[quote]"What do I do! Why does this thing want us to run!"

"Sir? I mean, Mushroom? Er- Sir Shroom, is there any problem here?"[/quote]

The painted mushroom-man scrabbled deep into Thema's bag, but popped its capped head up again at Eli's question, its little face squinched sourly. [b]"Problem? [i]Problem?[/i] It's all a problem! We're going to be eaten! The Chimes, you idiot, the Chimes! Don't you hear them? They're awake! They're awake! We failed! Hide hide hide!"[/b]

He ducked into Thema's belongings for a moment -- then peeked out once more, eyes wider in realization. He glanced between Eli and Thema as if seeing them properly for the first time. [b]"Are you . . . [i]islanders?[/i]"[/b] Among the trees -- close -- a hollow wooden sound clattered. The mushroom squeaked and hid for a third time, trembling.

In the face of Thema's fear, the ball of light at her side quivered and faded. Surrounding it was an ethereal shadow of feathers, flickering and undulating, as uncertain and afraid as Thema herself.

The ball of light attached to Eli's arm, however, shone steadily. Very slowly, a shape was taking form around the light: a translucent shadow of something small and furry and -- orange? It flicked its tail like a squirrel's alarm, big eyes peering into the woods.

Another glowing ball of light drifted peacefully over the bushes -- and then a shadow swooped out of the trees and snapped it up in a bony beak. The hollow ring of wood chimes clattered loudly; the monster landed on a boulder above and folded its spotted wings. It was hollow and deathly, made of bone and coarse feathers; it stood long-legged like a heron and as tall as a man. It stared down at Eli and Thema through hollow eye sockets in its bleached skull. Specifically, it stared at the brightly glowing ball of light that hung on Eli's arm.

The Chime flapped into the air and dove straight for Eli, its bony claws outstretched. It meant to drive its claws deep into his chest, force him down, and devour his light for itself.

[quote]“Hahaha, /wow/ that was close~”

"Woah, where did that come from and how..."

"Get back!" He shouted at the others, charging forward to face the direction the stone flew from. He set himself, turning sideways and raising the sword parallel to the ground, and waited.

The flame danced up her arm and down her other arm playfully as if it was attached to her, tickling Sera some as well making the girl laugh delighted.[/quote]

The bright fiery light that danced around Sera was as lighthearted and unconcerned as she was. As Sera smiled and laughed, the light glimmered and glowed brighter, happily flitting and skittering around her. The flames began to take a more complex shape: feathers, and wings, a beak and bright eyes, though it was still translucent and only playfully formed.

Meanwhile, in the moment it took Nikki to fling Blin out of the way of being crushed, her own ball of light blanketed itself in a new shape. Her surge of protective adrenaline caused the light to flash brightly; a shape quickly took form around the light, until in its place was a lizardy animal with teeth and claws and feathered wings. The newly born animal dropped with very real weight onto Nikki's chest, and it opened its toothy jaws with a creaky noise of proud greeting.

Blin's light seemed to be clinging to his shirt, a faint silhouette of something with claws and wings -- but it was dimmer than the others, as sleepy as Blin himself. The ball of light appeared to be half-asleep, holding onto his shirt like a security blanket.

The light under Blank's hand glowed steadily brighter as he raised his sword. It began to growl deep as long fangs took shape in the air, then narrowed dark eyes and tensed furred shoulders appeared in ghostly silhouette. The shape of a wolf formed out of the glow of the light, as bright as Blank's determination to defend against whatever it was that had attacked them. He didn't have to wait long.

A clattering sound like hollow wood preceded the flash and flutter of wide spotted wings. A tall, birdlike monster with a bony head and skeletal claws lighted on a thick branch overhead and stared down at them with empty eye sockets.

The monster opened its wings wide; as it did so, the boulder trembled and raised into the air, dripping with dirt and tufts of grass. The monster snapped its wings closed, and the boulder shot like an enormous cannonball toward the group -- and Blank, Sera, Blin and Nikki were all in its destructive path.

In this instant, Nikki would instinctively become aware that the creature attached to her was as fast and strong as she was -- and it would do as she wished, with only a thought.

As the boulder flew, Blank's wolf leaped in front of him, in an instant a solid and frightening form, all white fur and sharp teeth, ready to act at a moment's direction.

[quote]Rahna sat there, her eyes staring up at the beast in shock, and maybe some awe.

His instinct took hold of his better judgement and he rose to his feet despite the sharp pain in the left side of his body.

The woman took a slow cautious step backwards, eyes fixed on the creature, saying nothing.[/quote]

While Rahna stared, the light at her shoulder pulsed and very slowly took on a shadowy, ethereal shape: long ears, a thick tail, squinted and uncertain eyes, something green and leafy blossoming on its back. It was only translucent and had no tangible weight, but it clung to her with soft paws and continued to relieve her every pain.

The light at Lee's shoulder was dimmer than the others -- tired and uncertain. An outline of a bright, sinewy shape was draped around her shoulders, but its ill-formed eyes were closed with exhaustion and residual fear. It, too, was intangible, a ghost and nothing more.

The ball of light that had cured Gaius' headache, however, was flitting and flinging itself in the air around his head, excitable and gleaming brightly, trailing a wake of gold shimmer.

The skeletal bird-monster raised its head tall, high above Gaius' stooped strength; its hollow eye sockets followed Gaius' light carefully as it flickered dizzily back and forth over the knight's head. The bird-monster clacked its bony beak hungrily, shifted and coiled to attack, its deadly attention trained on that light over Gaius' head.

The monster's wings flared, and like a flash of lightning it surged at Gaius, its long claws poised to rip into his armor -- and there as no doubt those wicked talons could pierce through the metal and the flesh beneath like it was butter. There was only a split-second in which anyone could react: to all witnesses, it was clear that this was Gaius' last breath, enveloped in a deadly flurry of feathers and bone.

At that moment, the little ball of light rested on Gaius' head; he felt a deep surge of strength and power ripple through his body. His feet planted solidly in the ground, and he knew -- against all odds -- he could not only withstand this attack, but break the monster's bones.

The bony monster's talons dented his armor with the force of its attack, but Gaius would not be thrown down.

The little light that flared at his head glimmered with bright colored wings, and a little toothy mouth opened wide with a triumphant squawl.

[b]SKWAAAAWK![/b]