thing to the next..." he paused glancing back off to the side.

"...because he has to," he looked back to Delsanra. His eyes softening, relaxing more into the conversation.

"but that does often lead to things getting rushed by, including where you are from and your history," he tilted his head in interest.

"You don't strike me as a typically snow elf, the fact you are not buried deep within the labyrinths of Mezar speaks to that, tell me of yourself if you will,"

Delsanra gave a solomn nod. "You speak the truth. I am a child of the mystic towers." Delsanra tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowed. "I was born Mezar, that I know. But not long thereafter, I was given to the mages of the northern towers in Zafir." Delsanra shrugged her shoulders lightly. "I am told that I was well-loved, but I showed an aptitude of magic at an extremely young age." Delsanra eyes went unfocused, as she remembered moving a feeding bottle when she was hungry. She then shook her head. "But sometimes, I wonder if they were not telling me all."

Delsanra reached up and released her long black hair. "Even I know that within our kind, dark hair is not the norm." Delsanra looked down in her lap for a moment, and then looked back up at Dominus. "The elders told me stories of them, and said that they knew I would learn more there, and that it was my 'calling.' I might not have been buried within the labyrinths of Mezar, but I have grown up either buried within the walls of a library or in classes and training. I've had many races as teachers. But until now, Ive only met one other of our kind. When I was very young, she made sure I learned the language well. But she didnt stay long.

Delsanra looked at a wall. "When I finished my basic studies, I was given a bit more freedom, traveling, and doing work for the guilds. During that time, by Ryujin side made itself known.." Delsanra looked over, with a deep sigh. "I think, I always knew something made me even more different. But even within the mages guild, Ryujin are something they look at, some in awe... and others with hate. So my first lesson was to learn to hide myself from the other mages. Thats was easy enough. But I knew that I would need extra protection. Which is when I learned..ummm. things.. like that other spell, I used earlier. And then, I left the mages, when my last teacher passed beyond the veil. He was the only one who knew my secret. I traveled and moved about, visiting many of the old Ryujin schools, most of them gone now. I gleamed any bit of knowledge I could find. I collected. And I practiced. And I learned. I soon ran into another elf. He was a fighter. So I learned a bit of sword fighting from him. And he was Ryujin. So, I learned how to adapt, and to fight that way as well."

Delsanra looked back at Dominus. "But, we parted ways. I just happened to decide of where I was to go next when I found one of the notices that had been sent out. So I figured it was a bit of destiny at work." Delsanra chuckled darkly. "Who knew?" She looked back down at her hands in her lap. It was nice to have someone to listen to her, if only for a little bit.

Dominus dipped his head slightly as Delsanra spoke, listening without looking at her. When she was finished he glanced back up. He tilted his head to the side an idle thought crossing his mind. It would seem he was raised longer in their people's land, although not by much. She probably was not aware of the secret of the snow elves. A fact he had only caught a glimpse of but was not a surprise when one learned of it.

"So do you know about the Legend of Gelida? The true legend I mean, whispered only amongst the snow elves, even to this day I have not broken that sacred pact with even Lord Zalzabar,"

His eyes hovered on the snow elf, measuring her response. Very few actually knew much of the two halves of Sapientis, other than one was of ice and the other was of fire.

Delsanra's eyebrows raised. A secret about the two halves of Sapientis? She only knew of the general bit of fire and ice. She tilted her head, now very curious indeed. She then slowly shook her head.

"Indeed, the teaching of my own people has been sorely lacking. As you stated earlier, meeting others of our kind has been few indeed." She now was extremly curious. She leaned in a bit closer. "What is this, Legend of Gelida?" she asked him. If he never spoke even to Lord Zalzabar of it, there had to be a reason.

He breathed in deeply and gave a long knowing sigh.

"The story I am about to tell you is a secret among the snow elves, although it would seem Malum Dragonson was somehow able to steal this knowledge,"

He looked off to the side the name clearly agitating him.

"It has been so long since I've been told the legend, about one hundred and sixty or so years ago," He cleared his through settling into his seat as he began to speak.

"Gelida is a snow elf, that fact alone is not known by many, although it is suspected by outside groups, what is not known outright is she the first snow elf, the greatest of our kind, more powerful than we can imagine," He looked up, twiddling his thumbs.

"She was the daughter of Pelagus, the Sea Dragon, thousands of years ago there was a holy war between the Three and some other force we simply know as 'the Two', one of Zalzabar's texts speaks of this it seems the Seryon also have a recollection of the ages past,"

He tapped his fingers a couple of times on the table, gathering his thoughts as he pieced together the distant memory.

"Now that is all just context, Gelida was a powerful mage and greatest of the Three's children, she lead the charge of the holy war against the Two, over time she would come to clash against the Two's champion, greatest of the Two's children, the primordial Human, Ignis,"

"Their battles of fire and ice rocked Regnum, carving the deep cold mountains and the grand volcanoes that exist today, but then, and I'm not sure if I'm forgetting or if we simply do not know, but these two beings formed a sacred bond, a soul bond that linked the two beings, two parts of a whole, they fell in love and from their love came Sapientis"

He looked upward, rubbing the back of his neck.

"The two became one, and from them came their own children, notably the fire goblins or ruberot goblins we encountered before and the ice giants, what is hidden from the outside world is when the time came for Sapientis to rebel against the three, the Snow Elves were led by him, our people sought to overthrow the Three and destroy them"

...

Between what she saw, and what Zikki had spoken of before his death, the story seemed to take on a whole new meaning.

Delsanra stayed silent, as she waited. Once everyone was on, she was take off and follow along. If the others coudlnt move Kraynus, she would pick him up and carry him.



TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Shadowsun @Darth_Elu @greyjedi125 @Mitth_Fisto @The Jedi in the Pumas @Kurisan

 

IC: Ne'tar
Death of Gob-gob King

Ne'tar glad all done, Ne'tar no know if Ne'tar can hold on much longer! Ne'tar glad see gob-fire monster fall apart. Ne'tar stop chant and huff in satisfaction.

Ne'tar look and see big Gob-gob King fall dead to earth. Ne'tar hear call and Ne'tar see others weary, others worn. Ne'tar no know what do besides look for valuables. No meat from this kill, all rotten.

Ne'tar then climb on Delsanra, Ne'tar feel odd do so. "Ne'tar thank you. Ne'tar try heal those on trip." Ne'tar say to her and others as Ne'tar make sure bring water with them.

TAG: @galactic-vagabond422 @Shadowsun @Darth_Elu @greyjedi125 @Ktala , @The Jedi in the Pumas @Kurisan

 

Cretaus IC:
~A Quiet Aftermath~

Cretaus could only stare as the other dragon and the large golem thing turned into sludge all on their own. Defeated without anything having been done! Honestly, within his own head, he thought they were in trouble as the giant had been hammering the water shield Ne'tar had used to protect them all and it had nearly gotten through!

Why did it stop? Why did they...uh, die?

Looking to the others for possible answers, he was instead interrupted in his silent query as Zalzabar's voice rang out over the mountainside.

"Get over here!"

Cretaus' gaze turned in the direction of where the other group had been battling Zikki. The way that command sounded though, it was to them. And things were a lot quieter now, he noticed. No goblins. No dragons. No fighting.

"It's over then?" he asked aloud to no one in particular.

Following the others, they made their way back to the other group, with only one dragon among them. A very large, majestic looking dragon that was clearly on their side! But who was it? His eyes quickly found Zalzabar, Dominus, Delsanra, and Anaxagore. He didn't initially see Kaynus, but he had seen his ryujin form before so he knew it wasn't him. So that mean it was...Esenma.

Slowly, he wiped his blade off in the snow then sheathed his weapon, staring open-mouthed at her. Her other form was beautiful and powerful to behold! He honestly wasn't sure what to really make of it other than that! But his mind didn't linger there long before he fully took in Anaxagore's state. Unconscious and looking...well. Crispy.

"Anaxagore!" he exclaimed worriedly. Running over to him, likely along with Taella, he peered down at him and wondered what he could possibly do to help. It was obvious within seconds the answer to that was nothing however. As always. This was the man who had first began to really train him and now he was already in this state!? Ryujin or not, was he going to be ok? He might as well vocalize that concern.

"Is he going to be all right?"

"I...I one or both of you to grab Kaynus."

At his words and while Dominus helped Zalzabar onto Esenma's back, Cretaus looked toward where the Elder had motioned to as he waited for a response from someone. Finally, he saw Kaynus' form on the ground. Much like Anaxagore, he was unconscious. He wasn't in as bad a shape, so likely to make a recovery, still it was sad to see someone who was his comrade like that. Even if his personality left much to be desired, truth be told.

"Perhaps best if you transform and carry some too my dear if you are feeling up to it that is. Make sure to transform at least five miles before we get to Othos or they'll shoot at you."

It appeared he was talking to Delsanra and then Esenma as well at that point, but Cretaus was just shaking his head and looking at Anaxagore again while Kaynus was being retrieved by Rebecca. Ne'tar seemed to be far too tired to aid and instead made a beeline for Delsanra, which was understandable. He was the main reason they survived at the end! Not something Cretaus would forget anytime soon.

"I can. I will heal faster in that state. And I am quite able to carry others as well."

Delsanra said this while helping the orc onto her back and watched as Taella and Anaxagore were likely brought onto Esenma's along with Zalzabar and Dominus. At this point, the teen hesitated for a moment, sighed, and made his way over to Rebecca. She was quite capable of carrying Kaynus on her own. Her strength and resilience had shown themselves many times already, but given the level of exhaustion...He figured she might need help from him in carrying another. Just this once.

Assisting, or being rebuffed, he'd walk back with her and the carried Kaynus. He pointed to Delsanra.

"More room with her, it looks like. Um..D-Delsanra?" he was timid as he hadn't spoken with her much. And who spoke casually with a dragon anyway!?

"Could you help us up?"

The moment they were up, he did his best to hide his anxiety given the last experience he had had on dragonback. Delsanra's at that time too ironically. But despite that, if there was evenly a remote chance he could do so safely...he'd pass out not long into their flight. The stamina drain overwhelming him.

The Road to Othos had been long indeed.

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