[center] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [IMG]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjcyLjE1MDUwNS5WR2hsSUVkeWIzVncuMA,,/skyfont.regular.png[/IMG] ------------------------------------------------ [code]Mayor's house[/code] ------------------------------------------------ [sub][@Trainerblue192][@Achronum][@Kazemitsu][@Rultaos][/sub] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [/center] [center]"[i][b]GET YOUR ASSES UP AND ARMED, ARMOR ON, WEAPONS BARED THE ENEMY IS HERE,[/b][/i]” the half dragon roared, waking whatever life it could in the immediate area and shaking a few houses as he did. “[i][b]That was a mistake,[/b][/i]” S’venia spoke in a soft voice as her grip tightened around the hilt of her sword. S’venia quickly moved to River’s side, placing a hand on their shoulder, “[i][b]ready your magic, Kharne will need your help,[/b][/i]” she finished as she lifted her hand, River would notice a warm sensation spread from where S’venia placed her hand, “[i][b]and Beatrice,[/b][/i]” S’venia paused as she closed the distance between the two in a quick pace, placing her hand on the shoulders of Beatrice, “[i][b]your ward is well deserved, keep it strong and at the ready,”[/b][/i] S’venia finished as she removed her hand from her shoulder, and she would too notice the warm sensation spread from where S’venia’s hand was, “[i][b]and Cyterius,[/b][/i]” S’venia spoke as she once again closed the distance, placing her hand on his shoulders, “[i][b]the enemy we face requires us to stick together, if we break rank you risk death at the hands of a beast that claimed more lives in the first war than any other monster of metal,[/b][/i]” she paused as she removed her hand from his shoulder, and he too would feel the warm sensation spreading. “[i][b]I do not know how to kill this enemy, it is unlike anything you or I have ever faced in our lives,[/b][/i]” S’venia paused as she looked towards the door, “[i][b]maybe the book might be of help,[/b][/i]” S’venia finished as she pointed towards the book, “[i][b]come,[/b][/i]" she paused as she allowed a sarcastic grin to befall her face, "[i][b]let us save our bodyguard,[/b][/i]” she finished as she made for the door, motioning for the group to follow. As the group exited the building, the would see snow falling slowly in the area causing a light dusting to appear. The buildings appeared lifeless, with no lights shining through the window. Their vision would be greeted by the sight of their soldiers, all frozen in their tracks, with weapons drawn and ready for battle. If they looked close enough, the group would notice their eyes. Their eyes wouldn shift from the commanders to something further down in the camp. S’venia followed their eyes and eventually spotted the giant half-dragon Kharne, not too far ahead, frozen in his tracks all the same. “[i][b]Stick together,[/b][/i]” S’venia spoke as she unbuckled her hilt from her hip and began to carry her sword in her hand. The commanders would have a choice here. Their soldiers were close, and they were in need of their help. They could break rank and help them, or they could follow S’venia and face the source of their issues. Whatever their decision, S’venia began to make her way towards their bodyguard. Eventually, she made her way to his side. As she was about to put her hand on his shoulder, she spotted the creature that was responsible for the assault. “[i][b]Commanders, our enemy has arrived,[/b][/i]” she spoke as she drew her sword, dropping the hilt as she did. In front of Kharne, some fifteen meters away, the creature had stopped its approach as it began to scan each commander intricately. The creature boasted plates of a dark grey color, covering their legs, chest, and arms, which starkly contrasted with the black skin beneath. Using the word ‘skin’ would be a stretch of the word as it appeared the beast boasted muscle and muscle alone on the lithe feminine frame. The thin frame allowed the chest plate to spill over and around the chest of the beast, forming a natural set of armor that appeared to be very durable. While its thin frame and its small profile was unassuming at most, its face made up for it by the intensity of the stare it delivered. Its eyes, black as night and sunken deep in the white porcelain-like mask, stared out with a fiery intensity as the top edges danced like a candle flame in the night. The mouth was equally black, sunken deep in the creatures face as well. The top of the mask flowed upward in a writhing mass of black fog, that’s uppermost edge faded away as it traveled upward. Upon closer inspection, the commanders would realize that it was no mask that covered its face. Indeed, its ‘face’ seemed to be made from porcelain and not flesh. The eyes shifted, once again, between the commanders before resting on S’venia. “[i][b][b]Do’rk var zail mi vize,”[/b][/b][/i] it spoke in a very metallic sounding voice, it’s mouth gliding across the surface of its face as it spoke. “[i][b]I know what I do,[/b][/i]” S’venia responded as she slammed her hand on the shoulder of Kharne. The other commanders would notice a soft golden glow being emitted from her palm, though the source would remain unknown. “[i][b]Kharne, come back to us,[/b][/i]” she began to chant.[/center] [center] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [IMG]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLjZiMDYwNi5RU0JtYjI5c0ozTWdaWEp5WVc1ay4w/stangend.stangend.png[/IMG] ------------------------------------------------ [code]In the street[/code] ------------------------------------------------ [sub][@Kazemitsu][/sub] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [/center] [center]As Kharne strode forth into the camp, his ears would only hear the constant howl of the vicious wind while his eyes would only reveal the sheer density of the snowstorm that had sudden enveloped the camp. With every step he took, the cold would seep further and further into the mind and body of the giant. While his heritage boasted incredible resistance to the elements, this cold was unnatural and unlike anything the giant had ever faced. This cold crawled its way through his thick skin and lashed at the very thoughts in his head. After a few more steps, his instincts would flare up telling him to run. Run back to the mayor's house, run away in general, and run from this cold. The instinct would become overwhelming in its desire to have Kharne run. Something deep inside of him knew what was ahead, and it was afraid. He would find that listening to his inner instinct was impossible, however, as he would find himself frozen in his steps; unable to move. Every attempt to move his legs would be met with nothing, every attempt to wiggle a finger or a toe would be met with nothing, and every attempt to listen to his innermost instinct would be met with nothing. He was frozen in time and in place by an unknown force that allowed only his eyes to move. And his eyes would see a ghastly sight indeed. Up ahead, in the middle of the village, his eyes would see another soldier, frozen in time and place much like himself. At first that was all he could see. The soldier had his weapon drawn, resting at a forty-five-degree angle as if he was trying to strike a blow, and was a member of the Snow Leopards. Yet, as he looked, he would start to see what appeared to be a bright light appearing in front of the soldier and out of view of his direct sight. Without seeing the source of the light Kharne would feel a wave of raw anger wash over and seemingly directed at him. Kharne would be able to sense that this anger lingered in the air all around him. Through the smoke the light conveyed a raw and powerful hatred. Kharne had interrupted its ritual after all. In a quick movement, the creatures arm shot into view as it slit the neck of the soldier it hid behind. The arm of the creature was wrapped in a bright white fog that obscured its true form, with cloud-like tendrils flowing off the fingertips of the creature. The soldier that stood before it fell to his knees, before falling over all together; revealing the creature all together. Kharne would see an impossible creature deep in the snowstorm, a creature of light and beauty. In the center of the creature's chest, a vibrant red jewel glowed a beautiful hue that pierced through the thick snowstorm without resistance. The same cloud like tendrils spread outward from the jewel, covering the chest and arms of the beast while flowing downward to only the knees. Where the tendrils flowed the same fog obscured the true form of the creature. The tendrils snaked upward, forming the head of the beast in a vibrant white light that shined through the darkness of the snow storm. Yet, despite its pristine and seemingly beautiful nature, Kharne will remain ill at ease. For on its pristine and seemingly beautiful face sat two sunken and very black eyes that flickered like candles in the night and a mouth that was equally dark and flickered all the same. While the blue streaks in the cloudy face did add some joviality to its appearance, it did not detract Kharne from the sight of those eyes and they were angry. Kharne would watch as the body of the deceased soldier emitted various cloud like tendrils from his body The tendrils flowed upward and flowed into the red jewel on the creature and it smiled a lovely smile. The white frame expanded slightly, adding the base of a pair of horns to the top of its head while extended further down the leg as well. The creature slowly brought it’s hand close, and raised it up towards it head. It slowly rubbed the foundation of the horns for a few seconds before the smile that had framed its face grew sinister. Kharne would watch as the flickering eyes fully embraced their next target. As if floating, the creature began to make its way towards Kharne. He would notice that on the creatures' right arm existed a blade that seemed to be a part of its body, and as the creature grew closer, he would notice that it looked quick sharp indeed. Slowly but surely, the creature closed on Kharne. Slowly but surely, it moved its way through the camp. It’s eyes fixed and flicking, and it’s mouth seemingly filled with glee. Yet it stopped, some ten meters away, as its eyes shifted to a sight behind the right shoulder of the giant. A second or so later, Kharne would feel a warm sensation on his shoulder. Slowly the warmth began spread across his body and grew in intensity as it did. It would burn like the hottest fire that ever touched his skin as it spread. It would be a mixture of pain and sweet relief, a pair that was bound to illict some confusion. Though as the warm sensation spread, Kharnes vision would confuse him. As the warmth spread, the snowstorm began to lose its intensity, fading away to nothing more than a slow falling flurry that gently dusted the area. As the warmth spread, his inner instincts began to wane and retreat before falling off altogether. And as the warmth spread, the site of the creature before him changed. Slowly, the white cloud like base of the creatures' body began to fade, revealing the true body of the monster before him. Before the snowstorm and the murky form faded all together, the creature would let out an earthshaking roar that Kharne and Kharne alone could hear. “[i][b]ar-,[/b][/i]” he would hear a distant voice speak, “[i][b]arne-,[/b][/i]” the same voice would speak this time closer and louder, “[i][i][b]Kharne,[/b][/i][/i]” he would finally hear S’venias voice once again, “[i][b]Kharne, welcome back,[/b][/i]” she would speak as she fell to a knee with an exhausted look on her face. His right shoulder would still feel the warm sensation from before while the rest of his body relished in the fact that it was no longer there wherever there was; he was back in the realm of the mortals once again. He would feel weak, however, and would need a moment before he could regain his former strength. S’venia spent a second on her knee before she rose back to her feet, and brandished her sword for all to see. The group had arrived in full now.[/center]