[h2][color=coral][list]Thuraya Azize[/list][/color][/h2]

Thuraya hadn't said much to anyone. Hadn't found the need. Everyone went about their business, and she went about her own. Be it catching up with friends, talking strategy... gambling their night away - The woman didn't care. She didn't care to learn about any of these people, and made it quite clear she wasn't there to make any friendly relationships with anyone from the lot. Orders were orders and that was that. 

As they went toward the border, Thuraya kept her place, and stayed silent. Though it was clear there was more on her mind than orders, more than the inevitable battle to come. She seemed distant, thoughtful, curious and angered. Her lips were tight and eyes narrowed, looking to the ground as they traveled. What was on her mind..?

Exactly what she saw when they'd arrived. Across the way- among the H'kelan forces, were faces she'd not seen since childhood. Ones she'd tried to forget. Of course, much like her, they looked different. Larger, more fit and battle-ready than they were as younglings. They were all much larger than her, both the men and women. More toned, seemingly more ready than she could ever hope to be. She looked down at herself as the conversation ensued between King and Queen, taking in her own features for a moment, but was taken out of her trance as an arrow's whistle through the air came to an abrupt stop next to her foot.

Emerald eyes gazed at it for only a few seconds, then rose to the archers. The others on her own side moving forward to engage in combat. She waited for her chance - as the others started the battle, her eyes went from in front of the Barcean royals to the side. The mad king and the immediate forces at his side were not her concern now. Those she'd gazed upon at first were making their way in, and [i]she[/i] would be the one to meet them. 

[color=coral][i]'You have no ties. They tormented you. They left you for dead...'[/i][/color] she thought to herself as she turned and lifted her sword, feet bracing hard against the ground as she made her way forward at a quick sprint from the start. [color=coral][i]'They never helped, they never would have understood anyway! Never would have even tried to!'[/i][/color] hands grasped tighter at the great-sword's handle, lifting it slightly off her shoulder to swing once in range. Her tail out straight behind her as she ran, and with a quick hop at her full speed, her tail curled in and her blade swung in a great cleave. 

It met with a clang against the largest male's blade that was slightly smaller than her own. He would have a stronger swing than her, and likely much faster. [color=coral][b]"So this is what you've all become then!"[/b][/color] she said as she was forced backward through the air, skidding across the ground on her feet, right hand touching down to the ground as she locked her eyes on the male. [b]"Sister! Why, it's been much too long!... We thought you'd be dead by now."[/b]

She scowled, eyes narrowed, brow furrowed. [color=coral][b]"It would take much more than neglect to take me!"[/b][/color] 
[b]"Then allow us to do what Mother had tried. Let us show you her wrath ourselves! What fury we had endured when you [i]ran[/i]!"[/b]

She heard the others all speak words such as 'coward', but she had been taught for many years now that she was no coward. Given the care she'd needed, she had grown strong. [color=coral][i]'Stronger than any of them...'[/i][/color] Feet pushed her forward then, and as she was surrounded by the others, she took a deep breath and allowed herself to leap, a spinning slash to truly start things off. [color=coral][b]"To think you once helped me, Kadir!"[/b][/color] laughter sounded from the largest male, and he struck her blade with his own, lunging his tail her way. 
Her body swung itself as much as it swung her sword about. Dodging blades, deflecting strikes and keep herself in motion, only stopping when necessary. 

Kadir, as she'd called him, was the first to fall. As she ducked under two blades crossing horizontally her tail lunged forward. While she figured the lot of them would be immune to her venom, the piercing of her large stinger would do damage in it's own right - and it did. Blood dripped from her tail, and was spewed forth from the man's mouth as he quickly lost strenght and fell off the tip to his knees and eventually fully to the ground after a little shove from her right hand. Left grasped the sword tighter. [color=coral][i]'Kadir... The only one who would ever think twice about caring for me. How far you'd fallen. It is better this way."[/i][/color] 

Next, she turned her focus to a sister- [color=coral][b]"Dalia!"[/b][/color] she called, the woman's eyes looked upon Thuraya and quickly widened as she noticed the smaller charge forward, sword quickly drawn to the side and across, a flip and the giant woman dodged with ease. Thuraya's arm brought her sword behind herself, the swish of a blade turned to a clang as she blocked an attack from behind. [b]"Give up, Thuraya. You may have taken Kadir from us, but now Mother's fury fills us all!"[/b] 

She gave a low hissing snarl and shook her head; [color=coral][b]"Fury will only drive you so far!"[/b][/color] the next swing of her giant blade took half a tail and leg with it, Dalia crumpled to the ground, but pushed herself foward with her full leg and what was left of the other and tail to lunge at her youngest, smallest sibling. Thuraya stepped to the side with ease and knocked the woman down with the flat of her blade, kicking her sister aside and turning. 

Two more brothers came at once along with a sister, [color=coral][i]'Jammal, Gadi, Bahira...'[/i][/color] she recalled their names as she ducked under a bladed fan and rolled from dual scimitars, worming her way from being crushed with a mace, or impaled by any of the three tails as she had done to their brother. 

As her massive sword found it's way around her own body to deflect hits from their smaller weapons, including the break of Bahira's fan and the chipping of stingers on all sides, Thuraya hadn't noticed the disappearance of the last brother- [color=coral][b]"Farid..?"[/b][/color] she asked softly, while keeping her eyes open, flowing with the motions to keep herself protected. It was when she managed to land a kick on Gadi that she noticed. As her brother stumbled back from her strike she noticed a sunken piece of earth, eyes widening. She stepped hard against the ground and felt it move beneath her and in that moment felt as though she'd already lost.

A hand reached up from beneath the earth that had sunk beneath her and grabbed her ankle, keeping her in place. It would take a moment for him to come out fully, this she knew, but she couldn't rely on her fancy movements to avoid them anymore. Mace came down on her tail and a broken fan was still bladed - she moved as best she could away from the blades but they found their mark of blood across her cheek. She moved past the pain in her tail with a look of wanting to throw up a little but managed to hold herself together. Body tensed and she pushed back then. Blade against scimitars to cleave Gadi nearly in two, Blood painting her and her siblings alike. She kicked at Farid's head as it poked up from the ground, with a satisfying snap. Her tail, while in pain curled up, knocking the mace down and she ducked to impale Jammal as she had Kadir. 

She pulled her tail back and faced her sister, [color=coral][b]"Bahira..."[/b][/color] she said as she stood up straight, sword gripped tightly, blood dripping from both her weapon and body alike. [color=coral][b]"Where is Riyad..?"[/b][/color] she asked, though the larger woman giggled as a response. 
[b]"Oh, little Thuraya. You don't know how it works, still? After you ran the way you did?"[/b] She stepped closer, pulling out a second fan finally and shook her head. [b]"He was eaten, just as you were scheduled to. He uh... He didn't make it up to Mother's standards, and... Well, you know how it is~!"[/b]

Thuraya's eyes widened and she went closer to Bahira. [color=coral][b]"So, you just... Let him die. Like you were going to let me."[/b][/color] 
[b]"Survival of the fittest, [i]Sister[/i]! It's not up to us! It's all by Mother's Will! She decides. She knows best! Now lay down and accept the fate you should've years ago!"[/b]
[color=coral][b]"No one decides my fate but me..."[/b][/color] 
[b]"And what would you do? Kill me too? You've changed from coward to monster!"[/b]
[color=coral][b]"Monster... Heh, that one I could live with. As long as it's known... That [i]"Mother"[/i] made the wrong choice. It's clear to me now... That none of you are stronger. And none of you ever deserved a better life than me."[/b][/color]

Fan rose in an offensive position , broken fan in defensive, and Thuraya swung her sword heavily toward her sister. Another scar would form across the bridge of Thuraya's nose, blood flowed down her face, but she didn't stop. Sword swung in all directions. To anyone watching they'd think she had no form, no grace, but each strike was precise, each planned carefully before followed through, and eventually, she lunged, catching her sister on the large blade. 

She stepped closer, the smallest of smiles across her bloodied lips, eyes closed as she lunged her tail into her sister's heart, pulling the sword out of her gut. [color=coral][b]"You didn't deserve it... And you didn't get it."[/b][/color] Tail pulled out and she tossed the body to the ground with the others. She turned then toward the rest of the battle. Other H'kelans were cautiously making their way toward Thuraya, but they would be no challenge, she could already tell with how they looked at her as they came in. With these ties gone, she was no longer H'kelan. She could toss away her life before, knowing that her siblings had never wanted her back. Her "Mother" was someone she could ignore the existance of... Seryosa was her only family now, and with that in mind... fighting those of H'kela would be much, [i]much[/i] easier.